So, now that a few days have passed since Steve Jobs announced the iPad from Apple, I thought I would share my thoughts about this amazing looking device.

Overall I am excited to see how well this new iPad sells. For the most part I think that the iPad hits the mark for what Steve Jobs said about it in his opening remarks… for the most part.

However, people are complaining that this device does not do a few key things like multi-task, no flash support in the browser, no camera, it is not as feature rich as a net-book, blah blah blah… let’s dig deeper shall we?

No Multitasking: OK, OK, I get it…. I hear it every day. People hate that the iPhone does not multi-task, but I have been using the iPhone for almost 2 years and I have gotten over the fact that there is no multi-tasking. The OS is so simple and elegant to use, and it is easy enough to just pop in and out of apps as needed… so get over it! Instead of having Pandora run in the background while you surf the web, or build a fancy presentation, use the little thing called the built in iPod, for the most part (at least on the iPhone) it runs in the background of many apps.

No Flash Support: Not an issue for me as I do not like flash based sites for the most part, and flash tends to crash my browsers anyway. But is this a deal breaker for the iPad… is it something that would seriously stop you from buying it? Look, if you come across a site with flash, and you just have to see it, go to your laptop or desktop and check out the site and the flash in all of it’s glory. But seriously, is no flash really that big of a deal? Where the “flash” of this device comes in is in the way of apps, the ebook reader, and all the other cool stuff it does. Hopefully in an update down the road, Apple will choose to add flash support, but until then enjoy the device.

No Camera: This omission is one thing that may stop me from buying it. Not that I will take it everywhere and want to use it as a camera, but I see great use in the business world. If I am traveling and want to use Skype for a video call, or if I was in a sales presentation and I wanted to prop the iPad up in the nifty new stand so it could make the attendees in the conference room visible to the presenter on the other end would be awesome. You know the camera is going to come out eventually, and you KNOW Apple is just sitting back and releasing this version knowing damn good and well that once the camera version comes out people will flock to it and upgrade. If you can get a camera into an iPhone, you can get it into an iPad… and the consumer has come to expect it! #BadApple

Net-books are better: This is a different device. sure on the net-book you can multi-task, and do a couple of things at the same time. Whoop dee doo, but does it have a 10″ touchscreen, or the ability to run your favorite apps, or will it act like a photo frame if you wish, can it be a killer ebook reader? The only thing I see the net-book doing better is the cameras that are built in.

Look, this iPad does so much out of the box, and is simply amazing from what I have seen so far. Can it get better… of course, and that leads me to…

Four BIG things that I think Apple did wrong in my opinion:

1. Not having the iPad ready for purchase the day of, or at least during the week of the announcement. Put this device in the hands of the people who want it! They have been waiting for years to have it. Don’t allow the rumor mills to ruin the launch, or allow another manufacturer to steal the thunder.
2. Why have 6 models? Do we need 6 versions? Not only is this a bad idea from a manufacturing standpoint, and a SKU inventory challenge, it is also just confusing to the consumer. Does anyone really need 64 gigs of memory for a device like this? Simplify the buying experience, and drop a model. Launch a 64 gig version in a year or so if you must when memory prices come down.
3. Not having additional carrier options available besides AT&T. Need I say more about that? And that kind of ties back into #2 above… why not just launch the models with wifi and 3g? Why have a wifi only version? And if I have to be stuck with AT&T offer a contract version that can help to reduce the price of the iPad… why should it be more money for that model when I am guaranteeing AT&T even more money on a monthly basis.
4. The name iPad. How about an explanation behind the name to help curb the association of the iPad to some feminine hygiene product? iSlate would have been cool, there just had to be a better name. #iBoring

I think the iPad will also be a segway or introduction device for Apple. Think of it, so many people want a Mac, but maybe can not afford a laptop or desktop. This iPad is affordable to almost anyone. If you can afford a net-book, you can afford an iPad, and I think that is a smart move by Apple. In a way is the iPad a loss leader? Hell you can’t even buy an iPhone without a contract for less than you can buy an iPad for!

In the end, is the iPad the revolutionary product Steve Jobs said it is? Time will tell… but I think it is pretty dang close. Is it a must have middle category piece of technology between the smart phone and the computer? Personally I do not think so… it is not a “must have” item for me, but I definitely “want” one.

In the end, if I was to buy an iPad, I would most likley choose the base model… and maybe upgrade it to the 3G version. If I was in the market for an eReader like a Kindle, it would be a no brainer to purchase the iPad for that function alone.

What do you think? Is this iPad all it is cracked up to be?

Until next time…

Doc

photo credit: Richard-G

A couple days ago, my friend Josh S. Peters (@JoshSPeters on Twitter) posted a entry on his blog called “So this is what you people think of me” and at the end of his post, he assigned us all homework and said he wanted to see my Wordle! So of course I said yes, and am now showing off my Wordle off for all to see!

Seriously though, this is a representation of what people on Twitter think of me based upon the lists I have been added to (at the moment of creation I am on 86 lists on Twitter).

I think this is an AWESOME graphic, and represents me pretty dang well… what do you think?

To all who have taken the time to add me to one of your Twitter lists… I thank you. I am honored to be there.

Want to show me your Wordle? If so, head on over to Wordle and create one of your own. Once you have created it, share here on my blog, or post the image to Twitter and use the hashtag #WordleShare.

For a faster way to get your lists ready for Wordle, be sure to see Rick’s awesome walkthrough on Joshes blog post.

So what do you say? Will you let me, and the rest of the world see your Wordle? Come on, I showed you mine. #SoundsDirty

Until next time…

Doc

Follow the Hashtag!

So, a couple of days ago I was catching up with some of Chris Brogan’s posts and I ran across a video on this entry.

The video is called “The Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun”.

On his site he left the message short and sweet and let the video do the talking. And to you I do the same… take 5 minutes and watch it.

Anyway, I liked this video so much, I figured I would share it here as well, just in case you are not following Chris Brogan! =) (Like who isn’t?)

So let me ask you… are you having fun? Or do you take life to seriously? In the moment of writing this post I think I am on the taking life too seriously side. After watching this video however, it is nice to remind myself to have some fun along the way and go for it!

Life is too short! So, let’s see where life takes me now.

In case you could not see the video in the post… you can click here to see it on YouTube.

Until next time…

Doc

The video was made by the folks over at EightPrinciples.com if you feel like checking out their site as well.

On December 31st, 1938 my wonderful mom Deanna Goodwill was born, and on February 10th, 2006 she passed away due to complications of her courageous battle with diabetes.

In 1953 she and her brother David won a trip to New York City to perform on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour television show. I had heard many times growing up from my mom and grandma about this trip, and the performance.

So when my mom passed away, we started to wonder if we could get our hands on this footage. I looked all over the internet and found a way we could get it. At the time, I was not able to afford to purchase it, but luckily my uncle decided to get it and share a copy with me.

The first time I saw this was on my Grandmas 90th birthday January 7, 2007.

I have decided to edit it down and post here on my blog the footage from the show. I hope you enjoy.

Pretty cool right? It is funny to see how people acted back then compared to now on TV. I love how he just asks my mom and uncle if they are mormon… but not sure why he can’t say my moms name right… it is not Diana, it Deanna!

Now, don’t forget to get your PET Milk products boys and girls! LOL

Seriously though, New Years Eve always used to be a double celebration for us. We’d go out to dinner and a movie with my mom and enjoy her birthday together, and it was always a great time. New Years Eve just isn’t the same without mom with us. Maybe I will go out today and celebrate her birthday anyway.

Mom, not a day goes by without me thinking of you. Love you! Miss You! Happy Birthday!

Thanks Internets for celebrating my moms birthday with me,

Until next time,

Doc

Footage purchased from The Original Amateur Hour site

Back in November 2008, right around the 15th or so, I was watching who is now one of my favorite online video bloggers and host of Wine Library TV Gary Vaynerchuk, or as we all know him in Twitter as @Garyvee. This was maybe the second or 3rd time I was exposed to Gary, but in this particular live cast video he was doing on UStream hit me like a ton of bricks!

Gary said (and I so wish he was recording this) “You’re either following your passion or you are a “loser”!

Why this hit me more than any other self help audio, video or book I have read before is because maybe I resonate better with Gary Vaynerchuk than I do with almost anyone else who has said the same thing millions of times before, but maybe a little less direct. Gary has a way to cut through the BS and just be real! He has built his dream brick by brick, or in his case wine bottle by wine bottle, to where he is today. And of course the best thing about Gary is his passion… and he wears it on his sleeve for all to see!

So… up until today, or at least a few weeks back, when I decided it is time for change as I was indeed this “loser” Gary mentioned. When I was watching this video stream back in November I swear to God he was looking and talking direct to me, as if there was not 250+ other people in the room. It took me a while to not only get over this fact that I was indeed a “loser”, but to also really look back on my life and see where my passion for what I was doing ended… where I did work and play with passion, and how I could get myself back there again. The answers however are now becoming more clear!

So you may say “Doc, you are not a loser, do not be so hard on yourself”… and I would probably agree that I am not a loser in the general definition of the word, but all I know is life is too short to not to do what makes me happy both personally and professionally. Why sit here day in and day out not living 100% to the fullest and pushing myself 200% for what it is I love to do? I remember the days when I loved what I did so much that I worked around the clock… some days for days in a row with little sleep… but in the end I loved the result that came from the work I put into it.

So… I have decided to make some changes in what I do… and to prioritize what I do based on PASSION and true DESIRE. As more comes to light as to what these changes are going to be, I will post them here on my blog. 

I ask myself again today if am I this “loser” Gary Vaynerchuk spoke about? The answer is… not any more baby! And Gary… a huge thank you for the wake up call!

My name is Darin Berntson… but all my friends know, I go by Doc!

Image is (CC) Brian Solis, www.briansolis.com, bub.blicio.us.

Well, it has been a while since I posted to my blog.

After launching my initial blog over at blogger, I changed my mind and decided I wanted to have my own domain, and host my blog on my own using the uber popular open source WordPress.

So over the last month or so, I have been installing, tweaking, tinkering and finally got to the point that I said I just need to start to create content.

I tend to be a perfectionist, and sometimes I want everything to be perfect before I launch. This time I now have my blog, design wise, to a point that I am “okay” with. I love the WordPress platform, and it has been a hoot learning how to use it.

Over time I will update the layout somewhat and add more information, but for now, it is time to write and share.

I have so many things on my mind I want to cover, and some would say “Doc, you should have a separate blog for that!” Well, I have been going back and forth on that as well, and have decided to air it all out here. So some info may be fragmented, some may be on point. Down the road I may separate out posts, or guest post elsewhere and link to that from here… so for now… all thoughts are in one place… The Doc Block!

Until next post…

- Doc