Superfly•Social overhyped?•Gen Z Computer Literacy•Hotel Revenue Management•Stonehenge•Long Haul Flying•Yahoo Browser•HP Layoffs•Apple eBook Suits•Hovercraft
Travel
Travel startup Superfly is making bold claims. It says that its Big-Data-driven personalization and targeting approach will leave established search companies behind and create value to attract customers and suppliers alike. It’s worth looking at what they’ve done, and it is true that personalization and targeting have the potential to bring value to the market. However, I would take these claims with a grain of salt. Does anyone really think that incumbent travel companies aren’t working on similar approaches?
Are social and mobile impact on travel sales overhyped? A panel of senior travel bosses thinks that to some degree they are.
An opinion piece in Tnooz today asserts that up and coming computer literate Gen Z’ers could transform travel-tech, spawning a new generation of innovative start-ups. Color me cynical. Last week I linked to a blog entry from an eminent coder who argued that the “everyone should learn to code” movement is misdirected. His assertion is that it’s much more important to learn (1) how to research and understand the world around us and (2) how to communicate effectively with other human beings.
Expedia and other OTAs earn a significant chunk of their revenue from hotel commissions. As such, it behooves us to understand a bit about hotel revenue management strategy. This hotel industry article provides an overview.
A bucket-list destination you probably forgot to add. Stonehenge is “kind of in the middle of nowhere.” Here’s how to get there and what to do.
9 must-do’s before a long-haul flight: The best suggestion, in my experience, is “Do absolutely anything you can to get an upgrade.” I once flew from Sydney to Paris via New York—about 13,500 miles. I was lucky enough to fly business class the whole way and I arrived feeling pretty good—better than I have felt on many much shorter flights.
Tech
For the first time in a long time, Yahoo is suddenly getting a lot of positive news coverage, over its new Axis browser. (It’s actually an extension for several existing browsers). As CNET says: “Surprise: It’s good.”
Patent trial: Google won and Oracle lost.
Rumors confirmed: HP to lay off 27,000.
Apple hates nothing more than to eat humble pie, but this CNET article (even if a bit one-sided), makes a compelling case that Apple needs to settle its eBook suits.
Just One More: Writing for Wired’s Geekdad blog, Adam Savage—yes, that Adam Savage—tells how to build a hovercraft with your kids. He did with his.
TravelTekker 