Technology: Comcast, Time Warner officially give up on wireless

Verizon Wireless' announcement Friday that it was buying the airwaves previously gobbled up by the country's leading cable TV operators confirmed at least one truism: Never count on the cable industry to make a big, bold investment in technology.
It's worth remembering that when Comcast, Time Warner Cable and other top cable operators acquired the spectrum in 2006, they didn't promise to do anything with it. The practically promised the opposite, in fact:

The licenses provide many options and significant flexibility as the SpectrumCo partners evolve their plans for wireless. The members of SpectrumCo did not approach this investment with the intent of becoming the nation's fifth wireless voice provider, but to obtain greater flexibility in developing options for more advanced wireless services. While no plans have as yet been finalized, including no specific plans to build out the networks at this time, in coming months the members of SpectrumCo will fully evaluate all options including possible testing in limited markets.

The press release went on to note how the cablers had gotten the spectrum for a relative bargain. Sure enough, they appear to be selling the licenses at a significant markup, showing again that these guys really know how to extract value from a public resource.
Verizon can (and probably will) put the spectrum to use, so it's got that going for it. Nevertheless, it's disheartening to see cable operators, who are vital suppliers of bandwidth, throw in with another big supplier instead of finding a way to compete. If the Federal Communications Commission approves the transfer, that should drive a stake through the argument (by AT&T and others) that the wireless market is likely to become more competitive.
The deal should also persuade lawmakers to increase the amount of spectrum available for unlicensed uses. The Consumer Federation of America released a study this week estimating that Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other unlicensed uses of spectrum are worth more than $50 billion to consumers and businesses, or far more than those airwaves could have generated from auction sales.
The Senate Commerce Committee has already approved a bipartisan bill (S 911) to shift more of the spectrum used by television broadcasters to licensed and unlicensed uses. The House Energy and Commerce Committee is considering a Republican alternative that would effectively bar unlicensed uses of this spectrum, which would be a terrible blow to innovation and competition. Here's hoping Verizon's announcement Friday persuades the House to make more airwaves available for the next innovation in unlicensed wireless uses, rather than letting the Verizons and AT&Ts of the world lock them up.Read more

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Technology may be hurting belief in Santa

New York— Kids can video chat with Santa, follow him on Twitter or enlist NORAD to track his every move online. And yet in many ways, technology may be making it harder for parents to keep their children believing in the jolly old elf.
At nearly every turn, the Internet threatens to blow the fat man's cover.
Practically any schoolchild can type "Is Santa real?" into Google. And just a few clicks can bring youngsters to websites that sell customized letters from the North Pole or offer advice on how Mom and Dad can fool the kids into believing in old St. Nick.
"I have a love-hate relationship with technology and Santa," said Kristi Kovalak, a mom in St. Louis. "The beauty of Santa is the not knowing. Technology is all about knowing, and knowing this instant. I swear, Google is the nemesis of the North Pole."
She embraces digital life daily but stays far away from cyber-Santa for her two boys, ages 5 and 11.
"We don't do robo-calls. We don't submit lists to Santa online. I don't have tracking apps on my phone," she said. "Too much proof means you then have to explain away when the next crazy thing contradicts it."
Kevin Grout and his wife had a close call recently while watching a Santa Claus parade on TV with their children, ages 6, 4 and 5 months. A commercial came on for a website that creates email greetings from Santa. They switched channels just in time.Read more

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State payroll gift program to be reviewed

A program that lets employees at state agencies, universities and community colleges make charitable donations through payroll deductions faces a broad review that is expected to include the question of whether hundreds of charities admitted to the program all qualify under state law and whether the law should be revised.
Officials of the State Employee Charitable Campaign 's governing committee said Friday that the review would be in conjunction with a review by the Sunset Advisory Commission , a legislative panel that examines state agencies to determine whether they should be revised or closed. The campaign raised more than $9.8 million for charitable organizations in 2010.Read more

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Northcore Comments on Delisting Review Initiated by Toronto Stock Exchange

It is Northcore's intent to work closely with the TSX throughout the process to ensure that the best interests of the shareholders are respected. Management will continue to focus on execution against strategic goals and the continuation of the important, sequential progress made since the beginning of the current fiscal year.

About Northcore Technologies Inc.

Northcore Technologies provides enterprise level software products and services that enable its customers to purchase, manage and dispose of capital equipment. Utilizing award-winning, multi-patented technology, as well as powerful, holistic Social Commerce tools, Northcore's solutions support customers throughout the entire asset lifecycle.

Northcore has earned the trust and loyalty of customers from a wide range of organizations across many different industry sectors.

Northcore owns 50 percent of GE Asset Manager, LLC, a joint business venture with GE and holds a substantial intellectual property portfolio.Read more

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Review: 'Hugo' dazzles with technology, storytelling

Martin Scorsese doesn't whack anyone in "Hugo." He doesn't even let his actors unleash a string of four-letter words.
Instead, he creates a fantasy that's both an original and an homage. More important? It uses 3D in ways we never imagined.
And, through it all, adults will be mesmerized.
Based on "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," an award-winning children's book, "Hugo" shows what a young orphan (Asa ButterfieldChloe Grace Moretz) has to do to survive.
Living above a train station, he keeps track of its clocks while a relative goes missing. Meanwhile, he has to get by any way he can. When he tries to steal from a merchant (Ben Kingsley), the gruff man dishes out his own brand of justice.
Meanwhile, the guy's goddaughter () pulls him into her world and the two find common ground.
A heart-shaped key she owns fits an automatron his father was assembling.
Before long, the two are discovering plenty about fantasy - and reality.
On the fringe? A station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) who's determined to crack down on thieves, stray boys and ruthless dogs.
Naturally, wills collide and the old man, the young boy and the inspector are forced to confront their biggest fears.

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Oracle Corporation (ORCL): Today's Featured Computer Software & Services Loser

Oracle Corpoation (ORCL) pushed the Computer Software & Services industry lower today making it today's featured Computer Software & Services loser. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.3%. By the end of trading, Oracle Corporation fell 47 cents (-1.5%) to $31.20 on light volume. Throughout the day, 21.4 million shares of Oracle Corporation exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 33.1 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $31.20-$32.05 after having opened the day at $32 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $31.67. Other company's within the Computer Software & Services industry that declined today were: Recon Technology (RCON), down 17.5%, Jingwei Internat (JNGW), down 6.5%, CyberDefender (CYDE), down 6.1%, and Helios & Matheson Information Technology In (HMNY), down 6.1%.Link

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Campaigns turning more to Web to link with voters

NEW YORK — As they peruse the Internet, voters in New Hampshire and Iowa are probably seeing ads for Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama alongside those for shoes and holiday gifts. The ads will then follow those voters around the Web, popping up on news sites, Google searches and on social networking sites like Facebook.
Online advertising, once used primarily as a way to reach young and heavily wired consumers, has emerged as an essential communications tool in the 2012 presidential contest. While few expect Web ads to supplant television commercials anytime soon, strategists say online ads may be the most nimble, efficient and cost-effective way to reach voters.
"Online advertising cuts through because of its ability to target. It's unparalleled in any other medium," said Romney's digital director, Zac Moffatt. "TV may be more effective for driving a big message, but per usage, the Internet is more powerful. We are probably one presidential cycle from everyone believing that."
Web ads can take many forms, from small display boxes to clickable videos to 15- or 30-second commercials known as "pre-rolls" a viewer sees before the start of a news clip or YouTube video.
Targeting is key. While campaigns invest heavily in television ads to reach a mass audience, Web ads are geared specifically to people based on their ZIP code, demographics and, most importantly, their Internet browsing history.
That means someone who has visited the Obama campaign website will likely start seeing his ads on a number of different Web pages. And those who use Google to search for information on the Republican candidates might notice a Romney campaign pre-roll the next time they watch a TV show online.
Campaigns also buy ads on websites that cater to the different demographic groups the campaigns are hoping to reach.
"When someone expresses interest in politics online, it's an incredibly good time for the campaigns to talk to them," said Andrew Roos, a Google account leader who works with Democratic campaigns on Web ad strategy. "You want to grab people when they are paying attention and ask them to take another action, like send money or attend an offline event. It's an old-school organization principle that has been working its way online."
Campaigns were slow to adapt to online advertising even as the corporate world flocked to the Web with product ads years ago. Internet ad revenue climbed to nearly $7.9 billion in the third quarter of 2011, up 22 percent from the same time last year, according to the Internet Advertising Bureau, which tracks online ad spending.
Corporations now spend from 18 to 28 percent of their advertising budget online, while campaigns historically have spent no more than 5 percent.
Chris Talbot, a freelance campaign digital strategist, noted that big companies can devote considerable time, money and research to figuring out what works online and what doesn't. Campaigns don't have that luxury.
"There is no 'next quarter' in politics, so campaigns usually revert to a template of what's worked in the past," he said.
In 2008, Obama and Republican presidential rival John McCain both did limited online campaign advertising. Web ads grew more prevalent in the 2010 midterm elections, when 85 of the top-spending House races and 600 interest groups bought display ads on Google.
To be sure, plenty of Internet users say they aren't thrilled with the proliferation of online ads, particularly those that follow them from site to site.
A USA Today/Gallup poll taken in late 2010 found 9 out of 10 respondents said they pay little attention to online ads. Two-thirds said they don't believe advertisers should be able to target them based on their past Web searches.
"The only way it works is on a mass scale. Most people ignore ads on the Web," said Aaron Shapiro, head of the digital marking firm HUGE.
Web ads' biggest advantage, many strategists say, is accountability.
"Online ads are very metric driven — you can figure out how many impressions you got, how many people clicked, how many people signed up for an email address. All of that is calculated in real time," Google's Roos said. "It's much more efficient than direct mail and TV."
The Romney campaign's Moffatt said Web ads became part of the media strategy when officials there realized how much their own viewing habits had changed.
"Strategists here acknowledge they really don't watch live TV," Moffatt said.Link

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USA Today’s Jon Swartz on Disruptive Technology’s Impact on Business and Culture

Jon Swartz is a veteran journalist who has covered Silicon Valley’s highs and lows over the years. As Swartz says, he’s seen it all and along the way, he’s chronicled not only the events but its impact on business, culture, and society. Jon joins us on (R)evolution to discuss disruptive technology, what it means and what’s next.
 S2E1: How Mercedes Benz Successfully Uses Social Media to Engage
S2E2: Technorati’s Richard Jalichandra on the State and Future of Social Media
S2E3: Guy Kawasaki on the Art of Enchantment
S2E4: Adly CEO Arnie Gullov-Singh on the Social Era of Celebrity Endorsements
S2E5: Filmmaker and Webby Awards Founder Tiffany Shlain
S2E6: Jim Louderback, Revision3 CEO on the Future of Broadcast and Web Television – Part 1 of 2
S2E7: Jim Louderback, Revision3 CEO on the Future of Broadcast and Web Television – Part 2 of 2
S2E8: Marcel LeBrun of Salesforce Radian6 on the Future of Social Media Monitoring
S2E9: Our Digital Society in the Next 30 Years: An Interview with John Battelle
S2E10: How Social Customer Service is Changing the Culture at Comcast
S2E11: Dunkin’ Donuts Uses Social Media to Improve Customer Relationships and Experiences

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