Monthly Archives: April 2012

I THINK I HAVE SCOOPED THE WORLD

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You are reading it here first. My friend Steve Greenberg, who is about to become a national sensation as the host of Invention Hunters on The Food Network next month, informed me about a new app for the iPhone that allows you to put yourself into your video shoots. Steve didn’t exactly give me the scoop himself but I squirmed it out of him. If you are like me, you like to shoot videos of your travels and the events you attend. You probably shoot videos of your family, especially the grandkids, friends and hobbies. The big problem I have is that all my videos have everyone else in them except me. It’s like I was never there. Steve tried showing me how to turn my iPhone around to shoot myself and then turn it back again on the subject matter. That only forced me to lose my balance and train of thought. I always really love pretending I am a news reporter, capturing interesting things and then sharing them with family and friends (doesn’t matter if they want it or not).

The other day Steve was in NYC (he resides in Miami) to appear on Dr. Oz and The Today Show. He stays in my apartment whenever he is in New York, so we have a lot of quality time. He never mentioned anything about the new app in development called 2CamShoot. It allows you to switch between the iPhone’s front and back cameras when recording video. I found out about it while I was watching one of his other segments (Seattle King TV), that he did earlier in the week.

Hello Steve !!! Did you forget to tell me about something that I longed for? The Seattle TV segment was local so now you are one of the few who can learn all about it at http://www.2camshoot.com. It is really so easy to use and it is so much fun. I can’t stop shooting iPhone videos. The big question is why didn’t Apple develop this feature themselves? I am very confused. It seems like a natural. They already feature two cameras on the iPhone for Facetime, the personal video conferencing feature. Somehow, they never doubled dipped by using the two cameras for their video function.

Enter 2CamShoot. This is how the company describes it. “ Without this app, the only way you can record a video that showcases yourself and something else is by attempting to swing the phone around, losing sight of the screen, and just guessing what image is being recorded. Certainly not a smooth option. 2CamShoot ends that awkward bumpy camera move. By using this app, you are able to simply switch between the front and back cameras by just touching the icon on the screen. Video recording on your iPhone will never be the same. Put yourself into the video and make every shoot a 2CamShoot.”

And yes there is a video of Steve using the app right on the 2CamShoot website. Here is a prediction. Apple buys the company that produced the app and Steve becomes the next famous Steve at Apple.

MY ONLY ENCOUNTER WITH DICK CLARK

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I can’t remember whether it was a consumer electronics or video company that hosted a press conference featuring Dick Clark at the Ed Sullivan Theater in 1991, but I can remember the conversation I had with him. I wormed my way up to him after the press conference and asked if he would consider acting as an advisor to a newspaper my husband Eliot and I wanted to publish. It was a newspaper for teenagers written by teenagers. Remember, this was way before we all knew about the Internet.

I explained the entire concept. Teenagers would write about the world and local politics, education, current events, pop culture, entertainment, fashion, music, and sports. He listened courteously and immediately told me it would not work.

The world’s greatest authority on teenagers had squashed the idea that Eliot and I were working on for months in a matter of seconds. We already spent a lot of money on focus groups, a dummy layout, business plans, advertising presentations and editorial staff assignments.

I was devastated. I tried to reason with him. We thought it was a natural. In fact, during the time of our research we discovered that there was another group trying to do the same thing. How bad of an idea could this be? We thought teen reporters writing for other teens was just brilliant.

I remember looking straight into Mr. Clark’s eyes for some reassurances.  He simply said that the majority of teens don’t read and nothing in the world was going to change that. One more time, I pointed out that our concept was the solution. Teens writing for each other would be groundbreaking and they would learn about topics they never before explored.

No matter how long I talked, Mr. Clark was not going to change his mind. He continued to keep his eyes focused on mine. The more he looked at me, the more I wanted to just run away and pretend the entire discussion never took place.

I told him that I still thought he was wrong and that I would get back to him with our progress.  Needless to say, the project went no place fast for a number of reasons.  Before he left our little huddle he said, “May you go with God Speed.”  For years I wondered why he said that and what it meant.  I looked the phrase up yesterday and realized I never got back to him to tell him he was right, but I think he already knew it.

TECH HICCUPS

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Can you imagine how mortified we were when our client didn’t bring her invention to the press conference we organized at the Consumer Electronics Show to announce its existence? This is just one of the many insane stories we’ve experienced over the years repping entrepreneurs, inventors, investors and all kinds of startups in tech. Some of the major brands we’ve worked for were wacko too, but more about those at a later date.

The tech business attracts the most fearless because there is so much money to be made. We’ve had our fair share because our agency was well known and we provided credibility to those who so desperately needed  it. Like most psychotics, you couldn’t tell those clients were crazy at first but when their neuroses popped out you couldn’t tuck them back in.

The client who didn’t bring her so called 3D TV alternative to the CES press conference felt very justified because it wasn’t ready. She didn’t feel she owed anyone an explanation because this invention was a game changer and it was worth waiting for.  The press went crazy at the conference calling her all kinds of names and to this day, those few who are still in the business rib me about it every chance they get. The client continued to pull off shenanigans like that for a few years until her Silicon Valley investors pulled the plug. The reason why she was able to survive for so long, was because she capitalized on her Cal Tech degree and her ability to BS the investment community. There is nothing more vulnerable than a bunch of deep pocket money men who are desperate for a big hit.

Then there was our other more recent client who suddenly disappeared for a week after the servers for his iPhone app collapsed because of the big story we secured about his invention in the NY Times. The servers were not capable of handling the 72,000 downloads that were activated within a short period of the story hitting. Instead of handling all of the hundreds of complaints we received, he took a powder and we had to field the never ending inquiries. He resurfaced when everything was up and running again. We took the heat, but his checks were well worth it.

The stories go on and on.  The last one I wanted to mention for this post, is one of our most recent clients who just couldn’t articulate what his website was all about.  He was the founder, creator,  and technology genius behind the entire creation.  He was also very handsome, smart and personable. But the “nerd” in him took over every time he had to verbally explain what his company actually did. No matter how many times we asked him to write it down and keep it as his boiler plate, the more complicated his explanations became.  We would cringe when he was interviewed on TV because he would take up the entire segment spitting out the details of his company.

I am not sure if these stories are just specific to the tech industry, but I can surely tell you they are prevalent here. Geniuses just think differently.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

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One of the greatest things about being in the tech industry for so many years is that I get to meet hundreds, maybe thousands, of people who have a dream of building or creating something. I can probably tell within minutes of meeting that person if he or she is going to be successful. 

Scary isn’t it? Not really. Most of the time the person’s success really depends on his or her personality. There are certain ingredients that an inspiring entrepreneur must have in order to be successful. Sadly, most people just don’t have what it takes. I know a lot of seniors live vicariously through some of the young folks today who created something out of nothing and sold it for a billion dollars, like Instagram, or now have their companies valued at a $100 billion, like Facebook. I have to tell my generation that 99.9 per cent of the young people in the digital world today are not capable of inventing something and turning it into gold. 

My advice is to hold on to your money. I am not trying to be mean or negative. I just want to be the conveyor of reality.  Most angel investors are prepared to lose their money. They deal with percentages. If one out of 10 deals work, they have made back their losses and if they are really lucky they made a sizeable profit. Investing in social marketing or smartphone apps is an art. The average person doesn’t know what questions to ask or how to evaluate the business plan. A word to grandparents. If you finance a grandchild’s dream, consider it a gift. You most likely will never see a return. 

Everyone thinks they are Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs but the truth is unless today’s tech entrepreneur is obsessed with his or her work, compulsive, controlling, fearless, articulate and a problem solver, they will fail sooner or later.  I even dare to say that unless today’s entrepreneurs are willing to give up quality time with their families, they are dead ducks. That is just what it takes to make it in the age of the Internet where one week is like one day, one day is like an hour and one hour is like one minute. Internet time is much different than what the rest of the world is used to. Everything is instant response and instant gratification. 

I have witnessed so many people with tons of ideas that went nowhere fast. They just didn’t know how to execute. They were either so in love with their concept that they thought it would just take off, or they liked the idea of creating something but really had no interest in exerting enough sweat to see it to fruition. I can remember so many times, when I truly got excited about handling the public relations for a new invention or service only to have the creator flame out.  Many of these guys are screw ups and can’t handle success so they unconsciously do something that causes their downfall. 

My next blog post will be about some of the characters I’ve come across over the years. Get ready for a good laugh. You can’t make this stuff up.

WHAT ME WORRY?

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At 64 I am one of a few people in the United States who is trying out a new app called Placeme by Alohar (www.alohar.com). Many people are going to be horrified by this app but I love it. I am as paranoid and insecure as the next person but I think the advantages and benefits of Placeme far outweigh any of the concerns people have today about apps that track your whereabouts. The correct terminology is mobile location or ambient location technology.

I am not going to spend time convincing anyone to use Placeme. The same people who refuse to use Facebook and other social marketing platforms will be the last to adopt ( or maybe never) a technology that follows you around and automatically logs where you have been day by day. I remember when New York and New Jersey first introduced E-ZPass. A client that worked for a huge TV manufacturer was furious that the state was going to be able to track how many times a day he traveled back and forth from home to work. He refused to use E-ZPass for the first few years. He would wait an extra 15 minutes in the cash lane on the George Washington Bridge twice a day just because he believed that some higher authority was going to use this info against him or provide his employer with data he didn’t want them to have.

Guess what this guy does for a living today? He sells advertising on Facebook. I guess he came to the realization that you can’t stop progress. I haven’t questioned him about this in years but I bet he would deny ever doubting E-ZPass. There are plenty of other people like him. From my observation, the people who are afraid of getting involved with any kind of tech that shares information usually have nothing to hide. These aren’t criminals. They are just people who play it “safe” their entire lives. They think they are some kind of hero for keeping the status quo. They love being stubborn.

I love needling them when they finally breakdown and become a part of the digital revolution. They all have their excuses for finally succumbing. All of them are lame, but I eventually let them get away with it. I truly enjoy when the 55-plus crowd appreciate what is being created and developed during their lifetime. I am not saying that young folks too don’t question ambient technology. It is one of the biggest “privacy” discussions today. However, they are all using mobile apps that broadcast their every move. The popularity of Facebook’s “Places” and Foursquare are proof that this is the direction we are all going in the next year or two. If you question what I just said, just remember how scared you were the first time you entered your credit card information online to buy something.

Placeme is not a social marketing app. It shares nothing unless you specifically ask it to. The purpose of the app is to give you a personal diary of where you have been every day. When communicating with Alohar’s servers, the Placeme App uses industry standard SSL technology. SSL encrypts all data communications between your phone and Alohar’s servers, so your personal information is always safe from hackers.

I don’t know about you but having a digital diary that automatically files the locations that I visit each day of my life is like giving me a picture book of my personal journey. I am so busy multitasking plus nailing down what I need to do in the upcoming days, I can barely remember what I did yesterday, much less a week ago. Yes I can check my Outlook calendar, but do you think I update my records that methodically? No! I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it is to relive what I did a week, a month, a year ago. I can’t remember the names of restaurants, plays, concerts, or museums that I’ve been to. Not only is everything listed, but because of Google maps I can get to see the actual places again. Just think of reliving a vacation, or a fabulous date, or a special Meetup. It is all there for my viewing with Placeme. I feel like I am getting a life bonus.

I feel so fortunate to have a technology that affords me this ability. Just for the record, I do not work for or with Alohar. I found out about the app (which has not been publicly announced yet) from their marketing manager who used to work for one of my former clients. You can get the app too. It’s available in the iPhone (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/placeme/id501165259?mt=8) and Android app stores.

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL

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All of the nips and tucks in the world aren’t going to make me look young again. My workforce is filled with skinny, hip, fashionistas who drink the drink and smoke the smoke. Their heels are as high as skyscrapers and their handbags are as large as bread boxes. Oops, no one knows what that is anymore. The guys in the tech business try to look like rock stars or tattoo artists. Disheveled hair or no hair, crumpled shirts, and dirty, low-hanging jeans are the uniforms. I am not sure if they have showered in the last few days or have any intention to. They all know the latest tech terms and trends and who is developing what before they even surface because they hang in circles where all that is being discussed.

My friends talk Medicare, Metamucil, and Sore Muscles. Sometimes when I am out to dinner with people my age I try to engage them in discussions about the latest apps or improvements in Smartphones. I hate when they cross their arms to tell me that Apple is becoming a monopoly so they refuse to buy iPhones, or they won’t post on Facebook because Big Brother is watching them.

Oh, they are eager to talk tech if the subject is the stock market or who bought what and for how much. All of a sudden you find out that some of these couch potatoes are heavily invested in the tech industry and are angel investors in products they are clueless about. I am not saying that everyone is ignorant but by and large people of my generation invest in companies because they are either “safe” or “cool.” By “cool” I mean because a friend told them the company was ripe for purchase. If you ask them what the company does they will give you the appropriate sound bite but they could never defend their true, practical purpose.

I shouldn’t be pointing my heavily bejeweled finger with its long red acrylic nail at anyone. My husband and I have invested in Broadway productions because of the famous people we might possibly meet or the Tony we could win as a so-called “producer.” Ha!

I really yearn to be around folks who want to experience the technology revolution. We are living in the most exciting times of innovation. We are lucky to be alive and see the things we get to see. Who wouldn’t want to spend every waking hour being a part of it?

BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE

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One of the first things I want to write about is the desire I have to stay relevant in the work force. I don’t know where this ambition comes from. I have my suspicions but it is too early in this series of blog posts to discuss that. I was never a good student unless I had an excellent teacher who inspired me.

The workplace was a whole different story. I was 18 when I got a job as a copy girl (messenger) at WWD in Greenwich Village on September 9, 1966. The minute I entered that copy room I felt a rush of excitement that has stayed with me for 45 years. Being a part of a content engine that produces editorial has been totally exhilarating. Without it, I am not sure what would happen to me.

I have had friends who felt the same as I do about their fields of work. Months after they retired or got fired, they got debilitating or terminal illnesses. Some say I am exaggerating. Maybe those folks love their retirement so that they don’t understand those of us who identify ourselves by our work. That may be a sad statement to some but not to those who love the rewards of their careers.

RECLAIMING WHAT WE STARTED

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There are very few of me.  Most women my age are either retired or work in fields where seniors are more populous.  I work  in the digital world where 20- and 30- year-olds rule.   I spend my day talking to kids who have no idea who Truman Capote is and that Sonny was the other half of Cher.  They do know things that no one my age, male or female, will ever know or care about. Their conversations revolve around Crowd Sourcing,  Ambient Technology,  Hyperlinks,  Flash and Lead  Harvesting.  There are more millionaire entrepreneurs before the age of 30 than ever before and that number has reached epidemic proportions.  My staff, my clients are more than 30 years my junior.  Every year they get younger and younger, every year I have to become more relevant, productive and creative.

I decided to start this blog because I think it is important to track my success (or lack of it) in a world that is ever changing.  What is new one day in the world of the Internet is old the next.  Keeping up with innovation is like being Lucy packing chocolates from that runaway conveyer belt . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPzLBSBzPI&feature=fvwrel   While my friends are downsizing and playing golf or spending more time with their grandkids,  I am trying to become knowledgeable about Instagram, Highlight and Pinterest.  The real challenge is just not understanding what these technologies do, but how to use them.  If I don’t use them all the time, then I forget where, how and when to click. I drive everyone crazy asking for help. Our company technology expert constantly says to me “How many times did I tell you…………”

The good news for people my age is that once we become proficient with all of these digital gizmos and applications, we have a deeper understanding of their potential and practicality.  Most younger people want instant gratification and take things at face value.   Their intuition is all about using the mechanics.  Ours is all about applying them to life experiences.

Yes, there is a tremendous value in being older in the digital community. You just have to be strong enough to get through a few embarrassing moments then be ready to claim the territory that we handed to them.