So much fun following predictions for Apple’s “Let’s Rock!” event today.

My prediction is Steve Job’s retirement.

Here’s why:

1. “In the phrase “Let’s Rock,” the rock symbolizes Job’s gravestone (we all should have clearly realized this when his obituary was released). 
2. The rock also hints at the iXcaliber sword in the stone that Arthur (aka Ives?) needs to pull out. 
3. Jobs immenent retirement would also explain the mysterious comment that “our stocks will temporarily drop this fall while we undergo a major product transition…” from the shareholders’ meeting this summer.
4. Jobs loves the Beatle (“I am the Walrus!”)

Arguably, Apple’s most major product is Jobs (Reality Distortion Field), and the transition to Ives and his toilet-smooth product design will cause investors to be wary temporarily, until they see how well it all flushes out.

It’s all very brilliant, and humorously understated in typical Apple fashion. And framed positively as a party — “Let’s rock!”

Hopefully there will be new laptops unveiled (shipping immediately) as well because I really need one. Also on my wish list is an iPod Touch (phoneless) with GPS and camera that we can use to create our Augmented Reality Games for schools (so they don’t have to buy iPhones and 2-year phone contracts).

Apologies to myself and anyone else for the delay in updating this. Facebook now gets the daily status updates, and I’ve been knee-deep at camp all summer.

Fall is quickly approaching, and I’m writing up the last bits of my dissertation, tightening up what I’ve already written and prepping a bunch of articles to submit to journals. I’m pretty sure I’m not doing it as effectively as I might be, but that’s all in the spirit of “good learning” (ie. from mistakes), right? I’ll get through it all.

The big news, as far as my research interests are concerned, is that the iPhone has a dozen or so Apps for place-based, or location-contextualized reporting. This means that people can start making notes on specific places (geo-annotation). Time flies when you’re having fun, and when you’re ABD. Maybe I’ll be finished just as the whole iPhone craze fizzles (ha! no way, I’m finishing this year!).