The Accidental Technologist at #11NTC Me & Phil being mobile - Vol 2

Having my picture with Phil the Penguin was a lot of fun, I was hot just walking around and this Arctic friend had to have been melting!

Day Two was a continuation of Day One in the life of the Accidental Technologist at #11NTC except . . . . the Science Center was now available and with it came a slew of partners and solution providers that was for me a great time to meet and exchange ideas and see some cool solutions.

One idea in particular remains the Mobile front.  Mobile is plentiful.  Media and Mobile - Mobile is Media, or rather mobile brings media to an untethered audience.  The sessions focusing on this topic at 11NTC will touch on many of the mobile questions and standards the folks I have spoken with seem to crave.  I keep wondering though if standards are really out the window? For many of us we see mobile as a personal preference especially when it comes to device choices.

So what are we using mobile for and is there a way to move some of these mobile apps into the enterprise?

The two groups I spoke with who have taken mobile giving apps to new levels are Charity Dynamics and M-Give.  They are putting something as basic as the text to give programs we have seen groups like Red Cross and NWF use via mobile devices to work on web sites and as part of social networking apps.  http://apps.facebook.com/text-giving/campaigns/g9FlOWL6dpj/donations/new?sn=fb

I like this concept - think about how you could offer payment options other then credit cards for events or registration fees.  Plus I don't know how many times I'm online and I don't have my credit card handy but I know my cell phone! Maybe I'll ring up Phil the Penguin and see what he thinks.

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

The Accidental Technologist at #11NTC - Vol 1

Fellow 11NTC Newbies and Old-fogies, that last definition wasn't my idea but the #11NTCStory group liked it - I am writing to report that the T in NTC is alive and well and after the first night at the StoryTelling session #11NTCStory led by Michaela and Roger followed by the "Peter Campbell BeerFest" @peterscampbell it seems the energy of how organizations are using tech to tell their stories continues to be a theme.  

I was very happy to share several tools from the Droid App world like Cinch, Posterous and TweetCaster to help better make the Droid mobile devices more integrated with the messaging and in the process learned from others - for instance about how the newer versions of the FlipCam ( thank you Cisco ) auto compresses the videos depending on the upload source.  All this time I've been using third party compression tools.

This blog entry and the theme of "Tech" will focus on what I hear from others, no matter the significance, newness or pros or cons as the story is sharing, the sharing is key to learning.  I've mentioned in the past how this conference is much like a "family reunion" where we see faces we knew from previous sessions but also new faces and voices of NTC community.  Hooking up with old friends like Divas @blondegeek and @cariegrls but also fast on their way to becoming rock stars @SLianne and @BRCTweets makes for good conversation and lasting friendships.  

As we all share our stories don't forget to get out of your comfort zone, don't be afraid to go up to a total stranger and simply say:  "Newbie or Old-fogie" see what they say and don't forget to tweet about it!

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

2011 NTC | NTEN - why am I not nervous?

via nten.org

This week I am anxiously awaiting the #11NTC conference in DC - this is an opportunity to hook up and learn from some amazing talent of our industry who are putting tech to work in so many unique and innovative ways.

One of the sessions I was lucky to be selected for was an invite only workshop for Story Telling on Wed evening. On top of that I will be one of many honored by the NTEN team as a contributor to our genre. I really felt humbled getting that notice and silly wearing my "aNTENna" but the contributions and help I have shared with so many is what I do, I don't even think about it. Sharing information, taking time to blog, tweet, call and present is what all of us need to do on a daily basis, inside or outside of NTC.

The "storytelling" session is going to be a real learning experience. The workshop will cover how to tell stories across various media and social networks and is limited to 25 people, so getting some one-on-one advice and training is a real thrill. After the workshop, participants will form the official 11NTC Storytelling Team, capturing the spirit of the conference through writing, photography, video, blogging and other media. So look out participants, I may be armed with a flipcam and looking for you!

This years NTC will not only mean catching up with some good friends but meet new ones I have had the pleasure of engaging online. I always look at NTC as a reunion of sorts, brings good like minded people together where we all learn from each other - how do you say no to that?

I don't think I mind missing SxSW, in fact I just checked the Tweets and my liver is happy I sat this one out. Saving my brain cells for 11NTC is just what the Doc ordered! See ya at the Tech Track: Veritably Valuable Virtualization – Voila! (#11NTCttvirt) on Friday Morning, I'll be the guy speaking and holding a camera, ready, set . . . . action and story tell!

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Motorola Xoom vs the Apple iPad - why competition will drive me mad and racing for the store

via eweek.com

Don Reisinger did an interesting comparison of the benefits the Motorola Xoom has vs the iPad. The tablet market is ready to explode on this front and as you follow his piece it's clear Apple will have it's hands full trying to embrace new users. http://bit.ly/dTgYed

The one thing that will set all these devices apart however is going to be the APPS - who has the best access, who is developing them and for what device, which ones make the most sense for us as consumers and LOB folks to use. We keep hearing how there is an "app for everything" and with a plethora of devices about to drive us mad I worry about who will have access to the apps, how do we as technologist apply real solutions and more importantly how easy will they be to deploy.

At first it bugged me to no end that when using the iPad app store I was forced to use an iTunes account - but I understand the logic. If I have a device not connected to a billable service it makes sense to tap an existing provider like iTunes to process the revenue. It's an extra step, even for the freebies but I can respect the process. Should I be worried about the bean counters? At some point the cost of apps will need to be addressed on our mobile policies and who gets to in charge of that in our organizations?

Wondering how the Xoom will work in this field? Guess I'll find out - part of my evil plan for tech domination is to go out and test all the toys I can get my hands on. ( insert evil laugh here )

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Who else is looking at their mobile options? Are your policies / practices updated? It's all about the DATA silly.

via syracuse.com

The past few weeks I have had a rash of inquires as to the use of the iPhones now that Verizon has finally stepped up, I'm betting I'm not alone. The information shared by Syracuse.com http://bit.ly/hIFgNX and a recent article I read in Time shares some much needed light when making your mobile policy tweaks.

The changes in the industry have once again had us revisiting our mobile policies but there are other factors besides carriers to factor in and it comes down to something as simple as "use" and money and the soon to be changing tax implications. Just what are we using these devices for?

In the Feb 28 issue of Time Bill Saporito wrote a piece called "Leaving Cell Hell" and I hate to tell Bill but at times I feel like I will never leave Hell. Much of what I hear is how "cool" the iPhones are and all the cool apps - doesn't sound like Hell at all and for the most part they are right, much of what these devices do is cool. For many of our staff who focus on "social networking" they won't have any problems in using these "cool" tools as the menu and moving around the device OS will be simple and fun. But . . . . that's not the norm for many of of the folks in our organizations. Many of us still have folks who's VCR clocks are blinking 12:00 - you know what I mean . . . but the real issue besides actually having a cell connection that works ( BTW - Verizon won that contest hands down ) . . . the issue is DATA, what about the data use? Does everybody need access to so much of the data that is out there?

We know that more and more the "voice" features of these devices is diminishing and instead the streaming of data and lots of it is where the mobile device has gone - is going. eMail is just a small piece of that data. Cisco is predicting that data traffic driven by VIDEO over mobile will become the leader of the data drain - further hogging an already crowded wireless network.

Many of these tools work fine over WiFi but not all the devices have WiFi which makes getting outside the building a whole new game. Did I mention tethering? Talk about a major lifesaver, to easily link your laptop or iPad or Notebook to your data plan of the iPhone or Droid is pure heaven.

Syracuse.Com puts the "DATA" into a very easy to understand perspective:

"If you do check the Internet and update your Facebook status often, Verizon's unlimited plan is enticing - but AT&T's $25 data plan gets you 2 GB per month and that's a hard amount to hit unless you watch videos or stream music constantly. You can listen to an hour of music every day, look at 20 sites daily, use 30 apps a week, and send 3000 emails a month and still wouldn't even hit 1.5 GB of data. Plus, any data used while connected to Wi-Fi doesn't count against a data plan - if you have Wi-Fi in your house or at work, it'd be near impossible to use even 500 MB. But still, that unlimited data plan is enticing."

This is why the carriers are looking to profit as the needs of the many expect to do more with the data these devices have access to. This is what's driving 4G networks, speed of that data. Although on a side note, it would be good to get the 3G network functional to the point it actually works - don't get me started on that. Make no mistake, Verizon has a data model in place that will make them a ton of money with the iPhone. I think we sometimes forget these guys aren't a public service group, they are trying to make $$$. This makes the all included plans attractive but unless you are a data hog and I mean a real data hog it won't be worth the costs.

I'm not sure where I'm leaning, I understand and appreciate the Blackberry model yet I simple love my Droid, I'm hesitant of hype and marketing - I always ask my team to find out exactly what the need is when getting a request and look closely at the costs.

It has to be more then "cool" - it has to be effective and you better know how to navigate the OS . . . and if you don't know what OS is you're getting a flip phone and you'll like it!

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Greenzo - IT Power Needs You

I have some friends in Greenpeace, and no I don't think they've been in boats chasing whaling ships, but they are passionate and extremely dedicated, you have to be if your desire is to change the world.  So when I saw their campaign to get Facebook to change how they power their data centers, a big old light bulb went off.  How much electricity are our data centers drawing? will we need to increase the demand and more importantly WHERE will that power source come from?

The need to move from coal sources to smart power choices like wind as MD is attempting to do makes more sense then ever before.  And the quicker the better.

Earth Day as you know is rapidly approaching, lot's of organizations are gearing up to join in the conversation that Greenpeace is advocating for Facebook and that's how Green is IT?  I was recently approached by my good friend Beverly Magda, an Associate Dean at Georgetown, who is bringing folks together in an attempt to make a dent in the Greening of IT.  The summit is April 20 - 21 in Tysons Corner VA and I'm ready to lend a voice and help where I can, hope you can too.  http://www.greeniteconomicsummit.com/

Below are some facts shared by the Greenpeace campaign, the consumption of powering the Internet is stagering!  We need our green superhero Greenzo promoter of environmental consciousness (and G.E. products) - but for real, besides I like the green cape.

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Did you know?

IT companies are rapidly increasing their electricity consumption, making IT one of the largest growth sectors for electricity demand. The amount of electricity needed to power the Internet would place it 5th if ranked among countries by electricity consumption.

Facebook has a real opportunity to lead by example by extending this spirit of innovation to the environment. The company can show that businesses can flourish by being clean-energy powered.

Our IT sector climate campaign

Greenpeace has been working with the IT industry for half a decade to get companies to be greener. Facebook's coal problem is representative of the IT sector's growing demand for energy.

At current growth rates, data centers and telecommunication networks - two key components of 'the cloud' that Facebook depends on - will consume about 1,963 billion kilowatts hours of electricity in 2020. That's more than triple their current consumption and more than the current electricity consumption of France, Germany, Canada and Brazil combined.

Find out more - visit www.greenpeace.org/unfriendcoal

The FOUR uses of the iPhone Confession app - that's right FOUR not three

via cnn.com

When I first saw this on Conan I thought he was joking but this is actually true. There IS an app for confessing your sins. Finally.

But upon reading the directions I think they left out some very important information not to mention clearly a forth part of the application they DON'T want you to know about. So here is my commentary and contribution to the actual application of the "Confession App".

The first is an examination of conscience that's designed to help Catholics prepare for confession before stepping into the confessional, "so you don't walk in and just start making up sins off the top of your head," I've done that, it's part of the catholic guilt they train us in.

The second part features step-by-step instructions for what to do inside the confessional. Typically this is the exchange of the money part. What? am I the only one who slips the Priest a fivester?

The third part is a space to record any absolution or penance from the priest. This is done directly on the iPhone by holding the phone close the padre - try not to breathe too hard as it will pick up all sounds in the booth, the Droid would NEVER support such a feature - just saying.

And the last part which was not reported in the article, is where the entire incident is digitally captured, a photo opp with you and the priest, the video provided you are on the WiFi service from with in the booth and the whole thing gets posted on Twitter and Facebook.

I lied about the last part . . . damn, I may need to confess now. Frak. Oops, is saying Frak an offense? I sometimes wonder if the App world goes too far and more importantly when is the Droid version of this coming? :-)

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

To iPad or not to iPad . . .

There are so many things I already can't stand. Typing, not a fan. The device is all about flipping screens and navigation of content, I get it. But productivity and practical use like entering lots of content, I'm not sold.

Right now the App I'm in doesn't rotate. Serious? Thought that was the selling point, rotate the device so does the screen. So this means I can't use the bluetooth keyboard. Thanks, not.

Oh, the bluetooth keyboard cover helps but it's mushy and has one shift key and the enter key where the other shift should be. Did I mention when in portrait mode you can't use the dang keyboard? I also don't know how long it stays charged but not long is ny take so far.

And it weighs a ton! With the cover / bluetooth keyboard and iPad this weighs more than my HP Notebook. Which has a cleaner larger screen AND has two shift keys. Just saying.

What else do I hate? The lack of editing a word. Evidently you get to backspace a lot, it's the Apple way.

I hate using the "hate" word, I "dislike" many of the features especially the auto word fill but live for spell check which I can't seem to turn on without the auto fill - that I really hate!

I guess I should try adding some custom apps like Facebook as opposed to using the browser. I did configure the Citrix App and surprisingly it worked like a champ. Of course it worked better with the bluetooth keyboard which died in the middle of testing. Uggg

Scrolling around the net was fun, the YouTube app was cool although I noted that lots of video links in facebook just opened another FB page and not the video. Had to use the link, not very seamless.

And if I have to backspace one more time i'm gonna scream. Too late.

Why do I use Twitter? I get asked this a lot . . . and timing is perfect come #11NTC

via lakesidesoftware.com

It's not because I have a short attention span and only have time to read 140 characters ( not words - as I recently was asked at a conference ) - BUT using Twitter connects you with that random tweet which can be a gold mine.

In sharing some information with one of the folks I follow way across the country that is currently in a deep freeze I got ReTweeted and as a result of their network was picked up provided provided a very useful link on a project that I am in the midst of: VDI - Virtual Desktop Infrastructure. This retweet was from a different group caled Lakeside Software who was most likely spending time scanning and looking for key terms . . . like VDI. Still with me?

Turns out Lakeside Software http://www.lakesidesoftware.com/ has a tremendous amount of information on the topic, including short videos, links and a ton of resources I would never in a zillion years have found if these guys were not using Twitter in this fashion.

The information from their web site will be very valuable as we move forward on this project at NWF and especially as the topic of Virtualization will be front and center on the tech track at the 2011 NTC Conference in DC - it so happens I'll be a panelist on the Virtualization session. http://www.nten.org I love twitter and twitter

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Don't Eat the Yellow Snow or What's the Frequency Kenneth

via facebook.com

Between Zappa and R.E.M. I was torn for this title - neither tune has nothing to do with the picture. This shot is the aftermath of yet another heavy dumping we got here in MD this past week BUT it does tie nicely in with a theme I wish to share - presenting to an audience is all about being on the same frequency.

This past week I got my speaker feedback from a conference I did back in November. I scored an overall 3.9 which when I round up is actually a 4 out of 5 rating - I like the 4 better then the 3.9 part but what really got my attention was a participant comment which I take real serious.

"I felt like Mike assumed we knew what he was talking about . . . " - ouch, I thought I did a good job at translating techenese into english, maybe I'm missing something.

Recently at a day workshop where I co-presented for a room full of EPA folks who focus on the Chesapeake Bay region I was again reminded of the importance in breaking down the terminology of the tools we sometimes take for granted. Seeing the review brought it all together for me.

I recently saw the following analogy on a tweet and it seemed to fit so well in breaking down what these social networking tools do to an action. We assume everybody now knows what Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, Quora, YouTube and LinkedIn are used for - but what I was reminded of is that these tools still remain foreign enough that many just don't get WHAT they are. They've heard of them, but if pressed to put them into action or define their purpose in the proverbial tool shed . . . well now we got problems in Rivercity.

Let me use this example and tell me if it makes sense - this is where the yellow snow part comes in - here goes:

Twitter = I need to pee.
FaceBook = I peed!
FourSquare = I'm peeing here.
Quora = Why am I peeing?
YouTube = Watch me pee!
LinkedIn = I pee well.

So now that we got that going for us it's still a good rule of thumb to NOT eat the yellow snow and I'm hoping for my next conference speaking engagement I will be more understanding and appreciative of the silent majority who don't wish to acknowledge their gap in understanding what the new tools of engagement are used for. I now have a new analogy in my tool box, as do you.

I have this sudden urge to tinkle . . . .

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Conference Technology . . . it's not just fishing and magic, notes from the front lines

via choosecleanwater.org

The 2nd Annual Choose Clean Water Conference is over but still on my mind as we recap, document and provide feed back for what future NWF conferences could be like. This is my second conference with the NWF Mid Atlantic Regional office staff who work at bringing together 160 coalition members and the Chesapeake Bay regions movers and shakers who fight for clean water and a Saved Bay.

These events don't happen easy and a lot of planning and prep occurs prior and during to make them successful. Implementing tech in a fashion that helps promote and keep connected those who could not make the event a powerful motivator to continue the effort. Even more important those who attend but want more - more video, more pictures, more presentation material to bring back and share with their respective members.

What we were able to provide for the team was seen by others in our organization as a model for our other regional offices that are planning similar conferences. In fact the Great Lakes region is our next similar project happening in October and as we did for the Chesapeake here is just a taste of what to expect:

UStream Services - paid for service that at $99 provides an ad free service for up to 100 hours of broadcasting and video capturing - a decent cam that can focus and zoom from the back of the room is key. Also a very tall tri-pod.

YouTube - being able to have an account that exceeds the 10 min limit makes posting videos captured from FlipCams much easier, provided you edit and can easily compress your captured files. Also being able to convert captured UStream videos and converting them to YouStream keeps all your clips in one spot.

Flickr - having an account to quickly post images captured of speakers and guests. The trick is having more volunteers capturing images. Reducing those images is also critical as we learned that the free Flickr accounts has a space limit. Having card readers at your upload systems is a time saver.

SlideShare - getting the presentations posted prior to or during the speakers time slot was key to being able to link to them during tweets

Twitter - the power is always in the retweet and we had at one point 4 of the team tweeting various sessions always being sure to retweet each other or asking others in our network to share the posts.

FlipCams - spare cams is critical so you don't miss a session due to battery or space issues.

PowerPoint clickers - sounds simple but oh so important as you can't always predict where you can place the laptop to allow for advancement of slides.

Visible Tweets - http://visibletweets.com/ awesome program that takes a Twitter Hashtag and provides a display of all the tweets from the conference. Joined with a projector makes a great display in the lobby or during down times in the main conference ball room.

What The HashTag - monitors the Twitter Traffic and captures the twitter posts for documentation purposes

Laptops, Netbooks, iPads - what ever it takes to connect to a projector, we had them, and spares as you never know. This actually saved the group tremendous rental fees by providing this equipment.

Table Top video tripods - perfect for placing FlipCams in very small unobtrusive places.

Cabled access to Internet - most conferences you can arrange for WiFi, which can be costly FYI depending on how you negotiate with the conference or hotel. But having a cabled land line to ISP service is key to broadcasting or quick uploads as your files could be large.

Video conversion / compression software - I'm hooked on XiLisoft Video Converter http://www.xilisoft.com/ For $60 it's a no brainer and provides so many options my fingers would get tired from typing.

WiFi and Cell Service - being able to access the net or cell towers means mobile applications become very very useful. This makes the Droids and iPhones a powerful communications tools.

Well thought out organization is key, many meetings and prep goes into the planning but so does being able to roll with the punches and make do with what you have. We had audio issues the first day and a half with our streaming - video is nothing without good audio, alway keep that in mind if video is going to factor in to your engagement strategy. This is why paying for an audio service or good Public Address services might be worth the costs.

If you don't have WiFi service or good cell service consider an alternate location - people attending these conferences expect to get connected. Boosters may work but I've had mixed luck with these services.

I know I'm forgetting a whole bunch of details but I don't want to end up writing War and Peace. If you want to know more, comment or message me or send me a tweet. I'm game to share . . . look, nothing up my sleeve.

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Why Facebook Newsfeed is the new and improved in-box

via johnhaydon.com

John Haydon is without a doubt one of the most insightful and respected social media non profit guru's on the net. Hands down - great stuff comes from John.

This piece http://bit.ly/eXRzSW about why collecting email addresses on Facebook fan page won't work is a perfect case in point. Why would you even try?

So much of the news feed on Facebook has already replaced much of the notifications email alerts I use to subscribe to, there isn't much appeal to want a duplicate of the same content hitting my overloaded in-box. I would agree with one of John's comment contributors, the news feed is fast becoming very noisy and hard to filter what friends vs organizations you have "liked" or become a fan of. But that's on me, these are organizations or interests I've asked to be part of. Seeing those posts is part of the deal.

In a sense the Facebook Newsfeed is my very large in-box.

That's not to say there isn't a place for both tools being used with the intent to engage me but my hope would be to see different content in the two mediums. It doesn't take much effort to block emails anymore - now on the other hand the news feeds . . . I've asked for that info so unless you spam my wall too often keep the posts coming, it's not like there's an inbox limit on the wall!

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Mastering the FlipCam for Conferences and Tweets

CleanWaterConf Tweets Report.pdf (81 KB)
View this on posterous

Last week I attended the 2nd Clean Water Conference that focused on the Chesapeake Bay - the coalition gathered by National Wildlife Federation MidAtlantic Regional field office successfully brought together experts and members to share how to best engage and collaborate in promoting clean water initiatives that could impact all of the countries watershed environments.

Happy New Years . . . or rather Welcome more fatigue

I was reminded that I had not indicated what my New Years Resolution would be . . . Besides living beachside, I only get to have one? That's typically my standard answer.  I can never wrap my head around this concept of resolutions as it sounds a lot like goals.  

As fictional character and Dodgeball hero Peter La Fleur once said about goals: "I found that if you have a goal, that you might not reach it. But if you don't have one, then you are never disappointed. And I gotta tell ya... it feels phenomenal"

So of course I jest on the topic, it's important we all strive for something that we feel passionate about.  This new year is no different, I see a lot of changes on the horizon - hopefully for the better but not all will be without sacrifice or hard work.  

Last week I saw posted on a DC NPTech fan page a question that made me think of what the new year has in store for the world of social media: Is social media going to die in the next two years? has social media fatigue set in making the medium not as "social" or "community" anymore? How will people force it to evolve and make it more social?

One of the responses I got from a friend who's opinion I value a great deal stated the following:

Perhaps the Peter Principle in a way... Social media has taken social media as far as it can go and beyond that it's not within Social Media's ability? I think it has become generic in a way, to the point where people will stop paying attention to it and move on to something else? What that something else is, I don't know. Oh only if I did.....

There is an experiment underway here, perhaps we could be mice in a very complex maze but a fun maze of connections, story telling and sharing to be sure.  I do feel a fatigue of sorts happening, or maybe it's burnout of trying to stay excited about the services that are out there. I see many of the early adopters of this medium are constantly looking for that NEXT BIG THING perhaps that's what I feel - or am I looking for that integration of all this noise happening, maybe another part of the fatigue is simply filtering out the noise.

Is there a solution?  Perhaps service like Rockmelt would be an example or even Paper.li that formats a great many sources into something that almost looks and feels like an old fashion newspaper can help bring the fatigue factor in check.  But let's be honest, there are a LOT of people who have been given a megaphone, the noise will become even more deafening.  

Let me look into my magic eight ball and see what the new year has in store . . . . ooooo, Zombies - I'll be right back.

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

 

Technology at the Margins: also the place I tend to scribble

via wiley.com

I recently was part of this three day intense, mind numbing, exhausting, thought provoking, (I'm running out adjectives ) Innovative Engineering session provided by Eureka Ranch very own Doug Hall. If you ever caught the series of American Inventor Doug was one of the judges, he put Simon Cowel to shame if you want a picture of this dude.

I mention this because several times during Doug's presentation he would site how several of the "death treats" to various projects which would have caused derailment of the project was IT. The observation was vague and the venue didn't provide for a chance to drill down on the details of why as I'm sure every IT obstacle has it's roots that could be explored. But what scared me from his statements was how he insinuated that it was OK to proceed without IT. That the big bad wolf for innovation were the block heads running IT - grrrrrr.

For any successful venture to compete in today's market you need tech - it's that simple. And in some organizations the tech NEEDS to be as integrated with the strategies of the organization more now than ever before, not less and no doing an end run of IT, as Doug had suggested in the training, is ever going to help organizations especially NPO's run successful programs. Communications is key, sharing success and failures keeps us moving forward and thinking, dialoging and collaboration happens via tech solutions all the time.

I've always been a believer of breaking down the barriers between tech and non tech - bending the rules is key, being flexible in solutions is key, meeting the needs and partnering on the mission . . . . key. Yes we have to have standards, but built into those standards has to be a means to listen and adapt. IT is not The Borg - assimilation was never the plan.

What drew me to this title and several of the concepts the authors are promoting is how IT doesn't have to be the driver but instead is the glue that holds the book together. IT driven projects have a tendency to fail more often than program sponsored projects - I know this, I have lived this. Partnering with the opps programs is key to a successful tech program, I get that - always have but something has to be sure the programs are in sync with each other . . . could that something be IT?

So Doug Hall - next time you mention IT as being a "Death Threat" to innovative thinking all I have to say is . . . hey nice pad stylus attached to your Mac which was connected to the WiFi along with3 very different projectors - guess all that tech was just laying around. Anybody want fries with their tech?

Does Twitter Retweets and Replies Infographic Support Gladwell's Argument?

Oct

26

2010

Photo by twenty_questions

My colleagues recently passed around the infographic below from Gizmodo, In Twitter No One Can Hear You Scream, that questions whether people are really paying attention to what you say on Twitter. It shows that 71% of tweets get no reaction (retweets or replies) at all, while 23% get an @reply, and a tiny 6% actually get retweeted. Of that 6% sliver, 92% of the retweets happen in the first hour, suggesting that the window for you to be heard via your tweet is quite short.

This made me think about the article that Malcolm Gladwell wrote for the New Yorker, Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted, published a few weeks ago, that elicited a firestorm of debate online. In short, he asserts that Twitter and Facebook activism doesn't have the power to create real social change due to the "weak ties" between "friends" and "followers" on these social networking sites. As you can imagine, this set bloggers, social media gurus, and especially the social media for social good-ers, a-blaze. The Dragonfly Effect blog, based on the book, which discusses how to use social media to drive social change, has a roundup of just some of the many reactions to Gladwell's article.

As I summarized the slactivism argument in my post, Has Do-Gooding Gone Mainstream, the internet and social media has made it so much easier for people to raise their virtual hands online to support a cause, but as the information depicted in the chart below questions, are those virtual hands really being noticed? Could Gladwell be right?

Tags |

• infographic
• malcolm gladwell
• Social Media
• twitter

500x_retweets-replies-v2.jpg

Comments

via casefoundation.org

I found this very interesting . . . or perhaps the coffee hadn't kicked in so my brain wasn't able to form it's own thoughts, but it does seem there's a LOT of noise on Twitter - trying to filter it all is becoming a time challenge for me.

Am I imagining this or has the latest trend on Twitter reporting and blocking spammers? I have seen some of the most hateful and idiotic items tagged to my account recently and I have no idea why or how. I just know I seem to be hitting "block and report as spam" a lot more than ever before.

Bottom line for me is that I find Twitter useful for various functions: conferences, sharing what I am learning at an event, following entertainment - you can always find me tweeting during Top Chef for instance - it's at these moments you further the experience and make connections. Twitter does have it's purpose and can be a useful tool but perhaps the questions we all have to remember to ask is: "Are people really paying attention to what you say on Twitter?" and "Has our ability to share been drowned out by all the noise?"

Gladwell is wrong, there is good if not GREAT stuff happening out in the cloud - we just have to have the patience and tools to find it.

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Social Networking Action - Qik Video Droid Apps feeds to Livestream to Facebook

Qik Video Camera

Posted by droidapps

May 6, 2010

Qik is an online live video streaming service that draws live video from thousands of smartphones equipped with the Qik app. It lets you take live video from your Droid and have the video be visible on the Qik website for the world to see. You can also enable privacy controls that enable to confine the viewers to just friends and family. The app is very simple, launch Qik and start shooting live video.

The app has been updated since its early release to support high-resolution video. Qik works best over Wi-Fi, and until 4G hits the airways this is probably going to remain the case. Over 3G, the service works pretty well, but can throw up unexpected disconnects and skipping frames every now and then. The app makes it very easy to share live videos, and you can send out links to Twitter and Facebook from within the app itself. If you enjoy broadcasting live video, you’ll love this Droid app.

Tags: streaming, video
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Entertainment

via droidapplications.org

I started playing with the Qik app last year when I still had my Berry - I got back into the app when I was looking at something unique for the Droid, streaming a mobile video back to a Facebook page.

Last Friday I had the opportunity to sit in on a planning meeting that would have some of our outreach folks engage various government officials to address higher education groups anxious to interact with their representatives. NWF has a plethora of Facebook fan pages such as the Choose Clean Water that helps connect many to our programs, I thought this may be an opportunity to drive some traffic back to the pages, engage and use the social media tools for something really fun especially as the DC Clean Water conference is fast approaching. http://www.facebook.com/choosecleanwater?v=app_142371818162&ref=ts

Last week I had placed the Livestream connector to the Clean Water page in Facebook, it's a cool interface that will feed your Livestream account and when you broadcast feed that content to the Facebook page under a unique tab.

The tools on Qik allow me to register my mobile to the Qik account which I created. Qik allows me to set up feeds to multiple services, which I used to link with Twitter and announce the available media I have collected from the tool. AND the feed I really like . . . . say it with me: Livestream!

So Qik extends the method in which Livestream collects video, Livestream allows an interactive component to Facebook, Facebook becomes the portal with which to engage an already active community of fans and potential new constituents on a different level. Did I mention this was all free?

This could be fun: lights, camera . . . . social networking action!

Michael Sola heads up the IT program at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Why Entertainment Will Drive the Next Checkin Craze

via mashable.com

I can see this happening, geo-tagging where you are while out and about like Foursquare services provides is certainly a marketing and sharing tool but the idea of tracking, commenting and providing insight into viewing habits takes those little Nielson services to a whole new level.

I was surprised to see that 3 out 4 viewers are already online while watching their fave episode of Mad Men or what ever they are into. What I like about the concept is being able to not only share what you are watching but also comment or even better have a conversation with those that are doing the same.

The worry I have is do I have to build a separate network or can I just tap my existing ones? I find the Foursquare network building to be more self serving then actually something you can celebrate or build on. Perhaps the culture of entertainment as the Mashable piece http://bit.ly/aRweGA suggests will better engage the social networking environment especially with the iPad and mobile options.

It's just a matter of time before it all merges into one big melting pot - I'm just hoping my smart remote can control the new world.

- Michael Sola heads up the IT Dept at NWF. he's a blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Posted via email from Michael's Ramblings

No Fear, Google Wave Decision Shows Strong Innovation and Balls!

via blogs.hbr.org

I remember when I first saw the Wave promotion, the 90 min video demo'ing the product, it even showed the technical meltdown that happened during the demo which I thought was ballsy - but in the back of my head I kept saying "huh" like Tom Hanks in Big said during board room - "I don't get it" and I didn't get it and I had a few years on the "child like" approach Hanks portrayed in Big.

I tried for about a month to get into Wave but it just didn't click. Evidently I wasn't alone but I'm not commenting about that today, what I am thinking about is how Google, as discussed in this Harvard Business Review, had the gumption to pull the plug and move on.

Innovation is good, failure is part of the formula - we all trip and fall before we walk so why don't we celebrate our failures more often in the tech world? Isn't that how we learn and grow? How many of us have tried to implement or move tech in a direction that utterly failed and we tried to forget or bury it rather then celebrate the attempt and learn from it?

As the Matrix Group http://www.matrixgroup.net so eloquently said on a recent Facebook post: " . . . they ( Google ) have the courage to shut down initiatives that don't quit succeed, without punishing the project owners and learning a lot from the efforts! Impressive, indeed! Is your organization holding on to any dead horses?"

Admitting you have a lame duck software solution in place is a hard pill to swallow, stepping up or rather standing up for change that may go against the culture . . . now that takes balls!

- Michael Sola heads up the IT Dept at NWF, blogger, invited presenter and speaker - he also rarely has to show ID to walk into a pub. Follow him at http://twitter.com/michaelsola : his views and comments are his own

Posted via email from Michael's Ramblings

HOW do you Promote Video Through Email? or Avoiding the RED X Box of Death

via netwitsthinktank.com

NetWits Think Tank has a very informative piece here related to management and placement of video for email distribution - I recall having this conversation years ago. In fact every so often we run into this same problem today even with something as simple as images and how they get deployed within emails.

In a recent discussion one of our staff members in Montana was trying to distribute a vanity plate image for the state that would help promote the 'No Child Left Inside" legislation. NCLI would put environmental sciences back front and center in our education system as there is a "Nature deficit" that is a real concern to many of us with kids. www.nwf.org/kidsoutside

Getting back to the issue of emailing the image reminded me of the steps NetWits promotes for sharing video. How many times have you waited for a simple image to process because the sender didn't bother to reduce the size? I don't need a 3MB JPG file, I get the same results with a 70KB file. And then the annoying "RED X Box of Death" that Outlook will put out there when trying to protect me from seeing Allysa Milano in a towel . . . stepping out of a shower no less - I think the towel is moist but again I digress.

Sharing video and images via email is a tried and true method of promoting. It polishes up the message and gives that "wow" factor. And while social networking provides even greater means to distribute such material, email still remains as a viable tool. Knowing how to properly use these tools is key to effective messaging.

So let's be careful out there . . . did I mention the towel was moist?

Resources for this post:

- Keith Power / Milano Real Man Challenge: http://bit.ly/awqkdd
- Outlook management of images: http://bit.ly/9RJtqS
- National Wildlife Federation - Reversing Nature Deficit: http://bit.ly/9NikQq
- My brain . . . there isn't a link for that, it's way big

Posted via email from Michael's Ramblings