“When you realise that you lack nothing,
you own the whole world.”
– Chinese proverb
Monthly Archives: September 2011
What price would you pay for faster web-surfing?
Today, Amazon launched its new Kindle Fire.
Read the announcement and an introductory video here.
This is basically a tablet PC running on Android 2.1. What is different though, is that – among many other changes that make the free Android surfing experience nearly invisible – the latest Amazon tablet uses a proprietary technology for browsing the internet. (watch a straight forward marketing video on the link below, which helped me understand what is behind that new technology http://amazonsilk.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/introducing-amazon-silk/ ).
Faster browsing – for free!
In all simplicity, the new Silk browswer will send your request for internet content to the EC2 Amazon network, where the heavy computing, pre-loading and resizing of the content will be made, before it is sent back to your handheld device in smaller bits and pieces. As a result, an image that you wanted to see will not download with its original 3 MB of data, but after resizing is done, it may be as small as 10 KB, because your Kindle Fire does not need more resolution. Ultimately, this will speed up your browsing experience tremendously. – Sounds smart, doesn’t it?
Faster business – for free?
In fact, being a bit suspicious about such generosity of re-inventing the internet ‘for free’, I am wondering: what if Amazon would get a chance, to scan and pre-browse each of their user’s content ‘for free’, what could they do with it? What if they exploit their position as content bottleneck to the information, networks and products you are seeking? What opportunities would that bring to a company that controls both your browsing experience and your mobile device, while on the backend, acts as the largest online retailer in the online world? – Would you still want a device with these capabilities – for free?
Silence I
“If what you want to say is not more beautiful than silence,
then hold your tongue.”
– Chinese proverb
Potential – results
“If you have the strength to move a mountain, then you still need a mind as large and quiet as an ocean.”
– Chinese Proverb
Free Hugs
Apologies – but I simply cannot resist in posting this over again – but I wanted to make sure we all share this … and above all, I wanted to make myself a special present for a special day:
There has never been a single time that this video did not touch my heart, and I’d be surprised there is any single person who has not lost their key to their hearts, that would not feel enchanted by the simple message this campaign conveys: we are all just human, and we all need each other … once in a while, for a hug!
Free Hugs Campaign (with music from Sick Puppies)
Dedicated to all those, who did not forget about the place in their heart that was made to connect with people…
For those who would like to look up the background of this real life story, pls visit Wikipedia at the below link. It will explain all you need to know, and possibly hook you up for your own localized version of the Free Hugs Campaign.
Doing – achieving
“It is better to do nothing than to achieve nothing with a lot of effort.”
– Lao-Tse
TED – Barry Schwartz on practical wisdom
Updated on Sep 21, 2011.
Original title: “Barry Schwartz on our loss of wisdom” – Video on TED.com.
Barry Schwartz makes a passionate call for “practical wisdom” as an antidote to a society gone mad with bureaucracy. He argues powerfully that rules often fail us, incentives often backfire, and practical, everyday wisdom will help rebuild our world.
The one thing that I like the most about Barry’s message is that he simply calls each individual to self-responsibility. This call needs to be heard by our leaders – to spread the word and attitude about the political, economic or social responsibility we all have to live, and we are all expected to take it and stand up for… – and this call needs to be heard by ourselves: with too many guidelines, rules, processes in our organisations are incapacitating us as individuals, we collectively sit back and point at each other to take initiative, instead of using our own ‘practical wisdom’ and make a change!
Meet me at the TEDxVienna event, and share YOUR wildest ideas about changing the world towards more self-responsibility … and how we can make it HAPPEN together.
Or participate in the blog-parade to win one out of 15 tickets for the TEDxVienna event, read more on the TEDxVienna homepage:
About Barry Schwartz
Barry Schwartz studies the link between economics and psychology, offering startling insights into modern life. Lately, working with Ken Sharpe, he’s studying wisdom. Full bio and more links
Wahrheit
Shattered love
– Marcus Pietrzak
Happiness
“Happiness is a state of mind that starts with a point of view.”
– Marcus Pietrzak
Lebensqualität
“Die Qualität im Leben zeigt sich selten im Besitz der großen Dinge, aber oft im Erleben der ganz Kleinen.”
– Marcus Pietrzak