If you’ve not seen: Aereo is a new startup backed by Barry Diller to free the television airwaves and put them online. In short: they create a farm of television antennas, put them online, and then allow you to watch your broadcast television online.
It’s currently running in New York and has already met some legal challenges (incumbents certainly don’t like threats). Sign up online to get updates when it arrives in your city.
I love the reactions of these fast food “drive thru” window employees. I can’t stop laughing…
I remember years ago when the Great Divide tasting room was a small, cozy spot where you could wander in and sample three excellent beers for free. When they expanded the room (took out an entire wall) and started charging $1 per sample I thought the two events were related. From PJ over at Denver off the Wagon:
In the middle of 2011, Great Divide realized they had an interesting problem. People had learned that small samples of the beer were free, and on a Friday night would pour into the taproom, slam a flight of high octane brew, and wander off to other locations of lesser repute. Call them frugal or hyenas, these were not the patrons the brewery hoped would fill their bar stools on a Friday evening. But what could a fledgling, 17 year old brewery do? To charge for samples would be disingenuous to their fans, friends, and future followers. To keep them free would be to attract these hooligans of the night.
This is a great example of how putting up the right “barriers” can help improve your business (plus more excellent local writing from the folks over at DOTW).
I think the list is short but these shouldn’t be surprises, right?
A chipmaker — always at least one degree removed from consumers — is out of touch with what gets consumers excited about electronics… at the Consumer Electronics Show.
3D television is dead to consumers … because it was only pushed by manufacturers and studios to sell more electronics and movies?
Serious question: what comes out of CES anymore?
Stay tuned for my snarky coverage of SXSW…
From Lindsey Dulin at Denver off the Wagon regarding “more distribution channels make it easier for new businesses to enter the craft beer industry”:
Once consumers spend their beer bucks at the supermarkets, mom-and-pop liquor stores will begin to vanish. According to the Denver Business Journal, a study conducted by Summit Economics, LLC declares that nearly half of Colorado liquor stores will close their doors within three years.
An interesting read based on the political and business landscape here in Colorado on the subject. Even more interesting, of course, is the conversation in the comments.
Having watched Beer Wars it makes me wonder if a good way to tackle the “crafty” brews (think Budweiser putting out a “seasonal” beer versus true “craft” brewers) is to give better ‘gateway’ beers to the general populace.
Don’t worry, Instagram users: I just read Flickr’s terms of service agreement and it checks out OK. (Reminder: I’m not your lawyer)
What happens when you combine the popular “Mahna Mahna” tune from The Muppets and Cee Lo Green’s spin on Christmas music? Well, probably the most catchy holiday song of 2012. This recent reboot of The Muppets appears to have gone really well.
Here’s a fun music video with a large cast of characters (played by just the two). Fun fact: half of Tanlines is Joshua Topolsky’s (of The Verge) brother.
From Forbes:
Here’s how it works. Members buy plots of land on Powder Mountain (early lots were rumored to have sold for $1 million a pop), build a home and get access to a private lodge and thousands of acres of skiing, riding, biking and hiking. Membership to Summit also brings a year-round program of speakers, conferences and concerts. The goal is to create a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who dig the Summit ethos of innovation, art and social impact with some hard partying mixed in.
You had me at skiing. And hiking. And community…
I found a poll over at Hacker News via John Siracusa:
I am surprised at how many people, like me, who select text to highlight what they are reading. Some reasons include tracking your reading position, increasing text contrast, or as an “intra-page” bookmark.
It seems natural for me to highlight as I go and I almost didn’t realize I do this. I wonder if others have noticed it. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone (friends or coworkers) do it…