Technology

Links of Note – November 12

by Martin · Nov 12, 2006

– New York TImes: Entrepreneurs see a Web guided by common sense – welcome to Web 3.0… (via CNET News.com)

– Four second cut-off: 75% of shoppers would not return to a website that took longer than four seconds to load according to research by Akamai (via BBC News). Once again it seems I am part of a minority. But my spirit is with the 75%. Don’t make sites fancy, make them fast and easy to use.

– The BOBs: The results of Deutsche Welle’s 2006 blog awards are in…and the winner is The Sunlight Foundation (via heise.de). The awards highlight many other interesting blogs this year. Wish I would speak Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish, too, so I could read them all.

Chancellor 2.0 – Bonding with citizens on the Web

by Martin · Oct 28, 2006

First German Chancellor Angela Merkel started her own video-podcast series. Then a bunch of smart students and university graduates turned the tables on her and launched Direkt zur Kanzlerin! (“Direct to Chancellor!”), a platform where citizens can post questions for Angela Merkel. Anybody can submit a text, audio or video message for her on the site. Then people can vote for their favourite questions by mouse click.

After getting blog buzz and media coverage for their idea, the students got Angela Merkel’s attention. The Federal Press Office has now stepped up and agreed to answer the top three question each week on behalf of the Chancellor.

It is a different kind of Web 2.0 success story – a great little example of the potential that the ongoing spread of new, user-friendly technologies holds. What a great example of a couple people getting together and trying to make a difference through tech-driven grassroots democracy!

Consultant and author Anthony D. Williams recently blogged about the question: “is government ready for the Web 2.0 era?” Looks like the German government is playing catch-up with its people. But the Federal Press Office deserves credit, too. At least they are ready to participate in the project. It’s a start.

Note: The “Direct to Chancellor!” site is only available in German.

(via Welt.de)

Canada has higher average growth than all other regions in Deloitte’s 2006 Technology Fast 500 Ranking

by Martin · Oct 20, 2006

Last year only one Canadian company made it into the top ten, this year there are five. In addition, Canada claims the top average growth of all North American regions. To download the full list and ranking, go here.

-The National Post – Canada’s tech firms outpacing U.S. ones: Half of the top ten companies in this year’s Deloitte Fast 500 are based in Canada

-ITbusiness.ca – Name, rank and number: Shane Schick puts it into perspective

Here are “Canada’s Top Five Fast 500“:

Voice 2.0 conference a success

by Martin · Oct 17, 2006

Alec Saunders posted a great summary of yesterday’s Voice 2.0 conference in Ottawa. The brainchild of a group of people who attended BarCamp Ottawa in April 2006, the organizers brought together leaders from the telecom community to discuss the future of the telephony and communications industry.

“My takeaway was that Voice 2.0 is healthy and whole and heading for a bright future. With our focus on user-centric communications paradigms, it seems clear to me that the telecom model of the past 125 years, including IMS, might finally be headed for oblivion.”

Alec Saunders, saunderslog.com

Disclosure: High Road’s Ottawa office supported the Voice 2.0 organizers and partner OCRI.

Links of note – October 9

by Martin · Oct 9, 2006

Temple of Technology: Interview with Amiga CEO – Who knew? Amiga is (still) developing a new operating system. Ah, the good old Commodore days…

Business Week: First, blame the software – Good article about the “human factor” behind Airbus’ software issues that caused the company to delay delivery of the new A380. The Airbus CEO stepped down this weekend (after the BW article was published), further highlighting the management issues at the aircraft manufacturer.

The New PR: Five steps to starting a successful blog – Ryan Anderson provides great advice for anyone looking to create a blog.

iPod/mp3 vs. satellite radio

by Martin · Oct 4, 2006

My interest in satellite radio is strong. I tired of listening to MP3 files downloaded from Kazaa long before the industry shut the system down; I concluded that having my own library was very nice, but I still needed some surprises, and satellite radio promised me a range of music that keeps introducing me to new artists as well as old ones I’d forgotten. I get much more satisfaction from satellite radio than from my MP3 collection. So a combination of radio and MP3 player sounds like a good idea…

Jack Kapica, Globeandmail.com: Satellite Radio Revisited, Oct 2, 2006

I agree with Jack. Mark Evans recently mused about the advantages of iPods over satellite radio in the car, and I’ve been exchanging comments with Rob Hyndman who thinks that iPod entertainment rules supreme. In my comments I argued along the same line as Jack in his article, although I’d say my satisfaction rate for satellite radio and mp3 is about the same. I love iPods/mp3 players but they are ultra-convenient storage devices, which is not the same as radio – even if you can download podcasts and music onto them. It’s not better or worse, it is different.

My prediction: in the car, the iPod will make the CD player (and DVD player) extinct. The CD did it to the tape which did it to the 8-track. Satellite radio has the potential to do the same to FM radio, which (almost) killed AM.

Today, many car manufacturers are installing iPod/mp3 connectors. But many are also installing satellite radio in new cars. I think there are enough people who are willing to pay for the convenience of being entertained without downloading content first. It may change in the future but I think this convenience factor still has a lot of mass market appeal.

Overall the iPod/mp3 vs. satellite radio debate reminds me a bit of the “bricks and mortar will die” discussions during the early e-commerce years. It isn’t always black and white; there is room for growth for both satellite radio and iPods/mp3 players. Like Jack, I think that a combination of satellite radio and mp3 player is a good idea.

[Full disclosure: No High Road client involved, I just personally like satellite radio (and iPods/mp3 players)]

The fastest growing tech companies in Canada

by Martin · Sep 22, 2006

The 2006 “Fast 50”

Deloitte published its annual list of Fast 50 winners a couple days ago (press release). The full list can be found in Simon Avery’s Globe and Mail article. Here are the top ten winners:

Under-funded nation

The article points out that the level of Canadian venture capital investment today is down to about $1.7 billion from $5 billion in “the boom days of 2000”. According to Deloitte, more than half of the Fast 50 are self-funded and receiving no venture capital support.

“As a nation, Canada is under-funded from a VC perspective, and it’s exacerbated by the tech downturn.”

David Ferguson, managing general partner of VenGrowth Private Equity Partners Inc.

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