With CTIA kicking off today you can expect that some stellar new products are being announced. If you’re lucky enough to make it to CTIA this year you might not have a chance to see the entire show floor. To avoid missing any of the must-see action, check out a few of my favorite anticipated products so you can stop by the companies’ booths:

The iPhone 6
Upstaging itself, Apple is expected to forgo making the highly anticipated iPhone 5 and release the iPhone 6. The new phone is expected to be the shape of an apple with a bite out of it, or in other words Apple’s logo. Besides the quirky shape, the most noticeable features are an octet core A11 processor, a zooming back camera lens and a 48 hour battery life. The iPhone 6 will be made with 100 percent recycled materials. This will be the first phone of its kind and analysts have speculated that Apple is going to have backorders on the device.

The Google Windshield
Google is taking technology to the next level with its announcement of the next generation of windshields; yes we are talking about the one in your car. If you hate being stuck in traffic and would rather be looking at something other than the miles of brake lights in front of you, this is the windshield for you. The Google Windshield lets the user select different scenery from all around the world. Displayed with an adjustable level of transparency, the image will still allow drivers to see out of their windows. Instead of watching the lane you just switched out of go faster than yours, take a trip to the Bahamas or go scuba diving in Hawaii. Google predicts this invention will reduce the stress of daily driving lowering the number of road range incidents, people who smoke and heart attacks.

Samsung’s retro cellphone
Samsung is planning to revert back to the cellphone’s roots with the newest addition to its product line: the Brick. Rumored to weigh in at five pounds and reaching a height of just over half a foot, this phone will get reception anywhere (outside, within 20 feet of a cell phone tower). Only available in grey, this phone will come complete with a greyscale screen and buttons no one can miss. The company is siting that with the launch of this device it’s promoting a healthy lifestyle, requiring users to walk further for reception and carry around five extra pounds.

LG’s talking TV
LG is rumored to be releasing the next generation of TVs tomorrow with a talking TV. Dubbed the Chatterbox, the eco-friendly, LED backlit, Internet enabled Television responds to voice commands. Developed for people who always lose their remotes or just want a friend, the Chatterbox will carry out a conversation with you, or just change the channel for you. To turn the TV on or off all you have to do is clap twice, then the Chatterbox will be hanging on your every word.  Be careful of what you say in front of your TV though, you wouldn’t want to offend it.

Unfortunately, I’m not able to be at CTIA this year, but I am still excited to hear about what new products will be unveiled. What products made your must-see list this CTIA?

With rumors of the iPhone 5 picking up and manufactures rolling out their latest and greatest since teasing the industry with previews at CES in January, we wanted to take a look at the newest smartphones grabbing headlines and share our favorites with you.  It doesn’t matter if you are an Apple fan boy, Android lover, or MSFT zealot; there is something for everyone as manufactures up the ante and take mobile technology to the next level.

iPhone 5

With the unveiling of the impressive new iPad already behind us, the tech world has shifted its focus to the next device in Apple’s release lineup; and all fingers are crossed for the release of the iPhone 5. The buzz around the next anticipated device has been nothing if not dramatic. With fresh speculation around its release date and claims that this will be the handset where Apple drops its numbering system to reveal simply the “newest iPhone,” a mixture of both confusion and anticipation has veiled the mobile tech community.

Although rumors of a fall release are circling, some still believe that Apple will retreat to a June release. Historically, the news would be announced at the annual Apple Developer Conference in June, which would fit into the June release date pattern Apple has followed since the release of the first generation iPhone in June 2007. While the guesses around Apple’s secret  release date drag on the real fever for speculation will hit its peak once the official statement is made, and will include wild prognostications on everything from what it will include and look like to what it will be called and who will have the privilege of introducing it to the world to fall in love with all over again.

Nokia Lumia 900
For those of you still on the fence about making the switch to Windows Phone 7, the newly released Nokia Lumia 900 could be the deal breaker for your split decision. The stylish and well-engineered phone not only highlights the strengths of the Windows Phone but also comes with a high-bandwidth LTE connection. Despite the low price point and slightly unimpressive internal specs, the Lumia 900 proves its ability to compete against the likes of the iPhone or Android phones.

XSense
Atmel, which makes hardware used in Samsung, Acer and LG devices, introduced XSense this week. XSense, is a newly created flexible, thin, film-based touch sensor used for touchscreens. This next-generation screen can be curved and contorted in any way you choose while still retaining accuracy for both smartphones and tablets alike. The company claims the newest touchscreen will be the leader in the new wave of lighter, sleeker and bendable screens for the mobile industry.

Sprint EVO 4G LTE

Sprint and HTC recently unveiled an LTE version of the popular Evo smartphone that helped put HTC on the map. Exclusively set to hit Sprint stores this spring, it may seem a bit confusing that Sprint, yes Sprint, is coming out with a high-speed LTE device. However, the ball is already in motion and consumers can expect the full LTE network later this year.

The Evo 4G LTE includes features bound to keep customers interested while they wait. One of the highlights of the device is certainly its camera. The 8-megapixel shooter performs well in low light and has an easy-to-use burnt mode that can snap up to 4 pictures per second. In addition to its impressive shooting options, the device hosts the first-ever feature for HD voice options. Using Kiefer Sutherland as an example, the company displayed how the new option can take a fairly muffled call, switch on the HD setting, and create a crystal clear call.

I mean, if Agent Jack Bauer is calling you, it would be in your best interest to have an HD voice option on your phone to hear him clearly. Who knows, maybe he’ll want you to help save the world.

For those of you freaking out about last minute flights and hotels to attend the 2012 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, well, you should be. There’s a good chance you will be shacking up in the local hostel with young world travelers just trying to “find themselves.” For those of you who have been a little more on your game let the caffeine induced anxiety and energy spurts begin. 

Given the rate of innovation and development in the world of mobile communications, it’s easy to see why this year’s conference theme is redefining mobile. With an industry shift from bandwidth spectrums to user experience, engagement and interaction, it’s clear to see that the idea of moving forward has been a shared idea.

Here’s what’s buzzing:

What’s Up Apple?

                While new tablets from Samsung, HTC and Huawei are popping up here and there, room must be made for the highly anticipated iPad 3. Apple, who will not be in attendance at this year’s activities, is expected to announce the official release date of their newest tablet at this year’s Mobile World Congress 2012. With boosted internals, a Retina Display and improved cameras, it’s clear why the Apple invention ranks higher than the rest.

                2012 was expected to be the year that took the iPad down a peg and upped the game for its rivals. The sweetly titled Android Honeycomb and the Ice Cream Sandwich gave sour performances and the BlackBerry Playbook is just now getting the features it needed to even compete in the tablet league. With these industry disappointments, it’s not hard to see why the announcement of the iPad 3 will be a highly anticipated event at this year’s Mobile World Congress.

HTC to the rescue

                With a poor performance record, HTC is expected to turn the tables at this year’s MWC 2012. The HTC Endevor and Edge, both powered by quad core processors by NVIDIA and part of the newly revamped ONE Collection, are expected to be the game changers for the Taiwanese big shot. The company is looking to quickly expand into all levels of the smart phone market and these so called “hero” devices are expected to be the ticket in.

Not only is HTC expected to announce their newest devices at this year’s MWC 2012, but also the upgraded features that accompany each. The HTC Family feature will allow families to easily communicate and use geo-location tools to stay connected. Although all of this is clear speculation, it sounds like HTC is in it to win it this year.

Todo Los Tablets

            Didn’t you hear? Tablets are all the rage at this year’s MWC 2012. With a certain American company expected to switch up its thoughts on 7-inch tablets these next few months, the market is buzzing with ways to follow the fad. Stepping away from pioneers like the Nook and Kindle, the AsusMeMO 370T is beginning to conform its components into a more reader friendly space. With Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 7.7 already out, we can expect to see a shift towards even more budget friendly and reader friendly devices from the likes of: Acer, Motorola, Lenovo and possibly Sony. However, don’t expect to see much in tablet form from HTC; they are putting all their concentration towards their mobile devices. 

Surviving MWC 2012:

Need to know what’s shaking come February 27^th? Follow these people for up to date information on devices, tablets, drama and charades as they happen:

• Mobile Choice @Mobile_Choice
• IntoMobile     @IntoMobile
• TechCrunch @TechCrunch
• Mobile World Congress 2012 @mobileworldlive
• Virtual Press List @VPOEventZone
• Kevin Fitchard @kfitchard
• GSMA @GSMA
• Eric Zeman @phonescooper

A recent post on PR Daily brought new attention to the differences between the way PR pros and marketing pros write. This triggered a string of thoughts leading to a new question: “Why can’t marketers just replace PR pros when it comes to social media?”  Some can, don’t get us wrong. But in general, social media is a place where a community manager, or a public relations professional [generally – again we are sure there are exceptions] thrive and a traditional marketing mind sometimes flounders. So logout your sales and marketing pros from your social media accounts and let the communications pros take the keyboard.  You don’t hire an interior decorator as your IT specialist, so hire the right professional for your social media efforts.  Here are a few reasons why PR pros dominate the social media field.

PR pros are trained to communicate to multiple audiences.
As if this isn’t enough, PR pros are trained in the skilled art of writing for different audiences. The intricacies of targeted communications is something that PR pros learn about through formal training and practice in their everyday lives.

Not every post will be marketing your brand.
This is a personal pet peeve of ours. Only talking about your brand and how great it is all the time!!! Is just so great for everyone to read!! You get the idea; need I go on? This is not the kind of communication people want to interact with. Social media is built for two way communication, so don’t just push, pull.

Negative feedback comes with the territory.
PR pros have been trained in crisis communications and have a plan in place for negative comments. A PR pro has worked closely with various members of the team to develop company value-oriented messages to address whatever negative sentiment comes up. These underlying messages will be conveyed consistently in all company communications, including complicated and less-complicated situations.

You shouldn’t delete bad comments.
Pet peeve number two. This is a mistake that comes with the territory. If a conversation isn’t taking the direction you are gently guiding it (if you aren’t guiding it, you should be) take it offline. Don’t just start to ignore the user. Knowing when to take the conversation offline is a decision that must be made quickly and decisively.

Social media doesn’t sleep.
This may mean that you are not just looking for a communication guru. Depending on the demand, you might need to see a specialist. If your social media accounts are going to be highly active, especially on a global, cross-time zone scale, you will need a person that you can dedicate solely to that job – because it will be a fulltime job. No one likes to be spread too thin, like too little butter over too much bread.

PR and marketing aren’t worlds apart; at the end of the day both positions want brand recognition that will result in positive revenue for a company. Both positions require creativity, specific knowledge and unique skill sets. Marking pros tend to use punchier, flashy language and the strategy driving the communication tends to be sales driven. PR pros are striving to paint an image of a company by using strategic language and tactics to influence how a company is perceived. While both professions share similar end goals, the means of getting there is not the same. Public relations and marketing are just not the same job and the professionals in the industries are not meant to be interchangeable.

There is a lot of excitement around the FCC finally issuing rules for the enforcement of the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, which will require TV ads to have the same average volume as the TV programing itself.  TV viewers across the U.S. are excited about this victory, and who can blame them? Obnoxiously loud commercials really are, well, just that – obnoxious.

Stopping loud commercials is a great idea, but how do you do it and how do you enforce it? Who will take the blame when an overly-loud commercial does air? Well, the FCC has put this responsibility in the hands of video service providers (cable operators, satellite TV providers, telcos, over-the-air TV broadcasters), who will be fined when ear-splitting commercials air.

What you need to know as a TV viewer is that these loud commercials won’t necessarily stop right away; VSPs have until December 2012 to comply with the CALM Act. As a consumer you undoubtedly heard about the lengthy legal process behind the CALM Act, but what about the impact on VSPs? It turns out that for VSPs to even be able to tone down loud commercials they first have to identify them and to this new monitoring equipment had to be invented. Well if all the VSPs have to do is purchase this new equipment, why all the fuss?

Well, quite simply not every VSP is a giant conglomerate with deep pockets, some are smaller – even ma’ and pa’ sized companies – without cash to burn. The FCC is not ignoring this issue; it has noted that if the VSP can show that its business will face a financial hardship in order to comply with the CALM Act, the VSP can get a one year extension to come into compliance. If you are interested in reading some more about the CALM Act, ABC published a good over-arching article and while a few days old Communications Technology has a good piece on the impacts of the CALM Act on the cable industry.

Today is day two of CloudBeat 2011. If you’re missing out on the face-to-face action you can still catch the rest of the conference via the official livestream. Highlighting the cloud revolution, CloudBeat digs deep into issues like security, mobile usage and collaboration. If you haven’t been following the conference you’ve been missing out on some interesting conversations.

If you want to understand more about Netflix’s migration from DVDs to the cloud-based video system it uses now, check out this video interview with Jolie O’Dell of VentureBeat and Adrian Cockcroft of Netflix. After explaining the mass shift to cloud, Cockcroft reveals future plans for Netflix.

Amit Singh from Google explains how Google Apps is starting to become the cool kid on the block. With companies likes Genentech, Motorola and Jaguar using Google Apps,

Even though Black Friday and Cyber Monday are behind us, the holiday shopping season is far from over. With Christmas right around the corner, the panic has set in and shopping chaos has begun. Thankfully, we have a list of mobile apps that are sure to help ease the anxiety of holiday planning.

Gourmet Pixel, an innovative and creative agency, has worked hard to create a free one-stop shop Christmas app. The application not only provides a X-Mas Day countdown but also keeps track of your gift lists, Christmas games and festive jokes. Designed with changeable wintery wallpaper, this visually appealing app is sure to keep you organized.

If you are looking to help boost your local economy, look no further than Goodzer. The local shopping service gives customers free information about the best deals around them. Creators Dmitry Pakhomkin and Artem Zarutsky wanted to help customers get what they wanted sans the hustle and bustle usually associated with holiday shopping. No more running from store-to-store or anxiously waiting for shipping, instead you can simply download the app and find out what stores in your area are carrying the items you are looking for.

For a fun and innovative app for the kids, look no further than Flippy’s and Slippy’s Advent Calendar. The app, created by a father and son team, puts a modern and interactive spin on the old holiday tradition. The calendar features two penguin friends, Flippy and Slippy, and their journey through the 31 days of Christmas. With each new day the penguins are given a gift to interact with. Included in the gifts are fun Christmas facts, various presents and different characters to play with. With the creative and visual aspect of this newly designed app, it proves to be one of the more fun apps this holiday season.

For those of you struggling to find the perfect gift, TI Media Solutions, Inc. has created a list of original gift ideas for men, women and kids. Real Simple Gift Guide not only has gift lists but also stocking stuffers and Christmas decorations categories. In addition to their impressive gift lists, all featured ideas are priced under $50. Not only is this mobile app a one-stop shop for Christmas spenders but also a great way to save money.

Join us as we countdown the 31 days of Christmas and reveal even more apps dedicated to lowering your blood pressure and getting you through the holiday season. If you have any holiday season app suggestions  feel free to comment and share what apps help you stay focused and achieve your holiday goals.

This holiday season do it right… and by “it” we mean your PR efforts. One effective way to take your campaign an extra mile is to tie it to something larger than just your company’s announcement. Trust me, we all understand that your company’s announcements are the most important and interesting things anyone could ever hear about, but there are some other events that also happen to grab people’s attention this time of year. With the start of the winter season, the holiday shopping and the actual holidays themselves, some companies are focusing campaigns around these, errr, larger events. Let’s take a look at how certain brands have used social media to further newsworthy efforts.

Walgreens.

Walgreens launched a mobile couponing aspect for its mobile app that was made available on  Black Friday this year. Holding the availability of the coupons until Black Friday peaked interest among consumers. Promoting the new savings via Facebook and Twitter, Walgreens made sure to spread the shopping cheer. Kudos to the company for not weaseling the news onto its photography centric company blog; however, Walgreens could have taken the twitter post further with a little help from a well-placed hashtag, like the popular #BlackFriday.

Columbia Sportswear.

Ringing in the ski season right, Columbia Sportswear launched a campaign to increase customer engagement with a good old-fashioned competition. The contest was held via Twitter and outdoor enthusiasts tweeted at Columbia Sportswear (@Columbia1938) while wearing gloves in hopes of winning a pair of gloves. The company posted the competition across multiple platforms (Facebook, Twitter and its blog) encouraging the creative race.

Throughout the day, Columbia challenged the resourcefullness of the competitors with its own orginal tweets. Check out this one:

Enjoy some of the tweets elicited by this humorous campagian:

From these companies we can see that the short-term goals of increasing customer engagement and creating an overall positive customer experience will help the long-term goal of brand loyalty and increased sales. Waiting to add to the conversation when people’s interests are likely to be heightened about a topic helps to get more people talking about your brand.

What’s an awesome timely campaign that you’ve seen?

Thanks for stopping by for a little more social media and PR strategy.

With Black Friday upon us, millions of American consumers have begun to plan out their yearly shopping routine. This means getting the kids to bed early, prepacking the car, and finding the quickest route to the best deals of the year. However, this normally hellish routine can be avoided this year with the help of several mobile applications.

LivingSocial, an online based coupon site, has been the go-to for many Americans in need of pinching a few pennies for services, food and vacations. Not only is LivingSocial offering deals on Black Friday but have decided to extend their discounting opportunities by including Cyber Monday deals. With both these deals available as mobile applications, no longer will you have to drag your half asleep child into Bed, Bath and Beyond. Instead, you can simply shop from home on any mobile device.

Other companies have followed suit of the LivingSocial idea. Companies such as, Blackfriday.fm, an Android application from Sazze Inc. have become great resources to finding Black Friday deals as they are released come November 25th. The application will supply consumers with breaking news and leaked ads in real time while also allowing them to search for Black Friday deals by store.

With the upcoming Black Friday traffic, other contenders such as Sears Holding Inc. have found successful ways to top the Keynote Mobile Commerce Platform Index. With their apps loading time coming in at 3.65 seconds with a success rate of 97.41 percent, it’s obvious that they mean business come November 25^th.

TGI Black Friday is currently the highest rated Black Friday app for the Apple iPhone in 2011. The free app allows you to search thousands of Black Friday deals for every major retail store, download PDF Black Friday Ad Scans and even create a personal shopping list for the items and the deals you want.

If you live in Portland, Oregon locally based mobile financial services firm Tyfone (iCashé), has created iCashé app now available for mobile banking customers at OnPoint Community Credit Union. This one of its kind combination of mobile commerce and mobile banking allows mobile banking customers to purchase gift cards on their mobile phones and send to anyone in the US instantly by text message or email. So whether you want to send it to a friend across country or use it for yourself this Black Friday, you are able to use the iCashé app gift cards at any of more than 50 national retailers and restaurants.

Last time we covered some general “don’ts” of social media, today we’ll talk about some “dos.” The Internet is a colossal source of information, which is awesome, but if you’re publishing content to the Web you’re essentially yelling into a hurricane – fighting to not only get eyes on your page, but to keep them there. Content is important, but how you present that content is key as well. Let’s be honest, books DO get judged by their covers.

Keep it short, sweet and to the point

This is easy to do on Twitter, where you are limited to 140 characters. However, Facebook and blogging are two examples of social media platforms where posting can get lengthy. Remember, sometimes less is more. If you have a lot to say, it is best to break it up into multiple posts.

Make content visually appealing

A little extra work can smooth out the rough edges of your content.

This is especially key in blogging. When a reader lands on your blog you want them to easily skim and understand its content . Not every person is going to read every post in its entirety. Get over this notion now; the sooner the better. Bullet points, short paragraphs and call-out boxes will help the visual flow of your site or blog as well as help people who are skimming your content to take away key points. Whatever method you choose, consistency is key.  Create an eye-catching  style guide your posts to help you maintain formatting and aesthetics. This will keep your posts from being too all over the place.

Include Photos/Videos/Anything

A picture is worth a thousand words. Including a visual element not only helps break up the content, it also draws attention and conveys a theme. Internal images used in general social media posts also aid in personalizing your company. Actively demonstrating that your company is comprised of real people, as odd as that may sound, helps people relate more to your content. This perception technique is where behind the scenes photos at an event, for example, add a personal element to your work. People are curious by nature, and using an image can be a great way to peak curiosity. Tweeting a photo readers would not have otherwise seen helps draw more attention to your post, or encourage readers to click a link to read more. Next time you are at an event or have one going on in your own office, snap a photo or take some video and tweet away.

Content and ideas alone will not keep people interested, aesthetics play an important part in capturing and maintaining that interest.

What are your favorite stylistic techniques for social media content?