Guardian staff briefing

What are those tombstones on stage all about?

Reflections on the Mirror

There has been a long wait to see what Cases i Associats will do in their redesign of the Daily Mirror, and finally we begin to see it. At first glance one might be forgiven for thinking nothing's changed, but the brief, as I've been told was never to radically change the style of the paper.
Turning a few pages and looking more closely, it is clear that there are a lot of changes in the detail and typography. An attractive tailed sans font has been introduced for headlines, and the folios have had a rethink. The folio strap is usd for links as well.
Sport has the biggest transformation, which makes it feel bright and exciting but at the same time far more structured.
I will add to this with some pictures when I have the time, but for now, congratulations to Chico, Jennifer, Toni and anyone else on an excellent job. Case without looking like Cases, and the Mirror looking like the Mirror but brought up to date.

The word Apple starts with app

At a glance Apple's March 6 event yesterday seemed a bit techy, lowkey and it probably won't get a mention in much of the press, but I'm quietly excited about  Apple's launch of the tools to build applications for the iPhone . . . but not only that, also a store for buying applications - directly onto your iPhone. The iPhone is a fantastic little package, and runs a great platform (iPhone OSX), now there are great tools for making applications, and a great way of distributing, and for the user getting your apps . . I think Jason from 37 signals could have a point, they have all the ingredients for dominating the coming period of mobile computing - including an allilance with microsoft. And as long as Apple manages to build up the range of apps and sales during this the down part of the economic cycle, they could shoot out the other end like a rocket!

What we saw today was the beginning of two-decades of mobile domination by Apple. What Microsoft and Windows was to the desktop, Apple and Touch will be to mobile
Signal vs. Noise (by 37signals)

Tragedy on the final holiday

That man, who's world was falling apart and he flipped, threw his son and daughter and himself off the balcony. He was just a man. Its
frightening what people can do. How isolated we can feel, and that
there is no-one to turn to. What an awful fact to live with. For the
mother and for him. Its awful.
But its also a tragedy that there will be little attempt to understand
the pressures that lead to something like this happening, how
alienated we are. Such fear of reflecting.

Rossellini's Green porno

My good friend Isabella Rossellini (that's a lie for starters, I heard her speak at the BFI, and spoke to her briefly when she signed a copy of her book for me) is bringing out eight short films for Mobile phones, called "Green Porno". Wired spoke to the director, Jody Shapiro, who says that the name Green Porno is designed to get more traffic. The Wired article is interesting, but if you want to see a bit of what it looks like, der Spiegel has a few stills from the film. She has some interesting insights into the intimacy of mobile devices, and film-making in the BBC clip above.

There will be more artists making work for this small canvas, and I think this is a very exciting landmark!

So a beautiful crazy sexy fly played by Isabella? . . .

In each episode, Rossellini assumes the role of the male insect. "Seeing Isabella Rossellini mount a housefly from behind while smiling at the camera," Shapiro remarked, "I can't imagine many people would have ever thought they’d see that."

From Wired

Is Woz welcoming Microsoft into Danger?

It looks like Danger - which I'm sure I remember being associated with the other Apple founder called Steve: Wozniak - is being snapped up by Microsoft. It would have a touch of irony if Microsoft were to bring out a phone to compete with Apples iPhone, and if a company which his old pal helped get going played a key role in it's development.
Danger developed the phone / pda called the Sidekick, which TMobile sells here in the UK.
It is a very small world this silicon alley

What's in the air from Apple?

Macworld 2008 starts tomorrow today, and Tuesday Steve Jobs will present his keynote speech. It has been reported that banners proclaiming There's something In the air have been unfurled at the conference centre, and there's been much speculation that the something is a thin laptop . . and we know who knows - he'll tell us on Tuesday.

But it just struck me, I read a piece on I, Cringely some time ago, claiming that apple would get into the business of streamed films, and then there was a court case with Burst.com about this technology. Apple settled with Burst recently, so is the something in the air . . to do with Apple TV, and maybe streamed rental films? And perhaps another thing too, a lightweight fantastic laptop (sans dvd drive) to watch them on when you're not in front of your big TV?

Whatever there is, I'm also looking forward to more iphone goodness, an update to the OS, and more software to come. Bring it on!