inessential by Brent Simmons

Post 360 iDev

I had a great time at the 360 iDev iPhone/iPad conference earlier this week. My thanks to John, Nicole, and Tom — and to all the speakers and sponsors and attendees. It was easily the best one yet.

I don’t think the next one has been announced — but pay attention for it. Totally worth going.

Some random notes from the last few days:

  • Double Encore acquired Massively Overrated. A great fit. Very cool news. Congrats to all!

  • Zeni Restaurant is very, very yummy. Ethiopian food.

  • Trials is a good bar — except that last call is at 11:30. 11:30? My attorney advises me that that contravenes the Geneva Convention. We’re investigating our options under international law.

  • Fastmac has an impact-resistant iPad case coming out. (Maybe it’s out? Not sure.) They did a demo by putting M&M’s in there and smashing it with a hammer. Didn’t hurt the candy. Magic case for magic device.

  • Beards may be the key to winning at sumo wrestling. (Also, bare feet instead of socks, for better traction.) (And: sumo wrestling is high-larry-us.)

  • Collin Donnell is the world’s sexiest programmer. I know this because his Twitter bio says so. He hasn’t figured out if I’m teasing him — or flirting with him. So, yes, the poor fella has several months of deeply unsettling dreams to look forward to. (He’s a rocket man, by the way.)

  • I put up my Keynote slides on under-the-hood stuff for content apps.

  • I’m totally looking forward to Rana June Sobhany’s book.

  • At some point a video of me singing Under the Bridge (playing Rock Band) may appear — which will be proof absolute that I shouldn’t be allowed near microphones. Or cameras. Especially not video cameras. (In my defense, I’d had enough beers to be awful, but not enough to be good.)

  • Faisal Jawdat turned me on to Cat Paint, which may be the greatest iPhone app ever.

  • Brad Ellis (who designed Postage, SnoGlobe, NetNewsWire/iPad, etc.), has insane alien hands. Maybe that’s normal for designers, being from outer space?
    Brad talking