Disqus - Latest Comments for deckoff

Re: Does failing fast really work in the mobile gaming space?

davideckoff — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 14:13:52 -0000

I don't think you can ask people in focus groups if they would play a game. (Well, you could. But what they tell you won't be that useful.) They've got to actually play the game for real.

The game apps business is a "hits business", similar to movies or books. Either you have a hit, or you don't (most games). Hopefully the hits in your portfolio will far outweigh the cost of development and marketing of all the games in your portfolio that aren't hits.

Also, mobile apps don't necessarily allow for the rapid test/iterate cycle that web-based content has.

What do you think?

Re: David Eckoff of PickOff Sports!

davideckoff — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 02:30:08 -0000

Todd, thank you for having me in the studio. You do a great job as an interviewer. CNN (or FOX?) should get you your own show! Seriously.

Re: Exclusive: Josh Elman joins Greylock - The Term Sheet: Fortune's deals blog Term Sheet

davideckoff — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:03:28 -0000

Have had the good fortune to work with Josh at two companies. One of my favorite product managers. Glad to see his expertise applied in a new way as a VC. Great addition by Greylock!

Re: Google+ Solves the Social Privacy Problem by Making Friending Very Complicated

davideckoff — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:39:05 -0000

Isn't it amazing how most of us can be powerfully swayed by first impressions before we even try a service? I remember when Twitter first launched, my early adopter friends told me about it. Back then, before I tried Twitter, my initial impression was "Twitter is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of." But I figured I should try it first, before dismissing it. In a short time using Twitter, it became obvious to me that my first impressions were wrong. Lesson learned: keep an open mind, and experiment. See what works for you first-hand.

Re: Google+ Solves the Social Privacy Problem by Making Friending Very Complicated

davideckoff — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:20:46 -0000

I was invited to Google+ last night and after exploring a bit, I found it very intuitive and easy to understand. Liz, I'm surprised to hear that you struggled with understanding it to the extent you did, especially since you're a tech reporter. In my experience using Google+ for a short time, I found it isn't *that* hard to grok. But you did a nice job of breaking it down in your summary. And certainly, Google will need to make it even more intuitive, whenever it moves beyond the early adopter crowd.

Re: Joining Half Off Depot | Force of Good: a blog by Lance Weatherby

davideckoff — Mon, 16 May 2011 23:28:51 -0000

Lance, congratulations on your new gig! Wishing you all the best at Half Off Depot!

Re: The Baristas: Episode One – The Favor

davideckoff — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 17:55:35 -0000

Congrats on @TheBaristasTV! I wrote this in 2007, and I'll say it again now: "I have seen the future of online video and his name is Justin Kownacki."

Article: "The Future of Online Video: Low Cost Episodic Content"
http://davideckoff.com/2007...

Re: Twitter’s Creative Director Talks Design, UX and Inspiration

davideckoff — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:05:22 -0000

Really liked reading Doug Bowman's perspective on this. Like Bowman's general philosophy, and Twitter's thoughtful approach to rolling out #newtwitter. Also like that Twitter allows users to try #newtwitter and revert to #oldtwitter if desired.

Having said that, I'm not a fan of #newtwitter. Redesigns often take time to get used to, and it's not uncommon for long time users to complain about redesigns. (As Bowman notes, "users are creatures of habit, and change is often hard to move beyond.") Still, after using #newtwitter for a few weeks, and *wanting* to like it, I found that my Twitter usage was much less enjoyable. So I went back to #oldtwitter. The flow experience of #oldtwitter is more enjoyable to me. For me, #newtwitter disrupts that flow experience.

Re: Life Hack: The 30/30 Minute Work Cycle Feels Like Magic

davideckoff — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:47:50 -0000

Chetan, not only a great concept, but a very well-written post. You got talent! A very "Tim Ferriss"-like concept and post.

I'm gonna experiment with 30/30 and will let you know how it goes.

Re: Earphones for Travel

davideckoff — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:53:25 -0000

Chris, Browsing the super cool custom art examples on the UE site, I just saw these - they look like they have your name written all over them (or your initials anyway, this is the custom art that Chris Bosh from the Toronto Raptors got on his in-ear monitors):

http://www.ultimateears.com...

Re: Earphones for Travel

davideckoff — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:26:01 -0000

Here's a topic I have great passion for, ever since I realized that the ear buds that come standard with the iPod aren't that great for audio fidelity.

I was using the popular Bose noise cancelling headphones for a while, and liked those a lot. Very comfortable. When I wore them on flights, I felt more refreshed when I landed (I'm guessing less background noise = less accumulated stress and more relaxation).

But I had the feeling that I wasn't getting the very best quality audio fidelity listening to music with the Bose noise cancelling headphones. So I did a lot of research, and decided to go with Ultimate Ears in-ear monitors (UE-10 model), and I absolutely love them. They are like hi-def for your ears.

Because UE'10's are custom-made and fit perfectly in my ears, these don't just cancel the surrounding noise on flights, they pretty much eliminate all surrounding noise. (Screaming baby seated in the row behind me? Can hardly hear him. Overly chatty passenger sitting next to me? Don't hear her at all. This is bliss!)

But what I like best about my UE's - and this is where they really shine - is the audio fidelity. These are "studio reference" monitors, meaning you hear EXACTLY what the artist intended, no more, and no less.

As I write in my full review, I have "wow" moments every day with my UE’s, hearing layers of music and instruments in my favorite music that I never even knew were there.

If you want to read more, my full review is on my blog at:
http://davideckoff.com/2006...

PS... Chris, congrats on your new travel site - awesome!

Re: On To Life 2.0

davideckoff — Fri, 21 May 2010 20:39:10 -0000

I remember when you first started PaidContent.org and you were doing a super-human job as one-man show!

Totally enjoyed guest writing for the publication from various conferences, way back when. It always cracked me up when people would hear my name, and instead of associating me with Rivals.com, RealNetworks or Turner Broadcasting, they'd say, "Hey, I remember you wrote some articles for PaidContent."

Enjoy your travels, and can't wait to see what's next for you!

Re: The Old Value-Cost Conversation

davideckoff — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:06:19 -0000

Hey Chris and Nathan, some thoughts on this:

* I really like the concept for this e-book - and a lot of the bloggers involved in it. I think I could learn a lot from it!

* Having said that, I strongly agree with @christinakatz about the presentation of the sales page: it is a big turn off for me. Looks and feels like a direct marketing sales pitch from a time share company. Even with Chris personally endorsing the product, the sales page makes me want to run away - fast.

* Nathan, an idea: it would be a fascinating experiment if you were to crowd source some ideas on how to improve the sales page, and do an A/B test or multivariate testing (using Google Website Optimizer or other tool) and see which sales pages perform better. There's nothing more beautiful than data-driven decision making - and nothing better than a loop where your customers are directly involved in the process.

* This is a well timed case study for how important it is to have some say in the marketing materials when your personal brand is part of the product. This week a university is creating an online sales page for a business seminar I'll be teaching in March. Rather than leave it to the university to decide how they present the sales page (like I was going to do), I'm going to be a lot more active in the process and also enlist help and input from potential class members.

* Chris, an idea for your upcoming $10 project: consider labeling it something different than an "e-book", which brings to mind something that is "throw away" or "free" or "low value" in the minds of many people. (And BTW, I would pay much much more than $10 for an online book of your wisdom!). And hey, when are you going to write that Mystery book?!

Re: A Brief and Informal Twitter Etiquette Guide

davideckoff — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 22:26:28 -0000

My rule of thumb about whether to follow someone I know, who I might be less interested in the content or frequency of their tweets: which is more important to me, A) managing my inbound information flow or B) my real life relationship with that person.

Almost always, I will choose Option B - the relationship is even more important to me. That's just how I do business.

Just a thought: if you're consistently prioritizing your inbound information flow ahead of the underlying relationships with people you know, consider rethinking your priorities.

Of course, that come with the You’re Doing It Wrong seal of “don’t take anyone’s word for law, least of all mine.

@davideckoff

Re: Laying Out Your Online Experience

davideckoff — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:19:03 -0000

Is there no happier person in new media than Jim (aka @newmediajim as seen in the last photo)?! If you're not already following him, you should!

CB: love your use of photos to illustrate your points.

Re: Tinker Hatfield, VP of Innovation at Nike: "Just Innovate"

davideckoff — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 14:19:46 -0000

Sajri, your post reminds me of Ali G. Respekt!

Re: Strength Training: Unpacking New "Streamline SR" Static Contraction Training Fitness Equipment

davideckoff — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:17:54 -0000

Ed, thanks for your note, and thank you for reading my blog.

I don't work for their company, and I don't know the answers to those types of questions about shipping weight, shipping options.

May I suggest you contact their company directly?

Here is a link to their contact info:

http://www.superrepequipmen...

Hope that's helpful!

Re: Strength Training: Unpacking New "Streamline SR" Static Contraction Training Fitness Equipment

davideckoff — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:13:15 -0000

Mike, I spoke with the folks at SuperRep, and you are correct, they are transitioning from one design to a new design.

Sounds like you have a program that you like and I applaud your focus on health and fitness!

Re: Update: Strength Training with Static Contraction Training: results after ten months

davideckoff — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:12:49 -0000

Hello, Lifter, thanks for reading my blog and for your comment. You sound enthused about your results, and I admire and respect that!

To answer your question, yes, I am continuing my strength training program, following SCT.

Based on your comment here, I'd have two questions for you, along with some ideas:

1) First, if you gained 1-1/2kg in 2 SCT workouts...1-1/2kg of what? Muscle? Fat? How do you know?

(I ask the same question any time someone says they lost X amount of pounds - "X pounds of what? How do you know you're not losing muscle mass, too?")

Something to think about: if you're weighing yourself on a scale, you won't know the muscle/fat composition of what you're gaining (and/or losing).

I suggest doing a hydrostatic body composition test as a benchmark at the start, and then periodically measure your results (I'd suggest once a quarter). So that way, you know if you're accomplishing your goal of gaining muscle, or if that is masked by gains in fat.

Similarly, measurements with a tape measure provide feedback and can be fun to see, but they may or may not be telling you the true story. In contrast, a hydrostatic body composition test will tell you with 99% accuracy what your results are.

2) Second, I'm pleased to hear you've been training for 26 years, that is extraordinary and a great example of what is possible! One of the keys to fitness and health is what we do consistently, and I congratulate you on your longevity.

My question: if you started a SCT program in 2003 and did 2 workouts with results that you sound proud of, why did you stop? I'm always interested in learning what makes people tick: why people dosomething consistently vs. why they go through a start, stop, start, stop cycle.

Something related to think about: the language we use has a powerful effect on our actions and in turn our results. I bet that there will be a big difference in your actions and results if you tell yourself you'll "give it another whirl" vs. "totally commit full out" to your program for 90 days and measuring the results. Does that make sense?

Again, thanks for reading my blog and for posting, do let us know how you're training is going, what you learn along the way, and your results!

Re: Need Your Help: Please Vote for Our SXSW Interactive 2009 Panel Proposal On Technology & Fitness

davideckoff — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:47:31 -0000

Hey Rob, thanks for reading my blog and thanks for posting.

Glad to hear you recognize the same serious problem that Biray and I are seeking to help people solve.

If you have a moment, we'd love it if you could vote for our SXSW session and comment there, too!

What's your secret to working out consistently? Do you use any Web 2.0 tools to help?

Re: Music Playlist: Strength Training & Weight Lifting

davideckoff — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:53:23 -0000

Thanks, Eddie! :)

Re: The "Twitter Dilemma": How Many People Can You Follow?

davideckoff — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:22:04 -0000

Nick, thanks for your comment, and thank you for reading my blog.

To answer your question, as I understand it, Twitter's system should not prevent you from following more than 2,000 people.

For example, Robert Scoble currently follows more than 21,000 people (http://twitter.com/scobleizer) and Chris Brogan currently follows more than 10,000 people and Jeff Pulver currently follows more than 4,500 people.

Re: "6 big mistakes that people make in business". Notes from presentation by Keith Cunningham (Part 2)

davideckoff — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:34:29 -0000

J.J., thanks for your question and thank you for being a repeat visitor to the blog, appreciate you reading my thoughts here. To answer your question, looking back to a year ago, I think I got busy with work and never posted part 3! I'll see if I can find my notes and update a few of the more interesting things I heard.

Re: Keith Cunningham: Myths, Lies and Fables of Business

davideckoff — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:39:52 -0000

Brian, thanks for your post and for reading my blog. To answer your question, I attended the Anthony Robbins Mastery University, and Keith was a featured speaker at one of the events. I really liked Keith's content and delivery. I have not yet attended any of his seminars or schools. One of my friends has attended his school, and she had very positive things to say about it. I believe his classes/school could be quite valuable. Of course, like all education, much depends on what you put into it as the student.

Re: Strength Training: Unpacking New "Streamline SR" Static Contraction Training Fitness Equipment

davideckoff — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:45:29 -0000

Mike, thanks for coming by, I appreciate you reading my blog.

To answer your question, I measure the unit at 80" tall when it is set up for the bench press as shown in the photo. Having said that, if your purpose for the measurement is very important, I'd suggest double checking with the manufacturer, in case they've made any changes in the equipment.

I do like the equipment, as it enables me to do accomplish my goals more efficiently. Of course, as you can see, the design/style of the equipment isn't anything special - I'd consider it functional, but not designed like an iPod. :) But it deos get the job done, which is the most important thing to me. And as I mentioned earlier, I am experimenting with a combination of this machine and equipment at my gym (even if I might be sub-optimizing). Regardless of which equipment I'm using, I'm really most focused on the underlying SCT workouts, doing them with great intensity, and on a consistent basis.

What type of training are you doing now? What's your experience been like?