Good morning, I am writing this from chilly San Francisco; as I noted last week, delivery times may be a bit irregular. Thanks for your patience. I have posted details about tomorrow’s live chat during the keynote on Glassboard, so Access members please check it out there. Apple’s True Differentiation I wrote some big pictureSubscribe […]
Daily Update: GoPro Files for IPO, Angela Ahrendts’ and Apple Retail, Groupon Launching iPad Checkout System
I wrote a piece yesterday on Stratechery called The Net Neutrality Wake-up Call. While I did touch on some net neutrality specifics (again, I know), my broader point is that the collision of the political and technological worlds is only beginning; we as an industry would be well-served by getting involved sooner rather than later.Subscribe […]
Daily Update (2014-04-24): Apple Earnings, Capital Structure; Facebook Earnings
Good morning, In case you missed it yesterday, you can now access the Daily Email on the web and through your private RSS feed. Let me know if you have any trouble getting this set up. I also sent a separate email to Access members and Annual Daily Update members asking you to resubmit yourSubscribe […]
Apple and Nike
What kind of company is Apple, anyway? They certainly have great technology, but to call them a technology company doesn’t seem quite right. They have great marketing, but to call them a marketing company isn’t true either. They have an incredible retail chain, but to call them a retailer is clearly off base as well. […]
Black Box Strategy
With the announcement of the Amazon Fire TV and the leak of the alleged Android TV, all of the major players have (or soon will have) a TV offering. There’s been a lot of talk about how similar the products are, but those similarities are for good reason; what is more interesting to me are […]
Samsung’s Disappearing Differentiation
Earlier this week Samsung, and I’m quoting the headline of the press release, “Unveil[ed] Comprehensive, Lifestyle-Focused Galaxy Gifts Package for Next Generation Galaxy S5”: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced its collaboration with 16 of the world’s leading mobile content and service providers to offer Galaxy S5 users more than $600 worth of exclusive, pre-paid […]
Microsoft’s Mobile Muddle
Saying “Microsoft missed mobile” is a bit unfair; Windows Mobile came out way back in 2000, and the whole reason Google bought Android was the fear that Microsoft would dominate mobile the way they dominated the PC era. It turned out, though, that mobile devices, with their focus on touch, simplified interfaces, and ARM foundation, […]
Two Bears, Revisited
One of the more annoying aspects of the late great PC area was how review sites treated Macs: for all intents and purposes, they were just another PC. Consider this CNET review of the 2007 MacBook Pro:1 The good: Updated CPUs and graphics without an updated price; LED-backlit display for better battery life; 802.11n support. […]
Christmas Gifts and the Meaning of Design
Gifts are a funny thing. A year ago, for Christmas 2012, my wife “gave” me an iPad mini. I use quotes because I actually bought it; supply was constrained, and when we got a notification that there were models in stock, I quickly dashed over to my local Apple Store1 and picked one up. It […]
Open Source Apps
I’m a bit late to the most recent flareup around app store pricing – it’s been a busy week of traveling – but it’s worth noting that the trend towards free is basically inevitable and the expected result in a functioning market. To put it another way, apps want to be free just like apples […]