It seems that the current iphone and android competition is nearly identical to the issues we have had in the mac vs pc debate for 25 years now (can that be right – 25 years?.. time goes so quickly). Let’s look at what we have as some high level similarities, and can we learn anything from this, in how apple may react over time (or how we can expect them to react based on past experiences) as well as the new ‘pc’ giant, Google (android).

Apple has created an environment for the iPhone that in a lot of ways mimics that of their desktop and laptop offerings.

1. You can only get the iphone in one hardware flavor – the one apple supplies to you through a very limited sales channel (apple, apple.com and at&T (here in the US)
2. the iPhone app store is a tightly controlled Apple, Inc environment where at will they can decide definitively what applications/services are allowed to run on their hardware

Google, much like Microsoft of the 80’s, 90’s and today, operate a very open operating system, much as the PC has always been.

1. Android is available for all or nearly all phone manufacturing companies to develp and deploy to (much as a Windows is for the PC)
2. The Google App store strategy is much more diversified and open to access from many locations and even open to distributing applications outside of their control and with no approval by Google whatsoever.

On one hand, the Mac and it’s closed system has led to environment that most would agree is easy to use, and in general, free of virus and other user encumbering afflictions.  On the other hand Android (as Windows is as well) is an open system (somewhat – as Windows isn’t opensource) but can be easily manipulated at the application level for nearly anyone to develop applications, tools, enhancements, games, etc for.  The downside being quality control.  The benefit being opportunity to stretch the imagination.

Overall, this always seems to come down to a PR battle in the Mac vs PC or iPhone vs Android world (in theory).  Is Windows really the evil, terribly written OS that so many claim?  Can that much money really be spent over 25 years and it be terrible?  Or, is it that there are some really poorly written applications by 3rd parties running on Windows (device drivers, applictions, utilities, etc) that then have an adverse effect on the performance of Windows, and Microsoft and the hardware manufacturers then get the bad rap, as it’s very difficult to tell that your fun little video editing app for $9.99 that you just downloaded off the net was created by a pair of 15 year old kids who didn’t know how to resolve conflicts between their applications and other commonly used systems?

The current advertising by Motorola for the ‘Droid’ is all about making fun of the things we can’t currently do on the iPhone.  The question is whether opening all of these new opportunities, by giving up control, may also cause the same ‘lowest common denominator’ application development that has plagued Windows and the hardware manufacturers who’ve been taking a beating all of these years.

I’m not saying I don’t’ want to see multi-tasking in my smartphone or that i don’t want to see streamlined application approval, but i also like that fact that my phone always works  (with the occasional reboot required), and I certainly don’t want to have the same level of virus, hacking and instability problems I have with Windows Vista.

Is the new mobile smartphone era different than what mac and pc have faced in the past?  Am I completely off base here, or have we learned something from what has made a mac somewhat more stable than it’s pc brethren?  I still want to play with the Droid, I still use Vista for my day to day work, but I do love the consistency of my iPhone (even without multitasking for GPS navigation and listening to Pandora at the same time)

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks for hanging in there.  we’re doing some other great things, and will update everyone again shortly!

I wanted to thank everyone for their feedback, as it’s what we hear from you that helps us decide what changes we need to make (thanks especially to Robi, who’s been invaluable in his constructive criticism!).  I certainly realize that we drink our own koolaid after we’ve stared at our own work for a while, and it’s so great to have folks on the outside to give us some insight on what we are too close to see ourselves.

There is some great new work just posted this week in the work section that I think you’ll really enjoy.

We’re making progress on getting the new homepage up, but new proposals and new work don’t make it easy to focus on internal items.

We have a couple new additions to the team that I should be able to talk about in the next week or so, and I’m really excited to let everyone get to know them (and of course convince them to contribute to the blog!).

I appreciate everyones awesome support and patience as we nurture our fledgling group, and I see improvements every week in our process and progress at meeting goals.  I hope to be able to free up some of the more interesting creatives and developers soon, so you get something a bit more fun than my ramblings, but, for now I’ll keep the light on and feel free to leave comments if there is an area of our work you’d like to see someone discuss more in dept.

Everyone have a great remainder of the week and we’ll see you soon!  If you are going to be at AdNets here in LA on the 28th, drop me a line and we’ll make sure to meet up before, during or at the afterparty.

At one conference series I attend regularly, there is mostly a ‘media’ department contingent in attendance from the Agency side (along with some Account folks, even some Strategy, but very little from the Creative dept).  The media folks almost always talk about being left out of early planning, and the adverse effect that has on the overall campaign, as either:

1. limitations aren’t pointed out early that causes missteps in strategy.. or
2. really great ideas that the Media team brings to bear later in the process just can’t be implemented because the campaign development is already too far down the production path (or the client already signed off on the original, single department created idea).

Of course, I also hear from both Creative , Production and Account teams that media is killing the ability to turn out great work, because media places too many limitations on their creativity (file sizes, IAB standards, need for analytics/data, etc) and that the message/visual appeal is being completely lost by these limitations.

I believe that controversy and argument are truly the mother of invention.  Without these dissensions, we wouldn’t be pushed to ensure our ideas are really as good as we’ve convinced ourselves, and whether we are really doing the best execution for the client, or if we just want our way.  One of the tenets that I believe the Partners of a-p studios brings, is that we have all seen this happen, and truly believe that if there are too many people agreeing with us too soon – we don’t have the right people around us, and we aren’t coming up with the best idea for our client.

It’s easy to say yes to your boss (your client, your manager, your wife/husband/mom/dad..); what is difficult (for some/most) is to really think about what is being said, and to form your own opinion, and then and then to express it in an intelligent way that contributes to the overall thought process.  This is where really great thought comes from.  No matter how ‘great’ the founder of the company/idea is – he/she isn’t always right, and we all need feedback and criticism on a regular basis to keep the ideas fresh, this is what is going to take all sides of a truly great client campaign to the next level.  The best brainstorming sessions I’ve been in almost always emerge with a final idea that is completely different than the one we thought we were about to agree on after the first hour.

When we  are brainstorming our ideas, every department is involved, and as many as is practical from the client as well.  No matter how much research we do, the client knows themselves better than we do, although we may provide a new outlook to challenge them on.  This kind of open thinking and challenge once again, even from the client, or media dept, or an intern web developer, can launch the greatest campaign we’ll put together this year, because no one is below the ‘great idea’.

So, I guess I should apologize if you are invited to a meeting, or you ask us to come in and talk about a new product launch, and we show up with 10 folks, but we want to make sure that everyone is represented, and that you get the most challenging idea session you’ve ever been part of.  We may even occasionally hurt someones feelings, but it’s not because we think it was a bad idea, but it’s because we want to test every idea to make sure it’s the best idea we can, no matter who comes up with it.

To create a truly integrated campaign, it only makes sense that our thinking has to be both challenging and comprehensive, and how can you have that without everyone present?  I truly love the business we are all in, and there isn’t anything in the world I’d rather be doing.

thanks Adam! (@adamkmiec) for the inspiration today!

take a second and use the top navigation and check out the new stuff and let me (keith @a-pstudios.com) what you think!

A work in progress, but slowly getting things up and running. I’m really excited.

I’m just getting back from some great meetings and a conference in Austin (iMedia Agency Summit) and can’t wait share with you all the great content, people and tech that I saw

It’s 3 full days of not just talking heads, but breakout groups where we start with some panels and speakers, but then carry the topic to a more personal level and really try and act as an industry figure out better practices that will benefit us all, on the the Agency as well as Brand side.  The service providers are there as well, and I have to say, they really contribute as well, it’s not all salesy (although we get our share of that, and I’ve made some connections with the publishers and technology providers, that have ended up in great execustions for clients).

I’ll try to post while I’m there on any key topics that really make me think, and look forward to seeing old friends, and making a few new ones.

I’m not leaving anyone out, but I’d really like to bring on good people who’ve been struggling and have been part of the major layoffs from the down economy – so if you know a good person from an agency that had to downsize – please pass this on to them!

We’re looking for full-time or contact folks with at least 5 years AGENCY experience in:

1. Business Development Managers/Directors
2. Flash Developers (Actionscript 3 required)
3. 3D and Motion (3D Max, Maya, Aftereffects)
4. Sr Interactive Designers/ Interactive Art Directors
5. Information Architecture / Usability Designers (UI/UX) IxDA..

Hope everyone is having a great week – email me with your info and availability (full time/ part time/ contact..etc) to keith @a-pstudios.com

Of course, there are mundane things such as office space, more computers, more bandwidth, storage, and snacks (and of course.. coffee) that needs to be taken care of.  We’ll get to everything, but what is imporant is that we don’t release anything until it’s perfect.  That is always worth the wait.

I’ll be traveling to the iMedia Summit in Austin next week, so this week will be a bit crazy with getting together with evyone here that might need something I can handle now, as the schedule at the Agency Summit is always crazy, as well as getting to client and potential staff meetings.

I hope you are all doing well, and that we’ll catch up soon.

Have a great week.

(oh.. if you are a mom, happy belated mothers day!)

We’ve landed a gig with a new client that will be known as fuzztone.org, and all we can tell you right now, is that if you are a musician, this will be the place for you to hang out online.  This isn’t your mothers social network, or even ecommerce site.  It really will be something amazing that brings the musical community together.

As things start to shake up and we can share more, I’ll put up some updates and let you know, when I get the ok.

Until then, everyone have a great week and I hope to see you all in person soon.