June 4, 2007
I’ve been encompassed by the workings of an online business since the beginning of this year. While developing this business and trying to understand the different facets of doing business online, I’ve learned the inside secrets of pricing, sales, shipping, and support.
That last step, support, isn’t just what Dell provides when you’re having trouble with you’re new computer. It’s what every e-commerce business, and pretty much any business, must provide to acquire and maintain customers.
Buy.com seems to have missed their support class. In an exchange of e-mails between a customer who was short-changed 100 blank CDRs he’d ordered, Buy.com begins each pre-formatted response with the title of this post and brings the conflict no nearer a solution.
Read the ridiculous e-mail exchange at The Consumerist.
This is what happens when you let robots run your company. Damn you robots.
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June 3, 2007
Apple Computer Knowledge Navigator
“Apple video from 1988 of what was called the Knowledge Navigator… or what would be the computer of 2010. An interesting look back of where computer technology was thought to be headed. We’re actually not all that far off from this level of interactivity with our computers.”
HUBO, the First Robot to “Ride” a Segway
“HUBO one of the most advanced robots in the world successfully rode a Segway scooter.”
Under stairs storage: brilliant
“A simple yet very clever storage solution. We entrepreneurs should be thinking like this all the time… finding usefulness in everyday things.”
Networking within your Blog Niche: 7 Essential Tips for Bloggers
“A good little write up on 7 tips for bloggers to network and grow their readership and exposure in the blogesphere.”
Top 15 Google Street View Sightings
“I’m sure the list of interesting findings in Google Street Viewer will keep growing, but here are some of the weeks top 15 finds.”
How Ads Really Work: Superfans and Noobs
“Interesting article about online ads in relation to your regular members / readers and your noob visitors.”
Robot lawnmower kills Danish man
“Sort of unrelated to entrepreneurs but tied into this weeks news theme of robots and future technology… ”
Video of Bill Gates Showing off his Expensive Table
“Bill Gates is showing off Microsoft’s fancy new virtual table. This sort of user interface is getting us one step closer to the wall sized computers that you control with hand movements and gestures… ”
The hottest investor in America
“America’s hottest investor is a creative entrepreneur who has helped several big companies make turnarounds.”
Keep reading…
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May 30, 2007
Over at Boing Boing they posted a story of a reader who was concerned that the new Google Map Street View allowed the world to see her home and even her cat sitting in the apartment on the couch.
While the first reaction is “whoa cool!” I think a second one is “Oooh this is gonna be bad.”
It is amazing to think about the ability to find a map to a meeting place and not only be able to see the shapes of the buildings on the map… but to be able to literally zoom in to the street view and look around the area to recognize it later. But I wonder what sort of liabilities this new technology is opening up….
What if your cat was being stalked?
Keep reading…
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May 30, 2007
UPDATE: The full, horrendous video is available here.
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, sweating bullets. Wearing flip-flops on stage, then presenting like you’re reading a brochure aloud. Pick an edge and stick with it next time Mark.
(Video link)
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May 26, 2007
Each Saturday we want to give you some light weekend reading and share with you some interesting Entreprenews that popped up in the last week. Below you’ll find a dozen or so interesting links and our thoughts on each news item.
Facebook Video Launches: YouTube Beware!
“While Myspace is overrun with spammers, scammers and horrible banner ads… Facebook continues to make smart decisions and grow as a quality mega-social networking site. I think this new video feature for them could give them another leg up.”
Publisher to Let the Public Have a Vote on Book Projects
“Why don’t we have our own ‘choose your won adventure’ style television show yet? Where each week we all go online to cast our vote for what direction the show should go next week. We might not be all that far off, as more and more mediums are being set-up to allow the global community to cast their vote on what makes it and what doesn’t.”
An Introduction to Social Media Strategy and Socially Driven Content
“A good article by Wendy about social media, what it is, how you can use it, and how to learn ever more about it. If you have business on the web… it is worth a read.”
Keep reading…
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May 25, 2007
As an internet entrepreneur, my files are my most valuable assets and it is paramount to keep them backed-up and protected. Here is an un-paid review of a product we love and use in our entreprenurial lives - The 1TB WD My Book.
I’ve had my 160 GB My Book drive for over 6 months and have been enjoying the extra storage for my desktop. When I found the 1 TB version I knew it would be an ideal solution for backing up my important documents and files. The $400 price tag on the drive is a little spendy, but the data protection is invaluable.
The best part about buying this drive was taking it to the check-out. The teenage guy who was ringing me up gave me a typical forced happy BestBuy-ism greeting and “Whoa! You can store a lot of music on this!” I wasn’t in the mood for the conversation, so I thought a reply of “Yeah! and a lot of porn!” would make things awkward for the rest of the check-out and save us both the forced chit chat… it did.
Keep reading…
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May 22, 2007
At some point in the past millennium you could start a business by focusing on the necessities and scrapping the luxuries. You could finance the business yourself, or if needed, use your credit cards or borrow from a friend or family member.
I say this because of an acquisition that was announced yesterday. CBS has reportedly paid $5 million for the Wallstrip video podcast. Not only that, but it’s said that Wallstrip initially received $600,000 in funding from angel investors.
Now, I don’t have anything against Wallstrip. It’s a very nice video podcast and I try to catch an episode every now and then. But this is either a serious sign of A) Insanity or B) Bubble 2.0.
There’s no way or reason why a show like that, Rocketboom, or any of the other video podcasts would need $600,000 to operate. You have a camera person, a host, a camera, some bandwidth, a video editing app, and the occasional prop.
I try not to make fun of old people, but it’s almost as if someone at CBS just learned what a podcast is and thinks it’ll be the next big thing. “This could be the edge we’ve longed for over other networks. Quick, write them a cheque!”
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May 20, 2007
Just Finished
Interesting book about the new frontier for information sharing in the collaborative future. Covering not just web 2.0 topics, but how classic industries are harnessing the power and intelligence of the global community.
My Recommendation: Read It
An unauthorized biography about Steve Jobs. Steve has a great story and some mega successes in life, but it was interesting to see some of the not so sparkling parts in his past. The book did a good job of showing the “human” behind the creative machine that is Apple.
My Recommendation: Read It
Simple easy to read advice for entrepreneurs. Guy does a good job of cutting thru the crap to give good advice. I’ve already used some of the good info in the book as inspiration in my Branding Made Easy, and Cheap post.
My Recommendation: Read It
Keep reading…
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May 18, 2007
It’s rumored that Google is going to acquire Feedburner. Well - I guess that’s it for them. I’m thinking most bloggers are with me when I say “Google placed ads in my feed? F**k that”.
I hope they don’t plan on spamming our feed with ads, but it’s only logical. You can’t spend a wad of cash to acquire a product that has no potential ROI. Oh well, it’s just a matter of time until a new, ad free Feedburner clone comes out and steals the show.
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PPC Management
Hell Yeah Dude!
Reverse Funnel System for Beach Bums
