News from Google (buying Motorola) and HP (selling its mobile and PC business) shows that there are huge shifts taking place in business models. And the key word is ecosystem.
So what is an ecosystem? Well, much like the ecosystem that plants, animals, and humans live in, an ecosystem in business is a collection of parts whose complex interconnection enables a company to thrive in their environment.
Google bought Motorola because Read the rest of this entry »
Well, i said Google needed to do something bold about Android, and that was bold! Spending USD12.5 billion on a company that is losing lots of money is either madness or masterstroke. The internet has hardly stopped buzzing about this. Here are the key points:
1. USD12.5 billion is nearly 50% more than Read the rest of this entry »
Here’s the scene. Google is the dominant internet company, owning search to the point that it’s effectively a monopoly. It makes huge amounts of money from this, and the dominance in this area will continue for the foreseeable future.
Yet it’s also David in some other battles. Read the rest of this entry »
In a couple of hours, the iPad 2 will be announced by Apple. Here’s my prediction. Now we know that it’s not going to have a retina display, it’s difficult to imagine what new features it will have. Sure, it’s going to have a camera for FaceTime/Skype, but really, is that all it’s going to be?
So here’s my prediction. The new iPad will be cheaper — my bet is $299. Here’s why. Read the rest of this entry »
As an avid smartphone user (ok, geek), i look forward to using my favourite gadget while travelling. So much is available to the traveller, and so many apps have been created to ensure users have a great time while travelling: browsers allow you to go online and search for information as needed, and apps have functionality that is nothing short of magical. Many articles give the Top 10 Apps for Tourists, Best Apps for Business Travellers, highlighting everything from the prosaic — city guides, restaurant and hotel reviews — to the downright magical Read the rest of this entry »
Google’s got a big problem with Android. And if it doesn’t change its ways, it’s going to get worse.
A lot has been written lately about the battle between Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. These focus mainly (rightly) on the hardware and software differences, as well as differences in model, and indeed philosophy. However, conventional wisdom seems to be that iOS will make the money now, but Android owns the future. As it stands, that is plain wrong.
Verizon announced yesterday the availability of Apple’s iPhone 4 on its network. While this was good news for those in America waiting for an alternative to the pain of using AT&T’s network, for most of the rest of the world, it had little impact: the Verizon iPhone uses CDMA, a different technology to the GSM that is common in most of the world.
Looking at the screenshots reveals a setting for creating a WiFi hotspot.
Read the rest of this entry »
During a recent trip to the US, I had the pleasure to stay in several excellent hotels. Two of them were LEED certified. What surprised me were that they were the only hotels of their kind (in the 2 major markets they were in).
“Eco” has been a buzzword for a while nowwith every hotel thrusting its eco credentials forward, even if it is only a sign in the bathroom asking you to reuse towels (incidentally the most self-serving of all eco-friendly options, something I find quite cynical on the part of the hotels). Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve been working on mobile sites for some clients just recently, and this has been informative, if slightly depressing! In a previous post i talked about how little distinction there is between hotel sub-brands. If you look at the mobile space, there’s very little distinction between the main brands themselves. Follow me while i take a look. Read the rest of this entry »
Recently I stayed in a hotel that was part of the Marriott empire – not a Marriott itself, but one of its sub-brands. The experience was a constant surprise – some of the things I expected were missing, but other things I didn’t expect were there. I clearly didn’t understand what the brand was offering. So what was happening?
The more I thought about it, the more it came down to two things. Read the rest of this entry »
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