Money vs Din € ro

Some days I've wanted to write of money and the din € ro, may seem the same, but it is not.
A few days ago to an entrepreneur whose blog that I recommend, Jaime Estevez, said in a post on this blog, Why I will not invest in your project, something very interesting and I hope he has developed his own, "The why I do not want your money. "

I have been fortunate in my dual role of investor and entrepreneur to be my own investor when necessary. That's a bargain. There have been many entrepreneurs were valid, with good equipment and good projects that have been on the road because the financial partner was not to be.

It is very important, especially in the early stages of the project, where the financing needs are limited by the funds needed to go no more (tempting) or less, but to value and allowed to choose who will get the money. The entrepreneur should -- Yes, sometimes it is utopian, their first choice to investors.

We are talking about early stage in the long term if the project continues and grows, not only will you be able to allow that luxury initial, but the money becomes impersonal.

What is money?

It's gasoline, is a necessary evil. It is early afternoon at which you need but you should not dump all your efforts to achieve. But it comes with added value comes with the know-how. If you are looking for a Business Angel money in the sector will need to fill the petrol, but you must look at the petrol stations at which the additional value and will be the key that will open many doors and you will win a lot of time.

- Work: Get up, you're not standing 6 months because there is no funding. There are a thousand and one thing you can possibly be done in these months: test, development, create a business structure, a team ... He took the opportunity cost, save time, the Internet is an area immediately, do not think a power point "and the pulp "because if you see an investor sees that and that's what we've done is not going to believe in yourself as a businessman.

- Spend: You must sweat shirt, literally. Do not come with an investment of € 0 xxx.xxx without asking anything you've invested. On your way you think you should pass on the project and that you, in your economic've invested in it. For me has much more value that the entrepreneur has invested part of their savings, or has requested an appropriation for the project. You can not pretend that the other make money, you have to be the first to get wet if you want to be created in you.

- Select: Not all business angels, investors in general and venture capital funds and Family Office are for everyone. Think stages, especially put your focus on profiles of people, not all the money is well! Personally, it is best to start with an investment of one or more business angels in the industry, you will be able to help not only to grow, but with its know-how, networking and synergies with other projects to be able to shoot the project.

If you like this provide the capital as risk capital (nearly impossible in the initial phase), a Family Office or a business angel, you have a problem, are things that have nothing to do, all valid and useful to one and all different time of the project.

- A luxury Permítete: Do not accept the first proposal of investment will arrive. The goal is not to get money to attract money is a necessary evil for the good of the project, abusive conditions or reject permítete profiles that are not ideal and does not add value to your idea or company.
And what is the din ro €?

- The din € ro is money, but what beast mareante yes, but without added value. A gasoline refueling and then to the beast "until after Lucas' back soon, you will get me well and revenues. That's not disrespectful! Are stages of a project and if you need very far.

- On stage at which to shoot growth of a mature, you will need to din € ro beast, even at the international level. Rate solely as a financial investment, is another selection criterion, are purely financial transactions.

- Do not be intimidated by the money. The money is superb at times and often intimidated. Take the pressure off me chest and will prevent bad times. A few years ago, an average company that wanted to buy one of my companies, in the end not sold, began food-reunion in a bid to end with a "we have 500 million euros for acquisitions in the sector." Laugh, tell them the truth "You just have that; € ro din and we have many, not just you." Take off the pressure if you're at that stage, especially if you come to find that they have. Do not miss the thought, keep a cool head and do not be crazy not ask or pick more than you need, sometimes it loses the entrepreneur and always ends repenting.

Tags: Angel Busines, Business Angels, Venture Capital, money, entrepreneurs, family office, investment, investor

Culture and Technology: only brave

Culture and the internet as a concept even a little squeaking.

I am sure that new technology will revolutionize the next few years in the cultural movements, including art, music and literary world.

But that is not new and already thinking 5 or 10 years ago, the problem is not reached, there are hardly any cultural activities related to Internet culture in general, symbolic in virtually non-existent in Spain and Latin America. It is sad but true.

Investors, projects and the "attack on niche markets" in fashion and in order of importance in the economic, are to blame for delaying going cultural projects that could be very interesting and dynamic cultural movements, but by day Today at the corporate level would not be viable and profitable in a country like Spain, where the cultural consumption is low. We are in a country where you hear lots of music (which rarely buy), where the rate of book sales is low, and that despite having 2 of the major art museums in the world (Museum Prado, and contemporary art and avant-garde MNCARS) if the visit is usually an "almost" the only Spanish there.

One such project is the merit of Angel Maria Herrera, who ate a few days ago at Club 31 in Madrid (indeed, the very traditional restaurant that has earned the 5 cucharetes that have ). Bubok, draft Angel Maria, was born as an alternative editorial and publishing emulating the model of transplanting Lulu the Spanish market.

First is a romantic and above all ambitious long-term, and secondly offers unexplored possibilities for the future, not only for publishing authors, but especially for the reprinting and publication of works discontinued hundreds of publishers who do not There are ways to achieve the high cost of printing and distribution in series. All that will come and Angel Maria credit for getting a space of privilege and have opted for the literary world on the Internet or their own publishers when they have done yet, something that many would have dared not.

The entrepreneur of cultural projects in Spain, especially if it carries out the financing and it's a dreamer brave or crazy, or a friqui. I have no doubt that Angel Maria is neither crazy nor a friqui.

I met him personally more than a year ago, I remember we ate on the occasion of the book that he published "15 years of the Internet in Spain with Jorge Villabona editorial in the Owl Group, wanted to talk with me and listen to my story and then took the details of 1 extensive chapter devoted to the book to my adventures with the great characters of the new technologies in Spain, Bernardo Hernández, Luis Abril, Jesús Encinar, Carlos Blanco, Emilio Marquez, Ismael El-Qudsi, Jesus Monleon Sixto Arias, Javier Martin or Carpintier Rodolfo, among others. Has always seemed to me a very sensible person and has a professional staff and very curious, he is a person who has concerns and has done many different things in life and with a clear vocation and by the cultural background. Adding to this entrepreneurial spirit and capacity of that conviction had to be surrounded by bright people in an advisory council and to convince investors of the size of sequoias, Europa Press, El Grupo Intercom, Andreu Teixedor and Caja Navarra.

We really want to get it right adventure Bubok that in different markets, has similarities and reminds me of some things to our draft Yes.fm and I love to, because we talk about music and literature, literary and music industry, someone of significance with a serious project and is encouraged with the other leg of the great culture and one of my great passions, art.

If that project comes to an end, I call that I do not want to lose what I love to participate.

Tags: Angel Maria Herrera, Art, Bernardo Hernández, bubok, Carlos Blanco, culture, Emilio Marquez, Ismael al-Qudsi, Javier Martin, Encinar Jesus, Jesus Monleon Jorge Villabona, books, literature, Luis Abril, music, Rodolfo Carpintier, Sixto Arias, Yes.fm

Where to be. My bets for the sector

I am usually not organized and do little to long-term plans, but based on what we have prepared for the next season and the next, if I think I can describe what I think will be the key niches, where you have to be in 2009 and 2010.

This short list we have been working the last 6 months to try to "be where you have to be" in the next 2 years within the industry TIME. Of course there will always be surprises, and the points where they have been there may not be with the presence we expected.

Where I believe we should be (in alphabetical order):

Affiliation:
Big companies come to Spain as CJ specialized affiliation, other actors like zanox, Trade Doubler are doing really well. The result is beginning to be interesting where campaigns worth participate. On our side we will bring a dedicated 100% to use our media and advertising platform of some recruitment campaigns by choosing to go.

BioTech:
For me one of the major sectors with capital letters. I can not gutting the surprise (which is going to be fat, even for people in my immediate environment), especially since are not tied up, but soon will announce my participation in an ambitious project of genetics, something exciting. Today, bio technology and special knowledge and application to an individual's life in decoding the human genome is one of the great challenges of the next 10 years, and a wonderful business opportunity.

Dating:
I never liked me, I know, I am a very close, but the issue of dating is an area where there is business to be the next years. Personally I would never launch a product dating, not attractive to me personally and I am motivated, well I do not have the necessary know-how, but if you can say that I participate with a small investment in Yunu, draft Emilio Marquez and Carlos Blanco. In this case I am more happy to accompany Charles and Emilio, that the industry itself, which is not my favorite.

Geopositioning:
I firmly believe in new projects and geopositioning applications, not only from a standpoint of business model, but especially their direct involvement in other models such as e-commerce, local guides, entertainment and so on. There are several interesting projects in Spain that apply logic geopositioning GPS, Wifi, IP and soon by Galileo, the European GPS. The possibilities are many business, a sector where "you have to be."

Local guides:
I firmly believe in the market for local content on the Internet and its use local advertising to advertisers. I begin to be aware of some projects to be launched in Spanish cities, and some interesting project in Mexico and Argentina. We will launch in 2009 Madrid.net

Music:
For me the great forgotten sector of new technologies worldwide. Pandora, Last.fm, Deezer are major projects, and participate with us Yes.fm we launched a few weeks ago.
The consumption of music in the future will be fully digital and online radio will be received in all kinds of platforms over the next 2 years, TV, mobile terminals, video or the car will not be exempt from this quantum leap. The CD has already suffered this development and the radio-music formulas will include the next 5 years.

Networks Blogs:
At the level of content on the Internet believe that there should be no doubt. Gradually advertising blogs will understand more as an advertising medium, the fact that 2008 has been a key year for this. I believe we should be and I believe that, although later than I would have liked, successful in launching the network of blogs Entertainment Networks in January 2007. Indeed in a few days I think I can give some details of our network of blogs for significant growth, if not turn the trend. I think I personally will exit options at the end of 2010 some of the traffic over existing networks.

And where there be? Well, I think there are several sites. I do not want to offend sensibilities, and that someone can be attacked, but to mention one that I believe we should reduce the mention domain names. Not a good time to buy, and do I just buy large premium top level domains, but investment in domain names is not at his best because it has a margin of speculation in times of crisis ...

Tags: genetics, Madrid.net, domain names, Yes.fm, yunu

The traditional company can (and should!) Do well on the Internet: The case of successful Oranges lola

I am nothing to eat fruit, we will let them do it!. But I started to be interested in the case of a small business, "Lola Oranges" some time ago, when my father and my sister told me for different reasons from them. I tried the home of my parents and I found odd color and taste, is not usual and I liked it.

Oranges Lola is a small family business from his garden in Valencia oranges sold online. Yes, dozens of companies may do so but, believe me, nothing like "Oranges Lola."

The online selling fresh food is extremely complicated. There are products that are theoretically headlong or are hardly compatible with Internet, including in particular we emphasize the food. The case is that when things are done with love and do well when, while working with limited means a quality product, establishing brand and promoted well, things work and break barriers.

Through its website, very simple design with a small family business that provides press releases, product information, photos of their gardens, full explanation of its business lines (orange organic, gourmet and press releases) and of course online sales.

Lola has positioned its orange and mandarin oranges as a gourmet product quality, creating a national brand from the Internet. Serve orders on hundreds of homes on minimum order of 15 kilos, but also to restaurants in Spain run by the major globally and chefs Ferrán Adrià of El Bulli restaurant Mugaritz Andoni Aduriz, El Salvador Gallego Cenador Salvador, El Racó Santi Santamaria of Can Fabes, Juan Pablo Felipe El Chamfer, Abraham Viridiana Garcia, Oscar Velasco Sant Celoni and Martin Berasategui. Almost ná!

The communication is based on oranges Lola make clear that they are a small family business with a "special" and are devoted to the sale from the Internet. In fact, their main source of income and national distribution is the web. Under the slogan "the tree to your table in 24 hours," the company collects valenciana season on request and sends oranges and tangerines in 24 hrs. It is a special product, which pampers and cares but the key is in the personal, is a small family business and this is key pamper your product than anyone else.

A few months ago, concerned (I repeat, I am not eating oranges my curiosity was more of the other) fill out the form via the Web. At 24 am I was a very nice girl, who certainly was not a typical call center:-D ( "Thank you for your interest in Oranges Lola!") And then began to thank me to be interested in their orange , explains why they are so rich and special function as the months and years that are for sale (it is a seasonal product which begins its season in November). After a while and chat satiate my curiosity, I stated that all persons interested in the product personally called a family member to tell them as caregivers and develop their product.

Similarly told they would receive a complete dossier sent to all customers in more detail.

What surprised me most is that I said that if an order to not have to pay. Once at home, when you've proven you've eaten and they're happy with the pay. We do not pay or ask or the carrier. You will when you've eaten if you have liked, they want your product, yquieren trust the people happy.

Whenever I have a more complete form on the Internet must be professional bias, and this time I was very pleased to have done and to see the other side and I appreciated the interest involved.
A few days later I received full dossier on the company, oranges, views of Ferrán Adrià and other prominent restaurateurs on their oranges. Believe me that we are not talking about a multinational which has paid for advertising, but is more likely to have literally taken the van and went to take the oranges to try and have liked.

So things are done, and can be sold (including oranges) on the Internet, and transmitting the love, care and devotion to a particular product in an increasingly impersonal society in which nothing is personal.

My interest, as well as curiosity bad sound, was made to be seen as caring and endorse your product and the opinions he had heard, but it was also because I would soon jamon.net market from a brand selling Iberian Internet. In particular sales of Iberian hams and loins under the Jamon.net and Designation of Origin Dehesa de Extremadura (only selected parts and very limited quantities and andalusia numbered years). For this 6-8 months ago I bought the domain to a Japanese (I put it very, very difficult to send noses )

Either way, I guarantee that this year's breakfast "Oranges lola," the brick of orange juice has its days at home and now I have the November 5 scheduled for a warning to remember the order. So it is good.

PS: If you can, especially if you like oranges, if me, ask them and try it.

Tags: traditional company, success, Internet jamon.net, orange lola

Press conference and festival Yes.fm

Yesterday at 11:00 a.m. yes.fm presented at a press conference in Madrid, from the Tower Area. The fact that the building in Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid, is a show you only 230 meters high. Really incredible views and construction of the tower. I think it was a great choice of Oscar Mendez power to hold a press conference here, just getting into the "roof" of Madrid and be the first to see for within and worth.

The truth is that I wanted to spend that day and I think we have all spent many nerves and that we had all wanted to come today, the day after. Feel that the draft yes.fm that takes many months and running, it begins today when "real."

At the press conference to highlight some of the basic lines of the draft Yes.

First, Christophe Cassand CEO Yes.fm thanked and welcomed all the guests and introduced us on behalf of those who take the word Yes. So Kiko Fuentes, Director of Content Yes.fm gave a brief presentation of the music market momentum, the evolution of digital music and the evolution of the industry towards a digital model, leaving an archaic medium that should fall disused as Cd

Later took the floor again to provide some Christophe magnitude of the project, currently 2,100,000 songs catalog and come up with agreements that closed with independent labels and aggregators, the investment project of € 4,000,000, international expansion provided, structure and objectives of the company.

At that time began the demo in a huge videowall from Frédéric Terrier, Director General of Yes.fm. For about 12 minutes provided some of the features of yes, how to use the product, the power and usability of it. I think these were very satisfied with the result of the development of this demo, which also were able to see before and after the press conference on multiple computers installed in the room.

I finally took the floor to discuss the future evolution of the product, with several key points. First developments, we are already working on integration through implementation of a Yes.fm on Iphone / Ipod, and later in other devices such as BlackBerry, Nokia, HTC ...) but also the forthcoming integration with consoles internet connection (Wii, PSP, Playstation).

Also on some products that will launch soon, as Yes.Shop is offering the download fulltracks, albums and even complete playlist, as well as the integration of a marketplace to buy merchandaising of your favorite artist, concert tickets and travel etc.

Another of our products that we believe will be of particular interest to users is the production of Yes.Box is WiFi speakers with high quality digital display, which can bring the experience of any Yes.fm corner of your home, not as a transmitter receiver, but as an interface through which you can order a la carte music from the computer display and listen to a collection of 2,000,000 selecting songs without going to the PC you want to hear at every moment.

Also, we will present some agreements have been reached as the incorporation of yes.fm inside Media Centers, as "Elisa" that now offer yes.fm series, the goal is to bring music yes to the center of the home; TV and lounge, and you can use to browse and listen to any music yes only with the remote control of television. Frédéric made a demo, and I think everyone was quite surprised at the possibilities of this tool.

Also a bit of progress which will be Yes.fm in the car. But that is a very exciting topic that deserves a separate post ...

Although only 24 hours have passed, many newspapers and media have already made the launching of eco yes, I did not want to mention and acknowledge the presence of all of them:

Loogic

Gembeta

CNN +

El Pais

DNA

VNUnet

RConversation

Public

Dot News

Yahoo!

The Economist

PCWorld

Canarias 7

Terra

Technology Today

Star Digital

Metro

Soitu

Digital Journalist

La Opinion de Malaga

Bulletin

Opinion

El Faro de Vigo

Levante

Diario de Mallorca

Journal Information

La Opinión de Murcia

Diario de Ibiza

Zamora

IDG

CiberSur

Current Music

and many more which will surely have not seen yet and will publish the next few days, thanks to them all.

Just the day to as many as since the 21.00hrs held a private party at the Hotel Puerta America, in a lovely penthouse with beautiful views. This hotel is one of the most representative new hotels in Madrid, its originality is among other things, that each of the floors of the building has been designed, made and decorated by an architect of the first online world including Jean Nouvel, Norman Foster David Chipperfield.

The truth is that 250invitados spent a good time, were able to access PC's with demos and take some yes.fm and copillas

Throughout the day I could see and spend some time at the moment, less than I'd like to, Javier Martin, Alberto Vadillo, Jesus Alonso, Antonio Ortiz (who even did not know personally, and I look to your blog ), Carlos Blanco (I felt I could not come because of a problem with Iberia to the press, I would have liked to see him and see the assembly), Cesar Nunez, Paula Miraved (newcomer vacation), Juan Agustin Jimenez, Susana Casado, Vincent Sendra, Jose Manuel Gasalla, Carlos Roca (recently returned from vacation too!), Luis Alonso-Lasheras, Fabrice, Jean-Luc and their children, Santiago Fernandez .... Sorry for those who forget to mention, have been crazy days of little sleep and I think I need a break

Also I miss people who could not come and those who could not invite. To all of them, and the people of Lewis for his great work, thank you.

Tags: Carlos Roca, Christophe Cassand, party, Frederic Terrier, Javier Martin, Kiko Fuentes, Lewis, Oscar Mendez, wheel press, Yes.fm

But Where the hell are JASP?

I always did that grace in 90 of Jasper, about Youth Although ample preparations. It seems that now call JASPI (adding the "I" of undervalued). I had not ever heard, should I be doing more.

Months led to believe, where the hell are they?. (pardon me)

We complain a lot of little support to entrepreneurs in Spain and is generally speaking countries, but when someone curiously, I was in this case, an entrepreneur seeking to put in front of a computer, a project and a budget is not easy to find what you want.

One of our major projects to develop the project in 2009 Madrid.net. We bought the domain for months by about 30,000 €, and I do hope this special project because it first wanted to do something in my city, I think secondly We have a formula business as transplantable franchises or opening themselves to a second phase in a few years to other large cities.

Another powerful reason is that I believe strongly in the field of local guides and themed markets in large high-level business, is still a large niche with great potential for exploitation on the Internet and mobile internet. We spent "dating fashion, fashion social networks" and opts for 2 sectors, an immediate, and music which I think will be the key sector in the coming months and will be busy, hence our adventure with yes.fm and another sector in my view will be in 2009 and especially 2010 micro content, e-commerce and advertising in local media and local guides, and we want to position Madrid.net launched in 2009.

Queremos que nuestro portal temático sea una red social dedicada al mundo cultural, turístico, y de ocio en Madrid, con noticias y  foros temáticos segmentados a nivel de pueblo, barrios,  distritos, e incluso calles y centrada en desarrollos de comercio electrónico, con muchas posibilidades publicitarias y de negocio. Tenemos el plus de ciertos compromisos de inversión y apoyo público al proyecto, que se desarrollaría en inglés y español, y posiblemente japonés.

Hace algunos meses empecé la búsqueda de un emprendedor para capitanear este proyecto. La idea es formar a su alrededor un equipo comercial y editorial y encontrar una persona con un perfil muy definido; joven, ¡incluso insultantemente joven!, que viva hace años en Madrid y conozca la Comunidad, que tenga una cierta experiencia y/o conocimiento comercial y de marketing, que comprenda la web 2.0 y SOBRE TODO tenga una especial iniciativa e ilusión en desarrollar su propio proyecto con el apoyo financiero y de nuestra estructura garantizado.

Lamentablemente aun no he dado con esta persona, y lo sigo buscado, intentando dar con este perfil en los próximos meses. Busco alguien con mucha ilusión; con ganas de comerse el mundo, y ofrecerle importantes incentivos económicos como una importante participación accionarial en el proyecto , y aumento de la misma según objetivos. Lamentablemente no hay mucha gente con esa ilusión e iniciativa suficiente, o al menos yo no la estoy encontrando aun y muchas de las personas que valoro, cuando las conozco más a fondo, veo que lo que buscan es una vida tranquila y fácil, una mesa y un sueldo a fin de mes sin complicarse la vida. Un llegar y obtener todo rápido de forma tranquila, sin problemas, sin tener que pensar y buscarle las vueltas a las cosas demasiado y sin que cueste mucho esfuerzo.

Es una pena, pero de veras cada vez veo más gente joven que busca un trabajo de mileurista, ser rico pronto sin mucho esfuerzo, trabajar de 9 a 15 hrs, o mañana y tarde, pero sin problemas, sin muchas ilusiones, sin compromisos, sin complicarse, sin exigencias de horarios extra;  es decir una vida fácil y cómoda, pagar la hipoteca y desconectar el fin de semana. Poca gente está dispuesta a ese plus extra, ese sacrificio, ilusión e iniciativa emprendedora que yo estoy buscando.

Sigo mi búsqueda así que si conoces a mi JASP, no dejes de recomendármelo!!

Tags: emprendedor , emprender , guias locales , iniciativa , JASP , Madrid , Madrid.net , ocio , Web 2.0 , Yes.fm

Google Knol; o cómo Google se hace trampas a sí mismo (ya nosotros)

Hace unos días Dios anunció el lanzamiento de su nuevo juguete, Knol (espantoso nombre por cierto), de esta manera Google pretende posicionarse como un competidor de Wikipedia y ya de paso controlar uno de los pocos reductos que aun no ha comprado o controlado en la red.

Lo que diferenciará a esta nueva enciclopedia electrónica de la Wikipedia es que los autores ¿cobrarán? por sus participaciones, ya que recibirán ingresos que se generarán a través de los anuncios de Adsense que aparecerán en las páginas. Esperemos que sea más rentable y real ese pago que cuando Google anunció que compartiría con los autores de vídeos ingresos publicitarios en YouTube, algo que sólo al momento ha sido posible y con cantidades ridículas a grandes partners tipo Antena 3Tv en España.

En su blog de noticias en español, Google explica ahora que su misión es “organizar la información mundial”. No sé si eso es mandato divino, o que son una ONG, yo pensaba simplemente que lo que estaban intentando con Knol es simplemente cortar las alas a la Wikipedia y seguir convirtiéndose en lo que no deberían: un generador de contenidos, es decir, juez y parte (buscador y generador de contenido). Al menos Google ya reconoce abiertamente que su intención es competir con Wikipedia.

¿Quiénes más pagarán esta expansión de Google? Básicamente todos sus pequeños partners de la red de contenido de Adsense a los que sin duda el buscador va a retrasar de posiciones, “arañándoles” unos cientos de euros mensuales preciosos.

No es malo querer ganar dinero. No es malo querer ganar un mercado. Lo que sí es malo e inmoral es hacerlo en nombre de “organizamos la información mundial para ayudaros, insignificantes usuarios que debéis agradecernos esta labor altruista”. Suena a chiste. Yo no necesito que Google me salve ni me solucione la vida, y tampoco creo que lo estén haciendo. Me recuerda a la denuncia de Tele5 a YouTube donde el responsable de YouTube por tener que quitar vídeos que no son suyos del portal decía que se estaba atacando la libertad de la red. (Estos chicos a veces confunden libertad y negocio).

Ahora bien, leí en un error 500 -mágnifico blog, de mis favoritos-, algo que me pareció muy interesante: Knol aparece mejor posicionada que cualquier otra web que no tiene Adsense. Google posiciona a Google. ¿Dónde está la ética?, ¿Qué ha sido de los muchachos de “Dont be Evil”?. Hay empresas que tienen barra libre, se ríen de nosotros y están respaldadas por un lobby tan potente que evita que nadie actué contra ellas. ¿Caerá en su posicionamiento en los próximos meses Wikipedia en detrimento de Knol?

Mientras tanto, uno de los padres de WWW Tim Berners-Lee, pide que se mantenga la ¿neutralidad? de la red . La amenaza, según él, es que los gobiernos nos controlen a través de la web. Acaso, no debemos preguntarnos si el que nos ya nos controla ¿no es Google?. ¿La tan llamada neutralidad de la red no es un monopolio de Google Inc?

Podríamos animarnos a pensar en el gran buscador como un ojo, una “telepantalla”, el Gran Hermano, citando la obra del magnífico Orwell. Ahora todos la tenemos en casa, en el teléfono móvil, en la oficina. En su afán por observarnos y nuclear toda la información, Gran Hermano ha enviado misiones a la selva, a la montaña, etc. El Google Earth Outreach ayuda a asociaciones sin fines de lucro a “contar sus historias” y de paso… a generar más información y mejorar sus Google Maps. El problema no solo pasa por una cuestión de Google. Internet garantiza visibilidad y todos, absolutamente todos, quieren aparecer en la red. Hasta hay un ranking de popularidad en la net. Las asociaciones a las que “ayuda” Google, les conviene mostrarse y estar bien posicionadas. En el mercado de internet ¿todo vale? Mientras tanto, Wikipedia ya incluyó el término Knol dentro de su terminología. Y Knol por ahora, gracias a Dios, sólo aparece en inglés…. Y por mi que siga así por muchos años ¡!

Tags: error500 , Google , gran hermano , knol , wikipedia

Unas risas con Cuil.com

La semana pasada muchos blogs comentaron la salida al mercado de Cuil . Parece que el nombre quiere decir algo como “conocimiento” en gaélico (vamos, para frikis que van de élite intelectual).

Como ya casi todo el mundo sabe se trata de un buscador creado por ex-ingenieros de Dios , y todo el mérito que se le atribuye es ese; que al estar ex-ingenieros de Google se les presupone capacitados para mejorar Google. Vamos, como si se van 10 ingenieros de Ferrari , se ponen a fabricar coches y presupones que van a ser mejores que los Ferrari.

Google nació para el gran público en un momento de mercado muy especial, en el que las búsquedas estaban muy abandonadas, con demasiada presencia publicitaria y muy marcadas por el SPAM sin que a los grandes motores de búsquedas les interesara luchar contra él. De hecho, para ordenar sus índices, simplemente olvidaron sus robots y spiders y se centraron en organizar directorios ( Yahoo, Lycos , Terra , Ya.com ) que contenían pocos enlaces pero eran revisados por personas que “daban fe” de su calidad. Ese fue el momento oportunidad de Google que revolucionó el mercado.

El caso es que he dedicado a Cuil el tiempo que se merece; unos 3-4 minutos. En esos 3-4 minutos mi primera impresión es que no se lo han gastado en diseño…. que no tiene sentido la página inicial en negro, y las de resultados en blanco… que aporta poco, vamos que sobra , que la mayor novedad que veo es la forma de mostrar resultados en 3 columnas. Seguro que algún genio lo encumbra y lo usa… al menos hasta que desaparezca

Me hizo mucha gracia cuando me escribió un email para contarme que nacía Cuil mi buen amigo Fred, (aka John Lydon) “ha llegado hoy Cuil, un nuevo buscador creado por ex-ingenieros de Google, que aun no sé cuando desaparecerá …”.

Lo que me gustaría a mi es saber “para qué” ha llegado. Aunque fuera realmente novedoso y mejorara la experiencia de búsqueda -no es el caso según parece- Google tiene una posición tan dominante que estas iniciativas aportan lo justo y sobran.

Vamos, como lanzar una bebida de cola en España para competir con Coca Cola con los argumentos de que detrás del producto está personal de Coca Cola Company y que está más rica que la original.

A ver si alguien pica y se lo compra…. o estos me temo que no se comen las uvas …

Tags: Buscadores , coca cola , cuil , Google

Yes.fm llegó el momento: Abrimos la pre-Beta privada de YES.FM

Desde hace más de un año estamos trabajando en un proyecto de música en streaming, del que quizás algunos habéis oído ya hablar, se trata de Yes.fm un proyecto en el que un reducido grupo de socios fundadores hemos invertido 4 millones de Euros.

Yes.fm es un ambicioso proyecto, con vocación internacional y que se abrirá al público en España en Septiembre y en estos días hemos puesto en marcha, tras un año de trabajo, una pre-beta privada.

Aun sin ánimo de develar demasiado del proyecto antes de su apertura y destripar la sorpresa , sí quiero destacar lo difícil que ha resultado iniciar en España un emprendimiento de estas dimensiones. El mercado musical, muy atacado por una piratería generalizada, es en principio muy reacio a todo lo que sea mezclar música e internet. Aun así en Yes.fm hemos logrado firmar un  contrato para distribuir la música de las 4 majors del sector ( Sony-BMG , Universal , Warner y EMI ) , siendo Yes.fm en estos momentos la única compañía a nivel mundial con un acuerdo de estas características (teniendo en cuenta que Warner anunció recientemente que se retiraba de last.fm hasta nueva orden ). En paralelo también hemos firmado con sellos nacionales ( Subterfuge , BOA , Blanco y Negro , La Central Digital ), y se están finalizando acuerdos parecidos con los dos sellos independientes más importantes de la industria musical a nivel mundial: Beggars y Pias .

Sabemos que tenemos mucho trabajo por delante, no sólo ahora sino especialmente tras la apertura oficial de Yes.fm en los primeros días de Septiembre, pero creo que es un producto ambicioso, que va a sorprender a propios y extraños y que podría estar llamado a revolucionar el concepto del negocio de la música en España. Es un objetivo ambicioso y apostamos fuerte por ello.

A medio plazo tenemos la intención de que Yes.fm no quedé en el mercado local, sino poder exportar el producto a otros países, especialmente en mercados francófonos e hispanohablantes.

Creo además que tengo unos grandes socios y compañeros de viaje que son toda una garantía de éxito, teniendo la suerte de contar en nuestro equipo entre otros, con el know how de gente tan prestigiosa en el sector discográfico como Kiko Fuentes , que fue Director General de Warner Music Spain durante más de una década.

¿Porqué “pre-beta”?. Es una etapa inicial de 1 semana sólo para unas pocas decenas de usuarios. En las próximas semanas pasaremos al estado de Beta Privada con 5.000 usuarios, y en ese momento enviaremos las invitaciones personales a amigos, conocidos, usuarios etc, y en Septiembre el lanzamiento oficial abierto a todo el público.

Si alguien está especialmente interesado en probar Yes.fm, que deje un comentario en este post y le haré llegar una invitación para probar el servicio en las próximas semanas al estar online la Beta Privada (no puede ser en la pre-beta actual, muy limitada a 100 personas). Aún asi, en Septiembre abrirá el servicio para todo el mundo.

Tags: blanco y negro , emi , last.fm , musica , radio , streaming , universal , warner , Yes.fm