Update on Nemo Equipment-A Time Magazine Amazing Invention of 2005

Nemo Equipment, the NH makers of inflatable (less than a minute to set up) backpacking tents which I discussed in a May 7, 2005 post has been selected as one of Time Magazine's Amazing Inventions of 2005

Mapping a revolution with 'mashups' | CNET News.com

Previously I commented on Google Maps. This CNET article discusses the many neat applications and maps users are creating as overlays to Google Maps, with Google's complete agreement. The Google Maps Mania site gives a great overview of what people are creating.Along with Yahoo Maps' similar mashups these applications are based on AJAX, a form of Java and XML which allows web based applications

Wireless Web Services and Nextel Direct Send-Commodity Pipeline and Niches

In my last post I commented on Yahoo Mail and Google Local Maps. Both of these web based services bypass the need to pay an extra monthly fee for the application to the wireless carrier beyond a data plan. In line with the recent Microsoft news of their increasing focus on web based applications which have the features of desktop based applications, the rapidly evolving movement of processing

Google Local Mobile and Yahoo Mobile

After much suffering using Sprint's email as the forwarding mechanism to my mobile I discovered Yahoo Mail for Mobile, directions, weather, etc... It's just Yahoo mail accessible from your mobile's browser. Incredibly easy set up to my Sprint phone. Clear excellence in user interface: very easy to set up, larger type, consistent easy access (unlike Sprint's own mobile mail), plenty of storage (

Apple iPod Nano and FedEx-Impossibly Fast

In December 2004 I ordered an iPod for my son. The engraved and free shipping marvel traveled from China to NH (click to see that post) in about 6 days from orderSeptember 19th I ordered the new iPod Nano, again with free shipping and engraving. September 22nd at noon the Nano showed up, having been customized and shipped all the way from China in less than 3 days!Clearly a truly amazing

BACKPACKING LIGHT

BACKPACKING LIGHT - The Ultralight Backpacking Magazine and Lightweight Backpacking Gear ShopWhile there is a subscription of $25 per year this specialized site on ultra lightweight outdoor gear combines insightful editorial with an active community of members who analyze, comment, modify, and weigh gear down to the fraction of an ounce. Great example of an authoritative, if somewhat obsessive

Emergency Alert System-Another Relic?

As I was taking a break at noon today I turned on the TV. From the kitchen I heard the squawk of the Emergency Alert System. Looking at the screen on a beautiful sunny day I saw a statewide alert was in progress. A voice came on, completely unintelligle and incomprehensible through the static of what must have been a cold war era connection. Of course usually these are weather alerts and text

Frog Design Mind - Gizmodo- Perception and Product Design

Frog Design Mind - GizmodoVery interesting article which explores the use of conventions in design to change how people perceive products. Among other things why do consumers almost universally perceive the iPod design as "clean" and what associations might consumers have made based on the design to arrive at that perception?

Katrina: Communications, Supply Chains, Hub and Spoke, and Leadership

I have been riveted by the horrors of the last week: the unspeakable destruction and loss of life, the breakdown of planning and response, and the slow to start but increasingly effective effort- voluntary and government.Clearly our internet and technology enabled world is not what the inventors of the internet imagined when they conceived of a mesh of communications to survive a nuclear war. In

The Bakeoff- Software, Cookie, and Product Development

Comments on a New Yorker Article 9/5/05 “The Bakeoff” by Malcolm GladwellMalcolm Gladwell is one of my favorite thinkers and writers; author of The Tipping Point, Blink, and many great articles bridging business, technology, science, and the complex ways humans act individually and in groups. The Bakeoff concerns a top food industry development firm located in Silicon Valley testing three

To Net stores, it's all about personal touch | NYTimes CNET

To Net stores, it's all about personal touch | CNET News.comThe nuts and bolts of customization of physical products via the internet. One internet player cafepress claims it can produce from 8 million different designs onto products such as T-shirts, mugs, etc... all shipped within 24 hours. Millions of niche products.The secret is to enable the direct transfer of the data of the internet

Trust thy Internet neighbor | CNET News.com

Trust thy Internet neighbor | CNET News.comInteresting recap article about networks of trust on the internetIn 1999 I co-founded efavorites one of the earliest internet based systems for combining user generated content with most of the aspects and functionality of what is now known as social networking to create networks of trust. The content was called favorites (people, places, and things) and

Tour du Mont Blanc

The Tour du Mont Blanc is a 6-10 day trek of approximately 100 miles around the base of the Mont Blanc, Western Europe's highest mountain at almost 16,000 feet. The trail goes through France, Italy, and Switzerland and features varied and spectacular scenery. (See some pictures below)While the climbs are arduous the footing is generally much smoother than in the White Mountains of NH and there

Mass Customization and the Long Tail

One way larger companies can address consumers' inceasing demand for customized "made for me/build your own" products and thus hopefully create their own long tail niches is through leveraging the internet and manufacturing technologies . And interestingly, at least so far, these initiatives require rapid, flexible response and thus US or Americas based manufacturing. The online presentation of

NEMO Equipment Tents

NEMO EquipmentA great example of the potential of the Long Tail (see my 4/1/2005 post) to capture a segment of a growing niche, ultra light outdoor equipment. Nemo, which has just launched its first tents which are incredibly light and are raised in about a minute. See the video. In addition to truly innovative design including air support instead of conventional poles Nemo has also presented

The Long Tail

www.thelongtail.comFascinating blog by Chris Anderson of Wired, actually the blog will become a book. The Long Tail of the marketplace or the curve leading from high volume "hits" with little variety to lower volume but greater variety is the province of a multitude of niches. The Long Tail has been enabled in recent years by the internet, advances in design and manufacturing technology and of

reveries - marketing insights and ideas

reveries - marketing insights and ideasI have been getting the Reveries Cool News of the Day free newsletter for years. 3 quick stories from the world of marketing, often culled first thing in the morning from leading newspapers. Quick read and always informative.

Classic XC Ski Race, aging athletes, and the power of the Internet to remove some of the mysteries of waxing

This past Sunday I raced a cross country ski race for the first time in about 20 years.The race was the 50km Great Glen to Bretton Woods Nordic Adventure http://www.greatglentobrettonwoods.com/. Spectacular course which included 2 climbs of 500 and 1500 vertical feet with fast smooth downhills and some great views of Mount Washington before the snow started to fall. The Ibex Breakawy jacket (see

Harris Farm-A great place to XC ski between Portsmouth NH and Portland ME

Harris Farm www.harrisfarm.com is a family farm near Biddeford ME with not only 40K of great XC ski trails but large dairy herd, farm store with milk and meat from the farm for sale. The whole family is involved on the farm and at the touring center demonstrating that with the right approach and creativity family farms can thrive. Of course Harris is blessed with great terrain for trails and

Springwise.com

World's leading source for promising new business ideas, concepts and innovations.Related to trendwatching.com in that springwise presents concrete new business opportunities and actual businesses around the world related to the trends from trendwatching. Springwise site and their monthly newsletter (easy read and very well put together) focuses on business to consumer and emerging retail

TRENDWATCHING.COM Newsletter | Global Consumer and Marketing Trends

http://www.trendwatching.com/newsletter/

This is a most useful newsletter. Based on insights and material contributed by a large network of trend spotters around the world trendwatching synthesizes these threads into well documented (examples, pictures, etc..) categories and even suggests approaches and other opportunities to ride these trends.

First Run in the Pearl Izumi Seek Trail Shoe

To much snow here in NH for the trails. Ran with the Seek on the roads. Superb upper fit,like a slipper. I can feel what the front of my foot is up to over the terrain, yet I am very well supported in the midfoot. I am a heavy heel striker and found the combination of the crash pad and frame supported firmly yet with great cushioning, unusual as most with most shoes it is either firm support or

Gizmodo

Gizmodo
This is one of my favorite websites/blogs. Not only all the latest electronic gadgets but innovative products of all sorts. The go to site for new stuff.

My Running Gear Winter 2005

I have been running, hiking, and skiing for over 30 years in all seasons and over all kinds of terrain: rugged White Mountains of NH, Idaho, Swiss Alps, cities. I am crazy about gear!

Jacket: Wool nylon blend Ibex Breakaway. www.ibexwear.com
Truly remarkable stuff. Front doesn't even look like wool as the nylon and wool are woven together so the wool is on the inside. Very windproof. The back

Apple-#1 Brand, Product, and Execution Champ, with some help from FedEx

Why was Apple voted just recently the #1 Global Brand by 2000 marketing professionals? Well we all know about the cool products. Customer satisfaction and strong financial results don't just depend on cool products. Apple learned the hard way that to truly succeed you have to excel in logistics, bold new channel choices (retail-Apple Store), and the "wow- that's cool" factor.

My recent Apple

A farvorite place-Fort Rock Exeter Newfields NH

While more commonly used for mountain biking I enjoy running in these 2 interconnected town forests. Beautiful single track trails complete with sturdy bridges over swamps. I have been able to go for a 2 hour run without seeing a house. Well, that was 2 years ago and now there is some development encroaching. The good thing is that as so many enjoy these "unofficial" trails a bypass trail was cut

A favorites place- Mt A. York ME

Mt. Agamenticus, Maine is a vast, near wilderness area a few miles from the busy beaches of York Maine and Rte 1. Sensational trails for running, walking, snowshoeing and mountain biking. ATV's etc.. are by permit only as I understand it. Land is made up of water reservoir ponds, conservation, and private lands.

A major effort is underway to conserve thousands of acres of this the largest

First Posting

Up here in my home office on the Seacoast of NH. Out the window it is a beautiful sunny day and after last week's storms and cold the landscape is brilliantly white. The cardinals are darting in and out of the bushes, bright red against the snow.

I hope this blog will be a window out to the world and into my world.