Top Articles: Capitalizing on Ecosystems to Drive Brand Value

A unified ecosystem is key to a good user experience, which is highly important for brands in todays increasingly complex and fragmented media landscape. In media and tech, hardware and software are the foundation of an ecosystem. Software structures the consumer relationship with the brand through UX and hardware is the means through which this experience is realized.

While this may seem straightforward, the line between hardware and software is blurring to the point that its almost impossible to separate the two. Having one without the other is no longer a viable option for a cohesive media ecosystem. As Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says, We want to make money when people use our devices, not when people buy them.

Here are the top articles to read this week:1. An Alexa And Cortana Team-Up Wont Get Far Without A PhoneBy Brian Barrett from WiredMicrosoft and Amazon have decided to join forces and let their respective digital assistants, Cortana and Alexa, interact with each other. On paper, the Alextana open software communication seems great, but there are a few snags that this union will encounter.

Currently, the ability to use Alexa or Cortana outside the home remains virtually nonexistent and this partnership does not actually help either one expand their ecosystem. Unlike Google and Apple, Microsoft and Amazon dont have their own phones, which leaves them in the unstable position of existing only in the home. Alextana risks becoming redundant if Microsoft and Amazon dont figure out how to expand their ecosystem into the right hardware.

Ecosystems are not static, but expansive and dynamic.2. Facebook Is Getting Serious About Making Hardware With Aloha Video Chat DeviceBy Dani Deahl from The VergeOf the Big Four platforms, Facebook has the smallest hardware collection with a grand total of one: the Oculus, which they didnt create.

This limited portfolio wont cut it in the growing platform economy, so Facebook began working on a slew of new, social-first hardware concepts. The Aloha video chat device will be the first to reach consumers. Having a hardware aspect in addition to their software will let Facebook have more control over their ecosystem while also integrating the platform more seamlessly into consumers lives.

As it stands, to use a Facebook product, a consumer needs to enter another ecosystem (Android phone, Apple computer, etc. ) to do so. Building out hardware adds ecosystem value to the brand and the consumer.

3. Why WeWork Thinks Its Worth $20 BillionBy Jessi Hempel from BackchannelWeWork is known for renting out coworking spaces, but it has a much bigger plan than shared offices to disrupt the future of work. It has been collecting data around the world from its utilization software for the past 7 years.

The company uses that data to build out customized offices, with completely individualized workspaces not far off on the horizon. From smart furniture to connected conference rooms and the software that connects them all together, WeWork is working to build the most efficient offices and run them all. The software is what creates these experiences, but its the hardware that connects to the people.

And the ecosystem as a whole is a way to capture, iterate, and optimize the consumer experience.4. Philips Hue Lights Will Soon Sync With Movies, Games And MusicBy Matt Brian from EngadgetPhilips is one of the few examples of a brand that began with hardware and moved into the software space later.

The company introduced its color changing lights 5 years ago and has simultaneously developed software to accompany its Hue range. To celebrate this anniversary, Philips announced a new software update that will sync the lights to any movie, music, or game that plays. This update incorporates lights as part of the entertainment experience rather than a purely functional purpose, but more importantly, it shows that Philips is closing the gap between its software and hardware offerings.

By having the optimum software experience available for its own hardware, Philips encourages users to remain within their ecosystem, which drives revenue and retention. 5. Inside Netflixs Project Griffin: The Forgotten History Of Roku Under Reed HastingsBy Austin Carr from Fast CompanyBack when Netflix was just entering the streaming space, the company was also working on a little device known as the Roku.

Yet, just weeks before launch, CEO Reed Hastings scrapped the hardware project. He realized that if Netflix launched its own software and hardware platforms, he might not be able to partner with other hardware companies. Instead, Hastings pivoted towards an agnostic streaming platform that would work on any device.

Though it might have been the right move at the time, its still surprising that Netflix hasnt expanded its hardware ecosystem since then. Although, they might be on the verge with this vending machine concept, which would expand their ecosystem and reach by driving consumers to the platform in areas with limited Internet access. So heres to hoping!

Curated by Hadley Stork RELATED QUESTION What's the meaning of Sia's Chandelier song? Before Chandelier, Sia was a singer with mediocre success. She was really struggling to push her career when she lost her partner to an accident.

She got addicted to drugs, suffered depression and even wrote a suicide note. Drugs and alcohol were her only coping mechanisms. This song is about the time she was addicted to alcohol and drugs and her struggle to get out of it.

In an interview, Sia said that she always knew she was a drinker and that she must stop, her guilt, shame is what the following lyrics suggest:- Sun is up, I'm a mess Gotta get out now, gotta run from this Here comes the shame, here comes the shame . but, out of peer pressure phones blowing up, they're ringing my door bells, I feel the love .she did not stop.

1,2,3 . 1,2,3 drink throw them back till I lose count The only time she could escape from reality was when she was high, under the influence of alcohol and drugs. She could be carefree, live like tomorrow didn't exist.

I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist Like it doesn't exist I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night Chandelier is ultimately a brutally honest tale of substance abuse. Sia wrote the song for Rihanna but I am so glad that she kept this one for herself.