Monthly Archives: February 2005

Sense-ual Marketing

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A recent book by branding guru Martin Lindstrom discusses how involving all of the senses improves marketing outcomes.

Aptly named ‘Brand Sense’ it discusses branding results as measured by the Millward Brown research institute during an 18-month study across 13 countries.

I find it interesting that the next ‘frontier’ in branding and marketing, the next ‘cutting edge’ delves into what can’t be done on the Internet (yet)…

We can have the sight and the sound, but the but the other three – taste, smell and touch – are left ‘out in the cold.’

Corporate America has looked into the effects of certain scents ‘pumped’ into offices through the ventilation system to improve productivity, alertness, and other desirable effects for several years… but now the aroma therapy approach to marketing is threatening to expand dramatically.

The question is… how will this new twist impact the online approach?

Now THERE is a challenge worthy of the most inventive hardware/software geek!

Mobility and Security

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Well the mobile masses are quickly discovering that security is even more vital when your files are stored on tiny devices that are easily misplaced, lost or stolen.

And the corporate types are discovering that their personal/company use of flashdrives and PDAs that are left without strong encryption is being discouraged, even forbidden.

And now… there’s even a mobile-specific virus that’s heating up the media… introducing Cabir — the first infection designed for your phone!

Can life get any better than this?… and what are your options?…
You can get a program to lock down your flash drive, or you can get a hard-ware based one for about… hmmm about TEN TIMES the price of a standard thumb-drive (on sale of course).

You can even get thumb-print-scanning security drives — requiring a thumbprint to use your thumbdrive.

The way I see it, I’ve managed to have three kids and travel in and out of the country and pass several security checks for jobs without being fingerprinted… I’ll be darned if my thumbdrive (or laptop, or any other device) is going to use it to identify me.

Yeah, I know, I’m weird.

Some companies are reportedly WELDING closed the USB ports on employee computers! Others are instituting policies against using personal USBs in a corporate environment. But, flash drives are so convenient, that even the big boys know it’s a losing battle.

I have found a nice option for my Treo that I really like — and recommend. It’s a picturepassword. It works like this… I have my logo on my treo face (and can change that to other pictures at any time) and there is one pixel that, if tapped, my PDA opens. If, however, the wrong pixel is tapped — you are required to type in my QUITE lengthy secure password with upper and lowercase letters and numbers.

I used the free download for quite awhile before changing over to the paid version. It’s a good product, causes no crashes and leaves me feeling much more secure.

My next purchase for the Treo is a program which permits a user-set number of password attempts and if there is a PW failure after that number is reached, there is a bit wipe of all or selected data on the PDA. I’ve not tried either of these two programs… yet. It’s created by PDA Defense (www.PDADefense.com)

I’ve even heard some scuttle-butt about a program that allows you to dial the cell and remotely wipe the entire memory (not including the FLASH card expansion, of course). This means, if (goodness forbid) you ever lose your little “brain” — it’s protected from hacking attempts through the memory wiped. If anyone has heard of this beyond the Urban Legends, drop me line.

Another article I’ve read talks about an exploding chip for future use in mobile device security. Nothing like a little “boom” to keep the thieves at bay, eh?

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_498292.html?menu=news.technology

And as far as the Mobile Virus goes – it’s a bunch of hype. You can only get it through mobile devices with Bluetooth which means I won’t be at risk until I upgrade to the Treo 650.

And, you also have to be gullible enough to actually agree to download and launch the infected file. Now, I’m sure there are those out there who will do exactly that (hence the spreading of the thing)- but I’m not one of them, are you?

According to computerworld.com:

To be infected by Cabir, mobile phones must be running Symbian OS with the Series 60 software and have the Bluetooth wireless feature in “discoverable” mode, making them open to new connections, according to Hyppnen. In addition, the owner of the phone would have to press a key to dismiss a security warning about installing software of unknown origin, and then another to agree to install the file being transmitted.

If you ask me, to be infected with this particular virus at this particular point in the game requires that there be a LOT of stupid going on. :O)

For now, the infections are limited and the biggest thing about this (other than the promise that a new age of security concerns) is the media hype.

Added a Google Search to Wicked

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I played with my index page last night, to add a site search, and finally found a way to use the Halloween Google graphic from this year. I’d saved it because it was so perfect for Wicked’s “witchy theme”…I’ve written Google to be sure it’s an acceptable use of their logo and I’ve already had a couple “how cool” comments.

I’ve wanted a site search for quite some time and this fills the bill for Wicked. It searches all the articles I have posted and the business web pages… and stays clear of the blog. Of course, I already have a search feature here ;O)

Anyway, since it IS their logo, and not one that I’ve changed, I’m hopeful that they will let it stand and will send me official approval.

In the meantime… go check it out. Isn’t it cool?!?!

Get ThunderBird and FireFox Already!

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I’m not really into promoting software of one type over another — at least not publicly, but today I make an exception. It seems like an exceptional sort of day.

I’m not going to rant about MS or IE. Instead, I’m going to be more positive and proactive and tell you why you should consider the (in my humble opinion) best alternatives to MS IE and Outlook.

Now, I’m never shy about my advice in person- when clients ask what software they should use, for a particular application, I always offer my opinions and my experiences — the good, the bad and the ugly… from an e-mail and contact management handler to a graphics program and an HTML coding tool.

With that said, I feel compelled to tell you that since I went to Firefox instead of IE and since I adopted ThunderBird instead of Outlook, my issues with security have greatly diminished. And I’m a security gal…
Do I promote these free Mozilla-based programs? You betcha! Best thing, techie speaking, since optical mice. Ok, maybe they have been around a lot longer than optical mice� but you get the idea.

I’ve been using, and LOVING these programs for well over a year now. I don’t even “power up” IE except to check the view on a website during the production phase. If you want a great browser with all the bells and whistles, full control over what downloads via that browser and a simple interface, check out FireFox.

Aside from the security benefits- it has TABS! Which means I can do my usual, multi-tasking approach to web research and keep it all in one window – no more diving to the bottom of my screen to try to figure out which of those browser windows has the information I just found that I now need. No more “duck-duck-goose” styled handling of my open web browser windows. It’s neat, organized and topic-viewable across the top of my browser’s window. I love it.

For more information on ThunderBird, visit the mozilla site www.Mozilla.org, where you can pick up a copy of FireFox too! And if you like it as much as I do, donate a buck or two to the cause. (It’s tax deductible!)

Podcasting, "video blogging" and the Newest Rages in Communication

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You know, some people don’t understand blogging. Others don’t understand it until they get “hooked” by reading some… or in one of the most modern incarnations… listening to some.

But, in my humble opinion, way too many people in our society watch “created” reality TV. Not the real stuff, but the Hollywood version. That annoys me (as I’ve mentioned a couple times before). People are most fascinated with other people and their personal details. It’s a fact. So, if you want the “real deal” — why expect Hollywood to produce it?

Devour your “reality” raw – like vegetables, it’s better un-processed.

Now, the blogging approach to reality TV has taken off… and it’s affectionately known as “Pod Casting” because it’s reality radio you download and take with you on your IPOD…I’ve been working pretty hard to get my Treo to be my on the road solution… and now I’m going to have to research to see if there is an easy way to get Podcasts on it. There should be, with a simple MP3 format download, but I’ll look that up later today.

Not that I’m a big Pod Cast fan… I’ve not listened to any yet (that’s on the schedule for this afternoon)… but because it’s a new bend in an already twisted world of communication, advertising and online content.

And, because I adore it when the “little guys” do things that shock and rock the mainstream.

The first one I’m going to que up is the Drew and Dawn show — the sweethearts of the PodCasting world now (according to the early a.m. searches and research I’ve done.)

As far as the concept of this particular style of spell “casting” for Wicked…

I must admit that the concept of PODCasting would take alot less time than blogging — I talk a little faster than I type — but it would reach a different audience than the one I prefer right now… I want readers rather than listeners. This may change with more thought, and a voice version may be test launched later.

And as far as video blogging goes… although I respect this new twist, and may even investigate it in the future… it’s not the same as typing out my thoughts in solid text.

I think I may have found the “old fashioned” part of myself here… I prefer words to pictures. Now I must evaluate if I prefer the written word to the spoken word. That will take some thought.

Pictures versus words are an easy choice…

I think that if you are presented a picture, you have only one option for how to view it. But, if you are presented words… you bring your own experiences to the table and you envision the most appealing “picture” in your mind… based on your own experiences. It’s more personal. You are more active. It’s a less mentally sedentary endeavor.

But, all this is off the topic of PodCasting…

Right now, I’m going to go listen to a few… later I will decide if it’s something I might want to do.

Of course, since it takes me five or six times to record my voice mail message to my satisfaction, I’m not sure “speaking” my mind would be a quicker option. And as for the video blogging…that would mean I’d have to brush my hair and dress in something other than sweats early on a Sunday morning when I get the idea that I should come and blog… *shudder* — nah, that’s probably not going to happen for awhile.