We'll know that Apple is about to release the iWatch...

... when we'll see them patent induction charging technology as part of their laptop line.

Think about it: we spend all day long at our computers, typing on our keyboards. Our wrists' natural resting place is the bottom of our laptops:



With the rise and generalization of induction charging technology, it would only seem natural that a charger should be embedded in the laptop itself in order to allow for a seamless experience. It would efficiently resolve the issue of having to keep your watch charged all day long.

Once the technology becomes available as a standard within the MacBook line, it could be extended to charging iPhones, or even iPads. Wait... Is there any evidence pointing in this direction?

A recent patent awarded to Apple might indicates that they are exploring technology to this effect: https://www.google.com/patents/US20130063873?dq=apple+induction+charger&hl=fr&sa=X&ei=-lQKUozeCcPP0AXBvIHQDg&sqi=2&pjf=1&ved=0CEAQ6AEwAQ

Just drop your iPhone and iPad on your computer in the evening, before you go to sleep. Your beloved tablet, now charging wirelessly:

Article: Alignment - Your VP Sales and VP Marketing Should Be Your Mom and Dad of Revenue

Interesting article by Jason Lemkin, from his SaaStr blog:

A little while ago, Amanda from Lattice Engines interviewed SaaStr on Sales and Marketing Alignment and related topics.

While I hate the term “alignment” from my days as a F500 VP, if the term every were to be used in a useful way in a SaaS start-up, it’s the way your VP Sales and VP Marketing should be joined at the hip.

They should be the Mom and Dad of marketing (no gender attribution intended).  If they don’t worktogether like a well-oiled machine — and surprisingly, often they don’t — you’ll have a real problem on your hands trying to scale.


He also has a number of interesting points regarding the role and required qualities to be a great a VP of Sales. The topic of alignment between sales of marketing is definitely one of the key issues we're facing on a daily basis. The big question being: how do you go efficiently from relevant content on your website to qualified lead to closed deal?

This requires very close coordination between both teams so that nobody drops the ball and to avoid finger-pointing from one team to the other. A daily challenge :-)

Article: The Importance of Passion in an Interview

Good article. When I applied to join XWiki, almost 7 years ago, I still remember how passionate I was about wikis and their potential to change the way people communicate and work together for the better. I'm fairly certain this was easy to see for my interviewers. So this article rings very much home:

Although many job interview books and articles focus on technical questions, they typically at least touch upon the importance of dress, communication skills, general people skills, and likability. However, there's one aspect that seems rarely discussed relative to its importance: passion.


To this day, I'm still surprised by the low number of passionate applications we receive. If I have but one piece of advice: thoroughly research which companies you should apply to, and craft a passionate and unique letter to each of them. If they're human-sized (as opposed to process-bloated), they'll react very positively.

PS: posting by email is back! Thanks Potshaven!