Tuesday 26 January 2010

Comments re Influential Marketing Blog: Social Media & The Axe Murderer: How Privacy Is Evolving Online

Influential Marketing Blog: Social Media & The Axe Murderer: How Privacy Is Evolving Online


I totally understand your view points from the marketeer's point of view.

The reverse is also true.

I am just starting to use foursquare, I think it is great service, however, I tend to update my locations NOT real time.. just because of that, to avoid not mainly axe murderers but people whom I prefer not to meet (to be targeted)..

One thing I agree is that it is evolving.. but sadly in some ways might be in detriment of our personal/professional needs.

Privacy is paramount.. and whether credit card companies insure against it or not may help, but sadly NOT the answer..

biggest challenge is that the startup/tech field (especially online) tend to mostly focusing on slice of the value chain.. we need some further investments into the 'whole of the value chain'.. privacy is too important to have multiple holes of leakages..

Once that is achieved, the future and opportunities would be unlimited!

@GarethWong


Sunday 24 January 2010

City Brights: Zennie Abraham : Johnny Depp died in car crash? NO Depp's in France

City Brights: Zennie Abraham : Johnny Depp died in car crash? NO Depp's in France

Trust is a big issue/challenge on all social network, especially vulnerable is real-time news like twitter.. as it is nearly impossible to follow and check before RT ..

Sadly this will get worst due to more people/novice will be using it..

more checks and balances will need to be established and sadly it might get much worst before it gets better..

Question remains, will it be Twitter that is the last service standing or something similar but under control by established and TRUSTED media institutions..?

I would tend to think the latter..


POLITICS: Backlash against Rogue Chinese Investors Alarms Beijing - IPS ipsnews.net

POLITICS: Backlash against Rogue Chinese Investors Alarms Beijing - IPS ipsnews.net

very interesting views of fact they needed help from China.. and how Chinese firms are viewed and how they 'try' to adopt and one thing is for sure..

Everyone is learning.. hope no one gets hurt in between..


Saturday 23 January 2010

Internet 2009 in numbers | Royal Pingdom

Internet 2009 in numbers | Royal Pingdom

nice summary

sadly sometimes they never really reveal the source.. so its difficult to tell how trust worthy the 'stats' are..

but interesting few minutes

particularly:

Email

  • 90 trillion – The number of emails sent on the Internet in 2009.
  • 247 billion – Average number of email messages per day.
  • 1.4 billion – The number of email users worldwide.
  • 100 million – New email users since the year before.
  • 81% – The percentage of emails that were spam.
  • 92% – Peak spam levels late in the year.
  • 24% – Increase in spam since last year.
  • 200 billion – The number of spam emails per day (assuming 81% are spam).
more click on link above.


Friday 22 January 2010

my comments re Lloyd’s Chair: Insurers Can Self Reform, Greenberg ‘Vindicated’ - Regulation/Legislation - Property and Casualty Insurance News

Lloyd’s Chair: Insurers Can Self Reform, Greenberg ‘Vindicated’ - Regulation/Legislation - Property and Casualty Insurance News

I would tend to agree with that.

The insurance sector and financial sector both were and still are at the heart of the financial melt down, it would be foolish to second guess and try to 'avoid' and monitor them to health.. is that at all possible?

If we were really to do something about it, then we would need a blank sheet of paper and re-draw the players, value chain, roles and responsibilities.. sadly given the legacy of the worldwide system and the amount of money at stake, it is just NOT possible.. as EVERYONE including the regulators, politicians and the power to be are all biased towards their own need/favours owed etc.

Therefore, it does not really help by creating so much more sometimes populist regulations/taxations..

ultimately, who might be hurt most would not only be the specific industry or individual businesses but also the economies, both nationally, regionally and internally..

In short, if we are really looking for solutions, and unless we can do another Singapore.. lets not try to SIM city it.. as the rules, value chain, players and even the chairs (as in music chairs analogy) are all changing..

Lets however work together, be honest to oneself (rather than for politics, or positioning of ones career over greater good) and work towards a recovery.

@GarethWong

Thursday 21 January 2010

Tuesday 19 January 2010

my comments re "broken value chain" Mobile Games Forum 2010: Day 1 wrap-up | Mobile Entertainment News

Mobile Games Forum 2010: Day 1 wrap-up | Mobile Entertainment News


Good & efficient as ever Stuart.

I think it is very important to take a step back, other than the vertically integrated value chain of Apple's iPhone, it is hard to find another properly fully integrated value chain which consumers (B2B or B2C) can 'easily' and seamlessly discover, pay for, download and utilise the mobile application.

(Pls NOTE: the much touted & successful apple Apps store, launched 2008, but after 'training' users for *SEVEN* years since launch of iTune in 2001!!!)

It is therefore key for games developers to recognise these facts:

1.) most mobile application users do NOT transact on mobile yet (due to lack of seamless integration nor efficient fully integrated payment)

2.) most applications with some few exceptions were specifically designed and developed for the mobile form factors (except the apps on iPhone)

3.) further, most apps so far are mostly extension of existing applications and have not been designed to solve real life challenges/situations with up to date, trusted and timely information, (but it is getting much better with alternative reality, google maps, twitter, ponty etc.)

... Carlos of Doughty hanson made a pertinent remark regarding the importance of the 'integrated' value chain, rather than focusing on the slices of the value chain.. which I also highlighted in my more elaborate (in comparison) mobile gambling report back in 2004.

Key take away points are therefore these:

1.) mobile gaming can thrive but only under certain conditions/market developments which value chain specific products might not be sufficient, vs. value based proposition of flirtomatic

2.) opportunities might not be games development itself but some market structural play of how best to bring clients requirements to the fore AND address them using newly created (might be multi-channel) solutions NOT having mobile as the be all and end all.. it might just be part of the solution

3.) one should not be lemmings.. most guys sadly as I can see it, do similar things .. even major brands and IP owners.. it might be the time when we should mix it up a bit.. the potential return might make likes of playfish/facebook become a tiny fishes..

Glad I stayed in the end of the conference.

@GarethWong

Venture capitalists are bullish on the future of game funding | VentureBeat

Venture capitalists are bullish on the future of game funding | VentureBeat


hmm.. not sure myself, they tend to exhibit flock mentality..

Monday 18 January 2010

McAfee: China attacks a 'watershed moment' | Security - CNET News

McAfee: China attacks a 'watershed moment' | Security - CNET News

So glad that I do not use IE..

big risk using most popular products/services.


Below is also a great summary of the key challenges/news.

Google-China showdown may alter tech game

Google-China showdown may alter tech game

yes.. but if the future domestic market in China is going to be bigger than US and Japan.. then like before, with TD-CDMA.. China can create and maintain its own rules..

2010-2020 should be decade of Asia/China.. as long as the political system there is stable.. which is in fact the main reason why China is trying its best to find and work hard to maintain the 'status quo'..


Saturday 16 January 2010

HOW TO: Add Captions To Your YouTube Videos

HOW TO: Add Captions To Your YouTube Videos

v. interesting & useful indeed.

Gal With a Suitcase - Page 3 - The Daily Beast

Gal With a Suitcase - Page 3 - The Daily Beast


Nice piece.. not sure if I agree on all points, but it is a great start indeed


EastSouthWestNorth: Daily Brief Comments, January 11-20, 2010

EastSouthWestNorth: Daily Brief Comments, January 11-20, 2010: "The Truth About The Google Affair"


This is in fact very plausible, as I had told people at the function I held earlier this week that the press release read a bit strange, esp. regarding no data was read or accessed.. as we all gmail users know, once a users is authenticated, it goes straight the the emails, rather than the user account details..


Why Google Is Quitting China - Forbes.com

Why Google Is Quitting China - Forbes.com: "Why Google Is Quitting China"

One of the better coverage of the story

I knew that there would be 'other reasons' why google is doing that.

Question is that how would China save face.. cos Rebecca is right, and I personally think there is still a key role for the multi-nationals to play within China yet!

Key now is how best to 'restore' the balance..

China still need the 'competitive' balance of having foreigners there, to bring FDI, new ideas/work force/experiences .. not a doubt though, there are many that are as successful if not more than major international firms.

may we live in interesting time!


first ever try of self portrait.. not easy!


try 2 publish it via flickr to blogger also.

wow, I am becoming nerdy/geek again. :)

Friday 15 January 2010

AFP: Microsoft, HP fail to back Google's China move: FT

AFP: Microsoft, HP fail to back Google's China move: FT

I am pretty certain there is another story behind this.

as anyone would know, there is pretty much one chance to crack the future of the chinese market, and it is by being persistent and not to kick up dirt/uncertainty etc.

good luck to google indeed.

maybe Kai Fu Lee already saw this coming.. good call!


Monday 11 January 2010

50 Social News Websites You Can Use

50 Social News Websites You Can Use

nice.

shld check it out properly soon. ;)

Comments re Private banks form secret syndicates of clients to snap up commercial property - Times Online

Private banks form secret syndicates of clients to snap up commercial property - Times Online

I was having some indepth discussion with a fellow CXO, about the potential consortia opportunities between private groups of companies and or even at the jurisdictional level (given the fallacy of UK's bonus tax situation)..

surprise, surprise, interesting story above that fits into part of our thinking.