First came the PC, and on top of the PC the Internet. Then, mobile, but what will rule mobile?
September 2015
What is Medium Doing?, Facebook Updates Notes
Medium just raised $57 million on a relatively modest valuation, but lots of folks aren’t still sure what the company is trying to accomplish: today I give it my best shot. Plus, Facebook has updated Notes, which look a lot like, well, Medium posts. The appearance, though, isn’t what will make them succeed or fail.
Exponent Podcast: Connect the Dots
On Exponent, the weekly podcast I host with James Allworth, we discuss Volkswagen, then mortgages, then Ben’s time in Taiwan, and finally end with a critique of the Apple Watch. Listen to it here.
Onshape and Disruption, Office 365 and Sustaining Innovation
Onshape is CAD software making a bet that starting with the cloud is fundamentally disruptive. However, disruption includes an economic component, and as Office 365 v Google Apps suggests, if that doesn’t exist the incumbents will respond
Are Ebooks Declining, or Just the Publishers?, Oyster Goes Out of Business, Media Notes
A follow-up on e-book publishing, and why there is so much dispute about just how many e-books are sold.
Disconfirming Ebooks
Aggregation Theory would seem to argue that ebooks are destined to dominate the publishing industry. However, that is decidedly not happening; understanding why is a powerful tool to make the theory better.
About that Apple Car (and Jony Ive), The 21 Inc Bitcoin Computer
I’ve agreed that there is probably an Apple Car for a while, but I do need to make it official that I was likely wrong about Jony Ive. Then, what is the deal with 21 Inc’s Bitcoin Computer? Is there any way it makes sense?
Malware Hits iOS, The Importance of the App Store, XcodeGhost: What Happened and What Now?
(Legitimate) iOS has been hit by malware for the first time. It’s a big deal because it gets at the heart of why the App Store is so important not just to Apple but to the entire industry. Plus, how on earth did this happen, and what will happen next?
Exponent Podcast: All About Ads
On Exponent, the weekly podcast I host with James Allworth, we discuss Popping the Publishing Bubble. Listen to it here.
The Amazon Fire Lineup, The Apple TV, Cable’s User Experience Advantage
An overview of Amazon’s new fire lineup and how it fits with the company’s overall strategy, an overview of the Apple TV from last week’s event, and a discussion about the fundamental challenge facing all of these TV boxes.