WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK: Keep it simple, the Google way

Google has traditionally been a jack-of-all-trades. Famously giving its employees 20% of their time free every week to pursue projects they are interested in outside of their normal responsibilities has produced a wide array of fascinating products and services.

The only problem is those projects don’t necessarily make money. That’s why chief executive Larry Page announced earlier this week the company would be cutting a number of products from its line-up that didn’t actually generate revenue and profit.

He even cut some company services that were acquired only a year ago in deals with tens of millions of dollars.

Page’s decision signals a new era at Google, a new period focused on consolidation and simplification. This is a decision that tech businesses need to be emulating worldwide.

Information technology lends itself open to numerous possibilities and too many entrepreneurs get side-tracked. They have employees focus on projects that don’t make any money, that seem interesting at first but don’t actually get you anywhere.

Think back to your first business plan. This is how you should be pursuing new paths within your business. Businesses like Google may be large enough to get away with pursuing projects that don’t make money, but SMEs can’t afford it.

Stick to a few simple products that you do well, and when you have the capacity, expand. Every so often, give the business a spring clean, and get back to basics.

So, an Apple employee walks into a bar…

Last year Apple made headlines for a different reason when an employee lost a prototype iPhone 4 in a bar. It was picked up by Gizmodo and leaked all over the internet.

It happened again. Thankfully nothing leaked but Apple reportedly went to all efforts to find the device so that it wouldn’t experience a second public relations nightmare.

The incident speaks to the issue of security. You can have all the firewalls, security procedures and redundancies you want, but in the end employees can be forgetful and may end up losing hardware or documents.

It’s a lesson to ensure all your smartphones, tablets and laptops have security procedures. Don’t allow anyone to break into your handheld gadgets with corporate secrets. Passcodes are a start, encryption is even better. Don’t leave anything up to chance.

Protect yourself with an XXX domain name

Applications have begun for XXX domains, a type of extension designed purely for adult-rated content so that it can be kept separate from other content on the internet.

The issue of XXX domains has been around for awhile, but it took an interesting turn last week when an Adelaide legal firm warned SMEs that it may actually want to think about registering for one of these domains.

Cyber-squatting occurs when individuals or businesses register a domain name that is not their own, in the hope that whoever eventually wants it will buy it back at an inflated price. There is a second concern, that whoever registers such a domain will use it to trash the reputation of the person or business who belongs to that domain.

If you are concerned about squatters ruining your reputation online, you should consider buying up your XXX domain. It will only cost a few hundred dollars, and some day could save you from substantial corporate or personal embarrassment.

Cosy up to your suppliers

This week the Productivity Commission organised a hearing for retailers to come and have their say regarding the commission’s draft report on the industry.

But online auction and retail giant eBay also released its response to the draft. In it, it claimed once again that it knows of businesses that have been pressured by suppliers and wholesalers to stop selling goods online.

Some within the retail industry have also told TechCompany they have experienced that same pressure.

If you’re an online retailer and haven’t seen this type of pressure yet, then you may very well in the future. Now is the time to cosy up to your suppliers, and get to know them. Establish a good relationship with them now, so that when the time comes that pressure may not arrive, or at least, won’t be as harsh.

If you have a good relationship with your suppliers, they will be more likely to be receptive to online retailing.

Give Android a chance

Woolworths this week released an Android version of its popular iOS app after thousands of users lobbied the company to release a new version.

It turns out, many other developers and companies are seeing more calls for Android based apps as the number and availability of Android phones continues to grow.

If you’re thinking of making an iPhone app for your customers, or if you’re a developer of your own, you should start thinking about how you can incorporate Android. Growing consumer pressure will mean businesses will have to move there eventually, and for individual developers this can open up a whole new stream of revenue.