Author Archives: loiswhitmanhess

A Personal Invitation To Experience A Webinar

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Steve Greenberg, author of Gadget Nation, is inviting all Digidame readers to experience a webinar. Most of the time you need a special invitation to join an online conference. This could be a real treat for you.

All you have to do is click here Thursday evening at 8:00PM.

There is no learning curve. Everything is done for you.

Here is the formal invite

STEVE GREENBERG AUTHOR OF GADGET NATION PRESENTS: HOW TO GET YOUR PRODUCT ON TELEVISION
As seen on the Today Show, Dr. Oz, and Food Network’s Invention Hunters

THIS EVENT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THU 9/6 FROM 8:00PM – 9:00PM EDT

Steve Greenberg (stevegreenberg.tv, Facebook, Twitter @stevetv) is a product scout as well as the author of GADGET NATION: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE ECCENTRIC WORLD OF INVENTION and the co-host of Food Network’s Invention Hunters. Steve can be seen demonstrating innovative products routinely on NBC’s Today Show, The Dr Oz Show and various stations across the country.Steve is always looking for new innovative products to showcase on television and he is able to help inventors land licensing deals. Steve’s topic: “How to Get Your Product on TV.”

The webinar is a Shindig production. Shindig is committed to unleashing the unrealized potential of video chat through large-scale online events that mimic all the dynamics of physical events. In Shindig, not only can participants freely mingle with one another in private video chats, but the speaker presenting to the audience can share the stage enabling participants to ask their questions face to face in front of the audience as a whole. Already embraced by hundreds of best-selling authors and entertainers, Shindig is pioneering a new mode of robust online video interactivity. More information about Shindig and a schedule of their upcoming events can be found at http://www.shindig.com.

Park Your Car In Your Living Room

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Hamilton Scotts, one of the most lavish condos in Singapore.

I don’t know about you, but every time we park our car, a 23-year old 560SEL Mercedes, in the garage of our New York City apartment building, I get an eerie feeling. It’s like we are leaving an old friend who is defenseless to fend for himself. A few months ago, my worst fears came true when we discovered that someone took a key and scratched the entire driver’s side of the car. Our automobiles are among some of our most precious and expensive purchases, yet we are forced to park them in public places. We were very upset, but there was little we could do.

I was relating this story to a business friend the other day. He then told me about a new 30-story luxury apartment building in Singapore where billionaires park their Lamborghinis, Maseratis, and Ferraris in their living rooms. I had no idea what he was talking about, but my curiosity got the best of me so I went on a Google hunt to search for the answer. Sure enough, Google directed me to YouTube where several videos explained the entire story.

Apparently, Singapore is home to more luxury automobiles per capita than anywhere in the world. The problem is that they have no place to put them. Parking spaces are very limited in the city. Some very savvy condo developers came up with a solution. They built flats that cost anywhere from $6 million to $15 million that allow owners to activate a biometrically-controlled elevator (it reads fingerprints) that lifts their expensive automobiles from the ground floor right into their swanky living rooms, no matter what level they live on. The cars can practically have a seat at the dining room table. Some do. Watch the video.

All I have to say is that you may not want your mother-in-law living with you, but there is always room for a set of wheels.

The Mole Detective

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OMG there is an app for this too!

I know that I have your attention. You would be crazy not to read on.

We are all worried about Melanoma. There is no secret what happens if a Melanoma is discovered late. However, if it is caught early, there is a 95 per cent survival rate.

This app is what I call, “Miracle of miracles.” It takes a picture of your mole and gives you a diagnosis immediately.

That is why I love the tech business so much. Just when you think you have heard of everything, along comes another awesome invention.

The Mole Detective uses the universal ABCDE analysis combined with shape recognition software. The acronym means Asymmetry, Borders, Color, Diameter and Evolution. The basic idea is that you keep track of your moles at home and watch for changes. The Mole Detective is the first app to calculate symptoms of melanoma right on your phone. The app analyzes potentially cancerous skin moles, records and catalogs the mole evolution, and reminds you to recheck your moles at a pre-determined time.

I was going to write a lot of copy about my challenges with Basal Cell Carcinomas, but that is a harmless skin cancer that is easily removed. The fact that my legs look like rail road tracks is another story. I am grateful that I have a dermatologist who screens me carefully and knows when to dig deep. No pain, just a healing process.

Click here to visit The Mole Detective website.

Please watch the video. You will get an excellent demo of how the app works. I know that many of my readers rarely click on the videos. This is the one time that you absolutely should. This app is not intended to take the place of regular visits to your skin doctor. It is a supplement.

I Bought Myself A New Toy Today

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We are going to the Marlins game tonight at their new Miami stadium. They are playing the Mets. We do not know which team to root for. I will probably take some pictures with my new toy tonight, the olloclip, a 3-in-One photo lens clip for the iPhone 4 and 4S. Retails for $69.95. I just came from the Apple store on Lincoln Road.

The olloclip comes with a great microfiber lens cleaning cloth bag and lens caps for both ends. Good news, the ottoclip works with all of your favorite apps in both video and still modes. It takes seconds to attach the ottoclip to the iPhone.

I can now take fish eye, macro and wide angle pictures. Watch the video below.

I am now running out to get myself some peanuts and cracker jacks.

Two Historic Moments In Music

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Technology is advancing so fast that it never ceases to amaze. I just had to share these two stories with you.

The first one is about a famous hip hop/pop superstar, Will.i.am, whose new song premiered from Mars.

The second is about a 23-year old deaf filmmaker who heard music for the first time two weeks ago.

I became involved in these stories because of my work with iriver, a Korean company that will be debuting a new product which is slated to become a game changer in the music business. I am not allowed to say anything more.

1. Will.i.am is a famous and talented musician, performer and producer. You know him because he is a member of the singing group Black Eyed Peas, which also boasts the gorgeous and shapely Fergie.

Will.i.am will go down in history as being the first musician and performing artist to premiere a new single from Mars. The NASA rover Curiosity beamed his new song “Reach for the Stars” in the first music broadcast from another planet.

This was all arranged almost a year ago because Will.i.am is heavily involved in promoting math and science education

“Reach for the Stars” was uploaded to the rover which landed near the equator of Mars. The song was played back to Earth, a journey of approximately 700 million miles. That will definitely go down in the history books.

Will.i.am was among more than a dozen celebrities who were invited to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s (JPL) to watch Curiosity’s landing last month. Others included Wil Wheaton, Seth Green and Morgan Freeman.

Click here to watch everyone at NASA plus an auditorium filled with students listen to the first musical concert from Mars.

2. Austin Chapman heard music for the first time earlier this month thanks to a new breakthrough in Phonak’s Naida S Premium hearing aids.

First time listening to music at age 23

Chapman was born profoundly deaf. Hearing aids helped with words, but music, with its full range of pitches and tones, could not be decoded. Chapman’s entry into the world of music is a fascinating one. A group of friends introduced him to Michael Jackson, Radiohead, and the Rolling Stones. He was blown away when he heard Mozart’s Lacrimosa. It was the first time he was able to appreciate music. Tears rolled down his face and he tried to hide it. But when he looked over at his friends, he didn’t see a dry eye on any of them.

Read his story here.

What Would You Ask A Dead Person?

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As far back as I can remember, I was always afraid of ghosts. I lost my grandfather Jake when I was 13. I slept with the lights on. I drove myself crazy. I thought he would suddenly appear in my room. One day I admitted this to my older brother who said he would be thrilled if that ever happened to him. I was stunned! “Wouldn’t you be scared?” He said it would be such a great opportunity to ask him many unanswered questions.

I thought about my brother’s reply for a long time. I still think about it today. As the years went by, we lost more and more family members. I became less afraid and started to hope that some of them would get in touch with me. Funny how life changes. When my mother died over seven years ago, I wanted her to give me a sign. She used to talk on the telephone all the time. I thought for sure she would call me. If anyone could do it, she would be the one. There have been a lot of things I can attribute to her watching over me, but I don’t have any definite proof.

All that might possibly change with a new app being secretly developed by a network of mediums who claim they have the skill to help us talk to our love ones that have passed to the other side. Now before you close this screen because you think I have gone mad, read on. There is nothing wrong with being open-minded. I am not a believer either. I will only believe when I personally communicate with someone who died. It has to be me with the dead person. No intermediaries.

I do, however, want to explore what these mediums are talking about, because I think it makes for an interesting post. The mediums don’t want to be identified because they feel my audience is not big enough for a debut. The Today Show or The New York Times is more their speed. Fair enough. The app is still in development and the only reason why I know about it is because we were approached to handle the PR.

By the way, the people we are talking to have been on TV many times and have a few million followers all around the world. I am at a point in my life where a medium doesn’t threaten me. If he or she is for real, great. If not, I have been scammed by lots of entrepreneurs who feel they have the next big thing. I am in good company. Most venture capitalists and angel investors get scammed every day of the week. They buy into someone else’s dream and write enormous checks to fund them. All I have to give is an hour or so of my time.

Back to the reason why I wrote this post. My question to you is, “Would you download this app if it was free?” At this point the app would allow you to check off who you wanted to ask a question to and then an answer would appear. There are going to be a lot of other options, but some may require face-to-face meetings with the medium. Another feature will be a dead person reaching out to a living loved one. The community has to help the mediums find that person.

It is going to be very interesting to see if Apple approves this app.

In the meantime, just think about it. If you had the opportunity to talk to someone you love who is deceased, wouldn’t you want to? I no longer sleep with the lights on. I am constantly looking for a sign!

The World Of Apps Should Thank Dr. Oz

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I am taking a chance talking about such a narrowly focused topic today, especially after I received many emails and comments on my widely- received Richard Schulze of Best Buy post yesterday. There could be many more eyeballs than usual watching to see what I will come up with next. While this next topic may seem a little unimportant to you, it is huge for anyone in the smartphone application business.

The Dr. Oz Show, a daily television program focusing on medical issues and personal health, is the first TV show I know of that is going to devote an entire segment to smartphone applications. Yes, they are health related, but that is not what this is about. TV talk shows have been reluctant to demonstrate apps because they do not show well on the TV screen.

I have been pitching apps for years to national and local TV shows and 99.9 per cent of the time I get a flat “No.” It doesn’t matter if the app is hugely popular or obscure, TV stations were not interested. In the last year or so, an app was mentioned on a TV talk show, but never, never, never, a full segment that will demo and detail how the applications work.

Leave it to Dr. Oz, a very tech savvy guy, not to be afraid to go beyond what is the norm.

It was so frustrating for me, that I finally did an email to each and every TV show producer asking them to reconsider because they were really cheating their audiences. I told them that apps played a very important part in the tech world and by not sharing the info, they weren’t giving their audiences what they wanted and needed. Very few wrote back, and those that did said, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

I was in shock when I heard from………..drum roll….. Steve Greenberg, the Innovation Insider and author of Gadget Nation, that Dr. Oz asked him to appear on his show just to focus on apps for Health and Wellness. We are actually going to see one whole segment where apps will be featured as the product showcase.

All I can say to that is…………….thank you Dr. Oz and Steve Greenberg. Steve taped the show this morning. He will let me know when it airs. The guest after Steve’s taped segment was Michelle Obama. Steve said when he left the studio, the building was surrounded by security. Everything and everyone was being searched.

Ah, show biz !

If you click on the highlighted Dr. Oz above, you will read all about him. I am concerned that many of you do not realize that you can do that. You will learn in time.

For those relunctant Digidame readers, here you go…….

Mehmet Cengiz Oz (Turkish: Öz, pronounced [mehˈmet dʒenˈɟiz øz], born June 11, 1960), also known as Dr. Oz, is a Turkish-American cardiothoracic surgeon, author, and television personality.

Oz first appeared on the The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2004, and later on Larry King Live and other TV programs. In 2009, Winfrey’s Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures launched The Dr. Oz Show, a daily television program focusing on medical issues and personal health.

An Open Letter To Richard Schulze

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Richard Schulze

This is my open letter to Richard Schulze, Founder of Best Buy, the 1,400 public store chain he wants to take private so that he can restore it to the greatness it once was.

Don’t do it Dick. The retail world is changing in ways yet to be defined. Even if it works out that you are somewhat successful, what is the point?

It is not even a question of whether I think you are capable. It is a question of why you would want to spend the next few years of your life trying to reinvent what you started in the first place. You are 71, worth $2 billion, happily married to your second wife, have 10 kids between the two of you and an ever-increasing number of grandchildren.

If you are looking for something really exciting to do, I can introduce you to some of the greatest young minds in the digital world that are inventing new technologies that none of us ever thought possible. They need your business acumen, your marketing prowess and your ability to build a business slow and steady. You have everything they do not. They have the kinds of minds that you need to know better. They will fascinate you about ways they are going to change the world in all types of fields, from everyday technology to transportation to outer space. You are one of a few who can help these young geniuses reach their goals. It will be far more rewarding to be the power behind the cure for hideous diseases, than the developer of a new way Americans buy their electronics.

I have researched all the good work you are doing in philanthropy, education and medicine. I congratulate you, but I am not talking about writing checks. I am talking about becoming a full time counselor to the future Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Jack Dorsey’s, and Mark Zuckerberg’s. There are a few dozen out there that will never make their mark without you.

You have a chance to regain the most rewarding and fruitful years of your life if you just take the time to explore what I am suggesting.

I was there when you and your late wife started Best Buy in 1966. At that time it was called the “Sound of Music Store,” in St. Paul, Minnesota. I was 18 and lucky enough to be working alongside two of the industry’s most devoted editors, Aaron Neretin and Manning Greenberg. We wrote about the growth of your company in the pages of Home Furnishings Daily, day after day, year after year. I saw and felt your sweat. I remember when your wife got sick, how you met wife number two, and how you devoted yourself to an industry that has had nothing but pleasure because of your efforts.

It is time for you to get reinvigorated. You are not going to experience the same euphoria you had the first time by trying to turn Best Buy into the next Apple retail chain. Even Apple is trying to figure out the next steps to maintain their own retail phenomena. I am not going to get too deep into it now, but the guys you are surrounding yourself with to rebuild your baby, are not the new thinkers of tomorrow. If you ever read this blog post, please call me and I will tell you why.

I know too many seasoned professionals who tried to go home again. When they got there, they slowly discovered why they left in the first place. Please open up those big baby blues that make you so distinguishable, and see the opportunity to have a much more important second chapter.

Larry Lives

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I really have nothing against Larry King other than he seems to fall asleep after he asks his guests a question. I have watched him ask a question many times, get a provocative answer that desperately needed further discussion, and just like a robot, move on to the next point on his cheat sheet.

When he left CNN after 25 years, I thought that was that. The old timers were getting weeded out in favor of all the digital newbies who were going to give us a new prospective on the news.

I was feeling bad for the likes of Larry, and a little for myself, who desperately want to remain relevant in a world dominated by kids who are young enough to be our grandchildren.

Then came the news.

At age 78, King is becoming a dominant force in the new digital age of Internet TV. Backed by one of the richest men in the world, Carlos Slim, a Mexican financier, Larry King has a new talk show on the Ora online network.

A long time business acquaintance of mine, Jefferson Graham, of USA Today, just did a print and video interview with Larry that explains it all.

Click here. Give it a few seconds to appear.

For those of you who want the info quickly, let me spell it out. Larry is now pioneering the Internet even though he doesn’t know how to turn on a computer, answer an email, or post a tweet.

Jefferson says Larry now has Larry King Now on Hulu, Monday through Thursday, and he’s still attracting big-name talent. Guests have included Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, actor Matthew McConaughey, and old friends Regis Philbin and Betty White.
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Larry also makes his debut this week on YouTube with live political analysis of the Republican convention (youtube.com/politics), and the Democratic convention next week.

He has no idea what twitter is but has 2.5 million followers. His wife and assistant handle his digital correspondence.

I don’t want to spoil the video for you but he does a good job of defending his digital inabilities, something about providing a personal touch. You judge for yourself!

Beat The Clock With “Beat The Traffic”

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The Jewish holidays are next month. Every year at this time I start thinking about where we will go and what I will wear. We used to belong to a specific Synagogue, but we haven’t done that in a long time. We like the idea of visiting new temples every year because it gives us the diversity of seeing what others are doing and donating appropriately. We usually end up staying on the Island of Manhattan because the traffic is so horrendous leaving it. Our family and friends who live outside of the borough can never really comprehend the additional hours it takes us to get to their home or house of worship when they invite us to join them.

One holiday we spent almost two hours on the west side highway going from 34th Street to the George Washington Bridge. Another year when we went to Long Island it took us almost an hour to get through the Midtown tunnel. Many family members or pals have suggested that we take public transportation or start out earlier. We will consider that a few years from now, but at the moment we say “come to us” or “we will observe with others right here.”

I was recently relating the Jewish Holiday scenario to a friend. He immediately told me about an app that becomes your own personal traffic reporter. It is called “Beat The Traffic” which provides you with a service that lets you know “real time” traffic conditions. You get to create your own personalized routes and see traffic speeds, incidents, cameras, even weather along the exact routes you plan to drive. It will also alert you of a change in traffic conditions while you’re on the road.

I was very surprised to learn that this app already has over a million users and is in three countries. There are 22,245 traffic cameras for you to check. I love looking at the Lincoln and Midtown tunnels. I also just checked on the roads in Miami today where hurricane Isaac is mildly passing over now. Ever so grateful that all is well there even though our flight was cancelled this morning.

We will hopefully be in Miami on Tuesday. And we will be in Manhattan during the Jewish holidays no matter how well this app works. What is that saying for moments like this? Oh yeah, “You can’t teach old dogs new tricks.”

Be sure to check out the website. Click here. Remember, get used to the mobile app. You most likely will be accessing info from the road.