The internet has been awesome lately. It’s a great time to be a reader.

The shop I want.
This article cuts to the heart of ecommerce better than all the old “long tail” articles ever did. The real problem of online retail is how to take a commodity and make it precious. When everything is mass produced, and can be shipped anywhere cheaply you have only two options. Carry exclusive products, or curate your product selection so that people rely on your opinion. No more coasting. Having the product is not enough anymore.

A new bank.
There is a lot of money to be made in simplifying people’s lives. Apple knows it. Netflix knows it. Zappos knows it. One day the entrenched institutions of this world will feel the pressure consumers can exert. Telephone companies, cable companies, TV stations, book publishers, and newspapers are all starting to feel the pinch. Consumers are no longer powerless, and any industry that is baking in a long stewed soup of apathy to consumer needs is in for a wakeup. Banks- you are on the list.

Is less more complicated?
Even though the Humane Interface made me want to take a nap really bad, I loved it. Aza has his dad’s gift for cutting through garbage, and seeing the way interaction really works. This article is superficially about the standard one button garage door opener. But it’s about a whole lot more… (I think the ideal solution is a slider like on the iPhone home screen.)