This summer has seen computer battery recalls affecting consumers and professional users alike, and in record-setting numbers. One manufacturer acknowledged investigations were already underway before one of the incidents took place. Yet, I’ve found only one analyst group criticizing these recalls and advocating higher standards at the source: Ontario-based Info-Tech Research Group.

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A few readers have asked me what the IT analysts are saying about the Long Tail. After failing to convince them that the long tail is (a) anything written by Thomas Hardy or (b) an equally obscure pun involving a parrot, it occurred to me that the most appropriate answer to their questions could be found in analyst blogs. And, I happen to have addresses for a few of those.

Here’s a very small start on what analysts have been saying about the long tail. I’ll update periodically through the end of the year. You’re welcome to add, comment.

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Still using quadrants, pyramids or bubble charts to visualize your analyst relations program? Here’s a fresh alternative: hijack Mike Gotta’s blog posts — complete with a chart, by the way — on communications context zones. He presents a frame of reference that’s simple, hip, and easy to explain. It divides communications context and “attention cycles” into bands, from most salient to nascent.

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