Affiliate Programs and Affiliate Reviews
Young folk under 30 may not remember this, but years ago “plug and play” referred to hardware installation for computers. As the information revolution penetrated American households, consumers demanded setup procedures that did not require an advanced degree in computer science. Today, this process is standard for almost all hardware. This plug-and-play mentality has transformed consumer expectations.
Two weeks ago, I described how universities are encroaching on the space of traditional venture capitalists, initiating small funds to commercialize their own research. Their deal flow, driven by internal entrepreneurs, should move at a healthy clip, because the lousy returns of the last 10 years will force many mid-tier venture funds out of business.
Venture capitalists style themselves as the stewards of entrepreneurship, offering cash to young Edisons seeking both fame and fortune. Stunning returns for early investments in companies like Google kept the dream alive for egocentric investors and entrepreneurs alike. And yet like a Greek tragedy, the halcyon days brought the seeds of destruction.
Last week, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office proposed a new three-track system to expedite filings rather than maintain the standard first-come, first-served basis. This move comes in response to the average review time soaring to nearly 35 months last year from an average of 27 months as recently as 2003. This accelerated process marks an important step to defend national innovation leadership.
Modern “American dream” stories often start with a romantic phase: A young couple struggles through graduate school, starving on measly stipends covering ramen noodles and cheap wine. Unfortunately, that story is about to disappear, following American manufacturing jobs.
Angel investing groups are still going strong despite the economic downturn. Although private equity financing dates back to the Sumerians, the current incarnation really began after World War II. The trend has accelerated since the first whirlwind of dot-com businesses in the 1990s sought private financing, and a healthy ecosystem developed.
Recently, Amazon announced that it was offering 70 percent royalty rates to authors interested in self-publishing for the Kindle platform. That rate is considerably higher than the 10-ish percent standard in the publishing industry today for print and 25 percent for digital. So where are all the new authors with books flying off the e-shelves and onto the iPads?
On January 20, a major speech took place: No, it was not the State of the Union address, but Steve Jobs’ announcement of the release of the iPad. The iPad has already started to change the landscape of digital publishing: After a short battle, Amazon was forced to capitulate to a new deal with Macmillan, one of the six largest publishers; on Friday, Hachette started to make noise too.
On January 27, a major speech took place: No, it was not the State of the Union address, but Steve Jobs’ announcement of the release of the iPad. The iPad has already started to change the landscape of digital publishing: After a short battle, Amazon was forced to capitulate to a new deal with Macmillan, one of the six largest publishers; on Friday, Hachette started to make noise too.
In The Rise of the Creative Class, author Richard Florida describes his theories on how creative communities grow around two groups of people: 1) artists, media workers, and other classically bohemian sorts; and 2) university professors, service providers, and other highly educated professionals.
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