Monthly Archives: August 2009

Indian Press: The Price Problem

August 31, 2009 – 8:10 am

TweetHere is the Indian newspapers price problem: at the kiosk, you face a multitude of titles (roughly 4700 dailies across the country) including about 60 in English. Prices range from 1 to 3 rupees ($0.02 to $0.06). Even by Indian standards those are untenable rates: they cover only about 10% of variable costs. Finnish newsprint [...]

Edited by Frédéric Filloux | Posted in newspapers | Tagged | Comments (5)

The Facebook Micropayment System

August 31, 2009 – 8:09 am

TweetThis week’s question: Will Facebook launch a so-called “PayPal killer”, a micropayment system for members to pay for goods real or virtual? To me, this is a Flat Earth debate, meaning there is no debate, Facebook is ideally placed to become a powerful payment system player. First, a bit of history: the Minitel. Once upon [...]

Edited by Jean-Louis Gassée | Posted in social networks | Tagged , | Comments (7)

Web + Print: A Powerful Combo

August 23, 2009 – 9:47 am

TweetIn today’s context of massive revenue depletion, everyone (almost) agrees on one thing: digital media revenue sources will have to be diversified. There is no magic bullet, no dominant model that will guarantee, by itself, a sustainable revenue stream. Time to think the hybrid way.  Free will coexist with paid-for, different users (occasional vs. intensive) [...]

Edited by Frédéric Filloux | Posted in journalism, newspapers, online publishing | Tagged , | Comments (6)

The End of Megapixel Wars

August 23, 2009 – 9:45 am

TweetFinally, reason is about to prevail over marketing machismo. Specifically, Canon and Sony are coming up with more advanced cameras featuring less pixels.
Why? In these new cameras, less pixels translates into better pictures in low light. (You might want to refer back to two Monday Notes on digital photography: Pixels Size vs. Number and More [...]

Edited by Jean-Louis Gassée | Posted in hardware | Tagged | Comments (7)

Paid news on Mobile. Why it could fly.

August 9, 2009 – 11:55 am

TweetThis week, I downloaded the iPhone application of the British newspaper the Independent. It’s a new breed of app, taking advantage of the new features embedded in the third iteration of the iPhone OS. For a daily newsmedia, Push Notification is the most interesting new feature, combined, in this case, with an offline reader. On [...]

Edited by Frédéric Filloux | Posted in journalism, online publishing | Tagged | Comments (36)

War in the Valley: Apple vs. Google

August 9, 2009 – 11:54 am

TweetIt was long overdue: Eric Schmidt (Google’s CEO) finally resigned from Apple’s Board of Directors. Usually, these resignations are handled in the smoothest of ways: Thanks for the distinguished service and the like. This time, Steve Jobs issued a pointed statement: “Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple’s core businesses, with Android and now Chrome [...]

Edited by Jean-Louis Gassée | Posted in hardware, mobile internet | Tagged , , | Comments (12)

Media: What’s left for the brand ?

August 2, 2009 – 6:36 pm

TweetA well-established brand is supposed to be a key asset. Everybody keeps dreaming of building a long-lasting brand with lots of positive attributes. How true is it for media ? In the rapidly changing environment, in the massive shift towards electronic media (and the vaporization of value that goes along with it), how relevant is [...]

Edited by Frédéric Filloux | Posted in journalism, magazines, newspapers | Tagged , | Comments (6)

Apple’s Jesus Tablet: What For?

August 2, 2009 – 6:36 pm

TweetIf you went on vacation and renounced Internet access for the duration, you might not have heard the latest rumors concerning the iTablet a.k.a. the Jesus Tablet, Apple’s eagerly awaited entry into the putative bigger than an iPhone but smaller than a MacBook segment. I’m avoiding the n-word: for Apple, this is the no-book category… [...]

Edited by Jean-Louis Gassée | Posted in hardware, mobile internet | Tagged , | Comments (15)