Online. Offline. Bottom Line.™
(skip to the content)
Home | About | Jobs | Privacy Policy | Contact | Login or Register
In a recent article from BBC News, an analyst from the tech firm Gartner predicted the death of the computer mouse within the next five years. He bases his prediction on current advances in interaction with electronics, such as the motion-sensitive Nintendo Wii and touch-screen iPhone. Reference is also made to technology from Panasonic which senses hand movement and facial features. But can these technologies really take the place of a mouse?
There has been recent discussion about the dwindling market share of IE6 from its peak around 2002-2003 of 95 percent, to around 25-35 percent this year. The current IE6 market share percentage may seem relatively high, but the amount of support that vendors, Web frameworks and developers are giving this last-generation Web browser this year may signal an even sharper drop in its usage. This change could not come soon enough.
How far would you go to get free gas? Would you be willing to wrap your car with someone else’s marketing message in exchange for free gas? Such claims may sound too good to be true, but Websites such as gettingfreegas.com, paidride.com, and eyeearn.com are paying you for advertising on your car, and even on yourself.
A recent Nielsen report pointed out that Americans are watching more TV than ever before in their homes: 127 hours and 15 minutes per month. Unfortunately, that time is being spent over more and more choices. The report points out that two-thirds of American homes now receive digital cable or satellite signals for an average choice of 160 channels. The study also shows that 25 percent of homes now have DVR capabilities that enable consumers to time-shift programming and/or to skip over advertisements.
I’ve been a reader of author Michael Porter’s strategic thinking output since his noted article in the Harvard Business Review in 1979 (pdf: How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy). Since that time, Porter has penned numerous seminal articles and books on strategic thinking.
I’ve wondered how his pre-Web thinking would stand up in a world where business strategy has been monumentally affected by the Internet. He answers that question in this Harvard Business Review interview on YouTube: