Apple Store Launching in Israel

Today’s biggest industry news, as far as I am concerned, is the Apple store launch in Ramat Aviv, Israel. According to reports (who am I kidding? There are no reports, I am talking about what was written on the designated Facebook group), the grand opening has been in planning for months, and the new store will offer the Israeli consumer the same experience provided in Apple stores around the world (I wish I knew what that meant first hand, but from what I heard, it is a fun one).

What is left now, is 2 things:

  • To get this store up to date with the most current Apple products (I know it has not opened yet, but I have a hunch that they will offer year-old products there), like the new iPhone for example.
  • Once the store is current, we need to somehow get Apple to sell their products at the same prices they are sold in the U.S. The fact that it is opening in Ramat Aviv is not a good sign (that is the Beverly Hills of Israel). A man can dream, can’t he?

OK well today’s opening is a big step forward, I am sure we will have a long way to go until we have an Apple store like in NYC, but I am still in a good mood today.

-Hillel

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Genius – Not So Smart

Apple’s main theme in this past event was music. They launched a new service called Genius, in which with the click of a button you get recommendations to similar songs, and the iPod or iTunes automatically populates a playlist inside your own music collection. The request goes to some fancy algorithm cloud, and it is supposed to all be anonymous. What they don’t tell you is that you need to open an iTunes account in order to use the service. In order to open an iTunes account, you need to provide a US billing address and credit card number.

It’s just so backwards that they claim that Genius is anonymous, but they still need our private details. Ok so they don’t gather info on our song preferences, but rather all the private information that they can easily get from the credit card companies. Bad concept and dumb feature. I’m not going to use Genius.

-Aryeh

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Tech and Marketing=Apple

I know it is a topic that is discussed and written about a lot, but I think there is a reason for that. Apple is really an extraordinary company, for so many reasons. What really amazes me about them is not the product or the technology they sell. MAC vs. PC, that debate is for a different time. I do not think there is anyone that can really claim that the original iPod, or the first 5 generation iPods for that matter (as opposed to the touch and the IPhone), were the best MP3 players on the market.  They weren’t! Yet they managed to sell 150 million iPods worldwide as of September 2007.

So how do they do it? It is very simple, their marketing abilities are unparalleled in the market. I recently read an article all about Apple’s “Marketing Machine” that left me absolutely stunned at how fundamentally different two huge corporations like Microsoft and Apple can be. Just one example that is mentioned in the article is the fact that when driving to one of Steve Jobs’ keynotes, you can notice all the billboards and buses have the current Apple products on them, and within a matter of seconds from the announcement of a new product, all that changes! The site is up and running with the new products, the store is already selling whatever it is Steve Jobs announced just minutes before, and the employees are even wearing new T-shirts. It is all just so smooth and near perfection.

Apple is the perfect example of superior marketing, merged with absolutely stunning and nearly flawless technology. They do however, need to do a little work on lowering their prices.

-Hillel

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Ubiquity – Understanding Language

When you’re on a website and you want to email the URL to a friend, why does it take so many steps? You need to copy the address, open Gmail, paste the address, add the name, and send. Alternatively, if I want to add a meeting to my calendar, I have to open Google Calendar, add an event etc.  Come on! We are in 2008, there has to be an easier way.

Ubiquity is the answer, its brand new from from Mozilla Labs. The technology uses open APIs to create a really easy-to-use command program. The shortcut keys are really amazing and very intuitive. It provides you with a set of commands, that when typed, activate certain actions that would have generally taken many more steps.

For example I could type “email this page to Steve” and my Gmail opens with a link in the body, and Steve’s email address in the to field.

Another example is, if I want to search for something or get directions to somewhere on Google Maps, you can type “map my home address to the location” and then email it by writing ” email this to Me.”

The best part is that you can easily customize the commands and shortcut keys to fit your needs.

So take a look at the movie below to better understand what I am rambling about.

Try it and let me know what you think.

Aryeh

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1516134&w=425&h=350&fv=]

more about “About Ubiquity“, posted with vodpod

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Android App Store

Hey,
Things have been a bit crazy around here, so this is going to be short. Following our recent discussions on cellphone software, I just read on TechCrunch that Android is coming out with their own app store.

My thoughts:

1. I think competition is very important because it will increase the quality of the apps.

2. I am pro the open sourced software, and I can’t wait to see what they have to offer.

3. It will be very interesting to see if they charge for the apps.

What do you think? Are you going to use Android?

Have a good one

Aryeh

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New iPod Nano

Hi,

It’s getting late so ill keep this short. Kevin Rose(founder of Digg) has posted updates for the New iPod Nano.

Take a look

Latest rumors:
– Revamp of entire iPod line.
– Small cosmetic changes to Touch, Nano to see significant redesign (see pic below).
– iPods to see fairly large price drops to distinguish itself from the $199 iPhone.
– iPod touch 2.1 software, iPhone to get update very soon after.
– iTunes 8.0 (“it’s a big update w/new features”).
– All of this coming in the next 2-3 weeks.

Later,

Aryeh

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More thoughts on Microsoft’s Marketing

In my previous post about Microsoft’s attempt to copy Mac’s add campaign, my point was that they are just lame, but I am going to build on that point to include that Microsoft is totally failing in their attempts to use social marketing. Today, where social marketing is where it is at, one of the largest companies in the world still cant tie their shoelaces. One of the great things about social marketing is that its cheap and effective, if used correctly. Microsoft, on the other hand, would rather spend 300 million dollars on big celebrities to probably make some stupid TV commercials that will draw some attention but are really pathetic. You are one of the most powerful companies in the world and you need Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman, Willie Nelson, Travis Pastrana, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Nader, Rob Corddry, Stephen Colbert (and even the late Bernie Mac is being considered for the ad) to do your marketing for you?

Get some creativity Microsoft, come on, any idiot can pay 300 million dollars and make an ad. Stop following, and innovate or else the next generation of young Americans who already hate your company will continue to buy other products.

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Seinfeld is a PC

I’m sure you are all familiar with the clever Apple Ad campaign “Hi, I’m a Mac and I’m a PC” in which Mac takes jabs at Microsoft and it’s programs. Click here watch some

Well today Microsoft announced that they are hiring Jerry Seinfeld to do the same thing for Microsoft. Microsoft again is totally unoriginal, we’ll have to wait for to see the damage for ourselves. Jerry, all I have to say is Why?? You have so much money. Joining forces with Microsoft is not going to help your reputation.

Addition- They are spending 300 million dollars on the campaign

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