Colin Charles Agenda

“If you give people a legal way to consume the content they want, they will pay for it. But when you make it impossible to legally consume the content they want, they will pirate it.” – Fred Wilson #screwable

I’ve said this many times. The world is flat. There is no worldwide currency so you can’t use exchange rates to justify higher costs in different markets. People have friends around the world, and they’d like to talk about that episode of House with their friends worldwide after they’ve seen it.

Give people sensible legal options. Don’t censor content (really, rely on the ratings).

Markets in Asia today have no streaming tv/movie content. No streaming radio. No purchasing of legal music. There is so much growth potential. If only the industry sees it. The technology is already here. Profiteers are what’s blocking progress.

I used to click “Share” on Google Reader quite regularly. I occasionally did “Share with note”. Google’s killed this feature, focusing on loading a +1 button in the iOS/mobile interface (/reader/i). If you use the regular view (/reader/view), you have the option of +1 or a g+ Share.

The +1 just does just that. It says I +1 it. I like it. I endorse it. The g+ Share is like the old “Share with note”.

I do most of my RSS reading on a host of mobiles (iPhone, Android devices, Nokia N9) and my tablet (an iPad). The default view is this one. The iOS/touch interface. I usually use a 3G connection, and sometimes its not so hot. The +1 button is a graphic that has to load. And it occasionally pops up a new window, loads something in Plus, then comes back to the reader. It just breaks my flow.

So I’ve stopped sharing on Google Reader. It takes too much work to use +1. It is not seamless. It is not integrated. It just seems like an afterthought of “oh shit, we need to make Reader more social; lets tack on the +1 button”.

Google Reader is a great service. Its free. It solves my problem of reading on multiple devices because it is a “one synced RSS feed” (because it is online). I used to use desktop RSS readers on Linux and Mac OSX, but I’ve pretty much just focused on Google Reader for the last few years. I even had a great list of shared items. Now I just star items if I want to come back to it later…

Today HTC had some interesting announcements: it cut its revenue forecast for the fourth quarter of 2011 to no growth. This used to be in the range of 20-30%/quarter. In some markets, they realise they are losing out to Apple and Samsung.

My introduction to HTC came with the Google Nexus One. It was an awesome device, and made me fall in love with Android. I then tried the HTC Desire HD right after my Nexus One died; it made me so unhappy, I switched to an iPhone 4 within a couple of weeks.

Samsung has built the Google Nexus S, and the upcoming Google Galaxy Nexus. The future is wide open, as you might get devices from Google-Motorola. If you’re buying an Android device, only buy a Google-sanctioned device. The rest are basically outdated when released and will never make you happy (and I say this, liking the Samsung Galaxy S2 for example).

Is HTC suffering because they’re building a Facebook phone? Google would have known this, thus pushing their phone manufacturing towards Samsung. HTC already has at least two “Facebook phones”, i.e. phones that have a Facebook button on them that takes you directly to Facebook. I cannot imagine how this is a selling point, but if your life is inside Facebook, it makes absolute sense.

And it got me thinking. HTC has bet on Android and Windows Phone. Microsoft is working closely with Nokia on Windows Phone. If Windows Phone rocks, it will rock best on the Nokia’s. Where does this leave HTC?

Malaysia does not have compulsory voting for all citizens (like Australia does). It would make absolute sense especially since Malaysia is a democracy, but ever since independence we’ve only had one ruling coalition. Malaysia is a great country, but it can do with a lot of improvements. Everyone voting will help reboot her.

Pete Teo came up with UNDILAH. That loosely translates to “vote-lah”. It is an awesome video. Following @reg2vote (site) will help you see where you can register as a voter. Registering is only half the battle — going to the polling stations when the time comes is going full circle.

Watch the video embedded below. Or click here.

Pierre Hermé Paris recently opened at Selfridges in London (400 Oxford St – get out at Bond Street tube stop). The shop is rigid – you can either pick a few, and if you want packs, they recommend it to be pre-packed. Heritage from about the 1970s, with each macaroon setting you back about £2 or so.

Unless you get one with white truffles (pic). These are rare, and when they exist, they fly off the shelves. You don’t get them in pre-packaged gift boxes because it would overwhelm the other macaroons. They really taste good, heavenly even. I never figured truffles would go well in sweets, but its clear that this pâtissier has figured it out.

The Guardian wonders if they are the world’s best macaroons? For me, they definitely are.

One of the best ice creams in the world is by Berthillon. Get it exclusively in Paris, France. Get a few scoops if you happen to be there. The ice creams are truly luxurious (never bothered with the sorbets). Many shops on the “island” sell it, and its got heritage — started in 1954. Google Maps link.