I am the Founder and CEO of Jones-Dilworth, Inc., a PR and marketing consulting firm focused on bringing early-stage technologies to market.
You can find my formal bio here, and you can take a look at my life plan (the bigger picture) here.Contact me at josh [at] jones-dilworth [dot] com.
Or you can find me on Twitter and FriendFeed too.
Looking for social media intelligence without the hassle? Check out Three-A-Day.
I also co-host the Falken's Maze podcast series (on hiatus, but will return soon).
Perceptions of Google Buzz Over Time
Disclosure: Viralheat is a client.
Really excited to start showing knowmore to the world. Human-centric design works — it’s not about a tech breakthrough in search of a problem — it’s using tech to solve real needs and pain points.
I love Julian’s take on this — “Do you think that Dean Kamen set out to make a transportation for mall cops?”
The Segway is the great example of a breakthrough that is still looking for a problem to solve…
Disclosure: Knowmore is a client.
Siri’s launch is close at hand…
In the near future, anyone who lives a connected lifestyle will be able to delegate their everyday tasks to intelligent virtual assistants that will coordinate, execute and simplify users’ lives.
We will look back on these days and ask ourselves how we ever got by without our trusted assistants, the same way my kids ask in amazement about how we ever got things done before laptops and the Internet.
Disclosure: Siri is a client.
From a guest post last week by Venkatesh Rao:
Consider these terms: page, scroll, file, folder, trash can, bookmark, inbox, email, desktop, library, archive and index. They are all part of the document metaphor, a superset of the “desktop” metaphor. Some elements, such as scroll, desktop and library pre-date the printing press, but all are based on some sort of “marks on paper-like material” reference.
It’s an important point — the tyranny of conceptual metaphors (and in particular, Gutenberg’s shadow) can be quite limiting.
Disclosure: Xerox is a client.
Here is the second in the series, which ran today. Feedback is very much appreciated if you have the time to give it.
The gist:
“Our collective data is the byproduct and the artifact of digital life and web living. It is increasingly rich and it is precisely the inner logic according to which we make decisions to buy and sell, act and react. We have, consciously or unconsciously, made data the bonfire, the totem, and the town square.”
I also made a trail of articles that should be useful if you’re interested in exploring these concepts further.
“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” – Mark Twain
That about says it all, hehe.
From my guest post in Mashable today:
In 2010 the very best marketers, PR professionals, and social media consultants will put data at the center of everything they do. For anyone unfamiliar with these concepts, just as with social media, data marketing may seem opaque or intimidating at the beginning. The only way you ever learn is by jumping in headfirst — become a data nerd, because data nerds are changing the world.
Anyone who knows me also know that I love stuff like this.
Major congrats to our client ChallangePost, which has helped the city of New York bring to fruition an immensely successful open government data program and app-building challenge.
Both the City and the people of New York benefit greatly, and similar programs around the country have been likewise successful. I hope that this is a trend that continues — I can’t think of a better way to foster civic engagement.
And Austin, where the heck are you on all this?
‘Tis the season, and it seems that everyone wakes up on 12/1 and realizes that they’re about to get screwed on SXSWi hotels. Which they are, hehe.
First —SXSW isn’t lying to you about the housing desk — it really is great and it really does work. I’d mostly recommend calling them first.
That said, everyone wants “inside intel” of which, in truth, there is very little, but alas! Nearest to the convention center are the downtown versions of:
All three are roughly equivalent.
Also in the neighborhood but within walking distance are: LaQuinta ($$), Radisson ($$), Omni ($$$), Four Seasons ($$$$), Intercontinental ($$$$) and the Driskill ($$$$). I’m probably missing a few too.
For some hip + authentic Austin fare (each a $5-7 cab ride away), I’d recommend….
Our good friend BJ’s VerdeCamp ($$):
http://www.verdecamp.com
And the Hotel San Jose ($$):
http://www.sanjosehotel.com/
And the Austin Motel ($$):
http://austinmotel.com/
And the Kimber Modern ($$$):
http://www.kimbermodern.com/
And if you’re looking for something a little more tucked away and neighborhood-y ($10-12 cab ride):
Adams House ($$):
http://www.theadamshouse.com/
Mansion at Judge’s Hill ($$):
http://www.mansionatjudgeshill.com/
And if you have too much money on your hands and want to feel like a rockstar:
http://www.hotelstcecilia.com/
One last recommendation would be UT’s Executive Education Center — it’s on campus, close to downtown, and of excellent quality. Only downside is that it is a little corporate.
Finally, the new W is under construction and they originally claimed that they’d be operational by this week, but they’re not even close and will be lucky if they’re ready by SXSWi. But, it’s conceivably an option…
No matter what, rates are inflated during SXSWi — so be prepared and book as soon as possible — it will get very hard to find a room in 2010.
Hope this helps!
PS — $$ estimates are graded on a curve — ALL hotels during SXSWi are more than any human can afford.
PPS — At least half of the aforementioned venues are likely sold out by the time you read this. Hence why the housing desk is a good first call.
Austinites — what am I missing?
I am honored to be part of the incredible Advisory Board for the second annual SXSWi Accelerator. I’m also happy to report that the 2010 event is shaping up most excellently. The application deadline however, is 12/4 and quickly approaching.
SXSWi is as zeitgest-y as it gets — the event literally helps define the “spirt of the age and our society” etymologically speaking. Wheras so many other conferences and events are merely transactional, for one week in Austin the best and brightest convene to celebrate everything that is great about the Web — the vibe is one part geek summer camp, and one part New Year’s Eve.
The opportunity to present and/or launch new technologies at SXSWi is special — it is an audience of peers, of alpha geeks, superusers to-be, of risk-tolerant enthusiasts, trend-setters, cognoscenti and digerati.
The application for the Accelerator runs $150 — and I’ll happily pay the fee for 5 startups — just send me a note explaining why you deserve the money.
And regardless of the entry fee, please consider applying. It’s going to be an outstanding event.
