The Brooks Review

Month: March 2011

  • How NY Times Paywall Could Turn Out to Be a Success

    Felix Salmon on why the paywall at the NYT could work out pretty well for them:

    The point here is that the paywall is responsible for multiple revenue streams, not just its own narrow subscription revenues. It will drive marginal readers to the print product, especially at weekends — and thereby shore up or even increase print-ad revenues from the weekend paper.

    I hadn’t thought about that — what a great ((Whereby ‘great’ I mean pointless.)) idea, leveraging modern, popular, technology to shore up a dead business.

  • Twi$$er

    We have a problem: Twitter one of the last useful “social networks” ((I spit on you Facebook.)) needs to start making money and fast. Making money isn’t really the problem, the problem is how Twitter wants to make money and how the need for money is fundamentally changing the service itself.

    Right now Twitter seems to be using “Promoted Tweets” and “Promoted Trends” as their way to monetize the service. I have no clue how much these ads cost, or how many they run at once, but lets just say they are making $100,000 (This article says $80k and this WSJ article says $100k) off of each of the two — for one day. Let’s assume there are 3 of these running each day. That means that in one month Twitter has made roughly $9 million dollars (again assuming they can find 3 advertisers willing to pay $100k every day). I think that is unlikely given how ineffective I can only imagine these ads are.

    Marco Arment on the latest episode of Build & Analyze pleaded for Twitter to just inject ads into the users tweet stream every so often. A good idea (one that I support), but again it would be very difficult to keep the revenue at a high enough level without allowing just about every advertiser. Google makes a lot of money in $1000 chunks, not in $100,000 lump sums.

    What if Twitter decided to start charging users?

    Imagine that Twitter’s estimated 200 million user base was asked to pay $6 a year to use the service (something that would amount to $0.50 a month). I would guess Twitter would lose some users — let’s be brutal and assume they lose 70% of users instantly. That leaves the service with about 60 million users – a large drop.

    That is 60 million paying users though, and at $0.50 each monthly that amounts to $30 million dollars in revenue each month. To put it another way: if Twitter charged users $0.50 a month and lost 70% of their user base, they would still make $21 million dollars more each month than I estimate they do with promoted tweets and trends.

    Now we have to go back and look at my original math, to get a promoted [whatever] to reach $30 million in revenue each month Twitter would need to be running 10 of these promoted items everyday at $100,000 each. That just doesn’t seem likely to me. Perhaps they are and I just don’t see them, but if I am not seeing them, then how beneficial can they possibly be to businesses? And if they are of little benefit to businesses, then they won’t sell for very long.

    There are some obvious things going on here:

    1. We must assume that Twitter wants the service to remain free to users at all costs. ((Given their current behavior.))
    2. We must further assume that Twitter doesn’t want to display traditional ads. ((Given their current behavior.))

    Making those assumptions means that Twitter has decided a large, vast, user base is better than a small profitable user base. I am not here to argue which they should do, but I think it needs to be noted that if 30% of Twitter’s estimated 200 million user base paid just $0.50 a month — Twitter would be making gobs of money.

    Or think about this: what if you could pay $29 a year (like a Flickr Pro account) and in return your account would be verified (telling the world it is actually you) and you wouldn’t see promoted anything. Thus, Twitter could keep serving those promoted items and charge the power users not to see them. I would guess that the ‘Pro’ accounts would bring in more money than the ads do on a month by month basis if such a system were to be implemented.

  • The iPad, A Year Later

    John Carey checking in on his iPad usage:

    I have a simple Manhattan Portage messenger bag with a space that perfectly fits my iPad and it’s lovely cushy sleeve that I wrote about here before and it makes it so very easy to pull out my iPad and instantly be checking my mail, opening up a tech manual for a new piece of gear at work, catching up on the latest news, or sharing a few photos quickly and easily on the big screen. This kind of casual quick approach computing isn’t as accessible on a laptop. Well, maybe on one of those tiny little MacBook airs to an extent but not in the same way.

    Carey makes some great points about how his iPad usage has transformed. For me I used the iPad a lot the first month I got it then the usage waned a bit before it just took off like a rocket. It takes time to get used to computing on the iPad, but once you do you can’t imagine not having one — at least I can’t

  • Quote of the Day: Seth Godin

    “I think that any time reality doesn’t match your expectations, it means that marketing was involved.”

  • Digital Death Day

    Glenn Derene on what happens to all your digital data (specifically “cloud” data) when you die, this is what he recommends:

    But for individuals the solution is simple, Davis says—include a digital will along with your regular will. Leave instructions for how to get to your digital assets and what to do with them. Then your online identity won’t end up in digital limbo.

    This is something that has been troubling me for quite some time. When I die my computer effectively becomes useless to my family until they reformat it — everything is locked with a password that only I know. So what do I do? Well, in that case a digital will of sorts makes good sense — provide the password to my wife or next of kin after death and they can use my computer to get the info they want off of it.

    The larger, and more troubling question, becomes what happens to, say, my websites? If I die presumably at some point my credit cards will be shut down and then Media Temple will get rather tired of hosting the site for what would amount to being “free”. I don’t want all my writing to disappear though, yet I don’t want to burden my survivors with the financial and technical responsibilities of keeping the sites going.

    What do you do?

    I don’t know, but if someone created a company that converted WP and other blogs into static HTML upon learning of someones death and just served that in perpetuity for a one time fee I would sign up. Perhaps it could even be paid for like insurance is, I pay in $5 a month and when I die they take the passwords and usernames from my digital will, convert TBR to static HTML and then host the archives forever.

    The only problem is the domain and how you transfer all that and keep the domain alive.

    Somebody needs to figure this out or we stand to lose great parts of the web as the web population ages and tragic deaths occur (as they so often do).

  • DropDAV

    This is a great tool for exporting those annoying iWork for iPad documents back to your Dropbox folder.

    Step one is to open the file from Dropbox in iWork for iPad.

    Step two is to create/edit the document.

    Step three is to export to WebDAV and use DropDAV to pick the folder you want to send the file back to.

    That is a pretty neat setup.

    [via emails from quite a few readers]

  • Love For Japan

    Draw a heart, scan it and submit it. Then pre-order the letterpress poster they are going to be making out of the drawing. Not only do you get something pretty cool, but you are contributing to help the recovery in Japan.

    It is a great cause.

    (Also the website is gorgeous looking.)

  • Creating Markdown Links with Keyboard Maestro

    In a past episode of The B&B Podcast my co-host Shawn Blanc was giving me some grief over the fact that I didn’t have a keyboard shortcut setup for Markdown links in TextMate. Being a TextMate fanboy I knew that I could create a solution using bundles, but honestly I have never done that before and that thought of spending that much time concerned me. Instead I knew that I could create a solution using the best weapon I have at my disposal: Keyboard Maestro.

    In MarsEdit you can select text and hit the shortcut: Shift+CMD+A to paste the current url on your clipboard and set the selected text as a link to that url. It is all pretty damned easy and I really like the way the system works in MarsEdit and I really like the shortcut key. So the question became: how do I make that a universal shortcut on my Mac that does the same thing for any text anywhere.

    It was actually pretty easy. Here’s how I did it with Keyboard Maestro:

    1. Create a new Macro and set the ‘Hot Key’ trigger to: Shift+CMD+A.
    2. Tell Keyboard Maestro to execute the CMD+C or ‘Copy’ action.
    3. Add the ‘Insert Text’ action and tell it to paste the following: [%CurrentClipboard%](%PastClipboard%1%)

    You are now down. Any text you select anywhere on your Mac will now be converted to a Markdown link, which is great for people like me who go back through blog posts in TextMate, entering in new links. But wait, there is one obvious problem here — this macro will have a conflict in MarsEdit, especially if you use MarsEdit in HTML mode and not in Markdown.

    Keyboard Maestro provides an easy work around for this. Create a new macro Group and label it something like ‘Not in MarsEdit’. In the editor for that group (just select the group folder) change it so that the macros in that group are ‘Available except in the following applications:’ and then just add MarsEdit. Now you have made it so that any macros housed in this group are disabled when you are working in MarsEdit. Last step then would be to move the Macro you just made into this group (by dragging it).

    Done.

    [Updated: 3.23.11 at 3:23 PM]

    Reader Drew Franklin tweeted to me that TextMate already does this using the Hyperlink Helper bundle and the shortcut: Control + Shift + L. Though I still prefer my universal solution it is nice to know that you can do this with no work.

  • The iPad 2 and Its Time-Saving Smart Cover

    Nick Bilton with a great observation that I had not consciously thought about before:

    It takes me, on average,  5.1 seconds to start and begin using my first-generation Apple iPad. This is how I spent those 5.1 seconds: opening the cover protector, pressing the power button in the top right corner of the device and then swiping my finger across the screen to unlock the iPad.

    Of course that is the iPad 1 that doesn’t have the Smart Cover — once Bilton added in the Smart Cover on the iPad 2 then things started to change. That is just one of those little intangible speed increased that you get with the iPad 2. Great catch.

  • Quote of the Day: Tim Bray

    “Bloggers and other flavors of lone wolf are publishing heart-wrenching photo-essays from the front line of the recovery effort. Newspapers and TV networks? They’re writing about the temperature of the water in some part (they don’t specify which) of some damaged reactor, illustrating it with video screen grabs of machinery they don’t understand enough to explain.”

  • The Only Secure Password Is the One You Can’t Remember

    Troy Hunt makes a great case for using 1Password (a tool I swear by). I particularly like all the detail he goes into on why you should take the time and the pain in the ass factor to do this kind of thing.

  • remacable

    Liam Cassidy over at remacable was kind enough to interview me — we talked about a lot of things including geeking out on some software and time management stuff.

    Be sure to check it out and subscribe to his new site.

  • OmniFocus Perspectives Galore

    This is a great rundown on how to create perspectives in OmniFocus, particularly how to create the ‘Today’ view so many people love. Very close to what I do.

    More than anything else this is a great way to learn more about perspectives.

  • The New York Times’ Paywall Explained Mathematically

    Felix Salmon breaking down the cost of the NYT paywall in a mathematical formula:

    The message being sent here is weird: that access to the website is worth nothing. Mathematically, if A+B=$15, A+C=$20, and A+B+C=$35, then A=$0.

    Where ‘A’ is the website, what a great point.

  • From the Archives: My PlayBook Review

    Let’s not forget that I had an early prototype that I reviewed way back in September of 2010.

  • Flow: Task Management and Online Collaboration for Teams

    I had the opportunity to beta test the web based task management system and its iPhone app and I have to say that if I wasn’t already so invested in OmniFocus it would be the task management system that I would be using. It has some great collaboration features that I think could make Basecamp obsolete for many teams.

    It isn’t a strict OmniFocus replacement and that is good because I think for a lot of people OmniFocus doesn’t work. Flow though is now the app that I will recommend people start with when they are trying to get into digital task management.

    The pricing is also very interesting: $9.99/mo or $99/yr. ((That’s according to Ian Hines, so it’s his ass if that info is wrong. I couldn’t get the site to load to put my eyeballs on the price. Though, I do trust Ian.)) I am glad they aren’t doing a free thing, but man this seems a bit steep.

    (Also the site is being hammered right now and is running slow, which is never a good sign from a new user perspective.)

  • BlackBerry PlayBook Price

    According to the press release it will cost $499 for the 16GB WiFi only model, so kudos to them for being able to announce that. It is still not shipping and in the press release RIM announced a bunch of specs, including this gem:

    BlackBerry® Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing

    Now they are just pairing random words with computer terms.

    Oh, did I mention there is still no ship date? Because there isn’t.

    Scratch that there is a ship date for Canada of April 19th.

  • Quick Takes on Five Apps (No. 5)

    I’m back with the latest installment of the Quick Takes series where I look at five apps.

    ThinkUp App (free, web-server tool)

    ThinkUp is a social media insight platform — this may be the most confusing name ever. Basically you can connect certain social media accounts, like Twitter, and ThinkUp will crawl through that data and present it in a meaningful way. For instance if I post a new link on Twitter I can see the retweets and replies to that tweet. I could also take that Tweet and embed the replies to it on any website I control — pretty neat. It is a free tool for now and is getting better all the time.

    If you run a blog or are ever asking for feedback on Twitter this is worth your time to check out.

    TouchPad (iOS universal)

    TouchPad turns your iOS device into a trackpad that can control your Mac. I use it just about everyday to control an old Mac mini we have connected to our TV. It launches and connects very quickly and gives you a keyboard that also has modifier buttons (like CMD). It is a killer app for anybody who uses a Mac without a keyboard and mouse attached. Occasionally VNC clients fail to connect with my Mac mini, but I have never once had a single problem using TouchPad — I cannot recommend this app enough.

    TestFlight (iOS Developer Tool)

    If you have ever had to beta test an iOS app without TestFlight then you know how annoying it is. This may not be useful to many, but this service is a godsend for me and, frankly, I won’t test your app if you don’t use TestFlight.

    MoneyWell (Mac OS X)

    MoneyWell is a way to track your money. It is easy to use and easy to learn financial tracking and management. It is fast and cheap. Most importantly it has always made me feel like I am on control of not only the data, but of my finances. I love the way the app lumps charges into different buckets that you can define — thus allowing me to see just how much money I am spending on certain things (ahem — iOS apps). I used to be a big fan of iBank, but I have since switched to MoneyWell and I love it.

    xScope (Mac OS X)

    If you have ever tried to align something on you computer monitor then you have probably — at one time — pulled out a ruler and put it on your screen. It can be a pain and xScope luckily will solve all of that and much, much, more. I use the guides on a fairly regular basis to make sure that all the elements on the site are lining up just the way I want them to. What a handy little tool and on top of that the trail period is killer, it counts hours that you have used the app. Clever.

    Note

    One last thing, I am struggling to keep up with this series — so it would be a big help if you sent in any suggestions that you have for me to check out. Thanks!

  • Archive Messages With a Single Keystroke in Mail.app

    What a great use for FastScripts. Works as advertised too.

  • AT&T-Mobile

    Here are some great links for staying up to date on the AT&T acquisition of T-Mobile.

    Consumer Reports kicks it off with this tidbit by Paul Reynolds:

    For one, the FCC, among the key regulatory bodies that will assess the deal, has already expressed concern about the state of the wireless market, opting last year to declare it not competitive. There’s also the recent example of the merger of cable giant Comcast and broadcaster NBC Universal. The deal received close scrutiny from regulators and, when it was approved, it was with what Consumers Union called “real strings” that “could help to limit anti-consumer, anti-competitive behavior.”

    Over at The Wall Street Journal on the ‘Digits’ blog Jennifer Valentino-DeVries adds this to the mix:

    The companies use different radio frequencies even though they have the same wireless technology, but they will “dual band” the two networks so that phones will work on both, they said.

    That is an interesting tidbit and could really mean a better network overall for AT&T-Mobile customers in areas, like say, San Francisco.

    Ed Oswald over at Technologizer adds:

    While AT&T talked up the benefits to its own subscribers in the merger announcement, the real winners are the T-Mobile customers. With identical technologies (save for their 3G frequencies), almost immediately after the merger is approved those subscriber’s coverage area will increase several times over. (For T-Mobile subscribers, the biggest gripe is always coverage.)

    Again this is a good thing and Oswald makes a great point about what T-Mobile gets even if the two can’t merge (lots of cash).

    Om Malik thinks this deal is bad all around because the decrease in competition means that prices will likely rise:

    T-Mobile USA has been fairly aggressive in offering cheaper voice and data plans as it has tried to compete with its larger brethren. The competition has kept the prices in the market low enough. This has worked well for U.S. consumers. With the merger of AT&T and T-Mobile, the market is now reduced to three national players: AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. Net-net, U.S. consumers are going to lose.

    I can certainly see the danger in this happening, but I think that two large carriers with your odd-ball discount carriers should be enough to keep prices down. Should.

    Ina Fried has a rather boring interview with AT&T President Ralph De La Vega — in which I couldn’t find anything worth quoting. It is worth mentioning though that he seems very confident that DOJ won’t block this. Interestingly he does state that this should help with a faster LTE roll-out — though color me skeptical on that one.

    Lastly T-Mobile has a nice Q&A up for its current customers where they pour cold water on the wet dreams of nerds every where when they state:

    Is T-Mobile USA getting the iPhone?
    T-Mobile USA remains an independent company. The acquisition is expected to be completed in approximately 12 months. We do not offer the iPhone. We offer cutting edge devices like the Samsung Galaxy S 4G and coming soon our new Sidekick 4G.

    Or translated: not until we are officially called AT&T.

    Overall we need to take the wait and see approach here. I am not at all worried about the DOJ blocking this merger, nor am I worried about pricing hikes or anything else. I think this will be a net-positive for every AT&T and T-Mobile customer. The only loser here is Sprint and man did they lose.