Mar 12

I stumbled on a great typo last night. “Staff in the lobby were wondering around…”

Wandering around is an aimless waste of time.

Wondering around, though, that sounds useful.

Wondering why this product is the way it is, wondering how you can make the lobby more welcoming, wondering if your best customers are happily sharing your ideas with others… So many things worth wondering about, so few people actually taking the time to do it.

Wondering around is the act of inquiring with generous spirit.

by Seth Godin
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Mar 11

Since Linchpin was published six weeks ago, I’ve gotten some terrific email. Most of it is about individuals who used the ideas in the book to instigate a process of self-reinvention or validation. Some of the best mail, though, has come from managers and leaders who are using the book to inspire others. One company bought 800 copies for its management, while another reader told me how two copies helped change the way her organization coped with change.

When I find a book that moves me, I spread it to everyone who’s willing to listen. I hope you feel the same way.

It’s ever more clear to me that an author has very little chance of writing a book that goes directly to a large number of new readers who become book buyers. There’s not enough time or money or leverage to get in front of a stranger and say, “here, read this!”

On the other hand, that’s exactly what someone like you can do. “Here, read this, and then let’s discuss it…” In fact, I’d argue that just about every book that has made an impact has spread in exactly that way.

Given that truth, here are two ways I’d like to support you if you think the ideas in Linchpin are worth spreading:

Plan 1: FIVE PACK WITH A READER’S GUIDE

We’re working with 800 CEO Read to offer the following: buy five copies of Linchpin and we’ll send you a digital ten-page reader’s guide. Packed with questions and ideas dreamed up by fellow readers that you can use to inspire or guide group conversations.

Buy five, give them away, have a conversation, make change. (PDF will be sent by email to arrive before your books do). I think you’ll be delighted at the impact five books can have on the people you work with or teach.

Plan 2: LEADERSHIP TRAINING

I’m going to do a live session in New York on April 16, 2010. Instead of charging my usual fee for tickets, I’m offering seats only to people interested and able to train lots of others. If you’re a manager, a coach, a teacher, the leader of an organization or someone who has the desire to teach a group about the ideas in Linchpin, I’d love to have you come.

The entire session will be focused on how to talk about and spread the ideas in the book. Because it’s a small group, seats are limited and are reserved for people who can buy fifty or more copies of the book from the retailer of your choice. All the details are here. We’ll accept applications until all the seats are allocated, so hurry.

Thanks to each of you who have read the book and hugs to those of you touched enough by it to want to share it with others. I appreciate it. Your support made it a NY Times bestseller, #1 in the Journal, etc., but I’m far more satisfied that it has helped people do something that they’ve always wanted to do. Thanks for making something happen.

by Seth Godin
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Mar 11

SXSW® Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. Join us March 2010 for the panels, the parties, the 13th Annual Web Awards, the ScreenBurn at SXSW® Arcade, the Film and Interactive Trade Show and Exhibition, Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator at SXSW® and, of course, the inspirational experience that only SXSW® can deliver.

Mar 11

Apple and Others Sued Over Seven Smartphone Patents / Elan
Microelectronics Denies Settling Case Against Apple / Devs Find New Gestures in
Fourth iPad SDK beta / Engadget Says Verizon Pitching Data Packs to Potential
iPad Buyers / RIM Still Tops Smartphones in the States / MacTech Gives Current
Virtualization Fight to Parallels 5 / Books Beat Games By Numbers in App Store
/ Pink Floyd Suing EMI Over Sales of Digital Singles / iPhone and MacBook Top
Brand Keys 2010 Loyalty Index / Stanford Examines the Fine Line Between iPhone
Use and iPhone Addiction

by Ken Ray
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Mar 11

Print catalogs have advantages over other marketing tools in creating product awareness, acquiring customers and building brand loyalty, but their high production costs yield a lower ROI than e-mail or search. To compete, catalog retailers need to optimize their catalog business and shift more resources to their Web channel.

Go to Source

Mar 11

…is not the same as obeying the list.

Do you make the list you check off, follow and work on every day? When does it get made? Who approves it? Do you identify tasks or perform them?

If you had a better list, would you do better work? If you made the list instead of just obeying it, would you be a more valuable member of the team?

Yes, asking questions is often more valued than answering them. (If they’re the right questions.)

by Seth Godin
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Mar 11

Nokia VP, David Rivas, was in San Francisco yesterday touting Symbian^3 improvements. While we’ve heard and seen plenty about Symbian Three’s enhanced user experience already, it’s still worthy of another look considering Symbian’s dominant marketshare. Besides, David provides a very detailed look as he walks us though elements like the customizable (and more finger friendly) homescreens meant to provide quick access to call features and at-a-glance data. Rivas also reiterates speed improvement claims over existing S60 5th devices (about a 3x improvement in graphics performance) that should “very very pleasantly surprise” users. Naturally, a faster UI coupled with a Symbian device running on something better than ARM 11 will also help here — Nokia’s only Cortex A8 device is the N900 running Maemo, not Symbian. David takes a veiled shot at Microsoft’s new WP7 platform when discussing Symbian’s true multitaking capabilities without any “tricks” — apps are actually running in the background, not just freezing their state until you return. Multitouch screen control on capacitive and resistive (really?) touchscreen displays with Cover Flow-like album art navigation? Yup, it’s all in there, as are hundreds of usability improvements (and fewer nags!) that should bring Symbian^3 up to the level of what everyone expects from a modern smartphone, according to Rivas. In other words, we’ll have to wait for S^4 on early 2011 devices to see any real innovation. While the live demo was run on a laptop, we suspect it won’t be long until Nokia starts showing off its live OS on a production handset. Until then, check the video after the break — it’s all we’ve got.

[Thanks, Rafael C.]

Continue reading Nokia Symbian^3 UI demonstrated in detail, seeks multitouch devices (video)

Nokia Symbian^3 UI demonstrated in detail, seeks multitouch devices (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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