Facebook Phone? Time To Hang Up

by

Yeah, if you’ve been kicking around there’s intermittent rumors about Facebook adding a phone to their repeitoire.  This probably has some of us thrilled and thinking of the career options, but let me say it’s not making a lot of sense geekonomically.

  • First, Facebook is dealing with the recent IPO debacle.  Any new radical move isn’t going to instill confidence and may not instill curiosity.
  • A move to hardware beyond a partnership is going to be insanely hard.  The competitors are established, the market’s margins aren’t the greatest, and Facebook has rep issues.  Are they honestly going to compete with, say, Apple?
  • What more can they offer that others can’t?  Just integration with their services.  They can offer that many ways.
  • They’d have to gear up to do it, and that requires burning money, making alliances, and hiring people who think this is going to work.  I’m not so sure on a lot of this.

If Facebook does indeed go for the phone, I’d be cautious in many ways.  I see a lot of strikes against them in doing this, so if that recruiter comes a-calling, be skeptical.

Oh, and imagine what happens if they try this and fail . . .

– Steven Savage

 

Promoting Professional Geekery #39: Help Out Parents

by

(For more Promoting Professional Geekery, see this Roundup of past columns.)

If you’re the parent of a future progeek, or a progeek with kids, you know the kind of concerns you have. That concern for your child’s future, that concern about how to shape their lives, or the concern you have no idea what the hell your kids are talking about.

It’s hard enough being a parent in changing times, but support for progeeky parents and parents of progeeks isn’t exactly forthcoming. Trust me, I’ve seen it.

So if you want to help out professional geeks – help out the parents of the next generation guide their children or at least understand what’s going on.

What you can do depends on your skills, knowledge, and what you’re willing to provide:

  • If you’re culturally knowledgeable, you can explain things to parents – the significance of anime, terms, etc.
  • If you’re in a profession or know about one, you can explain it to parents and give them an idea of their offspring’s future.
  • If you’ve got a good understanding about the economy, employment trends, etc. you can impart wisdom to concerned parents, allay their fears, or reinforce them (which, sometimes, you have to do).

Want to find the best way to help – ask what you can provide the parents don’t have (or know they have). Then provide it. Even comforting words make a difference.

The next question is how you provide it. That also depends on your inclinations – and what you’re able to provide:

  • Conventions are excellent opportunities to reach parents who are in attendance, or in attendance with their children.
  • Blogs and sites are useful to reach parents. Just remember you want to do stuff that’ll help you reach people. Consider anything you post you a personal/geek blog could be something to do at a parenting site.
  • One-on-ones. If you know geek parents/parents of geeks you can help out personally.

When helping out parents, you have to also gauge your level of commitment. How much can you say and how long will it take to say it? You could find yourself involved in a deep project . . .

. . . which may be what you wanted. Parenting is certainly a deep project as it is.

– Steven Savage