Poor Palm Pre

I just finished reading an interview with Jon Rubinstein posted here.  Is it just me that finds this story incredibly interesting?  I guess it's safe to say that it probably is just me (it certainly feels like it).

There is quite a bit of buzz surrounding Palm - people saying that Palm needs to be sold.  This interview clears up quite a bit of muddy water for me.  I understand that executives are slave to shareholders, but the webOS is the FIRST RIGHT thing palm has done in a long while.  I think it will take a lot of work for the company to rebound (which I believe it will - they are ahead of the game from a feature's perspective).  I really do think that Jon Rubinstein knows what he is dealing with.  The device hasn't even been on the market for a year.

Who needs 150,000 apps?  I agree with him completely regarding Apple's "Long Tail." 

I love seeing companies being "turned around."  During the process, nobody has faith in the executives, and once the about-face is complete - they're quite often regaled as heroes. 

Last month, I purchased the Pixi for my wife, and she hasn't looked back.  The plan available with Sprint makes a device like this almost priceless.

If/when Palm is at scale (Jon's words), the perspective changes.  I'm eager to see what happens, not owing to the fact I'm a Palm proponent (a different conversation for a different day).  I would love Palm to come out on top with this innovation (webOS).

I love my Pre...

Home Automation - Security

Last week I was meeting with a local contractor; a provider of the home automation system Control 4.  In order to expand our capabilities as a company I've been wanting to combine forces with a local dealer.

One of my pre-dominant fears of such a union is that an association with another company could affect our branding in an adverse way.  Maybe the products aren't what they should be.  Maybe the products are, but can I be assured that their implementation will be good enough to put our own name by it?

After looking at other companies, I think we're making the right choice for partnership.  Control4 stuff is way cool; and integrated with an alarm system, surveillance cameras, heating and air conditioning, home theater, even the sprinkling system - it's a surprisingly affordable must have.

When re-modeling my basement, I zoned the lighting to eventually fit into a system like this.  I installed a projector, wanting to simulate an actual theater.  With the change of a few light switches, and a Control4 interface, this system WILL BE a theater.

This is the direction of home building for the future - Smarter Homes.