The head of Google’s Android mobile operating software says the search company “bit off a little more than we could chew” with the sale of the Nexus One, a smart phone Google began selling online early this year but then stopped offering after similar devices powered by Android hit the market.
Speaking at the D: Dive Into Mobile technology conference run by the tech blog AllThingsD Monday evening, Andy Rubin said that Google Inc. figured that it could sell the phone over the Web and people would buy it as they already do electronics like digital cameras.
Google unveiled the Nexus One with much fanfare in January as a challenger to Apple Inc.’s iPhone. Made by HTC Corp., the phone was sold unlocked so users could choose their own service provider — either T-Mobile USA or AT&T Inc. in the U.S. — or they could buy it locked through T-Mobile. Mobile phones are commonly sold in Europe unlocked, and users pick a carrier.
Consumers didn’t flock to the phone, though. And two other carriers, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp., later decided not to sell the phone because they preferred other Android-powered phones. Google closed its online store that was selling the phone in May, saying it would rely on traditional retailers instead.
Rubin said Google’s big problem with the Nexus One was one of scale. For each wireless operator it worked with, it had to do things like set people up with phone numbers, perform credit checks and more, he said. The process was time consuming, and given that there are more than 150 carriers worldwide, it seemed like a better idea to focus on things like building newer versions of Android, he said.
Rubin said that the Nexus S, the follow-up to the Nexus One that Google and Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled Monday, still keeps alive that vision of selling an unlocked phone. But it will be sold in the U.S through Best Buy Co. stores, which already have systems in place to set customers up with wireless carriers. The phone will cost $529 unlocked, or $199 when bought with a two-year T-Mobile contract.
The Nexus S uses Mountain View-based Google’s newest operating software, Gingerbread, and includes features like Near Field Communication, which lets users wave the phone near a bar code or sensor to make payments similar to swiping a security card to get into a building. Like the iPhone, it also includes a gyroscope, which allows you to do things like zoom in and out in applications by moving the phone closer or farther away from you.
Rubin, who founded Android (which was subsequently bought by Google), also said that the mobile software is profitable, making money through online ads on Android devices. He added that since Google first released the free, open-source mobile software two years ago on a handset — HTC’s G1 smart phone — it has expanded to 172 different phones.
“I think we’re doing pretty well,” he said.
Rubin showed off a prototype of an upcoming tablet from Motorola Inc. running an early version of what will be the next Android operating software, Honeycomb. The black tablet had a large, glossy screen and appeared to have a camera integrated on its face.
Rubin said that Honeycomb, which will be more optimized for tablet computers, will enable applications to have multiple views, depending on if they’re running on a phone or a tablet. For example, he showed off a version of Gmail on the tablet that showed a list of e-mails in one column and the body of the one you’re reading in a second column. On an Android phone, you’d only see one column at a time, as you do now.
Ashley Norris is CEO of branded content advisory Sutro Digital and director of Anorak Publishing, including the Whoateallthepies.tv soccer blog...
See more of our latest Weblogs coverage
or add an alert for future coverage of Weblogs.
There’s an awful lot of heat at the moment about both paywalls and paid for iPad magazine apps. Yet paywalls as a concept haven’t been bothering the indie media sector too much recently.
I seem to remember gadget site Pocket Lint offering a subscription based area a few years back, but that is about it as far as charging for online content goes.
The indie sector is obviously a little coy about asking readers for cash. The theory runs that if mainstream publishers can’t make paywalls work then what hope have bloggers?
It gets messy too in that it takes a degree of technical nous to create and run a paywall system and collect subscriptions.
So can indie publishers charge for online content? Maybe. They do already for printed content. Jeremy Leslie’s wonderful Magculture blog is full of magazines from indie publishers that are at the cutting edge of both content curation and design.
It’ll be fascinating to see what happens to the Whoateallthepies - the UK’s leading sports blog which will shortly launch a printed magazine. With a circulation nudging a million monthly users it has a huge following, but will that translate into sales of printed editorial?
As for creating a paywalls for online content, well there’s one indie publisher that is making it work very well.
Paul Tomkins is the editor of a site called Tomkins Times. Created in 2009 it is completely focused on the fortunes of Liverpool FC. The difference is that unlike the thousands of other footy websites out there Tomkins Times charges readers £3.50 a month to access the site. And remarkably it has almost 2,000 subscribers.
As Paul says ‘We charged £3.50 a month for Premium and £2 for Standard. I was hopeful of a couple of hundred subscribers, just to get a steady, regular income of some sort, and maybe 500 at the most. Once we passed 500 – which was quite soon – the aim was for 1,000. We past that earlier this year. I remember fairly early on Anu (Paul’s developer) telling me that we could get 2,000, and that seemed like a crazy figure. Now it’s within sight. Traffic to the site is also growing at a strong rate. We added Google (NSDQ: GOOG) ads to the site for non-subscribers, who benefit from the free pieces, but it’s not a big money spinner
So how does Paul make it work, and what can other indie publishers (and indeed freelance journalists) learn from his experience?
1) He is an authority on his chosen niche. Several years ago Paul self-published a book about Liverpool FC “Golden Past, Red Future” and has written for both the official Liverpool FC and for various fan sites. He is an expert on The Reds, has good connections with the club and his views are widely respected by other fans.
2) He focused on building up a community not just a blog – Paul had already constructed a database of Liverpool FC fans who liked his content and were sympathetic to what he was doing. Many of these became his first subscribers. Paul has nurtured that community by constantly engaging with them.
3) He exerts rigorous standards in his community – As Paul says ‘The one big bonus has been the community that has built up behind the paywall, and the quality of their posts. People can discuss football in an intelligent manner, without spammers, trolls and wind-up merchants ruining it. So far I’ve banned just five people in over a year. We lose a few subscribers each month – some move on (as it’s not for everybody), some have money issues – but most soon come back. While there are excellent posters on most public forums, you often have to wade through the nonsense.’
4) He has a great tech partner – The paywall was the brainchild of fellow Liverpool FC fanatic Anu Gupta and his Digital Query agency. Anu offered his services for free, saying that he’d only charge if it took off. ‘True to his word, he built a site within a week, and we launched on 21st September 2009.’
5) He has not been scared to experiment – In addition to the paywall, in itself a huge experiment, Paul has created different subscription levels and has also kept a significant chunk of content available freely. ‘I still make about half of the stuff I write free to read, depending on my desire to get the message across to a wider audience, and of course, to get the balance of bringing new visitors to the site and offering value to those who subscribe.’
6) He has developed other projects – ‘It’s also allowed me to co-write and publish a new general football book – “Pay As You Play: The True Price of Success in the Premier League Era” – and not stress over how many it sells, beyond the fact that you always want your work to be read and appreciated. The royalties go towww.postpals.co.uk, a charity for terminally ill children I’ve been promoting for a few years now – the girls who run it also have M.E., and set it up as something constructive to do when housebound and unable to do conventional work. Our book is dedicated to the memory of the 12 Post Pals children who died in 2010, although a 13th has since passed away.’
7) He judiciously uses social media – Tomkins Times is consistently updated and now has nearly 20,000 followers.
This article was reproduced from Ashley’s blog with permission.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
bench craft company rip off magazine
Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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The head of Google’s Android mobile operating software says the search company “bit off a little more than we could chew” with the sale of the Nexus One, a smart phone Google began selling online early this year but then stopped offering after similar devices powered by Android hit the market.
Speaking at the D: Dive Into Mobile technology conference run by the tech blog AllThingsD Monday evening, Andy Rubin said that Google Inc. figured that it could sell the phone over the Web and people would buy it as they already do electronics like digital cameras.
Google unveiled the Nexus One with much fanfare in January as a challenger to Apple Inc.’s iPhone. Made by HTC Corp., the phone was sold unlocked so users could choose their own service provider — either T-Mobile USA or AT&T Inc. in the U.S. — or they could buy it locked through T-Mobile. Mobile phones are commonly sold in Europe unlocked, and users pick a carrier.
Consumers didn’t flock to the phone, though. And two other carriers, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp., later decided not to sell the phone because they preferred other Android-powered phones. Google closed its online store that was selling the phone in May, saying it would rely on traditional retailers instead.
Rubin said Google’s big problem with the Nexus One was one of scale. For each wireless operator it worked with, it had to do things like set people up with phone numbers, perform credit checks and more, he said. The process was time consuming, and given that there are more than 150 carriers worldwide, it seemed like a better idea to focus on things like building newer versions of Android, he said.
Rubin said that the Nexus S, the follow-up to the Nexus One that Google and Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled Monday, still keeps alive that vision of selling an unlocked phone. But it will be sold in the U.S through Best Buy Co. stores, which already have systems in place to set customers up with wireless carriers. The phone will cost $529 unlocked, or $199 when bought with a two-year T-Mobile contract.
The Nexus S uses Mountain View-based Google’s newest operating software, Gingerbread, and includes features like Near Field Communication, which lets users wave the phone near a bar code or sensor to make payments similar to swiping a security card to get into a building. Like the iPhone, it also includes a gyroscope, which allows you to do things like zoom in and out in applications by moving the phone closer or farther away from you.
Rubin, who founded Android (which was subsequently bought by Google), also said that the mobile software is profitable, making money through online ads on Android devices. He added that since Google first released the free, open-source mobile software two years ago on a handset — HTC’s G1 smart phone — it has expanded to 172 different phones.
“I think we’re doing pretty well,” he said.
Rubin showed off a prototype of an upcoming tablet from Motorola Inc. running an early version of what will be the next Android operating software, Honeycomb. The black tablet had a large, glossy screen and appeared to have a camera integrated on its face.
Rubin said that Honeycomb, which will be more optimized for tablet computers, will enable applications to have multiple views, depending on if they’re running on a phone or a tablet. For example, he showed off a version of Gmail on the tablet that showed a list of e-mails in one column and the body of the one you’re reading in a second column. On an Android phone, you’d only see one column at a time, as you do now.
Ashley Norris is CEO of branded content advisory Sutro Digital and director of Anorak Publishing, including the Whoateallthepies.tv soccer blog...
See more of our latest Weblogs coverage
or add an alert for future coverage of Weblogs.
There’s an awful lot of heat at the moment about both paywalls and paid for iPad magazine apps. Yet paywalls as a concept haven’t been bothering the indie media sector too much recently.
I seem to remember gadget site Pocket Lint offering a subscription based area a few years back, but that is about it as far as charging for online content goes.
The indie sector is obviously a little coy about asking readers for cash. The theory runs that if mainstream publishers can’t make paywalls work then what hope have bloggers?
It gets messy too in that it takes a degree of technical nous to create and run a paywall system and collect subscriptions.
So can indie publishers charge for online content? Maybe. They do already for printed content. Jeremy Leslie’s wonderful Magculture blog is full of magazines from indie publishers that are at the cutting edge of both content curation and design.
It’ll be fascinating to see what happens to the Whoateallthepies - the UK’s leading sports blog which will shortly launch a printed magazine. With a circulation nudging a million monthly users it has a huge following, but will that translate into sales of printed editorial?
As for creating a paywalls for online content, well there’s one indie publisher that is making it work very well.
Paul Tomkins is the editor of a site called Tomkins Times. Created in 2009 it is completely focused on the fortunes of Liverpool FC. The difference is that unlike the thousands of other footy websites out there Tomkins Times charges readers £3.50 a month to access the site. And remarkably it has almost 2,000 subscribers.
As Paul says ‘We charged £3.50 a month for Premium and £2 for Standard. I was hopeful of a couple of hundred subscribers, just to get a steady, regular income of some sort, and maybe 500 at the most. Once we passed 500 – which was quite soon – the aim was for 1,000. We past that earlier this year. I remember fairly early on Anu (Paul’s developer) telling me that we could get 2,000, and that seemed like a crazy figure. Now it’s within sight. Traffic to the site is also growing at a strong rate. We added Google (NSDQ: GOOG) ads to the site for non-subscribers, who benefit from the free pieces, but it’s not a big money spinner
So how does Paul make it work, and what can other indie publishers (and indeed freelance journalists) learn from his experience?
1) He is an authority on his chosen niche. Several years ago Paul self-published a book about Liverpool FC “Golden Past, Red Future” and has written for both the official Liverpool FC and for various fan sites. He is an expert on The Reds, has good connections with the club and his views are widely respected by other fans.
2) He focused on building up a community not just a blog – Paul had already constructed a database of Liverpool FC fans who liked his content and were sympathetic to what he was doing. Many of these became his first subscribers. Paul has nurtured that community by constantly engaging with them.
3) He exerts rigorous standards in his community – As Paul says ‘The one big bonus has been the community that has built up behind the paywall, and the quality of their posts. People can discuss football in an intelligent manner, without spammers, trolls and wind-up merchants ruining it. So far I’ve banned just five people in over a year. We lose a few subscribers each month – some move on (as it’s not for everybody), some have money issues – but most soon come back. While there are excellent posters on most public forums, you often have to wade through the nonsense.’
4) He has a great tech partner – The paywall was the brainchild of fellow Liverpool FC fanatic Anu Gupta and his Digital Query agency. Anu offered his services for free, saying that he’d only charge if it took off. ‘True to his word, he built a site within a week, and we launched on 21st September 2009.’
5) He has not been scared to experiment – In addition to the paywall, in itself a huge experiment, Paul has created different subscription levels and has also kept a significant chunk of content available freely. ‘I still make about half of the stuff I write free to read, depending on my desire to get the message across to a wider audience, and of course, to get the balance of bringing new visitors to the site and offering value to those who subscribe.’
6) He has developed other projects – ‘It’s also allowed me to co-write and publish a new general football book – “Pay As You Play: The True Price of Success in the Premier League Era” – and not stress over how many it sells, beyond the fact that you always want your work to be read and appreciated. The royalties go towww.postpals.co.uk, a charity for terminally ill children I’ve been promoting for a few years now – the girls who run it also have M.E., and set it up as something constructive to do when housebound and unable to do conventional work. Our book is dedicated to the memory of the 12 Post Pals children who died in 2010, although a 13th has since passed away.’
7) He judiciously uses social media – Tomkins Times is consistently updated and now has nearly 20,000 followers.
This article was reproduced from Ashley’s blog with permission.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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The head of Google’s Android mobile operating software says the search company “bit off a little more than we could chew” with the sale of the Nexus One, a smart phone Google began selling online early this year but then stopped offering after similar devices powered by Android hit the market.
Speaking at the D: Dive Into Mobile technology conference run by the tech blog AllThingsD Monday evening, Andy Rubin said that Google Inc. figured that it could sell the phone over the Web and people would buy it as they already do electronics like digital cameras.
Google unveiled the Nexus One with much fanfare in January as a challenger to Apple Inc.’s iPhone. Made by HTC Corp., the phone was sold unlocked so users could choose their own service provider — either T-Mobile USA or AT&T Inc. in the U.S. — or they could buy it locked through T-Mobile. Mobile phones are commonly sold in Europe unlocked, and users pick a carrier.
Consumers didn’t flock to the phone, though. And two other carriers, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp., later decided not to sell the phone because they preferred other Android-powered phones. Google closed its online store that was selling the phone in May, saying it would rely on traditional retailers instead.
Rubin said Google’s big problem with the Nexus One was one of scale. For each wireless operator it worked with, it had to do things like set people up with phone numbers, perform credit checks and more, he said. The process was time consuming, and given that there are more than 150 carriers worldwide, it seemed like a better idea to focus on things like building newer versions of Android, he said.
Rubin said that the Nexus S, the follow-up to the Nexus One that Google and Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled Monday, still keeps alive that vision of selling an unlocked phone. But it will be sold in the U.S through Best Buy Co. stores, which already have systems in place to set customers up with wireless carriers. The phone will cost $529 unlocked, or $199 when bought with a two-year T-Mobile contract.
The Nexus S uses Mountain View-based Google’s newest operating software, Gingerbread, and includes features like Near Field Communication, which lets users wave the phone near a bar code or sensor to make payments similar to swiping a security card to get into a building. Like the iPhone, it also includes a gyroscope, which allows you to do things like zoom in and out in applications by moving the phone closer or farther away from you.
Rubin, who founded Android (which was subsequently bought by Google), also said that the mobile software is profitable, making money through online ads on Android devices. He added that since Google first released the free, open-source mobile software two years ago on a handset — HTC’s G1 smart phone — it has expanded to 172 different phones.
“I think we’re doing pretty well,” he said.
Rubin showed off a prototype of an upcoming tablet from Motorola Inc. running an early version of what will be the next Android operating software, Honeycomb. The black tablet had a large, glossy screen and appeared to have a camera integrated on its face.
Rubin said that Honeycomb, which will be more optimized for tablet computers, will enable applications to have multiple views, depending on if they’re running on a phone or a tablet. For example, he showed off a version of Gmail on the tablet that showed a list of e-mails in one column and the body of the one you’re reading in a second column. On an Android phone, you’d only see one column at a time, as you do now.
Ashley Norris is CEO of branded content advisory Sutro Digital and director of Anorak Publishing, including the Whoateallthepies.tv soccer blog...
See more of our latest Weblogs coverage
or add an alert for future coverage of Weblogs.
There’s an awful lot of heat at the moment about both paywalls and paid for iPad magazine apps. Yet paywalls as a concept haven’t been bothering the indie media sector too much recently.
I seem to remember gadget site Pocket Lint offering a subscription based area a few years back, but that is about it as far as charging for online content goes.
The indie sector is obviously a little coy about asking readers for cash. The theory runs that if mainstream publishers can’t make paywalls work then what hope have bloggers?
It gets messy too in that it takes a degree of technical nous to create and run a paywall system and collect subscriptions.
So can indie publishers charge for online content? Maybe. They do already for printed content. Jeremy Leslie’s wonderful Magculture blog is full of magazines from indie publishers that are at the cutting edge of both content curation and design.
It’ll be fascinating to see what happens to the Whoateallthepies - the UK’s leading sports blog which will shortly launch a printed magazine. With a circulation nudging a million monthly users it has a huge following, but will that translate into sales of printed editorial?
As for creating a paywalls for online content, well there’s one indie publisher that is making it work very well.
Paul Tomkins is the editor of a site called Tomkins Times. Created in 2009 it is completely focused on the fortunes of Liverpool FC. The difference is that unlike the thousands of other footy websites out there Tomkins Times charges readers £3.50 a month to access the site. And remarkably it has almost 2,000 subscribers.
As Paul says ‘We charged £3.50 a month for Premium and £2 for Standard. I was hopeful of a couple of hundred subscribers, just to get a steady, regular income of some sort, and maybe 500 at the most. Once we passed 500 – which was quite soon – the aim was for 1,000. We past that earlier this year. I remember fairly early on Anu (Paul’s developer) telling me that we could get 2,000, and that seemed like a crazy figure. Now it’s within sight. Traffic to the site is also growing at a strong rate. We added Google (NSDQ: GOOG) ads to the site for non-subscribers, who benefit from the free pieces, but it’s not a big money spinner
So how does Paul make it work, and what can other indie publishers (and indeed freelance journalists) learn from his experience?
1) He is an authority on his chosen niche. Several years ago Paul self-published a book about Liverpool FC “Golden Past, Red Future” and has written for both the official Liverpool FC and for various fan sites. He is an expert on The Reds, has good connections with the club and his views are widely respected by other fans.
2) He focused on building up a community not just a blog – Paul had already constructed a database of Liverpool FC fans who liked his content and were sympathetic to what he was doing. Many of these became his first subscribers. Paul has nurtured that community by constantly engaging with them.
3) He exerts rigorous standards in his community – As Paul says ‘The one big bonus has been the community that has built up behind the paywall, and the quality of their posts. People can discuss football in an intelligent manner, without spammers, trolls and wind-up merchants ruining it. So far I’ve banned just five people in over a year. We lose a few subscribers each month – some move on (as it’s not for everybody), some have money issues – but most soon come back. While there are excellent posters on most public forums, you often have to wade through the nonsense.’
4) He has a great tech partner – The paywall was the brainchild of fellow Liverpool FC fanatic Anu Gupta and his Digital Query agency. Anu offered his services for free, saying that he’d only charge if it took off. ‘True to his word, he built a site within a week, and we launched on 21st September 2009.’
5) He has not been scared to experiment – In addition to the paywall, in itself a huge experiment, Paul has created different subscription levels and has also kept a significant chunk of content available freely. ‘I still make about half of the stuff I write free to read, depending on my desire to get the message across to a wider audience, and of course, to get the balance of bringing new visitors to the site and offering value to those who subscribe.’
6) He has developed other projects – ‘It’s also allowed me to co-write and publish a new general football book – “Pay As You Play: The True Price of Success in the Premier League Era” – and not stress over how many it sells, beyond the fact that you always want your work to be read and appreciated. The royalties go towww.postpals.co.uk, a charity for terminally ill children I’ve been promoting for a few years now – the girls who run it also have M.E., and set it up as something constructive to do when housebound and unable to do conventional work. Our book is dedicated to the memory of the 12 Post Pals children who died in 2010, although a 13th has since passed away.’
7) He judiciously uses social media – Tomkins Times is consistently updated and now has nearly 20,000 followers.
This article was reproduced from Ashley’s blog with permission.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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Denver Broncos <b>News</b>: Horse Tracks - 12/7/10 - Mile High Report
Your Daily Cup Of Orange and Blue Coffee - Horse Tracks!
Obama Defends Decision To Extend Bush-Era Tax Cuts « CBS Los <b>...</b>
President Barack Obama on Tuesday staunchly defended his decision to compromise with Republicans and temporarily extend about-to-expire tax cuts for all Americans.
Carnahan Camp To Fox <b>News</b>: Why Single Us Out? | TPMMuckraker
Lawyers for former Senate Candidate Robin Carnahan are arguing that the Fox News network is singling the Missouri Democrat out in its lawsuit alleging her campaign violated the network's copyrights.
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