carolinerhg: Making Money Guide

The examples may not seem that relevant when thinking about technology and how it functions for an organization. But they do show how technology often intersects with the world for some amazing results.

In many ways, the discovery of that intersection can be transforming for an organization. It adds importance to the enterprise. With this thematic framework, emphasis can be put on developing an enterprise that adapts quickly to market conditions and fits with the organization's overall goals.

For example, 3D printing is first on the JWT list. Mack says 3D printers will come into mainstream use, allowing people to create everything from jewelry to lamps to homes.

In a blog post, Union Square Venture's Fred Wilson writes that the best success comes when you see the intersection with technology, the Internet, money, politics and other aspects of life. It's not purely about one thing.

3D printing is representative of services that use technology to change the means of production without the need to invest in expensive manufacturing equipment. The organizations banking on the advent of 3D printers include Shapeways, Hewlett-Packard and Google. All these companies made strategic decisions about how they structured its enterprise environments to provide 3D printing capabilities.

Google may be the best example of all. Its enterprise is designed to provide this type of innovation. Hewlett-Packard has leveraged its printing and networking strengths. And Shapeways, which has a Union Square investment, is a startup that is using the cloud to provide its 3D printing services.

The challenge for the enterprise is how it becomes a catalyst to act on opportunities before they becomes big trends. That may mean faster adoption of mobile technologies for its own workforce or shifting the way it thinks about developing products.

Mobile as the Everything Hub

Mack says mobile is the everything hub. Mobile is critical in our lives. The list is full of examples that demonstrate how organizations will be affected by this mega trend. For example, tap-to-pay is number 88 on the list.

Making the six spot on the list is Geoloqi, a startup based here in Portland, OR. The company is a study in how mobile technologies are changing how we view a world that is becoming more fluid than hard-wired. Geoloqi allows people to use their smart phones to do automatic check-ins. It allows people to set set automatic reminders and notifications--sent to themselves or friends-- for specific locations. People can leave "geonotes," at specific locations that someone in the future may view. It allows you to automatically notify people of your proximity.

Geoloqi demonstrates how smartphones help people adjust to a world where geospatial environments have any number of data layers. You can access these data layers with services that require nothing but the ability to send or receive a notification. You don't need to push a button to let someone know you'll be at a location soon. A service like Geoloqi will notify your colleague automatically. This is not being lost on the enterprise. There are a number of companies now offering geolocation services for enterprise environments.

Amber Case and Aaron Parecki are the company founders. Case is also an anthropoligist. In an interview with us, she touched on the dynamics that are in play now with the advent of touch technologies and how transforming it will be for the way we work and live:

In the past, an interface was an interface in the same way that a book is a book - it doesn't change - the words don't change. A computer had hardware buttons. If you wanted to change the buttons, you'd have to rewire the machine. Then interfaces became liquid. And if you wanted buttons to appear and go away, or to have different functions you'd just change the code. With touch screen phones, we're dealing with liquid interfaces. They absorb the functionality of the world around them. So most things that existed in real life - most functions - can now be done on a phone.

The examples Mack gives reflect on the way organizations are adapting to shifts in the way we live and work.

How we adapt is the big question. It's not just the cloud or virtualization. It's more rooted in how these kinds of technologies intersect with any number of different aspects in the market and society.

Regardless of the reasons, it seems like several big businesses are distancing themselves from WikiLeaks as fast as they can. This week, a third-party WikiLeaks app was removed from the Apple App Store for an alleged terms of service violation. Despite that, the app was bought over 4,000 and the developer will be donating $1 per download to WikiLeaks themselves.

Not sure how WikiLeaks themselves feels about it, but it seems a bit disingenuous that some random developer was making a WikiLeaks app on his own and taking some profit from it. He’s fully disclosed how much he’s made from it ($5,840) and how much he will donate to WikiLeaks ($4,443).

Some WikiLeaks supporters likely believe that Apple pulled the app due to CIA intervention or some other form of government pressure, but it seems the app was in violation of Apple’s App Store terms of service, section 21.1 which says:

Apps that include the ability to make donations to recognized charitable organizations must be free.

As I said in the open, I find it slightly distasteful that this chap is profiting from a charitable app, and so I must agree with Apple’s decision to pull it from their store. No word on if the developer, Russian Igor Barinov, will take his app to the Android Market. Many have suggested that, and the open Android Market hosts many WikiLeaks readers already.

To Barniov’s credit (and in the theme of WikiLeaks), he has made all metrics regarding his app, including how many times it was downloaded and how much money he made.

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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Making Money Guide

Mobile as the Everything Hub

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