Intro: We conclude our 7th year of FIR (and begin our 8th year) on January 3, on the audio quality in episode 683, FIR Interview with Ekaterina Walter coming early in the New Year; Quick News: Mobile malware will be the new "urban alley mugging" says McAfee Labs report, Facebook is still the top site for sharing product information, the decision to follow you on Twitter takes less than 10 seconds, Home Depot's mobile conversions double year-over year; Ragan promo; News That Fits: Reading … [Read more...] about The Hobson and Holtz Report – Podcast #684: December 31, 2012
Archives for 2012
Leadership is about conversations
I came upon a blog post this weekend that addressed its subject matter in a way that I found breath-taking both in its simplicity and in its clarity. 5 Qualities that Make a Good Leader in the Social Media Age by Brian Verhoeven looks at leadership innovation as discussed in the book Humanize published last year that was the subject of dialogue among the authors Jamie Notter and Maddie Grant and others in a panel discussion a few months ago. What makes a good leader in your organization? … [Read more...] about Leadership is about conversations
The Kindle’s days are numbered
Whenever I'm on the tube in London, one thing I notice is the number of people quietly absorbed in reading a book or other text content on a Kindle as the crowded trains speed their way through the tunnels beneath the city. Amazon's near-ubiquitous ebook reader has changed the reading habits of millions of people worldwide, and disrupted an established industry to attain a leading position in the shift to digital as the maker of the hardware platform on which you consume the content, and also … [Read more...] about The Kindle’s days are numbered
Compelling content is king for the newspaper business too
How healthy is the newspaper business? If you look at print, the long-term prognosis is not encouraging overall, certainly not in the UK and to a large extent neither in the US, especially as the declining circulation and revenue of print newspapers occurs alongside a shift in emphasis to online versions. We've seen some radical such shifts this year, notably the closure of the printed Newsweek magazine and its continuation as a digital-only publication. Quartz, a digital-only business … [Read more...] about Compelling content is king for the newspaper business too
FIR Cut: Starbucks Twitter hashtag hijacked by critics
Overflow from FIR #683 on December 24, 2012. Mashable: Starbucks Twitter Hashtag Campaign Becomes Forum for Brand-Bashing Telegraph: Starbucks Twitter campaign hijacked by tax protests Twitter: #SpreadTheCheer Listen Now: Download this podcast (MP3, 3.95Mb; length 9:47) If you want to automatically receive FIR Cuts as they’re published, subscribe to the RSS feed. (What are FIR Cuts?) … [Read more...] about FIR Cut: Starbucks Twitter hashtag hijacked by critics
The Hobson and Holtz Report – Podcast #683: December 24, 2012
Intro: FIR Interview with Dell's Cy Jervis is up, Ekaterina Walter interview is coming in the New Year; FIR Android app is now in the Amazon app store, not the Google Play store; Quick News: New York Times points a way to enhanced digital storytelling, 18 British government departments publish their digital strategies, study shows quality content leads to word-of-mouth marketing, anonymous social network Social Number launches; Ragan promo; News That Fits: Is this the time for the social … [Read more...] about The Hobson and Holtz Report – Podcast #683: December 24, 2012
Christmas wishes 2012
For many people, today is the final working day before Christmas Day on December 25, followed - in the UK, and in much of the Commonwealth - by Boxing Day on the 26th. As they're public holidays, it means in effect that many people take most if not all of next week as holiday. That's what I'm doing, too, focusing on family and close friends and taking time to reflect on the year that's passing as we look forward to the next. Apart from posting the show notes for the the next episode of the … [Read more...] about Christmas wishes 2012
100Mbps is great but it’s not just about content consumption
Higher-speed broadband arrived at my house this week when Virgin Media flipped the switch to deliver over 100Mbps download speed via a fibre-optic cable connection, doubling the 50-60Mbps I've been enjoying for the past few years. I knew this was coming as I'd had to upgrade the cable modem last month to Virgin's Media's Superhub - an attractive bit of kit (made by Netgear, incidentally) that incorporates a wireless router - in preparation for the higher speed. Setting it up was a breeze, … [Read more...] about 100Mbps is great but it’s not just about content consumption