5:59:10 PM    

iLoo by MSN (uk)??? You just can't make this stuff up. Some product manager must have read about the Screen Fridge and those hi-tech Japanese toilets, then likely smoked some of them funny cigarettes. Glad it's Bill's money and not mine...

Update 1: Ok, now I understand the true visionary nature of this innovation.

Update 2: So, maybe it was just a gag. An April Fools' stunt that shipped late. Yep, that's credible.
5:54:24 PM    

A bit back I posted a call for data or suggested measures of the potential mini/micropublishing markets being opened up on the Web. I can't say I received a lot of response, but I received and found enough tidbits to be worth a digest:

• Kevin Marks and Richard Soderberg both pointed me to CD Baby which proclaims itself the 2nd largest (after Amazon) online outlet for unsigned bands' CDs. Better, it provides numbers: In four years of operation, it has sold almost 420,000 CDs on behalf of almost 35,000 artists, grossing over $3.2 million. Now, I can read this two ways. On one hand, it might be considered impressive to have those numbers in the face of all the structural impediments. On the other hand, that's not exactly a large business even aggregating all those bands.
• As a background to that item, an article on the general rise of indy labels and bands at the same time the big labels have been in decline. If 'piracy' is the issue, then the effects are not evenly felt; this feels more like a flattening and lengthening of the power law curve.
• A Google search for the phrase 'Creative Commons License' returns over 192,000 page hits. I assume most of them are or point to content under this license. Again, I can read this two ways. It certainly shows a wide awareness of copyright issues by those creating micro-content, and readiness to specifically indicate intent with respect to that content. On the other hand, the choice is largely to not attempt to monetize it, but to gain other benefits: publicity, influence, social credit, etc.
• Scott Loftesness points out that PayPal has about four million 'business' users, that is, users who receive payments.
• From Europe comes an article about micropayment standards in Germany. Though there is no mention of volume there, the one startup payment company mentioned, FirstGate, reputedly has over 700,000 users and 2,300 vendors. For those interested in differences in Internet payment systems, regulation and cultures between Europe and North America, here's a lengthy but interesting article (pdf).
• Finally, from Jeremy Bornstein comes a pointer to an 2000 article on micropayments by cult guru analyst Clay Shirky saying essentially 'That Never Works' and giving reasons.

• Stefan Smalla points me to another article on micropayments which partially links limited success in the US to the similar slow growth of mobile data services. Danke sehr!
• Lest we miss the obvious, here's some speculation on Apple's payments system at the iTunes site. (Found via Laughing Meme.) The 'batched captures' mechanism mentioned coincides with a theory that Scott Loftesness described to me last week.

2:01:08 PM    

The Baghdad Blogger is posting again, albeit by proxy, with a dramatic narrative of life on the other side of the lines. So good to see he came through it all, and it was quite a ride. Some more interesting tales to come, I'm sure, and here's hoping he's the first of many Iraqi bloggers to come.

For the best old/new media vignette in a long time, read his entry of April 26, in which the New York Times has the world's most famous blogger within arm's reach and does.... nothing.
9:36:00 AM