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Amazon Kindle Fire Is Worth It
November 17, 2011 8 Comments
I just picked up my Kindle Fire (amazon affiliate link) and found it to be really good as a consumption device. Id seen some early tech reviews saying that it wasnt all that and a bag of chips, but Im not seeing it. I think the device is pretty slick, shiny, and works well. I shot a video review, so scroll down if you want to see it in action for a moment. (Theres even some Batman to be seen.)
What it isnt is an iPad2. And maybe thats where people are getting all hung up.
Amazon Kindle Fire
The device is about 7 inches, which makes it a bit smaller than an iPad2, bigger than a smartphone (one hopes), and absolutely reasonable to put into a larger pocket, or to tuck into your laptop bag or purse. There are a decent number of covers and sleeves available at this time, but I havent tried any out, so I will just point you towards a few at the bottom for you to check out (again- none of these have been touched by me, so I cant vouch for them.) Upon getting the device turned on, connected to my wifi, and then linked to my Amazon account, I suddenly had access to all the books Id bought from the Kindle store, to all the music Id purchased from the Amazon MP3 store, to the movies and TV shows Id purchased from Amazons video service. It was pretty quick and simple.
The system running underneath all this is an Amazon-skinned flavor of Android, the popular Google OS. Amazon offers a much smaller version of the Android App store with fewer applications available, but I havent yet found that to be particularly limiting (except theres no Google+ yet, which kind of bums me out). The average regular person user will likely not notice a thing, plus all the other social networks are well represented, and I presume Google+ will have a Kindle Fire version soon.
My Video Review
Cant see the video? Click Here
So Why Were People Complaining?
I think its because weve seen how slick an iPad2 is, and because weve seen some of the other feature-heavy tablets, and we think that the Kindle Fire should be that instead of what it is: a perfectly good, quality digital consumption device. If youre thinking of getting a non-Apple tablet device for someone over the upcoming holiday season, and the person isnt a hardcore Apple fiend, this might well be the device.
Need a Cover or Sleeve?
Burn Your Money
November 17, 2011 12 Comments
In typical Chris Brogan fashion, Im talking out my butt on this one. I have NO idea whether this is really useful or not. Does paying for a trending topic ad on Twitter work? Do you see noticeable uptick when you pay for one? Because Ive got to be honest: when I see a paid trending topic, I think, Wow, they couldnt get our attention on a social network any other way? And then I rush to see what those people normally say to people on Twitter. (Hint: never anything especially engaging).
Why Not Just BURN Your Money?
The thing that bugs me most when I see ineffective marketing or advertising isnt that I think it makes the industry look bad. No, I just want the money someone spent on something I perceive of as not all that great so that I could do something more useful with it.
I cant begin to tell whether paying for a sponsored trending topic mention is useful. Id love to hear from people who can say so definitively. But in the larger context, if youre going to bother using social media, why use it like traditional media? Why use it to place spots?
Educate me?
We Are a World of Fledgling TV Stations
November 15, 2011 17 Comments
In the old Weird Al Yankovic movie, UHF (amazon affiliate link), the loose premise of the movie is that Al inherits a UHF tv channel thats failing, and has to turn the ratings around to save the station. Soon, all kinds of strange shows come into existence, such as Wheel of Fish, a game show [...]
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Taking Other Peoples Word For It
November 14, 2011 35 Comments
More and more, I see evidence that people dont form their own opinion. Its easy to determine, if you know what to look for. People repeat something theyve read in Mashable, or on CNN, or Twitter. Instead of forming an opinion or even giving something the benefit of your own review, I see people simply [...]
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Your Customers Are Always the Story
November 12, 2011 17 Comments
In writing and movies and storytelling, theres always the question of point of view. From whose eyes will we see the story? Who will lead us into this world? In Harry Potter, the title character is our point of view, and we experience all the magic from the eyes of someone who was seemingly normal, [...]
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Protected: Additions to the Google+ for Business Book from Que Publishing
November 11, 2011 17 Comments
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
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Why Would You Ever Want to Outsource Your Voice?
November 11, 2011 78 Comments
I had intended to write a post about how unfortunate it is that one of my favorite authors, Chuck Palahniuk, doesnt do his own tweets, because I wanted to share, enthusiastically, that I love his new book, Damned. My immediate feeling, upon reading the little bio on his Twitter account, which points out that his [...]
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Mobile Marketing Isnt a QR Code
November 9, 2011 38 Comments
Ive had an interesting experience repeat itself lately, and then repeat again, and again. In several occasions lately, Ive bothered to click a QR code (one of those nifty 3D barcodes like the one you see above), and this effort has redirected me to a non-mobile-formatted web page. This is a missed opportunity. Mobile Marketing [...]
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After the Kumbaya
November 7, 2011 47 Comments
For the last few years, the phrase social media has been the dominant buzzword of marketing, and for business as a whole. Sure, people want to understand cloud computing and green data centers and distributed mobile workforces, but the burning itch that companies seek to scratch is twofold: How do I ensure my entire workforce [...]
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That VIP Feeling
November 4, 2011 32 Comments
Last night, I attended a welcome party for BlogWorld LA, along with a few hundred other people. It was held on a rooftop with great music, plenty of space to stretch out and mingle, good looking food, and a lot of wonderful attendees. What struck me, looking around at all my nerd friends and blogging [...]
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Chris Brogan is President of Human Business Works, a company providing business systems for small business. He consults with Fortune 100/500 companies and speaks professionally. Read more about Chris...
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