Airfoil Public Relations

What 2012 will Bring for the Tech Industry

As the end of the year rolls towards us, pundits and sycophants alike are beginning to make predictions about what companies, trends and products will skyrocket in the next 12 months and which will fade from public recollection.

The group of tech reporters who participated in the recent PRSA Media Predicts event definitely don’t fall into the latter camp, as they pulled no punches when discussing tech trends and products, including those of the event sponsors. The major predictions of the evening were:

• Devices controlled by voice, swiping and gestures will continue to grow as this convergence in user interface makes the most sense for the mobile age.
• With the growth of desktop virtualization, the hardware space is reaching an end of an era
  and acquisitions of major companies are expected.
• There will be a major reset of market valuations, which are based on the actual worth of a company and its business model, rather than the inflated numbers that have been seen in 2011.
• Privacy legislation will be top of mind for regulators, and clamp down on questionable practices utilized by a number of leading technology companies.
• Apple will continue to produce smart and cool products, but it will operate differently
  than if Steve Jobs were at the helm of the company.
• Google will scrap its Chromebook line and Chrome OS due to the company’s overextension into a number of tangential markets in a short period of time.
• An Amazon phone may exist in the near future, along with a host of other hardware, as the company already has the content available to populate a number of options.
• YouTube will continue to mature because its analytics will boot content creators’ ability to see viewers and build appropriately for their target audiences.
• There will be a drop-off of social deals and couponing websites, including Groupon, as there is an oversaturation of the market space.

If even half of these predictions occur in 2012 it will be a year of great upheaval in the technology industry, as enterprise players continue to battle for dominance and consumer-focused companies fight to be heard in an increasingly crowded market.

As always, it will be interesting to look back a year from how to see which of these predictions came to fruition and which fizzled - unless the Mayans were right and December 21, 2012 is the end for all
of us – then it won’t matter.

-- Caitlin Cassady is a senior account executive at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

Five reasons I want to buy a dead piece of tech

Shortly following the untimely death of WebOS and its newest device, the HP Touchpad, many popular tech sites followed stories of its demise with reports of an online and brick-and-mortar gold rush.

Stores such as Best Buy that had originally planned to ship all remaining stock back to HP have now started selling them online and in stores for as much as 80 percent off the original price. Even with its unknown future, $100 is a great price for a full size tablet.

Here are my reasons, other than rock bottom pricing, for wanting one.

1. Single use device. For $100, it would be hard to find a better single-use device. The Touchpad could fill a need in the following categories: e-book reader, news reader, media player or web device.
2. Single location web device. It could be stored somewhere you frequently find yourself needing a web viewer but aren’t likely to want your laptop. Location suggestions: Couch, kitchen, bedroom, kids’ room (toddler sites) or the back of the minivan.
3. Waiting for the TouchDroid. A secondary story I have seen flooding the interwebs is the possibility and likelihood of someone porting over gingerbread and then ice cream sandwich. It appears that a working example has already appeared on eBay. The hardware in the Touchpad my not compare to some of the other offerings at the $500 price point, but for $100, it will beat any Android table I’ve seen.
4. WebOS resurgence. HP produced 250,000 TouchPads, if the reports are to be believed. They may all make it into circulation. If they do, that would make for a significant audience for app development. There may also be a possibility that HP will license or sell WebOS, which would provide a market for new and continued app development.
5. The promise of Windows 8. One of the primary promises of the upcoming Window 8 OS from Microsoft is that it will support ARM processors. There may be a chance that the TouchPad could be repurposed as a test device for the Windows 8 release candidate that is rumored to be unveiled this fall.

Buying any new technology is risky, but buying discontinued tech is usually a recipe for disaster. The TouchPad may be the exception to this rule. I know I will be stopping by a Best Buy or two to see what I can find in the open item isle. Happy hunting!

-- Tony Onofrio is an IT specialist at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

 

Spend a Weekend in NYC in the Name of Professional Development – a Conference for Technology Communicators

Great communicators are not born; they’re developed through practice and a commitment to learning. In the technology industry, the skill of assessing and embracing change is learned early and practiced often.

With the global economy, the consumerization of technology and the growth potential in many industries tied to technical innovation, the need for skilled public relations strategists is greater than ever.  In fact, people who know how to examine new or complex concepts, break them down and communicate their importance to the marketplace will always be in demand.

As the 2011 chair of the Technology Professional Interest Section of PRSA, I have the privilege of discussing the issues of the day with some of the leading PR practitioners in the technology industry. I’ve always found learning from my peers a valuable and reliable experience and am looking forward to sharing observations and ideas on the topics impacting businesses today at our upcoming conference, T3PR: Theory, Tactics and Technology for High Tech Public Relations, Sept. 16th in New York City.  In my experience, the programming at T3 offers a depth not found in other venues and benefits the new and experienced professional alike  

T3 will feature a number of timely topics relevant to tech communicators and anyone else tasked with positioning and communicating the merits of something new and innovative, including:

• “Of Patents, Publicity and Intellectual Property” - Every client’s patent application and issued patent creates an opportunity to enhance the client’s brand and better differentiate its product line. Learn how promoting “patent pending” differs from promoting issued patents, and how patents relate to trademarks, trade secrets and copyrights.
• “Managing Channel Communications through Times of Change” - The software industry is undergoing a major shift with the widespread acceptance and consumption of cloud computing. Hear from Microsoft experts about best practices for creating and maintaining influence with critical channel partners through periods of great change.
• “Technology Frontiers” - Technology is the differentiating element for car buyers today and therefore a critical element for the successful automotive brands of the future. Learn best practices from the head of public relations for the recent launch of the Nissan LEAF, an all-electric car -- an initiative that sold all available cars without ever putting one in a showroom. With a background in technology, managing public relations for brands such as IBM and Motorola, Scott Stevens, APR was recruited by the carmaker to develop its technology brand and positioning for its latest innovation.
• “Strategy in the Security Dimension” - Consumers and businesses experience and think about computer security in different ways.  In this session, AVG Technologies, a global leader in security software, will explore how it has positioned itself for success in a ever-changing and crowded space.
• “Technology Crisis.  Digital Age.”- Crisis communicators have developed a highly specialized set of skills, but for science and technology companies with complex products or services, the challenge of managing communications can be even greater.  Hear perspectives from a panel of experts from DuPont, Ogilvy Public Relations and other industry experts on how crisis communications can differ in these sectors for both B2B and B2C organizations and how emerging digital and social channels are best leveraged to meet your objectives.
• “Multinational Considerations for Technology Communications” -  Technology has done a lot to connect people and markets worldwide. However, how we actually communicate -- whether launching a product, engaging with employees, talking to the media or working with social media -- can be challenging.  Matt Kucharski, APR, from Padilla Speer Beardsley will discuss best practices for developing and implementing multinational communications programs.

Membership to the Technology Professional Interest Section is included in registration. I hope you'll plan to join me for this great professional development experience.

If you have any questions about the conference or the section, just send me an email and you’ll receive a prompt response! I look forward to seeing you there.

-- Kevin Sangsland is an account director at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley and 2011 chair of PRSA’s technology section.

Day One at MBS - Don't Knock it 'til You Try it

Today marked official Day One of the Management Briefing Seminars (MBS) - traditionally a mid-year hot spot in Traverse City where automotive executives, journalists, communications professionals (and many times their significant others) flock to discuss trends, issues and what lies ahead for the industry. As most other conferences, MBS took a hit during the automotive downturn, but as the industry keeps moving forward, attendance, morale and participation of high-level executives seems to be improving, as well.

I arrived late Sunday and things were quiet, but people started filling in by Monday morning. Some might say that day one of the conference is a “play hooky day.” Boring topics, too technical, none of the hard-hitting OEM execs have arrived yet, everyone just wants to golf and party, etc. But I'm saying, don't knock it until you try it. I'm here with a number of Airfoil clients, namely Achates Power, Altair Engineering (CMO Jeff Brennan is speaking), Faurecia and NVIDIA, and I've had the opportunity to sit in on a few sessions and reconnect with new and old media and PR friends.

There are some significant topics being discussed at the conference on this Monday, believe it or not. Looking out the windows, some of the attendees and journalists might be pining for the beautiful outdoors and miles of golf tees just waiting to be played. But inside, executives from OEMs like BMW, GM and VW, and technology experts from companies like Altair, Robert Bosch and Honeywell, are coming together to improve manufacturing excellence, productivity, vehicle weight and fuel economy. All of the key outlets are reporting on their conversations, via show dailies, online and through social media - reporter twitter handles for outlets from Ward's, Plastics News, WSJ, Detroit News and others have been running hot all day, for example. Check them out -- they and the speakers have a lot of value to share. Look back to the Airfoil blog for more on MBS (#mbs2011) throughout the week.

-- Jenn Korail is an account supervisor at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

Turnaround in the auto industry? Obama says yes

During the past few years, we have witnessed quite a few changes in the auto industry. Our economy has been difficult and nothing proved that more than when two of our country’s biggest manufacturers, Chrysler and General Motors, found themselves resorting to taking government loans to stay afloat.

Times are starting to look better (fingers crossed) and with GM and now Chrysler having paid their loans back, is it safe to say the auto industry has turned around?

During a recent visit to a Chrysler plant in Toledo, Ohio, President Obama made positive remarks about the auto industry’s “turnaround.”  The New York Times highlights Obama’s visit where he praises Chrysler for its work in helping to turn the industry around, but also acknowledges that “there are always going to be bumps on the road to recovery.”  For the auto industry, are those so called bumps only financial?

So where did the domestic auto industry go wrong over the last decade? Many may agree that the industry simply got too comfortable. Product quality declined and new models offered limited innovation. The good news is that it appears they industry has learned from its mistakes and is not only coming back financially but also getting back to producing quality products we have come to expect from the Big 3.

I recently attended the Ward’s Auto Interiors Show in Dearborn and the one thing I walked away with was that every automaker is focusing on creating the next generation of quality, fuel efficient and affordable vehicles. Not only are they working to make luxury cars feel premium again, they are looking at every possibility of bringing premium to other segments.

The Ford Focus and Chrysler 200 are two examples of new, affordable, fuel efficient vehicles that we never would have seen come to market five years ago. Somewhere along the lines of the economic turmoil, the auto industry learned a valuable lesson that consumers are all benefiting from. They learned to design for the consumer again and stopped designing solely for their pocketbooks.

This is just one small example of a small but significant change that has been made in the industry. What trends are you seeing? Do you agree with Obama that the auto industry has turned around?

-- Deana Goodrich is a senior account executive at Airfoil Public Relations, a high-tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

 

The future of in-vehicle technology

The 9^thAnnual International Telematics Awards are tonight, while the 11^th Annual Telematics Conference is scheduled for June 8 and 9 in Novi, where thousands of forward-thinking innovators will gather to network, learn and recognize each other for their contributions to in-vehicle telematics.

In-vehicle telematicsare the computer and electronics technology found inside your car i.e. navigation systems, driver assistance, advanced calling features, etc.

According to the conference’s website, key topics include:

• Smartphones vs. embedded units: Which services are best placed on embedded models and which are best suited to mobile platforms?
• USDOT and driver distraction issues: Focusing on research results, impending legislation and the impact on telematics.
• Electric vehicles and telematics: Discuss which telematics systems will best provide routing information, nearest charge source, etc., to increase EV adoption.

Several big names will be recognized as leaders in the evolving telematics industry, including the following:

• · Audi, which uses NVIDIA technology (Disclosure: NVIDIA is an Airfoil client), is nominated for both“Best Navigation Solution or Product” and “Global OEM Infotainment Solution Award.”
• · Ford Motor company is nominated for “Best Telematics Safety Technology,” “Global OEM Infotainment Solution Award” and “Best Telematics Service Provider.”
• · OnStaris nominated for “Best Aftermarket Device or Solution,” “Best Telematics Safety Technology,” “Best Telematics Service Provider” and “Best Navigation Solution or Product.”

In-vehicle telematics may seem like a luxury or something that you’d see in Doc Brown’s Delorean , but as John Quain of the New York Times’ Wheels Blogputs it, telematics are no longer a sideshow. This technology, which creates infotainment, navigation solutions and safety features, is revolutionizing the way people drive.

With technology always trying to one-up itself, the constant question seems to be, “What’s next?” Whether it’s wireless charging, a large boom in Asia or something that is in the early research and development stage, one thing is certain, the future of in-vehicle telematics is bright.

-- Dave Niemiec is an account coordinator at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

Why agency experience matters

A recent study of the relationship between business owners and their marketing partners found that
only 44 percent of clients surveyed were happy with the performance of their current agency partner.

While this figure is roughly unchanged from previous years, the findings do raise a number of interesting points -- especially in respects to the evaluation process for RFP submissions.

It’s really easy for a client to fall in love with the big shiny proposal idea or the notion of partnering with the hottest or biggest agency in town. The thing to remember and what this research validates is
the business case for relevant expertise and experience.

As the study points out, 77 percent of marketers surveyed agreed that demonstrating an understanding of their market is among the most critical aspects of an agency pitch (creativity was 72 percent).This suggests savvy marketers today are more concerned about finding a strategic partner who can help with their business versus just another "idea shop” – and that direct industry experience is what matters most.

For Airfoil, this correlates to the work we do in the technology industry. Our experience isn’t something that we sprinkle into an RFP response just to win a piece of business.

Our ability to better understand and proactively address the challenges of marketing technology products and services is central to everything we do … and it represents a key competitive advantage for our agency.

It’s when this ability or know-how is paired with shiny big idea that something special results.

-- Janet Tyler is co-founder and president of Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

Ever heard of FUI (fantasy user design)?

I recently came across a post by Steve Clayton on Next at Microsoft about a new term to me – FUI or fantasy user design. If you haven’t heard of it, you’ve most likely experienced it.  

FUI is the stuff that used to sound really far-fetched for real-world applications. It was the backbone, or at created some of the most memorable visual elements, of films such as The Bourne Ultimatum, Mission Impossible and Children of Men. The man behind that is Mark Coleran. There’s a comprehensive article on Fast Company’s Co.Design, and it’s worth a read.

Think of FUI as the older brother of natural user interface (NUI), which has been a buzz phrase for a while now. Quite simply, NUI encompasses how most of us engage with technology from things like touch-enabled PCs and phones to totally touch-free gaming systems like Kinect.

It reminds us all that things in the not-so-distant-past, thanks to the autobahn of technology innovation, are meeting up with us in rapid pace. Where we live. Where we work. And where we go.  

Interesting to see how things we once awed at in the movies as fantastic are now helping solve real-world problems, such as comparing water availability and potability in India.

As FUI pushes the boundaries, imagine what the future holds. Technology is a marvelous thing.

-- Amy Bryson is an account director at Airfoil Public Relations, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

Gas prices hit $4.29/gallon. How will the auto industry rise to meet the challenge?

With gas prices currently around $4.29 per gallon and expected to continue rising, there is no doubt we need answers from the auto industry on what the vehicles of tomorrow will look like. Vehicles such as the Volt and the Nissan Leaf bring us closer, and even non-electric vehicles such as the new Ford Focus and Fiesta are key industry leaders in helping to shift America’s mind set. Good bye big SUVs, hello small compact fuel efficient vehicles.

So, will we all be driving around in 100 percent electric vehicles in the next few years? Not likely according to a recently released Booz & Co. survey. The study, which surveyed more than 200 OEM and supplier executives, identified that there is no dominant solution in terms of creating the next powertrain technology. Hybrid, diesel, plug in hybrids, battery electric and fuel cell technology are all players at this point up through 2020.

The good news is we are seeing suppliers being innovative and looking at every option from making vehicles more lightweight through materials to new energy efficient engines such as Achates Power,(client) a company that has developed a radically improved internal combustion engine – a patented 2-stroke, opposed-piston, compression-ignition engine.

But innovation comes at a price and suppliers have to be able to justify the cost. Achates Power CEO David Johnson addresses this within a Booz & Co. article about the survey, “Is the U.S. Auto Industry Ready for Economic Recovery,” stating:

“A product’s price is directly proportional to the value it creates,” says David Johnson, CEO of Achates Power Inc., which is developing an energy-efficient engine. “Any time that you aren’t delivering a unique technology or unique features that will create market demand or fill a real need in the market, your product becomes commoditized — and the next thing you are doing is price and quality competition. That’s not a long-term winning formula.”

Experts Coming Together to Foster Innovation

A few weeks ago I attended 2011 SAE World Congress at Cobo Center in Detroit. One clear goal for this conference was identifying ways the auto industry can create vehicles that are more environmentally friendly, fuel efficient and are more cost effective for OEMs and consumers.  One session, “Examples of Green innovation and Sustainable Practices in the Automotive Sector,” included speakers from PPG Chemfil, Faurecia North America (client), Ford Motor Company, Ontario BioAuto Council and Bayer MaterialScience LLC.  Each company demonstrated how they were working to develop new products for the auto industry using natural, renewable or recycled materials. The conversation in the room was dynamic as each expert discussed different innovations for OEMs to consider as they work to build the vehicles of tomorrow.  This type of event that fosters collaboration and innovation is exactly what is needed to move the industry forward.

Creative ideas are the first stepping stone, but how do we bring these ideas to life to truly make an impact on the industry? This week at the Center for Automotive Design Driving Change conference, we hope to see the same level of innovation and more importantly, identifying how these great ideas can become reality.  During the conference, Tony Norton from Altair Engineering (client) will demonstrate how simulation and optimization software can help suppliers and OEMs rethink the design process and ultimately find more creative ways to address some of the key issues, such as “lightweighting” either through the use of new materials or through changing the vehicle architecture. 

It is through these types of collaborative studies and events that the auto industry will be able to discover what the next generation of vehicles will be. The OEMs cannot work in silos and neither can suppliers. I look forward to seeing the future developments within the auto industry.

-- Deana Goodrich is a senior account executive at Airfoil Public Relations, a high-tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.

Lessons learned from the rough route of technology

Ever since the Stone Age of the Digital Era, one tech company or another has cried foul or claimed it was there long before a competitor. The result of these shin-bumps over recent decades sometimes has been a less-than-smooth path for the evolution of digital technology. As we step into the second decade of the 21^st century, however, companies are beginning to learn the critical value of free-flowing information at a time when the marketplace expects to be able to communicate instantaneously with others, to make instantaneous choices among products and to instantaneously access entertainment.  Any activity that is perceived to hinder these new market realities is certain to raise the ire of technology consumers and the temperature of their conversations. 

As active witnesses to the techno-tussles in a highly competitive industry, we at Airfoil have benefited from at least three lessons learned:

• Innovation trumps introduction.  Being first with a product or service is far less important than developing the best version of an offering.  After all, the first search engine was Archie, the first laptop was the Osborne and the first Smartphone was IBM’s Simon.  None of these became a verb (such as “to Bing,” “to Google” or “to text.”) By communicating its innovation advantages, a company can build a substantial competitive edge in its category, even if it wasn’t first to market.
• Attempts to toss stop signs in front of the innovation juggernaut by restricting access to features, bandwidths or usage won’t stop invention; they will just turn the marketplace against the intruder.  Companies that understand and respond to the marketplace—those that communicate their openness, that encourage anywhere-anytime access and that employ social media to engage with the marketplace—will earn a swifter trip to the top of the heap than those that struggle to reshape the market to their own products or services.
• While innovation is the soul of success in today’s tech market, communications is the heart.  A steady beat of clear, concise and candid communications can build a brand that is strong at its core and renowned for the innovation that pulses through it.

For communicators, these lessons point the way to the next evolution of technology, one that acknowledges the importance of cooperating more and sharing more, because openness will be the most critical innovation that the market demands.

-- Lisa Vallee Smith is the founder and CEO of Airfoil, a high tech PR agency with offices in Detroit and Silicon Valley.