Archive for the ‘Marketing’ Category

This Penny Arcade comic was too funny not to spread the love.

OK, I’ll admit it. I’m an Apple fan, love their stuff and have a few pieces lying around the office. I use an iPhone and am typing this on my 13″ Macbook Unibody.

I recently took a fantastic vacation with no laptop. I used my iPhone to listen to a bunch of full albums that I hadn’t spared the time to listen to in years and read a book using the kindle app.

This got me thinking that a larger version of the iPhone to use while on the couch would be cool. Enter the Apple Tablet, or should I say, enter the rumors of the Apple Tablet. You see, Apple hasn’t announced any such product and are denying the rumours as stoutly as they did the iPhone rumors of a few years ago.

Thing is that it’s a brilliant marketing ploy. Folks are frothing at the mouth to plonk down their hard earned on this product that doesn’t even officially exist.

Got to say though that the model is a proven winner. Hook it into the iTunes store and skim 30% off anything that is sold. Lock the thing down so that you can’t put non sanctioned apps on it and away you go. Giggling like a school girl all the way to the bank.

As was proven by the app store for the iPhone, there is a huge market for these low cost, high volume apps and there are a lot of new millionaires walking around thinking how lucky they were to get in on the ground floor of the iPhone app thing.

The question remains what is to come and will it make as large a splash. I kinda think it will and it the form factor proves to be as easy or easier to use on a couch as a fully fledged laptop, I can see two of them coming to this household.

I held out on getting a kindle or any other ebook reader, to see what apple would put out and if it does the kindle app as well as web, email and other apps I can certainly see a good market for it.

Ciao.
Shane

I had this sent through to me today and couldn’t help but pass on the Christmas love.

Everyone has folks that are hard to shop for and this could possibly be the must have gift of the season.

It’s also a very clever piece of viral marketing. I guarantee they will get a bunch of sales from folks sending this around coupled with their low low price point.

At first I thought it was just a gag video but they have a real site and you can really order.

In fact I have placed an order and will post a review when the products arrive.

The video is below.

Kind Regards,

Shane

I love Think Geek, they have really cool stuff, especially aimed at your inner Geek.

I’ve spent many years now working with and around IT, several as a Systems Administrator and there’s just something about a cool tech toy that is something special.

I’ve found some cool items that would be great for your IT friends and family for Christmas 2009.

Halo Remote Contol Warthog - for $25 you can have your very own Warthog. Now how cool is that?

Mini USB Monitor – At only $99, this 7 inch monitor is cheap. I’ll be getting one to run iStats and other iRacing related tools that work fantastic on these external monitors. No video card needed, great for that little bit of extra screen realestate.

Happy Holidays.

Shane

I was toying with the idea of calling this “How to attract Men” but figured that may lead you down the wrong idea of what this is all about.

All men know the power of Bacon, it makes everything taste great. To hell with making other things taste great, let’s eat it by itself, or even better, wrapped in bacon. Mmmmmmm.

I’ve been noticing lately that bacon is cropping up in places I’ve never really noticed it before. Mexican food.

The usual crew went out for lunch a few weeks ago and ended up trying a new to us Mexican joint. The food was really quite good, and we had a very pleasant lunch.

One of the guys perusing the menu, noticed a Fajita plate that included bacon. He immediately felt drawn, even compelled to order said dish.

Turned out to be a really good choice as it was indeed incredibly tasty and he no doubt would quite happily order it again. The power of bacon at work. While the rest of the menu was pretty good, it would be the lasting impression of the bacon that would draw us back.

Taco Bell has put out a new burrito recently that has “bacon, topped with bacon” it also has man’s other two favourite foods. Meat and potatoes. Could this be the perfect food?

Probably not, but it is likely to get folks who would normally stay away from Taco Bell and Mexican food to give it a try. The marketing folks of Taco Bell realize this and thus a bacon burrito is born. Tap into the subconscious of man and hit the primal urges that make man crave that most delicious of meat candies … Bacon.

I made sure I ate before writing this piece as sure as day following night, if I espoused the virtues of bacon on an empty stomach, I would be forced to immediately venture forth in search of tasty bacon.

Let’s completely ignore the health concerns over consuming too much fat, apparently the marketing departments have no issues doing so.

As an example, allow me to hold up the Wendy’s Baconator. I’ve had a baconator once or twice and they are indeed incredibly tasty, however at around 1000 calories for 1 they are horrendously bad for you. Throw in a large fries and soda and you have AT LEAST your daily caloric intake in one meal.

It is difficult to refuse the allure of that most tasty pig product and I believe you should dig in and enjoy.

Do yourself a favour though and maybe cut down just a little. It’s a treat, not a staple. The life you save may be your own.

Kind Regards,

Shane

Funnily enough found on Twitter this morning a link to a news source mentioning that Google was in discussions to buy Twitter.

It makes sense from a business perspective and would likely tie in nicely as did feedburner.

Be very interesting to see what if anything comes of it and if Microsoft or Yahoo decide to pony up some cash and make it a bidding war.

The folks from Twitter also created blogger which was bought by Google five years ago.

Shane