Do you feel some days you can't read anything without seeing implications for General Magic? Well, perhaps this is one of those days.
Here's an interesting article "Portals quickly becoming a commodity". And here's the significance to GM. Excite has to have a unified messaging product. Can they all share the same product? Has Excite become exclusive to GM? Have they gotten the best partner?
zdii.com
In the past, I often thought GM could become a portal, or at least a voice portal. Well, it looks like that's not likely, at least as a stand-alone product. Also, the fact that I am the only one who thinks this, aside from a few other GM zealots, makes me wonder.
So, does GM work as an arrow in Excite's quiver, or can they be a multi-portal service? Sure would be a killer moment if they could get one more such deal.
It's also interesting to read about the role of a portal. Do they just collect advertising, and act to hand off the deals to other vertically integrated services? Can they be involved in the sale? Kenya may try to do more than what we see with a typical portal transaction today, but if it's so hot, why would it have any relevance to voice? Why wouldn't the portals be falling over themselves trying to get this service today?
zdii.com
I'm really intrigued by the previous quote "The Walled Garden". How to capture the customer by providing the greatest service and therefore keeping him in your walled garden.
Certainly, GM is a small piece of the puzzle. How can they stay independent? Are they so replicable? I wish I knew. And so goes the continuing Qwest for truth.
Regards,
Mark |
