Apple joined the foray yesterday. I asked on Twitter if we really need a new social network, a niche one for music:

Danielle Stern:

I don’t think I do: RT @kegill: Do we need another social network? Do we need a social network just for iTunes (music, TV etc) #apple

Todd Buckley:

@kegill Yes, social music discover should be great, especially for the artists.

These opposing views reflect my gut-feeling. Maybe — maybe — there is room for a niche social network for people who like to buy their music. If so, it seems to me that Ping’s primary competition is Amazon and maybe MySpace, not Facebook.

Observations

I waited until today to try to download QT10 and activate Ping. First, Apple tries to make it absolutely clear that there are privacy implications to activating Ping. For this, Apple gets an A+.

iTunes | Ping Profile Error

However, on profile customization, the grade drops to a C.

Why? The error message I got when I tried to upload a 250MB photo was, to say the least, less than illuminating.

What’s worse, even after I reduced the file size to 25MB, I got the exact error message!

At that point, I made a deduction that the problem was on the server end. So I tried a third time to upload an image (the 25MB one) and number three was a charm.

Or so it seemed. I checked 30 minutes later: my image on the profile itself was still being processed.

Finding Friends : Grade = F

Next, how to find “friends” on Ping? Here, the grade plummets to an F.

Despite the implied connection to Facebook, there is no discovery feature. This gaping hole punctures Steve Jobs’ emphasis on “discovery” as a foundation of the new iPod/iPhone/iPad/iTunes line-up.

Instead, Apple wants us to use its search or send an email!

The later makes my head explode, it is such an old-school method for connection. I agree that providing a way for someone to send a personal note is appropriate and necessary, but it should not the only way to connect in a digital social network.

Why didn’t Apple use two open APIs — gmail and Twitter? Why not integrate with Pandora, for goodness sakes? (Oh, right, Apple probably thinks of it as a competitor.)

iTunes/Ping Friend Request

Fortunately for this review, one of my friends had posted on Facebook that she had activated her Ping account. I typed her name into the search box and, lo and behold – a miracle. It worked!

And here is where the unique nature of the Ping network becomes clear. Because your iTunes account is linked to your credit card, you have to use your real name. At least I think you do. Yes, I know Facebook wants you to use your real name and have only one account, but I know people who have violated both of these terms of use.

Moreover, Apple again makes it very clear that connecting on Ping is different from connecting on Facebook and Twitter. For this, old-fashioned as it may be, discovery option, I’ll give Apple an A.

Ping Home

Let’s look at the Ping home page. The fact that Lady Gaga is the number one suggested artist for me to follow … even though Apple has known my music purchase history for years … I have to downgrade this recommendation system to C-. No way in hades will I buying Lady Gaga unless I need to use something of hers in a class. Ugh. Apple took a soiled page from Twitter’s playbook with this one.

What Next?

I think the success — however it is defined (Steve didn’t do that yesterday) — of this closed network (I see nothing to suggest it will be opened to any third party application) will rest on these things:

• How quickly will Apple move to make it easy to integrate existing social circles into the circle of music that is Ping?
• How many people truly want to expand their musical repertoire? I’m going way out on a limb and will suggest that there is a demographic component here, with older folks generally being less experimental. However, older folks are, I believe, more likely to open their wallet or swipe their plastic to buy music.
• How often do people open iTunes? I know some people do this at least daily — at least their iPods or iPhones connect daily to download podcasts. It seems the larger the drive on the iPod/iPhone/iPad the less likely there is to be daily forays here. That means my next step will be to explore the integration on my iPhone4.

As a stockholder (that’s a disclaimer), I certainly hope Apple has success with Ping. But as an observer and critic, I think there is an uphill battle ahead.

What do you think?

:: WiredPen link : Follow Me on Twitter!

http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/1009qpeijrfn/event

Who/what is “edgesuite.net”, I thought.

Whois wasn’t very helpful, so I poked around a little further on my Google search results. Here’s the answer:

Edgesuite.net is run by Akamai Technologies (www.akamai.com). Akamai is a content delivery network (CDN) that is used by a large percentage of Internet sites (something like a ⅓ to ½ of all traffic goes through Akamai). Normally the addresses don’t show up, but sometimes you will see edgesuite.net which is handled by Akamai. In this case, you aren’t the victim of phishing, but rather the website is using external CDN to speed up delivery of your traffic.

Adamai works in the background, making Internet content and commerce delivery seem seamless:

• Akamai has 73,000 servers in 70 countries within nearly 1,000 networks.
• 85% of the world’s Internet users are within a single “network hop” of an Akamai server.
• Akamai can deliver up to 15-20% of Web traffic on any given day.
• Akamai delivers daily Web traffic greater than a Tier-1 ISP, at times reaching more than 2 Terabits per second.
• Akamai delivers hundreds of billions of daily Internet interactions.
• Akamai helps securely enable more than $100 billion in annual e-commerce for its online retail customers (Source: 2006 revenue compiled by Internet Retailer magazine)
• Cathay Pacific Airways increased online bookings and extranet adoption, and saved more than $1,000,000 annually, through Akamai’s Web Application Acceleration service
• The top online music stores have sold billions of songs… and counting… delivered via the Akamai platform

The Spread At Tonight's Sauvignon Blanc Tasting

It was fabulous! That’s Alaska crab in endive front and center, fresh sliced peaches to the left, assorted veggies to the right, spicy mango salsa to the rear and a tiny bowl of Nut-Thins (pecan is yummy).

• Place: Wedgewood Neighborhood, Seattle
• Camera: iPhone4
• Manipulation:  None

Flickr Set : WiredPen Link : Follow Me on Twitter!

I can’t find an “overview” page for the ComputerWorld “special report” — so here’s an index/table of contents:

Fire Hydrant | Hipstamatic

It rained today. Real rain at times, which is rare in Seattle. So I’m using a picture from yesterday’s walk. I’m having a blast with Hipstamatic, although I still haven’t figured out where the visible field is in the final shot; it’s certainly not centered!

• Place: near Lynndale Elementary School, Lynnwood WA (Google Maps)
• Camera: iPhone4
• Manipulation:  Hipstamatic

Flickr Set : WiredPen Link : Follow Me on Twitter!

Mahonia Aquifolium : Poster Edges Filter

Mahonia Aquifolium : Original Crop

Today’s image features Photoshop experimentation. I was quite taken with the unknown-to-me-at-the-time vibrantly colored plant adjacent to Lynndale Elementary School yesterday. My first thought when I saw the tinges of red leaves was, “Oh no, it can’t be that close to fall already!” Then I stepped in closer and saw the range of color in one plant: brilliant green, blueberry blue, fiery red, deep purple. But I didn’t think my photos provided enough depth or texture, so I experimented with Photoshop.

In the end, I picked the Poster Edges filter. The details seem to “pop” more than they do in the original image. [I suppose I'm breaking some unwritten rule by posting two images today, but I wanted to include the original. The image "on top" is my image of the day.]

Also:  Mahonia Aquifolium : Watercolor Filter and Mahonia Aquifolium : Dry Brush Filter plus original (uncropped) image. Learn more about Mahonia Aquifolium also known as Grape Holly, Oregon Grape and Holly-Leaved Barberry.

• Place: near Lynndale Elementary School, Lynnwood WA (Google Maps)
• Camera: iPhone4
• Manipulation:  Photoshop CS5, Poster Edges Filter

Flickr Set : WiredPen Link : Follow Me on Twitter!

Climbing Rail

I didn’t know what today’s picture was going to be, but I was pretty sure its dominant color would be blue. That’s because everywhere I looked on my walk with Katie in the early evening, I saw blue. This climbing zone is adjacent to Lynndale Elementary School; blue may not be the dominant color but it is central!

• Place: Lynndale Elementary School, Lynnwood WA (Google Maps)
• Camera: iPhone4
• Manipulation:  Hipstamatic; John S Lens, Kodot Verichrome

Flickr Set : WiredPen Link : Follow Me on Twitter!

Alaska Salmon * Soybeans * Soy Sauce/Pickled Ginger/Wasabi | Blue C Sushi

I am in week two of a pledge to eat sushi at least once per week, as part of my “get healthy” project. I normally eat spicy tuna roll, but tonight I tried Alaska salmon and soybeans. (My doctor has recommended salmon and legumes.) The soybeans are going to take some getting used to, but the salmon was lovely!

• Place: Blue C Sushi, Alderwood Mall, Lynnwood WA
• Camera: iPhone4
• Manipulation:  Cropped with PhotoGene

Flickr Set : WiredPen Link : Follow Me on Twitter!

Why Me? Random Acts of Violence

So many questions crossed my mind as I took in this scene on 3rd Avenue this morning, just north of Bed Bath & Beyond. Why the blue bike and not the black one? Why take both tires and chain — why not the entire bike? (Yes, it appears that the blue bike had been locked.) Look at the massive chain that is securing the black bike — and notice the missing seat. A young man who wandered by while I was shooting said he thought the owner of the black bike had probably removed the seat when locking the bike.

• Place: 3rd and Lenora, Seattle WA
• Camera: iPhone4
• Manipulation:  Cropped with PhotoShop

Flickr Set : WiredPen Link : Follow Me on Twitter!