On Technology: Technically Speaking, 2010 is Going to be Awesome
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on technology ❖ john kamm, ctp 2010, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? That date sounds tantalizingly like the future. Shouldn’t we be vacationing on Mars? A machine should be reading my thoughts and committing them to digi- tal memory, another machine bringing my bagel and schmear. Rosie, Rosie, wherefore art thou Rosie? Not much to look at but, man, was that robot maid efficient and the Jetsons loved her. So, we’re not there quite yet, but there are some exciting trends to watch. Netbooks, small computer appliances configured for browsing the Internet and running minimal applications, are getting more alluring. They are perfect for travel or toting around the house if you can’t bear to be away from Facebook for even a moment. Handsets (the de- vice formerly known as a cell phone) are giving netbooks a run for their money as the overhead of the operating system shrinks coupled with must-have applica- tions and the ability to function on a Wi-Fi network. And they still make phone calls! Watch for a spate of smart- phones running Google’s Android oper- ating system. The venerable iPhone will face some interesting competition. Notebooks or laptops are replacing conventional desktop computers at home, school and the workplace. They have the power of most conventional desktops with the added benefit of portability. With these machines, the operating system is a key consideration. Apple’s Snow Leopard is a magnificent example of software engineering, but the total cost of the machine with software is often hundreds of dollars more than a similarly equipped machine running Windows. Linux still requires a pioneer- ing geeky aptitude but it is extremely useful for certain applications when se- curity is of utmost importance. I’m for- getting something. Oh, yes, Windows 7. At this stage I liken Windows 7, just released to generally positive reviews, to a new puppy. It is cute and full of promise. Time will tell if it is a Lassie or a Cujo. Two things I know for sure—there is nothing sadder than a dog movie when the canine character doesn’t make it in the end and the next computer most of us buy will be running Windows 7. Stepping up, I will go on the record here to predict that in 2010 someone will actually figure out how to use social media in a profitable business marketing plan. In traditional marketing models the communication is one-way – from the marketer to the consumer. In social media the communication is a conver- sation; if you start the conversation you better stay in it because it will continue with or without you. Marketers feel they lose control of the message and that makes them fidget. What about ROI, return on investment? Since it costs little or nothing to participate in Facebook or Twitter, there is minimal monetary investment. Better to think of the process in terms of ROE, return on effort. Yet, what metrics can we use to evaluate success or failure? Personally, I believe it is a secret government stimu- lus plan to find employment for our sons and daughters graduating from college in the next few years. Hire one of them, they get this stuff. They will happily tweet and post and YouTube your sales through the roof. Next year is going to be an exciting ride and we only get to take it once. Don’t be a whiner like George Jetson crying, “Jane, how do you stop this crazy thing?” Best get to it, there’s much to do. Technically Speaking, 2010 Is Going To Be Awesome! At this stage I liken Windows 7 to a new puppy. It is cute and full of promise. John Kamm is CEO of TourTech Systems, Inc., developers of TourTools ® , the most popular tour reservations solution in North America. Visit www.tourtools.com for more information. Become a fan of ours on Facebook and we’ll keep you informed of the latest news in the industry by sending you Facebook updates when news breaks. Simply search for “Group Travel” and look for the Premier Tourism Marketing logo! Leisure Group Travel is also joining the Twitter craze. Go to Twitter.com/LeisureGroup to get the latest “tweets” from the Leisure Group Travel staff. 38 December 2009 LeisureGroupTravel.com
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The year ahead will be filled with innovations that impact the way we do business, writes technology columnist John Kamm. Smartphones, netbooks and social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are just some of the tools he mentions. John likens the new Windows 7 operating system to a new puppy: “It is cute and full of promise. Time will tell if it is a Lassie or a Cujo.”
Transcript of On Technology: Technically Speaking, 2010 is Going to be Awesome
on technology � john kamm, ctp
2010, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?That date sounds tantalizingly like thefuture. Shouldn’t we be vacationing onMars? A machine should be reading mythoughts and committing them to digi-tal memory, another machine bringingmy bagel and schmear. Rosie, Rosie,wherefore art thou Rosie? Not much tolook at but, man, was that robot maid
efficient and the Jetsons loved her. So,we’re not there quite yet, but there aresome exciting trends to watch.Netbooks, small computer appliances
configured for browsing the Internetand running minimal applications, aregetting more alluring. They are perfectfor travel or toting around the house ifyou can’t bear to be away from Facebookfor even a moment. Handsets (the de-vice formerly known as a cell phone) aregiving netbooks a run for their money asthe overhead of the operating systemshrinks coupled with must-have applica-tions and the ability to function on aWi-Fi network. And they still makephone calls! Watch for a spate of smart-
phones running Google’s Android oper-ating system. The venerable iPhone willface some interesting competition. Notebooks or laptops are replacing
conventional desktop computers athome, school and the workplace. Theyhave the power of most conventionaldesktops with the added benefit ofportability. With these machines, the
operating system is a key consideration.Apple’s Snow Leopard is a magnificentexample of software engineering, but thetotal cost of the machine with softwareis often hundreds of dollars more than asimilarly equipped machine runningWindows. Linux still requires a pioneer-ing geeky aptitude but it is extremelyuseful for certain applications when se-curity is of utmost importance. I’m for-getting something. Oh, yes, Windows 7. At this stage I liken Windows 7, just
released to generally positive reviews, to anew puppy. It is cute and full of promise.Time will tell if it is a Lassie or a Cujo.Two things I know for sure—there isnothing sadder than a dog movie when
the canine character doesn’t make it inthe end and the next computer most ofus buy will be running Windows 7. Stepping up, I will go on the record
here to predict that in 2010 someonewill actually figure out how to use socialmedia in a profitable business marketingplan. In traditional marketing modelsthe communication is one-way – fromthe marketer to the consumer. In socialmedia the communication is a conver-sation; if you start the conversation youbetter stay in it because it will continuewith or without you. Marketers feelthey lose control of the message andthat makes them fidget. What aboutROI, return on investment? Since itcosts little or nothing to participate inFacebook or Twitter, there is minimalmonetary investment. Better to think ofthe process in terms of ROE, return oneffort. Yet, what metrics can we use toevaluate success or failure? Personally, Ibelieve it is a secret government stimu-lus plan to find employment for oursons and daughters graduating fromcollege in the next few years. Hire oneof them, they get this stuff. They willhappily tweet and post and YouTubeyour sales through the roof.Next year is going to be an exciting
ride and we only get to take it once.Don’t be a whiner like George Jetsoncrying, “Jane, how do you stop thiscrazy thing?” Best get to it, there’s muchto do.
Technically Speaking, 2010 Is Going To Be Awesome!
At this stage I liken Windows 7 to a new puppy. It is cute and full of promise.
John Kamm is CEO of TourTech Systems, Inc.,
developers of TourTools®, the most popular
tour reservations solution in North America. Visit
www.tourtools.com for more information.
Become a fan of ours on Facebook
and we’ll keep you informed of the
latest news in the industry by sending
you Facebook updates when news breaks. Simply search for “Group
Travel” and look for the Premier Tourism Marketing logo! Leisure Group
Travel is also joining the Twitter craze. Go to Twitter.com/LeisureGroup
to get the latest “tweets” from the Leisure Group Travel staff.
38 December 2009 LeisureGroupTravel.com
