Last month, I referred to Odesk - I am almost at the end of the engagement and I couldn’t be happier.  email me if you want the java html jscript flash developers name jstack of 3bigheads.com

This article nuts social networking.  It’s extensive and thorough.  Only one thing I might disagree with - nothing is in the maturity phase yet…

I read a fascinating blog post about how easy it is to see patterns in innovation in new products.

Innovation Perspectives – Voice of the Product

So, is it possible to follow a pattern to innovate?  Sure!

To paraphrase: “A majority of new and inventive products can be categorized according to only five patterns:

• Subtraction: Taking an essential component away
• Task Unification: Assigning an additional job to an existing product
• Multiplication: Making a copy of a component but changing it in some way
• Division: Functionally or physically dividing a component or product
• Attribute Dependency: Creating new (or breaking existing) dependencies between attributes of a product or service and its environment

The current startup I’m helping is doing two things:  Dividing and removing dependencies.  Stay tuned (and enjoy the article!)

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned to a few folks that the mobile applications startup I was working on was on track for a September 1 launch.  I think that’s still the case; however, at the last moment, I thought we’d try adding the Android platform.  Today, I was reminded about the merits of last minute decisions and the phase shift that happens when you add platforms.

If you’re a developer, you already know this:  Platforms require decisions.  Building on more than one platform requires decisions to the nth power.

Developing on a single platform requires mainly binary decisions - yes, no, and sometimes a maybe thrown in for good measure.  The same single dimension triangle applies:  Time/Resources/Features.  Change one side of the triangle and the others change as well.

We were going to wait to build an Android version of our app but we’re already set for Admob and the Android SDK has what we need.  The developer I mentioned in my earlier post is working out really well!

When you make the decision to go to a second platform, you add more dimensions to the triangle (one more per platform) but what you end up with is something like a diamond with multiple facets.  You can fit what I know about diamonds on my little finger (bad, I know) but the parallels to platform considerations are rich:

• Each new facet (or platform) you add increases your risk that things won’t work out.  If it does, you’ll be well-rewarded.  The alternative is dust.
• Clarity becomes increasingly important.  The factors that affect a decision become cloudier.
• Size is not a true indicator of price or return.  The new platform might not be as easy as the last.
• Don’t let anything change the color of your original intent.  Keep your core features and don’t let the new platform push (or force) changes on your other platform offerings.
• Sometimes the most simple things (stones) are the best.

We’re not doing rocket science so this all might be overstated; however, we are affected by different versions of Android and we’re muddling through it.  It’s a new and changing platform but it is incredibly powerful and mostly straightforward (like the iPhone sdk).

Last note/update:  Last night, we decided to add Microsoft’s most recent phone sdk to the mix as well; except we’re building a Silverlight version of our app and then porting it over.  How hard can that be?

What are we building?  Stay tuned.  It’s basic.  It’s niche and there is a well-defined market for it.  All startups should be this straightforward.

I needed a small application to be built.  I put up a description in Odesk and priced it modestly.

While I specified that the developer had to be experienced, I received a bid from a gentleman in Pakistan asking me all sorts of detailed questions about the functionality.  I answered his questions and then him a single question:  What is your background in building applications such as this? 

He answered that he is a beginning developer and hadn’t built anything before!  He said that if what he delivered didn’t work, then not to pay him! 

I replied that I admired his guts and would give him two weeks to show me something - but I would keep the job open for someone who had experience. 

He accepted.  Now?  I can’t wait until I see what he’s building.  I’m hoping that he’ll leverage his network of friends and get the application built.  Who knows, it might get him started on a great new career!

It is sooo much easier to get your startup infrastructure going now than it was in the past.  In just two years, the choices have exploded! 

My story?  Infrastructure or as a few friends call it - administrivia - gets in the way of one big thing: making money.  For a few months now, I’ve had another startup on the back burner and since we’re getting closer to launching, I thought I would focus on it’s infrastructure. 

My goals?  No monolithic infrastructure.  No one app fits all approach.  I’ll leave that to big companies.  We need just enough to get the job done without it costing more than $100/month.  We need accounting, contact management and communications, dev tools, and some marketing tools. 

Here’s something else that smart people consider…  Your startup is already risky enough without relying upon someone else who is a startup too – that is, unless they’re going to benefit you in some interesting way.  Pick someone who is going to be around a while.

As for features, I’ve found that I’ve given up on specific niche features that I thought I needed and have just focused on those products and services that will do the job.  (My apologies go out to those companies who know me to be a pain in the ass.)

Here’s what I’ve come up with – and coincidentally enough, AppSumo has a great rollup bundle that will get you there!  They were just covered in Techcrunch.  I’ve followed all of them for more than a while now – they’re legit and are here to stay.  You can’t go wrong at $55.

Batchbook - Contact Management, we’re targeting more than 10,000 customers.  The product is powerful but lite enough to not get overloaded with management.

MailChimp – For consistent communications out to existing and potential customers.  I’ve had friends try ConstantContact with a great deal of success.  I would classify Mailchimp as a little more technical – a good thing for me.

Moo – Gotta have cards in case I go anywhere.  Anyone that knows me knows I’ve experienced with pieces of metal, old floppy disks, fortune cookies, hand scanners and follow up emails.  Now, back to a more traditional approach.  I just tried SquizCards too.  Their design and order process is really simple and just in case you don’t have any graphics, they’ve got some great looking stock.

Freshbooks – Accounting - I haven’t tried this but I’ve been a Quicken hater from since you were a gleam in someone’s eye.

Formstack – Contact and onboarding forms.  There are more than a few tools out there.  I have tried their interface and its brainless.  I don’t want to get caught up in coding, I want to make $$s.

I’ll add a couple more that I’ve found to be critical for development:

Mockflow – shareable screen mockups – Mockflow has really saved me a great deal of time with its reusable elements and markup features.

Pivotal Tracker – The perfect agile dev tracking tool.  I’ve had clients who have put entire dev projects in it successfully.  It does the job without overloading.

PBWorks – Need a wiki for your business?  I can’t think of an easier one to set up!

Now, what to do for your hosting? I’ve got twenty or more domains hosted at GoDaddy.  Despite their really screwed up management interface and overloaded marketing, they’re rock solid.  I’ve tried Rackspace as well.  If you need scaling from the gitgo, of course, there is EC3 and Azure.

Now, on to the really hard stuff!  Messages, putting it all together and making it rock!  Stay tuned!

Here’s a few other links that you might find helpful:

• AppSumo Offers Web Software On The Cheap, Targets Latest Deal At Entrepreneurs (techcrunch.com)
• 101 Apps for Your Web App Startup Toolbox (appmagezine.com)
• Online Marketing Tools: A Comparison (entrepreneur.com)
• FreshBooks Announces Integration with SalesForce for Easy Invoicing (readwriteweb.com)
• Search your list by twitter handle (mailchimp.com)
• Project management tools (slideshare.net)

A year ago, I put a post in another blog space about a concept I developed called the Public Apology Threshhold.  In the post, I said that Social Networking lowers the threshold companies have to apologize.  It also speeds up the process.

This week Steve Jobs apologized for their faulty antennas in the Iphone 4S. 

• How much of it was the result of shared information in the Social Networking Space? 
• Did they see a measurable decrease in sales as the result?
• How much was internal discussion and policy a factor in their decision?

I don’t think we’ll know for a while but I am convinced Social Networking does the following:

• It increases the speed and force of any message
• It puts a magnifying glass on public issues
• It broadly increases awareness of public information
• It facilitates related research and sharing of additional / related information

I’ll go back to my original thesis and ask if you’ve seen enough evidence that the Social Networking decreases the Public Apology Threshold.

(Seriously, this might be a mini-vent.  Let’s see where it goes…)

According to Answers.com the Oxford English dictionary has 464 definitions for the word Set.  The term Cloud is quick on its heels.  Some little guy locked away in the deep dark recesses of Oxford is scratching his head. 

Here’s what I like about the term Cloud:

• It provides a well-spring of cute idioms for marketecture folks. 
• Some evil architect decided that the shoe fit.  Vapor-ware is very close to being cloud-like and fluffy (especially when combined with hand waiving during presentations.)
• Clouds change and so can it’s definition (ala Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com) or more recently, Robert Green of Briefing.com instructing a huge constituency of Financial Analysts about how Smartphones were helping to define the cloud.

Unfortunately, everyone has an opinion about what a cloud is: auto-provisioning, software as a service, server independent (even name and device-independent!), and now, private clouds powered by and managed with appliances (a cool new concept by Microsoft).

I’m sticking with my definition: “fluffy thing that you can’t touch”.  Whenever someone uses the term, I’m going to ask them for their current definition before the wind gets ahold of it.

The cool part is that the old definition for what a cloud is - in technological terms is “on demand”.  I can always imagine a cloud….

I hope to have many many “why didn’t I think of that” moments.  Here is/was a recent one:

The Motorsport Lab promotes brands by driving around in exotic cars…plus, they’ll let you drive one (for a fee.)

I found them at Groupon.com (another “why didn’t I think of that” moment.