Tretakoff Musings
Saturday, May 31, 2008
iPalm
As an iPhone owner, I am one of the thousands waiting anxiously for the June 9th unveiling of iPhone 2.0, and the applications it will bring to the iPhone. Sure, I've enjoyed unlocking my iPhone, and using some interesting apps, but, as the commercial says, ain't nothing like the real thing, baby.
However, today brought a new announcement that add even more anticipation. StyleTap will bring it's Palm OS emulator to the iPhone. Why is this good? I have invested literally hundreds of dollars over the years in Palm apps, and some I miss every day. Sure, iPhone 2.0 will open the floodgates for many (eWallet among them), but there's some great Palm OS games and apps I would dearly love to have again, and it looks like WWDC will bring me both new native iPhone apps, and restore some of my beloved Palm ones.
Of course, this is wonderful for me, but essentially kills Palm. Why would you spend for a Treo, when you can have an iPhone with a Palm in it, as well? It's already the most popular phone since...well, ever. But add the library of thousands of Palm apps? And all of this while Palm's big innovation has been the Centro? Uh, for anyone holding Palm stock, now would be the time to short it, I'm afraid.
So, goodbye Palm, hello iPhone 2.0.
However, today brought a new announcement that add even more anticipation. StyleTap will bring it's Palm OS emulator to the iPhone. Why is this good? I have invested literally hundreds of dollars over the years in Palm apps, and some I miss every day. Sure, iPhone 2.0 will open the floodgates for many (eWallet among them), but there's some great Palm OS games and apps I would dearly love to have again, and it looks like WWDC will bring me both new native iPhone apps, and restore some of my beloved Palm ones.Of course, this is wonderful for me, but essentially kills Palm. Why would you spend for a Treo, when you can have an iPhone with a Palm in it, as well? It's already the most popular phone since...well, ever. But add the library of thousands of Palm apps? And all of this while Palm's big innovation has been the Centro? Uh, for anyone holding Palm stock, now would be the time to short it, I'm afraid.
So, goodbye Palm, hello iPhone 2.0.
Labels: cell phones, iPhone, Palm, Treo
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Riding the City Rails
5-10 minutes up and down Market St., it's like stepping back in time.
5-10 minutes up and down Market St., it's like stepping back in time.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Melodic Birdsong
Twitter continues to impress me. Not the service, per se, but the ways it is used, how it's connected, and so on. For instance:
- Want to track a package? Sure, you can use the web, and "pull" from a page to find out the status of your package. But what if you could get a Twitter message (a "tweet") at every step of the package's journey? You'd know if you need to be home to accept a package the next day, without having to remember to visit a webpage in advance. Just send a Direct Message to TrackThis with the tracking number (any carrier) and a name you want to refer to the package by, and you'll get updates on every movement of the package.
- The Bay Area is famous for the weather phenomena of microclimates. Up in San Rafael, for instance, I can get an update every 30 minutes on the weather.
- Twitter is actually useful for discovering new people, as well. For instance, MistyKhan saw I was struggling with some Microsoft Outlook issues, and offered her help, unsolicited, along with pointing me to a fabulous resource for more, her own site.
- Courtesy of tweets from the same MistyKhan, check out TwitterLocal. Type in your ZIP code, choose a radius, and see all the people nearby twittering. Fun to see how common the ailments are from folks as the heat warms us all up!
- Ever wished there was a direct connection to a resource at an airline who you could reach out to and ask for help, or get information on possible delays or specials as they come up? JetBlue has embraced Twitter with a passion for just that.
- And, of course, what better way to know the hottest daily online deal than by having Woot let you know via Twitter.
All this, and free? Tweet, tweet!
- Want to track a package? Sure, you can use the web, and "pull" from a page to find out the status of your package. But what if you could get a Twitter message (a "tweet") at every step of the package's journey? You'd know if you need to be home to accept a package the next day, without having to remember to visit a webpage in advance. Just send a Direct Message to TrackThis with the tracking number (any carrier) and a name you want to refer to the package by, and you'll get updates on every movement of the package.
- The Bay Area is famous for the weather phenomena of microclimates. Up in San Rafael, for instance, I can get an update every 30 minutes on the weather.
- Twitter is actually useful for discovering new people, as well. For instance, MistyKhan saw I was struggling with some Microsoft Outlook issues, and offered her help, unsolicited, along with pointing me to a fabulous resource for more, her own site.
- Courtesy of tweets from the same MistyKhan, check out TwitterLocal. Type in your ZIP code, choose a radius, and see all the people nearby twittering. Fun to see how common the ailments are from folks as the heat warms us all up!
- Ever wished there was a direct connection to a resource at an airline who you could reach out to and ask for help, or get information on possible delays or specials as they come up? JetBlue has embraced Twitter with a passion for just that.
- And, of course, what better way to know the hottest daily online deal than by having Woot let you know via Twitter.
All this, and free? Tweet, tweet!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
How NOT To Do E-mail Marketing #147
In my business, I tend to work with a lot of online marketers. I also tend to work with a lot of companies who look at loyal customers, and focus on ways to keep them loyal. So, when I come across a particular example in my personal life of one that does both so badly, I have to point it out.
Today's example is a company called Haggar. I know, you're thinking "the people that make those expandable slacks my grandfather wore?" Yes, them. About 10 years ago, they invested heavily in a new brand image: hipper, cheaper, and good quality. They opened a ton of factory outlet stores, while bringing the new lines into retailers like Mervyn's, JC Penney, etc. And thus the modern Haggar was born: a mix of casual clothes and traditional suits at extremely low prices, with modern styling.
5 or 6 years ago, I used to commute 120 miles each way to work. I know, sounds insane, but I loved the company, and the commute started in Marin County, CA, and ended in Monterey, CA: now, if you have to commute, that's the route to do it. Midway was one of the largest outlet malls in Northern California; I'd stop off occasionally to get a burger, coffee, or pick something up. There, I discovered the new Haggar, with their $5 silk shirts and $10 khakis, it was always easy to pop in. They expanded into designs emulating Tommy Bahama, etc., and I was really hooked. Later, my devotion to them extended to their Petaluma store, after I stopped commuting down South, and I routinely stopped in to part with my cash for their products. They had me on the mailing list, even did special orders, and more. Heck, the Petaluma store people knew my name and by sight!
So, we have a loyal customer, who spends lots of money with you, and has even provided specific marketing information about themselves. How do you communicate with them? I guess, if you are Haggar, like this:
Ok, first, I understand locations close. Hey, my business was not enough to keep them going. Here's why this was such an egregious example of poor e-mail marketing:
- Why is this the first message I received about that location? Why not tell me before hand, maybe offering me incentives to visit for "closeout" pricing? A completely perfect revenue generating opportunity wasted: you're telling me they preferred to pack and ship the merchandise out of that location, rather than discount it and sell it to me? C'mon.
- They clearly know I like that location; they sent me this e-mail, after all. But you are telling me they can't offer me a list of other nearby locations in the e-mail? Instead, I have to visit the site? Ok, I can accept that's a clever way to get me to interact with the site and potentially buy something...if they had e-commerce.
- On that same note, the link to the site to find other nearby locations links only to the homepage. Instead of delivering me to a store locator, I have to crawl around your bad site to find one of the worst locators ever: lists all locations in CA, including department stores, only to find the one outlet? Ugh.
- This e-mail was literally this HUGE image. Nothing else. This is the way you want to convey bad news? Not with an incentive to visit the other location, or maybe some text to soften the news? Nope, that's how they roll.
Loyalty and E-mail marketers out there, beware...
Today's example is a company called Haggar. I know, you're thinking "the people that make those expandable slacks my grandfather wore?" Yes, them. About 10 years ago, they invested heavily in a new brand image: hipper, cheaper, and good quality. They opened a ton of factory outlet stores, while bringing the new lines into retailers like Mervyn's, JC Penney, etc. And thus the modern Haggar was born: a mix of casual clothes and traditional suits at extremely low prices, with modern styling.
5 or 6 years ago, I used to commute 120 miles each way to work. I know, sounds insane, but I loved the company, and the commute started in Marin County, CA, and ended in Monterey, CA: now, if you have to commute, that's the route to do it. Midway was one of the largest outlet malls in Northern California; I'd stop off occasionally to get a burger, coffee, or pick something up. There, I discovered the new Haggar, with their $5 silk shirts and $10 khakis, it was always easy to pop in. They expanded into designs emulating Tommy Bahama, etc., and I was really hooked. Later, my devotion to them extended to their Petaluma store, after I stopped commuting down South, and I routinely stopped in to part with my cash for their products. They had me on the mailing list, even did special orders, and more. Heck, the Petaluma store people knew my name and by sight!
So, we have a loyal customer, who spends lots of money with you, and has even provided specific marketing information about themselves. How do you communicate with them? I guess, if you are Haggar, like this:
Ok, first, I understand locations close. Hey, my business was not enough to keep them going. Here's why this was such an egregious example of poor e-mail marketing:
- Why is this the first message I received about that location? Why not tell me before hand, maybe offering me incentives to visit for "closeout" pricing? A completely perfect revenue generating opportunity wasted: you're telling me they preferred to pack and ship the merchandise out of that location, rather than discount it and sell it to me? C'mon.
- They clearly know I like that location; they sent me this e-mail, after all. But you are telling me they can't offer me a list of other nearby locations in the e-mail? Instead, I have to visit the site? Ok, I can accept that's a clever way to get me to interact with the site and potentially buy something...if they had e-commerce.
- On that same note, the link to the site to find other nearby locations links only to the homepage. Instead of delivering me to a store locator, I have to crawl around your bad site to find one of the worst locators ever: lists all locations in CA, including department stores, only to find the one outlet? Ugh.
- This e-mail was literally this HUGE image. Nothing else. This is the way you want to convey bad news? Not with an incentive to visit the other location, or maybe some text to soften the news? Nope, that's how they roll.
Loyalty and E-mail marketers out there, beware...
Labels: bullshit, business, Loyalty Lab
Lost's Ideal Airport
For years now, I have wandered through San Francisco Airport's former International terminal with amazement. The building is deserted. Empty. Completely vacant. Yet it's location is directly between the massively busy United/American Terminal 3 and the hodgepodge of Terminal 1's Delta/US Air/Everyone else. That means that travel between the two inevitably requires walking through this cavernous maw of 1970's architecture, with only the sound of your footsteps and the squeaking of the wheels of your rollaboard to keep you company.
It's downright eerie, and strange, since every other terminal seems so overwhelmed with traffic and business. With it's central location, and easy gate locations, it's always strange that it lies there, dormant, in an otherwise modern busy airport. Heck, you even have to pass the Airport Police as you enter, as their station lives at the entrance. Nothing like armed police eyeing you suspiciously, wondering why you are willingly entering a deserted building, to make you feel welcomed and safe.
Looks like that's finally about to change. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Terminal 2 is finally looking at a revamp and reopening, complete with a shiny new anchor tenant, Virgin America, in 2 years. It looks like seismic retrofitting was the reason for much of the abandonment; nice to hear it now. My favorite, though, was this gem of a quote:
Check out the obligatory attempt to try to get in with the green folks by talking about hybrids. Um, in case you haven't noticed, since about September 12th, 2001, parking at a terminal in any major airport is a big Homeland Security no-no. So, the "preferential parking" will be...where? The garage? You know, the same garage that services Terminals 1 & 3? Um...why is that a selling feature here?
Let's see if Virgin America can stop these statements from being too ridiculous and focus on building a terminal that will rival JetBlue's new Terminal 5 at JFK instead. Now that's the way to welcome old T2 back!
For years now, I have wandered through San Francisco Airport's former International terminal with amazement. The building is deserted. Empty. Completely vacant. Yet it's location is directly between the massively busy United/American Terminal 3 and the hodgepodge of Terminal 1's Delta/US Air/Everyone else. That means that travel between the two inevitably requires walking through this cavernous maw of 1970's architecture, with only the sound of your footsteps and the squeaking of the wheels of your rollaboard to keep you company. It's downright eerie, and strange, since every other terminal seems so overwhelmed with traffic and business. With it's central location, and easy gate locations, it's always strange that it lies there, dormant, in an otherwise modern busy airport. Heck, you even have to pass the Airport Police as you enter, as their station lives at the entrance. Nothing like armed police eyeing you suspiciously, wondering why you are willingly entering a deserted building, to make you feel welcomed and safe.
Looks like that's finally about to change. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Terminal 2 is finally looking at a revamp and reopening, complete with a shiny new anchor tenant, Virgin America, in 2 years. It looks like seismic retrofitting was the reason for much of the abandonment; nice to hear it now. My favorite, though, was this gem of a quote:
"...there will be an effort to make the terminal "as environmentally friendly as possible," to include not having aircraft use engines or auxiliary power units at the gate, so they can save fuel. Vendors will be required to obtain green business certificates from San Mateo County, and there will be preferential parking for hybrid cars."
Check out the obligatory attempt to try to get in with the green folks by talking about hybrids. Um, in case you haven't noticed, since about September 12th, 2001, parking at a terminal in any major airport is a big Homeland Security no-no. So, the "preferential parking" will be...where? The garage? You know, the same garage that services Terminals 1 & 3? Um...why is that a selling feature here?
Let's see if Virgin America can stop these statements from being too ridiculous and focus on building a terminal that will rival JetBlue's new Terminal 5 at JFK instead. Now that's the way to welcome old T2 back!
Labels: news, San Francisco, travel
Monday, May 12, 2008
Untrained
First, why did I choose the train? My New York meetings were in Long Island. I flew in to JFK and grabbed the connecting Long Island Railroad to get to my destination, so I was already rail-enabled. The price for a shuttle flight from JFK to Boston was about $200; the train? $100. Between waiting for the plane and security, it would have been about 2.5 hours, plus having to get from Boston's Logan airport to 25 miles south of the city to my destination. The train? 3 hours, station to station, 10 miles from where I was staying and no downtown traffic. No brainer.
The experience is all city to city travel should be: fast, comfortable, efficient and elegant. It started with picking up my e-ticket in Penn Station from one of about 50 kiosks. Just like the airport, swipe your credit card for identification, and your ticket prints out. Next came the Acela Express Lounge: a huge area for waiting, away from the hustle and bustle of crowds, just for Acela passengers. Of course, Penn Station's choices of food and drink were ample; I picked up a classic NY Deli sandwich for my dinner to be eaten onboard.
The only annoyance was the lack of information as to what track the Acela would be on until 10 minutes before boarding. Why? Is it a surprise? Don't they know, as it's the most profitable line they run?
On the train, sheer luxury. Each car was filled with oversized recliners, complete with footrests. Power? You bet: a plug at every seat. Storage? Overheads for the coat, or the seat next to you for the laptop case, as there were plenty of seats. Food in the dining car was reasonable, well priced, and an easy walk. But nothing beats the feeling of chatting on the cell, rocketing along in gentle ease, and occasionally checking e-mail or watching a movie. The utter opposite of plane travel. 3 hours of comfort and connectivity, and I arrived at my destination, refreshed, relaxed and ready.
So, explain why we can't have a 4 hour train between LA and SF? Currently, it's a full 24 hours; now, I grant you, it's the nicest ride in the world, but can we pick up the pace for a traveler? I'd definitely go for that for a lunch meeting in LA...
First, why did I choose the train? My New York meetings were in Long Island. I flew in to JFK and grabbed the connecting Long Island Railroad to get to my destination, so I was already rail-enabled. The price for a shuttle flight from JFK to Boston was about $200; the train? $100. Between waiting for the plane and security, it would have been about 2.5 hours, plus having to get from Boston's Logan airport to 25 miles south of the city to my destination. The train? 3 hours, station to station, 10 miles from where I was staying and no downtown traffic. No brainer.
The experience is all city to city travel should be: fast, comfortable, efficient and elegant. It started with picking up my e-ticket in Penn Station from one of about 50 kiosks. Just like the airport, swipe your credit card for identification, and your ticket prints out. Next came the Acela Express Lounge: a huge area for waiting, away from the hustle and bustle of crowds, just for Acela passengers. Of course, Penn Station's choices of food and drink were ample; I picked up a classic NY Deli sandwich for my dinner to be eaten onboard.
The only annoyance was the lack of information as to what track the Acela would be on until 10 minutes before boarding. Why? Is it a surprise? Don't they know, as it's the most profitable line they run?
On the train, sheer luxury. Each car was filled with oversized recliners, complete with footrests. Power? You bet: a plug at every seat. Storage? Overheads for the coat, or the seat next to you for the laptop case, as there were plenty of seats. Food in the dining car was reasonable, well priced, and an easy walk. But nothing beats the feeling of chatting on the cell, rocketing along in gentle ease, and occasionally checking e-mail or watching a movie. The utter opposite of plane travel. 3 hours of comfort and connectivity, and I arrived at my destination, refreshed, relaxed and ready.
So, explain why we can't have a 4 hour train between LA and SF? Currently, it's a full 24 hours; now, I grant you, it's the nicest ride in the world, but can we pick up the pace for a traveler? I'd definitely go for that for a lunch meeting in LA...
Labels: travel
Trike To Work Day
What fascinates me about this trike that was on this morning's ferry is the clearance between the ground and the chain: maybe 1"? One good SF pothole will do a number on that. Still, he rides in comfort!
What fascinates me about this trike that was on this morning's ferry is the clearance between the ground and the chain: maybe 1"? One good SF pothole will do a number on that. Still, he rides in comfort!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Iron Man: Shellshocked
After partaking of the much anticipated Iron Man this last week in a surreal theater, packed with DLP technology and nearly every seat occupied by a bizarre confluence of bears, I came away with all of my hopes realized, and almost all of my fears allayed. Warning to those that have not seen the film yet: there's gonna be some serious spoilers here, so if you are not inclined to have the experience ruined, see the film before reading this one.
Suitably (ahem) warned? Ok, here we go.
What I liked:
- The movie took a cue from two highly successful comic book films: Spider-Man and Batman Begins. In Spider-Man, the movie worked so well because the director focused the attention on sharing the experience of what it would be like for a kid to suddenly have these powers. It wasn't the costume, or the bad guy: it was the sudden freedom to be able to do whatever he wanted, when he wanted. Peter Parker's scream of delight as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop was a primal expression of freedom. In Batman Begins, the director focused on making the seeming impossible a reality: how did Batman come to be? He focused on the psychological, but also on the reality of the real-world technology that would be required, grounding the character. In Iron Man, director Jon Favreau intelligently stayed away from the minutiae of weaponry and navigation systems, and focused on the feeling of a man who suddenly can fly; the rest was almost immaterial. That primal sense of reality and utter rush of Robert Downey Jr. as he takes flight in the Mark 2 suit was simply perfect, and instantly conveys both feelings.
- The actors were perfect, and perfectly used. Robert Downey was not only ideal as Tony Stark for this film, but his background makes him almost eerily suited for the evolution of the character. Jeff Bridges brought Obadiah Stane to a 3rd dimension I never thought possible from the comics. I was shocked at how good Gwynyth Paltrow was as Pepper Potts; I expected a throwaway role, but she made the character and her portrayal all her own and markedly important. And even though I agree that Terence Howard's voice was not what I would have expected for Rhodey, he was still very impressive in the limited screen time he had; I think he'll be much more important in the already-greentlighted sequel.
- The effects were better than I imagined. They made the armor make sense, far more than the comics ever could.
- The humor was perfect: just the right mix of fun, sarcasm, and lightening. So many times, it's a balance that is poorly executed, but they pulled it off so well.
- The in-jokes were great. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s involvement, and let's hope you stayed past the credits for the best cameo yet. They were good for the comic book geek, and the newcomer as well.
- I have to say, I was really impressed with the product placement: for a movie that clearly needed a few of them to get the budget paid, they were hardly Bond-like in their obviousness. Audi, Cisco, and more were well done.
What I did not like:
In the words of Charles Barletta, "everything was perfect, until those last 4 words." As a newcomer to comics, you may not understand the frustration fans have with the movies' penchant for trying to compress complicated, convoluted storylines. Let's just say that those last 4 words seem to imply a compression of 30 years of comics. Now, I am hopeful that it will turn out to be the ultimate in-joke by Favreau, a noted enthusiast, and that the sequel will open with the line, "Just kidding, folks," or they choose to break with the comics and go a different route altogether. Please, respect that there is much to mine there.
Overall, it is definitely my second favorite comic book movie (Batman Begins was, frankly, the ultimate), and I highly recommend the theater experience. Of course, it's immediately one to own.
After partaking of the much anticipated Iron Man this last week in a surreal theater, packed with DLP technology and nearly every seat occupied by a bizarre confluence of bears, I came away with all of my hopes realized, and almost all of my fears allayed. Warning to those that have not seen the film yet: there's gonna be some serious spoilers here, so if you are not inclined to have the experience ruined, see the film before reading this one.Suitably (ahem) warned? Ok, here we go.
What I liked:
- The movie took a cue from two highly successful comic book films: Spider-Man and Batman Begins. In Spider-Man, the movie worked so well because the director focused the attention on sharing the experience of what it would be like for a kid to suddenly have these powers. It wasn't the costume, or the bad guy: it was the sudden freedom to be able to do whatever he wanted, when he wanted. Peter Parker's scream of delight as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop was a primal expression of freedom. In Batman Begins, the director focused on making the seeming impossible a reality: how did Batman come to be? He focused on the psychological, but also on the reality of the real-world technology that would be required, grounding the character. In Iron Man, director Jon Favreau intelligently stayed away from the minutiae of weaponry and navigation systems, and focused on the feeling of a man who suddenly can fly; the rest was almost immaterial. That primal sense of reality and utter rush of Robert Downey Jr. as he takes flight in the Mark 2 suit was simply perfect, and instantly conveys both feelings.
- The actors were perfect, and perfectly used. Robert Downey was not only ideal as Tony Stark for this film, but his background makes him almost eerily suited for the evolution of the character. Jeff Bridges brought Obadiah Stane to a 3rd dimension I never thought possible from the comics. I was shocked at how good Gwynyth Paltrow was as Pepper Potts; I expected a throwaway role, but she made the character and her portrayal all her own and markedly important. And even though I agree that Terence Howard's voice was not what I would have expected for Rhodey, he was still very impressive in the limited screen time he had; I think he'll be much more important in the already-greentlighted sequel.
- The effects were better than I imagined. They made the armor make sense, far more than the comics ever could.
- The humor was perfect: just the right mix of fun, sarcasm, and lightening. So many times, it's a balance that is poorly executed, but they pulled it off so well.
- The in-jokes were great. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s involvement, and let's hope you stayed past the credits for the best cameo yet. They were good for the comic book geek, and the newcomer as well.
- I have to say, I was really impressed with the product placement: for a movie that clearly needed a few of them to get the budget paid, they were hardly Bond-like in their obviousness. Audi, Cisco, and more were well done.
What I did not like:
In the words of Charles Barletta, "everything was perfect, until those last 4 words." As a newcomer to comics, you may not understand the frustration fans have with the movies' penchant for trying to compress complicated, convoluted storylines. Let's just say that those last 4 words seem to imply a compression of 30 years of comics. Now, I am hopeful that it will turn out to be the ultimate in-joke by Favreau, a noted enthusiast, and that the sequel will open with the line, "Just kidding, folks," or they choose to break with the comics and go a different route altogether. Please, respect that there is much to mine there.
Overall, it is definitely my second favorite comic book movie (Batman Begins was, frankly, the ultimate), and I highly recommend the theater experience. Of course, it's immediately one to own.
The End of Paper?
Imagine if there were a way to capture every piece of paper, every article you ever read, every scrap of information, online or offline, and be able to dump it all into a single program, that would index it, store it, and make it available to you, wherever you were. Now imagine that program worked with your PC, Mac, or cellphone. Imagine if the program was smart enough to be able to look at the every scanned image and interpret the text it sees there, so you could search on the text in the image. And imagine it's constantly getting better, learning as it goes, being automatically updated.
Now imagine its free.
Ladies and gentlemen, I humbly direct you to Evernote. I've been playing with it in private beta for a week or so now, and I have to say...I'm impressed. I've written previously about my hatred of all things paper, but Evernote takes it to a new level, with online storage, built in automatic optical character recognition (OCR) of text, and so much more. Some people use it exclusively as a note taking application, allowing you to clip images and text from the web into a handy program for future use, but to me, this is the first step in the end of paper.
I highly recommend it. Please let me know if you are in need of an invite.
Now imagine its free.
Ladies and gentlemen, I humbly direct you to Evernote. I've been playing with it in private beta for a week or so now, and I have to say...I'm impressed. I've written previously about my hatred of all things paper, but Evernote takes it to a new level, with online storage, built in automatic optical character recognition (OCR) of text, and so much more. Some people use it exclusively as a note taking application, allowing you to clip images and text from the web into a handy program for future use, but to me, this is the first step in the end of paper.I highly recommend it. Please let me know if you are in need of an invite.
Labels: Software
Friday, May 02, 2008
Marvel In Jokes
With this week's release of Iron Man, yet another Marvel Comics hero makes the leap to the big screen. The track record thus far has been blockbuster or miss: Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and X-Men have been unqualified hits; Daredevil, The Hulk, and Ghost Rider less so. I'm pulling for Shellhead, and Charles tells me my hopes are justified from his lunchtime excursion today.
One hallmark of a Marvel movie is the cameo of beloved Stan Lee, the creator of so many of these characters. Cameos are a Marvel hallmark, as are clever in-jokes. For instance, in this summer's new Incredible Hulk movie, starring Edward Norton and Liv Tyler, Robert Downey Jr. makes an appearance as Tony Stark from Iron Man! Heck, this is getting just like the comics! As for Stan Lee, he finds a cameo in all of these films, and this article indicates Iron Man is no exception. In fact, there's a whole YouTube collection of the cameos of Stan The Man; check them out below. My favorite? One I missed: in the otherwise forgettable Hulk, a cameo of not only Stan, but he's alongside the original (and still the best) Hulk, Lou Ferrigno!
Enjoy, True Believers!
With this week's release of Iron Man, yet another Marvel Comics hero makes the leap to the big screen. The track record thus far has been blockbuster or miss: Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and X-Men have been unqualified hits; Daredevil, The Hulk, and Ghost Rider less so. I'm pulling for Shellhead, and Charles tells me my hopes are justified from his lunchtime excursion today.One hallmark of a Marvel movie is the cameo of beloved Stan Lee, the creator of so many of these characters. Cameos are a Marvel hallmark, as are clever in-jokes. For instance, in this summer's new Incredible Hulk movie, starring Edward Norton and Liv Tyler, Robert Downey Jr. makes an appearance as Tony Stark from Iron Man! Heck, this is getting just like the comics! As for Stan Lee, he finds a cameo in all of these films, and this article indicates Iron Man is no exception. In fact, there's a whole YouTube collection of the cameos of Stan The Man; check them out below. My favorite? One I missed: in the otherwise forgettable Hulk, a cameo of not only Stan, but he's alongside the original (and still the best) Hulk, Lou Ferrigno!
Enjoy, True Believers!
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Bait & Switch In the Online Age
Unacceptable e-mail from TigerDirect.com today.
Subject line: $299 Laptop...22" LCD $199...37" HDTV $599
Of course a $299 laptop is appealing to me! When you open the e-mail, this is what you get:
This may work in 42nd St. in NYC, but not on the web. Guess Tiger won't be getting my business.
Subject line: $299 Laptop...22" LCD $199...37" HDTV $599
Of course a $299 laptop is appealing to me! When you open the e-mail, this is what you get:
This may work in 42nd St. in NYC, but not on the web. Guess Tiger won't be getting my business.
