So now we’re talking about war between the two giants for the last stand in the mobile computing market.

But my dear fellows I believe that this is just a battleground and not the whole war that is going to be fight on several grounds. One battleground, perhaps the most strategic for the final victory, will be cloud computing and the deployment and access to web services (software as a platforms).

This is going to be the ultimate battle and mobile computing is just a tactical battle of this war but not the main story that still has to written.

Stay tuned.

Yes, because they are going to invent something new that doesn’t exist yet.
A whole new paradigm with a new business model annexed.

The whole tablet business is going to be something different than we might expect.
Please forget about the hardware (that indeed will be engineered with innovation in mind) and let’s focus on the OS side.

Of course that will be the Mac OS as in the iPhone and that matters a lot.

But if I can add my piece of speculation, and by the way today is xmas and I will consider it as a little gift from you, here is how I imagine the whole thing:

The web is a platform, cloud computing is the way to go propelled by a software is a service (web apps) business model.

Google, in this new game, is leading and Chrome OS is its next move to sublime a perfect business model.

Jobs is too smart to ignore all this and to passively assist to the shift from desktop software to web apps in favor of Google’s kingdom.

So the Mac tablet or whatever is going to be called is going to be a “port” to the cloud where content and web services are king (latest business deals with CBS and Disney are a demonstration, pending interest in QUATTRO is another).

The underneath OS is going to be the real suprise: I expect to see Jobs pull out another rabbit from his hat (Mac OS X 10.7 Clouded Leopard???).

Apple has secretly (I like to image it…) developed a new version of his OS designed for the tablet and aimed to use web apps downloadable from the Apple store or deployable directly from the cloud.

Os mine just a fantasy consequence of my holidays drinking or a clear and present challenge that Apple is going to deal with in 2010?

For the moment my best wishes of a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Which is Rome’s best kept secret?

Il mio gelato naturale di Ermanno di Pomponio, via Romeo Rodriguez Pereira 170, Roma.

Mr. Ermanno’s ice cream shop is invisible. No signs or visible elements help you identifying the place. The address is the only key: via Romeo Rodriguez Pereira 170, Rome.

An opaque sliding glass door barriers the inside view of his shop from the eyes of people passing by.

Ring the bell and the door will slide open letting you. Mr. Ermanno will welcome you in a nice and elegant shop framed with awards, quality certificates and pictures testimonying his 3 generation family’s story of ice cream makers in Civitavecchia.

Mr. Ermanno is the first generation to establish a shop in Rome after 30 years of making “gelato” in Civitavecchia.

Let’s talk about Mr. Ermanno’s art: il gelato naturale is, an unique and delicious, natural and organic, ice cream for real lovers and passionates about gelato.

Nothing in Rome certainly compares to Mr. Ermanno gelato. And I’m ready to bet too that you have never tasted something better in all your life. His gelato is amazing from the first spoon you take (no ice cream cones, just cups are served).

Chocolate, Pistacchio, Nocciola, Crema, Croccantino ai frutti di bosco are the most common flavours you’ll find all year long.

The secret of his gelato? Really simply: Mr. Ermanno total committment to quality.

He uses only organic and first class ingredients as biodynamic milk and cream, nocciole (nuts) from the Langhe, Piedimont or Pistacchi from Bronte, Sicily or just the best qualities of cocoa as Amedei, Toscano black, Domori o Chuao.

His committment to quality could even appear, to the eyes of a first time visitor, excessive and even paranoic. Dare not ask for panna on top of your ice cream….otherwise at your risk!

Said that also to alert you that your cup of ice cream will be carefully weighted before handed to you. Exactly as in an expensive grocery store where you buy  products as caviar or truffles. The price of a cup of ice cream is, indeed, another indicator of the extreme quality involved in his product: 50 euro per Kg.

So it may sound absurd paying almost 5 euro per a cup of ice cream but after tasting it you’ll understand why you’ll never care…

Open from 12 AM to 10 PM. Closed on Tuesday,

I enjoyed the new album and I quote it as their best in a long time. All tracks sound as well played and produced: rock songs with a good balance between guitar and all the “enotronics” (pad, effects, loops, etc…). Drumming and voices are also well arranged and enjoyable to listen to.

————————-

Juanuary 14, 2008

Apple CEO Steve Jobs today sent the following email to all Apple employees:

Team,

I am sure all of you saw my letter last week sharing something very personal with the Apple community. Unfortunately, the curiosity over my personal health continues to be a distraction not only for me and my family, but everyone else at Apple as well. In addition, during the past week I have learned that my health-related issues are more complex than I originally thought.

In order to take myself out of the limelight and focus on my health, and to allow everyone at Apple to focus on delivering extraordinary products, I have decided to take a medical leave of absence until the end of June.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for Apple’s day to day operations, and I know he and the rest of the executive management team will do a great job. As CEO, I plan to remain involved in major strategic decisions while I am out. Our board of directors fully supports this plan.

I look forward to seeing all of you this summer.

Steve

Is the electric engine its natural replacement?

Today opens in Detroit the North American International Auto Show, for sure less exuberant, due to an USA car industry on the edge of bankruptcy, but certainly inspired by a new hope for change brought by the forthcoming Obama’s presidency.

Car makers are betting their future. GM, Ford and Chrysler are announcing an electric vehicle between year 2009 and the end of year 2010.

They will start testing the market by producing a limited amount of cars the first year.

It, infact, remains unclear whether consumers will be comfortable with the idea of buying an electric car, or whether these vehicles will priced to compete with comparable gas-powered models. The Chevrolet Volt, for example, is expected to cost around $40,000.

Most of the prospective electric models need to be charged for several hours to cover a day’s worth of driving. The advent of smaller, more advanced lithium-ion batteries is allowing the car companies to develop electric cars with better autonomy and that look, feel and handle much like conventional vehicles due the smaller dimension of the batteries.

But lithium-ion batteries suppliers are mostly nased in Asia so American auto executives have warned that without homegrown suppliers, the country could potentially become as dependent on Asian-made batteries as it is on oil from the Middle East and elsewhere.

But what will determine the market is not going to be how far your battery can go, but how far your infrastructure is spread so power is available.

But this is another strory.

So do humans dream of electric cars?

Well that day has come. And it is time to believe that change can happen.

Change is happening indeed.

And due to Obama’s victory America will gain again that international respect that deserves.

The world needs America and needs that hope that everything is possible when people are unite. World needs change too: less wars, less polution, less starvation, World needs more democracy, more wealfare spreaded across poorest nations like Africa.

So Let’s Go Change the World, by attending a March.

You can view the details of this event at any time by going to:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gsxyqf

Attending:
Saturday, November 8 – 3 hours

Time(s):
Saturday, November 8 from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Location: Trajan’s Column (Piazza Venezia)
Trajan’s Column/Colonna Traiana
Piazza Venezia
Rome, Italy 00184
Directions:
center of Rome

But, now, I am glad to announce that a new street food is born and it is super: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Trapizzini’s!

00100 is the name of a new place in Testaccio where, beside an excellent Pizza a Taglio, you will find Trapizzini.

What are Trapizzini?

Certainly, you are all asking the same questions: what are trapizzini, are they any good? Let start from the last and easiest question: they’re damn good! What are they is a little bit more complicated question to answer. But let’s try….

Imagine a square made of pizza-bread; cut the 4 angles and keep them. Now you have 4 triangles.

Take one of them and cut, with a knife, the longest of the 3 sides. Now open your triangle and filled it with Pollo alla Cacciatora sauce and chicken.

What you got is a Trappizino! Now eat it all: good? Yep!

What about the other 3 triangles? Fill them with Trippa, Coratella or Coda alla Vaccinara and you will have the rest of those wounderful trappizini that 00100 serves from lunch to noon!

Despite the recent right-wing party success at the national and municipal election held in April and the consequent raising sentiments of intollerance directed to immigrants and clandestines, the Eternal City is little by little being conquered by new culinary tendences represented by an unexpected appetite for Indian, Japanese and Middle East cuisine.

Habits that belongs mostly to more tollerant and open minded habitants as those living in cosmopolitan cities as London and Paris that have funded their success by investing on the cultural diversity of their citizens.

Sushi, Kebab and Tandoori are now getting mainstream, perhaps not for the majority of romans that keep eating their “cacio & pepe”, but certainly for a increasing minority of people who, for curiosity, interest or even emulation, are having a try of these non traditional dishes.

Personally I can say that for me is a question of survival: I’m quite sick and tired of eating pasta every day of my life. So I am quickly abandoning everyday’s Italian cuisine in favor of a diet made of, once a week, sushi, kebab or felafel, noodles or chicken tandoori.

I love them all but my favorite cusine is Indian cuisine and Kerala’s one in particular.
Frankly if I could reborn I’d like to be born Indian.

So you might as where to go and get excellent Indian food when you are in Rome and you fancy something spicy?

The answer is simple: Guru, Kerala’s Cuisine, in Via Cimarra, 4 Rome 00184 Italy, for reservation call +39 6 474 4110.

Here you will find high standard of Indian cuisine and a courteous welcome from my friend Thomas who will also advise you on your choice of dishes.

I’ve dined here with my wife or friends hundreds of times…not kidding!

And every time is delicious and satisfaying as the first time I tasted this wonderful spicy cuisine that have changed my culinary habits right here in Rome!
Even my wife, who is roman and a gifted cacio & pepe cook, is in love with chicken tikka!

Also this morning Telecom Italia has released the following statement: “Telecom Italia announced today it has signed a deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to Italy later this year.”

No doubts that we’re talking about the 3G iPhone.

Still remains to understand:

1) when? (end of June?)

2) locked or unlocked?

Investigations are in progress…