Sunny Day in San Francisco - 0 comments

Sunny Sunday, standing on the edge of America looking at the Pacific Ocean. This is why living in San Francisco is worth it.!

Software Patent Fights Bore Me - 0 comments

You might have read about the big patent lawsuit between Apple and HTC (and by extension Google’s Android). It is the latest lawsuit in a long and growing list of mobile-inspired lawsuits, making regular folk wonder if this was the new normal for the valley.

My favorite technology essayist/thinker John Gruber laments the pointlessness of software patents and I agree with him, though since I don’t have legal knowledge to comment smartly about it, I am staying out of the conversation. In fact all this patent stuff makes my head hurt — badly.

Instead, I find more comfort in old fashioned lawsuits around hardware and actual physical products. Those patent fights end in decisions that a normal human can understand. Today, for instance Kwikset sued Schlage Lock Company alleging that “Schlage infringes two Kwikset patents and that Schlage’s statement that its product is “10 Times More Secure” than competitive products is false.” Schlage of course disagrees.

Stupid vs Smart - 1 comment

“If you are not willing to look stupid, nothing great is ever going to happen to you.” House MD, Season 2, Episode 14

I saw this ad campaign to sell Diesel denim. The stupid versus smart debate can easily be extended to our world of start-ups and entrepreneurs. Enjoy the photos, courtesy of Diesel Jeans.

Thanks to an acute (and nasty) case of tendinitis and a couple of other minor niggles, I am finding it very hard to blog or reply to emails. The pain, is often a massive distraction, when trying to think. Not surprisingly my output is down for this week. And if I have not emailed you, don’t worry: I still love you and will get back as and when I can. Have a swell rainy weekend. I am off to meet IDEO CEO Tim Brown. I will post a video chat on GigaOM later today. - 2 comments

Why I am not sad. Because I have no reason to be! - 26 comments

Earlier this weekend, someone used the Alexa web stats service and compared the daily reach of GigaOM with that of my friends at Techcrunch and that on Mashable, and wondered if I was sad.

Now I could have easily answered this question over on GigaOM, but instead I am leaving that for what it is for — news, analysis and the unfolding story about business of technology. For everything else, I have this blog and that includes questions about my perceived sadness.

For now I wouldn’t bother to point out that we are actually a network of seven blogs and are syndicated to mainstream publications such as The New York Times, BusinessWeek, CNN Money and Salon. Instead, I will just focus on our philosophy and business strategy which doesn’t revolve around mere page views.

When we relaunched the brand new GigaOM design in November 2009, I wrote that “we’ve tried to do is strike a fine balance between what is a blog and what would be an online magazine.” It was so because we wanted to focus on more analysis and in-depth posts. It was not to just compete with other technology publications, but was also standout amongst what has become a very crowded market.

That is why I have admiration for Michael Arrington and his team at Techcrunch and what they have been able to do to dominate the technology news market. Everyone from Techcrunch to Business Insider to Venturebeat to Readwriteweb and not to mention technology blogs from mainstream publications such as AllThingsD and Bits have their own unique playbook to covering technology industry. We have our playbook. What we do is focus on what we do best: take years of experience, a professional approach and use our sources to present the best news analysis and informed opinions in near realtime. In a post last year, I wrote:

As Twitter has become increasingly ingrained in our everyday lives, its value as as source of information tidbits has become clear. Think of it like that plate of chips and salsa you get before the entree arrives: tasty — spicy, even — but not entirely satisfying. Meanwhile, blogging has become the main course — the source of context. And the evolution into that role has injected new life into the blogosphere.

In this age of instant information, thanks to the rise of Twitter and Facebook, the demand is for tools of context, and that is why I think we are on the right path. Jeff Jarvis, a noted media critic and veteran of the publishing business writes:

If you are selling a scarcity — an inventory — of any nonphysical goods today, stop, turn around, and start selling value — outcomes — instead. Or you’re screwed. Apply this rule to many enterprises: advertising, media, content, information, education, consultation, and to some extent, performance.

That is what we are offering to our readers: value.

You know the biggest reason why there is no reason for me to be sad: our community of readers know exactly what we stand for and what they get when they come to GigaOM.com. In response of the said post , several commenters on the Hacker News reflected how we think of our publication. To them I say thank you for making it all worthwhile by noticing our efforts. That is precisely the encouragement we need to keep doing better for you.

To me their comments are a reason to be elated: we are in sync with the needs of those who we serve.

After 30 Years, MTV Changing its Logo! - 31 comments

I can still remember when I first watched MTV — I was completely amazed, dazed, confused and elated by MTV. It was in 1984. I watched some random songs that included Michael Jackson’s early tracks on a VHS tape. I lived in New Delhi at that time and I watched this video at someone’s house. At that time VCR (dead technology now) was an expensive piece of technology only the very rich could afford. It was clear that music would never be the same again — it would be sold and consumed differently. I guess, I was right!

Apart from the scintillating moves of Michael Jackson, I was completely amazed by the MTV logo. Its simplicity was what made it powerful and simple. And memorable. Perhaps that is why it has not changed for nearly 30 years. MTV music channel first took shape in 1981. According to this blog:

In 1981 Warner AmEx announced they were going to start a music television channel. Frank Olinsky, along with his team at Manhattan Design, created the MTV logo that still stands today. Together, the Manhattan Design team created a flexible innovative design. Why is this design so flexible? Over the years the ‘M’ in the logo has given MTv the opportunity to dress up or alter the logo without loosing the overall identity.

The MTv logo is a well known logo of today. Many people understand that when they see “the chunky, baby block `M’ and the dripping ‘tv’,” they recognize the logo as Music television. It has lasted more than 25 years almost unchanged. Why is this design so good? By keeping the design simple Olinsky and his team left the ‘M’ open for alteration without altering the identity itself. This flexibility has given MTv the opportunity to put whatever they want in the ‘M’, whether a pattern to match a holiday or a color to represent a genre of music.

Well, that flexibility will be on display on Monday, February 8th when MTV is going to re-furbish and change its logo for the first time since 1981.

Apparently the new design/ facelift will reflect the new MTV, a channel that is now less about music and more about a different kind of a lifestyle. It is about reality shows and trends. It is about a young state of mind. I don’t much care about MTV anymore.

Frankly, the only music I listen to is recommended to me by friends. It is either on Spotify or via iTunes. The music videos I do watch are either on MySpace or on YouTube. For me, in this post Internet age, MTV is completely irrelevant.

The MTV logo, however, is still a symbol of how a simple image can outline a company’s vision. The new logo — just a mere twist is an adaption of MTV’s new focus. The new logo will be a revolving image with imagery living within the iconic design. According to their PR pitch:

It represents a new visually defined MTV, stimulating its past, present and future and embracing it’s diversity. Everything from Jersey Shore, to the VMAs to collaborations with the MoMA. The logo is part of MTV’s re-invention to connect with today’s millennial generation and bring them in as part of the channel.

To the naked eye the difference is very subtle but there is a difference. They are using the logo to focus away from “music.” They have dropped the “music television” tagline.

MTV is having somewhat of a renaissance. Thanks to the hit reality show, Jersey Shore, the audiences have gone up for the Viacom owned network. The network is also adding scripted programming which is going to add to its overall appeal.

So what do you think of the new design? Let me know!

What a Nice Surprise - 1 comment

My former employer, Forbes.com recently released its most recent Forbes Web Celebrity 25 list — and included me in the list. Thanks Forbes and congratulations to all my friends who are on the list. I am extremely flattered to be part of this group. The Twitter co-founding team members Biz Stone and Ev Williams, wine expert Gary Vaynerchuk and Chris Brogan are amongst the new comers to the list. If I had to pick someone, I would have picked Daniel Ek of Spotify as someone who should be in on the list. Spotify, a streaming music service he started is the hottest thing in Europe since Skype.

iPad: The New Yorker Edition - 1 comment

This needs no explanation. The New Yorker magazine shows why it still is the best source of mental nourishment and why it is important to have print around. Brilliant work by Barry Blitt!

Street Scenes of Munich: - 2 comments

Earlier this month I was invited to conduct an on stage interview with Jason Kilar, chief executive officer of Huluthe DLD conference in Munich. It gave me a chance to visit the city, walk around in bitter cold and look around what is arguably one of the cleanest and quietest cities in the world.

Here are some random street scenes I captured with my Blackberry Bold. I actually wish I was a better photographer and had a decent camera, especially since my friend Matt Mullenweg continues to take such stunning photos with his fancy camera. Or perhaps I should just stop traveling to places he is visiting.

“Successes only last for so long till someone screws them up. Failures last forever” — Dr. Gregory House in the opening episode of Season 6 of House MD. I guess, if you think about it – the fear of failure is one of the reasons why we try not to take chances on new things and aim for new successes. - 2 comments