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Archive for the ‘Apple’ Category

Google Moves to Retail with Official Google Stores

Friday, October 7th, 2011

First came the Apple retail stores. A technological Disneyland within your local mall.

Next, Microsoft followed suit. And now, Google is looking to create their own retail experiences with official Google Stores. The first Google Store has opened in London, called the Chromezone – which lets you experience Chromebooks and other Google accessories. No Android mobile devices. Not “all things Google”. Just Chromebooks. And apparently, it’s a short-term idea, meant to mainstream these Chrome notebooks.

Perhaps if successful enough, they’ll keep it around?

It’s hard to bet on retail right now though, isn’t it? Can’t Google just buy some AdWords or something?

Tags: adwords-marketing, apple-store, chromebooks, chromezone, google-marketing, google-store, microsoft-store
Posted in Apple, Google, Google AdWords, Pay Per Click Management | No Comments »

The Magic Has Died

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Steve Jobs, Apple’s chairman of the board, and former CEO has passed away after a long bout with pancreatic cancer at the age of 56.

Not only does the death of a beloved figure remind us of our own mortality, but there is a real and present fear that Willy Wonka has died – that there’s no one else in the entire world who invents the beautiful future like him – and we’re terrified there’s no one else who can.

Apple has released the email that now CEO Tim Cook sent to the company’s staff alerting them of the news:

Team,

I have some very sad news to share with all of you. Steve passed away earlier today.

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

We are planning a celebration of Steve’s extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences in the interim, you can simply email rememberingsteve@apple.com.

No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve’s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.

Tim

Tags: Apple, ceo, internet-consultant, steve-jobs, tim-cook
Posted in Apple, facebook | No Comments »

Does Spotify Kill Music Pirating or the Very Need for It?

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011

Some have painted Spotify as the final answer in preventing music piracy.

But, I’m not sure if what Spotify really does is prevent the need for it altogether? Because I’ll be honest. I was a regular iTunes buyer who hasn’t purchased a single song since I signed up for Spotify.

Why? Because now I can stream nearly any song I want. Not on a mobile device without paying for it of course. And perhaps if I purchase this premium subscription, it will roughly counter the amount I had been spending on iTunes? But is that their break-even plus game plan? Or are the record companies content to make their money on solely extracurricular concerts, merchandise and more?

And for those non-paying users, I suppose they are forced to listen to the occasional advertisement. Hmm…maybe they did solve it?

Tags: internet-consulting, itunes, mobile-marketing, spotify
Posted in Apple, mobile-marketing | No Comments »

Magisto One Step Easier than iMovie

Monday, September 26th, 2011

iMovie is specifically designed for the amateur videographer to put together aesthetically pleasing video projects. Easy to use. Intuitive controls. Designed around the basics.

A new start-up Magisto, claims to be one step easier. You give us your raw footage. We’ll make your movie for you.

Upload up to 16 video files. Add a title. Select background music if desired. And then, you’ll receive e-mail notification within 20 to 30 minutes that your edited video is ready for viewing. The proprietary technology is designed to automatically find the best footage in your videos, based on facial recognition programming, and help the average individual who uploads 15 minute videos of his kid’s soccer game that no one wants to watch.

Worth giving it a test spin to see if it edits better than your time is valuable?

Tags: imovie, internet-consultant, magisto
Posted in Apple, Digital Video | No Comments »

Mac Airbook Gets Thick Competition

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

Have you seen these commercials on TV lately? PC Laptops being advertised as ultrathin, that are laughable for any of us familiar with the Mac Airbook? Why don’t they just say, “It’s a slightly worse version of the Mac Airbook“? It’s just weird. These artful images of this laptop that’s slightly thinner than traditional PC monstrosities, but outright obese compared to the Mac offering.

But apparently, “ultrabooks” are going to be the new big thing in laptops. Think of the convenience of an iPad with a fold out keyboard for people who don’t like touchscreen functionality and require a lot of typing. In fact, Intel believes that these thin laptops will make up 40% of the notebook market by the end of 2012.

Again, it’s the same complaint I had with the iPad competition. If you’re going to be worse, at least be cheaper. But, we’re not there yet.

Tags: mac-airbook, mobile-marketing, pc-laptop, ultrabook
Posted in Apple, ipad, mobile-marketing | No Comments »

How Apple Wins By Being “Stupid”

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

Steve Jobs has vision. Vision to see what customers will want years before they have any idea they want it. And that vision has caused Apple to make some seemingly crazy business decisions over the years – that only look brilliant in hindsight.

One of the strangest ones is their lack of transparency. Everywhere else in business, we are learning that transparency, openness and honesty leads to the greater good. But Apple has remained the paranoid-schizophrenic leader in the tech world. They hyper-control everything. They started their own line of retail stores to control the distribution. They’re the master of secrets. They micromanage the “uncontrollable”. For the vast majority of businesses, this is the ultimate recipe for disaster. Somehow, under Apple’s leadership, it thrives.

Apple also never plays the price wars. They never sacrifice quality to attract the masses at a lower price point, and they still make their products go mainstream.

The folks at Apple are perfectionists. Their goal is perfection. For every other tech company, it would straight-jacket them. For Apple, being crazy is crazy smart.

Tags: Apple, google-marketing, internet-consulting, steve-jobs
Posted in Apple, Google | No Comments »

Apple Plays Hardball with Financial Times App

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

It’s iWay or the highway.

That’s the message the Financial Times has learned after their iPhone and iPad apps have both been pulled from the App Store. This after refusing to comply with Apple’s new terms and commitments regarding in-app subscription payments. Financial Times claims that their beef with Apple isn’t the 30% cut that Apple takes on in-app purchases, but Apple’s control over subscriber data.

So, the Financial Times has called Apple’s bluff, and are now directing their readers to a proprietary Web app. This will be an incredibly interesting case study to look at moving forward – determining whether or not periodicals can live and thrive outside of iOS.

Tags: Apple, financial-times, iOS, ipad, iphone, mobile-marketing, website-marketing
Posted in Apple, Smartphones, mobile-marketing | No Comments »

NFL Teams Trading in Playbooks for iPads

Monday, August 29th, 2011

If you watch the sidelines during an NFL game this season, you might see a whole lot of iPads. Especially if you’re watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have traded in their massive playbook binders for the convenient and compact alternative from Apple.

The tablet specifically opens up the possibilities for this digital move. In the past, carrying around a laptop would have been silly. Today, it’s easier and faster to use an iPad.

If the Buccaneers win more than 10 games this year, expect an ad campaign to come out of this.

It used to be cool to have an iPad. Now, for a lot of professions, it doesn’t make sense not to.

Tags: ipad, iPads, mobile-marketing, nfl, tablets, tampa-bay-buccaneers
Posted in Apple, ipad, mobile-marketing | No Comments »

Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple Freaking Tech Nerds Out

Thursday, August 25th, 2011

Many of you were personally affected by the news that Steve Jobs was resigning as CEO of Apple for medical reasons.

Many of you didn’t understand why the rest of us cared so much.

Here’s the only analogy I can think of that best explains it. Imagine you love candy more than anything else, and Willy Wonka just died. There’s no one else in the entire world who invents the beautiful future like him – and we’re terrified there’s no one else who can.

Jobs seems to be putting his full support behind Tim Cook, who has been acting CEO since Jobs’ leave of absence back in January. But we don’t know anything about Cook. This isn’t a business-as-usual company, where any brilliant business executive can do a great job.

Jobs had remarkable vision. He could see into the future and come back with its creations. And I’m personally scared that the tech toys market is going to come to a screeching halt.

Tags: Apple, ceo, internet-consulting, mobile-marketing, steve-jobs, tim-cook, willy-wonka
Posted in Apple, mobile-marketing | No Comments »