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July 19, 2006

Going on vacation

It feels slightly odd packing for our 2 week vacation in the sun, while Germany is sweltering from 2 weeks of extremely warm weather (37 C forecast here today). Still it will be great to get "away from it all" for a while.

So I guess I'm now turning my implicit lack of blogging into an explicit quiet period.

Lots has been happening in the past couple of months - most of which I haven't been able to talk about openly yet. That will change when I return from Greece and we move into what will hopefully be a very interesting Autumn. Catch you all on the other side.

Posted by Matthew at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)

July 14, 2006

ComBOTS launches

Yesterday, the German company ComBOTS revealed their avatar based communication system of the same name. The philosophy behind the system is that you have an avatar representation of your communication partner on the desktop (Windows only at the moment). To communicate with your partner, you then have several options. You can either chat the IM way, send files (drag and drop them onto the avatar), make regular voice calls or send an email. The avatars will also display certain emotions on the desktop allowing you to - for example - show your partner that you are happy or sad.

The business model behind the closed system is a monthly subscription for just under 3 € a month (free during the trial period) and the possibility of downloading additional avatars for a fee. The system is currently in a "Privilieged User" launch phase - which basically means invitation only (hint, hint). A public release is scheduled for September.

Personally, I remain sceptical as to what sort of success a closed system like this can be. The avatar angle with cute graphics will no doubt appeal to a certain audience - but I can see it being difficult for ComBOTS to gain enough market traction against free alternatives such as the widely popular ICQ. ICQ is what most of the kids I know (including my own) now use and this must be one of the competitors ComBOTS is up against.

Posted by Matthew at 10:08 AM | Comments (0)

July 13, 2006

Worlds collide

Last night I downloaded Frogger for the XBox 360 and gave it a nostalgic spin. It doesn't help that the game proudly announces the fact that I was doing the same around 25 years ago. Today I challenged my son to a quick game and he ho-hummed his way through it before quickly returning to Oblivion. They just don't understand....

Posted by Matthew at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)

July 06, 2006

Smaller media - same egos

After the Winer/Curry mudfight in Podcasting land - we watch as Rocketboom goes - um - boom. Proving again that the media may be "smaller" but the egos are as big as ever.

Posted by Matthew at 01:08 PM | Comments (0)

July 05, 2006

Germany loses - and Germany wins

Germany's role in the World Cup came to abrupt end last night with the team losing 2:0 to Italy. Italy deserved to win, playing stronger in overtime and with more drive towards scoring the decisive goal. I was surrounded by some very sad friends and family last night - but today the sorrow has been replaced by the positive attitude that has covered Germany since the tournament started.

Already the German media is full of praise for Jürgen Klinsmann, the German trainer coach and hopes are high that he will stay on for a longer term (he should). I am with many of todays articles that state how he and the German team have done more in 4 weeks for Germany than many German politicians have managed to achieve in years.

As Spiegel online writes in an article today - roughly translated:

[The World Cup] was a festival of youth, without a leaden ideological foundation. Germany welcomed the world as friends and the Germans discovered, that they are far more multi-cultural and international than they or others thought. That is why it was easy to raise the German flag on balconies [or cars]. For the first time in Germany's post-war history, Black-Red-Gold didn't represent a political ambition - such as in 1989 - but was the national "color-symbol" for the positive, up-beat mood or atmosphere. If patriotism - then this kind.

One of the great things that has happened to me over the past years in working in and around Open Source is the fact that I now have friends in many different countries - for example in Italy - Congratulations guys! Check out Ugo's pictures of the Italian celebrations.

Updated: Jürgen Klinsmann is of course the German team coach and Oliver Bierhoff is the German team manager. Trainer is the German word for coach and that in itself shows my sometimes split personality when it comes to nationality. Thanks Armin.

Posted by Matthew at 08:46 PM | Comments (0)

Army 2.0

Scott Adams wants his own army.

I wonder how much it would cost to have my own army composed of third world mercenaries. Id want them as more of a status symbol than a fighting force. Obviously Id have to hire my soldiers from a country where the annual wage is $1.25, otherwise it gets expensive. And theyd have to stay in that country. Id outsource the whole project.

How long before we see the following:

You could even find people who have similar "tasks" they want performed and then join up with them to share the price.

I need a vacation.

Posted by Matthew at 12:56 PM | Comments (0)

July 04, 2006

Apple Support rant

So, I guess I have now joined the league of Apple Support haters. After calling Apple Support about my trackpad problems, receiving the mail-in box and sending the MacBook in - everything has gone very quiet. The MacBook has been listed as "diagnosing product" now since June 19. Finding out how to contact Apple to rant with someone in person is like running a marathon - as many of you know. Grumble.

Posted by Matthew at 08:29 AM | Comments (1)

July 03, 2006

Billy Joel in Frankfurt

I was able to complete my list of people I "must see in concert" yesterday. For the first time in over a decade, Billy Joel played two concerts in Germany. My wife and I drove down to Frankfurt yesterday afternoon, hooked up with Frank and his wife, and then we hit the Festhalle for a really great 2 1/2 hours of Billy Joel at his best. We arrived back in Paderborn this morning at 1:15 but it was worth every minute.

Posted by Matthew at 11:33 AM | Comments (1)

July 02, 2006

History repeating

England loses again in the penalty shoot-out against Portugal. To be honest, given all the matches they played, they wouldn't have deserved moving on anyway. The rest of my family (and the whole of Germany) is of course "aus dem Häuschen" (umm...very happy?) with the way Germany has played the tournament and now with the semi-final of Germany vs. Italy - as most of the German newspapers led with yesterday - "die Party geht weiter" (the party continues).

Posted by Matthew at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)