Linked List: November 26, 2012

Monday, 26 November 2012

How PRWeb Helps Distribute Crap Into Google and News Sites ★

Danny Sullivan:

“What’s the use of PRWeb?,” tweeted Megan McCarthy of Reuters, trying to digest how that service ended up circulating a fake Google acquisition story. Come along, Megan and others, and I’ll explain one of the sorriest uses, getting crap into Google News and out into news sites.

Spam merchants.

Barnes and Noble Nook for iOS Brings Accessibility Support ★

Josh de Lioncourt, Maccessibility:

This is an enormous leap forward for the accessibility of books to blind and visually impaired readers. There is only one of the three major ebook players on iOS left without VoiceOver support. (We are looking at you, Amazon Kindle).

Speaking of Ron Johnson ★

Anne D’Innocenzio reports for the AP on J.C. Penney’s continuing struggles:

The first sign that things were falling apart came in May when rival Macy’s told analysts that sales were rising at its stores that share malls with Penney locations. A week later, Penney posted a $163 million quarterly loss. Revenue plunged 20 percent to $3.15 billion. The number of customers visiting stores fell 10 percent.

But the changes Johnson is instituting are so radical, this might be the sort of thing where he really does need a few years:

Surrounding the shops will be wide aisles that Johnson calls “streets.” Along those pathways will be ice cream and coffee bars and wood tables with built-in iPad tablet computers that shoppers can use to surf online.

Penney is starting to see some positive results from the makeover it began. The company says so far that it has converted about 11 percent of the floor space to shops-within-stores. The shops’ average sales are more than double the sales in the rest of the store.

Internal Apple Video Documents Apple Retail Store Design Philosophy ★

Seth Weintraub, 9to5 Mac:

The video is a pretty impressive piece of work from director Peter Sillen for something that never aired publicly. Among other interesting tidbits, the video shows a store mock-up inside Covent Garden (London) in 2008 before construction with Apple execs examining design elements.

Apple’s Astonishing Profit in Context ★

Felix Richter, Statista:

From October 2011 through September 2012, the combined net profit of Microsoft, Google, eBay, Yahoo, Facebook and Amazon was $34.4 billion. Apple alone made $7 billion more.

In the same period, Dell, Asus, Intel, Acer, IBM, Lenovo and HP, i.e. virtually the entire PC industry, made $19.3 billion or less than half of Apple’s profit.

Android vs. iOS, Market Share vs. Usage Share ★

Michael Bartholomew:

Although Android devices are clearly beating out iOS devices from an overall sales-figure perspective, it is apparent that iOS users are considerably more likely to use their devices to access the internet and purchase items.

MG Siegler Reviews the Surface With Windows RT ★

MG Siegler:

After using it for over a week now, it’s hard to come up with a lot of nice things to say about the Surface. Don’t get me wrong, there are some solid things here. But by and large, it’s a strange, buggy, and clunky product that I simply can’t imagine many people buying after the initial hype wears off.

Put another way: I got one, but I don’t get it.

Here’s a taste:

Desktop mode (or the Desktop app, if you prefer) is a cruel joke. It’s the same old Windows of decades past that you’re used to (well, minus the Start button itself), but it’s on a touchscreen device. And while some of the UI has been updated to make it more touch-friendly, a lot of it has not been well, touched. I’ve never had more mis-clicks, accidental closings, and all-around frustration with a computer. Ever.

Product Desirability = Profitability ★

Peter M. De Lorenzo at Autoextremist, on the success of the VW Group:

You first have to have the product and that will never, ever, change. Then you have to have the kind of brand image that is crystal clear to consumers, one unwavering in its execution and consistency. And if it’s dead-on — as Audi’s marriage of product and brand image is — then you’re able to create the fundamental desire for your product that will have people paying real money to acquire it.

Sounds like another highly profitable company I know.

Shocker: Gizmodo Fell for Fraudulent Google Acquisition Stock Scam PR ★

Eric Limer, writing for Gizmodo:

Update: Looks like someone may have been a little quick to the draw on this one. AllThingsD is saying Google sources are denying claims of an acquisition. We’ve reached out to Google PR for comment.

Where by “someone” he means “we”.

TechCrunch too, among many others.

Fake Press Release Juices Penny Stock ★

Arik Hesseldahl:

The release was posted on PRWeb, a free service operated by the PR firm Vocus, which, it just so happens, is publicly held on the Nasdaq. I have a call in to PRWeb seeking some answers, but so far haven’t heard back from anyone.

However, I just got this statement from ICOA CEO George Strouthopoulos: “We are investigating the source, so far it originated from Aruba!”

It’s the exclamation mark that made me smile.