The Hierarchy of Nerds: Blending Star Wars and Psychology
Posted by Josh Seidemann on Thursday, May 9, 2013 · 
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This might be one of the few D.C. trade association blogs that could open with a re-posting of a thesis that Chewbacca was actually a highly-placed spy, and Han Solo was simply an unwitting cover for the hairy agent. A friend of mine forwarded the post to me last year in an email saying, “My mind is officially blown. Destroyed. I can’t look at Star Wars the same way again.” If you’re a Star Wars fan, then the original post is worth a read. If you’re not, then I’ll skip to the point and propose that there are instances in which a novel approach to a common problem can open new and innovative perspectives.
Illustration courtesy kiwi_orange_socks
About a month ago, Ben Thompson on stratechery.com proposed that Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” can be translated to define the mobile wireless market, with specific application (no pun intended) to the iPhone. OK. That’s a mouthful, and I’ll be honest – until I saw the post, I had no idea who Maslow or what the Hierarchy of Needs were; as Clint Eastwood admitted to Rene Russo in In the Line of Fire, “I had to look it up.” But, here it is in a nutshell: Maslow, an American psychologist, proposed that basic human needs must be met before more intricate goals such as morality, problem solving and creativity can be mastered. The theory is often presented in pyramid form, with physiological needs such as breathing, eating and sleeping occupying the base layer while employment, friendship, self-esteem and confidence take roost at upper levels. Stated simply (and perhaps robbing Maslow’s observations of their elegance), property doesn’t matter if you’re not eating. Or, as Thompson notes, “until lower order needs are met, we don’t really pay attention to or pursue higher order needs.” Read more
T-Mobile Gets a Bite of the Apple
Posted by Josh Seidemann on Monday, December 10, 2012 · ·
Poor T-Mobile. The carrier was left at the altar last year when merger prospects with AT&T fell through. It seems, though, that another knight has arrived to support the nation’s third-largest mobile provider.
Enter the iPhone. For the first time, T-Mobile will offer Apple products in its portfolio. This should be welcome news to those who have grappled with choosing between T-Mobile’s traditionally lower-than-others’ rates and having an iPhone.
Of course, whileT-Mobile CEO John Legere is promising that the T-Mobile Apple experience will be different, questions are arising as to whether T-Mobile’s network can support all of the iPhone’s capabilities. Still, the “i-ppearance” should assuage what Legere acknowledged was a reluctance of some customers to even walk into a T-Mobile store, even if they did not plan to by an Apple product, simply because the carrier did not offer it.
Where have I heard that before? Read more
Sorting through the Rumors, iPhone 5
Posted by Steve Fravel on Sunday, September 16, 2012 · (1) ·
After all the speculation, it turns out that the 5th generation of the iPhone will be called the iPhone 5. According to Apple’s web site, numerous improvements have been made to the phone, which required re-engineering and modification. The new phone is 18% thinner and about 20% lighter. It has a full four inch Retina display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and pixel count of 1136 x 640. Apple says the screen will look better too with 44% more color saturation than its predecessor 4S.
Apple says they were able to make the phone thinner by building the touch sensors into the screen, giving it 30% less depth. The improvement also helps cut down on screen glare. It also has a metal back with glass inlays which provides a more substantial feel, but doesn’t add a great deal of weight.
The changes go beyond the aesthetic. Read more
Rumors Galore over the New iPhone
Posted by Steve Fravel on Monday, September 10, 2012 · ·
Apple is fueling rumors about the impending release of the iPhone 5. The media received invitations to an Apple news conference in San Fransisco on September 12. The invitations have a picture of the number 12, with the number 5 appearing in the shadow.
Tech bloggers are burning up the internet with speculation and questions about the look, functions and name of the next iPhone.
CNet online has a mini rumor page at its web site that opened on September 4. It speculates that the phone will be unveiled on September 12 and rollout to the public will begin on September 21
We will keep our eyes and ears open to whenever the new phone is released and try to keep you up to date on improvements, refinements and changes to the popular phone from Apple.
Rural Wireless Carriers Offer iPhone
Posted by Jesse Ward on Friday, May 11, 2012 · ·
For rural carriers, access to handsets is one of the chief hurdles to offering a competitive service. In fact, 61% of respondents to NTCA’s 2011 Wireless Survey indicated that access to handsets and other necessary equipment was their greatest concern, illustrating that it could prove an impediment to their ability to maintain their current operations or expand their offerings in the future.
However, in the last few weeks rural wireless carriers Bluegrass Cellular, Nex-Tech Wireless, Pioneer Cellular and Golden State Cellular announced that they all will offer the coveted Apple iPhone to their subscribers. Bluegrass Cellular is based in Elizabethtown, Kentucky; Nex-Tech is in Hays, Kansas; Pioneer Cellular is located in Kingfisher, Oklahoma; and Golden State Cellular is based out of Jamestown, California. Read more
More Apple News
Posted by Steve Fravel on Monday, March 12, 2012 · ·
On March 7, Apple unveiled the newest generation of iPad. “The new iPad,” as it’s being called, is an improvement over previous versions with the addition of 4G connectivity and screen resolutions allowing for 1080p.
Apple also announced the roll-out of other device-services improvements. Read more
First Regional Carrier to Sell Apple iPhone
Posted by Jesse Ward on Friday, October 21, 2011 · ·
C Spire Wireless, formerly known as Cellular South, announced on October 19 that it will begin selling the Apple iPhone 4S in the coming weeks.
Based in Ridgeland, Miss., C Spire is the first regional carrier to announce that it will offer the iPhone. The company is the eighth-largest wireless carrier in the United States, with about 1 million customers.
C Spire, which serves customers in Mississippi, southwest Alabama, northwest Florida and western Tennessee, leapfrogs others, including T-Mobile USA, with gaining access to this popular handset. The Deutsche Telekom AG unit has said it would like to offer the iPhone but it is still seeking an agreement with Apple.
C Spire declined to offer details in the press, including when specifically the device will be available for retail sale and if the carrier also will gain access to older iPhone models.