#Tech: CES 2012 Shows Off The Flat Entertainment Coming Post-Recession
Each mid-January, while much of the country is struggling to get through wintery weather and get kids back on a school-day schedule, the brash, bold, and bright world of near-future technology is shown off at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Not the back end of the financial crisis/Great Recession, not the fact that Apple has not attended in over a decade, or that Microsoft is attending this year for the ‘last’ time could stop the show from breaking attendance records at over 153,000.
Yet those 153,000 did not include the consumer, per se. The show is invitation-only and those are sent to hardware and software companies, to news agencies, to retail-chain buyers, and to tech reviewers. Alas, despite the strong numbers and expansive and loyal readership of the MKCREATIVEmedia blog, we did not seem to warrant an invitation this year. Or it got lost in the mail. Thankfully, the names we trust to write about technology were there to help.
Popularity: 1% | Category Campaigns, Communications, Design, Event Review, Events, Hardware Review, iPad/Tablet, Marketing, News and Current Affairs, Newspaper Article, Public Relations, Reviews, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Education, Technology for Nonprofits | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
#Tech: What Will 2012 Look Like For Social Media?
Welcome to a New Year! As we gear back up we wanted to introduce what other trend watchers are saying about the universe of social media for 2012 – some of which might surprise you.
Two likely developments over the upcoming year according to Lance Ulanoff at Mashable are the implementations of Augmented Reality (also ‘Mobile Augmented Reality’) and the development of the ‘Micro-Payment Economy.’ The former means we will look via our mobile devices (or perhaps glasses) to see not only the objects out there but also any digital information about them. Look at your favorite bistro, for example, and reviews will come up before your eyes as well.
The latter has been developing through much of 2011 as news journals have begun establishing pay walls for content and games are giving themselves away, though the more interesting features must be paid for along the way. Of course, nonprofits have been developing a micro-donation economy for some time already, so hopefully that trend will only expand.
But Lance also believes Facebook is about maxed out in the Anglo-speaking world, and reactions against the ubiquitous cell phone are growing. States, and even the federal government, for example, are starting to implement no-phone policies for moving vehicles. But if augmented reality becomes part of the windshield, then both sets of issues get solved.
Christina Thomas at Technocrati argues, along with many others, that tablets will grow more powerful and grab still larger shares of the computing market. If that’s the case, we will likely see different form factors over the next couple of years as well – though it’s unlikely screens will notably improve in size or strength just yet.
Of course, part of the fun of the new year is to make such predictions in the hope no one hunts your guesses down twelve months later. But we predict that we’ll do our best to keep up with these and other trends – and keep you well informed of them over the coming year.
Popularity: 1% | Category Blogs, Communications, Community, Crowdfunding, Facebook, Fundraising, Hardware Review, iPad Apps, iPhone Apps, Opinion, Reviews, Social Media, Technology, Tools, Twitter | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
#Communications: ‘Tis The Season For Making Lists & Prepping For 2012
In our last blog posting for 2011 we wanted to encourage some meaningful reminiscence over this past year and what it meant for the nonprofit world and to inspire some thinking about the possibilities for 2012. Making lists and checking them twice is a time-honored way to prepare for the holidays, so we present a list of lists and the opportunity for your organization to break onto a list when they are compiled in a year’s time. We have compiled this list based on our own experience with apps, platforms, and issues discussed on these lists.
Popularity: 2% | Category Advice, Blogs, Campaigns, Case Study, Cause Marketing, Communications, Community, Design, Facebook, Fundraising, Hardware Review, How-to, Marketing, Marketing Skills, Measurement, Media Review, News and Current Affairs, Newspaper Article, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Public Media, Public Relations, Publications, Resource, Reviews, SEO, Site Administration, Social Media, Software Review, Storytelling, Strategic Marketing, Technology, Technology for Nonprofits, Writing | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
#Tech: Hidden Features Of iPhone Show A Caring Side Of Apple
Apple‘s lack of interest in supporting charitable organizations either with money or with allowing apps on its mobile platforms has gotten the corporation some bad press. And Steve Jobs continues to inspire some rancor for his leadership style, even after his death from cancer. Yet, defenders of Steve Jobs and/or Apple are quick to point out that Apple’s products have revolutionized the ways nonprofits work, and that influence is surely the more important in the long run.
Last month, Steve Pogue of The New York Times uncovered further evidence that Apple might not be one of the philanthropic giants (or even minnows), but its directors and engineers do indeed have hearts.
Popularity: 41% | Category Apple, Communications, Hardware Review, How-to, iDevice, iPad/Tablet, iPhone Apps, Newspaper Article, Reviews, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Aging | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
#ProAging: Bringing Ballots To Nursing Homes Via The iPad
iPad as Ballot in Oregon (Not Voting Machine)
When the people of Oregon needed to replace Congressional Representative David Wu this week, the state Board of Elections used the opportunity to develop means to get ballots to older citizens in nursing homes. The traditional means to do so were to send absentee ballots out, but such ballots waste a great deal of payer, any way – and many do not get returned anyway. As we have noted on this blog, the iPad is a convenient and stimulative way for retired Americans to access information. And now it is being used as a way for retired Boomers and those of the GI Generation to cast their votes.
The iPad was used to present the ballot to the seniors, who could use the touch screen to enlarge sections if necessary and to mark their votes with a touch. When done, the iPad printed the ballot for the senior citizen to mail in or to stuff into a ballot box.
The idea came from local activists, and we see a rare moment of Apple contributing to a nonprofit’s efforts: Apple donated five iPads to the Congressional district, and $75,000 to help develop the software that presented and recorded the ballots.
As of now, the feedback on this small-scale election is largely positive. According to a report on CBS News, election officials stressed the fact that the iPad is not recording the vote, simply offering access to the ballot and assisting the elder Americans’ abilities to mark it appropriately. The question remains, nevertheless, as to how scalable the pilot program is. Oregon officials seem convinced it will work statewide, and they are investing in more iPads and printers: “At $500 each, the state could buy the iPads for about $36,000. Portable printers cost about $50 each, Trout said, or counties can use existing printers from their offices. The cost of software is still unknown. In the last two-year budget cycle, Oregon spent more than $325,000 to maintain accessible voting tools.”
The portability and touch-screen simplicity of the iPad makes it an idea technology to assist citizens cast votes. Perhaps as the technology rolls out to other districts and states, it will inspire greater electoral turnout among the rest of us.
Popularity: 4% | Category Aging, Civics, Events, GI Generation, Hardware Review, iDevice, Independent Living, Internet, iPad Apps, iPad/Tablet, National/International, News and Current Affairs, Newspaper Article, Nonprofit, Nursing Home, Politics, Retirement Living, Seniors Life, Silent Generation, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Aging | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
#Tech: Halloween Weekend & Scary Stories Of Cloud Computing
Apple launched iCloud a couple of weeks back with much fanfare. The service is meant to improve the lags, vulnerabilities, and complications of MobileMe. And neither is particularly bleeding-edge technology. Apple’s efforts (as is so often the case) were to simplify and beatify the experience of cloud computing for the consumer (whether on Windows or OS X).
The technology behind cloud computing is about two hours younger than the birth of the technology of the internet itself. But the security of the cloud has been a concern for just about as long. The scary stories for this Halloween weekend concern what can happen when demons infiltrate your virtual sanctuary.
Popularity: 2% | Category Communications, Hardware Review, How-to, News and Current Affairs, Politics, Report, Resource, Reviews, Site Administration, Software Review, Technology, Web and Print | | 1 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
#Tech: The Mac Mini Has Little Impact On Environment Yet Mighty Power
I have often written about the great opportunity and flexibility the Mac Mini Server offers nonprofits and small businesses. In this post, I’m going to quickly address the most obvious but least talked about feature: the size and power of the Mac Mini Server.
The box of this powerful little machine measures just 1.4” H x 7.7” W x 7.7” D and weighs just 3.3 pounds. So, it won’t take up much room on your desk.
It is made mostly of aluminum and plastic so it’s highly recyclable. It’s also free of lead PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and BFRs (brominated flame retardants) in its logic board. Therefore, when you want to upgrade, you can rest assured that the hardware will be reformatted and reused – and the chemical remnants of the process will not have a notable impact in the groundwater or the atmosphere. The efforts by Apple to reduce the environmental impact go farther still.
Popularity: 2% | Category Apple, Environment, Hardware Review, Nonprofit, Reviews, Technology, Technology for Education, Technology for Nonprofits | | 0 Comments
Written by: Scott Caldarelli
#ProAging: Touchscreen Ease Available For Those Who Don’t Want An iPad
Click to enlarge
The iPad has inspired many older Americans to expand not only their computing skills, but also their short-term memories and their social(-media) circles. Nevertheless, the iPad was not created with our oldest citizens in mind. The screen is not especially large, for example.
The computer company Telikin in Chalfont, PA is developing a desktop machine for the GI and Silent Generations. Humans interact via the large touchscreen, and the software interface includes large clear buttons that give users easy access to email, Facebook, calendars, and other applications, like local weather, that seniors might find handy. But apparently the computer is even finding adherents from among younger generations who simply want an easy way to interact with some of the staples of the online universe.
Popularity: 3% | Category Aging, Apple, Boomers, Campaigns, Civics, Communications, Community, E-Mail, GI Generation, Grandparents, Hardware Review, iDevice, Internet, iPad/Tablet, Marketing, Reviews, Seniors Life, Social Media, Software Review, Technology, Technology for Aging | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
#Tech: Near-Field Communication (NFC) Could Turn Smartphones Into Donation Engines
Near-Field Technology (NFC) allows short-range communications between an NFC antenna or engineered SIM card and a receiver. The communication is good only up to a couple of feet, which might help make it a secure connection because eavesdroppers need to be next to the users. It is a technology that first appeared in Taiwan in 2007, and is expected to have a major impact in the US by the middle of next year.
From a hardware point of view, the user needs a smartphone with the necessary antenna or SIM card. For most of us, that would mean a phone upgrade, though a few NFC-ready phones are already on the market (click here for a running list of available phones). With the NFC-ready phone, a user could connect his or her bank through the phone to make purchases with a swipe of that phone. And there is where the debate has started.
Popularity: 3% | Category Advertising, Banking & Finance, Civics, Communications, Geo-Location, Hardware Review, iDevice, Marketing, Public Relations, Reviews, Software Review, Technology, Tools | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
#Tech: Same Apps With Different Experiences On iPhone (5?) & Android
Psych!
The rumor mill continues to grind as to whether and when an iPhone 5 will be coming to market, and what improvements it will have. Recent reports state that AT&T upper management has inadvertently given the heads-up to retail managers to prepare for new materials and rollouts in the fall. Thus followers of such news are now predicting a late-September announcement for an early/mid-October release date (Full Disclosure: We predicted a release date of early 2012 if the phone didn’t come out in September.).
Even though Apple Inc. is officially richer than the US Government, the company won’t be giving away iPhones as part of a stimulus package. As we have noted in this blog, the software system iOS 5 is coming out this fall anyway, and the enthusiasm for the 200+ features in the new system is already boiling over. Whether new hardware will come with that software remains to be seen.
In the last few months, the cellphone battle has really been reduced to iPhone vs. Android. Numerous 3rd-party apps have been developed for both platforms over the last year or so, and Retrevo.com has made a useful comparison of some of the more popular apps as they perform on each kind of phone. Is your favorite on the list?
Popularity: 3% | Category Apple, Communications, Facebook, Hardware Review, iDevice, iPhone Apps, Reviews, Social Media, Software Review, Technology, Twitter | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
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