Better Living Through Technology

Google's Project Glass

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 03:12:00 +0000

I wanted to do a story about the new augmented reality glasses created by Google known as Project Glass. Google recently began taking pre-orders for Project Glass for $1,500, but the product will not be available until next year. Will the high price-tag be worth it? I personally would find it hard to spend that much money on a product I hadn't tried, or even seen in use. There is some footage of Project Glass in action, but it's hard to tell if it's conceptual material, or if it depicts the true capabilities of the device.

Tech Radar has good article detailing what you need to know about Project Glass. Google's product is believed to use transparent LCD or AMOLED display for projecting images in front of the user's eyes, and scrolling and mouse-clicks will be performed with a series of head motions. Also, if you already wear glasses you shouldn't have to worry about wearing another piece of eye-wear, as Google plans to make an adaption to traditional glasses.

It's great that more information is coming out about this exciting new product, but there is still uncertainty about whether or not it will be able to perform as well as the promotional materials suggest. And even if it does, will it be something that resonates with people? Will people find it awkward to move their head to control the glasses? I'm interested in the implications of this product, but I think I will wait to see if it catches on before I spend $1,500.

Prices of Facebook Stock

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 03:27:00 +0000

I posted about the Facebook IPO when it was announced, and then again when they updated their S-1 filing, and I thought I would look into where the stock was at now. I heard reports that the price fell quickly, but I never looked into how bad of a drop it was. Facebook seemed like a good investment at the time, so I was surprised with the initial figures. Then again, Facebook may have intentionally inflated its stock price, as I had heard rumored. The release of a Facebook app store made me wonder what sort of opportunities it would provide for driving revenue, and if that would affect stock prices.

An article at ABC News states that the price of Facebook stock is down 19% from it's initial public offering of $38. Even on the first day it barely closed above that at $38.23. The article also mentions that Facebook is entangled in numerous lawsuits over the IPO. I had heard there were complaints over how transactions were handled, and I wonder if enough people were able to pool their resources and file a class action lawsuit.

None of this looks good for Facebook, and yet it seems like the company is doing well if Mark Zuckerberg can purchase Instagram for $1 billion. Will Zuckerberg decide to sell the company off, and will it become the home to so many advertisements that users move to other social networks? Facebook still seems to be the most widely used social network, and the most recent competitor Google+ hasn't proved to be much of a threat with its minimal engagement levels. Again, I think the Facebook apps are a good sign that people are putting money into this product, and I don't think Facebook will become the next Myspace for at least a few years.

Business Plan Development

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:30:00 +0000

As I finish up my mobile app business plan, I wanted to take a look back at the resources I found and wrote about in my previous post. I’m finding that the advice given by the individuals is very relevant, and I will be able to incorporate it into my mobile app plan and any business plans in the future.

Tim Berry gave the advice that you need to be able to adapt, and as I do more and more research I am finding this to be true. The mobile app market is strong now, but will this trend continue? And what about the poor performance of Facebook’s stock? I think finding projected statistics compiled by professionals would be one way to help my plan, and then devising contingency plans would help to show that I’m ready for things to not go the way they are expected to. As for the mobile app market, all signs point to continued growth, but I feel like the bubble with burst at some point.

Ellen Rohr advised selling your product before your pitch to demonstrate salability. I agree with her advice, but it might be difficult to incorporate into my business plan for a mobile app. I could possibly have a free version of the app out first, track the downloads, and then present those stats to investors for the paid version. Or I could create a landing page with a submission form on the website as a means of measuring interest.

Bryan Howe mentioned Kickstarter as a means of funding projects through peer-to-peer networks. I looked at Kickstarter to see what they had for mobile apps, and there are quite a few projects that are raising funds for apps or mobile device related projects. This could possibly be tied to demonstrating salability as well – if we have a successful Kickstarter campaign, we can show that people are interested enough in what we have to offer that they will donate money to see it happen. Peer-to-peer funding wasn’t as organized in years past, but I think the advent of social media networks has changed that. I also think donation site like Kickstarter are helpful because if you do get a project funded, you will have an initial and eager fan base ready for you once you get your project off the ground.

Business Plan Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 03:44:00 +0000

As I work on a business plan for a mobile app, I’m turning toward experts in developing business plans for inspiration. I haven’t done previous research into creating a business plan, so I’m new to who are the leading figures in the field. Here are a few individuals I found.

The first business plan expert I found is Tim Berry. Tim is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software and bplans.com, and is co-founder of Borland International. He has written a number of books on business planning, and has also created software.

Tim says that while planning is vital, a plan as a document is obsolete as soon as it is finished. I agree with this in the sense that a business needs to be adaptable to survive. You can have a great plan, but you can’t expect to make it past the first year if you aren’t prepared for the inevitable problems your business will face. Two more great points I took from Tim are that persistence doesn’t make a business succeed – it’s what’s left over after getting past all the other causes of failure, and value and giving customers value is the single most important factor.

The next expert I found is Ellen Rohr of Bare Bones Biz. Ellen started out as a plumber’s wife, and got involved with her husband’s business when his partner died. She learned a lot from the ups and downs of her first business adventure, and went on to start the consulting company Bare Bones Biz in 1995. She writes as a columnist for numerous publications, and has an extensive network of companies to which she has contributed.

Ellen suggests selling your product prior to presenting to venture capitalists if possible. That way you can show evidence that your product has sales potential because you have actual documented sales on the books. She also strongly recommends knowing how much money you will need from potential investors on the front end of a project. It’s better to ask for a lot and explain what you plan to do with it than to try to get more funds if the run out amidst the duration of the project.

The last resource I found is MasterPlans, a company started by Bryan Howe. According to Bryan:

“When I started the business as a sole proprietorship in 2002, I never really set out for it to be what it's become. I thought I could help some people, make some money, and work when I wanted. That was my original business plan. When the workload reached a point I couldn't do it all I started thinking about breaking the plan into pieces and have someone focus on each particular section so I could just sell and do financial modeling. In 2004 the team plan model was developed. Since then we have worked with over 10,000 clients and counting.”

One interesting thing I took from MasterPlans was in an article about being both a borrower and a lender. They mention Lending Club, which can offer small business owners loans at lower rates than most banks, and is all powered by peer-to-peer lending. I think sites like Kickstarter could potentially be incorporated into a business plan, though that presents some difficulty since there is no way to be certain whether or not your project will receive the complete funding. Still, I do think online resources, especially a creative social media campaign, could be incorporated into a plan shown to potential investors that demonstrates how money received through the Internet could be a significant source of funding.

Get Paid to Watch TV: Viggle Revisited

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 21 May 2012 01:16:00 +0000

I previously posted about how you can get paid to watch TV using the iOS app Viggle, and I wanted to take a second look at how the company is doing. I’m personally still using the app, and I’ve made over $30 from checking in to TV shows. I don’t see any way I’ll hit the $550 reward limit for a year period at this rate, which makes me wonder if I could be using the app more effectively. Featured shows are given more points, and I would be interested to know what sort of contracts shows such as American Idol have with Viggle to be listed as “featured” on the app.

An announcement was made at the Ad Age Social Engagement / Social TV Conference that Viggle has reached 625,000 users, and 142 million engagements have taken place on the app. Users check in to the app an average of five times a day, and interact with an average of 15 videos and games presented while the app is open. I use this feature now and then, but as a user I haven’t seen a lot of reasons to use the app other than for the check-ins. Nevertheless, I imagine that these statistics present a great case for companies advertising through Viggle, and for shows to get listed in the featured placement area available on the app.

I think it’s good timing on the company’s part to release Viggle for Android fresh on the heels of releasing announcements of successful user engagement. Granted the current Android version is only a beta release, the Android market makes up a significant market share that has remained untouched by Viggle up to this point. I’ve told a few of my friends about this app, only to have them upset it wasn’t available for their Android device yet, so it’s good to see that more people will have access to this cool rewards based TV check-in program.

Facebook IPO Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 07 May 2012 01:17:00 +0000

I previously posted about the Facebook IPO, and now Facebook has updated its S-1 filling with the SEC. People looking to invest in the company are now starting off at $28 to $35 per share, according to the recent SEC filing. Facebook could raise $11.8 billion, making it the largest Internet IPO ever.

The CBS article also mentions Facebook’s purchase of Instagram for $1 billion. I think the fact that the company has that kind of money to throw around, plus the fact that Mark Zuckerberg made the deal on his own without consulting his team, shows the company is experiencing good fortune.

WealthWire.com 2012

http://www.wealthwire.com/news/equities/2601

My original post was about people getting rich from the Facebook IPO, but I wonder if it will be the case. I think the Instagram acquisition is major, since I’ve seen a lot of use of that app recently. But did people like it because it was different than Facebook? Did they identify with the Instagram brand? How will the future user experience compare to how users currently share images? If users need to log in to Facebook to use Instagram, I could potentially see it decreasing in popularity.

An article at Wealth Wire suggests that buyers avoid the Facebook IPO, at least for now. Jim Rogers thinks that Facebook has timed out every aspect of the IPO, and plans to capitalize on buyers willing to purchase expensive stocks. Rogers says he doesn’t buy expensive stocks, and plans to avoid Facebook’s as well. The article goes on to list a few other sources raising similar concerns, and I suggest anyone looking to spend a lot of money on Facebook stock take a look before investing a considerable amount of money.

One thing I wonder about is the market saturation of Facebook. How many people out there on the Internet are not on Facebook yet? Are there so many people using Facebook already that people are bound to start looking for the next big thing soon? Or is Facebook here to stay? Will enough new additions and partnerships, like the Instagram acquisition, be enough to keep users interested? I personally think Facebook will be around for a while, but I’m going to wait before I spend any significant money on their stock.

3D Printing and Intellectual Property

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:28:00 +0000

While on the topic of publishing and distribution, I want to mention the upcoming technology of 3D printing. Using various materials, a 3D printer lets one build real-life objects from a computer generated model. A question that immediately comes to my mind is “are these objects subject to the laws of intellectual property?” I found talk online about copyright and patent disputes, which eventually lead me to the IP laws section of MakerBot.

MakerBot is one of the leaders in the 3D printer industry, and they sponsor the website Thingiverse.com. This site showcases designs that can be created digitally and manifested physically. One of the areas featured here is a Tools section, and it made me think about a potential hardware company that uses 3D printing technology to design and produce tools.

How would the company register the design templates created with computers that would be the basis of their livelihood? Would they copyright the material, apply for patents, or could the templates be considered a trade secret of a company?

Another site I found is Sculpteo. Sculpteo seems much more design based, and focusing on the art community. Sculpteo does have a store section, and it appears you can register as a vendor through its store. I was interested in what sort of contract your participation at Sculpteo entailed, and I found the Terms of Use section. It outlines their Characteristics of Goods and Services Proposed, which includes the following:

i. SCULPTEO proposes a personalised 3D reproduction service. Based on an image supplied by the CUSTOMER, SCULPTEO will create a concrete object: interior decoration, figure, robot, miniature, maquette (hereinafter referred to as the “OBJECT”).

ii. SCULPTEO also produces 3D images shown in the catalogue published on the website “http:// www.sculpteo.com” available to CUSTOMERS.

iii. The 3D images shown in the catalogue published on the website “http:// www.sculpteo.com” are as faithful a representation as possible but do not guarantee perfect similarity with the OBJECT (in particular with regards to colour and execution).

I’m interested to try this technology as an end user, and I would love to create a design as well!

eBook Publishing at Lulu.com

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:22:00 +0000

I recently wrote a book proposal for class that involved listing details of publishing and marketing campaigns. The proposal was put together with the intent of presenting it to a potential agent, but the assignment also made me think about the self-publishing route. One of the Print on Demand / Self-publishing options I found was through the website Lulu.com. Since this blog has more of a technological base, I’ll take a look at the eBooks option.

Lulu has a process outlined on their site consisting of 6 steps: Learn More, Upload a File, Create a Cover, Describe Your eBook, Pick a Price, and Promote Your eBook. Learn More has helpful information on the different type of eBook formats, and there is a comprehensive manual available in the form of the Lulu’s eBook CreatorGuide. Once you follow the steps of uploading a file, getting an ISBN, and you’re ready for the digital marketplace, Lulu offers marketing packages to help you be seen in the competitive world of eBooks. Publicity packages include monthly book publicity campaigns, and extend to book reviews, posters, postcards, and marketing consultation services.

While I find this service interesting, I want to check out the community section a bit more before I make the decision to commit to any contracts involved with publishing my intellectual property through a website. I also need to consider my pricing, considering this would be my first title. What is reasonable to expect for a first title? I may call a Lulu sales representative to set up a consultation, and if I do, I will provide a follow up blog. One thing is for sure, I feel closer than ever to publishing a fictional piece after completing a book proposal. I think even authors looking to self-publish should put together a proposal for the sake of organizing your thoughts and making an effort to see how your work relates to the bigger picture.

Legal Podcasts

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:11:00 +0000

For a legal themed post, I listened to a few podcasts by Gordon P. Firemark, Esq. on his Entertainment Law Update website. Firemark discusses a number of copyright related issues, which I found particularly helpful in relation to my business plan.

The first podcast I listened to contained a discussion of the website Megaupload and its legal issues with Universal Music Group. Megaupload sued Universal Music Group following a takedown of a controversial music video uploaded to YouTube by Megaupload. The video contained a number of Universal Music Group artists, and was pulled based on contract details with YouTube. Firemark argues that this case highlights an issue in the system that allows labels to take down content at will. There is no system for an independent look to be taken at content by YouTube employees before it is removed, and the labels have access to take down materials directly. He went on to reference another issue that happened in the rap community in which a flagging algorithm was used to tell if an unauthorized user uploaded a song. Two rap artists performed different lyrics over the same instrumental, which they both obtained licensing to do, but since one of the artists was a Universal Music Group artist the other artist’s song was flagged and removed.

The Megaupload issue could potential apply to my business because episodes of Discover Wisconsin often license instrumental interludes as backing music. If the same flagging system for content used on YouTube is one day applied to mobile app content, then it would be important to make sure none of our content is at issue if another company happens to use the same audio track.

The next recording I listened to dealt with Universal Media Group again, this time with their dispute against the website Grooveshark. Grooveshark, owned by Escape Media, had a complaint filed against it based on the way the site runs. Users upload their music library, and then any user can listen to the tracks for free. Grooveshark has an ad network, and then offers a premium version without ads. Universal Music Group claims Grooveshark is a pirate website, and streams unauthorized content. They also claim that employees have uploaded over 113,000 songs to the site, and even listed names of employees in the complaint. This fact was based on a blog comment that stated employees are assigned a number of songs to upload each week. The employees were generated content since the site was new, and they wanted to have content available to their new users, but it’s interesting to hold them differently accountable since they are both employees and users.

My company may need to upload content to the mobile app before we have any user-generated content. Given that Grooveshark’s employees are listed in this complaint, I think it will be in our best interests to make sure any content employees upload is content copyrighted by the company, and not anything taken from other websites, be it text or image content.

The last podcast I listened to dealt with a nostalgia company using depictions of Wizard of Oz characters. Some believe that the characters from The Wizard of Oz are outside of copyright protection due to the fact that L. Frank Baum wrote the original book in 1900. However, Warner Brothers made the famous film in 1939. The nostalgia company in question acquired old posters from the movie, then took images out of the ads and put them on shirts, lunch boxes, cards, and other materials. Warner Brothers sued, and eventually the 8th circuit court ruled that features of film characters could be copyrighted, even if they are based on prior work. The scope covers all other visual representations, even advertising materials.

One potential concern this makes me think of is the fact that Discover Wisconsin features places of business in the episodes. If we used a picture of a business’s advertising materials, or recreated those materials, we could potentially get into trouble if we didn’t work out an agreement first.

Legal Issues in Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 22:30:00 +0000

What happens when your online money is stolen? The virtual currency company Bitcoin suffered a malicious attack, and $228,000 was stolen from customers. Bitcoin is making updates to their program to make it more secure, but I can only imagine this breech will make new users hesitant to join, and current user consider removing their funds from the service. Bitcoin trading service Bitcoinia stated they are “committed to absorbing any loss” as “the thief stole from us, not you.” How about their legal commitment when getting involved with other people’s money?

Should the FCC be allowed to shut off cellphone and Internet service in cases of public safety? Recently there was an instance in San Francisco where the Bay Area Rapid Transit disrupted cellphone service in order to stop planned protests. Now the FCC evaluating itself to see if it has the authority to take actions in matters that might require communications networks to be turned off. If the FCC is indeed allowed to pull the plug on cellphones and Internet services, it will mark a landmark decision in government jurisdiction over the services of private companies.

An interesting trend on the rise in the world of videogames is the notion that a videogame can be a service. Considering a game as more than a good invokes issues of copyright law and software ownership, which means users may have to accept license agreements similar to those found on computer software before they can enjoy a game. It also means they don’t actually own the game, since they are only licensing it. But how many gamers will think about games in this manner? If you spend your hard-earned money on a video game, it is natural to think that you own it, and that you don’t have to abide by an end-user licensing agreement. I expect some new legislation to be developed in the near future related to video games as services.

The last liability issue I want to look at is when problems arise in the IT field. A study shows that more often than not it is the vendor that takes the blame for faulty IT. Even if internal staff at a facility is the actual cause for the problem, the blame still gets back to the vendor. I think this presents a major problem for manufacturers, as there is no way to account for all the possible misuses of a product once it’s implemented, possible sabotage, or problems that arise from shared materials. It would be in a manufacturer’s best interest to include clauses in a vendor contract that would exempt them from liability in situations not related to the actual functionality of the product.

Make Money Watching TV With Viggle

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 01:46:00 +0000

I recently signed up for the new mobile app Viggle that awards you for checking in to TV shows. I thought it was a cool idea, and one was new to me. The way Viggle users are awarded points is by amount of time spent watching shows, and through featured shows. There are featured shows that give you a certain amount of points, for example The Simpsons is valued at 325 points, and the Walking Dead is valued at 300 points. Otherwise a user receives 120 points for each hour of television watched. Points are given at the end of a show, and if you check into a new show partway through the episode you are awarded for the amount of minutes you spent on the previous show.

When you sign in, you set your location and television provider so that Viggle can recognize the programming in your area. The “Check In” button then scans the audio of the show playing, similar to Sound Hound and other apps, then asks you to confirm the selection it pulls up. I have had a few instances where the audio feature didn’t work due to background noise, but then I was able to manually check in by typing in the name of the show. Viggle also lets you check into shows you have recorded through DVR.

Viggle gives rewards of gifts cards - $5 gift cards at 7,500 points, and $10 gift cards at $14,000 points. Some of the companies participating in the Viggle rewards program are: iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Burger King, Sephora, Foot Locker, Lowe’s, Papa John’s Travelocity, and Target to name a few. There are also higher tiers of prizes. Amazon is giving away a Kindle at 175,000 point mark.

Viggle recently acquired the company Loyalize as a means of real-time audience engagement. During the Grammys users were able to participate in polls and voting as a means of earning points. Users can also discuss the shows they’re watching through the “Latest Chatter” feature, which is a comment stream that users can also choose to share through Facebook or Twitter.

I’m already at almost 6,000 points, and I can’t wait to start getting some gift cards!

The Super Bowl Streamed for the First Time

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:37:00 +0000

I decided to do a post about streaming video for today’s post. Specifically, the streaming of live video feeds is of particular interest to me, and with the Super Bowl being streamed for the first time ever tonight, I thought it would be a good topic to search up on.

It took a lot to get the licensing of the Super Bowl on mobile devices, as well as a lot of technical work. One thing to note is that the event is only available through Verizon customers with NFL mobile, and also only for specific versions of the Android platform. It is also recommend to do the stream through a wireless connection for best viewing results. This makes sense, as many people are most likely trying to view the event, causing lots of strain on anyone attempting to view through 3G or 4GLTE. There are also a number of unofficial streams out there for those that can’t view the official sources, but the NFL has been cracking down on these mediums.

However, it is expected that most NFL games will be kept off the internet for the foreseeable future. There is still a lot of money in network television, and also a lot less revenue in airing online ads. NBC is banking on most online viewers already watching the game on TV, and only tuning in online to receive bonus material. Don’t expect the quality of sports related video streams such as this to get better anytime soon either, as network television has plenty of money tied up in keeping the games on TV only.

So while this year’s Super Bowl being streamed online may be more of an experiment than the new norm, I think it presents an interesting view of what the future may potentially hold. Networks will have to figure out how to make online streaming more cost effective for them before they give up TV broadcasts, so expect to see more and more subscription fees before it becomes a format that users can tune in to for free as they can with TV.

Negotiation Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:45:00 +0000

For my negotiation interview, I spoke with Todd Maahs, Director of Partner Relations, at Discover Mediaworks. Todd has many years of experience in sales and client interactions, and had a wealth of knowledge on the topic of negotiating.

DR: Thanks for meeting with me, Todd! The first topic related to negotiations is dirty tricks. What are your thoughts on dirty tricks?

TM: In my opinion, dirty tricks don't work. But there are tricks, they are real, and you have to be ready for them. One of the tricks that I’ve used myself is the assumptive close. At the end of the conversation, talk like the deal is already done. Don’t say that it will be, or it could be, use terms such as “when this is done” or “once under way.” You talk about it as if the decision is made.

Another trick I use is if I can’t close the sale right then and there, I always schedule the next meeting while I have them. Don’t ever walk away without a meeting set up to try again. This puts things back in my control, and it gives me the timing advantage, setting me up for the actual negotiation. I’ll also do the opposite and say I’m not available, or out of town and will have to get in touch at a later date.

It all comes back to doing business in person. A face-to-face situation is more than just a proposal sent over email or phone – it’s really easy to say no to that. But if you drive out to see somebody, you have what I call “skin in the game.” You have that sense of guilt going out of your way to see somebody in person creates.

DR: Great insight! What are your thoughts on negative emotions that come up during a negotiation?

TM: I like to get a good understanding whenever negative emotions arise. Knowing exactly where the other party stands helps me figure out ways they would be happy. A bad deal is when both people are unhappy. The best deal is when both are happy. And make sure it’s a sincere understanding – don’t put words in their mouth. Also don’t rush – people need time to think, so give them time to think. Wait longer if you have to. The awkward silence will eventually make them say what’s on their mind.

DR: What are your thoughts on industry standards when you are making sales?

TM: Well, I don’t necessarily compare price as much as services. Discover Mediaworks is often compared to a marketing agency, but an agency doesn’t offer anywhere near the services our potential clients have access to. I try to make an apples to apples comparison as opposed to making a comparison to an orange. Your quality and expertise is an intangible, so I try not to let the price points of other companies factor in too much. However, when I’m on the east coast I recognize that we have a mid west price, so price factors in more in that situation.

DR: How do you use leverage and power to your advantage?

TM:

I like to use a sandwich technique that involves the company president in the negotiation. What we do is the president will work with the president of the company we’re meeting with, and then I’ll meet with the people actually doing the work. We’ll leverage them against each other, but at the same time I’m aligning what they’re looking for. This leverages their trust, and they end up agreeing to what we propose.

DR: Thanks, and I appreciate you taking time for this interview! Any last comments?

TM: Mutual benefit is the single most important aspect of a deal. Sincerely consider not doing the project if it isn’t mutually beneficial.

The Facebook Millionaires

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:51:00 +0000

The Facebook Millionaires

With the upcoming Facebook IPO, there is much speculation as to the potential creation of thousands of millionaires. Facebook is expected to debut on the market at $100 billion dollars in 2012, which makes me wonder what other numbers are at play that we aren’t seeing.

How much revenue does Facebook need to account for executive compensation and employee wages? Facebook had around 700 employees in 2008, and currently employs over 3,000. Not all employees will get equal shares either, and one downside to going public is that all executives will need to include the amount of shares owned in quarterly reports. There may be dissent among the company once this information is released, and only time will tell if a restructuring of the company is necessary. Current investors will have a vested interest in making sure everything goes smoothly, and may be the deciding factor in the future of the company.

This makes me wonder how our experience as end users will change. Can we expect to see more invasive advertisements because it’s what stockholders want? Will our status updates and fan-page comments be considered fair game when we mention specific products? I also wonder what this means for the on-going privacy issues held against Facebook. How much of a say will the stockholders have in the way our data is used?

Facebook’s IPO is expected to be the biggest tech IPO ever – Google debuted at $1.9 billion as a comparison. I plan to invest, but I’ll see how I feel once next April comes around. A lot also depends on how Facebook offers the shares – they may opt for an auction as Google did in 2004. Pricing most likely won’t be known until the night before it goes public, but definitely keep an eye on this story. If you have a lot of money to invest, this may be something for you to consider. This could be the ground floor of something major, and though there is always the possibility of Facebook becoming the next Myspace, I think it will be a while before Facebook is replaced.

Trover, the Location Based Social Network

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:57:00 +0000

Since I plan to create and market a travel app in the future, I thought it would be interesting to test out and review an app for a blog post. I recently downloaded the Trover app, and I absolutely love it so far!

Trover describe themselves as “a new smartphone-based social network that lets you share discoveries with friends and fellow explorers in a visual, fun way – all based on your location.” Users are encouraged see what others have discovered based on GPS location, and as your dig deeper into the results you are shown locations further away from you. Shares are brief, consisting of a photo and a quick note.

Your first option in the Trover app is “Nearby” listings. This gives a cool display of shares by other “trovers” based on your location, which can then be sorted by Anytime, Last 7 days, and Today. Underneath the category display is a mileage reading, which increases as you scroll down the thumbnail images of user shares (as mentioned above, the deeper results are those further away from your current location).

There is also a “Feed” option that shows all submissions to Trover as they happen. These are not sorted by location in any way, but you can sort between All Shares and those that you are following. I wasn’t sure how active the feed would be since I hadn’t heard of Trover before, but it turns out there are quite a few users from all over the world actively sharing through this location based social network.

A “Featured” section is also included in the app, which is similar to the Feed screen, but with stars in the upper-left corner of the thumbnails. I’m not sure how featured shares are decided, as there seems to be a combination of views, comments, and shares in the listing, but I consider this a great feature since there’s a lot of content that wouldn’t be seen otherwise (there’s quite a lot in the feed, and unless you search by location you will only see what is shared close to your current location).

The “Me” section lets you invite friends, search users, and send feedback. I may invite some friends, as I couldn’t find anyone I knew with the search users function. They are missing out – for a free app, Trover is great!

Being Young and Making an Impact

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:39:00 +0000

I just watched a great video on TED.com of Natalie Warne’s presentation Being Young and Making an Impact. Natalie tells an amazing story of her involvement with Invisible Children, an organization involved in ending the use of child soldiers by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Africa. She explains that what made all of their triumphs possible was the acts of Anonymous Extraordinaries, and that you should follow your dreams because they are what drives you, not because they will make you successful or famous.

Natalie’s mother had two pictures in their apartment: one family picture, the other of her mother at 12 years old looking into the eyes of Martin Luther King, Jr. Natalie would always imagine it was her looking into his eyes, and though she didn’t get to meet Dr. King, she did get to meet Dr. Vincent Harding, who wrote many speeches for the late Dr. King. She explains that Harding is an example of an Anonymous Extraordinary, and was just as important to the Civil Rights movement in his behind the scenes role.

She struggled to find her identity in high school – she received hate letters for being black, and was forced to pick a race due to her mixed heritage. But that situation made her resent both races, and it wasn’t until she saw the film Invisible Children that she found her identity. The film was about Joseph Kony’s use of child soldiers in the Lord’s Resistance Army, and what struck her the most was how one man could start a war that has lasted 25 years.

That made Natalie ask the question of what could one 17 year old do to end the use of child soldiers. She joined the Invisible Children foundation, and flew to San Diego to be meet with the founders. They told her getting a bill passed would be the first step, which lead her on a journey that took her all the way to the Oprah show to gain support.

However, getting on Oprah wasn’t her defining moment. Oprah was a checkpoint on the way to the bill, and the signing of the bill by the president was her defining moment. She wasn’t there, none of the interns were, and yet she felt just as much a part of the movement. Just as the family who ordered 100 boxes of pizza was part of the movement. It was people doing whatever they could, the Anonymous Extraordinaries, that drove the movement, not the Oprah moments. Natalie states that not even a number of Oprah moments strung together could fuel a movement as much as Anonymous Extraordinaries. That is what brought 100,000 people to her rescue event in Chicago that got Oprah to listen to the Invisible Children message.

Natalie says that this is what will define the new generation, and I foresee many business innovations if people do start following their dreams simply because it’s what makes their heart sing. If one person can get Anonymous Extraordinaries to gather around a vision it creates a truly powerful force.

Steve Largent and CTIA

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:01:00 +0000

Quick update: my last post was about Siri on the iPhone 4S, and I’ve since then purchased the new iPhone. Siri is amazing from a user experience perspective, and I’m excited about developments regarding Siri’s current lack of an API.

This new development for mobile devices made me curious to find out who has a hand in regulating mobile devices, which lead me to CTIA-The Wireless Association. Their website describes CTIA as “an international nonprofit membership organization that has represented the wireless communications industry since 1984. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products.” CTIA is also involved in the Engadget in which he sheds light on his vision of the industry. I learned that Steve Largent plays a major role in lobbying for mobile carriers, which makes him a key figure in the long-term direction of the industry. He mentioned that even the President has given him direct support for his company’s initiatives.

Another interesting point mentioned is taxation of wireless users. There is an average state tax of 15.3 percent on wireless bills, and some states pay as high as 23 percent. I wasn’t even aware of how high the tax could be, and I’m glad to find out CTIA is doing everything in its power to find a more reasonable solution. If they are successful, I think that could potentially mean more mobile users, which would benefit my company directly in that many viewers of Discover Wisconsin are from more rural areas of Wisconsin. If wireless could be cheaper, I think it could potentially translate into more views to DiscoverWisconsin.com through mobile devices, which would make it more likely those same users would get the Discover Wisconsin mobile app.

CTIA is also working to change the tax on digital goods and services. Popular downloading services such as iTunes charge a tax for downloads, which would be another deterrent stopping people from engaging in the wireless user experience.

The U.S. Army is working with CTIA on an Army Marketplace Application Store. Only the Department of Defense can access the store’s content, and the apps will be geared at assisting troops complete their missions. App developers and soldiers will also have open communication, as a soldier can post what is needed in an app, and then a developer can get to work on it. I see a lot of potential for this amount of personalization in app development, with a possible new market emerging related to apps developed for specific individuals in the civilian market.

Apple’s Siri a Game-changer?

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 03:06:00 +0000

Were you excited for the iPhone 5 to be released, only to then feel disappointment about a confusing "4S"? James Allworth argues that Apple's addition of the Siri voice-control feature is as revolutionary as the Mac itself. The 4S is more of an advancement than many thought, and will change the way mobile devices are used. Speech is a natural form of human communication, and the ability to talk to your phone like it's a person unlocks new opportunities for interactive experiences.

Robert Scoble knew Siri would be major last year, and predicts it could be major move in Apple's competition with Google. The mobile device and app market has been a fierce one, but Siri could be the new edge everyone else has to compete with. Google and anyone else intending to have a presence in the market need to come up with an answer, and fast.

Apple's website makes the claim that Siri knows what you mean, and that it goes beyond voice-recognition. If you asked about a good place to find a burger, and then asked about tacos, Siri knows you're still talking about finding restaurants. Siri will also ask you questions for the sake of being proactive.The site goes on to state that Siri uses the majority of the built in apps on the iPhone 4S. There may be little left we need to use the keyboard for when we can now have so many functions at the command of our voice. I’m starting to see what Mr. Allworth meant by Siri being just as revolutionary as Apple itself.

Will Siri be the future of artificial technology? There is a concern about how much Siri knows and can do, and if we need to regulate Artificial Intelligence. In the constant drive to release new technology it is easy to overlook the long-term effects of current actions, and only time will tell if more planning should have been involved with the release of Siri before being made available to the public.

Brain Scans Using Smart Phones

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 01:56:00 +0000

http://singularityhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/emotiv3.jpg

A personal EEG system was previously released by Emotiv for researchers and developers. Emotiv's EPOCH acts as a revolutionary interface for human and computer interaction, and already has a considerable community using its developer kit.

Now scientists at the Technological University of Denmark have hooked up Emotiv's system with a Nokia N900 smart phone. Individuals can now monitor brain states in a natural environment, as opposed to in a laboratory setting where one would typically find brain scanning devices. The mobility aspect may also help patients with neurological disorders be treated and monitored at home.

One possible use of the device would be to diagnose seizures at their onset. Continuous monitoring is made easier with a mobile device, which would then allow specific mental states to be studied in relation to possible triggering stimuli.

The EPOCH has also been used to make calls with a smart phone. The technology allows you to think of a phone number, and then it can be "dialed" through concentration. It could also function as a typing assistant for paralyzed individuals.

An interesting feature I would like to see someday is the ability to monitor brain states during deep sleep and dreams. If brain impulses during dreams could be mapped into visual data, then theoretically it would be possible to create video footage of what is dreamed during sleep.

I also wonder if brain stimuli could be created with a smart phone and inputted to the brain. Could a frequency be sent to the brain before a seizure to cause the brain to stabilize in epileptic patients? Brain states could be altered with digital precision rather than with pharmaceuticals as is currently done for people experiencing depression, bi-poloar disorder, etc. I think this technology is a ways into the future, but the fact that we are already able to map our brain activity on smart phones shows we are well on our way to new experiences and opportunities for self-knowledge.

Google Release Electricity Usage Statistics

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:43:00 +0000

Google recently released information regarding electricity consumption of their data centers. A massive amount of electricity is used by the data centers - enough to continuously power 200,000 homes. That amount of power is more than what would be used by Salt Lake City, which causes one to wonder if regulations should be put in place considering the current energy crisis. Google claims that they are actually making a greener planet by using this energy. Their logic is that if a person does a Google search for information instead of driving to the library, the overall amount of energy consumed is less since an online search can be performed almost instantly.

Google claims to work hard to reduce the amount of energy used. Their goal is to use as little energy as possible, and a total carbon footprint can be seen on the Google Green site.

However, the company shows no signs of slowing down the production of new data centers, and as recent as 2007 there was a $600 million data center contracted in South Carolina. This is the most recent addition to a few other data centers Google has in the Carolinas, and while many new jobs will be created with the construction of each new data center, it also creates another burden on an already strained electrical grid.

One possible solution is investing in windmills. Google has already invested in two wind farms, which generate 169.5 megawatts of power, enough to power more than 55,000 homes. I think this is a good start toward balancing out the carbon footprint created by the electricity consumption of the data centers, but instating government regulations shouldn't be ruled out.

Microscope Uses Holograms Instead of Lenses

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 03:19:00 +0000

Microscope Uses Holograms Instead of Lenses

http://www.gizmag.com/cheap-microscope-uses-holograms/19679/

Green Float Island

noreply@blogger.com (Duncan) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:14:00 +0000

How can we achieve the Botanical City concept?

http://www.shimz.co.jp/english/theme/dream/greenfloat.html