New iPad or iPad 3 or iPad S or iPad+: is it really worth all this?

Once again, Apple guys proved that they are marketing Geniuses. Doing this huge Buzz around the New iPad for just a few products evolutions. Unbelievable how daring they are, or how blindlessly they are loved by their fans.

In the same way the iPhone 4s is super close to the iPhone 4, the New iPad is super duper close to the iPad 2. What's weird though is the name of the new device: The New iPad.  Everybody was expecting the device to be called the iPad 3, but I am not sure if it would have been really understood by the clients. Is it a good branding? I am snot sure that it is, unless they will start again the numbers in the following one. Otherwise, what would be called The New iPad when the next one will arrive in one year? The Old New iPad?

Now what's new in this Device?
From the external design, almost nothing.
- The screen is a new retina which significantly enhances the quality of the image; For sure it's an amazing display
- The A5X processor, obviously quicker, is needed to support the new screen
- The 5 megapixels cam which was launched on the iphone 4s
- The 4G - LTE integration
- New pictures and videos applications

For the details of these evolutions, you can check out Apple's website, they explain them in a much sexier way than I do ;-) ( http://www.apple.com/fr/ipad/#video )

And as when the iPhone 4s was launched, the question we ask our selves is if it's worth all this communication   around the "new" device, which, in other industries such as in the Automotive, they would'nt even dare call it a face lift. At the best, a new version with a new engine and some new functionalities.
And here comes another question: in technological devices, how much is the importance of external design v/s the inside components? Before Apple created the iPod's/iPhone/iPad's magical trend, how much did people care about the external design of laptops v/s their performance?
In my opinion, thanks to Apple's trend breakthough, the cursor shifted significantly from the practical/reasonned buying attitude to the emotional one. Therefore, the external design took a much bigger importance, which strengthens the feeling that despite big performance improvements in major elements (processor, screen, cam,...) most of the customers won't feel like it's a really "New Product". Will I want to sell my iPad 2 or iPhone 4s to buy the new ones? Of course not!

I must admit that Apple is super strong in Marketing, being able to give momentum to product improvements, and blending it as if it's a new product. But until when will they be able to play this game?
The competition is getting stronger, with Android and Windows OS becoming seriously close to iOs in terms of stability, user's experience,... and much better in terms of personalization (for Android). In addition, Samsung, HTC, Motorolla and Nokia made huge efforts on their products designs and features. For how long will Apple resist by introducing these slight improvements?

Nevertheless, let's admit that Apple are geniuses when it comes to managing their products life cycles. It's obvious that the iPad2 is still one of the best if not the best tablet on the market. So why should they launch a brand new product with new external design and take the risk that the design would'nt be as liked, spend money on production/supply costs when they still can continue growing with the current one. Just by improving the performance and being able to sell it as a "New" product, they continue maintaining their sales curve and amazing margins.

The good part is that I will still be happy to use my iPad 2 for at least a year, and will see by than what will come out on the market.

Cheers Steve, your pupils are still maintaining the path ;-)

Ubuntu 8.1 v/s Windows XP and Vista

After 2 months unregular use, here are my impressions of Ubuntu v/s Windows XP and Vista

1- Installation process:
XP: 4/5
Vista: 4/5
Ubuntu: 2/5 (see previous post)

2- Graphic layout:
XP: 3/5
Vista: 4/5
Ubuntu: 4/5 (very nice effects + grate double screen system)

3- OS stability:
XP: 4/5
Vista: 2/5
Ubuntu: 5/5

4- Security:
XP: 3/5
Vista: 3/5
Ubuntu: 5/5

5- Confort of use:
XP: 4/5
Vista: 4/5
Ubuntu: 3/5

6- Available Programs:
XP: 5/5
Vista: 5/5
Ubuntu: 3/5

7- System requirements:
XP: 4/5
Vista: 2/5
Ubuntu: 4/5

8- Compatibility:
XP: 4/5
Vista: 3/5
Ubuntu: 2/5

9- Computer smills required:
XP: 4/5
Vista: 4/5
Ubuntu: 2/5

10- Price:
XP: 3/5
Vista: 2/5
Ubuntu: 5/5

Overall:
XP: 38/50
Vista: 33/50
Ubuntu: 35/50

Comments:
The grading takes into account 20 years experience in working on Windows OS computers but no experience in programming.
I was very surprised that Ubuntu is now very close to Windows in terms of layouts, confort of use, ergonomy and much better in terms of stability and security.
Nevertheless, the are less programs available for Ubuntu and they are less complete than Windows (Opensource Office v/s MS Office, video codecs,...). BUT, it's all for free!!!!
So if you have an old computer to revive, I would strongly advise you to do a double installation XP and Ubuntu on the old one, and Vista on the new one, if already included in the price. If Vista is not included in the price of the new computer, or you can lower the price for the computer with XP, forget about Vista. It's the worst OS I worked on since DOS 4.0 in terms of stability.

casadellibro.com

Casadellibro.com
1. What would be your decision? Stick to the previously developed UNIX platform, or switch to the new Microsoft one? Please feel free to make any rational assumptions you might need in order to reach a decision.

Firstly, we need to know if Planeta is willing to continue its web adventure or not. If it was only for the sake of maintaining the share price up, or it really believed that the net was a real channel of distribution with high future growth or not. Since they started selling since 1995 on the net, it’s probable that they will pursue the adventure.

Secondly, re-draw the sales forecasts neither going to heaven no going to hell => remaining on earth!
Once reasonable forecasts done, calculate the “life” expectancy of Microsoft Platform. If it’s more than 2 years, forget about the Unix one. 2 years in the world of computers is a decade in another sector, and many new solutions will come up by than.

Forget about the development costs already made until now on the Unix platform. This is sunk cost. We should only look for the future, taking into account the investments to be done starting from now until the life expectancy of the platform + operating costs.

2. Which are the most relevant criteria for you to make the decision? Just name each criterion, and explain it very briefly.

To make that decision we need to know what’s the gap in terms of quality, reliability,
performance and convenience between the 2 platforms.
Nevertheless, whatever platform chosen, some basics should be insured:
1- Safety of payments: otherwise this could be terrible for casadellibro.
2- Reliability of the system: the platform is the company’s factory. It goes down often,
everything stops.
3- Transparent for the customer: the output seen from a customer point of view should be at
least at the industry standard.

Tesco Case

TESCO CASE: What do you think is the IT-generated competitive advantage at Tesco:

Innovative:
Throughout its history, Tesco demonstrated its capacity to innovate. The Green coupons is a very good example on how Tesco was thinking one (or several steps) ahead of competition. They once again stroke with the first reward card in the industry.

Audacious:
Not only they had the ideas, but they had the guts to realize them, despite the mockeries of the rest of the industry. They definitely took risks in investing several hundred millions in a computerized system to manage their reward program.

In advance:
The first two qualities gave them two main advantages on their main competitors: Time and Experience, which, if used efficiently, can make a significant difference. How?

Database size:
First, by having a richer database, constantly enriched through new subscribers coming either from Tesco, or from partnerships in other industries. When you’re the first on the market, you can choose the best partners in each sector. These partnerships give a huge advantage to Tesco, increasing the access to new customers and providing them with higher adavantages.

Database exploitation:
Having a database is good, but exploiting it in a very accurate way could be great. 90% of the Job is the way to exploit the database, which is the case of Tesco. Many improvements were made through advertisement, direct marketing operations and other actions, giving a highly personalized service for customers (personalized letters, magazines,…).

E-commerce:
Once again, being the first gives often a significant advantage on your competitors. Even though sales through internet does not exceed 1,5% of the total sales, this distribution channel is the fastest growing, and with 50% market share, Tesco earned a significant competitive advantage.

Tesco reward and CRM systems and early arrival in the Internet offer, definitely gave a huge competitive advantage. I a world in which speed is a major component of success, Tesco arrived the first in this field, allowing it to improve significantly many fields before its competitors. The most important is obviously a huge improvement in the knowledge of customers’ needs and behaviors, allowing Tesco to use much more efficiently all the traditional marketing actions (advertisement, direct marketing,…).

Meneame

One more site who does'nt know how to make money...
At least this one was created by people just investing some time and having fun achieving a technical exercice rather than starting by raising some millions to burn.

How to make money out of a successful site, offering free news content to its readers.
Well I can't find a huge number of ways:
1- make people pay for the site or parts of it = kill the chicken before even delivering the golden egg. Most of the users will either continue only on the free part, or go away.

2- advertisement:
a- Banners: seems to me as the old generation way tp make adds on the net. Not efficient and probably not very profitable
b- Interactive adds aiming to proposa and add relevant to what the surfer is reading or used to read. Much more efficient, probably percieved less intrusively by the surfer (who can even find it useful).
The problem is how to do it because it definitely needs an application which scans what are the users' habits, readings,... Two choices:
aa- develop an in house one (which can even be sold afterwards to other sites. Time & Money costly
bb- Start with Google adsense, and than, eventually, develop an in house application if not satisfied with adsense.

Install Ubuntu 8.1 on Dell Inspiron 8200: Old Computer Revival

Hi Everybody,
Here's a feedback on my experience installing Ubuntu 8.1 (latest available version) on an old computer, not used for 1 year.
Specs: Dell Inspiron 8200, 1.7 Mhz iCPU, 512 Mo RAM, 40 Go HD, Radeon 5900 GC, initially running under Windows XP.
Decision: Install only Ubuntu on the computer, without sharing it with XP (possible option).
Steps:
1- Back up all personal documents, including Outlook back up,...
2- Download Ubuntu 8.1 cd image file and burn it on a CD.
3- Restart computer by changing the boot option from HD to CD
4- Cd is launched at startup => choose the option
5- I chose the option to install exclusively Ubuntu and reformat the HD
6- Display problem, black screen, nothing happens
7- Search on the net with my other computer on forums for solutions
8- After an hour or so, got a proposal to add at the installation launch command "vga=771"
The problem is that i did'nt have any clue about linux language, where to add this option,...
9- By pressing F6 and trying several times, then teh solution was:
delete the double minus signs at the end of the command line "--", and replace it with vga=771
10- Banco, it works! 40 minutes or so later, Ubuntu is installed!
Because the VGA and Graphic card issue, the installation is longer than the normal procedure and less user friendly….But here we go, let’s discover a new world!
Will follow:
Windows v/s Ubuntu, 1st impression, Impression after a month utilization.
Cheers

Vichy is facing a communication crisis due to misunderstanding (best case) or a total rejection (worst case) of one of its communication campaigns:

The Problem:
Chain reaction against a communication used, “violating” the values of the users of a community: the bloggers.

The consequences:
Total rejection of the message leading to a counter attack on the media used (internet/blogs), which eventually spread to the large audience classical medias (news papers). Vichy image was starting to suffer well beyond the bloggers community and the phenomenon could spread even wider.

The solution proposed:
The Aïkido tactic = transform the strength of the “enemy” against him, which in this case would be transform the blogger community into allies, instead of enemies, particularly the very active/famous bloggers (opinion leaders). The objective to be reached is to make them write and think that “in the end, Vichy are good guys who made a mistake, and we helped them repair it. They are now welcomed into our community”.

How to do it:

1. Win their trust: it is evident that bloggers don’t trust anymore the content of the Blog. They need to be sure that it’s not another fake person writing to them. Solution: organize a web-conference through the blog with Delphine (Product Manager), speaking from her office, introducing other colleagues of Vichy, and explaining that it’s a “youth” mistake, but the first intention was not bad. Vichy considered the Blog community as very important but didn’t have the experience to communicate with them and ignored its values.
2. Ask them for advice on how to solve the problem
3. Propose to the bloggers or close friends/family targeted by the product to test samples and give their feedback. After all, this was their first intention.
4. Don’t do communication outside of the Blog environment on the subject:
   a. Do not contribute to widen the problem to people not aware of it
   b. The problem is the bloggers community and should be solved with them.