Category Archives: technology

Why Gmail’s new look is a usability nightmare

Posted on November 3, 2011 by rob

TweetI am absolutely furious with Google’s changes to gmail. I don’t really care about the design. The themes allow you enough scope to personalise. The problem is a technical one that has screwed up usability. It’s fundamental, and is the … Continue reading →

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The crazy cost of Switzerland

Posted on August 31, 2011 by rob

TweetI’ve just got back from a long weekend in Geneva. Lovely place, beautiful lake, painful exchange rate. Switzerland was always quite expensive, but with the Swiss Franc a safe haven for investors, hanging out in Geneva suddenly looks like a … Continue reading →

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The lazy journalism of citing Facebook and Twitter

Posted on June 3, 2011 by rob

TweetI’m getting very annoyed with the phrase “such as…” in journalism. It’s becoming a lazy substitute for not having concrete facts, and is used especially to write about websites and  social networks where the writer usually has no idea what … Continue reading →

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The internet of 1901

Posted on April 7, 2011 by rob

TweetThere was a curious story today of a woman who cut off an entire country’s internet access. A Georgian woman digging in her garden cut off Armenia from the net. Impressive in a way, but it also got me thinking … Continue reading →

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The many names of Gaddafi

Posted on February 24, 2011 by rob

TweetYou can hardly miss the colonel who has run Libya for the last 42 years. But how do you spell his name? Due to there being no formal way of translating his name from the Arabic, Col Gaddafi (FT spelling) … Continue reading →

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Facebook: is the party over?

Posted on January 5, 2011 by rob

TweetIn all the hoopla surrounding the Goldman Sachs investment in Facebook, one thing seems odd. It isn’t the money – Facebook made $2bn in revenues last year, apparently, which isn’t bad (although we need to remember that revenues aren’t profit … Continue reading →

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Predictions for 2011 and beyond

Posted on December 30, 2010 by rob

TweetIt’s that time of year. Everyone is at it. As any reader of the Black Swan knows, predictions are a fools game. The real interest is in showing what we think now, not really saying “told you so” in 2012. … Continue reading →

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How skiing is missing a trick

Posted on December 15, 2010 by rob

TweetDisclaimer: I’m skiing this week. Skiing is an expensive sport. There’s the clothes, equipment hire, the ski pass, and the travel to and from the resort. And that’s before you see the prices on the restaurant menus. Skiing is also … Continue reading →

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Zuckerberg vs Hirst

Posted on December 4, 2010 by rob

TweetSounds good, doesn’t it? The billionaire geek of Facebook vs the once bad-boy of BritArt. But in what context? What are you on about, I hear you ask. It’s simple really. What actually counts in this world: ideas, or execution? … Continue reading →

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