Facebook Smartphone a Dumb Idea, Says Farhad Manjoo 128
beaverdownunder writes "Farhad Manjoo examines Facebook's rumoured entry into the smartphone market, concluding, 'So what would be the point in using the Facebook phone? Well, remember, it will be cheap. But so are lots of Android phones. If Facebook makes a phone, then, the device will necessarily spark a battle for the low end of the phone market, with each company offering ever-cheaper devices in the hopes of cashing in on some future advertising bonanza. If you're looking for a cheap, ad-heavy phone based on a dubious business model, you should rejoice. Otherwise, try to stifle your yawns.'"
irrelevant (Score:2, Informative)
Not to disagree with Farhad's thesis, but none the less, Farhad may be the worst tech pundit ever. At least pundits of yore, even where their crystal balls were a little cloudy, had some actual tech bona-fides and did at least a bit of original research. Things like, you know, ingratiating themselves into the tech industry they report on. Farhad sits at home and reads tech blogs and summarizes his opinions. You know, like anyone with a computer and an internet connection could do. And do do. You'll learn as much about the tech industry reading random slashdot comments as you ever will by reading Farhad. Maybe Farhad thinks he's doing actual reporting, a new age requires a new approach, blah blah. But the truth is, there's nothing there. Nothing original at all. Nothing but audience-seeking ad-revenue generating blather about popular tech topics. He's the Mary Elizabeth Williams of tech blogs: find out what people are talking about, assemble a bare modicum of knowledge with a few google searches, and write an opinion piece. Slate is completely wasting a perfectly good opportunity to inform and educate.
Re:who is Farhad Manjoo (Score:5, Informative)
He's the guy who writes about how everyone doing space-space at the end of a sentence is "wrong".
Basically, he's a famous Troll.
Re:Disagree (Score:5, Informative)
Commissioned sales are done exclusively in intensely competitive markets. Why? Because the only money to be made is off the suckers who will fall for high pressure sales. Even if you alienate the other 80% of the market, you're just driving them to your competitors, where their negotiating prowess will make them a net COST to your competitor. As an example, the moment a dealership figures out you are a '500 over dealer price' negotiator, they should stop talking to you. Their net on those deals is risking going negative (and the situation gets worse the longer it takes you to haggle them to that price, so it's best if they can figure you out quickly and send you on your way). That frees them up to focus on the people from whom they can actually extract some profit.
Re:who is Farhad Manjoo (Score:4, Informative)
He's the guy who writes about how everyone doing space-space at the end of a sentence is "wrong".
Yep, and that article has been completely refuted as BS, at least in terms of its historical claims and the reasons why many modern publishers have mostly adopted a single-space standard. See, for example: http://www.heracliteanriver.com/?p=324 [heracliteanriver.com]
Basically, he's a famous Troll.
Pretty much.