Suzanne F Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 But is your firm going to force you to use a tablet now? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sneakeater Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 My firm doesn't have to force us. We all try to outcompete each other. The spoils go to the most efficient. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cstuart Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 When I asked the person presenting the training program why I'd prefer to do on-the-fly legal research on a tablet rather than on my light, tiny, and extremely expensive laptop, she answered with the boot time. Â And you know what? That's a pretty persuasive answer. Your light, tiny, and expensive laptop has a slow boot time? You don't keep it sleeping? Me thinks you got the wrong tiny and expensive laptop. Â I have an iPad and while I like it, I can't imagine doing any real work on it. Of course, for something like research, it's great because it's like having an extra screen on the go/on the plane/in bed, etc. to use alongside your laptop. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sneakeater Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 I perhaps stupidly view keeping it in sleep mode as a waste of energy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cstuart Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Not unconnected with the Motorola acquisition. Google is committing heavily to local commerce and is also looking forward to the fast approaching day when mobile will be more important than desktop. People using search and maps will get snapshot info on businesses, branded as Zagat. Â Google must view the branding as valuable (-ish, because it was cheap anyway), as Google will already send users to Menupages and Trip Advisor; there's also a custom interface for people to post their own reviews and ratings. Â It may be surprising that Google thinks it worthwhile to stamp this kind of content "Zagat," but I guess the brand still has high recognition. Â Not entirely guessing: more here. Not unconnected with the Motorola acquisition???? Say what?? Motorola was 99% purely for their patents pertaining to mobile IP. Zagat has about 0 to do with that. Â The Zagat purchase is a very, very cheap (I think google spends more on bouncy balls a year) to get some reviews/rankings to show next to the restaurant listing when you do a search. No "click through to zagat" as Lex puts it -- these reviews will show right in the results. Google tried to pull yelp reviews to do this, but Yelp complained, of course, and now google is getting investigated for it. They (google) also tried rolling their own, but figure what's a few pennies to get years worth already compiled. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adrian Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 My firm doesn't have to force us. We all try to outcompete each other. The spoils go to the most efficient. Â I thought that the spoils always went to the "relationship partners" who play golf all day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sneakeater Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 I'm talking about the people who aren't. Â We're the ones who answer the questions that come up on the golf course. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wilfrid Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Not unconnected with the Motorola acquisition???? Say what?? Motorola was 99% purely for their patents pertaining to mobile IP. Zagat has about 0 to do with that.  Though Zagat is best known for its restaurant-related books, it has both expanded into guides on subjects such as nightlife and travel and also pushed into the digital sphere with mobile apps (and a website, of course). That is where the real value of this deal rests for Google, which just last month purchased Motorola for $12.5 billion -- its largest acquisition to date.  http://www.thewrap.com/media/column-post/google-acquires-zagat-bolster-local-content-30799  The transaction will augment its move into smartphones, coming after its deal to acquire Motorola Mobility.  http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/210707/20110908/zagat-google-restaurant-opentable-review-smartphone.htm  See also:  http://www.fastcompany.com/1779086/googles-zagat-purchase-is-all-about-mobile http://www.gps4us.com/news/post/Google-acquires-Zagat-soon-after-Motorola-Mobility-adding-strategic-value-towards-next-generation-of-traveler-and-consumer-services-platform-20110908.aspx Quote Link to post Share on other sites
splinky Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 It's highly suggestive of legal research firms that are desperately afraid of being left behind. Â As you know far better than me, legal research eventually results in attorneys writing pages and pages of good old fashioned prose. I suspect that won't be written on mobile devices unless you broaden the definition to count laptops with wifi cards. Â Lately Time Warner cable has been running ads touting a new feature that allows people to stream movies to their iPads. My first thought was "At last someone has come up with a way to recreate the experience of watching a movie in Coach." those apps are really aimed at law students who are starting to carry tablets with all their textbooks loaded. making research apps for tablets is a way to build in early brand loyalty because you know someday some of those kids are going to be choosing or approving research tools at firms and corporations. you gotta introduce your brand on the tool the kids are using Quote Link to post Share on other sites
porkwah Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 WSJ says $125 million Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mongo_jones Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 - Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mongo_jones Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Just yesterday I went to a training session for apps that enable you to do legal research on a mobile (phone or tablet) rather a computer (desktop or laptop). I think that is HIGHLY suggestive. Â but not as suggestive as Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FoodDabbler Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 I perhaps stupidly view keeping it in sleep mode as a waste of energy. Sleeping is never a waste of energy. I prefer to view it as an investment. Â Does your expensive, lightweight laptop not have a solid state drive? It's a spinning drive that uses energy and takes time to wake. Â Eta: Jesus Vishnu, Mongo, we all know how sexy you are. Do you have to rub it on our genitals? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Orik Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 I really thought it would be Orik victory lapping this one  Not at all, it shows a loss of direction at Google. I know they've lost a bunch of deals and court cases over stealing other people's reviews but this is really a rather expensive way to resolve that issue, and if WSJ is correct, the deal reflects an insanely high valuation for Zagat.  Meanwhile OT is still trading at an incredibly high P/E ratio.   Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chambolle Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 ... 1. it shows a loss of direction at Google ... 2.but this is really a rather expensive way to resolve that issue ... 3. if WSJ is correct, the deal reflects an insanely high valuation for Zagat. 1. How so? 2. What do you perceive the "issue" to be? And what is the cheaper path solution to solving that issue? 3. Have you seen Zagat's P&L statements for the last 5 years? If not, on what basis do you make that statement ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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