Happy New Year

Everyone. May you have a safe, fun and thought-provoking New Year. 

iPhone vs. Kindle

BusinessWeek has an article about the increasing popularity of using one's cell phone as an eBook reader, with solutions coming out allowing one to purchase and read material on the phone. It started with public domain books – like Tale of Two Cities and Shakespeare – and is now moving to unique or new content. 

When I first got my iPhone, I was very excited at the idea of using it as an eBook reader. Back in the days of Palms, I used mine sporadically as an eBook reader and Palm had (has?) a very robust eBook base. On the face of it, these devices make great readers. They are on one's person all the time and the content can be formatted in a way that it is easy to read – narrow columns, large type etc. One can zip through material pretty quickly. 

Unfortunately battery life is the biggest issue I have in using my phone as an eBook reader. The battery on the iPhone is just not good enough to use it as a phone and an eBook reader. The only time I tend to eRead is when I have a very short train journey – 10 minutes tops – and I know I will return home in a couple of hours or am able to plug my phone in at some point in my trip. It's my biggest frustration with my phone. Doing too much has led to a 'dead-as-a-doornail' phone on more than one occasion.

I love the Kindle because I can read for two or three days straight and not have to plug it in. It's not as convenient as my phone but it's certainly more convenient than carrying all the books I have on the Kindle. 

I think the Kindle is safe for now. When smartphones integrate ePaper technology – like this and these here – and can squeeze out two or three days of heavy use, then eBook on phone will take off.

Hat tip [jk on the run]

Researching disappointment

As a researcher, the idea of focusing on consumer disappointment intrigues me. It's quite common to ask consumers what they like and dislike about the products and services with which they interact. What if we start talking about delight and disappointment? Delight has been part of the brand/consumer aspiration for many marketers but focusing on disappointment is less widespread. 

As an example, my iPhone voice reception is disappointing but I wouldn't say it's something I dislike, because it works most of the time. I dislike the fact there is no "cut & paste" but I don't consider it a disappointment.

The next opportunity I get I will compare and contrast delight/disappointment and like/dislike. I am making the assumption that by asking both, I will get a more complete picture of the relationship consumers have with the product/service/brand. 

Something to think about as the year progresses. What do you think?

Kaizen on pause

Honda and Toyota are being forced to modify decades of kaizen/just-in-time manufacturing and are stockpiling materials. It seems as though their suppliers – who sell to the entire automotive industry in the US, not just Detroit – are having problems due to Detroit's financial/inventory problems. 

After I posted that entry, I wondered how today's fiscal difficulties would change the way goods are produced. I am still ruminating on it. It's just strange to see the unraveling of decades of progress in the span of twelve to eighteen months. 

Hat tip [Autoblog]

Using Apps to mitigate disappointment

There's an interesting post here about consumer disappointment, that argues that disappointment is built-in to our consumer culture. It's linked to my previous posts on time. In order for us to be happy with a product purchase, there needs to be some sense of disappointment or dissatisfaction to use as a foil. Gadgets are a perfect case-in-point and I find reviews that are conducted over a period of time engaging with a device to be far more informative than 'first impressions' because the review includes the disappointing aspects of the device vs. just the happy stuff. 

Part of the solution for dissatisfaction is customization – the idea that by shaping a device to our own needs, we theoretically increase our satisfaction. I quote from the post:

"A similar paradox adheres to our efforts to customize consumer goods. These efforts seem to make the product more durable and less prone to dissatisfy in that it is reshaped to express and suit our needs, and in that we remain actively engaged with it, remaking it afresh. But the customization process may in fact reflect a dissatisfaction with the good’s durable usefulness—we want to distract ourselves from its humdrum utility and render it more exciting, though this excitement can only be short-lived, more so than its utility in most cases."

By all indications, Apple's App store has been a raging success [stats to follow] and the last sentence can explain why. It's easy to get bored of a device; I was bored of the original iPhone after a few months. The App store renews one's connection to the iPhone by constantly offering different ways to make the device fun and interesting. Of course they created the perfect case study in the iTunes/iPod connection. Music then video sold devices. Now applications sell Touches and iPhones, as illustrated perfectly by the latest campaign. 

Brilliant

Hat tip [Pop Matters]

Make it stop

For the last couple of days, Britney Spear's Womanizer has been haunting my thoughts. I find myself singing 'Oh you're a womanizer baby' at random times in random places.

Oh the humanity!

I actually like the song and like this cover of it, sung by a French artist, Sliimy. Take a listen.

Hat tip [Perez Hilton]

Living in the present

In doing the research for my last post, I stubbled upon an article in Der Spiegel, the German newsweekly similar to U.S. News, on the Pirahã tribe in Brazil. Their language, spoken by approximately 300 people along the Amazon, is one of the simplist languages ever recorded. 

What is most intriguing about the language is it is grounded in the present. There is no means of expressing the future nor the past. There are no numbers. I quote: 

"He explains the core of Pirahã culture with a simple formula: "Live here and now." The only thing of importance that is worth communicating to others is what is being experienced at that very moment. "All experience is anchored in the presence," says Everett, who believes this carpe-diem culture doesn't allow for abstract thought or complicated connections to the past -- limiting the language accordingly.

Living in the now also fits with the fact that the Pirahã don't appear to have a creation myth explaining existence. When asked, they simply reply: "Everything is the same, things always are." The mothers also don't tell their children fairy tales -- actually nobody tells any kind of stories. No one paints and there is no art."

In recent years, some of the most popular self-help books – such as Eckhart Tolle's Power of Now – prod us to live in the now. It is not an easy thing to do because we are reminded of the passage of time everywhere we go, right down to how we speak to one another. The changing of the seasons pushes us forward and creates a 'future'. It's core to our consumer culture. It's hard to market 'new' without the concept of 'old.'

In order to really live in the now, it may make sense to move to a tropical climate where there are no seasons. It is easy for the Pirahã to say 'everything is the same' because they don't have to change the way they live; the weather is static.

I wouldn't mind trying for a little while. Monotony on the beach doesn't sound so bad in December. 

Does the English language create barriers to mathematical proficiency

I'm 3/4th through Malcom Gladwell's book. I really enjoy reading his work. It's simultaneously lyrical and informative.

I've had a few ah-has reading it but nothing compared to the passage I am in right now. His argument is the structure of the English language when it comes to expressing numbers inhibits math aptitude. He also maintains that the structure of the language is what makes many Asians cultures – Chinese, Japanese, Korean and other Chinese derivative languages – so good at math because the language expresses numbers in a very rational and easy to manipulate way. 

In Chinese, they say ten-one, ten-two, ten-three instead of changing the spelling and structure. Starting from twenty it goes two-ten-one, two-ten-two, two-ten-three. Think about how much easier it is to calculate three-tens-seven plus two-tens-two. 

I started thinking about how numbers are expressed in the languages that I've studied. How does English compare to its' cousins Dutch and German? How does it compare to French? 

It seems as though English inherited its irregularity from the Dutch, if you go here and compare it to German, which is more regular. Old English – scroll to the end – is similar to Dutch, unsurprisingly. The numbers over 50 in French always drove me nuts – sixty-one, sixty-two, sixty-eleven, sixty-twelve, then four-twenty-one, four-twenty-two to four-twenty-eleven, four-twenty-twelve. But I'm sure it's useful in adding and subtracting. 

Should English reform its' expression of numbers? Given English has no 'governing body' compared to other languages – e.g. French, German, Dutch etc – it may take a while before that happens. The glacial progress of adopting the metric system illustrates the challenge.

Great glassware

Love the simple elegance of the Hruska line of glassware from Czech designer Martin Zampach (with accented z). 

It's shot incredibly well too. 

Hat tip [Industrial Design Served]

Font joy - Deco Ghost

Trippy typeface incorporating an Art Deco feel. Great for title cards. 

Hat tip [typography served] 

Quick post

I've started experimenting with Twitter. It's ironic that the first person to 'follow' me isn't a real person. It's Peggy Olson, from the show Mad Men.  

Slow

Postings will be slow for the next few days. I'll resume my more frenetic schedule after the New Year.

Fontjoy - Feijoa

Really nice book font Feijoa. Check the link below for a sample page. The italic ligatures are wonderful; I haven't seen a g/i ligature in a while.

Hat tip [Typography Served]

Japan meets Africa

Intriguing clothes from a Cameronian designer living in Tokyo. Serge Mouangue worked with well respected kimono manufacturer Odasho on a line of kimono using African fabrics and motifs. 

Click on the pictures to see them larger. These two are my favorites. The line can be seen here, at his site WAfrica. It's worth checking out.

Beautiful work.

iTunes Store Tax?

Considering free downloads are still an issue that record companies are battling, it seems silly to tax media sold online at this point in time. But that's what Gov. Paterson wants to do to help close the hole in NY State's budget. I understand that the State is facing a budget crisis. But the download industry is in its infancy. Plus this is the first time that the industry will be challenged by a recession. When everyone's making money, few object to paying for downloads. With consumers in dire straits, I imagine fewer will pay for downloads when they can get stuff for free. Long story short, I doubt much revenue will be garnered from this in the short to medium term. Time will tell I guess.

Hat tip [Economist]

Bag whore-dom

As I have admitted in the past, I'm a huge bag whore, although I've made few purchases in recent months, what with the economy and the fact that the ones I have now pretty much meet my needs. That said, it's always nice to see a cool bag that fits the G/Mitch brand.

This is a great one from Mismo, a Danish leather goods maker. It has everything I look for in a bag, at least from the outside. Simple yet elegant details. Rugged good looks that won't fall apart in one season. Some pocket action. Great color. 

It's an excellent piece. I may have to break my bag fast for this one.

Hat tip [mens.style.com]

Amazing space

As wonderful as this space is on a sunny day, I think an overcast day would be amazing in this room. 

Hat tip [Desire to Inspire - Clifton Interiors]

Twitter-ing

The net is 'aTwitter' with Twitter plane crash man, the guy who live blogged the Continental plane crash in Denver a few days ago. 

I'm a big reader of the UK Guardian, that broadsheet of lefty Brits. The comments to the news report on Twitter Plane Crash Man are amusing because it reveals a very stark cultural and perhaps generational divide. The comments reflected the perception that this guy was Twittering for glory sake and that he felt informing random strangers was more important than his friends and family. 

It didn't occur to anyone commenting that this guy was informing his friends and family through Twittering; Twitter allowed him to inform his circle all at once rather than scattered phone calls and texts here and there. I'm sure he contacted the most important few personally but for the next concentric circle, Twitter worked just fine. I'm sure it was a complete fluke that others noticed his feed and his 15-minutes started right there.

I have a friend who started Twittering to keep her hyper-attentive Mom informed of her whereabouts without being barraged with phone calls several times a day. Why do you Twitter, Facebook or what have you?

Beautiful Narcolepsy

Stunning picture from Vogue Korea. Be sure to follow the link below for more from the same editorial. 

Hat Tip [Daily Decadence] 

Radical de-centralization

I've been thinking about the media business a lot lately, especially the slow but steady demise of newspapers. I ran across a new way forward being chartered by the Oakland Press Institute in California. They are opening a classroom that trains citizens to be journalists. What an interesting way of formalizing what news brands have started doing – carving out a roll for the everyday person. 

This got me thinking about the structure of our economy, bizarrely enough. What if decentralization accelerates to include many of the large companies / brands that we know today?

An example from the Proctor and Gamble world would be – under the Pantene brand is a very specialized hair treatment that is sold by a one woman shop in the Atlanta area. The Pantene brand gets the 'serious haircare' halo while offering its customers a brand experience that is unique and local. Using General Motors, with the advent of one fuel cell based platform, micro-factories throughout the country could build custom cars. 

Admittedly, it's not exactly a new model. Technology companies have been acquiring and integrating small fry for a long time. The fashion industry works in a similar way, using licensing to offer unique brand experiences in different forms. But if applied to the likes of GM and P&G, what would this model do to the established norms of brand building and manufacturing.

I'm still working on this idea but I thought I would share while I work through it. Comments are most welcome here. 

Social Networking Therapy

Early in this blog, I wondered if people would withdraw from social networking when bad things happen to them, such as a layoff. I thought they would, to an extent, or at least maintain a veneer that things were fine when they were not. 

Thankfully my supposition was wrong. BusinessWeek highlights the opposite. People are sharing their bad news en mas and using sites like Facebook as part of their support structure. 

In a way, I'm not surprised. Social networking is about life and life is not always sunshine and butterflies. Sometimes life sucks. It's when life sucks that one gains the most out of social networking. These sites remind us that there are people out there – be they close friends and family or strangers – who empathize, share our experience and who care about us, in good times and in bad.

Interesting quote from the article: Typically people are loath to publicize bad news. 'When someone is initially laid off, their inclination is to avoid being in social environments,' says Marlin Potash, a NY psychiatrists who counsels workers exiting senior positions, primarily from the financial and media industries. But that behavior can heighten anxiety or worsen depression. Potash recommends that some clients use social networking sites because they provide a kind of 'halfway house' between comfort and social immersion.

This does lead me to an observation that has been lingering in my brain for a while. This recession will probably be the most documented downturns to date. Think of all of the data – from mainstream reporting, to Twitter feeds, to blogs etc – that is being captured and is readily available. Social scientists will have – and probably are having – a field day. 

Hat tip [PSFK]

Dream Kitchen

How amazing is this kitchen. I love the mix of chairs in the eating area. Be sure to check out the rest of the house and to click on the picture, since Blogger likes to cut parts out. 

Hat tip [Design to Inspire]

My POV on the Obama / Warren controversy

This is an email I wrote to Andrew Sullivan. 

As a gay man I understand the hurt that is coursing through the gay community at the moment. As you highlighted, it is coursing on the other side too [pro-lifers and other evangelicals] and based on what I have read and what I know about that community, having lived in it, they feel the same sense of betrayal. 

What Obama is saying is calculated and it is very clear. We are going to need to work with people with whom we disagree on a few issues for the common good. He highlighted what he shared in common with Warren. We need to put those lens back on. Share vs. division. 

Republicans have used these relatively minor issues – and objection to gay marriage truly only effects the Keynsian 10% of the US population – to divert us from the GINORMOUS problems this country faces. Before we get our panties in a bunch, we need to think about where are are AS A NATION. We are in the midst of a financial and social crisis not seen since the Depression. We have been buffeted with winds that have destabilized the basics of life – food, energy and housing. Some asswipe just stole $50 billion dollars from hard working people and he still gets to walk the streets of Park Avenue. Because of him and many others, there is a crisis of faith in our financial system, which has been the key to the success of this country for many many years. 

Gay marriage is important but all of us having jobs in a smooth running economy is FAR more important. If I can't put food on my table, gay marriage means nothing to me. I imagine many many Americans feel the same. 

Gays are a minority and like other minorities, at this time in our country's history, we need to be part of the majority – Americans. 

Stay at My House

An ingenious convertible guest station. I think it's a concept right now but this is perfect for with big hearts and small apartments, such as the one yours truly resides.

Hat tip [Designasyl]

Zaha Hadid – Architecture Goddess

The winning entry for Vienna's University of Economics and Business. 

An aerodynamic temple for intellectuals. 

Bitchin'

Full plans and hat tip [Dezeen]

Jott, my new BFF

So I've been a big admirer of Getting Things Done – the organization system popular with the geeks and other productivity fiends. The premise of the system is that in order to relaxed and productive, one needs to have a mind like water. Basically, you keep nothing stored in your head because doing so is stressful and it is the stress about doing something that often hinders one from getting things done in the first place. So David Allen recommends that you keep an inbox – a central repository of stuff to do. From there, take stuff out of your inbox and sort them into contexts, projects, someday etc. I'm not going to get into a lot of it here. Follow the links above for a good overview. I do recommend the book/audiobook. 

I've loved the GTD idea but have never found a good way to keep a decent inbox, and Apple hasn't helped things. I love Apple mail but tasks are treated as red-headed stepchildren. They aren't synced with the iPhone in a way that you can act upon them. You can see them but that's definitely not enough. Even that task functionality is pretty weak. I've tried many things, including Evernote, a centralized note program, but the iPhone version is a little unwieldily and the entire program doesn't have powerful enough to-do functionality. 

I discovered the Jott app for the iPhone a few days ago; they make a Blackberry version as well. OMG! It's incredible. When you launch the program, you see an old reel to reel tape recorder – cute retro touch. You have 15 seconds to say something and it transcribes it and posts it. You can either manipulate your Jotts in the app or you can go online and use their web version. It's finally the seamless inbox I've been  seeking. There are various Jott links to other web software but they require a subscription. I'm going to see how I fare without it, for now. I now have the Jott app open nearly all the time to capture silly things like blog posts, what I've eaten, exercise etc. It all maps back into tracking myself. I'm hoping I'll improve. :)

Plush toys for sick people

Is it bad that I want one? 

Hat tip [Gizmodo]

Quantifying myself

The original source escapes me but I have run across a website where the author captures data about himself and has set up a little community of people who do similar things. It's a Wiki called Quantified Selves and there are a few people on there who track different things. 

One woman tracks 40 things about herself – from how she feels, to her mood, to her childcare and even the quality and quantity of sex. Talk about performance pressure for her husband! "Uh, honey, last night was a 2. I'm going to have to see some improvement or I'll be taking matters into my own hands."

In the spirit of the New Year, I'm thinking of doing something similar – tracking different elements about myself. I'll share what I'll be tracking in the days to come. Much of the heavy lifting will be done by the Jott iPhone app [iTunes Store Link] an amazing program that captures what you say and transcribes it into notes/to do's. I've started to capture my diet, mood, and an ever-growing inbox of stuff to do. Check out the Wiki because there are some great thought starters on what one could track about oneself. A filmmaker tracks media consumption, which is helpful for those in the industry. 

What would our society be like if we all tracked ourselves so rigourously as a matter of course? What would you track about yourself? If more of us did this, or could be encouraged to do this, would you sell this information if offered? For example, how much would P&G pay their eternal target – the Mom – to get access to her tracking data? What kind of product innovation would result from such efforts? 

Would we be more like Warren Buffett? I'm in the middle – a stationary middle at the moment – of Buffet's recent autobiography The Snowball. I did not know much about him prior to reading the book. He's a fascinating guy. One of the most interesting things about him is his childhood obsession with numbers and tracking things, which obviously foretold his success. At the age of 6, he used to track how fast his marbles swirled around the sink. I'm sure Buffett has a ton of things he tracks about himself and the areas he is involved. I'd love to see that data.

Inside the Cube with Inhabitat + Mark Baez

A very cool modular building made of prefab 10' cubes. This one is in Venice, CA but more are on the way. It costs only $100 per sq foot to construct. 

Some cool features: walls and doors that easy to remove and reconfigure, concrete floors heated by hot water that is warmed by the solar panels, and a garage is sodded so grass can grow, increasing the oxygen levels in the home. 

The only thing I would change is find some way to tint the panels to bring in a little more color/warmth to the space. But I guess good old fashioned nature will take care of that. 

This Inhabitat link has pictures of the space. Very Japanese feel. I would sooo live here. 

P.S. Anyone near Venice, could you hunt this down?

[Hat tip: Prefabcosm + Inhabitat]

Mercedes BlueZero line

In 2010 Mercedes will be introducing a line of BlueZero cars – which look very similar to a B-Class – that share the same body type but will be offered in three different powertrains: electric (a la Tesla), Hydrogen Fuel Cell, and a hybrid electric (a la Volt). PG&E had a fleet of Mercedes B-Class Fuel Cell cars that I had the pleasure of driving (briefly), thanks to a friend of mine who worked with the company. It was quiet but other than that pretty unremarkable, which is a good thing.  I keep hoping they will introduce the B-Class in the US. They keep threatening to do so.

My one issue is... did they have to chose such an unflattering shade of green? 

Um, jail?

You would think that someone who confessed to defrauding hundreds if not thousands of people of what is estimated to be $50 BILLION dollars would be going to jail. But he's not. Madoff is under house arrest. Is it me or is something very wrong about this?

Mini does it again

You must check out this incredible use of technology.

Translations: 

• "Immer Offen Für Neues" means "Always open to something new" 
• The first title card reads: the New Mini Convertable - The Worldwide Premier right in your hands
  

I still need to study how they did it but if you put the page in the line of sight of your computer's webcam, something I'm sure you have, a 3D rotating image of the car will appear on your screen. What an incredible combination of print media and technology. Just another example of Mini leading the way in using print in new ways.

Hat Tip [Gizmodo]

Personal H.U.D. coming soon

In order for humans to take that next step and become cyborgs, we'll need HUDs – Heads Up Display – to inform us about our surroundings. Thankfully, it's something you can experience sooner than later. 

Exhibit A - above - is the not-to-distant version, is basically memory that is transparent. Exhibit B - link - is an application that will come out quite soon on the Google phone and uses the camera and links to Wiki to do the same thing. I imagine it won't be long before there's an iPhone version. 

Soon it will be impossible to be lost. Since between GPS and programs like these, you will always know where you are and will be well-informed of your surroundings. How will that change the way we interact with our environment? Will we be better informed or will be loose our sense of discovery. 

Hopefully there will be a way for others NOT to know. That's another topic altogether.

Hat tip [Gizmodo and Influx Insights]

Sweet Volvo

This is a seriously hot Volvo, which is almost a contradiction in terms. This is a preview of the 2010 S60 that will be released in Detroit. Can't wait to see it.

Detroit would be an interesting show to attend this year. Some prominent makes – including Nissan and Mitsubishi – have pulled out of the show this year. What will Detroit be like next year?

Hat tip [Autoblog]

Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!! Last MacWorld next year!

End of an era! Next year's will be the last MacWorld and Steve will not be saying goodbye. *sniff*

I confess to having watched nearly every Keynote from the last 5 years. Steve taught everyone how to present better.

Be simple. Conversational. Fun. Graphic. Having cool products help too. 

I'm sorry to see it go but I understand the rationale behind it. His health has been up and down since his pancreatic cancer treatment and every time he appears in public, the DeathWatch countdown commences. It's a distraction.

I don't mind periodic releases throughout the year rather than the blockbuster event releases. Makes life more interesting for a Mac head like me. 

Floor tiles from recycled leather belts

It's been a slow blogging day for me but I wanted to highlight this very cool use of recycled belts – making floor ties out of them. 

Very very cool. The company, Ting, is based in London. 

UPDATE: The more I look at this, the more awesome I think it is. Not too cold to the touch. Should have great sound deadening qualities. Infuses the room with a warm cozy feeling. My favorite Dutch word is - gezellig - meaning a cozy comfortable feeling (amongst other things) and this tile most certainly adds that. 

Hat tip [Apartment Therapy]

Font joy: Courbe

There is something very graceful yet Star Trek Enterprise about this font. I can't think of any occasion where I would use it but I'm sure it would be appropriate for someone. This is an outline version that has a tint to it but also comes in solid. I chose this version  because I thought it showed off some of the detail a little better.

Hat tip [Typography Served]

Eames chair construction

Check out this roughly 9 minute video that details how the infamous Eames shell chair used to be made. [Apologies: I haven't figured out how to insert non-YouTube video in Blogger]. 

What I find most interesting about the video isn't the production process but the way it was shot and the score associated with it. The style is very late 60's early 70's minimalist mod, with extreme close-ups whenever possible. The score is akin to the musical minimalist, Phillip Glass. There are no subtitles or VO. In parts, it's hard to discern just what is being done. But you left with the craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into every Eames piece.

I contrast this video with the 'How It's Made' series on the Science/Discovery Channel, which really does try to enlighten the viewer on a production process from start to finish. I always seem to watch it when traveling since it's on late. If you have never watched it, you should. It's amazing to find beauty in the construction of everyday things.

Hat tip [Make Magazine]

New BMW Z4

Yes this is not a time for luxury cars. Be that as it may, I love BMW's just released Z4. It looks like a mini version of the 6-series, which is a very good thing. I actually prefer the rear styling of this car to the 6-series. 

Mac Tablet Mockup

If only this existed. 

Hat Tip [Industrial Design Served]

Weehouse

A more modernist take on prefab/minimalist dwellings. I definitely dig. The design is called the Weehouse. They have a 'one box' for $65k but that seems only suitable for an office. A proper 1BR at 672 sq ft is $125k. You can add boxes to make larger and larger dwellings.

UPDATE: I laughed at this entry today [Sunday] because on the one hand, I'm extolling the virtues of a space roughly 100 sq ft yet I sneered at the 350 sq ft 'one box' studio. Old habits are hard to break. 

Hat tip [Kempt]

Letter of the law vs. intent of the law

My Mom and I used to have many conversations about the difference between how law is interpreted in the UK vs. the US and I thought it would be an interesting topic for discussion. She's a former British citizen (via Jamaica) and has been both a Chartered Accountant and a CPA and has dealt with the difference in a professional capacity. 

I will admit that I'm no in any way conversant with anything other than broad strokes of this so if I'm wrong in any way, please let me know. I'll also do more research on the topic (sigh - this research docket is getting longer). 

One the biggest differences we discussed is the difference between intent and 'the letter'. Meaning that British law tends to be a set of guiding principles that cover not only the specific problem at hand but also the grey area surrounding it. That means that one can be convicted of a crime, even if a loop hole seemingly allowed it because it's the spirit of the law that's the most important. American law – and therefore American contacts etc – is all about the letter of the law. That's why our legislation is so lengthy. Our legal system needs to spell out every specific case where one can go afoul of the law. If it's not in that specific statute, technically no crime has been committed. 

Which system is 'right'? Sometimes I wonder if life would be easier or less costly if we had the former system and not the latter. In theory having everything spells out sounds great because there is little for interpretation. But human nature propensity to bend the truth will always prevail and/or look for loopholes, undermining trust in the system. Poster child for this issue: Enron.

This is on my mind because of all the scandals that have been in the news lately. 

American English will cost you

When you talk to consumers about customer service – typically technology and financial services – one of their biggest frustrations is phone support. The consumer is talking but the person on the other end just can't seem to get what they are saying. And vice versa. 

I'll do another post on this – related to Gardner – but here is where what consumer's want and what businesses can/will provide are two different things. Consumers want someone on the phone to hold their hand and address all of their issues until resolution, no matter how long it takes or how frequent. Businesses want to be gracious 'hosts' but at the end of the day, support costs money and it's money that is difficult to re-coop due to pricing pressures, competition etc.

Outsourcing customer support has been the 'fix' for that but has raised a new problem – the language barrier. My experience in the UK showed me that while we speak the same language, the differences are sometimes quite vast. I'll never forget a dinner party where the host said "would you like some squash?" I wasn't sure what I was going to do with a root vegetable so I asked, um, what's that. Squash in the UK is a citrus drink. Gales of laughter ensued. 

This disconnect is hilarious at a dinner party but when if you are on a deadline and your computer won't work, misunderstandings like these are frustrating and in the end damage the relationship you have with your customer. 

Dell has come up with a unique (ahem) solution to the problem. You can pay $13/month or $100/year to speak to an American. I wonder if it will work? Would you pay extra to speak to an American? I'm not sure I would. Not because I don't want to keep jobs in this country but it seems rather insulting to be told – if you want to understand the help you are getting, it will cost you. What do you think?

US Morality

I have a big post upcoming on a lecture I went to at the MoMA, at the suggestion of a friend of mine. I was going to avoid politics in this blog but what the hell. 

The lecture was given by Howard Gardner. He is a Harvard Professor of Cognition and Education and is known for his work on multiple intelligences. His premise is that there are seven intelligences – linguistic, logic/mathematic, spatial, kinesthetic, musical, internpersonal and intrapersonal, and naturalist. I'm currently reading some of his papers so I'll be able to speak to this a little more intelligently soon enough. 

He mentioned something that really cuts to the core of the division in this country, in my opinion. He said this country is the first that was founded on the concept of moral freedoms vs. moral restrictions. What is Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness if not the ultimate in moral freedom. 

The crux of the division in this country lies in how one defines happiness at the various levels in our society – familial, neighborhood, locality, state and nation. And who gets to make the definition.

New Double Deckers

Imagine a city bus that converts into a freight hauler when not in use. This design concept to replace London's Double Deckers could very well be that bus. The wheels are powered by individual motors, so it's very green. 

The main benefit is the bus can be quickly converted to accept standard European pallets. The airlines and railroads have active freight businesses. Why not buses? Maybe it's just what London needs to overhaul its' transportation system. 

Hat Tip [Auto Blog]

The VERY minimalist hotel

A hotel has opened up in Switzerland – the Null Stern (no star). It's a converted bunker. It costs $9 a night. It has cement floors and the management offers complementary slippers for walking on them when they get icy. 

Hat tip [UK Sun and BNet Aviation]

GM: We did not invest in our future

Excellent NYT article that basically sums up the problem with General Motors. Yes lack of consumer financing caused a dramatic sales slide but the bigger more pressing issue is that the company neglected to invest in its future, typically by pulling the plug on initiatives that did not pay out in the immediate future. It's quite sad and should be a warning to companies that sacrifice R&D for short-term gain. 

Hat tip [Autoblog]

Gilligan's Island has the last laugh

This just in. Baylor University has found a way to use coconut husks for car parts. It is intended for farmers in poor coastal regions but who's to say it won't/shouldn't spread.

The first thing that popped into my mind was the car/golf cart that the castaways used on Gilligan's Island. Little did we know that the idea would be resurrected as a path to a greener car. 

I'm sure there's some appropriate saying about truth and fiction but I can't remember it now. 

Hat tip [Religion Blog]

How wealthy homes may change and what that means for the rest of us

Interesting article from the Home & Garden section of the Financial Times regarding how stately homes of the rich and famous will change. Many of these changes will trickle down to the rest of us, so it's worth paying attention.

There were 10 trends listed but a lot of them we've heard before. Homes will be more energy efficient. They will integrate the natural world more seamlessly. They will be more of a cocoon/sanctuary than they are now – which I can't fathom. They will be controlled by computers/iPhones. Of course they will be more private since paparazzi haunts us all at every corner. 

The one that I intrigued me most was the elimination of plastic as a material of choice. It's a horrible material from an environmental standpoint but has been very popular. Case in point, the Ghost Chair from Phillippe Stark, pictured above. 

Without plastic, what will Karim Rashid do??

"This party needs more Black people. STAT!"

Fashionably dressed blacks, beware!!! 

If you aren't careful, you may be strong-armed into an elegant party and be forced to sip expensive champagne and munch caviar. Oh the horror!

Seems as though Obama's election has put pressure on 'anyone who's anyone' hosts and hostesses to have black representation at their holiday fêtes. Given this is a relatively new phenomenon, expect to see the same faces grace the pages of New York Magazine and Page 6 Post.

Hat tip [JC Report]  

Crazy Japanese Truck House

OK, I saw this and had to post it, in light of all my musings on small spaces. Two students converted a delivery truck into a mobile home, of sorts. Half of the truck literally folds up to make a sleeping loft. Very very cool.

Hat tip [PSFK]

Kaizen and Apple

Last September the iPod turned seven years old. Amazing huh. Gizmodo did a cool timeline to show how far the media player has come since its' origins. Take a look at the image above and I'm sorry that it doesn't shrink well.

The image got me thinking about something I used to follow religiously about the same time that the iPod came out – the concept of Kaizen, or the Japanese word/concept for continuous improvement. Toyota is a big believer in Kaizen and was often cited in the book that introduced kaizen to the masses called Lean Thinking, by James Womack and Daniel Jones. It ushered in 'just-in-time' manufacturing or the idea that large material inventories are wasteful. Great book, if you haven't read it. 

The idea is that while there are big leaps that products naturally make, there is much to be said for constantly tweaking things here and there – from the product to the means of production. 

One can see kaizen at work in the timetable above. Apple has made some big leaps in the product but seen in aggregate, many of the changes have been evolutionary rather than revolutionary. With the exception of the iPod Touch and iPhone, it's quite easy to see the resemblance between all of the wheel-based iPods. For a tech world enamored with 'Great Leaps Forward,' Apple's discipline has often received unkind words. But the iPod is still the gold standard of media players, regardless of the others that may offer more features or a low price. I think kaizen has something to do with it. 

Another thing that struck me while writing this is how Apple has managed to stave off competitors this way. By making the improvements gradual, it avoids two things. 

1. Owners of current iPods don't feel as they they are hopelessly out of date. There's enough to entice them to upgrade in a couple years but nothing tooo radical. 
2. By avoiding huge leaps, Apple makes it difficult for customers and prospects alike to cross-shop other media players. If they moved too quickly, competitors could made a valid case against it. Case in point, BMW's Bangle revamp that gave competitors like Audi an opening for those who liked German engineering but didn't like the new BWM wrapper. 
   

I do come off like a total Apple fanboy sometimes but the company makes smart business decisions – not just smart branding decisions – that are worth discussing. 

Monocle and multi-channel media

Seems as though every media geek loves Monocle, that media brand developed by Wallpaper* genius Tyler Brûle. I started reading it about a year ago and while I haven't tipped over into obtaining a subscription, I do purchase it fairly regularly. If you haven't read about the creation of the website, please read this article from someone intimately involved. 

I think of Monocle as an intelligent USA Today of international business, politics and style. It's perfect for the ADD propensity of its audience, since it can be read in little bursts - say at the airport waiting for one's plane - or in long engagements. I also love its' point-of-view, which I think is 'a good idea can come from anywhere,' thanks to a very global remit, just like Wallpaper*

One of the most intriguing aspects of Monocle is the Shop, curated by or developed in collaboration with their editorial staff. The Monocle store has everything that a glamorous international jet-setter could want – clothing, bags, furniture, and personal items. Monocle have opened their own store in London, which I hope to visit sooner than later. I hope they do at least a pop-up store in NY. 

One of the delightful aspects of shopping at Tretorn was the appearance of Monocle's Porter collaborated luggage line, complete with copies of the magazine strewn casually about just in case one hadn't heard of it before. Nice. It was great to be able to see the line in-person. 

The experience, and the Monocle property itself, got me to thinking about journalism and the multi-channel world. I'll post more on that soon enough. 

Phew, this blogging thing

Just a pause in the action but I'm working on a few articles, once of which I will post shortly. I'm finding blogging to be an interesting experience and one that I just want to talk about for a few minutes. 

It's amazing the transformation that takes place within oneself from just yapping about whatever comes to mind to actually selecting things to write about, researching it and developing a point-of-view. I'm finding it enlightening.

I oscillate between wanting to make this more about fluff and wanting it to be a serious discussion with my peers on different topics of import. Another question is how personal should this blog should be? 

I don't have the answer to either of these issues but you'll be seeing the answer formulate over time, I'm sure.