11: Josh Davidson Talks Tech Startups & Having 6 Flags As A Client

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Joshua is the CEO and Founder of Chop Dawg, full service company lined up with leading designers and developers that take ideas from concept and turn them into reality. Chop Dawg helps create startups for inspiring entrepreneurs by providing them with a wide range of services including web and mobile development, branding and marketing strategies.

While most teenagers are busy getting their drivers license, he founded Chop Dawg at the ripe age of 16. Shortly after, at the age of 20, he went on to launch his second company, Subtle.

Five Technology Must-Haves for Your Startup

Technology, Startup Tips, Guest PostEach year, nearly 20 percent of small businesses stop operating temporarily, and this interruption results in significant revenue loss for 68 percent of owners. Of those, 40 percent will never resume operations, Capstone Technologies reports. As a small business owner, it’s vital you invest in technology that you can rely on. Implement the latest tech solutions that will grow with your company, help you maximize your resources and facilitate a healthy and vibrant business for years to come.

Consult With a Tech Professional

If you can afford it, purchase a technology consultation from a professional who specializes in your field or type of business. Consultant fees are approximately $100 per hour and include an assessment of your company’s needs today and into the future. You can find a referral at Microsoft’s Small Business Specialist Program. Common small business technology decisions you would discuss with a consultant include:

  • Hardware processing speed and storage capacity
  • Analog and Internet-based telephone systems
  • Customer service and professional services software
  • An in-house server for website hosting and data storage or outsourced and cloud technology
  • Mobile phones and tablets
  • A business network
  • Wireless Internet service
  • Security software
  • Bring your own device (BYOD) consultation
  • Website design and Internet marketing technology

Internet Access

High-speed Internet service is the most reliable and cost-efficient online access model. Most systems are similar; however, some regions only offer a few options, and a consultant or review website will help you compare. A broadband service is the fastest and includes:

  • Fiber optic service (FiOS): the fastest, but has limited availability
  • Cable broadband: the next speediest option, but may operate more slowly during peak Internet times, because the connection is shared with other users in your area
  • DSL: relatively fast, but slower as the distance from the server increases

In a rural area, you may need to use satellite Internet such as Hughesnet Gen4, or a mobile wireless system such as Clear.

Computer Hardware

A basic computer needs approximately 4GB of memory, an 80GB hard drive and a 3GHZ processor. An 18-inch or larger monitor is an inexpensive upgrade that will help employees avoid tired and strained eyes.

Data Storage

Cloud technology for data storage can save your business a lot of trouble in the case of an emergency or server crash. It is safe, easily accessible and inexpensive. Most services allow you to limit access to files and come with sharing options that enable users to edit and replace files. It also tracks user activity for added security. Dropbox has a business version with low fees and graduated data capacity options.

Portable Digital Devices

Smartphones, tablets and laptops are prevalent in today’s business world. You may decide to save money and allow employees to use their own phone or other mobile device, but there are some potential legal ramifications, such as unlawful use with “sexting” and other forms of unsanctioned communication that your company could be liable for. If you do allow BYOD, make sure you establish a firm BYOD policy.

Website with Mobile Options

A high-quality website is a significant investment. It is probably the most important communications and ecommerce tool you have. Hire a professional website development team with a solid reputation. Ask them to explain the features you need and the latest design advancements, including responsive design (design that resizes the site for viewing on mobile devices). Mobile search is growing—Google reports that 67 percent of users search and make purchases from mobile devices.

A basic website can range from $5,000 to $10,000, while a responsive design website can range from $15,000 to $25,000. Responsive features cannot be added to a standard website later, but if you cannot afford a responsive site, you can purchase a mobile website that costs as little as $13 per month. A mobile site is a simplified version of your website with large buttons and fewer columns for the mobile user’s ease of use.

Jack Wilson manages multiple corporate design projects by day, while fitting in some part-time freelance writing by night.

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White House Responds To DeathStar Petition: We Don’t Support Blowing Up Planets

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“This Isn’t the Petition Response You’re Looking For

The Obama administration created the “We The People” petitioning platform in his first term. We The People is a petitioning platform on the official White House website.

If a petition is started on the website and it garners more than 25,000 signatures by the people within 30 days, the White House will respond to the petition.

On November 14, 2012 a petition was created to “secure resources and funding, and begin construction of a Death Star by 2016.

In accordance with the We The People program guidelines the petition garnered over 25,000 signatures. The White House dignified the petition with a well thought out response. While the response was a bit witty it also highlighted some of the advancements the U.S has made in the space program.

Paul Shawcross, Chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget, began the official White House response:

The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense,” begins Shawcross, “but a Death Star isn’t on the horizon.” He cites a Lehigh University study that calculated that a Death Star would cost a deficit-exploding $852,000,000,000,000,000 (that’s $852 quadrillion), notes that ”the Administration does not support blowing up planets,” and rightly points out that it would be foolhardy to build a space station “with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship.”reported Entertainment Weekly

Petitions ranging from seceding from the union, to a petition to get Pierce Morgan deported.

Philly Phocus: HACK – Technology Based Art and Design Exhibit

Philly Phocus #2 – We look at HACK “A TECHNOLOGY BASED DESIGN AND ART EXHIBITION

 WHAT IS HACK PHILLY THEN?

HACK is an open call for technology based projects. Inviting participation from the design, art, hacker, and DIY communities in Philadelphia. We are encouraging collaborative works for submission, but this is not a requirement. We are asking for a range of works; from 2D to 3D works, applications, wearables, installation, objects, and performances.

The emergence of new technology has unveiled a community of people who may or may not consider themselves artists or designers. Hackers are liberating these technologies from the intentions of their original creators, thus rendering new raw materials resulting in unintended consequences. Ultimately, traditional borders do not bind these interstitial communities; by re-appropriating, merging, extending, and breaking down barriers through disruption, these hackers are creating something new and innovative.

HACK will take place as part of Philly Tech Week on April 27 and 28, 2012. Both nights will have the gallery show as well as live performances.

WHY ARE WE COVERING THIS?

In the next 11 days we will be following Philadelphia startups in a lot of depth.  April 20 – 22 we will be covering Philadelphia Startup Weekend which is included in Philly Tech Week but is still its own event.  Following that Philly Tech Week goes from April 20-28 because of that I figure we should highlight one of the events that I am most excited about attending, and not just as a blogger/journalist but as a local boy with a number of friends who would have been a perfect fit for this exhibit.

Taking a break from the constant discussions and walking and letting somebody else handle the control of your mind for a short while might just help you relax or it might just be able to set off your own creative spark.  Taking a few minutes to an hour out of your 6-8 days there will not kill you.  So, if you have yet to check out HACK

Follow that link, it’ll take you to their kickstarter page (the VERY MODEST) amount requested has been reached so Andrew has decided to attempt to raise additional money – FUNDING SUCCESSFUL ! New STRETCH GOAL: $ 2000 ! 

If we meet our new stretch goal, the quality of the catalog, shirts, and overall exhibition will be greatly increased !!!

Ford & Yahoo Team Up For Reality Show About Electric Cars

Being on the road in a Prius makes you really appreciate both the hybrid and the full on electric car. While traveling to cover startups in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Cameron and I saw charging stations out in front of local government office buildings, which was a breath of fresh air. We also brought you this story earlier this month about a NC startup that is re-inventing the charging station.

With all this talk about electric cars it’s no wonder that Ford has teamed up with Yahoo to release a web-based reality show about electric cars.

The new show called “Plugged In” will chronicle the lives of three two person teams driving the new Ford Focus electric. The teams will compete in scavenger hunt like challenges in 10 major cities including Los Angeles in New York, mostly on the east and west coast where electric cars are gaining popularity and where gas is over $4.00 per gallon and quickly approaching $5.00.

More after the break
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2 Kickstarter Projects Raise One Million Dollars Each On The Same Day

If you’re not familiar with Kickstarter, it’s a crowd sourced platform for seed investments of projects. It originally started as a launching pad for musicians who were trying to fund album and video projects.

An artist or band would make a kickstarter page for their next endeavor. Say the project would cost them $5000 for a limited cd run, art, photography and studio time. The artist or band would provide telethon type incentives for people and fans to pledge to donate money to the project.

For example my little brothers band with a decent sized local fan base used kick starter for an album project. They needed $4000. For a $10 pledge the donators (fans) would get a free copy of the cd delivered to their home once complete. For a $20 pledge they would autograph the CD. For a $100 pledge they would meet the fans backstage and so on and so forth. 50 fans pledged enough money to reach the $4000 goal. Once they reached the goal the funds were secured via credit card (that had been given when the donator pledged) and all the money was gathered and delivered to the band.

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Obama To Visit Intel Factory In Arizona Today

photo: pcmag

Fresh on the heels of his State of the Union Address, President Obama is visiting an Intel plant in Arizona. Last night, as he was addressing a joint session of Congress Obama said:

Think about the America within our reach:  A country that leads the world in educating its people.  An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs.

With that in mind Obama will tour one of Intel’s largest and most high tech processor manufacturing plants in Chandler, Arizona. The site known as Intel’s Fab 42 plant is under construction and is said to cost $5.2 billion dollars before the doors open in 2013 pouring jobs into the suburb of Phoenix. In fact according to PC Magazine this is the Intel’s Fab 42 plant is the second largest  construction project in the world right now next to the Olympic facilities being built in London.

Obama is taking a three day tour of Arizona, Iowa, Nevada, Colorado, and Michigan promoting bringing manufacturing jobs back to America and improving job skills training for US workers.

source: PC World