For the record Jason and I are just having some fun toying with the idea of starting our own gadget company. Why? Well, we're both incredibly dissatisfied with the state of portable media players and it's exciting to think about the possibilities enabled by this new world of low-cost contract manufacturing. Are we actually going to do anything? Probably not -- if there's one thing I understand, it's how difficult creating a new gadget can be, it's something I see first-hand every day at Engadget. That said, it's been interesting mulling over the idea in public, it's incredibly frustrating to see companies making the same stupid mistakes over and over and over again and it's hard not to want to do something about it.P.S. - Dave, how does the 21st look?
The Winerpod?
Sounds like Dave Winer wants in, doesn't it? Dave, I'll be in the Bay Area in a few weeks, if you want to get coffee, lemme know!
Next or not?
Alright, I'm game.
Me at Mobile Monday on, uh, Monday
If you're in NYC this Monday -- and you're into that whole smartphone thing -- then you should come see to Mobile Monday next week. I'll be talking about why I both love and hate smartphones with Michael Gartenberg from Jupiter Research and Scott Weiss from Usable Products. Here's the scoop:
Monday, November 27th, 6:45-9 PM
Samsung Experience Center Time Warner Center – Shops at Columbus Circle 10 Columbus Circle, 3rd floor New York City, NY 10022 (map)
The event is free, but you gotta RSVP here.
Jason's out
Man, where to start? Yes, I've known for a few weeks now that Jason was leaving. No, I'm not leaving with him -- I'll be kicking it at Engadget/WIN/AOL for a little while longer. What I can say is that working with Jason for the past 33 months or so has been absolutely amazing, without a doubt it's been the most positive experience of my professional career. I can't imagine anyone better to launch a business with and I'm privileged to count him as both a mentor and a friend. AOL will be a worse place for having lost him.