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<title>VOXUS Blog</title><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/index.html</link><description>Musings on media&#x2c; tech PR and other things</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright 2006 Voxus&#x2c; Inc.</dc:rights><dc:date>2010-07-02T14:14:58-07:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:16:07 -0700</lastBuildDate><item><title>Rumble</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Andrew Goss</category><category>client news</category><dc:date>2010-07-02T14:14:58-07:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/652e5b29edd441ee6f89a9a346f9727b-663.php#unique-entry-id-663</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/652e5b29edd441ee6f89a9a346f9727b-663.php#unique-entry-id-663</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Adding to our body of new client work is a company that you most likely heard about unless you were living under a rock lately:  Rumblefish (www.rumblefish.com).   With VOXUS driving the PR ship, Rumblefish launched a new music service for YouTube (www.youtube.com) called Friendly Music (www.friendlymusic.com).   The Friendly Music service is the first ever to offer non-commercial music licenses that last a lifetime to edit songs into YouTube videos.   Think of it as iTunes for digital video.   Not too bad of results if I do say so myself with 24 briefings and hundreds of articles resulting.   Here's some of the more high profile stories:


-&nbsp;Associated Press&nbsp;(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20100623/us-youtube-rumblefish/)


-&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/business/media/28rumblefish.html)


-&nbsp;ABC&nbsp;(http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/techbytes-tunes-youtube/story?  id=11030951)


-&nbsp;NPR&nbsp;(http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2010/06/23/128060136/get-music-rights-for-1-99)


-&nbsp;Mashable&nbsp;(http://mashable.com/2010/06/28/rumblefish-friendly-music/)


-&nbsp;TechCrunch&nbsp;(http://techcrunch.com/2010/06/29/rumblefish-friendly-music/)


-&nbsp;Gizmodo&nbsp;(http://gizmodo.com/5575507/friendlymusic-lets-you-buy-legal-licensed-tunes-for-your-youtube-videos-for-2)


-&nbsp;Billboard Magazine&nbsp;(http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i14a7e72d3d44c14d9c4c11d4da9c480a)


- CNET (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-20009289-2.html)


-&nbsp;PC Magazine&nbsp;(http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2365573,00.asp)


- FOX Business (http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2010/06/30/hulus-premium-service-plus-lawsuit-free-soundtracks/)


-posted by Andrew]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Blog&#x27;s been silent&#x2c; but we&#x27;re busy&#x21;</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Paul Forecki</category><category>VOXUS</category><dc:date>2010-07-01T13:55:18-07:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/9602ba9f96363ff66fba7e2c54418f54-662.php#unique-entry-id-662</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/9602ba9f96363ff66fba7e2c54418f54-662.php#unique-entry-id-662</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Have you heard the old adage that the cobbler's children have no shoes?    It shames us a bit to say that, for a social media agency, we've been a bit, uh, remiss in keeping our blogs up to date.


...In short, it's been a crazy couple of months around here as you'll know if you've been following our Facebook and Twitter feeds.


We'll have more to share shortly, but in the meantime... clients!    It's been an exciting time with multiple launches, rebranding, new campaigns and more.  

...IID (www.internetidentity.com) (Internet Identity), which has&nbsp;delivered solutions that help keep the Internet safe and trusted&nbsp;since 1996, recently re-launched its brand which VOXUS helped drive from a PR and design perspective.   IID also launched IID ActiveTrust, the first security solution of its kind for the domain name system or DNS (essentially the address book for the Internet).   Coverage of the company within a couple weeks of the product launch and company re-brand were in, but not limited to, outlets like:


- Q13 (Fox Seattle affiliate) (http://www.q13fox.com/videobeta/c922a221-66e3-4328-8592-0475e1bc58d3/News/Preventing-Cyber-Crimes)


-&nbsp;Network World (http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/051710-one-source-for-most-phishing.html?

...-&nbsp;eWeek (http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Avalanche-Cyber-Gang-Dominated-Phishing-Attacks-636570/)


- Dark Reading (http://www.darkreading.com/securityservices/security/perimeter/showArticle.jhtml?

...-&nbsp;SC Magazine (http://www.scmagazineus.com/avalanche-phishing-slowing-but-was-all-the-2009-rage/article/170052/)


Now to the new guys on the block. doxo (www.doxo.com) - backed by Bezos Expeditions and Mohr Davidow Ventures, and founded by three former Qpass execs -&nbsp;came out stealth mode to announce it is pioneering the way for people and providers to connect and go paperless with all of their transactional mail (i.e.&nbsp; bills, statements, notifications, policy updates, and other critical documents).   Coverage again was overwhelming. doxo's launch was picked up by, but again not limited to, some pretty top tier outlets like:


- TechCrunch (http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/10/doxo-bezos-mohr-davidow/)


...News & World Report (http://www.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2010/05/19/smart-tools-for-a-paperless-home.html)


-&nbsp;ZDNet&nbsp;(http://www.zdnet.com/blog/green/amazons-book-billionaire-bezos-bets-big-on-paperless-transactions/11640)


- Xconomy (http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2010/05/10/doxo-backed-by-bezos-and-mohr-davidow-comes-out-of-stealth-wants-to-help-businesses-go-paperless/)


...Let's just say we had a little help from our friends...
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Seattle top time-saving city</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Paul Forecki</category><category>NW tech news</category><dc:date>2010-03-15T16:38:15-07:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/fcfc3c4e9cb9607338804015e2fdb3ad-661.php#unique-entry-id-661</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/fcfc3c4e9cb9607338804015e2fdb3ad-661.php#unique-entry-id-661</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[According to RealSimple magazine, Seattle is the nations "top time-saving city"...


With extensive public transit, one of the country's most on-time airports, and 50 miles of new bike lanes in the last two years, our winning city, Seattle, is an icon of urban efficiency.   It has more Wi-Fi hot spots and more coffee shops (no shocker there) than any other U.S. city and impressively short waits for a doctor's appointment.


It says we're "an icon of urban efficiency" so it must be true.    But thanks to Daylight Savings, I'm not feeling particularly efficient at the moment... perhaps I need to avail myself of one of the plethora of coffee shops.  


Be sure to check out the other 19 cities on the list.


-posted by Paul]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tacoma techies come together</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Andrew Goss</category><category>NW tech news</category><dc:date>2010-03-15T16:35:38-07:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/75e1078c115b44e5f974079c4414a151-660.php#unique-entry-id-660</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/75e1078c115b44e5f974079c4414a151-660.php#unique-entry-id-660</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Who said technology in the Puget Sound is just limited to Seattle and the Eastside?   Recently, I attended the first annual SHIFT awards celebration, which&nbsp;honored South Sound companies that have shown&nbsp;technology&nbsp;innovation.   Now it wasn't just a couple start-ups that were up for the award, Intel and MorphoTrak, both billion dollar companies with local offices were nominees.   VOXUS client Internet Identity, an Internet security company that's been around since 1996, ended up taking home some hardware along with biometric ID company MorphoTrak, hotel Hotel Murano and building engineers BCRA.   From my guesstimate, I'd say about 120 plus people attended the ceremony at Tacoma's&nbsp;Theater on the Square.   All four companies who won a SHIFT award (which let's call a SHIFTy) got a chance to tell their company's innovation stories at the event.   Pretty interesting stuff, but of course I'm partial to Internet Identity's story (see BAD cell phone picture of company CEO Lars Harvey below).   The hometown company has &nbsp;grown by 800-percent since 2001 to secure and defend some of the biggest companies in the world.   Not bad for little T-Town.   Here's to more Tacoma techies in the years ahead!


-posted by Andrew
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Feeling lonely&#x2c; redux</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Rachel Berry</category><category>Startups</category><dc:date>2010-02-23T14:56:57-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/3f8add3491423a4cd6b80d64d17356e7-659.php#unique-entry-id-659</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/3f8add3491423a4cd6b80d64d17356e7-659.php#unique-entry-id-659</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Last month, my colleague wrote a blog post on PostCrossing and was not feeling the love about its services.    It's basically an upgrade of  the pen pal concept: you sign up for the free service, are randomly assigned a name and address of another user anywhere in the world so that you can zip off a postcard to that person.    The service tracks the postcards you send (similar to Facebook on a personal wall) and ensures that you receive a postcard in return for every one that you mail.


So I tried it out, and the verdict is in: PostCrossing actually rocks.    Maybe you need to be of a certain age to appreciate this site and service -- when I was young, everyone wanted a pen pal who lived overseas.    And I have to say, after multiple trips abroad, this is still the case in countries such as Germany and Australia, where local residents randomly met in bars ask if they can keep in touch.    That's why PostCrossing has hundreds of thousands of users, and now I'm one of them.    So far, I've received thank you emails through the site from my postcard recipients in Finland and Germany, and I've received my first postcard from a woman in Taiwan.


Yes, it's true that it's not an immediate gratification kind of a thing...the postcard from Taiwan took 17 days from the time my name/address was generated by PostCrossing until it was received.    And the postcards I've mailed to China and Thailand have yet to arrive, although they were sent three weeks ago.    But if you're patient, it's kind of a cool activity for a rainy afternoon.    And we have a lot of those in the Seattle area.


-posted by Rachel]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>I&#x27;d like to call Facebook to the stand</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Stephanie Martin</category><category>media(tion)</category><dc:date>2010-02-16T15:06:25-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/c9eea5d3a2955bbebfa6cd44053117ee-658.php#unique-entry-id-658</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/c9eea5d3a2955bbebfa6cd44053117ee-658.php#unique-entry-id-658</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[With Valentine's Day but a sweet memory this week, I thought we'd take a look at the other side of love, divorce, and the dubious role Facebook can play in the ensuing battles.   PC World has published a great article "Marriage On The Rocks?   Better Stay Off Facebook" that cites some frightening facts for all the Facebook fanatics out there. 


According to a survey by the American Academy of Matrimonial Layers (AAMl), 81 percent of its members have, in the past five years, seen an increase in the number of divorce cases using social networking evidence. 


Facebook leads the pack with 66 percent of survey respondents citing it as the primary source.   MySpace and Twitter made a splash as well, with 14 percent and five percent, respectively. 


So, as we are always warned, watch what you do on social networking sites!   Not only could bad behavior cost you your job, your friends, or your relationship, it could lead to nasty divorce court problems and "evidence" you probably don't want anyone to see.


-posted by Stephanie]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The digital dilemma: vampires vs zombies</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Andrew Goss</category><category>media(tion)</category><dc:date>2010-02-09T16:46:33-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/9010028b25c0768be7e53a5413ddcf71-657.php#unique-entry-id-657</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/9010028b25c0768be7e53a5413ddcf71-657.php#unique-entry-id-657</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It's a digital dilemma that has an outspoken tech entrepreneur comparing content aggregators and search engines to vampires, and newspapers to zombies.   Keynoting the recent OnMedia conference in New York, chairman of HDNet and Owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, made a bold statement.   According to AdWeek, Cuban essentially said content aggregators and search engines are vampires, and newspapers are the chesty blondes who fall victim to their charms -- and ultimately get bitten.   Cuban particularly called out Google as a Web giant that continues to reap benefits off of the valuable content that traditional media companies produce either through search or Google News .


&ldquo;At some point, you would think that the vampires run out of victims&mdash;people to suck. ...  But that never happens in the vampire story.   What happens is, someone drives a stake through their heart.   That&rsquo;s the only way to stop a vampire,&rdquo; said Cuban.


Which brings us to the next point Cuban addressed: the proverbial silver bullet.   Here's what Cuban had to say about that;


...The iPad is, the Kindle isn&rsquo;t.   The Kindle just reprints what you already do.   The iPad represents a new way to present information and, most importantly, sell ads against your content.   The Kindle looks nice, it&rsquo;s portable, but ultimately, it looks like a first generation product that has no future.   The iPad will allow content companies to present their work in a new way, and most importantly, sell ads against it.&rdquo;


However, Cuban's bold vampire/zombie comparison isn't the first time something like this has been uttered.   According to Crain's New York Business, in a keynote address to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Entertainment and Media Outlook last year, Dow Jones CEO Les Hinton compared Google to a vampire, sucking the blood out of the newspaper industry.


How did I come up with all of this information you may ask?   I did a Google search:)


We've got our newest version of Twilight brewing on the Web and I for one am interested in if and/or how the Zombies will come back from dead.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Free Your Endorphins</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Justin Hall</category><category>Startups</category><dc:date>2010-02-02T15:20:28-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/dd27adad08ee241a8772daaaa2a1f475-655.php#unique-entry-id-655</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/dd27adad08ee241a8772daaaa2a1f475-655.php#unique-entry-id-655</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Are you a hardcore runner, walker, cyclist or kayaker? &nbsp;  If so, you'll definitely think this latest start up is cool.   The company is called Endomondo, and they offer free GPS tracking and social networking tools for athletes. &nbsp;  Functionality basically boils down to several key areas: workouts, stats, friends, challenges, maps and routes (all rolled into a nice GUI).


Here's how it works.   You sign up online (for free) and can then download the software (for free) onto your phone (Nokia, HTC, iPhone, Android, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, HP, Garmin, you get the picture).   The phone's GPS capabilities map and track your progress, route, speed, etc. &nbsp;  This allows you to keep a running (no pun intended) diary online and communicate progress and goals with friends, track routes you love and compete in community challenges -- all in the name of killing calories.


As far as niche products go, this might be right on target. &nbsp;  Whatcha think? &nbsp;  Successful Launch, or Mission Scrub for this start-up?
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>iPad&#x2c; Kindle killer?</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Andrew Goss</category><category>business and tech</category><dc:date>2010-02-02T15:16:53-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/561e17b4bf9195aa877d1bb5f0c8a5f8-654.php#unique-entry-id-654</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/561e17b4bf9195aa877d1bb5f0c8a5f8-654.php#unique-entry-id-654</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Unless you were living under a rock recently, you may have heard about a little announcement from Apple about the launching of the iPad.   Fortunately, I work at VOXUS, which means there was no way I would not hear about this (we are a tech PR firm after all and full of Apple Fanboys).


Of course, the immediate reaction from many people was to compare the iPad to Amazon's Kindle e-Reader.   While I haven't used the Kindle extensively (read know people who do), I was interested in comparing the two and found a couple recent blog posts addressing whether the iPad is a Kindle Killer.   Here's one from online tech news site TechFlash and here's one from Ben Elowitz, CEO of Wetpaint.


Not sure I want to weigh in on this one since all I have to go on is the hype and not much experience.   The iPad... is it an iKindle killer?


-posted by Andrew]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>There&#x27;s an app in my future?</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Rachel Berry</category><category>random sparkly things</category><dc:date>2010-02-02T15:15:05-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/95392d88d22a48b05f37efc02699f739-653.php#unique-entry-id-653</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/95392d88d22a48b05f37efc02699f739-653.php#unique-entry-id-653</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I've often wondered what I'd do if/when I leave VOXUS. &nbsp;  It never occurred to me, however, that the infinite possibilities might include developing an iPhone app.


Hillary Davis, a 16-year veteran of owning her own PR agency, was laid off last year from her then-position of VP of corporate communications at Triad Health. &nbsp;  Instead of spending all of her time finding a new job, she ended up creating MyTown Contacts, a 99 cent iPhone application that compiles a list of important phone numbers in case of emergency. &nbsp;  She got the idea for the application when she had a family emergency, but not being a software developer, she had to be creative in learning how to move forward with the concept. &nbsp;  She posted the job online and actually worked with a developer in China.


Check it out on iTunes -- I'm pretty impressed. &nbsp;  But the bar has now been set for the rest of us.


You can learn more about it here.


-posted by Rachel]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Bill Gates gets social</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Andrew Goss</category><category>media(tion)</category><dc:date>2010-02-02T14:52:32-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/7742f9d8c6990d940629b9b04b21c4bf-652.php#unique-entry-id-652</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/7742f9d8c6990d940629b9b04b21c4bf-652.php#unique-entry-id-652</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In a move to get more personal, Bill Gates, the now Co-chair and Trustee of The Gates Foundation, has emerged with a new Twitter page and a web site dubbed "The Gates Notes."


The software-mogul-turned-philanthropist's Gates Notes site appears to be a repository for his thoughts on the range of topics from education to energy.   The site is separated into sections like "What I'm Thinking About," "What I'm Learning" and "My Travels."   On the site's home page, there is a brief explanation of it saying;


"Every January, Bill writes an Annual Letter, which includes his thoughts on the work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and progress it is making toward achieving its goals.   Interest in the 2009 Annual Letter was one reason Bill decided to create the Gates Notes website."


That annual letter came out January 25 this year.


Bills Gates' Twitter page @BillGates went live on the microblogging site on Tuesday, January 19 with this tweet: "'Hello World.'   Hard at work on my foundation letter &mdash; publishing on 1/25."   Gates was welcomed to Twitter almost immediately with a tweet from actor Ashton Kutcher, the unofficial ambassador of the microblogging site.   At last check on Wednesday, January 20, just one day after joining Twitter, Gates had more than 240,000 followers.   And since I love cyber-snooping, I wanted to take a look at who Gates was following.   It was an interesting mix of organizations like relief organization UNICEF, celebrities like actor Ashton Kutcher and techno-geeks like CNET's Ina Fried.   With only 40 people Gates was following as of late January, must be quite an honor to have the world's richest person following you!


While I'm certain Gates isn't developing any of the content for The Gates Notes or @BillGates, I'm relatively sure Gates has a decent amount of input (i.e. final say) into what is being published.   Not sure what the driving impetus was for the new Internet push, but it certainly couldn't hurt The Gates Foundation's efforts.   In this day and age, it appears nothing's off limits and everything needs to be open for the public.


-posted by Andrew]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Google in China&#x2c; censorship vs cash</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Andrew Goss</category><category>business and tech</category><dc:date>2010-01-19T15:23:58-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/70ce6e5ce909ea8d0b52298ea3588918-651.php#unique-entry-id-651</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/70ce6e5ce909ea8d0b52298ea3588918-651.php#unique-entry-id-651</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In a surprising turn of events last week, Google said it's willing to stop doing business in China unless&nbsp;the world's most populous country&nbsp;makes concessions over censorship and computer-security concerns.   The move followed Chinese hackers reportedly recently prying into the gmail accounts of human rights activists.


Former Seattle P.I. reporter, current&nbsp;freelance journalist, Chinese American and longtime China watcher Brad Wong has an interesting take on the situation.   In a TechFlash blog post, Wong notes that due to its "5,000 years of history to draw upon for strategies to gain and keep power," the Chinese government probably won't cave to Google.


Google's threat to pull out of China over censorship is a rare display where foreign companies have more often than not accepted certain levels of intrusiveness to gain access to a huge and growing market.   With 338 million Internet users at the end of last June, China has more people online than the entire population of the United States, according to figures from the China Internet Network Information Center.&nbsp;


A quote by Richard D'Aveni, professor of strategic management at Dartmouth University's Tuck business school, in a Christian Science Monitor article, is particularly thought-provoking.   He says,&nbsp;"This is a no-win situation for an American [company's] entrance.   I think China is going to want control over the Internet, and I think the fate of any search engine or Internet-based company in China is one that they are either going to have to cooperate with the government by allowing espionage or they are going to have to get out if they want to live by American values."


This Google versus China battle appears to be turning into more of an America versus China ideological battle that has wide-reaching ramifications for companies around the world.   It's a classic case of censorship versus cash and it'll be interesting to see how this plays out.


-posted by Andrew]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Feeling lonely?</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Justin Hall</category><category>Startups</category><dc:date>2010-01-19T15:21:59-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/29b7e9946fa29d1a10b1d814e431d32d-650.php#unique-entry-id-650</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/29b7e9946fa29d1a10b1d814e431d32d-650.php#unique-entry-id-650</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Think there's a service or idea for everything? &nbsp;

...It's a project that allows anyone to receive postcards (real ones, not electronic) from random places in the world.


...Don't feel bad, I was wonder too...and, thankfully for us, the website answers that question (they must get it a lot). &nbsp;...  Because, like the author, there are lots of people who like to receive real mail.   The element of surprise of receiving postcards from different places in the world (many of which you probably have never heard of) can turn your mailbox into a box of surprises - and who wouldn't like that?"


...A box of surprises...


Soooo, if you are really starving for a random postcard from across the globe, here are the simple steps you must take:


...- Request an address and a Postcard ID through the website


- Check your email and get the address


...- Mail the postcard to the address the website gave you


...- Receive a postcard from another postcrosser sometime in the future


- Register the Postcard ID you have received


- View your map of postcards (just for fun)


- Go to the second point and repeat


...To quote Britney Spears, "Have fun ya'll."   I think it takes as many steps to create nuclear fusion.   In the meantime, I think I'll cure cancer.


...Successful Launch, or Mission Scrub for this start-up?


[BTW, they claim to have 153k members that send more than 359 postcards an hour.   So add that to your box of surprises.]
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Wondering about 3D TV?</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Stephanie Martin</category><category>business and tech</category><dc:date>2010-01-19T15:19:54-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/2560e447dbff8163a5885ff8e78b9a21-649.php#unique-entry-id-649</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/2560e447dbff8163a5885ff8e78b9a21-649.php#unique-entry-id-649</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There's been a lot of talk recently about 3D TV, especially during and following the big CES show in Las Vegas a few weeks back.   With so many announcements about the future of 3D TV and products - the idea has entered the minds of many folks outside of the technology community.


For example, a friend of mine recently explained to me that he would have 3D TV soon, as he had heard ESPN was going to start broadcasting in 3D.   I started to ask him about the new TV he would need to invest in, how he would like wearing glasses whenever he watched, etc.   Not to my surprise, he didn't know about any of the pieces that go into making the 3D TV experience (not only the channel or movie, but the TV, the glasses, the new players...), he though it would be as simple as flipping to the channel.&nbsp;


I suspect this is true for many people - people have heard fleeting mentions of "3D TV: Coming Soon," but what does it really entail?


CNET's Crave blog has put together a fantastic FAQ on all things 3D TV.   From what TVs will be needed to the particular glasses that your family will need to wear - it's all there.&nbsp;


Some interesting tidbits:


- Viewer comfort is a big concern for 3D content producers - as 3D can sometimes cause disorientation or headaches after extended periods (for some people)


- The 3D glasses you will need to watch 3D TV are not the same as the ones you use to watch regular 3D movies in the theater


- Between 5 and 10 percent of Americans cannot see 3D due to stereo blindness.


- Glasses alone could cost upwards of $100 a pair (although no maker has specified exact cost)


Check out the Crave&nbsp;article&nbsp;to see the rest of the FAQ and learn more about 3D TV technology.


-posted by Stephanie]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sing with me</title><dc:creator>info@voxuspr.com</dc:creator><category>Justin Hall</category><category>Startups</category><dc:date>2010-01-19T15:11:37-08:00</dc:date><link>http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/53fa10700089bd191c8722df36d3fe1e-648.php#unique-entry-id-648</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.voxuspr.com/blog/files/53fa10700089bd191c8722df36d3fe1e-648.php#unique-entry-id-648</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Time for a new blog segment I like to call, "Start Ups That May Suck, or Not... 

...Since new companies are popping up all the time &ndash; some with lame ideas and some with friggin great ideas &ndash; I thought I'd try to share some of these, err, umm, experiments.   For better or worse, but just for plan old-fashion fun!


We'll kick it off with Karaoke Play.   Honestly who doesn't like a little karaoke.   You go out for dinner, have some beers, next thing you know it's 10 pm, your feeling saucy, the karaoke machine gets set up and the grand master announces karaoke night.   You review the song book, put in your selection, wait 40 minutes, drink more beer, then proceed to make a fool out of yourself on stage, all the while playing out some teen fantasy of becoming a rock star.   In the morning your head hurts and you wonder if the crowd really liked your male-version of Celine Dion's "I'm your lady."  

...Well, if embarrassing yourself in a room of 50 people isn't enough, you can now visit KaraokePlay.com.   Just log on, record a track and let the entire world (or community) critique your performance(s).    It's like your own personal American Idol show.   Let the punishment begin.   And if audio wasn't enough, that's right, you can integrate video!!!   So, you can share all the funny faces you make while singing, to those watching your post.


This is a site I want to hate...   BUT, I kind of found myself liking it.   It's a lot of fun, in a "I'm-a-tool-who-thinks-in-another-life-I-could-have-been-a-rock-star" kind of way.    So, before you judge, give this one a go.


...Successful Launch, or Mission Scrub?


-posted by Justin]]></content:encoded></item></channel>
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