Tag Archives: apple

It just works (and it’s better).

Kelly Abbott | January 30, 2012 - 9:41 pm

Apple's Retina Display

One of the lessons I’ve learned from Apple is that being better is just better. In every day parlance, Apple’s promotions are little more than getting their customers to say to friends and family “the proof is in the pudding.” The ways that Apple proves itself apart from its mainstream advertising efforts are too numerous to state in a single post. Each of their products and even their retail locations are studies in a better product experience. However, Apple knows the value of images more than any other company. That’s why you pay more for their photo books and why the retina displays are necessary for a company like them to keep their edge. I’m constantly impressed with how high the quality of photos are from my iPhone. And I just love showing off our family albums we have printed by Apple. Whenever someone looks at the quality of images in both, they assume I’m a good photographer. Not at all. I’m just letting Apple make me and my images look good.

If you’re trying to compete with Apple, you could might try aiming at the retina display. Giving consumers pretty pictures – in all their manifestations – is a high-value touchpoint. Literally.

This New OLED Display Blows the Retina Away.

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iPads and Earthquakes

Kelly Abbott | April 5, 2010 - 10:50 am

Racing on the iPad

Did you feel that?

No, not the earthquake. The media world exploding into a 300,000 little pieces. I got a chance to test out the newest weapon in Apple’s arsenal and have put together a few posts this morning. We’re interested in developing apps as well as publishing content through the bookstore. But for productivity and gaming, it’s not too shabby. Excellent battery life and always on accessibility guarantees I’ll be carrying mine with me wherever I go. How about you? Read more to see if the iPad is right for you right now. Enjoy!

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The iWait is Over

Kelly Abbott | April 5, 2010 - 10:10 am

The Welcome Screen

The iPad is sexy. In typical Apple fashion the “blank state” experience is what it should be. Easy to get started and enough features to whet the appetite for more. I’ve installed a few apps and will review them in the coming days. So far the product gets a thumbs up for total experience. As a gaming device, it gets two big thumbs up. As an eReader, it gets a less enthusiastic thumbs up, but a thumbs up nonetheless. As a multimedia device, two more big thumbs up. Movies, music and photos are stellar on this device.

Racing on the iPad

Turning the Page

My favorite app is the Scrabble app. You can use your iPhone or iTouch as your tile rack meanwhile the iPad works as the board you place your tiles on. It auto-tally’s the scores. You can rotate the board by remote control if you want it to face you during your turn. It plays music from your iTunes playlist. And it has a dictionary you can check your words with. Love it.

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The iBook Store Experience

Kelly Abbott | April 5, 2010 - 9:50 am

My iBook Shelf

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Independent Publishing on the iPad – Not Yet, But Soon

Kelly Abbott | April 5, 2010 - 9:33 am

iBook Shelf

Toward the end of last week there was more chatter about getting your book published independently in Apple’s iBookstore. In advance of the iPad launch this weekend, Apple reportedly inked deals with two “independent publishers” Perseus and Workman. Quotes are intentional. These deals do not represent independent publishing for the rest of us. They are publishing houses just like the rest.

On the other hand, Apple has also enabled two independent publishing providers Smashwords and Lulu to distribute their content via the iPad’s iBooks app. Getting closer. Just not, yes, close enough.

I’ll post more as soon as Apple reveals more. Stay tuned.


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iPad First Look

Kelly Abbott | April 5, 2010 - 9:13 am

Jason Enjoying Evil Technology

Meet my brother-in-law, Jason. He hates Apple. Doesn’t it show?


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How Do I Publish a Book in the Apple iPad iBookstore?

Kelly Abbott | January 29, 2010 - 10:32 am

Steve Jobs with the iPad

Hi, Steve. Thanks for innovating. We love your work. But there’s just this one thing that’s irking us now. As an independent publisher who’s primary channel for sales is digital, how can I delivery our titles to iPad owners?

This much we know:

  • The iPad is basically a larger iTouch. Yes, there are differences, but let’s just start there.
  • The iPad will have a native app called “iBooks” which is the way iPad owners will access the iBookstore at Apple.
  • HarperCollins, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan and Hachette Book Group are already confirmed publishers with books available in the iBookstore.
  • The ePub format will be supported by the iBookstore.
  • And according to Steve Jobs in his Keynote: “We’re going to open the flood gates for the rest of the publishers in the world starting this afternoon.”

Where’s the flood?

I’m asking this because we’ve been researching this for our own book. We have new titles that will be ready for the iPad launch in 58 days. And if it takes weeks to get a book approved (in the same way it takes weeks to get an app approved) we need to have our ePub book(s) ASAP. I’m not sweating. Really. I’m sure Apple will indeed open the floodgates. But they’re already two days late.

After searching, I’m forced to lob this plea publicly: How do I as a publisher get a book in the Apple iBookstore?

iBooks App on the iPad

iBooks App on the iPad

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iWant Relief

Kelly Abbott | January 28, 2010 - 9:28 am

I want 3 iPads. One each for me and my wife – to use a Kindle-like device. And one for my son, who’s two years old, to use as an ebook reader/portable video player/personal gaming device. Say what you want about parenting with high-tech – the kid is going to be a hacker by the time he’s four whether we try or not. Still, I worry the iPad it’s not rugged enough for him – as he’s prone to destroying anything that’s not nailed, wedged, or firmly fixed in place. In the battle between his CAT earth mover and the iPad… Let’s just say the winner will be wearing Carharts.

For me and my wife, I worry that we’ll get into the habit of buying our books in the iBookstore only to not be able to take our books to the beach. Living in San Diego, this is a more practical lament than a fleeting one. We have a pile of magazines and newspapers we gratefully read and then recycle. The books we keep. I’ll miss filling my shelves with spoils from trips to the used bookstore.

Talking with a colleague this morning, he asked me if I would buy an iPad. I told him yes, for sure, at least one. After that, I’m not so sure.

“Why?” he asked.

Inner monologue: To have at home. It’s a fun device. I can imagine using more apps, reading books, and not having to fire up the laptop to surf the web. I’ll have to test it with David to see if he’s ready for one. But I think he’d love it too for the movies.

But when it comes down to it, I just said, “I really just wanted a better Kindle.”

I don’t own a Kindle. I’ve wanted to own a Kindle. But I couldn’t get past the form factor. What a drag to use, I thought. I’m the guy waiting for Apple to make eBook readers fun and more than just a reader. Yeah, that’s me.

“So you’ll spend $500 for the iPad but you won’t spend $250 for a Kindle?”

Guilty as charged. I won’t pay a penny for something that I don’t want. But if you show me something I want, I can be relieved of much more.

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