TechAddress

Conjunctured’s Take on Austin Coworking (video)

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:31:24 +0000

We’re wrapping up the interview series from the Austin leg of the SummerMash stop, and one of my very favorite interviews and very favorite startup ideas I came across during my night in Austin is the coworking space Conjunctured.

In case your unfamiliar with the term “coworking,” it’s a variant on the idea of an office incubator, where small startups can pool their resources to get office space and all the accoutrements of an office without paying the high price tag it can take to acquire all they myriad of electronics, furniture and physical space. Back in the late nineties, there was another form of the idea, we called them geek-houses. A slightly more intense version of the concept, it was where anywhere from four to nine (or more) industry geeks would pool their resources and create what ended up looking like something from the movie Hackers and calling it home.

There’s an interesting dichotomy for a lot of us in the tech sector - we like being our own bosses and setting our own agendas, but we miss some of the trappings of what the corporate world can offer. A coworking space can give that added benefit of providing a sense of community for startups to belong to when their company may only consist of one or two employees. As someone who’s coded for companies with no other programmers on staff, I know how difficult that can be.

John Erik Metcalf, one of the founders of Conjunctured, sat down with Aaron Novak during the Austin SummerMash stop to chat about the history of the company. The interview could essentially serve as a step by step way to bootstrap your own coworking space in your area (something I’m actually considering in a few months, after I move back to the DFW area).

It’s an interesting peek into a company that took the time to design an execute a growth based business model (something that’s rare these days) as well as an intriguing glimpse into the burgeoning Web 2.0 culture of Austin, Texas. You can watch the interview via the embed below, or download the MP4.

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StudentOfFortune is like Ebay for Homework

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:31:01 +0000

Source:Mashable!

Digital Rights Management (DRM) sound pretty innocuous and not something that you would think could be the biggest deal breaker between consumers and the entertainment industry. After all DRM could have meant ways for you to manage all the entertainment media you have paid for.

Instead though it has been used as a weapon by the entertainment industry and parts of the software industry; like gaming, to brow beat us into using the product the way they want us to. It doesn’t matter that we pay a pretty penny for these products or that we have this belief that when we buy something we own it and can do what we want with it.

No, when it comes down to the bottom line anything like DRM is only meant to increase the profit of those supplying the product while removing our rights as to what we can do with the product.

One of the biggest players in DRM has always been Microsoft. Whether it be released software or creating means by which other companies could enforce an MS brand of DRM the Redmond giant has been a proponent of digital rights management.

Then today we hear from Mary Jo Foley that Microsoft is further muddying the DRM waters by announcing the fact that they are joining the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE). This consortium of businesses that includes Cisco, Warner Brothers, Sony, Best Buy among a host of other companies; with the exception of Apple, proposes a policy of buy once, play anywhere.

Now before you get all excited at the prospect of the time when you might actually be able to do what you want with something you have paid for you might want to ask the same questions that Ms. Foley did

Will the DECE come up with some kind of new DRM scheme, one that will require brand-new, DECE-enabled devices? And will Windows somehow be part of this new mix? Engadget is reporting there will be some kind of “rights locker,” where digital purchases will be stored. If that is the case, what does that mean for the forthcoming “Skymarket” Windows Mobile 7 app store, the Zune VideoX initiative or even Live Mesh?

The problem is that nobody is answering those questions at this point.

The thing is that no matter what kind of consortium all these companies might want to create to protect their profit margins none of them will work in the long run. As each efforts at new forms of DRM are thought of they are just as quickly broken.

The fact is that people quite rightly feel that if they pay out good money for something then it is theirs and they will do what they want with it. This mentality has has also been compounded by the increasing attitude that stuff available on the Internet should be free.

It doesn’t matter whether or not someone has spent months or years on a product - the moment it hits the Internet it is suppose to be free and if it isn’t is will soon be made that way - especially for the more net savvy people. It doesn’t matter if we block the ads that are supposed to pay for the product you have downloaded - it’s free and it’s your right to have it without any cost.

We are building this attitude of entitlement into the very fabric of the web and there isn’t a company around that is going to be able to combat that with any type of DRM.

Just as there are people who say that the advertising supported business model is headed down a slippery hill the same can be said of companies who are relying on any kind of DRM technology. It’s just a matter of time.

Source:Mashable!

Student of Fortune is not a joke or a scam. They’re a service that claims to be the Ebay for homework and compares themselves to Yahoo Answers. However, there is a big difference between Yahoo Answers and Student of Fortune. Namely, money. People are actually making good money answering tough questions from students all over the globe.

If You Ask It They Will Answer

The heart of the service is the Post a Question form. This is where students post whatever tough question or homework assignment they have and the amount of money they are willing to pay for the answer. Eventually, if someone out there has the answer, the transaction is completed and the student gets their answer and the person who provided the information gets paid by Student of Fortune which acts as the broker.

Knowledge is Cash

Many people, known as tutors, are generating decent revenue by simply selling the same answers repeatedly over and over again. They usually pick a topic that they’re proficient in and cover all questions in that subject matter.

There’s even a leaderboard that tracks those who’ve made the most money on the site.

Learning vs Earning

So who benefits the most from this site? Is it the student that actually learns the answers to their questions and completes their homework assignment instead of flunking it? Or is it the one that provides the answer and earns compensation for their effort? Or is it the service itself? What about everyone involved?

Here’s more information from an interview by Aaron Novak from Stickam at our SummerMash LA event.

Final Exam

Some people out there will undoubtedly have problems with this service and what it does. Some will question how ethical it is to allow students to “cheat” and pay someone to do their dirty work. Others will think it’s a good example of true American ingenuity. What do you think? Is it right for students to buy answers this way? Please share your thoughts in the comments area. No, we will not pay you for that!

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A Conversation with a Green Girl (video)

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:34:58 +0000

Source:Mashable!

In another interview from the Los Angeles stop on the SummerMash tour, Aaron Novak, the host of all the on the road interviews, brings us a short conversation with Apple Levy from TheGreenGirls.tv, a new ecoblog centered in LA, but covering the worldwide green movement.

Her blog tries to put an entertainment spin on the green movement, covering the news and views from greentech, eco-friendly companies with the purpose to inspire folks to live a more ecology conscious lifestyle. Features on the site include not just the typical blogging fare on what’s new in business and the non-profit world, but features like a weekly video wrap-up, the eco-hottie of the week and tips for organic and healthy living.

Watch the interview by playing the embed below or downloading the MP4.

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Want an Exit? Have $10 Million Handy

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:30:06 +0000

Source:Mashable!

The SummerMash tour is over, but the interviews keep on rolling out. We’re still rendering the Los Angeles interviews, and of the four or five that I edited last night, this one was particularly interesting and short conversation.

Aaron, our remote host at the SummerMash events sat down with Lisa Mazur-White of Ion Capital, an investment firm that’s looking to branch out into technology firms with their new office located in Los Angeles. In her description of the type of technology firms they’re looking to partner with, she casually dropped that she’s particularly interested in companies with $10 million in revenue or more.

It’s a bit of a shocking requirement for those of us that deal with startups on a daily basis. Your average Web 2.0 company is started on far less than $10 million and doesn’t have revenues to speak of (and those that do sit pretty in the $10 million revenue range generally aren’t worried about an exit, they’re looking to make an acquisition of their own).

Still, the discussion is an interesting glimpse into the new types of firms on the prowl in our space. To watch the interview, play the embed below or download the MP4.

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Pete Cashmore Talks SummerMash (video)

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:32:58 +0000

Source:Mashable!

The SummerMash Tour may be over as of tonight, but thanks to Aaron from Stickam and his unstoppable propensity to do about three hundred interviews a night, we’ll be playing the interviews from this tour well into our senior years. This particular interview was done at the Los Angeles stop on the tour, and Pete came by the Stickam booth to reflect on his experience thus, comparing LA, SFO and Seattle, and the different feels of each meet.

Aaron and Pete also took a minute to recap some of the more innovative companies they had run into on the tour so far. You can check out their thoughts by playing the embed below, or by downloading the MP4.

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SummerMash NYC is Streaming Live

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:30:11 +0000

Source:Mashable!

Mashable is rocking the U.S. SummerMash Tour in New York City for our final stop on the tour. We’re at Touch and are ready to party with a crowd of 600 tonight. We have some exciting things in store and you won’t want to miss out. We’re also joined by our sponsors, Sun Startup Essentials, Yoono, mySites, MoneyStrands, Kickapps, ffwd and special friends Social Radi.us and Stickam.

Can’t make the event? No problem. Check out the live stream from exclusive video partner Stickam (after the jump). They’re conducting interviews throughout the night and reporting on the happenings at the event.

Want to join us on tour? Check out the other upcoming stops on the U.S. Summer Tour:Boston | New York City

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25 Sites to Experience the Beijing Summer Olympics

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:35:28 +0000

Source:Mashable!

UStream, the free video streaming service, has added announced more social features very akin to the features YouTube and MySpace have available. Amongst the new features you’ll recognize, they’re adding bulletins, subscriptions, and followers (as well as a few management tools to go along with).

These additions make the social features somewhat more complete on the system. Before there was only the ability to subscribe to other producers and maintain your subscriptions, but with the addition the bulletins features (and the other management tasks relating to your followers), has the potential to really cement the developing community at the site with bi-directional communication.

As those of us who have decided to wade in hip-deep to Twitter and FriendFeed know, just as important as the tools to connect are the tools to block. Included in the update is just that functionality, which not only prevents you from seeing their updates but them from seeing yours as well.

Source:Mashable!

Once every four years athletes from around the world come together to compete in the summer Olympics. This year they have traveled to Beijing, China, and with the games about to begin, we’ve gathered 25 sites to help you experience them and learn more.

Discover the various sports and athletes, create activities for the kids, and maybe even feed those that come over to watch the festivities with you.

What sports will you be watching and who will you be rooting for? Leave your thoughts in the comment below and show support for the athletes of your home country, wherever that may be!

Informational

Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics - The official site of the host city for this summer’s games. Has schedules, information on the venues, weather reports and more.

China.org.cn - China’s official site has its own Olympic section that differs from the official games’ site. It has news from around China that impacts the games, simple words in Chinese you can learn that relate to the Olympics, weather reports and more.

International Association of Athletics Federations - The I.A.A.F. is, as the name implies, is the organization that oversees all of the various athletic federations.

International Olympic Committee - Home page of the governing body behind everything to do with the Olympics such as rules, city selections and so on.

London 2012 - London, England is the site of the next summer Olympics in 2012.

Olympic.cn - The official site of the Chinese Olympic Committee.

TeamUSA.org - The official site of the USA Olympic team for all of the various sports. They also feature blogs written by a number of the athletes.

Vancouver 2010 - The official site of the next winter Olympics in Vancouver Canada in the year 2010.

News & Video

ABC - The Australian Broadcasting Company is covering the games for the land down under. Has profiles of Australian Olympic legends, a smog watch for the city of Beijing, and current athlete profiles.

BBC - The BBC website has in-depth interviews with athletes, interactive maps of the venues, offers versions of the site that are keyed towards an international viewer or can be switched over to the UK-centric version.

CBC - Canadian Broadcasting Company coverage of the 2008 summer Olympics.

ESPN - It’s only natural that the biggest sports network in the United States would have coverage. Besides the day-to-day coverage, they also have histories, athlete profiles, fan guides and more.

Fox Sports - Easy medal tracker for each country at the top of the page along with lengthy analysis on the chances of the USA in many of the sports.

NBC Olympics - The official network for the games in the United States, NBC’s site has detailed information on each of the different sports and the athletes that will be participating in each, along with too many features to properly list.

NBC Olympics On The Go - A service for Windows Vista users with Media Center. Download the program, subscribe to your favorite events, and have them delivered directly to your computer so you can even watch them offline.

Sports Illustrated - Besides all of the usual trappings of a medal tracker, photos and the such, they also have reports on stars to watch out for in each sport and how they do this time around.

Yahoo Sports - Offers mobile updates as well as medal counts, detailed analysis and several more features.

Olympics For Kids

Dodger’s Olympic Lodge - The Canadian Broadcasting Company site for kids where there mascots Dodger and Phil will be covering the games in a kid friendly manner.

FactMonster.com - Has information on the latest Olympics as well as the results for the past few years with complete medal counts and break downs by sport.

FreeKidsCrafts.com - Has Olympic themed crafts for kids to do such as making beaded versions of the Olympic flag, medals you can print out, a paper torch like the one used for these games and more.

Kaboose.com - Features printable crafts, coloring pages with a sports theme, and interviews with Olympians who also happen to be mothers, to see how they juggle everything.

MakingFriends.com - Instructions for making flag pins, Olympic paper dolls, puppets and much more.

Recipes & Entertaining

AllRecipes.com - Has a few Olympic-themed recipes such as Olympic Ring Pizza that will add some flare to your party.

Epicurious.com - Over 300 recipes for those of you wishing to throw Olympic themed parties or gatherings.

Homecooking.about.com - Five recipes that are based in classic Greek cooking to help you get the feel of the original games.

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SummerMash Boston is Streaming Live

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:31:48 +0000

Source:Mashable!

It’s been a while since I’ve heard much from FeedBlitz, and even longer since they’ve been profiled here at Mashable. In fact, the last time they did anything that got written up here was summer of last year when Kristen talked about a new “Web 2.0 Newsletter Service.” Jason Clarke over at DownloadSquad profiled a service from FeedBlitz today, and it may be many things he says, but one thing you can’t say is that it doesn’t rest inside an innovative business model.

The general idea seems to be splogging as a service - that is they are offering as a service (a paid service, to be exact) the ability to register a subdomain of FeedBlitz in which you can syndicate your existing content to a customizable page, or pretty much the same thing you can do on any number of free webhosting solutions, but for $9.99 a month.

Instead of simply realizing somewhere along the way that this was a sort of silly idea to ask people to pay for, FeedBlitz has gone pro-active and started direct mailing content producers like Jason, encouraging them to sign up:

I feel secure though, because I received an email from FeedBlitz letting me know about this new service, and telling me that they’ve taken the time to reserve three possible subdomains for me that I might want on their site. And as long as I pay for them by August 10th, I don’t have to worry about the teeming hordes of internet bad guys out there that are looking to steal them out from under me. Uh, right.

So what we’re looking at is the implication that they’re creating a site for you, possibly with your content, and if you don’t buy the service, someone else will.

Folks like Steven and I like to promote alternative business models for the Web 2.0 crowd, but this is one I don’t think I can get behind. They’ve made a serious misstep here, particularly for a company that sat in the forefront of a lot of the original innovation in the world of online syndication. They definitely need to re-think their strategy in promoting this service. A lot of interesting things can be done with the concept of syndication and RSS, and while this may qualifty as interesting, it certainly won’t win them many brownie points amongst content producers.

Source:Mashable!

Mashable is rocking the U.S. SummerMash Tour in Boston, MA for the sixth stop on the tour. We’re at The Roxy and are ready to party with the local Bostonians with food, drinks, prizes and great conversation. We have some exciting things in store for tonight and you won’t want to miss out. We’re also joined by our sponsors, Sun Startup Essentials, Yoono, mySites, TripAdvisor, W3Edge, Mashery, E.Factor and Mzinga and special friends Social Radi.us and Stickam.

Want to join us on tour? Check out the other upcoming stops on the U.S. Summer Tour:Boston | New York City

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