Super TwinBear!!! Entrepreneural Champions!!!

Recently, I participated in ACU's annual SpringBoard Challenge of which I and my team were one of the winners in the honorable mention category. To be honest, I think I'm addicted to this stuff now. Until next year's SpringBoard's Challenge, all I will be thinking about is first place (the Most Fundable Award).

Anyway, here are some pics of us in the school's newspaper.

Plus you can find our names at SpringBoard's website by clicking here.

And, if you'd like to learn more about SpringBoard, you can do so here.

By the way, the name of our business is Super Twinbear.

And if you'd like, here's the blog of one of my business mates.

Finally, just to be honest with you guys, here's an interesting story: At first, I didn't make it through; I was eliminated in the first round - or so I thought. I was so surprised because I knew I had written a good business plan. I remember telling my friends at dinner that I was mystified as to why I didn't make it through the first round; not because I was being prideful or was in denial, but because I know myself and knew what I had done. Anyway, the next morning I received an e-mail stating that a clerical error had occurred and I was on to the finals! I did a PowerPoint, presented it, and the rest is history. Moreover, we were kindly donated free office space and overhead for a year by Sammuel Garcia of State Farm. We start full time development in May, the week after we graduate. Fun stuff, huh?

A Safer Internet?

Image: Clare Bloomfield / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The NSTIC is rolling out a voluntary plan to buttress authentication on the Internet. Under this endeavor, an individual would authenticate themselves to a third party (a public or private identity provider), who in turn would vouch for an individual's authentication. Individuals would authenticate themselves to a chosen third party with a cell phone application, smart card, or other device (i.e., some type of token). Third party identity providers would have no need for an individual's private information, nor would they keep it (theoretically); all they would do is vouch for an individual's authenticity.This is done in an effort to combat cyber crime such as identity theft or stolen passwords. The NSTIC wants to do this because cyber crime is an expensive issue to deal with, both in actual costs (approximately $600 per incident to fix) and opportunity costs (that is, individuals are reluctant to participate in e-commerce).



Here is the article: http://tinyurl.com/4xx36od

Here is a video: http://tinyurl.com/3j2nwgj

The iPad: Platform or Toy?

Is the iPad a platform or a toy?




















Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Here's the definition of a platform (loosely, according to me): something engaging we have to or willingly use on a daily basis.

Here's the definition of a toy (again, according to me): something that we grow bored of relatively quickly.

For example, the Nintendo 3DS just recently came out. It sold well, but not great. Most of the casual/mobile market is now in the hands of iPhones/iTouches, http://tinyurl.com/4xmy82d (these are platforms, after all, people use them on a daily basis). People will probably get bored of the 3DS since it will most likely not engage them on a daily basis, hence, the 3DS is a toy.

But what about the iPad? Is it a platform or a toy?

I believe it is a platform for the following reasons:

1. PC purchases are decreasing. Does this mean that people need any less access to their information? No. They're just getting their info from other venues: smart phones and tablet PCs (iPod Touches included).

http://tinyurl.com/3cvlzq3

2. People are beginning to spend more time on tablet PCs than on traditional computers.

http://tinyurl.com/3d82wyn

3. Tablet PCs are speculated to hit 208 million units by 2014.

http://tinyurl.com/4mx4gvv

4. And it appears that Apple will be leading the fray in terms of tablet PCs - at least for the next five years.

http://tinyurl.com/3sob9sb

Bottom line: people aren't interested in computing, they're interested in information, and in this regard, there's a new platform in town, at least until sixth sense technology is refined: smartphones and tablet PCs (namely the iPad for the next five years).