5 Ways to Tell if a Co-Working Space is Right for Your Startup

From the 2nd Annual Global Coworking Survey As the co-working trend spreads from big urban centers including San Francisco and New York, most major cities now have at least one co-working space' and that number is growing. According to the 2nd Annual Global Coworking Survey, 36% of all co-working spaces plan to open additional locations this year, and 85% expect membership to increase.

But just because there's a co-working space near your company, that doesn't necessarily mean it - or any such space - is the right fit for you. Consider these five fact factors before moving in:

1. What kind of people do you want to work with? Co-working spaces come in many flavors. Some cater to creative workers like writers or graphic designers; others focus on women business owners or entrepreneurs who need child care during working hours; still others attract software designers, game designers or other techies. You'll be spending a fair amount of time among these people, so choose your co-workers carefully.

2. How many amenities do you require? Some niceties you can expect to find include coffee makers and refrigerators, access to office equipment such as printers and fax machines, storage space, open-plan seating areas and meeting rooms. If there are any factors that are especially important to you, ask about them. Also find out what hours you can access the facility and how far in advance you need to reserve meeting space.

3. What plan options are available, and how much do they cost? Most co-working spaces offer a menu of options, from 'drop-in' hourly space rentals to part-time or full-time membership plans. If you have employees, ask about group plans and make sure the center can accommodate the size of your team. If possible, test out the space with drop-in rental before making a bigger commitment.

4. What's the vibe? Visit the co-working space to get a sense of how friendly, collaborative, energetic or practical it is for your purposes. In general, co-working spaces are informal by nature; the ease of sharing and meeting new people is part of the charm. But you also need to make sure it's not too noisy and hectic for you to focus (unless you're the type who thrives in chaos).

5. What 'extra perks' are available? Some co-working spaces are affiliated with startup accelerators, business incubators, local universities or other programs to help members' businesses grow. Many sponsor events, gatherings or classes tailored around topics of interest to their members. This can make a big difference to some startups, but have no value for others.

What kinds of startups should use co-working spaces?

In general, co-working spaces work great for solo founders who want others to bounce ideas off of or to simply keep them from going stir crazy in a home office or the local Starbucks. They can also be a great place to network and meet potential partners, professional advisers or clients.

As your business grows and your team gets bigger, however, you may outgrow your co-working space.

Other warning signs a co-working space might not be right for you:

You need privacy to discuss sensitive issues or trade secrets you don't want others to overhear. It's hard to keep secrets when you're sitting elbow-to-elbow with strangers. Some co-working spaces offer dedicated space with privacy for teams, but you'll need to make sure this is available and appropriate for your needs.

You're worried about competition. It's great to learn from others in your industry, but not everyone is there just to help you. If you're concerned competitors may steal your ideas or employees, a co-working space might not be right for you.

There are several resources to help you find co-working spaces in your area:

• Deskmag
• Deskwanted
• the Coworking Directory

But the best approach may be to ask around to see what co-working spaces other startup entrepreneurs in your area use and recommend.

Lead image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Why the New Chromebook Still Doesn't Cut It

A personal computer is inherently different from a software platform. Historically, consumers and businesses haven't invested in computer equipment for the quality of its software platform alone. If they did, the Macintosh question would have been settled in 1985. Instead, the majority of buyers make investments (often with great reluctance) in software platforms by virtue of their being supported by safe, reliable and compatible systems that won't get them into trouble.

There is nothing about the new generation of Web apps that will magically change this trend. To be frightfully honest, there is nothing about the virtue of being a Web app that elevates it to the level of good. Yet Google's repeated gamble with the second round of Chromebook and Chromebox (introduced Tuesday; for more details see New Chromebook and Chromebox Are Good Enough to Grab Minds and Market Share, by ReadWriteWeb's Jon Mitchell), is that the quality of Web apps in themselves has risen to such a level that consumers will be willing to overlook the discrepancies between a Web platform and a real operating system, and actually spend a small premium for something inferior to a typical PC.

If consumers refused to spend less money (as was the case in the 1980s and '90s) for something that was clearly more than a PC, it seems certain now that they will refuse to spend more money for something that is less.

Lest We Forget the Spec Sheet

A Samsung Chromebook is today, in essence, an Intel Celeron 867-based PC system with a 16GB solid-state drive instead of a 320GB (or thereabouts) hard drive, 4GB of (apparently non-expandable) RAM, two USB ports and no built-in DVD drive. Its suggested retail price is $549 which, if it were applied to the Windows ultraportable market, would probably translate to a street price of less than $500. But discounts come as a result of competition with other machines in its class, and as Google keeps reminding us, there are no other machines in this class. So for now, $549 is probably the street price.

Let's take the perspective of actual consumers and businesses. Let's ask the kinds of questions that humans will ask when they see one of these Chromebooks for the first time. 

First, obviously there's no optical disc drive, yet the software would have me store all my files on this cloud-based service called Google Drive. So how do I get my existing files from here to there? Presumably I would plug a storage device into one of the USB ports. Will the operating system recognize my storage device? This is an important but unanswered question. Perhaps this thing recognizes most flash-based USB thumb drives in the world (again, an assumption) but will it read data from a Western Digital My Passport or Seagate Expansion drive? Windows 7 needed to download new drivers to recognize the latest My Passport drives (I've watched it happen). When a new class of hardware comes out, is Chrome OS equipped to download the latest drivers?

The driver issue is important for another reason: Can I print stuff? Granted, it doesn't cost that much these days to go buy another printer (the ink is another story, of course). But how do we know whether any particular printer will work with a Chromebook? And even assuming it "works," what does that mean, exactly? Do users have to upload photos before they print them? Can you look at the photos on your external drive or Google Drive (or wherever), select a handful of them, send them to the printer and make photos? Or do you need an app for that? And if you do need an app, which one?

And what about video cameras? This Chromebook thing doesn't have a DVD player, but can it play movies? One of the tremendous responsibilities of a real operating system, which we may tend to forget, is that it must recognize, welcome and interface with all classes of hardware. Equally important is the requirement to play nicely with a variety of classes of media. Media comes from many places, not just online. It would certainly be convenient if all the media producers were to suddenly adopt a single format. It would be even more convenient for Google if that format was WebM. But this will never happen.

As nice as it might be to pretend our digital lives will be seamlessly transported (like a plot from a lesser Star Trek movie) to a world in the cloud, this too will never happen. No so long as people worry about the security of their precious media.

Whom Do We Ask for Help?

For a consumer standing in a Best Buy or similar retail store, asking these real-world questions of the salesperson and watching her fidget as she tries to remember whom she should ask to get the response, there's not going to be a lot of confidence. Especially when they're standing next to a variety of competing machines, say Lenovo's ThinkPad 2338A (known elsewhere as ThinkPad X130e-2338-A14). 

First of all, Lenovo is a better-known brand than Samsung, and the machine comes with the same Intel Celeron 867 1.3 GHz processor, as well as 320GB of storage built-in and three USB ports instead of two. Online shoppers, meanwhile, might look at Dell's Vostro V131, whose starter configuration also features the Celeron 867. 

Either way, there are no worries about plugging in just about any external device, and the machines cost about $500, which either matches or beats the Samsung's price. For a little more, they could upgrade to a Core i3 processor, which is like upgrading from a four- to a six-cylinder engine.

At this point, you have to ask what is so special about not running Windows that it's worth paying extra for? ReadWriteWeb's Richard McManus points out that Chromebook users won't have to buy software (More Bad News for HP: The New Google Chromebook Compared to a Typical HP Laptop), but that misses the point. After all, you can run Chrome for Mac or Windows right now if you want to. Besides, there is already a market for slightly-less-than-average-performance, slightly higher-than-average-priced non-PCs. Just look inside any airport, coffee house or design studio: Apple has absorbed that market in totum.

In Search of a Bottom Line

So remind me, once again: Is there some sensible value proposition for owning a Chromebook that I completely missed? If I'm going to make this leap of faith, what exactly should I expect to get? Our friends at Engadget have an answer. Writes Dana Wollman, "Seriously, folks, you're looking at a $449 netbook-like machine whose island-style keys put thousand-dollar Ultrabooks to shame."

And there you have it. A Samsung Chromebook with Google Chrome OS is a system with those Mac-ish square keys, but at half the price! Of course, to add 3G connectivity (which I would need in order to, say, access all my files whenever I need them), then that's a $100 extra option. Even without it, though, doesn't it look like a real Mac, almost? For that matter, doesn't anything from Vtech look slightly like a real PC?

Wow, look at those sexy, island-style chiclet keys! Isn't it amazing that a Chromebook can... oh, wait, this is the Dell Vostro V131, which actually sells for less than the Chromebook... Never mind.

When everyday consumers and businesses look at supposedly knowledgeable computer-types as though we're from Mars - it's usually because we're from Mars. We've become so in awe of the idea of "mobile connectivity" that we forget to ask questions. Thankfully, real people haven't yet lost that ability. Which is why the Chromebook will never become a real PC until it has a real OS. Until then, it's a cheap keyboard.

Mary Meeker Re-Imagines Nearly Everything

Meeker has been obsessed with mobile growth in recent presentations - and that trend continues. The executive summary of her latest report is that mobile technology is being rapidly adopted, but it's "still in [the] early stages." Meanwhile, Internet growth in general is described as "robust."

Mobile devices are, unsurprisingly, the biggest growth area. The standout statistic was this: 29% of USA adults now own a tablet or eReader, up from 2% less than three years ago. That's been fueled by the rapid growth of devices like the iPad and Kindle.

Mobile adoption is having a big impact on overall Web traffic. Global mobile traffic is "growing rapidly" and is now 10% of Internet Traffic.

The following is a very sobering stat for Facebook. It's as good an explanation as any for why Facebook spent $1 billion on Instagram. In India, the world's second largest Internet market behind China, mobile Internet traffic has now surpassed desktop Internet traffic!

Back to the US, the combined growth of mobile devices and mobile traffic has resulted in a big jump in mobile revenue. However, most of it (71%) is revenue from apps. 29% is from mobile advertising.

Overall, Meeker is bullish on mobile monetization. The desktop Internet proved that advertising dollars follow eyeballs, Meeker said, so it's just a matter of time before mobile attracts dollars. She points to the strong mobile app revenue figures, as well as "rapid growth" (that phrase again) of mobile commerce and associated payment systems'.

"Re-Imagination" is a new catchphrase that Meeker introduced in this presentation. 'The first generation of Re-Imagination was the desktop Internet usurping old business models. For example the newspaper industry, where print ad revenue was surpassed by Internet revenue in 2010.

She then presented a slew of examples of how (mostly mobile) technology is "re-imagining nearly everything." Here are just a few of them:

Lots to digest in this excellent presentation by Mary Meeker, who has more than proven herself to be the standout analyst of this Internet era.

The Flame Virus: Spyware on an Unprecedented Scale

What makes Flame so unusual is its size. It's much larger than some of the largest malware instances that researchers have found. For instance, the infamous Stuxnet virus that was targeted at Iran's uranium enrichment facilities several years ago was 500 kilobytes, according to Wired. 

'Flame is a sizable beast," said Graham Cluley of Sophos Security, a publisher of digital security software. "With all its components in place, it's approximately 20MB. And this is one of the reasons why people have bandied phrases around like 'biggest' and 'most sophisticated.' Reverse engineering 20MB of code is a sizable piece of work."

Researchers have only scratched the surface of what is hidden in all that code. Stuxnet (and its sister DuQu) took researchers months to figure out exactly what it did and where it might have come from. Flame will take a lot longer. 

Table comparing Flame and Stuxnet from CrySyS at Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Flame, at its core, is spyware. It has the ability to log key strokes from an infected user's computer, use the computer's sensors such as the microphone and Web cam to record what is being said around it, and take screenshots. It can also sniff a network to steal passwords, be spread through USB drives and local networks, and transfer data to command-and-control servers. It can infect Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 computers. 

This is not your ordinary spyware, though. While it does have some simple and basic elements of spyware (which can key log and use the microphone as well), its sheer girth betrays a more sophisticated approach. 

Normal spyware is not hard to detect. It is usually some type of derivation of existing malware that has been repurposed by hackers and distributed through normal channels such as spam or infected websites. Antivirus companies such as Symantec (Norton), Kaspersky, Sophos, Bitdefender and others recognize the spyware shortly after it is discovered and issue a detection kit for it. Microsoft then comes out with a patch and the cat-and-mouse game between the malware writers and security companies goes on. To a certain extent, this is what has happened with Flame. Detection and removal kits have already been released by security companies including Sophos and Symantec, as well as the Iranian government.

But the size and uniqueness of Flame may prove to be more than the antivirus companies realize. Right now, the detector kits are looking for specific instances within the Flame code to help detect the virus. For instance, code samples with 'flame' or 'wiper' are detected and blocked. The thing is, Flame is not exactly new. It has been in the wild for more than five years, perhaps in varying forms that have been added to over time. Much of Flame may have been compiled in 2011, but bits of it may be older. Flame's ability to avoid detection over time speaks to its unique properties. Those properties could also speak to its source.

Flame also uses a unique programming language to the malware world: Lua. Lua is used primarily by game developers to create cross-platform applications for iOS and Android. It is similar to C++ but easier to update and communicate with.

'Lua is normally used for convenience," said Liam O Murchu, operations manager of Symantec Security Response. "As a scripting language it is much more high-level than C++ and it is easier to write in. Also, it is very easy to update the Lua part of the code and change the behavior of the threat in a very fluid and fast way. Often the Lua portion can be updated without recompiling and redeploying the software in question.'

Flame (sKyWIper) startup sequence from CrySyS

Flame is well organized in how it communicates and translates data. In an infected machine, it can perform a variety of tasks including wiping out its own existence as well as any other malware on the machine. This is a tactic used by other sophisticated viruses ' becoming their own antivirus programs ' presumably because other, less sophisticated viruses could lead to the discovery of Flame itself. When Flame retrieves data, be it key logs or screen shots, it uses high- and low-level encryption and HTTPS to send data back to its command-and-control servers. That data is then organized into its database through MySQLite, a smaller version of MySQL database software. 

In a nutshell: Flame can control almost every aspect of the computer, disappear without a trace, encrypt its own communications and organize the data it collects. That is one smart virus. 

It is so large and smart that researchers have concluded that this was not created by a random group of hackers looking to make some money. (Now that its code is out in the wild, though, that may be part of its future.) 

'The results of our technical analysis supports the hypotheses that sKyWIper [Flame] was developed by a government agency of a nation state with significant budget and effort, and it may be related to cyber warfare activities,' stated a technical report from the Laboratory of Cryptography and System Security (CrySyS) at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. 

Should average computer users worry about Flame? The short answer is no. Kaspersky Labs, which initially reported on Flame, only found several hundred instances of Flame among its client base, most of them in Iran and Middle Eastern countries. Whoever created Flame has been aiming it at specific targets, perhaps knowing that a virus like this left unchecked in the wild could do serious damage.

'I think run-of-the-mill malware is a much more significant threat to the vast majority of computer users than Flame,' Cluley said. 'We have had zero reports of Flame from any of our customers' computers worldwide. Even Kaspersky, who appeared in the first media reports of Flame, only reported a couple of hundred infected PCs. Flame pretty much became the malware you didn't have to worry about because of the media hoopla and antivirus products being updated in the last 36 hours or so. You imagine that whoever was behind Flame is now pretty grumpy about their malware attracting so much attention.' 

Facebook's Acquisition Of Face.com Gives a New Look to Search

'Give us 14 images of you,' Google's Eric Schmidt famously told the Technology Conference in 2010, 'and we can find other images of you with 95% accuracy.'

That was impressive at the time, and that 95% is probably much higher now. But what was more impressive is that the feature, which isn't available on Google Image Search, is expected to be offered first by Face.com. As the Web becomes increasingly visual, image search is going to become increasingly important, and an acquisition of Face.com may be the strongest signal yet that Facebook is positioning itself to go toe-to-toe with Google in search.

The inevitable implications of enhanced image search are huge. One of the biggest reasons it hasn't been launched on Google Image Search and has only been launched on a limited basis on Facebook is that the computing power hasn't quite caught up to allow for quick searches based on facial recognition algorithms, but that is rapidly changing.

PCWorld has a comprehensive look at the good and bad of facial recognition technology, with plenty of space devoted to the increased privacy concerns. As Eli Pariser noted in The Filter Bubble, 'The ability to search by face will shatter many of our cultural illusions about privacy and anonymity...[it will be] as if the whole Internet has been tagged on Facebook.'

Neither company is commenting on the deal, but there are widespread reports that Facebook would pay between $80 million and $100 million for the Israeli startup.

The rumor, coupled with recent acquisitions of photosharing apps Instagram and Lightbox and the release of its own Facebook Camera app, make it clear that Facebook is betting on a visual Web for its future growth. But it also shows that Facebook is putting the money it raised in its initial public offering to work, acquiring companies instead of going through the process of developing new products, features and services in-house.

Executives, not Employees, are Driving the Consumer Tech in the Enterprise

Late last year, Forrester polled 1,000 U.S., Canadian and European corporate executives from companies with 1,000 employees or more. Their top four business concerns, in order, are:

' improving business capabilities;

' increased customer expectations;

' pressure to cut costs;

' and increased competition for goods and services. 

Eighty-nine percent ranked improving business capabilities a high or critical priority. Only 58% ranked the pace of technological change as a high or critical business concern, with a mere 16% counting it as critical.

As James Carville said: It's the economy, stupid.

Executives: IT is the Biggest Roadblock to IT

Forrester conducted a similar poll among 1,047 North American and European IT managers with responsibility for their companies' budgets. Guess what? In every category of IT operations performance, the IT workers rated their own efficiency more highly than did the executives. And that difference in perception, Forrester concludes, is driving business departments to take more responsibility for IT purchasing and deployment decisions.

"Senior management is frustrated with IT's ability to deliver," Forrester's John C. McCarthy writes. 

Only 15.7% of executive respondents said they're increasing their departments' involvement in IT, in an effort to decentralize procurement and deployment away from their IT departments. Fifty-nine percent say they get IT support from a centralized IT resource, while 20% say it comes from a dedicated, division-specific IT resource. (That last figure is up 9% over last year, by the way.) Among those who are increasing their divisions' involvement this year, 75% agreed with the statement, "Technology is too important for the business not to be involved," and 54% agreed with, "IT does not understand the business issues and priorities to do it by itself."

If we were to stop there, we might conclude that corporate departments want to move decision-making closer to the executive suite. However, when asked what they intend to do when they do get control of the IT process, a tremendous number of executives said they were planning to outsource it.

A full 36% of executive respondents said they plan to outsource IT services - a 19% jump over last year. And 25% said they plan to hire systems integration consultants this year, a 7% rise over 2010.

What do businesses expect these consultants to produce first?  A total of 46% of executives responding said they either have already tasked these consultants, or are making plans within the next 12 months, to have them... build a website for them. Not a Facebook page, not a social gathering point, but a website.

Safety Still Leads to Hesitancy for the Cloud

You might think that cloud technology would play a more prominent role in affecting these executives' planning decisions. As it turns out, only 34% of executives responding say they use a SaaS application for customer relationship management or human resources - the two top categories of SaaS. Another 6% are requesting to use such service, and 19% are thinking about it, but the total doesn't even eclipse the two-thirds mark. And every other category of SaaS ranked lower on Forrester's executive survey.

What's keeping businesses from finally making the leap? The result was an absolutely clear signal, from both the executives and the IT managers polled: Some 38% of executives and 46% of IT managers polled agreed with the statement, "We cannot manage security to our strict standards" - far higher than any other statement in the list.

To summarize: Businesses absolutely know they need to cut costs in this economy, and they know both mobile devices and cloud applications are means to that end. But they don't know what Step 1 should be. Executives know the IT department isn't taking Step 1, so they and their division leaders are taking the reins for themselves. But once they have the control, they don't know how to begin either, so they hire consultants - even creating new external IT departments to take over from the internal ones. What's keeping them from going forward with what should otherwise be a simple implementation plan, are fears about security, compliance and identity management. Simple solutions are being obstructed by complex problems - far more complex than the consumerization of IT.

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Stock photo by Shutterstock.

College Grads Shun Startup Jobs - and How to Hire Them Anyway

The startup mix of an exciting lifestyle and the potential to strike it rich if the company hits it big would seem to be a big draw for young workers - especially as the overall economy continues to struggle adding new jobs. But the

opportunitiy has yet to register with the class of 2012. And that could make it surprisingly difficult for startups to attract top talent.

A recent study of graduating job-seekers by job-search engine SimplyHired.com, suggests that this year's college graduates are not particularly interested in going to work at a startup. In the survey, a measly 4% listed a startup as their ideal place of employment.

'When you see the hiring taking place in Silicon Valley, there really is a boom going on here,' says SimplyHired CEO Gautam Godhwani. 'So to see a lack of enthusiasm for startups from new grads is not something we expected.'

Potential vs. security?

Apparently, what college graduates want most is job security. Some 33% listed that as their top priority, above salary (23%) and benefits (23%).

The popular wisdom holds that young people today are more entrepreneurial. But keep in mind that the class of 2012 entered college just as the recession hit - and they have been scared away from risky ventures. Economics 101 seems to have had a bigger impact on their career goals than 'The Social Network.'

Perks like free sodas and a company kickball game sound cool, but today's college graduates are more interested in their long-term future.

'While startups offer a culture that new graduates might enjoy, such as flexible hours and casual dress, this graduating class is looking for stability over perks,' says Godhwani. 'And it's no mystery why. Over the last four years, while they've been working on their bachelor's degree, they've watched their friends and family struggle in the job market. The economy has been tough and the class of 2012 had a front-row-seat to witness it all happen.'

How to hire recent grads

So what can startups do to attract employees? Get funded.

'Employers need to understand why a lot of new grads are not interested in working for a startup,' Godhwani says. 'And when you look at the numbers on success for venture-backed companies, it is significantly higher. When a new grad becomes convinced that a startup is well-funded and growing and stable - and they will have a job for the next several years - that alleviates a lot of concerns.'

SimplyHired.com offers a list of 10 Tips for Hiring New College Graduates (get PDF here), but it's unclear how well many of them will apply to startups.

A couple that do make sense for brand new companies include demonstrating how your company makes a difference and choosing employees for their passion instead of their experience.

It can be hard for large multinational firms to show how they're changing the world instead of maintaining the status quo, but many startups are laser-focused on filling needs and creative disruption. That's an opening startups need to exploit.

As for hiring for passion, remember that passion doesn't have to be for your company. At least not at first. The report gives this example of hiring for passion:

'A recruiter at a popular technology startup described a recent successful hire that was a new college graduate with little work experience. The thing that stood out? His leadership of his college comedy improv group, and several comedy training workshops he had attended each summer. The recruiter recognized the candidate's longtime commitment to a passion and desire to learn and grow within the specialization, which proved successful for the employee now in a client services position.'

WWDC Rumor Roundup: What Will Apple Reveal Next Month?

Mac OS X Mountain Lion and iOS 6

The WWDC will almost certainly feature appearances by the next version of Apple's major operating systems. Both OS X and iOS are due for upgrades, as they both gradually evolve toward one another.

We already got a detailed look at OS X Mountain Lion, which has been available as a developer preview for three months. The new desktop operating system borrows heavily from iOS and continues the tradition started with Mountain Lion of making OS X start to look and feel more like Apple's mobile OS. 

The next version of iOS is also due in 2012. It was a year ago at the WWDC that Steve Jobs debuted iOS 5 and iCloud. It's yet to be seen what iOS 6 will feature, but rumors include an overhauled, non-Google maps application, enhancements to Siri and some changes to the look and feel of the OS. Since iCloud has only been in the public's hands since October, we can reasonably expect some updates there. 

New MacBook Pros: Thinner With a Retina Display

It's been awhile since the MacBook Pro line got a significant overhaul. There's no reason not to believe speculation that that may finally happen next month. 

In particular, 9to5 Mac says we should expect a thinner design, USB 3.0 ports and the sort of high-resolution "retina" display that has grown so popular among iPad and iPhone users.

iPhone 5? Don't Count on It. 

As fervently as many Apple-watchers pray for this one, it probably won't happen. The company used to unviel new smartphones at its annual developers' conference, but they broke that tradition in October with the launch of iPhone 4S. Like the 4S, the iPhone 5 will likely be released around the same time as the next version of iOS, which of course will only be announced at the WWDC. Just like last year. 

Some are still clinging to hopes that Apple could drop a major surprise by giving us a sneak peak at the iPhone 5. We're still skeptical. 

The iPhone 4S, which just started shipping in October of last year, has been a phenomenal success. It broke early sales records and helped propel Apple to one of the most successful quarters in any company's history. The more likely scenario is that they'll make iOS 6 available to developers, allow them to kick the tires and then launch both iOS 6 and the iPhone 5 in the fall. 

What about the long-rumored 7" iPad? The outlook doesn't look overwhelmingly strong for this one, but it's gotta a better shot than the iPhone 5 of showing up next month.  

 

Cutting all the Cords: The Feasibility of a 100% Mobile Lifestyle

I consider myself a cord cutter. I stopped paying for cable service and live my life through my Roku box, iPad and Android smartphone. The Roku delivers Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon video on demand and MLB.TV to my television. I can access most of those services through my iPad and Android as well. Yet, the Roku is powered through a Wi-Fi router that is delivered from a broadband connection from Comcast. The iPad is almost always on Wi-Fi when in the apartment. While I think of myself as a cord cutter, the cable company is still getting nearly $60 a month from me.

And Comcast still sends me these lovely fliers about once a month. 

To be honest, it is enticing. For about $25 or so extra dollars a month I can have cable and faster Internet, video on demand and finally be able to watch Game Of Thrones on HBO. The cable company wants me back on cable and I might be inclined to give in. 

But, what if I chose the alternate route and completely cut Comcast out of the equation? Like it or not, I still have to choose a service provider. Right now I pay Comcast for my home Internet, Verizon for the data connection on my iPad and AT&T for my smartphone plan. To really cut all the cords, I am throwing myself straight into the arms of AT&T, Verizon and maybe even Sprint. Is this a move that I would be willing to make?

Here is how it would theoretically look.

In April, I used 140 GB of broadband data through Comcast. That is up from March (115 GB) and down from February (164 GB). Let's say that on an average month, I am using about 120 GB of broadband data. That includes streaming video through the Roku, running music through Spotify for about eight hours a day through the iPad and my normal activities as a writer at ReadWriteWeb (running multiple browser tabs, uploading pictures etc. as I work from home). In addition to the 120 GB of broadband data, I use between 500 MB and 1 GB of Verizon 3G data through my iPad and about 2.5 GB of AT&T LTE through my Android. So, for all my devices, let us call it about 125 GB of data used per month.

While 120 GB of broadband data might seem like a lot, for a cord cutter that does not watch any video media on cable, it is fairly reasonable. Comcast currently sets its data cap at 250 GB and soon may be going to a usage-based system and says that 99% of its users stay well under that cap. 

But here is where the biggest problem is posed. For Comcast, delivering that 120 GB of data is simple. It has big, fat pipes and a sophisticated network to deliver Internet to the T1 connection to people's homes (also known as 'the last mile.') To replace that data through pure wireless solutions will take creativity ... and it will not be cheap.

The first thing to look at is turning my smartphone or tablet into a wireless hotspot. That way I could replace the Wi-Fi router without having to buy any extra equipment. While this would be the simplest option, it would also become problematic to run several data-driven devices at full speed at once. The answer then might be to get a separate wireless hotspot, such as a MiFi router that turns cellular data into a broadband connection over 3G or 4G. 

If I am looking to completely replace that 120 GB of broadband data by this route, it becomes cost prohibitive very quickly. A look at the hotspot plans for the top three U.S. carriers:

• AT&T: 5 GB per month: $50 ($10 per GB overage charges)
• Cost to replace 120 GB: $1200
• Verizon: 10 GB per month: $80 ($10 per GB overage charges)
• Cost to replace 120 GB: $1180
• Sprint: 12 GB per month: $79.99 ($0.05 per MB overage or $51.20 per GB)
• Cost to replace 120 GB: $5609.59

That is only half of the equation though. The other half is performance. Wi-Fi is a great technology because it provides reliable speeds and can be split among several devices. Comcast delivers speeds in tiers, with about 15 Mbps running about $57. At this point, LTE devices can deliver faster performances in real world conditions on a device-by-device basis. Realistic speeds of anywhere from 15 Mbps to 40 Mbps can be seen, depending on what region you are in and how many people are using the same LTE network. As more people start using LTE, those real world speeds will start coming down as the network becomes more congested. The question will be how well will your devices perform through an LTE MiFi device or mobile hotspot from a tablet or a smartphone? When you rely on your laptop or desktop for work purposes, you are going to end up frustrated with your data connection more often than not. 

How Much Does Mobile Displace the PC and TV?

Well, there is a very simple answer to all of this: cut the cord entirely, stop streaming entertainment to your device, find Wi-Fi hotspots in public and only use data on your smartphone for basic purposes like Web browsing, search and social media. This is not hard to envision, millions of people do not have cable and hardly use their cellphones at all. The easiest way to cut the cord is to just not live by the rules of the cord. Same goes for the wireless carriers. 

This brings us into an interesting discussion on 'mobile-only' existences. The idea of mobile-only has been percolating for the last several years as people look to cut the cable cord and smartphone and tablet use has skyrocketed. Within the last several months, mobile-only has been a topic pushed to the forefront as people analyzed Facebook's S-1 document the company filed for its initial public offering. 

Facebook has a problem. It does not make any money off of mobile. At the same time, many of its users interact with the social platform primarily through mobile devices. It is not inconceivable that many or most of Facebook's new users going forward will be mobile-only consumers. Much of that growth will be international in countries that do not have robust cable infrastructures but it will also happen in the U.S. and Europe as people that do not need to work from laptops or desktops only use tablets and smartphones to interact with the Web. 

Internet billionaire investor Mark Cuban poses these pertinent questions in a blog post breaking down Facebook's IPO and the challenges the company faces with mobile-only consumers going forward.

'Which leads to a much broader question. Just what percentage of PC Online usage will mobile displace? Is it feasible that people will 'cut the broadband cord' and live exclusively off of their mobile internet access? Why not use your mobile as an in home hotspot rather than paying for 2 internet connections? If you avoid streaming video and downloads its easy to stay within your caps. Do you know anyone that has cut their broadband access to go exclusively mobile internet?' Cuban wrote. 

This, of course, is not just a question about Facebook. Mobile-first and mobile-only approaches by consumers are going to affect the entire technology industry going forward. Companies like Comcast have to worry about people not just cutting their cable cords, but cutting broadband out of their lives entirely. Forget about replacing 120 GB of broadband data, Comcast might need to learn how to compete in the mobile space where high-end plans are between 5 GB and 10 GB. 

The reality though, in the short term, is that most users in developed countries (especially the U.S.) are not going to be mobile-only. As it stands now, cord cutting represents one step in a digital lifestyle where classic cable gets cut out of the picture in favor of other alternatives. Moving down the spectrum is where we find the mobile-only users and right now those people are few and far between. 

Have you gone mobile only? What have been your experiences? Do you miss the ability to stream mass amounts of media? Do you miss cable? If you have taken this plunge, let us know in the comments. 

Why Microsoft Killed Windows Live

Windows Live has been Microsoft's online branding since it was unveiled back in November 2005. But Windows Live never worked, mainly because the brand was applied to Microsoft products inconsistently and seemingly at random.

The change in branding was recently explained by Chris Jones, VP of the Windows Live group. The nutshell is that Microsoft is integrating all of its products into the Windows OS, which will be tied together using an identity system plainly named "Microsoft account."

Seamless 3.0

The word "seamless" was key to Microsoft's 2005 announcement of Windows Live. It pops up again in Chris Jones' 2012 blog post:

"Windows 8 provides us with an opportunity to reimagine our approach to services and software and to design them to be a seamless part of the Windows experience, accessible in Windows desktop apps, Windows Metro style apps, standard web browsers, and on mobile devices."
(emphasis ours)

What Microsoft means is that every service you need will be in Windows 8, accessible via the identity system called Microsoft account.

Compare that to 2005, when Microsoft said that Windows Live (and Office Live, the enterprise-focused version of this branding) was "designed to deliver rich and seamless experiences" between the desktop and the Web.

The difference is subtle but significant.

In 2005, Microsoft positioned Windows Live and Office Live as "enhancements" to the Windows OS and the Microsoft Office suite of products. Things you need are out on the Web, but you'll recognize them (2005-era Microsoft assured us) because they have the word "Windows" in their names. The catchphrase back then was "software plus services."

In 2012, it's more like "software plus online identity." Essentially Microsoft is now saying that the only Web service that matters is identity. To emphasize that point, Microsoft has named its identity service as generically as possible: Microsoft account. With this key account, you can access any online content from within a Windows product - whether it's a desktop PC, mobile phone, tablet, or any other type of product running on Windows OS. They don't even need to be Microsoft online services anymore - you're invited to "mix and match." Of course, you may also access those services on the Web via the browser, if you must.

Microsoft Has Lost The Battle For Web Services, But...

In some ways, this is a retreat by Microsoft in the area of online services. It's basically admitting that "Windows Live" branded products cannot compete with Facebook, Twitter and other successful online services. (So why did Microsoft launch a new social network this month, named So.cl? Yes, exactly...)

Even though this is an admission of defeat in the battlefield that is the Web, Microsoft still has some very successful Web properties. Hotmail and Messenger were singled out by Chris Jones as market-leading web products. It makes total sense to remove "Windows Live" from the names of those two products, because it only diluted their existing brand value. Don't forget also that Microsoft owns Skype, the biggest brand in Internet voice over IP and chat. There's no need to mess with those brands with an amorphous concept called "Windows Live." It took Microsoft 7 years to admit that.

Even though the branding "Windows Live" is being trashed, the design of products like Hotmail and Messenger will be integrated more with Windows 8 desktop apps. In other words, Microsoft's online services will start to look more like Windows desktop apps. Remember the days when Microsoft got sued for integrating Internet Explorer into Windows? Well essentially Microsoft is now integrating ALL of its online products into Windows. But because Microsoft is not the force it used to be, nobody will sue.

So Back to Branding...What is Microsoft Saying To Us Consumers Now

Essentially Microsoft is telling consumers: forget all those online services we used to hawk as Windows services, just get a Windows OS-powered device and please (pretty please) sign up for a Microsoft account.

It's fairly similar to Apple's winning strategy, if you equate the "cloud-powered" Windows 8 with Apple's iOS, and Microsoft account with Apple ID. The only problem is, with the exception of Xbox, Microsoft doesn't have cool hardware. It's banking on the continuing large market share of Windows OS, together with still popular online services like Hotmail, to pull it through. It may be 5 years too late, but I think it's the right move by Microsoft to simplify its strategy this way.

The Tech CEO Hall of Shame

Here's your chance to meet the real world of Horrible Bosses, and get a glimpse of how they were rewarded - or occasionally punished - for behaving badly:

Scott Thompson, Former Yahoo CEO

Scott Thompson was at Yahoo's helm only five months before getting the boot for claiming to have a computer science degree from a college that didn't offer one at the time. While a charitable observer might say he never lied, Thompson also never explained how that erroneous info got on his work bio. Nevertheless, the untruth gave investor activist Dan Loeb just what he needed in his proxy battle to stack the Yahoo board with his supporters. Thompson was given the heave-ho this month and Loeb, who runs the hedge fund Third Point, got the board seats. Thompson didn't leave empty handed. While he missed out on a severance package, he did walk away with $7 million in bonuses from the struggling Internet portal.

Brian Dunn, Former Best Buy CEO

Brian Dunn stepped down in April as chief executive of electronics retailer Best Buy for what the company later called an 'extremely close personal relationship' with a female employee more than 20 years younger. The 51-year-old Dunn did not use company resources in his 'friendship,' which included lunch and drinks during the workweek and on weekends. The pair also seemed to stay in touch a lot. During two separate trips abroad for a total of nine days, Dunn contacted his 'friend' by mobile phone at least 224 times. In the end, the board found that Dunn's behavior violated company policy, yet he was still entitled to some big bucks. His separation package totaled $6.6 million.

Mark Hurd, Former Hewlett-Packard CEO

Mark Hurd resigned in August 2010 as chief executive of tech giant Hewlett-Packard following a dalliance with a contract employee who later accused Hurd of sexual harassment. While investigating the allegations, the HP board found that Hurd had doctored expense reports in order to hide his personal relationship with marketing consultant Jodie Fisher, a former soft-core porn actress. Fisher denied the relationship with the married Hurd was sexual. She settled privately with Hurd and both sides agreed not to discuss the affair. Hurd left HP with $12.2 million in severance and enough stock to earn millions more - and was immediately hired by his friend Larry Ellison as co-president, director and board member of Oracle.

David Edmondson, Former RadioShack CEO

David Edmondson resigned in February 2006 as CEO of electronics retailer RadioShack after lying about his education. Edmondson topped Yahoo's Thompson by claiming to have two college degrees when he had none. The CEO apologized for the 'embarrassment' he brought to the company. RadioShack's hometown newspaper, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, broke the story, reporting Edmondson never graduated from the unaccredited bible college he attended. The newspaper also found that the CEO was facing a trial on his third arrest on drunk-driving charges. Edmondson left the company with a severance payment of less than $1 million in cash.

Sanjay Kumar, Former Computer Associates CEO

Sanjay Kumar, ex-CEO of IT management software and solutions company Computer Associates, pleaded guilty in 2006 to his role in a $2.2 billion accounting fraud. He also admitted to interfering with a federal investigation by authorizing a payment of $3.7 million to silence a potential witness. Kumar, who was once a part owner of the New York Islanders hockey team, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, which he started serving in 2007. Computer Associates, which later changed its name to CA Technologies, paid more than $225 million to a shareholder restitution fund. Kumar contributed about $20 million from his own assets.

John Rigas, Founder, Former CEO of Adelphia Communications

After leading Adelphia Communications for more than five decades, Chief Executive John Rigas was sentenced in 2005 to 15 years in prison in a multibillion-dollar fraud case that collapsed the company he founded. Rigas and his son Timothy Rigas, who was Adelphia's chief financial officer, were convicted of 18 felony counts of fraud and conspiracy. The younger Rigas got 20 years in prison. The Rigases were convicted of stealing $100 million from Adelphia, which had been the fifth-largest cable company in the nation. They also were found guilty of conspiring to hide $2.3 billion in company debt.

Bernard Ebbers, Former CEO of WorldCom

Bernard Ebbers was sentenced in 2005 to 25 years in prison for leading the nation's largest-ever corporate fraud. The former chief executive of telecom carrier WorldCom was convicted of nine felonies in an $11 billion accounting scandal at the company. When WorldCom filed for bankruptcy in 2002, it was the largest in U.S. history and led to shareholders and employees losing billions of dollars. Ebbers forfeited the bulk of his assets to burned WorldCom investors. Those assets included a Mississippi mansion and other holdings worth as much as $45 million. The day before his sentencing, Ebbers called the predicament he was in 'bizarre.'

Robert McCormick, Former CEO of Savvis Communications

Robert McCormick resigned in 2005 as chief executive of IT infrastructure management outfit Savvis Communications (now owned by CenturyLink) after it was revealed that he spent $241,000 entertaining business associates at a Manhattan strip club. The company's board might have looked the other way, if McCormick hadn't used his corporate charge card to pay for lap dances and then claim to be a victim of fraud when American Express demanded its money. Dubbed the 'The Lap Dunce' by The New York Daily News, McCormick never submitted an expense report for the party at Scores. The company claimed it did not pay for McCormick's night out on the town.

Joe Nacchio, Former CEO of Qwest

One-time Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio was convicted in 2007 of 19 counts of insider trading and was sentenced to nearly six years in prison. Nacchio was convicted of selling $52 million in stock in 2001 after it became known internally that the telecom carrier (also now owned by CenturyLink) was in danger of missing sales forecasts. Nacchio, who resigned in 2002, was ordered to forfeit almost $46 million and pay a $19 million fine. In 2011, Nacchio sued his lawyers from prison, claiming they were negligent. He also accused them of overbilling, pointing to charges that included lawyers' underwear purchases.

Gregory Reyes, Former CEO of Brocade

Gregory Reyes was convicted in 2007 in a stock options backdating scandal at networking solutions vendor Brocade and received a 21-month prison term. The conviction was later overturned and the ex-CEO was retried. Prosecutors won again and he was sentenced in 2010 to 18 months in prison. At his second sentencing hearing, Reyes broke down crying, and his attorney had to read his statement for him. At his second criminal trial, Reyes blamed the company's outside counsel, which he claimed signed off on the backdating of stock options. The judge at the sentencing hearing didn't buy the argument, saying that, at some point, people have to take responsibility for what they say and do.

Thompson photo courtesy of Yodel Anecdotal. Raju image via World Economic Forum/Flickr.

[Video] We Bet Yahoo Will Buy Pinterest

In this ReadWriteWeb Hangout, Robyn and Jon speculate wildly about who, if anyone, will acquire Pinterest. Robyn collected responses to the question from RWW readers all week, and they discussed all the possibilities. Jon was pretty sure of himself at first, but Robyn convinced him of her pick by the end.

Weekly Wrap-Up: Coding as a Standard of Literacy, Microsoft Launches So.cl and YouTube Evolves

Computer Programming for All: A New Standard of Literacy

Some programmers believe that the knowledge of programming will eventually be included in literacy standards. However, others believe we have too far to go to achieve current literacy standards to see programming added any time soon.

Let us know what you think in the comments on Computer Programming for All: A New Standard of Literacy.

Microsoft's New Social Network, So.cl: It's Like Google+ for Wonks

Microsoft released its social network, So.cl, this week. Richard MacManus says it's a derivative product and doesn't stand a chance at achieving widespread usage. That said, he does see opportunities for the new site in the education sector. Read Richard's deep dive in Microsoft's New Social Network, So.cl: It's Like Google+ for Wonks.

YouTube's Big Transition: Moving From Amateur to Professional Era of Online Video

Online video is changing. The era of the amateur video sensation is fading to make room for professional video producers. Check out how YouTube, and online video in general, is evolving in YouTube's Big Transition: Moving From Amateur to Professional Era of Online Video.

More Top Stories

Mobile Marketing Set to Create Havoc and Opportunities

Procter & Gamble should be kicking itself for not developing a mobile operating system when it had the chance: More people worldwide own mobile phones than toothbrushes. Get ready for a tsunami of mobile marketing and commerce to crash on the shores of retail. More

What Google's Acquisition of Motorola Means for Android

Google now owns Motorola. Chinese regulators followed the U.S. and Europe in clearing the deal earlier this week, removing the last barrier. Although the acquisition opens new territory for the search giant, its most immediate effect could be remaking the existing Android landscape. Will Google use its new arm to pound all competitors, or just Apple? More

Why The iPhone's Success Has Women To Thank

Women are the hot new demographic to court in the social space (if you can call half the population a "demographic'), but the fairer sex is catching up when it comes to mobile, too, largely thanks to the iPhone. But is Apple's gender-blind wunderkind truly more popular with women - or is Android, the iPhone's de facto rival, just less popular? More

How Does Facebook Make Money?

Facebook's first few days on the stock market are in the books: Shares closed Tuesday at $31, down significantly from their $38 issue price. You may wonder: How does Facebook make money? Sure, 900 million users and billions of photos, but how is this a business? It's pretty simple, actually. More

What It's Like for an App in Apple & Google's Crosshairs

UpNext Maps for iPhone is beautiful. It's the smoothest, fastest map we've ever used. It renders 3D buildings for virtual exploration of certain cities. Its look and functionality are distinctive. It's free. And both Google and Apple want to build these features themselves. Is this a kamikaze mission for UpNext? More

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[Video] ISS Astronauts Climb Aboard the SpaceX Dragon Capsule

The main purpose of the flight was to demonstrate that the Dragon capsule and the Falcon 9 rocket that delivered it were capable of reaching the station. SpaceX plans to begin regular cargo missions this year. The Dragon capsule is capable of accommodating up to seven astronauts, and the company hopes to begin manned missions within three years.

The station crew wore oxygen masks and protective gear as a precaution when boarding Dragon, but they found the capsule to be clean and free of debris. "It looks great," Pettit said.

SpaceX represents a sea change for the business of spaceflight. NASA has poured nearly $400 million in seed money into SpaceX in hopes of outsourcing its flight operations to private companies. Just a few years ago, SpaceX launches were failing repeatedly. Dustin Curtis has an awesome excerpt from a Wired Magazine interview with SpaceX founder Elon Musk from 2008. "You're still zero for three," Wired's Carl Hoffman said. "You have so far failed to put a rocket into orbit. ... How do you maintain your optimism?"

"Optimism, pessimism, f___ that; we're going to make it happen," Musk replied. "As God is my bloody witness, I'm hell-bent on making it work."

Four years later, astronauts are aboard the first private spacecraft to ever rendezvous with with International Space Station. In yesterday's press conference after the successful berthing, NASA staff were in tears.

Images and video courtesy of NASA

SpaceX Dragon Berths with International Space Station

This first flight delivered noncritical cargo for the crew of ISS Expedition 31. It's mainly a test mission for SpaceX's capsule and the Falcon 9 rocket that delivered it to orbit. Everything has gone off without a hitch.

#Dragon grappled to the International Space Station!!! twitter.com/SpaceX/status/'

' SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 25, 2012

The successful flight of Dragon paves the way for the first private, manned spaceflight. In addition to cargo, the SpaceX capsule is designed to carry up to seven astronauts, meaning that Dragon missions launched by the Falcon 9 rocket can help take over for the now-retired space shuttle. SpaceX hopes to enable Dragon's crew capabilities within three years.

Dragon's hatches will open Saturday morning, and the station crew will board to conduct some docked operations. Flight engineers Pettit, Kuipers and Joe Acaba will appear on NASA TV at 11:25 a.m. Eastern on Saturday to discuss the first private space flight to the station.

"Looks like we caught a Dragon by the tail." - Astronaut Don Pettit, after capturing @SpaceX Dragon capsule with ISS robotic arm.

' NASA Kennedy / KSC (@NASAKennedy) May 25, 2012

It's a proud moment for Elon Musk, the 40-year-old founder of SpaceX and three other high-tech ventures. See Richard MacManus' full profile of Musk for more on his story.

NASA's mission status briefing on today's successful operations begins at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. You can watch it here:

Live video for mobile from Ustream

Lead image courtesy of NASA TV.

Read/Write Daily: Don't Call It a Pivot

Pocket-lint has a "man in the know" who thinks that Facebook might be poised to buy Opera Software, which makes the speedy Opera mobile browser.

Robin Wauters at The Next Web connects a few more dots on that story.

Maybe it wasn't such a great idea for Facebook insiders to dump so much stock immediately after the IPO.

Chris Ziegler has a great scoop on The Verge: HP's Enyo team, the core of what's left of WebOS, is going to Google.

On the television front, NBCU is reportedly thinking about buying back MSNBC.com, which it sold to Comcast last year.

Groupon is testing a payment system to compete with Square and PayPal, according to Rocky Agrawal at VentureBeat.

Image via Shutterstock.

Past entries from Read/Write Daily

How Big Tech Companies Keep Quiet on Big News

None of Facebook's top executives, including founder Mark Zuckerberg, gave interviews last Friday as the company became the third-largest IPO in history, and none have publicly commented as shares slid this week. Zuckerberg's last interview was a fawning report of the company's announcement on ABC News about an initiative to encourage Facebook users to list their organ donor status on their profiles.

'Many [companies] work on the theory, you can't go wrong by saying no,' said Mark Shapiro of SRS-Tech PR. 'As long as the media clamors for info, hoarding it works as a publicity strategy.'

Bigger Companies Have More PR Options

As a result, the tech world was watching as Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg gave the commencement address at Harvard Business School on Tuesday, hoping she'd say something - anything - about the company's poor performance since going public last Friday. But in the end, Sandberg stuck to familiar themes about women in the executive suite and barely mentioned the company's $100 billion valuation.

Sandberg's only reference to the IPO was when she joked that, as the newly minted MBAs started their careers, they should stay in touch on Facebook. 'We are public now,' she quipped, 'so you can click on an ad or two while you are there.'

Facebook seems to be taking a page from Apple, which famously (or infamously) only makes its executives available in highly orchestrated media events. At the same time, founder Steve Jobs was known more than occasionally to answer an email from a shareholder, a customer and even the occasional journalist.

'For the bellwether companies, the likes of Apple and Facebook, they are going to get covered no matter what they do, so they have the luxury of being more selective,' said Frank Strong, the director of public relations at Vocus. 'That said, it's still a delicate balance of give and take. Even the largest brands in the world need to answer questions that make them uncomfortable sometimes, because sooner or later, they are going to have a pitch they'd like that reporter or blogger to consider.'

And both companies have PR teams in place, as well as outside agencies on retainer. The key for tech companies, according to Barbara Bates, co-founder and CEO of Eastwick, a digital communications consultancy, is to make sure the buzz around their products does not appear as if it's being driven by PR.

'The impact of Steve Jobs standing up at MacWorld - count the YouTube views on those - or answering an email isn't available to every company. Most companies have to look across the whole communications continuum and decide what channels and messages work best,' Bates said. 'Trust me, Apple and Facebook both have PR teams and work with agencies. But they do it differently because of the unique positions they hold.'

Changing Dynamics

These are, of course, general rules of thumb: Some big companies are incredibly forthcoming in the PR strategies, and some startups try hard to fly under the radar. Tech companies also have a dedicated segement of the press; about one in four Americans reads tech news, and the companies covered are often better served by chasing coverage from niche publications than doing big media campaigns.

Paul Kenjora, the founder of AwareLabs, a PR marketing toolbox for startups, says another factor might be at play: Through analytics, companies have more data than ever on what does and doesn't work, and increasingly they are finding that public relations spending doesn't always offer a consistent return on investment. 

'Almost all startup founders eventually see a big PR spike in traffic to their site,' he said. 'They also see that very little of that spike translates into sales.'

Lead image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Watch Live: SpaceX Docks at International Space Station (+ Profile of Founder Elon Musk)

The rendezvous is the latest milestone in SpaceX's 10-year journey. The launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket earlier this week ushered in a new era of private spaceflight. The decade long build-up to that launch is testament to the long-term vision of its founder Elon Musk.

Live video for mobile from Ustream

40-year old South African Elon Musk has had a stellar career. As well as SpaceX, he's founded or co-founded three other big idea ventures: the company which would become Paypal, electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors and a solar panel company called SolarCity. Retired serial entrepreneur Steve Blank recently named Musk as one of only 3 Silicon Valley entrepreneurs of this era to have created disruptive technology. The other two were Steve Jobs and Sebastian Thrun (who founded Google X, the research lab which has so far produced driverless cars and Google Glasses). So who is this man Elon Musk and what makes him tick?

Elon Musk's first company, which he co-founded with his brother Kimbal, was called Zip2 and sold online content publishing software to news organizations. It was acquired in 1999 by Compaq's AltaVista division, for $341 million. That same year Elon Musk co-founded X.com, an online financial services and e-mail payment company. Through an acquisition and Musk's leadership, in 2001 X.com turned into Paypal and was subsequently sold to eBay in October 2002 for US$1.5 billion.

SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies) was the third company Musk founded. It began in June 2002 and Musk serves as both its CEO and CTO.

In the technology world, especially in Silicon Valley, we're used to hype and grand statements about the future. But nothing has ever compared to this 2008 statement by Elon Musk, about SpaceX:

"The Iraq war, the presidential election, and the debt crisis dominate today's headlines, but will amount to little more than a footnote in the long-term annals of history. To figure out what is truly significant, we need to take the longest possible view. There have only been about a half dozen genuinely important events in the four-billion-year saga of life on Earth: single-celled life, multicelled life, differentiation into plants and animals, movement of animals from water to land, and the advent of mammals and consciousness. The next big moment will be life becoming multiplanetary, an unprecedented adventure that would dramatically enhance the richness and diversity of our collective consciousness. It would also serve as a hedge against the myriad--and growing--threats to our survival. An asteroid or a supervolcano could certainly destroy us, but we also face risks the dinosaurs never saw: An engineered virus, nuclear war, inadvertent creation of a micro black hole, or some as-yet-unknown technology could spell the end of us. Sooner or later, we must expand life beyond our little blue mud ball--or go extinct."

From most other people, that kind of talk would seem ridiculous. But the thing is, Elon Musk is actually walking the talk. The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket, carrying a reusable spacecraft called the Dragon, is the first stage in SpaceX's goal to transport cargo and people to outer space.

SpaceX was the first private enterprise to launch a rocket into space. It has the backing of NASA, which retired its own space shuttles earlier this year. NASA awarded SpaceX a $1.6 billion contract in December 2008, for a total of 12 cargo flights. This week's launch wasn't part of that contract, but SpaceX plans to start delivering on it later this year.

The technology world needs big dreamers and Elon Musk is one of those. Check out the live streaming of Dragon's rendezvous with the International Space Station (see above) and remember that it took him 10 years to get to this point... and he's only just begun.

Image credits: Space.com; NISMO Stuff

6 Time Management Strategies for Startups

Burnout is one obvious danger of poor time management. But even more important is the risk that something important will fall through the cracks. If you fail to respond to a potential partner or prospect in a timely fashion because there's too much on your plate, you could be blowing a make-or-break opportunity.

Time management is one of the top challenges for every entrepreneur I know. After years of experience working with entrepreneurs and business owners, I have learned a few tricks for getting more done in the 24 hours we all have.

1. Know thyself. Everyone has a natural rhythm - some of us are morning people and some don't become fully awake until after noon. Pinpoint your 'up' times and use them for the most crucial business tasks - like meetings with investors, brainstorming sessions or putting together proposals. Feel your energy flagging? Use that time for tasks that don't require as much brainpower, like checking email, updating your calendar or organizing your files.

2. Prioritize. The first step is to recognize you can't do everything you want to do. Then you need to figure out what's most important and work on that first. What's most important is likely to vary from day to day, but in general, focus on the activities that generate the most money or have the potential to do so. That may mean concentrating on developing game-changing features or product improvements instead of day-to-day tasks. It may also mean responding to leads from bigger prospects or proposals from larger investors before smaller ones - or completing projects for bigger or more established clients before slower-paying or newer ones.

3. Harness technology. Make sure the tech tools in your life work together to simplify and streamline time management. Use cloud solutions to store your data and synchronize files and calendars so you're not entering appointments in multiple devices or finding yourself without crucial files. Use online project management tools to keep you on top of what your team is doing at a glance. Regularly weed out apps you aren't using or tools that aren't working - sometimes, we get so enamored by what technology can do for us that we stop recognizing when it's getting in our way.

4. Identify time-wasters and find solutions. Keep a log of your activity for a week or so. You may be surprised how much time you're using inefficiently. Are you typing the same response to emails over and over? Create a template or shortcut to save time. Maybe you spend hours sorting receipts for accounting. Try an app that lets you quickly scan them and trash the paper.

5. Delegate. It's hard to let go of your 'baby,' and even if you're willing to, at this stage you probably don't have enough staff to delegate a lot. But if you're lucky enough to have some employees, independent contractors, or even friends and family who will donate some of their time, sit down and assess what you could possibly offload to others. You'd be surprised how getting some grunt work off your plate can free up your creativity and energy to truly grow your business.

6. Get offline. I'm not advocating abandoning your email or leaving your smartphone at home, but even tech entrepreneurs recognize that the onslaught of input has to be shut off every now and then. Set aside blocks of time to focus on important projects. You'll be surprised what an hour or two a day can do for your business.

What time management tactics work for your startup? 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Are You A Narcissist? Use Twitter and Facebook To Find Out

'These findings suggest that Facebook is not dominated by narcissistic millennials, as some have proposed, although, consistent with previous research, those higher on narcissism appear to be driven to amass a larger number of Facebook friends,' the researchers wrote. 'Results suggest that Twitter may be the network of choice for narcissists, which may, in part, account for the substantially lower number of Twitter users, as compared to Facebook users.'

The study not only sheds light on who we are and how we behave online, but also on the stark differences in how people use Facebook and Twitter for distinctly different purposes. The study focused on undergraduate students, as millennials have most often been linked to narcissistic behavior and social media use, and builds on earlier research that had produced mixed results about the relationship between social network use and narcissism.

In addition to being the first academic study to focus on the correlation between narcissism and Twitter use, it builds on some earlier work that suggests people's willingness to share information on Facebook has more to do with their comfort levels surrounding personal privacy. Indeed, as the authors note, early research 'found that participants reported a greater likelihood of disclosing personal information on Facebook than face to face.'

'Results of this study suggest that the use of [social networks] by college students is not evidence of narcissism,' the report concluded, while also noting further research is needed. 'It appears that the posting of photos of oneself and updating of one's status on Facebook is more a reflection of young adults' orientation to openness with regard to their daily lives. However, the usage of Twitter does appear to be somewhat narcissistically driven. Thus, it appears that it is not the technology that creates narcissism as much as it is the narcissistic personality that seeks a form of technology allowing one to be the center of attention.'

The Web's Original TV Show Ramp-Up Continues on Hulu and YouTube

Throughout 2012, we've seen headline after headline about players like Netflix, Hulu and YouTube investing in the production of video content that feels more like the stuff we used to switch on our TVs to watch. The latest example is Hulu's announcement that it will start streaming ten new original shows next month.

It's not the first such news from Hulu. They got started earlier this year with Battleground, right around the same time Netflix launched Lilyhammer, a drama series that felt like it would have been right at home on HBO. Hulu has since unveiled one set of new programs after another, giving viewers more reasons to turn to the Internet for their TV needs. 

These aren't just generic, low-budget productions starring no-name talent. Each press release out of Hulu's headquarters reads like a who's-who of TV industry veterans, from producers to actors. Among the shows set to begin next month are a travel series featuring veteran indie film director Richard Linklater and a movie review program hosted by Kevin Smith, the famed director responsible for movies like Clerks and Mall Rats, among others. 

It's clear that premium video content is a serious endeavor for Hulu, just as it is for Netflix and YouTube. 

For its part, Google's gigantic repository of user-generated video is morphing slowly from a source of amateur content into one that could give television networks a run for their money. One successful example is Machinima, a channel of TV-quality shows about gaming.  For the existing army of amateur content creators already publishing to YouTube, Google is trying to help them ramp up the quality of their productions using Creator Hub, a collection of resources for video publishers. 

The success of these new shows is hard to gauge this early in the game, but if viewers are receptive, it could help bolster the Web's momentum as an alternative to traditional pay TV. This would come something of at a pivotal time, just as those legacy content providers are beginning to rethink the sort of Web streaming models to which they committed themselves a few years ago. Hulu itself is rumored to be considering a new model, which would require users to authenticate using credentials from a cable or satellite provider.

What It's Like for an App in Apple & Google's Crosshairs

"We've been hobbyists in maps since 2004," says UpNext co-founder Raj Advani. "At the time, I was fond of coding video games, and the gulf in interactivity between the video game experience and the digital mapping experience was striking. A video game world is animated, alive, interactive; things can change. There are weather patterns, sunsets, noise and immersion. In the digital mapping world back then, there were just roads - and ugly, static roads at that."

UpNext's goal from the outset was to write a vector-based mapping engine. Traditional mapping systems, including Google, Bing and OpenStreetMap, are tile-based. They download whole pieces of the map as you need them. UpNext works more like a 3D gaming engine; it's downloading raw data and then rendering the maps itself.

"The difference is key," Advani says, "because being able to decide, in real time, how data is rendered is what makes vector maps so compelling. It enables a map to change in response to the actions and the environment of the user."

The idea was ahead of its time in 2004, but now that there are smart, fast mobile devices with lots of native computing power, UpNext Maps for iPhone demonstrates what this approach can accomplish.

What Does UpNext Maps Do Differently?

For the user, UpNext Maps just feels nicer than the built-in map. Everything happens faster. It snaps into position smartly, so it's impossible to lose your place, and it's easy to tilt back and forth between 2D and 3D views. The 3D buildings - only available in some cities - took some time to load in my tests, but that didn't take away from exploring the maps themselves or slow the process down.

UpNext focuses on what the user is doing. It shifts the colors and emphasis of the map based on what you're searching for. If you're looking for Italian restaurants, those glow, and the rest of the map fades out. If you tap a subway station, it animates actual trains and displays estimated arrival times. While the dominant map systems concentrate on roads, UpNext shifts to emphasize whatever information the user needs.

UpNext Maps for Android is coming soon. For iPhone users, UpNext ties in with VZ Navigator for turn-by-turn directions powered by Verizon. That service costs $4.99 per month, and Android users have turn-by-turn built into their phones. But until Apple offers its own turn-by-turn features, this combination with UpNext definitely outdoes the iPhone's stock navigation options.

The key difference between built-in maps and UpNext is the toggle between "immerse" and "explore" modes. It's not just a navigation tool like Google Maps, nor is it just a world-exploring tool like Google Earth. It's just enough of both at once, and it performs better.

The app is not perfect. It doesn't yet include much of the Earth, for one thing, but the U.S. is there. It has a pretty hard time finding places by search, whereas Google Maps figures out what you're looking for almost every time. But as a way of browsing a map, UpNext has no peers. It tilts seamlessly from 2D to 3D, and you can turn the place-browsing layer on and off as needed. But the most amazing part is the performance. It loads so fast and scrolls so smoothly that Apple and Google look like novices in comparison.

Bootstrapped Maps

UpNext does have considerable experience behind it. Three of its four co-founders have experience building 3D graphics for games. Its founders have been working on maps since 2004 - before Google Maps launched - and formally founded UpNext in 2007. For four years, they forged ahead as a bootstrapped company until Chris Sacca came aboard as an angel investor a little more than a year ago.

Was that a crazy investment?

By now, Google seems to have maps well under control for the entire world, and Apple is known to be building its own maps, which will have to be even better than Google's. Among Apple's mapping acquisitions was C3 Technologies, which built eye-popping 3D maps that are sure to dazzle users of existing immersive maps, including UpNext. What keeps UpNext working on maps despite the risk of getting stepped on by one (or both) of the mobile platform titans?

A Dearth of Innovation

It was only a year after these four founders started making maps that Google released Google Maps. "Our fledgling project was already on the ropes," Advani says. Google began to dominate, and investors began to run from mapping apps. All the VC money and press attention ran to social applications. "If you were working on 'raw tech,' you'd have a very difficult time raising money in this period," says Advani.

Consequently, UpNext found itself with very little competition from startups. Apps that needed location would just build on the Google Maps API. Google Maps became "safe," as Advani says. With all the attention on Google, UpNext kept building quietly.

"At some point," says Advani, "after several near-death experiences, we became inured to this fear of being steamrolled. We began to believe that while Google could evolve, they just couldn't be radical. That's what's kept us going."

Google hasn't stopped innovating on maps. Street View is a different kind of immersive experience than 3D. It's a snapshot of the real place frozen in time but with photographic realism. Additionally, it has begun to push indoor maps into the Android version and add more Google Earth integration for 3D experiences. But it has also started sewing up the business aspects of maps. That wonderful API upon which developers depended now costs money to use.

Maps is becoming a core business for Google, and that may be hurting its ubiquity and user experience. UpNext should be overjoyed about that. But there's one problem, and it's a little company called Apple, Inc.

Screenshot of C3 Technologies street view (via MacRumors)

Apple Maps: The Looming Shadow

We can pretty much bet on Apple revealing its new, Google-free maps at WWDC next month as part of iOS 6. Siri already asks Yelp for restaurants instead of Google, and now it will be able to give its own directions. And the 3D imagery acquired in the C3 Technologies deal will probably allow iOS users to forget about Google Street View. Where will that leave UpNext?

"We think C3 is the wrong direction," Advani says. "It's essentially an improved satellite view - satellite with a third dimension. We believe maps are about more than maximizing realism; they're meant to be immersive and evocative.

"Think of an amusement park map: You look at it, and with just a glance, you get a feel for the different areas. Realism is not what we're after. What we want to do is bring that old-school sense of wonder back to maps."

Next month's news will escalate the platform battle between Google and Apple over mapping, which is a crucial mobile feature. But UpNext is finding more investor interest than ever before. With Apple and Google so concerned with the business of mapping, UpNext has a chance to deliver a better experience.

Blowing the Cloud Wide Open: Box.net to Begin Negotiable Enterprise Licenses

Box.net's move, announced this morning, opens the door for potentially very large customers to enter into long-term arrangements that would otherwise be quite expensive.  Think businesses with tens of thousands of users - for example, P&G.

The Return of Deal-making

"It's not at all uncommon for software providers to have an enterprise license agreement [ELA], but very atypical to date in the world of cloud," acknowledges Whitney Tidmarsh Bouck, Box's general manager for enterprise products, in an interview with ReadWriteWeb. "What we're doing is formalizing a program around enterprise license agreements for Box. Like a typical ELA, this is about purchasing for a wide array of users, with a prenegotiated price, potentially in a multiyear arrangement that locks in a really good price for the customer, so that they're getting the most cost-advantageous deal and that they simplify their overall purchasing with us."

Up to now, for very large customers with tens of thousands of seats, the flat scale of cloud service pricing has actually not been very cost-effective. ELAs remain attractive for this class of customers mainly for this reason, and it could be why they opt to stay with all-on-premise resources and applications. But the on-premise choice leaves big businesses' IT departments stuck in the previous century, especially in terms of procurement (some of which still takes place on paper), installation, testing and deployment. "Why would you buy an ELA up front if it's going to take you a super-long time to roll out to end users?" Bouck asks.

"Usually you'd buy-as-you-go until maybe you hit the halfway mark of rolling out to users, and then consider an ELA," she adds, "which means those first-half purchases you're making are probably pretty expensive."

Managing Larger Boxes

Box's updated administrative console, whose availability also begins today, will enable high-level customers to enter into long-term ELAs, which fix their prices at negotiable, set amounts in advance, and then deploy the entire service to all users immediately after signing. The new console represents the next phase of Box's adoption of a cloud-based version of group policy, where administrators set privileges and capacities, and marshal the storage process for employees who use the service as part of business.

"In the past, our administrator certainly allowed a privileged administrator to go in, see and manage content by user if necessary," Box's Bouck explains. "Imagine if one of 10,000 users had a problem; they'd go to the administrator and say, 'Hey, I forgot my password,' or, 'I'm no longer on this project any more; could you please transfer all my content to the new project lead.' But we didn't make it very easy for administrators to easily do that in a large-scale user deployment, when you need to manage content across many user accounts.  Those one-off types of things are easy, but what if I need to query for content across all 10,000 of my employees that fit a certain set of criteria?  Or pull all the image data from the month of June across all users? That type of functionality wasn't there in our admin console. Now we have it."

The addition of an "All Files" tab, she goes on, lets admins scan lists of stored files across one or more users in the list. Files can be dragged and dropped between accounts. And an enterprise search field lets admins query files across a broad array of users.

"Especially for things like e-discovery, this is crucial," states Bouck, whose last job involved managing an e-discovery suite for EMC. "If I need to pull all the content related to a particular legal matter, and be able to search by keyword, user name, content type, date range, whatever - across my entire portfolio of Box users, or maybe some group of them, I can pull off all that content and hand it off for legal processing as part of that discovery."

Bouck admits this doesn't make the Box service a complete e-discovery tool just yet, though it does enable and even encourage partners such as Autonomy to develop services that make use of the audit tables that Box does generate, and mine those tables for actionable data for e-discovery purposes.

5 Push-to-Talk Apps That Turn Your Smartphone Into a Walkie-Talkie

iPTT

(Free: iPhone)

iPTT is one of the App Store's original push-to-talk apps. It's just like a walkie-talkie. It provides one-to-many group communication, one-to-one communication within a group channel (called "whisper") or straight one-to-one communication with a friend. If you want that kind of capability, it doesn't get any simpler. 

 

TiKL Touch Talk Walkie-Talkie

(Free: iPhone, Android)

Another simple but great push-to-talk app. With TiKL, all you need are a contact list and a data plan. It supports group messaging and push-to-talk calls. For users who want to skirt voice and data plan restrictions, a simple app like this one could be the answer. 

 

Voxer

(Free: iPhone, Android)

Ever wanted to leave a friend a voice message but didn't want to call them? They might actually pick up the phone and then you would have to, you know, actually talk to them. That can be awkward. "Yeah, I was just going to leave a voicemail..." Voxer functions like a walkie-talkie except that it sends messages rather than real-time dispatches. The app runs on iPhone and Android, it's free, and it works over any data connection, from Wi-Fi to EDGE and everything in between. It allows you to send text messages, location messages and photos. 

 

HeyTell

(Free: iPhone, Android, Windows Phone)

HeyTell is a lot like Voxer but with more customization (and it runs on Windows Phone as well as iPhone and Android). It has three levels of privacy, allowing you to add or block friends from Twitter and Facebook depending on how open you want your communications to be. It is ad-free but has a decent list of in-app purchases to change notification alert sounds, enable group messaging and add emojis to your name. Like Voxer, it works on any type of data connection. HeyTell is extremely concerned with privacy, going out of its way to give users options to opt into functions including sending location data. 

 

Zello 

(Free: iPhone/iPad, Android, BlackBerry)

Zello (formerly LoudTalks) offers both push-to-talk apps and an application programming interface (API) and software development kit (SDK) so developers can add push-to-talk functionality to their own apps. The enterprise capabilities of this kind of technology are vast. Remember those old Sprint/Nextel commercials where construction workers uses their cell phones as walkie-talkies? Well, now you can do it without Sprint/Nextel, across platforms and carriers. The Zello apps, at their core, are simple live communication channels. Like Voxer, they also save messages for replay later. 

Lead image courtesy of Shutterstock