Monday, November 29, 2004
New Links
Here are the new links that can be found under the blog links section. Some links got the boot due to that fact that new material was not posted regularly. Basically if you don't post once a week or more your out. (Harsh consider I barely fit the minimum requirements)
Always On Network
Blogzine about technology in the news and much more. Might move this up to "Visit Daily" section.
Terry Gold
Lots of good advice for entrepreneurs.
Occams Razor - listed in links as VC on Tech and investments
A venture capitalist view on many subjects.
Digital Entertainment Convergence
This blog covers "news, views, analysis, and ideas on the business, media, and technology innovations bringing digital entertainment to the PC, TV and mobile devices." (not sure how long this blog with stay as link. Last post was in August but I really like the content. Probably gone next time I update the links sections.)
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Always On Network
Blogzine about technology in the news and much more. Might move this up to "Visit Daily" section.
Terry Gold
Lots of good advice for entrepreneurs.
Occams Razor - listed in links as VC on Tech and investments
A venture capitalist view on many subjects.
Digital Entertainment Convergence
This blog covers "news, views, analysis, and ideas on the business, media, and technology innovations bringing digital entertainment to the PC, TV and mobile devices." (not sure how long this blog with stay as link. Last post was in August but I really like the content. Probably gone next time I update the links sections.)
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Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Virtual Music Stores
vms
The Virtual Music Store is coming. Imagine a store where you can go in and create your own mix CD or download the latest and greatest songs to your Ipod. Its sounds good, so good you will see it in Starbucks soon as well (at least they are testing it). I love the concept. Just recently my girlfriend said she wanted an Ipod for Xmas. But I said who is going to put the music on it? Of course the answer was me. But what if she could walk into a store go to a kiosk, hookup here Ipod and search for songs and transfer them herself. The store helps alot of people.
1-people who do not have CD burners but have CD players
2- people who have computers but either have none or a slow internet connection.
3- people who are scared to download music off the net b/c they think they are breaking the law (in some cases you are)
4- people have MP3 players but do not take the time at home to download new songs. you go to a store for that reason.
5- My girlfriend example. The mp3 is past the early adopter phase and now everyone wants one but not everyone has the skills/patience to download their music.
I came up with those 5 markets pretty quickly. There are other companies out there doing things with music kiosk. Kiosk in bars, airports, music stores etc... All good ideas but the long term, I think is in the stand alone store.
Random thought - Kiosk only store (music kiosk, kodak kiosk, dvd kiosk.....)
Earlier post about media delivery. Link at bottom about kiosk at exit of a concert where you can download or burn the show you just saw. Pretty sweet!!
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Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Satellite Images from Google
keyhole
Ok so the title is misleading but Google just bought Keyhole, a satellite imaging website. Similar to Terra Server but with better features. These are the same types of maps used by the news companies during the begining of the Irag War (the current one). The features are very cool. The basic subscription is $30 but you can try it out for 7 days for free. I recommend the free trial. You may not have much use for it but it is cool to play with.
The areas I could see this being used for are city planners, real estate, mapping demographics, mapping where your customers are etc.... More corporate uses. If marketed correctly and the right features are added this could take off.
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Exhale Technology
exhale
It is about time someone came up with this. A vent on gloves where you can exhale your warm breath into the glove. Checkout 180s site for the whole line of gloves. Sometimes the obvious innovations are looked over.
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Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Ambient Flower for IM
im flower
MediaLab Europe has created a flower that blooms everytime someone signs on instant messenger (IM). The flower is "...creating personalized ambient communication links to enhance a sense of presence and togetherness between two distant individuals." I like the idea as usual but the IM application does not work for me. There has to be a good use for these devices but I can't put my finger on it right now.
One company that is close is Ambient Devices. Checkout this earlier post about them.
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How did Ideo(design firm) help Safeway's Supply Chain
To be honest I can't remember how I happened upon this article on Supermarketnews.com but it is interesting how Safeway, a grocery store chain, brought in essentially a product design firm to help them fix there supply chain. The results are impressive and I think it leads to future projects of bringing in design/research design companies to take a look at problems outside of what is normally considered their field. People inside a certain industry get blinded by what they know about the industry and are missing some obvious or not so obvious answers to streamlining processes.
Check out Ideo's website they do some really cool stuff. Ideo is also known for being on Nightline, which was about designing a new shopping cart.
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Check out Ideo's website they do some really cool stuff. Ideo is also known for being on Nightline, which was about designing a new shopping cart.
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Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Best WiFi Hotels
wifi in hotels
Hotel Chatter has ranked the best hotel chains with Wifi. This very helpful for travelers. This idea has already taken off but I would like to see it taken to another level. Actually providing a computer in the room. All you would need would be a keyboard, mouse and screen. Then you can run all the lines to a central server. Allow only internet access. I know that this does not help a business traveler(they have their own laptops anyways) but it hits the other people traveling (soccer moms, wedding parties, people on vacation etc...) These people would only want to check their email and some websites (like what is around the hotel) they wouldn't need to print stuff or download stuff or create documents. Obviously a local tech guy would need to be on retainer to fix problems but that would be minimal. Maybe a hotel chain could put computers in a couple of rooms and charge $5 extra for the perk of a computer. I would pay that. It would be an easy away that hotels could seperate themselves from the bunch.
Check out the list I think as time goes on WiFi in hotels will be a common thing. Buzz already happening!
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Why some trends take off and why some die
tipping point
This audio presentation, from itconversations, is by Malcom Gladwell the author of the famous book The Tipping Point. In this presentation he talks a little bit about his new book Blink, coming out in January. In the talk he uses examples like the Aeron chair and New Coke. Both showing how market research has its flaws. Which ties into his new book because it is about first impression and how we form them. But back to the examples.
The Aeron chair when it was shown to people in market research they said it was ugly, bring it back when it is done etc..... But the chair is now the biggest selling chair every (per what I have read, I think the school folding chair has to be up there.) Then the New Coke example is that in taste testing New Coke was huge hit. But when it was released the original Coke was taken off the shelfs. This caused the public to go nuts and New Coke flopped. The details of these examples are in the conversation. It is about 30 minutse long but if you would like to learn more about how companies decide whether to release a product or not, read this. Comapny buzz!
Links - Itconversations - other interesting audio presentations
- The Tipping Point - awesome book about how trends and ideas spread (buzzology)
- Blink - new book about first impressions and how they are formed
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