GSA Technology Council

More than half of U.S. consumers with Internet access use social networking services (SNS), such as Facebook and MySpace, and penetration will continue to grow. According to a new study from IDC, consumers are also spending ever-greater amounts of time on SNS, a fact that has advertisers drooling over the opportunity represented by SNS.

IDC found that consumers who use SNS also tend to visit the services often and spend a lot of time per visit. More than three quarters of SNS users visit at least once a week, and no less than 57% visit at least once a day. During each session, 61% of SNS users spend at least 30 minutes on the respective site or stay logged in permanently, and 38% spend at least one full hour per session (or stay logged in).

There are four major reasons why consumers use SNS: to connect and communicate; in response to peer-pressure; for entertainment; and for work-related purposes. Advertising does not factor into consumer motivations. In fact, users are less tolerant of SNA advertising than the best tolerated forms of online advertising. Ads on SNS have lower click-through rates than traditional online ads (on the Web at large, 79% of all users clicked on at least one ad in the past year, whereas only 57% of SNS users did), and they also lead to fewer purchases (Web: 23%; SNS 11%).

“The thinking has been that the popularity of SNS will attract a big audience and generate a lot of traffic, which in turn will produce enormous amounts of user-generated content (UGC) and therefore advertising inventory – without any expenses for editorial staff or content distribution deals,” said Karsten Weide, program director, Digital Marketplace: Media and Advertising. “All of the above has proven true – except that almost invariably, SNS have had a hard time selling this inventory.”

One of the potential benefits of SNS that the advertising industry has discussed is whether peoples’ connections (i.e., whom a user knows or is linked to) could be used for advertising. For instance, publishers could show a car manufacturer’s ads to a user’s contacts because that user’s online behavior has indicated that she is interested in a particular brand of cars. Anecdotally, there has been some indication that this “social advertising” might be more effective than behavioral targeting. However, that idea is stillborn. Of all U.S. Internet users, only 3% would allow publishers to use contact information for advertising.

IDC expects that lower-than-average ad effectiveness on SNS will continue to contribute to slow ad sales unless publishers get users to do something beyond just communicating with others. If the major services succeed in doing so, they will become more like portals, such as Yahoo! or MSN, and they will come closer to the audience reach of the top services. If that happened, publishers would be better able to monetize their SNS.

via: IDC

MindBlazer, a marketing technology company that leverages interactive video and new media for the financial industry, announced its contract has been renewed with a top-twenty bank holding more than $100 billion in assets. MindBlazer will continue to provide online video content on the bank’s Web site informing customers about the simplicity and benefits of online banking.

“Online banking is the ultimate gateway tool for introducing financial consumers to other new media channels and driving their interest to the client’s other Web-based products and services,” said Ryan Brown, president and CEO of MindBlazer. “By educating customers about online banking and giving them the tools to get started, the content motivates them to try other online financial products.”

The content is linked from the bank’s Web site and hosted by MindBlazer. Recently, MindBlazer launched MoneyMinutesTV, a syndicated series of education-based interactive videos designed to inform consumers about financial products and services, while helping banks and credit unions drive sales and service activations online. MoneyMinutesTV segments, which are approximately one to three minutes in length, cover a range of financial topics from loans to credit cards, online banking to online bill pay. Segments can be completely customized to match each financial institution’s brand, and can be placed directly on high-traffic areas of the Web site. The content can be further leveraged through in-branch use, direct mail, or in one-on-one sessions with consumers, and is updated often to meet marketplace demand.

MindBlazer offers an interactive online experience that is part of a synoptic marketing solution. Additionally, the company provides comprehensive usage reports that allow financial institutions to track performance and quantify their return on investment. The videos routinely deliver call-to-action rates of 20 to 45 percent, and some clients experience consistent rates of more than 50 percent.

Brown continued, “Online media is growing but consumers can be easily intimidated or quickly fall behind in knowing how to take advantage of these channels. MoneyMinutesTV is helping the customers at institutions of all sizes to understand and feel comfortable with the entire online experience.”

via MindBlazer

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Clemson University School of Computing professor Jason Hallstrom a $400,000 grant to research embedded network systems, a technology Hallstrom says is “changing the way we safeguard natural resources and protect local communities.”

The CAREER Award is the NSF’s most prestigious grant to junior faculty members. Recipients are selected on the basis of innovative research, education and outreach programs.
 
An embedded network system is a collection of small computing devices located within a larger structure or environment. When coupled with sensors, the small devices act as data gatherers, collecting information about the environment and communicating with other nodes to produce information about the environment as a whole.

Hallstrom gave the example of nodes placed along a bridge that measure stress levels and indicate when repairs are needed. Other applications include intra-vehicular networks that measure factors such as tire pressure and temperature and transmit that information to the car’s main control system, as well as devices within a forest that detect fire conditions and may possibly divert firefighters from dangerous areas.

Embedded network devices today range from the size of a cell phone battery to the size of a matchbox. Future visions include devices as small as a pen tip.

Hallstrom and his team of researchers will conduct a key component of their work in the context of the Clemson Public Service Activities’ Intelligent River project, a large multidisciplinary effort focused on monitoring and protecting water sources across the state. The team is deploying nodes in the Clemson Experimental Forest and will begin a larger deployment in the near future. An important goal is to develop design practices and software tools that may later serve as models for other embedded network systems, said Hallstrom.

“Increasingly these systems have an impact on the health and welfare of the planet,” Hallstrom said. “Ensuring that they operate as expected is important to our future and is the main focus of our work.”

Hallstrom’s team includes Ph.D. students, master’s students and an undergraduate student. Beyond their involvement in the research, these students will play an important role in an outreach program with nearby Pendleton High School.

“The goal is to encourage students to go into science and engineering fields from an early age,” Hallstrom said. “We want to show them that computing is more than programming — a lot more.”

via Clemson

SCRA, a global leader in applied research and commercialization services, has announced the following promotions in SCRA’s Institute for Solutions Generation for continued support of the company’s successful growth:

Bartley (Bart) Coghill has been promoted to Principal Systems Engineer. Coghill’s primary responsibility is engineering lead for Project SeaHawk, the national model for port security serving the Port of Charleston.  He has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee.

Nikki Crosby has been promoted to Sr. Program Assistant.  Crosby provides program support services that enable the planning, tracking, analysis and reporting of ISG projects.  She assists in managing program budgets, manages subcontractor project status report submissions and performs database queries to track budgeted vs. actual costs.  She also awards Support Service Agreements for ISG Consultant Services and performs contract closeout for subcontracts including funds reconciliation, final payment, property disposition and subcontractor’s release of claims.  She provides a variety of other support services as necessary to all ISG associates in order to meet Institute objectives.

Darla Nettles Edwards has been promoted to Sr. Technical Manager. Edwards provides project management services for PDES, Inc., a member-supported consortium accelerating the development and implementation of standards to support model-based engineering, manufacturing and sustainment. She oversees the Systems Integration Board and participates in the development of standards and technical specifications. For the Next Generation Manufacturing Initiative, she provides risk management. Ms. Edwards has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Fine Arts from the College of Charleston and is a Certified Project Management Professional with the Project Management Institute.

Jena Garrett has been promoted to Financial Performance Manager.  Garrett manages the development of the ISG annual budget, three-year forecast, monthly financial results, and expenditures throughout the budgetary period.  She analyzes financial data and reports and defines relevant information; interprets data for determining past financial performance and to project financial probability.  She provides oversight of program revenues/expenditures and measures against program baselines to provide an assessment of program financial health.  Garrett has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Winthrop University and is a  Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with the Project Management Institute.

Becky Imhoff has been promoted to Program Administrator. Imhoff provides a variety of program support services that enable the planning, tracking, analysis and reporting of several ISG projects.  Her primary responsibility is managing program budgets and deliverables for the Air Force-funded COMET, IDEV, and RANGER programs, and the Next Generation Manufacturing Technologies Initiative.  She provides a variety of other support services as necessary in order to meet the Institute’s objectives. She is a graduate of the College of Charleston with a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business.

Buddy McAlister has been promoted to Senior Director of Systems Engineering. McAlister provides support to various clients in areas of systems engineering, systems architecture design, agile software development and technical project management.  He has a Master’s degree in Computer Resource Management from Webster University and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Texas Lutheran University. He is also a Certified Project Management Professional with the Project Management Institute and is a Certified Scrum Master by the Scrum Alliance.

Liz Qualls has been promoted to Sr. Program Assistant.  Qualls is responsible for ISG’s Government Property management program. She ensures the program complies with Federal Acquisition Regulation requirements and proper control, use, preservation, and maintenance is performed on government property supporting all institute programs.  She also performs market research for software and material requirements in support of ISG proposals and programs, and maintains Maintenance License Agreements on a variety of software products used by ISG.  She also provides simplified acquisition purchasing support.  Ms. Qualls is a Certified Professional Property Administrator with the National Property Management Association.

Jim Radley has been promoted to the position of Senior Program Manager, Systems Engineering.  Radley is the SCRA Program Manager for Project SeaHawk, the national model for port security.  He has a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Charles Sharp has been promoted to the position of Program Manager.  Sharp is the program manager for Next Generation Management Technology Initiative, which accelerates the development and implementation of breakthrough manufacturing technologies.  He also manages COMET, a United States Air Force-funded program works to integrate cost models into design manufacturing tools and systems.  He has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business from Virginia Military Institute.

via SCRA

InnoVenture Southeast 2009 is accepting applications from entrepreneurs seeking relationships with investors and corporations to grow their companies, and from researchers seeking relationships with investors, entrepreneurs and corporations who can help commercialize their research. InnoVenture is seeking the highest potential emerging companies and researchers in the southeast, with the potential to grow large markets and attract strong, experienced leadership teams.

Information about applying to present can be found online at SwampFox.ws. The deadline is January 29, 2009, and applications are accepted from companies throughout the southeast. The fifth annual InnoVenture conference will be held March 24 and 25, 2009 at the Carolina First Center in Greenville, SC.

Kathy Harris, Senior Vice President with Noro-Moseley Partners, one of the largest and most experienced venture capital firms in the southeastern United States, said, “InnoVenture showcases the region and how corporations can partner with entrepreneurs. We look forward to participating in this year’s conference to get some great investment ideas, and a great view of future opportunities.”

InnoVenture Southeast is the annual meeting of the Swamp Fox Community, which has hundreds of people who can provide expertise, resources and customers to entrepreneurial companies and researchers. 2009 Diamond Swamp Fox Anchors include Michelin, Milliken, GE, BlueCross BlueShield of SC, SC Launch!, and Zeus. A previous presenter, Greg Frisby of Sensory Analytics in Greensboro, said, “InnoVenture could not have been a more target rich environment of customers.”

Prior presenters at InnoVenture have represented an emerging pipeline of opportunities from across the southeast, including organizations from Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh, Asheville, Arden, Hickory, Atlanta, and Savannah, as well as Beaufort, Hilton Head, Charleston, Columbia, Fort Mill, Clemson, and Greenville.  Prior InnoVenture presenters have collectively have raised over $100 million that has been publicly announced.

via SwampFox

The first ever SwampFox Sustainability Forum will be held in Columbia, SC on December 2. The first of its type event is aimed at bringing commercial, academic, and industrial interests together from several states is an effort to cooperate in their various sustainability initiative. The forum is a prelude to the 2009 Innoventure Conference where some of these companies will present their initiatives and needs to conference attendees. The goals and particulars of the Sustainability Forum appear below:

The goal of the Sustainability Forum is be the first meeting of an ongoing community of industry and academic professionals, entrepreneurs, investors and service providers working together in their mutual self-interest to connect those with great ideas related to sustainability with the expertise, resources and customers they need to succeed.

The Forum is designed for attendees with expertise and resources in green products and waste management to connect with industry and academic participants. Lunch will include a keynote presentation by a national expert on creating markets for green products and waste recycling. A panel discussion of existing sustainability initiatives will be followed by a round robin discussion by all attendees of the most important priorities for the region. The Forum will end with a wrap-up by the Sustainability Steering Committee of the next steps to move from discussion to action.

What: Sustainability Forum: Enhancing Green Purchasing and Waste Management
When: December 2, 2008
Where: USC Moore School of Business, Columbia, SC

See: http://www.swampfox.ws/event/sustainability-forum

POWER-N.O.T.E., a newly formed membership group with the goal of helping local small business owners grow and strengthen their business has set the date for their first meeting in Greenville.

The group’s organizer, Gil Gerretsen, explained that POWER-N.O.T.E. stands for Network Of True Entrepreneurs. Membership in the group is free to anyone who meets the simple membership criteria as explained on the website. The only expense is the cost of registration/meals at any events attended.

The first event will be at the Greenville Hilton on December 3 (Wednesday lunch).

The premier monthly event (on the first Wednesday) will be a “POWER LUNCH” that has three components:

1) A 20-minute structured opportunity for members to connect with new people who could be important to the growth and strength of their business. This might include referral sources, prospects, vendors or peers.

2) While eating lunch, members will be provided with a 40-minute program focused on business best practices or skills … with the specific objective of providing members with new and fresh insights into important areas of their business.

3) The meeting will conclude with a 20-minute unstructured opportunity to connect with the presenter(s) and other members in attendance.

For more details, or to attend, visit http://www.power-note.com.

via: POWER-N.O.T.E.

Our annual gadgetfest is now a tradition! In it’s third fourth fifth year running! The December meeting of the GSATC is a Learning Lunch / Holiday / Gadgeteer’s Dream. We have local gadgeters presenting holiday gadgets they love and members of the audience may be asked to participate as well. In addition to this fun presentation, we have a veritable cornucopia of prizes to give away, so be sure to come. Registration in advance is still just $15! We’ll see you there!

GSATC Learning Lunch

Topic: Gadgetfest / What Us Nerds Want
Presented by: Upstate Gadgeteers
Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Location: Crowne Plaza (Map: I-385 at Roper Mtn.)

Agenda

11:30 – 11:55 Registration, Networking, Lunch
11:55 – 12:10 Announcements
12:10 – 12:50 Presentation
12:50 – 1:00 Door Prizes, Adjourn

This meeting features easy access from I-385, plenty of free parking, ample networking opportunities, a great presentation, and door prizes. Plan to attend.

Lunch is $15 in advance, $20 at the door.

RSVP Online

Online registration is closed. Please register onsite.

A first look at the newly released Blackberry Storm with a full panel touch screen, visual voice mail, 3 Megapixel camera, and the highest speed browsing yet.

Blackberry Storm First Look from Phil Yanov on Vimeo.

The Worthwhile Company recently developed and released new Web sites for three clients: Southern Prestige Properties, Disciple Like Jesus, and Andrew Arnold Law Firm.

Southern Prestige Properties | This Luxury Real Estate business needed a Web presence in their area of North Carolina. The Worthwhile Company developed a site to include an advanced search form for current listings and a featured properties section. http://www.southernprestigeproperties.com/

Disciple Like Jesus | The goal of this ministry is to influence and equip parents in instructing their children. The Worthwhile Company built a Web site that connects with those parents to not only distribute information but to also receive comments, questions, testimonials, and real life examples from users. The site features an integrated blog and connects the user with the ministry’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, utilizing Web 2.0 tools. http://www.disciplelikejesus.com/

Andrew Arnold Law Firm | The Andrew Arnold Law Firm wanted an introductory Web site that shows he is a lawyer who leverages technology to help clients. The Worthwhile Company created a template site that includes a blog, case studies, and many resource links. http://www.aalawfirm.com/

via Worthwhile

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