Winners and Losers

Interesting all the way through

I have only been a member of audible for a few months and have to say that the writing of Winners & Losers keeps you listening all the way through. If you are interested in how some companies have won in this internet age and how some have gone from great heights and have lost then you will find as I have that you have to keep on listening all the way through as the story flows and goes from one interesting fact to another. The narration is also first class and easy on the ears. My first book that I have enjoyed so much that I have had to leave this review. Very highly recommended. hope you enjoy this also.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Good listen but very irritating at times

Some fascinating insights into the early days of some of the biggest new age companies around. Especially worth listening to for those who weren't adults in the early 80's.

The authors love of Apple and dislike of Microsoft comes through to often for my tastes and the different voices the narrator uses are annoying after a while.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Fascinating insight into internet business

This really is an exceptional book! Kieran Levis has studied his subject well and discusses what havoc the internet has wreaked on business at large. The big blue-chips are discussed here - Sony, Apple, Nokia, IBM, Kodak, Google, Ebay, Microsoft and Sky to name a few; you'll be surprised at who won, and who lost... and who nearly lost but won!

Each company is described in comprehensive detail, but this never becomes boring or repetitive (like some books I've listened to). One slight detraction is the narrator's accent when putting on voices, but this really isn't a major concern.

This isn't a 'how to succeed in business' book, quite the opposite! It shows you how damn hard it was to actually succeed in this kind of cut-throat, yet random environment that is the internet.

Wonderfully insightful, never patronising, always interesting. Can't fault this book!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Good, but out of date

I am only a few chapters in to this book, it's good, but pretty out of date, so much so that I am not sure it's worth listening to.

If you are looking to learn more about the 'winners and losers of the internet age' and the book talks about Nokia as a winner, it seems a good sign it's out of date!

Very interesting

It is always easier to understand why something was successful or not after the fact and this book explains quite well some of the history of many well known brands. It also points out that luck as well as good strategies sometimes plays a part. I enjoyed it very much.

Very interesting but a bit dated and preachy

It has some footnotes with data from 2007 and 2008, but the book generally seems to be based on the state of the internet in 2005-2006 (hence the absence of even a passing reference to Facebook and Twitter). The author also decided not to devote a section to Microsoft.

One positive of the book being dated is that it includes chapters on Mosaik/Netscape and AOL which probably would not have been included in a more recent book (and these are very interesting sections).

The inclusion of a chapter on Sky TV and Nokia seemed odd, and a bit out of context.

The final 2 chapters are a bit ponderous and preachy.

Still, overall I do not regret buying, and listening to, this audiobook.

Good but annoying accents

The narrator puts on ridiculous accents which gets quite annoying. The books jumps back and forth through time which got me lost in some cases.

Having said that, it was an interesting book, and I did learn insights into the key people and tipping points that lead to their success or failure. I gave it 4 stars for these mitigating factors.

Great book, bad narration :-(

Really insightful book, but sadly the narration becomes disturbing with 'funny' voices and odd dialects.
When you learn to overcome the irritating narration, this book gives great insight in the scenarios from the early years of entering the age of digital technology.

Highly recommended

This is a great history of some of the most famous companies in recent times. The narrator does indulge in unnecessary 'accents/impersonations' of characters which at times detracts from the content.

Exellent read for anyone interrested in business

Exellent read for anyone interrested in business.