Smartphone Thoughts Changing of The Guard

[Rocco Augusto]

I am sure you all have read by now that <a href="http://smartphonethoughts.com/news/show/32448/the-road-ahead-at-smartphone-thoughts.html">Mike Temporale has left</a> Smartphone Thoughts as our Managing Editor. I know I for one was pretty saddened to hear the news as Mike has been with the team since I first came to this wonderful site looking for some help with my new Motorola MPx220 (I didn't know any better at the time!). Mike was always there to help me out with questions and point me in the right direction of resources I needed to make my Windows Mobile experience on a whole, a lot better. To be honest, if it wasn't for Mike, I most likely wouldn't have become the Windows Mobile enthusiast that I am and chances are I probably would never have been interested in becoming a news editor. While I enjoyed writing prior to joining our team, I never realized that it was something that I wanted to do and was reasonably good at! I never realized that one day, writing for Smartphone Thoughts, would be right up there on the top of my list of greatest passions &ndash; right next to Web Development. This community and what we do here at Smartphone Thoughts mean the world to me. I absolutely love our community and it still amazes me everyday that some of the most extraordinary, awesome, and down to earth people I have every met were right here on this very site.<br /><br />This is why I am pleased to announce to all of you that I am taking over Mike's position as Managing Editor. As we all know, Mr. Temporale left some incredibly large shoes to fill, and while I might have to stuff the toes of those shoes with some tissue paper for a few weeks, I am confident that I will not let our readers down.<br /><br />There will be a few changes here and there. For one, I will be the first person to admit that we have been slacking a bit on the content side of things. This will change ASAP. One of our main priorities now will be not only to bring our readers the latest and greatest on the Windows Mobile news front, but to bring you a ton of fresh product reviews and more thought pieces. Mike did an incredible job of doing this when he was our Managing Editor and I hope to follow in those same footsteps. My second priority, which I will need the help of our readers to accomplish, is to find out what you as visitors want from our site. This isn't just the news teams site, this site belongs to our readers because without you guys/gals, there would be no Smartphone Thoughts! So let us know what is on your mind and let us know where you would to see us take Smartphone Thoughts in the near future! Heck, you can even let me know if I ramble to much, I don&rsquo;t mind!<br /><br />Before I wrap this up, I want to take a second to thank Jason Dunn and our news team for giving me this opportunity as well as thank Mike Temporale for showing me the ropes and just plan ol' being there when I was a Smartphone Newbie. Thanks everyone!

[Jason Dunn]

Great post Rocco! I know you'll do a great job - your passion for Windows Mobile is always very evident. :D

[reydiodj]

Congrats Rocco! I'm sure you'll do great!

[Stinger]

I'm sure you'll do a great job. :)

[Mike Temporale]

you almost made me cry with that post. :(

But wait a second, are you saying I'm fat? How big do you think my shoes really are anyway? I happen to have naturally large feet. And you know what they say about people with big feet... They have big shoes! ;)


Congrats on the new position. I know you'll do a great job. :cool:

[Rocco Augusto]

But wait a second, are you saying I'm fat? How big do you think my shoes really are anyway? I happen to have naturally large feet. And you know what they say about people with big feet... They have big shoes! ;)

Well Mike, you know what they say "If the shoe fits!" :D

(Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)

[Jerry Raia]

Congrats Rocco!

Just keep in mind I won't treat you any better than I did Mike. :cool:

Probably much worse.. :D

[stevew]

Congrat's Rocco.

[Rocco Augusto]

Thanks everyone!

And Jerry... please be gentle :( :p

[Tim Williamson]

Congrats! Wasn't Rocco pretty much a "shoe"-in for this job (just continuing the foot/shoe theme)? ;)

[Jason Dunn]

Congrats! Wasn't Rocco pretty much a "shoe"-in for this job

Indeed! I always thought he had sole, but sometimes he's so crazy I've almost given him the boot!

:o

[Pete Paxton]

I think you're all crazy. Maybe you should see Dr. Scholl's? :)

[yslee]

Congrats! Look forward to seeing more from you!

[Rocco Augusto]

Alright you guys, I think we've taken the shoe reference a little to far... It's time to put a sock in it!

ZING! :D

[Jerry Raia]

Just don't let this whole thing go to your foot. :p

[SPPassion]

Congrats!! I have been reading your posts on this site for the last 2 years (at least), and I think you do a great job. Of course, Mike will be missed(:
I do agree with your priorties especially the content part. Hope to see more updated news/articles/reviews on this great site. I do have one small suggestion : Please create some sort of database for smartphones where one can enter what they are looking for in a phone (may be from a drop down menu) and it provides some recommendations (of models) or something similar on these lines.

Again, congrats!!
Best regards,

[edgar]

I knew pushing you out front would do it. That and the paypal contrib you put in Jason's acct. I'm sure my powerful direct endorsement had nothing to do with it (I've checked my paypal acct, you obviously didn't think so either).

You can go ahead and retire those red clown shoes of Mike's (although the squeek from them was humorous) and stick with your Red Ball Jets albeit still size 12's - they make you run faster and jump higher! (I've just dated myself - google it or hit retroland if you need to ask)

Congrats Rocco, you deserve it!

Oh, and by the way, are you having a formal changing of the guard where Mike hands over the coveted wireless mouse and we all get to dress up fancy (jeans without holes) and drink free on Jason?

[Rocco Augusto]

drink free...

Free drinks you say? I'll hop in my Shoebaru (<- ha! shoe) and be there in a jiffy! :D

[ctmagnus]

Congratulations! You've got your work cut out for you.

Also, shoe.

[Jason Dunn]

Please create some sort of database for smartphones where one can enter what they are looking for in a phone (may be from a drop down menu) and it provides some recommendations (of models) or something similar on these lines.

That's a very cool idea, and something I'd been pondering for some time...but the work involved in updating it would be incredible. The only way I'd do it would be if we found a way to let the community contribute to it...

[Tim Williamson]

That's a very cool idea, and something I'd been pondering for some time...but the work involved in updating it would be incredible. The only way I'd do it would be if we found a way to let the community contribute to it...

That's an idea, how about a Wiki-style site? Maybe give some type of reward (or higher "status") for contributing?

[Jason Dunn]

That's an idea, how about a Wiki-style site? Maybe give some type of reward (or higher "status") for contributing?

Yup, been pondering it for a while. There's just not enough hours in the day to execute on all the ideas floating around. :o

[Rocco Augusto]

That's an idea, how about a Wiki-style site? Maybe give some type of reward (or higher "status") for contributing?

The problem with a wiki-type format for something like this would be that we would have to customize the heck out of it to be able to get it to operate how we want. It would be a lot easier, and more practical, to just hand-code a simple application that would allow us (as in the community) to input all of the required information into a database.

If this is something as a community that we would want, I would be more than happy to throw something together in my spare time. In reality it wouldn't be a very difficult application to code as it would just enter information into a a database and than search the information for the required features the user would want.

I'll start playing around with some code tonight for you guys :D

[edgar]

Don't be hijacking this thread you two - I think Jason did it on purpose so many of us don't show up to the inauguration party. You know, FREE drinks and all. :eek:

[Tim Williamson]

Don't be hijacking this thread you two - I think Jason did it on purpose so many of us don't show up to the inauguration party. You know, FREE shoes and all. :eek:

Fixed. ;)
...

[edgar]

/me demands to see Rocco's Editor in training manual!:cool:

[Rocco Augusto]

/me demands to see Rocco's Editor in training manual!:cool:

Sorry, can't do it. It's top secret and if you showed you, we would have to do away with you... and then who would I crack jokes with?! You're just to important to see the "Big Book of Editor-thingies". ;)