Sneaky eBay...

We all know eBay paid too much for Skype. We even expected some nasty changes after the takeover. Well, here's one of them: As of January 18th Skype changed the pricing structure for SkypeOut calls. For more information this subject please see: http://about.skype.com/2006/12/ Not that I object to the pricing (actually a connection charge make the cost triple on the 65% of Skype Out calls that are short...). What really irritated me is that I had to find this out on my own. Not once was I warned about a change, not even when buying skypeOut credits. And the web page is not easy to find. Purposely, in my view. Heck, even when prodding support the first point you to they pricing page (which has no links to the above nor info regarding connection charges)... it takes 3 or 4 exchanges to discover this bit of info. The support staff have been forthcoming on the info, but in general, this thing was sneaked upon users. Bad eBay image: 'Steal victoriously?' Discuss

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

What the f... are you saying?

Today's action is intended to help forestall some of the adverse effects on the broader economy that might otherwise arise from the disruptions in financial markets Man, I'd really like to meet the pushers of those market specialists. Or their scribes at some rag/netwire outfit... Consider the reality/alternatives. Extreme prediction: 10% of mortgages are non-prime and dissolve to a value of zero. So what? Balance sheets of risk takers dissolve. Properties, for those who cannot meet payments, hit the market at digestible prices. Who loses? the big risk takers. And those who believed in them. Good on 'ya! Im starting to worry that the widely u-tube cloned rant of some Wall street fart asking Bernanke to protect the class's privilege to swat their Porsche every 173 days and give their office walls a new mahogany finish is starting to stick. 'disruptions in financial markets...' Nothing to do with the real world, but some 7-jumbo starbuck-spiked analyst-priest has heard 'The Word'... and is now trying to sell it! True. Year 3 of a Presidency gone totally awry. Must protect the face of the Empire. Real question: is it still possible? Discuss

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic
Yes, the reference to icebergs is pertinent. as this link attests to The northwest passage is open. Hell, the waters above Siberia are open for sailing. Let's run an America's Cup in the Artic! Need one say more, aside from sending an invite for dancing on a volcano? Discuss

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Marketing Case Study of the Year

Apple drops price of iPhone 1/3 after 66 days. (66% of price after 66 days - get it? Jobs is waxing on commercial poetic now... End of digression.) But while veryone chews, this person Emmanuel Benoit nailed it: "Apple aims to become the dominant player of casual smartphones, probably the largest and juicest segmet of the phone business". Not business phones, not cheap end. And the kicker is apparently: Apple gets revenue share from AT&T. Palm & Balsillie don't. Will be picked up by all the business schools. Strategic analysis, dead on. Full marks. But wait, no pass grade yet. ... only in North America. This is not culturally entrenched in Europe. Hands-tied contracts are mainly business users in Europe. They won't reach casual smartphones on subscription models. They could attempt with say Vodafone (pick 1) or Orange (pick 2) for a pan-European promotion. But will Jobs gamble (or take the bait) ? No, I think the price drop is just to introduce the fact it may have to sell untethered in Europe. Say at old price in Euros. 600 Euros ? Still about 300-350 too much over high-end models today. OK, my guess is 399 - 449 Euros. 449 looks good. A price premium the brand commands, but not excessive. Exactly 200 $ more. Will there be arbitrage (folks buying in Europe to ship to America)? The delta... 200$ + shipping ($40) + duty (60 - 100, dunno...) Mmh. Makes the gap big: like 8-10 months of a contract. So maybe Steve had done his numbers all along? Remember, his keynote *did* target the global market. Start with Euro/Japan launch price equivalent, offer only in US with AT&T tethered. Drop massively to establish penetration and revenue base Extend off that 'known price' (the 500 figure) to ROW. Just noticed. I was right not to buy the iPhone! Discuss

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Oh come on...

When journalists try to stir up a tempest in a teapot... Conrad Black's fall brings dark days for London war memorial Oh.. so Conrad's shennanigans mean the water's dried up for maintenance of a park dedicated to the indiscussible sacrifice of men in the great world wars... Instead it's turned into a children's playground where cries of happinesss drown out the symbolism. So what? Had I given my life for freedom, would I not enjoy seeing children playing? Or would we prefer handing out well-oiled guns to pre-teens so they can go and die for Allah/Jehovah/God/[enterYourChoiceHere] ? Who knows. Maybe on one occasion they might read an inscription and ask someone for clarification... Discuss

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

I am not buying an iPhone

I am not buying an iPhone I am not buying an iPhone I am not buying an iPhone I am not buying an iPhone I am not buying an iPhone I am not buying an iPhone I am not buying an iPhone I am not buying an iPhone I am not buying an iPhone I am not buying an iPhone I am not buying an iPhone ... and so on. Message clear? Motives? Many. the product is closed. Take what we're offering, we know best. Why should I stand for this? Not true GSM. Apple is thinking global, but they are applying the American way of thinking (the one that tried to kill a standard created and made popular in Europe). GSM is meant to be ported, to switch carriers or easily connect up to other ones, particularly when roaming. Not happening (yet) all-in-one? Well, it still doesn't make espresso. In any case, all-in-one is not much of a turn on to me. A phone? yes I want one that does what it is supposed to do well. handling SMS is now a phone criteria in my book. keyboard has always been a problem; this looks like an improvement but it isn't there yet. I've also learned I like a *light* phone, not some heavy albeit nice-looking clunker. a camera? no phone has a nice camera. full stop. At best, you may devise something with an artsy style with it, but it is no useful camera. an iPod? but I have to be locked into their earPlug sets or whatever? Mind you, with the library, if I can associate a song with incoming phone numbers... that's a plus relative to shitty ringtonedom. it has OS X, it is a computer. Buffalo chips. If I don't have access to it, if developpers cannot build for it, what's the point? Yes I *crave* for a handheld device of that size that boots up in OS X and has wi-fi. But this ain't it. More lies. no battery substitution. Huge heat generator (it does *all* that stuff). Only a few hundred cycles allowed. In the beat of an eye, this will join all the other electronics in planet-endagering dumps. And it's small enough for users to simply toss it in the wild, rather than pay some more for having it disposed of properly. Hey Steve, I care more about my planet than you do... Above all: many geeks, commentators and pundits are complaining about the same motives. But they're going out and buying a set and *encouraging* Apple to lead them by their noses some more! I watched the clock change from June 28 to June 29. I do know that date may very well be etched in IT history. 1/2 million people actually fell for it. My head is shaking. Not old age. But the sorrow of seeing how many people can soak up the hype and dish out their wallets. Then again, Bush sold the Iraq war with similar results. Is Jobs wise enough to deliver *real* goods in short order? Discuss

Friday, June 15, 2007

Victory !
Texan petrolium company Panther Oil has backed off on drilling in Val di Noto. An area recognised by UNESCO for its heritage - from Antiquity (Noto antica) to the rebuilt in Baroque-style current-day Noto. 10 000 signatures a day in a web-driven petition have beaten back pure commercial interests. Thanks to Panther Oil for seeing clearly in this matter. Discuss

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

You Get What You Gambled For

Two Immams are being released by the Italian Justice System. They have openely haranged Western society and professed violence against it. They have links to Al-Quaeda. They have aided and abetted people and plans of sinister scope. But as politicians need to have a way to protect themselves, they keep writing statute of limitations in order to protect their own dirty doings. Well that's a two-way street & it is coming back to bite them (although not like a whitie would). Why? Because the Interior Ministry wants to boot them out of the country. But humanitarian rules (and Brussels) are impeding this move, because they will (knowingly) be tortured and mistreated in their home countries. These rules have their own internal logic; what has led to their application however... When mustard gas in the Milan or Rome metro hits, unfortunately, no Italian politician will be riding it and it's not their ass that will be truly bitten. BTW, there is not one journalist who has picked up on this line of thinking. Not one. Discuss