Girls In Tech

It’s that time of year again when love is in the air and gift shopping is in full swing. Don’t know what to get your game-loving sweetheart? Well here are some great ideas that are sure to Zap your loved one out of their seat and make you their winner!

Nintendo Wii – Couples who game together stay together! With beloved games that are fun for everyone, why not get your loved one a game console that you both can enjoy.  From the classics you enjoyed as a kid, to games to help get fit and more, it’s an easy way to play your way to your game fanatic’s heart!

Turn heads when you turn on your computer. Laptop skins add a unique touch to who you are, and are an easy way to personalize your sweethearts gaming rig. Available for almost all makes and models, you can even make a custom skin that’ll show them exactly how you feel about them this Valentines Day!

Trying to find that right mix of romance and technology? Then look no further than the infamous iPod Touch. Just preload it with tunes and game apps that you both love and share and you’ll be dancing your way to their heart! Already have an iPod touch or iPhone? Some apps and games even allow you to play against (or with) each other remotely, bringing you closer together on those business trips, daily lunch breaks, and more.

The techie you love will heart (<3) this 4GB USB thumb-drive. It’s the perfect on the go accessory to wear around your neck or use as a keychain. Available in various colors, it’s a great gift you can wear and share! Want to give it even more of a personal touch? Leave a letter, photos, a video greeting, or more for them on it to find and enjoy the first time they use it!

The Canon PowerShot A480 is a great and affordable way to start making new memories with your loved one.  This is both a romantic gift as well as a functional one. It has a 2.5inch LCD screen and 3.3x optical zoom, and comes in stunning silver as well as this gorgeous red.

If you’re looking for something sweet and simple to give this Valentines Day, give the gift of memory with this heart shaped digital photo frame. Just load this 2.4inch frame with pictures of the two of you and you’ve found the perfect way to stay in their thoughts and on their desk this Valentine’s.

Today, SGN launched its new title “Skies of Glory.” Some of the new features of this free, WWII aerial combat game include:

• 3D graphics
• Multiplayer game play (up to seven opponents around the world via 3G, WiFi or Bluetooth connection)
• Jukebox support
• Virtual goods to extend the customized experience of the game, &
  
• Access to planes and additional missions via in-app purchase

Also being launched into the App Store today are updated versions of iBowl Deluxe and i(fluff) Friends, their popular virtual pet offering. Among the updates made to these titles include:

• Cross-platform integration via Facebook Connect
• Ability to create custom avatars
• Twitter integration

So check out these new titles; and see how the intersection of these new title and versions &  your Facebook and Twitter can open up new ways to interact while playing your favorite games. (photos courtesy SGN: http://www.sgn.com/index.php)

No more than 10-15 years ago, playing games (especially by girls) was not only discouraged, but also frowned upon. Normally, this is the type of opposition one receives from their parents growing up, but that wasn’t the case with me. While all my girlfriends wanted to go shopping and put on make-up, I was anxious to hit the arcade and challenge all the boys to some game-play. Needless to say this activity sounded less than appealing to all my girlfriends.
Now as I sit here over 10 years later, it is those very friends that have inspired me to write this piece. The same friends that used to joke and tease me for being the “geeky” girl who likes video games, are the ones who now ask me “which computer should I get”, “what’s new in mobile technology and gaming”, and “what’s the best app out there to play together?”
It is this transformation in such a short span of time that amazes me. We changed from what once used to be a taboo for most people to something that is not only socially and globally accepted, but assumed and almost required. I would think a change that happens this fast would lead to a culture shock. Instead, it spread virally. Nerdy boys gaming in their basements are a thing of the past. “I game, you game, and people game” became the new standard.
Now, gaming is easier than ever. I can play on my own on a hand held or on a phone or I can play with my friends via wi-fi. And getting other people involved just enhances your experience. I can invite friends to play from my phone, they can join me on their mp3 players, or if they don’t have one, they can compete with me on Facebook or a number of other social networking sites. The possibilities are endless.
All I can say is I hope this trend continues. Girls, now more than ever are comfortable playing games, and are encouraged to do so. They diverted their attention from the stereotypical female activities to a new set of interests in tech. Now, with their heads held high, this revolutionary shift brings girls one-step closer to paving the way for future innovations in gaming, technology, and more.

A new Gadgetology study by Retrevo has shown that women, in general, prefer iPhones and men prefer BlackBerries. Surprising? It may be, as it seems that the iPhone is quickly surpassing the BlackBerry by almost everyone, everywhere you go. With its various apps and functionality, one would think they were preferred by both.  However, in their recent study it was found that:

• Women prefer iPhones: at a rate of 53%, compared to 47% of men.
• Men prefer BlackBerries more.  59% of the respondents who use BlackBerries as opposed to 41% of women.
• iPhone users think they do more in life.
• iPhone users, in general, rated themselves more highly as intellectuals, extraverts, media buffs, and jocks.

Now, we know that these are all generalizations, but this study’s statistics (claiming the iPhone is used in many more ways for sport, music, and other entertainment) may show that owning an iPhone is more “fun” and a BlackBerry, more “corporate.”  You can draw your own conclusions by reading the study at the link below.  What are your thoughts?

(Using a sample size of 445 iPhone and BlackBerry owners distributed across gender, age, income & location in the United States, Retrevo completed this study on users other than their own customers.  To read more, go directly to their study at the following link:  http://www.retrevo.com/content/blog/2009/10/iPhone-vs-BlackBerry-owners)

Last month it was that time of year again: Panel Picker Voting for the Annual South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) conference in Austin, TX. Sound familiar? Check out fellow GIT blogger Kristine Gloria’s post about it here: http://girlsintech.net/2009/08/31/girls-in-tech-at-sxsw-2010/

Each year the public votes online for which proposed panels should make it through to being accepted for the conference. I submitted a panel proposal, titled “Impact of Women in Technology”. Whether the panel makes it through to the final round and becomes an official SXSWi panel or not, I do want to share some of my thoughts on the subject, as well as hear everyone else’s and get some great discussion going on this.

For all you girls out there, was there a female presence that got you excited about tech? Maybe it was a mother, sister, aunt, or friend. Perhaps someone well respected in technology today, like Social Media Strategist Erica O’Grady, or Ad-Village CEO Marissa Louie for example?

If you do have an example like this, what about them or their journey in the tech world inspired or empowered you to pursue your dreams? How important do you think their roles are as pillars of Women in Technology to the future of Women in Tech? For me, two of those people are Tekzilla Co-Host & Gadget Guru Veronica Belmont, & New media producer and star of “The Guild”, Felicia Day. These two women are strong willed, have shown great initiative in their respective spaces, and have become pioneers and tastemakers in the fields of Journalism & New Media.

How have women influenced and changed the face of technology as we know it? This includes anything even remotely tech related, whether it be Journalism, Gaming, PR, Marketing, Social media, & more. Are there any famous cases of companies or brands that have seen great success due to Women in Technology? What issues as a Girl in Tech have you had to face? What issues have other women who’ve made a major impact in technology had to face on their paths to success? What would you tell younger or newer women entering the tech space to help them overcome these hurdles and encourage growth of the amount of women in the tech field?

Why are women in tech important to you, or the Tech Space in general?
I hope this post serves as some great food for thought, & would love to hear everyone’s thoughts and discussion (preferably in the comments below) about this!

Thanks!

I am a PC. I am happy with my Thinkpad. Yes, there are service packages that I need to install, but I look at it as par for the course. I understand the complaints others have regarding their Windows machine. I appreciate the Mac commercial (though I do have more sympathy for the PC character, since I think the Mac character is way to smug…) I am happy with my Windows machine (or I am not cool enough for a Mac).

I have an iPod Touch. I use it mostly for the apps and enjoy trying out different ones. However, I have been reluctant to download more recently. Why? Well, it seems like every time I want to try something new, I discover that I need to upgrade the software on my iPod.

This was my recent experience trying to download a new app. I needed the new iPhone/iPod software. Okay, I synced it with my computer in order to upgrade. Oh, we can’t upgrade it yet, my iTunes software needed to be upgraded. Okay – downloaded the new version of iTunes. By the way, it came with Quicktime, Bonjour, and MobileMe, that Apple thinks I will need (I uninstalled some of them last time I upgraded). Okay… (The download and install took a while.) Afterwards, I needed to reboot my computer. By the way, my previously made shortcut didn’t work anymore. Okay, I needed to make a new shortcut. Hmm, why did it take over 30 seconds to load the new iTunes? Finally, I was able to upgrade the software for the iPod. It costed $9.95! Sigh!

I was told that the $9.95 thing is not Apple’s fault – it is GAAP related. Those silly accounting rules… But the whole process for me wanting to try out a new app took FOREVER. Yes, it was a one time thing, but there were incremental upgrades that I had to do in the past. The upgrade process is not the most simple, the syncing and the dual downloading / installing. It happened more frequently that I like for a portable music player. Yet, there are no major complaints from Apple users. Why is that?

I get the sense that Apple can’t do no wrong, whereas everything Microsoft does is evil. Maybe I am not seeing the Apple complainers. Still, Apple is a huge company making money off of us. Even Google has been getting some flack after getting “too big”. Why does the public seem to have this double standards with Microsoft and Apple?

Please checkout GIT Silicon Valley launch event on Thrusday, 9/10.

http://gitiphoneapps.eventbrite.com/

In this day and age, words like ‘geek’ and ‘techie’ are thrown around as part of regular everyday conversation quite often. We’ve come a long way from the days of these terms being attached to images of boys with greased comb-overs, braces, thick rimmed prescription glasses and pocket protectors. Geek is chic, and Tech is sexy. But just what makes you a ‘geek’ or ‘techie’ exactly? I believe to find the answer to that, you need look no further than your own enthusiasm and passion in something technology related.

When someone talks about Twitter or Facebook, or shows off their new install of the latest operating system from Microsoft, do you groan and go back to whatever you were doing? Or, are you someone like myself who gets excited to hear about the latest iPhone apps (Yes, I even stood in line to get the new 3GS on the first day), or that awesome new version of Rock Band to play with your friends on Friday night? Being a “techie” is no longer about writing programs or fixing computers, (though these things still count too), but having a genuine passion and drive for the technology around you every day. Whether it’s what’s powering your mobile device, your car, your laptop, your gaming experiences, or your social life. If you’re curious to have, play with, or learn about the latest toys and technologies, and even if you know you might not ‘get it’ right away and have to spend some time with the instruction manual.

We interact with many forms of technology all around us in our daily lives. Do you ever find yourself captivated by it all sometimes, or does it make you feel like you’re in a foreign country? The next time you think you might not be qualified enough to fit into the role of ‘techie’ or ‘geek’, look at the tech around you and in your life and what it means to you and it’s effect on you. If you find it brings a slight smile to your face….be sure to let your ‘Techie’ flag fly!

As a big fan of Kiva.org, I wanted to share a great new campaign that LimeLife just launched called “Apps for Good”.  LimeLife, which is a women’s cross-platform digital media company, is contributing 10% of profits from its Hollywood Hangman iPhone game within a one-month period from May 21st to June 21st to Kiva.org.

Giving back to non-profits is so important and Kiva is a great organization because it gives women in developing countries the opportunity to achieve economic independence. By encouraging people to participate in Apps For Good, LimeLife will pave the way for people like Amavi Akoete, a Togoan 35 year-old mother of six to launch her jewelry-making business or Dulia Huanca, a Peruvian 23 year-old mother to launch her fruit stand.

If you’d like to participate in the Apps for Good Campaign, follow these steps:
1.)  Between today and June 21st, click on the following link to purchase and download Hollywood Hangman for your iPhone or iPod Touch:
http://itunes.com/apps/hollywoodhangman
2.)  You are encouraged to email, tweet, and update your social networking status to let your friends know how they can download Hollywood Hangman on their iPhone or iPod Touch
3.)  You can use the Facebook Connect feature within the game to ping your friends to join them in playing Hollywood Hangman to support Kiva
4.)  You can track the progress of LimeLife’s Apps for Good Campaign by following the LimeLife iPhone Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/LimeLifeiPhone

Well, plenty…

I was hanging out with a friend last night who jailbroke her iPhone. The simple reason she gave for doing so was that it was her phone, she bought it, and she should be able to do whatever she wants on the phone. She then showed me all the amazing applications you could have with a jailbroken phone. She also reminded me that you have access to purchase apps from the App store as well. I thought to myself, why don’t more people jailbreak their phone?

Media Post writes, “For users who really want to use disfavored apps, the only way around Apple’s bans is to “jailbreak” their phones. Problem is, doing so potentially violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s anti-circumvention provisions”.

Last week when my application was rejected, Me So Holy, EFF, a digital rights group wrote, “As we’ve said before, Apple is legally within its rights to sell or not sell whatever they choose in their store. But the monopoly they hold on applications for the iPhone means that unless users have the right to jailbreak their phones, they’ll be blocked from enjoying the fruits of 21st century thinking — and 12th century thinking as well!”

At this point there needs to be solution. Either the DMCA makes an exemption for jailbreaking or Apple should allow all applications to be sold within their store.

Watch me on CNN here, read the rejection post here, and check out my other app, the Animalizer here.

Are you a developer interested in creating your own iPhone app?  iPhone Bootcamp NYC is offering a great opportunity to Girls In Tech Austin and Los Angeles members on their upcoming workshops in these two cities.  They are kindly offering ONE full scholarship (value: $1699), plus five (5) 30% scholarships to qualified women from these two cities.

The iPhone Bootcamp is an intensive 3-day workshop for professional developers, taught by long time Mac software developers.  The workshop covers the fundamentals and advanced features of iPhone development and takes participants through individual instruction and hands on exercises. By the end, developers will have gained enough knowledge to create their own iPhone applications.

To apply for the 100 percent scholarship, click on the appropriate Eventbrite link below and enter GIT_1 as the discount code.  To apply for the 30 percent scholarship, enter GIT_2 as the discount code.  Resumes will be taken for the first 15 applicants, up to a cut off time of 11:59pm June 10th. Girls in Tech Austin and Los Angeles representatives will randomly select winners from those who have enough programming background to get through the workshop.

PLEASE BE AWARE: The program is an INTENSIVE 3-day workshop, and assumes you understand the constructs of OOP. Anyone registering for the workshop must have some experience with object-oriented programming, such as Java, .NET, or C++, and all students are interviewed for preparedness before final enrollment.  The program goes straight into the iPhone SDK, so there’s really no opportunity for “catch up.”

Los Angeles Workshop – June 14-16
MEETUP SITE: http://www.meetup.com/iPhone-Boot-Camp-Los-Angeles/
EVENTBRITE REGISTRATION site with discount for GIT http://www.eventbrite.com/event/261829138

AUSTIN Workshop – June 21-23
MEETUP SITE: http://www.meetup.com/Austin-iPhone-Developers-Boot-Camp
EVENTBRITE REGISTRATION site with discount for GIT: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/261829138$