Nike + Apple

For the first time in the history, two technology driven companies have combined together. They are Nike and Apple. People may ask, what is the relationship between the both companies to have partnership since they are completely from two different areas? However, after eighteen months in the making, Nike and Apple managed to come out with a great product called Nike + iPod Sport Kit.

Nike + iPod Sport Kit

It is a small mechanism which is required to insert under the line of the shoe via a sensor. It looks like a sim card, and a small receiver will be attached to the iPod Nano. As the user runs, the sensor records all the details such as distance, time, pace, and calories burned. Then all the recorded data will be displayed on the iPod Nano. It works something like the nav system in a car which communicates the details.

How to use Nike+iPod Sport Kit

User can set a workout such as how far and how long in the iPod Nano, and then choose a playlist to hear while working out. When the user is going to work out, the screen of the iPod will look as below:

The Nike + iPod Sport Kit is available for $29 in all the Apple Stores for certain days and in Nike footwear shops. It is also available in Amazon.com and ebay.com. However, personally I think Apple should sell this product virtually whereas Nike uses traditional market. In this way, it makes customers choice easier rather than buying through Amazon or ebay.

Google Checkout for Political Contributions in Asia?

During the election season, Google has come out with an excellent idea to make money from credit and debit card online. This idea is known as Google Checkout for Political Contributions.

Google Checkout for Political Contributions

It is integrating with YouTube. YouTube Choose 08 Channel is a platform which has uploaded election candidates’ videos as well as news from organizations and bloggers. Google Checkout helps to gain and attract supporters and increase online campaign. It is very easy for the supporters to make online contributions. Moreover, it helps to increase fundraising since it allows the supporters to place the embedded contribution button ofYouTube Choose 08 Channel on their preferred sites like blogs and websites. It charges 2 percentage + $0.20 per transaction to place an advertisement or announcement in Google Checkout. It has no monthly, setup, or gateway fees. Currently, this system is being used for U.S. Election 2008.

YouTube Choose 08 Channel

How if Google bring this to Asia? Will the election candidates and supporters use it? I think yes. Google should bring this system to Asia and encourage them to use it. I’m sure the rate that Google is charging is cheaper than the amount of money that candidates need for physical campaign. It is also make candidates life easier since they don’t need to travel a lot. At the same time supporters can easily support their preferred candidates from wherever they are.

However, some countries’ candidates and supporters may have several problems through this system. For instance, they may not know how to read and write English or they may not be a computer literacy especially older generation. At the same time, certain countries may lack on infrastructures such as computers and internet connections.

In my perception, Google can solve the language problem by allowing other languages (apart from English) in Google Checkout. In this case, they can allow the candidates and the supporters to choose their preferred language on the site. At the same time, this will be a good chance for non computer literacy to learn to use the computer. Most of the older generations in Asia do not know how to use computer and they are not willing to learn at this age since it is not necessary for them. I strongly believe that they will try to learn and use it when there is such system during the election. Infrastructure problems can be solved through government by providing more computers and enablinginternet connection.

In this way, I think Google can make good money from online and the users spend less money for the election. What do you think? Is it possible?

Nokia Should Not Bid On Yahoo

There was an issue regarding Microsoft’s bid towards Yahoo for $44.6 billion. It resulted in sleepless days for the people in the tech world who were anxiously waiting for Yahoo’s response. However, finally Yahoo made a decision and officially rejected that offer a few of weeks ago. According to Yahoo, Microsoft’s bid was rejected as their proposal value was less than Yahoo’s market value. While the entire tech world was concentrating on the Microsoft-Yahoo issue, I came across a suggestion that Nokia should bid on Yahoo, which was posted by Stephen Wellman in Information Week. He mentioned that there are six reasons for Nokia to bid Yahoo. They are:

• Nokia needs a stronger desktop presence

• Nokia could dominate in the mobile location-based area by combining Navteq and Yahoo

• Nokia needs to grow in the U.S.

• Nokia needs to grow in online advertising

• Nokia cannot afford to let Microsoft or Google gain any more online market share

• Flickr for storing and sharing digital photos

I think it is a waste for Nokia to pay about $44 billion just for these six reasons to bid Yahoo. There are so many options for Nokia to achieve those goals without Yahoo. First of all, why would Nokia need to be a Web Company? Most of the web tasks these days can be done using mobile, e.g. browsing, email service, online games etc. So, I’m pretty sure in future almost all of the desktop tasks can be done on mobile phones.

Why Nokia needs to beat Google Map by combining Navteq and Yahoo in it? Most of the users are much comfortable with Google Map for mobile with My Location Technology. It helps users to let them know where they are on the map; even their phone doesn’t have Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). At the same time, most of the travelers in Japan, Europe and North America are increasingly using the GPS mechanism for travel. With all these efficient and popular systems available, why Nokia needs to have an own map guide? It can be easily get Google Map and let the users download it.

According to Stephen Wellman, then biggest reason that Nokia should bid Yahoo is Flickr. However, there are several problems with that application which results in pictures to go missing without any warning. This results in lesser confidence in Flickr and a move to Picasa which provided by Google. In this case, is it beneficial for Nokia to bid Yahoo? I think absolutely no. First of all, Nokia does not need this application. Users can easily store the pictures that taken from the mobile in the phone memory. At the same time, they can share with others through Bluetooth or Infrared.

In my point of view as a mobile company, I think Nokia should engage with multiple web companies like Google and Yahoo instead of bidding one web company and developing it on its own. In this way, Nokia will be able to improve its services in multi ways.

What do you think? Can you think of some other reasons Nokia should not bid Yahoo?