The Social Sell: Valentine’s Day Edition
If Twitter partners with Amex to take on eCommerce, you can be sure that Facebook will make its own effort, too.
Category: Tech
The Social Sell
Yesterday, I bought a $25 American Express Gift Card for $15. The neat thing is, I did it on Twitter. I’m not sure if this sort of selling is necessarily going to be the next big thing in eCommerce, but it is certainly a compelling development in how Twitter – which recently raised the per-day cost of its “Promoted Tweet” to $200,000 – is seeking to monetize its product. Similarly, Facebook is experimenting with a ticket purchase option for some events, demonstrating Social Media’s interest – and need – to expand from simple advertising platforms to facilitators of consumer engagement – and purchases.
Polishing Chrome
In light of the screenshots of the new Chrome OS, I figured that it’d be worth publicly positing, that if given the opportunity again, Google would probably have chosen to make Chrome, and not Android, their mobile OS.
A Dark Side of the White House
Netflix’s new series House of Cards is a clear attempt to craft a show to rival broadcast favorites like AMC’s Mad Men or HBO’s Game of Thrones – or anything HBO has produced, for that matter. While many broadcast networks seek to produce reality television, talent contests, or chipper comedies, cable networks – most especially the aforementioned three-letter networks – have hollowed out a niche in high quality programming that focuses on character development and period set-design, achieving a result closer to film than traditional television. And in most ways, House of Cards is a fitting entrant to the ranks.
Everything’s Relative in Tech-land
The blogosphere is all abuzz with the announcement of RIM Blackberry’s new OS, and, naturally, reviews of the both the device and the company’s future abound. Check out The Verge’s generous take, below: And, in perfect complement, BGR’s perspective. As someone once said, “everything is relative. Even Blackberry reviews.” Continue reading Everything’s Relative in Tech-land
Fiber in the Diet
Yesterday, internet services company Akamai released its annual “State of the Internet” report, which tracks the various changes in internet speeds and penetration across the globe. When it came to broadband speeds, the US pulled in at 14th place, behind smaller countries such as Germany and South Korea. Before the alarmists clamor about the loss … Continue reading Fiber in the Diet
We Said So
Some of you may remember our post about Netflix from earlier today. And some of you may notice the current stock price. So yes, we’re starting a hedge fund. Continue reading We Said So
The Future is in Your Queue
There is a great metric by which companies’ success can be measured. Effectively, if the name of a corporation’s good or service becomes interchangeable with the product category as a whole, the company’s product – or at least its marketing – is probably pretty successful. Older examples would be the use of the word “Xerox” as a verb, or “Kleenex” as a catchall for tissues. In our generation, the use of “Google” as a verb is likely the best example.
The New Hollywood Code
There is a fascinating article in The New York Times that explores the increasing level of coordination between Hollywood studios and Chinese censors. The studios – like all other industries – want access to China’s vast population, which has newfound disposable income and a greater desire for Western entertainment and material goods. But the Chinese government rigidly filters what elements make their way into theaters, generally censoring extreme sex scenes, religious criticism, and lukewarm sentiments about China itself. These limitations are unsurprising, given the government’s ban on pornography, wariness of religion, and repressive maintenance of a positive national image.
The Shotgun
I’ve written about Samsung’s shotgun approach to production vis-a-vis the Note – a different strokes for different folks view, as opposed to Apple’s one size fits all philosophy – and, over at Slate, Farhad Manjoo reiterates as much. Hit up the link for more. Continue reading The Shotgun
Silicon Spatula 