David Lidsky's Blog, page 4825

Click, Buy, Repeat: Consumers Flocking to Virtual Shopping More Than Ever

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It's been the retailing story for years--and new research says it still is! Yes, online sales continue to soar, recession be damned. We were all probably at least vaguely aware of this phenomenon but to see it in such stark numbers astounds anew. Perhaps the most eye-opening figure of all is the average amount that an Internet shopper spent last year: $1,006.50. Sure buys a lot of Lady Gaga downloads. Or these.

Infographic: Rob Vargas

Charities Offering More Jobs, Better Pay in 2010

Apart from good karma--especially given the recent tragedies in Haiti and Chile--working for a charity will also offer good career prospects in 2010. According recent findings from Professionals for Nonprofits, most plan to hire new employees this year, and the overwhelming
majority will raise staff salaries (or hold them steady).

Fittingly, fundraisers and financiers are the most in-demand. The data, which came from more than 1,200 organizations in New York, New Jersey, and Washington...

Logos Are Losing Their Way in the Supermarket, Here's Why

Have you seen Logorama, the movie comprised entirely of animated logos, that just won the Oscar for best animated short film? It's an excellent representation of the technicolor tapestry of branding that our world has become. Whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your point of view.

[youtube p10UE3O8s24:]

But what would the world be like if there were no more brands to
differentiate products, inspire us, or give us a good feeling about a
company or product we've never tried before...

Four Apps From the Google Marketplace Worth Installing Right Now

The launch of the Google Apps Marketplace means GOOG's giving every Web service the same privilege Buzz had: integration with Gmail, Docs, Calendar and the rest of the GApps gang. If you administer a Google Apps account for your business, family, or softball team, there are four applications that are worth installing right now.

What You'll Need

In order to install apps in the Google Apps Marketplace, you'll need to be an administrator on a Google Apps account. Setting up a Google Apps...

Believable Rumor: iPhone 4.0 Software Includes Multitasking

Some tech rumors pop up then fade quickly into obscurity, while others just keep coming back--one of the biggest of this sort concerns multitasking on the iPhone. It's here again, centered on the upcoming 4.0 firmware. And it rings slightly true.

This time the rumor's popped up at Appleinsider, based on information from sources that the site trusts based on past "proven track records" in predicting what Apple's next moves will be. The details that the site's revealed are sparse, because its...

Tweetsii Taps Twitter Locations, Mashes-Up Gowalla and Foursquare in the Mix

As location-based apps proliferate, so does the need for umbrella services that can aggregate data from multiple networks. Tweetsii, which is being introduced at SXSW, is one such service that looks promising. The app exploits Twitter's location-tagged data stream to tell you who's Tweeting nearby, and it also ties in Gowalla and Foursquare data too.

The way Tweetsii's Web site explains the app is almost adorable: "Tweetsii connects people and places across networks. Tweetsii is breaking...

What If Your Postage Stamp Was the Letter--Or an Entire Book?

Who says print is dead? Rotterdam designer Richard Hutten produces a stamp-sized book for the Dutch postal service.

"Hey, did you read the stamp I sent you?" There's no need for a letter when the stamp you use is a book. Rotterdam designer Richard Hutten has designed a new stamp for Royal TNT Post, in honor of this year's Dutch Book Week, that doubles as a tiny tome. The 3x4 centimeter stamp opens up into an 8-page, 500-word story by Joost Zwagerman.

We have Charles and Ray Eames and Calvin...

This Underwear Is Bananas, Literally

Banana hammock, anyone? AussieBum has cheekily released a range of boxers and briefs made partially from sustainable banana fiber--a world first, according to the company. The lightweight, absorbent skivvies are made from 64% organic cotton, 7% lycra, and 27% banana fiber made out of the plant's bark weave. Any more than 27% fiber and the underwear would be a little too squishy. Want to check out the banana underwear in action? Check out the video below (mildly NSFW).

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Verizon's Bringing 4G Speeds in Mid-2011, but Wave Buh-Bye to Unlimited Data

Verizon's just revealed its going to have Long Term Evolution (LTE) handsets ready for mid-2011, which is six months earlier than it had previously said it would be available. It looks like the big carriers are making the first moves to snatch the next-gen mobile market.

The company will have infrastructure installed in some locations by the end of 2010, but it'll take up to six months for suitably equipped 4G (also known as 3GPP) mobile devices to arrive. At first these will most likely be...

Google's Blue Dot Alerts Shoppers to The Last Tickle Me Elmo On Earth

Google has just added a nifty little 'blue dot' feature to its mobile Shopping search engine. Anyone with either an iPhone, Palm WebOS phone, or any Android-powered device will be able to discover immediately if the item they're after is in stock with nearby retailers, which will mean cutting out all that thankless traipsing around stores as you try and hunt down the latest Toy Story 3D merchandise for that special ankle-biter in your life.

As long as whatever it is you're looking for is sold...