Category Archives: Technology
Diapers and Bras- A Sensor Revolution
Written on March 4, 2014 at 10:00 am, by Eric
Wearable computing is just in its infancy, but already some are taking it to places we wouldn’t have imagined. While there will be many benefits to the technology, there is a real threat of decision making continually being outsourced to technology. Two examples recently caught our attention: Researchers in Japan have designed an organic, Continue Reading »
The World We Are Creating
Written on August 2, 2013 at 9:08 pm, by Eric
We have suggested that in the deployment of technology, the means justify the ends – that is, if we can do it, then we should do it. With that perspective, humans will be forced to adjust to the presence of technology wherever they go and whatever they do, seemingly without regard to effects As Continue Reading »
Mailboxes and General Stores: What Year is This?
Written on November 19, 2012 at 7:00 am, by Inferential Focus
Are mailboxes and general stores new/old solutions for contemporary service? For one, the mailbox is answering the call for delivery of online purchases. Amazon is now teaming up with Staples, Radio Shack, 7-Eleven and Albertsons for its Amazon Locker Service. The physical retailers will install Amazon lockers in their stores, allowing customers to buy from Continue Reading »
Process Over Products
Written on November 12, 2012 at 9:39 pm, by Inferential Focus
As we have been discussing, consumers now trust their shopping “process”, which includes things such as comparison shopping, blog reviews and friend queries more than they trust any specific product or brand. Yabbly is a new community-based question and answer Website and app which allows consumers to receive feedback on potential purchases from others who Continue Reading »
Million Dollar Teacher
Written on September 27, 2012 at 7:30 am, by Inferential Focus
Georgia kindergarten teacher Deanna Jump has earned more than $1 million selling lesson plans on a peer-to-peer site called TeachersPayTeachers. Since the site launched in 2006, 26 different teachers have made more than $100,000 each. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) launched its own site this summer, Share My Lesson, where teachers can share free Continue Reading »
Bigger is No Longer Better
Written on September 4, 2012 at 6:01 pm, by Inferential Focus
Is “too big to fail” in retailing becoming “too big is failing”? For the past few years, we have written about the ways in which consumers have gained control over their shopping experience, and one of the results of that control is the beginning of the end of the big-box era (see, “The Consumer Continue Reading »
The Machines Are Winning Out
Written on August 29, 2012 at 7:00 am, by Inferential Focus
The trucks are huge, measuring as tall as three stories high and carrying loads in excess of 500 metric tons. They are constantly on the move, kicking up dust at the Rio Tinto mine in Pilbara region of Australia. The only odd part about this massive movement of earth is the fact that the trucks Continue Reading »
Data Is Valuable, But Don’t Expect Anything For It.
Written on July 26, 2012 at 3:45 pm, by Inferential Focus
Personal, a website that launched last November, encourages members to upload information (ranging from the trivial to the sensitive, including items such as student loan records, medical prescriptions and retirement accounts) into a “vault” and then grant access to other people or companies as they choose. Later this year, Personal plans to add a marketplace Continue Reading »
Free Access For All
Written on July 8, 2012 at 7:00 am, by Inferential Focus
The five largest cable operators in the United States (Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision Systems, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks) recently unveiled a plan to give each other’s high-speed data customers reciprocal access to metro Wi-Fi networks, totaling more than 50,000 hotspots. In a separate announcement, Comcast said it would let Xfinity Voice customers Continue Reading »
Profits, Not Patriotism
Written on July 3, 2012 at 9:03 pm, by ifblogadmin
Google’s new wireless Nexus Q media player was designed and manufactured in America. In recent interviews, Google’s engineers repeatedly stressed the fact that it was a significant advantage to have design close to manufacturing, especially as they closely integrate their software and hardware. Google engineer Matt Hershenson claimed, “For us it’s really great that we Continue Reading »
