Emerging Technologies You Need to Know
Market with me, not market at meThis is the week when broadcast television pitches its Fall line-up to potential advertisers. Their offerings appear thin as the content is expensive to produce and the advertisers have many more choices (mobiledevices, Internet) for reaching their intended audiences. For so long we have been 'marketed-at' in the words of Rod Smith, our VP for Emering Internet Technologies, because we viewers had so few alternatives even though we've long perferred to be 'marketed with.' Google has changed all of this with its 'pay the customer first' strategy by placing relevant ads next to the search string. The television advertisers admit to wanting to follow the Google model of 'engagement' more than 'impressions.' It's about time and will benefit product owner and potential customer alike by disintermediating the lower-value middle layer. Of course, the enterprise should learn a lesson here by studying how it can better go to market with employees and business partners more than using these communities solely as instruments of execution. Christopher Perrien [Read More] |
MIT's View on Emerging TechnologyThe recent Technology Review article, "10 Emerging Technologies 2007" gives a research university's view on Emerging Technology that I find extremely interesting. The topics they chose this year fire the imagination. It's not hard to visualize the impact on life in the future if or when some of these technologies find their way out of the lab. This year, nanotechnology was especially prevalent, whether to heal the body, create an "invisibility cloak", or supercharge solar cells with cheaper "quantum-dots". Software also plays a large role in their list, with advances in Peer-to-Peer video, personalized medical diagnoses, and even taking a lesson from Sudoku to improve digital imaging. Their report on "augmented reality" showcases a Nokia smartphone prototype that could perhaps be a precursor to a Star Trek "tri-corder"-like mobile device. Fascinating stuff, indeed. Jim Hsu  [Read More] |
Facebook will offer Classified AdvertisingToday's New York Times reported that Facebook will offer classified advertising between members, i.e. one can only advertise to someone in his or hers Facebook network. As I speak with customers, I emphasize that Participation is what the corporate enterprise can learn from the Pop Culture side of the Internet. Affiliation of like-minded people to innovate products and services or to swap & sell goods is an example of how corporations can participate in the broad desire of people to affiliate with those like themselves. Recently, I suffered an unpleasant experience on eBay (almost fell prey to a scam). I would much rather have met a buyer via a trusted network such as Facebook more than the one-size-fits-all marketplace of eBay. BTW, as hard as PayPal tried to resolve my claim, it's automated (by necessity) processes place too much of the burden on the intended buyer. Matters worked out for me mainly because I played the card of cancelling payment to PayPal via my bank. Facebook will bring Craig's List and eBay to its members. Sounds logical to me. And whenever I hear the buzz about Second Life, I suggest that customers bring the immersive environment to their own site rather than try surrender creative control and the user experience to someone else's virtual environment. The price for participation in all of this modern magic is to Think Differently. Christopher Perrien [Read More] |
Tipping Point for Traditional Media, the sales of Dow Jones?We'll see what the Bancroft family decides to do and $60/share will be difficult to pass-up. If sold, the Wall Street Journal would join the media family of Fox and MySpace among others. Seems that Mr. Murdoch wants the digital assests of Dow Jones more than the print assests. We've read of the trouble at the Chicago Tribune and its sister publication, the LA Times. As well, the New York Times is under pressure to improve its financial performance. Root cause is that advertising is rapidly going on-line to eBay, Craig's list, and Google, of course. Houses, cars, jobs, and relationships are not being located in the print media -- and the trend has been in this direction for a couple of years. I conclude that like the Music industry, print media has met its own version of the iPod (really iTunes) with the insurmountable advantages of on-line community building and participation among like-minded people. How could the 'one size fits all' model (not to consider its cost) of printing media compete with the lower cost and highly focused presentation of internet-based media?! Personally, I'll miss the scholarship and the authority - as well as the familiar form-factor - of my favorite papers. It looks as though they will have to find a like platform online. Christopher Perrien [Read More] |
