by Ron Miller

AOL & Arrington: A Match to Ponder - Internet Evolution

When AOL bought TechCrunch earlier this week, and its blustery founder/editor Michael Arrington, it brought to mind the old TV show: The Odd Couple. Can these two entities live together without driving each other crazy.

Read my full commentary on Internet Evolution.

Photo by Dan Strange on Flickr.

Video: BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet

BlackBerry introduced its long awaited tablet yesterday and this video is meant to show off its capabilities. It tries to create a cool atmosphere with the background music, but as an ad, I don't find it terribly effective.

The device looks fairly plain, but according to FierceCIO, it offers Flash support, a microUSB and microHDMI ports and front and back cameras. RIM clearly looked at the deficiencies of the iPad and made a concerted effort to fill them in.

The PlayBook (clever name) is also smaller than the iPad, sporting a 7 inch screen. It should be ready for distribution in the US some time in the first quarter next year.

Web 2.0 Tools Continue to Thrive - FierceCM

Image via Wikipedia

There has been lots of talk lately, of Web 2.0 tools beginning to slow down, but recent research suggests old stalwarts like blogging and RSS are still going strong.

Read my full commentary on FierceContentManagement.

Let's Not Be Rigid in Defining the Cloud - Novell Cloud Formation

Image by jdlasica via Flickr

Marc Benioff spoke at Oracle Open World this week and warned the audience of a "false cloud." I say, beware of people trying to rigidly define the cloud (or any technology) to match the vision of one individual.

See my full commentary on Novell Cloud Formations.

It's Time For Apple to Move Beyond AT&T - Internet Evolution

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

If Apple wants to expand its market share, it needs to move beyond its agreement with AT&T, a deal I never got in the first place.

Read my full commentary on Internet Evolution.

What Happens to TypePad Now?

Image via Wikipedia

Reports began surfacing on Tuesday afternoon that Six Apart, the parent company of TypePad, had been sold to Video Egg. It makes me wonder what will happen to this blogging platform and if it will continue as we've known it.

I've been using TypePad since 2003. After a brief flirtation with Blogger, I moved to TypePad and I've been here ever since. I have no reason to believe that TypePad is going anywhere, but the change makes me uneasy.

This post from Andrian Bloem on the Real Story blog doesn't make me feel much better about it. It seems as though TypePad might become an after thought in the new media company vision.

It has gotten me thinking about what I would need to do if I moved the blog to another platform. If I did, it would be to WordPress, no contest. But how easy would it be to move my design and my content to another platform? That, I'm not sure.

I know WordPress would be a cheaper option, but for now I'm taking the wait and see approach and I'm not going anywhere.

So long as the new owners continue to support the product, I see no reason to make the switch, but TypePad bloggers like me have to at least be thinking about worst case scenarios and what it mean if that didn't happen.

Cross-posted on socmedia101.com.

Update: This CMS Wire article provides a good overview, although still leaves many questions unanswered.

Moving Beyond ECM - FierceCM

Image by spbutterworth via Flickr

A discussion on Twitter last week at the EMC Writer's Summit got me thinking about the future of enterprise content management.

Read my commentary on FierceContentManagement.

If Homeland Security is Moving to the Cloud, What's Your Excuse? - Novell Cloud Formations

Image via Wikipedia

Homeland Security, a super secure government agency is building a private cloud. If an agency like this in full bore, what's holding you back?

Read my full post on Novell Cloud Formations.

Why a Facebook Cell Phone Would Be a Disaster - Internet Evolution

Image by louisvolant via Flickr

As rumors flew on Sunday of a possible Facebook phone, I couldn't think of a worse idea. Much like Google, a software company built on an advertising model, Facebook doesn't need its own phone. It needs to work on everyone else's phone.

Read my full commentary on Internet Evolution.

Sh*t The CEO Says About Apple

Image by Felipe Bachomo via Flickr

I've been watching lately as CEOs have decided to say outrageous things about Apple to get attention. It reminds me a bit about the Twitter account that gained some notoriety last year called: Shit My Dad Says, which CBS picked up and made a TV series starring William Shatner as Dad. 

The idea is to say anything, no matter how ridiculous about Apple, and then let Twitter and the blogosphere take care of the rest. Let's take a look at a few recent examples.

• Earlier this month Acer founder and former CEO Stan Shih called Apple a "mutant virus." Naturally he got tons of attention for it. If Apple is a mutant virus, it makes me wonder what low-end PCs like those from Acer are. Mr. Shih didn't say.
• Next up was Intel CEO Paul Otellini who reportedly called the new Apple TV box simplistic and for your Mom. Ooh, it's for your Mom. He got Apple really good with that one. Is this the playground or sophisticated CEOs of large multi-national corporations? 
• Then last week, Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz (who has been known to use some playground language from time to time) predicted the iAd network would fall apart. That might have been her inner most wishes being voiced out loud. I can't say what will happen to the iAd network, but Bartz doesn't know either.

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter if it has any basis in reality or even makes sense. If it's outrageous and a CEO says it, we must follow along and give it more credence than it ever deserved. If you're wondering why I'm publishing these outlandish statements--I'm just trying to show a pattern and strategy that has been developing recently.