Tag Archives: Apple

A Sleek and Exciting 2011

Posted on by
Reply

I love the look and feel of these new Vizio products.

Isn’t the New Year exciting?

Yeah, I know it was tough getting back to work today, but man, with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and the Television Critics Association in Pasadena both starting Wednesday, the world will not be short on news and innovations. Talk about starting out the year with a bang!

During this morning’s read, the papers were full of digital and electronic announcements. I mean have you been noticing how Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Samsung, Verizon and AT&T are in the news every day. These companies are now being covered like the rest of the Fortune 100 businesses. Pretty fast movement, I’ll say…it just took Facebook a little over six years to become one of the hottest companies around.

As a voyeur of news trends, I also couldn’t help noticing over the holiday break how much mobile and ebooks were being discussed. Those topics and computer tablets pretty much controlled the space – that, and the rise and fall of consumer shopping. Oh and the weather too.

VIZIO’S VISION

But, the best news that I believe that will be coming this year deals in the advancement of tablets and phones and their integration with flat screens. Today, Vizio gave us a sneak peek into their efforts with the announcement of its own Via tablet computer and Via Phone. What I like about what Vizio’s strategy is that each one of their devices will have the same look and feel. And better yet, they will be less expensive than the competition. Vizio so gets what consumers want. They want the latest electronic gadgets, but at affordable prices. They also want them to be user-friendly.

I mean my Apple computer has a different operating system than my DirecTV DVR and my Blackberry phone. Sure, I could buy Apple TV and an iPhone for integration, but there are reasons why I don’t. I am holding out for the day when Verizon offers an iPhone and then my Blackberry will be DOA.

I also like what Google is up to with its Android system. They too are making that system user-friendly and are working with numerous manufacturers to create universal operating devices. I like this approach a lot and am keeping eye on what Google is up to, especially when it comes to self-publishing.

FOLLOW CES AND TCA TWITTER STREAMS

I love that our electronic world is getting easier to use and understand.  That just helps out everyone. Remember the days of programming your VCR and how impossible that feat was?

As a news junkie, this week is like the Super Bowl with these two conferences in session.  If you want to be up to speed on what’s being developed for the next year and observe breaking trends and news makers, then here’s my advice to you. Be sure to follow the twitter streams for #CES and #TCA.  By doing so, you’ll know what to expect this year.

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. The energy is invigorating and full of hope and promise. I  hope you can feel it too.

Cindy

AlwaysOn OnHollywood Day 2 Update

Posted on by
Reply

As the second day of the Always On & ETC OnHollywood conference draws to an end – on this day I gathered a few great nuggets of interesting info as the event took a peek into the future.

Some of the take-aways included:

  • The Economy is Coming Back-The conference featured several Los Angeles based equity investors with available money to support business opportunities.  There is VC money not just in Orange County, but also in Hollywood! That’s good news for all.  Apparently, the Silicon Valley is the best hotbed for engineering talent, but LA has a diverse workforce to pull from. LA is a great place for starting up companies in gaming, Internet, analog and content.  Not a great place for enterprise. Another tip is stay local for your investments.
  • Mine! Mine! Mine! - Yeah, it still appears that large content corporations want to keep their product on their own portals and are not willing to give it to distribution partners outside their walled gates.  They call this managing their exclusives.  I am not a fan of this practice, but corporately I understand it.
  • Smarter is Better - Yesterday I learned that all life will be done on our mobile phones, but today I heard about Smart TVs that include a hard drive and include widgets and apps.  Not only will our TVs get more robust, but I love that web content producers are cutting deals directly with smart TV hardware companies to provide their content.  This new approach bypasses the service provider.  What an amazing shift and change.
  • No More Flops - As someone who worked in the online gaming space for a number of years, I was blown away to hear that online gambling will soon become legal in this country.  I never thought the day would exist and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I mean I know there are ways that people have gone around these laws and have gambled online…but, opening it up means that more people will be able to lose whatever money they have. I believe that when this happens there will be another surge in popularity of online poker.

    Do you think it will be good idea to legalize online gambling?

  • It’s Not About the Money - I was excited hearing that web broadcast is a hard business and that if you’re in it for that reason, then that’s not the right reason. We can’t assume that the traditional broadcast model should be applied to new media. It’s apples to oranges.  They are radically different.  We are in the pioneer stages and it’s a wild, but adventurous frontier open to all.
  • Social Role Model - I’ve been meeting superstars in new media on a regular basis, but I haven’t met a female yet whom I thought was a definite rock star.  Justine Bateman blew me away today. She possesses the same philosophies as I do and had me captivated and in awe with this answer. She told a person in the audience that just because you aren’t getting traction pitching cable development executives, doesn’t mean that you should pitch online distributors as a default. She said you should pitch online if you live online. I so agree. I always say you shouldn’t hire a social media/pr consultant unless they practice social media themselves.
  • Branded Entertainment - Well, there’s no way it’s going away on broadcast nor web. Drats.  The motivation is too great to not employ these techniques online as well. In web, they see it as brand extension. It’s about efficiency, reach and deliverables. It is just in the infancy and it has tremendous growth.
  • Kangaroo TV – Steve Ross, owner of the NFL Miami Dolphins apparently gives a interactive hand held device to some of his season ticket holders that allows them to see different camera angles to the game as well as watch the other NFL games going on at the same time.  What a game changer. Brilliant idea Mr. Ross.
  • In-Home – You will start hearing this phrase more and more (In Home) entertainment. What this means is that is that this phrase means content provided to you at home via another service other than your cable company.  Also, keep an eye out for web content to be on their VOD channels as well. How cool will that be!

  • The Open Media Revolution is Over: Are We Better Off? Session (L-R) Jonathan Aronson, Tony Perkins, David Wertheimer

    Tony Perkins – I want to send a giant thank you to Tony Perkins, Founder and Editor of AlwaysOn, and his entire team for organizing this conference as well as the others.  He webcasts each one and for those of us who are not able to travel or pay for these cutting edge and topical conferences – this is a priceless gift.  I know I am smarter because of these conferences and more knowledgeable about areas I would have never been exposed.  So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for the opportunity.

No Kin of Mine

Posted on by
Reply

Kin - a failure or ahead of its time?

So by now, I think we have all heard that Microsoft’s latest device, Kin, which was billed as the first phone built for social networking has been taken off the market after only two months in consumers hands.

As a result, I thought it would be good timing to discuss how to handle PR when products shut down.

Ahhh, the Kin. I was a bit confused by the need for such a device when it was announced, how about you?  I mean smart phones are exactly that now, smart and can handle social networking…so why would I need a special phone just for that?  Its selling points didn’t grab me.  Like Apple products that come onto the market, they are trailblazers and become mainstays in our life.  Can you imagine not having an iPod, iTouch or iPad in your life now?  But, a Kin. It wasn’t a necessity, but a gimmick that Microsoft thought would be the “in” thing for young consumers.

I mean it looked cool and I understand what it did. It shot great photos with its camera and you could easily share videos and text for social sites.  But, with so many other devices capable of the doing the same thing…I guess in two short months consumers didn’t feel the need for it in their lives.

I have recently experienced this myself as I start my own social media agency.  I am finding that if my potential client is not open to social media or an advocate of it – then it’s best for the both of us not to do business together-that is not until that client understands the power of new media.  Therefore, the Kin is a product that probably was ahead of its time and the market was too small to understand its need.

I mean I recently attended a meeting where Sprint’s 4G network was discussed through the use of the HTC EVO android phone.  That phone can do the same things and a few more than the new iPhone 4 can do and it sure can handle everything that the Kin does.  So as Microsoft found out – there really wasn’t a need for Kin.

And as a PR pro, I applaud Microsoft for having the guts and um balls to pull the plug on the device and face defeat. I know corporately it was a hard decision to make for not only did Microsoft face personal embarrassment, but so did Verizon who was the sole carrier.  Verizon supported this concept and thus went down with them.

But, I want to remind you – that there is no such thing as failure.  Look at Thomas Edison, a premier inventor.  He did over 10,000 tweaks to the incandescent light bulb before he perfected it and showed it off.  To him, this is how he views failure.

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. T. Edison.

So that’s my PR advice to you. When a product, a TV show or employee is not performing, don’t be afraid to advise your CEO that he/she can pull the plug.  The company will be better off in the long run for it and embarrassment of its demise will be remembered for less than a week. Some other news story will take its place and you will be able to get on with your work as usual.

Look at Toyota…they are weathering the storm and are getting back to work. Cut bait and move on.

Homer Always Shoots Straight From the Hip

If you don’t – then your job as the head of the PR dept. will get quite messy. You will spend a good chuck of your time every day putting out fires from leaks that will arise as news of your product’s ineffectiveness starts to hit the media or is shared through social media.

People have a hard time keeping secrets. And when dealing with television shows, you can never hide the ratings.  Consumers can see how last night’s episode performed or didn’t perform.

Be on top of your game and like Thomas Edison – keep perfecting your product. I’m sure elements of the Kin will remain in the next device that Microsoft launches for it did produce some novel touches.

Soldier on for it takes more courage to admit defeat than to live a lie.

Good job Microsoft.  You did the right thing and deserve respect for trying.  There’s no black eye in this situation.

Editorial Oversight

Posted on by
Reply

This Man Gets Life's Priorities

I’m lovin’ what I’m hearing from Steve Jobs,  Apple Inc.’s Chief Executive Officer.   Speaking yesterday at Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital technology conference he was asked whether the iPad would be the holy grail for content creators.  Here’s how he replied.

“I don’t want to see us descend into a nation of bloggers…I think we need editorial oversight now more than ever.  Anything we can do to help newspapers find new ways of expression that will help them get paid, I am all for.” Source: Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2010

As am I, Mr. Jobs. Bravo. Succinctly put.  And I hope he and his team of innovative executives are working on a plan to move newspapers forward and out of the grasp of extinction.  Someone has to figure this out as well as that darn oil spill. It just baffles me that although man created that oil well, they can’t stop it from gushing.

Anyway I divert…but, I too grieve the loss of journalists, reporters, reviewers, editors, humorists, columnists and photographers from our society. The need for them is great. For if we take away their power of uncovering corruptness, greed, injustice…then who will? The local news? Local news is barely hanging on and assignment editors there will tell you the best source of story leads come from the local paper!

This just frustrates me so…but I’m glad to know that Steve Jobs understands the importance of editorial oversight too.  He’s someone that people listen to – he’s an influencer.  Me, I’m just a blogger with a soft spot for journalists.

KEEP THOSE PRESSES RUNNING.

Cindy

iPad Revolution

Posted on by
Reply

For a Good Time Visit Your Nearest Apple Store and Play with the iPad

The iPad is revolutionizing the computer industry and then some.

When did the Apple Store become an amusement park?  I tell ya…if you are looking to be entertained for relatively no cost at all other than the price of gas to get you there – go visit your local Apple Store to try out its new iPad electronic device. But, depending on the time you get there, you may have to wait in line to touch one. They are just that popular.

I am an advocate of Apple products – I find them all extremely useful, practical and made with quality.  So I wasn’t surprised by its latest invention, the iPad.  I had lunch this week with one my favorite “tech” friends, John Chambers – you may know him as the host of  oneminutetip.com.  Anyway, I’m always inspired by our lunches for they center around the latest in technology. He so gets it.

So last week our discussion was about the iPad. He had a chance to play around with one and so, after our chat I just had to see one for myself. So I trekked off to my local Apple Store and yes, did indeed, have to wait in line to touch one!  But, I had fun while I waited for everyone who was trying it out was so enthused about using it and checking out all its functions. I wish you could see how everyone who used it was smiling.

The iPad adapts to You

After about 10 minutes, it then became my turn to use one and I too was amazed at how easy it was to operate.  And it had some really cool features. For instance, I loved how the screen automatically changed from vertical to horizontal depending on how you were holding it. I loved reading a book on it and watching videos. The only thing that I still am not a fan of is typing directly on it.

I'm not a fan of the keyboard.

The keyboard is larger and more real-life on the iPad than Apple’s iPhone, but it still was hard for me to type on and then go back and make corrections. But, I’m sure if I got used it – that I would become more proficient in this area.

For what its worth, I will now not invest in a net book, but purchase a iPad when it becomes multi-functional (meaning more than one screen can remain active at a time). But, it definitely is a game changer.  I must say the iPad may result in bookstores going by the wayside, just as movie rental companies did with pay-per-view or music stores as a result of the iPod and iTunes.

So, if you find yourself with some free time, go out and have fun at the Apple Store.  It will be just as fun as any ride at Disneyland.  I’d love your thoughts about the iPad – please share what your experience was like and how you plan to use an iPad in your life.

Still a laptop gal, but hopefully someday an iPad user-

Cindy

Brilliant Organic Marketing-Ipad and ABC’s “Modern Family”

Posted on by
1

________________________________

Ipad + Modern Family = Brilliance

Last Wednesday’s “Modern Family” episode on ABC was absolutely brilliant for its organic insertion of the soon-to-be-released Apple iPad. Even though this topic has been covered by the major publications, I too, as an entertainment marketer had to tip my hat to this outstanding product placement.

For those of you whom were not one of the 9.5 million viewers who saw this episode on March 31, basically, the geeky, clumsy, hilarious dad, Phil Dunphy, wanted a hard to get present for his birthday which is April 3.  April 3 just coincidentally also happens to be the launch date for Apple’s iPad, the all things device bringing music, the library and the movie theater into your lap.

Per the Wall St. Journal (article linked here), the producers of the series thought this idea up and had their network’s sales team approach Apple.  Apple loved the idea and apparently, no money exchanged hands.  The iPad was treated like any other prop in a episode.  It was just written in as a character, if you will.

But, why I did I love this – because it never felt like a commercial.  I totally believed that Phil’s character would have been geeky enough to “jones” for one of these new gadgets.  It fit his profile. The producers apparently were kicking around him purchasing a new video game – but that wouldn’t have been in line with his character.  Phil is always fiddling around with his flat screen TVs or wearing sound-proof headsets. He has always the latest gadgets. It was perfect.

I am so glad that an idea involving big conglomerates wasn’t killed on a lawyer’s desk. This was a nice moment for the viewers.

Bravo Apple and ABC!

Best,

Cindy (who too wishes she could get an iPad) Can I come over and see your’s? I’ll bring cookies.