Matt Kelly

The Day Console Gaming went ONLINE!

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:42:58 +1000

I picked up a copy of FIFA 10 for Xbox 360 to check out the online content/play ability, and have been pleasantly surprised.

EA Games have really pulled together to develop a game which allows true online, social gaming.

Log in to LIVE on a Wednesday and all of your game specs are updated based on the latest round of games from the weekend prior.

All EA need to do now is establish multi-cross platform gaming to enhance that ‘social experience’ and they will own the market. Not that they don’t already.

Graphic Quality – 9/10

Game Selection – 8/10

LIVE Experience – 9.5/10

Overall – 8.8/10

"You know how I know the recession is over..? I just saw a new porche drive past with an oily..."

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:03:06 +1000

“You know how I know the recession is over..? I just saw a new porche drive past with an oily high-vis shirt on the back window..”

- Me

The Apple iPad, a PR Disaster!

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:35:06 +1000

So it’s a week after the first announcement and I don’t know if I have ever heard of a companies product get as bashed as I have the iPad pre-release. Apple need to step in quickly and hose down these fires to prevent potential customers being deterred before the product even hits the shelf.

See, PR is everything. An ideal recent example is that of Windows Vista, which was dramatically improved a year after release, however the product was so scared by negative vibes that there was no chance of success. Hence Microsoft turning Windows 7 around quickly and launching the new operating system as a complete innovation (Which for the record has many likenesses to Vista).

There are a number of issues which I keep hearing about from consumers and commentators about the iPad…

It doesn’t have a camera. It doesn’t allow multitasking. It doesn’t have USB/SD card slot. You can’t read on an OLED screen. It doesn’t allow flash, therefore loosing 70% of online game and video content. There aren’t enough buttons.

Firstly, this isn’t a netbook, this device won’t do the things a laptop is designed to do, that just isn’t the purpose of this machine. Apple see this as the device that changes personal computing in the same way they changed the music industry with the iPod. An arrogant attitude? Maybe, but Apple have a track record (with a few bumps) which shows that they have the capability of changing the entire information technology industry.

I suppose the biggest concern for Apple, is that some of the above points do in fact have justification. Perhaps this is the exactly reason why Apple need to jump on this and create hype about the ‘INSANE’ applications which can be developed (with ease). Jobs needs to take the focus away from what the machine won’t do in the first release and push the features it does have, push it as a brand new platform!

Remember, as far as we know, if this is going to be the game changer which Apple expect it to be, there could be explicit justification for each of the above omissions.

At the end of the day, all we can do is think back to the days of the first generation iPod. Thick, terrible screen, would only sync with a Mac, etc. Everyone bagged the iPod to oblivion, but what happened? As the generations rolled by, people realised that this device changed the personal entertainment AND music industries. Apple have dealt with this before, if they take all of the feedback in and add the best possible features to the 2nd generation product, whilst promoting the platform itself, rather than the product, all will be fine.

Sabre Corporation's Acquisition of Dunder Mifflin Paper Inc.

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:18:53 +1000

I just stumbled upon this link to the Sabre Corporation’s ‘official’ website http://www.sabre-corp.com/.. They even mention a potential acquisition of Dunder Mifflin.

Really?! They are taking this, this seriously?

Amazing marketing, Amazing social media integration.

NBC, I applaud you!

"A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a..."

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:39:06 +1000

“A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets.”

- Steve Jobs (current Apple CEO)

Official Review - iPad

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:11:00 +1000

So last night (27^th January) Apple announced the brand new, highly speculated iPad. As anticipated for several years now, this tablet PC is basically an overweight iPod touch with a dumbed down version of OSX (similar but different to the iPhone).

However! The device looks sensational, the LED screen makes for incredible HD video, the multi-touch functional screen will make navigating through your photo albums extremely easy, and a unit with a screen like this will make reading ebooks a walk in the park compared with the e-ink screens currently available on the kindle, nook, etc.

Shockingly, the iPad does not feature a front (or back) facing camera, which is a huge surprise. Having a front facing camera would make Skype/video calling a breeze with a screen like this, so I’d imagine we’ll see a camera in the 2.0 release (next year?).

I suppose my biggest concern is that I just don’t know what market apple are shooting at. This seems like it could be a laptop replacement for people who don’t do anything beyond basic browsing. The lack of a hard keyboard built in makes it difficult to type excessive amounts which I’d think will be the biggest limitation for large scale business integration. If you use any 3^rd party software on a Windows or Mac notebook, you’ll need to wait for app development to take place before you can fully rely on the iPad.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is the keyboard based dock Apple have announced. This one single attachment just turned this device from a big iPod touch to a all-in-one (limited) desktop. If (or when) I pick up the iPad, this add on is definitely something I would be grabbing at the same time.

Verdict

I think the iPad will make a fantastic on the road/on the couch media viewing device. I don’t expect that this to be a laptop replacement, or even a netbook replacement as it just doesn’t have the flexibility of a standalone PC. For the average user, this will make a great browsing, email and media portal, and like everything from Apple, people will flock to it.

Tech Spec Wrap-up

Display: 9.7 inch LED

Capacity: 16GB, 32GB or 64GB flash drive

Processor: 1GHz

Wifi: 802.11n

3G: 3G capable

TV and Video: H.264 up to 720p

Developing Your Business - A 5 Part Series

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:43:00 +1000

So I wanted to develop a few simple points which I’ve learned over recent years.. Click any of the following links for more on each of the topics!

Lesson 1 - Paying for good people

Lesson 2 - Innovation

Lesson 3 - Picking your market

Lesson 4 - Developing your USP

Lesson 5 - Complacency

As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any input you might have via any of the avenues down the right side of the page.

Developing Your Business - Lesson 4

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:33:00 +1000

A USP (Unique Selling/Service Proposition) is the energy that develops the foundations of a businesses focus and ultimately the success it achieves. The ultimate goal of any USP is to have potential consumers relate to the product and create brand recognition.

In order to create your USP it’s important to break down what this actually means…

Unique - It clearly sets you apart from all other players in the market, positioning your business as the BETTER option.
Selling - It persuades others to actively seek out your services in order to give you business.
Proposition – The proposal or offer you promise to consumers.

Your USP can’t simply be centred around being reactive to competition, many organisations (or disorganisations) know what they sell, but don’t know how to add additional value to the client. If as an organisation you can’t develop your value adding experience, you will eventually be left behind. Being simply reactive often results in too little change, too late in the game.

It is also important to develop your USP based on industry developments, this should be revisited quarterly at the very least to ensure that regulatory or competitive influences are not ignored. Staying ahead of the game will always give you a competitive edge, it’s that simple.

Developing your USP ultimately comes down to knowing what you sell, and how you do it better than your competitors. This key focus will give you the foundations you need to specifically target marketing initiatives.

Developing Your Business - Lesson 3

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:33:00 +1000

So many times I’ve heard a company say that they can achieve sales of 1 – 3% of all Facebook users or 0.5% of all of Google’s visitors. These aren’t real numbers because you don’t know who that market is (or even) how to reach that entire market (sometimes ‘social media’ just isn’t enough).

The first step to marketing is to determine who you want to target (modestly) with specific criteria. A tightened target allows for more accurate marketing initiatives which are significantly easier to implement, cheaper and with less waste. Remember, you can always broaden your target market as increased resources become available.

Once you have your great idea, it’s time to determine who the key purchaser will be. A key method of calculating these demographics is through various methods of market research, this could be as simple as talking to friends and family, or as complex as creating a survey which is sent to a sample of 100 000 people. This research will allow you to pinpoint exactly who would make the buying decision and ultimately support your organisation.

Having too broad a target market for a business in its infancy prevents effective marketing from taking place. With unlimited budgets there is no limit to the number of consumers which can SEE your brand, but effective marketing will be compelling for potential customers and will require a level of 2 way interaction, this is what locks in brand loyalty.

Picking your key target market is vital to effectively promoting your brand. Be specific and target niche markets before setting yours sights on global domination.

Developing Your Business - Lesson 5

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:33:00 +1000

Lesson 5 is about complacency.

It doesn’t matter if you’re Google, Microsoft, or the local jeans store, if you aren’t moving forward, you’re moving backwards.

Being an ‘industry leader’ does not concrete future success. Whilst it’s true that it is far more difficult to win consumers over an existing, dominating company (eg: Google vs. Bing), ultimately the company with the best product/services will defeat all.

Don’t get me wrong, too much change quickly will leave consumers and employees unsettled, however it’s vital that a happy medium is determined to ensure all key stakeholders appreciate the change rather than fear it. Finding this difference will ensure steady development occurs whilst taking stakeholders into consideration.

If business isn’t moving forward relative to the broad economic cycle, consumers will look for alternatives.

This marks the end of my 5 step series. I’d love any feedback you have to contribute, which can be communicated via any of the links on the right.

Innovation… www.mattkelly.com.au

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:49:24 +1000

Innovation… www.mattkelly.com.au

Developing Your Business - Lesson 2

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:25:22 +1000

I just wanted to talk briefly about innovation. Many organisations which have been around for a short to medium period of time don’t plan to innovate and find themselves as being reactive towards competitors rather than proactive.

The truth is, that innovative organisations survive!

We know how easy it is to come up with an idea and sell it, but when push comes to shove in competitive markets, research and development practises become vital.

Its good and well to know that organisations must adapt, but taking the right step to change is crucial. When implementing change, forcing percieved negative (even if not intended) change can destroy relationships with the most important stakeholder of the company - the loyal customer.

So where to from here, look at your product/service range. Are these products ahead of your competitor’s? Are you the industry standard? What could YOU do to make the experience better for your consumer?

It might be as simple as additional communication with clients, however it could be as complex as changing the technical tools used to to develop a component of a product. Whatever it is, manipulating your product to suit the developing target market is an extremely worthwhile task.

Any comments, feel free to email me using the button on the right.

leo: Checkmate (via shimsD700) Amazing marketing…

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:36:17 +1000

leo:

Checkmate (via shimsD700)

Amazing marketing…

Steve Jobs: CEO of the Decade

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:00:07 +1000

Steve Jobs: CEO of the Decade

Blogged about hiring good people! Lesson 1 in business… Mattkelly.com.au.. Might make these...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:33:55 +1000

Blogged about hiring good people! Lesson 1 in business… Mattkelly.com.au.. Might make these lessons a regular thing..

Developing Your Business - Lesson 1

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:02:00 +1000

This message goes out to all managers, CEO’s and director’s of any professional organisation…

Business MUST innovate to SURVIVE! There is no simpler message! If you want to succeed, you need to be the best in your industry!

Today’s lesson: PAY $ FOR GOOD PEOPLE!

If you pay bananas, you get monkeys! Management should never need to feel threatened by quality employees because they should bring value on their own right! Those who are threatened are even easier to weed out! Sounds simple?!

Having GOOD people who are well positioned ensures development, innovation, sustainability! Let alone the succession planning opportunities!

If I was managing a mature business with the opportunity invest, I’d diversify my product range through purchasing a series start ups in their infancy and taking advantage of not only the benefit of new product, but also the knowledge of employees! Young, motivated CEO’s are often actively searching for an opportunity to sell and move on. Giving these people a chance to innovate as employees ensures benefits beyond day to day management!

That’s this lesson done, think about it!

"Just realised how long it’s been since I blogged! Looks like I need some new material!"

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:05:19 +1000

“Just realised how long it’s been since I blogged! Looks like I need some new material!”

96.5 are legends for playing Taylor Swift - White Horse on a Saturday night whilst everyone else is...

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:48:50 +1000

96.5 are legends for playing Taylor Swift - White Horse on a Saturday night whilst everyone else is playing bad techno…

RT @tonyhawk: 4am is a bad time either way you look at it. You either stayed out too late or woke up...

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:48:49 +1000

RT @tonyhawk: 4am is a bad time either way you look at it. You either stayed out too late or woke up too early.

New tweetdeck for iPhone is honestly amazing…

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:28:23 +1000

New tweetdeck for iPhone is honestly amazing…