September 7, 2008
Contact me
Want to reach me? Use the link on the left, or use this:
Posted by amol at September 7, 2008 2:51 PMSeptember 6, 2008
Chetan is the next Tyson
We are all very proud of this handsome devil. I knew the look would catch someone's eye eventually.
September 2, 2008
Peek Peek in the news
Wired
Because the Peek is limited to a basic function, using it is a breeze. Even without operating instructions, this Cro-Magnon was able to figure out how it worked with only a minor assist from the Gadget Lab. ("Push the scroll wheel in, Tony.")
Bottom line: If you're a Luddite at heart but still have reason to fiddle with e-mail from time to time, or if you believe that simplicity in all things is the key to life, the Peek is for you. If dining a la carte at the tech buffet is not your idea of a square meal, then skip it.
And:
Posted by amol at September 2, 2008 4:40 PMSeptember 1, 2008
Peek in the wild
August 26, 2008
Digg Peek again
Peek covered by LAPTOP Magazine -- Digg it!
Posted by amol at August 26, 2008 4:14 PMAugust 23, 2008
Your company's computer guy
We've been talking to an exceptional quantity of nerds lately, though they have majorly upgraded in status from the mid-1990s. Back then, they were like "Nick Burns" from the very funny SNL skits of the era (check out the latest Peek post below for some embedded videos of that -- I love the "AOL doesn't even have javascript!!" one).
Now, however, the typical "tech blog" reader has a supercool looking phone in their pocket, a slick mp3 player, a high-design laptop. Not as bad as that Windows NT database admin you used to know...but still a whiff of unpleasant snobby, you know?
A bunch of snippets from the ~100 messages we got from emails and comments this week
Hilarious SNL guy who reminds me QUITE a bit of the “average” gizmodo reader….
August 11, 2008
My picture 'server'
When http://amol.dnsalias.com is down, try 71.167.7.201. If you really want...
Posted by amol at August 11, 2008 7:48 PMAugust 2, 2008
Manhattan prices
A Glut of One-Bedroom Apartments - NYTimes.com
The mind boggles, but in 2007 the price for apartments in Manhattan was UP 21% and for one-bedrooms "only" 7%. While prices are freefalling everywhere else...
July 29, 2008
The internet is a series of tubes
Alaska Senator Is Charged With Failing to Disclose Gifts - NYTimes.com
This is the guy getting indicted
Posted by amol at July 29, 2008 7:09 PMJuly 20, 2008
iPhone 3G costs you more, not less, than the old one
State of the Art - For iPhone, the ‘New’ Is Relative - NYTimes.com
But the iPhone 3G is not really, as Apple’s Web site puts it, “half the price.” The basic AT&T plan — unlimited Internet and 450 minutes of calling — now costs $70 a month instead of $60 (plus taxes and fees), and comes with no text messages instead of 200. (Adding text messaging costs at least $5 a month more.)
True, iPhone 3G service now matches the plans for AT&T’s other 3G phones; still, by the end of your two-year contract, the iPhone 3G will have cost you more than the old iPhone, not less.
Posted by amol at July 20, 2008 2:53 PMJuly 13, 2008
We're in the ground!
Construction is on its way for the last few weeks on Jackson Ave.
June 27, 2008
Who reads these things, the paths of influence
It was very lovely to hear from a friend and former colleague that he actually reads this thing. And it reminded me of running into another former colleague who said "thanks for encouraging me to take that apartment". Something I totally forgot. It's very interesting to hear people play back what they remember of you.
Well, it is for me, at least. I somehow forget everything. And everyone else tells me about it.
What do you remember?
Posted by amol at June 27, 2008 9:43 PMJune 23, 2008
Conferenceware
I had the pleasure of participating in a panel at the Personal Democracy Forum conference today. Kind of a politics + online event. Crawling with such people.
I noticed that this is pretty much the one place and time in life that Twitter is of any interest. Wow! Now that it's over, still pretty dull. I guess I just don't get the future :(
Posted by amol at June 23, 2008 10:40 PMMay 27, 2008
The iPhone unsensation
Well, it's great and everybody loves it. But they haven't sold that many.
After almost a year of strong sales that have made it one of the dominant smartphones in the United States, the iPhone has settled down to a less-than-spectacular pace: roughly 600,000 units a month, according to the company.Posted by amol at May 27, 2008 10:54 PMApple, based in Cupertino, Calif., had shipped about 5.5 million phones by the end of March, the most recent figures it has released. It sold just 1.7 million phones in the first three months of this year, meaning it must sell more than 8 million phones to reach Mr. Jobs’s publicly stated goal of selling 10 million iPhones in 2008.
“They’re going to have a difficult time” hitting that number, said Edward Snyder, an analyst at Charter Equity Research. He said that Nokia, the world’s largest maker of cellphones, sells more phones every week than Apple has sold since the iPhone’s introduction.
May 26, 2008
Ferrari cherry
I drove a very nice Italian car for the first time yesterday...
Posted by amol at May 26, 2008 7:49 PMMay 17, 2008
Movable Type shortcut
I used MT to edit my blog but often forget the address so here it is for my reference only.... mt.drownout.com
Posted by amol at May 17, 2008 2:41 PMMay 12, 2008
Tom Sanford at Leo Koenig
Tom Sanford's show is currently up at Leo Koenig. It's an impressive chunk of work!
May 8, 2008
Apple is black
Slowly the all white Apple (simple, friendly, for all) is becoming all black Apple (elegant, elite, prestige).
April 26, 2008
Lifecast
This is a live stream via web of our living room.
Posted by amol at April 26, 2008 1:27 PMApril 20, 2008
This summer
This year we are finally doing it! Booking a house in Fayence in Provence
Details and map:
Posted by amol at April 20, 2008 6:56 PMApril 19, 2008
Chocolate chip cookies
I have been experimenting with chocolate chip cookies.
After 8 tries, I achieved my first success: the Platonic form of the chocolate chip cookie, based on Nestle Toll House. It's a light color, slightly brown bottom, crisp on the outside, evenly chocolate chipped cookie with a bit of softness inside.
Now I am in search of some other varieties. I believe I have the tools to make
- the giant soft cookie (e.g., Michael's)
- the little hard cookie (e.g., Famous Amos)
- the French restaurant cookie (hard as a biscotti, smooth, and crisp)
However I am most keen to create: the dense, chewy, thick cookie. Tonight I experiemented with dark brown sugar and molasses as the only sweeteners. I hit the rocks though -- too liquid and too warm a mixture. Big, thin cookies with clear elements of chewiness. But not what I want.
Some references:
- A hacker's recipe
- Discussion on Cooking for Engineers is very useful
April 15, 2008
GSM Phoneresource
When you want to unlock your phone there are many unsavory characters out there. One of the sleazy ones is gsmphoneresource.com (there is a guy named Adam at GSM Phoneresource who has the online practices that would get him zero stars on paypal).
April 5, 2008
Our new place
We moved recently. This is the way into our new building.
Posted by amol at April 5, 2008 7:25 PMMarch 30, 2008
Recent citations
The auction is over and folks are writing about some of the interesting consequences.
Here is a Forbes story by Brian Caulfield mentioning me (and Peek) Forbes
And one by the AP AP story
Posted by amol at March 30, 2008 8:43 PMMarch 21, 2008
Spectrum auction over. Where is Google?
Apparently Google flaked on the whole "open" thing. Nowhere to be seen. In fact, Verizon won everything.
Posted by amol at March 21, 2008 11:07 AMFebruary 5, 2008
Apple //c Unboxing
It's amazing how long Apple's packaging has looked exactly as it does.
Apple //c Unboxing on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
January 28, 2008
My year in politics
I was reminded at lunch today that last year was an amazing year in some ways. These three things happened:
- C-SPAN
- Senate
- Wireless Founders Coalition in the press
Not to mention many other professional and certainly personal things.
Posted by amol at January 28, 2008 4:23 PMJanuary 27, 2008
Outsourcing dogfood
The Indian Consulate has outsourced their visa process. And it is a singularly amazing and efficient process! Check it out.
Posted by amol at January 27, 2008 9:25 PMJanuary 7, 2008
Wireless Founders Coalition for Innovation
Wireless Founders Coalition for Innovation has a new website -- wfc.txtbl.com
Posted by amol at January 7, 2008 10:04 AMDecember 9, 2007
Sidebar: Countdown widget
Posted by amol at December 9, 2007 2:55 PM
December 7, 2007
Txtbl hiring plan
New headcount
Geographic distribution
December 6, 2007
Txtbl is hiring. Join us
Finance VP
-Lead overall finance policies, operations, accounting, budgeting, and planning
-Direct future capital raising
-Oversee corporate functions (HR, legal, admin)
-Experience: Previous leadership of finance function of an early stage company; accounting/CPA background preferred
-Location: New York, NY
Device project engineer
-Manages the planning, development, and testing of wireless mobile devices through offshore deign and manufacturing partners (ODM)
-Acts as primary point of contact on all product development matters between Txtbl, ODM partner, and any other third party developers
-Responsible to assure products of high quality, performance, and reliability are developed and ready for production in a timely and cost effective manner.
-Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Software manager
-Develop email synchronization software and integration with webmail providers
-Develop email client software for the handset
-Manage implementation/vendors
-Location: San Francisco Bay Area or New York, NY
Communications director
-Oversee the company’s branding, positioning, and messaging activities
-Define and lead the marketing communications, including PR, traditional and non-traditional marketing initiatives
-Manage third-party marketing communications agencies
-Coordinate the product trial and market research programs
-Oversee product launches, including sales training, presentations, sales tools, and general sales support.
-Experience: 5-7 years in a consumer oriented services; non-traditional marketing strategies and tactics; traditional PR, media placements, product placements
-Location: San Francisco Bay Area preferred or New York, NY
Product director
-Develop and implement and manage the product value proposition – including the device, device user interface, subscription service, product features, acquisition pricing and service pricing
-Develop market and competitive analysis and market/audience segmentation; track trends
-Develop and manage relationships with email service providers
-Develop product enhancements and long term road map
-Experience: 7-10 years consumer-oriented, subscription wireless services and products; device and systems development; consumer email service providers; negotiating complicated deals with third-parties
-Location: San Francisco Bay Area preferred or New York, NY
Marketing manager
-Support product development, marketing communications, retail development, and product trial administration
-Experience: 2-5 years of high quality consulting or marketing experience; possibly with an MBA
-Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posted by amol at December 6, 2007 11:10 PM
December 3, 2007
The press this year
Now that my phone rings whenver there is spectrum or open access news, I am finding myself in the pattern of repeating the same bold predictions over and over for reporters. Most often, the reporter is someone walking in cold to a topic and wanting to get informed and get some good lines to quickly meet a deadline. :( Other times, it is one of the reliable watchers of the topic looking for my "take" as news breaks.
But it's a pattern that keeps repeating and making me wonder: should I participate? This week for example I was quoted in the and
Am I helping the world by providing these quotable lines? After all, if it wasn't me, it would be some evil minion of the telcos...!
Posted by amol at December 3, 2007 10:40 PMDecember 1, 2007
Party
This year's holiday party was the best ever. We had a great time. I wish I had taken some pictures I could post! If you didn't make it...next year.
Posted by amol at December 1, 2007 10:02 PMNovember 28, 2007
VZ Day
Looks like it is VZ Day. Victory over Verizon for the allied forces of openness and good!
As I say in this Washington Post quote, though, it doesn't mean Verizon's suddenly become a good guy though.
Posted by amol at November 28, 2007 2:15 AMNovember 15, 2007
Our holiday party
You are invited, maybe.
Please join us for our annual holiday party.
We think 2007 topped 2005 by a long way, and this will be the event to prove it.
Plus, appearing for the first time: Pascale Sarva.
8-11pm
At Brooks 1890, around the corner from our house near Court Square in Long Island City (map)
Come early, stay late.
Tyke friendly.
Posted by amol at November 15, 2007 10:48 PMNovember 11, 2007
Openid
I am starting to see more and more of OpenId. I have used it exactly twice. When I signed up for one at Myopenid 6 months and 2 weeks ago, and today when I signed back in.
Posted by amol at November 11, 2007 11:15 PMDid you know? I have a sideblog
You may be reading this blog via rss reader. Or maybe you visit ye olde "website". Or maybe even you have your secretary print it out once a week and put it in a clear plastic sheet for your weekend reading. Whatever. But did you know....
that I have a sideblog? It's over there on the right, down a little. It's clippings and articles I recommend to you. Very rarely will I post directly about something I "read" right here on the main blog. Instead, that happens over on the sideblog.
You can subscribe to it by rss too, by the way. Or read it directly where it lives on Y! 360. Or have your secretary...etc.
Posted by amol at November 11, 2007 6:55 PMNovember 10, 2007
Aero aero coffee
My favorite way to make coffee is the Aeropress. Here is a video of it being recommended by Fraunfelder from Boing Boing!
Posted by amol at November 10, 2007 4:42 PMNovember 5, 2007
Gyawn
Google's big consortium announcement is the yawner of the year. No Gphone, no spectrum...just some guys who are willing to work with them on a new linux-based mobile OS. Err....Palm? Mot? Many have passed this way before ye!
Posted by amol at November 5, 2007 11:59 AMNovember 2, 2007
Video from the C-SPAN thing
A few months ago I was on C-SPAN, but since YouTube limits the length of uploads, it's not on there. I recently posted it onto Google Video though.
Posted by amol at November 2, 2007 10:34 PMOctober 31, 2007
At VON
I gave a keynote at VON today -- "use wireless open access to change the world". More on that when I get the video etc.
Posted by amol at October 31, 2007 6:41 PMOctober 10, 2007
Jeff Black, for the Wireless Founders Coalition, on the Hill
Posted by amol at October 10, 2007 8:50 PMSuperteam
Personally, I like the suggestion that I am Green Lantern.
Frontline Assembles Open Access Super Team
Posted by amol at October 10, 2007 10:04 AMOctober 9, 2007
Flickr widget
Google Docs...killer
This app is so great.
Posted by amol at October 9, 2007 10:04 AMOctober 1, 2007
An American Announcement
Time for a fresh start, after a season of cynicism.
Posted by amol at October 1, 2007 10:34 AMSeptember 25, 2007
Amazon mp3 is great
I just tried it. Worked well. No DRM.
Easy to buy since Amazon knows me already.
And the "2 million independent label and EMI" catalog is actually really amazing -- it seems that many of the bands I actually listen to now are "indie" by that definition. Who cares about the back catalog....
Plus no Apple means no DRM and its easy to take my music around with me easily. That is the huge annoying hassle of both the Apple and MSFT regimes.
Because this is Amazon (not Emusic) the preference/recommendation engine is WAY more useful. It is instantly showing me that there is lots of relevant and interesting stuff on there.
And it's $0.89 per song. Cheaper.
I recommend the Bossa N X series. I really liked Bossa N Marley. Not so sure about the Bossa "Sweet Child O Mine" that I just listened to.
Posted by amol at September 25, 2007 11:32 AMDictators at Columbia
I think it's great that Columbia had the Iranian president speak. In fact, I think the public debate over it is unbelievable -- he spoke at the Press Club and at the UN. Is one of the world's leading universities somehow less fitting a place for controversial politics?
While I think it's a bit impolite to ridicule an invited speaker the way Bollinger did, I think the circumstances made it appropriate.
Go Lions! (If only we could win at football...)
Posted by amol at September 25, 2007 10:35 AMSeptember 13, 2007
Verizon trying to block open access?
Silicon Alley Insider: Verizon Wireless (VZ, VOD) Sues FCC To Keep Airwaves Closed
AlleyInsider has a good catch on a lawsuit Verizon Wireless filed a few days ago. It's intended to block open access in the court. But it's real intent is to put a cloud over the auction and supress bidding, and thereby make it more likely that the auction will fail to meet the reserve prices. And -- guess what? -- get the open access rule withdrawn.
Posted by amol at September 13, 2007 5:26 PMRead this blog as an email subscription
One of the best things about mobile email is that you can read it when you are not connected (in the train) or in the little bits of time when establishing a connection/browsing around is not convenient. So I subscribe to a bunch of stuff (or email myself stuff) that I can read on my train ride, for example.
Well, get this blog that way and do the same!
September 12, 2007
Headline from the Subtle-use-of-'s Dept
Earth Might Survive Sun's Explosion - New York Times
Posted by amol at September 12, 2007 6:11 PMSeptember 10, 2007
Apple in the auction...?
Business Week has a story about a rumor that Apple might be looking at the wireless auction.
Burrows quotes me on what I think -- that it makes no sense -- but then speculates rather liberally on how Apple could make it happen. It's clearly false that they could build a network for less than a billion dollars; it would be more like $10 billion. Sprint's Wimax network, which doesn't even cover most of the US, will be at least $5 billion (their current budget number).
It is interesting how much excitement there seems to be in Silicon Valley, when just a few months ago it was hard to get many of these guys to say anything out loud about how important the open access proposals are.
Posted by amol at September 10, 2007 9:36 AMSeptember 7, 2007
Silly telecom rules
My friend David Jones sent me this clipping from ESPN Magazine -- quoting me on college sports recruiting tactics!
Sidebar: Google blog news widget
It's a world of widgets
...though it's not working.
Sidebar: GrandCentral widget
Here's the other (more famous, better?) one from GC which Google bought. These guys even give you a phone number, pipe it through Asterisk-y functionality and dump it back into one of your old school phones (mobile, fixed, whatever -- but no skype/gtalk yet?)
Posted by amol at September 7, 2007 10:30 AMSidebar: Jaxtr widget
This is a widget from one of the many phone phreak startups out there these days. I'm not sure how I would use it...except on craigslist or ebay or somewhere I don't want to post my phone number.
Posted by amol at September 7, 2007 10:27 AMAugust 27, 2007
Handy bookmarklet
Here is a handy bookmarklet that Chetan made. When you on a page and you click it, it takes the URL, runs it through a URL shortener, and then opens an email with that link in it.
Just right-click the below link and make it into a new bookmark.
Posted by amol at August 27, 2007 2:10 PMAugust 26, 2007
Tom and Alex get married
Tom and Alex got married this weekend. The NYT announcement.
Posted by amol at August 26, 2007 10:08 PMAugust 21, 2007
Sidebar: Subscribe
Get the email subscription to this blog
Posted by amol at August 21, 2007 12:45 AMGoodbye, loser used car dealer
Our car lot is clear. The used car dealer is gone. Victory!
August 20, 2007
Time Warner RoadRunner sucks
Time Warner and in particular RoadRunner internet service suck. For all the usual reasons, so I will not bother elaborating here. I'm just hoping this silent rage against the unmovable monopolist does more than just cursing into their IVR music.
Posted by amol at August 20, 2007 9:16 PMAugust 13, 2007
Daily link posting - annoying!
I have turned off the del.icio.us daily link posting. Man it was too frequent. I don't post actual content to the blog every day so the daily links were overwhelming my blog, and by the way I don't even bookmark very much every day so a post with 1-2 links is lame.
So, del.icio.us, please add the following features to your link posting
- weekly, monthly
- daily "if there are X new links to post"
- ad hoc post all new
Thanks.
Posted by amol at August 13, 2007 11:27 PMlinks for 2007-08-14
August 11, 2007
links for 2007-08-12
Sidebar: My mugshot on the web
I have been thinking there needs to be an uber-rss aggregator widget that knows everything you are doing and shares it back. They made it.
August 10, 2007
links for 2007-08-11
August 9, 2007
links for 2007-08-10
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Return of the FreePC. Kind of.
August 8, 2007
links for 2007-08-09
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Mid-tier chipset
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greenport area
August 7, 2007
links for 2007-08-08
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150 per day
August 6, 2007
links for 2007-08-07
August 5, 2007
links for 2007-08-06
August 4, 2007
links for 2007-08-05
August 3, 2007
links for 2007-08-04
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Soonr office sync s/w has only 250Kish downloads in 1-2 years
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Nice house