tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58643471057424454092024-03-05T17:25:22.521-08:00CraigDalton.comA little mobile, a little social media sprinkled with some fun stuff: cycling, adventure racing, trail running and anything else that tickles my fancy.Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-3545312412866682172013-04-03T12:55:00.002-07:002013-04-03T16:57:50.596-07:00Support Small Manufacturing!<br />
<a href="http://dodocase.com/">DODOcase - Support Small Manufacturing Infographic</a><br />
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<a href="http://dodocase.com/pages/infographic" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Support Small Manufacturing - Infographic" height="320" src="//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0046/6182/files/AnniversaryInfographic_lo.jpg?22722" style="cursor: move;" title="Support Small Manufacturing- Infographic" width="216" /></a></div>
Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-90201942328187023312012-02-09T08:51:00.000-08:002012-02-09T08:52:26.448-08:00Risky Ideas Turn Into Smart Businesses When Your Values Are ClearThis article originally ran in <a href="http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679190/risky-ideas-turn-into-smart-businesses-when-core-values-are-clear">Fast Company</a> as part of a Collaborative Fund-curated series on creativity and values written by thought leaders in the for-profit, for-good business space.<br />
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Risky Ideas Turn Into Smart Businesses When Your Values Are Clear<br />
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Written by: Craig Dalton<br />
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Even though Craig Dalton’s business had so many things "wrong" with it, honesty, transparency, and connection between his customers and the artisans making his product were enough to create a successful company.<br />
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The advent of new technologies often begets the decline of established crafts. But sometimes, to quote the cliché, when innovation closes one door, it opens another. When we started DODOcase--which makes iPad cases using bookbinding techniques--on paper we were doing lots of things “wrong.”<br />
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We had decided to manufacture our products in one of the most expensive cities in the world using techniques that were hundreds of years old. We operated without an office, meaning we had no permanent production facility, and we had just a small core team. No one had seen the iPad at this point, so we designed a case for a product we’d never laid eyes on or used. As it turns out, each of these seemingly questionable, and certainly not advisable, decisions turned out to be keys in building a profitable business that encourages sustainable products and creates local jobs.<br />
Tweaking an old industry to support a new one<br />
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San Francisco was home to a dwindling bookbinding industry that was eager to find new ways to remain relevant, as well as a vibrant woodworking community. This gave us access to a pool of talented local artisans to work with our product concept and execution. Once we had these relationships in place and a prototype in hand, we elected to go live with our simple e-commerce site before we had ever physically held an iPad. We had a feeling that people would appreciate a quality product that was locally built, as well as one that supported the adaptation of ancient techniques. The choice to employ local artisans wasn’t just a move we made to be "good," but a valuable investment because the connection between consumer and craftsman quickly became a large component of our identity.<br />
Honest businesses are more flexible<br />
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In general, but especially because we were launching a case for an iPad that had never been seen, transparency in our processes, timelines, and purpose was essential. Social media proved to be an amazing vehicle to accomplish this goal, and we freely tweeted and Facebooked about who we were as craftsmen, and how we were progressing in our production. Having customers understand from us personally that these cases were being built for them, by hand, and by local craftspeople was crucial to them tolerating the wait. We would never go so far as to say our customers “liked” waiting in those early months, but surprisingly, the scarcity of the product proved to translate into an important marketing vehicle for us. Customers tended to post when they finally received their DodoCase. Because everyone shared their anticipation and excitement upon receiving their cases, including us, we built an active community between our company and our customers.<br />
Encouraging values through practice<br />
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The mission of our business, then and now, is encouraging consumers to consider their purchases carefully. Our message had to ring clear: We preserve the art of bookbinding, create jobs in San Francisco, and make a product that people feel emotionally connected to. We are able to breathe freely, and act with total transparency simply because we have nothing to hide. As it turns out, people gravitate toward honesty, even (and maybe especially) if you are doing things "wrong" on paper. Today we have a full-fledged bookbindery, woodshop, and office space in San Francisco. We continue to work with the local businesses and craftsmen to incorporate new book binding techniques into our products. We’ve collaborated with local artists including Rex Ray and Jenny Beorkrem of Ork Posters notoriety, as well as large specialty brands such as J.Crew.<br />
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Risky ideas can turn into smart businesses when core values and goals remain clear. As people adopt new technologies and are bombarded by mass-produced goods, they’ll increasingly search for emotional connection and individualization. The businesses who can tap into this with a clear and honest message will prosper, and maybe change manufacturing for the better.Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-37531073389201990742011-12-06T13:41:00.001-08:002011-12-06T13:41:57.964-08:00I love my DODOcaseOn my recent Thanksgiving travel I ditched the device I use pretty much every day of the week, my iPad, to try an alternative. My main goal was to experience another up and coming tablet, but my experience lead me to an even more powerful discovery: I love, and I mean LOVE, using a DODOcase! Sure, as a founder, this is probably a foregone conclusion, but after leaving my DODOcase behind for the weekend, I had an incredibly visceral reaction to its absence.<br />
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A little background on the type of tablet user I am. I love the convenience of a good tablet. I use my tablet as a second monitor (actually third…yes I'm a geek), I bring it to the coffee shop with me to take meeting notes, I rock a little Pandora and I love streaming videos (thanks @netflix and @hbo). My iPad is the first thing I pick up in the morning and usually the last thing I put down at night. When I travel, I love reading my Kindle Keyboard. So…by now you get the point that I am a tablet obsessed kind of fella. <br />
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I didn’t have a case for the tablet that I was testing so I was using it by itself, and what amazed me quite quickly was how notably uncomfortable, even awkward I found it to use. I realized pretty quickly that this had nothing to do with the device itself it was just the lack of the right case. I couldn't quite figure out the best way to comfortably hold the tablet while sitting in a chair, and it was difficult to hold and use at the same time. Later in the evening as I laid down in bed to stream my guilty pleasure (AMC's The Walking Dead) I discovered I couldn't assume my favorite viewing position (DODOcase tented on my chest) and had to find a pillow to hold the tablet up. Not good … at least not good for my use of this particular tablet, but, excellent news for my love of what we are doing here at DODOcase! <br />
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After this recent experience, I can say that I firmly believe we make an exceptionally useful and well crafted product. Almost two years after starting DODOcase and it’s great to be able to share my recently renewed belief in our product, especially from the point of view of a consumer/user. The DODOcase works well for me in the office, provides protection when I'm on the city streets and works great to improve the utility of my tablet. I love the look and feel of the DODOcase and I'm proud of both what and how we do the things that we do. <br />
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-Craig Dalton<br />
co-Founder <br />
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PS - the best news is that when I returned from my trip I found a prototype case for the mystery tablet I was using had been completed! More on that soon.Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-68570037304920750572011-05-03T15:43:00.001-07:002011-05-03T15:43:30.971-07:00Artisan of the Month: Keoki Surf Boards<div class='posterous_autopost'><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shape Up: Keoki Surf Boards</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By Jesse Szymanski</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This month we found a surfboard shaper in my old stomping ground, Honolulu Hawaii, who’s been making surfboards for 18 years. Keoki Ching, owner and founder of Keoki Surfboards, grew up in surfing family that also shaped their own boards.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“My father and his brothers used to shape their own boards as they were growing up in Oahu. As I was getting more and more into surfing I got curious to do as my father and uncles had done, shape and surf their own boards. So really I think I did it for the experience and personal satisfaction of making something for myself,” he said.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hand shaping surfboards has been a tradition in the Hawaiian Islands since the arrival of the ancient Polynesians, constantly improving wave riding for surfers, many of whom don’t realize the time and effort put forth into their finished product.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Few people understand the amount of labor that goes into making a proper surfboard to Hawaii standards,” he explained.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“People have often asked, 'how much will it cost if I order two surfboards?' (expecting a big discount) To which I've responded, 'it would cost twice as much, because that would be twice as much labor involved.' People have to remember that there are seven to eight people involved in the production of any given surfboard, and each person has their special step,” he said.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With a degree in molecular biology, Ching took on surfboard shaping with a scientific approach, embracing CAD to help him perfect his designs.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Technology has helped us with repeatability. Surfboard CAD technology has helped us make repeat surfboards. Hand shaped surfboards, no matter how hard we try to repeat what we've done before, are always going to have subtle differences between boards. This is just a fact of the surfboard shaping industry. Technology has allowed us to make absolutely accurate differences in a previous design. We've been able to fine-tune our designs with repeatability. CAD technology has become a valuable tool to surfboard shapers worldwide for these reasons,” Ching said. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With the majority of surfboards being shaped overseas in mass-manufactured factories, people like Ching are holding onto a passionate and perfected art that is certainly an endangered craft in our consumer-based society.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you’ve ever surfed or lived in Hawaii then you know that every surf-break is unique to itself and those who ride them take the design and functionality of their boards seriously, with each one in the quiver offering variations that help for a better ride.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Much like our efforts in great production here at DODOcase, Keoki Surfboards has a hands-on team dedicated to creating great boards.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I work with amazing craftsmen in our shop. Each surfboard that comes out of our shop is a team effort of some of the top surfboard-building individuals in Hawaii. We can provide a better product if I only focus on the shape, the laminator focuses on laminating only, the air-brusher specializes in airbrushing, the sander in sanding.” Ching explained.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Surfing is a soul thing folks, with a whole lot of heart put into the shaping of a great board and Hawaii is steeped in a small community of skilled craftmen.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“By tradition surfboard shaping has been a secretive art, so many shapers keep to themselves. Our community is small though, so most of the guys all know each other. Though there is no formal association, I think I've noticed a little more camaraderie amongst the local Hawaii shapers. We call each other when we need to, we do help each other out as we've realized we're all in the same boat,” he said.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The same boat there in is one apart from the companies who mass-manufacture over-seas, with less attention to the individual and more put on turning out a product. And while CAD has helped Keoki Surfboards improve on design it has also given way to heavy competition.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The problem with surfboard CAD technology is that it has allowed the mass manufacture of surfboards internationally, which has helped our industry reach a saturation point much quicker. As it stands our industry is absolutely saturated, meaning our supply has finally met our demand. Market saturation has driven surfboard prices down, making our industry less profitable,” he explained.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is true for anyone who has been to the islands and seen the overwhelming host of shops, teams, companies and logos everywhere. Having so many different boards and shapers to choose from, the market is flooded with all sorts of styles and designs. What sets Keoki Surfboards apart is the one-on-one customer attention they put into each board as other companies continue to outsource.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I think it is safe to say that the market is saturated. Many companies have been falling through the cracks in the past few years, so it is actually a good way for our industry to sort itself out. The companies that are surviving are the ones that are remaining true to their core philosophy,” Ching stresses. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While hand-shaping is an endangered art in this day and age. It is up to people like Keoki Ching to keep the spirit and craftsmanship of hand shaping alive. Having worked as a consultant at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Ching has had access to the most ancient of surfboards in their collection, giving him both ideas and inspiration to preserve the past while shaping the future board by board.</span><p /><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/dodocase/3UMblfzHEmNe1cXmI5RrKWdLUFwFTSZxt0u75tUEg2exrukZKgvYG0juXK8k/n529160866_1646575_6797.jpg"><img alt="N529160866_1646575_6797" height="509" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/dodocase/IysLtrVU2XeitRGOeBArZnEmMKuoSRWoDTVlerz05VT3voOkFhSLIgbBmWnq/n529160866_1646575_6797.jpg.scaled.500.jpg" width="500" /></a> <img alt="200576_10150148843830867_52916" height="572" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/dodocase/9H8H3PS5lYaJAMIrpV4jqs4ED1MSLMUxTH1XUU6rQ6oyag6xrgKS6rr0LWOH/200576_10150148843830867_52916.jpg" width="340" /> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://dodocase.posterous.com/artisan-of-the-month-keoki-surf-boards">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-20736435779046752332011-01-05T17:51:00.001-08:002011-01-05T17:51:16.900-08:00Bing Bam Boom...DODOcase saves another iPad falling off a car.<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>Dear Dodocase, <p />I want to give a testimony about your product. I am an avid bicycle rider in the Washington DC area. One recent Saturday morning I was out for a ride. I came to an intersection where a car was observed traveling at the posted speed of 50 mph. Just as he passed the intersection, I saw something that looked like a datebook or notebook go sailing into the air from the top of the car. It went up in the air, landed hard and then tumbled to a stop. I was going to ride off but thought better of it and went to collect the item with the intention of returning it to its owner. <p />To my surprise, the item was an ipad protected by the Dodocase. I decided to continue with my ride carrying the ipad and case. <p />I arrived home two hours later, opened the case and inspected the ipad for damage. There was no apparent damage so I booted it up. I was in disbelief as I saw it open up and since the owner had no security measures employed, I was able to get to his email and identify a way to contact him. <p />We made contact and I was able to return his ipad to him. When I told him how I had come across it, he also was amazed. I have told many friends and family about the event. Many will be purchasing one of your cases. <p />I don’t own an ipad but if I ever do I will be sure to protect it with one of your cases. <p />I just had to share this with you. It is so good to see a product that works. <p />Sincerely, <p />Robert<br />Potomac , MD</p> <p> </p> <p>PS - If the owner if this case is reading...shoot us an email as we do have a crash replacement program if you case was damaged.</p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-14587443745137663042010-11-29T13:16:00.001-08:002010-11-29T13:16:19.927-08:00Meet the birds. Local SF shopping in December<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>Attention all Bay Area DODOcase friends!</p> <p>In order to make it easier to grab a DODOcase as a gift for yourself or a friend, we are going to participate in a few pop-up stores this December.</p> <p>On December 4th from 9 am to 4 pm, we'll be setting up shop at the annual <a href="http://www.3rdstreetsale.com/">3rd Street Sale</a>. Every year our building brings together all the great artisans that called the American Industrial Center home creating a block party of locally produced goods. DODO will be out in force with iPad and Kindle cases ready to go. (2575 Third Street, San Francisco).</p> <p>Next up, on December 11 and 12, we'll be representing at The Commons for Showmanship, a Holiday Market. See the flyer below. This one is going to be fun. (1077 Mission Street, San Francisco).</p> <p>For both events we'll have some fun tricks up our sleeve so make sure to come out and say hello!</p> <p> </p> <p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-29/qbFebhdudCgjErqFnFhwHsiGgfrcCwjbFJCAbHIdtBzxjFkIrdvJjuxmyhpj/showmanship_final.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-29/qbFebhdudCgjErqFnFhwHsiGgfrcCwjbFJCAbHIdtBzxjFkIrdvJjuxmyhpj/showmanship_final.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="784"/></a> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-28061337759919578062010-11-18T07:10:00.001-08:002010-11-18T07:10:39.572-08:00A new DODO takes flight!<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Your days of taunting your Kindle-toting friends with your slick DODOcase officially come to an end today. We’ve heeded the pleas of Kindle users and rolled out a <a href="http://www.dodocase.com/products/dodocase-for-kindle" target="_self">DODOcase for the Kindle 3</a> today! It’s available for purchase immediately for $49.95 with a red lining or $54.95 for all other color linings. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At DODOcase we’re focused on preserving the art of traditional bookbinding and bringing the feel of a book back to e-readers. Even though we heart our iPads, the new DODOcase for Kindle was a natural move -- it’s synonymous with books and backed by countless bookworms. The Kindle version has the same great styling as our first product -- handmade by local artisans in San Francisco, each with it’s own unique character -- just in a smaller package. </span><p /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Want to win one of these new birds? Tell us what your favorite book is and why on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/DODOcase/105269252845246" target="_self">here</a> by Nov. 29th. The comment with the most “likes” wins. The comment with the most “likes” wins. Hint: Share out our status update with a personalized note to drive votes.</span><p /><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You can also purchase one here. If you have any press-related questions please drop a line to abby at dodocase dot com. With the new DODOcase for Kindle we’re hoping to do our little part to help all of us Kindle and iPad users get along just a little better!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style='padding: 5px 5px 10px 5px; margin-top: 5px; border: 1px solid #ddd; background-color: #fff;line-height: 16px;'> <div style="float: left; margin-right: 5px; overflow: visible;"><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-18/oAzkxoxwBtbEIIGhjtfytDGjfdCFjyfGyBpBuJwgaIzIzBvicnuoDimoBqhC/Kindle_announce_lg.m4v' style='color: #bc7134;'><img src='http://posterous.com/images/filetypes/unknown.png' style='border: none;'/></a></div> <div style="font-size: 10px; color: #424037;line-height: 16px;">Download now or <a href="http://dodocase.posterous.com/a-new-dodo-takes-flight" style="color: #bc7134">watch on posterous</a></div> <b><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-11-18/oAzkxoxwBtbEIIGhjtfytDGjfdCFjyfGyBpBuJwgaIzIzBvicnuoDimoBqhC/Kindle_announce_lg.m4v' style='color: #bc7134;'>Kindle_announce_lg.m4v</a></b> <span style="font-size: 10px; color: #424037;">(76858 KB)</span> <br style="clear: both;"/></div> </span></p> <p> </p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-74045531810294402922010-11-04T11:47:00.001-07:002010-11-04T11:47:43.507-07:00We don't sell books, we smell books<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>Over at <a href="http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/reviews/2010/11/kindle-3-e-book-readers-go-mainstream.ars" target="_blank">ars technica</a>, Nate Anderson just posted a great peice on e-readers and the cultural shift from ink and paper to pixels. This is something we think about a lot at DODOcase. Consuming books, magazines, etc via a hunk of aluminum or plastic is a far cry from what we all grew up on. Clearly, we are big fans of the iPad (and Kindle) here at DODOcase, but I'm honestly we are not fans of holding aluminum or plastic when trying to read. </p> <p>Time and time again our customers report back to us that they love not only the look of the <a href="http://www.dodocase.com" target="_self">DODOcase</a>, but the FEEL of the DODOcase. Using traditional book binding techniques and traditional materials insures that while your eyes may be looking at the latest and greatest technology, your hands are touching materials book binders have been using for generations. </p> <p>I was personally struck by the paragraph below. Nice work, Nate!</p> <p>"But with books, one handles the artifact constantly during the reading experience. Losing the feel of that wonderful paper in the old Oxford blue-backed hardcovers means losing a part of the reading experience. My booksmeller would be (and, somewhere in California, probably is) aghast at the sterilized world of the e-books, every word stripped of its tangible context." -- <a href="http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/reviews/2010/11/kindle-3-e-book-readers-go-mainstream.ars" target="_blank"><span class="author">Nate Anderson</span></a></p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-77897556074327188092010-10-14T08:00:00.001-07:002010-10-14T08:00:19.546-07:00Pink with a Purpose! 20% to Susan G. Koman for the Cure<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><br /><span>When we rolled out custom colors recently a DODOCase fan <a href="http://www.twitter.com/cheesencrackrz" target="_blank">Lacey Fabrizio</a> suggested that we donate some of our proceeds from the pink case to breast cancer research. There was a collective "Duh!" heard around The Nest. We should've thought of that! </span><p /> Several ladies in the DODO circle have been impacted by breast cancer. So it only makes sense to support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For the month of October we'll be donating 20% of the sale of each pink case sold to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. <p /> We won't stop when October is over either. We'll continue to donate 10% of the sale of each pink case sold to Susan G. Komen for the Cure from Nov. 1, 2010 to the end of the year. So get your DODOCase and make a difference! Keep the ideas coming as well and a huge thanks to again Lacy for the little nudge.</p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-40652266922886493792010-10-01T00:01:00.001-07:002010-10-01T00:01:07.290-07:00Oct. Independant bookseller of the Month: Green Apple Books SF<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>Each month we hope to highlight an independant bookseller doing great work in the community. We'd love to get your submissions in the future. The following spotlight peice was written by our own Jesse Szymanski</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>Novelty and Change</em></strong><br /> An afternoon at Green Apple Books<br /> By Jesse Szymanski<p /> On one of the sunniest of Saturdays I entered <a href="http://www.greenapplebooks.com/" target="_blank">Green Apple Books</a> to find it still crawling<br /> with bookworms. I walked in out of the heat and the general bustle on Clement Street to<br /> be greeted by an original cover of J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye mounted on the end<br /> of a bookcase. The cover resonated with me, because it was the same first edition I read<br /> in high school.<p /> The store was quiet and cool. An older man was reading to his grand daughter in the<br /> children’s section. Signs dangled and labels protruded alphabetically around the massive<br /> volume of literature. However, there was no chaotic clutter some independent bookstores<br /> can be known for.<p /> Green Apple Books has been around since 1967 and was established by Richard Savoy,<br /> who leased the building that predates 1906. For the last 10 years three former employees<br /> who Savoy chose to pass the lease to have been running the show.<p /> Kevin Ryan had been handpicked by Savoy, along with his partners Kevin Hunsanger<br /> and Pete Mulvihill and has co-owned Green Apple Books since he was a grad student<br /> studying English.<p /> “I just genuinely like my job. I think for most people who work in a bookstore that’s why<br /> you do it,” he said.<p /> We maneuvered around sections of books as we walked across the creaking<br /> floorboards and back outside to head up to the office in the adjacent building.<p /> Carrying over 250,000 titles, Green Apple Books makes sure its selection and<br /> service separate them from your “cookie-cutter book stores,” Ryan assured.<p /> “I think the people who do like us, like us a lot. If you go on Yelp.com, review after<br /> review praises Green Apple.”<p /> The neighborhood is authentic according to Ryan, who prides himself as a bookstore<br /> owner that operates outside of the franchised world. A man of tradition, he’s having a<br /> hard time embracing the rise of E books. Though, he was impressed when I showed him<br /> the Dodocase website.<p /> “None of us [at Green Apple Books] were impressed with the Kindle, but the iPad I have<br /> a lust for.”<p /> It did come to light in speaking with him that authors couldn’t necessarily have an E<p /> book, in-store signing.<p /> “The thing you get down to is that the book itself is a physical object. It’s about the feel<br /> of it, the look of it and the beauty of its unique design,” Ryan said.<p /> With Amazon.com and other sites making suggestions for its customers, Ryan believes a<br /> bookstore and furthermore a real live person will always be better.<p /> People want to get out of the house and even on the nicest days still head into Green<br /> Apple Books in search of something new.<p /> “Bookstores fulfill a function besides just selling books. The selection in our store is<br /> curated. We carry books with the most merit. Beyond that our efforts are to help people<br /> who don’t know what they’re looking for,” he explained.<p /> Ryan believes in good old-fashioned, 20th century customer service, rather than<br /> automated suggestions based on data entry.<p /> “I think the Internet isn’t very good at that yet. Maybe it will get there, but people really<br /> need one-on-one direction and help.”<p /> Many bookstores have been selling everything from vinyl records, to CDs and even in<br /> some instances wine glasses, essentially slowly turning them into novelty shops.<p /> “People have an emotional attachment to books. So, it will be a slower decline, but a<br /> definite decline.”<p /> With technology exponentially increasing, so does our adaptation. But what does this<br /> mean for the local vibe on Clement Street, where Green Apple Books has been a sponsor<br /> to the community for over 40 years?<p /> “People just like the physical book, but maybe this type of person will age out of<br /> existence and we won’t be here in the next 20 years.”</p> <p> </p> <p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-29/jtyfuhlFdqzHpmDqitkJmxxkHpwpvyEHDxmvkFFIfHsAwCvxJodlGqFbAGuD/GreenAppleStoreFront.JPG.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-29/jtyfuhlFdqzHpmDqitkJmxxkHpwpvyEHDxmvkFFIfHsAwCvxJodlGqFbAGuD/GreenAppleStoreFront.JPG.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="667"/></a> <a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-29/lgrIifrffEzoxCxzonvofDkfBpmCDgxHcDDvdzkoDjwuJqxgwfGAosxvkyza/IMG_4562.JPG.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-29/lgrIifrffEzoxCxzonvofDkfBpmCDgxHcDDvdzkoDjwuJqxgwfGAosxvkyza/IMG_4562.JPG.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="667"/></a> <a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-29/juJhpdcDCqdwjnqnwsEeJndgeyaCshqjmjvzgpAqstylmAebdkwzyteksjgj/IMG_4563.JPG.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-29/juJhpdcDCqdwjnqnwsEeJndgeyaCshqjmjvzgpAqstylmAebdkwzyteksjgj/IMG_4563.JPG.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="667"/></a> <div><a href='http://dodocase.posterous.com/oct-independant-bookseller-of-the-month-green'>See and download the full gallery on posterous</a></div></p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-17801535534634288842010-09-20T13:08:00.001-07:002010-09-20T13:08:48.405-07:00Color case of the week: PINK<div class='posterous_autopost'><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/dodocase/Z69XtJECUkGHzr9lLsZNIwhQjklytcq4Er8EGKELLKQkQ2wz0feXDsJdkL9S/IMAG0022.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/dodocase/fV29rvBV8fBYfsAVPWc24YjFe5OOb2fCIh0QVeuumCxoIJbvV2VvAwBQyIH5/IMAG0022.jpg.scaled.500.jpg" width="500" height="299"/></a> <p>We are going to start highlighting a new color each week. Today's color is the hotly debated, Pink. Love it or hate it, this color is going to get you noticed. The DODOcase team is split evenly on this one. Personally I love it and have been rocking it as my personal case. What do you think?<p /> </p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-57354948143184755532010-09-20T13:07:00.001-07:002010-09-20T13:07:28.148-07:00Color case of the week: PINK<div class='posterous_autopost'><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/dodocase/Z69XtJECUkGHzr9lLsZNIwhQjklytcq4Er8EGKELLKQkQ2wz0feXDsJdkL9S/IMAG0022.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/dodocase/fV29rvBV8fBYfsAVPWc24YjFe5OOb2fCIh0QVeuumCxoIJbvV2VvAwBQyIH5/IMAG0022.jpg.scaled.500.jpg" width="500" height="299"/></a> <p>We are going to start highlighting a new color each week. Today's color is the hotly debated, Pink. Love it or hate it, this color is going to get you noticed. The DODOcase team is split evenly on this one. Personally I love it and have been rocking it as my personal case. What do you think?<p /> </p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-26369189640648495062010-09-16T12:15:00.001-07:002010-09-16T12:15:48.550-07:00Apps we like -- Finger Physics HD<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>We are going to occassionally post about iPad apps we like and I couldn't resist starting out with one of my favorites from the iPhone which recently got re-imagined for the iPad. The guys at Press OK Entertainment launched Finger Physics HD today for the ipad and I recommend you check it out. I enjoy games with simple mechanics with big visual pay offs. Finger Physic HD delivers big in that regard. Its one of those quick pick up the iPad and have fun games. Check out the full description in iTunes.</p> <p><a href="http://itunes.com/app/fingerphysicshd">http://itunes.com/app/fingerphysicshd</a></p> <p>The developer was nice enough to give us a few promo codes. If you use one, please add a comment so people know when they have all been used. </p> <div>XPAAXJWRM3LT</div> <div>NPWALYHEWXXX</div> <div>6LHXAHKJX4LY</div> <div>MXWT7F6WTYEP</div> <p><a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-16/atuEttplgfBHwutomCACFofrggHlorjeInispEAuFwwoobbduqCzojvuholG/FP.PNG.scaled1000.png'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-16/atuEttplgfBHwutomCACFofrggHlorjeInispEAuFwwoobbduqCzojvuholG/FP.PNG.scaled500.png" width="500" height="667"/></a> <a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-16/ymGybDgIfChFoBvaAGkegnJvEfmkcfyfavhtivEqzuaGoeqoyeqqufnxwDAq/FP2.PNG.scaled1000.png'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-16/ymGybDgIfChFoBvaAGkegnJvEfmkcfyfavhtivEqzuaGoeqoyeqqufnxwDAq/FP2.PNG.scaled500.png" width="500" height="667"/></a> <a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-16/opihIrEFzxAjbhplJgolaztfHqjakorgyEeiFvFkarIaCjJucewqHDvugHpa/FP3.PNG.scaled1000.png'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-16/opihIrEFzxAjbhplJgolaztfHqjakorgyEeiFvFkarIaCjJucewqHDvugHpa/FP3.PNG.scaled500.png" width="500" height="667"/></a> <div><a href='http://dodocase.posterous.com/apps-we-like-finger-physics-hd'>See the full gallery on posterous</a></div></p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-61091733195896752562010-09-14T15:45:00.001-07:002010-09-14T15:45:20.654-07:00Mmmm... new flavors of DODOcase iPad case are available<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>We are big fans of The Unofficial Apple Weblog here at DODOcase. They've always been a go to source for information on the latest and greatest from Apple. When we launched DODOcase, Dave Caolo gave us a much needed spark with a glowing <a href="http://www.tuaw.com/2010/04/05/disguise-your-ipad-as-a-moleskine-with-dodocase/">review</a> of the DODOcase in April. Word went around the office and eventually Steven Sande gave us a try. Steven was nice enough to email us about a few typos on our new website (thanks, Steven!) and we got to talking about the new colors which led to another nice mention in <a href="http://www.tuaw.com/2010/09/14/mmmm-new-flavors-of-dodocase-ipad-case-are-available/">TUAW</a> . Thanks again guys!<a href='http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-14/bevhcujtFntfECpvGAAsicajfqvyGxkfuofIEoHEfqvmIaubpuqlkjnlEEEp/IMAG0055.jpg.scaled1000.jpg'><img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-09-14/bevhcujtFntfECpvGAAsicajfqvyGxkfuofIEoHEfqvmIaubpuqlkjnlEEEp/IMAG0055.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" height="299"/></a> </p></div>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-25838922766720705962010-03-03T14:37:00.001-08:002010-07-06T08:49:15.364-07:00Mobile Monday Silicon Valley App Store Secrets Increasing Sales Feb 8 2010This Mobile Monday event was right up Mplayit's alley as more and more developers are trying to figure out how to market their applications.<br />
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I was amused when all the developers mentioned featuring by Apple as being the biggest spike is sales...that one is not really a secret now is it!<br />
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An underlying theme in all the presentations was utilizing social media to generate buzz around your application. I wish we had had an opportunity to discuss Mplayit on the panel as we continue to provide developers with the tools to generate virtual word of mouth.<br />
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Next week Mplayit CEO Michael Powers will be presenting on two separate occasions during the Game Developer Conference in SF. Make sure to come check him out as he outlines the many must have line items in your app marketing strategy.<div style="width:425px" id="__ss_3176551"><strong style="display:block;margin:12px 0 4px"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/tapiamg/mobile-monday-silicon-valley-app-store-secrets-increasing-sales-feb-8-2010" title="Mobile Monday Silicon Valley App Store Secrets Increasing Sales Feb 8 2010">Mobile Monday Silicon Valley App Store Secrets Increasing Sales Feb 8 2010</a></strong><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=mobilemondaysiliconvalleyappstoresecrets-increasingsalesfeb-8-2010-100214111427-phpapp02&stripped_title=mobile-monday-silicon-valley-app-store-secrets-increasing-sales-feb-8-2010" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><embed src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=mobilemondaysiliconvalleyappstoresecrets-increasingsalesfeb-8-2010-100214111427-phpapp02&stripped_title=mobile-monday-silicon-valley-app-store-secrets-increasing-sales-feb-8-2010" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><div style="padding:5px 0 12px">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/tapiamg">mario tapia</a>.</div></div><br />
<a href="http://wig.bz/2h">DODOcase for iPad</a>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-19191725462770832832010-03-01T18:04:00.000-08:002010-03-01T18:28:08.055-08:00Flashback! Device pre-loads on Android<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg538HIpy3FmKUclZ9TRsBssr9Y69BvyJlgmu4_psfW9ooo8GdCTkGdffPUpDPT82keFAfWPHzmUJwbjKnPOPVey8OdS2umFdJtcV_o7HZy2vxqaUk3KZ-3NGj5F7I0DWytWH71TUfo7kU/s1600-h/bejeweled.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 104px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg538HIpy3FmKUclZ9TRsBssr9Y69BvyJlgmu4_psfW9ooo8GdCTkGdffPUpDPT82keFAfWPHzmUJwbjKnPOPVey8OdS2umFdJtcV_o7HZy2vxqaUk3KZ-3NGj5F7I0DWytWH71TUfo7kU/s200/bejeweled.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443856602784349426" /></a><br />Flashback a few years in the mobile industry and the absolute Holy Grail of any mobile application business was landing a coveted slot pre-loaded on the device. The difference in sales potential for a pre-load vs. app/game in the storefront was immense. Landing a pre-load involved having a great relationship with the operator and strong ties with the handset manufacturer. The individuals with these skills and relationships were surprisingly few in number which is probably why if you picked up a feature phone in the years 2004-2009 you probably were greeted by titles like Jewel Quest, Tetris or Bejeweled. (Note: This business still exists and is critically important to guys like Glu, Gameloft and EA Mobile).<br /><br />Along comes the iPhone and the game changed completely. No pre-loads and operator relationships didn't make any difference in the world. For it while, in the press, it started to sound like operator relationships did mean anything.<br /><br />Now wait a minute....<br /><br />Take a look at the recent announcement by AT&T regarding their first Android phone the Backflip (see Engadget video below). Pre-loaded on the device are AT&T apps including AllSport GPS, AT&T Maps, AT&T Music (which takes the place of the standard Music app), AT&T Navigator, AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspots, Mobile Banking, MobiTV, MusicID, Where, and YPmobile. <br /><br />Hmmm now wait a minute, who is choosing these apps???? You better believe it is the operator. It is not surprising to see companies with strong operator relationships making the cut (MobiTV and Where for example). You can see similar examples going on over at Sprint.<br /><br />For those of you who've discounted the position of the operators in the new App world, clearly they aren't going to go down without a fight. Moves like these to dictate what is shipped pre-loaded on the device clearly show the operators aren't given up their power as kingmaker easily. Congrats to MobiTV and Where for making the cut and for all you mid-sized developers out there....time to find someone who knows the operators if you really want to add rocket fuel to your user acquisition.<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="437" height="265" id="viddler"><param name="movie" value="http://www.viddler.com/simple_on_site/7e7f3c3c" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="fake=1"/><embed src="http://www.viddler.com/simple_on_site/7e7f3c3c" width="437" height="265" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="fake=1" name="viddler" ></embed></object>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-26439583484093452032010-02-04T08:07:00.000-08:002010-02-04T08:29:42.619-08:00Gaming: Will Android ever close the gap on iPhone?Today Mplayit released yet another batch of data regarding the relative interests of iPhone users vs. Android users vs. BlackBerry users based on the Mplayit community in Facebook. Unlike the data on apps, however, the data on games paints a less comparable story. The iPhone has a clear lead in not only the sheer number of games (not surprising) but also the level of interest our users have in games. In our community, 50% of iPhone activity is directed at discovering games compared to 30% on BlackBerry and 20% on Android.<br /><br />From the chart below you can see that all of the major gaming categories are covered across platforms, but as you drill down off the chart on BB and Android we see a lack of depth in each category versus the iPhone. Not surprisingly, we see Android users preferring more 'geeky' games due to the early adopter nature of the user base.<br /><br />So the question remains, will Android and BlackBerry ever catch up to the iPhone as a gaming device? I suspect the answer will be yes for Android and no for BlackBerry. While BlackBerry will continue to support a healthy gaming environment (driven by the fact that top publishers have been supporting BB for years and the operator infrastructure that exists for fulfillment and billing), the current devices simply aren't designed to be powerful gaming devices. Android, on the other hand, has all the potential in the world. As devices, their gaming potential is arguably as high as the iPhone. The limiting factor today is the Android Marketplace and the relative difficulty of payment. Developers will ultimately follow the money and if no money is being made in Android only the hobbyists will stay around.<br /><br />I'll keep you posted on what we continue to see.<br /><br />Click Chart to enlarge.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUVqXKnOTCV0ty7gUZJnfTjQP7mT3NVRN9E-4yYP7UaAUSenxlo2gHc7bnG_luT5IcO8-9R9XofiUx1FCBiXrYNaCfo8qnKJe1YzqvDX9Zhn8V3YKDmk6YnHjfi6cy8V304gDrfEyIYY/s1600-h/gameschartFeb10.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 351px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUVqXKnOTCV0ty7gUZJnfTjQP7mT3NVRN9E-4yYP7UaAUSenxlo2gHc7bnG_luT5IcO8-9R9XofiUx1FCBiXrYNaCfo8qnKJe1YzqvDX9Zhn8V3YKDmk6YnHjfi6cy8V304gDrfEyIYY/s400/gameschartFeb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434421923728617858" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br /><br />MPLAYIT MOBILE APPS ANALYSIS SHOWS IPHONE USERS 'GOT GAME'<br /><br />Games Twice as Popular on iPhone than Android, BlackBerry;<br />Smartphone Users Play Similar Kinds of Games<br /><br />San Francisco – Feb. 4, 2010 – On the heels of Apple’s iPad announcement, Mplayit today released a survey that underscores iPhone users’ strong interest in mobile games as compared to Android and BlackBerry users on Mplayit’s popular app store on Facebook.<br /><br />With games making up only 20 percent of the over 130,000 iPhone apps available on the Mplayit site, nearly 50 percent of the site traffic centered on games. Among Android users, only 20 percent of browsing focused on gaming applications. Even BlackBerry users are more fun-loving than Android users, with about 30 percent of activity coming from the games category on the Mplayit site.<br /><br />“iPhone developers are driving this phenomenon, putting out simply fantastic games that get people excited," said Michael Powers, founder and CEO of Mplayit. "But the 'developer catch up' is underway on Android. And although Blackberry is renowned for apps, it continues to be underrated and overlooked as a games platform.''<br /><br />Mplayit is the company best known for its groundbreaking new social mobile app store on the Facebook platform supporting the full application catalogs for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android devices. Users can rate, comment, and recommend individual apps to their social network on Facebook and Twitter, in addition to browsing friends’ app collections and following their interests.<br /><br />Mplayit's findings, drawn from live data collected from over 50,000 users of its Facebook app store over a two week period ending January 29, highlights the kinds of games that were popular for each of the three major smartphone audiences.<br /><br />The most active game categories on all three platforms were largely identical: Arcade, Casual, Card/Casino, and Puzzle. However, there were some significant differences in taste across platforms.<br /><br />Music games were particularly popular on the iPhone, befitting its media-centric iPod heritage. Android users showed a predilection toward 'geeky' games making innovative use of things like the GPS, camera, and augmented reality. And the BlackBerry audience gravitated toward television and movie tie-ins. <br /><br />There were also some significant commercial differences. BlackBerry users stuck with major franchises and larger publishers, reflecting perhaps the carrier-centric history of the device. Indie developers hold their own against the big games publishers on the iPhone, and continue to dominate the Android's relatively immature market.<br /><br />“Intense competition on the iPhone makes it increasingly hard for stuff to surface.” said Powers. “Android is an uncrowded, even playing field that we expect will grow and grow quickly.”<br /></press>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-84788516601413182982010-01-27T18:27:00.000-08:002010-01-27T18:38:05.120-08:00Does the iPad kill the Kindle? Not for me.A while back I was asked by a friend about my Kindle. I think it is a great device. I enjoy reading books on it, surprising enjoy the New York Times and Wall Street Journal on it, and found Amazon did a great job with the bookstore. I bought it because I simply wasn't reading enough books. I found myself always distracted by the endless supply of content available online. I was reading, but something is always missing if you don't pick up a good book now and then. The almost singular focus of the Kindle as a device is exactly what the doctor order for me. I read more books in 2009, then 2008 only because of the Kindle (nice work Amazon).<br /><br />So when I get an iPad (notice I did say when), will I retire the Kindle?<br /><br />I don't think so. I think as a book reading device, for me, the iPad may have offer too many distractions. With the Kindle in my hands, I'll stay focused on the task at hand. That said, I do hope Amazon will make a iPad specific Kindle app as I'd love the opportunity to stay sync'd if the iPad happens to be with me when the Kindle is at home.<br /><br />Time will tell, but I suspect for some a dedicated ebook reader makes sense. The iPad is going to be too much for some people.Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-62357509606805343182010-01-18T10:33:00.001-08:002010-01-18T10:40:16.667-08:00See you at the Mobile Game Forum - London<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq60vOQVpqw5DY0No3GzF5P64F-6w2XpgU_7-D9fwj_jPaKHhAyY7TzRFNjVVRlwWnB9PaF2Z_oxYqbOu0yfGPA1As5VzH-SvtbcF87vHc_Qv7jdE6Fw993BOq-GUrQdw3X2p62PWzoQA/s1600-h/MGF_766x108-V3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 56px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq60vOQVpqw5DY0No3GzF5P64F-6w2XpgU_7-D9fwj_jPaKHhAyY7TzRFNjVVRlwWnB9PaF2Z_oxYqbOu0yfGPA1As5VzH-SvtbcF87vHc_Qv7jdE6Fw993BOq-GUrQdw3X2p62PWzoQA/s400/MGF_766x108-V3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428149916043908178" /></a><br /><br />Tuesday and Wednesday of this week I'll be attending the Mobile Game Forum in London. I'll be presenting as part of a panel entitled "Content discovery: making games accessible and strategies for raising awareness"<br /><br />http://www.mobilegamesforum.co.uk/event_view_link.asp?eid=19<br /><br />We are looking forward to a lively discussion about how mobile game publishers can get noticed in a world of 100s of thousands of applications. Do the old rules still apply? What role will operators play in the new world of 'app stores'? How can publishers take control of their own marketing destiny?<br /><br />It will be an interesting discussion and I hope I'm able to connect with a lot of developers while here in London.Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-48154471950370905112010-01-13T08:44:00.000-08:002010-01-13T08:50:33.100-08:00Android, BlackBerry and iPhone App parity?At Mplayit today we released some data that I found very interesting as an iPhone user who is constantly thinking about make the jump to Android. We did an analysis of the most popular categories of applications and discovered while the individual brand of application may different, in most cases the application functionality is readily available across all popular smartphone devices.<br /><br />This isn't to say I'm totally sold on making the move, but it is comforting to know that I won't be missing too many of my favorite app 'functions'. I suspect as we take a look at games later this month I will find some big holes in the Android catalog. I'll keep you posted.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjaZQmIlCwScNVKKBhk7DYhW2mhORmJfRMo9GAK4K6L30c7TtMz6vltgJlqhjXRGSGpJ8L0mo-vp29ifNYbTMP3JUD3QZjL5AGAnUd4qzDYROaaBpLGSS_mi4JZPK-sQsAwQOkOK0GV4/s1600-h/Chart+PDF+final.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 326px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjaZQmIlCwScNVKKBhk7DYhW2mhORmJfRMo9GAK4K6L30c7TtMz6vltgJlqhjXRGSGpJ8L0mo-vp29ifNYbTMP3JUD3QZjL5AGAnUd4qzDYROaaBpLGSS_mi4JZPK-sQsAwQOkOK0GV4/s400/Chart+PDF+final.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426266590433729554" /></a>Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-9946173443550136342009-10-08T09:10:00.000-07:002009-10-08T09:12:08.391-07:00Mplayit's online mobile game discovery service comes to O2 UK Try mobile games on your PC<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1BXQHoeNwwoKF3cU1S8Q8DyUT3bw97iPaAsB6aHrP1F3BQqsaarHkVxPZg0HXmIJcVwKLKJCtKwDZi2VvPwVOL6jtFv7iGAzwbcYFBaBpbDRhU4-cOR7uEUk4hPppWRG-z5EitK0H1E/s1600-h/mplayit-logo.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 155px; height: 45px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1BXQHoeNwwoKF3cU1S8Q8DyUT3bw97iPaAsB6aHrP1F3BQqsaarHkVxPZg0HXmIJcVwKLKJCtKwDZi2VvPwVOL6jtFv7iGAzwbcYFBaBpbDRhU4-cOR7uEUk4hPppWRG-z5EitK0H1E/s320/mplayit-logo.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390262608607399202" /></a><br />by Jon Jordan @ PocketGamer<br />Mobile games discovery service provider Mplayit (previously Mpowerplayer) has announced a partnership with Player X to enhance the try-before-you-buy options on O2's UK portal.<br /><br />This will run as part of Player X's 100% Mobile service, with Mplayit providing the opportunity to try out mobile games for free in a web interface that mimics the look and feel of a phone.<br /><br />The deal marks Mplayit's first deployment on a major European operator and follows successful partnerships with US carriers Sprint and AT&T, and Israel's Cellcom.<br /><br />Mplayit's services are fully integrated with social networks like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Bebo, allowing you to add your favourite games to your profile pages and share with your friends. You can also recommend games to others, and receive updates on what games other people are enjoying.<br /><br />"The web is a highly effective way of bringing in new customers, but it is still massively under utilised by mobile operators," said Michael Powers, Mplayit's CEO.<br /><br />"We're delighted to partner with Player X and we're looking forward to working with them to offer O2 customers the best mobile games service in the UK market."<br /><br />"Try before-you-buy has been a key part of our 100% Mobile offering since the beginning. The ability to try out content risk-free is highly valued by customers," said Tony Pearce, Player X's CEO.<br /><br />"Mplayit's web-based services bring both playable online demos and powerful new social dimension to the O2 service."Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-66603404164772634262009-09-30T02:00:00.000-07:002009-09-30T02:03:56.211-07:00Mplayit and Metaflow partner to make life easier for leading mobile publishers and operatorsMobile games discovery specialists team up with content submission experts to <br />deliver one stop demo shop to publishers and operators <br /><br />Washington DC, London, September 29th, 2009 – Mplayit (formerly <br />Mpowerplayer), the leading provider of online mobile game discovery and merchandising solutions, announced today a partnership with content <br />submissions and ingestion specialist Metaflow. The deal allows publishers and operators to upload content into the growing Mplayit eco-system with even greater ease. <br /><br />Building upon Mplayit’s existing partnerships with top-tier content providers and operators, Metaflow’s submission software and services will provide the default process for loading content into Mplayit’s backend platform. This will allow mobile publishers to quickly and easily launch online demo versions of all their games and apps, streamlining the procedure and integrating it fully into their existing operator and app store submissions workflow. This announcement comes as Mplayit continues to expand its publisher roster and launches new services in Europe. <br /><br />Mplayit provides games and apps discovery and merchandising solutions to mobile operators and on social networks. The company is partnered with leading global publishers and delivers services to them and mobile operators including Sprint, AT&T and Cellcom. Its web storefronts are integrated with leading social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Bebo, as well as with microblogging and linksharing services like Twitter and Digg. These 'Mobile Arcades' allow users to discover, demo, buy and recommend their favorite games and apps to their friends, all from their web browser. <br /><br />Since its founding in 2006, Metaflow's tools have become the industry standard in content submission and deployment, taking much of the complexity out of the content submission process, removing the traditionally highly manual process of content submissions and greatly increasing productivity and deployment capacity. <br /><br />"When it comes to content submissions, Metaflow are the guys everyone looks to,” said Michael Powers, CEO Mplayit. “Through working with Metaflow, our publisher partners will be able to launch demos and integrate into Mplayit’s social discovery service with the minimum of fuss and maximise their speed to market - just a few simple, standardised clicks.”<br /><br />“Mplayit are rapidly establishing themselves as leaders in their field and there are great synergies in this relationship,” said Charles McLeod, CEO Metaflow. “We already work closely with many of the same operator and publisher partners and by integrating our tools, Mplayit will be able to streamline and simplify processes for everyone in the chain.” <br /><br />About Mplayit (www.mplayit.com) <br />Mplayit is the leading global provider for online discovery and social merchandising of mobile games and applications. The company’s proprietary software solutions enable mobile content providers to better merchandise, market, and interact with a targeted user audience of mobile consumers. Mplayit is based in Ashburn, Va., and is backed by New Atlantic Ventures. For more information, visit www.mplayit.com or email info@mplayit.com. You can also follow Mplayit on Twitter: @Mplayit. <br /><br />For more details contact: Andrew Durkin MUSTARD PR <br />E: Andrew@mustardpr.com <br />Tel: + 44 (0) 1628 502601 <br />www.mustardpr.com <br /><br />About Metaflow (www.metaflow.com) <br />Metaflow provides the industry's leading content submissions solution to help publishers, aggregators and platforms providers, stock mobile content into more than 340 mobile operators and portals globally. Metaflow submissions software is centrally managed for the benefit of the entire Publishing community via Operator, platform provider and Publishers direct updates using Metaflow software and services. The company also provides tools and uses industry standards to enable rapid content receipt and ingestion into vending platforms to support the industry working <br />more profitably. For more details on Metaflow please contact Charles McCleod at <br />cmcleod@metaflow.comCraig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-65182932810540010822009-09-15T13:56:00.001-07:002009-09-15T14:00:35.970-07:00Mplayit Mobile Arcade is now a Featured App on Facebook!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcN5R-4aw_tVQaM1ozzACP4eR5b3QX5TzZcQ6D9OUmrZBbxmJXVNyAGA9ykm2InG33SLc8EEDfI0_LSJK3Bh8BVWXWTKh_y2UCNr8x-IVapI7TuYUVGLRh_ZpkjS_ObF9rbSnrwgpi9A/s1600-h/Aviary+facebook-com+Picture+1.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcN5R-4aw_tVQaM1ozzACP4eR5b3QX5TzZcQ6D9OUmrZBbxmJXVNyAGA9ykm2InG33SLc8EEDfI0_LSJK3Bh8BVWXWTKh_y2UCNr8x-IVapI7TuYUVGLRh_ZpkjS_ObF9rbSnrwgpi9A/s320/Aviary+facebook-com+Picture+1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381801213418202786" /></a><br /><br />I'm really proud of the engineering and product development team at Mplayit. We've all been working hard creating a great experience in Facebook for the discovery of mobile content. Today Facebook recognized that effort. On top of our 'verified app' status, Facebook has now decided to feature the 'Mobile Arcade' as an application they recommend.<br /><br />Great work guys. If they like us now, they will love our plans for the future!Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-63978338164229052242009-09-11T11:56:00.000-07:002009-09-11T11:57:40.695-07:00<object width="400" height="300"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=6535596&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=6535596&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/6535596">Mplayit</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2288873">Craig Dalton</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br /><br />Our latest video for Europe. ;)Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5864347105742445409.post-71704529064109546052009-08-11T06:25:00.001-07:002009-08-11T06:26:59.027-07:00Mplayit expands internationally through partnership with Cellcom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrVgUcFbyO3TJnllPW-zOQ0EwRUNYogO215nprMJKCzaJRcIZnXg6t2oloK7x3SNZQ6mTF1kNPpzEw4ZGGtzrMvbHUvDSow0ojWwHLNRn2hsDrKfAN6rqV8qpSZSP6L68DfFKKOj87CQ/s1600-h/mplayit-logo.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 155px; height: 45px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrVgUcFbyO3TJnllPW-zOQ0EwRUNYogO215nprMJKCzaJRcIZnXg6t2oloK7x3SNZQ6mTF1kNPpzEw4ZGGtzrMvbHUvDSow0ojWwHLNRn2hsDrKfAN6rqV8qpSZSP6L68DfFKKOj87CQ/s200/mplayit-logo.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368697060421088242" /></a><br />Mplayit expands internationally through partnership with Cellcom, Israel’s leading cellular operator, for mobile games discovery service<br /><br />Mplayit Mobile Arcade Allows Customers to Find, Try and Buy Mobile Games on Leading Israeli Operator’s Web Portal<br /><br />Washington, DC, August 11, 2009 – Mplayit (formerly Mpowerplayer), the leading provider of online mobile game discovery and merchandising solutions, announced today the launch of the Mplayit Mobile Arcade application for Cellcom, Israel’s premier mobile operator. <br /><br />“This is an important milestone for Mplayit. Cellcom is our first international carrier partnership, and we’re looking forward to working with them to continue to drive the take up of mobile games and applications in the Israeli market,” said Michael Powers, CEO of Mplayit.<br /><br />The partnership was facilitated by Logia Group, a world leader in providing innovative mobile content solutions and the exclusive games service provider for Cellcom. With Mplayit's award-winning discovery engine, Cellcom’s 3G+ customers can try out mobile games online for free in an interface that mimics the look and feel of a mobile phone. In addition, Cellcom will be able to analyze and tune the performance of the platform and marketing activities through Mplayit's online analytics dashboard.<br /><br />“Delivering quality Value-Added Services is an increasingly important part of our strategy - we always look for new technologies and communication solutions for our customers,” commented Adi Cohen, V.P. Marketing at Cellcom. “This service will give our customers a rich browsing experience and Cellcom an effective tool for converting casual browsers into mobile game players.”<br /><br />The launch of Mplayit’s services with Cellcom follows successful partnerships with Sprint and AT&T in the US, and marks Mplayit’s first International operator deployment. Recently announced as a Finalist for “Best Games Service Provider” in the prestigious ME 2009 Awards, Mplayit’s services are also fully integrated with social networks like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Bebo, allowing users to add their favorite games to their profile pages to share with their friends. Users can also recommend games to others, and receive updates on what games their friends are enjoying.<br /><br />“The rapid growth in popularity of smartphones has raised awareness of mobile games and apps to unprecedented levels. Yet the opportunities for customers to discover and try out the content they desire remain limited,” said Mplayit’s Michael Powers. “The web remains a largely untapped mechanism for converting casual browsers into players – publishers and mobile operators are recognizing this, and Mplayit is providing the solution.”<br /><br /><br />About Mplayit<br /><br />Mplayit is the leading global provider for online discovery and social merchandising of mobile games and applications. The company's proprietary software solutions enable mobile content providers to better merchandise, market, and interact with a targeted user audience of mobile consumers. Mplayit is based in Ashburn, Va., and is backed by New Atlantic Ventures. For more information, visit www.mplayit.com or email info@mplayit.com. You can also follow Mplayit on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Mplayit.<br /><br />For more details contact Jessica Rei at Mplayit Jessica@mplayit.com<br /><br /><br />About Cellcom<br /><br />Cellcom Israel Ltd., established in 1994, is the leading Israeli cellular provider; Cellcom Israel provides its approximately 3.208 million subscribers (as at March 31, 2009) with a broad range of value added services including cellular and landline telephony, roaming services for tourists in Israel and for its subscribers abroad and additional services in the areas of music, video, mobile office etc., based on Cellcom Israel's technologically advanced infrastructure.Craig Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03771017457200903984noreply@blogger.com0