Spring is five days away. Or, ya know, it's already here. So let's remember to get outside and try to enjoy it a little bit, m'kay? (I'm writing this from the back porch, cup of coffee in hand, actually.)
And in that spirit, I'll keep things short today. A few quick hits to start the week:
- Pioneer's ACH-NEX4100 Android Auto/CarPlay unit is now shipping for $700. I think I've decided I'm going to go with this one. I just can't justify spending twice as much for a capacitive display and mapping features I won't use (and that are redundant anyway thanks to Google Maps).
- A few bytes of carrier-specific software is the trade-off for having a Nexus on a CDMA carrier. Period.
- If that sort of thing keeps you up at night you're horribly missing the forest for a single branch on a single tree.
- The level of Apple Punditry Circle Jerk has reached epic proportions. Is there even a traditional audience anymore? Feels like the usual suspects are writing for each other, and no one else.
- That said, I can't wait to see how the Apple Watch does. It's still a crazy new category, with high-ish price tags, relatively speaking, for what's very much viewed as a gadget, and not a tool. I have a feeling most folks just don't see smartwatches as watches, and I don't think I blame them, even though I wear one every day.
- I love the idea of the new MacBook, even though I couldn't use one because of the lack of ports. But you better believe it's the start of something more strategic.
- And it wouldn't surprise me to see a model with a second USB-C port in a year.
- And I also fully expect to be carrying two cables this time next year, or by the end of 2016 at the latest: USB-C, and mini-USB.
- No, not micro. My DSLR and travel podcast mic use mini-USB.
- Hate to see the loss of GigaOm. I didn't know everyone there, but the ones I do are aces. Safe to assume that of others as well.
- It's simply not enough to write. You've got to have a good business backing things up. And I'm still extremely pleased with how we're positioning ours.
- (And even more pleased that we've got people far more knowledgable in that stuff than I running that end of things.)
- It's been fun to watch Russell have so much fun with Android and 3D printing.
Time to go wrestle a wife and a dog and some kids. Y'all have a good one.
