"Ponoko describes itself as the world’s first personal manufacturing platform where anyone can click to make, buy and sell digital products. Ponoko is the brainchild of software entrepreneurs Dave ten Have and Derek Elley. The business was founded on ‘the disappointing experience people face when making (individualized) products’, citing complexity and high financially and environmental costs. Encouraged by the rise of what they call the Internet connected ‘creative-class’, along with Join discussion...

"Evaluation of the new roof design toolkit and some ideas for improvements and additions" Join discussion...

The Internet has changed the way many companies do business. The latest evidence: BookSurge LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc., has recruited major publishers to use BookSurge`s print-on-demand service to make backlist, out-of-print, large print and current books available on Amazon.com and through other distribution channels. Join discussion...

"Here’s an unconfirmed but well sourced rumor: silicon valley based Zazzle will be closing a second round of financing in the $30 million range, at a $300+ million pre-money valuation. The round is expected to be led by an as-yet-unnamed hedge fund. Kleiner Perkins (which led the company’s $16 million Series A round in 2005, is supposedly also particpating in the round. Look for confirmation from the company in the next couple of weeks. The company competes with CafePress and others." Join discussion...

"Get custom made, pre-washed Jeans made exclusively for you and delivered to your door-step! We make them to fit your needs, your measurements, your special requirements." (as seen on tv) Join discussion...

"Last month, VistaPrint announced a net income of $27 million for its 2007 fiscal year, up 41 percent from 2006, on revenue of $256 million. The company said that it had attracted 3 million new customers during the year and processed an average of 22,000 orders a day in the three months ended June 30. The deal with OfficeMax is an important defensive measure, said Robert Keane, VistaPrint’s chief executive. “We think it makes sense to partner with other people who have access to millions of customers, and help them be the second, third and fourth competitors in the market,” he said. “I’d rather have the market dominated by firms that are VistaPrint in different guises.”" Join discussion...

" Amazon.com has acquired audiobook publisher Brilliance Audio and announced its Disc On Demand service will offer recorded books as well as movies and music. A book publisher that has not recorded a book into audio format will be able to use Brilliance Audio to do the recording, says Greg Greeley, vice president of books at Amazon. Once a book is in audio format, regardless of which audiobook publisher produces it, it can be offered for sale through the Disc On Demand service of Amazon.com’s Join discussion...

Klaus, in your research you find that many companies have no dedicated mass customization strategy. Why is this? For many managers mass customization still is a new practice – and a common understanding of the possible benefits of mass customization does not exist. Moreover, most companies focus on operational questions and miss to define a strategy first. But there is an interesting observation I have made – a growing number companies have launched mass customization businesses which are su Join discussion...

"Ponoko is a user manufacturing platform based in Wellington, New Zealand, where anyone can click to make, buy and sell digital products. Users upload designs, Ponoko manufactures them for them using rapid manufacturing technology, and send the result to users. If they like and approve the result, users then can start to sell their designs (and products) to others using Ponoko’s online shop and distribution system." Join discussion...

"Im letzten halben Jahr haben übrigens 1.100 unterschiedliche Designer Vorschläge eingereicht. Ein Drittel der Leute, die jeden Monat Designs einreichen, sind neu dabei, das ist wirklich super lebendig. Also: Ganz unterschiedliche Leute machen bei La Fraise den Content. Viele Leute stellen morgens als erstes ihren Apple an und gucken, welche neuen Designs es bei La Fraise gibt." Join discussion...