It is amazing how our mind creates a perception that the things we do not have or experiences have yet to encounter are better. New technology and especially those in the Apple Reality Distortion Field demonstrates this principle so well.

I am also guilty myself of lusting after the newest and greatest phone, tablet or Mac Book Pro while knowing that next’s week new gadget will invoke the same endless lust cycle.

The parody video below illustrates this principle by asking people how the “new” iPhone 5 compares to their existing phone. The participants exclaimed how much faster and better the “new” phone felt even though the test phone was actually the same device as their “old” iPhone 4s.

I Deserve a Raise

ptadmin  —  July 10, 2011 — 1 Comment

Do you deserve a raise because you feel like you work harder than everyone else? Do you work harder because you:

  • Work Longer
  • Work Smarter
  • Work First: Sacrifice your personal time / family for work

While you may DESERVE a raise, that attitude is holding you back. Instead of seeking direct compensation for your art, concentrate on delivering your best art while adding value to your organization.

Do the work to the best of your ability because you were crafted to do it. Live up to your potential.

If you are not at a place that allows you to practice your art then it may time for a change. In the meantime being better than your pay scale will speak volumes to your future leader.

I am not condoning management short changing their talent or meekly pouring yourself into your craft without proper compensation. Being your best will get noticed.

Silly tasking

philltran  —  July 1, 2011 — Leave a comment

Multitasking sounds better on paper than it does in practice.

My natural tendency is to run after the ideas and tasks that pop into my head. Perpetual switching gears waste time and momentum during the transition.

Focusing on one thing at a time may sound old school. but it works.

Who’s on top?

philltran  —  June 30, 2011 — Leave a comment

You have to laugh at the Microsoft illustration. But, is that how we operate? Are we afraid of someone at the office “one upping us” or breaking our project? Or is the legal department so heavy that it blocks innovation?

My vote is for a spiderweb organizational chart with a clear leader and room for all to take the lead in their initiatives

Image via Bonkers World

Amazing motion graphics, scary data and a british accent prove that informative videos can be interesting.

I wonder if the old reel to reel mono educational films we watched in grade school were considered innovative in their day.

Now this is an Ad

ptadmin  —  June 17, 2011 — Leave a comment

Besides making great products for this fanboy, Apple knows how to market.

This advert beautifully focuses on the experiences that this device delivers. As Seth Godin emphasizes, we do not want to race to the bottom, to be average at the best price; we need to be remarkable.

“Now we can…” illustrates the remarkable aspects of the product. Apple focuses on experience over technical specs, price comparison or even mud slinging the other tablets.

Heck the product name is barely on screen two seconds. Bravo Apple.

Do Not Reply

philltran  —  May 4, 2011 — Leave a comment

Should organizations send their email marketing from a do not reply email address? In a world where companies beg people to follow their tweets or like their profiles, is it fair to send a one way message? Listen to me and don’t talk back.

Social media has antiquated the “do not reply email”. The new mantra is transparency and accessibility.

True, automatic replies and “out of office” notices fly back in a flurry from every email campaign I send. Yet,it is easy enough to configure my email client to filter said messages to a holding pen so I can connect with my audience through the same channel.

What do you think

Do you send your email marketing through a do not reply address?

An Easter Timeline

philltran  —  April 20, 2011 — Leave a comment

Igniter Media offers this well done video of Jesus’ ministry as a twitter timeline. While this idea has been done before, this video’s simplicity makes it shine.

What are you warming up for?

Super cool stuff?

Or sleeping?

Seth Godin says that “Real artist ship” (Linchpin). It’s so easy to get into warm up mode and teeter on the edge of creating super cool stuff. Taking the plunge is difficult. It is scary.

Some say it is the fear of failure that holds us up. Some say it’s the fear of success (you have to live up to the expectations and maintain it). Seth Godin states that it could be the fear of criticism (Tribes). He further explains that to be criticized you need to be worthy of remarking on. You have to be remarkable. Better to be noticed, to be criticized than never noticed.

So get out of your pajamas and be noticed.

Adobe continues to bring it on for the iPad despite Apple’s stance on no Flash player for iOS. Adobe demoed their in progress iPad Photoshop app during the Photoshop World keynote. Lots of features including layers and real photo editing.

Last month I attended a demo by Terry White of Adobe’s upcoming Digital Editions platform that delivers interactive publications to iOS devices.

Adobe is slowly taking away my hesitations of using a tablet as my carry around device. All they need is Coda for iPad and I’d be sold.

via Photography Bay