iTV - Steve's Parting Gift?

Steve Jobs left us far too soon, but not without a making sure there was something new and different in development that bore his fingerprints. According to a Huffington Post article published earlier today, Taiwan's Hon Hai (assembler of Apple's touchscreen hardware) took a 10 % stake in Sharp Corp., manufacturer of Sharp flat screen TVs. With this information, Techies know they just inched a bit closer to Apple's long-rumored "smart" TV. The device was teased in Walter Isaacson's biography of the late Steve Jobs.

"'I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,' [Jobs] told me. 'It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud.' No longer would users have to fiddle with complex remotes for DVD players and cable channels. 'It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it.'"

The veil of secrecy surrounding new concepts out of Cupertino, CA is roughly five feet thick. It isn't clear if Apple's physical TV will pair with, or replace the current Apple TV box you can use to connect and stream content to your current flat screen.

Most pundits seem to agree that Apple's TV will utilize the interface of the ubiquitous iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Based on the information from today's article, that sounds like a sure thing. Since the touchscreen component is an unlikely sell to couch potatoes, what we'll likely receive is:

• A motion sensor will allow viewers to swipe and point into the air, similar to the gaming interface of an Xbox Kinect
• A remote app to control the TV from your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad
• A voice recognition and response feature (Siri may soon be getting to know us even better)

Of course, the most interesting tidbit from Jobs's quote is "cable channels" - I have a notion this device will give cable TV services their first big shake-up. Should the networks and channels open up to make their broadcast content available to Apple's TV, the game will forever be changed. If it catches on like the iTunes store, you may find some steep discount offers from the local cable provider lining your mailbox and inbox.

Chili à la Mobile

This will be the first post via Blogger's mobile app for iPhone, which is free via the App Store and utilizes a very simple interface. The tech takes a backseat to the vital message I want to convey.

As winter grudgingly creeps off to his drafty old boarding house, he takes with him one of the few pleasures the unholy frigid one possesses. Yes, Panera Bread will soon be placing their seasonal Steak Chili back into a deep freeze, until we too, are placed back into a deep freeze at the end of 2012.

They first offered this savory bowl of warmth in late 2010, and the item proved to be exceptionally popular: popular enough to return for the colder months the following year.

What do I find so unique about Panera's Steak Chili? Unlike most quick-serve chili, Panera's chili features the unique addition of slow-cooked beef brisket. This creates a unique flavor when combined with ground beef, onions, bell peppers, kidney beans and garlic, all simmered together with cayenne and ancho chili powder. The chili is served up in your choice of a bowl or cup, and generously topped with coarse chunks of lightly-sweet cornbread. This goes great with their fresh lemonade or iced tea.

Yeah, ya can't go wrong (unless you're vegetarian, then you can order a nice salad at Panera). Point is, get there SOON! I went tonight and the Manager told me there's not much time left before the chili goes into 6-month hibernation. I plan to go back for a few quarts to store in my own deep freeze, and enjoy a bowl in June/July with some blue corn tortilla chips. I can see it now: full of chili, warm from the summer sun, quietly giving Old Man Minter the bird. Best of both worlds, Old Man.