If “social networking” didn’t already define 2006, the term moved one step closer to doing so when Time Magazine named “You” as their “Person of the Year.” That assignation may have tightened the knot in George Will’s neckwear a bit:

“It’s about narcissism,�? Will said. “So much of what is done on the web is people getting on there and writing their diaries as though everyone ought to care about everyone’s inner turmoils. I mean, it’s extraordinary.�?

Of course there’s some truth in Will’s contention, in the same way one might cite that peaches are bad for you—if a pit lodges in your throat. Such outmoded comments from pundits like George Will,call to mind sentiments like, “The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?” — David Sarnoff’s associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.

However, in Will’s case it might be more analogous if those same Sarnoff associates had espoused their beliefs during, say, radio’s post-WWII heyday.

Truth in Numbers
Indeed, the top 10 most trafficked sites on the web are user-generated social networking sites. According to Alexa.com, in late November the only mainstream media site remaining on that list was CNN at #10. And even CNN has adopted a citizen contribution model in “I-Report.” How narcissistic of them. Incidentally, as of today, just about one month later, CNN ranks a paltry 38th on the most visited sites list.

Here’s the full transcript of George Will’s comment in context:
Read the rest »

Wondering what to get that fashion fiend on your list this year? Here’s an appealing item that nerds and narcissists alike can appreciate—techno-geek meets runway icon.

Enter, the “Keybag,” a handbag fashioned entirely of keyboard keys. It’s one of those items that causes you to ponder, “Why didn’t I think of that?” I wonder if it clicks as you run your fingers over the keys—it ought to, don’t you think? Let’s hope the Keybag creator, Portuguese industrial designer João Sabino thought that one through. Available in austere black and spartan white, the Keybag reflects our fascination with connectivity and all that is web.

Technically, very cool.

Brainstorm principal Bart Caylor has been invited to address the Taylor University trustee board in Orlando, Florida in late January, 2007. Caylor did a topical presentation on Web 2.0 at the Taylor Technology Summit earlier this month. He discussed exactly what Web 2.0 is, how it has evolved and, most importantly, what impact it is having–and will continue to have–on higher education admissions strategies.

The Pew Internet & American Life Project released a report this week indicating nearly 40% of adult Internet users have researched housing information online. This is up from 34% in 2004 and only 27% in 2000. Of people between the ages of 18 and 29, over half have looked for housing information online.

This study illustrates the importance of good, accessible online housing information and shows the number of users leveraging the Internet when making a major purchase.

Panasonic, a brand long known for it’s consumer electronic products, is dabbling in some serious industrial design these days. The Osaka-based company is developing a product known as Realive.

Slated for availability in 2011, Realive is a robotic armature designed for stroke patients looking to recover upper-limb movement. A patient’s healthy arm movements are mirrored through the apparatus via sensors and translated to the affected limb via prosthetic rubber muscles controlled by compressed air. Studies indicate that intensive movement of the impaired arm stimulates damaged nerve endings and assists in advancing recovery.

Panasonic’s development of the Realive product continues to demonstrate that markets have broadened for the willing. Empowered by nimble technology advancements in design manufacturing and engineering, a company like Panasonic can reinvent itself. Not only marketing televisions at tight margins but leveraging its brand equity to explore market penetration in entirely new industry sectors. Like healthcare.

For more on the rehabilitative benefits and technology behind the Realive suit, visit the September Panasonic news release on the invention.