Patricio Robles

The browser wars continue

What browser do you use? If you're the average internet user, you use Microsoft's Internet Explorer. It came bundled with your PC and you never found a compelling enough reason to switch.

But despite Microsoft's marketshare, we shouldn't let the numbers fool us: there's still a battle being waged in the browser market. And it's no surprise why: there's a lot of value in owning the application people use to access the internet with.

by Patricio Robles 19 March 2009 12:00pm 3 comments

Tweeting for twouble

Twitter is perhaps the most interesting new communications tool to hit the web in years. Its simplicity is matched by its utility and for that reason, the service has grown massively in the past year.

Like all new communications tools, however, there's a dark side.

by Patricio Robles 18 March 2009 15:45pm 4 comments

Can a social network get too big?

Facebook has over 175m users. MySpace has over 125m. Twitter's traffic has grown at over 1,000%.

All three services are considered to be extremely valuable and their popularity is where the value is at. With their users, they're worth hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars. Without them, they're worth close to nothing.

by Patricio Robles 18 March 2009 09:19am 4 comments

How not to screw up a PR opportunity

Recently I approached a well-known internet personality about an interview. I wanted to discuss a new website he had launched and get his perspective on the market it's competing in.

Interview requests are always hit-or miss; sometimes you never hear back. I was pleasantly surprised, however, and received an immediate response.

by Patricio Robles 18 March 2009 11:10am 7 comments

Playboy looking for a long-term relationship with digital

Playboy is the world's iconic 'male magazine' but it's had a hard time keeping its relationship with consumers and investors spicy.

The company's story resembles that of media businesses today: evolving markets have changed the game, brought new competition and eroded old competitive advantages.

by Patricio Robles 17 March 2009 15:20pm 0 comments

Digital distribution might pay your phone bill: filmmaker

The future of media may be the internet, but that doesn't mean that digital distribution's present financial reality is stealing the show.

The recent rift between YouTube and the PRS in the UK highlights an uncomfortable fact: online distribution doesn't quite rake it in like the offline distribution. Services like YouTube simply aren't willing to pay as much for distribution rights as rights holders are accustomed to because these services aren't generating a whole lot of revenue themselves.

by Patricio Robles 17 March 2009 09:27am 2 comments

Twitter launches ads - for itself

How can Twitter make money? It's the one question everyone has been asking and the one question Twitter hasn't been in a rush to answer.

But as Twitter continues to experience massive growth during a painful recession, revenue is a subject that Twitter probably shouldn't put off for too long.

by Patricio Robles 17 March 2009 09:04am 2 comments

The mobile internet really does exist: comScore

If you cry wolf too many times, people are apt to dismiss you. The mobile internet is the boy who cried wolf.

For years, many have predicted its rapid rise, and massive revenues. Yet by in large we've all been disappointed. Year after year new developments have been made but a mobile internet that's as important as many believed it would be hasn't shown up.

by Patricio Robles 16 March 2009 14:43pm 1 comment

Coca-Cola: the social media side of life

The consumer is in control when it comes to today's social web. Brands are dealing with this in numerous ways and many are embracing their lack of control.

But one company has perhaps the best story: Coca-Cola.

by Patricio Robles 16 March 2009 10:34am 0 comments

Yahoo takes a new approach with web video

Web video is hot. From the user-generated video content on YouTube to the professional video content on Hulu, everybody loves watching video online.