Blog entries

We sold In2Games

harry

k">PDP . PDP is the leading manufacturer of gaming accessories and peripherals, and the two companies make a great team.

I'm stepping back from the business, which I've been working with for the last six years, to focus on some new projects...more on those soon.

In the meantime, congratulations to everyone at PDP and In2Games on the deal!

Google to offer video ads - be careful!

harry

. So far, Google have built their business on three principles:

1. Make the fastest search engine.

2. Make a brilliant way to monetize it (Adwords).

3. Don't piss people off.

We often lose sight of just how quickly things can change in today's market. On my pessimistic days, I take the view that, given enough time, anything will fail - the trick being to be in and out at the right time. Just look at the Ancient Romans and Greeks, [...]

We just raised �4m for In2Games

harry

;m a director of a company called In2Games, which creates new games by combining new games hardware and software together. The company has an incredible new technology, which should be coming to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2009.

After a pretty intense period of due diligence, many weeks spent on legals a [...]

Software Piracy is Essential to Microsoft's Success

harry

I just noticed this being linked on Slashdot. Basically an article saying that seeding a market with free stuff can help promotion. Of course it can.

What I was surprised not to see though was an appreciation of how Microsoft's success in the office can largely be attributed to the widespread piracy of its products.

I should explain.

A few years ago, my then two year old daughter found my Microsoft Office disc, and kindly drew all over [...]

Becoming a Linux bore

harry

Over the weekend, rather than being a good dad I pretty much became obsessed with Linux.

I never really developed the whole 'I hate Microsoft Operating systems' mindset beloved of the more lonely techie. I rather like Microsoft software, it usually works OK and most people have it. It's not that expensive and it's nicer these days than it used to be (although I think we all miss typing 'win' every now and then). And anyway, Mitchell is much funnier than [...]

Game buys Gamestation

harry

Wow...the big retail announcement out yesterday was that Game Group PLC, the UK's biggest specialist games retailer is to acquire Gamestation, the UK's only other significant games retailer, from Blockbuster for £74 million.

For those involved in the games business, this may not be great news. Game is already a major force, taking something like 35% of the UK games market, and notorious for its aggressive trading terms - demanding 40% margins and sa [...]

Don't mess with the internet

harry

So, many of you by now will have heard of the leaked encryption code for the AACS copy protection system used by HD-DVD and Blu Ray players.

Digg, one of the world's most popular websites (and one of the reasons everybody's banging on repeatedly about Web 2.0) allows users to post and vote upon news stories they like (or 'digg'). Digg employees have spent the last few days frantically trying to remove references to sites featuring the 'secret' [...]

Just Say No

harry

One common theme I find when I am talking to smaller companies, particularly those involved in pitching products or services to larger ones, is that they have absolutely no idea whether or not a potential client is interested in them.

Why not? Because the potential client hasn't said 'no'. Instead, what invariably happens is that the potential client vanishes. They don't answer emails, they don't answer the phone, they don't return [...]

STFU about Web 2.0

harry

OK, now I know I'm not alone in this, this is not some great insight that I'm using to kick this blog off and show everyone how jolly clever and leftfield I am, and there's already plenty of stuff on Wikipedia saying the same thing but, will people please SHUT UP about Web TWO POINT F**KING 0?

Breathe.

I've been to an OpenCoffee networking event for the last couple of Thursday mornings. At this juncture, I should point [...]

Welcome to the blog

harry

Well, this site looks like it's pretty much ready to go, so I suppose I'd better kick off the blog.

I'm planning to write in here from time to time with comment on entrepreneurship, technology and media companies, investors and, frankly, whatever else takes my fancy.

For those that are interested in this kind of thing, this site is built using Joomla, with the MyBlog and Jom Comment modules to add some improved blog functionality.

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