Tretakoff Musings

Grantland: Great or Greatest?

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:19:58 PST

I just have to say, Bill Simmons' Grantland has matured and blossomed: it has become a staple for me for funny, insightful sports and culture related reading. If you are a fan of good writing and sports, there is frankly nothing better out there. Some examples, just from today:

The staff of Grantland published a recap of the emails exchanged between the staff during yesterday's NFL Championship games.

"The move to hire multiple ex-Oz cast members to shill for insurance companies fascinates me. We're one step away from Simon Adebisi holding a machete to somebody's neck until they tearfully agree to switch their renter's insurance."
"I'll be shocked if Gronkowski doesn't have a sizable role in the Expendables sequel."
"How severe a neck injury would Peyton Manning have to suffer to keep him out of commercials? I think it'd take a full decapitation, and even then he'd probably still get in some New Era ads."
"Lisanti: Ray Lewis is going to be standing suspiciously nearby, but not actively participating in, Cundiff's murder.Mays: Too soon."

Hua Hsu's poignant view of the NFC Championship game from a Diners Fan perspective: "All of a sudden, we were returned to real life, where tomorrow was Monday, our clothes were wet, and it was very cold outside. We would soon be sitting in traffic, cursing whoever it was that designed Candlestick. "
Charles Pierce's perfect summary of the AFC Championship: "Baltimore Ravens placekicker Billy Cundiff picked exactly the wrong moment to scale Buckner Mountain."

Bravo, folks. Keep it coming.

Pats/Giants II?

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:08:34 PST

With this weekend's NFL title games, it seems the subtext is the spectre of the rematch between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Bill Simmons sums it up best with his column today:

Q: Since you never answer my long thought-out mailbag questions, I'm going to ask you a simple one. What you and your dad gonna do when Patriots vs Giants II runs wild on you? Could a new Level of Losing be created?
— Pat Frappier, Ottawa

SG: Why do people keep sending me (or any other Patriots fan) this e-mail? Here's a newsflash: If the Patriots make it to the Super Bowl, we ALL want the Giants. Don't you realize that would be the best possible way to extinguish every awful memory from Super Bowl 42? And that we'd have a chance to do it in Indianapolis, the scene of the other Super Bowl that got away, when the Pats blew a 20-point lead to the 2006 Colts and gakked a third-and-3 that could have ended the game (and led to a trouncing over Rex Grossman and the Bears two weeks later)?

A good parallel: Magic and the Lakers totally choked in the 1984 Finals against my Celtics. They blew Game 2 and Game 4 in the worst possible ways, then melted down completely down the stretch in Game 7. Magic spent the summer hearing that he was a choke artist. The Lakers spent the summer hearing that they weren't as tough, they were California pansies, they were intimidated by Kevin McHale's clothesline and everything else. And Boston fans probably broke the superiority complex record that summer; we owned the Lakers and that was that. You know what happened a year later? The Lakers won the 1985 title in Boston Garden. It was like hitting a giant RESET button. Now, anytime that 1984 Finals comes up, it's always mentioned with the caveat, "But remember, the Lakers got their revenge the following year." That's what would happen if the Patriots beat the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI. Or so I keep telling myself.

Foodtrucks and Compromise

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:49:17 PST

Count me as one of the fans of the exploding gourmet food truck revolution: the quality of these lunch or light dinner bites, combined with the short term availability, make them a compelling draw for me. Here in SF, we have amazing choices, like the Bacon Bacon truck, the Rib Whip, and An The Go, among dozens of others. One of my favorite parts of the summer was the Friday night Food Truck Crush at the Larkspur Ferry building: 5 or so of the region's finest, lined up to tantalize me with their offerings as I disembarked from the City. Delicious.

Recently, the food truck phenomenon is getting a little uglier. Traditional restaurants, paying rent for fixed space in a desirable location, are seeing their customers siphoned off by trucks parked just outside. Free economy, right? Sure, but these trucks are sometimes coming to the same spot daily, staying for hours, and taking up parking and commerce spots, in some cases obscuring the storefronts of their competition. Restaurants are fighting back, calling police to tow the offenders, or, in some cases, taking matters in to their own hands. And food truckers are not all so thrilled either: as their business booms, the shared prep space they use to whip up these morsels is getting more crowded and some are moving into fixed storefronts, if only to have a little breathing room.

Now, today there is a heated debate in Sacramento: legislation is being considered to restrict the trucks. Among the restrictions are having to move every 30 minutes (a law on the books now). As predicted, there is a backlash from food truck aficionados, the truck owners, and festival organizers; the petition in Sacramento seems to focus on the fact that, if the ordinance is enforced, it would stop festivals and the like. And I find myself torn. One one side, I LOVE the tasty treats, and the endless variety, and I want to see them flourish. On the other, it does seem that they are often turning a food truck into a temporary restaurant, and impacting the businesses that have paid good money to be in high traffic areas. It's only going to get worse, as more trucks compete for the dining dollar.

My suggestions:

Yes, these trucks are trucks. They should have to move...unless they are parked at either a vacant location, with the permission of the property owner; a public location that does not offer regulated parking (i.e. meters, garage, etc.); or with a permit from the city (for festivals, etc.).
The trucks should have a portion of their license fee be designated for a fund for fixed restaurants within 1 city block of the truck's locations. The Trucks should have to report their locations and times, or fund a monitored GPS that will do the same (maybe an app?); the city should have to write a check, monthly, based on the amount of time the business was in their area, to the nearby restaurants.
Smart local restaurants should turn the tables: offer the use of their facilities to the truck owners in certain times, in return for a small fee and a guarantee that the truck will not impact their business by selling nearby. First mover's advantage.

I hope the balance can be met, as I want to see the cities turn their urban blight (abandoned areas, closed buildings) into thriving food centers, without harming the hardworking restaurants.

Google: Get Up To Date

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:56:18 PST

I have always enjoyed Google's ease of use and almost intuitive response. Lately, however, I have been getting more and more frustrated with the quality of the results...as it pertains to date. I know Google is trying to give me the best match to my text, but with the sheer quantity of user generated content (UGC), recency is becoming increasingly as important.

For example, take this recent search for "best waterproof cycling gloves:"

Now, note the first result. The date of it? 2007; 4 years ago. Just underneath it is an other result that one would think would be more of a direct match to my search query, and at least that is in the last 12 months. And note the 2nd result: it looks to be a direct match. The date? 2010, a full three years later than the first result.

Now here's the problem: Google may think that I really wanted to learn more about why my search is fruitless (look at the first result there), but I want to see the results themselves, with more recent data first. You are telling me they can't at least give me an option to see more recent first?

By the way, before you say "why not just use Bing?", Bing cleverly gets around this...by hiding the dates. I prefer more info, just better info. :-)

What's so hard about "read the fine print?"

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:14:47 PST

Interesting article today from alarm:clock, complaining about perceived fraud about a deal they purchased from Gilt City for Virgin America flights. Normally, I'd comment right on the site, but that was not an option. In essence, the author is using "Virgin America" and "fraud" as linkbait to, as they fully acknowledge, get a refund. All for the power of the free Internet press; good luck.

My issue here is that they are clearly overlooking the main details:

No one made them buy the deal.
The deal stated, clearly, among the frankly terrifyingly large amount of fine print:

Offer is final sale and nonrefundable.
Fares, routes, fees and schedules are subject to change without notice.
Travel must occur between August 15, 2011 and June 15, 2012.

Honestly, looking at the sheer quantity of conditions to this deal, I would not (and did not) buy it. However, the author did. And then, while acknowledging that they were cognizant of the terms, and that they did not do the diligence to see if there was a route available, knowing full well that was a risk, is now trying to shame VA/Gilt to giving a refund.

What's the right recourse here? I can think of a couple of options.

Gilt should offer credit towards future Gilt purchases, in equivalent to 50% of what was paid. The buyer is not out completely, and neither will Gilt be, as they have already paid VA.
VA should offer a 20% discount on a future flight to the author.
The author can dispute the charge with their credit card company. Let Gilt fight it out with them.

All are legitimate responses for an informed consumer. But using a good journalistic source as a soapbox to try and overcome a mistake made is not great for the author, the publication, or the general industry.

Commercial check ins

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:57:20 PST

Pretty cool idea from Shopkick: give people rewards for "checking in" to a given commercial on tv. Great brand approach. If it works, look for Shazam and IntoNow to want to replicate, but without Shopkick's currency, I see it being an uphill battle.

Sculpture meets iOS. Result: Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:17:58 PST

A great piece on a massive sculpture, here in the Bay Area, and how the artist turns it into an ever changing lit piece with the help of an app:

Next Way To Get Daily Deals: Games

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:36:43 PST

GigaOm has a post today about CrowdMob. Basically, a mobile gaming platform that, instead of selling you upgraded characters or subscription fees, requires you to buy local daily deals instead. Pretty interesting idea: the customer gets what they want, but it will require a critical mass of offers, as the deal has to appeal to the purchaser. If there is only one deal, it has a limited chance of that.

Having said that, it's actually a very innovative approach. After all, local is inherently connected with mobile, and mobile gaming is one of the fastest growing segments, especially among the same demographics who purchase local deals. And it offers gamers a chance to actually get what they want, and have reasons to try the businesses.

One quibble, though: the article states "...by allowing merchants to redeem a deal through a variety of methods without having to take a paper coupon,". This makes it seem that the burden of having to take a paper voucher is one that local retailers have been straining to shed; nothing could be further from the truth. Most deal providers would absolutely prefer they accept the vouchers electronically, and mark them as used. Some providers require validation. But almost every local merchant insists on these physical paper vouchers, to the point that many of them will actually refuse customers who come in with an iPhone app.

This, along with the need for a plethora of deals, represents a concerning disconnect for CrowdMob. If they can't offer paper vouchers, and don't have a wide selection of deals, they run a risk of not succeeding. Why do I care? Because the trend will be to blame it on the "fact" that "daily deals aren't what they used to be." Rather than railing about it in the future, I offer this as a cautionary note to forestall the inevitable negative backlash and enjoy gaming for deals!

Haters Need Not Invest

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:40:30 PST

This week, after false starts, drama, and much gnashing of teeth, Groupon went public on NASDAQ this week. IPO is always a time where the hype gets turned up a little high, but this was fairly exceptional, especially the spewing of vitriol about the company, their business and the fallacy of any investors foolish enough to go anywhere near the stock. Some samples:

"Investing in Groupon is like investing in a leaky bucket." - Rocky Agarwal, most vocal Groupon critic.
"Enjoy the ride, Groupon investors! I'm outta here!" - Henry Blodget, Editor in Chief, Business Insider.

And that doesn't begin to take into account the torrent on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. It's almost personal...and almost all of it is so hyper emotional, it ignores the basics and the fundamentals of investing.

Before I dive in, some caveats and clear statements. I am an executive of a company that provides similar services to Groupon's Daily Deal services to the media business. I am also a veteran retailer, marketer, and have been with a company who is sometimes held up as an example of the excess of the "dotcom boom," Inktomi. I have also been a critic of Groupon in the past, and expect I will be in the future. But for all of that, I'd like to lay out some facts.

When a company goes public, it is offering it's stock to the public for the opportunity to invest, primarily for the reason of raising capital to invest in the future. That last word is critical: this is all about the future. As every investment opportunity states as rote, past performance is not a guarantee of future results. When you invest, you invest in what you think the company will do, not what they have done. Much has been made of several items:

Groupon is a company with revenues in the billions, but costs that exceed what their revenue is.
Groupon turned down a $6 billion acquisition offer from Google months ago.
Groupon has been unbelievably arrogant in their roadshow for the IPO, ranging from their seeming inability to keep quiet during the pre-IPO "quiet period" to the attempt to disguise their costs with creative accounting interpretation.
Groupon's core business, Daily Deals, has been experiencing weakness in mature markets, as well as faced with increased competition.

Groupon may dispute the above, but they are generally accepted as fact. And none of it should matter if you are investing in the future. Let's look at some other "facts."

Groupon is a technology company.
Andrew Mason, Groupon CEO, is a former programmer. Groupon sells online only. They went public on NASDAQ, home of the technology elite. But no, Groupon is not a technology company: they are a sales and marketing company who takes advantage of the low costs, large reach of the internet and mobile apps. They sell online, same as Macy's and United Airlines. Are those technology companies? No, but they do innovative things with technology, but they are sales companies. The vast majority of Groupon's 10,000+ employees are salespeople, calling on local businesses; that's not a technology company.

Groupon grew faster than almost anyone.
Actually, pretty true. Groupon generated revenues at the same level of Amazon.com in about 1/4 the time. In 3 years, they grew from literally 0 to a company that generates millions every day, in dozens of countries. Like Amazon, they did this by taking large investments from venture capitalists, using that money to fund their growth, and operating at a considerable loss, while they grew their user base.

Groupon is the world's largest Ponzi scheme.
Much of this comes from two elements:
- The company founders cashed out a lot of their stock in an internal funding round, so they no longer have a vested interest in making the company profitable.
- The amount of stock they floated in their IPO is a small portion of available shares; the vast majority are still controlled by the original investors and the founders.
Looking at those, combined with the aforementioned pre-IPO activity and arrogance, it's a compelling statement. But the principal founders are still there, and are still expanding the business, so draw your own conclusion.

Daily Deals is a fad, so Groupon is destined to be the next failure.
Earlier this year, there were over 300 companies who were offering daily local deals. That makes it clear the market is ripe for contraction, and it has begun. For example, we used to offer a consumer brand, TownHog. It was successful, and profitable, but our chosen business was to provide software for media companies to offer their own daily deals, so we elected to sell it. After a bidding war, we sold it to BuyWithMe. A month later, BuyWithMe was gone, laying off their staff and selling the assets to Gilt. Companies have sprung up to just buy other daily deals companies. Companies like Yelp have elected to abandon Daily Deals, as it was too costly for them to offer compelling deals.

So are daily deals a fad? Consumers disagree. On the day of Groupon's IPO, for instance, Google offered a deal at REI that millions of consumers (myself included) snapped up. Living Social has refocused on quality deals, and seen their sales accelerate. And more consumers than ever buy daily deals, just not all from Groupon. Look at eBay: auctions were considered a game changer, and every company that sold things jumped in, offering their own auctions, or partnering with other auction sites. Today, auctions are a small part of eBay's business, but they seem to be doing just fine: they transitioned to other ways to sell to their excite, engaged customers, and the saturation of other companies have gone by the wayside. The list goes on, but the macro trend points to the fact that customers like good products at good prices, and that sells well.

So, the question is, should you invest in Groupon?
This is the only question that matters. Look at other successful companies today:

Apple. They are arguably the gold standard. Yet they were a distant 5th place in the home computer arena, appealing to mostly a niche group of educational and creative types. They were getting their clocks cleaned by Dell, HP and others. They went from nearly 90% market share to less than 5%. Steve Jobs came back, took a bailout from Microsoft, saw the future, gave us the iPod, the iMac, the MacBook, the iPhone, and iPad. He created an ecosystem that changed music and home entertainment, and communications, as well as all consumer electronics. And made one of the most profitable companies in the world. Current market cap: $372 billion.

Amazon. They sold books for under the cost, branched into categories they told investors would cause profits to be years away. They were dismissed as an unsustainable model, as thy spent $2 for every $1 they brought in. And yet, after a decade, they brought the Kindle, Amazon Prime, and are set to take on Apple in the tablet wars with the $199 Kindle Fire. Current market cap: $100 billion.

What do those companies have in common with Groupon? They all started in a weak position, but had a rabid, passionate fan base, with leaders that were innovative, seeing the future, and charting a course towards it. They spent more money than they had to get customers and innovative products to market, and
were rewarded with eventual success.

Now, let's look at Groupon's track record:

Daily deals existed before Groupon, but they saw the potential in it, and took it to a whole new level. They defined the market, and adjusted their margins. They recognized the importance of "showcase deals" such as the now infamous Gap deal. They took it internationally, and generated billions in revenue.
They recognized the importance of mobile and local, and launched Groupon Now. Instead of huge discounts on a single deal, that allowed local businesses to offer "evergreen" inventory at lower discounts that used immediacy and location to attract customers. Hungry for lunch? Fire up their app, and see who's around you offering 20% of, as long as you come in the next hour.
They copied other innovators in the space with high margin deals: Travel. Price points are higher, margins are much richer. And with their millions of subscribers, they can appeal to every one of them, instead of the more localized daily deals.
They introduced Groupon Goods, their own flash sale brand. In one week, they generated $2 million in sales on the sales of 10 SKUs. There is not a retailer in the world who would not want that performance.

The reality is for all of the hate spewed upon them, and their own public arrogance contributes heavily to it, they have led the space, innovated, and changed how the consumer shops. They continue to show they want to expand and experiment. Some will fail, and many of the other companies above have experienced their share of failures (eBay's acquisition of Skype, Apple's loved/hated cube, etc.). They have clearly assembled an amazing sales force, an innovative team, and have bolstered weakness in mature US markets in their core business with international expansion.

Here's another anecdote: at Inktomi, we powered nearly 90% of the web searches. Google came along, and we laughed. Heartily. In 4 years, Inktomi was gone and Google was well on its way to being what it is today. Our market cap at the time made it a joke to consider Google a serious competitor; after all, we defined what web search was. We charged companies to use our software; Google gave theirs away for the hopes of making a few bucks on some ads. It sounds ludicrous, I know. But Google made a better product that consumers liked better, and companies were thrilled to give them users instead of paying us. And they were backed by investors who believed in their vision of the future, and were rewarded handsomely.

So, if you want to invest in Groupon, it comes down to this: regardless of their current business, and the amazingly heavy load they bear in sustaining it, do you believe they can innovate and grow for the future? If you do, you should. If you don't, don't. If you are looking at the company today, and assuming that is all they will ever do, I would say absolutely not. But smart investors also said that Apple's foray into retail would kill them, or Amazon launching an eReader would destroy their business, and that eBay would never be able to shed their auction model. And they were wrong.

And then there is this: investing in Groupon is, in my opinion, actually patriotic. Apple reaps millions in profits on cheap Chinese-manufactured goods; so does Amazon. The oil companies are swimming in profits made by gouging US consumers and sheltering those profits in offshore accounts. But Groupon is all American: employees, products, innovation. They employ tens of thousands of people in this country, something our elected officials have not found a way to reward companies to do instead of outsourcing. Groupon's fastest growing market? China. That's right: an American company, besides the tobacco companies, getting the amazing Chinese economy to give America their money. They represent an innovative way to do business, and yet, they are actually inefficient. For their bluster as a "technology company," their processes are shockingly manual, but are ripe for increased efficiency by the application of actual technology company, and they are buying firms in Silicon Valley to help them do so. They are an American success story, and deserve to be celebrated for it.

Imagine, if the government announced a program that would put tens of thousands of Americans to work in jobs that would grow and allow anyone, regardless of background or training, and be paid a competitive wage. Our embattled president would be put up with Reagan, Kennedy, and FDR as a great economic innovator. Instead, it's the 21st century and the private sector is doing it, and Groupon is trying to deliver a solution to a market that wants it. Are they trustworthy? Only time will tell, but I think the average consumer and investor would find them more worthy of a chance than politicians.

Oh, and remember Henry Blodget, the Business Insider editor I quoted earlier? Yeah, he was engaged in insider trading and ended up being banned from the securities industry and paying $2 million of his ill-gotten gains. So, when you hear the haters hating, don't forget to have a look at their fundamentals. Investment is risky (I say that as a man who lost thousands on Webvan and other supposed "can't miss" investments), and only time will tell who's right. But let's not tear down those who are trying to innovate: raise the risks, trumpet the concerns, but let's remember: it's business, not personal.

Groupon's IPO yielded a market cap of about $15 billion. Let's turn down the vitriol, and see what they do with it.

iOS 5 Hidden Gem!

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:43:35 PDT

Yep, it's hidden deep, but it's here! For folks like me who keep the phone on silent at all times, it sure would be nice to know who's calling without pulling the phone out of the pocket. Presenting custom vibration patterns for callers!

Even better, not just content to give a set of predefined patterns, you can compose your own! Very cool. Extra points to the bling of using the flash as a notifier, optionally.

Funny, I heard absolutely no mention of this feature; guess Apple didn't want to...ahem...shake things up?

Living In An iOS5 World

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:17:53 PDT

So, after a 4 hour install and a 2 hour restore, my iPhone is finally running the much awaited iOS5. Months of anticipating, over 200 new features, and it's finally here! So, what do I think?

It feels like the biggest patch release yet.

When I upgraded to iOS4, it felt like a new device. In fact, the strain it put on my old 3Gs required an eventual upgrade to iPhone 4. But iOS 5 is very different. It's quiet. The main theme I can ascribe to it is that it fixes so many of the deficiencies that the iPhone had. Note that: it fixes them. Not revolutionary; evolutionary.

Notifications that take up the whole screen? So last decade; gone. Can't use any tone for system events? Ok, now you can. Rich text email? Welcome to the 21st century. Lots of things like that. Just...fixes that should have been done all along.

Even the new features are understated. Take iMessage. Looks and feels like SMS; the magic happens behind the scenes and is largely invisible to the user. iCloud's big impact? Background synchronizing. Reminders? Geofencing is very cool and slightly creepy, but it works well, without fanfare. And future abilities to update iOS without using a computer is great, but not yet needed.

I am (uncharacteristically) not complaining: iOS5 is solid, snappy, and fixes a lot of the problems. Are there some annoyances still? You bet. How about the introduction of syncing to your computer over wi-fi (another one of those features that just should have been there since day 1), but only if you plug your iPhone into power? Is Apple so worried about the battery impact? And then there is the phantom accessing of the location services: with barely any apps running, the iPhone now shows it's communicating location to...something, but no idea what, and not always. And while I like the idea of Newsstand, I have a special folder that I throw most of the "helpful" apps Apple automatically includes, but Newsstand can't go in there. Why? Because it's actually a folder, despite not looking like all other folders.

Look, given more time, I am sure I will find more interesting wrinkles of the post iOS5 world, but today, the future arrived not with a bang, but a quiet, elegant massive patch that smooths out many of the deficiencies of the past. It doesn't set the bar, but it definitely quiets many of the complaints thrown at it before. The sad part is that a major Apple release's best praise has to be "it's solid." Not a bad thing (ask Mercedes if they mind hearing that), but not the game-changing we all have come to expect. Maybe that will come over time, which would be appropriate for a luxury brand.

Best. Farewell Note. Ever.

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:42:40 PDT

From an amazing person whom I have worked with. He embraces politically incorrect in a whole new way, and sets the standard high for all of us.

Greetings all,
I will be coming in today for TRULY my final day, winding up what has been a wonderful, albeit short lived career with some of my favorite people who have touched me (see: {Employee name redacted}) in ways (and places) I never thought I could be touched.

Being that I am bad with names, I would like to express my gratitude toward the Korean guy, the Hispanic girl, the beautiful young old woman, the hunky too-good-looking-to-be-hetero guy (see:{Employee Name Redacted}), the smart guy who I am pretty sure is Jewish, the over achieving 29 year old mom from San Jose, the blond with wet hair, the ladies in sales and the "Gays" and "Nerds" (I don't like to typecast; think of it more as profiling). A special shout out to {Employee Name Redacted}who has my final paycheck, and to {Employee Name Redacted} who will be escorting me from the building.

I feel blessed and honored that I had a chance to work with so many brilliant people during my short stint. {Employee Name Redacted}and {Employee Name Redacted}, thanks for taking a chance on me, {Employee Name Redacted} and {Employee Name Redacted}thanks for believing in me and {Employee Name Redacted}and {Employee Name Redacted} thanks for helping me. I have learned from each and every one of you and I will take this knowledge and confidence with me to my new endeavor. I hope we can all continue to stay in touch (especially if it involves feeding me leads that are coming in).
I thank all of you for your help and support and wish you all continued success and happiness*

I will be in just as soon as the painters leave my house because I know they will steal all of my valuable shit...
Sincerely,{Employee Name Redacted}

I salute you.

Location Based Deals Have Some Work To Do

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 17:48:06 PDT

I'm a big proponent of Foursquare and other location based services. Recently, many have started adding deals to their services by incorporating other companies and services. A good example? JetBlue awarding JetBlue points for checking in on Facebook to their "official" JetBlue locations at the airport. But Foursquare keeps trying, and recently they upped the ante by partnering with Groupon to feature their deals. However, they still have some work to do.

For example, Foursquare will often prompt you to add "to do's" for places: essentially, bookmarks. Ok, fair enough. A while ago, I added a To-Do for a sushi place folks told me might be good. Now, at this point, Foursquare has the info: I want to go there. And, the other day, I fired up Foursquare and saw this:

All good, right? I click through, and I see:

Now, what, you are asking, is the problem? Well, look at the time at the top: it's 9:46 PM. Now, look at the bottom: "Must present between 5pm and 10PM on 8/18." Yes, it was 8/18, and it was 9:46 PM. Oh well, you say, I missed out on a deal. What's the problem?

Here's the problem: the restaurant offered the deal to get customers like me to try them. Groupon clearly had the deal in their system for a while before it ran. Foursquare knows I wanted to try the restaurant and had access to the Groupon info. So why, in the name of all that is understandable, would Foursquare not have sent my iOS device a push notification in advance, to tell me this was coming? Hell, they send me messages to let me know a friend has checked in; they let me know when a comment is made on a check in; they even let me know when new friends join Foursquare. They had access to all of this, and they hoped I would fire up the app in time??

Foursquare has the potential to change how we behave, our plans, and more in the real world. Merchants use Groupon usually only once, because the customers they get are deal-seekers, not customers like me who will come back again and again: by cross referencing expressed desires and check-in history, Foursquare could completely change that equation and instead of being beholden to folks like Groupon, they could make them cut far better deals; potentially, even cut the deals themselves, as the customers they deliver would be far more qualified.

It's a long road, but I hope they travel it, but it's off to a rocky start.

Best Reason To Use Android

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 16:37:38 PDT

I always try to keep myself out of the canonical debates on OS. Mac Vs. PC? I used to head up the largest Mac user group in the world, but today I prefer Windows 7. Palm Vs. Anything? I was a Palm guy, all the way, but as soon as iOS hit, I gladly jumped ship. Today, it's all about iOS vs. Android. I won't get into the debate, but suffice it to say, there are good points on both. Me, I come down on iOS, but I just picked up an Android tablet (more on that in another post), to be sure I haven't been missing out, or maybe see the other side.

Through all of that, however, the best argument I have seen for using Android on your mobile phone was made by this article from Ars Technica. Someone lost their phone; it happens all the time. Sure, there's software that you can install ("apps," for those new to this arena) that, when installed before you lose it, helps you to track your phone down. What happens if you had not yet installed that software, through? Out of luck, right? Wrong, thanks to Android and Plan B, allowing you to remotely install Plan B after you have lost the phone, and you are on the road to finding your lost smartphone.

Brilliant. Simply brilliant. and a great read, as well.

Why Comics Are Not Dominating Tablets

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 01:38:25 PDT

As regular readers of this blog know, I am a big fan of two things: comic books and the transition from dead tree publishing to digital. Even in my post on why I was not a big fan of the iPad, I mentioned that one area it could potentially dominate is the digital transition of comics, something that Kindles and iPhones simply cannot really capture. In the months since, ComiXology has released several versions of their digital comics app, including the "Big Two" of DC and Marvel. I have happily purchased many a comic since this way, and read them on my iPhone (and yes, it does make me yearn for the tablet size). But yet, maddeningly, the offerings consisted of a microscopic sampling of the titles published by both. Why?

This month's Wired magazine answers it very well. In essence, comic book publishing is a razor-thin symbiotic affair, with the slightest threat to the retail stores having a disastrous effect that becomes a maelstrom that pulls down the whole industry that no superheroic efforts could pull back. An even slight dip in revenues for stores from digital sales would cause a rash of closings: those stores' guaranteed wholesale buys are what the comics business relies on, not the occasional in-app purchase of readers like me. I grew up in comic book stores, though I have not set foot in one in years, and I knew how tough their business was, so this is not that long of shot to me. But, as the article points out, "The February issue of Green Lantern sold a mere 70,000 or so copies—but the franchise has also spawned a $150 million movie." So the industry has a very vested interest in maintaining the status quo. But how to evolve?

Here's my idea. Both Marvel and DC are owned by supercompanies (Warner Brothers and Disney, respectively). Both have the economic clout to get a tablet made for substantially less; in the case of Disney, one of their largest stockholders happens to be the CEO of Apple. According to estimates, the cost to make the iPad is actually $260 for a device that sells for $500. Ok, let's say with a bulk commitment, DC and Marvel can get that cost to about $225. They supply them to the comic book stores to sell, on spec, with exclusive apps to get access to the full catalog, to the consumer, for $350. For each purchase made by a customer who buys from the app, the comic store is paid a commission, equivalent to their normal profit between their physical wholesale and cover price, for at least 5 years. Now, the comic store owner gets a $125 bump for each tablet they sell, and they maintain their revenue stream from the consumer, even if that consumer buys digitally.

Special editions, graphic novels, limited runs, and even selected hot titles will all be issued with a windowing system, much like the movie business does with Netflix now (though clearly not the 28 days they impose there); this encourages dedicated collectors to come in to the store and buy the actual thing, while letting more casual subscribers (like me) pay the price of our laziness. Local artists can be geotargeted to the tablet purchasers. Hell, let the wireless carriers further subsidize the tablet with wireless connectivity, if you want, putting even more money in the pockets of the store owners. And don't just think iPads: while Apple dominates this market now, there are lots of manufacturers aching to take a bite out of Cupertino (hello, HP TouchPad?), and Amazon and Barnes & Noble have already proven that there is definitely a market for a content-driven tablet, regardless of who manufactures it.

The list goes on...the point is, there are solutions, if the industry is willing to make bold moves. As Wired points out, "But the $4 stapled pamphlet? Sooner or later it’s doomed, a vestigial holdover from the days when comic books were sold on spinning metal racks to kids. There’s not much it can do that a digital equivalent can’t do better." It's going to happen. It's just a question if the industry wants to pilot a solution, instead of bemoaning the problem.

One ironic twist to this: I absolutely marvel that Wired continues to put out such a quality product. Every month, there is at least one article that makes me stop and think. But how do I, the paper-hating, papyrus-burning bastard consume these great articles? Yep, in the thick, glossy paper form. Now, if only Conde Nast would also get a clue on subsidizing a tablet...

Local Deals Need To Be Local

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:55:36 PDT

AT&T recently touted they were adding deals to AT&T Wireless subscribers. Thanks to the slightly creepy feature that the network knows where your phone is, they would helpfully send texts with deals at retailers "nearby." I signed up, figuring this would be a good experience, one that companies like Groupon (or even TownHog) would love to offer.

The first offer came in, for a Best Buy 15% off deal. Ok, so it was a few miles from me when it came in, but basically in the ballpark. Not an amazing deal, either, but hey. Not bad. The next was further away...and further away...until the one you see here. Yes, AT&T's version of a local deal was a message about chocolate milk. Not nearby, but just a plug for milk. Seriously. As you can see, that was the last straw: I unsubscribed.

Now, you could take this as a lesson: offer local deals, and the deals better be good, and local. These were neither; they were embarrassing. I hope they do better with YP.com's new local deals services. But the story does not end there. See, they were smart enough to solicit feedback on why I chose to discontinue using the service. Good move. But when I clicked through to give the feedback? I get a page that looks surprisingly like a page to sign up. Guys, come on: you just had me unsubscribe, you ask for my feedback, and you give me a page that scares me that I might be opting back into this crummy service? Ouch.

This ain't baseball. I gave you two strikes, not the one you usually get, and you still found a way to foul out. Not what I'd call a great deal.

A Triumph Of Advertising

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:02:09 PDT

As someone who works with the newspaper industry to help explore new forms of monetization, I was impressed with this recent CVS promotion with the San Francisco Chronicle. Yes, it appears our solution to curing Hepatitis C lies with CVS. Even better, a $5 savings! A true triumph of editorial matched with advertising...and the best promotion CVS could have asked for.

In Praise Of Walt Disney

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 17:58:41 PDT

I recently visited the Walt Disney Family Museum here in San Francisco. Those words alone are probably making most of the folks who know me scratch their head and wonder if my blog was hacked. Fear not, readers: it's true. Yes, the man who truly loathes gathering places for children went of his own free will to this Presidio unassuming venue, accompanied by the most Disney-crazed individual on this planet. I cringed, expecting an assault of screaming toddlers and the music I expect to hear if there is a Hell. And you know what? Nothing could be further than the truth: it was fascinating, wonderful and I recommend it to all.

First, what is it? To put it simply, this is not Disney(TM). This is a celebration of Walt Disney himself, and he's truly a fascinating man. I openly wondered why it was here in SF (answer: this is where one of his daughters lives, and it's the items from her father that she inherited), but after seeing the museum, it's perfect: Walt was clearly the ultimate startup guy. More than once, we learned, he leveraged everything on a new venture: sometimes he hit a home run, other times he crapped out. But he was an entrepreneur like any of the Valley's celebrated tech titans, and he fits in perfectly here.

The museum starts with a awe-inspiring display of multiple awards, and you can see the impact the man had on the world. The Academy Award, shown above, is just one: it was made for Snow White, and is the only Academy Award every specially modified for any recipient. It moves on to a wonderfully constructed tour of his early life: child years, World War I, and more, and you learn how he got into animation. More interestingly, it focuses on the business side of it: you can see how he tried multiple times to make a real company, and, despite critical successes, he failed on multiple occasions. His reliance on his brother to help on the business side is focused upon, as well as the creative team he paired with. Unlike the corporation's whitewashing of Disney as a singular creative entity, this museum truly expresses Walt's unflagging reliance and credit to a great team of individuals.

The second floor focuses on more of the Disney you know, but again, from a unique perspective: the man, the innovations, and the business. It becomes very clear that this really is not a museum children would enjoy: it's for adults who can marvel at this man's unique perspective and relentless invention. The latter parts of the museum are stunning: the transition to television, bringing back his focus on mixing animation and live action, and more. The impact of Disney on WWII was also fascinating, as well as architecture, business design, and artistic innovation: one section with Dali and Frank Lloyd Wright, was truly impressive. And the final gallery, with it's mix of uniquely individual sentiments, and broad world views of the parks and the genesis behind Epcot, are magnificent.

One final note: architecturally and from the standpoint of creating engaging information displays, this museum is like no other. It mixes technology and architecture in a way I have not seen before. The initial videoramas of his early life, presented in miniature tin-roofed theaters, to the elevator as train car bringing the visitor out West, to the magnificent video "wave" showing the early live action Disney television programs, culminating in the final soaring, curving gallery with 360 degree displays and vast models and 3 story high television walls. it's a treat for the eyes.

If you live in SF, see it. Visitors who want a change of pace, come by. It's a definite must see, in my mind.

A Sirius Error

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:04:16 PDT

Ok, see that card? It was sent as part of a direct marketing campaign from Sirius/XM. See, I bought a car a while ago, and considered activating the Sirius receiver built in. However, I am so rarely in my car, and usually listen to my iPhone, it didn't seem worth it. However, this was a nice gimmick: reactivate the receiver for 2 weeks with the selected channels, and try to get me hooked. Like what the premium channels do on cable and satellite. Kudos on the creative marketing idea.

Just one problem. See that picture of the card? See where it says the free preview starts May 24th? Ah yes. Guess when I got this in the mail.

Today. June 1st.

Yep, my two week free preview is now reduced to 5 days. This is a significant error. Sirius took on some costs to give away their premium product. They targeted this to let potential subscribers who already had the hardware know. And now more than 60% of the potential to get me to try Sirius is gone. Squandered. Poof. And why? Well, it's easy to blame it on the US Mail, but this should have been targeted to deliver to me as close to the start date of the campaign, but definitely before it started. In essence, this is more than a week late. Blame it on the holiday? Uh, they knew it was there when the chose the dates.

Here's what I really blame it on: their online marketing. See, back months ago, when I went to their website to see if I could use my in-dash hardware, it asked me for the make and model of my car. It asked me for my address. But it did NOT ask me for my e-mail address. Would I have given it? Probably not...unless they had said "Periodically, Sirius offers a free preview of the services on your car, giving you a chance to try out Sirius free and without commitment. Would you like us to e-mail you when that is happening?" Yep, I'd have handed over my e-mail for that.

Look, I came up in a direct mail company; I know it's value. But it's 2011: if you are spending millions on a direct mail campaign to get low hanging fruit subscribers like me, and you can't get within a week of a two week window, you really need to look at different ways of doing business. How about a TownHog deal for 50% off after the free preview for a 6 month subscription (plug, plug)? Social media word spreading through current subscribers (give them a month free for every friend who signs up from their Facebook share)? Basic e-mail marketing, or give away the subscription through an iPhone app for the time window. Any one of those would have reached me and the thousands like me a lot more effectively and more timely than a trial that I feel I will not get the time to do a fair shake on. As a result, even if I wanted the service, I would probably pass for now.

C'mon, Sirius. Your competition is my iPhone, terrestrial radio, HD radio....and your weapon of choice is a tactic from 1950 that you can't even aim right? I love competition, and I actually think Sirius is great for some things (sports, comedy). I know friends and family who swear by it. You clearly know the value of me as a subscriber, so fight to get me. Just don't bring a knife to a gunfight next time.

Forget Ringtones. Get With The Vibe.

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Mon, 30 May 2011 20:48:47 PDT

I love ringtones. Love using little movie clips for people who call me. Love having a specific song for particular users, making me smile as I know who's calling. I even like customizing the noises the phone makes when an SMS comes in. Just one problem with all of this.

I never hear them.

No, I'm not deaf. I spend most of the day either in an office, or in meetings and calls. The eruption of Alan Rickman's phenomenal quote during a conference call tends to sidetrack the conversation, so I keep the phone on mute. My carefully selected ringtones are reduced to a simple buzz, as my phone quietly vibrates, and I am left to wonder if the message is about a nearby special, or something more critical. Sigh.

One of the great things about Jailbreaking is the ability to add great new functionality to the iPhone at it's core level, not just as an add-on app. Enter Vibrafications. Now, I can add a custom vibration pattern to each person, whether they text or call, so I instantly know who is trying to reach me. Yes, Android has this as an app, but the tight grip of Apple prevents such things. But with $3 and jailbreaking, you get the best solution for a world that can gladly do without the Led Zeppelin riffs of my brother-in-law checking on dinner plans. Great app, great developer, and a great solution that, frankly, Apple should have done.

It's easy to set up, and you can preview each vibration pattern. You can set different patterns for each person, or even different patterns for the same person via different methods. Still want your ringtones, but you want custom patterns when the phone is not on mute? Check. How about if the person emails you? You bet.

This is the kind of app that Android encourages and Apple needs to encourage, not restrict, in order to hold on to that commanding market share. As for me, it's another great reminder why I am delighted I jailbroke, and will stay as such.

Back...and Jailbroken

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Mon, 30 May 2011 21:34:35 PDT

Ok, first an apology for the lack of recent posting. Things have been absolutely skyrocketing at TownHog, so it's been hard to find the time. However, with the recent addition of Charles Barletta to the team, I'm looking forward to getting my arms around the absolute torrent of new business.

Now, what you really came to hear about. It's official, I have now broken the Apple shackles. Yep, Jailbroken, and I'm not going back. Why? Well, it started with my trusty 3GS iPhone slowing down and feeling it's age. Apps were taking forever to open, mail was a crawl...in short, it was clearly time for a new iPhone. However, I have recently been feeling the frustration with the limitations of the iPhone, especially with the UI. Notifications taking the entire focus of the phone, no matter what you are doing; the psuedo multitasking, and the badges everywhere. Push notifications that sometimes work...the list goes on. It got worse when I saw the Windows Phone 7 "Metro" UI: looking at it, I felt like the first time I saw the iPhone and compared to my Treo. WP7 is fast, smooth, very efficient in it's information presentation...elegant, even. Comparatively, the iPhone feels almost cartoonish.

I resolved it was time for a new phone, and spent over an hour at the local AT&T phone store. Yes, AT&T: I still cannot stand the idea of only being able use voice or data, not both (sorry Verizon), and I need to reliably depend on enough coverage nationwide for my traveling (see ya, Sprint), as well as the best selection of smartphones (alas, T-Mobile). I compared the best to the best:

iPhone 4 (iOS)
Motorola Atrix (Android)
Samsung Focus (WP7)

I compared apps I use regularly on my iPhone, UI and usability. Note that I left out Palm, for the reasons I previously blogged about. What I came away with:

WP7 is the best UI, but the Apps are just not there. Less than 10% of my regular apps could be found.
Android is close. The UI is still too free-form for me, and the apps are nearly there, but still missing many critical ones. Of the ones that were there, the features were severely limited, compared to my versions.

With that, I resigned to the iPhone 4. Yes, I would have preferred to wait for the iPhone 5, but the rumors are Apple is skipping it's usual summer refresh, and instead focusing on the holidays; I can't wait that long. So, iPhone 4 in hand, away I went. I do love the increased speed and neat new hardware features (finally, HD video and front facing camera), but the OS still frustrated me. Last week, it came to a head: I use the iPhone as both an alarm clock and bedside clock. I woke up several times during the night, glanced at the clock, and could not discern the time until I clicked on the push notification on the screen that completely took over all of the display. My alarm went off in the morning, and I found myself having to dismiss a series of notifications before I could even hit Snooze. Enough was enough.

And then I read about MobileNotifier. A fantastic project, it clearly understood the pain of what so many iOS folks have endured, and resolved to change it. Instead of taking over, it unobtrusively puts the message along the top of the screen, where it does not interrupt what you are doing. If ignored, it goes away, and you can summon a list of the recent notifications with a double top of the main button. In other words, it puts you back in charge of notifications on your iPhone, and does not interrupt your work. Brilliant. Only issue: it is only available if you jailbreak your phone. My frustration reached it's nadir: with the redsn0w solution, I was free in minutes, and away I went.

MobileNotifier is all it purports to be and more: it truly has changed the way I use the phone. Best of all, it also has been updated today, were I can now reply to a message with a quick message overlay, all without leaving the app I am in. It's elegant, able to visually display what app the message is from, and absolutely the way I wanted iOS to always be. Oh, and it's free, though that may be while it's in beta; I'll happily pay for it, once it's released. Suffice it to say, I am delighted once again, and jailbreaking has also lead to some more exciting discoveries, which I look forward to sharing.

Professional Ranting

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:51:57 PST

It's not as often as you would expect, but occasionally the Internet proves yet again that there is far too much of a temptation to act emotionally, while in a professional position. Whether it's congressmen sending shirtless photos of themselves to women they want to cheat on their wives with, or news commenters (note not the completely made-up "commentator") using Twitter to say things they never would in person, it continues to be a plague on the digital house.

Today's abject example comes from TechCrunch, the technology blog. In an unusual move, the blogger chose to make a private e-mail exchange with a PR rep from a company public to expose the rep's poor attitude. This is a little surprising for TC, as they are usually pretty professional organization, so it's bizarre that they went out of their way to call this guy out. Unfortunately, it blew up a bit on them, as their interpretation of the exchange was a bit tone deaf, and the comments from loyalty TC readers speak for themselves.

Ad Targeting Gone Wrong?

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:51:45 PST

I was checking out a story on Chris Simms, the occasional backup quarterback for the Titans and son of former NY Giants QB, Phil Simms. I've always admired the guts of this man, as he played an entire half of a football game with a ruptured spleen. That's seriously tough.

Anyway, I was amused that the story, about Simms losing a key ruling in a traffic stop where he was suspected to be under the influence of marijuana, described him in a "zombie" like state. The ad that ran intext with the article? Shows Saints QB Drew Brees in a state that could easily be described as "zombie like." That's either really good ad targeting or really bad ad targeting. Either way, makes for a funny distratcion!

eWallet Users: Discover Dropbox

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 02:03:49 PST

I am an avid user of eWallet, a great application to store your personal information safely and securely: passwords, credit card info, back accounts...you name it. Unlike my advocacy of "living in the Cloud" for just about every other application and data set, I still think security is a concern: do you really want your passwords stored on a server that can be accidentally obtained or hacked? Nope, and neither do I, so I use eWallet to store it all: it's a Windows/Mac/iPhone/Android app that syncs locally, and stores everything in 256 bit encryption.

Problem is, I want to access that data on multiple machines. Sure, I can fire up the iPhone and see it there, but it's more convenient to have it on my other PC's, as well. I experimented with they remote syncing options, but they all required a password to be sent in the clear, something that is a definite no-no. Then I read on their blog that they are releasing a Windows Phone 7 version, and they pointed out that it works with Dropbox. I had heard of Dropbox, but never checked it out; I just assumed it was a client app that you could sync files with. I installed it (free for 2GB), and fired it up.

First, boy was I wrong. Saying it is just a client app that can sync files is like saying the Golden Gate Bridge is just an ok way not to get wet crossing the San Francisco bay. It installs itself at the Windows level: it appears as just another folder on your hard drive. But it's constantly looking for new and changed files in there, and syncing to your other Dropbox points. Instantly. Like, no work. No starting up, no pressing a button to Sync; it just works.

I'm pleased to report that this solution works brilliantly with eWallet. No more syncing, no more password passing: the same file is just there, and can be accessed by any computer running Dropbox. Here's what to do:

Install eWallet and Dropbox on all machines you want.
On the first machine, start up eWallet and Save your Wallet into your Dropbox folder.
Open your Dropbox Wallet in eWallet. Like everything there? Great; you are done.
On the other machines you have, open eWallet and open the Wallet in your Dropbox folder.

That's it. All machines have access to the same Wallet, and changes are automatically made because it's the same Wallet. No deltas, no syncing, no duplicates: all there.

And can't beat the price! Yeah!

Casual Dining and Websites

noreply@blogger.com (Joshua Tretakoff) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:06:45 PST

As part of America's tradition of New Year's resolutions, I joined thousands of Americans in trying to drop a few pounds this year. In addition to the 70+ miles on the bike on my commute each week, I am trying to eat a little better. One place a coworker, Alison, turned me on to was Mixt Greens, a salad place extraordinaire.

I enjoyed a heck of a repast, and after, I wondered just how nutritious my meal was, so, just on a whim, I headed over to their site. Buried under a small tab marked Nutrition Info, I saw this amazing calculator, allowing me to see the exact details of what I just consumed. Not just the prepacked pieces; the very meal I had custom made for me. It's powered by a company called FoodCALC, and they have partnered with several restaurant chains to do this.

Why I think it's brilliant is that Casual Dining places usually struggle for a good reason to drive people online, or vice-versa. The occasional loyalty card does it, as do coupons, but this gives an extremely personal connection that they can use to expand. By building passionate customers, they build long term customers, and they can add to that relationship to add products that make sense, and have their customers use social networks to get more expansion...etc.

My lunch options are literally nearly 100 within 3 blocks of my office. This feature will definitely influence my next choice of location when I'm looking for a tasty salad. Oh, yeah: it was damned good, too. :-)