January 2006 Archives
Here you’ll find a collection of articles published during the month of January 2006.
Reformation in the Hardware Pricing World
By Bruce LaFetra on January 1, 2006
The role of software is becoming increasingly important, and not just for traditional software companies. Perhaps this is nowhere more true than at hardware-focused companies facing the commoditization of their hardware. Hardware without software is nothing more than useless metal and plastic. But if the software is so valuable, why do hardware companies generate so little revenue from it?
Here are three recent examples in how hardware and related pricing models are being transformed:
Customization Marketing Done Wrong
By Nilofer Merchant on January 1, 2006
When Mike Mace joined Rubicon, the rest of us got a chance to see a grown man wear funky white tennis shoes to work, and well, get away with it. Mike has been wearing Jack Purcell shoes as long as Nilofer has known him (15 years). They are practically part of his personality. Turns out that you can get these custom made to your liking, online. So when Christmas rolled around, this inspired a present. Initially, we thought Nike (which now owns the Jack Purcell brand) was cooler than cool, but as we worked our way through the process we found five areas that “broke” an otherwise fabulous idea, and inspires some lessons for good personalized marketing.
Mobile Opportunity Named “Best Blog” for 2005
By Nilofer Merchant on January 1, 2006
Palm 24/7 named our own Mike Mace’s blog, Mobile Opportunity one of two “Best Blogs” for 2005, saying “Brilliant writing and sharp opinions put this in my top two.”
What’s the Big Idea?
By Nilofer Merchant on January 1, 2006
Greatness in leadership is often associated with being the “big idea” person. When most of us think “Big Idea,” we think of technology pioneers like Steve Jobs (personal computers), Jeff Hawkins (PDAs). Heck we might think of Ben Franklin (electricity!) or whoever it was that invented the Internet. And then there appears to be a gap between those “big idea” folks and us high-tech executives. Hooey I say.
Creating “Big Ideas” is available to all of us. While I do agree education, experience, connections, and intelligence play roles, here are some ideas to guide you. With this, I hope to debunk the myth of where great ideas come from, and help you generate “Big Ideas” in your field that help you and your company to win markets.
The Difference Between Google and Yahoo, and What It Means to You
By Michael Mace on January 1, 2006
The press sometimes depicts Google and Yahoo as head to head competitors, but if you work closely with the two companies you’ll notice substantial differences between them. These differences affect the sorts of partnerships you can create with them, and the sorts of competition you can expect if you end up competing with them.