Video game voice-chat provider Vivox is announcing today that it has raised $6.8 million for its business of providing voice services for online games, virtual worlds and social networks.
Vivox ustomers include CCP Games, Electronic Arts, Gaia Online, Hi-Rez Studios, Linden Lab, NCsoft, Nexon, Realtime Worlds, Sony Online Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast. While others provide voice-over-Internet-protocol voice services in games, Vivox focuses on providing a managed service.
With Vivox, you can make your voice sound like a monster or a 12-year-old kid. The sound is also directional, allowing you to figure out which direction someone is shooting from in an online game. Sony Online Entertainment is using it in its existing games, including “EverQuest,” “EverQuest II” and “Star Wars Galaxies.” Sony will also use Vivox in future MMOs such as “DC Universe” and “The Agency.
The Natick, Mass.-based company has huge momentum behind its business with 20 million users per month across 180 countries. It already delivers billions of minutes of voice per month, said Rob Seaver, founder and chief executive of the company. He said Vivox will use the new funds to accelerate its growth. “We’re in the bullseye of the fastest growing markets,” Seaver said.
IDG Ventures led the round with follow-on investment from Benchmark Capital, Canaan Partners and GrandBanks Capital.
One of the company’s newest services is a voice chat app for Facebook. Phil Sanderson, managing director of IDG Ventures San Francisco, said his company invested because voice is becoming a critical component in virtual worlds and online games, which are becoming increasingly social with the rise of social networks.
Vivox makes money through licenses to its business partners, voice-based advertising and voice-based virtual goods. The company was founded in 2005 as an idea born from the Jeff Pulver Group, owned by voice visionary Jeff Pulver. It has 35 employees. Its rivals include Dolby, Skype, Teamspeak and Ventrilo. To date, the company has raised $21 million in three rounds.
As business and commerce go mobile, payment technology is playing catch-up, trying to come up with a simple and powerful way to allow businesses to accept credit card payments on the go (because who even uses cash anymore?).
One possible answer is PAYware, the mobile-payment system coming from point-of-sale giant VeriFone. PAYware finally saw its app go live in the iPhone App Store today, bringing its secure credit card transactions to the iPhone, and making itself the first real competitor to Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey’s, Square.
PAYware, which looks like half an iPhone case, is a credit card reader that collects, transmits, and confirms payments for you anywhere you get iPhone service. Customers can sign for their purchases right on the screen with an included stylus, and with one tap have a receipt sent to their email address. On the merchant side, everything gets synced and tracked with VeriFone’s Web interface. It’s simple, and totally mobile — business can happen in-store or across the world.
So far, so Square-like. But the niche VeriFone is trying to carve out with PAYware is for businesses that need more security and more support than, say, vendors at a flea market. VeriFone is an established player in the point-of-sale-system world with a heavy emphasis on security, and is implementing similar standards with PAYware. Users are required to have a “merchant account” (an agreement with a bank that proves you’re a legitimate business), and there’s some hefty encryption from VeriFone in every part of the transaction.
That makes PAYware a secure, trustworthy system — with a lot fewer potential users than Square. First of all, it’s only on the iPhone 3G and 3GS, while Square is quickly on the way to working on everything with an Internet connection and a headphone jack, and for everyone from Fortune 500 companies to hot dog vendors. PAYware has said it will support other devices in the future but has both hardware and software hurdles to clear that Square — which just plugs into a headphone jack — doesn’t have to overcome.
Users also pay a premium for the extra layer of security from PAYware — there’s a $49 activation fee, a monthly fee, and a fee for every transaction. Square, by comparison, only charges the transaction fee.
For businesses concerned with security and wanting to work with an established player like VeriFone, PAYware may have some staying power. But as far as adoption by average Joes, something Square’s certainly aiming for, PAYware’s barriers are a littler higher. Whichever model wins out, it’s going to bring a whole new accountability to “dude, I’ll totally pay you back.”
Areview Forex:This system can be confusing, especially for a trader to take full information about the capital forex investment of the capital forex pro that your forex trading the capital forex pro to find on some websites, but can be considered as …
Not much to say here other than Apple has release an update to its ever popular iTunes application/store front/service/resource hog. Now standing at version 9.0.3, the update offers offers the following changes:
• iTunes no longer ignores your “Remember password for purchases” setting.
• Addresses problems with syncing some Smart Playlists and Podcasts with iPod.
• Resolves a problem recognizing when iPod is connected.
• Addresses issues that affect stability and performance.
Anyone else ecstatic that iTunes will actually remember your password when trying to get the latest Taylor Swift single?
Homebrew coder Lino is back once again to release the final beta of fb4nds, a Facebook client application for the Nintendo DS. The latest update of fb4nds includes more changes and a few bug fixes.
Remember that smattering of new FinePix cameras that leaked late last month? Turns out that Fujifilm had a bunch more in store that were missed, and we’re bringing the whole lot to you tonight. We suspect this is just the beginning of the pre-PMA rush, so we won’t waste any time getting to the nitty gritty — here’s what you need to know about each of the new models, with the full releases waiting for you after the break.
FinePix AV100 ($99.95 / March): 12 megapixel CCD sensor, 2.7-inch rear LCD, Fujinon 3x optical zoom, ISO up to 3200, black / silver color options, 720p movie mode, optional HD player kit, panoramic mode, AA battery power
FinePix AX200 ($109.95 (February): 12 megapixel CCD sensor, 2.7-inch rear LCD, Fujinon 5x optical zoom, ISO up to 3200, black / silver color options, 720p movie mode, optional HD player kit, panoramic mode, AA battery power
FinePix F80EXR ($299.95 / April): 12 megapixel CCD sensor, 10x wide-angle optical zoom, 3.0-inch rear LCD, 720p movie mode, face recognition, pet detection, 22.9mm thick, black color option, dual image stabilization
FinePix HS10 ($499.95 / April): Megazoom design, Fujinon 30x optical zoom (24 – 720mm equivalent on a 35mm camera), triple image stabilization, 1080p movie mode, mini HDMI output, 1000fps Super High Speed movie mode, AA battery power, 3.0-inch rear LCD, JPEG / RAW support
I’m not sure exactly how useful these things are, but as a concept they are definitely cool. Flat pack furniture, sure. But I’m not so sure about flat pack vehicles, these look like they might have some structural issues.
This is the work of french designer Nicolas Belly, who created these as a (winning) entry is a design contest for the L’ ARGUS Design Competition. Nicolas won 2nd place with his design, but I doubt we’ll ever see these in production. Made from mostly plywood, Nicolas’ vehicles look cool, and would no doubt make a cool display piece in some loft somewhere. I doubt they would be comfortable to use though, and not very durable. Maybe if they were constructed from carbon fiber.
Sega’s continuing on with their teasing game for their upcoming title under Platinum Games, Vanquish. As to whether or not it will be a Sony exclusive, all they had to say was that it will be disclosed
I’m fresh off a Social Media Week panel with Collecta co-founder Brian Zisk and Stage Two marketing firm founder Jeremy Toeman; we’ve been chatting for the past couple hours on how to deal with the realities of the real-time web.
One of the greatest concerns folks in the audience had is how to deal with negativity – bad-review-type blog posts, angry tweets, disparaging comments, etc. – in an environment that’s instant, viral, noisy and difficult to control. While each of the panelists had their own answers, I’d like to ask our readers: How do you handle being smacked down, called out or criticized in a real-time web environment?
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Especially for brands and organizations that rely on community management, online CRM systems and social media marketing, being able to adeptly and quickly filter signals and take appropriate action is key to surviving in the real-time Internet.
But knee-jerk reactions aren’t always the best way to deal with negativity.
Toeman’s comment about the real-time web is interesting and insightful. “Where there’s smoke, there’s sometimes fire,” he said. “And sometimes, it’s just smoke.” Responding to every negative comment can sometimes create a legitimate “fire” in a situation where not responding would allow the (non)event to blow over.
Two fellows in the audience today asked how to deal with negative blog comments, either on one’s own (or one’s company’s) blog or on a third-party site. Since I’ve been spending more time reading our own comment threads – and interacting with readers that way – my immediate response is that one of the best ways to deal with negative comments is to leave them there and let them go without comment. Almost without fail, friends or fans will come to the defense of the product or idea being discussed without the brand or author having to do anything about it. That’s just the nature of community.
We all on the panel seemed to agree that often, learning to ignore unwarranted negativity can be a blessing, but it’s a learned skill that takes time and patience. The virtue of not reacting is one that most of us have had to learn the hard way after being tormented by the big, mean Internet, spinning our wheels and expending our social capital to fight battles we cannot win. Communicating this learned patience to clients and less experienced users is an important part of what true social media experts ought to be doing; in addition to encouraging dialog, we have to let others know that it’s sometimes ok to ignore negativity and remain respectfully silent.
The old adage “don’t feed the trolls” was admirably updated by Zisk, who said, “Don’t feed the trolls, unless you’re feeding them tranquilizers.” He said that often, angry people simply want to be heard and acknowledged; any attempt at self-defense or debate on the part of the brand or post author will simply escalate the negativity.
Another point where the three of us saw eye-to-eye is that age, experience and patience are great virtues, even in a fast-paced, real-time environment. Being able to predict which negative signals will dissolve into the ether and knowing which real issues need to be address, understanding different real-time community’s audiences and attitudes and knowing how to use each channel or platform – these are things that almost no 22-year-old “social media expert” will be able to do.
What’s your take on it? How do you personally deal with snipes, snarks or blatant attacks in real-time media channels? If you represent or advise brands, how do corporate communications change when real-time negative comments enter the conversation? Let us know in the comments.
I’ve really never understood news sites that “remove” old articles. Talk about breaking the way the web works. At Techdirt, we receive a good bit of traffic to our archives, and that’s valuable traffic. Not only do such visitors actually tend to be more likely to click on advertisements (regular readers have ad blindness), but they’re like fresh “leads” to get regular new readers. And yet, so many publications ruin all that traffic by sending them nowhere. The Associated Press is particularly bad about this, forcing partners who pay the AP for content to remove it after a month. In those cases, visitors are just given an error page. But here’s a bizarre one. Jake points us to a story at The Guardian’s website, where the headline and the little blurb, along with an image are left in place, but in place of the actual article is just a message saying, This article has been removed as our copyright has expired. How annoying is that? Why do publications even agree to post stories that they will then be forced to pull down in the future? It completely kills the web experience. It breaks any links to the article. It kills off any discussion about the article. It’s exactly how not to do things on the web, and it shows, yet again, what the traditional newspapers — even one that seems to “get it” as much as The Guardian does — still has a long way to go in adapting to the online world.
Sand Hill Road, your day of reckoning is here. The National Venture Capital Association posted its latest Venture Capital Index today and it’s not much to look at (see table below; click to enlarge). Why? Because a decade has passed since the dotcom bubble, and the Index’s 10-year figures no longer reflect that era’s distended returns.
Their presence is sorely missed. Consider this: Ten-year returns slid to 8.4 percent in the third quarter from 40.2 percent a year ago.
That’s a significant fall–no, it’s a horrific fall. And it’s only going to get worse, as the dotcompost that’s been nourishing the Venture Capital Index leeches out once and for all and the effects of the IPO drought that the industry has been suffering through these past few years begin to be truly felt.
“It has taken a full decade after the technology bubble burst for the venture industry to fully realize the impact of that era and its aftermath,” NVCA president Mark Heesen said in a surprisingly candid statement. “The significant returns created by the robust exit markets of the late 1990s have carried the industry for a long period of time.”
No longer. “The new reality is much more somber for many venture firms,” Heesen continued. “There are still healthy returns to be made in venture capital, but until the venture community sees a more vibrant exit market we do not expect marked improvement overall.”
Vivox, the Natick, MA, startup best known for voice software that allows inhabitants of virtual worlds such as Second Life, EVE Online, and EverQuest to talk with each other over the Internet, has completed a third round of venture funding totaling $6.8 million. New investor IDG Ventures SF of San Francisco led the round, with existing investors Benchmark Capital, Canaan Partners, and GrandBanks Capital pitching in.
The 35-employee startup, founded in 2005, has now raised roughly $21 million in its effort to adapt Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to virtual environments and social networks. Co-founder and CEO Rob Seaver says the company has “seen fantastic growth and acceleration” since the last time Xconomy featured the company (in a September 2009 profile). Command and Conquer 4, an Electronic Arts title heavily anticipated by gamers, went into open beta testing this month with voice services from Vivox, and Global Agenda, a voice-enabled combat game for PCs from Alpharetta, GA-based Hi-Rez Studios, went live just yesterday.
Altogether, the gaming and social networking communities using Vivox’s voice services have 20 million members, up from 11 million in September. And their users spend about 3 billion minutes chatting per month—a figure that has increased by 50 percent just in the last 45 days, according to Seaver.
“The financing round came together because we’ve seen this explosive growth and we’re getting great traction, but we are barely scratching the surface,” Seaver says. “We estimate that there are 2.5 billion active accounts in online games and social networks globally. People are spending more and more time engaged with other real people in social experiences, and as humans the way we want to socialize is by talking to each other. So we raised the capital in order to capitalize on that opportunity.”
The bulk of the new money will go toward business development efforts to “broaden the reach” of the Vivox platform, Seaver says. “The platform is scalable and efficient, so the investments needed to support growth there are not major. The big thing is to get our service into more online games, and then use that as a stepping stone to other shared activities.”
Those activities could eventually include mobile games such as iPhone or iPad games or shared media environments where remote users could communicate by voice while watching a movie or TV show together, according to Monty Sharma, Vivox’s co-founder and vice president of product management and marketing.
IDG Ventures SF was an ideal choice to lead the new funding round, Seaver says, because of its focus on social media ventures. “The IDG group overall has its finger on the pulse of technology and social media globally, and between their consulting business at IDC, their various publishing businesses, and all their touch points with online games and the gaming industry, they make a fantastic partner for us.”
Phil Sanderson, managing director of IDG Ventures San Francisco, returned the compliment. “Voice is the key ingredient missing from a huge range of online experiences, and Vivox has proven itself able to provide mission-critical voice and exceptional service to leading companies around the world,” said Sanderson, who has joined Vivox’s board, in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with the team at Vivox to seize this tremendous opportunity.”
areview.co.cc: The hearing of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui case has been completed and the decision is expected tomorrow. The US government’s case against Aafia Siddiqui, who is accused of attempting to murder US soldiers and federal agents in Afganistan, went to the jury. Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is accused by the US government of attempting to kill a group of US Army troops and federal agents while she was detained in Afghanistan. During the initial hearings, Dr. Aafias charges seemed to be weak as there were contradictions among some statements of the witnesses; however later she was also accused of making a bomb and has taken a professional weapon training, just to prove that she is a terrorist. Aafia Siddiqui declared these charges as ridiculous. Hopefully a final decision will be announced tomorrow.
areview.co.cc: Seven representatives of political parties were killed due to firing in the area of Nazimabad, Karachi. According to the police, some unidentified gunmen opened fire upon people sitting near the circular railway-crossing in Nazimabad No.7. The eyewitnesses told that gunmen who opened fire were hiding in an under-construction building and they fired through the window-panes. Officials of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital told that 4 dead bodies and 2 injured were brought in; however later on both the injured could not succumb to their injuries.
areview.co.cc: The father of an Afghan-born airport shuttle driver accused of plotting an Al-Qaeda inspired bomb attack on New York City has been charged with conspiring to alter, destroy and conceal evidence in the case. The indictment against Mohammed Wali Zazi was unsealed by Brooklyn federal prosecutors, hours before he appeared in US District Court in Denver and waived his right to contest his transfer to New York. Zazi, 53, pleaded not guilty in October to separate charges of lying to the FBI agents investigating his son, Najibullah Zazi, 24, last year in Denver. Both men are natives of Afghanistan. The father is a naturalized US citizen, the son a permanent legal resident. During a 15-minute court hearing in Denver, the elder Zazi was informed that the original charges against him had been dismissed to make way for the indictment returned in New York, and he agreed to be moved there without further proceedings. The elder Zazi is accused of conspiring to alter, destroy and conceal objects, including liquid chemicals, with the intent to impair the objects’ integrity and availability for use in an official proceeding. According to press reports, Najibullah Zazi’s uncle, Naqib Jaji, 38, also has been charged in the case and is reported to have pleaded not guilty to one felony count.
areview.co.cc: US President Barack Obama’s proposed budget gives NASA a 6 billion U.S. dollar 5-year boost but aborts early attempts to return to the moon and turns over space transportation to commercial companies. The space agency’s budget would grow to 19 billion US dollars in 2011 under the proposed budget, with an emphasis on science and less spent on space exploration. But the plan ends the Constellation program, initially intended to return US astronauts to the moon by 2020. The new budget, which is subject to change by Congress, also extends operations at the International Space Station past its planned retirement date of 2016, suggesting such potential additions as inflatable space habitats. Obama’s proposal hands over more space operations to the commercial sector, saying it will create thousands of new jobs and hold costs down. The budget also proposes a re-vamp of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where staff have feared major cutbacks, as part of making NASA more efficient.
Hyundai announced today that the 2011 Sonata will be arriving in dealerships this week with prices starting at $19,195 for the base GLS model with a 6-speed manual transmission. Power for the 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS trim comes from a 2.4L direct-injected 4-cylinder making 198-hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. At $22,645, the 2011 Sonata GLS with the Popular Equipment Package and Navigation is the lowest priced midsize sedan with navigation.
Moving up a level, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE is priced at $22,595. Power comes from the same 2.4L 4-cylinder uprated to 200-hp. Adding a Navigation and a Sunroof bumps up pricing to $25,195.
The range-topping 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited starts at $25,295 and $27,395 with a Navigation system.
The 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS with a manual transmission averages an estimated fuel-economy of 24/35 mpg (city/highway), while all other Sonata models achieve 22/35 mpg.
Hit the press release for more details.
2011 Hyundai Sonata:
Press Release:
HYUNDAI ANNOUNCES PRICING FOR THE ALL-NEW 2011 SONATA
Bold New Design, Large Car Interior, Best-in-Class Fuel Economy Starting at $19,195
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Feb. 1, 2010 – Hyundai Motor America has announced prices for the all-new 2011 Sonata. The completely redesigned 2011 Sonata delivers best-in-class fuel economy, an EPA-designated Large Car interior, 198 horsepower and a starting price of $19,195 for the well-equipped GLS model. The 200-horsepower SE model starts at $22,595 and the top-of-the-line Limited model is available for $25,295.
“With the 2011 Sonata, our focus was a no-compromise engineering approach that would allow Sonata owners to have their cake, and eat it too. That focus led to a set of attributes that have not been seen in the midsize car category – attributes such as 35 mpg and 200 horsepower, bold design and an EPA Large Car interior, world-class quality and a class-leading value position” said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO. “At Hyundai, we’re big fans of resetting conventional wisdom, and we think we may have done it here with the 2011 Sonata.”
Hyundai is the most fuel-efficient car maker in the U.S., and its commitment to continued fuel economy leadership is evident in the all-new Sonata. It has a best-in-class 35 mpg highway fuel economy rating thanks to a new 2.4-liter Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) four-cylinder engine, new six-speed manual and automatic transmissions and highly refined aerodynamics. In addition to the advancements in fuel economy, the GDI engine produces a standard 198 horsepower, surpassing Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion. The Sonata GLS manual has best-in-class overall fuel economy with a 24 mpg city/35 mpg highway fuel economy rating, with all other Sonata models achieving 22 mpg city/35 mpg highway.
The all-new Sonata raises the bar when it comes to features and technology offered within the midsize car segment. In addition to standard XM Satellite® radio, the Sonata boasts segment-first standard Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, available HD Radio Technology™ with multicasting (allowing the broadcast of alternative side-band content on HD stations) and heated front and rear heated seats. The Sonata is the first vehicle in its segment with advanced touchscreen navigation available on all trim levels. At $22,645, the Sonata GLS with the Popular Equipment Package + Navigation is the lowest priced midsize sedan with navigation. All navigation systems also include a 90-day complimentary subscription to real-time XM NavTraffic®, XM NavWeather®, XM Sports Ticker and XM Stock Ticker.
The 2006 Sonata was the first popular midsize car to offer standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and six airbags. The 2011 Sonata builds on this leadership, with exceptional standard safety features including front driver and passenger airbags, front seat side impact and curtain airbags, ESC and Traction Control System (TCS), Antilock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), front active head restraints, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), and a Bluetooth® hands-free phone system.
While Sonata will compete for customers against cars like Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Malibu, Sonata’s performance capabilities, craftsmanship standards and luxury features were benchmarked against vehicles from Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. In true Hyundai fashion, Sonata makes a premium driving experience accessible to a wide range of customers, delivering the kind of value equation American car buyers have come to expect from Hyundai.
HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2011 SONATA
All-new sixth generation Sonata midsize sedan
Bold Fluidic Sculpture design
All four-cylinder engine lineup meets smart customer demands
Launches with new Theta II 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine and in-house six-speed automatic transmission
Class-leading fuel economy of 24 mpg city/35 mpg highway
Class-leading 198 horsepower standard (200 horsepower on SE trim)
Built in America at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama
XM Satellite Radio™, real-time XM NavTraffic, XM Data Services, touchscreen navigation and iPod®/USB inputs
Segment first: HD Radio Technology™ with multicasting
Segment first: Standard Bluetooth®
GLS: WELL EQUIPPED WITH A WIDE RANGE OF OPTIONS
Sonata GLS I4 M/T – $19,195
2.4L GDI four-cylinder producing 198 HP
Six-speed manual transmission
16-inch steel wheels with full covers
ESC/TCS/ABS/TPMS
Front active head restraints
Front, front seat side and curtain airbags
Bodycolor front grille
Chrome window belt-line moldings
Tilt and telescopic steering wheel with cruise and audio controls
Metalgrain interior accents
AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 with iPod/USB and Aux input jacks
Remote keyless entry and alarm
Power windows, locks, heated mirrors
Air conditioning
Advanced trip computer with custom settings
Integrated Bluetooth with phonebook transfer
Eco indicator
Daytime Running Lights (DRL)
Sonata GLS I4 A/T – $20,195
(In addition to or in place of Sonata GLS I4 M/T equipment):
Six-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC®
Popular Equipment Package – $750
16-inch alloy wheels
Power driver seat
Driver’s lumbar support
Chrome interior door handles
Leatherette interior panel door inserts
Automatic light control
Popular Equipment Package plus Navigation – $1,700
Requires Popular Equipment Package
Navigation system with high-resolution touchscreen display
Don’t Know Much About the Presidents is a great resource for kids to explore the lives of the presidents and their families by learning fun and interesting facts. The author, Kenneth C. Davis, begins the book with an introduction to the presidency and what the President does. The book then goes through each President from George Washington to Barack Obama giving questions and answers about the President and a time-line of important events that happened during his presidency. Facts are organized under headings in the form of questions like “What did Eisenhower do that was out of this world?” or “How was James Madison a father if he didn’t have any children?” Readers learn trivia they wouldn’t learn in a history book like “At 332 pounds, William Howard Taft was America’s heaviest President. A new bathtub – one big enough to fit four regular-sized men – had to be installed just for him.” The illustrations, by Pedro Martin, include a portrait as well as comical interpretations of the facts being presented.
Curriculum Connections
This book can be used in K-5 instruction to identify the President as the leader of our country (K.9) and describe the contributions of the Presidents to our country (1.2, 2.11, 3.11c, VS.6a,b). It can also be used to make connections between past and present (USI.1b, USII.1b). For younger children, this book would be helpful for identifying the Presidents as the people honored by President’s Day (K.1b, 1.3) and for fostering patriotism by teaching students about our Presidents and some of the symbols of our country (1.11).
Additional Resources
1. Students can celebrate Presidents Day every day with crafts, activities, games, and more information about the Presidents.
2. View pictures of Presidential pets.
3. Print and color portraits of the Presidents or Presidential Seal.
One handset manufacturer who has been relatively silent here in the US is LG. Of all of the founding members of the Open Handset Alliance, their Android plans have remained the most secretive. Although we’ve yet to see to see a handset here in the states, that may be changing soon.
According to AndroidRelease, LG is prepping two handsets for Verizon over the next few months. Their source says that one device feature a physical QWERTY keyboard while the other will be a touch only unit a la Droid Eris. So far, the only handsets we’ve seen out of LG have been slideout QWERTY models like the GW620. Hopefully, LG and/or Verizon make some official announcement at Mobile World Congress.
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MacLife Magazine Reviews the ‘Droid. Being a person who drank the kool aid that Apple is selling, I am a lover of Mac computers. One of the publications that I receive at home regularly is MacLife, a rag dedicated to, you guessed, all …
Video game voice-chat provider Vivox is announcing today that it has raised $6.8 million for its business of providing voice services for online games, virtual worlds and social networks.
As business and commerce go mobile, payment technology is playing catch-up, trying to come up with a simple and powerful way to allow businesses to accept credit card payments on the go (because who even uses cash anymore?).
I’m not sure exactly how useful these things are, but as a concept they are definitely cool. Flat pack furniture, sure. But I’m not so sure about flat pack vehicles, these look like they might have some structural issues. 
I’m fresh off a 
Toeman’s comment about the real-time web is interesting and insightful. “Where there’s smoke, there’s sometimes fire,” he said. “And sometimes, it’s just smoke.” Responding to every negative comment can sometimes create a legitimate “fire” in a situation where not responding would allow the (non)event to blow over.
We all on the panel seemed to agree that often, learning to ignore unwarranted negativity can be a blessing, but it’s a learned skill that takes time and patience. The virtue of not reacting is one that most of us have had to learn the hard way after being tormented by the big, mean Internet, spinning our wheels and expending our social capital to fight battles we cannot win. Communicating this learned patience to clients and less experienced users is an important part of what true social media experts ought to be doing; in addition to encouraging dialog, we have to let others know that it’s sometimes ok to ignore negativity and remain respectfully silent.
Another point where the three of us saw eye-to-eye is that age, experience and patience are great virtues, even in a fast-paced, real-time environment. Being able to predict which negative signals will dissolve into the ether and knowing which real issues need to be address, understanding different real-time community’s audiences and attitudes and knowing how to use each channel or platform – these are things that almost no 22-year-old “social media expert” will be able to do.
Sand Hill Road, your day of reckoning is here. The National Venture Capital Association posted its 
