Wayne'sGridiron

Mobile Marketing Exploding!

2011-12-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

With smartphone usage on the rise, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the mobile devices are driving marketing efforts, and will continue to do so in 2012. According to a recent national survey, commissioned by AT & T, nearly 90 percent of survey respondents expect to increase mobile marketing in the next 12 months.

It is interesting to note that the mobile marketing strategy that ranks the highest is mobile app development with 43 percent of the respondents stating this is strategy they would utilize. Following closely behind are mobile barcodes at 41 percent, banner ads at 40 percent, mobile web at 35 percent and text messaging at 34 percent.

Obviously there has never been a better time to become involved in mobile marketing. Consumer demand, security and cost are the three most important factors when considering mobile apps as part of a marketing program. Having an app custom developed to support your marketing needs may seem above your budget, but they can be very affordable, with the rewards often being substantial.

"With the growing popularity of smartphones and the increasing dependence on mobile devices, it's only natural that marketing executives want to turn up the volume on their mobile strategies next year," said Chris Hill, Vice President, Advanced Mobility Solutions with AT & T.

Iconosys’ portfolio of mobile apps, primarily focused on safety, security, and privacy-oriented technologies, also includes custom made apps for companies that want to enhance their mobile marketing solutions.

Ten Companies: No one to take your money

2011-07-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

One would think that the task of effectively deploying your healthy monthly budget of $25k on developing your new mobile communications app would be simple proposition … well think again if you are intending to spend it on mobile marketing! Somewhat recently, I walked into this $5 billion dollar industry and still haven’t seemed to find my way back out, let alone a place to invest my money. The industry that looks to generate over $10 billion dollars this year leaves much to be desired from a customer’s standpoint, and if you’re new to this game (like I was) this presents a true test of your patience. Let me explain based on the following hypothetical scenario, which is an outgrowth of my general impressions and experiences as a person working in this industry …

Let's assume that I am a mobile app developer looking to launch my first big video game app, Vampire Slasher™ , and want to push it hard during its first month of release. I have a time frame of 1 week, a budget of $25,000 dollars to spend on a nationwide campaign and have no knowledge of what mobile advertising brings to the table. So, I search for a nationwide mobile marketing company, big or small, that can provide me with guidance and educate me on how to spend my hard earned money to achieve my goals. I figure that looking at 10 companies or so would be sufficient to get a basic understanding of this booming industry. I am surprised, well actually shocked, to find through my Google search over 180 companies to contact.

I call the top 20 companies from my search, and my office line does not ring with a call back for the first 2 days, leaving me only 5 days to launch my campaign. I proceed to call the small-to-medium sized companies on my list, and find sales reps working off site in other states -- and with no contact numbers. The only methods of customer contact that these companies utilize seems to be email and fax lines listed on their websites. One company has a phone line that just rings and rings and rings. Each sales rep has a different excuse for the delay in getting back to me: meetings for 2 solid days, too many current clients to handle, starting a focus on international prospects, etc., and others just ignore their delayed response entirely. As I start to receive proposals I just become more and more frustrated as what I tend to see are just basic PowerPoint slide presentations, excel spreadsheets not even sized for printing or perhaps a 2 sentence blurb typed in the body of an e-mail. One company takes 2 days to send me their proposal and then explains 2 days later how they were sorry but that they forgot to mention that they don’t run apps on our platform, making the entire proposal void anyway! Eventually, when I am finally able to speak with company reps on the phone, I typically find these people to be technologically savvy types who have no reservations about expressing their dislike for my ignorance and tend to talking down to me or refer me to their company website (as opposed to taking the time/making the effort to answer my questions). In sum, I find the entire process to be a true waste of time for everyone involved … but the silver lining here is that it does help highlight for me what seem to be the problematic issues facing this industry.

Mobile Marketing is still relatively new/in its infancy stage and therefore it is not that surprising that these companies tend to have reps who are inexperienced, less than adroit in the various aspects of customer service, and are, shall we say, learning as they go. One rep even admits to me that the pervasive feeling among his peers is that they really have no reason to work hard for their business, since their phones are ringing off the hook. Another rep tells me that he simply has his hands full keeping current clients happy. So I ask -- if you were a REAL sales professional wouldn't you see a major problem here? I can’t believe I’m saying this but the Mobile Marketing industry needs actual, qualified sales reps! You know, the ones who like to schmooze, sound like Mr. Movie Phone and get back to you in an almost annoying fashion, such that you feel compelled to hang up on them because they won’t take no for an answer. But all stereotypes aside, I think good, dedicated and energetic sales reps are the true lifeblood of most industries; they should be able to motivate a prospect or customer to a call for action, suggest a solution by helping formulate a service plan or product package that addresses the prospect's needs, and ultimately create value for the customer and earn their trust and business.

It's amazing the size of these companies and the results I found. So I see a true opportunity to be a leader.

Enter AdShark, Inc. www.adshark.mobi

Japanese phone makers look to ride Android's surge

2011-03-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

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HIROKO TABUCHI / THE NEW YORK TIMES

Sharp executives Naoki Shiraishi, left, and Shigeru Kobayashi hold Sharp's newest Android smartphones at the company's Japan lab.

TOKYO — Japanese mobile phones are a gadget lover's dream. They double as credit cards. They can display digital TV broadcasts. Some are even fitted with solar cells.

And yet, for all their innovations, Japanese-made handsets have had little impact overseas. They account for just a sliver of a global mobile-phone market dominated by the likes of Apple, Research In Motion and Samsung.

But now the Japanese phone industry hopes to go global — by adopting Google's red-hot Android mobile operating system.

"We have the technology to compete in the United States," said Naoki Shiraishi, who led software development for a new line of Android smartphones from Sharp, the largest Japanese cellphone maker. "It's finally time for Sharp phones to go play in the major leagues."

Sony Ericsson, NEC and Kyocera are among the other Japanese handset makers also betting on Android as their path to international sales.

While Android was initially overshadowed by the popular iPhone from Apple, its user numbers are now soaring. In 2010, global sales of Android phones reached 67.2 million units, ahead of iPhones, which sold 46 million units, according to the research company Gartner.

But for these Japanese phone makers, cashing in on Android's popularity will mean learning some new skills, like marketing, while unlearning some old habits, like paying too much attention to the hardware and too little to the software.

Because Japan's phone industry remains highly fragmented, no company so far has been large or savvy enough to make a strong overseas push. Instead, handset makers long have been content to serve as suppliers to Japan's three largest mobile networks, which command a market of more than 100 million users, most of them on advanced 3G networks.

And in their hardware fixation, Japanese manufacturers have tended to bog down their handsets with clunky software platforms and fenced-in Web services that do not emphasize downloads of third-party applications.

That has put them at odds with the trend in much of the rest of the world, where attention has swung to devices like the iPhone, which runs software much as an ordinary computer does and lets users download apps from independent developers.

In fact, the success of the iPhone in Japan — together with Apple's popular App Store and its hundreds of thousands of applications for download — has opened eyes.

"Japanese companies have been so pioneering in many fields, but they have failed to build a global business" of handsets, said Gerhard Fasol, chief executive of Eurotechnology, a Tokyo firm that advises companies on global mobile and telecommunications strategy. "What you need is a global infrastructure," Fasol said, "and Japanese handset makers have nothing."

Going global

Global scale is what the Japanese hope to build with Android.

Certainly the price is right: Google offers Android free to manufacturers. And Android has caught on since its introduction in 2007, as a growing community of software developers has written apps, sold via Google's Android Market.

It took a while, but Japanese handset makers are now rushing to introduce Android devices, each married with cutting-edge technology. That includes Sony Ericsson, which dabbled with other platforms like Symbian and Windows Mobile for its high-end Xperia smartphones, but has used Android for its latest models. And recently, NEC introduced what it said was the world's thinnest smartphone. At 8 millimeters thick, equivalent to about four stacked nickels, its Medias N-04C runs on Android and also comes with an electronic wallet function, digital terrestrial television and a 5-megapixel camera. Although the phone is for sale only in Japan for now, NEC is planning an overseas push, focusing first on Mexico and Australia.

Another Japanese manufacturer, Kyocera, is planning soon for the United States release of an Android-based smartphone that comes with two screens, capable of running separate apps at once.

Sharp's plans

Sharp, for its part, intends to start with the fast-growing Chinese market, although officials say they also aim to bring phones to North America. Most global operators are preparing to use advanced LTE networks, which could make it easier for the Japanese phones to work on networks anywhere.

Sharp's latest smartphones, like its IS03 model, a sleek device with a high-resolution touchscreen, have overseas gadget bloggers drooling. Sharp has also introduced in the United States a lineup of tablet PCs running a version of Android.

"The smartphone de facto standard is fast becoming Android," said Shigeru Kobayashi, who is in charge of product planning for Sharp's new smartphone line. "We don't plan to keep on building the same kind of phones that we used to."

Changing processes

Working with Android has meant an overhaul of Sharp's tightly controlled development process. In one big change, Sharp has invited outside developers to its labs to test prototypes and develop apps — a rare move for a Japanese manufacturer.

And late last year, Sharp hosted two "hackathons" — programming jamborees — to encourage more developers to make apps optimized for its smartphones. At one of these sessions, in mid-December, a group of about two dozen outside developers worked on apps at Sharp's usually top-secret research lab near Hiroshima.

And in an unprecedented move, Sharp last year released a phone that was deliberately "jailbroken" — letting programmers freely tweak some of the phone's core software controls.

Google's efforts

Google itself, meantime, has urged more handset makers to use Android. Although Google earns no commission from any Android handsets sold, it takes a substantial cut — 30 percent — of the apps sold in the Android Market.

"Japan has great hardware, great R&D, great engineers," said John Lagerling, director of Android Global Partnerships at Google. "Now they can also get the best software."

Besides helping Japanese phone makers reduce their software development costs, the globally recognized Android standard could also help them achieve worldwide economies of scale that could further reduce overall costs.

Working with Google could also give the handset makers better leverage with Japan's powerful domestic network operators: NTT DoCoMo, KDDI and Softbank. The carriers have long dictated product cycles and phone features. Each network requires that phones be tweaked especially for it. And the carriers — not the handset makers — have been the main marketers for the phones.

The handset makers "need to stop worrying about the carriers and start thinking more globally," said Shuichi Iizuka, a telecommunications analyst at the ISB Institute, based just south of Tokyo. Android can help them do that, he said.

Keeping up

Japan's phone makers may need to become nimbler, too. Their love for continual fine-tuning of their hardware has meant they have had trouble keeping up with Google's frequent Android updates.

Many of the smartphones released this season, including the Sharp IS03, still run on Android version 2.1, which was announced more than a year — and two updates — ago. Google is soon expected to release Android version 2.4.

And even as Android is helping Japanese phone makers lay their overseas plans, it has also opened the Japanese market to foreign competitors. Samsung, of South Korea, for example, has made inroads in Japan with its slick Android-based Galaxy smartphone.

And Fasol of Eurotechnology warns that even with good Android phones, Japanese companies could cede some of the most lucrative parts of the business, selling apps, to Google.

Google, besides retaining nearly a third of the applications revenue, has recently introduced other revenue-enhancing measures, like letting software developers accept payments within apps. But phone makers would receive none of this income.

"Android gives the Japanese an opportunity, that's for sure, but it places them at a relatively low position," Fasol said. "It makes them one of many soldiers in the Google army, with Google as king."

Source: The Seattle Times, view original story, HERE.

Iconosys in Laguna Niguel has a Smartphone app called DriveReply that lets you send an automatic text : News Photo

2011-02-18T12:40:00.000-08:00

Iconosys in Laguna Niguel has a Smartphone app called DriveReply that lets you send an automatic text : News Photo

Mobile app industry to surge in 2011

2011-01-26T10:25:00.000-08:00

Tarmo Virki, European Technology Correspondent

* Mobile app industry to almost triple in 2011 to $15.1 bln

* Apple to lead, but market share to fall from 90 percent

* 81 percent of all downloads free in 2011

HELSINKI, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Worldwide mobile application store revenue will almost triple to $15.1 billion this year, boosted by a surge in Google's (GOOG.O) Android market, research firm Gartner said on Wednesday.

Apple (AAPL.O) created the market for mobile online software stores with the iPhone store in mid-2008, scoring an instant hit that drove smartphone sales and reshaped the way mobile content is delivered.

"We estimate that Apple's App Store drove close to nine application downloads out of 10 in 2010 and will remain the single best-selling store ... through 2014, although to a lesser extent, as other stores manage to gain momentum," analyst Carolina Milanesi said.

Last week, Apple's App Store reached 10 billion downloads. Its closest rivals are Google's Android and privately held GetJar which sells software for all platforms and reached 1 billion downloads last June. [ID:nLDE70L04I]

Android, offered free to cellphone vendors, was expected to become the world's most popular smartphone operating system this year as vendors like HTC (2498.TW), Motorola Mobility (MMI.N) and Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) roll out new models.

Gartner forecast 81 percent of all downloads this year will be made for free.

It said 16 percent of application store markets' $5.2 billion revenue was generated from advertising, a share it expected to nearly double to 30 percent by the end of 2014.

I have been saying this all along....

2011-01-03T16:12:00.000-08:00

The $100 Million Mobile App Question

By JENNA WORTHAM

Is there a Microsoft of the mobile application world?

“The mobile and wireless world is exploding,” said Chip Hazard, a general partner at Flybridge Capital Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm. Apple just soared past a billion downloads, handsets are becoming more powerful and cellular networks and bandwidth is steadily improving, he said.
But from a venture capitalist’s perspective, Mr. Hazard wondered, is there a $100 million mobile application company out there or just lots of hobbyists?
That was the question Mr. Hazard posed to a panel of mobile industry veterans during Wednesday’s closing panel at the National Venture Capitalist Association annual meeting in Boston.
“I am bullish about the future for mobile for generating revenue,” said Bernard Gershon, a senior vice president with the Walt Disney Company, highlighting the popularity of Apple’s App store.
“I don’t know if iBeer will be making tons of money,” Mr. Gershon said. “But Pandora has a fantastic app experience. There’s potentially something in that space that could be interesting. Gaming is becoming more interesting too.”
Rich Miner, one of the managing directors of Google Ventures, the recently formed venture capital arm of the company, said the issue was still a murky one.
They’ll make the guy in the garage happy and some angels very happy, he said. But venture capitalists want to be able to sell the company to another company or to the public in an initial public offering to get a return on their investment. “I’m not sure those venture style exits exist,” he said.
Mr. Miner helped develop Android, Google’s mobile platform, before he stepped into his role at Google Ventures. He said having reliable platforms where developers could release their software and see if it had a viable audience was crucial. There’s no guarantee any application will be a runaway success.
But still, he said “the opportunity is there.”

Gotta Love Being Right : Apple’s Wozniak calls Android the winner in smartphone race

2010-11-18T16:10:00.000-08:00

November 18, 2010 | Matthew Lynley

6 Comments

[Update: Wozniak has said he was slightly misquoted during the interview to gadget blog Engadget.]

Oh Woz, we love it when you shoot from the hip.

Apple’s own co-founder Steve Wozniak managed to spill the beans on an Apple phone preceding the iPhone, bash Nokia and call the winner in the mobile operating system race — all in the span of a single interview with a Dutch-language newspaper today.

Wozniak said that Android would likely become the dominant mobile operating system ahead of Nokia’s Symbian and Apple’s iPhone operating system, iOS. That should come as zero surprise, because analysts have been predicting the fall of Nokia for some time now.

Wozniak said Android would grow so large and have such a pervasive market presence, the phones would inevitably have more features than the iPhone. Part of that probably has to do with the religiously closed development process for the iPhone. But Apple holds, and would still have, the lead in terms of smartphone quality, he said.

The company — and particularly its CEO Steve Jobs — has always been known for having ridiculously high standards for its products. The iPhone manufacturer actually teamed up with a Japanese company in 2004 to produce a mobile phone, but ended up axing the project, Wozniak said.

Apple doesn’t seem like the company that would feel too bad about not having a commanding market share when they deliver a high-end product. That’s the design philosophy the largest consumer manufacturer in the world has had for its line of personal computers and laptops for some time now. That’s lead to steady — but by no means explosive — growth in its PC sales. Just last quarter, Apple’s Mac sales were up 28 percentwhen compared to the same quarter a year earlier. With the price point the Mac computers have, Apple certainly shouldn’t feel like it isn’t making enough money off the line of computers.

Nokia still maintains a commanding lead in terms of market share from the sheer volume of phones they produce, but Gartner predicts that Android will overtake it by 2014. The company recently rolled out a few changes to challenge the upstart Android, including its new N7 and N8 smartphones — which more or less fell flat with consumers — and a new CEO, Microsoft’s Stephen Elop. Wozniak said Nokia was “the brand of the previous generation” and was well on its way out.

Wozniak called into Engadget to say that Apple would eventually catch up to some of the features Android has that Apple’s iPhone are currently missing — like with the acquisition of Siri for voice recognition that Android already had. But he said he expects Android to be a lot like Windows — in the sense that a majority of people would use Android, despite there being better products in the market.

“It can get greater market share and still be crappy,” he said to Engadget.

Then again, that’s pretty much obvious, given Nokia’s current position.

We used to refer to it as Interactive Television

2010-10-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

In 1999, while most of the world was working to figure out the new coming of media delivery and who was going to control it, more prominently the music business [prior to the closing of Tower Records], there was a group of companies that were doing everything they could to take the next step from that little appliance that used to go by the title WebTV.

Cable set top box manufacturers and computer hardware manufacturers met regularly at these magnificent symposiums to all try to come up with what was going to be the standard, how was it going to be delivered, what would it look like, what would it do.

We all agreed that Interactive television was coming, but how? When?

Solutions Media's point of view, while juvenile at best, was that everything would simply be inside the existing TV, and that a computer or a box was not going to be necessary. Billions of dollars were invested in Set Top box development, giving birth to Tivo, the DVR, and the more advances that we see today in our Cox or DirecTV boxes. Lots of new hardware was coming out, Sling Box, external media drives, Microsoft Media Center. But as things got better, things seemed to get worse. It seemed everything was going in different directions.

One thing we did know, but would never believe is how thin and cabinet-less tv's were really going to become. Sure, we all expected a world more like the Jetsons, we all saw the Arnold Swarzenegger movie where he goes to mars and his walls are covered with simulated windows (really paper thin displays). We still asked ourselves if it would really happen. Would tv's one day be lighter than and hang like pictures?

I miss the more "Interactive Television" type features on my Tivo. Shame on DirecTV for dropping the best features that Tivo had, the DirecTV/Tivo relationship was a match made in heaven. I miss the Tivo-style recommending of shows based on preferences, asking you to rate a show as it was beginning, or even asking you while a commercial for another show was on, if you wanted to record that other show. Press the green thumb would display on screen while a promo or commercial was running for another show that might be of interest to you at a later time.

DirectTV nearly squashed Tivo. Not sure what Tivo did with the Millions they one in court from that lawsuit a few years back. Why has Google not swung in and purchased Tivo? I see them growing with the Cable Service providers now and the Tivo premiere box does look pretty cool. But the notice on Tivo's website is DOES NOT WORK WITH SATELLITE.

Enter GoogleTV. This looks, smells, and sounds exactly like what Robert Shapiro said that television was going to become. Could we mix the power and benefits of GoogleTV and the latest Tivo together as one?

Is Tivo even necessary with GoogleTV? I can't find anywhere that they are compatible. I would love some feedback on how these two compare and how they may work together. I think I decided to cancel my DirecTV in the process of writing this. Cox has been trying to sell me that Bundle for a couple years now. ha!

GIZMODO COVERS SMSREPLIER - SMS Replier Not Only Automatically Replies to Texts, It Knows When You're Driving

2010-08-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

SMS Replier Not Only Automatically Replies to Texts, It Knows When You're Driving

Aha! It looks like State Farm's app isn't the only app that helps keep you from texting while driving—there's SMS Replier too. And this app will know when you're driving.

So not only can you set customized replies, you can also choose how long you're doing the activity, so the phone will only reply "In a meeting" during the two hours that you set that you're in a meeting. (Would be nice if this synced up with your Google Calendar too, to automatically know what you're doing.) What's also cool, is if someone calls you during this time, SMS Replier will auto-reply to that as well, saying you'll call them back when you're done.

Watch the Video

Other features: Up to 5 numbers that you can add to get incoming calls and texts. Say, for emergency calls. Or also set numbers that you don't auto-reply to.

The app's available for Android, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile. [SMS Replier]

Send an email to Jason Chen, the author of this post, at jchen@gizmodo.com.

2010-06-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

-Wayne Irving (6/28/10)

The history we currently live is made upon the bones of ancient rivalry. The roads we travel, literally and figuratively, are carved by the efforts of once-famed names, and Titans of Industry...Duquesne, McLaughlin, Astor. Or Richard Nixon. And here right before our very eyes, history is being written by the competitive tugs and pulls between names we know with as much familiarity as the most vaunted athletic icons: Apple and Jobs, Google and Schmidt.

Friendship and competition uneasily co-exist in the search for defining the future Web world. Today's best eCommerce friends seem to frequently become tomorrow's most bitter opponents. As the debate over embracing or resisting Steve Job's open platforms, or the ubiquitous Web cloud, intensify, Apple seems to be emerging as the modern titan of industry. One result has been a cooling of affection between Apple and its erstwhile partners, Adobe...and of course, Google Wars. And it is a very, very cold war indeed.

It's hard to tackle an Apple. Slick, smooth, round and on the move. But it was once commonly said it was also impossible to break up "Gargantua" phone company Ma Bell, too...and after the Nixon administration pursued anti-monopoly enforcement against Bell, a new era in telecommunications soon began.

Perhaps more memorably, forecasters in the mid-1980s also forecast the bankruptcy of Apple. Competition, the wags said, would make sauce of Apple. If we can predict anything about Apple, it is that the worm always turns...by May 27, 2001, the Wall Street Journal put the reality of Apple's dominance in black and white. “Apple INC. overtook Microsoft Corp. As the most valuable company Wednesday, marking a changing of the guard.” But tech watchers always keep a sanguine eye on changes; in 2008, IBM was at the crest of a wave, swamping Apple, Intel, Cisco and Google on the Leader Board. At that time, a snapshot of activity showed that Apple as “hav(ing) lost value.” Anticipating a possible recession, the experts, once again, got it exactly wrong, Then, expecting IT stocks to plummet and iPhone sales to under-perform...and Apple to face a “rocky future.”

Wrong again.

Instead. Google was about to make a powerful, albeit lateral, move into the mobile phone market, by launching the Android 1.0 in October of what was to be a watershed year, 2008. In many ways, the operating system of Android and Apple's reliance on 'native code' made an Apple VS. Google fight inevitable. While Google is committed to a relatively thin operating system code, Apple is virtually unique in developing proprietary software: thus is inherent the Apple panache, from higher price to innovative practices.

There are indeed amazing similarities occurring, between the Now of the 2000s and Then, in turf battles between acknowledged computer and IT giants. The real action, in fact, is increasingly becoming a metric of court decisions, as well as purely savvy PR marketing, machinations. The intersection of courts and public opinion was evidenced in the Google and Apple debutante ball. In the summer of 2009, Google CEO Eric Schmidt left the Apple board of directors. The reason most frequently ,given was because the FTC was investigating company overlaps, between the computing giants...leading to potential for federal anti-trust investigations.

And at its heart, the battle is between loyalists of Google and Apple...in short, it's also personal. Those lucky enough to have Steve Job's phone number may see Job's taciturn approach to the Google Wars.

By the winter of 2010, there were more obvious signs of realignment and what is undoubtedly going to become a protracted battle of alliances. Apple moved into the lucrative mobile advertising platforms, so deeply exploited already by Google. But if Apple wins, and the proprietary power it utilizes, then Cloud-oriented, thin operating systems—desired by Google—will be potentially blown away for the next decade.

Apple's recent unveiling of thee iPhone OS 4.0 was as heralded as a State of the Union address. But the real message to its competitors was more than the inexorability of i Phone improvements. Apple is also very unsubtly demonstrating that it is attacking on associated platforms...a warning shot to Google. After Apple acquired Quatro Wireless in the first quarter of 2009, some experts expected Apple to simply sit on the acquisition. Instead, Apple has begun developing its own iAd mobile advertising platform: again, a shot at Google's major revenue source. The message is akin to the Cold War doctrine from Nixon's day, mutually assured destruction.

Why Google? “It's where the money is.”

If successful Google's 's use of AdMob (oofficially announced in May of 2010) will put them into virtually irreversible direct competition with Apple, whose is still pending regulatory approval. Online advertising is Google’s traditional bread and butter. Google has millions of advertisers, endless streams of data and seasoned advertising talent at its disposal.

Machine Gun George Kelly was asked, in the Depression, “Why do you rob banks?” lacking modern verbal finesse, the gangster simply told the unvarnished truth: “It's where the money is.” Google's decision to develop the android was as inevitable as Machine Gun Kelly's early efforts to develop ATMs. Google attempted a soft entry into the lucrative phone market...but Google's major interest was in protecting the Android smartphone platform. This was evident in January, 2010, when a Google press release described the development process in benign terms: “It's inaccurate to say Google designed the phone. [HTC] built and designed the phone. Google is just marketing and selling the phone.”

So does Apple, whose specialty isn’t advertising, stand a chance in a duel with the Google juggernaut? The answer is a surprising “yes,” depending on what shape iAd takes and how the iPhone vs. Android battle plays out. Apple, in fighting Google, faces a savvy competitor; unknown, however, is the potential for Google for the first time running afoul of federal regulators---even in the Google-friendly Obama Justice Department. Once again, ala' Nixonian machinations, mega companies were making calculations about what American regulators were going to do in assessing potential anti-trust implications.

Conclusion: Thinking Past June 8, 2010

In forecasting future rivalries, however, it would be easy to concentrate on what is today 'home turf' of Google and Apple. If there should be any single lesson form current international market turbulence, however, it is that Asian and emerging markets are increasingly dictating the shape of debate. Google was bruised in its battle with the Chinese Communist party. From its ranking as #1 in 2006, Google saw Baidu rise to 63% of the Chinese search exponentially important market in 2010: a testimony to changing fortunes.

And, a marker to Google's vulnerabilities.

Dear Steve,
Have you read this Gizmodo article? What are your thoughts on it? Do you believe Google is surpassing you guys or do you believe something different? What do you plan on doing if Google is surpassing Apple?

Any thoughts?

Sincerely,
Brian

Steve Jobs pithy email answer?

Not a chance.

OC METRO – Iconosys launches product aimed at preventing texting while driving

2010-05-17T12:14:00.001-07:00

OC METRO – Iconosys launches product aimed at preventing texting while driving

Posted using ShareThis

Do You Risk Your Life? Do You Text & Drive?

2010-04-11T20:30:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Acquaintances,

I am writing to notify you that Wayne Irving has switched gears and found a call to action. Something absolutely revolutionary!

Friends, I have been a serial entrepreneur most of my adult life. While I have worked on many exciting projects, when I get a chance to embrace an opportunity that is meaningful to society, it takes the cake.

In the past, in addition to associations with esteemed companies such as Platinum Studios, OriginOil, Biodiesel Industries, and ShowerPros.com, I've been CEO of 110 employee Solutions Media, Inc (SMI), which gave me the opportunity to be an integral contributor to the world’s adoption of downloadable music and movies.

(SEE ME in entrepreneur magazine June 2000, click here)

While CEO of SMI, I consulted for and advised Apple prior to the iTunes product release.... I stood at the podium, speaking at the WebNoize conference and when asked by the media for my prognostication of the future, I exclaimed: “I would watch out for APPLE, QuickTime is an OS!”. Was I right? In terms of financial results and otherwise, my stint as CEO of Save America Money, Inc was unquestionably a great success, negotiating huge revenue contracts with Ameriquest Mortgage among others! Finally during my short tenure in 2002 at Primegen Biotech, LLC (a stem-cell research firm), I was able to single-handedly orchestrate a roughly $17 million sale & funding to SRS Labs’ CEO and his investment partners.

Today, I'm very happy to tell you that I'm at it again, heading up Iconosys, Inc. I started Iconosys for ONE reason; I've seen the devastation that occurs when people don't pay attention to the road and the outside-the-car world when they're driving. There is ample public evidence of this; if you can stomach the footage – search “texting while driving” in Google and click on the image link at the top of the page, “It’s so bad, I won’t do it!”.

Texting was developed and was intended to promote just-in-time communications between people and to facilitate the timely/free-flow of information, but it was never supposed to pose a public health threat. Using your cell phone or mobile device to talk or to send text messages while driving is just a monumentally bad idea, and it has killed over 25,000 people since just 2007 in the

United States

alone. L Do you get this?

25,000 good human beings like you and me are dead!

I am so proud to have found a group of developers that agree with my mission here, and collectively we have developed a practical and user-friendly solution to this social epidemic and health care crisis. We work around the clock, thru the night, every night, making every breath count, to do something about this situation.

What my company, Iconosys, has done through its new mobile app “SMS Replier™” is to leverage the power of the overwhelming and growing mobile phone and device segment product lines, such as the iPhone, Blackberry, Google, Palm and Windows Mobile phones, and to work with these communication products to provide a convenient solution for people who want to safely keep in touch with significant others.

At Iconosys, we realize that when you're driving in the car and you see or notice that a text message or call has come in, you will naturally be tempted to read it/answer it. But at the same time, we know that you know this is dangerous!

We also appreciate, that if THAT inbound communication is from someone who is important, you WON’T allow that text or call to go unanswered. It could be a significant/once-in-a-lifetime client, love interest or perhaps someone else that you want to keep happy (e.g. your boss). The worst thing is for them to think you're ignoring them.

.....................But is this worth your RISKING YOUR OWN LIFE? … NOT TO MENTION YOUR EXPOSING OTHERS TO THESE RISKS..................

This choice can be a very real one, whether you are barreling down the freeway at 70 miles an hour, trying to get to a new address while reading paper-printed directions, or just sitting at a traffic light waiting for the light to change?

SMS Replier™ takes that anxiety (and that possibly deadly choice) away. You don't have to answer that phone! A small app that runs inside your mobile phone, SMS Replier ™ ingeniously takes advantage of the intelligence in the mobile device unit. When you are driving, the phone responds for you with a customized message. You can also turn it on for preset periods of time for other situations, such as when you're in class, at the movies, taking a nap, or in a meeting.

This mobile phone/device software saves lives … and nobody else has it!

I sincerely believe this is one of the most important projects I have ever been involved with. It's an incredible opportunity for me to do something that will help society (and I believe) be financially rewarding. We went live last week, and in just the first hour of the first day that we launched, 400 future customers downloaded our app. After one week, this download number had swelled to thousands. And I’m motivated by my awareness that texting while driving isn't just a problem in the

United States

, it's also a common problem in Europe and the rest of the world. By way of example, we see legislation being proposed throughout the European Union to deal with this practice. As recently noted in Barron's THIS WEEK, 4.1 BILLION text messages are sent in the

each day.

Not surprisingly, the problem of texting while driving has been brought to the public's attention by luminaries such as Oprah, Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, and many others, and there’s no denying that this has become something of a serious public health epidemic. In fact, fatalities resulting from this practice are reaching levels equal to those due to DUI/DWI’s and all other traffic-related fatalities COMBINED! I believe that in a few years (or less), nearly all of us will know of someone that has died needlessly as a result of this activity. Fortunately, with the growing public attention being given to this issue, and the solutions being offered by, and under development at, my company, we at Iconosys think this dangerous situation can be “reversed” and stopped “dead in its tracks.” If we can save one precious human life, it will all have been worth the effort.

I hope you will become a supporter of our company and its mission. Share your thoughts on my blog at TextKills.com, and please download and use the FREE application at SMSReplier.com as soon as you can.

Text messaging is part of the fabric of our modern society, but we need to make it safe. Will you help?

Very Best,

Wayne Irving II

CEO, Iconosys, Inc.

www.iconosys.com

www.smsreplier.com

cardiac network: COUNTS ON MAKING A DIFFERENCE

2010-04-05T16:50:00.000-07:00

By any measure, cardiac medicine has recently been forced to begin keeping pace with non-traditional technologic innovations. A new generation of at-home cardiac monitors may achieve what was incomprehensible only a decade ago. The missing calculation was the frequent inability to match available technologies with a true human network. For Cardiac Network, with its wide inventory of cardiac monitors, breakthroughs could not happen fast enough. The reason may have had less to do with the numbers (more than 700,000 annual cardiac-related deaths in the United States) than with keeping promises. “Both my grandparents died from heart disease,” responded CEO Michael Swartzburg, acting CEO of Cardiac Network, when asked what motivates him each day. “It’s not called the silent killer for no reason. There are people who go in for one reason, finding out inadvertently they need bypass surgery. One of the things were looking at is technology that will monitor someone’s heart functions as many different ways as we can.” Swartzburg can now point to the perfect synergy, as Cardiac Network has apparently completed the mosaic of process and personnel. Though part of a young industry, Cardiac Network has assembled a team with more than fifty years of experience in critical care delivery.

As CEO, Michael Swartzburg exemplifies the sort of savvy cadre that aims at giving promising young companies with the tools to shape their growth. Swartzburg has variously succeeded as a CPA with Ernst-Whinney and as a corporate controller, engaged in a complicated and successful merger at cardiac Pathways (with Boston Medical). “What we’re seeing is that in the medical world, technology is playing just as much a factor as other forms of biosciences and pharmaceuticals in how patients get diagnosed and treated.”

Based in San Francisco, the Cardiac Network has pioneered the use of technology to monitor hearts and potential life-threatening incidents. Because of its reactive affordability, people have the potential for accessing not only preventive but diagnostic evaluations…potentially long before they might suffer from the deadly outward signs of heart disease.

The issues of technological reliability occur frequently in Michael’s efforts: “merger” is a word he frequently uses. Cornell University considers the process of merging technologies, in myriad forms, with medicine in its many needs, notes technology qua medical treatment as an “emerging new paradigm.”

Earlier uses of portable cardiac monitors created a literal, as well as technological burden. The data could be collected form the device, of course…but the devices were cumbersome, both to the person wearing it as well as to the person who would ultimately receive the device for interpretation.

“Let’s take the person who is having some kind of pressure on their chest. They don’t know if it’s heartburn...they don’t know if it’s anxiety…now they've got a decision to make. And it’s even worse when it’s a parent or grandparent: they’re responsible for making a decision (for the other party). Do you send them to the emergency room? We can take some of that uncertainty. They have their own monitor in the house, and within five minutes we have their EKG.”

Before the new generation of data equipment, Cardiac Network could not have existed. Instead, the lack of digital signals meant that data would be lost, or even worse, interpreted after the patient might have already had a cardiac incident. “There’s always been a focus in the medical world to treat diseases with drugs…certainly surgeries have been out there…equipment (was) not at the forefront of actually preventive medicine.”

Noting the increasing importance of monitoring does not diminish, Swartzberg noted, should actually enhance the uses of exist ing techniques and pharmaceuticals. “Technology is coming into its own, to determine when to use pharmaceuticals….more timely. We’re giving doctors the ability to monitor (t0) allow early diagnosis and treatment before it becomes more serious.”

Experts are increasingly identifying the application of “Moore’s Law” to the crossroads of medical care and technology. The technological capacity that makes Cardiac Network ‘tick’ is relatively new. The antecedent technology, despite itself being fairly new, suggests just how much new ground is being planted by Cardiac Network. In 1989, for example, some of the earliest literature described the risks and benefits of using cardiac alert equipment, at what now seems fairly un ad vanced technology. Interestingly, one of the major issues was how to enhance the aspect of personal communication in gaining patient data.

“We’re looking at technology to provide a better connection between doctor and patient.” The few competing cardiac monitoring services have relied on traditional medical models. To achieve its goals, it seems clear that cardiac Network has to deliver on the innovations in a true network.

“Technology segregates the population into various forms of severity and identifies varying degrees in diseases because each one is treated differently.”

Cardiac Network’s deep roster of physician affiliated networking is almost certainly going to set the standard in cardiac monitoring. The reason is based upon the improved quality inherent in a model of delivery known as Medical Practice-Driven Models and Requirements.

The fee structure for Cardiac Network aims at achieving affordability…prompting comparisons with the life-saving, and affordable monthly rates, features available at the touch of a button in many models of automobiles. Cardiac Network even completed their 2009 fourth quarter by offering monitors at or below cost.

By merging a medically-oriented management team, the sharpest technology, and arguably the best collaborative medical teams available, Cardiac Network is investing in setting, rather than simply predicting, service trends.

The deliberative outcome of such priorities will result, at the minimum, in uniquely unobtrusive “smart homecare.”

“Think about it. If you addressed a survey of the general population…did you knew there was a device about the size of a cell phone that could actually measure your EKG at home: and that then, if you were feeling kind of funny, then you could hook it up an d transfer the information to a monitoring station…within five minutes, giving you, your doctor feedback? Bhatt they would say is that they thought they had to make an appointment.”

The core values of this convergence reflect heart monitors that are lighter, affordable, and supported by incomparable staffing.

Cardiac Network has succeeded in blending these features…the task ahead is getting out the word, and then the cardiac units.

Download and listen to the live interview at geccopr.com/cardiac/

DR. OZ: 1 of 4 CAR ACCIDENTS INVOLVES A CELLPHONE

2010-04-01T15:34:00.000-07:00

Deadly Distraction: Cell Phones and Driving
shared from http://www.doctoroz.com/ (originally posted 3/12/10)

Guys, I just feel like this is important! Its on the news, its everywhere, there is a real problem here. Texting and Driving is killing thousands of good people yearly. Its almost impossible to comprehend. Can we afford to get tired of hearing about this? Its not 9-11 where time goes by and the pain lessens. This is happening all around us every day and will continue tomorrow too! Be careful out there. - Wayne

One out of every 4 car crashes is now caused by drivers using cell phones, and texting has made the game even deadlier.

Shockingly 1 out of every 4 car crashes is now caused by drivers using cell phones. If you’re using a cell phone and driving, you might as well be driving drunk; the deadly habit of texting when behind the wheel is equivalent to drinking 4 beers.

The latest scientific research on driving and cell phone use demonstrates how the human brain goes into overload and cannot handle this kind of multitasking. Reaction time to what’s happening on the road is reduced substantially, and “inattention blindness,” a phenomenon where the brain never sees what’s in plain sight, occurs.

The distracted driving statistics piling up are frightening:

In 2008, more than ½ million people were injured in car accidents caused by distracted drivers, most of them using cell phones or texting. Nearly 6,000 fatalities resulted.

The AAA Foundation reported in 2009 that 95% of all drivers believe texting or emailing while driving is unsafe, yet, 1 in 5 admit to doing it anyway. In teens that number skyrockets to more than 1 in 2.
In a University of Utah study, texting while driving increases the risk of crashing by 8 times, double the risk of causing a wreck while driving drunk.
In a study at Virginal Tech, a driver’s reaction time drops by 35% while texting and driving; steering control decreases by 91%.

(source: www.doctoroz.com)

Is the Commercialization of Algae-to-Oil Finally Here?

2010-03-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

Is the Commercialization of Algae-to-Oil Finally Here?
By Dan Blacharski

[WAYNESGRIDIRON.COM – March 23, 2010] The price of a barrel of crude has seen dramatic swings over the past year moving from a low of about $40 a year ago to about $80 today. The trend is obvious, and there’s little doubt that we will see prices of greater than $100 a barrel again—and soon. But the fact that our faltering economy is inextricably intertwined with a non-renewable energy source that is largely derived from foreign shores is a model that is doomed to long-term failure. Ethanol made from American corn offered some hope, but this too, has been shown to be economically impractical—and has the unfortunate side effect of rising food prices.

OriginOil, Inc. has perhaps the only practical technology that will lead to energy independence, and that is, transforming algae to renewable oil. The concept has long been discussed, but to date, there have been several obstacles in large-scale production of algae and extraction of algae oil. Those obstacles have been overcome with a new ground-breaking, single-step process, designed by researchers at OriginOil.

It is no longer about the green slimy stuff that floats on top of ponds or turns our swiming pools green. Algae is everywhere in nature, not just stagnant water pools, but all around us, even in our living room fish tanks. The algae itself can naturally contain up to 60 percent of its weight in oil. So why hasn’t anybody taken advantage of it yet?

That’s the question that spawned the creation of OriginOil, and what may, in the long run, contribute significantly to the solving of the global oil crisis. Although scientists have long been aware of the oil content of algae, cultivating it in large enough quantities and then extracting the oil from it hasn’t been that straightforward. And although we see it everywhere, cultivating it efficiently in large quantities has until now, been challenging. And once cultivated, the algae culture must be concentrated, and the tough cell wall of algae needs to be “cracked,” a process which in itself requires energy. Then finally, the oil, water, and biomass must be separated and processed. And it all must be done on a scale large enough to make a dent in America’s oil imports.

The process
The two major obstacles—efficient cultivation of algae, and efficient extraction of oil, have been solved by OriginOil research. The company’s most recent patent addresses many of the challenges in both areas, and makes the cultivation and extraction highly energy-efficient. The new process significantly improves on older algae harvesting techniques, by combining all of the several steps involved into a single process.
Cultivating algae, using OriginOil’s new process, has become much more efficient, and paves the way for production on a large scale for the first time. The new process consumes less energy through an innovative lighting system designed to optimize the contact that exists between algae and the light source. This energy-efficient production process overcomes one of the main objections to corn biofuel. While corn-based fuels do reduce dependency on foreign oil, the energy costs involved in growing corn and turning it into ethanol far outweigh any short-term benefit that may accrue. Corn-based fuels therefore, from a macroeconomic perspective, are highly inefficient, especially when the displacement of agricultural land previously used for food production is taken into account. Use of algae as an alternative overcomes all of these problems.

The extraction process too has been refined with OriginOil’s patented technology, to dramatically reduce the amount of energy the extraction process consumes. The extraction takes place in a single step, using electromagnetism and pH modification to break the algae’s cell walls. Once the cell walls are broken, extraction takes place naturally as the oil and biomass separate on their own. The oil simply rises to the top, with the biomass sinking to the bottom. The oil can then be skimmed and refined. No chemicals or heavy machinery is required to execute the process.

OriginOil in the limelight
The company, which recently became publicly-traded, has been leading the charge in creating a practical, economically feasible renewable alternative to crude oil. Most recently, the company was recognized in testimony at the Senate Subcommittee on Environment and Public Works. During the testimony, OriginOil was named as one of the most prominent companies in algae-based fuel research.
The company also announced a partnership with the US Department of Energy’s Idaho national Laboratory to further research issues relating to scalability—which will ultimately make algae oil commercially viable.
CEO Riggs Eckelberry is quickly being heralded as the face of the Algae-to-Oil industry, speaking regularly worldwide, sharing OriginOil's developments, successfully romanticizing the next goldrush, from what was once considered scum?

Benefits of algae energy
Other alternative energy sources have been the subject of much study and debate, but many of them, such as hydrogen and solar, require entirely new infrastructures to be created and would require both a significant financial investment and a national commitment to succeed. Algae-to-oil, on the other hand, would be much easier to bring to a practical stage. It is fast-growing, and it naturally produces is own oil.
There are other organic sources of oil, such as corn and sugarcane, but as we have already seen, relying on these sources for oil production is disruptive both in terms of altering the supply of food to the world, and in destroying farmland and rainforest regions. Algae, on the other hand, once the cultivation and oil extraction processes have been refined and commercialization of the process has occurred, can provide an endless supply of clean energy.

A major benefit of algae as an energy source is that it is completely carbon-neutral. Algae-producing pools consume carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which helps to offset carbon released when energy from any source is burned. In addition, the by-product of the extraction process can be used as animal feed.

Transformative technologyThe breakthrough technology has the potential to be one of just a handful of truly transformative technologies that have had a major impact on the world and the global economy. Deriving oil from algae solves the problems and challenges presented by so many other promising alternative energy sources, while also having the potential to create a major green-energy industry in the United States. And finally, the technology, if it is embraced on a large scale, would go a long way towards practically implementing global climate policies.

The transformational aspect of the technology cannot happen without a commitment at the Federal level, and the stimulus bill has made a big impact in the alternative energy and biofuels industry. The Department of Energy for example, has allocated $800 million to biofuels development, with $50 million specifically dedicated to research in algae biofuels. Congress has specifically highlighted algae as a realistic source of renewable oil in a Senate Subcommittee on Environment and Public Works session entitled “Business Opportunities and Climate Policy.”

OriginOil unveiled its comprehensive pilot project in February, turning an important corner to commercialization of the technology. The OriginOil system is designed to be used locally, in places like wastewater plants, factories, breweries, and many other locations, a model that would lead to a very efficient distributed energy model that can be replicated almost anywhere in the world. OriginOil plans to use their new breakthrough process for its own production system, and will commercialize the process for use by others as well. OriginOil was named “One of the 50 hottest companies in bioenergy for 2009-2010” by Biofuels Digest in response to the company’s technology development and incredible potential for transforming the energy landscape.

You can see video of the recent pilot plant launch and many other cool media clips on OriginOil’s website at http://www.originoil.com/ or right here.

BioDrain Helps Keep the Operating Room Safe with new FDA-Approved Technology

2010-03-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

BioDrain Helps Keep the Operating Room Safe with new FDA-Approved Technology
by Dan Blacharski

What happens to the fluids that are collected during an operating procedure? It’s not something we normally want to think about. Typically, it is collected into canisters, then siphoned manually into medical waste bags, solidified using a costly solidifier mechanism, and shipped off to the landfill. In addition, the process of collecting the fluids in the operating room itself can be hazardous. Most hospitals still have a manual process, which can leave medical personnel exposed to potentially infectious materials. There is a constant risk of splashback. It’s messy, inefficient, and expensive.

The problem of handling fluids is just one of many challenges facing the operating room, but technological innovators are facing these challenges head-on with new inventions and technology.

BioDrain Medical, Inc. is one such innovator, with an elegant solution to the fluid collection problem. The start-up company has recently received FDA clearance to market its ground-breaking Streamway™ Automated Surgical Fluid Control System. The need for portable canisters that must be transported around the hospital are instantly eliminated. The system is installed directly on the operating room wall and is connected directly into the hospital facility’s plumbing. It automatically collects, measures, and disposes of all fluids without intervention. The risk of exposure to fluids is greatly minimized, and it improves the efficiency of the operating room. It is the only fluid management system that minimizes waste disposal, while also improving compliance, and being environmentally friendly, while also offering a fully automated self-cleaning mechanism and continuous suction.

Calls for healthcare reform and cost controls are prevalent throughout all levels of government, and BioDrain answers this call handily by providing a solution that cuts expenses while improving overall operating room efficiency.

The patented Streamway device comes with a disposable kit that includes a filter, which is automatically cleaned after each use to remove all bacteria and prevent cross-contamination. An additional benefit of the device is that its use decreases time needed for operating room set-up and clean-up; and because it works continuously, it dramatically increases operating room efficiency.

Nearly 50 million canisters are sent to the landfill every year in the US alone, which in itself presents an environmental disaster waiting to happen. The costs to the hospital relating to the environmental concern can be significant, requiring extra biohazard disposal costs and permits, a costly solidifier, and processing labor. The BioDrain eliminates the need for landfill disposal, while also reducing operating costs by eliminating the need for a solidifer and other ongoing disposal expenses.

BioDrain Medical has already completed its patent process and FDA audit, and has established a distribution channel in 16 states with more to come.

Fool's Gold a Golden Opportunity for Solar : Discovery News

2010-03-13T21:25:00.001-08:00

Fool's Gold a Golden Opportunity for Solar : Discovery News

Posted using ShareThis

When I was a kid, everyone smoked, now we are just FAT and dying!

2010-03-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

It doesn’t have to be a choice between smoking and overeating
by Dan Blacharski

It’s an all-too-common scenario. You quit smoking. You feel good about it, but before too long, you start to put on weight. The health and longevity gains that result from smoking cessation are completely wiped out as a result of the dangers of obesity.

Studies have shown that smoking rates are going down in the United States, and there’s no denying that this is a good thing. It adds years to your life span. But at the same time, increases in obesity rates are reducing life expectancy by over a year, resulting in a net loss, according to estimates published by the New England Journal of Medicine. The study shows that by 2020, smoking will decrease by 21 percent, but by that same time, 45 percent of the U.S. population will be obese.

In an ideal world, the population would be slender and healthy non-smokers. However, several studies have indicated an inverse relationship between smoking and obesity. If you are a smoker and also overweight, then your risk factor is even greater, and National Cancer Institute studies show that 20 percent of obese adults in the United States are smokers. Obese smokers, according to the study, have a much greater risk of death from cancer or circulatory disease.

If you’re an overweight smoker, experts recommend focusing on one thing at a time. Quitting smoking requires a great deal of attention for the first few months, and while this process is ongoing, weight maintenance is more important than weight loss. While you are quitting smoking, focus on keeping your weight steady—and once the urge to smoke has gone, then focus your time and attention on losing weight.

Health care professionals do advise that some minor weight gain is normal when undergoing a smoking cessation program. It is not unusual to gain five to ten pounds during the process, even if your eating habits remain exactly the same. This is not necessarily because we eat snacks to replace cigarettes—it is largely due to a change in metabolism that results from no longer smoking. Nicotine raises metabolism artificially, and so quitting smoking will naturally cause a slight slowing of the metabolism which results in weight gain. This minor weight gain can be mitigated with regular exercise, and normally will taper off after the urge to smoke has passed and your body has adjusted to the new situation.

In addition to the metabolic impact, cigarettes also function as an appetite suppressant, and absent that suppressing effect, we may experience hunger more often when quitting smoking. And emotionally, we may also simply turn to food as a replacement for cigarettes as a way of easing the withdrawal effects.

Quitting smoking involves a lot more than just putting away the cigarettes. It also requires you to pay close attention to unintended side effects, such as weight gain. Along with your smoking cessation program, you can avoid the weight gain by eliminating or minimizing alcohol, keeping healthy snacks available, and getting regular exercise.

The New Era of Medical Devices - Is It Here?

2010-02-18T11:44:00.000-08:00

Advances in technology have given us a lot more than iPods and netbooks. Ever since the day man first set foot on the moon, the pace of technological advancement has been phenomenal, and nowhere is that more evident than in medical technology.

These medical advances have their basis in early technologies. For example, when the Internet was first conceived, nobody ever thought that the arcane academic experiment would eventually be used to create “virtual companies” with no walls, electronic classrooms that connect students in the most remote villages in the third world, and to conduct commerce on a widespread basis. In the medical community, the new era of remote connectivity has led us to innovations such as remote diagnosis, electronic medical records, and remote monitoring of patients with heart conditions.

The current system of continuous monitoring of a patient’s cardiac condition has not kept up with the technology however, and it tends to involve several steps. The cumbersome process is labor-intensive and requires the patient to take a substantial active role, or may even require multiple in-home visits. The goal of physicians and clinicians however, is to automate as much of this monitoring as possible to eliminate the possibility of human error or omission.

Monitoring of Cardiac Patients
Current cardiac monitoring devices are limited—although the technology is highly accurate, it’s all about access. Current technology has allowed physicians to equip heart patients with small devices that they can use at home, so that if they feel an event coming on, they can switch on the device, record electrocardiogram (ECG) data, and transmit it over the phone. This simple innovation has no doubt saved hundreds of lives—but it could save more by integrating it with existing wireless and GPS technology.

That is precisely what a company called Cardiac Network has done. Innovation sometimes involves coming up with new technology, and sometimes it involves using existing technology in new and different ways. The Cardiac Network device offers a little bit of both. The lightweight device is completely new; and its usefulness is made even greater by combining a heart monitor with wireless technology and a GPS locator.

The problem with existing self-monitoring systems is that the patient, upon feeling the onset of a cardiac event, must press a button on the device to start recording heart function, and then they must manually transmit the information over the phone. The Cardiac Network “auto trigger” overcomes those manual processes with a system that automatically records the cardiac event, and then uses an auto-send feature to automatically connect to a wireless or WiFi network to send the information to medical personnel.

The obvious question is, what happens if the patient is alone and incapacitated? Or what if they are away from home when the cardiac event occurs? One of the biggest problems faced by heart patients and their families is worrying about an episode when nobody is around. The Cardiac Network's innovative and proprietary network overcomes these limitations by incorporating an auto-send process, GPS locator, and wireless access. The system is designed to automatically detect when a patient is in distress, and transparently send a notification to the patient’s physician or to emergency personnel. Did you hear that?!!

"If in my sleep, i suffer from a cardio abnormality, the system sends help without my knowledge! WOW!"

Under an agreement with med mobile, the Cardiac Network system includes a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) with an integrated GPS, which can provide highly accurate tracking information if the system detects a cardiac emergency. Much like the General Motors' OnStar system, Cardiac Network allows patients to speak directly with the monitoring center, where medical technicians can communicate directly with the patient’s physician and with emergency response personnel.

The first device of its kind, the monitoring device is connected to a secure, central database that holds all ECG data of each patient. A user-friendly online interface allows both patient and physician to access information 24/7.

The device is expected to be demonstrated later in 2010.

I feel that Cardiac Network is one of the most exciting things I have come across in the 11 years I have been working with young up and coming companies. Take a look for yourself. WaynesGridiron loves Cardiac Network.

Companies in this space that should take a hard look at CNI could consist of Hewlett Packard, General Electric, Siemens, Nokia, LG, ADT Home Security just to name a few.

iPad’s Leap

2010-02-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

Apple’s announcement of a “magical,” or “groundbreaking” new product invariably painted only half the picture. Apple CEO Steve Jobs is betting that the iPad –a keyboardless computer--will be at least half again of what became the industry-defining iPhone. Jobs has history on his side, as pundits scored heavily against the original iPhone.

The vital measurements on the iPad include 16 to 64-GB storage and a 1GHz Apple processor.

The 10-inch touch screen standard iPad will retail at $499 (the high-end model is $829), with users electing either a 250- or 100-megabyte plan. Users wishing a cellular ability can add the feature for an additional $130.
However history will treat this new roll-out, the iPad has almost immediately changed the rules of engagement for the range of traditional media and its delivery. Since 2002, E-book net sales have exploded, from virtual Zero to almost $125 million in 2009. Capable of delivering undeniably stunning imagery, the iPad allows games, internet navigation and television…all in ways the original Apple tablet, the 1990’s Newton, failed miserably at.

Unintended Consequences?

For that matter, the iPad even has the potential to compete against its cousin iPhone. With more than an estimated 150,000 applications, the iPhone has become more than the sum of its parts. The iPad, with its potential to directly compete against the wide array of wireless, will have impact on the iPhone, as well as anticipated new tablet computers.

In the short term, iPad is being enthusiastically embraced by an array of people…as a complement to the iPhone. This flows in part from some comparative limits on the iPad, relative to the iPhone:

Unlike the iPhone:

√ iPad is big, at 9.7 by 7.47 inches but only 1.5 pounds…a breakthrough for gamers
√ iPad does allow photography apps, but has no camera

But Apple’s bet is that popular devices such as the Kindle have an Achilles’ heel, to more robust (“convergent”) devices.

Industry Alliances…and Opposition

Industry jockeying for partnership was intense. Vaunted Verizon, valuing the vision of Apple, was expected to be the iPad’s primary affiliate carrier. In the end, it was ATT that got the nod. Whether ATT’s commitment to a competitive price, or a pledge to attack perceived network limits (building faster wireless technology), won Apple’s commitment is unclear. For example, ATT eschewed the use of long-term consumer contracts: increasingly criticized by consumer groups and even provoking possible legislative controls.

What did emerge from ATT’s eagerness was a modest pricing fee, designed to encourage sales and loyalty. ATT will probably incur only a $1 fee for the 100 megabyte plan, allowing a fairly modest $30 consumer fee. But ATT did not win an exclusive commitment, which means Apple’s iPad, if successful, may be the next decade’s iPhone.

Some companies, left outside the Apple box, lamented the engineering qua marketing of Apple…making imitation inevitable. Adobe Systems criticized the lack of Flash on the iPad, blogging that “Apple is continuing to impose restrictions on their devices that limit both content publishers and consumers.” Amazon, with its left-field victories over traditional book giants behind it, is watching Apple’s stealth moves with concern. Industry publishing experts (e.g., HarperCollins) are potentially brokering deals with Apple to reverse the rock-bottom pricing that has afflicted e-book sales.

Apple has already shocked the experts, who had predicted the iPad to retail for as much as $1,000. The next big test will be March sales, when the iPad is set to hit the shelves.

Algae-oil breakthrough leads to fuel, food?

2010-02-01T16:28:00.001-08:00

Algae-oil breakthrough leads to fuel, food?

See the ABC Video: CLICK HERE

Taken From: Indra Petersons, Channel 7, KABC-Los Angeles
Could algae soon be a common fuel for your car? A local company called OriginOil claims to hold breakthrough technology that uses carbon dioxide and algae in order to generate fuel.

Imagine a world where factories wouldn't be dependent on an energy source, but instead could locally generate their own energy simply by utilizing their excess carbon dioxide.

This means less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and a way for our own sewage to be turned into reusable fuel.

With this new technology scientists can now simulate algae growth, which could take up to six months in nature.

"We optimized, as you can see, the frequency of the light to be exactly what algae wants," said OriginOil Chief Executive Officer Riggs Eckelberry. "It grows phenomenally fast. We get a daily harvest out of it.

"Inside each algae cell is a little drop of oil. Now the challenge is how to get that oil out of the algae so that it can be used as fuel," said Eckelberry.

When algae reaches its optimal pH level, carbon dioxide is added to create fuel. Then that fuel is separated into two types of fuel. One is an oil, which could be used to fuel our cars. The other is a heavier green biomass, which can be used as a natural gas to heat our homes or operate factories.

"Algae is going to make, obviously, fuel," said Eckelberry. "It basically can do everything petroleum can do, plus it's nutritious."

OriginOil says that same oil can be used as a cooking oil with all the benefits of omega-3s. That gives us a healthy dose of omega-3s without the mercury commonly found in fish.

All of this is currently in the pilot phase, but the company says in about five years it could be a part of our daily life.

(Copyright ©2010 KABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Imaging3’s Breakthroughs Capture the Spirit of Health Care Reform

2010-01-12T11:47:00.000-08:00

There are only a few times in history when a given industry has undergone earth-shattering, disruptive changes. Henry Ford for example, changed manufacturing forever with his innovations in assembly line production. The Internet changed how people communicate and do business, and the “dotcom boom” ushered in a wave of incredible innovation that is still being felt to this day.

Today, the big changes are taking place in the healthcare industry, and five years from now, this business will be completely unrecognizable. Besides major incentives to implement electronic medical records coming from the Federal government, the healthcare bill currently working its way through Congress promises widespread and long-lasting change at the very foundations of the entire medical community.

Many of those changes involve doing more with less. They involve accountability, strategic spending, and providing state-of-the-art health care that leverages the latest technology. Imaging3 is a company that is at the right place at the right time. Their new Dominion Vi scanner changes how a healthcare facility does its imaging, making it more efficient, more cost-effective, and more portable. 3D imaging has never been cheap, with new CT scanners costing well over a million dollars, and having the major disadvantage of having to remain in a single location due to their size and weight. Yet, 3D imaging is vital to providing the best medical care, so healthcare facilities have had to just shoulder the incredible cost—until now. The imminent release of the Dominion Vi is particularly timely due to the focus on the healthcare industry’s cost structure and the widespread demand for cost accountability and affordability.

The Dominion Vi
The Dominion Vi delivers real-time 3D diagnostic medical imaging. While other devices can deliver 3D imaging, they cannot deliver in real time, instead taking hours, or days to deliver the final result. This time delay makes those other 3D imaging devices less practical for many applications. There are of course, in the hospital environment, situations where time is vital, and the ability to view images in real time could mean a life-saving difference. The applications include use in trauma centers and orthopedic surgery, as well as in pain management, diagnosis of vascular disease, and many other areas, including computer guided and robotic surgery, cardiology, sports medicine, pediatrics, and urology. As a portable, multi-function device, the Dominion Vi is able to perform real-time 3D imaging, as well as offer the same features as a CT scanner at a fraction of the capital cost.

The Market
The medical diagnostic imaging market is at a crossroads. While X-rays have been with us for over a hundred years, digital imaging is a newer technology that goes far beyond the simple X-ray as a superior diagnostic tool. A constant push of technological improvements have given physicians better imaging, more accurate diagnostics, and safer procedures for patients. As a result, medical imaging is one of the most rapidly growing subsectors of the medical industry.

Growing efforts at reform, as well as a recessionary economy, has also resulted in pushing the medical device industry towards greater innovation, delivering greater utility at lower cost, and this is where Imaging3 excels.

The Company
Imaging3 is in the enviable position of having a new technology that offers incredible utility at a reasonable price, and being the only one in the industry offering it. Its patented technology is the only device offering real-time 3D diagnostic medical imaging.

The company’s CEO Dean Janes was recently featured on Wall Street Reporter, where he described the breakout company as being “on the verge of a major milestone.” Upon FDA approval, the Dominion Vi device is likely to be widely embraced by the industry, given the cost pressures being faced by the medical community. Physicians and healthcare facilities are already familiar with the device, which has been featured at the Radiological Society of North America conference.

As an investment opportunity, the publicly-held company, traded over-the-counter under the IMGG ticker, offers a unique opportunity. Although the Dominion Vi is a new product that is still pending FDA approval, the company is no start-up. Imaging3 is the world’s largest remanufacturer of C-Arms, offering new, demo, remanufactured, refurnished, and pre-owned systems.

Market opportunities in solar

2010-01-04T12:03:00.000-08:00

HyperSolar technology breaks down barriers

A famous frog once said, "it's not easy being green." It would seem that it's not cheap, either. Alternative energy technologies such as solar hold great promise, and those who have the money to invest in it are keeping contractors busy installing photovoltaic cells on rooftops all around the world. Start-up solar companies that provide the cells are hanging out their shingles everywhere. That big panel on the rooftop earns you bragging rights as an environmentalist, and long-term, it can save money. But for the time being, it still requires a big capital outlay, and is out of reach for ordinary working people who are just trying to get from paycheck to paycheck.

The promise of solar as an alternative energy source and as an entrepreneurial business investment is indisputable. But for the most part, it has succeeded only when government support and subsidies have been put into place. For solar power to flourish on a free-market basis, the cost must go down to a point where it reaches parity with the conventional electricity grid.

While other solar companies are busy making hay while the sun shines cashing in on tenuous government subsidies and churning out products based on existing technology, a small southern California company called HyperSolar has a different idea and are already taking solar energy to the next level.

There are some interesting parallels between alternative energy and the computer industry. Every year, computers become faster, more efficient, more powerful, and cheaper. Why? Because innovators continue to refine what makes them tick, instead of just continuing to sell the same thing year after year. When the alternative energy industry becomes driven by this same level of innovation, the price will inevitably drop and the efficiency will inevitably increase. HyperSolar's goal is to drive the forward progress of the industry with its own groundbreaking technology, and to accomplish in the energy business what the IT business has become known for—exponentially greater power and lower prices.

HyperSolar lets the sun shine through—better
Although there is a lot of complicated science behind it, solar technology works by taking the power of the sun and transforming it into energy. But standard solar does have some waste and inconsistency, and this is what HyperSolar is overcoming today with their own microphotonics technology. Their thin, flat optical layer is able to collect, concentrate, and deliver more sunlight into the solar cells, and as a result, produce much more power without increasing the number or size of the cells. The result is simple—the cost per watt of electricity is reduced.

The HyperSolar technology replaces the existing top layer of solar panels with the HyperSolar layer, which incorporates efficient micro sunlight collectors directly in the path of sunlight. This allows the same underlying old-school solar cell to be used to produce more electricity. The result is revolutionary, and changes the concept of the flat solar panel forever.

Growth of the solar industry
It's hard to argue with solar's promise. It's clean and it's efficient, and if you live in the right place, you can get a government subsidy or a tax break to install it. If you don't take the installed costs into account, you start saving money on your energy bill almost immediately. But when it comes down to it, most people don't make these energy decisions based on larger environmental concerns, regardless of how supportive they may be of these noble goals. They make these decisions based on how much it costs to install it.

Solar has grown throughout the world, but not because the real price has decreased, it has grown largely due to government subsidies. According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, the average cost of going solar in the US has decreased by nearly a third since 1998, mostly due to state and local government policy. In some states such as Arizona and California, where the solar market is more mature, there has been some drop in installation costs as well.

But more needs to happen to sustain this growth. Solar technology needs to advance so that each solar cell produces more energy so that fewer cells need to be installed.

The current state of the market
The global economic recession and the tight credit market have had an impact on every industry, and solar is no exception. These factors, along with an excess of manufacturing capacity, has also driven down prices somewhat. Despite lowering prices however, there is still some overcapacity, and some solar companies are starting to shut down some product lines and delay new investments—once again contributing to the stagnation of the alternative energy market.

Demand will continue to increase, driven by lower price pressure that results from oversupply, as well as the continued existence of government subsidies, but this alone is not enough. Like the computer industry, the solar industry must continue to rapidly expand the efficiency of solar cells while at the same time driving down the price. This is the singular role that HyperSolar has taken on with its innovative technique.

Oh No! Not another "Future of mobile phones" Story?

2009-11-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

Apple is in a Mad Dash to get to 100,000 apps for the I-Phone

(Wayne Irving)

Yeah, Yeah, so the area of telecom has seen great advances over the past decade or so, and nothing has been more disruptive and ground-breaking than mobile telephony. The ability to talk on the phone while outside of the home or office was in itself a major breakthrough, but today, that simple function is a cheap commodity. Today, the ground-breaking element of mobile telephony is in the development of and [I hate the term sort of] "smart phones" that are nearing the functional equivalent of a small, fully-functioning computer, and the presence of thousands of consumer and business apps that enhance their usability.

Apple Computer is pushing ever so hard to hit a major milestone; reaching 100,000 apps available in its App Store on i-tunes, which carries a wide range of apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. The significance of this number is more than symbolic, it portends two major trends: First, the smart phone market is becoming crowded, and new entrants will push development even further—and most importantly, will result in smart phones becoming the new de facto standard for mobile telephony. Second, the smart phone's status as a "crossover device" is assured.

Development of smart phone apps, driven by an increasing number of platforms, open SDKs and a continuing call for "unlocking" hardware/carrier deals dramatically increase both demand and supply of mobile apps in both consumer and business realms. We will see development of smart phones with increasingly sophisticated apps, including mobile VoIP, as evidenced by Apple's recent, though reluctant, move to allow the Vonage VoIP app into its stable. Further development and demand for more sophisticated apps will create a demand for more sophisticated and powerful phones.

The basic cell phone that makes calls, includes an address book and perhaps a game of "snakes" or "brickbreaker" is fast becoming obsolete. While mobile phones are becoming smarter, laptops, UMPCs and netbooks are becoming smaller and more portable, to the point where the functionality of both will eventually come to equilibrium. This will be furthered even more by the increasingly widespread presence of mobile broadband, mobile VoIP and voice over WiFi, which leads to the development of an all-in-one device for both portable computing, and communication.

In the past, smartphones were divided into two camps; business and consumer. The iPhone took the consumer market by storm, while the BlackBerry held sway over the business market. But Apple, seeing its success in the consumer realm, started targeting the business market; at the same time, RIM started targeting the consumer market with the BlackBerry Curve and Pearl, which has more consumer-oriented features and apps.

Finally, the availability of open SDKs and the resulting storm of development has muddied this arbitrary division further. The entrance of the Google Android platform shook it up even more. The crossover mobile device is eminently suitable for both markets.

Initial resistance to the iPhone on the part of business managers and corporate bean-counters was based in the belief that as a device that gained popularity first in the consumer realm, it would be inappropriate as a corporate device. The fear was that non-business features and apps would potentially compromise the integrity of the device as a business tool, possibly even leading to security breaches. It's a legitimate concern of course, but one that can be overcome. As most security experts now advise, mobile devices, including laptops used for business travel and telecommuting, must adhere to the same security policies as on-premises machines; and connections to the home office should always take place over a secure connection.

The rapid development of apps, not just for the iPhone but for all platforms, will continue to erase the distinction of "consumer" and "business" smart phones. Already, both service providers and handset manufacturers are starting to re-think their strategies towards targeting these markets.

As WiMax and Sprint's G4 network silently goes gangbusters, watch for a new and again, smaller revolution in wireless devices. Remember in the mid 90's when Java was touted to be the platform of the future? It was so lightweight it would run on toasters, alarm clocks, microwave ovens, coffee pots, and any other solidstate controlled device. Well, it still might happen? Your thoughts?

Carbon Sciences: The only real solution to the world’s CO2 problem

2009-08-04T11:58:00.000-07:00

Carbon Sciences: The only real solution to the world’s CO2 problem

by Dan Blacharski (edited by Wayne Irving)

Green energy is fast becoming one of the greatest cutting edge industries in America and abroad. What was once marginalized and seen as the stuff of college campus debates has now become mainstream, and today, new entrepreneurial ventures as well as long-established energy companies are boldly venturing into the realm of alternative energy. These new “green” technologies are already starting to come out of the lab and into production, and are beginning to revolutionize much of what we think about how we use energy, what can be done with the waste product from the manufacturing process, and the viability of innovative technology that can be used to build a sustainable ecosystem that is not harmful to earth’s natural habitat. In short, we now know that it is possible to build an infrastructure that will be environmentally friendly, sustainable over the long run, and cost-effective to produce. Carbon Sciences is at the cutting edge of that technological revolution.

The green energy movement has developed a number of technologies that have enormous potential to move our energy needs in the direction of renewable fuels and transformative energy conversions that capture energy from the manufacturing process and then reprocess that energy into either inert nonpolluting gases, or even better, convert the energy into fuels that can be used again. This is where Carbon Sciences has begun to make its mark. The company tackles two problems at once; the need to produce a cost-effective renewable energy source that reduces dependence on foreign oil, and an answer to the question of how to address the issue of carbon emissions that are already causing serious problems on a global scale. Solutions to the latter range from political solutions like “cap and trade,” to more technological solutions that aim to capture and bury carbon emissions in a process called sequestration. This involves pumping the excess CO2 into the ground so that it cannot harm the atmosphere. It does have its limited merits, but it has been cited by many credible sources as dangerous at best and a ticking time bomb at worst. Carbon Sciences’ approach is to capture those emissions and make use of them by turning them into fuel.

The actual science of transforming carbon dioxide into usable fuel is not new, but Carbon Sciences’ approach to it makes it commercially possible. If Carbon Sciences’ advanced technology can be scaled, it is possible that fully one-third of the world’s CO2 can be converted into liquid fuels such as gasoline or diesel fuel. It would be a breakthrough that could revolutionize our dependence on fossil fuels, reduce the cost of bringing those fuels to market, and create an new industry for efficient energy sources that lower the carbon footprint of countless industries. This new technology could dramatically reduce the need for fossil fuels, and at the same time, help solve a dramatic environmental problem.

Carbon Sciences has developed this new technology which can efficiently recycle carbon dioxide into liquid gasoline and other fuels. The science that allows them to make the conversion is strictly proprietary, but it is known that biocatalysts are involved, as well as enzymes which help the catalytic process accelerate. These processes are captured and moved forward by temperature and pressure variations that optimize the process. In effect, the most favorable conditions for these chemical reactions to take place are used, and these processes are in turn continuing to increase in efficiency through experience and further technology development. Experience with the processes is continuing to spawn new and innovative techniques to further catalyze the reactions and the time to complete the transformation process into the desired resulting fuel.

The early results are promising. The breakthrough technology has the potential to revolutionize how we think about the global CO2 emissions problem. Carbon Sciences and its plan to convert that carbon into liquid fuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel, is a climate saving alternative, and there are few who can disagree with the reasoning. The market potential is enormous, and there is widespread support for just this type of technology both from the public and from political leaders on both sides of the political spectrum. It is almost universally accepted that if we do nothing, there will be substantial climactic consequences—and new technologies from companies like Carbon Sciences are essential for preserving the planet’s ecosystem. And aside from the environmental benefit, the economic benefits cannot be underestimated. Carbon Sciences is just one part of a much larger economic shift towards green technology, and the number of jobs created in the long run will be substantial.

Carbon Sciences turns waste into something useful, and it’s interesting that while Carbon Sciences’ own process produces waste in the form of calcium carbonate, the company already has plans for that as well. There is an enormous market potential for that particular by-product, with different grades of it bringing in anywhere between $5 per ton to upwards of $1000 per ton. Everything from toothpaste, yogurt, PVC, paper, and a host of other products use calcium carbonate as a raw material, giving Carbon Sciences a substantial market to exploit.

It has been reported that calcium carbonate plants are now co-locating alongside paper and other plants because of the economic benefits of reduced transportation costs alone. It has been estimated that the calcium carbonate market is about $20 billion per year; indeed, one report has an estimated two freighters of gypsum per week just to feed one wallboard company in California. And these reports do not take into account that there is a large amount of energy used to mine and process the calcium carbonate. The economic benefits to reduce the carbon footprint and increase the amount of usable calcium carbonate are all too evident from the public reports given so far. Even better, Carbon Sciences is in a unique position to be on both sides of the carbon issue by creating a useful material, and at the same time producing a cost-effective fuel out of the CO2. For those industries that have the need to sequester the CO2 from their production processes (or pay the tax if they cannot, should the cap and trade bill pass the current Congress), it would be far cheaper to simply locate a Carbon Sciences plant nearby to capture the CO2, and turn it into something useful.

The potential is staggering, not just for Carbon Sciences as a company, but for the country’s vast energy infrastructure, and for the environment.

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Carbon Sciences, Inc. is publicly traded under the ticker symbol: CABN.OB

Electric Motors Corp. at the center of local green summit

2009-07-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Electric Motors Corp. at the center of local green summit
By: Marilyn Odendahl (etruth.com, Elkhart Indiana's Hometown Paper)

WAKARUSA -- First, Wil Cashen, chief executive officer of Electric Motors Corp., slammed the green champagne bottle against the pillar. Then he pounded it on the sidewalk several times before the glass shattered and the contents exploded across the pavement.
Although the christening of EMC's Elkhart County home was not flawless, it represented a tangible milestone in the development of a new industry and new jobs in the area. Those who are having trouble believing Cashen will be successful in his plan to manufacture electric-hybrid and electric vehicles here, can look at this building and see "they are here, they are working," said Tom Roeder, town manager of Wakarusa.

The building is the former DeMartini RV dealership that closed shortly after Monaco Coach Corp. announced it was leaving Wakarusa. EMC has purchased the property at the corner of S.R. 19 and Nelson Parkway and will use it for company offices as well as a showroom for its vehicles.
Before EMC moved in, the structure provided the space for the Nappanee Green Summit. The Thursday event, which included the christening ceremony, brought together civic and business leaders to explore how the "green revolution" can spur community development. Cashen, along with Jesse Kharbanda, executive director of the Hoosier Environmental Council, Jo Ann Gora, president of Ball State University and Gordon Moore, vice president of McCormick Motors in Nappanee, were among the guest speakers.

Speaking to the crush of media, Cashen emphasized he wants to create partnerships with different companies who will supply technology and parts to his manufacturing operation. To date, EMC is working with Gulf Stream Coach in Nappanee and Livernois Vehicle Development in Michigan. Also, Cashen said he is negotiating with General Motors to see, as he put it, what products and divisions are in their trash that he might use.

"Integration of technology is an easier step and it's closer to what this community does on a daily basis," Cashen said, explaining EMC will not be developing components and products that are already available. "We integrate technology that has been heretofore supplied to us, meaning the Elkhart community incorporate, from the Detroit area through the automotive industry."
Manufacturing operations will start with retrofitting light-duty trucks with EMC's electric-hybrid drive train system. Cashen said the trucks will look noticeably different when they hit the road and will retail for $42,000 to $80,000.

The grand plans continue to raise questions and even doubts but Cashen's confidence does not waiver, particularly as he is pressed for details. His company's future is not dependent on the $300 million in assistance it has applied for from the U.S. Department of Energy, he said. The federal funds would just enable EMC move forward faster with its plans.

Nappanee Mayor Larry Thompson attributed the uncertainty to the unconventionality of the project.

"For us, it's just so different than anything we could have imagined," he said.
In his hand, Thompson gingerly carried the jagged broken neck of the champagne that Cashen had smashed earlier. He wanted to preserve the artifact that, he said, symbolized the community's future.

However, Cashen noted, the future lies with the knowledge local companies currently have. EMC vehicles will be customized to buyers' specifications which is something Elkhart County companies do now. As an example, he explained, customers will be able to order their vehicles with such components as solar panels and a "unique entertainment system."
"It's a hot rod for the masses," Cashen said.

Gulf Stream is drawing on experience from the van conversion industry to work with "unique technology" and add the creature comforts the vehicles," said Mark Smith, vice president of the intellect technologies group at the recreational vehicle maker.
The goal, Cashen said, is to create a vehicle that gives buyers what they want with the fuel efficiency they need.

Americans don't want small cars," he said. "They don't want to edit they're lifestyle for any reason and they shouldn't have to."

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Electric Motors Corporation is publicly traded under the ticker symbol EMCO.PK

OriginOil set to lead renewable oil market with algae-to-oil innovation

2009-07-24T16:46:00.000-07:00

OriginOil leads renewable oil market with algae-to-oil innovation
By Dan Blacharski

I wrote this story weeks before the most recent EXXONMOBIL announcement. Enjoy the future! It belongs to us.

....The price of a barrel of crude has seen dramatic swings over the past year, and there’s little doubt that we will see prices of greater than $100 a barrel again—and soon. But the fact that our faltering economy is inextricably intertwined with a non-renewable energy source that is largely derived from foreign shores is a model that is doomed to long-term failure. Ethanol made from American corn offered some hope, but this too, has been shown to be economically impractical—and has the unfortunate side effect of rising food prices.

OriginOil, Inc. has perhaps the only practical technology that will lead to energy independence, and that is, transforming algae to renewable oil. The concept has long been discussed, but to date, there have been several obstacles in large-scale production of algae and extraction of algae oil. Those obstacles have been overcome with a new ground-breaking, single-step process, designed by researchers at OriginOil.

There is of course, an abundance of the green slimy stuff that floats on top of ponds and lakes. We see it everywhere in nature, in our backyard ponds, and even in our living room fish tanks. The algae itself can naturally contain up to 60 percent of its weight in oil. So why hasn’t anybody taken advantage of it yet?

That’s the question that spawned the creation of OriginOil, and what may, in the long run, solve the global oil crisis. Although scientists have long been aware of the oil content of algae, cultivating it in large enough quantities and then extracting the oil from it hasn’t been that straightforward. And although we see it everywhere, cultivating it efficiently in large quantities has until now, been challenging. And once cultivated, the algae culture must be concentrated, and the tough cell wall of algae needs to be “cracked,” a process which in itself requires energy. Then finally, the oil, water, and biomass must be separated and processed. And it all must be done on a scale large enough to make a dent in America’s oil imports.

The process
The two major obstacles—efficient cultivation of algae, and efficient extraction of oil, have been solved by OriginOil research. The company’s most recent patent addresses many of the challenges in both areas, and makes the cultivation and extraction highly energy-efficient. The new process significantly improves on older algae harvesting techniques, by combining all of the several steps involved into a single process.

Cultivating algae, using OriginOil’s new process, has become much more efficient, and paves the way for production on a large scale for the first time. The new process consumes less energy through an innovative lighting system designed to optimize the contact that exists between algae and the light course. This energy-efficient production process overcomes one of the main objections to corn biofuel. While corn-based fuels do reduce dependency on foreign oil, the energy costs involved in growing corn and turning it into ethanol far outweigh any short-term benefit that may accrue. Corn-based fuels therefore, from a macroeconomic perspective, are highly inefficient, especially when the displacement of agricultural land previously used for food production is taken into account. Use of algae as an alternative overcomes all of these problems.
The extraction process too has been refined with OriginOil’s patented technology, to dramatically reduce the amount of energy the extraction process consumes. The extraction takes place in a single step, using electromagnetism and pH modification to break the algae’s cell walls. Once the cell walls are broken, extraction takes place naturally as the oil and biomass separate on their own. The oil simply rises to the top, with the biomass sinking to the bottom. The oil can then be skimmed and refined. No chemicals or heavy machinery is required to execute the process.

OriginOil in the limelight
The company, which recently became publicly-traded over-the-counter, has been leading the charge in creating a practical, economically feasible renewable alternative to crude oil. Most recently, the company was recognized in testimony at the Senate Subcommittee on Environment and Public Works. During the testimony, OriginOil was named as one of the most prominent companies in algae-based fuel research.
The company also announced a partnership with the US Department of Energy’s Idaho national Laboratory to further research issues relating to scalability—which will ultimately make algae oil commercially viable.

Benefits of algae energy
Other alternative energy sources have been the subject of much study and debate, but many of them, such as hydrogen and solar, require entirely new infrastructures to be created and would require both a significant financial investment and a national commitment to succeed. Algae-to-oil, on the other hand, would be much easier to bring to a practical stage. It is fast-growing, and it naturally produces is own oil.

There are other organic sources of oil, such as corn and sugarcane, but as we have already seen, relying on these sources for oil production is disruptive both in terms of altering the supply of food to the world, and in destroying farmland and rainforest regions. Algae, on the other hand, once the cultivation and oil extraction processes have been refined and commercialization of the process has occurred, can provide an endless supply of clean energy.

A major benefit of algae as an energy source is that it is completely carbon-neutral. Algae-producing pools consume carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which helps to offset carbon released when energy from any source is burned. In addition, the by-product of the extraction process can be used as animal feed.

Transformative technology
The breakthrough technology has the potential to be one of just a handful of truly transformative technologies that have had a major impact on the world and the global economy. Deriving oil from algae solves the problems and challenges presented by so many other promising alternative energy sources, while also having the potential to create a major green-energy industry in the United States. And finally, the technology, if it is embraced on a large scale, would go a long way towards practically implementing global climate policies.

The transformational aspect of the technology cannot happen without a commitment at the Federal level, and the stimulus bill has made a big impact in the alternative energy and biofuels industry. The Department of Energy for example, has allocated $800 million to biofuels development, with $50 million specifically dedicated to research in algae biofuels.
OriginOil plans to develop a pilot project by the end of 2009, and plans to be in production by 2010. OriginOil plans to use their new breakthrough process for its own production system, and will commercialize the process for use by others as well.

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OriginOil, Inc. is publicly traded under the ticker symbol OOIL

Exxon makes first big investment in biofuels

2009-07-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

By John Porretto, AP Energy Writer

HOUSTON — ExxonMobil said Tuesday it will make its first major investment in greenhouse-gas reducing biofuels in a $600 million partnership with biotech company Synthetic Genomics to develop transportation fuels from algae.

Despite record-breaking profits in recent years, the oil and gas giant has been criticized by environmental groups, members of Congress and even shareholders for not spending enough to explore alternative energy options.

One of the company's requirements was finding a biofuel source that could be produced on a large scale. It says photosynthetic algae appears to be a viable, long-term candidate. If the alliance is successful, pumping algae-based gasoline at Exxon service stations is still several years away and will mean additional, multibillion-dollar investments for mass production.

"This is not going to be easy, and there are no guarantees of success," Emil Jacobs, a vice president at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, said in an interview with the Associated Press. "But we're combining ExxonMobil's technical and financial strength with a leader in bioscientific genomics."

Jacobs said the project involves three critical steps: identifying algae strains that can produce suitable types of oil quickly and at low costs, determining the best way to grow the algae and developing systems to harvest enough for commercial purposes.

Besides the potential for large-scale production, algae has other benefits, Jacobs said. It can be grown using land and water unsuitable for other crop and food production; it consumes carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas blamed for climate change; and it can produce an oil with molecular structures similar to the petroleum products — gasoline, diesel, jet fuel — Exxon already makes.

That means the Irving, Texas-based company will be able to convert the bio-oil into fuels at its own refineries and use existing pipelines and tanker trucks to get it to consumers.

The $600 million price tag includes $300 million for Exxon's internal costs and $300 million or more to La Jolla, Calif.-based Synthetic Genomics — if research and development milestones are successfully met.

"Even though this is a multiyear program, we both still consider it a very aggressive timetable, and it involves a lot of basic research," said J. Craig Venter, founder and CEO of the privately held company. "As a result, you don't know the answers until you've done these tests and experiments."

Algae is considered a sustainable source for second-generation biofuels, which go beyond corn-based ethanol into nonfood sources such as switchgrass and wood chips.

Royal Dutch Shell said earlier this year it would scale back large investments in wind and solar in favor of next-generation biofuels. The European oil giant is working with Canadian company Iogen on a method to produce ethanol from wheat straw, and partnering with Germany-based Choren Industries to develop a synthetic biofuel from wood residue.

Another oil major, BP, plans to team up with Verenium to build a $300 million cellulosic ethanol plant in Highlands County, Fla.

For ExxonMobil, the world's largest publicly traded oil company, the biofuels investment is tiny compared with its spending to find new supplies of crude and natural gas.

CEO Rex Tillerson said earlier this year Exxon's 2009 spending on capital and exploration projects is expected to reach $29 billion, up from the $26.1 billion it spent in 2008. The company said those levels are likely to remain in the $25 billion to $30 billion range through 2013.

AP energy writer Dirk Lammers in Sioux Falls, S.D., contributed to this report.

From Gas Hogs to Electric Engines: The Remaking of an Industrial City

2009-07-14T03:37:00.000-07:00

From Gas Hogs to Electric Engines: The Remaking of an Industrial City
(WaynesGrid.com - July 14, 2009) The region colloquially known as “Michiana,” located about 80 miles east of Chicago and adjacent to the Michigan/Indiana border, has long been a major component of the automotive industry. South Bend, perhaps better known as the home of the University of Notre Dame, built its blue-collar success on the presence of the venerable Studebaker automobile plant until its untimely demise in the 1960s. Next door in the city of Mishawaka, named after an Indian princess, is where the massive Hummer is manufactured. Recently sold to Chinese interests, the new owners plan to continue manufacturing the gas-guzzling SUVs in the Mishawaka facility. The City of Elkhart, just to the east, has built its own fortune on the recreational vehicle industry.

Take a drive through the countryside around Elkhart and you’re likely to encounter plain, black horse-drawn buggies driven by straw-hatted, long-bearded Amish men whose lifestyle is about as far away from RVs, SUVs and campers as you can get. Yet the economic collapse of this industry has affected everyone in the area—even the mostly self-sufficient Amish, who sometimes work in the factories.

Elkhart, a small town of only about 50,000, has always enjoyed low unemployment, as plenty of good paying, blue-collar jobs could be had by anyone willing to look for them. And with the average home selling at under $100,000, Elkhart’s industrial base and thriving economy represented the American dream to many—and was one of the few towns left in America where it can still be achieved by an ordinary working person. That is, until people stopped buying RVs, and unemployment went from the lowest in the nation to the highest.

The heartland meets the coast
While Elkhart’s leaders struggled to find more heavy industry to replace the RV makers that have failed, the city’s future success actually came from a completely unexpected place. While Michiana represents the old guard of heavy industry and gasoline engines, new companies on the West Coast are coming out with innovations in green energy and creating a whole new industry. But what those West Coast companies lack is the collective industrial and manufacturing knowledge that can only come out of the Midwest. Wilhelm Cashen, the CEO of Camarillo, California-based Electric Motors Corp., understood the inevitability of a meeting of the minds.
There will come a time when people once again want to buy recreational vehicles, but in the meantime, the clean energy business is growing faster than any other segment. According to a report from the Pew Charitable Trusts, jobs in clean energy grew two and a half times faster than other types of jobs between 1998 and 2007. The clean energy economy is creating jobs in every state—and investment in this segment is growing, both from private venture capital and new government initiatives.

For now, the City of Elkhart, and the whole state of Indiana, is looking towards Electric Motors Corp. to save this economically devastated city from ruin. And Cashen may just be able to pull it off. A native of Michiana himself, Cashen, joined by Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, went to Indiana recently to unveil his plans for his company and for the city of Elkhart.

Cashen is as passionate about revitalizing the city of Elkhart as he is about electric vehicles. With the support of local government, the governor, and the community as a whole, the project has tremendous momentum. Hundreds, and ultimately thousands, of jobs could be created in the area, returning Elkhart to its former glory. Already, there has been an enormous response to the news, with hotlines and web sites set up to accommodate the thousands of workers interested in applying for the jobs.

In addition to the expected 1,600 jobs created directly from the new Electric Motors Corp. plant, thousands of other jobs would be created indirectly. Most economists state that for every industrial job created, at least five more are needed to accommodate the growth. Smaller firms will need to go into high gear to supply the factory. Restaurants and retailers will once again flourish as workers, newly flush with cash, go into spending mode.

An industry whose time has come
The era of the internal combustion engine was responsible more than any other industry for the growth and success of the industrial Midwest. Ever since Clement Studebaker started making wagons, and later, automobiles, in South Bend so many years ago, Michiana has been a place where immigrants came to make a new life, and where people from all over the country migrated to find productive, good-paying jobs and comfortable, affordable homes. That lifestyle, built on heavy industry, can be continued and even enhanced through a new industry—that of clean and efficient transportation.

Rising fuel prices, the collapse of the housing industry, the recession and record-high unemployment on one side are already converging with the expansion of a new industry and a demand for clean and efficient transportation to create a “perfect storm” of opportunity. This opportunity, centered in Elkhart, Indiana, will ultimately bring ground-breaking changes to not only this particular region of the Midwest, but to the entire country as we shift towards a new industrial model.
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Electric Motors Corporation is traded on the public markets under the ticker symbol: EMCO

Finding a GEM in Waste Management

2009-07-14T03:32:00.000-07:00

Finding a GEM in Waste Management
(WaynesGrid.com - July 14, 2009) There are not many companies that can lay claim to a 17.9 percent increase in revenues over a year’s time, especially in today’s economy. With most industries either losing ground or just barely holding steady, there are just a few standouts. General Environmental Management, Inc. (OTCBB: GEVI) is one such company.

If you think that waste management is all about big trucks and garbage men in dirty overalls, think again. The waste management industry itself has evolved to a highly complex, heavily regulated, and technology-based business. What is legitimate to discard, what do you have to recycle, and how do you dispose of hazardous waste? What are the regulations that apply to each industry, and how do you comply? How do you prove compliance? Those and other high-level, strategic questions plague management in every industry.

General Environmental Management (GEM) can answer those questions. The integrated environmental service firm provides field services, as well as remediation, EHS compliance services, on-site technical services, and off-site treatment to its industrial clients. All of the company’s services revolve around their proprietary enterprise software platform, called GEMWare, which tracks all waste management activities, including the management, handling, packaging, and transportation of waste, along with the recycling, treatment, and disposal. The company operates seven field service locations and one treatment, storage and disposal facility.
Commitment to the environment.

GEM is committed to lead waste management efforts into the our future by creating and participating in pro-eco programs while meeting and exceeding compliance requirements by local, state, and federal governments. GEM is so heralded that its management has participated with the government in the formulation of new environmental regulations. Recently, the EPA recently asked for permission to use and redistribute GEM’s pro-eco environmentally conscious company music video for their training purposes. You can see the video on their website at www.go-gem.com.

Recycling programs have become pervasive all across the country, and these programs have proven essential to maintaining a cleaner environment and conserving valuable resources. In managing both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, GEM’s first priority is to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, and then, to maximize recycling options so as to keep the environmental impact to a minimum. In those cases where recycling or treatment isn’t viable, GEM determines the most appropriate and cost-effective means of disposal.
A growing business.

GEM’s diligence and dedication to the environment has paid off. First-quarter revenues stood at $8.2 million, up 17.9 percent over the year-ago quarter. On a whole-year basis, GEM saw $34.86 million in revenue for 2008, up 14.5 over the previous year. An impressive increase by any measure.

GEM’s continued growth is marked by its most recent expansion, which is a new service location in Benicia, California. The facility, located in Northern California’s petro-chemical industrial corridor, will be well-positioned to service this burgeoning market and fill a desperate need in this region.

The company’s innovative Mobile Treatment Services business in particular has seen impressive growth. A niche market with great potential, GEM’s Mobile Treatment Services (GEM MTS), created from the company’s acquisition of the former K2M Mobile Treatment Services, Inc., operate transportable treatment units for processing of industrial and petroleum wastewater, contaminated groundwater, and other contaminated liquids. The mobile treatment business unit also provides tank degassing and vapor control services for customers falling under the scrutiny of the clean air regulations.

This innovative and lucrative niche market has already saved GEM’s clients millions of dollars, while also helping those clients to meet their compliance requirements and limit environmental liabilities. The mobile treatment unit offers qualified, certified personnel, emergency response and rapid mobilization services, and national coverage. GEM Mobile Treatment Services maintains the largest fleet of thermal oxidizers in the nation.

In addition to its mobile treatment services business, GEM offers a fully integrated set of services, including hazardous and industrial waste management, web-based information management, in-plant services, transportation, waste minimization, waste exchange programs, training services, environ-construction, a treatment/storage/and disposal facility, and household hazardous waste collection.

Plans for a National Listing
Strong organic growth, together with a focus on continuous improvement and implementation of cost-cutting measures, will no doubt place this dynamic company firmly into positive profitable territory in the foreseeable future. The closely-held company is currently working towards an application to move from over-the-counter trading to a national exchange like the AMEX or NASDAQ , an exciting move that would push this powerful company firmly into the limelight and almost surely trigger global attention. Recent road shows through New York, Chicago, Dallas and Houston have proven successful, with plans for broader exposure in the 4th quarter. Folks, I think the target price per share of $10 will be within reach once trading picks up, and the company accomplishes its first profitable quarter.
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General Environmental Management is traded on the public markets under the ticker symbol: GEVI