Information for the connected business professional
Header image

While automakers such as Toyota, Daimler, and Ford are pushing forward with in-car technology that allows drivers to remain technologically connected, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are working to release guidelines for them. The agencies’ efforts and issues are explained in Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s “Carmakers Tout Audio Facebook as Agencies Seek Texting Curb.”

“Audible Facebook updates and steering-wheel controls that let drivers buy movie tickets and check stock prices went on display at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and North American International Auto Show in Detroit.” It is estimated that in 2012, “5.8 million smartphone and embedded connectivity units will be fitted to new cars and light trucks in North America” “The so-called infotainment systems that are becoming more prevalent in vehicles require more research, NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said. The agency plans to hold a forum this year to look at driver distractions.”

To counter concerns, Toyota limits the applications it includes on Entune, and Facebook is not included, Daimler is developing gesture-recognition technology to let drivers access information from the Web using their hands. Ford’s in-car technology is focused on voice recognition. Is this enough? Research will tell. It’ll be interesting to see where auto insurers weigh in on this. That’s a group keenly aware of real-world statistics about (and costs of) distracted driving.

Rita Safranek, January 18, 2012

Safety First?

December 22nd, 2011 | Posted by admin in guidelines | mobility | News | smartphone - (0 Comments)

Suggesting a middle-of-the-road approach, The Times Leader maintains, “Wholesale Ban on Mobile Devices in Cars Unlikely to Succeed.” Writer Nick DeLorenzo recognizes that mobile device distraction behind the wheel is a serious problem, but insists that human nature will hinder attempts to make it universally illegal. Besides, new cars are coming equipped with interactive devices; the more of these wired wheels that make it onto the roads, the more difficult it will be to ban their gadgets.

Instead of waging that battle, DeLorenzo proposes a compromise of sorts. The write up explains:

“Many new cars have systems that can detect driving conditions — traffic around the car, speed, location and more. If the vehicle is exceeding a certain speed, road conditions are unsafe, there is heavy traffic, the area has a high rate of accidents or driving becomes erratic, begin disabling features, starting with hands-free calling.

“Make this function optional, allow it to be disabled, and work with insurance companies to ensure penalties if an accident takes place and the system is disabled.”

Interesting suggestion; it may be too reasonable to get anywhere, though.

We have a hard time seeing our tech dependent readers giving up mobile devices in standstill traffic but, for our longevity, please be safe with your tech. With or without the regulations.

Cynthia Murrell, December 22, 2011

“Social Media: Fad or Investment Opportunity?” caught my attention this morning. I am on the look out for hard hitting ideas for maximizing the return on investment (ROI) from an organization’s social media activities.

The article asserted:

Paying a sky-high price for something in popular demand can often be a recipe for disappointment. However, the long-term rewards for the winners in this exciting area could be monumental if companies can capitalize on the opportunities through advertising.

Okay. The angle syncs with my view, but I am not sure I have a “hook” or “handle” to grab. I prefer social opportunity insights to have hard facts or a turn of phrase that adds heft or a sticky grip to an opportunity.

What do I mean?

We read an interview with Robert Peck, Quasar CA (the CA stands for “capital advisors). In 2005, Bob, as he is known to his colleagues, flashed on our radar for his early interest in social content, social media, and social networking. A lengthy interview appeared in HighGainBlog.com as “Exclusive Interview: Robert Peck, Quasar Capital Advisors.” We were surprised at the interest one of his insights triggered. Specifically, he talked about a “confluent space.” The example he used was:

HighGainBlog: So what’s the focus of Quasar?

I kept close watch on some of the new business opportunities that were becoming evident where the Wild West of the Internet was intersecting with more traditional businesses. The burgeoning growth of the iPhone and android mobile ecosystems were tremendous for the Internet, as web sites became more accessible for people on the go. Apps only amplified the robustness of Web offerings and expanded the reach of Internet companies”

HighGainBlog: Can you give me an example?

Sure. You have one example in your hand. The Apple iPad is an exemplary product, and it has made clear that the Internet, consumers, and retail can be combined in what seems to be a category killer. I wanted to work in that type of confluent opportunity space. I needed a new vehicle to explore the intersection points that were being created by companies like Apple and other firms.

Here’s the point for the social space, which we will cover more aggressively in Strategic Social Networking in August 2011.

First, the notion of a confluent space is a good one. The stroke of genius was the insertion of “opportunity” in the phrase. So, what we noted is “confluent opportunity space.” Unlike other terms which are mostly without impact in communicating what makes social network centric options so interesting is the packaging of “confluent” and “space”. Opportunity just drives home the upside. In fact, we think the phrase speaks loudly about what types of investment focus Quasar CA has.

Second, in an unrelated sector such as text mining and text analytics, the phrase explains where important companies like Digital Reasoning will be moving. The phrase makes clear that intersections are more important than narrow vectors of expertise. I would go so far as positing this idea:

A narrow vector company limits itself because without confluence–that is, a social and narrow vector combination–breaking into the niches where revenue is obtainable may be impossible.

Third, high value terminillogy connotes sharp thinking. We have to give Bob Peck an “A” in this department. Last week we spoke with two firms. The sparkle scale was tallying a two or three. Mr. Peck was hitting the high nines. That’s Google scale thinking in my book.

Net net: the value of the social shift in online, business functions, and content is a result of confluence. Mr. Peck’s phrase is more suggestive than George Gilder’s “convergence”. See TELECOSM: How Infinite Bandwidth will Revolutionize Our World [

For more information about Robert Peck, visit his Web site at www.quasarca.com.

Stephen E Arnold, July 12, 2011

Sponsored by ArticleOnePartners.com, the source for patent research

Career education and job search guide, gathering information from a variety of sources – all in one location online.

Job Opportunities & Career Information is a one-stop resource location for those currently looking for career development, a new job or just some valuable information regarding employers and employee relationships. Providing a source for job leads via Twitter accumulated into one daily report expedites the process of searching through Twitter for specific data. Career planning information all indexed into one location can make the experience much more positive. Even the warnings about “earn money from home” scams and what to be on the lookout for are valuable resources to find in one location.

The SSN Take: A good resource to bookmark and watch if you are in the job searching mode.

Melody K. Smith, April 26, 2010

Note:   Post was not sponsored.

If you are looking to launch a mobile application of your website, it is your lucky day. Offering your services “to go” is a great way to beef up business for the long haul.

Learning from those who go before us is a tried and true method of doing business, and well, to life in general. OpenTable’s Scott Jampol offered up his advice at a recent conference, as reported in The Next Web’s article, “5 Tips from OpenTable in Crafting Your Mobile Strategy”, OpenTable wasn’t an immediate success. They worked hard and have earned the respect and business of diners and restaurants worldwide. But how did they do it?

Jampol’s five tips are simple, but profound. “Mobile doesn’t mean “simple version of your website” starts the list and though it seems like a “no-brainer”, let’s face it, we’ve all seen examples of just that. Check out the article for the rest of these profound tips, which include staffing and support advice.

The SSN Take: A mobile application can provide key information for social search engines, especially when they are done right.

Melody K. Smith, April 23, 2010

Note:   Post was not sponsored.

Communiscpace CEO Diane Hessan has some advice about using social media and the common element is this: use your head.

In “Lessons From Leno and Twitter Bombers: 3 Rules for Next-Gen Marketing,” Austin Carr writes in FastCompany about Hessan’s recent presentation at the Advertising Research Foundation’s (ARF) 2010 Re: Think Conference in New York. Hessan presented eight rules for next-gen marketing research based on feedback from over 200 consumer-insight professionals. Carr focused on three of them: 1) manage social media jitters; 2) game-changing insights don’t usually come from testing; and 3) don’t underestimate the power of one.

Regarding responding to social media, Hessan prescribes a balance between reaction and overreaction. “We need to listen hard to consumers, for sure, but if your target consumers are not on Twitter, for instance, then you don’t necessarily need to change strategy because of an angry tweet or two.” Hessan said that research doesn’t always translate into success. Game-changing insight may instead come from ongoing discovery, which she views as a necessary part of marketing. And Hessan said “the big breakthroughs often happen away from the spotlight. … The one lone voice in the background” may have the best insight.

The SSN take: Rules can be good guidelines, but in the end you still need to think.

John Sniffen, April 17, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.

Improper planning is being blamed for the projected fail of social media initiatives.

Tradeshow Week recently reported on some dire predictions in their article, “Gartner predicts over 70 percent of IT-dominated social media initiatives will fail.”  Their focus is on corporate enterprises which typically have a more advanced systems and processes, but still lack proper planning. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to get something out there and in that rush, forgets that proper planning is needed for a social media launch just as much as for a major marketing plan or communications strategy.

The SSN Take: Once organizations step away from the experiments and begin to design proper, well planned, well thought out approaches – the failures will decrease. Social media itself is not the failure.

Melody K. Smith, April 11, 2010

Note:   Post was not sponsored.

The travel sector’s strategy has changed, says a new report by Total Media, a UK-based media planning and buying agency.

Six critical issues to consider with social media in travel” highlights six key trends of the report, driven by the “sociability” of consumers. First and foremost is the “word-of-mouth” experience – getting customers to talk about their experience and share it with others online. Handling praise as well as criticism is important: “be active in the reviews ecosystem.” We all know that SEO is important, and being “visible on search” is crucial. Mentioned many times is the keyword “inspiration” – advertising, content, and reviews need to inspire consumers to book dates and seek out deals. Lastly, they caution to avoid going after the young, flighty consumers who may be too busy to review – it’s the “older, mainstream consumer” who will be the influencer.

The SSN Take: With the consumer’s influence and your company’s inspiration, any market can be positively affected.

Samuel Hartman, April 6, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.

Yelp for Business: 4 Steps for Success” lays out the reasons for local businesses to claim and manage their Yelp listing.

With its user-generated review and rating system, urbanites come to the trust the site for information on where to eat, buy clothes, or get an oil change. While your business may be listed, “claiming” it is important, and only take a few minutes. Once completed, update your listing with all pertinent information – an incomplete page will likely send a consumer to a competitor looking for a service.

Yelp allows businesses to respond to customer feedback, and even provides an easy guide on how to handle criticism. Part of keeping consumers happy and interested is using the Yelp platform to announce offers and sales. For those wishing to take it to the next level, Yelp offers a premium account with on-site advertising – rates range from $300 to $1000 a month.

The SSN Take: “Take the reins” of your Yelp page and utilize its feature to hone in on local consumers.

Samuel Hartman, April 6, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.

If you’re spending even a moderate amount of time online, you probably hear regular warnings about the latest security threat, scam or other scheme that is spreading across the social networks.

While some users react by feeling helpless against a savvy cybercrook, others relax because they’ve got the latest security software. However, in “Protect Yourself Against Social-Network Scams,” Harry McCracken from FOXNews.com points out that some of the best precautions come from common sense habits.

  • He advises that you should always use the current version of your browser because it will have updated patches for security leaks.
  • Another tip is to judge emails and messages very carefully.
  • Be on the lookout for fishy or cryptic notes.
  • On a similar note, be cautious about clicking on “short URLs,” which are pervasive on Twitter.
  • Lastly, as technology goes increasingly mobile, take care not to let the whole world know you’re not home, when you really just wanted to tell your friends or family.

SSN Take: An essential component of your social media policy should be taking proper security measures. If one employee from your company is hacked, it can be dangerous for everyone.

David Hardt, April 5, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.