Here's some more of my advice for Microsoft.
You're a software company. Go make some software that impresses. On any platform! If people aren't flocking to your mobile platform go earn their respect on the other platforms. Pull them to you by making awesome stuff. I know, I know, you're a big company and you don't think you have to do that any more. But you do, and you should!
While you work on your mobile operating system why aren't you at least impressing us with a few elegant and useful apps for Android and iOS. What would be sweeter than being THE app in any category on those systems. Want the Zune music store to be successful? Enable people to use it on any platform. People might start thinking "I loved my Microsoft music app on my Android phone. I wonder what else they have that's as awesome on Windows phone."
Being THE office suite on the Macintosh sure helped you while you constructed Windows. I know you understand what I'm telling you. Now do the hard part and act on it.
Brian Storming
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Content as the New Factory Product
The iPad. Android pads, and smart phones are the strongest proof that the technology is at the point where content creation, marketing, delivery, and consumption has finally become the new factory product.
As Aaron Goldman points out in Everything I Know about Marketing I Learned from Google, Rishad Tobaccowala put it best by observing that the iPad is the perfect ‘slouch’ device, best for sitting on the couch while “consuming/relaxing”. Simply put, technologies like the iPad are great consuming devices. Apple was brilliant in perceiving that enabling consuming is what 90% of people desire and that the Internet and wireless technologies are finally mature enough to support it.
I’ve also been seeing a growing number of articles and discussions related to attempts to require iPads in schools. I see this as further support for my ‘new factory product’ observation. Sure there’s the practical elimination of multiple heavy text books for students, something that my 12 year old daughter and thousands of college students, will appreciate. At the same time I see we’re just replacing the old use of public schools to create factory workers and consumers with the new use of public schools to create information content workers and consumers.
Should we get upset? I say fighting this transition would be as foolish as trying to hold a tsunami back by standing on the beach with your hand out in the ‘talk to the hand’ position. It’s more important to simply be actively aware of the transition. Me? I’m off to figure out a way to package funny cat pictures and videos as a content product I can monetize (either directly or as a marketable disruption tool).
-Brian
As Aaron Goldman points out in Everything I Know about Marketing I Learned from Google, Rishad Tobaccowala put it best by observing that the iPad is the perfect ‘slouch’ device, best for sitting on the couch while “consuming/relaxing”. Simply put, technologies like the iPad are great consuming devices. Apple was brilliant in perceiving that enabling consuming is what 90% of people desire and that the Internet and wireless technologies are finally mature enough to support it.
I’ve also been seeing a growing number of articles and discussions related to attempts to require iPads in schools. I see this as further support for my ‘new factory product’ observation. Sure there’s the practical elimination of multiple heavy text books for students, something that my 12 year old daughter and thousands of college students, will appreciate. At the same time I see we’re just replacing the old use of public schools to create factory workers and consumers with the new use of public schools to create information content workers and consumers.
Should we get upset? I say fighting this transition would be as foolish as trying to hold a tsunami back by standing on the beach with your hand out in the ‘talk to the hand’ position. It’s more important to simply be actively aware of the transition. Me? I’m off to figure out a way to package funny cat pictures and videos as a content product I can monetize (either directly or as a marketable disruption tool).
-Brian
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