By Staff Writer – Boonsri Dickinson (@boonspoon)

Happy, snowy Friday. Do you feel like having some self help ideas for your business? Here are some things that happened this week.

10 entrepreneurs who created companies valued at $50 million talk about their biggest mistake.

Scientists turn body movement into electricity.

Start-ups get $3.5 billion in an attempt to boost innovation in the states.

Bits blogger Nick Bilton talks about the three Fs: Facebook, Farmville, and Foursquare.

Why New York isn’t the best place for a start-up.

100 things entrepreneurs should know.

Anyone building an app? How to deal with Apple.

Online video is hot in China: Chinese search engine Baidu raises $50 million for Oiyi, its online video site.

Approved. Facebook patents The News Feed. What does this mean for Twitter and other social networks?

Apple pulls sexy iPhone porn apps from its store. Prude and unfair?

Unhappy? You’ll have to wait until you’re 74 to be content, scientists say.

Cybercriminals are after Twitter users again. Don’t click on shady links people!

Image: flickr/ veesees

Roundup of Start-up News is a post from: TechStartups.com

By Staff Writer – Boonsri Dickinson (@boonspoon)

At the O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing conference, Nilofer Merchant, a leading authority on business strategies, talked to me about her new book, The New How: Creating Business Solutions Through Collaborative Strategy.

When I asked her why start-up companies fail, she said the companies have too many ideas and deplete their resources. “They are unclear of what matters most to them and why,” says Merchant.

In her book, she introduces the idea of MurderBoarding:

“It’s not how many good ideas you have. It’s how many good ideas you kill.”

After working for companies like Apple and Adobe, she learned how to solve problems and shares her tricks with you. If you are starting a business, Merchant gives you a step-by-step guide to why companies fail and provides tips on ways to succeed.

Watch the video to find out more:

Merchant suggests getting people involved in the strategy planning process because developing strategies should be creative and collaborative. Now put your journalist hat on and ask the right questions.

Start-ups Have Too Many Ideas is a post from: TechStartups.com

MobileGamesBlog has a recent post that Apple has begun to block users that have jailbroken their iPhones from the App store.

I guess Apple now figures if you’re gangster enough to go rogue with your iPhone you should be stuck with unofficial apps.

So far this has only happened to a few users. If we see more of it we’ll update our post.

From a personal perspective I’m not surprised by it. Every version of the iPhone and its software with the exception of the 3Gs model has come with major limitations in areas of video, control over phone operation at customization. Jailbreaking the device cleared up most of that.

With the 3Gs release there isn’t much need to jailbreak the phone unless you want to tether the phone for internet access. But it appears that will come at a hefty price.

Image credit: MobileGamesBlog

Via [MobileGamesBlog]

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Apple Blocking iPhone Jailbreak Users . . . is a post from: TechStartups.com

Yep, you read that title correctly, ‘Serial’. Oh, boy.

Like you my first thought was, “Really? My grandpop’s got an old printer he needs to connect to?”

My second thought being that is a great idea given the amount the products that us serial type connections that could be given legacy support from some of the newest technology.

Redpark is offering a new serial adapter and an RJ11 adapter that can be used in conjunction with custom apps to interface with various types of equipment. In their press release they highlight medical equipment along with other interesting solutions.

“The serial cable makes it possible to connect an iPhone or iPod Touch to serial devices such as medical or scientific instrumentation, point of sale devices, industrial process control equipment, networking devices, and building automation equipment. The cable enables the attached device to communicate with an application running on the iPhone.”

Redpark expects that their dongle will work with the iPad though it hasn’t been tested. But with the chances that the iPad could become a fav of medical or POS it would make sense for them to work on a compatible version.

Redpark is ready to teach the new dog some tricks and bring the old ones into the 21st century.

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Redpark Launches Serial Cable Adapter for iPhone and iPod Touch is a post from: TechStartups.com

If the iPad is going to cause any sort of revolution in computing it is going to be the massive choices that people will have to buy non-Apple slates.

The number of announced slates for Android, MS and Linux is gaining everyday.

One of the most recent that stands out from the crowd for its design is from Aigo, the giant electronics manufacturer. Though slates have yet to be proven they are throwing their hat into the ring with an iPad-esque design.

The Aigo slate is said to have Android OS onboard with, from what the pictures show, is one more USB port than the iPad at one.

If all of these announcements are telling us anything about the soon to be slate market beyond being crowded, there will be pricing pressure from the very beginning. All of these manufacturers are hoping to catch the same lightening in a bottle that was the netbook land rush.

I’m not quite sold on the necessity of having a laptop, netbook, smartphone and slate in my personal computing arsenal. The first three on that list, yes. They all serve a real purpose for needs that a user may have whether it is crunching video, writing up documentation or making a call. From what I’ve seen slates come up short on all things except web browsing.

Regardless, slates are going to be amassing and hitting the markets very soon. This will be an interesting year to see which company goes deep in slates and what their outcome will be.

Via [Cloned In China]

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The Chinese Are Coming With Slates and Tablets is a post from: TechStartups.com

Well, we all know what this means. And if you don’t know, let me hip you to what is known on the internets as ‘Apple New Product’ day.

Sometimes it is just simply product upgrades and other times it is all brand new stuff.

Today, it will most likely be upgrades for the MacBook Pros and other computing goodies.

If there is anything major . . . we’ll be on it. But for now the Apple store is down.

Update: Nothing to see here. Just a new version of Aperture that people had been tweeting about all morning.

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Apple Store Down [Updated] is a post from: TechStartups.com

If you really want to know what made the iPhone such a game changing device you need look no further than the fact that it challenged every concept of what a mobile phone was.

By challenging concepts and executing ideas of that challenge as actual solutions one innovates.

Take images to the left by ding3000 as something that can inspire you to think of something new.

Both of these challenge the popular conceptions of the role of electricity and fire in our live for lighting.

They are brilliant illustrations of design execution for innovative products.

Working at a startup whether you are the founder or early in the game means that you are required to be involved in product development at some level.

Being able to capture your own ideas based on thoughtful review of the current products is an important key to allowing you to help iterate for the growth of the business.

Hopefully these will help you when you need to think differently to create something innovative for your startup.

[Via 1 Design Per Day -> ding3000]

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Inspiration: Challenge Concepts for Innovation is a post from: TechStartups.com

I won’t argue this to much but the Sony PSP is the original closed platform, shiny, black, movie watching, web surfing, game playing device.

It didn’t have a camera when it was released or multi-tasking. The only way that the iPad has it beat is mulitouch . . . well, touch for that matter. Hell, both are even lacking a kick stand of any type that isn’t an add on.

We had a first gen PSP kicking around the house until my son in a fury of play with MegaMan lost his grip and the screen shattered. It was like watching someone burn Washington’s wig. Noooooooo!

But as I digress, there is something that brought these similarities to my attention today.

Sony has developed a program to live stream sporting events to attendees in the stadium for enhanced experiences via PSP.

Not only that, you can also get replays, statistics, player profiles and live results piped directly to the Sony PSP.

“No one would deny that the live experience is the ultimate way to watch sport. What this new service offers is an even more immersive experience for fans,” said Mark Grinyer, Head of Sports Business, Sony Professional about the new app.

The iPad does have the PSP beat in one area though if Apple of one of the developers were to hook this up – using the iPad as a tray for game day beers. The PSP can slip into a pocket but the iPad can balance on the arm of your stadium chair and illuminate your beverage with the blur of color from a live playback. Fancy.

This product for the PSP is being tested at the Emirates Stadium in London. So I guess America will be up for grabs?

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Sony PSP, The Original iPad but Better is a post from: TechStartups.com

If you don’t think that McClure is right on almost every point in his piece “Subscriptions are the New BLACK. (+ why Facebook, Google, & Apple will own your wallet by 2015)“, then you are wrong. It is that simple.

I’m not one to paint positions as black or white, understanding that the middle, the grey, is where the true answer to a position lies. But Dave McClure is right on this. The future is pretty cut and dry when it comes to being able to sustain a business online and that is to get paid.

Search and ad businesses are coming unglued at the seams as new technologies and consumption habits become mainstream. With these changes come changes in the revenue streams of Google and the mad cadre of web sites that suckle to their bosom.

Google will need a solution to stop the hemorrhaging of revenue that it is about to endure from the loss in search traffic from Facebook and Twitter. Ad displays from some of their top publishers will also decline as they begin to put content behind paywalls.

Google knows this, they’ve run the numbers. Why else have a Holiday onslaught of free wifi for the masses, scoop up dozens of companies and release a flurry of new products and updates in December. At the height of releasing all of their news TechCrunch had over 30 references to Google on their home page alone.

Publishers and digital good providers are going to want to use services from the brands that they have come to trust, like Facebook, Google and Apple. All of which already have payment systems that makeup components of their business model.

For Facebook and Google it is an ancillary element of their collective systems but one that they could devote resources to and create a stronger payment system from quicker than competitors. They could come to market with solutions for mobile payments (through acquisition) but most certainly integrate them more heavily into their products to get the bulk of the market share. Merchants will use their services.

When it comes to Apple, they’ve got this down to a science and are trusted by millions of people around the world. Apple is trusted with their credti, debit and PayPal account information. They’ve built a business around a payment system that is integrated into iTunes. Which, essentially, is Quicktime on steroids.

The revenue that can be generated by developing better payment systems that are of better use to merchants of all types, especially those purveyors of digital goods is something that these companies need. In the very near future, as we enter into the paywall years, these companies will find a way to get a cut. McClure is right.

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The Middle Will Win, But Dave McClure Is Right is a post from: TechStartups.com

Kicking today off with the iPad seems like the right thing to do. Especially, after reviewing our statistics from yesterday.

Everyday I check out search, referrals, etc. from the previous day to make sure that we are writing posts that people want to read. Well, how about to ensure that people are making it to the site and finding what they are looking for.

For Tech Startups over the last three days we’ve had an influx of iPad traffic come from search engines. Out of the top 25 search terms 8 of them are ‘iPad’ related. Of those 8, 4 of them include ‘joke’ or ‘joke’s and 1 with ‘funny’. And yes, the number one term for our search traffic since the announcement Wednesday includes ‘jokes’.

The infamous 8:

1. ipad jokes
2. ipad
3. ipad joke
4. apple ipad
5. i pad
6. ipad funny
7. ipad tablet jokes
8. apple tablet jokes

To be fair in Google Trends in the top 10 Hot topics for the USA  iPad + joke isn’t listed. Twitter is rife is people mentioning or looking for iPad + jokes.

In the week prior to the iPad release it is a different story but one that tells a tale of the public continuing a meme at the expense of a brand.

Our number one search term that brought readers to our site from all search engines was “apple tablet”. The product, the iPad, and the brand, Apple aren’t being discussed or searched for on the merits of either’s success but apparent faux pas in naming. It overshadows the actual device.

Apple would be so smart to rename this thing as soon as possible. An indelible mark is being left on  the minds of the consumers that Apple most wishes to court and have champion its brands. And not far behind them is the general public that is searching the internet for iPad jokes.

The iPad is a Joke, Our Searches Prove It is a post from: TechStartups.com

Did you watch the iPad Keynote video yet of Steve Jobs unveiling the iPad? I believe they’re quite proud of it: “Our most advanced technology in magical and revolutionary device at and unbelievable price.”

And proud they should be. It’s definitely a giant leap forward for tablet computing. (Though many of us have become accustomed to this style of computing thanks to the iPhone and iPod Touch.) We’ve also become accustomed to some other things, thanks to the iPhone: Google Maps.

Google Maps has been part of the iPhone since the original product unveiling and has become integral to how many of us use the iPhone.

Are Google Maps gone from the default software install on the iPad? It would seem so, at least at this point.

During the unveiling, Scott Forstall, SVP of Software Engineering for the iPhone and iPad, shows off the Maps application, but never mentions Google. In the introductory video on apple.com, Forstall also mentions the Maps application and refers to it as “ours” and never mentions Google.

It certainly looks like Google Maps. Perhaps, due to to the increasingly competitive relationship between Apple and Google the map technology has been licensed from Google but not branded as Google?

New details will be provided as we get them.

[iPad Keynote] [iPad Introductory Video]

Disclosure of Material Connection: http://dsclzr.us/0

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Google Maps Replaced In The iPad? is a post from: TechStartups.com

The dust is settling a bit from the iPad announcement yesterday and the world looks strikingly similar to the way it did before Steve Jobs took the stage.

If we were to follow the dystopian film progression this is the point when those first infected would begin to show symptoms  and exhibit zombie-like behavior.

Fortunately, that hasn’t happened yet. What has happened is that sides are being chosen by fanboys and regular folks alike. Those that are infected could be a part of either camp. Which is good for us if we want to have a serious discussion about the iPad, the hype and tech culture.

I think everyone is amazed that they fit all of that technology into such a small space and made it fast. What Apple demoed and then gave press a hands on for was the real-time tablet that I suggested it would need to be. No one will wait for this thing to load. The iPad as a device is a complex engineering feat to be heralded.

However, this iteration is catching flack not only because of the hype prior to the event but from the unseasoned technophiles that now participating in tech culture – the newbs.

Apple, knowing what they were about to put on public display, should have been dampening the hype at every turn. Being humble can go a long way when releasing a product that doesn’t come close to the hype or public expectations for a product that they will spend discretionary income on.

The unseasoned technophiles that I speak of are the iPhone packing mommies, nannies and insurance selling daddies that are now hooked. They want to know all the new gadget information just like we do. Remember, TechCrunch, Gizmodo, Engadget, Mashable or this blog wouldn’t exist without our collective techno lust. It has been passed on in spades to a larger, more eager consumer that is ready to spend and get their gadget on.

They were paying attention yesterday just like you. They’ve got opinions that have been shaped by their new smartphones and kindles. Sure they weren’t around for the old brick devices and ascii e-readers but they too know that the iPad, in this iteration is a waste of money.

Most of them, like the nerds, will sit this round out. The people forking over for the iPad will be the developers, engineers trying to figure out how to hack and reverse engineer it and those people that just gotta have it no matter what.

Choose your side carefully, my friends. Remember, even if you see someone with an iPad and your lust-o-meter goes up to 15 – breath deep, don’t let them bite you and hold onto your wallet with both hands. You will not regret waiting for the next version of the iPad or the next competitor that makes a gadget that lives up to all the hype.

Image credit: Joshua Blankenship (thanks to @renaud for the link and Joshua for being a wizard)

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iPad 20 Hours Later (Queue Creepy Music) is a post from: TechStartups.com

The host of Web Soup on G4TV and all around funny guy, Chris Hardwick, got his hands all over an iPad today at the Apple event.

If you’re still interested in this thing you should check out his video to see how it functions when it’s not in an Apple employees’ hands.

I can’t wait to sit on the bus or ride the subway and sit next to some dude playing a racing game on this thing. Other passengers will sneer, snarl and spit on him. And then when someone is stealing it from him no one will make a sound.

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Watch an iPad Hands On with a Funny Guy is a post from: TechStartups.com

Insulated from reality and what must have been focus group after focus group that said, “iPad? You must be crazazy,” Jobs kicked off 2010 with the worst named product since Prince partied like it was 1999 in his little red corvette.

When the guy at the top has ideas and is set in his ways, this is what you get. They deliver to the investors and customers products that are ill conceived and lacking vision. Vision requires the input of many people. It is okay in a company for one person to take credit when they are the figurehead. We like strong front men that can lead the band, whether it is a reality or not we always want to believe that is the guy that makes it all work.

I like Steve Jobs as a front man and wouldn’t knock a man that has survived what he has. It is truly amazing. But it is very evident that those inside Apple are wearing the kid gloves and yessing Jobs to a forced retirement.

The jokes about the name of the iPad are just beginning. There are at least 60 more days to go of them. Late night shows? Jay Leno and his blue humor? As they say in NYC, fuggetaboutit. And those jokes will all be inseparable from Jobs himself.

The iPad is his Elvis toilet and Jonathan Ive is his “magical” Colonel Tom Parker.

It doesn’t matter how amazing the tech is. What matters is usability, experience and how people integrate the entire device into their daily lives. The name is a very important part of that. Regardless of the other short comings of the device somebody should have stepped up and stood up for reality.

The only thing left is to wait for someone to fall on a sword over the next few weeks, if it takes that long, over the name. Hopefully, someone will have some sense and change the name. But maybe all them pretty rigid cardboard boxes are printed already.

Like Fat Elvis, Jobs killed it throughout his entire career as the front man. He was able to take credit for leading Apple to billions in profit with the hard work of thousands behind him.

And not just those in Cupertino, but those in the factories in China that no doubt made production decisions that lead to innovation in Apple’s electronics. All of these players are no different than the hundreds of people that wrote songs for Elvis to perform or the hundreds of people that played the music he crooned to.

Elvis found his demise at what should have been the greatest time in his life surrounded by yes men. Apple has some hard thinking to do about this. This launch was by no means a success. And in my opinion it signals the beginning of the end for what has been a glorious world changing run.

Even Prince wouldn’t have named this the iPad. You can take that to the Apple board.

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Steve Jobs is now Fat Elvis is a post from: TechStartups.com

We’ve spared you so much commentary today about the Apple unveiling of the iPad but I’m sure you are thankful that there wasn’t another post to slow you down from your day.

I know I don’t speak for the rest of the crew around here but, man was that a total disappointment. The even delivered all of the hype and nothing more.

The engineering feat to create the device and the device itself are modern marvels of technology. That really can’t be questioned. But where is the new innovative, change your life and the way that you use computer stuff?

For nearly two hours every live feed and live blog carried the hopes that just one more thing would be mentioned. One more function that takes iPad into the stratosphere. Not today. The iPad has even less appeal to me than the Apple TV when it was announced.

The Apple TV did something new . . . and well, was shiny. I still use my languishing Apple TV nearly everyday. My kids use it more than twice a day. I still can’t figure out how my son would use it other than to play games just like he does on this iPod Touch.

My son won’t graduate to an iPad when he’s ready for more gaming and computing. It will be to a real computer. A netbook is more of a real computer than the iPad even with its dock and table based holder.

I wish Apple had released a netbook today. They would have sold a babillion of them in their online store and had lines out of their 284 retail stores.

The iPad is sans camera, sans multi-task, sans voice but it does create a mean web surfing, iBook reading, e ink throwing, spreadsheet making device. It is the iPhone that my grandmother can now see the buttons on.

Apple iPad – The Slate with a Shiny Heart is a post from: TechStartups.com

First, I got the name right! Do I get a gold star? *grin*

Now, on to the hardware specs:

• Full-capacitive 9.7″ glass touchscreen (just like the iPhone/iPod Touch)
• 1 GHZ proprietary Apple A4 processor
• 0.5 inches thin
• 1.5 pounds
• 16 GB, 32 GB, or 64 GB of onboard storage (NAND Flash RAM)
• 802.11n/b/g wifi
• Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR
• HSDPA 3G
• Accelerometer & Compass
• Speaker
• Microphone
• 30-pin dock connector

The iPad Experience

Generally speaking, it’s a big iPod touch with 3G connectivity. (BTW, I may use iPhone and iPod Touch interchangeably in this post.) The home screen looks like a large iPod Touch screen complete with the home button below. It even syncs to your computer using iTunes and a USB 2.0 cable like an iPod Touch.

Like the other devices, it’s designed to be used in Portrait mode the majority of the time but the apps work well in Landscape mode.

Speaking of apps…

The iPad will run nearly all 140,000 apps available in the iTunes App Store, which will be huge for device adoption. Apps can be run in native size, as a box on the home screen, or the OS will do something called “pixel-doubling” that will scale the app up to fit the screen. You can be sure that developers will be updating their apps to be resolution independent soon as the iPad Developer Kit is available now.

Apple Apps

Included with iPad are iPad-optimized versions of Mail, Calendar, Safari and the iTunes store along with a drawing app called Brushes which will be ideal for sketching notes and illustrations.

An iPad-optimized version of iWork is available, though each application will be sold separately for $9.99.

Media

The media experience on this device is stellar. Let’s start with the obvious: video. Video on the screen looks great, though widescreen video may be letterboxed as the aspect ratio isn’t ideal for HD video which, by the way, plays back beautifully (at least in the demo).

Newspapers & Magazines

An iPad-native New York Times application was developed and Martin Nisenholtz as there to show support. Reading syncs to the iPhone app, there are Inline video clips. It’s Newspapers 3.0.

Magazines weren’t demoed but I’m sure we can expect to see apps for them soon or at the very least, iPad-optimized HTML 5 editions.

eBooks

The Apple iPad is going head-to-head with the Amazon Kindle with a built-in application called iBooks. eBooks will be sold in their own iBooks store.

More significant, Apple selected the ePub standard for their eBooks.

That basically divides the eBook reader universe into two camps: Amazon and everyone else. Amazon acquired Mobipocket for their proprietary eBook format and uses it for the Kindle. Books bought in the Kindle store have the .azw file extension which denotes their DRM-protected version, though you can still read books in an unprotected .mobi format.

My guess is that even though Apple is using the standard ePub format that it will also be DRM protected. We won’t know until the device is available.

Connectivity

While there are plenty of apps that will work fine without a net connection, the iPad is definitely better with net. With that in mind, Apple has arranged special pricing for the device with AT&T. For $14.99 you can get a data plan with an allowance of 250 MB or for $29.99, unlimited data. Neither plan requires a contract, which in itself is a very big deal. Of course, you get free use of AT&T wifi hotspots, just like the iPhone.

Cost

Steve Jobs made us wait until the end for the price tag, so I’ll share some of that suspense with to you.

A WiFi-only iPad with 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB will cost you $499, $599 and $699, respectively. An iPad with WiFi + 3g with same drive sizes will cost $629, $729 and $829, respectively.

There’s also an optional Keyboard Dock for those of use who type a lot and a form-fitting case.

No word on the cost of the accessories but you can expect to pay around $1,000 if you get a higher end model with accessories.

Availability

WiFi-only models will be available in 60 days (before April 1) while WiFi + 3G models will be available in 90 days (before May 1).

Be sure to watch the iPad video on Apple.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: http://dsclzr.us/0

Apple Unveils the iPad: A Big Ol’ iPod Touch and So Much More is a post from: TechStartups.com

A few weeks ago I told you about the Ski Report iPhone app that brings crowdsourced trail and resort information to you via your iGadget, forcing resort reports to be more transparent and accurate about the snow conditions.

But what happens when you hit the slopes and need to find a specific trail, some food or even the loo? You could ask someone, use one of those old school paper trail maps or, use some augmented reality magic to tell you which way to go.

New iPhone app RealSki uses your built-in camera and your GPS coordinates to overlay map data so you can find the lifts, lodges, restrooms, restaurants and trails, along with the required skill level to ride them.

Of course, like nearly all augmented reality apps, you’ll need an iPhone 3GS for it to work but the app is free and includes data for five major resorts. If you want to add other resorts they can be purchased using Apple’s In-App Purchasing support.

See it in action below.

[RealSki on iTunes via Gizmodo]

Disclosure of Material Connection: http://dsclzr.us/5

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RealSki Augmented Reality iPhone App Helps You Navigate Resorts and Trails is a post from: TechStartups.com

If you’re a user of Google Voice and the iPhone, you might remember that period in time when you were salivating over the release of the Google Voice app…that never arrived.

Apple pulled all currently working and approved Google Voice apps and when Google submitted their own to their official app to the powers that be at Apple, it fell into a black hole. Apple said that they were “evaluating it” (and technically, still are) but Google refutes that, saying that it was outright denied for “duplicating functionality.”

Even stranger, AT&T doesn’t seem to have a problem with Google Voice running on their network, but that could just be posturing in the face of FCC inquiry.

All that drama is past us now thanks to an advance in technology called HTML 5. Supported (in part) by Safari and the Android browser, it allows Google Voice to become of your workflow on the iPhone.

Simply load http://m.google.com/voice and log in.

You’ll have access to your voicemail (and transcripts) along with your Google Voice contacts list and a dial pad. Dial the number you want to call and moments later, a dialog box will pop up with a local phone number (“Call (XXX) XXX-XXXX”?). Click OK and you’ll be connected to your caller.

As with all calls initiated through Google Voice, the receiving party will see your Google Voice number on the caller ID and the call will continue as normal. It’s routed over VOIP and sometimes, it shows with some poor call quality. A quick call back usually clears it up.

All told, it works pretty well. So well, in fact, that I may get new business cards printed to remove my cell and office numbers and route all my calls through GV.

[ZDNet]

Disclosure of Material Connection: http://dsclzr.us/0

Google Voice Finally Comes to the iPhone – in Your Browser is a post from: TechStartups.com

Having just experienced a seriously nerd hyped event in the last week that let me down, I’m sure hoping that Apple can live up to the hype.

If they can pull off a Twitter type coup they are set.

When Twitter launched even the nerds were saying things, “I don’t get it” and “What’s the point of these short messages?” And now, Twitter rules the communication buzz and has taken in over $100m in funding.

Apple doesn’t need the funding but as a computer company that has become an electronics company with a few key products, this new tablet and its success are paramount for the growth of the company over the next 5 years. Even with their billions in the bank, the iPod and iPhone are getting tired.

The success of the tablet depends heavily on the user experience that can be created for it. The most important elements that create that experience will first be the form factor. Judging on Apple’s reputation for impeccable industrial design, I would suspect they have nailed this one.

Next in that line of elements is speed. It needs to boot instant on with the ability to be used immediately. That goes for any software that is on the device, even if it is web connected. There shouldn’t be any lag time in getting up an running. It’s the real-time web and this needs to be the real-time tablet.

Lots of news on this today and we’ll follow it diligently for you and throw in our two cents.

If you’re looking for updates throughout the day check out @tabletville on Twitter.

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Apple Device Needs to be the Real-Time Tablet is a post from: TechStartups.com

9to5Mac claims that they’ve spoken with a few print publishers about the upcoming Apple Tablet iPad reinforcing what most of us already know but with a few extra details. These conversations yielded specs like a 10-inch glass screen slightly smaller than a Kindle DX but similar in weight.

They also indicated that Apple is describing the device to publishers by comparing the shift from Kindle to the Tablet as going from black and white TV to color TV.

Finally, they’ve said that there won’t be much content until “mid-2010 at the very earliest.”

Not so fast, cowboy. What else to do know about this device? Well, how about the fact that it runs a version of the iPhone OS and that most iPhone apps will run on it without many, if any, changes.

If that’s true, then the iPad will have tons of ebooks…thanks to the Kindle app for iPhone. With the application loaded on your Apple gadget, you’ll have access to any and all content sold sold through the Kindle store – and any unprotected (.mobi) files, as well. That means indie ebooks and other content.

Repeat after me, one more time: Amazon doesn’t care if it’s in the hardware business. It wants to sell electronic books, whether they produce the device or not.

[9to5Mac]

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Wait Until Mid-Year for eBooks on The Apple Tablet? Think Different. is a post from: TechStartups.com

At the expense of Apple, all the hype and the zealous fanboys quite a few people have had enough.

They’ve also taken to the tubes and created some slide shows and videos that bring it all back to earth.

My favorite is the Gizmodo set called the ‘Tablet Sutra’. It is a photo shoot of a mock iSlate in the wild and how awkward nearly every human position looks as one tries to use it. It is hilarious.

A taste – photo: Gizmodo

Here are a few video gems:

Mac vs PC: iSlate

iCork

iDiot

Have you seen any other videos or photos that are hilarious? Please do share .

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Hilarity: iSlate Tablet iPad Mockups, Jokes and Jabs is a post from: TechStartups.com

Would you be crushed if this Wednesday Apple’s big announcement is for a 10″ netbook?

After all of this hype I would say that it would be a major let down.

I only bring this up because after so much speculation, rumor and the 800+ 3D renderings of what it could look like there has been nothing definitive to say that it is a slate. The only real evidence has been that Apple has been snatching up 10″ screens.

Yes, people are way excited, and I’ve said this in the past, there is nothing to even define the usage of this device or any other slate. It is 5x the size of an Apple remote and 3x the size of an iPhone. Will you be happy bending your neck 90 degrees to type on this thing without a keyboard?

I touched a couple slates at CES this years and still walked away with the ‘wow, that’s nifty. but what do i do with it when i really need to get something done’ feeling.

All I’m saying is that even if this thing that Apple is playing close the vest is a slate it is going to need a spectacular set of ancillary uses. And they will all need to be created by Apple and some choice developers because there is nothing out today that warrants usage of the device now beyond taking print, like magazines, to this medium.

So don’t be disappointed if Apple only shares that it has a new netbook that runs iPhone apps and has gaming control options. The Apple netbook is all anyone could have hoped for a year ago!

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Will You Be Disappointed if Apple Drops a Netbook? is a post from: TechStartups.com

When are manufacturers and developers going to get a clue about competing with the dominance of Apple’s iPod/iTunes/iPhone hegemony?

Apparently, not soon enough.

A team from Bach Technology who were the original creators of the original MP3 file format have announced a new format called MusicDNA. Unlike a standard MP3 file, fans can experience an artist’s music but also videos, photos, liner notes, song lyrics – and even artist Twitter feeds – all wrapped up in a single download.

I don’t think the quotes from the original Guardian article could be more grandiose or use any more metaphors. (“Out of a rusted old VW Beetle we are making a Ferrari,” and “Transforming a tiny house into a huge villa.”)

All of this developed and released as a means of slowing piracy. The creators believe that with all the included extras, people will think twice about simply downloading a music file from some torrent tracker.

Here’s why this effort will fail.

They can make the file sizes bigger, but that won’t stop people from pirating them – unless they intend to include DRM and that battle was lost a long time ago.

Most importantly, if there aren’t any popular devices that support the file format, it will have nearly zero adoption.

Which means, if it’s not supported by Apple, it’s DOA.

You can call me an Apple fanboy if you like, but I speak from the perspective of an historian and a business man.

Yes, Android devices are really improving – everything from phones to netbooks to media players – but none can yet compete with the presence of existing iPod/iPhone owners who are quite happy with their relatively seamless, simple and dare I say, elegant user experiences.

And, as I say in the post title, Apple already has an open development kit for something called iTunes LP – a direct competitor to MusicDNA that won’t require consumers to purchase new devices or iPhone/iPod Touch developers to learn new code.

Sorry, Bach. You’re late to the party, which makes you irrelevant.

[The Guardian]

Disclosure of Material Connection: http://dsclzr.us/0

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MusicDNA to Compete with Apple’s iTunes LP. Will Fail. is a post from: TechStartups.com

I’ve been following the development of Vook (the company) and Vooks (the products) for some time. The concept fascinates me. I want it to be a successful new media format.

A Vook is basically an enhanced book that contains both the text and companion videos. (Hence the ‘V’ in Vook…) I originally purchased a thriller entitled The Embassy by Robert Doetsch. (You can read my full review of my first Vook here.) The story was well-written but I found the videos to actually be a distraction instead of an enhancement.

I then purchased Gary Vaynerchuk’s Crush It! as a Vook for my iPhone [iTunes Link]. The video content definitely enhanced the text but ultimately I gave up on it and consumed the audio book instead.

I’ve always felt that Vooks would be better for instructional content and the company’s latest release has got to be the best example of that.

A few days ago Vook and Woman’s Day Magazine launched a “Cookvook.” The Cookvook contains 45 recipes along with 45 instructional videos, demonstrating the tools and techniques your inner chef requires to prepare each of the dishes perfectly. This isn’t the first Cookvook from the company, but the partnership with Hachette Filipacchi Media and Woman’s Day is notable.

While cooking tomes probably aren’t exactly the kind of the thing that get people on this blog excited, let’s put this in context: Vooks are consumable in your browser and on your iPhone. The long-rumored and imminently available Apple Tablet (the iPad) is basically “a giant iPhone” running the iPhone OS which in theory means that your Vook will already work on the mythical machine.

Apple is attempting to woo Big Media companies into becoming launch partners for the new device, to produce content in a format that’s, for all intents and purposes, completely different than what each of the TV, newspaper and magazine producers have been making for the last one hundred years.

Vook is already producing that new form of content.

If ever there was a device for use as a kitchen companion, it sounds like the Apple device will fit the bill.

We’ll know in a few days.

[Vook]

Disclosure of Material Connection: http://dsclzr.us/0

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Vook Launches ‘Cookvook’ with Woman’s Day, Just in Time for The iPad is a post from: TechStartups.com

Need more evidence that Amazon is gearing up for the Apple Tablet onslaught? Here you go.

Today, Amazon announced major changes to the royalty program for what it calls its “Kindle Digital Text Platform.” Starting June 30, 2010, publishers and authors will receive 70% of the revenue for each eBook sold.

That’s a big change from the current structure. In fact, that’s probably the inverse of the current structure, if not close to it.

But, like anything else, there are gotchas. You’ve got to play by Amazon’s rules and meet some specific criteria. First, delivery costs will now be paid by the publisher:

Delivery costs will be based on file size and pricing will be $0.15/MB. At today’s median DTP file size of 368KB, delivery costs would be less than $0.06 per unit sold. This new program can thus enable authors and publishers to make more money on every sale. For example, on an $8.99 book an author would make $3.15 with the standard option, and $6.25 with the new 70 percent option.

That’s actually less sticky than the rest of Amazon’s criteria:

• The list price of an ebook must be between $2.99 and $9.99
• This list price must be at least 20 percent below the lowest physical list price for the physical book
• The title is made available for sale in all geographies for which the author or publisher has rights
• The title must allow features such as text-to-speech, among other features, the list of which will grow over time.
• Books must be offered at or below price parity with competition, including physical book prices. (How you determine “parity” on a unique work is another discussion altogether.)

The program will NOT be offered for books that are in the public domain (published before 1923) so all of you folks peddling your digital copies of “Think and Grow Rich” or “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” are out of luck.

This announcement is big for many reasons:

• It further cements the unofficially-official $9.99 price point for eBooks that has Big Publishings knickers in a bunch. Hopefully they will be satisfied with the new revenue share.
• It dictates the cost of the books physical equivalent. So now, not only is Amazon dictating the floor and ceiling for ebooks, but also for the dead tree editions.
• It ensures that the publisher will secure audio rights for the ebook, no longer allowing publishers to declare that the creepy electronic voice that reads to you a completely new work. Of course, you’ll still want to get the audio book if you intend to listen to the entire book.

I can’t wait to see how Big Publishing reacts.

[BusinessWire]

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Amazon Announces 70 Percent Royalty Program for Kindle Books, Many Strings Attached is a post from: TechStartups.com