Atilus Internet Marketing & Web Development

After a recent encounter with the intoxicating Iphone, I was captivated by its seamless user interface, seemingly endless cool standard functions and countless possibilities in free (and paid) downloadable applications.

So after days of internal debate I decided to give in. I was pulling the trigger. That damn iphone was going to be mine. Until…

In order to enjoy the capabilities that make the phone so amazing requires activation and a 2 year agreement. You might be saying,

“What, is this guy stupid? They all require such term agreements.”

Yes, but what if you decide to move away from ATT service? What if you decide that you no longer want to be held at the mercy of their agreement, and instead you wish to go through a separate service provider for your cell use, and would rather use your iphone for the Ipod and Wi-Fi (Hot Spot) capabilities?

Well, you can’t. Without an active service contract all of those fancy functions are rendered useless.

I wonder if the calculator still works?

07 Aug | Post by Scott L. Clark. Filed under Tech Trends.

YouTech.me, created by serial web entrepreneurs for web entrepreneurs, know how difficult it is to simultaneously create, operate and market a new web venture.

That is why they have created Youtech.me, which offers an avenue to showcase your new application to the tech world.

They are going to be scouring the internet looking for new and old web based applications that they fancy to write reviews of these applications, which will include notes on design, functionality and ease of use among others.

But you can grease the wheel, so don’t be shy and navigate to their contact form and fill out all sections, including a 3-4 sentence comprehensive description of your application that you wish for them to include in a blog post about you.

Yes! They are eager to write a review of your site!

Things just got fun again!

29 Jul | Post by Scott L. Clark. Filed under Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Tech Trends.

As seen on Fox News:

SAN FRANCISCO — Anna Patterson’s [Ex-Google executive] last Internet search engine was so impressive that industry leader Google Inc. bought the technology in 2004 to upgrade its own system.

She believes her latest invention is even more valuable — only this time it’s not for sale.

Patterson instead intends to upstage Google, which she quit in 2006 to develop a more comprehensive and efficient way to scour the Internet.

The end result is Cuil, pronounced “cool.” Backed by $33 million in venture capital, the search engine plans to begin processing requests for the first time Monday.

See rest of story here.

28 Jul | Post by Scott L. Clark. Filed under Tech Trends.

If you run a search for “Comcast Sucks” on Google, you will find a tremendous number of search results (approximately 125,000) all centered around the media company’s lack luster image. There are a serious number of popular blogs, viral videos, and chat forums that have chosen lamb basting Comcast customer service as their niche.

SO why is Comcast still a national leader in cellular and telecommunication services despite the lack of favor shared for their customer service by a growing number of their consumers?

Even in consumer reports Comcast ranks fourth from last among leading internet service providers (ISP), third from last among nationally branded television service providers, fourth from last in long distance telecommunication services, and SECOND FROM LAST in overall national scores!

And yet these are the profit results from Quarter 1 2008:

Snapshot: 1Q Results
COMCAST
Revenue: $8.4 billion, up 14%
Operating Income: $1.6 billion, up 23%
Free Cash Flow: $702 million, up 59%

The LA Times reported that in the fourth quarter of 2007, Comcast said it signed up 613,000 digital video subscribers and added a net 508,000 digital phone customers along with 488,000 high speed Internet subscribers.

SO again, why is Comcast still a national service providing leader if they fail to meet the needs of the consumer, particularly in customer service?

Marketing.

Comcast has “moved to a more aggressive marketing plan,” Comcast chief operating officer Steve Burke said, with new double- and single-play offers, increasing marketing spending in the quarter about 20% year over year. (Multi Channel News)

They are buying their way to the top.

But how long until the internet, with the help of social media tools and applications, builds momentum giving the consumer a louder, clearer more powerful voice that can neither be stifled nor ignored?

How long until media conglomerates and other big businesses will have to begin spending more on damage control and less on buying their consumers?

25 Jul | Post by Scott L. Clark. Filed under Internet Marketing, Tech Trends, social media.

“To take full advantage of .ME, it needs to be properly promoted and properly managed. We have an unparalleled track record in promoting domain names and keeping customers happy. Afilias has an impeccable record when it comes to managing domain extensions. We offer the complete package to catapult .ME into the International mainstream.”

Bob Parsons
Founder and CEO
GoDaddy.com

Hmm… do you Bob?

At 11 am EST, Go Daddy domain registrar opened their checking account to receive the low low price of $19.99/yr, so you can be the proud owner of “Web Site Title”.ME.

The flood gates opened, and Go Daddy experienced a tremendous number of domain purchases, but the system experienced unfortunate turbulence resulting in such problems as popular registrations like aweso.me being issued to as many as 9 registrants (as seen on Twitter.com).

Go Daddy has taken immediate action, but is unfortunately only offering those denied the mistakenly duplicate registrations a refund.

It will be interesting to see how much aweso.me auctions for, and how peeved the refunded customers will be.

I will not be purchasing ScottLClark.ME, but certainly you are more than welcome to borrow my name if you would like.

17 Jul | Post by Scott L. Clark. Filed under Tech Trends.

Now, some might accuse me of being a bit tabloid or exploitive with this blog post but… come on!

Hans Reiser, well known developer of ReiserFS (well, at least to the tech world), a Linux file system, told authorities yesterday where the body of his wife, Nina Reiser, lays.

It is amazing how a life can turn from creative genius to fallen former star and convicted murderer and almost immediately his life’s’ work falls simultaneously.

As seen on ARS Technica:

“The disclosure of the corpse’s location puts an end to the rather sordid saga of Nina Reiser’s untimely death. Meanwhile, Hans Reiser’s filesystem, which was once widely used on the Linux platform, is rapidly fading into obscurity. The last few distributions that used ReiserFS 2 by default have moved on to the more common Ext3 filesystem for various technical reasons, and Reiser was unable to secure approval for streamlining the new version of his filesystem into the Linux kernel prior to his arrest.”

You can read the rest of this tragic story here.

08 Jul | Post by Scott L. Clark. Filed under Tech Trends.

It’s official! After days, weeks and months of corporate deliberation the decision has been made to pull the plug on Windows XP through most sales channels as of this Monday June 30, 2008.

The era of the XP operating system is over.

Read more from Tech.Yahoo here.

27 Jun | Post by Scott L. Clark. Filed under Tech Trends.

A short and dirty review of Skype 4.

I’m a big fan of Skype. We’ve been using it in the office as our primary method of communication for years for a number of reasons. It allows us to instantly communicate via instant message. We can make calls in and out. Best of all, it has history, allowing us to backtrack through conversations and messages.

I thought Skype 4 would be more of the same.

But I hate Skype 4.

I honestly hate it. I don’t not like it, I hate it. I wish it were never born. Okay, I don’t feel that negative, but I will be downgrading and hope it gets taken in another direction.

Technologically there is nothing wrong with it. In fact it is now offering better, bigger video, and is supposed to sound even better than previous versions during phone calls (could not tell a difference). But, the thing that has changed for the worse in Skype 4 is the interface. I am all for revolutionary changes, but the current Beta is terribly confusing, albeit bubbly with big buttons.

The usual buddy list has been replaced with a huge window that houses both a buddy list as well as a right panel that houses everything else.

The phone itself has been given a nice makeover with new bigger buttons, but while in a phone call the big phone is replaced by a tiny phone icon that confusingly leads to ANOTHER mini dialpad. With this new setup quickly navigating a phone tree is a pain, for example.

Check out the skype 4 beta here.

23 Jun | Post by Zach Katkin. Filed under Tech Trends.

Have you flipped a piece of paper between your flesh and fingernail as you make a decision? If you’ve ever been in an uncomfortable meeting perhaps you’ve done this; making people’s heads turn or eyes twitch as you make a tiny popping sound with a piece of paper in your hands. But this simple, awkward display, is a great example of a fundamental sense missing from all or most of computing, touch.

I have to admit, some of my purchasing decisions have been made because of the type of paper stock that was used.

I remember a few years ago selecting a car from a dealer because of the terrific brochure they had. It was dense, stark white, mostly covered with tiny dimples, but at certain spots the paper turned smooth and blue like the hood of the car they were trying to sell me. After about an hour the deal was done. I had purchased a used Toyota because of fancy paper.

Well, maybe not exactly. But, all of your senses play a significant role in your decisions, in your conclusions.

The packaging of a product often-times sells a product. Apple’s ipod wasn’t too revolutionary. Sure that dial was cool, but beyond that advanced functionality, the menu, the volume, the headphone jack, the screen everything was pretty conventional. But, it’s form, shape, and fit in the human hand were light years beyond its nearest competitors when it first came out.

With the advent of new monitors technologies like, Microsoft’s Surface or Apple’s Iphone/Ipod touch, we are in the midst of a revolution. These advances will challenge software, graphics, and interface engineers to rethink and completely erase many of the interaction conventions we take for granted. No longer should there be just 1 pointer, or one spot on the screen where the user can interact. Maybe… the mouse and keyboard will be erased by two monitors (or touchscreens) - one flat on your desk that can switch between mouse, keyboard, additional display, and one directly in front of you now that you are accustomed to.

Perhaps in the future they will add feedback through the movement of the table, monitor, or even tiny electric impulses that will simulate different responses. But I don’t know if I want to get shocked by my keyboard evertime I receive an email.

19 Jun | Post by Zach Katkin. Filed under Tech Trends.

I have been noticing more and more articles discussing the ever draining topic of how to monetize a social networking website.

Depending on the business model, the nature of the sites’ functionality, and the market through it hopes to financially succeed, a social capable site can monetize in multiple ways. I have many great ideas on how to do so, but that is not the purpose of this article.

No, the purpose of this article is to address web users and their expectations of the web. Like in any other business median, consumers expect a lot for a little. But more and more, consumers are expecting so much for absolutely nothing! What’s with that?

I don’t know of any doctors, lawyers, consultants, pilots, mechanics, etc that give their services away for free, so why is this the expectation of web based companies? Why can companies that produce a business model that is only sustainable by charging for their legitimate services frowned upon when it comes to the web?

Is it because the business is virtual and therefore perceived as less tangible and subsequently worthless?

Or is it because you know that eventually you will find a company that provides the same service or product you desire at zero cost (despite the lack of customer service or quality of product)?

How have Web 2.0 websites lost their value?

Why are they forced to get creative when looking to make a profit?

Why do people not frown upon bars making 500% profit on liquor and jewelers making 1000% on jewelry, but, for example, opening up new marketing portals by which you can expand and take your business to new heights is so undervalued by the exceedingly growing opinionated web market?

To save myself from becoming too heated on a topic I am so opinionated on, I will end with this:

If you see value enough in a product to use it, then you should pay for it.

Get off your wallets web users, because eventually web entrepreneurs are going to run out of VC funding. And when that well runs dry, you will certainly miss all of the Web 2.0 functionalities that have made your life so easy, fun and exciting.

06 Jun | Post by Scott L. Clark. Filed under Tech Trends.