Nick Bergus Thoughts on what media do, and can do better, and other things

Earlier today I tweeted: The Guardian doesn’t give the book’s title until the fourth paragraph, but when it does, it doesn’t shy away from treating its readers like adults and using the full title. Then, for good measure, it quotes a few passages. In full. (The Guardian‘s online bookstore sells the book as Go the [...]

The media world is on fire with news that Apple is finally allowing subscriptions in iOS apps! I want in, too, so here’s Apple’s press release and my blow-by-blow commentary. CUPERTINO, California—February 15, 2011—Apple® today announced a new subscription service available to all publishers of content-based apps on the App Store℠, including magazines, newspapers, video, [...]

Earlier this month, the Corridor Business Journal reported that Iowa City was all but video store-less. Mr. Movies and others have closed, and That’s Rentertainment, a local independent shop, was soon to follow suit, leaving us with a just single Blockbuster. This is gets back to the news business, just stick with me. That’s Rentertainment has clearly seen [...]

I find John Gruber, when he’s got the snark dialed up to 11, annoying, grating, vial and egotistical. But that’s only when I disagree with him. I, of course, love it when we’re on the same side. Gruber seems like a smart guy. His analysis and reporting is usually good. He’s willing to point out the [...]

Remember how The New Yorker is on Tumblr? Tumblr is diverse. Some blogs cover politics. Some collect examples of cutting edge Web design. Some blogs have a personal vibe. Some post for lulz. But the ones that work, at least to my mind, remember that Tumblr is a social platform and have an authentic voice. [...]

I use Google Reader like most RSS subscribers. But you know what? Tumblr’s better. (Added: I know Tumblr’s not a true RSS reader. Stick with me.) Here are five reasons: No “unread” counts I hate watching the number of unread items pile up until it hits “1000+.” Dave Winer thinks that’s the wrong way, too. [...]

A story posted by KCRG warns potential renters and home buyer about the dangers of finding property online! As technology improves, criminals keep finding new ways to scam people. Realtors say more and more con artists are trying to take advantage of people looking to buy or rent homes online. See, Realtors nowadays have to [...]

Today, The New Yorker said on Twitter: We are now on @tumblr! Follow us: http://newyorker.tumblr.com/ But the magazine has 199 pages of Tumblr posts and its first post is dated Dec. 1, 2009. So really they meant We are now going to try to pay attention to our @tumblr! Follow us: http://newyorker.tumblr.com/ or We remembered [...]

Just a few points that I wanted to make in response to the conversation I was having with Dave Schwartz on Twitter about Facebook’s ever-changing privacy policy and the growing complaints about it that doesn’t quite fit in 140 characters: Facebook isn’t “free” for users. It doesn’t cost them money (unless they’re buying gifts or game credits [...]

Twitter released a small, simple app called Blackbird Pie that, when Twitter isn’t painfully slow and blogged down, should make it easy to embed a tweet in a blog post. It creates little bit of static HTML code that you can plop in a page. Like so: This is a tweet that I will later [...]