Click = big
Sony has collapsed their Reader offerings from three — Pocket, Touch, and Daily — down to one new model: Reader WiFi.
A 6″ eInk screen with IR-based multitouch, WiFi (B/G/N), browser, stylus, 2Gb of internal storage with up to 32Gb expansion via a microSD slot, headphone jack for audio playback, micro USB port, and wireless borrowing of eBooks from public libraries. Available in a few weeks for US$149.00.
Filed under Sony Reader
Sony announced the new Reader WiFi today. I’ll have another post later.
Just wanted to prominently say it looks like I was totally wrong about Sony having a Harry Potter Reader exclusive bundle.
Here is their mention of Harry Potter up front:
Opt for the black Reader Wi-Fi bundle and get a free download of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone while supplies last.
I have no idea what this “bundle” will be (Reader and cover?), but it looks like there will not be either:
1) An exclusive to Sony Harry Potter eBook bundle, or
2) A Sony limited edition Harry Potter Reader
Update: It turns out I was half wrong. Sony will be doing some sort of special Reader for Harry Potter. According to their press release:
Sony’s first offer in collaboration with J.K. Rowling’s eagerly anticipated Pottermore website (www.pottermore.com) is a specially-created Reader Wi-Fi with a Pottermore promotion (PRS-T1HBC) which includes a voucher that enables Harry Potter fans to download free the first Harry Potter eBook title, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, from Pottermore, when it becomes available.
Even so, that seems a lot less compelling that previous Sony Reader limited editions. And for all the backing Sony has provided for Pottermore, I would have expected them to get more than that.
More to come.
Previously here:
Sony’s Looming Epic Year-End Disaster — WRONG!
Sony + Harry Potter = Reader Exclusive? — WRONG!
Filed under Sony Reader
Dig this. It’s from HP itself:
PSG is the leading manufacturer of personal computers in the world and had annual revenues of approximately $41 billion in fiscal year 2010. PSG enjoys leading global market positions in consumer and commercial PCs.
Todd Bradley essentially heads the biggest PC maker in the world.
So why can’t HP just dump the damn TouchPad on PSG and be done with it? Let PSG make its own decisions about it?
Why can’t HP just do right now what it says it wants to do?
Do a soft spin-off of PSG. Just separate the damn accounting to begin with. Let PSG stand on its own with what it has and what it’s bringing in, distinct from HP.
Unfettered, Bradley could decide to cut back on the number of desktops and notebooks PSG produces, putting that freed development money into pushing the TouchPad instead.
How many models of desktops and notebooks does HP produce? Cut the selection down as Jobs did when he returned to Apple. Increase that webOS bet — if you truly believe that’s the damn future.
Why should Apotheker be making this decision? It’s Bradley’s to make.
This is no time for Todd Bradley to be a good HP soldier.
He has to start being a General, dammit.
Man up, Bradley!
Previously here:
Memo To HP’s Todd Bradley: Man Up!
Todd Bradley’s Bland Ambition
Filed under webOS
Forget AMC’s Mad Men.
The real Mad Men were far more adventurous.
Anyone with an entrepreneurial streak should readily understand the seat-of-your-pants ride the breakthrough advertising agencies of the 1960s had.
Tech today really has it easy: You have hardware or you have software. What advertising had was all intangible: Ideas.
After the break, advertising genius Jerry Della Femina, talking about some of his memorable ads, how he helped to sell the idea of reading books, and why advertising has become so bland.
Filed under Video
Perhaps I’m getting my hopes up too much.
But somehow Apotheker was convinced to do another run of the HP TouchPad — and that’s a chance that just shouldn’t be wasted.
HP tried to be cool and hip with its TV ads.
There is nothing worse than tasteless stiff White Guys In Suits trying to be cool.
Steve Jobs is cool. Apple is cool.
But Apple’s TV ads can also be pompous and smug.
Filed under webOS
Reuters: HP resurrects TouchPad for one last go at the iPad
My own little tribute. Song from Rock Follies of ’77.
Oh, this is terrible. Done in MSPaint. All I have.
But this is the kind of cheeky advertising HP should be doing.
Click = big
I don’t know how Apotheker was convinced to do another production run, but this chance shouldn’t be wasted.
Set it up for the TouchPad Go limited edition (Son of Fail).
At least get some money back while building an installed base of webOS devices to keep it all alive.
If they also buy Son of Fail — then it’s no Fail at all.
Filed under webOS
Despite announcing an end to manufacturing webOS hardware, we have decided to produce one last run of TouchPads to meet unfulfilled demand.
So that’s what Bryna meant:
https://twitter.com/#!/BrynaAtHP/status/108576304080760832
Whoever talked Apotheker into this, thank you.
Even if I still can’t get one due to shortages.
UPDATE: HP’s blog is hammered. See screensnap of most of post after the break.
See, this is why I pine for the days of the 1960s.
Advertising had balls.
Try to sell something like that today!
HP sticks suppliers with 100,000 unmade TouchPad Go tablets
I suggest that HP should do exactly that!
Filed under webOS
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