Linked List: October 24, 2010

Sunday, 24 October 2010

Definitions in Google Dictionary 

Simon Rich, in The New Yorker:

My favorite Google feature is Google Dictionary. Whenever I need a word defined, I just type it into the search box and the meaning pops right up. It’s really convenient, but sometimes the definitions can be strange.

NYT Piece on the State of Android Apps 

Jenna Wortham, reporting for the NYT:

“Google is not associated with things you pay for, and Android is an extension of that,” said Mr. Hall of Larva Labs. “You don’t pay for Google apps, so it bleeds into the expectations for the third-party apps, too.”

Interesting Product Development Idea From Amazon 

Ian McAllister:

For new initiatives a product manager typically starts by writing an internal press release announcing the finished product. The target audience for the press release are the new/updated product’s customers, which can be retail customers or internal users of a tool or technology. Internal press releases are centered around the customer problem, how current solutions (internal or external) fail, and how the new product will blow away existing solutions.

If the benefits listed don’t sound very interesting or exciting to customers, then perhaps they’re not (and shouldn’t be built).

This strikes me as a great idea. (Via Dare Obasanjo.)

Ryan Block Wonders if the Mac App Store Will Have Enough to Sell 

Ryan Block:

The real issue with the desktop software market is that (unless you’re talking about productivity software) there just isn’t all that much consumers need to buy anymore.

Filed away for future claim chowder.