Windows

The New York Times Goes Pay to Play.

What do you do when you are in a dying business as a print based content provider; when your reader base is shifting to all digital, and primarily mobile and tablet driven resources? In the case of the New York Times, you restrict access to your content and try to drive people back to reading your physical newspaper. Say what? Yes you read that right. Apparently the New York Times thinks this won’t drive any readers away.

Starting June 27th the New York Times is going to limit the number of articles any non-paper subscriber can read on iOS, Android and Windows powered devices. The strategy is to try and encourage readers to subscribe to the print version. If you do, you get full access to all articles on the New York Times site at no extra charge. I say good luck with that, because your readership has left the print world behind. (Doesn’t a newspaper make more money off of ads than through subscriptions anyway? Hmmmm.)

Under the new set up, non subscribers will be able to read a maximum of three articles per day, from twenty five sections of the online paper including blogs and slideshows. Once the limit has been reached, users will be asked to pay for a subscription to further access content.

Up till the 27th, readers who have not subscribed have complete freedom of the “Top News” sections. After the 27th you’ll have an increase in choices of sections, but a lessened allowance of accessible content. Video content for all areas of the site still remains available and free for all.

To ease users into this change, the publication is planning a seven day free trial run when downloading the updated version of the Android or iOS app. I’d really like to see the numbers on how this shakes out for the New York Times over the next year. I’d bet they get very few converts, and possibly lose readership overall.

Mac vs PC, Who really Cares? Well That Is Debatable.

Column Five Media created an infographic for Tech Hunch that shows the differences between Mac people and PC people. I know, like me this is one of those things you thought died a while ago, but apparently it hasn’t. Although I think you could simply swap Mac for iOS, and PC for Android, and this would feel like a fresh debate.

This is a follow up to a study Hunch did in November of 2009 where they explored the differences in personality, aesthetic tastes, and media preferences between Mac and PC users.The original 2009 study was based on findings from 76,000 respondents, vs this years 400,000. A lot has changed since the first study was done. Apple has launched the iPad and iPad 2, iPhone 4 for more than one single carrier, an updated Apple TV, and redesigned iPods.

The infographic is fun, but there is real world information here. If you would like to see all of the results beyond this fancy image, click here.

Oh and just for the record, and to pour some more fuel on the fire. PC means “Personal Computer” a “Mac” is a PC, so really this debate should be Mac vs Every Other OS in the World, or Mac vs Microsoft Windows. The “PC” term gets me as much as people that can’t pronounce nuclear, oncologist, supposedly, or karaoke correctly.

Apple vs Windows, Advertising, and Put It To Bed Please.

saupload_mac_pc Have you seen the new Apple VS PC ads? I am personally getting tired of these TV spots, (and yes I am an Apple fanboy.) It’s like flogging a dead horse. I think the current campaign is rolling on 3 years now.

Furthermore, I am kind of surprised. The apple brand has always thrived on the overarching concept of an understated confidence; which is visible in the industrial design of their products, the usability, user experience and so on. In a way the current TV spots are for Apple followers not people they are trying to convert from the Windows OS. They read like “Wow, do I feel superior, I have a Mac at home and after I watch that ad all is good: you have understated what brand confidence and a cult like following (or what else do you call people waiting in line 24 hours at the Apple store for a new product launch?)

So what is going on with Apple’s advertising in terms of persuading non Apple users? I mean constantly reminding people of how another brand goofs up is not exactly reflective of self-confidence. In fact, it makes Apple look like it is threatened by how Windows7 could actually be a real competitor to OSX. What’s more, in the eyes of a non Apple user, it might seem pretentious and it could even keep me from trying a Mac out of spite. (note the success of CPB’s latest “I’m a PC campaign. Yes fanboys it’s been a huge success.) While I’m not one of those people, I can see why people don’t use Macs because I felt the brand was too arrogant, or that I didn’t want to be part of a specific sect.

Let’s get something straight. I think Apple makes great products. Thank you Apple. I’ve been a user since my Color Classic, from the ancient days of yore. But please do us all a favor and, stop advertising, or change your approach. Your current ads have jumped the shark.First off you don’t need to advertise OSX and the computer hardware, and b) it doesn’t help your brand perception with non Apple owners. c) you can find other ways to reward your followers and expand your client base other than to spend it on ads that alienate potential users.