GSA Technology Council

High-speed Web browsing, voice-activated search, customizable large screen, access to thousands of Android applications and hundreds of widgets and the best 3G mobile network in the country: DROID by Motorola arrives on Nov. 6.

Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest wireless 3G broadband network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a pioneer in the mobile industry, today unveiled DROID by Motorola, the first smartphone powered by Android™ 2.0. DROID by Motorola features the brainpower and breakneck speed of a modern smartphone, designed to outperform where other smartphones fall short.

“We’re proud to work with Verizon Wireless and Google™ on the first smartphone to feature Android 2.0,” said Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive officer of Motorola and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobile Devices. “DROID by Motorola delivers a rich consumer experience with warp-speed Web browsing, a mammoth screen, and Motorola’s expertise in design and voice quality. Combined with Android’s open, flexible graphical user interface and the power of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, DROID is a smartphone that simply doesn’t compromise.”
“This is an exciting announcement for Verizon Wireless, as the DROID by Motorola is the first device that we are bringing to market under our ground-breaking strategic partnership with Google,” said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “DROID by Motorola gives customers a lifestyle device with access to more than 12,000 applications that will help them stay in touch, up to date and entertained, using the best 3G network in the country.”
DROID by Motorola has a solid exterior, intelligent interior and is one of the thinnest full-QWERTY slider phones available. It is a no-fuss, high-tech, location-aware, voice-recognizing, over-the-air updating, multi-tasking machine – and it is available just in time for holiday wish lists.

With DROID by Motorola, you can:
• Zip through the Web: Access the Internet at 3G speeds via the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G network or from any Wi-Fi hotspot. The multi-window HTML browser with a massive processor delivers the Web the way you expect.
• See it all in cinema-style: View the Web, e-mail, Google Maps™, videos and more in widescreen on a brilliant 3.7” high-resolution screen. Boasting a width of 854 pixels to reduce the need for side-to-side panning and more than 400,000 pixels total, DROID has more than twice that of the leading competitor.
• Run multiple applications at once: Customize your DROID with thousands of applications and hundreds of widgets available on Android Market™. Toggle back and forth between up to six applications at a time to juggle the universe and your apps.
• Perform Google Search™ at the speed of sound: Simply tell DROID what you’re looking for using voice-activated search, and it will serve up Google search results based on your location. If you want more, simply type what you’re looking for into the search bar on the home screen and DROID will also search content on your phone, such as apps and contacts, and the Web.
• Capture moments: Snap digital camera-quality photos with a 5 megapixel camera loaded with the works, such as a dual-LED flash, AutoFocus and image stabilization, or capture your friend’s antics in 16 million colors with DVD-quality video capture and playback. Store it all on the included 16 GB memory card, so you always have it on hand.
• Multi-task like a master: Keep tabs on all your messages with integrated Gmail™ and Exchange e-mail pushed directly to you, but don’t let them get in your way. With the handy Android notification panel, go straight to the message or simply ignore it, and get back to the task at hand. And, a smart dictionary learns as you type and automatically includes your contacts.
• Get where you need to go with Google Maps Navigation (Beta): DROID is the first device with Google Maps Navigation, providing turn-by-turn voice guidance as a free feature of Google Maps. It’s powered by Google and connected to the Internet. Use voice shortcuts and simply say “Navigate to [your destination],” and you’ll be on your way. See live traffic, use Street View or satellite imagery to view your route, and get access to the most recent maps and business information from Google Maps without ever needing to update your device.

Pre-loaded Applications and Enhancements to Google Mobile Services:
• Google Maps: With layers in Google Maps, view geographic information, such as My Maps, Wikipedia, and transit lines, right on the map.
• Gmail: Multiple accounts support and undo for common operations.
• YouTube™: One-touch recording and playback from homescreen widget or app, one-touch sharing with friends, and the ability to view your own uploaded videos and high-resolution videos.
• Google Talk™: Easily switch between chats, search your chat history, and preview pictures and videos sent by links.
• Android Market: Browse and download applications created by third-party developers.
• Calendar: Ability to see who has R.S.V.P.’d to your meeting invitations.
• Facebook: Syncs Facebook contacts to your address book, and a live widget gives the ability to update status and view latest updates from friends.
• Amazon MP3 Store: Download the latest tracks over the air.
• Verizon Wireless Visual Voice Mail: Delete, reply and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions.

Pricing and Availability:
• DROID by Motorola will be available in the United States exclusively at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online on Friday, Nov. 6, for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
• Experience the all-new DROID by Motorola at www.droiddoes.com.
• To get the most from DROID by Motorola smartphone, customers will need to subscribe to a Nationwide voice plan and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan. Nationwide voice plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access for 450 minutes and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan is $29.99 for monthly access.
• For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

via: Verizon Wireless

Ask & Receive, Inc., a full service marketing and IT support company, announces it has been accepted as an Associate Member into the South Carolina Press Association (SCPA). The SCPA offers special programs, as well as educational and networking opportunities, for media professionals across the state and has been serving South Carolina newspapers since 1856.

Founder and President Stacey Lemmond is pleased to be accepted as an associate member of SCPA, which will be a valuable resource. Ask & Receive, Inc. offers press release writing and dissemination services to all clients in addition to a full range of marketing and IT solutions.

via: Ask and Receive

Our October presentation was delivered by Target Marketing magazine’s 2008 Direct Marketer of the Year, Pamela Ansley Evans of IBM. Enjoy photos from this event.

View photos as a slideshow

Photos by Patrick Greer. See the entire collection on Flickr.

Get Pitch Perfect. Come to the workshop.

It doesn’t matter whether you call it a 30-second commercial, an elevator pitch, or your personal value statement. If you can’t communicate what you can do for people, you are losing opportunities.

You need a 30 second commercial that works if you are:

* Looking for prospects
* Looking for a job
* Seeking Investors
* Networking at Tech After Five, or a Chamber of Commerce Event
* Attempting to charm prospective employees

In this morning session you will get the form, structure, and get to practice your 30 second commercial in a way that gets you comfortable with the format and teaches you the power of a great pitch with strong questions to get the other person interested in your work, business, product, organization, or service.

Sign up today, all instruction, a workbook and a fabulous networking lunch are included.

October 29, 2009, 9am until 1pm.

Our October presentation was delivered by Target Marketing magazine’s 2008 Direct Marketer of the Year. Pamela Ansley Evans is the Global Web Marketing Manager for the IBM Software Group. She has responsibility for IBM Worldwide web marketing strategies, web analytics and content on Software Group customer websites in over 70 countries. Enjoy and learn from her presentation below.

video by: View Digtial Media

Immedion, LLC, South Carolina’s only dedicated data center and managed services provider was recently selected as a Resource Partner by SC Launch. An SCRA affiliate, SC Launch is focused on helping entrepreneurial start-up companies grow with up-front counseling, seed funding, and access to a Resource Network. Their overall goal is to help build the knowledge economy in South Carolina and to create high wage earning jobs. As a Resource Partner, Immedion will provide advice, mentoring, and services to companies in the SC Launch program.

“After reviewing Immedon’s application, the evaluation committee felt Immedion’s proposed services, experience and interest in furthering the knowledge economy in South Carolina would be beneficial to the companies in the SC Launch program,” shares Miriam Wilson, Resource Network Manger for SC Launch. “Our goal for this program is to create a win-win for all involved and look forward to collaborating with Immedion.”

Immedion agrees this is a win-win situation. “Immedion is eager to help entrepreneurs bring their ideas to fruition and we recognize through collaborative efforts like this we are best able to have a positive impact on the knowledge economy here in SC,” comments Frank Mobley, CEO of Immedion. “We are very excited about this partnership and about what SC Launch is doing for SC.”

About SC Launch (http://www.sclaunch.org/)
SC Launch, an SCRA affiliate, assists entrepreneurial start-up companies with up-front counseling, seed-funding, and access to a powerful resource network. The SC Launch mission is to help generate knowledge economy jobs in South Carolina, enhance the state’s quality of life and provide opportunity for all South Carolinians in the new economy.

About SCRA (http://www.scra.org)
SCRA is a global leader in applied research and commercialization services with offices in South Carolina, Ohio and in the Washington, D.C. area. SCRA collaborates to advance technology, providing technology-based solutions with assured outcomes on behalf of industry, government, and research universities in SC, the US and globally.

SC Launch! is a trademark of SC Launch!, Inc. SCRA is a registered trademark of SCRA.

via: Immedion

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully conducted two static
firings of the first stage, nine engine cluster for its Falcon 9 launch
vehicle. The firings took place at SpaceX’s Texas Test Site, a 300-acre
structural and propulsion testing facility just outside of Waco, Texas. With
completion of these tests, the first stage has now passed both structural and
propulsion acceptance testing and will ship to Cape Canaveral in preparation
for the first flight of Falcon 9.

The first test fired for 10 seconds and occurred on October 12th at
approximately 7:30 pm CDT. The second test began around 4:30 pm CDT on October
16th, and lasted 30 seconds.

The first stage of Falcon 9 uses a cluster of nine SpaceX-designed and
developed Merlin engines. Using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, the
cluster generates nearly a million pounds of thrust for the vehicle upon
liftoff. The Merlin engine is one of the only liquid rocket engines designed
in the United States in the last few decades, and is now among the highest
performing gas generator cycle kerosene engines ever built, exceeding the
Boeing Delta II main engine, the Lockheed Martin Atlas II main engine, and on
par with the Saturn V F-1 engine.

The stage will ship to SpaceX’s launch site at Cape Canaveral next month to
begin vehicle integration in preparation for first flight. The inaugural
flight of Falcon 9 will be a demonstration flight and will launch a Dragon
spacecraft qualification unit into orbit to provide SpaceX with valuable
aerodynamic and performance information.

via: SpaceX

Gov. Mark Sanford, the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Greenville Area Development Corporation today announced that KEMET will expand its facility in Greenville County to support manufacturing of capacitors for electric drive vehicles and alternative energy markets. The investment is expected to generate 113 new jobs within the next three years.

“We are pleased to expand our operations in South Carolina. This investment will allow us to meet growing demand from our customers in the U.S., especially in the electric drive vehicle industry. Our Simpsonville facility has been an important part of our production capabilities over the years and South Carolina has always provided KEMET with an excellent business environment and a highly-skilled workforce. We appreciate the support we have received from state and local officials, and South Carolina’s congressional delegation who helped make this expansion a reality,” said Per-Olof Loof, chief executive officer and director, KEMET.

KEMET will expand its facility in Simpsonville to manufacture a new line of capacitors, which are an important component in electric drive vehicles and will be marketed to the alternative energy industry. KEMET recently received a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to add additional capacitor lines to its South Carolina plant in order to produce enough capacitors to make 100,000 electric drive vehicles. The company anticipates that the expansion will be completed and the new production capacity online within nine months.

“This new production line in Greenville County represents another dividend from our continued efforts to improve business soil conditions in South Carolina. Given the global competition for new jobs, capital investment and indeed quality of life, both KEMET’s technological advances in components for electric drive vehicles and alternative energy production and their decision to expand in South Carolina reflect positively on our state’s workforce, the Department of Commerce, local leaders, and in fact all of our commitments to creating a more business-friendly environment that will encourage further economic growth and job-creation going forward,” said Gov. Mark Sanford.

“KEMET’s expansion of its Simpsonville facility is an affirmation of the company’s commitment to South Carolina. KEMET could have taken this new line anywhere in the world and the fact that they chose to grow here is again a reminder that our state’s business-friendly climate, skilled workforce and exceptional market access are working to attract new investment and new jobs for South Carolinians. We congratulate KEMET on their success and look forward to a continued and mutually beneficial relationship with them in the years ahead,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce.

KEMET is currently producing the capacitor lines in Europe. However, having the lines produced in South Carolina will allow the company to easily reach their domestic customers. The expansion will also increase the available capacity in the U.S. for capacitors and therein reduce the supply chain risk electric drive vehicle manufacturers face by having to depend on non-U.S. suppliers for this key subcomponent.

“Today is an exciting day for the people of Greenville County. KEMET’s expansion will create much needed jobs for our skilled workforce. Today’s announcement also once again shows the potential South Carolina has to lead in the new clean energy environment. I am very proud of the work KEMET is doing in South Carolina and look forward to growing this relationship in the years ahead,” said U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.

“KEMET is another proof that the Upstate will lead the nation out of this recession. New energy jobs prove that the road to recovery and the road to energy independence are one and the same,” said Congressman Bob Inglis.

In addition to being able to supply capacitors for the current and future electric drive vehicle programs in the U.S., KEMET’s expansion in Greenville County will also allow the company to begin supplying the same components to wind, tidal, geothermal and solar energy generation markets.

“As an international company and long-standing member of our business community, KEMET’s decision to expand its Greenville County presence to make capacitors for electric vehicles and alternative energy markets is great news,” noted H.G. “Butch” Kirven Jr., chairman of Greenville County Council. “Their expansion here affirms that our focus on advanced manufacturing and automotive suppliers is bearing fruit, and should serve as a magnet to attract talented individuals while adding good paying jobs in our community.”

“KEMET is a progressive company that combines world-class technology and unique engineering processes with an Upstate location to grow their business,” said Mike Buiter, chairman of the Greenville Area Development Corporation Board. “The company is research-based, innovative and growth-oriented, and a wonderful reflection of the opportunities to be found in Greenville County.”

The company will make a formal announcement when it is ready to begin the hiring process. Individuals interested in employment opportunities are encouraged wait until KEMET releases details regarding the availability of new positions.

via: Greenville Area Development Corporation

Everyone loves October — at least it looks like they do. We’ve got 200 people signed up for tonight’s Tech After Five Event, once again breaking our registration record by a healthy margin. As we always do, we asked everyone what they were looking for before they came. Here is a small sampling of some of their answers:

What are you looking for at Tech After Five?

• Web Designers, PHP Developers, Attorney, Mentors
• Network and socialize
• 10 good jokes
• EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
• Networking
• networking/ideas/education
• iPhone Fanatics
• People Ready to Think Outside the Box with a Progressive CPA Firm
• new gigs
• Business opportunities
• beer & backup solutions
• People to Twitter with
• I am a recent ITT graduate looking to start an IT career
• Recent ITT graduate searching for an IT position
• Website developers that could use a hand.
• Fun companies with budgets
• Collaborative Connections
• Tech folks who are interested in nonprofits!
• Business Prospects
• Converstations and opportunities.
• people committed to professional growth
• Expanding circle of contacts
• Security
• Good Backpacking Destination
• I am changing careers from advertising to technical writing. I am interested in meeting technical writers
• Someone who will embrace a demonstration of my product line.
• Interesting new ways to get work done.
• People who do things on the internets
• Contracts
• Networking with other Professionals
• SUNSHINE
• good examples of business-IT alignment
• An outstanding oppertunity for a recent IT grad
• Media Production and Editing Gigs
• Sharp .NET web developers
• Web Entrepeneurs
• People who broke their technology
• Tech Start-Ups, Software Developers & Chimney Sweeps
• More IT Jobs in the upstate
• EA Stuff
• A 216-digit number
• 10 good places to go in Amsterdam
• Organizations that have People Challenges
• A Zen Master
• You!

Come see us at Tech After Five

Michelin Development Corporation has launched a program to assist disadvantaged businesses through the upstate. With an initial funding amount of 1 million dollars, a new president, and an alliance with Carolina First. The program has already begun accepting applications. In this presentation, John Tully, president of Michelin Development describes why Michelin launched the program and how they plan for their investment to build businesses and add jobs to the economy. We now present the audio from his presentation.

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