D's Notebook

Month: February 2010 (Page 2 of 2)

Mini Reporter’s Notebook

February 4, 2010 /

A few more items from the Reporter’s Notebook.

I’m sure you’ve all been holding your breath for this update, but I finally saw the girls team that struggles every time I show up win a game last Friday. They won by 35. I think it’s safe to say their opponent was not of the highest quality. It was hard not to ask the coach and players, after the game, self-centered questions like “How does it feel to finally win a game that I cover from start-to-finish.*

(Astute readers will recall I was assigned to a game they won last month, but was not informed of the earlier-than-normal tip time. Thus I walked in as time was winding down in the fourth quarter.)

Tuesday, for the first time, I got to cover a game at my local high school. The biggest team in the county I work in is a conference rival of our local CHS. I was hoping for a good game, but the hosts went crazy in the third quarter, hitting their first six shots, and then 11-17 shots, for the quarter, and cruised to an easy 25-point win.

The local high school has both a radio station and a TV station. So it was fun to drive to the game and listen to students broadcasting the JV game. I’ll listen to or watch a few minutes of their broadcasts here and there, and it’s always funny to hear the students and dream about the possibilities had my high school had broadcasting options. I’m sure I would have been signed up for those classes!

As I listened to the JV game, though, I realized that announcing your school’s games, especially games involving the opposite sex, could pose some problems for aspiring broadcasters. Might you embellish the play of a point guard you thought was cute? If you dated the small forward over the summer but she dumped you for the quarterback, might you be less enthusiastic about her play than she deserved? Not that I would have done any of these things, of course. But we are talking about teenagers and the temptation is there.

It was the final home game for CHS. When their only senior checked out of the game late in the fourth quarter, she received a standing ovation from the crowd. I had to laugh when I glanced over and saw the student broadcasters, in their dress shirts and ties, standing and applauding, too, while they continued to set the scene for their listeners. I wanted to let them know that Dick Vitale has only done that twice in 30 years of broadcasting.* But it’s not like they’re professionals. They aspire to be pros and there’s nothing wrong with being a homer when you’re a teenager and wearing your dad’s tie.

(Unless he’s done it again since the Nick Collison game in 2003.)

The regular season for girls ends this week. I’ll probably do a couple sectional games, which is the most important part, traditionally, of the state playoffs in Indiana. Hopefully I’ll see some good hoops.

❖

 

The Next Big Thing

February 2, 2010 /

I know I have some other Mac and iPhone users in my audience, but I’m confident that, with one or two exceptions, none of you have reached my level of Fanboyhood. Thus, I feel obligated to share some thoughts on last week’s unveiling of Apple’s iPad.

Over the last seven days, I’ve spent hours reading fantastic essays by some of the best tech writers sharing their reactions. I don’t know that I have any great insights, but it seems like I should put all that time and digestion to some kind of use. Not for the faint of heart (of those short on time).

The Hype

Might the iPad be the most hyped gadget ever? Even those of you who only casually follow tech news were probably sick of hearing speculation about what Apple’s new product would be. Consider yourself lucky; if you were like me and read through multiple tech websites each day, listened to several Apple focused podcasts, and generally tried to keep your finger on the pulse of what was going on in Cupertino, you would have been hearing speculation for nearly two years. Cool or not, I was ready for something to be unveiled so the rumors would stop.

Keep in mind every Apple event comes with a massive amount of hype. Steve Jobs and his army of fanboys (and fangirls) know how to manipulate the media. The last time Apple presented a truly new product was the iPhone. Whether you own an iPhone or not, you can’t deny that it’s been a runaway success and completely changed the cell phone industry. When the expectation is that Apple is going to present another toy that is unlike anything we’ve seen before, they’ve earned an extra measure of hype based on the iPhone experience.

The Name

Meh. I’m not thrilled with it, but don’t think it’s the huge error some people have labeled it. I was in the camp of those who were hoping Apple would finally move away from the “i” prefix. After all, Steve Jobs was the iCEO, for interim, and the first iMac was named to remind people of it’s utility on the emerging Internet. Both terms were coined back in 1998. With over a decade of devices and software suites marketed with the “i” appendage, the unveiling of a ground-breaking tablet computer seemed like the appropriate time to rethink the branding strategy.

I suppose Apple thinks it’s a good thing that the iPad so closely resembles the iPod in name. It’s just the next step in the evolution of the iPod, from portable music device, to video-capable gadget, to the iPhone, and now to the iPad.

I would have liked another name better, but I’m not getting all worked up about it.

The Device

It’s beautiful, as expected. It has the requisite cachet of coolness. And, based on the words of those who were granted access to the iPad last week, you can’t truly judge the device until you’ve held it and operated it. I can’t wait for it to show up at my local Apple Store so I can fight through the crowds to get my own greasy hands on one.

Use Case

Here’s where things get tough. Steve Jobs admitted that they’re not trying to replace either smartphones or laptops, but rather address the space between them. It’s one thing to read your e-mail or do casual web browsing on your iPhone in between meetings or while waiting in lines. But what if you want to sit on the couch and read a book, scroll through your pictures, or play a game? Why haul out the laptop when the iPad is available?

That’s a tricky argument. If you’re already dropping $80+ a month on your iPhone (or other smartphone) plan, it’s tough to suggest you need a companion device to improve the experience of many of the iPhone’s functions. Need more screen real estate to view your pictures? That’s when you break out the laptop.

The best counter to that argument is the price. Starting at $499, it’s priced favorably against the Kindle DX and Sony’s top-of-the-line ebook reader. Why not drop an extra $50 and get much more than just an eBook reader? Leave your laptop on your desk, where it can be safe, and stick the iPad on your coffee table or next to your favorite chair, for easy access whenever you need it.

The Future

You can’t discuss the iPad without considering what it means for computing as we know it. A recurring theme among those who held the iPad last week was that Apple is attempting to change how we interact with computers. It’s too early to say goodbye to the desktop/file hierarchy/mouse/pointer metaphor that has ruled since the Mac was introduced in 1984. But, for the first time, there is a reasonable alternative.

What Apple has suggested is a world where your interactions with your data are completed with your fingertips rather than by manipulating a mouse. Files are stored within applications rather than in complex folder systems. You never have to remember where or how you saved a file; when you launch an application you have instant access to all the files you’ve created with it.

No one is suggesting the the iPad model will necessarily be the replacement for our current interaction metaphor. What the experts are saying is that the iPad is the first step along that new path.

Prospects

Will it succeed? My amateur technology blogger opinion is that the iPad will initially be a mild success, which will cause many to label it a failure. It will not have the quick adoption that the iPhone had* simply because of the new space it is supposed to address. People will think the iPad is cool and sexy, they will willingly play with one when their early adopting friends buy one, but they will question where it fits into their digital lives.

(Let’s not forget the iPhone was not a true success until Apple dropped its price three months after its initial release, and really took off when AT&T began subsidizing the price when the 3G was released.)

There will be fanboys lining up at the stores the day it is released, or who preorder the moment a valid link is added to the online store. I expect, though, much of its initial success to be in the pro-user and educational realms. People who can use the iPad to perform specific functions required for their professions. Photographers, physicians, artists. Schools, students, and teachers will have a field day with the iPad.

As time passes, and more functionality is added, I think the iPad will become a solid addition to the Apple lineup. Not the dud that the AppleTV has been, nor the admired but poor selling MacBook Air. But I don’t think it’s going to become the next iPod or iPhone, either.

At least not yet.

Others will quickly attempt to get into the iPad space, some mimicking Apple’s form and system as others advance competing ways of changing our relationships with computers. Where the iPad will be a runaway success is that it will be the first. In five or ten or 15 years, when using a traditional keyboard and mouse to interact with data is required only for highly specialized actions, we will look back on the iPad as the moment when everything began to change. As the Macintosh changed the way we viewed computers in 1984, the iPad will do the same in 2010.

To Buy or Not

The ultimate question. As a fanboy, I’m required to buy one, right?

Not so fast. I have an iPhone. I’m addicted to it. As much as I love it, I may love my MacBook Pro even more. Most of my waking hours involve me reading, writing, and communicating via one device or the other. As lovely as the iPad looks, I’m having a hard time seeing how I insert it into my current gadget lineup.

I will be eager to see complete reviews once the iPad ships. The aspect that interests me most is the iBook application, through which you can read ebooks. I’ve had one eye on digital readers for awhile. Everyone who has an Amazon Kindle seems to love it. But as I wrote above, why spend $450 on a Kindle DX when you can get an iPad for another $50? And why buy into the strict Amazon system with the $250 Kindle when you will be able to read more book formats, possibly including Kindle books, on the iPad?

I had high hopes for the Barnes and Noble Nook, but the early reviews suggest it is a pain to use. Some of the Sony digital readers get fine reviews, but again you run into the issue of price.

Countering all the shortcomings of digital readers is the fact that the iPad has a backlit LCD screen, which tends to be difficult to read for long periods of time. The aforementioned readers all have E-Ink displays, which mimic the look of real paper, reducing eye strain. It seems like if you’re a big reader, and I am,* you will want the option that allows you to sit and read for hours at a time.

(I both read a lot and am tall, so I’m a big reader in more ways than one.)

So, I suppose the answer is I don’t know. I’ll wait and see what the reviews of production models say. I’ll monitor the development of the Nook, as many of the negative reviews suggest that a firmware update will correct the issues that plagued the early models. I might actually pop into the Sony Style store for once and look at their line of digital readers. If, after all of that, the iPad seems the best way to read books electronically, I suppose there will be one on my desk. Otherwise someone else is getting the next big withdrawal out of my computer fund.

Then again, I may just stick to traditional books for now.

❖

Beaking ‘Em

February 1, 2010 /

I’ve been trying not to jinx them. I’m overdue for some KU basketball discussion, but I kept putting it off because I didn’t want to write good things about them and then have Missouri or K-State beat us. Now that we’ve gotten through rivalry week 2-0, I feel comfortable writing. Cue Colorado’s first win over us since 2003 on Wednesday…

I, like many KU fans, had a bit of a crisis of confidence after the Tennessee loss. On the one hand, I thought the loss would prove to the players that they still had a long way to go and they couldn’t expect to cruise through the season on their preseason ranking, their perceived talent, and their reputation. But the loss was distressing. It was a difficult task, playing a solid team on the road that was facing a huge emotional crisis, but it was the kind of challenge that great teams overcome. We made some runs, but caved at the end when it mattered most. Beyond their performance in that moment, the loss highlighted some flaws that had been apparent for some time.

The team has rebounded nicely since that loss. Solid wins at Nebraska and Iowa State. A sloppy win over a mediocre Tech team. A tough win over a very good Baylor team. And then last week’s sweep.

More importantly than the results are how the team has developed over the last three weeks. Cole Aldrich seems to have shaken off whatever was holding him back and turned into the force we thought he would be this year. He had been excellent defensively and on the boards all year, but his offense seemed to have regressed. He’s found his groove again, or so it seems. It will be interesting to see how he manages against Texas next week, probably the only team in the conference that can really challenge him with a lot of big bodies.

Another important development has been the reemergence of Brady Morningstar. He was the unsung hero last year, a guy no one expected to start all but one game but who consistently made important plays in big moments. It seemed like he would be an key role player this year, coming off the bench to spread the defense or help cool off a hot shooter. Instead, with both Tyshawn Taylor and Xavier Henry struggling, inserting him into the lineup has given the offense its best flow of the year. He knows how to move the ball, when to take the shot, and always seems to be in the right spot.

Tyshawn has been the biggest disappointment of the year, in more ways than one. His off-the-court issues have been disturbing, going back to the brawl with the football team. His play has been erratic, at best. I had heard in the offseason that he was playing with a different level of confidence, almost a brashness, that he didn’t have before. I think his head may have gotten too big. He has talent and can do some things, but he’s not yet a complete player that can dominate a game. If he can accept his role coming off the bench and stop turning the ball over, I think he can still be an asset. Sherron Collins might be the perfect example for him, as Collins stepped aside two years ago for Russell Robinson. One play aside, he played quite well on Saturday, so perhaps he’s coming around to being the top perimeter guy off the bench.

Henry has been a mild disappointment. I’m hoping he’s just in the midst of a freshman funk that he can work his way out of. He was so good early; his shot looked effortless and he routinely got to the basket. People have learned that, like Brandon Rush, he can only dribble well with one hand. However, his defense has gotten much better and his attitude seems fine. We don’t need him to score 18 a game as he was in December. Stay within the offense, be aggressive, take smart shots, and play defense. If he can go for 10-11 points a night, grab a few rebounds, and contain his man on defense that will be the perfect compliment to his teammates.

We don’t need Henry to be huge because of the amazing development of Marcus Morris. I don’t remember a player who has turned himself around as much as Marcus has. A year ago, remember, I was lobbying for him and his brother to transfer because of their attitudes and poor play. I am officially apologizing to the Morrises for not having faith in them. Marcus has turned into an all-conference caliber player. It’s obvious he spent a lot of time with Danny Manning over the summer. He scores, he rebounds, he plays solid defense. Most importantly, though, is the change in his attitude. He’s calm and cool during games. Early in the year I noticed a few opponents trying to get under his skin. He just smiles and walks away and scores on them the next time he gets the ball. That comes not just from making an effort to change his demeanor, but also from playing with confidence and strength instead of fear and passivity.

While not as dramatic, all that goes for Markieff as well. Finding those versatile, athletic 6’8” guys is one of the great recruiting gets for any coach. Bill Self has two of them.

And then there’s Sherron. He’s moved into the pantheon of all-time KU greats. There haven’t been many players with his heart and desire to win. He doesn’t always deliver, but you’re surprised when he falls short. He willed the team to the win over Cornell. He was the steadying force against Baylor. He didn’t have a great game for much of Saturday, but he hit three huge shots, including the game-clincher. Whatever happens this year, I know he’s going to give every bit of himself to help KU win and I’m going to miss him terribly next year. I just hope we don’t wear him out before we get to late March.

I wish Thomas Robinson and Elijah Johnson were getting a few more minutes, because I love their potential. But the rotation works and it seems like they’re both soaking up everything in practice and games and will be ready for their turns next season.

So here we are on February 1 and KU has a two-game lead in the Big 12, with a road win at K-State. The Texas game next Monday is still huge, but the K-State win gives KU a buffer that prevents it from being a must-win. They still have to travel to Columbia, Stillwater, and College Station, so the conference race is far from over. But being up two games this early is a good place to be.

The team still has a lot of work to do. But the emergence of Brady and Marcus and a revitalized Cole means it is less important for Tyshawn and Xavier to make radical changes in their output. If those two can steady their performances, though, this team is fully capable of living up to their preseason hype.

Oh yeah, Rock Chalk, bitches.

❖

 

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