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  32. <title>ThinkInk Looks Forward: B2B Communications in 2015 Will Be Intelligent, Data-Reliant and Edgy</title>
  33. <link>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/thinkink-looks-forward-b2b-communications-in-2015-will-be-intelligent-data-reliant-and-edgy/</link>
  35. <dc:creator><![CDATA[ThinkInk]]></dc:creator>
  36. <pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2015 18:55:57 +0000</pubDate>
  37. <category><![CDATA[B2B]]></category>
  38. <category><![CDATA[Big Data]]></category>
  39. <category><![CDATA[censorship]]></category>
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  50. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?p=3658</guid>
  51.  
  52. <description><![CDATA[BY VANESSA HORWELL Principal and Chief Strategy Officer Just as 2014 is remembered for a number of record-setting accomplishments and stumbles in the public relations field, 2015 harbors some interesting challenges of its own. For 2014…. The wearable health monitor FitBit, faced with a February recall related to skin irritation, survived surprisingly intact (and remained &#8230; <span class="more-link"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/thinkink-looks-forward-b2b-communications-in-2015-will-be-intelligent-data-reliant-and-edgy/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></span>]]></description>
  53. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>BY VANESSA HORWELL<br />
  54. Principal and Chief Strategy Officer</p>
  55. <p>Just as 2014 is remembered for a number of record-setting <a href="http://www.cision.com/us/2014/12/the-5-best-pr-campaigns-of-2014/">accomplishments</a> and stumbles in the public relations field, 2015 harbors some interesting challenges of its own.</p>
  56. <div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_3659" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/b2b.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3659" data-attachment-id="3659" data-permalink="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/thinkink-looks-forward-b2b-communications-in-2015-will-be-intelligent-data-reliant-and-edgy/b2b/#main" data-orig-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/b2b.jpg" data-orig-size="400,300" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="b2b" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/b2b.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/b2b.jpg?w=400" class="wp-image-3659 size-medium" src="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/b2b.jpg?w=300&#038;h=225" alt="b2b" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/b2b.jpg?w=300 300w, https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/b2b.jpg?w=150 150w, https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/b2b.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3659" class="wp-caption-text">Source: business2businesscommunity.com</p></div>
  57. <p>For 2014….</p>
  58. <p>The wearable health monitor FitBit, faced with a February recall related to skin irritation, <a href="http://www.fitbit.com/forcesupport">survived surprisingly intact</a> (and remained a market leader) by confronting irritation complaints head-on with laboratory tests and a line of new, improved products.</p>
  59. <p>The National Basketball Association (NBA) weathered a storm of criticism linked to racial tensions (LA Clippers owner Donald Stirling’s mouth, and #ICan’tBreath T-shirts worn by players) by doing two things well: taking <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/clippers/2014/04/28/donald-sterling-racist-comments-sponsors/8436203/">quick action in the Stirling</a> case, and respectfully <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/12/09/nba-wont-fine-lebron-james-derrick-rose-and-others-for-i-cant-breathe-protests/">giving players the freedom to express</a> their opinions respectfully. (Dear NFL: please observe).</p>
  60. <p>But Edelman <a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/08/20/even-in-a-crisis-remember-pr-basics/">took a hit</a> with an ill-timed comment about comedian Robin Williams’ suicide (“a media opportunity”?) and a stumble over its representation of clients involved in the issue of climate change, while once-revered comedian Bill Cosby – never at a loss for words on stage or in front of a TV camera &#8212; appeared all but inept in his responses to charges of sexual harassment (and worse) by a growing number of women over many years.</p>
  61. <p>In the business world, key technologies took center stage, with such game-changing tech devices Apple Watch, dozens of health-tracking mobile apps and perhaps the first-ever <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/ces-2015-the-final-word/">no-contract video subscription service</a>, thanks to DirectTV’s Sling TV and Sony’s PlayStation Vue. According to what was on display at <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/12/ces-2015-the-automaton-rolls-on/">CES 2015 in Las Vegas</a>, those technologies will be joined by an increasing array of drones, 3-D printers, virtual reality devices/experiences and smart appliances.</p>
  62. <p>With 2015 now firmly upon us, we’ve fired up our crystal ball to offer a few predictions about PR and B2B communications and strategies through the year:</p>
  63. <ul>
  64. <li><strong>Mobile communications will continue to evolve and mature: </strong>With so many activities shifting to the mobile environment, marketing will no doubt have to continue to follow suit. Mobile interactions with brands are becoming increasingly personal, whether consumers are searching for info, buying a product, showrooming, comparison-shopping, or logging a complaint via Twitter. Mobile-supported communications have the potential to be intimate, 1-to-1 interactions between brands (social media managers, marketing teams) and customers/clients, meaning the same-script-for-everyone approach will no longer fly. Customers will expect marketers to communicate intelligently &#8212; timely, in the right context, with the right information to the right person.</li>
  65. </ul>
  66. <ul>
  67. <li><strong>Data: the rocket fuel that fuels intelligent marketing:</strong> If we learned one thing in 2014, it’s that data creates marketing opportunities, and <em>more</em> data creates <em>more</em> For marketers to adopt personalized, intelligent campaigns, they need information and data on which to build them. Data from mobile apps, app activities, existing customer profile databases, loyalty programs, beacons and location-based technologies will provide the rich fodder that informs meaningful messages and campaigns. Without data, marketers will become less and less relevant to their existing customers.</li>
  68. </ul>
  69. <ul>
  70. <li><strong>The “Internet of Everything” can re-invent marketing communications. </strong>The release of Apple Watch, the explosion or wearable technologies and the broader adoption of location-based technologies will enable marketers to explore new opportunities created by “the Internet of Everything.” With an impressive range of capabilities – “touch and tap” messages, automatic abbreviations, smart lighting interfaces, precise location sensing – these advanced technologies have the potential to reinvent how brands operate and communicate. Marketers will have to be innovators, testers, analysts and researchers as they explore new technologies and their real-life application for marketing purposes. Which technologies will be best suited for marketing? Which (like soon-to-be-shelved <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/19/today-is-the-last-day-to-buy-google-glass/">Google Glass</a>) might peak…and fail?</li>
  71. <li><strong>“Personalized” marketing will emerge in B2B communications as well</strong>: Just as direct-to-consumer marketing becomes more personalized and real-time, B2B communications will adjust as well. As <a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article/This-End-of-B2B-Marketing-Know-It/1011779/9">eMarketer</a> so capably points out, B2B marketers will have to accumulate, analyze and understand data about technology, the competitive landscape, business needs and potential buyers – tasks now ranked as more important than branding and thought leadership by major businesses and brands. Professionals in B2B communications and public relations will have learn and deploy messaging techniques built around relevance, timeliness and intelligence to reach potential clients and media/analysts effectively, a task that requires the use of data and a firm knowledge about the products, services and clients they pitch.</li>
  72. </ul>
  73. <ul>
  74. <li><strong>Content: more of it, but more sensitivity and scrutiny, à la “Je Suis Charlie.”</strong> The late 2014 hack of Sony Pictures, over North Korea’s aversion to the spoof movie “The Interview,” hammered home the power of content. The message turned even more powerful and sobering in early January, when Muslim terrorists attacked and killed 11 staff members of the French satirical magazine <em>Charlie Hebdo</em> because they felt its religious cartoons were offensive to their religion. Sony found a way to handle the hack attack by making the movie available through second-tier distribution channels, but the media world is still reeling from the horror and implications of the terrorist attack in Paris. “Content” in 2015 will be consciously scrutinized, scanned, and gut-tested for its potential impact and interpretation. When asked to stand up for principles that might not be popular everywhere, will brand/company executives, media professionals and PR professionals react by standing up…or will they stand down?</li>
  75. </ul>
  76. <p>Only time will tell if – and to what extent – these trends permeate the media and public relations landscape, and what impact they will have on our professional lives.</p>
  77. <p>What we <em>do</em> know, however, is that 2015 will be a year of profound disruption challenging marketers and their agency partners to think differently about their approaches to business communications and the business of communication in general.</p>
  78. <p>What other challenges await? And what opportunities are ripe for the taking? We’d love to hear your views.</p>
  79. <p>You can share your thoughts with the ThinkInk community below or send us an email to <a href="mailto:info@thinkinkpr.com">info@thinkinkpr.com</a>.</p>
  80. ]]></content:encoded>
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  94. <title>On Media: How Far Do We Push the Self-Censorship Envelope?</title>
  95. <link>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/20/on-media-how-far-do-we-push-the-self-censorship-envelope/</link>
  96. <comments>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/20/on-media-how-far-do-we-push-the-self-censorship-envelope/#respond</comments>
  98. <dc:creator><![CDATA[ThinkInk]]></dc:creator>
  99. <pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2015 14:51:05 +0000</pubDate>
  100. <category><![CDATA[censorship]]></category>
  101. <category><![CDATA[Journalism]]></category>
  102. <category><![CDATA[media]]></category>
  103. <category><![CDATA[public relations]]></category>
  104. <category><![CDATA[charlie hebdo]]></category>
  105. <category><![CDATA[first amendment]]></category>
  106. <category><![CDATA[free speech]]></category>
  107. <category><![CDATA[terrorism]]></category>
  108. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?p=3646</guid>
  109.  
  110. <description><![CDATA[BY VANESSA HORWELL Principal and Chief Strategy Officer As a PR professional, I’m often called upon to provide counsel on brands’ management – or rather, mismanagement – of crises, misspoken executives, or outright blunders.  Regardless of my personal views, I have to remain objective, steadfast and not add to an already polarizing situation. This post, however, &#8230; <span class="more-link"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/20/on-media-how-far-do-we-push-the-self-censorship-envelope/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></span>]]></description>
  111. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>BY VANESSA HORWELL<br />
  112. Principal and Chief Strategy Officer</p>
  113. <p>As a PR professional, I’m often called upon to provide counsel on brands’ management – or rather, mismanagement – of crises, misspoken executives, or outright blunders.  Regardless of my personal views, I have to remain objective, steadfast and not add to an already polarizing situation.</p>
  114. <p>This post, however, is less objective, as I reflect on what the recent attack on French publication <em>Charlie Hebd</em>o potentially means for our “informed” world and media landscape.</p>
  115. <div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_3644" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/international-press-sourceafp_stuart-williams.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3644" data-attachment-id="3644" data-permalink="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=3644#main" data-orig-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/international-press-sourceafp_stuart-williams.jpg" data-orig-size="720,405" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="international press SourceAFP_Stuart Williams" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="&lt;p&gt;Source: AFP &#8211; Stuart Williams&lt;/p&gt;
  116. " data-medium-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/international-press-sourceafp_stuart-williams.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/international-press-sourceafp_stuart-williams.jpg?w=610" class="size-medium wp-image-3644" src="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/international-press-sourceafp_stuart-williams.jpg?w=300&#038;h=169" alt="Source: AFP - Stuart Williams" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/international-press-sourceafp_stuart-williams.jpg?w=300 300w, https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/international-press-sourceafp_stuart-williams.jpg?w=600 600w, https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/international-press-sourceafp_stuart-williams.jpg?w=150 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3644" class="wp-caption-text">Source: AFP &#8211; Stuart Williams</p></div>
  117. <p>As I read Frederic Fillioux’ “<a href="http://www.mondaynote.com/2015/01/11/fear-is-not-an-editorial-option/">Fear is not an editorial opinion,”</a> my mind gravitated to the oft-quoted words of Irish statesman Edmund Burke: <em>“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”</em></p>
  118. <p>The do-nothing vs. do-something debate is central to this issue of freedom of the press, censorship and retaliation for ideas to which not everyone subscribes. Granted, it’s tough to gauge what to do or say, especially when watching events as horrific as those in Paris last week. But because the complaint by terrorists who attacked and killed 11 <em>Charlie Hebdo</em> cartoonists and staffers (then killed a police officer and wounded 11 others) was specifically about words and images <em>they</em> found offensive to their beliefs and values, should the media establishment’s responses be words and images of equal measure (or stronger) &#8212; both to counteract the terrorists’ goal to suppress “unacceptable” ideas and to reinforce media’s firm commitment to stand its ground?</p>
  119. <p>This is a tough call, especially for the editor who is at the helm of such a polarizing publication. On the one hand, you insist on exercising your <em>libertie. </em>But you also have the responsibility to not insult, <em>en masse. </em></p>
  120. <p>Imagine a world where, because you or I don’t<em> like</em> what we have heard or seen, we react by harming the individual(s) we feel are responsible? This action or reaction is, of course, counter to everything that we, as civilized humans, have been taught about respect, tolerance, understanding, freedom of individual thought or expression.</p>
  121. <p>But freedom of the press and our freedom of expression does not grant us the <em>freedom to insult.</em></p>
  122. <p><strong> </strong><strong>Let’s NOT Go Back to the Dark Ages, Please<br />
  123. </strong>Many issues come into play when a writer, editor, cartoonist, blogger, public speaker, elected  official – anyone with an opinion and a voice &#8212; is threatened, firebombed or slain simply for self-expression. Should media entities not publish information because some might be offended? Isn’t that counter to democracy and our right to discourse and dissent? On the scale of freedom of expression vs. personal/public safety, which principle trumps the other?</p>
  124. <p>Just how willing are journalists willing to risk their lives for a cause or a principle? A great deal, it seems.</p>
  125. <p>During his 2015 Golden Globes acceptance of the Cecille B. DeMille Award, actor George Clooney praised the millions of French citizens who marched Jan. 11 – four days after the attack – in support of their country and its freedoms<em>:  “They didn’t march in protest. They marched in support of the idea that we will not walk in fear,”</em> said Clooney.</p>
  126. <p>Maybe that is the key lesson to be learned from this awful event &#8211; that reasoned, tolerant people and media professionals should not walk in fear. No person should. Yet as ethnic and religious conflicts continue to spread in every corner of our world, media professionals will have to find new ways to walk together safely, draw a line in the sand and say, “no more,” cognizant of their ultimate intent.  My point is that freedom to express is our right, but freedom to insult is where we cross the line between tolerance and understanding, to ignorance.</p>
  127. <p><strong> </strong><strong>Living With the Shackles of Fear<br />
  128. </strong>Media organizations have long been attuned to security risks, whether sending reporters to cover wars, epidemics, natural disasters and the like.</p>
  129. <p>As publicity fades about the <em>Charlie Hebdo</em> attack and another tragedy takes over the airwaves and our decreased attention span, journalists, news organizations and media professionals everywhere will likely implement more security measures at job sites (on-site security guards, tightened access to offices, printing plants, etc.,) or provide more extensive training to writers, photographers, cartoonists and videographers about how to navigate in a potentially unsafe world.  And, importantly, how to navigate that fine line between expression and insult.</p>
  130. <p>It’s just one way of making sure that our world of ideas – even those that are unpopular to some – remain available, able to be expressed and shared with the rest of the world, to read or not. Because all of them – the words, the images and the people responsible for sharing them – are that important to a free, tolerant society.</p>
  131. <p>For centuries, we have fought hard for the right to be heard and to express – without punishment or death.  Imagine if we couldn’t…</p>
  132. ]]></content:encoded>
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  143. <media:content url="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/international-press-sourceafp_stuart-williams.jpg?w=300" medium="image">
  144. <media:title type="html">Source: AFP - Stuart Williams</media:title>
  145. </media:content>
  146. </item>
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  148. <title>Mobile Technologies: The New Powerhouses for Increased Hotel Revenues and Guest Engagement</title>
  149. <link>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/14/mobile-technologies-the-new-powerhouses-for-increased-hotel-revenues-and-guest-engagement/</link>
  150. <comments>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/14/mobile-technologies-the-new-powerhouses-for-increased-hotel-revenues-and-guest-engagement/#respond</comments>
  152. <dc:creator><![CDATA[ThinkInk]]></dc:creator>
  153. <pubDate>Wed, 14 Jan 2015 18:35:44 +0000</pubDate>
  154. <category><![CDATA[hotels]]></category>
  155. <category><![CDATA[mobile]]></category>
  156. <category><![CDATA[mobile marketing]]></category>
  157. <category><![CDATA[Travel Technology]]></category>
  158. <category><![CDATA[Engagement]]></category>
  159. <category><![CDATA[location]]></category>
  160. <category><![CDATA[Proximity Marketing]]></category>
  161. <category><![CDATA[revenue]]></category>
  162. <category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
  163. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?p=3640</guid>
  164.  
  165. <description><![CDATA[By VANESSA HORWELL (From a guest column in the January issue of Hotel Executive): &#8220;What is emerging as the biggest mobile-powered technology opportunity for the hotel industry in 2015? To borrow a phrase from the real estate world, it’s “location, location, location”. Hotels &#8212; by their very nature – are about location. And location within the &#8230; <span class="more-link"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/14/mobile-technologies-the-new-powerhouses-for-increased-hotel-revenues-and-guest-engagement/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></span>]]></description>
  166. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>By VANESSA HORWELL</p>
  167. <p>(From a guest column in the January issue of Hotel Executive):</p>
  168. <p>&#8220;What is emerging as the biggest mobile-powered technology opportunity for the hotel industry in 2015? To borrow a phrase from the real estate world, it’s “location, location, location”.</p>
  169. <p>Hotels &#8212; by their very nature – are about location. And location within the context of hotel marketing today is increasingly defined by the mobile device: a smartphone or tablet (and increasingly both) that now always accompany a traveler or guest into a property or resort. Free to email, text, chat, shop, search, snap or even sketch from almost anywhere through their mobile devices, today’s travelers and hotel guests expect the places they visit – including hotels – to reciprocate.&#8221;</p>
  170. <p>Read the full column <a href="http://hotelexecutive.com/business_review/4179/mobile-technologies-the-new-powerhouses-for-increased-hotel-revenues-and-guest-engagement">here</a>:</p>
  171. ]]></content:encoded>
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  182. <item>
  183. <title>Our Bodies, Our Smartphones: “Text Neck,” “Technoference” and &#8220;Tech Claw&#8221; are the Latest Mobile Conditions</title>
  184. <link>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/12/our-bodies-our-smartphones-text-neck-technoference-and-tech-claw-are-the-latest-mobile-conditions/</link>
  185. <comments>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/12/our-bodies-our-smartphones-text-neck-technoference-and-tech-claw-are-the-latest-mobile-conditions/#respond</comments>
  187. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vanessa Horwell]]></dc:creator>
  188. <pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2015 15:26:28 +0000</pubDate>
  189. <category><![CDATA[mobile]]></category>
  190. <category><![CDATA[Mobile Devices]]></category>
  191. <category><![CDATA[mobile technology]]></category>
  192. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?p=3637</guid>
  193.  
  194. <description><![CDATA[How much do we love our smartphones? We love them so much, it hurts. Really hurts, physically and emotionally, according to health and mental health experts who have identified several new phenomena linked directly humans’ avid use of &#8212; and overdependence on &#8212; mobile devices. These include “technoference” on the relationship front, and “text neck” &#8230; <span class="more-link"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/12/our-bodies-our-smartphones-text-neck-technoference-and-tech-claw-are-the-latest-mobile-conditions/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></span>]]></description>
  195. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>How much do we love our smartphones? We love them so much, it hurts. Really hurts, physically and emotionally, according to health and mental health experts who have identified several new phenomena linked directly humans’ avid use of &#8212; and overdependence on &#8212; mobile devices. These include “technoference” on the relationship front, and “text neck” and “text claw” in the anatomy department. To wit:</p>
  196. <p><strong>The &#8220;</strong><strong>Technoference&#8221; Dilemma</strong></p>
  197. <p>French philosophical thinker and moralist Jean de la Bruyere once said, &#8220;The sweetest of all sounds is that of the voice of the woman we love.&#8221; But what if that woman is Siri, or someone else on the receiving end of a non-voice text message? According to a late December 2014 study titled &#8220;Technoference,&#8221; published in <em>Psychology of Popular Media Culture, </em>70% of women believe modern technology is <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/12/03/368213774/don-t-let-technoference-ruin-your-love-life">interfering with their romantic relationships.</a> That includes 62% of women who accuse male partners of paying attention to smartphones while the two casually hang out, to 25% who claim their significant other texts or emails someone else during a partner-to-partner, face-to-face conversation. Men are not fully to blame, however. Both genders say they have paid attention to their phones <em>simultaneously </em>during dinner. C&#8217;est tres romantique, non?</p>
  198. <p><strong>&#8220;Text Neck,&#8221; T</strong><strong>he Latest Fad You Don&#8217;t Want to Have </strong></p>
  199. <p>When you don&#8217;t understand it, technology can be a pain in the neck. And when you do understand it, it can still be a pain in the neck &#8212; <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2014/nov/24/text-neck-how-smartphones-damaging-our-spines">literally.</a> According to one Dr. Kenneth Hansraj, the human head typically weighs 10-12 pounds, a heft that can increase from 27-60 pounds as the head angles downward to look at a smartphone or tablet. The result? Stress, and a lot of it. Today’s smartphone user typically spends an average 2-4 hours a day with their phone, and usually in head-down position. That adds up to 700 to 1,400 per-person hours a year of excess stress on the cervical spine, researchers claim.<em> Aren&#8217;t mobile devices supposed to make life less stressful?</em></p>
  200. <p><strong> Smartphone Symptom</strong><strong>s: &#8220;Tech Claw&#8221;</strong></p>
  201. <p>The condition might not appear on WebMD, but that doesn&#8217;t mean &#8220;<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/text-claw-pain-hand-smartphone_n_3825077.html">text claw</a>&#8221; is not a real disease. Orthopedic surgeon Aaron Daluiski, M.D., a hand/extremity specialist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in NYC, says chronic cell phone use can create tendon or muscle pain in the fingers. And while the thumb does most of the work, the pain can radiate from the hand into the wrist and forearm. So although you may think you&#8217;re just sending a text message, your joints and muscles are actually getting a workout &#8212; and it might be time for a water break.</p>
  202. <p>The body-technology interaction, often with painful side effects, is nothing new. <a href="https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Corporate/Nintendo-History/Nintendo-History-625945.html">Nintendo’s</a> 1983 invention ushered in &#8220;<a href="http://lifehackery.com/2008/10/07/health-9/">nintendinitis,</a>&#8221; a repetitive stress injury caused by excessive gaming. The <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/860689/blackberry-timeline-a-look-back-at-the-tech-companys-history/">release of the Blackberry</a> brought &#8220;Blackberry thumb,&#8221; numbness, pain or fatigue in the thumb from keypad typing.</p>
  203. <p>A little bit of common sense and a nod to simple ergonomics can help prevent these kinds of technology-related aches and pains. Take frequent breaks from your tablet. Raise the smartphone so that it’s more directly in line with your eyes to give your neck a break as you type, text and send. And during dinner or an intimate conversation, tuck your phone away…and ignore the buzzes and beeps for at least a few minutes, okay?</p>
  204. <p>What about you? Has technology had a noticeable impact on your emotional or physical well-being? Is your smartphone permanently attached to your body, and is that a good thing? We’d like to know. Share your thoughts in the comments below.</p>
  205. ]]></content:encoded>
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  208. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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  214. <media:title type="html">cellphone</media:title>
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  217. <media:content url="https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f55dbc38bcb16ef27be18562a74956d4fefbe17ed1465ee0cca42319a178147a?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
  218. <media:title type="html">vanessahorwell</media:title>
  219. </media:content>
  220. </item>
  221. <item>
  222. <title>Mobile Apps + Sports Fans = Opportunities for All-Season Relationships and Revenue</title>
  223. <link>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/mobile-apps-sports-fans-opportunities-for-all-season-relationships-and-revenue/</link>
  224. <comments>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/mobile-apps-sports-fans-opportunities-for-all-season-relationships-and-revenue/#respond</comments>
  226. <dc:creator><![CDATA[ThinkInk]]></dc:creator>
  227. <pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2015 20:01:30 +0000</pubDate>
  228. <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
  229. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?p=3632</guid>
  230.  
  231. <description><![CDATA[Loyal hockey fans in Buffalo are a lot happier now that their hometown Sabres are giving Sabres Fan Advantage members more opportunities to earn rewards. The team&#8217;s mobile app helps fans save on merchandise, tickets, concessions and other fan experiences by letting them earn rewards from vendors at HarborCenter, the hockey team&#8217;s home, or by entering keywords during &#8230; <span class="more-link"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/mobile-apps-sports-fans-opportunities-for-all-season-relationships-and-revenue/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></span>]]></description>
  232. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Loyal hockey fans in Buffalo are a lot happier now that their hometown Sabres are giving Sabres Fan Advantage members more opportunities to earn rewards. The team&#8217;s mobile app helps fans save on merchandise, tickets, concessions and other fan experiences by letting them earn rewards from vendors at HarborCenter, the hockey team&#8217;s home, or by entering keywords during game broadcasts.</p>
  233. <div data-shortcode="caption" id="attachment_3633" style="width: 195px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/sabres.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3633" data-attachment-id="3633" data-permalink="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/mobile-apps-sports-fans-opportunities-for-all-season-relationships-and-revenue/sabres/#main" data-orig-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/sabres.png" data-orig-size="185,190" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="sabres" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/sabres.png?w=185" data-large-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/sabres.png?w=185" class="wp-image-3633 size-full" src="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/sabres.png?w=610" alt="sabres"   srcset="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/sabres.png 185w, https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/sabres.png?w=146&amp;h=150 146w" sizes="(max-width: 185px) 100vw, 185px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-3633" class="wp-caption-text">Source: Mobile Marketer</p></div>
  234. <p>ThinkInk&#8217;s Vanessa Horwell, principal and chief strategy officer, provides her perspective on the app&#8217;s new capabilities in today&#8217;s Mobile Marketer&#8217;s article by Caitlyn Bohannan.</p>
  235. <p>&#8220;Any time you can put a loyalty program and its functionality on a mobile device, you give your program members the ability to earn, track and redeem their rewards at any time,” said Vanessa Horwell, principal and chief strategy officer at ThinkInk Public Relations, Miami. “Loyalty programs in 2014 started to shift away from plastic, card-based programs toward the mobile environment, and we’ll no doubt see much more of that happening in 2015, including the incorporation of mobile payments, digital wallets and the like.”</p>
  236. <p>Apps that feature the ability to earn multiple rewards, she points out, also give fans round-the-clock opportunities to maintain relationships with teams, and it helps teams and players keep fans engaged during the regular season and the off-season.</p>
  237. <p>Read the entire article <a href="http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/buffalo-sabres-rewards-loyalty-members-for-purchases-in-harborcenter">here.</a></p>
  238. ]]></content:encoded>
  240. <wfw:commentRss>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/mobile-apps-sports-fans-opportunities-for-all-season-relationships-and-revenue/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  241. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  245. <media:content url="https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/7ac40ad627c0472af4b42872d0924e99d2ba4eea8d317b98fa9ff1ddaeae4aef?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
  246. <media:title type="html">ithinkink</media:title>
  247. </media:content>
  248.  
  249. <media:content url="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/sabres.png" medium="image">
  250. <media:title type="html">sabres</media:title>
  251. </media:content>
  252. </item>
  253. <item>
  254. <title>Mobile Marketing: Data Shows Airports in the APAC Region Will Lead the Way</title>
  255. <link>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/mobile-marketing-data-shows-airports-in-the-apac-region-will-lead-the-way/</link>
  256. <comments>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/mobile-marketing-data-shows-airports-in-the-apac-region-will-lead-the-way/#respond</comments>
  258. <dc:creator><![CDATA[ThinkInk]]></dc:creator>
  259. <pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2014 15:57:34 +0000</pubDate>
  260. <category><![CDATA[mobile marketing]]></category>
  261. <category><![CDATA[AdNear]]></category>
  262. <category><![CDATA[airports]]></category>
  263. <category><![CDATA[APAC]]></category>
  264. <category><![CDATA[broadband]]></category>
  265. <category><![CDATA[eConsultancy]]></category>
  266. <category><![CDATA[Gartner]]></category>
  267. <category><![CDATA[Smartphone]]></category>
  268. <category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
  269. <category><![CDATA[wi-fi]]></category>
  270. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?p=3625</guid>
  271.  
  272. <description><![CDATA[By Vanessa Horwell Where will today’s marketers find fertile testing grounds for the mobile marketing ideas of tomorrow? To borrow from the mouth of Horace Greeley (with a bit of poetic license): “Go East, young marketer.” East into the airports throughout Asia-Pacific’s (APAC) major cities, according to data from AdNear’s JAPAC Traveller Report 2014, which &#8230; <span class="more-link"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/mobile-marketing-data-shows-airports-in-the-apac-region-will-lead-the-way/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></span>]]></description>
  273. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>By Vanessa Horwell</p>
  274. <p>Where will today’s marketers find fertile testing grounds for the mobile marketing ideas of tomorrow? To borrow from the mouth of Horace Greeley (with a bit of poetic license): “Go East, young marketer.”</p>
  275. <p><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/apac-airprots.jpg"><img loading="lazy" data-attachment-id="3626" data-permalink="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/mobile-marketing-data-shows-airports-in-the-apac-region-will-lead-the-way/apac-airprots/#main" data-orig-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/apac-airprots.jpg" data-orig-size="275,183" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Mobile Passengers" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/apac-airprots.jpg?w=275" data-large-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/apac-airprots.jpg?w=275" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3626" src="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/apac-airprots.jpg?w=610" alt="Mobile Passengers"   srcset="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/apac-airprots.jpg 275w, https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/apac-airprots.jpg?w=150&amp;h=100 150w" sizes="(max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px" /></a>East into the airports throughout Asia-Pacific’s (APAC) major cities, according to data from AdNear’s <a href="http://www.adnear.com/pdf/japac-traveller-report-2014.pdf">JAPAC Traveller Report 2014</a>, which analyzed mobile/smartphone behavior among passengers at 12 major airports in nine APAC countries.</p>
  276. <p>The Asia-Pacific region leads the world in growth and adoption of smartphone use and mobile broadband connections, and what happens in APAC will no doubt influence how marketing, mobile technologies and mobile communications evolve elsewhere around the globe.</p>
  277. <p>AdNear’s findings confirm similar research from Ovum, which predicts that in 2015, one billion people will be connected to the Internet only through mobile broadband – not tethered by a hard-wired laptop or PC, but from a mobile device only. APAC dominates that trend as well, with an estimated 518.4 million APAC mobile-only customers in 2015, up from 119 million just four years ago.</p>
  278. <p>The reason? Fast-growing, emerging mobile markets like China and India never built the poles, lines and wires that supported legacy, hard-wired phone systems and cable systems in the U.S. and other developed countries. So as developing countries join the cellphone revolution, they join in mobile-only mode.</p>
  279. <p>The JAPAC report, which analyzed user behavior and mobile engagement at 12 airports in 9 Asia-Pacific countries, found that:</p>
  280. <ul>
  281. <li>Connected passengers spend an average 65 minutes online and execute 30 requests per user</li>
  282. <li>Most connected are 25-36-year-olds, with engagement rates of 70% in Southeast Asia, 68% in India and Hong Kong, 63% in Australia and 52% in Japan.</li>
  283. <li>Passengers at Singapore Changi Airport (97 minutes) and Hong Kong International (96 minutes) were highest in online engagement among all 12 cities.</li>
  284. <li>Peak engagement times: 4-6 p.m.</li>
  285. <li>And countries with the highest smartphone and mobile internet penetration rates: Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Hong Kong.</li>
  286. </ul>
  287. <p>Compare those stats to the U.S. market, where <a href="http://bgr.com/2013/09/18/smartphone-adoption-united-states/">68% of Americans own a smartphone</a> (compared to 86% mobile penetration rates in <a href="http://www.dazeinfo.com/2014/06/22/smartphone-apac-market-forecast-2014-2018-india-china-australia-japan-growth/">South Korea and Japan</a>), and some U.S. airports still make waiting passengers pay for Wi-Fi services, according to a report in <a href="http://betaboston.com/news/2014/06/10/flying-soon-these-us-airports-have-free-wi-fi/">Beta Boston</a>.</p>
  288. <p>For marketers, the impact is obvious. APAC markets will test and launch new mobile marketing initiatives in their regions first, and those trends – depending on success, adoption or failures – will eventually make their way across the oceans to the rest of the marketing world as it plays mobile catch-up.</p>
  289. <p>According to <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/65862-four-things-to-know-about-the-state-of-mobile-marketing-in-asia-pacific/">eConsultancy</a>, two-thirds of APAC companies say mobile will be a fundamental part of their business and marketing strategies in coming years, and their plans include increased focus and budgets on location-based marketing, mobile messaging and advertising, iBeacon technology, mobile coupons, notifications and optimized emails, mobile resources for sales associates, and another initiatives.</p>
  290. <p>Meanwhile, Gartner’s <a href="http://www.gartner.com/marketing/digital/research/digital-marketing-spend/cmo-spend-2015/">2015 CMO Spend Survey</a> of 315 large-firm marketing pros in North America and the UK finds forward-looking interest and investment in digital advertising, mobile marketing and innovative, improved customer experiences in 2015.</p>
  291. <p>What’s clear is that marketers around the world – East, West and all places between – understand that new strategies and desired results from marketing initiatives in 2015 and beyond increasingly will transpire and materialize one smartphone and one customer at a time.</p>
  292. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  293. ]]></content:encoded>
  295. <wfw:commentRss>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/17/mobile-marketing-data-shows-airports-in-the-apac-region-will-lead-the-way/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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  300. <media:content url="https://1.gravatar.com/avatar/7ac40ad627c0472af4b42872d0924e99d2ba4eea8d317b98fa9ff1ddaeae4aef?s=96&#38;d=identicon&#38;r=G" medium="image">
  301. <media:title type="html">ithinkink</media:title>
  302. </media:content>
  303.  
  304. <media:content url="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/apac-airprots.jpg" medium="image">
  305. <media:title type="html">Mobile Passengers</media:title>
  306. </media:content>
  307. </item>
  308. <item>
  309. <title>Frequent Flyer Miles: A New Currency for Airlines &#038; The Passengers Who Earn Them</title>
  310. <link>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/frequent-flyer-miles-a-new-currency-for-airlines-the-passengers-who-earn-them/</link>
  311. <comments>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/frequent-flyer-miles-a-new-currency-for-airlines-the-passengers-who-earn-them/#respond</comments>
  313. <dc:creator><![CDATA[ThinkInk]]></dc:creator>
  314. <pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2014 14:51:15 +0000</pubDate>
  315. <category><![CDATA[mobile]]></category>
  316. <category><![CDATA[commerce]]></category>
  317. <category><![CDATA[frequent flyer]]></category>
  318. <category><![CDATA[Loyalty]]></category>
  319. <category><![CDATA[Loyalty Rewards]]></category>
  320. <category><![CDATA[mobile apps]]></category>
  321. <category><![CDATA[Payments]]></category>
  322. <category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
  323. <category><![CDATA[United Airlines]]></category>
  324. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?p=3615</guid>
  325.  
  326. <description><![CDATA[Frequent flyer miles will soon purchase more than airline tickets, based on a United Airlines app that&#8217;s being tested. MileagePlus members can use their mobile devices to earn miles &#8212; up to 24 miles for every dollar they spend &#8212; at stores that include Lowe&#8217;s, Gap, Sears and AMC Theaters. ThinkInk Principal and Chief Strategy &#8230; <span class="more-link"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/frequent-flyer-miles-a-new-currency-for-airlines-the-passengers-who-earn-them/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></span>]]></description>
  327. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Frequent flyer miles will soon purchase more than airline tickets, based on a United Airlines app that&#8217;s being tested. MileagePlus members can use their mobile devices to earn miles &#8212; up to 24 miles for every dollar they spend &#8212; at stores that include Lowe&#8217;s, Gap, Sears and AMC Theaters.</p>
  328. <p><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/plane-and-plane-ticket.jpg"><img loading="lazy" data-attachment-id="3616" data-permalink="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/frequent-flyer-miles-a-new-currency-for-airlines-the-passengers-who-earn-them/plane-and-plane-ticket/#main" data-orig-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/plane-and-plane-ticket.jpg" data-orig-size="415,270" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Plane-and-Plane-Ticket" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/plane-and-plane-ticket.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/plane-and-plane-ticket.jpg?w=415" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3616" src="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/plane-and-plane-ticket.jpg?w=300&#038;h=195" alt="Plane-and-Plane-Ticket" width="300" height="195" srcset="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/plane-and-plane-ticket.jpg?w=300 300w, https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/plane-and-plane-ticket.jpg?w=150 150w, https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/plane-and-plane-ticket.jpg 415w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>ThinkInk Principal and Chief Strategy officer Vanessa Horwell in quoted in today&#8217;s Mobile Commerce Daily coverage of this mobile-enabled trend, noting that &#8220;airlines and all other industries are shifting to mobile commerce in response to an entire marketplace that&#8217;s becoming more mobile and mobile-friendly.</p>
  329. <p>&#8220;This shift means that airlines will have to extend their mobile capabilities beyond the brand, provide the flexibility and utility that consumers want, and support a wider variety of mobile transactions.&#8221;</p>
  330. <p>She adds: &#8220;The airline industry basically established loyalty programs back in the 1980s, and mobile commerce &#8212; however it&#8217;s carried out &#8212; will help define the growth and future of the loyalty industry in coming years.&#8221;</p>
  331. <p><a href="http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/mobile-rewards-will-buy-loyalty-airlines-discover">Read the entire column here</a>.</p>
  332. ]]></content:encoded>
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  344. <media:title type="html">Plane-and-Plane-Ticket</media:title>
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  346. </item>
  347. <item>
  348. <title>&#8220;Your Flight Attendant Will Soon Come Down The Aisle With&#8230;Equipped With an iPhone&#8221;</title>
  349. <link>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/your-flight-attendant-will-soon-come-down-the-aisle-with-equipped-with-an-iphone/</link>
  350. <comments>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/your-flight-attendant-will-soon-come-down-the-aisle-with-equipped-with-an-iphone/#respond</comments>
  352. <dc:creator><![CDATA[ThinkInk]]></dc:creator>
  353. <pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2014 14:08:55 +0000</pubDate>
  354. <category><![CDATA[Travel Technology]]></category>
  355. <category><![CDATA[airlines]]></category>
  356. <category><![CDATA[Apple]]></category>
  357. <category><![CDATA[IBM]]></category>
  358. <category><![CDATA[iPhone]]></category>
  359. <category><![CDATA[mobile]]></category>
  360. <category><![CDATA[Samsung]]></category>
  361. <category><![CDATA[United Airlines]]></category>
  362. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?p=3608</guid>
  363.  
  364. <description><![CDATA[Starting next year, flight attendants with United Airlines will be equipped with iPhones in what the carrier says is a move toward the &#8220;paperless&#8221; flight deck. With pilots using iPads to navigate the skies, United&#8217;s flight attendants will have access to passenger information and the ability to handle on-board purchases, check email and access the company&#8217;s &#8230; <span class="more-link"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/your-flight-attendant-will-soon-come-down-the-aisle-with-equipped-with-an-iphone/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></span>]]></description>
  365. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Starting next year, flight attendants with United Airlines will be equipped with iPhones in what the carrier says is a move toward the &#8220;paperless&#8221; flight deck. With pilots using iPads to navigate the skies, United&#8217;s flight attendants will have access to passenger information and the ability to handle on-board purchases, check email and access the company&#8217;s website for information.</p>
  366. <p><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/unitediphones.png"><img loading="lazy" data-attachment-id="3607" data-permalink="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/unitediphones/" data-orig-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/unitediphones.png" data-orig-size="469,470" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="UnitediPhones" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/unitediphones.png?w=300" data-large-file="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/unitediphones.png?w=469" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3607" src="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/unitediphones.png?w=150&#038;h=150" alt="UnitediPhones" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/unitediphones.png?w=150 150w, https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/unitediphones.png?w=300 300w" sizes="(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px" /></a>The move expands United&#8217;s recent move into mobile, including adding Wi-Fi later this year to more than 200 jets in its United Express regional fleet.</p>
  367. <p>Vanessa Horwell, Think Ink&#8217;s Principal and Chief Strategy Officer, says the move is as much about improved customer service as it is about mobile marketing &#8211; both of which will be enhanced by the presence of iPhones and other smartphones/mobile devices.</p>
  368. <p>One of the factors fueling airlines&#8217; increasing adoption of mobile technologies, she points out, are passenger behaviors, including their increasing reliance on mobile devices to search, book and pay for flights and other travel items from smartphones and tablets, both on the ground and in the air.</p>
  369. <p>Horwell and other experts comment on United&#8217;s move in today&#8217;s Mobile Marketer column by Michael Barris.</p>
  370. <p><a href="http://bit.ly/1snRnv6">Read the entire article now</a>.</p>
  371. ]]></content:encoded>
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  374. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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  379. <media:title type="html">ithinkink</media:title>
  380. </media:content>
  381.  
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  383. <media:title type="html">UnitediPhones</media:title>
  384. </media:content>
  385. </item>
  386. <item>
  387. <title>Smartphones and Wanderlust: Travel in a Mobile Revolution</title>
  388. <link>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/10/smartphones-and-wanderlust-travel-in-a-mobile-revolution/</link>
  389. <comments>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/10/smartphones-and-wanderlust-travel-in-a-mobile-revolution/#respond</comments>
  391. <dc:creator><![CDATA[ThinkInk]]></dc:creator>
  392. <pubDate>Wed, 10 Dec 2014 20:05:28 +0000</pubDate>
  393. <category><![CDATA[mobile]]></category>
  394. <category><![CDATA[Travel Technology]]></category>
  395. <category><![CDATA[Mobile Devices]]></category>
  396. <category><![CDATA[QR Code]]></category>
  397. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?p=3600</guid>
  398.  
  399. <description><![CDATA[When packing for the next travel adventure, three things are must-haves: clothes, a toothbrush, and most importantly, mobile devices. Today’s travelers are using smartphone apps and browsers before, during and after their journeys to check in for flights, find taxis, plot a route from the car rental center to the hotel and other travel tasks. &#8230; <span class="more-link"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/10/smartphones-and-wanderlust-travel-in-a-mobile-revolution/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></span>]]></description>
  400. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When packing for the next travel adventure, three things are must-haves: clothes, a toothbrush, and most importantly, mobile devices. Today’s travelers are using smartphone apps and browsers before, during and after their journeys to check in for flights, find taxis, plot a route from the car rental center to the hotel and other travel tasks. Innovators like the QR code generator, <a href="http://uqr.me/"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">uQR.me</span></a>, are capitalizing on mobile technology to <em>make travel</em> <em>even easier</em>.</p>
  401. <p>Most recently, the <a href="http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/software-technology/19297.html"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Belgian city of Antwerp</span></a> implemented uQR.me QR codes in city transit systems, enabling passengers to scan for up-to-the-minute, real-time information on arrival and departure times, train routes and other critical trip details simply by swiping their smartphones. Embraced by more than 5,000 documented travelers during the first weeks of deployment, code usage has grown tenfold; spurring the implementation of the technology in neighboring Belgian provinces, like Flanders.</p>
  402. <p>A testament to the advancement of mobile technology, uQR.me is just one of <a href="http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/mobile-technology-revolutionising-travel-buying-behaviour/"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">many companies capitalizing on the popularity of mobile technology</span></a>. One smartphone app, Appi Holidays, for example, lets travelers describe a perfect vacation by entering a range of criteria and scouring through packaged tours from both well-known and independent travel companies. In its annual IT Trends Survey, SITA predicts that mobile apps will be a dominant sales channel in the travel industry by 2015.</p>
  403. <p>Mobile upgrades like these are proof of the critical roles that mobile devices play in everyday life, especially when we travel. According to a recent eMarketer report, <a href="http://skift.com/2014/11/12/mobile-will-rival-desktop-for-digital-travel-research-by-next-year/"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">2015 will see a major jump in mobile bookings</span></a>, with nearly 50% of digital travel researchers choosing to use their mobile devices over a laptop or desktop computer</p>
  404. <p>But what makes smartphones and travel go hand-in-hand? In a word, convenience. For consumers, mobile devices have become second nature and easily accessible. In turn, they eliminate the need for bulky computers and costly, antiquated technology and tracking systems, saving travel brands considerable amounts of capital.</p>
  405. <p>Today more than ever, technology continues enhance quality of life. And given that experts have how found a way to <a href="http://www.connectedly.com/why-i-implanted-nfc-chip-hand"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">implant NFC chips in the human hand</span></a>, enabling us to open our own hotel rooms simply by waving our fingers, <em>what possibly could come next?</em></p>
  406. <p>Share your thoughts in the comments below.</p>
  407. ]]></content:encoded>
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  410. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  414. <media:thumbnail url="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/vacay-1.jpg" />
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  416. <media:title type="html">Vacay-1</media:title>
  417. </media:content>
  418.  
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  420. <media:title type="html">ithinkink</media:title>
  421. </media:content>
  422. </item>
  423. <item>
  424. <title>Miami: From Weekend Techno to Weekday Tech Hub</title>
  425. <link>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/miami-from-weekend-techno-to-weekday-tech-hub/</link>
  426. <comments>https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/miami-from-weekend-techno-to-weekday-tech-hub/#respond</comments>
  428. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vanessa Horwell]]></dc:creator>
  429. <pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2014 23:05:42 +0000</pubDate>
  430. <category><![CDATA[Startups]]></category>
  431. <category><![CDATA[technology]]></category>
  432. <category><![CDATA[Miami]]></category>
  433. <guid isPermaLink="false">http://ithinkink.wordpress.com/?p=3596</guid>
  434.  
  435. <description><![CDATA[While Miami has gained a worldwide reputation for celebrity-clad beaches, a sexy social scene, now-departed LeBron James, Cuban coffee and a party-all-night mantra, the Magic City is also welcoming a new, more esteemed title: tech startup hub – and an international one at that. Couple Miami’s moniker as “the gateway to Latin America” with its &#8230; <span class="more-link"><a href="https://ithinkink.wordpress.com/2014/12/09/miami-from-weekend-techno-to-weekday-tech-hub/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></span>]]></description>
  436. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>While Miami has gained a worldwide reputation for celebrity-clad beaches, a sexy social scene, now-departed LeBron James, Cuban coffee and a party-all-night mantra, the Magic City is also welcoming a new, more esteemed title: <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/biz-monday/article3950097.html"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">tech startup hub</span></a> – and an international one at that.</p>
  437. <p>Couple Miami’s moniker as “the gateway to Latin America” with its rapidly-growing entrepreneurial scene, and this South Florida hotspot is on its way to becoming an international Silicon Valley of the East, putting Miami on the map for something other than South Beach hotels, plastic surgery and bikinis.</p>
  438. <p>As it stands, South Florida is already home to a handful of notable tech startups. <a href="http://tech.co/yellowpepper-smart-wallet-latin-america-2014-12"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Miami-based startup YellowPepper</span></a>, for example – the mastermind behind Yepex, a mobile wallet being launched in Latin America – is making mobile banking a critical payment avenue, beginning with Mexico and Colombia. Boasting the same capabilities as ApplePay, Yepex uses a “token system” that does not require NFC (near-field communication) technology, can be used outside of the U.S. and already helps more than five million customers execute 30+ million mobile transactions a month, a first for Latin America.</p>
  439. <p>Similarly, Miami-based startup <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/profiles/company/us/oh/cincinnati/centric_consulting/3217504"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Centric Consulting</span></a> recently <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/blog/2014/12/miami-programmers-win-citi-mobile-challenge-prize.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_southflorida+(South+Florida+Business+Journal)"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">landed a top prize at an international Citi competition</span></a> for its Bluebeak mobile platform, which enables smartphone users to send money to friends, and in turn allows those friends to withdraw funds from an ATM machine without having to use a physical debit card. Centric Consulting was awarded a $20K top prize and a chance for Citi to deploy BlueBeak globally.</p>
  440. <p>Empowering Miami’s startup culture are a series of large-scale conferences, taking place in the Magic City itself, which attract some of the world’s top innovators and forward-thinkers. Most recently, <a href="http://www.simemia.co/"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Sime MIA</span></a>, which took place during last week’s Art Basel Miami 2014, featured political activists, industry leaders, inventors and more, all exploring how technology impacts society within various industries. One standout presentation even invited a volunteer on stage to implant an NFC chip in her hand through a large injection needle, in front of a live audience. Equal parts disturbing and intriguing, the result was one giant leap into the future – now able to open doors and connect with NFC-enabled devices with the wave of a hand, this demonstration proves that we have developed a new type of wearable technology: <em>the human body.</em></p>
  441. <p>Interestingly, Miami’s common thread in its start-up culture is mobile technology. With experts predicting <a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Worldwide-Smartphone-Usage-Grow-25-2014/1010920"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">1.76 billion active smartphone users globally by the end of 2014</span></a>, mobile devices are revolutionizing both personal and professional lives. And with a range of non-profit organizations and venture capitalist firms always looking for new ways to support SoFla’s startup scene – like the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which just donated $6 million to 60 startups throughout the city – it looks like Miami’s tech boom is <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/miami-tech-and-startup-scene-flowers-1401490738"><span style="text-decoration:underline;">here to stay</span></a>.</p>
  442. <p>Is Miami, a destination typically known around the world as a leisure and party destination, up to the challenge?</p>
  443. ]]></content:encoded>
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  454. <media:title type="html">vanessahorwell</media:title>
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