Product is important. It’s central to your business. But it’s not your business. That App. That’s not your business. That Website. That’s not your business. That cool piece of kit. That’s not your business. There’s a ton of other stuff you need around the product to have a business. One that has sales, customers, and […] Read More…
No, I don’t mean that they are all eco-warriors, climate activists, tree-huggers or sandal-wearers (although I suspect many are of a greenish-hue, methodically sorting out the rubbish into the correct bins every week and buying their friends goats for Christmas). I am not referring to the general environment. I mean the specific environment that is […] Read More…
I just saw a Wired article headed “Facebook could sink Skype with video call app update”. The style of the headline is pretty common, especially in tech, where the latest new thing is going to kill off whatever we all use now. Of course, we have seen massive changes and the rapid demise […] Read More…
This was said to me by one of the start-ups I work with at the Wayra Academy in London. They have had their app out for several months but have come to realise that it is a necessary but not sufficient condition for having a successful business. The reasons for this break down in to […] Read More…
This is undoubtedly true for some businesses today. Clearly, startups really only have ‘the product’, as their initial purpose is to discover product-market fit. It’s true for mobile phone manufacturers, as Blackberry and Samsung demonstrate in different ways. It’s also true for Apple and Google, whose latest product releases are eagerly anticipated. But what about […] Read More…
Last night I attended the excellent “Don’t Pitch Me Bro”event at the Wayra UK Academy, run by the multi-facetted 3beards (who also run Silicon Drinkabout and Digital Sizzle). You may have spotted it has been subtly retitled for Movember – you can support the Digital Sizzle team here. This is a ‘show and tell’ […] Read More…
There were quite a few people who thought the new iPhone was a bit, well, underwhelming. They predicted lukewarm sales. Not as good as Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S III or the HTC One X, which have better specs and you can customise them. The new iPhone 5 is flying out of the […] Read More…
I have been known to get a little frustrated with certain Microsoft products. Only really Office. And Windows. So just 75% of the stuff I use. I know I am not alone. This is particularly apparent when they ‘upgrade’ the products. Functions that were once easy to find and use are buried beneath lots of […] Read More…
I do product. I don’t do code. Some people are surprised by this. I work with tech businesses, after all. In the eyes of some, it reduces my credibility. For a few, it rules me out completely. There are several reasons why I don’t code, including the fact that there a tons of people out […] Read More…
There’s a lot of stuff in the blogosphere and tech media about the current patent wars between Apple and Samsung. The merits of each side’s case are debated fiercely and people are defending their allegiances with an almost religious zeal. In truth, it shows neither company in a great light as they push the boundaries […] Read More…