Kids Programming Language

I wonder how many of you used to be programmers... Remember how it all started? In my case it was a Sinclair ZX Spectrum in 1983. Wonderful machine, programming it was so close to the metal... or silicon should I say. It was cold booting in 2 seconds and ready to execute statements you typed in. Like PRINT 2+2 (that yielded 4 in the upper left corner). Or PLOT (50, 50) to place a black pixel on the screen. Actually you could type a few lines and watch the computer executing your program instantaneously. It used to be so beautifully simple to feel what a computer program is in fact - a sequence of commands that are executed by the machine one by one. And today? You cold boot your gigahertz/gigabyte/gigaflop PC in 2 minutes flat and find yourself at the mercy of a START button. You can fire a Notepad to type a series of words that do nothing. Probably the closest thing you can do is to launch an Internet browser, go to google.com and type 2+2 in the search box. Yes, you will get that 4 (followed by an option to search the entire World's information for documents containing the terms "2+2")...

But how do you show the kids what a computer program is? How to plot a circle on the screen using a simple loop and Pythagorean Theorem? Or how to write a number guessing game? Or plot a Mandelbrot Set? Do you launch Visual Studio and start by typing all the includes for system input and graphics? No... It used to be so easy with the ZX Spectrum...

And here comes the KPL to the rescue. The Kids Programming Language. A wonderful idea and a wonderful product. It is like going back to the basics. Like your mighty PC finally being able to execute a few simple lines of code to reveal the wonderful world of programming. Just download the KPL, install it and you can PRINT 2+2 instantly... Sort of. May be not one line of code, but five, but it is still the fastest way to get that 4 on a mighty Windows screen. In 5 lines flat (we need to have some progress... do we?). It is still zillion times easier to explain than it C# or VB conversion (Public Overridable Sub Main() Implements blah blah blah).

So I'm not taking your time. Go and spend the rest of the day going back to your childhood. Dive in the forest of recursion trees or write yourself a Missile Command and tell me your high score!

Metadata Metachallenges

Today I would like to touch one of the most underestimated problems we face today. The Metadata problem. Or a challenge, if you like. First, let us define what we mean (we can use Google for that). In short metadata is "data that is used to describe other data". Examples? Links and bookmarks or favorites in your Internet browser. Or iPod playlists. Or picture slideshows defining the order and transition between pictures.

Imagine your computer today. What has taken most of your effort in configuring it when it arrived from a factory? Aha... metadata. It is easy to set up Windows or install Office or copy your music over from CDs or a backup USB drive. But then you spend hours, if not days configuring. Setting up the internet bookmarks, arranging music into playlists and rating the songs, configuring the UI preferences. Very hard work, fortunately you do that only once a year or two.

Now imagine you buy a second computer. Say you have a desktop PC and you have fallen in love with Origami (this will prove to be fatal attraction, I'll tell you why in a second). So you spend another day or a couple of them configuring the device. Same process over and over. Bookmarks, playlists, slideshows, user interface settings at al. Finally it is done and you are happy again. Then you sit at your desktop PC and start using it for daily work. You keep on adding some more links, your browser's history fills with new pages as you visit them, you purchase some more songs and add tem to your playlists. And you go for vacations. Of course the Origami goes with you. But where are the links you added on your desktop? Where is other metadata you created for the last couple of days? Simply left on your home desktop PC.
Shouldn't the two be synchronized? So that when you add a bookmark on one of them, it shows on the other? Or if you change a playlist sequence or add a new song on one of them, it changes on the other as well?

In my opinion the lack of good metadata synchronization schema is a really big problem we have today. It stops people like myself from having more than one PC and gives us huge overhead in terms of effort we take to keep things clean an ordered.
Now imagine. Your PC as a cache. Your data (and metadata) stored somewhere in an Internet Data Bank. Your personal Internet Data Bank mirrors in the background the bits you create and change when using your PC. And when you buy a new one, you just point it to the Bank and it synchronizes in seconds. If two or more are used, all of them replicate the changes to the central storage, so you may just add a bookmark on an Origami while sitting on your sofa, and when you turn your desktop PC on, the new bookmark will show there. A service like that is a must.

Unfortunately Microsoft failed to deliver this for years. Their thinking is still too "PC centric" (or motherboard centric, should I say). It should be user centric. They promote having more than one computer per user (that is the idea behind Origami and many other initiatives), yet they consistently fail to deliver tools that would ease the burden, especially for people who pay the premium of having multiple Windows licenses. Recently there has been a speculation (confirmed) of a Life Drive, a Windows service similar in concept to the GDrive from Google. Probably both will be launched soon. But the difference will not be the storage space they are going to initially offer. The difference will be how well they handle metadata. The one that turns your PC into a pure cache will be the winner.

Stream Like A Dream

The latest (May'06) copy of T3 has just arrived. But this time I was faster... I had got my Squeezebox v3 BEFORE I read the review. They give it 5 stars. I would add more...

Today I have installed the SlimServer software on my home audio server (I promise more on the home audio machine project soon). The installation again went without a glitch and the SlimServer promptly discovered the Squeezebox player over WiFi. Without any restart procedure the Squeezebox activated its "Browse music" menu and suddenly became a home media streamer. The concept is simple. Have your MP3s (or other music files) somewhere on a PC (if it is a noisy PC, it can even sit in your basement) and a Squeezebox in your living room (or a kitchen or wherever you like it). Instead of connecting to Pandora or other Internet radio stations, Squeezebox connects to your local SlimServer (can be in a basement if noisy...) and streams music.

It definitely looks like WiFi is becoming a mandatory option for homes. My home is wired with hundreds of miles of wires, from CAT5 to media interconnects to speaker cables. But despite all that cabling, it still has not been that easy to have one source of music (like a set of clustered Sony 300-CD changers) and have it played in every room. Now with an MP3-loaded media server (in a basement if noisy!) and a couple of Squeezeboxes (one per room) connected over WiFi, the eternal multi-room home audio problem is ultimately solved. I think Bose should have a serous look at the Squeezebox guys.... they seem to be a perfect match.

BTW If you have more than one PC at home, the Canon IP-5200R printer is highly recommended. It has built-in WiFi connectivity, so any computer covered by the home network can stream documents to it like a dream. This is a much better solution than a standalone print server, as all the printer functions are exposed while most of the off-the-shelf print servers tend to hide majority of them. See? WiFi again. For music, for printing, for the Net browsing... a must.

Squeezebox perfection

So many stories to tell this week... I am still shocked and amazed by the Pandora. I created my account on Tuesday and have spent almost all my time since then listening to my radio stations. Actually this is what I am doing at the moment, writing this post - Pandora fills the air. I signed for the ad-sponsored Pandora and... clicked on the first one that appeared. It led me to the Slim Devices website unveiling the Squeezebox. Being in trance, without a hesitation, I ordered one immediately (sometimes web shopping is far too easy...).

It has arrived today. What a wonderful piece of design and engineering! I was blown away by the Pandora concept and implementation. Similarly I was blown away by the Squeezebox. The looks are matching the iPod's. Ease of use is flattering. It was up and running in under two minutes, connected to my home WiFi network (all I needed was a wep password). Then one more step to "match" the Squeezebox with my Pandora account and hey, it showed my personal radio stations on the gorgeous fluorescent display. Pushed the play button on the remote and the music started.

I rarely see a gadget that perfect. Being relatively expensive (300$ for a WiFi version), it defends its price easily. The build quality is superb. The looks are first class. And inside... A Burr-Brown D/A converter for a perfect sound. Optical and coaxial digital-out (if you have a digital amplifer). Gold plated analog outputs. And that is not all. Somebody is really thinking there at Slim Devices. Having both WiFi and RJ-45 wired ethernet port, the Squeezebox can be set up as a WiFi-to-ethernet bridge, so you may hook up an XBOX (or TiVo or anything else that needs an ethernet connection and does not have WiFi).

The software inside is very well designed as well. First, Squeezebox is very, very easy to operate. Then it is very functional. It is not only Pandora, you can tune into. It will play other Internet radio stations, you may select from a predefined list or add an audio stream by entering a link on the Squeezebox web site. The thing can be configured from your browser and picks the settings automatically over the Net connection. There is an alarm clock, a palette of natural sounds (like a fireplace for that matter), if you are bored or tired with music, and even an RSS client. Yes, you may configure your Squeezebox to pull RSS feeds and have the text scrolled across the display, when the thing is idle. So guess what I have just done... Of course plugged in a NASDAQ feed, and now the live quotes are dancing from right to left. Certainly more than I originally expected. Ah! Squeezebox can connect to your PC as well, streaming you Media Player or iTunes playlists to the HiFi speakers thanks to the SlimServer software.

So far the Squeezebox is the gadget of the year. And seems to be unthreatened. Do you need better recommendation?

Pandora: My Personal Radio

It is not easy to surprise me these days. We are all used to billion-transistor chipsets from Intel and light speed cruises around the Net in Google capsule. Entertainment from iTunes, and information from customized RSS feeds via Google Reader. But when Pete sent me the http://www.pandora.com/ link a couple of days ago, what I saw after it opened, simply blew me away. I marked the day on my calendar. The day that was the harbinger of death for traditional music distribution channels, iTunes included. Now continue to read or go there immediately and open your own Pandora box.

So far we have been purchasing records (CD's) or individual tunes (iTunes) and the latter seemed to be the new, unconventional wave of music distribution. No longer. With Pandora you will be purchasing entire radio stations. And they will be your very personal radio stations. Created for you and only for you. Adjusting to your moods and preferences.

When you navigate to Pandora web site, a smart Flash-based application asks you for the starting point. Enter your preference. Artist's name or a song title. And voila! Pandora creates you a virtual radio station, that plays the music you like. That is just a starting point. When the music plays, you may rate the songs, giving them a thumb up or a thumb down. Based on your ratings Pandora changes the tracks to play exactly what you like. So far I have been simply amazed by the way it works. Have created several radio stations, for different moods, and all of them keep on playing exactly what I expect them to. I mean what I expect to hear, since most of the artists and songs have been completely new for me (remember the long tail?), yet have sounded the way I like. Awesome, awesome, awesome! You have to try it. The perfect implementation of everything the Internet is here for. Personalized experience, turning traditional business models up on their heads. Seriously, with Pandora, I doubt I will buy a CD or even an iTunes song in future. Why doing that when you can buy yourself entire radio station? Well... you even do not have to buy, since Pandora may be sponsored by ads, or may be ad-free for just 3$ a month. That is what I call a fair price.

Pandora also introduces a completely new model of sharing music. Once you have created your radio, you may share it with friends. By sharing a radio station, you share your preferences and moods, not the actual content. Suddenly no more need for P2P file sharing services, no piracy, no gigabytes of MP3s and WAVes.

No doubt, Pandora is a revolution. You have to listen to believe. Of course you may bring several arguments against it, but they will not stand. You need a broadband connection to tune in Pandora. Sure, but who does not have one today? You need to have your PC turned on and connected either to headphones or the HiFi equipment. Sure, but media PCs are coming. And there is this wonderful SlimDevices SqueezeBox that deserves a story of its own.

There is no way back. There will be no iPods, no iTunes, no CDs from Amazon. Just a galaxy of radio stations in a Pandora box. And imagine the same technology applied to TV. Are you ready? I am...

Mobile Handset Or A Supercomputer?

What is inside a handset? Originally there used to be a microphone and an earphone and a coiled wire... Then mobile phones arrived and started pushing the limits. Is a handset still a handset? or a multifunction computer-based personal device, we use for various forms of communications (calls, conferences, messaging, email, web browsing) and for pleasure (games, photos, music)? What is ahead of us, how will future handsets look like? Well... short term the question is not that difficult to answer. It is enough to look at the latest chipset (an intelligent form of silicon that sits inside a handset).

So let us examine the latest MSM7200, that has just started sampling. A chipset developed by Qualcomm, the company that invented CDMA, technology that powers all of the third-generation (3G) mobile networks around the world (UMTS included). Handsets based on the MSM7200 should be available within a year (that is the time it usually takes to design and build a handset around a new chipset).

Here are the features we may expect:

• Excellent voice quality (let us not forget a phone should be a phone first, and a multi-function gadget later)
• Excellent video quality, thanks to the high processing power (dual processors), high transmission speed - HSDPA and HSUPA standards (7,2Mb downlink and 5,6Mb uplink respectively). The specification says 30 fps at VGA resolution. That is better quality than present television standard. And there is dual display support (for RAZR-style fans) and TV-out connector, if the mobile screen is not enough...
• 6 megapixel camera support. May be finally a mobile phone will replace a separate camera we carry with us? 6 megapixels is more than enough, providing the optics will be OK.
• High quality gaming. The 7200 has ATI video accelerator inside, delivering up to 4 million triangles per second.
• Satellite navigation. Yes, there is a built-in GPS receiver.
• Digital music support - MP3s and other formats.
• Bluetooth and WiFi if superfast 3G is not enough :)

You should be getting the feeling... No coiled wire anymore... but supercomputing multimedia powerhouse. There is probably more inside this chipset than inside your PC, at work or at home. And all you gadget lovers, just think how many devices you will be able to get rid of! No need for a separate camera, playstation portable, iPod and GPS unit. Just you and your phone...

Google: Going After The Long Tail

Chris Anderson has been famous for his long tail. Well, Chris does not really have a tail [:))], but he was first to notice the Internet phenomena, he called The Long Tail. The Long Tail Theory is really simple. Before the Internet we used to live in the hits economy. Pareto rule was everywhere. 80:20. Pick the 20 percent of hits that generate 80 percent of your income. From Wal-Mart to Hollywood and music producers, everybody obeyed the rule. The reason was simple - costs generated by manufacturing, storage and distribution. So if something was not a hit (it did not sell, and did not sell quickly), the costs generated by simply storing something on a shelf killed any potential profits. So every business was going after the hits. Things that were selling quickly and thus the storage cost per item was kept at the minimum possible level. And all this was about to change...

With the proliferation of the Internet we have gone from atoms to bits. Take music for example. What is music? Is it matter (atoms) or information (bits)? Well... music _IS_ just bits, but they have to be materialized somehow. To buy a song before, you had to go to a music store and pick a physical Compact Disc. The disc was the physical medium, made of atoms, where the music bits were materialized and stored. And being atomic, the disc had material properties like dimensions and weight. Does music have dimensions and weight? No... So with the advent of electronic means of storing and distributing the bits, we have finally been able to free ourselves from the physics. An example. There is an artist, he records a song. To make his living he wants to sell the song. What should he to do? Burn it on a CD. One? Two? A thousand? OK... as many as there are potential buyers. But where are they? London, Paris, New York, Tokyo? So how many CDs do we need? A couple of thousand perhaps. That will cost... too much for most of the artists out there. Now forget the atoms. Make a web page. Make the song available for downloading. The cost for storage and distribution? 20 dollars a month? Potential audience? The World! No Pareto constraints. Never again...

Now what has Google to do with The Long Tail? There are three ingredients that combined, are going to make the Google Dynamite: Google Base, Google Purchases and Google AdWords. The Base is where you store what you want to sell (things like music, podcasts, articles... you name it). Purchases is how you get paid for what you sell (an account connected to your credit card, where you will get credits once people start buying). And AdWords is how you announce what you have to the World. When the three are integrated together, the Long Tail Google Dynamite will explode. It will be the easiest way to earn money for anything that you can offer and others will find useful. Regardless of geo location, directed to your offerings by means of highly targeted ads, and available for purchase with just one click. Thanks to Google, The Long Tail will finally take over the hits economy.

I will be selling my weekly blog posts there :) Any buyers?

New HSDPA Speed Record

Yesterday Qualcomm and Nortel issued a press release confirming 7.2Mbps category 8 HSDPA data calls using test terminals based on QUALCOMM’s Mobile Station Modem (MSM) MSM6280 solution and HSDPA network equipment from Nortel. Imagine that - 7 Megs down to a 3G handset!!!

While HSDPA Tsunami takes mobile connectivity by storm, the hype still seems to be on the WiMax side. I keep on getting the mobile WiMax questions every now and then. But it will not happen. With 7 Mbps HSDPA, just by upgrading software in existing 3G base stations, with global roaming, terminals (handsets) compatible down to plain UMTS and even GPRS, Qualcomm has been victorious again.

Last Thursday I listened carefully to Craig Barrett, as he visited Poland on his never-ending tour around the world. Intel does not say a word about mobile WiMax. Looks like the game is over here. WiMax obviously will be very important in other areas, especially in the last mile fixed broadband access.

May be one day in future we will get fully configurable SDR (Software Defined Radio) chips, that will be able to adapt to any given mobile communications standard, but for the time being the MSM 6280 from Qualcomm is the king. Look for handsets with this one inside :)