Eric Slivka / MacRumors:
Apple Retail Stores to Allow Self-Checkout via iOS App for Accessory Purchases  —  MacRumors has learned that Apple is planning to launch an update to its retail store iOS app that will allow consumers to utilize self-checkout for purchases of accessories and other shelf-stocked items at the company's retail stores.

from Techmeme http://www.techmeme.com/111031/p14#a111031p14

It's summertime and I suddenly have a lot of time on my hands. Whatever will I do? I have always wanted to up my grilling game and now is the perfect time to do it. At least once a week I will be using a recipe from either Weber's 'Way to Grill' or one of the many from America's Test Kitchen. Both are trusted sources and provide the resources I need to become a better grill master.

Slow Smoked Spareribs with Sweet-and-Sour Barbecue Sauce.

I started out with my favorite BBQ staple, spareribs. I choose ribs to challenge myself, I had to use indirect heat and smoke the meat for more than four hours. I ended up with rich layers of smoke, rub and sauce. The ribs were juicy and fell off the bone. The whole six hour process gave me the confidence to continue my #SummerOfGrilling.

(download)

Click here to download:

my-summerofgrilling-jganbthosepJxgtHyFxv.zip (20.16 MB)

The Problem:

Finding an entry-level job in advertising is hard, finding one during the recession is next to impossible. How do you get yourself noticed in a field that is full of creative minded people along with a pool full of experienced professionals looking for work? What do you do when your education and college experience aren’t enough to catch the eye of an HR rep?

My Solution:

I needed to do something more than just send out resumes and hope for a call back, I needed to get in front of the people who would see and recognize my talent. I needed to explore new methods and learn new things.

Strategy:

In the summer of 2009, I set out on a journey to learn about and create a campaign using QR codes. The strategy was to get myself ‘discovered’ by account planners and creative directors at advertising agencies in Minneapolis. The campaign relied on the recipient's curiosity to scan the code and ‘discover’ me. I had the resources and knew the market wouldn’t have seen anything like this.

Tactics:

I created business cards with my logo, a QR on one side and a Microsoft Tag on the other with instructions on how to use the code. I decided to use both types of codes because at that time QRs were more recognizable and MS Tags could be tracked. The cards were mailed in orange envelopes with Simpsons stamps to represent a little of my personality and bring further interest. There was no identification whatsoever, just a logo and a code. When the code was scanned the participant was taken to www.youfoundjohnnybones.mobi, a mobile site I built using free tools online. Once on the site I introduced myself, explained why they were there and asked them to explore more about me.

I tracked the campaign using Google analytics on the .mobi site and scans of Microsoft Tags. I tracked the success of the campaign based on the informational interviews I received. Overall I had about 13 visitors to the site with around 20 Pageviews and I was given two informational interviews and it was mentioned in a tweet. The campaign costs were minimal, there were domain and hosting costs, printing, and postage. The total cost of the campaign was $180. The cost per informational interview was $90.

Take Aways:

Overall I had two great conversations and made two contacts within the field. In the end, the campaign did not yield the results I was expecting. I anticipated that account planners would have been more familiar with the codes than perhaps they were in actuality. I can’t help but think that I was about nine months ahead of the curve. I did walk away having a better understanding of building a campaign, how to use QR codes, which ones to use and how to track them. 

On Saturday afternoon, like the American I am, I was parked in the parking lot of McDonalds wolfing down a McChicken before I had to go to work and I noticed the customer service survey on the receipt. I looked at my phone and wondered if the survey site was mobile friendly. In short, no.  It's hard to explain, simply put, it didn't work and I never got a chance to submit the survey. Out of curiosity I tried other retailer's surveys on my phone and found them usable, but not mobile friendly. The long-form questions that are asked in the surveys along with tables to gage satisfaction/dissatisfaction are not easy to use from a mobile phone.

Surveys are a way for stores to receive feedback about customers' in-store experience and the surveys currently being used have major flaws built in. They assume you will go home, take the time to access the site and remember the experience you had. I don’t know about you, but by the time I get home I have already moved onto the next thing.

The most frustrating part about the surveys were they built to be viewed and interacted with on larger screens. The screen grab below is what the survey looks like in a mobile browser. Yeah I can zoom in, but I can only zoom in so much. I had to scroll side to side to verify I was giving the correct response to the corresponding question. It was also hard to select the desired radio button without accidentally selecting another.

In a world where access to the Internet is in the palm of our hands and the ability to instantly compliment/complain about guest service via our social networks retailers should refocus their survey strategies to make them mobile friendly.

So last year I announced here that Zhu Zhu pets were going to be 2009’s hottest Christmas toy, well I am back again to announce 2010’s.

This year’s hottest toy are Squinkies. WTF are Squinkies? They are little rubbery-plastic babies, dogs and other assorted collectible things that come in plastic containers which are housed in supermarket quarter toy machines. The goal is to collect them all (like most toys) and wear them as jewelry.

I got to the bottom of it with Summit in this radio ad about which pitch I would be. For all of you who still listen to ad supported radio in Minnesota make sure to listen for it.

Summit_Ad_-_Baseball_Pitch_(final_Mix).mp3

(download)

Click here to download:

Summit_Ad_-_Baseball_Pitch_(final_Mix).mp3 (1.16 MB)

Jeeze do I really sound like that?

So here is the rub, I have been looking for a job and the perfect opportunity has presented itself. Today I ask you, dear follower, to take the lead and be one of my references. I will be using the hashtag #whyjohnnybones in my tweets to present my qualifications and reasons why I should be hired as Deluxe's social media intern.

How can you help? In the spirit of Follow Friday please use the hashtag #whyjohnnybones and share why you think I would be the best candidate for the job or why you've included me in your social circle. Have fun with #whyjohnnybones, for example "#whyjohnnybones I hear 4 out 5 dentists recommend him." You might not know me IRL, but we have crossed paths on the Internet at some time and I'm sure you can come up with a reason why I would be the perfect person for this position.

I want to thank you for hearing me out and I look forward to your contribution to #whyjohnnybones.

AT&T is screwed. I am an AT&T customer and I have been with them when they were Cingular. I have never really had a complaint with their service, but then again I don't own an iPhone. An analyst predicts AT&T will have exclusive carrier rights to the iPhone through 2011 which was helped in part by AT&T's bid for 3G data plans for the iPad. In the short-term AT&T is milking the iPhone for everything it's worth and not looking at the larger picture; Android.

Yes, AT&T has one Android device right now, the Backflip, and plans to roll out four or five more by the end of the year. The problem is, AT&T closed the door on an open platform, only allowing their company branded apps and changing the default search to Yahoo. It's open source they can do what they want, but which map application offers a more robust set of features, Google or AT&T? How often does Yahoo modify their mobile search features? From what I read on Google's mobile blog they are tweaking their mobile search features and functionality almost once every two weeks. AT&T has been blinded by iPhone mania and is not able to see the future of the mobile platform. 

Don't get me wrong Apple and the iPhone changed the mobile/smart phone game, but now the competition has devices, which run custom UIs, that put the 3GS to shame. And yes everyone knows the fourth generation iPhone is coming out in June and will have a front-facing camera and other sorts of bells and whistles. It still doesn't make up for the fact that the Android platform is a beast and will start devouring market share with releases like the Incredible and the Nexus One on Verizon and T-Mobile.

I could get into the App Store/Market debate, but that would open the Apple vs. Google can of worms and that takes away from my main point of AT&T being left in the dust.

The only reason people are choosing AT&T is because it has the iPhone. In a recent survey, about half of Verizon's customers would ditch their current phone for an iPhone, but wouldn't change carriers to get it. To add insult to injury AT&T ranked dead last in a customer satisfaction poll done by Consumer Reports.

AT&T's lack of foresight to bring in more Android devices and keep the platform open is going to bite them in the ass when their exclusive contract is up with Apple and the iPhone is on Verizon.