Archive for March, 2008

TechCrunch Readers Not Clued In

Friday, March 28th, 2008

I should not admit that I don’t read TechCrunch unless a specific link sends me there (a blog for another day). It is claimed that you can learn from the wisdom of crowds and I would think TechCrunch is supposed to attract an informed following. On March 27th TechCrunch posted that there was additional investment in Facebook. My guess is there is a pretty long line of investors who would like to have that opportunity, but the comments from the TechCrunch audience would make you think this was a gigantic mistake.

Clearly the readers of TechCrunch, or those commenting on this post, don’t seem to be in touch with the tech world. What are they in touch with? This might be arrogant site is a sought after news outlet, but I hope most readers are smarter than all the folks who are clueless about the leader in what may be the most important new market segment of our time.

Maybe flaming TechCrunch is a hobby I am not familiar with, but these folks need to buy a clue. Google knows. Do you think they have a clue? Maybe you have to be careful which crowd you look to for wisdom. I wouldn’t seek advice from this group.

Posted in Social Networking, Tech Life | 14 Comments »

Facebook Frozen Innovators

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

Yesterday’s SNAP Summit was filled with food for thought. A comment by Facebook’s Dave Morin about the market penetration in Canada made me think. What about creating an arctic innovation center for communications? You wonder why?

We have seen communication leadership from the great white north. Canada has long been a telecom innovator, but think about the mobile phone. Where would we be without Finland? Market innovation and adoption has come form Finland. Some may argue about recent innovation from Cupertino. Does anyone know that Steve does not have a Yukon outpost?

Now Facebook has 20% market penetration in Canada and 25% in Toronto, the last time I heard that quoted. Apparently being isolated indoors with X feet of snow outside your door must be good for creating and adopting communication technologies. We haven’t heard from Iceland yet, but they don’t really live up to their name. I can only conclude that an arctic community could create and drive innovation. Are there any volunteers?

Posted in NextGen Telephony, Social Networking, Tech Life | 676 Comments »

Between a VoIP and a Social Place

Monday, March 24th, 2008

Our roots are in consumer VoIP and obviously Skype in particular, so Jeff Pulver’s VONx2008 was a must visit in San Jose last week. I attend more for the people I meet and check in with old friends. The show has never been a consumer show and while Jeff does a great job of showing the way, most attendees remain in their own worlds. This year (must be 10 years–yikes!) was little different except that Jeff is now sharing his transition into the social networking arena. Again most attendees are not assimilating the message.

I have been here for the entire VoIP journey and there is no question about the future of the social networking any more than you should have questioned whether VoIP would be a certainty. There is a significant difference however. While I could see that as an industry we would connect all the dots for VoIP, it was a technological advancement to complete the task. Implemented correctly users have no idea if VoIP is employed.

Social networking largely reverses the issue. The human activity of social networking is an everyday event. The technology in social networking does not require technical advances so it is more a question of human acceptance. Our behavior must accommodate the changes as technology affects our human interactions. In the case of VoIP most of the adoption is not noticed by users. The new technology role in social networking is very apparent and even intrusive to some.

I can’t imagine why many are still questioning this integration of technology in our human relationships. There may be some reluctance but it is more unstoppable than VoIP ever was. Social connections are at our core as humans.

So last week while I visited the VONx2008 during the day, the evenings were directed to social networking events. This week the SNAP Summit offers their second all-day event focused on social networking. I don’t believe that ten years will be required for technology and social networking to become an everyday routine for all of us. It already is for most anyone reading this.

Posted in Social Networking, Tech Life, VoIP | 147 Comments »

World Class Rock Star Wanted… not

Thursday, March 13th, 2008

Celebrity is getting out of hand. Where American Idol gets all those hallucinating about their talents is beyond me. Does no one have a grip on reality? Excuse me while I sound a bit cranky. This rock star adjective/descriptor belongs somewhere else– not in business. If it is generational I think we should consider growing up. I think a kick-ass monkey is more useful than a world class rock star.

Rock stars are great at generating headlines, expanding egos, being late, being way to picky, over-dosed, over-exposed and over-rated. Unless you accidently find yourself there and have limited talents, why would this be a good thing? And what is world class exactly? I have found myself in positions where I realized that I was one of a few with a particular expertise, so maybe that is world-class in some regard. Unless there is a stop watch on you at the Olympics or everyone in your art-form looks to you, I can’t imagine how world-class is anything but an exaggeration and a bloated ego, not to mention the fawning entourage.

I am just not that attracted to almost anyone who calls themselves a world class rock star, or even enjoys the moniker. Give me some kick-ass monkey, especially a team of kick-ass monkeys. Let the rock stars find headlines while the monkeys go to work. Send in the monkeys. My door is open.

Posted in Social Networking, Tech Life | 30 Comments »

Wow, A Skype Marketing Initiative

Monday, March 3rd, 2008

I have been distracted and not blogging, but I was shocked into saying something. Surprised is the least I could say when seeing an email today from Skype inviting me to an Oprah webcast. Apparently joining Chevrolet as a sponsor, we now might have Skype, apple pie and Chevrolet. Ok, maybe not. As I said I was shocked. Not sure whose kudo this is. I spent more time on Oprah’s website than ever (I have no recollection of ever seeing it before). I doubt that was the goal, but it is a start.

It is arguable for sure, but other than the WalMart deal, I don’t recall anything this visible that Skype has done (Maybe Radio Shack was OK to start– sort of). I can’t imagine this has any direct connection with a new CEO, but not a bad move to take some credit for. It will be great to watch for the impact this may have. As we all look at the online-o-meter each day, this may create a noticeable jump. Last year it was painful watching it try to cross 10 million users online at one time, and then this year it jumped to 12 million making us wonder why we thought the meter was stuck. Anyone posting the line on the ride Skype will get?

Jim Courtney at Skype Journal promises to let us know about the overall experience. Thanks for saving us the trouble. And I managed to write this without saying anything about Oprah and the content. I will get the bandages off my tongue soon.

Posted in Skype, Tech Life | 1,178 Comments »