I've worked remote or had remote direct reports since 1994 so communication devices are something that are not an option but critical to my job. Plus I love new technology so the new stuff I tend to gravitate toward are things the meet both of these needs. So far this year I've gotten a couple of new toys that I thought I would share.
A few months ago a bought the new Jabra Freeway in-car Bluetooth speakerphone system. I have a car that didn't come with an integrated phone system and I've been using a Jawbone headset since they were first released years ago. But that all has changed. The Freeway is an excellent unit, with dual microphones allowing for ambient noise cancellation and a three-speaker listening device with plenty of pop. Plus you can route the sound to your FM radio if you want to share the call via your audio system. At around $115 it's not the cheapest, but it's a great investment if you spend a lot of time in your car taking calls.
The home office needed a new phone system so we did the normal churn of walking though all of the options. We ended up with the Panasonic KX-TG4644. Granted, it's been quite a few years since I've bought an office or home phone, but I've been just blown away by the performance and features of this unit. It seamlessly integrates with my CenturyLink voicemail system, has great sound clarity and range, and also allows for use of up to two cell phones via Bluetooth connection. Plus, this little gem will work during a power outage, drawing power from the phone unit in the base while you can use any of the other three extensions. At around $120 it's on the higher end, but I've been extremely happy with it and expect it to meet my needs for years to come.
Very excited about the potential I'm hearing about the iPhone5. While speed increases are always welcome, the potential of expanded voice recognition is something I'm really looking forward to. With the increase in the use of text messaging for business, the ability to speak a text is a pretty cool feature and will keep your eyes on the road. Don't know if that feature will be backward compatible with my iPhone4, but I see a 5 in my future.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Just when you thought print was dead....
Last week was a great one for me. I started out in Chicago at Graph Expo and got a chance to catch up with a lot of vendor friends as well as representatives from all of the Blurb Global Print network, including our newest member from Australia (yep, OZ folks, you will soon be getting books printed in-country!). Walking the show floor and talking with folks from throughout the industry, there is still a real buzz about what is possible. If you weren't in the industry you would likely think that a print show in 2011 would be like a death march. And don't get me wrong, it's a tough world out there. But to see the pace at which enlightened printers are looking to expand their horizons via social media, just-in-time manufacturing, and direct-to-consumer fulfillment is very encouraging. A new generation of print service providers have learned that they can compete against the big guys by being agile, creative, and customer oriented. Anyone who thinks there is not a major move in progress hasn't paid attention to the grassroots groundswell that is happening around industry groups like Dscoop, who threw a great party on Monday night by the way.
Then I was off to New York City for the Photography Book Now awards party. Held this year in the center of creative photo expression at the Aperture Foundation, this year's entrants were stunning. And making the hard decisions on winners is a task I'm glad is not mine. The winner, Gomorrah Girl by Italian photographer Valerio Spada, was an offset printed book not published by Blurb, a proud reminder of the independence our judges bring to the competition. But Valerio's book was just the tip of the iceberg. Seeing the attendees handling, inspecting, and, yes, smelling the volumes of ink-on-paper proves something that a digital display will never give--a physical, personal relationship with the author's vision. It was a great night not just for the winners, many of whom made the trek to New York from around the world, but for all the lovers of art objects that attended as well.
I finished the week feeling refreshed about the print business. From seeing new, excited participants entering the print industry at Graph Expo, to rubbing shoulders with emerging artist/authors less than half my age at PBN, I know that print is alive and well. Like any changing industry, print must adapt to the times and I'm happy to say that the great people engaged in just that bode for a very exciting future.
Then I was off to New York City for the Photography Book Now awards party. Held this year in the center of creative photo expression at the Aperture Foundation, this year's entrants were stunning. And making the hard decisions on winners is a task I'm glad is not mine. The winner, Gomorrah Girl by Italian photographer Valerio Spada, was an offset printed book not published by Blurb, a proud reminder of the independence our judges bring to the competition. But Valerio's book was just the tip of the iceberg. Seeing the attendees handling, inspecting, and, yes, smelling the volumes of ink-on-paper proves something that a digital display will never give--a physical, personal relationship with the author's vision. It was a great night not just for the winners, many of whom made the trek to New York from around the world, but for all the lovers of art objects that attended as well.
I finished the week feeling refreshed about the print business. From seeing new, excited participants entering the print industry at Graph Expo, to rubbing shoulders with emerging artist/authors less than half my age at PBN, I know that print is alive and well. Like any changing industry, print must adapt to the times and I'm happy to say that the great people engaged in just that bode for a very exciting future.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Why I don't use an eReader--and hopefully never will
There are several technologies that have changed my life. The move to CCDs and digital photography revolutionized the photo business and enabled companies like Corbis, where I spent 8 years scanning film and building the huge digital collection. Electrophotographic print devices like HP Indigo, Xerox iGen, and Canon CLC proved that you didn't have to use silver halide materials to create one-off image-intensive prints and paved the way for the mass personalization that is so prevalent today. The Internet changed forever how we do business, and the smartphone changed the style in which that business is done.
If I had tried to imagine what my work life today would be like back when I was running a professional photo lab in the 80's I don't think I would have come close. Keeping an eye on Blurb's global print network means that I'm at various parts of the country and the world at any given time, and the sun never sets on places where we do business. Questions and issues don't wait for regular business hours and have to be managed in real time. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that the business I'm in could not exist in it's current form without the free-flowing communication that mobile devices bring.
But there is a downside of course. Since I am remote from Blurb's headquarters I'm on the phone a lot. Always. Every day. And because of this I've lost my ability to have a non-business phone conversation without trying to figure out how to end it quickly. Talking on the phone has become synonymous with work.
It's very much the same with things I read. During the week I take all of my news on-line, but on the weekends I crave my paper New York Times. I even save some parts of the Sunday times to read during the week so I can savor it a bit.
Reading anything on a screen puts me into "work mode". It's a sickness that I can't kick, the bit of OCD that serves me well when dealing with business but puts me in exactly the wrong space if I want to read for pleasure. That's why I don't have a Kindle or a Nook. I do have an iPad but I use it for "consumable" reading and to keep the weight of what I carry from town to town at a minimum.
I know that eBooks are what most folks talk about and I'm excited to see the possibilities that exist to new authors that did not in the past when publishers held all of the cards. But to me a "transmissive" experience equals work or research and a "reflective" one equates to reading on my own terms.
Technology has indeed changed my life quite a bit. But I'm determined to not allow it to completely run my life. And reading books with ink on paper is my small rejection of a completely digital world.
If I had tried to imagine what my work life today would be like back when I was running a professional photo lab in the 80's I don't think I would have come close. Keeping an eye on Blurb's global print network means that I'm at various parts of the country and the world at any given time, and the sun never sets on places where we do business. Questions and issues don't wait for regular business hours and have to be managed in real time. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that the business I'm in could not exist in it's current form without the free-flowing communication that mobile devices bring.
But there is a downside of course. Since I am remote from Blurb's headquarters I'm on the phone a lot. Always. Every day. And because of this I've lost my ability to have a non-business phone conversation without trying to figure out how to end it quickly. Talking on the phone has become synonymous with work.
It's very much the same with things I read. During the week I take all of my news on-line, but on the weekends I crave my paper New York Times. I even save some parts of the Sunday times to read during the week so I can savor it a bit.
Reading anything on a screen puts me into "work mode". It's a sickness that I can't kick, the bit of OCD that serves me well when dealing with business but puts me in exactly the wrong space if I want to read for pleasure. That's why I don't have a Kindle or a Nook. I do have an iPad but I use it for "consumable" reading and to keep the weight of what I carry from town to town at a minimum.
I know that eBooks are what most folks talk about and I'm excited to see the possibilities that exist to new authors that did not in the past when publishers held all of the cards. But to me a "transmissive" experience equals work or research and a "reflective" one equates to reading on my own terms.
Technology has indeed changed my life quite a bit. But I'm determined to not allow it to completely run my life. And reading books with ink on paper is my small rejection of a completely digital world.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Uncoated paper options at Blurb
At Blurb we've been in the final stages of judging for the fourth annual Photography Book Now international juried book competition. It's always an exciting time as we wait to find out who the winners are and have one more chance to review the thousands of fabulous entries. The competition is great for the artists that have the opportunity to have their work reviewed by a top-notch group of judges. But it's really good for us as well as we get lots of valuable feedback on what our highly creative customers need.
This year the big deal is the addition of Blurb ProLine, offering those submitting work to stand out from the crowd with options on book papers, end sheets, and cover linens. While all of these options have been widely used by PBN entrants, the judges were most struck by the addition of our ProLine Uncoated Paper. Which leads to the question, "what exactly is the difference between coated and uncoated papers"?
In general, uncoated papers have a bit more of a "natural" feel to them. A bit toothy. Like what you would expect stationary paper to feel like. Coated papers basically fill in the gaps in the natural fibers with a coating that enhances it's ability to hold ink with less dot gain, or spreading of the ink beyond where it is laid down on the paper.
When we were looking for a more natural look for artsy books, we knew we wanted an uncoated option. But we wanted to limit the downside from a quality standpoint. The obvious choice for us was the Mohawk Superfine Eggshell Ultrawhite with i-Tone surface treatment. Developed for digital presses, this paper has the feel we wanted but with excellent ink adhesion and durability.
ProLine Uncoated is a substantial 100# text/148 gsm sheet, perfect for high-end, photo intensive books. But there are times that you want to add a bit of color to a more text-heavy option as well. To that end we have recently released our new Color Trade and Pocket choices. These are the same sizes and bindings as our one-color product line, but with the addition of 4-color printing. The paper is complementary to our off-white, one-color paper, and is white with a vellum finish. It's a lighter-weight sheet at 60# text/89 gsm, and you will see a bit more dot gain in this product. But it's great for lower-fi applications like notebooks, memoirs, travel books, mini portfolios, and novels. And we've kept the price low so you can buy a lot or sell for some bucks.
Whatever paper you choose, we want you to be able to find one that will enhance your vision. ProLine and Color Trade and Pocket are just a couple of new ways to make your book your own.
This year the big deal is the addition of Blurb ProLine, offering those submitting work to stand out from the crowd with options on book papers, end sheets, and cover linens. While all of these options have been widely used by PBN entrants, the judges were most struck by the addition of our ProLine Uncoated Paper. Which leads to the question, "what exactly is the difference between coated and uncoated papers"?
In general, uncoated papers have a bit more of a "natural" feel to them. A bit toothy. Like what you would expect stationary paper to feel like. Coated papers basically fill in the gaps in the natural fibers with a coating that enhances it's ability to hold ink with less dot gain, or spreading of the ink beyond where it is laid down on the paper.
When we were looking for a more natural look for artsy books, we knew we wanted an uncoated option. But we wanted to limit the downside from a quality standpoint. The obvious choice for us was the Mohawk Superfine Eggshell Ultrawhite with i-Tone surface treatment. Developed for digital presses, this paper has the feel we wanted but with excellent ink adhesion and durability.
ProLine Uncoated is a substantial 100# text/148 gsm sheet, perfect for high-end, photo intensive books. But there are times that you want to add a bit of color to a more text-heavy option as well. To that end we have recently released our new Color Trade and Pocket choices. These are the same sizes and bindings as our one-color product line, but with the addition of 4-color printing. The paper is complementary to our off-white, one-color paper, and is white with a vellum finish. It's a lighter-weight sheet at 60# text/89 gsm, and you will see a bit more dot gain in this product. But it's great for lower-fi applications like notebooks, memoirs, travel books, mini portfolios, and novels. And we've kept the price low so you can buy a lot or sell for some bucks.
Whatever paper you choose, we want you to be able to find one that will enhance your vision. ProLine and Color Trade and Pocket are just a couple of new ways to make your book your own.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Guest blog post at the Blurberati Blog
I have a guest post up at the Blurbarati Blog "An insider's guide to Blurb's Global Print Network". Take a look!
Monday, July 18, 2011
What's on your wish list for Drupa 2012?
I see the printing industry at yet another tipping point. It was big news when HP had the largest footprint at Ipex last year, overtaking the traditional offset manufacturers. And in a year where the biggest photo trade show in the US, PMA, is co-locating with CES in January, it will be interesting to see how the move to more electronic publishing is going to influence the folks whose main business is ink on paper.
When Blurb launched, we repurposed presses, DFEs, and binding equipement that was really made for other uses. At Ipex there was a growth in new machinery that was more dedicated toward the POD book marketplace. I'd like to see more of this, allowing larger digital printers like those in our global print network to continue to improve productivity, quality and price which will allow the self-publishing marketplace to continue to thrive. I'd like to see the advances made in PUR binding continue beyond the few options currently available. I hope to see high-speed ink jet keep improving print quality to the point that it rivals that of the best offset printing. And I'd like to see lower priced entry-level presses to help to expand the global reach of companies like ours. Oh, yeah, and larger sheet sizes. And faster.
What advances would you like to see at Drupa next year?
Monday, July 11, 2011
PUR-fect book binding?
When Blurb looks to add printers to the Blurb Global Print Network we look for companies that excel in four areas: printing, binding, IT, and fulfillment. These core competencies bring together the art, craft, technology, and logistics that it takes to deliver one single copy of one unique book to one thrilled customer. But it's not always easy. When we delivered the first Blurb book to a paying customer in 2006, the state of the art for preparing files for printing, color management for digital presses, and one-off binding were all processes taken from other sectors, like direct mail, library binding, and traditional offset printing.
Book binding is where craft meets technology in a way that is not seen anywhere else in our process. Our early books were all side sewn. We then moved some of our larger books to double-fan adhesive cold glue and wire stitching. These were all alternatives to the way that longer run hardcover books are usually bound, Smyth sewing. The issue is that POD is by nature run on small sheets, usually around 12x18 inches. To Smyth sew, you need to print in signatures, which are multiple pages printed on a single, large sheet and then folded. Not really possible with cut sheets, so the POD marketplace required alternative methods.
Enter PUR, or polyurethane reactive glues. This process, which has been around for a while but it was not really usable for short run book binding, is similar to hot glue binding which has traditionally been used for soft cover paperback books. The issue with hot glue is that it does not "give" when there is pressure but on the spine, which is required for hardcover books due to the lever effect of the case on the book block. PUR is much more elastic than hot glue allowing for a more "stay flat" binding that is closer to what you can get with Smyth sewing.
Working with the manufacturers of binding equipment and our network printers, Blurb pushed new products and processes to the market in our quest to keep improving on our promise of "bookstore quality" products. And we have been very pleased with the process. A large portion of our books are now bound using PUR technology and we are continuing to expand the usage throughout our network.
There are other benefits of this move, some more obvious than others. PUR bindings will hold even in extreme temperatures, has better adherence to coated papers, and can withstand a page pull of nearly double that of hot glue. It also allows for some aesthetic changes that we are working on for futre product releases.
The advances made in PUR binding for print-on-demand books is an example of how Blurb is constantly looking to improve our products. We are excited about the new and improved offerings on track for release in the coming months so keep an eye out for what is next.
Book binding is where craft meets technology in a way that is not seen anywhere else in our process. Our early books were all side sewn. We then moved some of our larger books to double-fan adhesive cold glue and wire stitching. These were all alternatives to the way that longer run hardcover books are usually bound, Smyth sewing. The issue is that POD is by nature run on small sheets, usually around 12x18 inches. To Smyth sew, you need to print in signatures, which are multiple pages printed on a single, large sheet and then folded. Not really possible with cut sheets, so the POD marketplace required alternative methods.
Enter PUR, or polyurethane reactive glues. This process, which has been around for a while but it was not really usable for short run book binding, is similar to hot glue binding which has traditionally been used for soft cover paperback books. The issue with hot glue is that it does not "give" when there is pressure but on the spine, which is required for hardcover books due to the lever effect of the case on the book block. PUR is much more elastic than hot glue allowing for a more "stay flat" binding that is closer to what you can get with Smyth sewing.
Working with the manufacturers of binding equipment and our network printers, Blurb pushed new products and processes to the market in our quest to keep improving on our promise of "bookstore quality" products. And we have been very pleased with the process. A large portion of our books are now bound using PUR technology and we are continuing to expand the usage throughout our network.
There are other benefits of this move, some more obvious than others. PUR bindings will hold even in extreme temperatures, has better adherence to coated papers, and can withstand a page pull of nearly double that of hot glue. It also allows for some aesthetic changes that we are working on for futre product releases.
The advances made in PUR binding for print-on-demand books is an example of how Blurb is constantly looking to improve our products. We are excited about the new and improved offerings on track for release in the coming months so keep an eye out for what is next.
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