Internet technologies like social networking, user-generated content, blogging, message boards and online communities have changed the way people communicate and how government, institutions and non-profits need to communicate with their constituencies. The successful adoption of these technologies by Barack Obama’s campaign serves notice as a turning point in the mainstream use and validation that times have changed.  

Join a group of the internet industry’s leading experts and practitioners at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C, as they share their insights and real world experiences. During this complimentary seminar you will learn how to prepare your agency or institution to harness the power of social media.

Social Media Seminar: Understanding and Leveraging the Power of Social Media in Government and Public Interest Groups Willard Hotel, Washington, D.C. December 11, 2008 11:30AM to 3:00PM
Cost: Complimentary

REGISTER FAST - THERE IS LIMITED SPACE to create an intimate experience for attendees:
Register here to save your seat: http://www.clickability.com/company/contact/register/Clickability_and_KickApps__Registration_Page_Social_Media_Seminar.html

Discussion topics include:
- What it will mean for government agencies and how to embrace this successfully             
- How institutions and non-profits harness the power of the groundswell to further their cause 
- Practical tips, best practices and things to avoid

Preliminary Agenda:
- State of Social Media
- Change and Social Media - A Primer
- Social Media and Education
- Voice of America - Case Study
- Panel Discussion - Best practices & Tips

Presenters include:
Mario Armstrong, Technology Show Host & Contributor, National Public Radio Morning Edition & Cofounder of the STEM Social network
Rebecca McMenamin, Voice of America 
Sandy Carter, Vice President, IBM and author of The New Language of Marketing 2.0
Alan Wolk, Creative Strategist, The Toad Stool
Craig Stoltz, Former section editor at the Washington Post and Principal, Stolz Digital Strategy Group
Todd Marks, President, Mindgrub
Alex Blum, CEO, KickApps
 
Sponsors: Clickability and KickApps
Selected by BusinessWeek readers as Best of the Web 2008, KickApps is an on-demand social media, online video and widget platform which enables websites to grow their online audiences, generate new revenue opportunities and drive deeper relationships with customers and partners. KickApps powers social media experiences for over 45,000 websites, including John McCain’s official social network, McCainSpace, NPR, Voice of America and National Geographic. 

Clickability is the global leader in on-demand web content management, enabling customers to take content from any source and publish to any device, managing their entire content repository of digital assets more effectively in “the cloud.” Clickability garnered the Software and Information Industry Association’s 2008 CODiE Award for best content management solution. 

Presenting at Georgetown University Top "new media" and tech highlights of the 2008 election. This seminar was presented to members of the media. I also included a sub-workshop of the proper digital tools for today's journalist. I demonstrated everything from twitter to the new livescribe smart pen to backup power solutions to keep you effective in the field like portable power from Xantrex to Broadband cards to WiMax and a bunch of good stuff in-between. 

President-elect Barack Obama is poised to serve the technology industry and to use technology to solve a wide array of problems, according to technology leaders interviewed Wednesday.

Tech leaders celebrated Obama's victory and expressed hope for the future of their industry during the next administration. Most pointed to Obama's extensive use of technology for campaigning and the fact that he was the first presidential candidate to unveil a wide-reaching and in-depth technology agenda. (read more from Information Week)

What are your thoughts about the role of technology in an Obama-led administration?

Ok, so the President-elect hasn't quite made a decision of his Tech Czar BUT he has made a pledge that he would create the 1st ever Technology position within the White House. This alone is a great sign for technology and science companies, organizations and entrepreneurs. I have personal experience with this at the local level. When then Mayor (now Governor) Martin O'Malley appointed me his technology advocate for the City of Baltimore back in 2002. We were one of only a handful of cities who created that type of position and (although I'm biased) I'd like to think the position was effective and necessary to cut through red tape and give a direct link from City Hall to local technology stakeholders. In terms of new hires Obama has made an interesting transition-team tech choice in Julius Genachowski, a former executive of Barry Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp who knows tech and has political experience. Genachowski, has been the chief counsel at the FCC and has worked closely with former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt, who was recently speaking on behalf of the Obama campaign at a DC tech event. By having Genachowski involved early bodes well for tech stakeholders. 

Here's a video of Obama's recent highlights of his tech plan - this is edited down from a lengthy speech he gave earlier this year while at Google. 

Here's a link to a pdf you can download to view his positions and ideas on technology. 

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/technology/Fact_Sheet_Innovation_and_Technology.pdf

Wow, just when u think you've seen it all you walk into a Starbucks
and see a laptop, books, pen & paper and... (wait for it, wait, wait)
A 15inch DESKTOP MONITOR - what the???

Couldn't resist capturing & sharing. One employee told me "yeah it
takes him like 20mins & 2 trips to the car to get setup" she jokingly
said they are installing a phone line specifically for him. Tell me
this is an isolated case, right? What's the worst you've seen?

Yes I called you a "droid". If you are from the real deal, the first images that should come to mind are C3PO or R2D2! But that's all changed now! Thanks to Google, my Star Wars memories are getting competition from Googles new mobile operating system called "Android". How many of you even know the dictionary definition of an android? Well, according to Merriam-Webster it's a mobile robot usually with a human form. Call it whatever you want just don't say Mario didn't tell ya! I'm telling ya for the 2nd time, remember the 1st alert I gave you months upon months ago about the Apple iPhone 70% developer rev share well now Android is giving you the same opportunity except this time your application will get noticed for sure! You see unlike Apple Android is taking all apps – at least that's what they told me on my radio show (listen to audio below). Bottom line the Google Android marketplace doesn't have many apps right now BUT that window of opportunity will be closing - hurry up, we just learned coming on Monday their app store opens up for ANY app. They too are giving 70% revenue share for your application so STOP playing around sharpen your JAVA programming skills and make some apps.

Start with a very simple and quick app and use that as leverage to get you additional funding for more apps, oh yeah and don't rule out advertising in your app or take it even further, make an edutainment-app and apply for some grant funding from places like NIH, NSF – whatever you do don't miss out, currently T-mobile has the only android-powered phone the "G1" but rest assured many more will be coming soon. Entrepreneurs find some developers and invest in them.

For more inside scoop from Google listen to today's Digital Spin interview with Google Android Engineer Steve Harrowit

UPDATE: Audio file is corrupt - re-editing it now check back later this afternoon for the audio interview about 5pm EDT.

Spotted these XOHM WiMax little carts in Fells Point-an area in downtown Baltimore. These carts are in front of the Admiral Fells Inn, which is pretty much the same area where the National WiMax Launch event is happening this Wednesday at 10am EDT. The carts seat 1 person and are mobile so they can goto wherever there is any action of people congregating. For example the carts went to the Olympian swimmer M. Phelps parade and also was spotted at the Ravens parking lot for the Sunday game. I saw someting like these at the CTIA Wireless convention - betcha that;s wehre they got the idea! Mobile demonstration carts = good idea, unless it rains! Although XOHM execs tell me they have a tent ready in case it doeas rain - let's hope the skys stay clear.

On the carts were WiMax enabled laptops, laptops with express card and USB modems and Nokia N810 phones. Funny the home page of all the devices was pretty much set to speakeasy.net - a website for conducting speed tests. I'll show you pics and video of my results later. It was fun seeing people chomping on funnel cake trying to figure out who XOHM is. 

BY THE WAY FOR THOSE COMING TO BALTIMORE FOR THE WEDNESDAY ANNOUCEMENT - I'm having a WiMax MeetUp - interested? then buzz buzz me til I get details posted. 

Call my Google Grand Central #

Today, I appeared on WYPR 88.1fm public radio. The show hosted by Sheilah Kast is one of the best talk show hosts on public radio! I sat down with Nathan Sturner who interviewed me about WiMax in Baltimore. At this point I have had the service for about a day and have had a chance to begin some testing of the new wireless service - so far it's been awesome when you get a great signal it's blazingly faster than alternatives. In some ares of the city it was a bit spotty which is expected for any new network. Currently they have about 180 base stations in the baltimore and have about 70% of Baltimore covered, so there's plentyof growth still to come here. In case you didn't know Baltimore, is the 1st U.S. city to have WiMax and that has put Baltimore on the "global techie-map". I recall being in Seoul Korea about 3 years ago wehere I tested a service called WiBro on the WiBro bus and I vividly recall how explosive this technology would be and the promise it would bring for new devices and applications back then. It's great to see pieces of that type of technology finally shoing up in the U.S. 

The show podcast will be here shorly, come back soon to listen!

Today, I'm on the Troy Johnson show on CBS radio in Baltimore. We will be talking about new tech news, the release of WiMax in Baltimore and we will do a live demonstration of my most recommended bluetooth headset -- the Jawbone. 

Audio of the show will be posted here soon.

Yes! The title is absolutely correct WiMax is getting it's official U.S. debut in Baltimore, Maryland. I'm incredibly excited about Baltimore getting WiMax because I live here :-) and I will be one of the 1st to test the new service. I'm also happy about Baltimore gertting some solid National tech attention, alot of tech attention is always given to the West Coast or Masachusetts as if they are the only places thriving in tech. Headsup to the Valley - there's a whole other tech economy happening outside of your backyard - stick your head and look around you might just find some great tech innovation or partenrs in Baltimore, MD. Baltimore is full of incredible tech companies and innovative entrepreneurs. The tech talent in Baltimore is really incredible but often overlooked by the media. In case you didn't know Maryland has recently been ranked #2 as as top State in Technology and Science, according to Milken Institute. YES, Maryland #2 ahead of #4 ranked California. view study

The states in the best position to succeed in the technology-led information age are (with 2004 rankings):

1) Massachusetts (1)
2) Maryland (4)
3) Colorado (3)
4) California (2)
5) Washington (6)

Stay tuned to the blog or follow me on Twitter for my WiMax journey. I'll be buying an express card today and will shoot some video to document the WiMax experience.

Admittedly, I am a huge sneaker fan (1 of my weaknesses), BUT now I could actually be a sneaker designer? A new company in Portland Oregon called RYZ (pronounced r-i-s-e) is flipping the sneaker business model upside down. RYZ allows everyday people like you and I to download their shoe designer template, create your own design, upload it for voting and if the community claims you the winner, you receive $1,000 upfront and 1% of the shoe sales. Outsourcing your design work to everyday people and building a community of buyers of those specific shoes is a risky biz proposition BUT I love it and think it can and will work. Firstly, the head of the company is an ex-head of Adidas North America he knows a thing or 2 about shoes - namely the 12-18 month production cycle and the high cost of development. RYZ brags that they can produce shoes as fast as 6 weeks, pay only $1,000 and a 1% royalty for design which saves thousands of dollars, have an instant community of potential buyers and fore-go expensive marketing because the buzz of the shoe designs spills over into facebook and myspace, blogs etc...The shoes sell for $90 and some of the designs are really creative. My main concern is the community that RYZ is building is mostly of designers. Would designers buy shoes from other designers, especially if there design didn't win? RYZ, will have to be certain to market not just the cool, new crowd-sourcing business process but also focus on bringing droves of buyers NOT just designers to their site to make purchases. It remains to be seen if the site which is still in Beta can pull off the amount of sales it needs to keep it's business running but I'm hoping for the best, cause I'm first in line for these old school "Space Invader" kicks or these if they win.

What are your thoughts? Will crowdsourcing businesses like these be a success? What's the downside?

This is an awesome video by the folks over at www.CommonCraft.com that explains how Twitter works in plain english. I was about to take the time to do a video myself until I found this one, so enjoy it's really good!

Jet Blue recently got blindsided by a ton of bad publicity from not only the blogosphere but the MSM (CNN, NYT, ABC) also got in on the act, claiming that their $7 charge for a pillow and blanket was basically gouging already sky-high prices.

Now after Jet Blue's recent meltdown when it left hundreds of passengers stranded on-board for hours. You would think that Jet Blue's PR machine would be waiting in the wings for this sort of mundane Monday news and send out dozens of message multipliers to spin their side of the story before you even ordered your Tuesday latte..

Nope. Shockingly, the brass at Jet Blue has no prepared statements following this fiasco. Nothing on their blog and nothing anywhere within web-crawling distance. They just issued a bland, PR statement to the press which was rightly buried in the news stories that read--in 20 point font-- "Jet Blue to charge $7 for a pillow + blanket".

Wake up guys! Maybe you can run for president and not be aware of the internet but you can't run an airline and not atleast update your blog or send out an e-mail blast to your customers letting them know that you've got their back. This is a classic case  of a company not being prepared to answer to the bell in this day and age of a 24 hour news cycle that never sleeps and that other insomniac: the internet.

Found this fun site today and thought I'd share along with you guys. It's pretty easy to use and fun to do. Check out my crazy photos below. Check it out for yourself and have some fun at: cameroid.com

Today, I was on NPR's News and Notes show discussing everything from the iPhone to hands-free laws. We also discussed the recent warning about cellphones and possible health implications. On the show I mentioned SAR and Radio-frequency being emitted from phones and promised to post the info. So according to the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), specific absorption rate, or SAR, is "a way of measuring the quantity of radiofrequency (RF) energy that is absorbed by the body." For a phone to pass FCC certification, that phone's maximum SAR level must be less than 1.6W/kg (watts per kilogram). from cnet.com

Manufacturer / Model number	SAR rating (1.6W/kg)	SAR rating (2.0W/kg)
Alcatel OT-256		0.59
Apple iPhone	0.974
Apple iPhone 3G	1.388	0.878
AT&T Tilt	0.88
Casio G'zOne TYPE-S	1.34
Cingular 2125	1.44
Cingular 3125	0.825
Cingular 8125	0.79
Cingular 8525	0.79
Dallab D900	1.02
DBTel J6		0.94
Denso Touchpoint	1.3342
Denso TP 2100	1.38
Denso TP 2200	1.44
Dopod 810		0.65
Dopod 838		0.327
Glofish x500		0.74
Helio Ocean	0.724
HP iPac 6315		0.652
HP iPac 6340		0.65
HP iPac 6500	0.83
HP iPac 6510	0.83
HP iPac 6515	0.83
HP iPac 6828		0.47
HP iPac 6910		0.387
HTC 8125	0.79
HTC Mogul	1.13
HTC Str Trk	0.825
HTC Touch		0.91
HTC Touch Dual (P5500)		1.59
HTC TyTN II		0.38
Imate Jam		0.53
Imate K-Jam		0.618
Innostream INNO 90		0.80
LG Prada		1.29
Mitac MIO A700	0.61
Mitac MIO A701	0.77
Multitone CH70	1.45
Orange SPV E200		0.82
Orange SPV M5000		0.172
Palm Centro CDMA	1.35
Palm Centro GSM	0.74
Palm Treo 600	1.43
Palm Treo 650 CDMA	1.50
Palm Treo 650 GSM	1.51
Palm Treo 680	0.78
Palm Treo 700w	1.26
Palm Treo 750, 750v , 750w	1.26	1.16
Pantech C120	1.13
Pantech PN-215	1.30
Philips 162		0.51
Philips Fisio 100	0.98
Philips Fisio 120	0.98
Philips Savvy		1.10
Philips Xenium 9@9	1.14	0.74
Qtek 8500	0.825
Qualcomm pdQ-1900	0.2634
Qualcomm QCP-860	1.2487
Qualcomm QCP-1960	1.41
Qualcomm QCP-2035	1.28
Qualcomm QCP-2760	1.33
Qtek 2020		0.47
Qtek 9000		0.17
Qtek 9090		0.27
Qtek S100		0.53
Sagem MW 3020		0.93
Sagem MY 100, XtraPac		0.85
Sagem MY 501c		0.97
Sagem MY C5-2		0.53
Sagem MY C5-2v		0.53
Sagem MY C5-3		0.70
Sagem MY X2-2		0.87
Sagem MY X3-2		0.93
Sagem MY X5-2		0.58
Sagem MY X-7		0.71
Sagem MY V-65		0.65
Sagem VS1		0.83
Sagem VS2		0.79
Sagem VS3		1.0
Sendo X	0.7
Sharp 902	0.53
Sharp GX10i	0.8
Sharp GX20	0.7
Sharp GX25		0.62
Sharp GX30	0.7
Sharp GX30i	0.7
Sharp TM150	0.823
Sharp Z-800	1.29
Sidekick	1.47
Sidekick II	0.74
Sidekick III	0.50
Sprint VI600	1.41
Sprint PPC-6700	1.098
Sprint PM 8912	1.27
Sprint PM 8920	1.19
Telit X60		1.21
Telit X170		1.13
T-Mobile Dash	1.34
T-Mobile MDA	0.98	0.65
T-Mobile MDA II		0.27
T-Mobile MDA III		0.20
T-Mobile Sidekick LX	0.67
T-Mobile SDA	0.61
T-Mobile Vario		0.32