creativity and innovation

The Future of Groundswell

In the book, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff write about how social media -- blogs, wikis, Facebook -- has impacted the way customer's interact with your brands. These elements of a social phenomenon -- the groundswell -- has created a permanent, long-lasting shift in the way the world works. Most companies see it as a threat. You can see it as an opportunity.READ»

• Charlene Li on Flaming Laptops, Sleeping Technicians, and the Streisand Effect

Charlene Li on Flaming Laptops, Sleeping Technicians, and the Streisand Effect

Fast Interview: The author talks about why power is shifting from companies to people and why trying to stop it is like "trying to take pee out of a pool."READ»

• The Future of Groundswell
• 9 Social Networks That Aren't for Everyone

An All Natural Icon Reaches Beyond Whole Foods

As Reed’s ginger brew makes a play for the big leagues, the natural question arises: Can the brand's success be attributed to the marketing or is it all about the taste? READ»

• Has Pepsi Got Your Number?
• Jonesing for Soda

Products of Brand Mash-Ups

Lashing your brand to another may be the easiest -- and oddest -- way to create new products. Can you pick which items are real and which are fake?READ»

• 7 Fabulous Things You Probably Shouldn't Buy
• When Brand Extensions Go Bad

The Green Housing Boom

Forward-thinking architects and real-estate developers are already envisioning the post-bust cycle of home building. And smaller is better.READ»

• Building Green Homes
• How Big is Too Big?
• The King of Green Investing
• Silicon Valley's Angel Investors
• The Music Industry Goes Green
• Music Goes Green
• Can Carbon Credits Slow Global Warming?
• The State of the Climate Change Debate

The State of the Climate Change Debate

As politics and the planet both heat up, there’s a lot of talk about climate change measures. What’s really happening? READ»

• The King of Green Investing
• Silicon Valley's Angel Investors
• The Music Industry Goes Green
• Music Goes Green
• The Green Housing Boom
• Building Green Homes
• Can Carbon Credits Slow Global Warming?

Can ChaCha's Humans Compete with Google's Algorithms?

Scott A. Jones talks about the human-guided search engine, competition from other sites, and how ChaCha embraces a Wikipedia-esque structure.READ»

• Search Engine Showdown
• The Top 10 Websites You Never Heard Of
• Meet the Googlers
• Cha Cha Cha

Twitter on Steroids

Finally! A way to check on what your friends are doing every minute of every day on every social network. That’s FriendFeed. All together now: “We’re not currently monetizing the site.”READ»

• 7 Ways Bret Taylor Uses FriendFeed
• Why Facebook Is Even Bigger Than You Think
• Is Michael Arrington One of the World's Most Influential People?
• The Curious Genius of Twitter

Why Innovation Matters

A.G. Lafley and Ram Charan from the book The Game Changer: How Every Leader Can Drive Everyday Innovation on why innovation matters.READ»

• 8 Skills of People Who Perform
• How to Kill an Idea

How To Kill An Idea

Fast Interview: Super consultant Ram Charan on why that's one of the most important -- and most overlooked -- aspects of innovation.READ»

• 10 Rules of Effective Brainstorming
• Why Innovation Matters
• 8 Skills of People Who Perform

Green Fashion: Is It More Than Marketing Hype?

Green fashion is giving the fashion industry an eco-makeover. But is green its true color?READ»

• In Fashion, Green is the New Black
• How The Fashion Industry Is Greening Its Operation
• 9 Daring Ideas That Blend Fashion and Sustainability
• Green Fashion Goes Mainstream

Panasonic Releases Internet-Enabled Plasmas

Though they're a little late on their intended release date, Panasonic has finally delivered the Viera (PZ850) series of plasma televisions, which will have some basic Internet functions baked in.READ»

Logitech Intros Bluetooth Speakerphone for Music Lovers

If you've ever lamented the shoddy internal speakerphone in your mobile phone, Logitech might have the ultimate solution. READ»

Sony “Rolly” Arrives in U.S.

Sony calls it a device for people who “want to experience music through movement,” but what is Rolly exactly?READ»

Samsung Announces World's First 82-inch Multi-touch LCD

This week Samsung will announce the world's largest LCD television, coming in at 82 inches, with a resolution of 3,840 by 2,160 pixels at a 120Hz refresh rate (known as a “2160p” rating). This level of clarity qualifies it as an ...READ»

Schlage Announces Web-Enabled Door Locks

Lock-maker Schlage announced a new line of products today under the Z-Wave moniker that will feature wireless, Internet-enabled door locks that can be locked, unlocked and monitored from anywhere using a PC, cell phone, or any other ...READ»

JVC Announces YouTube-ready Mini Camcorder

At just .60 pounds, JVC's new GZ-MS100 mini camcorder will provide one-touch uploading to YouTube for users interested in taking a camcorder almost anywhere. The camera is bundled with JVC's CyberLink software, that will allow ...READ»

Just Around The Corner: The First 3D Map

Fast Interview: Earthmine co-founder John Ristevski talks about competing with Google and the first consumer applications for this space-age technology.READ»

• The Top 10 Websites You Never Heard Of
• Why Facebook Is Even Bigger Than You Think

How The Fashion Industry Is Greening Its Operation

While being eco-friendly has been in style the last few years, it’s questionable whether green will still be fashionable next season.READ»

• Green Fashion Goes Mainstream
• 9 Daring Ideas That Blend Fashion and Sustainability

Why Facebook Is Even Bigger than You Think

Fast Interview: Stanford professor BJ Fogg explains why the social networking site is the most powerful thing ever invented.READ»

• 8 Things You Can Do With Facebook
• Is Michael Arrington One of the World's Most Influential People?

Global City of the Year: London

Where one of every eight works in a creative industry.READ»

• 10 Things You Don't Know About London
• Fast Cities 2008

Is Michael Arrington One of the World's Most Influential People?

Fast Interview: The Tech blogger on how Silicon Valley is transforming America and how he turned TechCrunch into the industry's daily must-read.READ»

• 10 Things You Can Do With Twitter
• Does a New Website Hold the Secret to Great Customer Service?

American Apparel's New Image

In the beginning, American Apparel put a "sweatshop free" label on its t-shirts. But sex turned out to be a better sell than good labor practices. Lessons in the limits of altruism.READ»

• 7 Fabulous Things You Probably Shouldn't Buy
• In Fashion, Green is the New Black

The Business of Broadway

How fresh ideas from finance, film, and TV are creating new opportunities for the theaterREAD»

• The Business of Broadway
• The State of Mobile Advertising

Can Alex Bogusky Help Microsoft Beat Apple?

Alex Bogusky built the country's slickest ad shop using Apple products. His next challenge: Persuade people like him to buy Microsoft's stuff.READ»

• Apple vs. Microsoft -- Who is Winning the Epic Battle
• Microsoft's Ad Campaigns: An Overview