No DBB this week (or next) -- Saving up for Tech4Turn (4/25)

We will not be having our Tuesday Digital Brown Bag (12:30P) this week (Tu, 4/7) or next week (Tu, 4/14) because we are saving up all of our guests for the "Technology for the Turnaround" event on Saturday, 4/25. We will have dozens of experts, companies, and other cool people at Tech4Turn -- and everyone is invited (see below). But we will be meeting Tuesday, 4/21, for my (in)famous talk entitled "Get A Job!" Now more relevant than ever!

What = Technology for the Turnaround (4/25) UGA

We have a whole different type of day planned for "Technology for the Turnaround: A Crisis is a Terrible Thing to Waste." No stuffy panel discussions. No pseudo sales pitches. No too-long explanations of what you already know. Nope. Tech4Turn is all about ideas -- ideas that can help us get ahead. And it is FREE! You can read all about the day at http://www.mynmi.net/Tech4Turn/. But here is a thumbnail sketch of the day. And all most of the activities are at the Miller Learning Center at UGA (http://www.slc.uga.edu/)

1:00 -- Welcome
1:15 -- Innovation for the Turnaround

Jennifer Dorian (Senior Vice President of Network Strategy and Brand Development -- Turner Entertainment Networks) will share her ideas for where we can find and build innovation.

1:45 -- Quick Fire Trend Discussions

Our goal is to come up with a list of technology trends that are going to play the biggest role in shaping digital media after the economic turnaround. We will be calling on our invited guests and other attendees to tell us what to watch for in areas like gaming, social media, online video, advertising, mobile, etc.

3:00 -- Break

Yeah, we will need it.

3:15 -- Student Show-Offs

New Media Institute and other Grady students will be showing off the projects they have been working this semester. These are going to be rapid-fire as well. Plan on walking around and talking to students about their projects for no more than 5 minutes. Then I will push you to move on. We will probably have 15 different team projects for you to see so we have to go fast and hard.

5:00 -- Networking Reception
Everyone is invited to the Dean's Garden at Grady for an informal networking reception. Bring your cards and be ready to network, network, network!

Who = Technology for the Turnaround (4/25) UGA

We all know that it takes more than a great program (like the one above) to make a great event. It takes cool/knowledgeable/fun people. About 75 people have already RSVPed for some part of the day. By going to http://www.mynmi.net/Tech4Turn you can RSVP to network with the people who are attending from these and other organizations:

Engauge, Patrick Davis Partners, BBDO, Kennesaw State University, AT&T, JWT Communications, Translation, Community Newspapers Inc, University of South Carolina, What's Up Interactive, Digital Insight (Intuit), Verizon Wireless, Schematic, Cohn & Wolfe, Delta Air Lines, Funny or Die, Charleston Magazin,TBS & TNT Digital, Nurun, Goizueta Business School, MediaHound Development, Plexus Web Creations, Newell Rubbermaid, National University, Atigeo, Marriott International, Fuzebox, Inc. Magazine, Startech Global, Atlanta Woman Magazine, JWA Public Communications, Turner, Axcess Online/The Silicon South, StyleCaster.

And the list keeps growing.

Video New Media Update -- Internet TV, Netbooks, and Adolescent Movie Makers

This week's version of the Video New Media Update (http://www.newmediaupdate.com/) looks at internet TV and netbooks. And they interview a filmmaker even younger than UGA students. Check it out. Lots of fun.

My Free / Open Source Experiment

A quick update on my attempt to only use free or open source software. It is going pretty well. Had a lot of input about graphics programs (yeah, Gimp is pretty cool). But I have started to hit a couple of problems. Google Docs has been excellent for creating documents to share online, but when you attempt to move them to dead trees (as in printing them out) you can run into trouble. For example, I made a handout in Google Docs then went to print it out. Instead of going straight from Google Docs to the printer, you have to export the document as a PDF first. Then you can print it out. But what if you want to insert page breaks? Since the Google Doc document only exists in a browser window, page breaks don't matter there. And the PDF isn't editable when it gets to your local machine so you can't insert page breaks there. About the only way I have found to adjust for pages is to keep checking the Google Docs print preview after adding blank lines to the document. Kind of clugy. Google readily admits that printing isn't a strong suit of their software. And they would rather us save the trees by working online all the time. But that isn't terribly practical yet.
So the lesson here is that some of the rather basic features we take for granted in commercial software might not work in free software. In fact, free software might even structure the task (like printing documents) differently than pay software. The problem is we have all been weaned on commercial software so we have bought into their paradigm for computer work -- it might be difficult to break old habits. But it ain't enough to make me give up -- yet.

testing a thing, pay no attn

www.flickr.com

Go to twilightcrit's photostream

Georgia Aquarium

In order to increase attendance and return visits to the Georgia Aquarium we are developing an accessible, interactive mobile website to be used by visitors both in and out of the aquarium. The site will utilize social networking opportunities to promote special events and maintain a lasting relationship with visitors.

Capstone Travel Group - Technology Overview

The Starbucks Neighborhood Web site with hyperlocal background content and barista-generated, authentic content will be viewable on the Internet and on an iPhone. We plan to use www.utterli.com for the barista-generated content (audio, video and pictures). Utterli posts will be automatically posted to the appropriate page on the Web site via an RSS feed that looks for tags on the Utterli posts.

The latest installment of the New Media Update – the video – is now online at http://www.newmediaupdate.net. Check it out.

testing something 123

Stephan Crane

One day I was along the side of a road
All of a sudden, passing me
Were many street merchants
All of them made the same gesture
They made a little sign advertising
That their sewing were of God
Assuming I served the same God

I had to say Wait!
Let me have my own preference
Get yours away from me
I will not buy your God’s creationWhichever ones you serve

NMIX Ideas

1.  Health:  Using an application to monitor caloric intake or offer alternatives for unhealthy foods.

2.  Travel:  Since this is a passion of mine, I like the idea of taking an uploading photos you take on your cell phone.  You can then, through Google Maps, pin that spot.  You can create your on travel journal with photos and even audio.

3.  Sports:  Probably impossible for our class, Fantasy sports is an extremely fast growing industry.  Creating an application so user could get updates on their players would be a program that is in high demand.

touirsm

hey my idea is sort of tourism related. it would be a sort of interactive food/wine tour of the state of georgia (or other places), where users could sort of use a visual aid and search feature to find a vineyard or restaurant that suits their wants and needs and then recommend a food/wine place to pair with what they have gotten on their search. the service would then connect them to reviews, photos, videos and websites about the wineries/restaurants that they choose.

NMIX Idea

*Sorry for posting this late, took me a little while to figure out how to post to this blog.*

As I mentioned in class I would like to focus on the entertainment aspect of the business.  As one who seeks new music and live outlets I often find myself wishing there was forum with everything happening here in Athens.   Something like an application on face book, or site that was accessible with your mobile device where all the local music acts would be playing, when tickets go on sale & ticket price, and perhaps a mini-biography of the artist.  Also it would be advantageous if there was a way for local musicians to upload their music, where listeners could listen and rate their music.  This way the application could recommend the more popular local artist, and highlight artist music that will be playing in town.  Offering local venues a way to promote directly to the fans of these artist in a town of vast musical talent. 

Brandon Smith - Idea

Brandon Smith

Entertainment (Mobile, GPS, MMS, photo/video)

I suggested combining several existing mobile features to better serve users. This function would utilize the GPS and MMS systems of cellphones to identify the location a picture or video was taken and when uploading these files to a computer or internet site such as Flicker, then having a map representation of the locations. In addition, using a calendar system such as Google Calendar, this interface could name the file depending on an event that is taking place. For instance, if you are at a friend's birthday party and you have this event listed on your calendar, then you take a picture, the file would be named in association with the event.

The current GPS and photo system only locates the spot that you upload the picture from. So, if you take a photo in Atlanta and are unable to upload it until you get back to Athens, then the file will be marked as Athens. This is a disadvantage that should be corrected.

Furthermore, accessibility across carriers and cellphones should be a priority! In the future, this could potentially be extended to digital cameras, given the GPS system reaches that piece of technology.

Brandon Smith

Ivy Chang

Finance

My idea to build a site or application that could keep track of your budget on a monthly or bi-weekly basis.  Let's say you have a budget of $200 a month.  The application will help you find the cheapest places to find gas, restaurants (promotional menu items, buy one get one free, etc), groceries, entertainment venues that could help you save money.  There are websites that list cheap gas or restaurants,  but my idea is to help you save and have all these listings available when you set your budget without you having to search multiple websites & do calculations yourself.

Awareness

The more ambitious project was awareness for human trafficking.  Maybe using a means of Mobile TV to share the information.  Trafficking victims are used for prostitution, domestic services, mail-order brides, and low wage labor in agricultural settings.  You would be surprised to know that Gwinnett County is actually top in sex trafficking.   For more information visit these sites.

• Norcross man charged for Sex Trafficking
  
• Lilburn: 3 men charged with human trafficking
  
• Norcross: 5 men charged in human trafficking of 10 young women
  
• Chipotle
  
• Chipotle #2
  

Anna Rodriguez

My first idea was about controlling impulsive spending - you could text a certain dollar amt., and you'd get texted back some better spending alternatives (maybe personalized results, depending on online shopping habits), or remind you that you only have $X left to save until you can buy a new TV.

OK but after class I was thinking about how I wish I had a mobile inventory of my wardrobe a) so that while I'm shopping I don't buy what I already have and b) see what I don't have and c) make up new outfits. The way to do this might be to take a picture of each article of clothing/pair of shoes/accessory and tag each pic with what it is and different attributes, and it could be a flickr-type stream online. Or an app, or something else.

Whitney Skeeters Idea

Hey - sorry this is a little late, I had some trouble logging on.

News

My idea was to develop a program or an assortment of templates for smaller publications (especially magazines) to use to put their stuff on the internet and make it accessible to smart phones. Something that was real simple that editors (who often don't have much tech experience) could use to easily make their stuff accessible all over.  Example: Athens Magazine could be read by someone who was about to take a trip here, or Infusion magazine could be read by a student who is thinking about coming to UGA.

Whitney Skeeters

Lauren Montero

Environment.

My idea was to create a phone application that could scan the bar code of different items at the grocery store and the application would tell you the product's "eco score". This score would include factors such as packaging, distance traveled, and the sustainability of the company. This application would allow shoppers who want to live a green life to make smart purchasing decisions with a click of a button.

Brittani Watkins

My first idea was the Cabbie Call system that would enable a one touch digital voice message stating your current location using GPS technology to send a cab to pick you up.

My second idea was the Smart Talk system that would route calls through a website like searchbug.com in which it would alert you of what network the caller is with as they call.

Lizz Judd

My idea was to create a way for people to journal personal moments in their lives and pair them with a location via GPS. Other people could then hear stories about friends and loved ones that are sparked as the person passes any one of the important locations. It would be a form of entertainment, but it would also serve as a way to learn about different times and those people that are important to us.

Music Idea

My idea fell under the entertainment category, specifically music. I thought it would be interesting to create a website or mobile application that served the Athens music scene and perhaps beyond this. The website could be a medium where local bands could upload their own music and profiles including event news such as upcoming concerts. For a mobile touch, we could feature an artist of the month and have a free download of one of their songs, or a free ringtone. This also caters to music lovers who want to follow their favorite band. Maybe we could also send text messages about upcoming shows of their favorite band, or about new cd's and singes.

iCantDecide

My idea was to create an iphone application/website that allowed people to post questions and other people can answer them. The questions can be as indepth as you would like or just asking which shirt should you wear. I also use an app called Twinkle, which allows you to see what people are tweeting/pinging within a certain distance from you. So if someone was in Athens and they wanted to ask what restaurant to eat at they could limit the distance so that only people in a 10 mile radius would answer.

Megan Ward

Entertainment 

Starbucks Networking

Create an iPhone app and Website in which each Starbucks location has its own forum. Users can sign into the site/app and find their desired location/forum and post events they will be holding at the location or opportunities in which they are open to network and connect with others. Baristas and Starbucks partners would also be able to post events occurring at the store such as coffee tastings, promos and free drink specials. 

This idea could be applied to any forum, Starbucks just serves as an example.

This idea could also be part of the idea provided by Dr. Shamp that deals with the Wayport AT&T WiFi access provided in the stores and the desire to increase its usage.  

Lizzie Azzolino's Idea

Something health/fitness related: Build off of NuFit (http://nmixnufit.info/?p=home) the iPhone application conceptualized by a group in the intro class last semester. In class on Tuesday, we discussed adding a "goal setting" feature, calorie counter, etc. to the customized strength training and cardio work out ideas. Also, we can provide resources for users to meet up and run, swim, etc. and/or a text messaging feature to hold users accountable.

Connie Braesch

I guess my idea might fall into the Transportation topic...

I proposed a type of auto personnel recall system where during emergencies people are not only notified but can also be recalled to respond. Currently, recall systems require live people to make phone calls and track recall notifications. After emergency situations, one of the lessons learned that consistently reappears is that recalling/contacting personnel was problematic. A type of outbound auto dialing program could be used. I would also like to use some sort of interactive response to ensure people received the notifications (through either voice or keypad).

Oh, and don't forget my Iphone mirror application :) Don't know how that could work...

Emma Peterson

My idea was basically an iPhone application like Urban Spoon that would allow lesser known entertainment options to be highlighted. It would be free for the businesses to advertise their product/services, since advertising tends to be too big off an expense for the businesses. This would just be a fun way to randomly pick out interesting/ "avant garde" things to do in your town.

Wendy Hsiao - Idea

Wendy Hsiao

My idea was to fix UGA Alert. Currently, the UGA Alert malfunctions and sends either too many texts/voicemails or not enough, and most of the alerts are just about the weather. They also e-mail alerts about safety issues (ie. attacks on campus), but these are usually a few hours after the incident. I would like to see UGA Alert work better sending simultaneous texts/e-mails/voicemails about everything a UGA student should be aware of.

Allison Brill-Idea

Allison Brill

Under the category of Health/Fitness, I proposed a monthly mobile PSA or podcast that would suggest a particular preventative health care measure. For example, January is cardio-fitness month so the PSA or podcast would be all about the importance of cardio-fitness, how it helps with a healthy lifestyle/benefits and how to go about improving your personal cardio-fitness. This idea could also be in conjunction with the class' discussion about the NewFit program/application as another feature.

Chris Anthony- Idea

Chris Anthony

My idea was about getting local news on mobile phones. Most PDAs offer a full Internet browser, but most other mobile phones use WAP, which is pretty limited and usually only offers international and national news stories. I propose a system that would text users a mini RSS feed from local news sources (Athens Banner-Herald, The Red & Black) to get local news on the go.

Jordan Tate - Idea

I had a few ideas--

Education:

This idea would mean that there would be at least one person in every class at UGA that would have a laptop with a webcam that could turn their laptop around and film the class lecture. The video feed would be uploaded to a server that UGA provided--from there the feed could be streamed to anywhere in the world for free. (Of course, no degree could be provided.) Education would be promoted and also the image of UGA as a competitive choice for higher education would be promoted.

Finance:

Mint.com - A personal finance site that downloads all of its users credit card, debit card, investments, and loan data into one central location to help in the users finances.

We could work on this to enable their personal finance software to actually be able to extend savings to their users. This could be done by promoting cheaper restaurants in the area, or promoting cheaper gas stations, etc.

Transportation:

TRL--Text, Ride, Listen

This would subscribe its users to get text message updates of when a specified Athens Transit was coming closer so that you were always on time. GPS would be required, but it would not be a problem because it is installed on all of the buses already. In addition, because the text message service would generate some revenue, free music could be downloaded by the users that inadvertently promoted local Athens musicians. Of course, the entire system would be promoting public transportation and greener traffic.

Allan Lansche - Idea

Allan Lansche

My idea was a combination of voice recognition technology (like that from car console systems) and infrared motion tracking (like that of Nintendo Wii remotes) in order to create a truly interactive television. The two could be used interchangeably to navigate through menus and channels without the use of a remote.

Adam McMillan - Idea

Adam McMillan

An Urbanspoon type iPhone application where users could search for food by menu item rather than by category. For example, if I was in the mood for Meatloaf I could search for it and find local places that served it rather than giving me suggestions for local places like the The Last Resort, where I didn't know what type of food to expect.

Capstone Projects

Gang,
I really enjoyed hearing your NMIX Capstone project ideas. I got stoked thinking of what we could do with them.
Now you need to put your ideas in a format the everyone can easily review.
You need to created a post for this blog with your name and 2 or 3 sentences about your idea.
You will need to review everyone's ideas and then come to class on Thursday, 1/15, with a list of three you think we should explore. Got it?

And just to help out a little, I was thinking about the projects this morning at the dentist (yeah, loads of fun). I think they fall into some pretty broad categories. Maybe these can help you think about what projects you think might work.

• Transportation
• Environment
• Health
• Event Planning
• Travel
• Advertising
• Entertainment
• Sports

Think about those.