Will Apple’s Tablet Become The Popular New Gaming Platform?

It will be interesting to see how this alternate form of distributing games appeals to consumers. I am personally looking very forward to seeing the tablet as another popular platform for gaming.

Here's an article that talks about the Apple tablet and its use as a device for gaming...

Game developers look forward to making games for Apple tablet
January 24, 2010 | Dean Takahashi | Comments |

Game developers are starting to get excited about making games for Apple’s tablet computer, which is expected to be announced on Jan. 27.

The tablet is likely to be a hot new platform for games, since it will have more processing power, a bigger touch screen, and other capabilities that dwarf the game experience on the iPhone, which is no slouch when it comes to games.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Electronic Arts was preparing games for the Apple tablet. EA declined to comment, but it makes sense given EA’s heavy focus on making mobile games. There is also plenty of other content in the works, such as apps for reading books, magazines and newspapers, textbooks, TV shows, YouTube and other things. The Journal said the 10-inch or 11-inch screen device would be about $1,000.
Flurry also reported today that the tablet is running the iPhone OS 3.2, which has not been released yet. That means that the device will likely run the current 130,000 apps that are available on the AppStore. About a fifth of those apps are games. And, in fact, Flurry said today that the bulk of the 200 apps that Apple has been testing on 50 new devices at its Cupertino, Calif. headquarters are games.

The tablet will be a significant new test as to whether there is room in the crowded game market for a new gaming device. It comes at a time when there are no new game platforms planned even as consumers are turning to gaming on smart phones in droves.

Games, for instance, are the No. 1 app on the iPhone and iPod Touch. While the iPhone and iPod Touch compete with the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSPgo, this new Apple device will be in virgin territory, along with all of the other tablet devices being created. Analysts believe that there could be a big market for devices that have 5-inch to 15-inch screens and yet are not netbooks or smart phones.

Some of those devices are more like eBook readers, but the Apple tablet will be an interesting jack-of-all-trades. It may launch first as an eBook reader aimed at the Amazon Kindle, but it could also become a popular new gaming platform.

http://games.venturebeat.com/2010/01/24/game-developers-look-forward-to-making-games-for-apple-tablet/

9 Powerful Social Networking Sites for Women Entrepreneurs

It’s not easy being a women entrepreneur, yet there is certainly power in being a women entrepreneur. It takes a unique type of confidence and tenacity to conquer success. However it also requires networking, expanding your network, and collaborating with others to help achieve your goal. Here is a very helpful article that provides resources to help connect with other women entrepreneurs.

9 Powerful Social Networking Sites for Women Entrepreneurs

What is the real power behind women entrepreneurs? A study by the Center for Women’s Business Research shows that women now own 40 percent of private firms, women-owned businesses generate about $3 trillion in revenue and employ 16 percent of the workforce; making them significant players in the national economy. In addition, the study found that 85 percent of women surveyed do not believe being a woman is detrimental to their business success, and 32 percent believe being a woman is beneficial.

There is power in being a woman entrepreneur. There is even more power in the collaborations that are formed among women business owners. Whether your product or service is exclusively for women or not, you simply cannot deny the intrinsic inclination to support each other and champion each other’s cause. Why not use that to our advantage? The real power in women entrepreneurs lies in our ability to connect, support and encourage each other straight to the top!

Continue to read full article.... http://biznik.com/articles/9-powerful-social-networking-sites-for-women-entrepreneurs

Great opportunity for $10K women in games scholarship

APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT'S 3RD ANNUAL G.I.R.L. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Program Awards Up To $10,000 Toward Tuition and Other Educational Expenses

SAN DIEGO , Calif. – January 19, 2010 – Applications are now being accepted for the 2010 G.I.R.L. Scholarship to help educate and recruit more women into the field of video game production and design. Sponsored by Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) a global leader in online gaming, and administered by Scholarship America®, a leading non-profit educational support program, applications are available at https://www.scholarshipamerica.org/gamersinreallife and more details, including official rules for entry are also available online at http://www.station.sony.com/girl/.

"The past two G.I.R.L. Scholarship recipients were such a valued addition to our team that we are thrilled to offer this program for the third consecutive year," said Laura Naviaux, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Sony Online Entertainment. "Our goal is to continue to encourage and reward women who share our commitment and passion for developing cutting edge online games for all demographic groups."

One skilled student will win up to $10,000 to be applied toward tuition and other educational expenses at the school at which the student is currently enrolled, and an optional internship of up to 10 weeks at one of Sony Online Entertainment's studios (room, board, transportation and living expenses not included).

To be eligible to participate, entrants must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program related to video games, including video game art, design, animation, production, programming or visual effects, must not graduate before the end of the 2011 spring term and must comply with the program's official rules. Entrants are required to complete an online application along with an existing piece of art, and if chosen as semifinalists, submit two pieces of concept art and one essay that will be reviewed by a panel of SOE judges. Online applications must be completed and submitted on or before February 15, 2010. SOE will announce the winner on or about May 20, 2010.

For more information about the G.I.R.L. Scholarship program, please visit http://www.station.sony.com/girl/.

Mobile Marketer's Mobile Women to Watch 2010

By Mickey Alam Khan
November 27, 2009

Mobile Marketer’s inaugural Mobile Women to Watch 2010 list celebrates smart women who are expected to make a difference in mobile advertising, marketing and media in 2010.

While we may have missed some who would rather stay out of the limelight, it is fair to say these women – 49 from the United States, three Canada and one from Britain – are achievers who have already left their stamp on mobile marketing. Their dedication to the craft is nonpareil and their commitment admirable.

These marketers have steadfastly withstood several issues bedeviling mobile such as the constant need for client education, inadequate metrics, lack of decent budgets, carrier-centricity, male domination and hype.

Indeed, they have overcome skepticism of the first order to help their male and female colleagues and peers make mobile marketing an undeniable element of the interactive marketing mix. Soldiered on they have. As Heidi Lehmann, CEO of MoxieQ and one of the Mobile Women to Watch, points out, “With most anything new, a common kneejerk reaction of larger companies and even consumers is to look for reasons why something won’t work.”

Mobile marketing has long been a game of perseverance and evangelism. These women are being honored for staying with a medium while it was born and through its coming-of-age party – which is now.

These women now have the brush, oils and canvas to paint bold strokes in 2010.

Through all of this excitement over mobile and its possibilities, this crowd remains levelheaded. “In mobile,” said Allison Mooney, vice president of emerging technologies at Omnicom’s MobileBehavior, “you need to keep an eye on the future and a foot grounded in the present.”

How were these honorees chosen?
A call was sent out to Mobile Marketer readers in a published article. Combined with reader nominations and recommendations from Mobile Marketer’s Giselle Tsirulnik, Dan Butcher, Chris Harnick, Jodie Solomon and this writer, a list was drawn up. Many thanks to them and to art director Rob DiGioia for the hard work.

Whittling down the names was hard. But there was no doubt of the final list. The executives who made the cut were evangelists for the industry, astute observers of evolving consumer behavior at work and home, and advocates for ethical mobile marketing as part of the multichannel media mix.

Above all, they served as admirable role models to other women – and even men – to consider a career in mobile marketing.
These women are poised to make more history in 2010. Get to know them through these pages as they write yet another chapter in mobile marketing’s book.


http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/opinion/classic-guides/4747.html

Lately, the question I am most frequently asked is, “Where do you think the next big area of growth is?” My answer is: Mobile Advertising and Delivery of Content. My outlook is based on observations over time and trends overwhelmingly leading towards the Mobile Advertising industry. It can be best described using one word: Evolution.

We have all seen the evolution from print to web, and now, the same evolution is transitioning from web to mobile. The digital advertising ecosystem is continuously evolving and I believe mobile advertising is still in its nascent stage with great growth potential.

My vision for mobile ads is that they will become more engaging, robust, transactional, and interactive with the end-user. Also, with the number of Smartphone users increasing and over 7 Billion apps expected to be downloaded by 2013, I suspect the combination will ultimately fuel growth in mobile advertising.

A significant example of the evolution we are experiencing and the opportunity for growth in this segment was affirmed by Google. Earlier this week, Google announced they were purchasing AdMob for $750 Million in stock; Google’s third largest acquisition to date. Most recently, Google has focused mainly on search ads. AdMob has focused on Web Display Ads and App Display Ads. The acquisition has accelerated Google’s entry into the mobile advertising space and has provided Google with powerful tools to monetize growing mobile traffic.

Certainly, the acquisition along with other recent developments in the mobile handset space have generated attention towards the mobile advertising space. In fact, AdTech, which recently took place in NY, excitedly acknowledged the power of mobile and its role in advertising, marketing, and content. Interestingly, the tone at AdTech: SF, which I attended in late April, was very different. The presence of mobile advertising was minimal; still being conceptualized by many. It was more of an “initiative” at that time, and many companies were still trying to work through the business model. It is evident, that within such a short period of time, the mobile advertising landscape has rapidly evolved and we are now seeing more companies confidently entering the space with alternative solutions that support the mobile ad platform.

One other important note: While Apple has dominated the market with over 100,000 iPhone apps, RIM’s Blackberry platform is still scarce in consumer oriented apps which creates a massive and equally lucrative opportunity.

The recent announcement by Google and the overall movement towards Mobile Advertising and Content will be interesting to follow over the next year and definitely one I plan on keeping my eye on, as this is still a fairly untapped market.


What does Google’s $750M purchase of AdMob mean for mobile advertising?
http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/ad-networks/4610.html

How to Retain and Develop Asian Women Leaders

The transition of women leadership roles need to begin in the Boardroom. C-level executives must begin to recognize the value of diversity throughout the top-level of their organization. The article below illustrates the various challenges Asian women face in becoming leaders and their role as leaders once they get there. As an Asian business woman in previous leadership roles, I can entirely relate to what this article illustrates and discusses.

The most important piece of advice - don't be afraid to confidently speak up. I hope you find this article written in BusinessWeek helpful...

How to Retain and Develop Asian Women Leaders

Women need to put their footprint on the corporation and a handprint on their work. Training must stress speaking up and being assertive

By Jane Horan

Business leaders should be acutely aware of the seminal shift taking place in the global corporate balance of power. In the next 40 years, more than 1 billion people will relocate from rural areas of India and China, creating 59 megacities with populations of 5 million or more. To harness this talent migration—and serve these customers—multinational corporations need a radical shift in thinking about leadership—their own and their competitors'.

Continue to read the full article:

http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/nov2009/ca2009116_283918.htm

To Be A Leader...You Must Believe In Yourself

Build Your Self Confidence Like a Leader

2:38 PM Friday October 30, 2009

Written by Marshall Goldsmith

What can I do to build my confidence in my capabilities as a leader?

You won't get to the top without self-confidence; to build it, you have to believe in yourself. Don't worry about being perfect — put up a brave front and do the best you can. That's it in a nutshell. Here's a little more background for you.

Last year, as I often do, I taught a seminar for MBA students at the University of California at Berkeley's Haas School of Business. A second-year student approached me and told me he'd read my book What Got You Here Won't Get You There. "In the book you talk about classic challenges faced by your clients," he said. "I noticed that you never discuss self-confidence problems. How do you deal with your client's self-confidence problems?"

This question really made me think. I rarely encounter self-confidence problems in my work with CEOs and potential CEOs. It is almost impossible to make it to the top level in a multibillion-dollar corporation if you do not believe in yourself. On the other hand, I am frequently asked to speak at business schools, and I have noticed that students in my seminars often want to talk about it.

This is such an important topic. I thought I would share a few suggestions about how you can build your self-confidence. I also hope you, my readers, will offer your own suggestions.

1. Don't worry about being perfect. There are never right or wrong answers to complex business decisions. The best that you can do as a leader is to gather all of the information that you can (in a timely manner), do a cost-benefit analysis of potential options, use your best judgment — and then go for it.

2. Learn to live with failure. Great salespeople are the ones who get rejected the most often. They just ask for the order more than the other salespeople. You are going to make mistakes. You are human. Learn from these mistakes and move on.

3. After you make the final decision — commit! Don't continually second-guess yourself. Great leaders communicate with a sense of belief in what they are doing and with positive expectations toward the achievement of their vision.

4. Show courage on the outside — even if you don't always feel it on the inside. Everyone is afraid sometimes. If you are a leader, your direct reports will read your every expression. If you show a lack of courage, you will begin to damage your direct reports' self-confidence.

5. Find happiness and contentment in your work. Life is short. My extensive research indicates that we are all going to die anyway. Do your best. Follow your heart. When you win, celebrate. When you lose, just start over the next day.

http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/goldsmith/2009/10/build_your_self_confidence_lik.html?cm_re=homepage-061609-_-body-middle-tert-_-voices