iPad Restaurant Menu

I recently had the pleasure to dine at Michael Simon's restaurant Lola. The experience, service and food were top notch. However the one thing that made me do a double take was their use of technology.

Michael Simons restaurant Lola uses the iPad for their wine list. You first select the type of wine and then you drill down to what they have in-house. You can't surf the internet or take a picture. The iPad is locked down so it is only used as a menu. The iPad wine list sure beats the printed out version because it keeps current every time it is docked.

Technology is only as strong as the people who that constantly push its creative envelope. How can you make technology work for you or your business?

iPad Cases for Kids

Did you recently buy an iPad for your kid? If so, you need a good case to protect it! Griffin recently launched a series of iPad cases just for kids. One special case is called the “Lightboard” and it allows your kid to draw and color directly on your iPad. You just slide in a piece of paper to start your kids drawing.

The site says, “It is a protective case and art table in one. Your iPad is surrounded in a shatter-resistant polycarbonate shell with openings for the speakers and headphone jack. A built-in polycarbonate screen shield protects your Multi-Touch display against scratches and impacts from even the most ardent artists.”

You can also download their LightBoard Trace app currently for free at the App Store. With the app you have more than 35 different things to draw and has a game that teaches kids how to write their name. When you use the LightBoard case, you can feel safe about letting your child play with your iPad. Thanks to Mike Kimmel for the tip on this one!

http://www.griffintechnology.com/ipad

Skype in the Classroom

Mike Kimmel just forwarded me this link about Skype making a leap to the classroom. As kids get older, so does the chance of business technology creeping into classrooms. If you don't have a Skype account, then you don't know what you are missing. The streaming video technology turns your computer into a strong communication device.

Skype's tagline about their new classroom is, “Meet new people, discover new cultures and connect with classes from around the world, all without leaving the classroom.” What is interesting is that the latest iPad has a HDMI port based on feedback from teachers. Many teachers are now using the iPad in-conjunction with directly connecting it to in-classroom TVs. Maybe now Skype will make big waves in the class room culture?

http://education.skype.com/

Is Your Message Relevant To Your Audience?

Did you get the memo? call? email? voice-mail? text? tweet? Are you reaching your audience with your message? In this day and age, if you are not communicating on the right medium, you don't exist! In today's digital age, each gender, age and demographic category is listening to you through different devices and you need send your message on their channels.

In 2011, get a Twitter account and start sending the same marketing messages you are sending in email through social media. In the upcoming year, your company needs to get “mobile” and deliver content to the booming smartphone culture. The reality is that old news has truly hit the fan and in order to survive, you will need to take the technological jump. Do not wait any longer if you are not in the game, you will be be left on the sidelines. Social media is close to reaching it's plateau of saturation and believe it or not, the next greatest communication is heading our way. You are asking, well Marc, “What is the next big thing?” The reality is that the next big communication medium has yet to be released mainstream, but I guarantee it will be faster and more in your face.

What will 2011 mainstream technology require us to integrate into our lives? Will it be video threaded messages? traffic layering? QR codes? video-laced thought projection?

What technological force do you predict will hit mainstream culture like the iPad in 2011?

Invasion of Tablets

The iPad is a game changing computing device because it is so versatile. Passing it around the living room makes you feel like it's a book you can't put down. Tablets are comfortable, so no wonder that an invasion is upon us. Recently Samsung introduced the Galaxy Tab to rival the iPad. It features a two built-in cameras and the ability to see Flash content, which Apple's iPad does not offer.

Key features of Galaxy Tab:

• Adobe Flash
• Two Cameras
• Integrated Social Networking
• Light-weight (Only 13.58 ounces)
• Android Platform

Are you ready to make the leap to the tablet culture?
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab

Echofon Twitter App

I saw that Lebron James was using Echofon for Twitter so I checked it out (even though I am still not becoming a Miami Heat fan). Echofon is “a clean iPhone Twitter app with push notifications and unread tweet syncing with your computer”, the site exclaims. I tried it out what I like best is that the software actually does sync-up between your iPhone, iPad and Firefox browser. When you stop reading on one device, it will pick up where you let off on another. With the iPad version of this app, you get a larger display to clearly sort through your tweets.

If you are looking to get into Twitter, Echofon pushes the envelop with strong features, yet makes it easy to get into the game.
http://www.echofon.com/

Visual Data With Tableau

Studies and their data are reported every day at a rate that is almost incomprehensible. How do you cut through all the clutter and make your data stand out? Turn your data into an interactive visual chart with Tableau.

An example of a chart made with Tableau is “Are you overpaying for your iPad data plan?” This chart by Priya Ganapati from Wired lays out data plans in an easy digestible format.

http://www.tableausoftware.com/public/gallery

iPad the Family PC?

Are you wondering if you should buy the iPad? I have seen a few of them around campus, a co-worker owns one so I have been convinced of their versatility. However if you are still on the fence wondering how can this tablet revolutionize the computing world, then you should read Chuck Hollis’ post. Chuck, the V.P. of EMC Corp, recently wrote about his experience of buying an iPad and bringing it home to his family. In a nutshell, he says that his family disbelieved how awesome the iPad was until they started playing with it. The iPad became his family’s personal computer.

http://chucksblog.emc.com/chucks_blog/

iPad April 3rd

The iPad is coming on April 3rd, will you be in line to get one?

iPad Just One Big iTouch?

I missed the keynote yesterday of Steve Jobs unveiling the new iPad from Apple. After watching the presentation, I hope don’t insult the visionary product by saying, “Isn’t it just a big iTouch?” Jobs listed all the features during the demo and almost everything he highlighted is available on the iPhone. The iPad is light, thin, powerful and the screen is awesome. I realize you have the iPhone, the iMac and in his presentation this falls in between, but does it? Perhaps there are really only two categories, mobile devices and laptops.

In it’s current state, isn’t the iPad just be one big iTouch? I guess I need to see one to believe it.