FEATURE OF THE WEEK | 11/28/08 – 12/05/2008

I’ve talked about how Apple doesn’t have to worry too much about market-share when they invent new markets. That was very clearly true with the iPod. The iPhone is another innovative device that not only expands Apple’s market reach, but encourages customers to consider Apple’s other products – hence the so-called “halo” effect. I find this to be clearly evident in our stores where customers frequently come in to buy an iPod and come back later to check out a MacBook or iMac.

Apple has created another game changing stealth market, which is the iTunes App Store. If you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch you owe it to yourself to check out the hundreds of applications available for easy download at the App Store. Many of these are totally free while others start at only $0.99. When I first got my iPhone I used it as a phone and a device to get my email – sort of typical smart-phone usage. Now I find myself spending almost as much time utilizing some of the handy applications available for the phone. Here are a few I find handy. Note that all links will launch iTunes and take you directly to the linked app in the iTunes App Store.

“AIM – AOL’s instant messenger – Apple has not released iChat so I use AIM and what better way to keep in touch with the office while waiting in an airport?”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=293622097&mt=8

“Units – A handy conversion utility”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=283265670

“ACTCurrency – a great currency converter”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284966768&mt=8

“Shazam – a magical little app that lets you hold your phone up to a speaker if you hear a song you like and it will tell you what the song is and more”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284993459&mt=8

“eBay – check up on the Hippo paraphernalia”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=282614216&mt=8

“Pocket Aid – a first aid guide always ready”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=294351164&mt=8

“Google Earth – to amaze your friends.”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=293622097&mt=8

“SportsTap – scores all the time!”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284930451&mt=8

“Scrabble – yeah that game.”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284815117&mt=8

“Backgammon – so I can hone my skills and beat my granddaughter”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=80569202&s=143441

“MotoChaser – winter substitute for riding?”:http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284881537&mt=8

Jolt, Nearby, iWant, Travelocity, LocalPicks – all give you guides to local services, restaurants based upon your triangulated location.

There are hundreds and hundreds more and you can be sure that the iPhone and the iPod Touch are not the only devices that will be able to use this amazing resource. Apple certainly isn’t recession-proof, but they have the right formula to use creativity and innovation to withstand hard times!

Dear Friends,

I had four generations of family at my house for Thanksgiving and we had a great celebration and had a lot to be thankful for this year. I love having my grand kids over and spent my non-eating time playing with the grands. Boka showed up ready for some outdoor sports since we have snow and there is none up in Burlington. He says “Gramps I wanna go sledding, hurry up!” that was about 30 seconds after he entered the house. I got my coat on and in the course of the next half hour Boka sledded, snowshoed, strapped on some old skis, climbed all over my motorcycles and discovered how to work the garage door openers. I dispelled a bit of his energy by convincing him to run on snowshoes to the garden shed and back a few dozen times. Khadija has been taking backgammon lessons from her mom, Autumn who figured she was ready to take on the grandmaster of backgammon, me. Khadija had been trained well and one game and was competitive in the other. Now I have a new kid to take allowance money from.

All of Small Dog is open this year on the Friday after Thanksgiving. We had crowds in the South Burlington store at 8 AM and we are staying open late tonight, too. We are offering FREE SHIPPING on everything from our on-line store through Monday making for a great way to save some money as we enter the height of the holiday season. All orders shipped outside of Vermont also save sales tax. We have more special values this year than ever before.

I’ve talked about how Apple doesn’t have to worry too much about market-share when they invent new markets. That was very clearly true with the iPod and the iPhone is another innovative device that not only expands Apple’s market reach but encourages customers to consider Apple’s other products – hence the so-called “halo” effect. I find this to be clearly evident in our stores where customers frequently come in to buy and iPod and come back later to check out a MacBook or iMac. Well, there is another one of these stealth markets created by Apple that is a game changer, too. That is the App Store in iTunes. If you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch you owe it to yourself to check out the hundreds of applications available for easy download at the App Store. Many of these are totally free while the others start at only $0.99. When I first got my iPhone I used it as a phone and a device to get my email – sort of typical smart-phone usage. Now I find myself spending almost as much time utilizing some of the handy applications available for the phone. Here’s a few I find handy:

AIM – AOL’s instant messenger – Apple has not released iChat so I use AIM and what better way to keep in touch with the office while waiting in an airport
Units – A handy conversion utility
ACTCurrency – a great currency converter
Shazam – a magical little app that lets you hold your phone up to a speaker if you hear a song you like and it will tell you what the song is and more
eBay – check up on the Hippo paraphernalia
Pocket Aid – a first aid guide always ready
Google Earth – to amaze your friends
Jolt, Nearby, iWant, Travelocity, LocalPicks – all give you guides to local services, restaurants based upon your triangulated location
SportsTap – scores all the time!
Scrabble – yeah that game
Backgammon – so I can hone my skills and beat my granddaughter
MotoChaser – winter substitute for riding?

There are hundreds and hundreds more and you can be sure that the iPhone and the iPod Touch are not the only devices that will be able to use this amazing resource. Apple certainly isn’t recession-proof, but they have the right formula to use creativity and innovation to withstand hard times!

Good things DO come in small packages! The Little Lacie Disk is perfect for backing up your iTunes or iPhoto library–or even to transfer information from an older Mac to a new MacBook (since it only has USB ports!). It’s no larger than an iPod nano (3rd generation of course), and the USB cord comes right out of the hard drive itself so you don’t have to carry anything extra around with you.

It’s bus powered, so no power cord or anything! It’s basically the same thing as a flash drive, thumb drive, USB keys, jump drives, whatever you call them–but it will hold up to 20GB, and is priced even better than most thumb drives. This little hard drive would also be a great gift for the holidays–you can load up your favorite pictures to remember the good times and send it to a loved one so they can load it up on their machine!

You can get one of these little guys for $49.99, and remember, the cord is included–you even get a cute little velvet carrying case to bring it around in.

For the first time ever, we’re offering FREE shipping on absolutely everything we sell until midnight on Monday! Even better, there’s no minimum purchase requirement to receive free shipping to the contiguous 48 states on every order.

Plus, Small Dog Electronics does not charge sales tax on any order that ships out of Vermont!

Don’t stand in line for hours to get the best deals–stay home and shop in your pajamas! In addition to free ground shipping, we have over 200 specials going right now, so you’ll find something for everyone.

ENJOY and Happy Holidays from Small Dog Electronics!

“View our special holiday page here.”:http://www.smalldog.com/holiday
“View all of our specials here.”:http://www.smalldog.com/specials

There is ice and snow up on Prickly Mountain. When Ismael came driving up my road with his summer tires we all were watching from the windows, as he was a bit too tentative and ended up sideways in the driveway. I was sure we were going to have to go push the car but he neatly did a powerslide, turned the car on a dime and managed to park at the bottom of the road. I scolding Autumn for not putting on her snow tires but she correctly pointed out that there was only snow on Prickly Mountain.

It is going to be a busy few weeks around her but I am taking a little time off on Monday and heading to Montreal to see Neil Young in concert. I’ve been a Neil Young fan since the sixties and it is great to see him still rocking! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,

Don, Ed, Kali