Can Business (Card) Be Beautiful?

The basic purpose of business card is to give information. Name, company, ways to contact. Ideally it would also be a reminder about location, time and event. Hopefully it's an advertisement, reminder of possibilities, promises, opportunities. Business card should have a story to tell.

Would it hurt, if it was also beautiful? Would it help, if your business card was fit for framing? Something people would save not only because of you and the shared moment, but because they would like to look at it? Because it would inspire them to be better beings, more creative, look outside the old box?

Here's some inspiration, "60+ Most Beautiful and Creative Business Cards Designs". Next time you update your cards, take a moment to think about it. May your next card be a Better Card!

One Shop to Rule Them All - or Maybe Not

What's going on in online mobile software business?

From myriad of small stand-alone one or two app websites, to operator controller Walled Gardens, to huge generic software stores (Handango), to manufacturer operated application stores (Apple AppStore, Android Market), to... what's next?

It's all about money. Developers, some of them, write software for money. Application stores were born, when some developers just couldn't figure out bookkeeping and tax systems. Some merged into megastores. Operators want their fare share, since they keep the system up and running. Manufacturers want to sell more hardware, maybe even get their own fare share of the software and services business.

Some developers are not happy about this. After so many fair shares taken in between, after so many forced restrictions and requirements, there is very little left for developers. There is more than just money: freedom, independence, self-expression. Latest software market revolutions are led by Cydia, to fight Apple's tight control, and potential "Android App Flea Market".

Nokia has been heavily criticized about being late in the online application store rush. Maybe they let others make mistakes first, learn from them, and then make things right. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Let's see how Apple and Android deal with the new situation. Let's see how long Nokia waits.

Business cards should have a story

Spent last week in MWC Barcelona, meeting lots of people. Some I knew in advance (great seeing you again!), some were new acquaintances (pleasure meeting you!). That's about 25 persons on a long day, on the average. Finnish people are not too socializing, I'm afraid.

This week I went through all the business cards, no big surprises there. Wish I had met someone from Lego and got a Lego business card, like Chief Happiness Officer Alexander Kjerulf! Found via Lifehacker via Geekdad. Credit were credit due.

Kids would love that. On the other hand, they were extremely happy with 3 rubber ducks, too, courtesy of Rubberduck company (mobile-tv business). Am I business for them, will I recommend them - who knows. I only know that for the next year I will see their logo about daily.

What does Your business card tell about You, Your business, Your product, Your service? Does it catch the eye, does it open questions, is it a reference to be saved for later use? Is it something to talk about? What is the purpose of Your business card? What is its expected lifetime?

iPhone AppStore statistics

Eye opening iPhone software statistics from Pinch Media with realistic sounding analysis: free vs paid, does advertizing pay off, counting eyeballs. Here's the slides.

It's always better to know what you're doing. The next best thing is to follow closely the reactions to your (random) actions. The worst thing is to just hope for the best. However on the average it's better to do something, than nothing at all. If you fail, then fail spectacularly.

Missed opportunities

Last week I bought Nokia 5800, was surprised about the experience.

In the shop I looked all around the box, could not see anything about S60, Symbian OS or possibility to run/install 3rd party applications. Half jokingly I complained to shop personnel and was mildly shocked about response. They had no idea that 5800 runs Symbian OS or S60, even less that it's possible to install additional software.

This was a big store in capital of Nokialand (Espoo, Finland), the shop run by the second biggest Finnish mobile phone operator.

I'm losing money as 3rd party sw developer, Nokia is losing money as hardware vendor and mobile phone operator is losing money as operator.

What would be a better time to advertise and sell mobile phone software than the exact moment the customer is ready and willing to pay for a brand new phone?