Apple, kudos to you and your iPhone. I still don't own one, but I still envy those who do. Lets take a look at the market for the iPhone...
There are a lot of competitors when it comes to cell phones, but lets face it, no matter what Samsung, LG, HTC, or Blackberry do, they can't seem to match up with the iPhone. There is something special about it. There is definitely the threat of substitutes, but because you've differentiated your iPhone so well, you still dominate. In the past you've put yourself in the position where the iPhone was only available through AT&T, not giving your buyers a lot of power. Millions of people have switched to AT&T just to get the iPhone, and I am among them (though I still don't own one, I switched because of the warm fuzzy feeling I get knowing that I could easily upgrade when funds permit).
Apple, in your iPhone you have resources and capabilities that are very valuable to average consumers and businessmen. You've got the rare stuff that makes you dominant, and you've done SO well that although literally every competitor has tried to imitate and outdo the iPhone, consumers still crave the iPhone.
Although I did recently make the switch to AT&T, I love what you've done by opening the iPhone up for Verizon customers. You're opening yourself up to millions of people you didn't have access to before. Verizon customers no longer have to settle for HTC or Palm phones that don't quite measure up. They will be more than happy to pay for the coveted iPhone. Yes, you've sacrificed a little by giving the customers more buying power, but you really won't feel the consequences of that; AT&T and Verizon will.
You've set yourself up to capture even more market share in an industry where you were already envied. Yes, I am biased, but I have to ask myself: are companies still going to compete to outdo the iPhone, or are they just going to start competing with themselves to settle for 2nd best (as usual)?
Friday, February 11, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
To Hulu
I was gone when you were born, Hulu. As a missionary in the Philippines I had no clue you existed until I got home and decided I needed to catch up on the two years of Lost that I missed.
"What's that? FREE tv shows online? It can't be... I love you Hulu!" That is probably what everyone thought when you started in 2007. You gave the world a way to watch their favorite shows streaming online 24 hours after they premiered on the TV. Your business model was designed by the network bigshots to battle YouTube and take the internet video market by storm. By all accounts you've been very successful. I know you've changed the way I watch TV, and I think I can speak for the millions of others who use you. Over 1.5 BILLION (not a typo) videos were watched on you LAST MONTH and the numbers keep growing. You make your money by advertising. Surely you're making a ton.
You can understand my worry when I open the Wall Street Journal and read that you are considering changing your business model (again), turning yourself into a monthly-subscrition-only site that plays mostly live TV, AKA cable on my computer. To this I hiss and boo and I think it is a poor strategic decision.
The millions who use you monthly use you because we get to watch your shows, that we love and need, on our time table. I love Modern Family, for example, but I NEVER have time on wednesday nights to watch it live on cable. Because of you, I never have to worry about missing a week, though. I know I speak for the masses when I say that I just don't have the resources to be able to tell you that I can sit down in front of my tv or computer at the same time every week to catch a show. Today's world demands flexibility and your new business model will strangle that. By switching to a monthly-subscription setup you will lose millions of users, including me. I would go to Netflix in a heartbeat, because when it comes to subscription video, they dominate (AND they're commercial free, something you probably wouldn't do if you went to subscriptions, and nobody wants to pay to watch commercials on the internet). A subscription makes you the EXACT SAME as cable TV, meaning that people will either dump you for cable (or netflix, or both) or dump cable for you. Either way Hulu (since all you are is a conglomeration of the network hotshots) you're not going to gain many subscribers in the end. People will just choose one or the other.
I know I'm a biased, poor, college student, Hulu, but I think I speak for America when I say you're amazing just the way you are. Don't screw us Americans over just because you all think you're not making enough money as it is. You're doing fine.
"What's that? FREE tv shows online? It can't be... I love you Hulu!" That is probably what everyone thought when you started in 2007. You gave the world a way to watch their favorite shows streaming online 24 hours after they premiered on the TV. Your business model was designed by the network bigshots to battle YouTube and take the internet video market by storm. By all accounts you've been very successful. I know you've changed the way I watch TV, and I think I can speak for the millions of others who use you. Over 1.5 BILLION (not a typo) videos were watched on you LAST MONTH and the numbers keep growing. You make your money by advertising. Surely you're making a ton.
You can understand my worry when I open the Wall Street Journal and read that you are considering changing your business model (again), turning yourself into a monthly-subscrition-only site that plays mostly live TV, AKA cable on my computer. To this I hiss and boo and I think it is a poor strategic decision.
The millions who use you monthly use you because we get to watch your shows, that we love and need, on our time table. I love Modern Family, for example, but I NEVER have time on wednesday nights to watch it live on cable. Because of you, I never have to worry about missing a week, though. I know I speak for the masses when I say that I just don't have the resources to be able to tell you that I can sit down in front of my tv or computer at the same time every week to catch a show. Today's world demands flexibility and your new business model will strangle that. By switching to a monthly-subscription setup you will lose millions of users, including me. I would go to Netflix in a heartbeat, because when it comes to subscription video, they dominate (AND they're commercial free, something you probably wouldn't do if you went to subscriptions, and nobody wants to pay to watch commercials on the internet). A subscription makes you the EXACT SAME as cable TV, meaning that people will either dump you for cable (or netflix, or both) or dump cable for you. Either way Hulu (since all you are is a conglomeration of the network hotshots) you're not going to gain many subscribers in the end. People will just choose one or the other.
I know I'm a biased, poor, college student, Hulu, but I think I speak for America when I say you're amazing just the way you are. Don't screw us Americans over just because you all think you're not making enough money as it is. You're doing fine.
Friday, January 21, 2011
To General Motors
Dear GM and new global product head, Ms. Mary Barra:
I've just been reading today's Wall Street Journal and I noticed that GM has been having some problems. Now, to be completely honest when it comes to American cars I'm pretty loyal to Ford, but I want to put in my two cents that may or may not be insightful for you.
I read that in 2007 40% of your sales came from new or heavily redesigned vehicles. This year you expect that only 12% of your sales will come from the same category of vehicles. I see this as a pretty big problem for you. I'm not very familiar with GM and your base strategy, but it seems to me that recently GM has tried to focus on driving innovation and meeting the demand of drivers everywhere for more efficient and safe vehicles. This drop in percentage of sales of new or heavily redesigned vehicles strikes me as a problem, and it reminds me of a problem another company that I am more familiar with once had: Apple.
Upon founding Apple, the CEO Steve Jobs said that he wanted to change the world through technology and innovation. Recent apparent GM strategy has shown me that this is possibly your goal as well. Like Apple in the 1990's, it seems like you have lost sight of this in recent years. When Steve Jobs came back to Apple in 1997 he made an impactful effort to return to their core strategy. It didn't take long for Apple to refocus this strategy and develop innovative new products that have led them to become the consumer electronic giant that it currently is.
It was once said that Apple was like a boat with a hole in it and a treasure on board with everyone rowing in different directions. The hole to me is the loss of focus on the strategy of innovation and as a result everyone loses their direction. The treasure of course is the potential for huge profitability. I see the same thing beginning with the GM boat in recent years. You are possibly losing focus on your strategy for innovation and people are losing their direction. You, as one of America's great auto makers, have an enormous potential sitting in your boat. To you, Ms. Barra and to the rest of GM, I suggest you plug your hole fast. Refocus on driving auto innovation and showing consumers what is possible with their cars and point the company in the right direction.
Live free, drive hard. Go America.
I've just been reading today's Wall Street Journal and I noticed that GM has been having some problems. Now, to be completely honest when it comes to American cars I'm pretty loyal to Ford, but I want to put in my two cents that may or may not be insightful for you.
I read that in 2007 40% of your sales came from new or heavily redesigned vehicles. This year you expect that only 12% of your sales will come from the same category of vehicles. I see this as a pretty big problem for you. I'm not very familiar with GM and your base strategy, but it seems to me that recently GM has tried to focus on driving innovation and meeting the demand of drivers everywhere for more efficient and safe vehicles. This drop in percentage of sales of new or heavily redesigned vehicles strikes me as a problem, and it reminds me of a problem another company that I am more familiar with once had: Apple.
Upon founding Apple, the CEO Steve Jobs said that he wanted to change the world through technology and innovation. Recent apparent GM strategy has shown me that this is possibly your goal as well. Like Apple in the 1990's, it seems like you have lost sight of this in recent years. When Steve Jobs came back to Apple in 1997 he made an impactful effort to return to their core strategy. It didn't take long for Apple to refocus this strategy and develop innovative new products that have led them to become the consumer electronic giant that it currently is.
It was once said that Apple was like a boat with a hole in it and a treasure on board with everyone rowing in different directions. The hole to me is the loss of focus on the strategy of innovation and as a result everyone loses their direction. The treasure of course is the potential for huge profitability. I see the same thing beginning with the GM boat in recent years. You are possibly losing focus on your strategy for innovation and people are losing their direction. You, as one of America's great auto makers, have an enormous potential sitting in your boat. To you, Ms. Barra and to the rest of GM, I suggest you plug your hole fast. Refocus on driving auto innovation and showing consumers what is possible with their cars and point the company in the right direction.
Live free, drive hard. Go America.
Monday, January 18, 2010
To 2010
2010, I gotta say, you've really been impressing me so far.
I know I sounded a bit cynical and pessimistic when I wrote about the new year, but don't worry, I wasn't taking it out on you. I was taking it out on the holiday.
Anyway, thanks 2010 for rocking so far. Classes are going well. They're a bit intense but I think that they'll be helpful and good for me in the long run. I really don't like some of the guys (aka pretty much all the guys but a couple) in my classes because they're punks and think they're all that, but that will be a good learning experience for me too. Overall I'm glad for the classes I'm taking, minus the $706 I spent on books this semester...
The weather has been awesome too. No snow as of yet. Lets keep it that way. At least here in Provo. I actually really want it to snow hard in the mountains every day.
And the reason I want tons of snow in the mountains is the next reason why I love 2010 so far! The return of snowboarding! Ah man I love taking off after doing some homework for a good night of snowboarding with Jeffy-Boy. Snowboarding freakin rocks, and because there has been lots of snowboarding in 2010 so far, you also rock 2010...
All these times I've let out some serious frustrations with dating. 2009 was a strange dating year for me for sure. However... 2010 has turned over a new leaf. Dating has been AWESOME! hahaha. yeah.
Nuf said 2010. You're freakin awesome. Bye.
I know I sounded a bit cynical and pessimistic when I wrote about the new year, but don't worry, I wasn't taking it out on you. I was taking it out on the holiday.
Anyway, thanks 2010 for rocking so far. Classes are going well. They're a bit intense but I think that they'll be helpful and good for me in the long run. I really don't like some of the guys (aka pretty much all the guys but a couple) in my classes because they're punks and think they're all that, but that will be a good learning experience for me too. Overall I'm glad for the classes I'm taking, minus the $706 I spent on books this semester...
The weather has been awesome too. No snow as of yet. Lets keep it that way. At least here in Provo. I actually really want it to snow hard in the mountains every day.
And the reason I want tons of snow in the mountains is the next reason why I love 2010 so far! The return of snowboarding! Ah man I love taking off after doing some homework for a good night of snowboarding with Jeffy-Boy. Snowboarding freakin rocks, and because there has been lots of snowboarding in 2010 so far, you also rock 2010...
All these times I've let out some serious frustrations with dating. 2009 was a strange dating year for me for sure. However... 2010 has turned over a new leaf. Dating has been AWESOME! hahaha. yeah.
Nuf said 2010. You're freakin awesome. Bye.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
To New Year's Eve
First off, New Year's Eve, I don't know how to punctuate you properly. Is it New Years' Eve, New Years Eve, or New Year's Eve? Get on that and let me know...
So, you were yesterday. And I can't pinpoint the exact moment yesterday, but as I was really thinking about it, I realized you pretty much aren't that cool anymore. As a kid, you rocked and I loved it every time you came around because I got to stay up until midnight! I remember Y2K even and I got bored staying up that late because I was playing WWF Smack Down on my N64 all night while listening to the Willenium CD. These days, I go to bed around midnight every night. Your junk food appeal isn't there anymore either because I can eat junk whenever I want! (And I pretty much do).
You're like that kid in elementary school who everyone wants to hang out with at recess because you have the most Pokemon cards until finally someone realizes that you aren't cool anymore and all the sudden its 10 years later and you still have all those Pokemon cards.
You do have the wow factor still of being a new year. More so this last time because we rang in a new decade (which I still haven't decided between "twenty-ten" or "two-thousand ten").
Moral of the story is, New Year's Eve, you're just not that cool and it's about time someone told you. I don't need you to be able to hang out with friends until ridiculous hours of the night, just like I really don't care about that kid's Pokemon cards.
There. It's about time someone said it...
So, you were yesterday. And I can't pinpoint the exact moment yesterday, but as I was really thinking about it, I realized you pretty much aren't that cool anymore. As a kid, you rocked and I loved it every time you came around because I got to stay up until midnight! I remember Y2K even and I got bored staying up that late because I was playing WWF Smack Down on my N64 all night while listening to the Willenium CD. These days, I go to bed around midnight every night. Your junk food appeal isn't there anymore either because I can eat junk whenever I want! (And I pretty much do).
You're like that kid in elementary school who everyone wants to hang out with at recess because you have the most Pokemon cards until finally someone realizes that you aren't cool anymore and all the sudden its 10 years later and you still have all those Pokemon cards.
You do have the wow factor still of being a new year. More so this last time because we rang in a new decade (which I still haven't decided between "twenty-ten" or "two-thousand ten").
Moral of the story is, New Year's Eve, you're just not that cool and it's about time someone told you. I don't need you to be able to hang out with friends until ridiculous hours of the night, just like I really don't care about that kid's Pokemon cards.
There. It's about time someone said it...
Thursday, December 24, 2009
To Christmas Eve
Through the years, Christmas Eve, you have brought me a lot of fun times. I remember being young and trying and trying to sleep but I never really could. I remember finally, somewhere in the night, drifting off to sleep, but waking up after what seemed only 15 minutes to see if it was morning yet. Finally, once it was about 5:30 am I couldn't take it anymore, at I just sat up and watched the clock until 7:00 (pronounced "seven-oh-oh" in your best little-boy voice) to wake up the rest of the siblings and go bounding into mom and dad's room. There we would wait and wait while they agonized us by saying they didn't want to go out yet or that they had to go to the bathroom or go make sure Santa still wasn't in the living room. I remember my dad going out to get the camera and having us take baby steps down the hall, all the while snapping picture after picture. Great times. My parents did an awesome job of building the hype.
I remember Christmas in the mission. I never wanted to eat spaghetti or buko salad again... Man you fed me a lot on those nights, Christmas Eve.
I remember lots of Christmas Eve's spent watching Christmas movies and going over to our friends, who are now also our family, to read and act out the Luke 2 story and share talents.
Tonight I was a Shepherd.
Christmas eve is full of beautiful sights and sounds, and of course delicious tastes (I've gained 3 pounds since being home, to give you an idea of just how delicious). Tomorrow everyone will wake up and open presents. Tomorrow our thoughts will be on family and Christ as we participate in our traditions. I love it.
I always love Christmas time, but I think I realized this year what it is exactly that makes the Christmas season just so special. It has to be the feast the senses get from the whole season. The cold is refreshing, the smell if just fresh, the tastes are rich, the sights are beautiful, and the smells are full of memory of Christmas past.
Thanks, Christmas. You rock.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
To Home
There is somethin about going home that just makes life awesome. Even though I really don't have any friends at home anymore (except Ashley), I just feel at home at home... (Yeah I know what I said).
On may way back to you, home, I had to wait in Sea-Tac for an hour, but I even loved that! I stepped out of the airport and it was misting outside. Not raining, not sprinkling, but the classic seattle misting. Good thing I had my hoodie on. I fit in much better than those Southwest flyers coming in from Long Beach wearing shorts, sandals, and rain coats and sporting their umbrellas. Psh. Umbrellas are for wussies.
I love being with you, home, because you mean family, and family rocks. I've got the coolest nephew and the 3 cutest nieces in the world and they're all here with us this week. I get to be with my sister and her family and my bro and his wife who is prego. I get to hang out and go to the gym with my little sis who runs like a thousand miles a day. I can't believe how much we've grown, home, and you were always such a big part of that.
Now it pretty much just seems that I really only get to come back every Christmas, when family is here. Otherwise it's just not the same, ya know?
So, home, thanks for everything. Even though you don't provide me with a room anymore and I find myself sleeping on the couch most nights, I love being here. Thanks for the food. Thanks for the family. Thanks for the awesome weather. Thanks for the smells, tastes, sights, and feelings I've loved throughout my life. Seattle's always gonna be home for me.
On may way back to you, home, I had to wait in Sea-Tac for an hour, but I even loved that! I stepped out of the airport and it was misting outside. Not raining, not sprinkling, but the classic seattle misting. Good thing I had my hoodie on. I fit in much better than those Southwest flyers coming in from Long Beach wearing shorts, sandals, and rain coats and sporting their umbrellas. Psh. Umbrellas are for wussies.
I love being with you, home, because you mean family, and family rocks. I've got the coolest nephew and the 3 cutest nieces in the world and they're all here with us this week. I get to be with my sister and her family and my bro and his wife who is prego. I get to hang out and go to the gym with my little sis who runs like a thousand miles a day. I can't believe how much we've grown, home, and you were always such a big part of that.
Now it pretty much just seems that I really only get to come back every Christmas, when family is here. Otherwise it's just not the same, ya know?
So, home, thanks for everything. Even though you don't provide me with a room anymore and I find myself sleeping on the couch most nights, I love being here. Thanks for the food. Thanks for the family. Thanks for the awesome weather. Thanks for the smells, tastes, sights, and feelings I've loved throughout my life. Seattle's always gonna be home for me.
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