Editorial

App.net (ADN), an alternative to Twitter that seeks to better balance the needs of the platform owners with developers and users, saw substantial growth in the last couple of weeks. This is partly due to the arrival of popular clients -- for end users the interface is the app, after all, and familiarity is a huge feature. In addition to attracting attention, these clients reduced the learning curve and the stress level often associated with platform change. ADN also lowered the cost of their service. Initially ADN cost $50 a year for a non-developer account, which was a substantial barrier to entry for anyone but the geekiest of geek users (#227, at your service). While $50 is less than some people spend on fancy caffeinated beverages each month, it still feels like a big up-front expense for something that may or may not provide a significant return. ADN dropped the yearly price to $36, but what's more, they introduced a new $5 monthly option. $5 a month is actually $60 a year, which is more expensive than it was previously, but far more people will be willing to give ADN a chance at $5 than $50, as any substantial period of time beyond a few days blurs towards the amorphous. It's a lower up-front cost, and hence, lower up-front risk.

It's objection handling at the product level, and it's smart business. It's something Apple has been doing going on a decade, and something they're doing especially well with iOS devices right now.

It's Thanksgiving weekend here beyond the Wall, in Canada, so I'll keep things brief. The iPhone 5 has launched and while we've done our full iPhone 5 review and iOS 6 review, there's still plenty left to cover. iMore has the benefit, and responsibility, of only having one phone to focus on a year, so we're going to make sure we do the best job possible for you. Top to bottom, inside and out, day one to year two, we're going to help you get the most out of your new iPhone.

Now, before the turkey...

Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, CEO of Pixar, driving force behind the popularization of the Mac, of iTunes and iPods, of Apple Retail, of the iPhone and iPad, and of Apple itself, passed away one year ago today.

A temperamental, triumphant, fallible, transcendent technologist and artist, his taste, sensibility, and the sheer breadth and audacity of his vision more than dented our universe -- it shaped our culture and our lives, and helped empower us to dent universes all our own.

You shook the world, Steve, and we were shaken at your passing. But technology goes on, art goes on, Apple goes on, and while we're lessened without you, what you left behind makes us so much more.

Thank you.

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I joked today that Passbook was this year's Newsstand. I meant that on several levels. First, it's an app that people seem to be struggling to use. Second, it's an app that depends on being fed content that's out of Apple's control. Third, because of those two factors, it's an app that could have done with some better hand-holding and partnership placements at launch.