Monday, January 7, 2008

Bigthink.com---You can access hundreds of hours of direct, unfiltered interviews with todays leading thinkers, movers and shakers

What Company Says:
bigthink.com is a new and growing website, currently in its private beta version, with a simple mission:

This is a digital age, one in which a wealth of accessible information empowers you, the citizen-consumer. But where is the information coming from? How accurate and unprocessed is it, really? Ask yourself this: how empowered do you feel debating a television screen or a newspaper?

Their task is to move the discussion away from talking heads and talking points, and give it back to you. That is Big Think's mission. In practice, this means that their information is truly interactive.

How It Works:

When you log onto our site, you can access hundreds of hours of direct, unfiltered interviews with todays leading thinkers, movers and shakers. You can search them by question or by topic, and, best of all, respond in kind. Upload a video in which you take on Senator Ted Kennedy's views on immigration; post a slideshow of your trip to China that supports David Dollar's assertion that pollution in China is a major threat; or answer with plain old fashioned text. You can respond to the interviewee, respond to a responder or heck, throw your own question or idea into the ring.

The interviews are just one aspect of the site. They are meant to spark discussion by giving you examples of what today's leaders think about broader issues, rather than the blow-by-blow nitty-gritty you see on network news.

Every idea created on the site finds a home in The Idea Network. The Network is intended to be a cross-section of the Big Think project, a place to expose yourself to a range of perspectives and people. You may not agree with everything you see, but they promise you will be glad you took a peek.

The Web has no shortage of self-anointed experts, and the Expert Network is their way of reclaiming a little nook of cyberspace where depth of knowledge and expertise still reign. To that end, they have chosen people who are the best of the best of the best in a variety of fields and equipped them with webcams. Every couple of weeks, they will report on the latest developments in their area of expertise. Its a finger on the pulse of academia, business, politics, science and art.

More at:http://www.bigthink.com/

MeBeam --Now users can make one to one and multi-party video calls directly from Google Talk.

What Company Says:
Bruno Stuani wrote the worlds first plugin for Google Talk giving users the ability to embed videos from YouTube directly into a conversation window.

Now he has done one better, and has been kind enough to implement the MeBeam specification into a new plugin so that users can now make one to one and multi-party video calls directly from Google Talk.

This is great news for everyone, because Google Talk which uses the Jabber protocol, can make and receive, audio/video calls to and from anyone, using a Jabber compatible instant messenger.

How It Works:

From your Google Talk chat window you can make a video call to your friend on AdiumX who is on a Mac, and then invite a third friend into the conference who is on Meebo on Linux, and then that person can further invite another person, who is on ICQ on Windows, etc.

Instantly you have created a protocol agnostic video conference with several people on different instant messengers; and amazingly, only the initiator; in this case the person using gTalk, needs to have the plugin installed.

More at:http://www.mebeam.com/

Liberty Media has acquired a controlling stake in online retailer and fitness website Bodybuilding.com for $100 Million

Liberty Media has acquired a controlling stake in online retailer and fitness website Bodybuilding.com for $100 Million.

Bodybuilding.com sells a broad range of fitness supplements, clothing and supplies as well as offering general fitness articles and a social networking service where over 100,000 users swap exercise goals or post pictures.

According to comScore, Bodybuilding.com had around 2 million unique visitors in November, and according to Liberty sales are expected to top $100 million in 2008.

Link-Techcrunch

Places to Get a Free Business Education Online

Getting a business education doesn't have to be expensive. There are an increasing number of colleges, universities and nonprofit organizations offering free business courses online. Find out where you can sign up and what you can get from these cost-effective sources.



1. MIT OpenCourseWare - Sloan School of Management (mit.edu)


Undergraduate Business Courses
Graduate Business Courses

MIT OpenCourseWare is not an MIT education, but it might be the next best thing. This free online publication offers downloadable undergraduate and graduate business courses from the MIT Sloan School of Management. The downloadable curriculum includes lecture notes, videos, demonstrations, labs and more. Registration is free and there are more than 50 courses available.


2. The U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov)


Courses on Starting a Business
Courses on Business Planning
Courses on Business Management
Courses on Finance and Accounting

The Small Business Administration has one of the best selections of business courses on the web. Topics include everything from starting a business and business management to government contracting and international trade. Most courses take only 30 minutes to complete.


3. The Free Nonprofit Micro-eMBA Program (managementhelp.org)


Complete Nonprofit Management Learning Coursework

Free Management Library's Free Nonprofit Micro-eMBA(SM) Program is the perfect resource for students who want to learn more about nonprofit management. Completion of the course does not result in an actual MBA degree, but enrollment is absolutely free. The amount of time it takes to complete the program depends on how fast you learn, but you can expect to spend at least 200 hours on coursework.


4. 'Business Week' Free Online Courses (bwcourses.com)

Registered Business Week users will soon be able to take advantage of free instructor-led online courses through the Business Week website. Course offerings include but are not limited to:


High-Impact, Low-Cost Marketing
Taking Your Small Business Online
The Art of Business Networking

All courses have four to eight lessons and last an average of two weeks.


5. My Own Business - (myownbusiness.com)


Overview of All 14 Sessions on Starting a Small Business

Nonprofit organization My Own Business, Inc. offers a free online business course that would be beneficial to new managers and anyone interested in starting their own business. The comprehensive course is split into 14 sessions and covers topics like business plans, insurance, accounting, marketing, e-commerce and international trade. For less than $100, students can also acquire a certificate of completion and an accompanying textbook.


6. Business Entrepreneur Courses (trumpuniversity.com)


Overview of All Business Entrepreneurship Courses

Trump University offers a number of free online business courses geared towards the entrepreneur. Courses include How to Start a Business on a Shoestring Budget, Write a Business Plan, and Find Start Up Funding. Most can be completed in an afternoon. Enrollment is free, but you will need to enter your name, address and email info before getting started.
Links---Free Business Education Online

Thinking outside the cube

Peter Gibbons, the character in "Office Space" played by Ron Livingston, famously quipped "Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about mission statements."

That was in 1999; and with self-employment on the upswing, Gibbons could be considered somewhat prophetic.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of self-employed people reached 12.2 million in 2003, an increase of 6 percent from 2000.

Katie Sturino, the president and founder of KAS public relations, New York, is part of this growing trend. "I wanted a flexible schedule," she says. "My time is very important to me. I liked the concept of being able to meet for a cappuccino at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday. I call it ‘alternative scheduling.'"

But as Sturino and the hoards of other people who have given up the regular routine will tell you, it's hardly a life of constant premium coffee breaks.

In fact, it's why Michelle Goodman wrote "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women who Think Outside the Cube" (Seal Press, 2007). Goodman, a seasoned freelancer who has dabbled in all things non-9-to-5, including temping, telecommuting, part-time work, flex-time work, and self-employment, is giving this new generation of corporate castaways a primer course on how to do it.

Goodman says the most important thing to remember is that becoming a cubicle expat is not an overnight process. "You have to set a plan in motion both about what are the professional and financial steps you need to take to make the leap from a steady paycheck to full-time freelancer."
Links:Phillyburbs

UBmatrix--provider of information exchange solutions for global organizations and enterpriseshas received $8 million in second round

What Company Is Offering:
UBmatrix, Inc. is the leading provider of information exchange solutions for global organizations and enterprises allowing them to more efficiently and effectively address the challenges of business and financial information management, exchange and reporting. UBmatrix XBRL solutions increase operational efficiency and financial transparency, and ensure reporting accuracy and regulatory compliance. UBmatrix is based in Silicon Valley with development centers in Kirkland, WA, and New Delhi, India.

How It Works:

They provide XBRL-based software products for the full lifecycle of design, development, and deployment of applications that collect, validate, aggregate, report or exchange information. Their products are based on their XBRL Processing Engine which provides taxonomy and instance document validation and conversion. They provide both server-side products such as Enterprise Application Suite and client-side products such as Report Builder and Taxonomy Designer. They also provide xBReeze Compliance Reporting Edition which delivers a COREP/FINREP reporting solution.
How Much They Got From VCs:
UBmatrix, Inc. has received $8 million in second round institutional venture funding.

UBmatrix provides users with an XBRL-based platform that allows them to design, develop and deploy applications that collect, aggregate, report or exchange information.

Draper Fisher Jurvetson and The Meteor Group invested in the round, which is still open for additional funding. The company did not disclosed the expected use of the funding proceeds.

More at:http://www.ubmatrix.com/

Online company eConnek has announced the launch of its marketplace aimed at the electrical OEM market

What Company Is Offering:
eConnek is a secure website that is designed to make searching and purchasing metal circular and plastic circular connectors intermatable to top line electrical suppliers.

eConnek is Committed to Providing the Best Value with Superior Customer Service.
How It Works:
The site allows users to search by eConnek part number, original OEM part number and other criteria. It is a source for alternative products to main line connector parts.

eConnek is dedicated to distributing economically priced alternative electrical connector solutions for any industry. eConnekSM replacement connectors are used in the very same applications as OEMs connectors. eConnekSM has exactly what you need, when you need it at an unbeatable price.

With eConnek you get the quality of the original, but at a more economical price with unmatched service. Their 48 hour turnaround time sets us apart from other suppliers. No need to pay more and wait longer for your REDEL®, ODU® or LEMO® compatible connector solution, eConnekSM has the connection you need when you need it.
Recent Updates:

Online company eConnek has announced the launch of its marketplace aimed at the electrical OEM market.
More at:http://www.econnek.com/

REthink the way you sell your wine, and Inertia will help you grow your business

What Company Is Offering:
Inertia’s software platform, the REthink Engine, is the simplest yet most powerful and comprehensive customer-direct software available to the wine industry.

Created by wine and technology veterans to meet your specific needs, this proprietary software allows you to manage the ever-changing content of your website, your online store, your wine clubs, your phone orders, your email marketing campaigns, allocation, compliance and in-depth reporting-all with one easy tool.

How It Works:
The REthink Engine was designed to bring you closer than ever to all of your customers on a single, streamlined, easy-to-use platform, saving time and reducing administrative costs. In fact, it’s already been profitably implemented by more than 350 brands of all shapes and sizes.

REthink the way you sell your wine, and Inertia will help you grow your business.
Their tools seamlessly help you with order automation, fulfillment integration, credit card processing, club processing, auto e-mail, and more.

Their seamless commerce system automatically processes orders, manages inventory, and uses best practices for customer satisfaction. Our detailed system also helps you easily review past orders and customers to better manage customer support.

Process one to thousands of credit cards with the push of a button! Their club software also allows for significantly reduced administration time by allowing your customers to self-manage their credit card and account information while prompting each customer to update their account information days before the shipment is sent.

Whether it is the club or commerce tools, the REthink Engine helps you seamlessly manage your sales with their fulfillment partners by automatically transmitting orders back and forth or with your designated fulfillment partner via e-mail or fax.

How Much They Got From VCs:


They raises $8m Series B round.

More at: http://www.inertiabev.com/

With Orb--you are free to create, enjoy and share all your favorite media at anytime and anyplace and on virtually any Internet

What Company Is Offering:
Orb provides the ability to MyCast.

MyCasting gives the user instant access to photos, music, videos, live television, and other digital content on their home PC at anytime and from any internet-connected device, such as a mobile phone, PDA or laptop. MyCasting is media anywhere. MyCasting is media freedom.


Orb has developed an award winning service that combines the use of an internet media portal and a proprietary software application. Orb leverages the best in already available technology (hi-speed broadband, Wi-Fi, wireless internet access and sophisticated portable devices) to provide a brand new way for people to connect with their digital media in the manner "how, when and where" they most desire.

How It Works:
With Orb, you can MyCast. MyCasting means you are free to create, enjoy and share all your favorite media at anytime and anyplace and on virtually any Internet-connected media player with streaming capabilities (mobile phone, PDA, laptop or other PC).


Using any web browser, Orb provides a simple, intuitive interface for the user to connect to their home computer and the ability to stream digital content located there without the interruption of download delays. By removing the complexity and limitations of many of today's digital entertainment products and services, Orb's software architecture leverages the best features of today's popular standards while abiding by current digital rights management solutions.

More at:http://corp.orb.com/

Plum is a free online service that lets you collect and share all of the cool and important stuff in your digital life

What Company Is Offering:
Plum is a free online service that lets you collect and share all of the cool, interesting, and important stuff in your digital life. They started Plum because they think that collecting and sharing on the web is really fun and useful — but much too difficult to do.

When you find a great article in a magazine or newspaper, you might cut it out and save it — file it somewhere special, pass it along to a friend, or post it on the fridge. But what do you do when you come across an interesting web page that you want to save and share? What about Word documents and PDFs on your computer? Or photos and videos from sites like Flickr and YouTube?

Browser bookmarks are handy but can't be shared. Blogs and wikis are social but time-consuming to maintain. Email is convenient but in-boxes get cluttered up quickly — and it's a real pain to go back and find stuff later.

How It Works:

Plum is our attempt at providing a better way to collect and share the things you care about. They want Plum to be a complement to all the services you already use — Google, Yahoo, YouTube, Flickr, even desktop programs like Microsoft Office and iTunes. You can grab just about anything from the web or your computer, organize it quickly and easily, annotate it, and share it with others (if you so please).

Plum is currently in an invite-only private beta period. We've done lots of work over the past few months to make Plum what it is today, but we're always eager for your input and feedback. Do you like it? Does it work?
More at:http://www.plum.com/

Amazon's newest digital innovation ----online software downloads

Amazon's newest digital innovation - tax software downloads. You can now purchase a software title and download it directly to your computer, with no shipping, no wasted packaging, and no waiting. With downloads, you don't have to worry about what happens if you lose an installation disc or your hard drive crashes - once you download the product, it will be available to you in Your Media Library.

Their Windows XP and Windows Vista offerings will continue to grow in number, so check back frequently to download new titles. And if you're a Mac user, be sure to visit us again soon since your applications are on their way.
Once you install the downloader, you can either buy the free sample software to test the utility or shell out some money for a copy of TurboTax 2007. We can only assume that at some point Amazon will add a download option for some of the other software the company sells in retail boxes.

After you buy an item a copy is saved in your Amazon Media Library in case you need to download and install it again. Amazon's hardly the only online store selling downloadable software. And Amazon's selection right now is kind of laughable. But for the instant-gratification obsessed, any move toward a future where you will never have to wait for a software package to arrive in the mail is a good move.

More at:http://www.amazon.com/b/?&node=381910011

MoiPal is a friend you create on the internet and that lives in your phone

What Company Is Offering:
MoiPal is a friend you create on the internet and that lives in your phone. With MoiPal you can play fun games or just hang out and have a talk with some other pals.

How It Works:

After you have registered and created your pal, you just go straight to the download-page. There are numerous links to that page, for example from the attic. You can download the game in many ways. You can give your phone number, after which we send you an sms that has a link that downloads the game to your phone. You can also get the game with an sms or by downloading the file to your computer, and then moving it to the phone with Bluetooth or an infrared connection.


When you create your pal, you get to choose your clothes from a certain selection of clothes and hairstyles. But right from the start, you get some pal-money that can be spent to new clothes, furniture, or even hobbies. These can be changed from the attic. Clothes changed also change in your mobile phone if the internet connection is on, but the new furniture and hobbies you have to update by downloading the game again.


What's Lacking:
MoiPal runs very slowly on my mobile.

Close all the other applications running on your mobile. Restart the mobile again, or as the last option you may try to empty the memory of your mobile in order to speed up the game. MoiPal runs very slowly on my mobile.
More at:http://www.moipal.com/

mydrobe is a new and easy way to organize your wardrobe, share your style with others, and find new fashions

What Company Is Offering:
mydrobe is a new and easy way to organize your wardrobe, share your style with others, and find new fashions.

How It Works:

Once you sign up, you can begin filling up your mydrobe with all of your clothes. if you have a digital camera, take a few minutes to take some pictures of your clothes. just lay them on your bed and snap some pics, it doesn't have to be perfect. then, click [New] to add new clothes to your profile. you can fill in as little or as much as you want. of course, the more you add, the easier it will be for you to find your clothes.

First, make sure you have some clothes added to your wardrobe. people need choices! then, click [New] next to events. put in a description of the event, choose an ending date, and then click finish! it's that easy!


An event (sometimes called "votes") is where you can ask the world to dress you! people can look through your clothes and put together an outfit for you for an upcoming event! don't know what to wear tomorrow? just make an event! you can get hundreds of votes and opinions from others!


If you need a decision for what to wear or buy, maybe put in a day or two earlier. if it's something more general, it can be as long or short as you want. if you make it too long, then your event will end after you get 1,000 votes.

An c-blog is where you can post pictures of yourself wearing the clothes that you put into your mydrobe. once you have some clothes in your mydrobe, you can choose [New] next to outfits and put in your picture. you can then choose what you were wearing in the picture, just like in a magazine!
More at:http://www.mydrobe.com/help/

Zilok is a centralized online rental marketplace

What Company Is Offering:
Zilok is a centralized online rental marketplace. Zilok allows anyone, whether individuals or professionals, to rent or offer for rent anything in a few clicks!

If you need a special tool for a weekend, a fancy purse for an evening or an extra bike for a visitor, all you need to do is search and select the item you want for rent, at the most convenient location.

They are providing for both individuals & professionals an ideal platform to offer in seconds any item for rent, so people have a quick and convenient access to anything they could possibly need on occasion, for rent.

How It Works:

Zilok shows listings of all the items for rent in a given location along with their price, conditions and available dates, conveniently mapped around the location of the user. Zilok is currently the only website that provides this kind of online service for locating anything that you want to rent.

Zilok has been created to structure new trend in consuming, by offering a simple yet powerful online rental platform, giving everyone access to all the possible rental resources around.

There are two types of members on Zilok: owners who put their goods and products for rent and renters who, well, rent them.

Zilok aims to put these people and organizations in touch through one single marketplace.

More at:http://us.zilok.com/