Outinnovating on the web

This is the financial results period in the US and yesterday both Yahoo and eBay reported their earnings which generated disappointment as their stellar growth rates and cocaine-like margins are slowly falling victim of gravity. In yet another good article, Richard Waters, the Information Industries Editor for the Financial Times, explains why the web behemoths are facing difficult challenges ahead as smaller companies keep on out-innovating them.

And before you go any further, Apple also announced its financial results for the quarter and they indeed managed to sell 270k iPhones during the first 30 hours, which means that they actually sold 2.5 devices per second nonstop! Even though it is less than expected, they maintained their forecast that 1 million devices will have been sold come October.

Technorati Tags: Apple

Nike+

RG/A has won the “Agency of the Year” award in Cannes last month for the great work they have done building the Nike+ concept from the ground up.

The following video does a good job of explaining the rational behind the Nike-Apple combination, both from a branding and project management perspective.

“Nike+ redefines how a brand can reconnect with its audience through meaningful experience. [...] And as the Nike+ community grows, the best is yet to come!” 

Technorati Tags: advertising, Apple, Cannes Lions, digital advertising, digital design, e-marketing, Nike+, RG/A, user experience

iPhone: when the co-marketing content deals turn into viral marketing

So today is the day the iPhone becomes widely available in the USA. Apart from the device itself, the network it is currently locked with, it is interesting to take a look at the viral marketing videos swamping the net. Interestingly enough, the New York Times, which has a co-marketing agreement with Apple, released a few “review” videos which in fact are more promotional ones. Even Walt Mossberg is turning into a billboard guy, yet you may want to take a peek at its Q&A with Steve jobs. 

Technorati Tags: Apple, digital advertising, digital design, iPhone

Evolution of design @ Apple

An interesting work from Edwin Tofslie on the evolution of design @ Apple.

Technorati Tags: Apple, digital design, form factor

It is not the iPhone, it is the network you stupid!

Interesting comment found in today’s FT; simply the best piece of paper on earth! Arguably, the points being made for the US cellular networks also apply here in Europe where large cities face overcrowded cells in which the real bandwidth is very different from the theoretical one and the overall user experience still an unpleasant one. I especially like the analogy with the car industry… it is right to the point

Stylish devices in search of a network.

Note to Steve Jobs: now may be a good time to announce that the iPhone is in fact an open platform

You may have heard about it already but Music Station is launching its service today. It basically enables you to download music on your mobile phone for a flat monthly fee of 2.99 euros. With EMI, Sony BMG, Universal and Warner Music catalogs available, the choice is huge and you are likely to find gold for your ears. With 30+ mobile operators already signed, it is also likely that your current handset will work with their platform.

And the guys behind Omnifone are rather bright, not that their resumes tell the tale (and they do) but in that they invested their own money (thanks to the dotcom years) and basically own the company. You may want to take a peek at this article from the Guardian to find out more.

Technorati Tags: Apple, iPhone, mobile phone, mobile music, web 2.0

Steve & Bill share memories at D5

It is rather unique that these two share a scene together (though they have done it in the past, remember 1997?) and it is definitely worth watching.

You may think Apple notebooks are cool, iPods are the ultimate emotional objects (that is before the iPhone launches later this year).
You may think Microsoft is evil, Windows Vista is a mere copy of MacOSX, and your grey laptop is nothing compared to that sleek white one with a shiny logo on your neighbour’s laps (note how I did not even mention the Zune here .
Yet, there is no denying that these two have probably contributed more for the evolution of personal computing than anybody else on this planet.

If what has taken place in the IT industry in the last 30 years is of interest to you, then I strongly urge you to spare 10 minutes of your time and watch the videos. The WSJ D: Notebook is also a very good place to go to since they are the ones behind this “All things digital” event. 

Technorati Tags: Apple, Microsoft, D5