As the web becomes more social, I wonder why more businesses don't link to Facebook connect? For example, Sears and Kmart have consumer social networking sites called mySears and myKmart. I would be more willing to post/interact with these sites, and generally be more engaged if I could login with my facebook id rather than create a new account.
Perhaps it is because businesses love to gain access to customer data, with the objective of targeting the customer with better advertising. However, at what price? At the risk of missing out on several potential customers? And even with Facebook Connect, they are getting access to basic user information, and the potential of reaching out to an even larger set if the customer posts to his/her Facebook Profile?
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
More from the Palazzo
Vegas was supposed to be the place with the perks! Free rooms if you gamble a lot, free drinks etc. etc. Well, no more. The hotel I am staying at Palazzo has a nice gym. However it charges a nominal usage fee - $30 a day! Down from $40 a day, because my company is having a conference there.
Seeing that I could not exercise at the gym, it was time to look for alternatives. I found these free, on-demand videos on the hotel TV which were pretty awesome. I did a 10 minute stretch workout which stretched muscles that I did not existed! The videos were free, courtesy of a site called Exercise TV which features these free videos as well. They make money by selling these videos as DVDs, or as videos for your portable devices. The try-before-you-buy business model seems sound; by providing the free videos at the hotel, they get publicity, and new customers. The hotel benefits, and customers like me (who are too cheap, or maybe too sane to pay $30 to workout) benefit.
Seeing that I could not exercise at the gym, it was time to look for alternatives. I found these free, on-demand videos on the hotel TV which were pretty awesome. I did a 10 minute stretch workout which stretched muscles that I did not existed! The videos were free, courtesy of a site called Exercise TV which features these free videos as well. They make money by selling these videos as DVDs, or as videos for your portable devices. The try-before-you-buy business model seems sound; by providing the free videos at the hotel, they get publicity, and new customers. The hotel benefits, and customers like me (who are too cheap, or maybe too sane to pay $30 to workout) benefit.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Vegas
I am in Las Vegas for Momentum, my company's annual user conference. I walked down to go to the breakfast at 6:30 AM. Passing through the casino, I saw people smoking cigars, drinking and gambling even at that hour! Vegas is really amazing!
Another cool thing is how my company is using Twitter for the conference. They have asked everyone to follow and post one a twitter name they created, and actually have a large screen showing the latest tweets.
Another cool thing is how my company is using Twitter for the conference. They have asked everyone to follow and post one a twitter name they created, and actually have a large screen showing the latest tweets.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Why I switched to Mac!
I am switching to a Mac. And the ad above really shows nothing as to why I am switching. Yep, I do like the slick aluminum feel of the new MacBook. But the key feature is the OS! I am sick and tired of Windows hanging on me, of not being able t shut the laptop cover and then having it power back in a couple of seconds. Of having to reboot my laptop just to get access to the wireless. Of having my laptop freeze on me randomly. That is why I switch. Unfortunately I am no longer a PC
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Skydeck
This startup is awesome! It enables you to put your phone on the web (well not the best description - I am sure I can do better)! See the youtube video below
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Acting Class
I attended an acting class yesterday at the Cambridge Center for adult education. It was taught by Stan, who's probably 80 years old, and has been teaching the class for 42 years! I met some interesting people through the class, including:
1. One Welsh guy who is here with his wife. His wife is on a program with Harvard, and he is taking tons of classes at the CCAE to keep himself sane
2. A voice-over specialist who told me how profitable doing voiceovers is
3. A very shy young guy, who did open up in the class, but found it too much, and left halfway through.
4. A model trying to get into some acting
5. Several other people who just wanted to learn to be more expressive
I learned about the four key emotions of acting; happiness, sadness, anger and fear. What was surprising is how one can fake physical actions that mimic the emotions, and start feeling these emotions. Try it - maintain a happy face and you will get happy pretty soon! For an actor, the challenge is not getting into an emotion; the challenge is to quickly get out of it and then switch to an entirely different emotion. We did an exercise which involved acting in pairs, playing off each others emotions and quickly switching between them. There was no script and no defined guidelines.
Loved the class! Also realized that I am probably not going to become a professional actor (duh!) but would certainly love to learn this art more to improve how I express myself.
1. One Welsh guy who is here with his wife. His wife is on a program with Harvard, and he is taking tons of classes at the CCAE to keep himself sane
2. A voice-over specialist who told me how profitable doing voiceovers is
3. A very shy young guy, who did open up in the class, but found it too much, and left halfway through.
4. A model trying to get into some acting
5. Several other people who just wanted to learn to be more expressive
I learned about the four key emotions of acting; happiness, sadness, anger and fear. What was surprising is how one can fake physical actions that mimic the emotions, and start feeling these emotions. Try it - maintain a happy face and you will get happy pretty soon! For an actor, the challenge is not getting into an emotion; the challenge is to quickly get out of it and then switch to an entirely different emotion. We did an exercise which involved acting in pairs, playing off each others emotions and quickly switching between them. There was no script and no defined guidelines.
Loved the class! Also realized that I am probably not going to become a professional actor (duh!) but would certainly love to learn this art more to improve how I express myself.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Personal Om
One of the coolest iPod apps I have seen is Personal Om. It plays the Om chant continuously in the background for a set period of time, and presents a calming visual on the screen. That's it! Very simple but very useful. I use it pretty often - whenever I want to calm myself, and spend a few minutes meditating. The best things in life are simple, just like this app.
Of cats and sound sleep....
Typically I am not one of those people who blog about their pets. Bu
t I had to post this picture. Last night, before going to sleep I went to get some water. I found Millie sleeping on the couch squished under two pillows that had flipped on top of her.
I nudged her to make sure she was ok. She woke up with a start, obviously pissed at me at waking her up from a deep sleep.
t I had to post this picture. Last night, before going to sleep I went to get some water. I found Millie sleeping on the couch squished under two pillows that had flipped on top of her.I nudged her to make sure she was ok. She woke up with a start, obviously pissed at me at waking her up from a deep sleep.
Friday, May 1, 2009
I hate delta
UPDATE: I emailed Delta about this. They re-terated their policies (irritating) but gave me a $100 certificate to be used on the next flight. Cribbing works!!
After being a fan of delta airlines over the past few years, I have really started disliking them. 2 incidents led me to do this:
After being a fan of delta airlines over the past few years, I have really started disliking them. 2 incidents led me to do this:
1. One morning my flight to Detroit was delayed due to a technical glitch. I was supposed to go to Atlanta later in the day, so I got off the flight and had my ticket changed to an evening flight to Atlanta. I went back home for the rest of the day, but delta refused to pay me for a cab back to home and back to the airport.
2. Recently I had a flight booked from Boston to Chicago and back. I had a work trip scheduled the day before to Chicago, so I figured I could tell Delta that I wouln't take the first leg. They get an extra seat, I get convenience and everyone is happy! WRONG! I had to pay a $150 CHANGE FEE to make the change to my ticket. Why? Because I apparently violated my contract with delta.
After 2 years of being platinum and gold medallion, and spending so much money with them, these events have totally ticked me off. A great case in how you get your customers to start taking their business elsewhere!
Latitude
I am on Google Latitude now, constantly broadcasting my location to my friends. This is a great idea in concept. Particularly as I go on Business trips and have a free evening, I want to meet friends who are in the area.
Of course, in reality, I have 4 friends on google latitude. I need more people adopting the platform if it is to become useful. To the scale of Facebook and Linkedin.....
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
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