Click here to view all of the interviews.
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Monday, November 15, 2010
Videos from InnoTech Austin
Thanks to AraCeli Live TV and BroadRamp, we are able to bring you complete interviews from some of our top speakers from InnoTech Austin 2010.
Click here to view all of the interviews.
Brought to you by:
Click here to view all of the interviews.
Brought to you by:
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Thank you & Congratulations
It has been exactly one week since the 2010 InnoTech Austin conference. We want to say thank you to everyone who participated in making this year's conference a success including our sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, and attendees. With your support, InnoTech continues to highlight the latest in technology and innovation in business.
We also wish to congratulate the 2010 IT Executive of the Year award winners:
We also wish to congratulate the 2010 IT Executive of the Year award winners:
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| Private CIO of the Year Award Winner: Scott McKinlay Director of Technology, Austin Children's Shelter |
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| Public CIO of the Year Award: Gary Gumbert CIO Health and Human Services Commission |
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| CTO of the Year Award: Andy Maag CTO Bazaarvoice |
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| IT Community Leader of the Year Award: Kevin Koym Tech Ranch (no photo) IT Solution of the Year LCRA- Emergency Response Solution |
Photos courtesy of aitp Austin. To see more photos from InnoTech Austin, check out their flickr slide show. You can also watch videos of the awards here. We are already hard at work planning the 2011 conference. Check back for updates soon.
-Your InnoTech Austin team
Monday, October 25, 2010
C. Enrique Ortiz Discusses the "Mobi" Space in Austin and the U.S.
(Note: Matt Scherer, our publicist, had the opportunity to interview C. Enrique Ortiz, the founder of MobileMonday Austin and a panelist for InnoTech Austin's Mobile Application Marketplace session. Here’s Ortiz’ take on what is happening within the “mobi” space not only in Austin but also in the U.S.)
Q1: What caused you to want to get into working with mobile telephone platforms in 1998?
A: Back in 1998 I used to work on embedded technologies when I was exposed to mobile & wireless; that was the time when handsets and the networks were not as advanced as they are today, the early days of CDMA (code division multiple access) , CDPD (cellular digital packet data) GSM (global systems for mobile communications) , HDML (Handheld Device Markup Language) and the beginnings of WAP, BlackBerry pagers, Palm OS, WinCE and so on. That is when I immediately recognized the potential for such connected personal devices and what the future was going to be. It was very exciting.
Q2: From reading a little about you, you mention the concept of "people-centric mobile computing." What do you mean by this term?
A: Over the years, I realized the relationship between mobile and what I call people-centric computing. It is a term that I defined years ago to highlight the importance of putting the user and his/her mobile-context at the center of the mobile sofware design. Writing software for mobile is not the same as for fixed desktops or PCs. When designing software for mobile handsets, many other factors must be considered, from location to the social context, the characteristics of the device, the user preferences and other -- all must be taken into account when designing software for mobile.
Q3: What are some of the biggest changes that people can expect from their mobile devices in the next 12 to 18 months?
A: There are different challenges for different people. For some such as early adopters, it is about what they can do with their handsets. These early adopters have access to high-end handsets, access to the Internet, the Web and applications, music on their handsets, personal information and access to friends. This segment of the population consumes large amount of data so their challenges are more around network speeds and tiered data-plans and handset capabilities (that is, what they can do with the handset). For others, the concerns are more about cost. This segment may not have access to higher-end devices and data-plans but still want to use their phone to access information, so there are challenges on how to accomplish that.
Q4: How has Austin become one of the leaders in mobile telephone development and what can we expect in the future?
A: There are a number of top cities when it comes to mobile sofware and applications: Silicon Valley, New York, Seattle and Austin to name a few. In the early 2000s, Austin was a hot bed for mobile/wireless. After the dot-com bubble, it slowed down dramatically. Today it is picking up again. This is a result of many factors. On one side, mobility is finally getting the attention of software designers and developers in general. Combine this with what Austin has to offer, from its friendly people, great city to live on, the University of Texas and VCs, and other. The trend is here and we should expect more startups in Austin and more innovation happening right here.
Hear more from C. Enrique Ortiz at InnoTech this Thursday, October 28th.
Q1: What caused you to want to get into working with mobile telephone platforms in 1998?
A: Back in 1998 I used to work on embedded technologies when I was exposed to mobile & wireless; that was the time when handsets and the networks were not as advanced as they are today, the early days of CDMA (code division multiple access) , CDPD (cellular digital packet data) GSM (global systems for mobile communications) , HDML (Handheld Device Markup Language) and the beginnings of WAP, BlackBerry pagers, Palm OS, WinCE and so on. That is when I immediately recognized the potential for such connected personal devices and what the future was going to be. It was very exciting.
Q2: From reading a little about you, you mention the concept of "people-centric mobile computing." What do you mean by this term?
A: Over the years, I realized the relationship between mobile and what I call people-centric computing. It is a term that I defined years ago to highlight the importance of putting the user and his/her mobile-context at the center of the mobile sofware design. Writing software for mobile is not the same as for fixed desktops or PCs. When designing software for mobile handsets, many other factors must be considered, from location to the social context, the characteristics of the device, the user preferences and other -- all must be taken into account when designing software for mobile.
Q3: What are some of the biggest changes that people can expect from their mobile devices in the next 12 to 18 months?
A: There are different challenges for different people. For some such as early adopters, it is about what they can do with their handsets. These early adopters have access to high-end handsets, access to the Internet, the Web and applications, music on their handsets, personal information and access to friends. This segment of the population consumes large amount of data so their challenges are more around network speeds and tiered data-plans and handset capabilities (that is, what they can do with the handset). For others, the concerns are more about cost. This segment may not have access to higher-end devices and data-plans but still want to use their phone to access information, so there are challenges on how to accomplish that.
Q4: How has Austin become one of the leaders in mobile telephone development and what can we expect in the future?
A: There are a number of top cities when it comes to mobile sofware and applications: Silicon Valley, New York, Seattle and Austin to name a few. In the early 2000s, Austin was a hot bed for mobile/wireless. After the dot-com bubble, it slowed down dramatically. Today it is picking up again. This is a result of many factors. On one side, mobility is finally getting the attention of software designers and developers in general. Combine this with what Austin has to offer, from its friendly people, great city to live on, the University of Texas and VCs, and other. The trend is here and we should expect more startups in Austin and more innovation happening right here.
Hear more from C. Enrique Ortiz at InnoTech this Thursday, October 28th.
Torvald Hessel Discusses The Austin Planetarium's Past, Present, & Future
(Note: With just a few days until InnoTech, our publicist Matt Scherer is hard at work generating “buzz” for our Oct. 28 event. Here’s a recent online interview with Torvald Hessel, the executive director of the Friends of the Austin Planetarium. As part of InnoTech, the planetarium will showcase their mobile facility.)
Q1: What inspired you to begin the process to build a planetarium?
A: I used to work in a planetarium in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I worked there for several years while earning my graduate degree in Astrophysics from the University of Amsterdam. I emigrated to the US in 1999 and ended up in Austin a year later. Then in 2003 I realized that Austin does not have a planetarium. I missed my old job dearly, so I “simply” decided to build a planetarium for Austin. I mean, how difficult can it be, right?
Q2: As the husband of a retired physics teacher who taught astronomy, I know that "hands on" interaction with the stars helps students show more interest in science. What role does your planetarium have in help promote science education?
A: Although our role is limited (because we still do not have a planetarium and science museum), it is certainly growing. The new mobile planetarium is a state of the art inflatable planetarium which we bring out to as many schools as we can. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and I hope that we will have to purchase a second dome in about a year’s time because we will have reached capacity. It is exceedingly gratifying to see our progress there, even without having finished the real thing yet.
Q3: Right now, you'll have the mobile planetarium at InnoTech. When can we expect to see a full planetarium where school tours can visit your facility?
A: If everything goes according to schedule, we hope to be able to open doors in late 2014. However, there are still many crucial pieces to cover before we can do this. Right now the most important thing is the site selection. We are looking to build right across the street from the Bob Bullock State History museum and the Blanton Museum of Art. We are working with the state on a long term lease, and we hope to have something concrete by the next legislative session.
Check out the Planetarium at InnoTech Austin this Thursday, October 28th. To register, visit http://www.innotechaustin.com/.
Q1: What inspired you to begin the process to build a planetarium?
A: I used to work in a planetarium in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. I worked there for several years while earning my graduate degree in Astrophysics from the University of Amsterdam. I emigrated to the US in 1999 and ended up in Austin a year later. Then in 2003 I realized that Austin does not have a planetarium. I missed my old job dearly, so I “simply” decided to build a planetarium for Austin. I mean, how difficult can it be, right?
Q2: As the husband of a retired physics teacher who taught astronomy, I know that "hands on" interaction with the stars helps students show more interest in science. What role does your planetarium have in help promote science education?
A: Although our role is limited (because we still do not have a planetarium and science museum), it is certainly growing. The new mobile planetarium is a state of the art inflatable planetarium which we bring out to as many schools as we can. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and I hope that we will have to purchase a second dome in about a year’s time because we will have reached capacity. It is exceedingly gratifying to see our progress there, even without having finished the real thing yet.
Q3: Right now, you'll have the mobile planetarium at InnoTech. When can we expect to see a full planetarium where school tours can visit your facility?
A: If everything goes according to schedule, we hope to be able to open doors in late 2014. However, there are still many crucial pieces to cover before we can do this. Right now the most important thing is the site selection. We are looking to build right across the street from the Bob Bullock State History museum and the Blanton Museum of Art. We are working with the state on a long term lease, and we hope to have something concrete by the next legislative session.
Check out the Planetarium at InnoTech Austin this Thursday, October 28th. To register, visit http://www.innotechaustin.com/.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
InnoTech Austin Kicks Off in One Week!
We are one short week away from InnoTech Austin. If you haven't yet, be sure to register today! http://www.innotechaustin.com/
Here are a few of the highlights planned for this year's event:
We look forward to seeing you there!
-Your InnoTech Team
Here are a few of the highlights planned for this year's event:
- Take on the Guitar Hero World Champion, Danny Johnson at the Time Warner Cable Business Class booth (#427)
- Stop by our Social Media Lounge (powered by FeedMagent) and find out what everyone is saying about InnoTech
- Network with your peers at our Happy 45 Minute reception (sponsored by Sigma Solutions) and the InnoTech After Party (at Fogo de Chao, sponsored by Austinstartup.com)
- Visit Austin's own Mobile Planetarium. Located in Ballroom D next to the food court
- Plus, much more!
We look forward to seeing you there!
-Your InnoTech Team
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Sheila Scarborough discusses Social Media in the Travel Industry
(Note: Contributing blogger Matt Scherer recently interviewed Sheila Scarborough. Scarborough, the co-founder of Tourism Currents, will speak at the Austin InnoTech eMarketing Summit Oct. 28 at 1 p.m. as part of a panel "Social Media 12 Months From Today" She discussed the changes within social media for the travel industry.)
Q: What inspired you to start blogging on travel?
A: After doing some writing about maritime topics while on active duty in the Navy, I decided when I left the military that since I loved to write and loved to travel, I would combine the two.
I started out blogging specifically about family travel because even as a newbie, I could see that it would be better to cover a niche if I was going to blog. My parents took me all over the world and I try to do the same with my kids, who are now 18 and 11. I launched a free traveler’s blog on the BootsnAll Travel Network because it gave me a built-in audience, so that someone besides me and my Mom would read my work.
Later on, I joined with other bloggers to write for the Perceptive Travel blog, plus I covered NHRA drag racing on Fast Machines for awhile and then started my own personal blog and co-founded a learning community (Tourism Currents, http://www.tourismcurrents.com) teaching social media for tourism.
I still do print work in state and national publications, but my heart is definitely online.
Q: I noted your military experience in the Navy. Does that give you an insight into traveling to different places that most people would never get?
A: Well, a Navy port visit is usually longer than the average cruise ship stop, although not by much. It's a good way to take a quick look at a place, though.
The biggest advantage of my time in the military (and from growing up in a Navy family, too) is the opportunity to be stationed all over the U.S. Bahrain , Japan and the Netherlands
It's also made me very sensitive to how hard it can be to communicate in a language that's not your native tongue. I never sound like a bigger moron than when I try to mangle French.
Q: With travel blogs, resorts and other destinations get an unfiltered review of their hospitality and overall service. How many resorts are truly monitoring social media?
A: Not as many as you'd think. Remember how long it took to get hotels to pay attention to TripAdvisor? Literally years. That's where we are right now with Yelp, blogs, Twitter and Facebook. Many properties are oblivious. They have no idea when they're linked to in a blog post; they have no idea how to "listen" online.
Those that are paying attention often don't know how to engage, even something as simple as saying "thanks" in response to a positive review, or saying "Sorry about that, how can we fix it?" in response to a poor review. So many see social media as a threat, not an opportunity. I wish they weren't so scared of a comment box.
Those that do engage, like the Roger Smith Hotel in New York , the Hotel Max in Seattle , the Elkhorn Inn in West Virginia or the Authentic Seacoast resorts in Nova Scotia
Q: For those that don't, what should they do to monitor what is being said about them.
A: Google the name of your destination/lodging/attraction and look not just at the "Everything" results, but also results from Images, Videos, Blogs, Updates (Twitter) and Discussions (forums.)
Do a general search for your name on Facebook, scrolling all the way down to see "Posts by Everyone." You will see results even from people who aren't connected to you, which is horrible for privacy considerations but useful in market research.
Use search.twitter.com and look for mentions of your destination or attraction, including common misspellings. You can monitor those keywords continuously with a column on a Twitter dashboard service like Tweetdeck or Hootsuite.
Make this monitoring a habit, a few minutes a day at minimum to scan the chatter. Yes, you have time. You answer the phone and respond to letters, right? It's just customer service, folks.
Q: Do you have any other comments or thoughts on the travel blogging industry?
A: We are at a very interesting intersection in the publishing world right now. Content is moving online and expanding into many different channels when it gets there, but getting paid decently for producing it is another matter.
I'm convinced that chasing eyeball numbers, gaming search engines and hoping people will click things is ultimately a losing proposition, but I'm having a hard time articulating a better alternative. It has something to do with creating content that is unique, gives people what they're looking for and can't find except for a few special places. People are willing to pay for that. We are also going to see more long-term relationships/sponsorships with high-visibility blogs....sort of a variation on the branded "Hallmark Hall of Fame" TV shows.
Why does "The Economist" continue to do well worldwide, with its dense, long articles and coverage of hefty, often relatively obscure topics? Because lightweight "Top 10 Beaches" content only gets you so far. What beach information elicits real interest? The annual report from "Dr. Beach," with academic analysis of coastal areas that are not necessarily well known but meet a respected guy's high standards.
Find your niche and special voice, then connect....on- and off-line....with those who love it.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Beta Summit Participants Announced
We want to extend a big congratulations to the six companies chosen to participate in this year's Beta Summit. Bryan Menell, Managing Editor of Austinstartup.com will host the 4th annual Beta Summit which offers a sneak peek into the future of technology in and around Austin introduced through a series of 6 eight-minute, fast paced presentations and live demonstrations by some of the community's most promising companies. Here are the companies presenting:
HBMG
Hurricane Party
Recycle Match
Ricochet Labs
Social Smack
Workstreamer
Click on any of these companies to find out a little more about them. Then, be sure to attend InnoTech Austin on October 28th and see firsthand what they're all about. Register today at www.innotechaustin.com
HBMG
Hurricane Party
Recycle Match
Ricochet Labs
Social Smack
Workstreamer
Click on any of these companies to find out a little more about them. Then, be sure to attend InnoTech Austin on October 28th and see firsthand what they're all about. Register today at www.innotechaustin.com
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