Why Shutting Down Google Reader Actually Hurts

I don’t have my copy here, but there is a bit in Once You’re Lucky, Twice You’re Good: The Rebirth of Silicon Valley and the Rise of Web 2.0 about the difference building a successful site or business and building a successful platform, or more accurately reaching platform ‘status.’

One creates something others can build upon and around – grow a community.

The other is a sole building in a desert. And when that building doesn’t have a reason to be populated any longer there’s nothing for anyone else to do related to that building and they all leave.

Google Reader wasn’t just another Google service – it was a platform. Don’t believe me? Continue reading Why Shutting Down Google Reader Actually Hurts

AT&T Math: 2GB is More Than Unlimited

I’m an AT&T grandfather – I’ve got the iPhone unlimited data plan, for which I pay $30 a month over voice and text fees. As we all know AT&T has eliminated this plan level for new customers allowing them a choice of a 2GB plan for $25 or 200 MB for $15.

I know my data habits I’d be a fool to go for the 2GB plan for only a $5 difference and there’d be no way I’d stay under 200 MB per month. That being said, I don’t travel a lot for business, am not huge into mobile video and really don’t do much data-heavy on my phone. And so while I found news of AT&T’s attempt to curb their data heavy users by throttling their speeds interesting there was no way it would change my life.

That was, until I got “the letter” last month in November. I was the 5%. Continue reading AT&T Math: 2GB is More Than Unlimited