Imi's Tech Talk

Here is our coverage for CE Week 2013, where we head out to the floor and talk to as many interesting people as possible.

Proof-of-concept demonstration projects can blaze a trail, doing something on a small scale, for the first time, but perhaps changing basic assumptions and potentially influencing an industry or the world. They're also a way to validate a big idea without taking too much risk, too soon.

Historically, technology innovation and economic growth have been driven by BIG innovations, e.g., the Internet, smartphones, and tablet computers. Yet, most technology announcements we’ve heard lately seem incremental. Is there a “next big thing”? Technology analyst and author Bill Meisel thinks so. He says that technology such as speech recognition and natural language understanding that allow a tighter human-computer connection, one that can help unify the increasing number and complexity of digital devices we deal with every day. By addressing this problem of “digital overload,” companies can create a closer and cost-effective connection with customers. The overall impact to individual companies and to the overall economy can the tightening human-computer connection “the next big thing,” he claims. See if you agree!

Since Hurricane Katrina, people have known that the big organizations just aren’t that great at responding to natural disasters quickly. There has been a gap between when the disaster strikes and when help gets to the victims. It’s not all their fault, the bigger an organization gets, the more levels of bureaucracy have to be navigated for any true action to happen. Social Media is beginning to and will continue to change all that. From case management and damage assessment to locating victims to fundraising, social media has been one of the only thing able to fill the gap. The one thing that hasn’t changed is that preparedness is still the key to an effective disaster response and communities that plan to integrate social media into their response will have a vast advantage.

As cable fees continue to rise, some subscribers looking for a pair of metaphorical scissors so they can cut the cord. More than 90 percent of American households pay for TV, according to Nielsen. But by the end of the year, an estimated 4.7 million American households that previously paid for TV will have cut the cord, or about 4.7 percent of all subscribers, up from about 3.74 million in 2012. While estimates vary, it appears at least 5–6 percent of U.S. households relying exclusively on a mix of free antenna-delivered broadcast TV and online sources for their video entertainment.

Is our daily use of digital devices altering the course of human evolution? How close are we to being able to upload our life's experiences onto computers and live even after our bodies have died? Software developer and author of the new book Upload, Mark McClelland, discusses what the future of the man/machine relationship may mean for humanity - and his vision of the future is far from idyllic.

When it comes to large-scale datacenters and supercomputers, the general perception is that these technologies are far out of reach to the common user, whether in the enterprise or consumer computing contexts. However, a number of trends in computing at the extreme scale are merging with "lower end" technologies, including "big data" and, of course, the cloud, to create a perfect storm for a complete computing revolution. Along the way, there are some issues that need to be addressed, however, especially in terms of energy efficiency and technological barriers, including both the power and memory wall. This show will provide an overview of where we are at the extreme scale of computing and how the challenges present there now present a lens into the future of mainstream computing's challenges in the future.

What is The New World of Work all about? Advancements in technology are transforming work platforms and talent-sourcing to revolutionize not just how and where work is performed, but the way business is being done. Tim Houlne, the author of a groundbreaking new book, The New World of Work: From the Cube to the Cloud, will describe the technology tipping point that’s driving this unstoppable phenomenon. Join us to learn why Tim says the New World of Work brings opportunities to succeed in a world with no boundaries, no buildings and no fear.

Marketing through social media is completely different than traditional advertising, but if done right the brand buzz is significant, and the return on investment can't be beat.

The web browser is probably one of the most used applications on your computer, but are you using it to the fullest intentional? Did you know that you can add-on many different tools and apps to your web browser to make that experience even better? Join us as we discuss with Chris Haag of Oxiem Interactive to educate us on how to use these tools, and figure out some must haves.

Join us as we talk to Cory Lebson, principal at Lebsontech LLC about professional adventure. You may enjoy your job on a day to day basis. But is your job an adventure? Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t but that doesn’t matter. You have the power to create your own professional adventure outside of work. There are plenty of things that you can do to enhance your resume and your career that are not related directly to your current job while enjoying the thrill of providing value and knowledge to your peers. Hear about Cory’s own adventures within the field of user experience (UX) and learn how you can do the same kinds of things.

We continue our coverage of CES Las Vegas 2013 with our annual trip to the media blitz known as Showstoppers. Listen to Tom interview a barrage of guests as they discuss their products and technologies.

Tom heads out to Las Vegas to cover CES 2012 and interviews multiple venders and discusses various technologies.