by Larry Magid

Hewlett Packard’s decision to purchase Palm for $1.2 billion strikes me as a bold but possibly misguided move to give HP the technology it needs to compete with Apple, Google and Research in Motion (Blackberry) not just with smartphones but possibly iPad-like tablet computers.

On the positive side, Palm’s Web OS is an excellent operating system for mobile devices. It’s clean, well organized and easy to use. I was one of several reviewers who gave the Pre a generally positive review when it was released in June, 2009. I liked the way it synchronized data over the air and how it organized windows into “cards.” I also appreciated that — unlike the iPhone at the time — it was a multitasking operating system that lets you run several programs at a time.

Yet, despite some good reviews, it never really took off. For one thing, it’s hard for anyone to get in the way of the iPhone juggernaut. Also, Google started shipping its Android phones which stole Palm’s cool factor. Like Palm, Android is multi-tasking and does a good job at organizing multiple applications. Also, it runs on multiple devices from multiple carriers.

Of course there’s nothing to stop HP from doing deals with multiple carriers in the U.S. and abroad and developing some slicker and more impressive phones for the Palm OS. What’s more, just as Apple proved by porting its iPhone operating system over to the iPad, it’s theoretically possible to use Web OS for other mobile devices including tablet PCs. Though I doubt that Web OS could possibly be an iPad killer, it could give HP the software platform it needs to come out with a credible competitor.

While I am totally speculating about whether HP would use the Palm OS for a tablet, we do know that the company is working on a Windows 7 tablet or “slate” computer to be released later this year. It might be interesting for them to come out with both a Windows and a Palm OS version.

The big question is whether HP has enough marketing muscle to succeed where Palm failed. I have no doubt that the combined companies will be able to create very cool software and hardware, but I’m not convinced they will get the sales they need — at least in the smartphone business — to justify a $1.2 billion investment. Still, I have to say I’m happy about the deal if only because it rescues a real pioneer in the smart phone and PDA business. It was Palm, with its Palm Pilot, that created the first successful PDA — the Palm Pilot — back in 1997. Palm made the transition to smart phones but never made it big in this market. With HP as its new parent, perhaps it has a shot, but it’s a long-shot.

(Manchester, England)  After flying all night, my wife and I landed at London’s Heathrow aiport at 1:30 this afternoon and rented a car for the 160 mile drive to Manchester.

Magellan Maestro

Even though I’ve driven on the left-hand side of the road before, it’s never easy, especially in the UK with its incessant “roundabouts” making it even harder to navigate for those us used to right-hand driving.  That plus hardly any sleep and having to use a stick shift for the first time in years made for a stressful drive.

The one bright spot (aside from having my wife Patti at my side) is that I had a UK version of the Magellan Maestro which Magellan loaned to me for the duration of this trip.    It would be an overstatement to say that it was a life-saver but it certainly was a sanity saver.  Trying to navigagte UK motorways and roundabouts, even with a GPS is hard. Without one, it would be been a lot worse.

The hardware and the interface was identical to the Magellan that I use at home but aside from having maps of the UK and Continental Europe, the voice was distinctively British. And speaking of voice, the device did an incredibly good job telling me where to turn and which roundabout exits to take without my having to take my eyes off the road.  When driving at home, I’m comfortable glancing at a screen but here in the unfamiliar UK, I really need to keep my eyes glued to the road at all times.

The device I borrowed came pre-configured with European maps. What I haven’t been able to figure out is whether owners of a U.S. Magellan can purchase a European map to use on their device while overseas and then revert back to a U.S. map when they return home.  If anyone has the answer to that, please let me know.

by Larry Magid
This article originally appeared in the San Jose Mercury News

The Apple iPad was so last week.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great product. It has a good screen, is easy to use and is a terrific way to surf the Web, check e-mail or watch video — as long as you buy or rent the video from Apple iTunes or go to a video site that doesn’t require Adobe Flash and is actually compatible with the device.

There is a lot to like about the iPad. But unlike that original tablet, the one Moses brought down from the mountain, it doesn’t have near-universal appeal. I’ve seen plenty of blog posts and online comments from people who say they have absolutely no desire to own one.

One thing I like about the iPad is that Apple has introduced a new ”form factor” that’s between the smartphone and the laptop. It’s not the first tablet PC, but it is the first one likely to sell in the millions.

What I’m most excited about is the products it will spawn. With any luck, we might soon have a vibrant market with some real competition for Apple.

Hewlett-Packard certainly hopes to be a player. Just a couple of days after the iPad shipped, HP posted a video to show off its upcoming slate device, likely to come out later this year. It’s the same device that Steve Ballmer held up during his Consumer Electronics Show keynote, which means that, for better or worse, it will run Windows 7. That’s a good thing when it comes to compatibility with lots of software, but possibly a bad thing when it comes to performance

and battery life.

Last week, Engadget posted what it says is an internal HP presentation comparing its Slate with the iPad. If true, the Slate will have an 8.9-inch screen, with “5+ hours” of battery life (compared with 10 hours for the iPad). But unlike the iPad, it will have a USB port, an SD card reader and a Webcam. The 32-gigabyte version is expected to cost $549, which is $50 more than Apple’s entry-level 16GB iPad and $50 less than the 32GB iPad.

There also will be tablet PCs coming out that run Google’s Android operating system — the same operating system that now runs on Google’s Nexus One phone, Motorola’s Android phones from HTC as well as phones from Samsung and others. Unlike the iPhone OS, Android is open source, which means developers can enhance it to suit their needs. And the Google “marketplace” is also open, which means that Google doesn’t have to bless an application or a peripheral before it will work with these devices.

I recently stopped using an iPhone on a daily basis and started using a Nexus One (Google loaned me the phone but I pay for my own service) and I am happy with the switch. My son, who used an iPhone during his last two years at college, also switched, mostly because T-Mobile’s $80 unlimited plan is more affordable than AT&T’s plan. But he says he wouldn’t switch back even if the service cost wasn’t an issue.

While it’s not quite as responsive or crash-proof as the iPhone (Apple has had three years to get it right), Android is nonetheless a very nice operating system. I prefer the GPS software on the Android to the rather lame GPS on the iPhone and generally am happier with the user interface.

One thing I don’t like about Android is that there are too many versions floating around. Not all phones support all versions, and even within versions, some applications don’t work with all phones. To be successful, an open operating system like Android should allow the latest version to work with all compatible devices.

I like that data for Gmail users is synced on Google servers, but I also find that worrisome. When I switched from a Motorola Droid to a Nexus One, all I had to do was enter my Google user name and password and, within minutes, my phone was all synced up and ready to use with my e-mail, my contact list and my calendar. It even had the same custom wallpaper I had on the Droid — a photo I took. But I found it a bit creepy for my wallpaper to re-emerge from a past phone without even being asked if I wanted that picture on the front of my phone.

What bothers me about this is that it puts Google in control of storing all your essential contacts, calendar and more. I’m not so worried about the company deliberately misusing my information but do worry about a possible data breach or what might happen with future generations of Google management.

It also means it’s easy for the government or a civil litigant to get their hands on the data. That would, of course, require a legal order but — again looking forward — who can predict how a future Congress or future courts might approach such orders? This is the risk we take when data is stored “in the cloud.” There are advantages but, to paraphrase a Joni Mitchell song, it’s important to “look at clouds from both sides now.”

by Larry Magid

This post originally appeared on CNET News.com

In my more than 15 years in the Internet safety field, I’ve seen a lot of programs designed to teach children how to use the Internet safely, but many have missed the mark because they too often focus on children as victims or at least passive consumers rather than as participants in our digital culture. But in this Web 2.0 world, kids aren’t just consuming media, they’re creating it and they have collectively embraced social media as a part of their lives. They don’t go online; they are online–whether on a PC, a mobile device, a gaming console, or whatever comes next.

What’s more, as the Berkman Center’s Internet Safety Technical Task Force confirmed last year, the greatest risk to kids–aside from being denied access to technology and social media–is what they do to themselves and their peers. Whether it’s bullying, sexting, or just posting information they might regret later on, kids sometimes venture forth in the digital world without fully understanding possible consequences. Today’s kids may be tech savvy, but they still need guidance from adults to understand how to use this media in ways that are responsible and enriching as well as safe.

That’s why I’m excited about a new curriculum being developed by Common Sense Media, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that’s best known for its reviews of movies, games, TV, and books designed to help parents select media appropriate for their children.

The goal of Common Sense Media’s Digital Literacy and Citizenship Initiative is to provide curriculum to help middle school teachers, parents, and kids themselves “raise a generation of responsible, smart, and safe digital citizens.”

Kids, this is not your older sibling’s Internet safety class. It’s a whole new approach that’s based not only on an accurate understanding of risk and youth culture, but on a foundation of respect for young people. From what I’ve seen of the curriculum, it doesn’t lecture and it doesn’t try to scare kids. It respects young people as active participants

The curriculum is based on the digital ethics framework developed by the GoodPlay Project, led by Harvard School of Education professor Howard Gardner. Gardner and his colleagues have done pioneering work recognizing that youth are not “passive consumers” of new media but “actively contributing to and defining the new media landscape.” Still, according to a report, “Meeting of Minds: Cross-Generational Dialogue on the Ethics of Digital Life” (PDF), the project issued in October of 2009, “adults need to help youth think about online life in moral and ethical ways–and to act as moral and ethical digital citizens.”

To that end, the Common Sense curriculum is built around these five units:

• Digital life: “How the anytime-anywhere-everywhere nature of digital media requires responsible choices.”
• Privacy and digital footprints: How to manage privacy online.
• Connected culture: How to build respectful one-on-one, group, and community relationships online and protect against cyberbullying.
• Self-expression and reputation: Who we are in various online contexts and how to protect your reputation in the process.
• Respecting creative work: How to get credit for original creations and respect others’ creative property.

The curriculum has been tested in pilot programs in the San Francisco Bay Area, Omaha, and New York and will be rolled out nationwide in the fall.

To learn more about this curriculum, I spoke by phone with Common Sense Media’s CEO Jim Steyer. You can hear the entire 13-minute interview by clicking here:

Listen now: Download today’s podcast

(Cupertino, Calif.) Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that Apple will finally add multitasking to the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Third party developers will be able to program their apps to run in the background.

Apple also announced a new advertising platform for developers called iAp. Ads can run inside applications with video and interactive features.

Music and navigation in background

During the press conference held at Apple headquarters this morning, Jobs invited Pandora CEO Tim Westergard on stage to show that Pandora online radio can play in background while other apps are running. Jobs also announced that the iPhone users will be able to pick up internet phone calls from Skype and voice applications that can run in the background. The iPhone will also support background GPS navigation so you can be using a navigation program while talking on the phone or doing other tasks. Apps can ask for your location but the new operating system will give users the choice on an app by app basis.

Apple is also adding background notifications for third parties including a new service called local notifications that doesn’t require a server. Apps can running on phone can notify you from the phone

Task completion: Some apps, said Jobs, take awhile to complete tasks, but with the new OS, they will be able to do things like uploading photos in the background even after you switch away from the program.

Folders: Apple will make it easier to organize apps by creating folders on the iPhone desktop. Just drag one app on top of another and it makes a folder. It automatically names the folder but you can rename it. This can be extremely useful for people who have a lot of apps. I sometimes have trouble finding Apps on my iPhone’s home screen.

Enhanced Mail: Apple will offer a unified inbox so you can have multiple email accounts with all incoming mail in one inbox. You can also have multiple Exchange accounts and you can move between multiple inboxes if you prefer. It will also be possible to organize mail by thread. Apple has also added the ability to open mail attachments with apps. I wonder whether this could lead to security issues of the possible spread of malicious code via email.

iBooks will be added to the iPhone similar to what is now on the iPad. Of course it’s long been possible to read Amazon Kindle books on iPhone.

There are some features for enterprises including email encryption and better mobile device management tools. Businesses will be able to distribute custom apps wirelessly from their own servers. Apple has also added support for Exchange Server 2010

Game Center: Apple is adding a social gaming network. You can challenge your friends or find others to play with you. There will be a leader board to see how you’re doing compared to others.

iAd: iPhone will have an adverting platform for developers. Some aps now have ads but Jobs says most of the time “it really sucks.” He said that the iAd feature will be a more elegant solution. Jobs says that most people are using apps rather than a search engine on iPhones and sees apps, not search as the best way to deliver ads. He said that the average iPhone user spends over 30 minutes a day using apps. Apple, said Jobs, wants to improve the quality of ads to make it easier to deliver an “emotional advertising”as is now possible with TV. The goal is also to be even more interactive than web advertising. Today when you click on an ad it takes you out of the app which keeps people from clicking. With iAd they will deliver interactive video content without taking you out of app. Jobs said that there is “an opportunity to make “a billion ad impressions a day” which he says is a “fairly large number.”

Apple will sell and host ads and give developers 60% of the revenue. Jobs showed off a prototype of a Disney Toy Story ad (developed by Apple, not Disney) that includes a game, posters and video. It’s very interactive., You can even buy games from within the ad. Jobs calls it “an example of a new kind of mobile ad.” When you’re done with the ad, you click an “x” can go back to the ap.

This notion of apps being more powerful than search for delivering ads is kind of a dig at Google. Jobs said that the iPhone is the first time in history where there have been so many (185,000) aps on the desktop. He says that’s not true with personal computers and accounts for why user behavior is so different.

Apple plans to release the operating system to the iPhone and iPod Touch users this summer and for the iPad in the fall. Some features, including multitasking, will not be available on first and second generation iPod and iPhone devices.

Now that I’ve had a few days to play with Apple’s new iPad, I can definitely say that it’s pretty much what it’s advertised to be.

The screen looks great — albeit a bit smudgy from fingerprints — and it’s a fast and easy way to access the Web and send e-mail.

The iPad is a great way to watch video, as long as you buy or rent the video from Apple iTunes or stream it from a source that’s not encoded with Flash. Unfortunately, a lot of Web video uses Adobe Flash.

Using the on-screen keyboard isn’t as efficient as using a physical keyboard, but it’s better than I expected, especially if you hold the iPad in landscape mode. The virtual keyboard in landscape mode is about 85 percent the size of a standard keyboard. You can also use an external keyboard such as the $69 Apple Bluetooth keyboard that makes it possible to use an iPad for serious writing projects.

I like the fact that it turns on instantly. No more having to “boot” a computer or even wait a few seconds for a PC to come out of sleep mode. The iPad wakes up the moment you press its home key — handy if you want to quickly check a Web page or send an e-mail.

While I’m pretty happy with the iPad, I have a few gripes about it, namely that this device, like the iPhone and the iPod Touch, is heavily controlled by Apple.

Aside from using iTunes, there’s no easy way to get data on the iPad. And all applications have to be approved by Apple and canonly be obtained through the App store.

The lack of a USB port forces users to get products designed specifically for the Apple iPhone, iPod or iPad. It also bothers me that users can’t replace their own batteries.

Like many people, I’m disappointed that the iPad doesn’t let you run more than one program at a time. Apple has a news conference scheduled for Thursday where it will show off its next generation iPhone operating system (that presumably will also run on the iPad), and I’m hoping that they will announce support for multi-tasking.

And of course, it’s too big to carry around in a pocket. So, unlike an iPhone, other smartphone or iPod Touch, the iPad is not something you’re likely to have with you everywhere you go.

Bottom line — the iPad is a very cool product that’s fun to use, but I can’t think of anything you can do with it that you can’t do with a laptop or netbook computer, whose prices start at under $300.

I believe Apple may have built the first successful tablet computer, something Microsoft and other PC-makers haven’t been able to accomplish for a decade. I’m hoping that Apple’s leadership will rub off its competitors.

This column first appeared in the Palo Alto Daily News

I’ve been thinking a lot about cyberbullying lately and wondering how we can persuade our young people to treat each other and themselves with more respect. There’s no excuse for using a computer, a cell phone or anything else to demean, insult, embarrass or harass another person. Bullying, whether online or in person, is reprehensible.

We need to marginalize bullies, whether they’re on a schoolyard, on the Internet or on cable TV. We need to teach young people that bullying is neither acceptable nor normal. Every one of us has to start modeling how we want our children to behave. They learn not from how we tell them to act but how we act in their presence.

Read more on SafeKids.com

CBS News correspondent John Blackstone interviews Larry Magid and Steve Levy and shows video of Steve Jobs from 1981.

By Larry Magid
Saturday, April 3rd

I wrote almost this entire column using an iPad which partially answered my biggest question about the device. Can it replace a laptop PC? So far, the answer is a qualified yes. (Scroll to end for my Sunday morning update on why that yes is “qualified.”)

As a writer and radio commentator, I wanted to see if I could use this device for my work.

I knew that the screen would be big enough and that the processor would be adequate for word processing but I wasn’t sure about the software or the ability to type on the device. Sure the onscreen keyboard is bigger than what you get with an iPhone or iPod touch, but it’s still not adequate for touch typists who want to use it to write long documents.

Bluetooth keyboard
Fortunately, Apple thought of that by offering an optional doc and keyboard but, unfortunately, that keyboard wasn’t available on launch day. What is available, however, is a $69 Apple Bluetooth keyboard that I’m using to write this review, using Apple’s $9.99 Pages word processing program that I downloaded from the iTunes store.

As with any new piece of hardware and software, it took me a little while to get used to working in Pages on the iPad but, it was very little time — less than five minutes. While I haven’t mastered this entire program, I found it pretty easy to get started.

One of my biggest concerns was whether the Bluetooth keyboard and the software would be able to keep up with my typing. Having been weaned on a typewriter at a very young age, I’m a pretty fast touch typist and there were some programs in the early days of personal computing that couldn’t keep up. That’s definitely not a problem. Together the iPad, Pages and the Bluetooth keyboard are more than fast enough.

I found Pages to be reasonably intuitive, but a couple of times I had to refer to an Apple web page for help. Unfortunately, because the iPad doesn’t support multitasking, I couldn’t do that on the iPad and work on the document at the same time so I cheated by accessing the page on my PC.

It was that web page that helped me figure out how to export the document as a Microsoft Word file and email it to myself. Because Pages doesn’t have a traditional Mac or Windows-like menu, figuring out how to use some features is actually less intuitive than it might be on a typical computer software product though, to be fair, this is also the case with recent versions of Microsoft Word (and other Office applications) for Windows and Mac. I wound up using my PC to print out and file this story, but it was written on the iPad.

Clearly, if it’s easy to write a relatively long document like this, the keyboard also makes it easy to do other tasks such as typing in a web address or typing an email message. Of course, you can do this type of lightweight typing with the on-screen keyboard, especially if you turn the device on its side (in landscape mode) so that the size of alphabetic keys are roughly 85% of a normal keyboard. But aside from being a bit smaller, the layout isn’t the same as a “real” keyboard because you have to press a key to bring up numbers or special symbols, slowing you down a bit. There is also the issue of typing on glass vs. a physical keyboard. Most of us are accustomed to the physical feedback we get from pressing keys.

Kids may grow up learning to type on glass
Having said that, I think that people who spend a lot of time with the virtual keyboard will find it comfortable and when I put away my Bluetooth keyboard and started typing on the screen, I did better than I expected, though I was still slower and made more mistakes then with the physical keyboard. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a generation of kids who grow up with devices like this actually prefer typing on glass to typing on a physical keyboard. Older folks like me really need to put aside our own prejudices when it comes to adapting to technology. After all, even without smart phones, there are young people who can text faster than some adults can type.

Network radio broadcast recorded on iPad
Aside from typing, the other issues when it comes to replacing a laptop are software and peripherals. Even before it came out, the iPad was already attracting a lot of attention from software developers and it’s only a matter of time before we see some pretty sophisticated applications that start to rival the diversity available today on PCs and Macs. For example, as a radio journalist I need to be able to record and edit audio and assumed that would require me to keep carrying my laptop. But CBS News Executive Producer Charlie Kaye proved that it’s possible to use an iPad, even with its less than perfect internal microphone, to record audio for broadcast. He did just that with his new iPad then emailed it to CBS News which played it on national radio. A $6 iPhone program, VC Audio Pro, lets you both record and edit audio on an iPad as well as an iPhone and a iPod touch with an external microphone that was designed for the iPhone but also works on the iPad. You can listen to Kaye’s broadcast and a subsequent test recording he sent me using an external microphone. The one with the external microphone is truly is broadcast quality. And the reason my voice on the broadcast sounds bad, is because I was using a cell phone.

Peripherals are a problem because Apple didn’t include a standard USB port which PC and Mac users can use to add external hard drives, off-the-shelf keyboards and mice, external displays and many other accessories. I’m sure that wasn’t an oversight by Apple because by not allowing people to use existing hardware, they create a market for specialize hardware from themselves or third party developers that they get to control or at least vet. The same is true with software that – as of now – can only be installed via the App store or via iTunes which gives Apple total control over what people can do with this device. I find that regrettable but one advantage is that it can cut down on malicious software.

Testing Kindle for iPad
And speaking of replacing devices, the iPad might take a bite out of Amazon’s Kindle sales. Apple has its own iBook bookstore but Amazon was smart enough to release a Kindle App for the iPad that I used today to read a couple of pages from one of the books I purchased for the Kindle. Frankly, the experience is better than I expected. The Kindle’s paper-like screen has its advantages (including very long battery life and visibility in bright sunlight) but reading a book on an IPad (or an iPhone or iPhone touch) is still a pretty good experience, especially for children’s books which can come to life via video embedded in the text.

Based on a few hours with the iPad, I’m convinced that devices like it have potential to replace laptops when it comes to consuming information, but the lack of Flash support is certainly an issue when it comes to consumption. Despite my excellent experience with Pages and the Bluetooth keyboard, it’s not quite ready to replace laptops for production. But the device has only been on the market for a matter of hours. If it winds up stimulating an enormous ecosystem of software and peripherals, it will certainly grow into an extremely versatile device. And, just as with the iPhone, expect to see some worthy competition. Already there is talk about a Google powered tablet PC and Microsoft, which pioneered Windows-powered tablets, has got to be thinking of how it can create a streamlined tablet PC to compete with the iPad.
Update on Sunday Morning
After reading some of the comments, it’s clear to me that some people have misinterpreted a bit of what I wrote. I’ll take responsibility for that, but to clarify, one of the reason’s I started out with a “qualified” yes is because I do not think that this device is ready to replace a laptop for all users. The iPad isn’t for everyone, but I know a lot of people who only use their laptops for web surfing and email. Some might use a spreadsheet now and then and some might also use them for presentations. For all of these functions, the iPad can already do the job. I’m not giving up my laptop for a lot of reasons. First, I do use a wide range of software and peripherals and want as much choice as possible. And I definitely need multitasking. Also I prefer having the keyboard there all the time and having the keyboard built-in makes it easier to use from a lap. Hence the name laptop. I also like having a pointing device in addition to a touch screen. The iPad needs a stand that props it up in landscape mode, but that will be solved via accessories. And, like a lot of people who commented, I have problems with Apple’s closed system when it comes to software and peripherals. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing what Google and others come up with as an alternative to the iPad.

Apple on Thursday announced that it’s entering the health insurance business with a service called “iNsure.” Once the service launches later this year, people will be able to purchase health insurance from the iPhone and iPad App stores and via iTunes.

“We have been thinking about this for years,” said Apple CEO Steven Jobs, “but the new health care reform law makes it easier for us to enter this market.”

The large installed base of iPhone and iPod Touch users plus the anticipated buyers of the iPad (which will be released this Saturday) provide Apple with a large enough pool of users to underwrite a health insurance program. According to insurance industry analyst, Gerard Ketokian, Apple can make a good profit on health insurance because of the demographics of its customers. “By restricting the policies to people who own their equipment, Apple is tapping into a generally young and healthy group of people who are likely to have fewer claims than the average American,” he said.

A 2008 study by Rubicon found that about half of iPhone users to be under 30.
A 2009 Forrester Research study found that iPhone users are far more likely to be college educated which generally correlates with healthier lifestyles.

Must own Apple device to qualify

The application will allow users to purchase a policy directly from an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Users can also purchase it via from a PC or Mac via iTunes but must own a portable Apple device to qualify. Users will be required to enter their age and other data directly from the App and can pay for the insurance through their iTunes account. Apple will not ask about pre-existing conditions, according to a spokesperson. Apple said that iPhone users will get a 10% discount as long as they maintain their iPhone account with AT&T. There was no comment on whether the discount will be extended to Verizon customers. The Wall Street Journal on Monday had an unconfirmed report that Apple would release a Verizon version of the iPhone this summer.

Rather than going through a re-insurer, Apple is underwriting the program from its own cash reserves. The company had about $25 billion in reserve as of December. Apple has a market capitalization of nearly $214 billion with its stock selling at an all-time high.

In February, Jobs told shareholders that the company was hoarding cash for “something big and bold.” This certainly qualifies.

Plan has bi-partisan support

The move got generally good support by politicians from both sides of the aisle.
“What I like about the Apple plan is that it’s selling insurance across state lines, something Republicans have been demanding for years,” said House Minority Leader, John Boehner (R-OH). House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said that she decided to support the idea after speaking with former Vice President and Apple board member Al Gore. “Al convinced me that this is good for the economy and for the environment,” she said. “It’s good for the economy because the plan is controlled by one of our nation’s most entrepreneurial companies and it’s good for the environment because it’s completely paperless.”

There will be no paper forms used in any part of the process, said an Apple spokesperson. The iNsure App will be used for all applications and policy documents. Policy holders won’t even be issued a card for their wallet but will, instead, flash their credentials from their iPod, iPhone or iPad when they need service. At first it will be necessary for patients to show their credentials on the screen but the company is working on technology that will allow patient verification via Bluetooth or WiFi.

Software sends diagnosis to Apple

The company is also working with application developers on device-based diagnostic software. One app, called “FallResponse” uses the iPhone’s accelerometer to determine is someone collapses. If so, it immediately summons aid (using the phone ‘s GPS) and sends insurance information directly to the provider. Another program takes advantage of the phone’s previously undocumented breathalyzer. The device measures alcohol concentration every time someone speaks on the phone. If it finds repeated cases of intoxication, it warns the user and refers them to a treatment program. If the behavior persists, data about the alcohol use is transmitted to Apple’s iNsure underwriting department to be used to calculate future premiums or as a basis to drop coverage. “We don’t discriminate against pre-existing conditions,” said Jobs, but there is no way we’re going to support self-destructive personal habits.” The company is said to be also working with developers on an app that will automatically measure users’ body mass index so it can drop coverage for people who are gaining too much weight.”

Happy April Fools Day!