» Rose Hemlock

Newsweek Digital Move Ruffles Some Feathers

Rose Hemlock — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 23:44:48 +0000

Newsweek goes digital-only in early 2013. Other print magazines claim it’s because Newsweek has been struggling for years; Newsweek says the decision is based on demands from its advertisers and marketers. So is the decision’s catalyst a focus on the future, or a last resort to cut costs? And does it matter in the face of statistics that show digital is clearly where the readers are?

Newsweek is the first national news magazine to move purely in to the digital space, so the move is bound to unnerve some of the other big players. But the investment firms are echoing the call of Newsweek’s advertisers: They’re confirming that news weeklies are the most “obsolete” forms of print in existence. In a world where content has proven to indeed be king, a print format just cannot keep up with reader demands for hyper-fresh, super-accessible content.

Not all print magazines are considering a move like Newsweek; Time magazine quickly went on record to assure its readers that it has no intention of following suit. But for how long? According to Michael Learmonth, digital editor with Advertising Age, “Print will no longer be the main profit driver of anybody’s media empire, but it can remain a pretty prestigious calling card” meaning that though print can lend credibility in a world where digital is available to every would-be publisher, print isn’t where the real money lives.

The key to Newsweek’s success in the digital space will undoubtedly be driven by its content. If the magazine can master creating unique content that users will pay for, it will not only successfully transition to digital – it could dominate the digital space for news weeklies before any of its print-focused counterparts know what hit them.

It’s good to be the king.

Apple v. Samsung, A.K.A. Cool v. Uncool

Rose Hemlock — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:00:50 +0000

In a remarkably back-handed ruling, Judge Colin Birss of the British High Court has decided against Apple in its recent copyright infringement lawsuit against Samsung. Apple was suing Samsung over the belief that Samsung has imitated the Apple iPad design when creating its Galaxy tablet – enough to cause the average consumer a degree of confusion over what they are buying. At issue was whether Samsung’s Galaxy tablet too closely resembles the Apple iPad, so factors such as the dimensions and design details of the device were taken in to account. Also taken into account, apparently, was “cool” factor. In his public ruling, Judge Birss concluded that Samsung’s Galaxy tablets “do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool.” Yes, you read that correctly. Apple iPad cool, Samsung Galaxy therefore un-cool. From where I’m sitting, that kind of a ruling is more beneficial to Apple’s iPad sales than an injunction against Samsung would have been.

Leave it to the Brits to make a judgment on cool. An official one, that is. They brought us David Bowie, Audrey Hepburn and The Rolling Stones (to name a few) so if there is one country that has a right to make a judicial call on cool or not cool, it’s got to be England. To make matters more interesting, Apple has similar lawsuits pending against Samsung in Germany and the Netherlands. While not necessarily known for being on the cutting edge of hip, I’m willing to bet that (as history has often shown) other countries will follow Britain’s coolness precedent. This does beg the question: Should Apple appeal a judgment that has just handed the company a fabulous new branding angle? After all, how many technology companies get to say their product has been legally defined as “cool” by the British judicial system? None come to mind.

My advice to Apple: Stay cool.

Thinking Tech? Think St. Louis.

Rose Hemlock — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:00:41 +0000

St. Louis is a top city for technology startups? You bet it is, and we’re not the only ones who think so. Here are some of the top reasons that tech writers at Kiplinger, Monster and CBS have sounded off for St. Louis:

Startups, Start Me Up: St. Louis supports tech startups with Mick Jagger-style swagger. By partnering with the Kauffman Foundation’s global Startup Weekend, St. Louis joined the ranks of other innovation-centric cities when it hosted the St. Louis Startup Weekend, an intense 54 hour event in January that drew in teams of developers, designers and de-mystifiers – all with the goal of launching their own startups.
Money, Honey: Cash is king, and St. Louis is handing out the crowns. The city’s gained national press coverage for the new Arch Grants, an annual national competition offering invaluable cash and counsel for startups who will base themselves in downtown St. Louis. The focus of Arch Grants is on fostering ingenuity and innovation, so naturally, ten of the 15 winners are tech-centric.
We’ve Got The Power: Ameren UE’s underground power grid with multiple feeds and AT&T’s massive fiber optic network make downtown St. Louis ideal for power-needy, data-heavy tech companies.
T-Rex, Getting It On: TEC @ Railroad Exchange Building, a.k.a. T-Rex, is “a low-cost, flexible-lease space with plastic plants and Internet, oriented to the nascent IT startup entrepreneur.” The space is sponsored by three local non-profits. Feel the love.

Integrity’s St. Louis tech start-up clients have been making waves of their own. Aisle411.com was named a “standout startup” by Kiplinger. St. Louis Business Journal highlighted Busy Event as a promising St. Louis. What else will 2012 bring for St. Louis tech startups? More awesomeness from Integrity, proudly based in St. Louis!