Maroon Ventures Blog

Microsoft will begin paying searchers who use Microsoft Live Search and complete a transaction. Think of it as a rebate. This is either:

A) Genius - right up there with the wheel and sliced bread

B) Idiotic - equivalent to the “make your own change night”

C) Meh - feed mayo to the tuna

The more I think about this, the more I think it is a vowel. I know what I am going to do next time I need to buy something big. What will get interesting is if it works and Google decides to counter. This is yet another nail in the coffin for the local retailer.

Just read a good article in the NYTimes on Apple’s encroachment into RIM’s hardcore business user domain. Mostly a synopsis of what has happened with a few salient data points on market share. What I find most interesting are the rumored retaliation devices from RIM as well as the “um, in other news…” spin on Google’s whole Android movement.

Oh ya, I still don’t own an iPhone.

In keeping with my end of the world rant, let’s turn our paranoia to GPS manufacturers - Garmin and Magellan.

Premise: Google and Apple have it out for you. The only thing that is standing between you and the utter erosion of your handheld and portable business is the fact that the iPhone doesn’t have GPS capability. That is about to change. It is all but absolutely, positively confirmed that the upcoming 3G version of the iPhone will have GPS. Couple this with an open 3G SDK (which we can safely assume will lag the release date by some months) and you have the makings of a handheld GPS unit with a superior user interface- oh ya, it can also browse the web, play videos,  play music, email and make phone calls. Consumers: If your iPhone can take the place of your handheld or portable GPS unit, why buy both?

I can think of a couple of reasons but they’re all niche: ruggedization and waterproofing.

Think for a second. Wrist GPS units are everywhere. You see them on walkers, bikers and runners. What else do you see? Yep, an iPod. Nary a health nut goes by without wires hanging from their ears. Again, I ask, why would you buy both when you already have it in your iPod? (more…)