Tim Reha

Last February Yahoo! knocked off Digg with a similar service that lets the general internet audience rate stories in a way that will bubble up the best peer-rated-content to the top of the Buzz Results.

Yahoo started with only a few handful of websites that had the infrastructure to handle the flood of traffic.

Today Yahoo! opens Yahoo! Buzz up to the masses so anyone’s content may raise to the top.

To get on the Buzz Wagon, visit http://buzz.yahoo.com/buttons and set up your website templates with the Buzz Buttons.

Here are some marketing tips:

• Create great content in mixed media format such as a blog post with videos and photos
• Be sure to tag the content using the correct keyword/keyword phrases that match what your audience is looking for
• Syndicate the videos and photos in the blog post using syndication services
• Leverage your social networks to get your friends to vote your story up on Digg and Yahoo! Buzz
• Follow up on Blog Comments to keep the buzz going

A lot of small companies do not have the time to manage the complex process that is constantly changing to leverage internet marketing. The best thing to do is focus and choose your best ROI per hour spent on internet marketing. Get interns!

What tips do you have for buzz marketing?

–Tim

Every four years the Summer Olympics is a key indicator where we are on the innovation curve for global internet technology. The massive amounts of video the Olympics generates and massive demand for video is a key metric that global advertising agencies and advertisers look to as a  benchmark.

Jason Perlow over at ZDNET http://blogs.zdnet.com/perlow/?p=9221 has a great blog post that covers how the Olympics has tapped Limelight Networks “Off the Cloud” network to supply Olympics web video coverage to the masses.

The article covers the team of technologies that make it all happen EMC’s SRDF to Microsoft’s Silverlight.  On that note, Microsoft has forced anyone who wants to watch the Olympics video’s to download their Silverlight browser plugin. They are gunning for Adobe’s flash domination over the internet.

The key knowledge gained from the article is how to leverage technology and “Off the Cloud” computing to push your video content to the “edge of the network” to eliminate as many hops as possible from the end user.

A friend’s company Grid Networks provides a mix of edge network, grid computing and bit torrent technologies. This is the future of web video distribution.

This past month I had the pleasure to work with Mr. Glen Hiemstra a noted futurist and speaker who founded Futurist.com.

The project was framed as an internet TV show. The project was also delivered as an HD TV show and DVD for use as a pilot.

Here is an excerpt from Glen’s blog post. Visit his site for the rest of the details and video segments.

“The future of housing in the United States, and the world, is one of the most important issues we face. In the U.S. housing has been hit with a perfect storm:

1. Demographic changes including an older population, smaller households, and a younger population with differing values – all of which mean a mismatch between what is built, and what is needed in the future.

2. High energy costs, and a need to reduce the carbon footprint, which again means a mismatch between what is built and what is needed.

3. High income inequality, and lower relative incomes for most of the population – which again means a mismatch between what is built, and what is needed in the future.”

Here is a great post by my friend Marshall Kirkpatrick at ReadWriteWeb.com

“A one year follow up on a study of social media adoption at 500 of the fastest growing companies in the US has found that familiarity with and use of blogs, podcasting, wikis, online video and social networking has skyrocketed in 2008 to nearly double what it was in 2007. 77% of respondents now report at least some use of a social media tool in their business.”

There are a number of graphs on the website that clearly display the force multiplier gained by combining multiple technologies and web applications such as Social Networking, Message Boards, Blogs, Video, Podcasts and WiKis.

The new skill set that is really hot and hard to find is people who understand how to code an integrated web application that mix the above web technologies in way that is search engine optimized. The next skill will be to make the application mobile.

Obviously, I am very busy and have yet to deploy my new blog/personal site that will incorporate an array of communications web services, photo automation and video. Basically, I am waiting for the new Expression Engine software to come out of beta tests. When completed I will spend this winter to code a cool new site (what I call a “Multimedia Social Network” application) with custom templates to render pages for iPhones and mobile devices. In the mean time I am using Word Press, a basic CMS system that really I hate but am just using because my workload is huge and need the new system from Ellis Labs.
If you want to move your career forward, get a small hosting account, drink redbull for six months straight and lock the door while you learn to code. Then you will be free to work for yourself or take a job as a social networking expert or consultant. This tied with SEO is the hot field of today. Just check out Craig’s List and you will see that the competition is fierce for talent. I get about ten job offers a week from my Linked In account alone.

Marshall goes on to add key data about enterprise use of social media….

“Related recent studies include Universal McCann’s findings that half of adults in the US now use some form of social media online and the April prediction from Forrester Research that “Enterprise 2.0″ will become a $4.6 billion industry over the next 5 years.”

Marshall’s article ends with a cool “Hype Cycle Graph”.

THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS?

We are still missing the connectivity that bridges you from just surfing a “Social Newtworking” profile into a “click to communicate paradigm”. I get to see some cool technology as the “new media guy” for the Future in Review Conference.

Here is what I see as we move forward. The web and mobile are merging and your phone will be both a server, WIFI hotspot, computer, video projector, haptics device and location aware GPS unit among other technologies as we enter “Super Convergence”. Social networks connect people, but what is missing is taking the communications between people from the current text based system into a rich media interaction.

Social Networking in Super High Fidelity!

The experience gets better when the price point drops 5K Red Epic Cameras to the price of webcams. Then you can bridge two 5K Epics together to create a Stereo 3D Telepresence experience. Sony and a few other brands are out with 4K projectors, so we have input and output at 8.8 million pixels. The HiPerSpace wall at Calit2 has 220 million pixels to give you an idea of what the bleeding, cutting edge is…

1080P HD (1920X1080) is 50 dots per inch. These displays also do not yet approach the resolution and dynamic range of film or magazine-quality print: 1,200 and 300 dpi, respectively.

SOCIAL NETWORKS + PANS (Personal Area Networks)

The new mobile phones will take social networking to a new paradigm known as a Personal Area Network (PAN). Thus, your social network will be binded to your iPhone GPS location and the selected “state” that you select for yourself and a number of “social filters” that eliminate unwanted noise in your PAN social network. A number of startups already have location aware social network software working on the iPhone today. The real innovation is the convergence that the iphone brings as an interface device, motion sensor, and location aware device.

We will see haptics integration so your friend on your social network will send you a “nudge” and you will feel it via haptics.

Another quick piece to add is visual communications that will connect you visually from your PAN social network right from your phone via an video projector that is built right in the phone. Microvision a Washington State company has a Pico Projector.

So what digital media assets does a global brand marketer create when we see super convergence tie social networks, hand held computers, location aware PANS and new micro-sized stereo 3D projection technologies with HD micro cameras?

What does the search page look like in this paradigm?

Check out SkinPlex

Skinplex offers data transfer and near field detection through skin.

So your body’s electric field will be a future interface for social network application. Gestures = Communication. No batteries at 100 nano amps.

Cruise on over to the Interactive Institute (Sweden) and Information Lab

Your comments are invited. Best, Tim Reha

Here is some good data on Social Bookmarking Web Services. These are a good avenue to build viral syndication campaigns and to make your digital media assets discoverable. The article says that Email is still the top tool for syndication followed by Facebook and Digg.
http://www.labnol.org/internet/most-popular-social-bookmarking-services/4191/ 

2010 will be a big year. We have the Winter Olympics hosted at Whistler, Canada and now the World Advertising Congress in Russia.

I am a long-time supporter for the World Advertising Congress and have enjoyed knowing members of the executive team since 1996 when I was in Korea working at Oricom Communications.

In 2010 I invite you to join my trade delegation to the next World Advertising Congress in Russia.

Get your passport ready for this trip. I am looking for emerging growth new media technology companies with an eye for international growth.

The congress is a great platform and excuse to travel to amazing countries. The experience is always first class with top-down connections. In China, for example we were invited by the Vice-Chairman of China to a special dinner at the Summer Palace.

More information is at http://www.iaaglobal.org

Read the official press release.

http://www.iaaglobal.org/file.ashx?fid=27129436-99ba-4d62-af63-23c5a17899cf 

Warm Regards, Tim Reha

Hi Everyone,

As you may know I led the NW delegation to the 2004 World Advertising Congress, Beijing,  China and as an adviser for the USA KOREA Trade Summit.

While the USA market sector is taking a hit many companies are growing rapidly in international markets. This is where the action and growth is for emerging growth companies.

Below is some valuable information that CTED is providing for companies interested in China and international trade. You may also fine more trade information at the Washington Stage China Trade Council http://wscrc.org

Feel free to contact me for other China connections. Richard Robinson (Linktone) runs a large entrepreneurial network in BJ (thats Beijing).

http://www.linkedin.com/in/richardrobinson 

Cheers, Tim Reha

CTED Welcomes New Representative in China

VISIT THIS LINK TO THE CTED CHINA INFORMATION

CTED has hired the Shanghai-based consulting firm of Tractus Asia Ltd. to provide trade and investment recruiting representation in China. The contract will help the state integrate the trade services it provides in China in an efficient and coordinated manner.

“Tractus has a long history of successfully helping companies develop business in Asia,” said Mark Calhoon, managing director for international trade at CTED. “This will enhance our economic development strategy in China by increasing sales of Washington products in the country and attracting foreign direct investment to the state.”

The contract is for country-wide coverage and will be coordinated from Tractus’ office in Shanghai. Tractus, an investment consulting firm, has been active in trade promotion and investment attraction for 13 years. In addition to Shanghai, the company has offices in Hong Kong, China; Thailand; and Vietnam.

International trade services that Washington companies have traditionally received in China are still available. Tractus will continue to provide businesses with high quality services, free of charge. In addition, the contact ensures that client information is kept private and secure.
Tractus joins CTED’s trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) team, which includes overseas representatives in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Europe and Mexico, and industry specialized international business advisors based in Seattle.

I love music, funky music, real music.

http://filez.om-records.com/rithma/home.html

Grove on the new OM Records Release Rithma. Its PHAT! BOOTIE ROCKIN.

Grab this on WAX, Vinyl while you can. Limited release. This one is better than good, harmonics are amazing, the funk is solid, you will love it if you have a single funky bone in your soul.

T.

The web hype engine is now back at it again, pitching “Web 3D”. Here is a recent post from DEMO http://www.demo.com/community/?q=node/163356

Way back in S.F in 1997 I met with a number of the founders of the VRML (virtual reality markup language) movement at Intermedia World Conference. Mark Andreesen was there with the rest of the first wave web billionaires..

The promise back then was “3D Web” environments, like video games, virtual spaces, I.E. snowcrash. It is really obvious that a lack of bandwidth and processing power, plus HD large computer screens killed the early movement. A decade later, in the USA, our bandwidth is still a JOKE so this 3D market will take a bit longer to really go mass market.

My gripe here is everyone does not realize what that real “STEREO 3D” is NOT the same as the “2D, 3D” that the hype factory is pitching as 3D. They are all WRONG and do not get it.

99.99% of all “Web Experts” and bloggers out there have never experienced true Stereo 3D at 4K super high definition resolutions. The experience from a web quasi 3D virtual world such as Second Live is far less mind bending than true 4K 3D. You will just not “get it” until you are in a StarCave or real Holodeck and experience your breath being taken away while your brain is melting.

True 4K 3D or “RedRay 3D” and a combination of synergistic technologies (mind control interfaces, camera tracking and haptics) will change everything….

What is true Stereo HD, Full Immersion in Super high fidelity?

Stereo 3D is immersive, you are in the picture, it surrounds you, the audio surrounds you, just think Holodeck, think multiple screens all around you with you wearing a head piece for head tracking that dynamically moves the screens at rapid speeds to provide optical 3D without glasses. Otherwise, we are talking about a stereo video headset.

Real 3D in Stereo at 4K (4times current HD) is a reality at the Calit2 Labhttp://www.futureinreview.com http://citi.sdsu.edu/gallery/projects/Calit2/starcave/view . This is the future, the “2D, 3D” is a stair in the step to the future. See this in person at the next Future in Review 2009 event at

The Starcave is the cutting edge and build from off the shelf technology with “not off the shelf” exotic programming by the collective brains at Calit2 .

This is the web future, the entertainment future and gaming future. The search engine future will be not siloed in a stupid 2D browser, we are in firs grade people. Look to the video game industry to understand the future of search visualization. Google is pushing into the video game advertising space right now and I bet will be buying up some innovated 3D gaming technology companies to merge with their Lively Virtual World system.

The new keypad and “joystick” will be a combination of mind control, camera body tracking and haptics body suits.

Emotiv and other stealth Mil-Tech companies have mind control working today. See www.emotiv.com

Here is a recent UK demo of “Processing” visit http://www.processing.org to understand how a camera trained on people in an interactive exhibit can control visualizations. Now imagine this in 4K3D , this will be ultra, rad, super cool, fun.Now ask yourself what the “Google” of the future looks like when search goes 4K 3D ? First of all, rendering and creating 4K 3D content is processor intensive. I imagine a distributed web cloud rendering service by the search companies so they are able to bridge the production gap for companies to create webscale 4K3D digital media assets. In order to have a 4K3D cloud you have to provide tools and processing horsepower and training to the business and entertainment mass market digital media producers, brands and science projects.

There will be a number of really amazing innovations that tie super high fidelity with 3D and feedback via a haptics bodyglove.

Convergence rules all and 4K 3D space is the edge. Enjoy and get down to Calit2!

Your comments are welcome. Tim Reha