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Business RoundUp: HP and Palm Acquisition; More Battles vs. Apple Computers

Friday, April 30, 2010

Remember when the Palm Pre launch got all the buzz at CES 2009?
Well, Palm’s troubles are not over and not even VC Roger McNamee could save them.

Palm has been trying to solve its troubles in the “smartphone” market for years. They had identified Canada-based Research in Motion as their competitor, until rumors that Apple was coming out with a touchscreen phone started to surface in 2008.

Now the ubiquity of the iPhone has totally crushed Palm to a mere $5 per share. News has it that HP will be acquiring Palm, but will they succeed? iPhone’s core competency is clearly their focus on consumer behavior rather than creating device enablers that function.

Why HP wants to acquire Palm
WSJ’s The Source: What if it’s not about the Phones?
MobileBeat: Acquisition is about Tablets and netbooks too
TechCrunch: Double Down on Palm’s WebOS

Apple vs. HP Competition
Now that Apple has proven that it can crush HP’s Slate as well, let’s just say that there’s no beating this consumer mobile computing giant now. They’ve got the share on music devices, tablet devices and smartphone devices, and even the eBook market!

Flashbacks to my posts on Palm, Apple, Amazon
Dear Mr. Ed Colligan: Reasons why the features of the Palm sucks for blogging
Why Apple is the New Comeback Darling
Strive through the narrow gate: Speculation on devices like Amazon’s Kindle

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Starbucks, the 800 pound gorilla

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Recently, I’ve been writing more for TriplePundit. It’s forcing me to think really critically about business and sustainability. I love the feeling of talking to people about the subjects that matter, too.

If you want to find my old articles you can go to the Triple Pundit website and click my name. but before that check out this article I wrote about Starbucks.

I wrote about Starbucks just a few weeks ago, questioning whether America’s best loved coffeehouse is greenwashing. My opinion is a little more middle of the road now.

Starbucks Corporate Social Responbility C.A.F.E practices cup summit

“We’re aggressively pursuing strategies that address this problem to mitigate and reduce the impact of our global environmental footprint,” Hanna tells TriplePundit, (because climate change poses a threat to their coffee business.) While I admire Starbucks for being so vocal about what they are doing…no one can deny that Starbucks is the 800 pound gorilla in the room…The Cup Summit was a fascinating case study with lots of academic talk about “systems thinking,” but let’s get serious: a company like Starbucks with so much power has huge potential to do better.

4/29/2010 UPDATE: The article was featured on the Starbucks Gossip blog. One comment on the subject: “Just from purely financial and stocking point of view this is a waste, How often in the summer do you call around to find Iced Venti cups?”
Also interesting: some baristas point out that baristas are also partly responsible for this waste because their free drinks on breaks are also in paper and plastic.

3P got 24 tweets on this particular subject. That’s a lot of eyeballs and I’m humbled to be part of such a network.

Also: interesting perspective FOR Starbucks on a blog about accountability and profitability.

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How to get more time in your day (be more effective and efficient)

Monday, April 19, 2010

Lately, life has felt like a marathon. For a while there, it worked like a well oiled machine: wake up early, take the train, go to work, solve problems, have discussions, etc., etc. come home, cook dinner and then go to sleep. Do it again, four more times. Until, the routine just seemed too much of the same. It felt like I was running as fast as I could and for dear life.

It was just earlier this month when I got sick with achy muscles that wouldn’t move right that I realized I had not stopped. I was frantic, and my mind was running a mile a minute. During intense periods of work, lunch would become a work-and-eat affair over my keyboard, and I had forgotten on many occasions to stay hydrated and drink more H20 than I would coffee.

Then I had some very simple advice, so simple, that you wouldn’t think it would change your perspective. You can’t run a marathon (or a 100 mile bike ride) without training. Training a marathon means you track your progress, celebrate the wins and take time to evaluate where to go next or how to improve. Work, believe it or not, can be the same way.

When setting goals or setting your to-do list, your goal is to identify one of three actions as you check things off the list: execute, assess, or reschedule the task for another date. Having a system is important to keep order and I think it also helps the brain’s long term memory to keep a system that repeats itself daily. This way the brain doesn’t need to remember the routine and can focus on more complex problems.

One of my big problems was that I would forget to drink water. But, by scheduling water breaks, it suddenly was not something I had to remember to do, but rather something I had planned to do, like another task in my day that had to be checked off. And checking it off my to do list was both satisfying analytically as it was gratifying for my body to get much needed hydration. :D

One tool I have found very useful to do this is David Seah’s 2010 Emergent Task Planner. It allows me to estimate how much time a goal will take and then mark how much time it really takes. While timing yourself might seem like a good way to be in a rush, actually the opposite is true.

For people who simply like to count things, putting on a stopwatch will seem satisfying enough. But for contextual thinkers like me, estimating blocks of time allows me to ask big questions like, did the task get executed well? Where do I need to improve? Why did it take less (or more) time than usual? And so on.


What are some of your favorite productivity tricks? How did you like the ones suggested? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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Is Starbucks Really Green or Just Greenwashing (Free Coffee and BYOMug on April 15th!)

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

OK, I will admit. I love Starbucks as much as the next person because they are conveniently right next to my work, and the people there work really hard. I know, because I did my time as a barista in college. But the other day, a friend posted a Facebook update promoting the Starbucks “Make a Difference” April 15 Free coffee campaign. Hmm…I thought. How do you know they are not greenwashing?

So I checked out the site for a closer look. It’s a cool, with lots of touchy feely media, videos and messages like this one: “One person can save trees, together we can save forests.” Wow! I can do that, just by bringing my paper cup?

I sometimes preach that the power of one is all it takes. But, when a company as big as Starbucks does an initiative like this, I have to stop and ask the question. Is this greenwashing? Because, ya know, they use a lot of filtered water, aren’t exactly cutting down energy use as far as can be observed in a regular weekday morning. They absolutely won’t turn down a customer if they want to buy a paper cup and plastic top with their coffee.

On the positive side, it wouldn’t be so bad if customers actually bought reusable mugs in the spirit of saving forests. If Starbucks makes a profit from the mugs, more power to the triple bottom line.

After a little friendly banter on Facebook, I hedged on this one. Social pressure maybe? I have to say that if anything, Starbucks is taking a step forward and not a step back.

What do you think? Green washing or plain ol’ green marketing? Leave a comment below.

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A Day in Napa – Identity Crisis

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Today my husband and I celebrated our 8th month anniversary after 8 years of dating. We spent a day out in Napa and while conversing, we pointed out (to no one in particular) that this is a huge agricultural industry in California.

I had a pretty good time trying to challenge myself to write with more describing words when tasting wine. We checked out Opus One, Franciscan Winery and Beaulieu Vineyards (which if you did not know, is the benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon in California), and yeah, we didn’t do any of the usual local spots–Californians have a general sense that Napa is too touristy’ but I think visiting Napa in Spring when it is raining down monsoons is quite a local thing to do. We wouldn’t have gotten into Opus One otherwise. It was at Beaulieu that I realized that the winery is having an identity crisis, I mean the place that you usually see BV is in Safeway,–the coastal “value” wines as our sommelier informed us, but actually, BV wines in Napa are quite good.

After BV, and having filled at least five to six small notebook pages, we tried to find a place to eat. We decided on Bistro Jeantier in Yountville, but by no means for its commitment to sustainability or anything. Simply because it is tough to find a place to eat in Napa, and my guidebook didn’t have any info on that subject. I came across the French Laundry’s vegetable garden right across the street from French Laundry itself, and was enamored. I would have hopped from carrot patch to garlic patch to potato patch if I were allowed, but it was raining and he preferred to be inside.

I discovered that Bistro Jeantier had a Veal Osso Bucco French stylie thing on the menu, which we ordered, and turns out they source it from the United Meat Company. That sounded less appetizing at that point, and unnatural. You would have half expected to say they got the bones from a farmer nearby. It was fun to see the waiter get a little bit uncomfortable, though, because maybe they will start about getting meat that isn’t hopped up on hormones. Honestly I don’t know much about the subject, but if I’m starting to think about it, I think high end restaurants at least should start thinking about it too.

We talked about the market size of Napa’s tourist industry and what it was relative to, it was decided it is way huger in revenue per capita in Napa compared to Monterey (yes we talk about stuff like this), and simply tried to pretend that our lives weren’t filled with dishwashing and laundry.

We’ve decided to prolong at a Marriott Inn in East Bay (cheaper), and I had two last discoveries. Some snails came out, and I can’t decide if some hearsay that these were the same snails as escargot is true (doubtful) and the impromptu toothbrush from front desk should be compostable, dammit.

Pretty much a full day.

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Say Yes to Brussels Sprouts

Monday, April 5, 2010

Did you know that Brussels sprouts only taste terrible when you overcook them? That’s when they release their sulfurous stench! It’s best to blanch them in already boiling water for only 1 to 2 minutes. I actually like them, believe it or not. The bigger ones taste distinctly like wasabi.

As terrible as you might think Brussels sprouts are, they are definitely way less disgusting than the tons upon tons of toxins and poisons in your house released by every day household products. Scary thought to think that there could be something more toxic than Brussels sprouts!

More and more, companies are developing more solutions to absolve us of indoor household toxins, such as better more sustainable wood materials, non-toxic shampoo and makeup, household cleaning products, and more, all to market to a growing business segment of people who are college educated, and most likely have a good income. Unfortunately, we’ve been taught to think about all these products that we use on a daily basis as value products. They’ve been priced down a great deal, so that we don’t pay for negative environmental and health effects within the products that we buy. They are undervalued, much like Brussels sprouts, but for different reasons. Comparatively, these products that market to your better nature, ego, or are simply trying to get you to catch the “green bug,” may seem over priced. And sometimes, they aren’t really necessary (just like a second hair dryer and third curling iron you keep just for emergencies.)

In a few words: Toxins, bad! Brussels sprouts, good! But in all seriousness, it’s really unfortunate that for the majority of the population who can’t afford green, good-for-you, better-for-environment products, being a “green consumer” is still a class of people allowed for only the middle to upper segments of America.

Luckily for us, there are other plants too that will help at least eat up some of the bad indoor quality in your home, and this is one solution that anyone can use.

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Sunday: Farmer’s Market Wins

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Sunday tends to be the day where I do non-work related things: eat crepes with my husband, play with the neighbor’s kittens, or visit my brother, all the things that help us slow down and get ready for Mondays. It’s also a day where I take my farmer’s market buys, and my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription vegetables and prepare some meals for the week. Typically, they are very rich and hearty meals, such as stews, that I only have to prepare once on Sunday, and then fill the rest of the days with mac and cheese, or other quick cooking recipes.

The CSA subscription is a way to get vegetables and fruits delivered to a location close by where you can pick up on a per week or every-other-week basis. In my case, my small vegetable and fruit box gets delivered to my house. A lot of people who consider themselves “treehugger” or “green” types, working as engineers or young professionals in Silicon Valley will do this in a heartbeat because it’s a great way for them to say they eat local and/or organic. My brother-in-law is one example: he prefers organic food and biodegradable products over the typical grocery product, his family primarily shops at Trader Joe’s (a different category of people exists for Whole Paycheck ahem, Whole Foods, shoppers) and I think this is really awesome, but as busy people, we hardly have any time to think about why we make these choices. We care about the environment and about sustainable economies but I have been trying to understand the levers that make this work, and what the weaknesses are to make it work better.

I think about this stuff a lot while I’m cooking. It’s true–I might be chopping vegetables, but if I’m chopping organic or local vegetables, then most likely I’m not thinking about vegetables but about local CSA food economies! I’m digging up all sorts of second-hand information about the typical profile of CSA farmers, and the typical buyer, as well. More on that later.

Among the things I bought…

These carrots (they are a lot more orange than in the picture) and herbs are going to go into a chicken cassoulet, with Brussels sprouts, a bit of bacon, and Capay Farms celery. Herbs are from Happy Boy Farms.

This mint, also from Happy Boy Farms, will be the showcase for a vegetarian “summer rolls” or rather, Vietnamese style spring rolls with crimini mushrooms marinated in teriyaki sauce in place of shrimp.

I also bought artichokes, and if you have any thoughts on a local dish for those, I would love to hear about it!

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Revamp your personal branding message with spring fashion

Friday, April 2, 2010

Coast's Ri Rea Top, a brand message aspiration

I have many, many problems to solve at work. Many.
Aside from everyday challenges, which you don’t want to hear about in technical detail, here is one challenge that you may have faced before.

Re-vamping personal style = continuous work on personal branding message or branding strategy. Whether you’re looking for a new job or vying for the next promotion, this is a piece that is often discounted but actually quite important to communicating effectively to someone else about who you are.

It’s not very different from giving a brand a new name. Network Appliance, for one, rebranded themselves by shortening their name to “NetApp”.  While I may be strongly familiar with the qualities and attributes of my personal brand (i.e. hard working, creative or whatever else that is credible), being able to communicate the right message is top priority.

Some people invest a lot of time in making their personal style work, but this is really challenging to do when I have other competing priorities at work or at home.

The first step is to have the right essentials that will help keep your brand message consistent on a daily basis. With Tim Gunn’s top 10 Fashion Essentials, I can at least state this message simply and effectively.

Hmm…at least I’ve got a few items on this list, including a black dress and a white shirt. Score!

Then the part that is really hard, because time is so limited for us, is being able to choose the right pieces at the right price. Call it the extra “razzle dazzle” of your brand message, if you will. For some inspiration, there is no better resource, next to hiring a personal stylist than tapping into the fashionista and personal style community at Polyvore.

At Polyvore, you can ask for advice from aspiring stylists, view sets made by community members, or create your own. It’s an awesome way to learn to set up your personal brand and decide what really says that it’s you. You can experiment by putting together “sets” and see what each piece might say about  you. You can also <a href=”http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/advice.browse”>ask for consulting advice</a> in exchange for giving your own advice, too. Already, I’ve been recommended satin blouses to go with blazers–like the one on the right, which with the right pieces will say, I’m nice, a little feminine, and ready to work. I’m excited about the prospect of learning more so I can share more with these hardcore brand strategists or brand managers :)

Overall, it’s important to send the right message, but equally important is to remember not to obsess over your look, because it’s just a thin layer between you and the other person. It’s important to keep a good attitude, of course, and always smile while working hard!

This post is a nod to @trishaisworking who is an awesome brand strategist herself, and who has been great to encourage me, reminding me that I probably know more than I think I do about making my clothes work for me.

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Law or Courtesy: a perspective on public cell phone use, law and ethics

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Today was one of many days that I have taken Caltrain, the SF Bay Area commuter train that runs along the Peninsula.

Caltrain used to have a courtesy policy. The policy stated that cell phones were not allowed on trains, among other things, and the bike car is reserved for bikers only. I learned today that they have since rescinded these rules because it became a political issue. Boy, as of today, I found out just how much of a political issue it really is.
(Continued)

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Moving pains…

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

I’ve migrated over to wordpress.org!

For people who are considering wordpress.org or who are familiar with it, this is for you. Many people have said that migration from wordpress.com(or other blog site) to the wordpress.org platform is easy. Actually, it’s actually only easy if you know what you are doing. Developers will otherwise think it is a snap.

I should add that a few years ago, I had considered moving to wordpress.org because users gushed about its versatility, the easy install, and that it was free for anyone who wanted to use it. But, I was also informed that you need a dedicated server, which isn’t true. A web host does the job just as well.

So, let’s take a moment to investigate these myths. Versatility: yes, this is true. You get a lot of versatility.

The easy install: It doesn’t take 5 minutes as they say. It takes quite a few more, because you have to realize that the right web host has to be something like Dreamhost, which has a button for creating a database and files for wordpress.org. When I learned about Dreamhost, I was very happy to find that the install is easy. Dream host happens to have an easy button.

You press it, and it installs the wordpress.org files for you.  It will even create a new database on the server space you purchased for wordpress. (A database is  designated partition on the webhost, similar to a manila folder that contains all the files you need.)

Free: yes, wordpress.org is free. Your webhost is not. Alternatively, you could set up a server but if watching server loads aren’t your thing, then I would say, go with webhost.

While the migration to wordpress.org wasn’t too bad, and I got it done in a day, there are a lot of little gadgets to learn about. It is a little bit more technically involved, so you have to love the nuts and bolts as much as tapping away at the keyboard.

I’ve also chosen a new skin for the blog, but I am still trying to figure out how to edit pieces of it. You may still find parts of the template here and there. If you spot something that looks a bit like a “lorem ipsum dolorum,” or you have had experience using wordpress.org and feel like sharing something about the features you really like, leave a comment.

Otherwise, excuse the moving boxes, we’re just getting settled in.

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