Typing Out Loud

Business and Life

There is a widely overrated and misplaced saying, “money can’t buy you happiness” - how I loathe those words. They are for the poor of mind, giving some comfort where money or happiness is lacking.

With money we can help to improve the quality of life for other people. Money can buy food, water, warmth, shelter and vaccines. Giving - and that includes money - brings me happiness.

It’s important for us to remember, “money” and “happiness” are not for comparison. But unfortunately for some, placing both words together speaks of morality; that somehow money holds more bad than good. The truth is, there are bad people with money, there are good people with money.

And when it comes to love or friendship, there are people that positively run from money. They avoid people with money because it’s not romantic enough, it wouldn’t give them a Hollywood ending, where romance wins over money.

And then there’s the Great British love affair with Robin Hood; take from the rich to give to the poor - the romance lives on. A lot of people in the UK love to talk of the “filthy rich” - ah yes, bankers, let’s screw them all… they couldn’t possibly be giving people, right?

If we must use both words together - money and happiness - then maybe it’s better to say, “happiness is not gained from objects alone.. happiness can be gained by investing in people”.

The truth of money and people is respect for both. Understand that for many people, it goes easier than it comes. Take it, use it wisely, be kind to others - just don’t run from it.

Technology

How will Google’s purchase of Motorola Mobility affect other handset and STB (set-top box) makers? Some people argue that other handset makers will be more defensive and look to host other operating systems. I’m not so sure, it all comes down to execution; if google keeps Android open and maintains a level playing field, then all those newly acquired patents will bolster support. The biggest risk here is the money Google will have to pay out if the deal falls through e.g. anti-competition laws. Political intervention, however misaligned, can be a real killer.

Business and Technology

Finally the doors are opening to unlimited TLDs and I’m waiting for google to take the .g extension. At $185K to run your own TLD, plus $25K per year, it actually seems quite cheap.

When you run your own TLD, the second level names are allotted as you choose. In other words, you can sublet the second level to as few or as many people / organisations as you like.

Imagine the .red TLD and all the second level brands you could sublet; your very own virtual shopping mall.

Business

Are you looking for fresh ideas? Are you losing customers or looking to expand? One approach is to ask your existing customers what they want. But before you do, ask yourself, are you really prepared to act on the feedback?

My doctor’s surgery asked me for feedback, “Could you get an appointment within two days? Why not?” Good question, why not? I wish I knew the answer!

Another recent example, talking to a share broker that was looking for product ideas. When I said, “longer hours so that I can trade the US markets” the response was, “no sir, because then we would have to employ staff out of hours”. Well yes, whatever product you bring you’re going to have to work at it.

Feedback is critical to the process of change. If you’re going to be apathetic or to place unreasonable constraints - to close your mind - then you must question the strength of your conviction for change.

Asking for feedback is a great opportunity to reconnect with your customers. However, failing to adequately respond can have a significant negative effect on your customers.

Life and Net

As an online webcam operator, I am sometimes asked about the implications of privacy. For me the answer is simple, privacy in public is something of an oxymoron. What is it that someone could do in public that might also be considered private? - cheating on a partner or skipping work is not exactly the best of excuses. And I think it’s equally reasonable to ask, with 6 billion people on the planet, who is ever going to care or remember one person and one moment in time?

Don’t misunderstand me, there is another side which I very much appreciate. For example, if someone is using an ATM then I fully expect that someone else is not zooming in to see the PIN. This is a very good example where existing systems fail because they are closed; a few “trusted” people abusing their position. Conversely, I have always supported open systems, where everyone equally can see what is going on, transparency is an essential component of trust.

Business

“You can’t watch this movie anywhere else for weeks, GUARANTEED” - as a consumer I don’t like being told my hands are tied, but I’m told fear is an effective tool.

Domain Names

When asked to recommend a domain registrar, I will often throw GoDaddy into the mix. I don’t use them much but from time-to-time I do have to deal with them. Today I found that one of GoDaddy’s mail servers (68.178.232.28) is blacklisted with the SORBS RBL. This can be problematic for some users when doing important admin tasks requiring email verification.

After some further googling, it seems the same IP address has previously been associated with domain phishing scams; a long time ago true, but not particularly helpful. The moral of the story… where possible (and it’s not always possible), to keep your internal services separate from your customer services.

Business and Technology

Currently the market is split between LCD tablet style computers and e-ink type displays. The pros and cons are well documented; striking visuals with fast refresh versus exceptionally low power consumption and high readability.

Now that Kindle-like displays are mainstream, the future is clearly for faster, richer and more flexible displays. I’m sure people will move to these new technologies soon enough. But it seems to me, a lot of people are making binary this-or-that predictions; it’s not a war. It seems to me the future is convergence; passive e-ink type displays literally sitting on top of bright active displays (passive transparent backgrounds).

Imagine, you go to a web page and it’s automatically transferred from the active display to the passive display. Nothing new, it’s already available in dual display devices.

It seems to me, the upshot of all this is that people are rediscovering the joys of reading. So it seems to me, given the price crash for the likes of Barnes & Noble, seems to me they deserve a second look.

Business

What is it with shops that don’t want to swap loose coins to notes because “I have to stand here and count it … but it’s ok if you buy something … and by the way, we have a machine to do that for you [with charge]”.

So, you want me to pay you for being lazy, is that it? Will I shop here again? No thanks.

One minute work instead of ten minutes arguing with your customers. Your customers will remember your response, be nice to them.

Business and Net

There are times when advertisers need to be careful their message is not too overbearing or too frequent. If it is, they risk alienating their customers. I will use a recent example to illustrate this.

The live video broadcasting service ustream.tv has been around for quite a while. I’m a 24/7 broadcaster - I have a small number of viewers, but what I lack in numbers I gain in loyalty. As with many online services, ustream offer a free ad-supported service and a paid-for white label service. Good as their service is, I find myself wanting to switch provider.

The search for a new broadcasting platform was prompted by a recent change in the ustream advertising format; going from a small overlay to a full frame 30 second ad - I feel it is too frequent and obtrusive for me and my viewers.

Of course, data and servers cost money to run - especially video - but their white label service is excessively expensive and I am thinking the ad supported model might be causing them some problems. Allow me to explain my thinking.

As a broadcaster I applied to participate in ustream’s revenue sharing programme. I reasoned, I am the content provider and they provide the platform… good enough for them to place 30 second ads on. If ustream were making little or no money from my content - which I accept is quite possible - then I beg to ask why they would even bother with the ads? - scrapping the bottom of the jar for every little bit? I asked ustream to explain their criteria for revenue sharing but they declined and the ads persist.

It could be ustream are simply shaking the tree to see what falls off, I’m not sure. But I think it’s useful to remember, when we’re bringing together two parties, in this case content providers and advertisers, things could be better by being more transparent and less self-serving.

Business

When building and diversifying a portfolio, we sometimes get ahead of ourselves and allow our overall strategy to slip a little. Sometimes it helps to go back to basics and perform some simple tests on our investments.

One bellwether

What’s the point of holding multiple investments when their price movements are so tightly synchronized? - might as well hold a single bellwether or an index.

Two competes

Sometimes it helps to play two competing investments, for example baidu vs google. Play your money both ways but set your proportions according to your preference for risk/reward.

Three options

An investment playing multiple locations / markets is great for diversification but be sure the exchange rates and overall strategy works for you.

Life and Net

The world is crazy… no wait, I’m really stupid.

On and off over the years I tried to take some time to get my head around facebook. It’s constantly used in mainstream media, apparently the whole world loves it. With all the hysteria, year to year, strength to strength, it must be something special. And friends will tell you about that wonderful game FarmVille… sounds exciting, not… like I’ve been yanked 20 years into the past.

So why is it I NEVER get it? Every few months I come back to it, desperately trying to get with it, only to come back to isolation, the only person on the planet that just simply can’t figure it out. It’s utterly complicated, confusing and mis-guided.

Again I give up, No need for replies, I know I’m stupid.

Business and Life

Whether we’re selling a product or an idea, positive and negative feedback will impact our mindset and decision making process, it can work for us or against us. Imagine for a moment, you go to a friend with an idea. Here are some possible outcomes:

• Your friend tells you all the reasons why it will not work.

  The continuous voice of negativity can destroy self-esteem. For many people, finding possible flaws is a habit and easier than seeking or accepting solutions.

• Your friend simply doesn’t get it.

  Early adopters and visionaries may get it but many of your friends may not understand your ideas and foresight.

• Your friend says you’re very smart.

  A potentially disastrous position, being lead into a false sense of confidence, that your ideas are great and worth pursuing. An initial boost of encouragement sometimes sets people off in the wrong direction.

Of course, your friend could also be right, so a balance needs to be made, where we carry enough conviction to pursue our dreams yet equally keep both feet firmly placed on terra firma. We need to learn when to listen and when to ignore.

To better explore your ideas, you may need to downsize them and let them evolve. You may also need to test your ideas with more like minded people.

With each milestone we need to re-examine our journey as it is very easy to believe an outcome was based on sound judgment or execution when, in reality, luck played a greater part.

It may also help to keep a sense of perspective, feedback is relative to failure and success. When you get it right you’ll be cheered on, get it wrong and…

Here are some thoughts on how to respond to feedback:

• Recognise the benefits you are bringing to others.

• The world is in constant change, try to be more adaptable.

• Accept your failures and learn when to cut your losses. Don’t let your losses run.

• Remember people love to see actions, meaning and results.

Technology

When looking at new or emerging technology and when trying to predict future trends, a balance needs to be made. We need to recognise game changers but equally to accept evolution over revolution.

Let’s take this by example; video tapes to DVD to hard drive recording. First was the battle of formats, Betamax vs VHS. VHS did not win on technical merit but it did win consensus. For a moment in time, multiple flying erase heads were setting exceptional standards of engineering and production. Then from left field, or so it seemed, digital formats were revolutionising our world. In truth, CDs and DVDs struggled to be accepted. However, as is so often the case, the turning point was characterised by a peak of exceptional bloom followed by sudden extinction.

Let’s translate that to display technology which is undergoing rapid change in so many areas. Aesthetic, sharper, wider and larger screens. Add some 3D technology and add a free roaming 360 degree view. Merge all that with tactile and gesture based interaction. With so much going on, you have to ask yourself, how big and immersive are those screens going to get before we move to the next level?

More inches, less bucks; TV is coming to wallpaper. Screen size will be a big indicator of change. Just when you think screens can’t bigger, thinner, brighter, they will. BOOM - screens will disappear. Direct to retina image projection is coming. Your mobile phone will track and project personalised images to both eyes. Screen size will become irrelevant and subliminal advertising to your peripheral vision is coming.

Life and Net

A few years ago I tried facebook in an attempt to understand the hype. I gave it a shot but still I didn’t get it. Millions of people use fb every day yet I found it confusing and I always found myself asking “why, why??” A week or so went by, then word got out that Microsoft was pouring money into it… it was time to get out. Seems I’m forever running from those guys at Redmond; hotmail, facebook, yahoo - you name it and Microsoft trashed it. A lot of hoops had to be jumped to close that fb account, which says a lot about such organisations unwilling to accept rejection.

The media loves to talk about personal data and privacy. The world, apparently, is full of scammers, losers, weirdos and pedophiles. SIX BILLION PEOPLE on this planet and the chances are it’s all about YOU. How to list the unfamous?

I can deal with the minority of crackheads in our society by applying some common sense and perspective. I’m more concerned about vulnerable groups of people and data hungry organisations. Which leads me to ask, whoever said the Internet is a child’s product? We don’t sell alcohol to children so why are Internet providers allowing unfiltered services to children? For children, we don’t just need filters on the PC or phone, the only true solution is to do it at the service level; filter in, not filter out.

We live in a society that sings the wonders of freedom yet simultaneously tells us why we should be fearful. Isn’t it time that large Internet providers and mobile operators be required to offer child-safe services?

Business

Seems to me, some people have too much money. When a customer says you are too expensive and starts to walk out the door, it might be a good idea to re-assess your offer, drop your pride and invite them back.

Two thoughts come to mind. First, the price might be low but the effort to keep the customer happy might be quick and painless. My other thought is, how much of the costs have already been met? For example, say you have organised an event and you’ve already reached breakeven, the rest is profit. So maybe this customer can bring me other benefits further down the road. I’m not suggesting we say goodbye to profit but, depending on the opportunity, there might be other benefits for making concessions to people you would not ordinarily reach.