Edison's Concrete Piano

Not all Edison's ideas were successes - as owner of the Portland Cement Company he tried making affordable concrete pianos (he was mostly deaf) and concrete furniture. Neither were entirely successful.

Source: The Week's extract from Pigeon-Guided Missiles by James Moore and Paul Nero

Curry's and PC World 'Black' Concept Store

Curry's and PC World have a new 'Black' concept shop in Birmingham. Products are supposed to meet high style and technical standards to earn a place in store.

Eco DIY shops - Green Depot (USA) and Kbane (France)

Green Depot in the US and Kbane in France are both interesting eco building shops. Kbane is owned by Group Adeo, giant owners of Leroy Merlin etc.

Info:

• http://www.greendepot.com
• Article on Kbane
• Image source: Elle Decor

Hospital Food Around the World

Strangely compelling photos: http://nowthatsnifty.blogspot.com/2009/06/hospital-food-from-11-different.html

Pricing Strategies

• Cost plus pricing - costs for goods plus a mark-up
• Value pricing - based on what customer are prepared to pay
• Every day low pricing (EDLP)
  
• High-low pricing - price high then discount it. E.g. Pizza Express have higher prices and constant 2 for 1 coupons available.
  

Imagineering Profit - SME financial info

Imagineering Profit lets small businesses upload info and get useful stats.

Source: Brett King

mPesa - mobile payments

mPesa grew to 13m customers in 4 years. They now move more money in a month than goes through Western Union in a year. They are bigger than all the banks in Kenya.

Source: Brett King

Square - take credit cards on iPhone

Square lets you accept credit cards with an iPhone. It's much quicker and easier for businesses than opening a merchant account. PoS terminal producer Verifone tried to undermine Square, arguing it's not secure. Visa saw the way things were going and invested in Square.

Source: Brett King

Salvaged timber office

Cool idea using reclaimed timber.

Source: GQ, 2011-08

Pizza Express in supermarkets

Pizza Express now sell as many pizzas in supermarkets as they do in restaurants, according to parent company Gondola Holdings.

Source: Gondola Holdings annual report 2010, here