The Technocrat

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For some of the more frequently updated, slightly more limited thoughts of The Technocrat(s), check out the new Tumblrblog in the blogroll to the right. –>

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Check it. Newt’s out. Like so many other GOPers, he was apparently worried about who was going to keep him in wingtips and tax-deductible first class fares.

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Outside of the Beltway cognoscenti is there really anyone who believes the GOP would benefit from the presidential candidacy of Newt Gingrich? Where, exactly, does that group live on the increasingly strained spectrum of that party? Somewhere between the Ron Paul dead-enders and Duncan Hunter xenophobes, I suppose. I will admit, the former Speaker has his moments of lucidity, but these are more often than not trumped, if not sandwiched by, equally idiotic commentary. Other than his interest in remaining on the talking head circuit in the Beltway, what could be motivating his crusade?

Then again, if I were him, I might think I would have a shot with this crew. Let’s run down the line-up, shall we?
- Rudy. Uh, really? I still don’t buy it. There’s opposition research on this guy that would fill an airport hanger. The only reason it hasn’t been deployed by the other tier 1 candidates is because they all believe the same thing I do: He won’t win a single primary of the first four and, therefore, won’t make it to the large east and west coast primary states on 2/5 his staff is apparently convinced will be his salvation. (Slight asterisk on that plan: The GOP delegate allocation formula rewards those states that vote the most reliably Republican with the most delegates. Put another way, those geographically big states may not be so impactful numerically when it comes to counting delegates, Rudy.)
- Romney. In my first week back in Atlanta, I noticed a cover of the Atlanta Business Chronicle pronouncing Romney’s support among the business leaders in the state. Makes sense to me. His Chamber of Commerce booster style seems a nice fit for GA’s “fiscal conservative” Republicans. More than that, though, his seems to be the most consistent, solid campaign of the group. They don’t seem to shift goals wildly, the messaging, while hardly one to make the heart race, is sell-able, and he’s got the look. If the look didn’t matter, why would we have…
- Thompson. You ever see the guy at the meat-market bar around 11:15, Friday night wearing the J.Crew shirt about 10 years too old and a size too tight, the tan line ring around where his wedding ring once was, lamely telling a line that even he doesn’t find convincing to some unappreciative young woman? Well, that guy reminds me of Fred Thompson. Seriously. He just doesn’t seem into it. I have been told his droopy dog delivery style is viewed as Presidential by some, but you gotta have some fire in the belly for this race, my friend. What Thompson will do, however, is provide a decent speed bump for Rudy’s plans in southern climes, specifically South Carolina and Florida. I doubt it will be enough to derail Rudy or secure either state for Thompson, but it may be enough to allow Mitt to slip by.
- McCain. As expected, the press has initiated its “don’t look now, but McCain’s comin’ back!” stories. No. No, he’s not. Sorry. He picked the wrong case on “Deal or No Deal,” the one that opens to read “Surge,” and the banker called. There’s no money left. The Senate will welcome you back with open arms, though, sir.
- Huckabee. Secured himself a veep nod with impressive debate performances and a second-place finish in the IA straw poll (no one else bothered with except him and Mitt). While I think the guy is a savvier pol than he lets on or many give him credit for, I’m a little hard-pressed to come up with a dynamic that would make him the second guy on the ticket. Of course, the GOP line-up is more milquetoast than your average yacht club board meeting so I suppose Arkansas does seem exotic and exciting by comparison.
- … Everyone else. Enh. Sorry, Ron Paul, fans.

So, yeah, maybe Newtmentum is growing.

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This is going to be one of those patented only-the-people-in-the-biz-give-a-damn columns so if you don’t care about wireless carriers, the industry or rather pedantic arguments that take place within it, I suggest you move on. I’ll be sure to post something slightly more relevant to the wider world shortly.

Last week, VZW put out a release marking the sales of its LG “Chocolate” slider phone in the 3.4m and above category. Some press, including RCR News suggest this represents some sort of slap at Apple’s stated goal, apparently surpassed, of selling 1 million iPhone’s.

To break that down, VZW sells 3.4m Chocolate phones over a year that range in price from $49 to $129 and Apple sells 1 million iPhones that have ranged in price, sadly for some of us in the early adopter club, from $600 to $400 in 74 days. Putting sales metrics aside for a moment, however, one has to take a close look at the segments in which both devices compete. Each makes and receives voice calls, sends and receives text messages, and can, technically, play music. There, the comparisons end. Whatever its merits or faults, the iPhone is undoubtedly a smart phone. By price, design (external and UI), and capability, it is a device squarely targeted at a user planning to do more than make calls home to ask Mom to pick one up at the mall. There are few devices in the smart phone category that have sold as quickly as the iPhone has.

If VZW really wanted to, ahem, compare apples to apples, they should release the number of music purchases made on the Chocolate by its users. Given Apple only recently got around to announcing plans for mobile iTunes purchase on the iPhone, that number would truly put down the gang in Cupertino.