Chris Pirillo has a great video on his dad using Windows 8 (beta) for the very first time.
Now, I am a fairly “techie” guy. I have been using PC since the early 90′s during its DOS and Windows 3.1 age. My guess is that I can probably find my way around a Windows 8 machine fairly quickly.
But the problem is: I am NOT most people.
Most people probably land in between me and Chris’ dad when it comes to PC usage, and I think that’s some pretty BAD news for Microsoft.
To be honest, after being disappointed by Vista, I never actually gave Windows 7 a chance. Since XP can do everything that I ever wanted my PC to do, and I was pretty comfortable using it, I never had to switch or upgrade to Windows 7. From what I have heard, though, from both my friends and online reviewerss, Windows 7 is a damn good operating system.
It doesn’t matter to me anymore.
I have switched to OS X earlier this year and I am not planning on going back anytime soon.
I have to admit that it took me a while (a week or so) to get used to the new operating system, and my dad, after a few months, still haven’t really gotten used to it yet. But after figuring out how most things work on a Mac, a light bulb went off in my head, “This is what a good user interface is supposed to be! It simply makes sense.” I guess it was more like what a “good design” is supposed to be: simple and intuitive. Everything is put there for a reason.
In my opinion, two of the most outstanding features of a Mac has are: 1) Multitouch gestures with the touchpad, and 2) the ease of mind knowing that I am far more secured from viruses than I would be on a PC machine. And unfortunately (for Microsoft), they can’t be replaced either easily.
No, I am not saying OS X or Mac is perfect. No operating system is. But it’s definitely better, for what I need for everyday computing.
And if Microsoft isn’t careful, the time for the iPad to outsell EVERY PC manufacturer combined might come sooner than we think. FYI, Apple already sold more iPad than any PC makers last quarter. That was last quarter! Before the launch of the new iPad!
P.S. If you are interested, here is a video of Chris’ dad using OS X Lion for the very first time.
The point of the Joseph Kony video campaign was quite clear: to make people aware of this criminal so that the organization could get resources and support to stop him.
I don’t know about you, but as a marketer, isn’t it exciting to know that we CAN get hundreds of millions people to give you their attention, support and money? And on top of that, to willingly spread your message?
The message, of course, needs to be compelling enough.
P.S. Lesson #2 to take away from this: when you in fact have the attention of millions of people, any issue, big or small, which might be worth criticizing WILL be exposed and criticized. Be ready.
If history has taught us anything about the Internet, we should know by now that fitting in online won’t get you anywhere.
Whatever you are trying to do: sell a product, solidify/reinvent your brand image or build a following; it doesn’t really matter.
The challenge is: when you have nobody to look up to, do you and the people you have surrounded yourself with have the guts to actually create something that might be controversial?
I have heard many people claiming that they are not talented or smart enough. I am sure you have, too. But the truth is, I think every single one of us has talent. (OK, maybe not world-class talent, but talented nevertheless.) It’s just sometimes we refuse to put in the work.
It’s true that no matter how hard you work, the chance of you making it to the NBA is next to none. But that’s not to say that if you work hard enough, you will more than likely be much better than just about anyone in a pickup game on the playground. Isn’t that enough?
…and the same could be said about your work, business, school, whatever.
Apple never cease to amaze and create “buzz” after their product launch. This time, with the launch of their iPhone 4S, Siri, the virtual assistant, seems to have taken the world by storm.
Here are some of my thoughts on it:
- Should Yelp be worried? I think so. They’d better act fast to either come up with a better solution or team up with Apple. Imagine when I tell Siri: “Langer’s has the best pastrami sandwich in the world! You’ve gotta to try their #19.” And a friend of mine asks: “Pastrami sandwiches in LA?”
- Traveling. Airlines, hotels, car rentals. They should all be salivating at this platform. How cool would it be if someone asks her phone to “plan my trip to Paris” and Siri puts your name first on the list?
- Deals. “What’s the best deal on Sony Nex-5N in my area/online?” “Who has happy hours now?” A side note: If you are a product manager, you ought to really think hard now about naming your product.
- Social. “I am free this Friday night. Who wants to hang out?” “Who among my friends are free this Friday night?”
Once again, the possibilities are pretty endless, and I can’t wait to see what people can come up with.
This is such a great article from a Googler on why Google+ might (already) be failing.
The way I see it, you really only have two options:
1) Insist on building a product that people need (and love) before they know that they needed it. See the future, take a stance, and risk failure. It’s such an impossible thing to do, that when someone actually repeated does it, it leaves little doubt why Apple is where it is today.
2) Build a platform in which everyone could excel. Ignore the fact that most people won’t put in the effort, assume nothing and leave all the possibilities open.
I think all Social Networks are biased, and most of the time, it’s a positive bias.
I am not suggesting that there is zero negative comments online; that’s obviously not true. What I am arguing is that people tend to create and/or share things on Social Networks that can somehow help them to build their “online social status” in a positive way.
Take Yelp.com for example, the characteristic of Yelp is biased heavily toward a remarkably great dining experience. Sure, there are complaints about crappy restaurants, but the majority of the reviews are either good to great (4 to 5 stars). This is especially true for popular restaurants.
I make the assumption based on this simple idea: a 3 star restaurant is not really worth mentioning, and you would appear kind of stupid (to your peers) if you keep eating at places which you rate 1 or 2 stars.
So here is the question you should ask yourself: if you want your customers to talk about you on their Social Networks, what can they say about you that would make them look good in front of their peers?
I don’t know why businesses almost always seek to be like their competitors. Granted, most of time, they are trying desperately hard to catch up with their industry leader. It may have worked to some extend before, but it does NOT work for Web 2.0.
The key to Web 2.0, business or personal, is to be unlike everyone else.
I was watching an episode of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart the other day, and thinking to myself: “I don’t mind waiting for the 30-second commercial clips in between each segment.” Not that I enjoy watching the commercials (I ignore them altogether), but because I understand he (and his show) is trying to make money. And because he is the only Jon Stewart in the world, It was worth the wait.
You don’t win when you are better than everyone else. Not anymore. Not online. You win when there is no one else doing what you do.
It’s a valid method to build your online fan base by spending a lot of money on advertisement. It’s proven, and it works.
The problem is, that method (especially online) is losing its effectiveness in an world that is now filled with noise and distraction — interrupting people with more noise when they are getting so good at filtering out noise simply isn’t smart.
This is when you should remember that advertising is only a (small) part of marketing. Now is probably as good a time as ever to ask yourself: if we take away advertising from our marketing, what are we left with?
Here is the thing: when businesses are doing well, they generally don’t want change. They hesitate to add or try something new — afraid that the new addition will somehow disrupt rather than help.
While that’s totally understandable, you should also keep in mind that the best time to invest in Social Media is while you are still on your way up. The most effective and efficient time for building a Social Media fan base is when there is still enough buzz about your business — when people can’t wait to hear from you.
Many businesses treat Social Media (or any other new marketing tools for that matter) as a desperate attempt to revitalize their businesses when all else have failed.
Guess what? Social Media isn’t some magic that will miraculously turn your business around. It is merely a new way of communication. When people don’t want to hear from you, they don’t want to hear from you, regardless of what method you are using to contact them.
So, don’t be like those businesses who were forced to switch from fax to email at the last minute. Instead, be one of the first in your industry to reach out to where your customers are today (hint: Facebook). Accept the fact the this new form of media is here to stay, and try to master it before everyone else.
