Netbooks -

Laptops in the past couple of years have been out-selling desktops. Particularly mini notebook computers have been selling very well. More than 11 million were sold worldwide and that is up from only one million a year ago. What makes netbooks appealing is that they are a stripped down laptop, no DVD drive and a lot less processing power, not to mention their price which is usually around $300. 

‘Head in the Clouds’ - Cloud Computing

Cloud services and computing is not new, but we will probably see these services and companies really take off this year. A great example of a cloud service is photo-sharing sites. It’s really any service that allows the consumer to store data or information anywhere but their computer or mobile phone. Also, software-as-a-service companies are based on this model as well. It’s about paying-as-you-go instead of financing a big software purchase. As Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com says, “The capital crunch of 2009 will put a spotlight on the advantages of cloud computing, less risk, no capital expenditure, predictable operating expenses and fast results. I believe that will translate to greater adoption for both cloud computing applications and platforms.”

Virtualization + Saving $ = Green

Similar to cloud computing, “virtualization” really cuts down the costs associated with operating machines, like servers. It helps companies run multiple applications and systems on a single piece of hardware. This allows the company to get more out of that piece of hardware, to cut costs by not having to buy more servers, which leads to being more environmentally friendly. 

You, Me, Wii!

Gaming systems like the Nintendo’s Wii have really given life to the console space of the gaming industry. Regardless that money will be tight for consumers, they will still be spending money on games and gadgets for the Wii. Also, like the netbooks, handheld systems like Nintendo’s DS will also probably do quite well. 

Finally, as bad as it may get in the coming year, consumers will never give up their broadband connections. People will probably give up their cable TV channels over their high-speed Internet connections. Especially with sites such as Hulu.com, it’s a nice, free, alternative to cable. 

Source -

*http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/15/technology/mehta_predictions.fortune/

*Accenture

A new year begins tomorrow and with a new year comes a fresh start.  This year I’ve decided to go the extra mile and create a list of resolutions to strive for in 2009.  While we all have our standard personal resolutions- eating healthier, managing finances, etc., I’ve decided to develop a separate list for my business resolutions.  Having lost my job in the past and with the economy as it is, career growth and development is extremely important to me.  In order to be the best I can be, I’ve developed the following list of my top business resolutions for 2009.  Feel free to share yours in the comments!

• Network & Build Relationships – In my previous post  I talk about the importance of networking and how to network.  What I didn’t address is the most important part- building upon the relationships we establish.  How many times have you gone to a networking event and forgot to follow up with people you meet?  Or perhaps you follow up once, and then never speak with that person again? This year, I vow to build upon the relationships I establish. Whether it’s through Twitter, Facebook, email or the good old fashion telephone, it’s nice to check in with acquaintances and strengthen your business relationships.  It could lead to a business partnership!
• Stay Organized, Be Efficient- It’s easy to gather 1,000 emails in your Inbox, but is it really necessary to keep them all?  This year I will learn to use the recycle bin more.  I will strive to keep my email Inbox and my desktop clean and organized into folders.  I believe doing this will make me more efficient in my job functions, and saving time saves money!   For tips on keeping the office organized, visit LifeOrganizer.com.
• Take time to think & be more creative- Often times we get so caught up in the day to day tasks and responsibilities of our job that we forget to stop and take a moment to think about what we’re really doing.  We get tunnel vision.  For the New Year, I will set aside time to periodically review the goals and objectives of my clients (and of course, my own goals) so that I can re-evaluate whether or not I’m on the path to accomplishing these goals.  If not, I will take the time to stop and think about how I can change what I’m doing to meet those goals.  I will try to be more creative in how I approach things and not just do what works.
• Better Work Life Balance – A typical resolution for people, yet one that never seems to feel fulfilled.  Here’s my plan for 2009- This year, I vow not to roll over every morning and check my email before I get out of bed (yes, I do this 7 days a week).  I vow to spend less time sitting in front of the TV with my laptop in my lap.   I vow not to stay in the office past 7:00 p.m.  I vow not to work on Sunday evenings unless absolutely necessary.

Being a huge fan of Excel, I’ve logged these goals, as well as my personal goals, in a spreadsheet and saved them on my desktop in hopes that I’ll periodically glance at them and remind myself of the resolutions I set for 2009.  What are you doing to stay on track with your New Year resolutions?

For more inspiration check out this post by Susan Ward of About.com which provides the Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Business Success: http://sbinfocanada.about.com/cs/management/a/bizresolutions.htm

This Holiday season my Twitter friends shared exclusive sales, special discount codes and rare finds, saving each other time and money. It was the first season Tweet Commerce really took off, and if I could make one prediction for 2009 it will only continue to develop, as more brands realize the value of constant connection to their consumers.

In addition, clever entrepreneurs are already realizing the value of these tweets and building applications around them, organizing the data like CheapTweet.com whose slogan says “scouring Twitter for deals so you don’t have to”. Online invite-only sites such as Ideeli.com (@ideeli) are using twitter to alert their users about new sales, and e-commerce brand eLuxury (@eluxury) sometimes share “secrets” like this one with their followers: “A little secret for the grapevine; starting tomorrow take an additional 30% off sale items. Shhhhhh”.

Call it Tweet Commerce or Social Shopping 3.0, but if you care enough about your favorite brands to follow their daily ramblings, you might score some great deals along the line. Now when people ask where I got my new gorgeous tote from, I say without thinking twice - on Twitter!

~ Yuli Ziv (@yuliz)

For the “best overall” category a few obvious companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Android, Hulu and Twitter made it to the list. Four out of those five services I personally use on a daily basis. Within the category of “Best New Startup of 2008,” Dropbox, FriendFeed, GoodGuide, Tapulous, Topspin Media and Yammer made it on to the list. Congrats!

Share your voice. You can vote for your favorite Web 2.0 companies, by clicking on the following link:

http://crunchies2008.techcrunch.com/votes/

The benefits to a career in digital media, social media or word of mouth marketing include:
•    Autonomy
•    You get to use cool, new web tools
•    Easy to become a “web 2.0 influencer”
•    Make an imprint on the social web
•    Work with cutting edge vendors
•    Educate brands and corporations that are willing to take risks
•    Become an expert, fast
•    Make yourself a valuable resource
•    Have more of an impact on the company or clients you are representing
•    Work in a creative environment
•    Personalize your work
•    Learn a lot as you progress in your career
•    Mix and mingle with some of the most innovative minds of our time

Since I’m an enthusiast, I wanted to create my own word of mouth campaign and share some of my favorite brands with you:

-Tory Burch (everything)
-Flipcam (the new HD)
-PotteryBarn (Bob Mitchell series)
-Papyrus (stationary)
-Lancome (everything)
-Apple (everything)
-Intel (PC Classmate)
-Method (all cleaning products)
-Mitchell’s Ice Cream (Vanilla Bean)
-Pete’s Coffee (Mocha, w/whip)
-Virgin America/Virgin Atlantic (all flights to anywhere and Richard Branson)
-Canon (Powershot 850 SD)
-Samsung (40 inch LCD TV)
-Adidas (running shoes)
-Sonicare (vibrating toothbrush)

Over the past year, I’ve enjoyed meeting some amazing new people and developing those relationships at tons of great meetups. Some of my personal highlights: Twiistup 4, TechCrunch August Capital Party, TechCrunch 50, Brian Solis’ random hotel Tweetups and co-working meetups , Blankspaces Bloggers panel, Entertainment Networking Event, Francisco Dao’s Mother of all Karaoke Parties, Digital Family Reunion, and the list goes on and on.

But before I bid adieu to ‘08, I leave you with this video profile Cisco Systems recently produced on me for their “Digital Cribs” series. Click on the image below to watch the video.

To a new year filled with health, happiness and success in all areas of your tech savvy life!

MIXTT is a new-genre “meeting” site that mixes and matches groups of friends at bars, parties, clubs, concerts, and other social events. The Website provides a fun and casual way to meet new people, and a welcome alternative to traditional models of online dating. MIXTT made its US debut in September of 2008 and plans to go international in 2009.

About Eve Peters, founder, CEO, Mixtt.com:

Eve grew up in Los Angeles and moved to San Francisco following her undergraduate education at Stanford in 2004. After working as a paralegal in the SF Financial District for several years, she headed to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to become fluent in Spanish while getting a taste of “the good life.” There she met entrepreneurs - starters of wineries, good-for-your-brain snack bars, tea shops, and tech companies - who urged her to follow through with the then half-baked plan to build a fun and contemporary group-based alternative to traditional online personals sites.  She and Diana Agraz (Stanford, ‘04) launched MIXTT in September 2008 at TechCrunch50.

How to Raise Money From VCs… In Style…

The tech industry has also been finding ways to be more environmentally aware. A couple of companies I want to highlight today are Credo mobile and Apple.

Credo Mobile was introduced last year by Working Assets as the greenest mobile phone company in the US. From using refurbished phones made from reused parts, to recycling paper by having planted 2.5 million trees and printing their bills on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, to being certified by carbonfund.org for offsetting electricity use when shipping their phones, to donating 1% of their clients’ charges to organizations such as Greenpeace and Doctor Without Borders. Their goal is to grow their business with minimal impact to the planet. It’s mobile phones meets activism, an odd pairing, but a great thing.

Apple, as many of you I’m sure know, just launched a new family of Macbooks. Each Macbook is made with Arsenic-free glass, mercury-free LED-backlit display, BFR-free internal components, PVC-free internal components, highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure, and 41% smaller packaging. Apple is working hard to eliminate harmful toxic chemicals from their products. They have provided an overview of the progress they have made thus far to improving energy efficiency and their recycling efforts.

Go Green!

Sources -

*http://www.credomobile.com/GreenStatement_mobile.html

*http://www.epa.gov/earthday/history.htm

*http://www.apple.com/mac/green-notebooks/

*http://www.apple.com/environment/update/

The event was a huge success with over 100 gamers in attendance, despite the terrible traffic and undesirable weather. Instead of charging for the event, each attendee was asked to bring a toy or monetary donation for Toys for Tots.

Before long, the tree was brimming with gifts and monetary donations.  Women in Games International set up a wonderful RockBand area which provided excellent music and entertainment for the evening.   I was pleasantly surprised by how many people thanked me for helping to put on a charity event.

Often times in the holiday season, it is easy to forget those less fortunate than ourselves. I had a chance to speak with one of the Marines representing and collecting the toys, and he confirmed that charities such as Toys for Tots are suffering this year.  Even though the recession is hurting all of us, the less you have, the more it hurts.  I am warmed by the enthusiasm and generosity displayed by the gaming community in coming together for this event.  So many organizations jumped at the chance to be involved, and it encourages me to continue to put together events such as these in the future.

What struck me the most, was how willing and excited everyone was to give back, and yet how it takes events such as these to really encourage giving.   I hope this event inspired gamers to give all year round, and not just during the holidays.   There are many places and many ways to give back, especially online. Most charities have websites where you can donate money, gifts or services. If you’re not sure about who to donate to, you can join communities like Causecast that give you a chance to explore causes and make a difference in the world. Who are you going to affect this year?

To see event details & photos, please visit: http://www.gamervixens.com/party