Comments for mikolas http://www.mikolas.net/blog Technology, Science and Business United ::: A Blog by Mikko Hämäläinen Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:01:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on New Firmware for Sony Reader by samik http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/08/12/new-firmware-for-sony-reader/#comment-212 samik Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:48:56 +0000 http://www.mikolas.net/blog/?p=48#comment-212 Seems very interesting indeed. Or maybe it was just those books you were referring to. Seems very interesting indeed. Or maybe it was just those books you were referring to.

]]> Comment on New Firmware for Sony Reader by Mikko Hämäläinen http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/08/12/new-firmware-for-sony-reader/#comment-211 Mikko Hämäläinen Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:27:12 +0000 http://www.mikolas.net/blog/?p=48#comment-211 eBay, where else? :-) Cost me around 300 USD so given current exchange rate, it was quite cheap. Also, Sony's Connect Bookstore is US only, but you can actually buy books by giving valid US state and ZIP-code although using Finnish credit card. eBay, where else? :-) Cost me around 300 USD so given current exchange rate, it was quite cheap. Also, Sony’s Connect Bookstore is US only, but you can actually buy books by giving valid US state and ZIP-code although using Finnish credit card.

]]> Comment on New Firmware for Sony Reader by samik http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/08/12/new-firmware-for-sony-reader/#comment-209 samik Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:39:54 +0000 http://www.mikolas.net/blog/?p=48#comment-209 Where did you buy the reader? Where did you buy the reader?

]]> Comment on Amazon Kindle is a Hit: 12% of Book Sales on Amazon, Doubled Since May by abhi http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/07/11/amazon-kindle-is-a-hit-12-of-book-sales-on-amazon-doubled-since-may/#comment-129 abhi Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:01:55 +0000 http://www.mikolas.net/blog/?p=43#comment-129 hi mikko I’m actually launching a social network for kindle owners and book lovers. We’re in pre-Alpha - Would appreciate it if you could join and help build the community (amazonkindle.ning.com - moving to a more book oriented url during alpha) More details at http://thekindle.wordpress.com/2008/07/12/social-network-for-kindle-owners-and-book-lovers/ including ‘3 Free Kindles in the first 3 months’ promotion and other information. hi mikko
I’m actually launching a social network for kindle owners and book lovers.
We’re in pre-Alpha - Would appreciate it if you could join and help build the community (amazonkindle.ning.com - moving to a more book oriented url during alpha)
More details at http://thekindle.wordpress.com/2008/07/12/social-network-for-kindle-owners-and-book-lovers/ including ‘3 Free Kindles in the first 3 months’ promotion and other information.

]]> Comment on Is the Electronic Book Approaching the Tipping Point? by Eero Korhonen http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/06/02/is-the-electronic-book-approaching-the-tipping-point/#comment-35 Eero Korhonen Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:55:02 +0000 http://www.mikolas.net/blog/?p=18#comment-35 After trying my friend's iTouch, I believe Mikko's 5-10 year estimate. Usability and display quality has developed very fast past years. Not saying that ebook will beat book's usability in the final moment of consumption - reading at home couch. But the improvements to distribution and value chain in general will make a difference that may finally make ebook mainstream product. Just now, as sitting in lounge waiting for jumping in to full packed East European airliner I still have my printed Kari Enqvist book in my hand. But as Mikko is my tech role model, I start to be interested to give one of those devices chance to prove that they make my life easier. After trying my friend’s iTouch, I believe Mikko’s 5-10 year estimate. Usability and display quality has developed very fast past years. Not saying that ebook will beat book’s usability in the final moment of consumption - reading at home couch. But the improvements to distribution and value chain in general will make a difference that may finally make ebook mainstream product.

Just now, as sitting in lounge waiting for jumping in to full packed East European airliner I still have my printed Kari Enqvist book in my hand. But as Mikko is my tech role model, I start to be interested to give one of those devices chance to prove that they make my life easier.

]]> Comment on Is the Electronic Book Approaching the Tipping Point? by Mikko Hämäläinen http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/06/02/is-the-electronic-book-approaching-the-tipping-point/#comment-33 Mikko Hämäläinen Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:41:54 +0000 http://www.mikolas.net/blog/?p=18#comment-33 Well, it took only 5 years for Apple to become the largest music retailer in the US of A, after opening iTunes Store. Once the distribution model and technology is in place, things tend to progress rapidly. My questimate is that electronic books will roll out to mainstream in 5-10 years timeframe, since the display tech is really OK already, but there are the distribution/format issues and UI issues to resolve. Until then, I can enjoy my early adopter gone-almost-fully-digital status :-) Well, it took only 5 years for Apple to become the largest music retailer in the US of A, after opening iTunes Store. Once the distribution model and technology is in place, things tend to progress rapidly. My questimate is that electronic books will roll out to mainstream in 5-10 years timeframe, since the display tech is really OK already, but there are the distribution/format issues and UI issues to resolve. Until then, I can enjoy my early adopter gone-almost-fully-digital status :-)

]]> Comment on Is the Electronic Book Approaching the Tipping Point? by Pekka P http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/06/02/is-the-electronic-book-approaching-the-tipping-point/#comment-32 Pekka P Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:55:49 +0000 http://www.mikolas.net/blog/?p=18#comment-32 Electronic books have a long way to go. If I remember the first truly portable mp3-hd-player was Creative Nomad and it was huge, battery life was poor and the user interface so and so. Mankind needed Steve Jobs to change all that and mp3 went from geeks to masses. :D Saying that iPod replaced cd's is a major understatement. iPod created a whole new way to consume music. Somebody nees to re-invent books now that the devices are ready. Steve, we are ready :) Electronic books have a long way to go. If I remember the first truly portable mp3-hd-player was Creative Nomad and it was huge, battery life was poor and the user interface so and so. Mankind needed Steve Jobs to change all that and mp3 went from geeks to masses. :D Saying that iPod replaced cd’s is a major understatement. iPod created a whole new way to consume music.

Somebody nees to re-invent books now that the devices are ready. Steve, we are ready :)

]]> Comment on Thoughts on Local Startups by Mikko Hämäläinen http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/03/16/thoughts-on-local-startups/#comment-5 Mikko Hämäläinen Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:59:13 +0000 http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/03/16/thoughts-on-local-startups/#comment-5 That is very true. There have been a constant stream of innovation from small Nordic and Baltic markets, but the problem is that it is really hard to grow into a global operator from such a small user base. There are some very notable exceptions to the rule, such as Skype and Jaiku - however both got acquired, by eBay and Google respectively. It just might be that we are good at incubating new business, but not good at commoditizing the innovations into scalable concepts without support of multinationals' existing networks and business infrastructure. That is very true. There have been a constant stream of innovation from small Nordic and Baltic markets, but the problem is that it is really hard to grow into a global operator from such a small user base. There are some very notable exceptions to the rule, such as Skype and Jaiku - however both got acquired, by eBay and Google respectively.

It just might be that we are good at incubating new business, but not good at commoditizing the innovations into scalable concepts without support of multinationals’ existing networks and business infrastructure.

]]> Comment on Thoughts on Local Startups by Eero Korhonen http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/03/16/thoughts-on-local-startups/#comment-4 Eero Korhonen Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:42:49 +0000 http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/03/16/thoughts-on-local-startups/#comment-4 Hi! I've found the Estonian business environment to be very entrepreneural. There is lot of startups and lot of young people building business around their ideas. However, the entrepreneural attitude is not only limited to startups, you can see the same approach in the management of established companies too. Fruitful environment is probably based on good basic and higher level education system, state of the art communication infrastrucure, and in general Estonia being in a growing transition economy. Now there is a slowdown after over heated period, but I'm quite sure that the growth will continue quite soon. As you say, their domestic market is very small and startups will for sure be a targets of international financial and industrial investors. Yet, I believe that Estonian markets will provide us continuosly new entreprenurial success stories. Hi!

I’ve found the Estonian business environment to be very entrepreneural. There is lot of startups and lot of young people building business around their ideas. However, the entrepreneural attitude is not only limited to startups, you can see the same approach in the management of established companies too.

Fruitful environment is probably based on good basic and higher level education system, state of the art communication infrastrucure, and in general Estonia being in a growing transition economy. Now there is a slowdown after over heated period, but I’m quite sure that the growth will continue quite soon.

As you say, their domestic market is very small and startups will for sure be a targets of international financial and industrial investors. Yet, I believe that Estonian markets will provide us continuosly new entreprenurial success stories.

]]> Comment on The burden of the newspaper industry by Affiliates » Blog Archive » The burden of the newspaper industry http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/03/10/the-burden-of-the-newspaper-industry/#comment-3 Affiliates » Blog Archive » The burden of the newspaper industry Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:03:05 +0000 http://www.mikolas.net/blog/2008/03/10/the-burden-of-the-newspaper-industry/#comment-3 [...] Read the rest of this great post here [...] [...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]

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