LinkedIn Meets iTunes

Chris Dannen — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:11:31 -0400

A few months ago I did a piece for FastCompany.com called LinkedIn Meets eBay, about a web startup that allowed salespeople to sell each other their contacts. If the sales world already had its eBay, it now has its iTunes: a place where sales and marketing folks can purchase contacts from a company named Demandbase, which has mined, screened and quality-checked a staggering amount of data to bring you the contact info you need to snag your next big sale.

Let's Talk About Chairs

Chris Dannen — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:55:19 -0400

Plenty of companies spend extra money to try to squeeze more productivity out of their employees; FastCompany, for example, keeps their employees stocked with coffee, soda, snacks and comfortable seating areas as amenities. The idea: if you help employees wind down a little, it will encourage them to wind back up and work harder. Comfort, paradoxically, can be an impetus for motivation.

PepCom's New York Event: The Roundup

Chris Dannen — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:30:10 -0400

Last night, PepCom held its Digital Experience! event in New York's Chelsea neighborhood, bringing together a few dozen of the tech industry's movers and shakers in a well-catered, safari-themed expo. So what looked good? The salmon kebabs and the mango salad was terrific. Oh, and there were gadgets.

Two Mobile Should-Haves For Road Warriors

Chris Dannen — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:05:54 -0400

I don't normally consider myself a road warrior, but when my 92-year-old grandmother suggested I get an air miles card, I began to reevaluate. She's right -- I've been out of town almost every week for the last several months, scuttling around on too-expensive flights and sleeping on trains. It's no wonder that two little mobile phone accessories have established permanent seats in my laptop bag, minimalist though I am. Those two gizmos: ARC Wireless's Freedom Blade, and Spracht's Aura Mobile BT.

The Happy Irony of ROFLCon

Chris Dannen — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:01:12 -0400

At the front of the room, one of the panelists is speaking: an asian man in a long fake beard, baggy hawaiian shirt and aviator sunglasses. He's shown up in disguise, even though his name is printed in the conference pamphlet. The rest of the panel consists of one online humorist, one bubbly blonde vlogger, one ACLU representative, and one 80s-coiffed lady who achieved online fame for making dance videos in kitschy sequined sweaters. Amongst this bunch, I'm finding the guy wearing a disguise to be almost sage, which leaves me wondering: what kind of conference is this?

OQO Model 02: The Biggest Little Computer Around

Chris Dannen — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:35:57 -0400

There are plenty of ultra-mobile computers on the market, and most of them are beleaguered little gizmos: half the size of a laptop, but also half the speed, half the storage, half a keyboard, and in short, half-assed. In that light, it's nice to spend some time with a little machine that is full of real PC capability -- even if it comes at full PC price.

A Wall Street Journal Parody That Hits Too Close To Home

Chris Dannen — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:52:48 -0400

An Easy Wiki? Yes, Please

Chris Dannen — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:04:32 -0400

As someone who writes about technology, I'd like to think that I'm technically literate; I'm conversant in a few programming languages, I can ramble about future microprocessor features (like IBM's incredible optical switches), and I secretly hate Facebook. That makes me part of the technorati, right? Well, I've got a secret. I can't build a Wiki.

Radar.net: Lifecasting's Canary in the Coal Mine

Chris Dannen — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:23:46 -0500

The growing success of a little web startup called Radar.net begs an interesting question: are we getting tired of lifecasting?

The Internet Finally Solves A Problem

Chris Dannen — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:05:49 -0500

The Web, though I love it so, abounds with services I never knew I needed -- and probably don't. For that reason, it's refreshing when a site comes along that does something that actually makes daily life easier. It may not be glorious, it may not be groundbreaking, but YouSendIt.com actually made my job more efficient today.