http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/ Read Chris Tomlinson's comment on the most recent digital news. Reviews of the Internet, the latest gadgets, world and UK technology news. en-gb Birmingham Post http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/07/28/why-can-t-we-have-one-charger-fits-all-for-apple-products-65233-21420472/ Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:55:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/07/28/why-can-t-we-have-one-charger-fits-all-for-apple-products-65233-21420472/ Rather tragically, I now own a new iPhone 3G - although I didn’t camp outside an O2 shop to get it. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/07/21/bloggers-need-freedom-if-they-want-credibility-65233-21379765/ Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:50:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/07/21/bloggers-need-freedom-if-they-want-credibility-65233-21379765/ When it comes to corporate blogging, firms need to be aware that harnessing this power may require a thick corporate skin. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/07/07/advertisers-have-to-be-more-subtle-online-65233-21298653/ Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:04:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/07/07/advertisers-have-to-be-more-subtle-online-65233-21298653/ Online advertising spend is set to surpass that of television this year, but is social media set to kill the online party? http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/06/30/why-viral-marketing-could-be-a-victim-of-its-own-success-65233-21205204/ Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:34:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/06/30/why-viral-marketing-could-be-a-victim-of-its-own-success-65233-21205204/ Much has been made of the viral nature of the internet and how ‘word of mouse’ can make brands famous over night. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/06/09/searching-for-the-best-bit-of-pr-on-google-65233-21046961/ Mon, 09 Jun 2008 01:06:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/06/09/searching-for-the-best-bit-of-pr-on-google-65233-21046961/ We all know the difference between advertising and PR. Advertising is when you tell people how good you are and PR is about getting someone else to do it. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/06/02/honda-sky-divers-could-start-return-of-advertisers-to-tv-65233-21013133/ Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:40:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/06/02/honda-sky-divers-could-start-return-of-advertisers-to-tv-65233-21013133/ In this new world of fast-forward, television advertising has never been easier to avoid. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/05/27/branded-content-could-be-licence-to-print-money-65233-20979981/ Mon, 26 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/05/27/branded-content-could-be-licence-to-print-money-65233-20979981/ Many online pundits declared 2007 to be the year of the video, with traffic to video-sharing sites doubling from the previous year. I suspect most online citizens now visit YouTube at least once a day. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/05/19/online-marketers-should-watch-me-drink-guinness-65233-20934006/ Mon, 19 May 2008 18:32:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/05/19/online-marketers-should-watch-me-drink-guinness-65233-20934006/ It’s true that prior to buying something online, most of us have usually visited a search engine. But was that where we made the decision to purchase? http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/05/12/tesco-stands-firm-against-google-ad-policy-65233-20899344/ Mon, 12 May 2008 17:27:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/05/12/tesco-stands-firm-against-google-ad-policy-65233-20899344/ Google’s open season on company trademarks has started, which means that anyone can now buy your brand names from Google and advertise their products to people searching for yours. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/04/28/online-customer-ratings-come-highly-rated-65233-20832896/ Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:08:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/04/28/online-customer-ratings-come-highly-rated-65233-20832896/ It is common knowledge that when people have a good customer experience they only tell one person, but when they have a bad one, they tell at least ten. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/04/22/brand-names-for-all-as-google-lifts-advertising-restrictions-65233-20798902/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:22:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/04/22/brand-names-for-all-as-google-lifts-advertising-restrictions-65233-20798902/ If you’ve been wondering what that constant background popping noise has been over the last couple of weeks, I can now satisfy your curiosity. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/04/22/brand-names-for-all-as-google-lifts-advertising-restrictions-65233-20798902/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:22:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/04/22/brand-names-for-all-as-google-lifts-advertising-restrictions-65233-20798902/ If you’ve been wondering what that constant background popping noise has been over the last couple of weeks, I can now satisfy your curiosity. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/04/14/get-your-advert-banned-and-become-an-online-cult-65233-20764384/ Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:59:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/04/14/get-your-advert-banned-and-become-an-online-cult-65233-20764384/ Before the internet, an adverse ASA ruling was very bad news indeed, leaving you with a very expensive ad no one was going to see. But now we have YouTube and an ASA ban is the golden ticket to a bigger audience than most brands could ever dream of. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/03/17/website-spying-is-just-bad-phorm-65233-20637539/ Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:33:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/03/17/website-spying-is-just-bad-phorm-65233-20637539/ I’m not sure what it is that we all have to hide, but nothing gets us hotter under the collar than internet privacy. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/03/11/email-marketing-can-be-no-laughing-matter-65233-20608337/ Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/03/11/email-marketing-can-be-no-laughing-matter-65233-20608337/ Last week, after booking a table at Jongleurs, I received an email from the comedy club chain. Rather than the booking confirmation I was expecting, it was a booking offer for significantly less than I had just paid. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/02/26/dvd-format-war-worth-winning-65233-20525751/ Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/02/26/dvd-format-war-worth-winning-65233-20525751/ This week I thought I would step off the social networking soapbox and take you to the movies instead. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/02/19/apple-turned-me-into-a-mac-man-65233-20495201/ Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/02/19/apple-turned-me-into-a-mac-man-65233-20495201/ I'm not sure how it happened but I seem to have become encircled by Apple products. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/02/12/yahoo-is-mad-to-turn-down-microsoft-65233-20466377/ Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/02/12/yahoo-is-mad-to-turn-down-microsoft-65233-20466377/ Last week Microsoft made a $44.6 billion bid for the world's most famous exclamation mark! http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/02/05/word-of-mouse-makes-online-shopping-worth-47bn-65233-20437491/ Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/02/05/word-of-mouse-makes-online-shopping-worth-47bn-65233-20437491/ Depending on whose version of internet history you believe, online retail is now entering its second decade. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/01/22/attempts-to-police-the-net-are-doomed-50002-20379542/ Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/business-comment/chris-tomlinson/2008/01/22/attempts-to-police-the-net-are-doomed-50002-20379542/ Last week Jacqui Smith promised 'technical measures' to stop the web from spreading terrorist propaganda and the UK ISP industry took in a deep breath.