David A. Rosen - Helping People and Businesses Achieve Remarkable Results...

2011 - The Year of Video Chatting/ Conferencing and Tablets

How many Video Conferences go on in your house or office?

It was a half day for my two middle school kids, so I picked them up and brought them home early.  As I walked into the house to get ready for a GoTo Meeting, There was my 13 year old, on her MacBook Pro, on-line video chatting with here study group getting ready for several tests tomorrow.

I made a mental note, like "Cool".  Its really interesting watching her interact, through video and document sharing. 

I then walked downstairs to our home theatre room where my 11 year son was playing XBOX Kinect with a friend of his while video chatting another friend of his who lives across town.  As I watched the boys interacting in video chat and then playing ping pong through their avatars that moved as they did, I thought "Way Cool."

So I walked over to my home office, just in time for my next meeting.  It was a GoTo meeting with a colleague in Israel. 

I have been using cameras on my desktop and laptop computers for 10 years now, starting off web conferences with a camera on and then shutting it off when starting the powerpoint or document presentation/discussion. 

Now, GoTo meeting has a new feature called HD Faces, and I am in their Beta program, loving the video conferencing capability of it...  and I thought to myself....  "Wow...  This is really Way Kewl." 

Three Video Conferences going on in my House simultaneously. 

My First Video Conferencing Experience 

For many of you who know me well, I started looking at Video Conferencing back in 1983 when AT&T invited me to Epcot Center at Disney World where they showcased...  "PicturePhone Meeting Service" (PMS - go figure).  I spent other time as an innovation management adviser to IBM, AT&T and others after that looking at various alternative ways to leverage the video, multimedia, rich content, and avatar representations for shopping applications, video conferencing, collaboration and many other alternatives... 

We have come a long way... baby.

I am still giddy about the pervasiveness of video conferencing from today's experience.  I have been Facetiming for a few months with people all around the country, as well as with my family when travelling.  Being able to travel and be on the other side of the continent and see my wife and two kids on my iTouch while they huddle around my daughter's Mac is absolutely amazing and makes travel so much more bearable.

What I look forward to, is the experience with my iPad when I'll be able to hold HD video conferencing with colleagues, clients and family, wherever I am.

So, Call me sometime.  I'd love to see you.

The experience is amazing and video will become more pervasive.  This is the time for Video and Tablets... nearly all of the tables have front and rear cameras getting ready for Video.  4th Generation wireless networks are preparing for not just downloads of music, videos and other content, but video conferencing as well. 

(The downside is that I can see our broadband providers try to move faster to increase bandwidth charges for heavy users... and watch many of the economic benefits go out the door).

Dick Tracy (Who?)  was way ahead of his time.  He had the first video watch I believe. 

Call me.  I look forward to seeing you soon.

Mass Customization through 3-D Printing Truly Innovative and Disruptive

UPDATE:  September 20, 2010

Here is a very interesting video on the future of personalized manufacturing.  It paints a wonderful set of scenarios for the future:

http://blog.makerbot.com/2010/09/18/full-printed-a-glimpse-into-the-personal-manufacturing-future/

The NY Times provides a good summary on a very hot field... 3-D printing:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/technology/14print.html

I recently attended a manufacturing trade-show in New York and was immediately struck by the power and innovation of 3-d printers.  Consider the ability to produce a mass customized product.  See the video how Bespoke is customizing prosthetics for individuals to match their current body type and structure.

And the dropping price point with commercial grade units below $5-$10K provides solutions that could eventually end up in the local graphic arts shops.  So, the same place you go to get t-shirts and clothing with custom logos, could be an ultimate channel to produce goods with these printers.

What started as a great way to prototype designs for new furniture, mechanical pieces, phones, cars, etc. is now able to produce finished goods.  And, you can mix metals and plastics of different strengths, tensilities, etc.

Remember the Heathkit do-it-yourself computer kit?  (I am dating myself).  There is a new 3-D printer kit where you can make your own printer for <$1,000.  Guess what my kids and I are getting for the holidays....  It uses a plastic wire spool almost like the one I use for my weed-wacker.  This is a good popular science article on the kits.  http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2010-06/making-makerbot

What is really interesting here is that these technologies can not only change the way prototypes are produced, but could shift the economics from big plastics factories to local build houses.  With some graphics artists and mechanical/structural/architectural engineers, manufacturing could be done locally.

HP is now entering this market, and from their strong economics in printing, could drive a whole new marketplace.  The opportunities for this technology, the hardware and software, and what it can produce appears to be endless.

Mike Bosworth and StoryLeaders -- Going Beyond Customer Centric and Strategic Selling

As someone who has been deep in best practices for selling and marketing over the last nine (9) years, I have seen a number of sales and marketing methodologies and approaches in action.  The Customer Centric Selling and Strategic Selling approaches,  have always resonated as the most effective and practical to raise the bar on sales productivity.

Mike Bosworth has now, in my mind, eclipsed himself again and set the bar even higher with his new StoryLeaders approach.

I just got off the phone with Mike and read through his white-paper Download SLmtbstory723. 

Mike is focused on effecting the 87% of reps who are not able to build trust and report with prospects.  His new approach, is to help the 87% of reps who need a process and training to build report and trust through Story telling Techniques.   From what I can tell this complements his previous approaches and doesn't replace them.  

For anyone in the position of needing to improve their communications skills, relationship building, or sales, I would recommend reading the white paper, learning more and attending his workshop.  Here is a copy of the registration form Download Public Workshop August.  A press release describing more about his new business and approach can be found here.

I hope you find his latest business as exciting and game-changing as I do.  Great job Mike and best of luck.

What's Your Story? 

Mr. President, Here is One good Idea that will Create Jobs and Ensure US competitiveness over the next 20-40 years!

Cisco's Big Bet on New Songdo: Creating Cities From Scratch  via www.fastcompany.com

I thought this was a well done article by Fast Company's Greg Lindsay. 

As we know, there are at least four factors affecting US competitiveness over the next 20-30+ years.

1. Population centers outside of North America will be doubling and tripling over the next 20-30 years while US population will remain flat
2. Trend towards urbanization is driving people from rural and suburban areas to Cities
3. Basic infrastructure will be need to for work, education, transportation, housing, shopping etc. to support the growing populations
4. New cities like SongDo will be built throughout the emerging world.

The content in this article strikes at the heart and core of US competitiveness and the types of programs that will keep us in leadership positions in business over the next 30 years.  John Chambers is brilliant with his investments here.

This is where Obama should be focusing and committing to investment and low-cost capital dollars.  ...Not to re-pave the toll roads where private companies are expected to maintain the highways.

We need to find the places where cow-paths are being paved for the first time, the way the original "New Deal" helped bail out America after the war.  Lets provide and support US businesses to get into the middle of the Infrastructure for NEW development outside of North America.  If we want to grow our countries businesses and continue to maintain our qualifty of life and education, we need to understand our global positions and opportuniities. 

But, we should ride along side of Cisco's lead and think beyond telecom, data, internet, and tele-presence, but energy, medical, agriculture, factory automation, handling equipment and a variety of other industries.  Why don't we build the hospitals, imaging centers, waste management for these new cities?

It seems Chambers read the popular book, "Hot, Flat and Crowded" from Thomas Friedman.  Have you?

I would love to hear your thoughts.