US Congress FAILS on efforts to PASS Net Neutrality Bill
Congress seems to have ended its involvement in the long-running network-neutrality debate by declaring its own neutrality in the matter. As my colleague Cecilia Kang reported Wednesday, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) gave up on his efforts to pass a net-neutrality bill after failing to get any Republican backing for a […]
Save the Internet! Or PAY the Price!
What is this about? When we log onto the Internet, we take a lot for granted. We assume we’ll be able to access any Web site we want, whenever we want, at the fastest speed, whether it’s a corporate or mom-and-pop site. We assume that we can use any service we like — watching online […]
Internet creator warns: Never stop fighting for net neutrality
Internet creator warns that world will lose out if net neutrality is not maintained; speaks out on privacy. Companies, service providers and governments might be keen to circumvent net neutrality, but the world has a lot to lose if it does not fight against manipulating access to the Internet, according the inventor of the World […]
Is A More Insidious Industry-Written Net Neutrality Proposal On The Way?
A an industry group made of dozens of high-profile technology companies including Apple, Microsoft and Nokia, announced “significant progress” on its recommendations on how the Internet should be regulated. It will be interesting to see in what ways how the recommendations from the Information Technology Industry Council will differ from the “policy framework” put forth […]
The Web is Dead: Long Live the Cloud
Image via Wikipedia The tech world is all a-twitter (literally!) about an article in this month’s Wired Magazine which announces “The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet”. The article recites a litany of problems that are choking the Web: the rise of apps that replace use of a Web browser; the growth of uber-aggregation […]
Are you blind on the Web? 50+ Analytics Tools for Businesses
Web analytics is perhaps the most important discipline for businesses online. In case you don’t know who and why visits you, buys your products and talks about you, you are blind on the Web. Web analytics goes beyond simple SEO metrics. It’s about – usability – conversions – branding – among others. Additionally, with the huge influence of social media, it’s […]
Google Kills Wave
Last week, Google quietly announced in its blog that it was killing Google Wave—a product launched in May 2009 with much fanfare. Wave was supposed to be the best of a new breed of collaborative tools, combining e-mail, instant messaging, and document sharing, but users didn’t embrace it. So where did Google go wrong? Host […]
Net Neutrality Is Critical For Innovation
Image via Wikipedia I am glad to see the net neutrality debate raging. As Union Square Ventures and on our personal blogs (AVC, Continuations) we have long been proponents of net neutrality (the USV link is from 2006!). Our own bias here is clear: we are pro-startup and pro-innovation. Both are of course essential to […]
How persuasive is your website’s copy? A simple, five-step checklist
As a web designer, you’re probably accustomed to obsessing over the layout and visual appearance of your designs. And if you’re like most, a site’s content is something you’d rather not worry about. But being able to identify weak web copy allows you to offer greater value to your client. By spotting major problems and […]
Direct marketers challenge Colorado online sales law
Direct marketers are challenging Colorado’s new online sales tax law, claiming it violates free speech and privacy laws. The Direct Marketing Association says it filed a lawsuit Wednesday in federal court in Denver asking that it be ruled unconstitutional. Lawmakers passed the measure this year to help balance the budget. It requires out-of-state, online retailers […]
Launch of New Latin American Knowledge Sharing Events 2010
The PrintCity Alliance, a grouping of over 20 independent suppliers to the global printing & packaging industry, has announced a series of new activities for the Latin American market. These include Presentations & Workshops on Web Offset and Sheetfed Printing & Packaging topics in 2010, all under the ‘connection of competence’ knowledge sharing strategy employed […]
How to Convert Facebook Fans Into Customers
A recent survey finds that Facebook merchant pages rank as the top social tool for brands. Retailers recognize the value of grabbing a piece of the Facebook pie, setting up merchant pages on Facebook and aggressively working to collect fans. And according to a recent poll by search engine marketer Performics, 34% of consumers say […]
