Urs Hölzle for Google [via GigaOm]:
We don’t plan to continue developing Wave as a standalone product, but we will maintain the site at least through the end of the year and extend the technology for use in other Google projects.
“We’re ditching it”.
Allow me to stand in the corner and smile as my argument in favor of traditional e-mail stands reinforced.
Fellow gentlemen,
to most of us, shaving our beard is a simple grooming chore. A couple of months ago, I found a new hairdresser, my dearest Emanuele, in town who does a wet shave like we get to see in old movies with barbershops. I had never experienced something as refreshing. It was the closest shave I’d ever had. Of course, it cost me some money, and I guess it’s a luxury I will succumb to every once in a while. That said, I asked myself (and the hairdresser) a couple of questions about getting a proper wet shave at home. Here are the answers. And its mostly not what Dad thought you.
Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman for Newsweek:
Almost every dimension of cognition improves from 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, and creativity is no exception. The type of exercise doesn’t matter, and the boost lasts for at least two hours afterward. However, there’s a catch: this is the case only for the physically fit. For those who rarely exercise, the fatigue from aerobic activity counteracts the short-term benefits.
Time to hit the gym.
9 Expert Tips For Better Writing
While reading this thoughtful post every student can use, the real gem is this quote I’d never heard before.
Every writer I know has trouble writing. ~Joseph Heller
Made me laugh out loud.
You’ve probably already seen this, but it’s great. Great in the sense that it isn’t as gimmicky as Google Street View, but a lot more useful. And frankly, I think that’s what Microsoft is good at.
The Guardian’s Josh Halliday (via John Gruber) reports on The Times of London losing 90% of its readership compared to February since introducing a paywall in June.
Gruber calls this dumb. But I’d like to point out a couple of observations.
Access to The Times costs 1£ a day. If 90% of readers jumped ship, 10% stuck and are now paying 1£ a day. Assuming an alternative model of an advertising-financed Times, that would equate to The Times website receiving one ad click in ten visitors. A 10% click-through rate. It also means that each click converts to 1£ of pure revenue for The Times.
I doubt they can fullfill both of those criteria. And even if they don’t, behind that paywall the Times is still displaying a few ads.
So, if The Times has two models:
A. Revenue = Feb Readership * 0.1 * 1£ B. Revenue = Feb Readership * Clickthrough Rate * Revenue per Click
The Guardian calculates £1.4m in revenues from this model. I’m no expert, but that isn’t bad for a regular news website. I also predict this number will pick up if the Times can properly pitch its value proposition of a beautiful layout, better content and tablet-friendly format.
If A > B, and readership sticks around that 10% number, this paywall works.
