Disqus - Friends of kirasha

Re: The Week With Just An iPhone: Unproductive But Fun

webomatica — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:06:21 -0000

Thanks for the recommendation - am leaning toward this Tekkeon TekCharge thing: http://www.tekkeon.com/products-tekcharge1800.html - can charge stuff other than just an iPhone.

Re: Twitter Is Already Profitable!

adamostrow — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:08:04 -0000

how is that misleading? From Bloomberg: "The multiyear agreements will allow Twitter to make a small profit in 2009"

Re: Movie Notes: Avatar

webomatica — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:52:18 -0000

Saw it in 2D. Doubt I'll see it in 3D or IMAX, but this would be one to
check out in HD eventually.

Re: Growing Grumblings on Tech News Don't Answer Incentives Problems

rizzn — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:50:54 -0000

Indeed, it's very rare that we'll even do news-cycle related posts. When we started the site and we were trying to find our voice, Rex Dixon and I typically did a few news posts per day, but it wound up being such a losing race. Sure, we got techmeme headlines (a couple headlines in our first month), but you can't live off those, even if we were looking to be a pageview-consuming blog.

The only way to make money doing the news is to be the exact type of "fast food" Louis describes for a long period of time, and slowly rise through the ranks.

Or, you can do as we have, and be a views and editorial blog - you won't grow through leaps and bounds, but you can have a slow and organic growth that people can come to appreciate over time (or at least this has been our experience thus far).

Re: Growing Grumblings on Tech News Don't Answer Incentives Problems

louismg — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:19:00 -0000

Thanks, Mark. This post, if a bit long, was important to do, and it builds on other posts on this topic that I've launched in the past. If you look at my posting history, especially in the last few months, I think you can see that very few are launched via press release or via other company's blogs. I will make the exception for some of my own personal favorites, but for the most part, I am trying to swim upstream and do things different, which is not always rewarded. Good thing I make absolutely no attempts to make an income from my blog!

Re: Growing Grumblings on Tech News Don't Answer Incentives Problems

louismg — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:17:17 -0000

Dawn, I appreciate your comments. Conversation is important - and finding it can get more difficult. I try to encourage discussion here, on FriendFeed, on Google Reader, or wherever people choose to.

Your comment on my not saying why I share what I share is a valid one, but not easily solvable. At this point, I am sharing about 25-30 articles a day through Google Reader, acting as a human filter to those downstream, trying to find the best of the Web. To add a personal comment to each one would dramatically increase the time it already takes to pass that news along, and not every story warrants that much attention.

I wouldn't call it "no comment reposting". If I did a Tumblr or Posterous blog where I excerpted without comment, that'd be one thing, but Google Reader shares are a different beast. If I choose to use the Bookmarklet to FriendFeed, I tend to leave an additional note as to why I opted to share.

Does that make sense? I would stop very short of calling it cowardly and lazy. You know me, I am always happy to talk, even if it is somewhat critical.

Re: Growing Grumblings on Tech News Don't Answer Incentives Problems

louismg — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:13:24 -0000

Ileane, no question this post wasn't a simple one. Those that pass 1,500 words, as this did, come from a lot of thinking over time.

As for my comment on saying I've churned posts like that out before, it is something I try not to do often, but there are a few select brands whose updates I do want to make visible, either due to their importance to me, or any role I may have played in their start. That includes updates from FriendFeed and Socialmedian, Google Reader, and other products, sometimes including TweetDeck, or on occasion, Twitter.

The company's blogs are the new press release.

Re: Growing Grumblings on Tech News Don't Answer Incentives Problems

louismg — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 13:52:37 -0000

I don't intend to sound naive. Coming from the outside world of journalism, this is commonplace in the industry. The Washington Post doesn't want to get scooped by the New York Times. The Chronicle (when it was more alive) didn't want to miss a story the Mercury News had. So each paper would post on the same story. In the online world, this visibility is exacerbated by minutes, rather than whether they got in the day's paper at all.

Re: Growing Grumblings on Tech News Don't Answer Incentives Problems

louismg — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 13:51:14 -0000

Wow. And so late in the year too! :) Thanks, Brandon.

Re: Growing Grumblings on Tech News Don't Answer Incentives Problems

louismg — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 13:50:51 -0000

It's true. This post could have been written last year, and probably next year too. I've just seen a few of these pop up of late, and thought they could use some highlighting. You and I have talked about Techmeme before. I assume the difficult point comes when there is news, and many sites cover it, and it becomes a choice what should be lead, and what should not. There is an assumption that speed and previous placement plays a role, part of why you are seeing many post extremely short articles, only to be updated later, in a focus to make sure the time stamp is earliest.

Re: Windows 7 From The Perspective Of A Die-Hard Mac User

webomatica — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 08:43:04 -0000

Yeah, you're right - with some further research it seems Outlook Express was left out of Windows 7 to avoid further further antitrust legislation.

Re: WordPress 2.9 Now Available for Download

adamostrow — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:19:50 -0000

just letting people know it's out ... we'll have features and such on it later

Re: Social Media Approval Ratings 2009: Getting Paid and Getting…

adamostrow — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:31:33 -0000

they shared the numbers with us exclusively, not sure if they've since published elsewhere ... don't see it online yet

Re: iTunes, Sirius Seem Antiquated After Spotify iPhone Trial

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:03:56 -0000

Traditionally, I agree with you. I have all my music in iTunes and have for years. I have found artists missing in Spotify, so it's not perfect. But for every artist I can't find, there are two or three more that I do not own which I have found and can stream at any time.

Re: iTunes, Sirius Seem Antiquated After Spotify iPhone Trial

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:03:00 -0000

Yes, the cracks in my Apple fanboy armor are there. And they are increasing. I try to be as transparent about that process as possible. But I still can't stomach most alternatives to the core OS, and have yet to be wowed by an iPhone alternative that would make me switch, so for now, here we are.

Re: FTC Disclosures Made Simple For Bloggers With Conflicts

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:35:46 -0000

Glad you like the FTC graphics. Please do use them on your blog. That's what they are for. Linking back to this article, if you get the chance, won't hurt. Hope you can collect them all!

Re: Companies that Win Set the Agenda

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:49:32 -0000

Advertising can be a poor predictor if it is focused on the wrong things. But effective advertising can set the stage for consumer preferences, which results in revenue and market share change.

Re: FTC Disclosures Made Simple For Bloggers With Conflicts

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:48:46 -0000

Alvin, the expectation is that you would use these on your blog. Go nuts. Linking back would be great, but you are in charge.

Re: FTC Disclosures Made Simple For Bloggers With Conflicts

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:35:55 -0000

John, you can absolutely use these. I know we didn't get every possible scenario. I keep thinking of more.

Re: Companies that Win Set the Agenda

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:35:28 -0000

Android (and much of Google especially in 2009) is absolutely about open. The question is, can their agenda frame other companies to respond? So far, Apple has been relatively unscathed in regards to their approach.

Re: Videos: Talking About Advertising, Social Media in Business

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:34:29 -0000

Sunshine, thanks for the compliments on the interviews. I wish I had spoken up more or been more animated, but that's style vs. substance. :) Glad you found it useful.

Re: Videos: Talking About Advertising, Social Media in Business

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:34:02 -0000

Sunshine was in the room, tossing me questions. I think she was too shy to be on camera, though, so I just sound like I am rambling to myself. Glad you could find value. These are things I think most of us know by heart, but they still get asked.

Re: Videos: Talking About Advertising, Social Media in Business

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:33:15 -0000

Ken, thanks for the comments. We miss you around here.

As for relevancy, that was in response to Sunshine's questions around my6sense, a company I advise. They do a great job finding relevant RSS feeds and tweets, but Facebook isn't using their digital intuition technology. (which forced the example)

Re: iTunes, Sirius Seem Antiquated After Spotify iPhone Trial

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:31:56 -0000

Thanks for mentioning Last.fm. I use that to "Love" tracks and push them to FriendFeed. But I have never been satisfied with the streaming options on either Last.fm or Pandora and the like. Hand selected almost always wins.

Re: iTunes, Sirius Seem Antiquated After Spotify iPhone Trial

louismg — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:31:04 -0000

Amani, today, I only synchronize a few of my playlists from iTunes to the phone. For Spotify, I would do the same. I don't need weeks of music on the iPhone, only a day or two, to cover a full battery charge and any travel. As for discovering new music, I can still take a look at Armin Van Buuren's playlist online and grab those songs from Spotify. There are always ways. And if all else fails, there's traditional radio.

Think about it -- Shazam grabs title and track data. So if I hear something, why not grab the data with Shazam and then add it to Spotify?