Before I purchased my iPhone 3G I was a avid bluetooth headset user. I even purchased the Aliph Jawbone for $139.00 shortly after it came out. While I love it on the iPhone it simply uses too much battery to leave connected. Now I have another reason to be very careful when using it.
December 26, 2008
December 24, 2008
A New Industry in New Orleans
I posted this earlier today on my ActiveRain blog and thought it was worth re posting here.
One of the things I have loved about my city is the number of educational opportunities available here. Here is a list of some of the institutions in New Orleans. I apologize in advance if I've left any out.
4 year colleges and universities
- Tulane
- University of New Orleans
- Loyola
- Dillard
- Xavier
- Southern University
- Our Lady of Holy Cross College
Medical Schools
Law Schools
Now while this depth and breadth of educational institutions is nearly unmatched by any city in America of similar size and population ( I added that last part so I don't get mail from all you people in big cities like Boston and San Francisco). What is sorely lacking here is job opportunities for all the graduates of these fine schools. Well that is about to change.
Now I'm not promising that all the future graduates or even a small percentage (>5%) would be able to stay here, or would even want to, but in the past unless you were doing something in medicine, the hotel & restaurant industry, or to lesser degree in sales your options were limited.
Today Greater New Orleans, Inc., a public-private partnership formed to spearhead economic development, launched a new Digital Media consortium to help jump-start that industry in the area. Here are 2 videos from the CEO of GNO,Inc. explaining what it is and how to get involved.
December 21, 2008
Competing Real Estate Business Models
While sites like Trulia, Zillow, and Roost have served the consumer by making MLS data available to you without having to go through a Realtor a new model is developing online. Sell your home, or find your new one, without a traditional Realtor.
Redfin, a Seattle-based company, has been using Realtors but they do it in avery different way than the traditional model. Here is a video with a little more about them.
There is another company in Boston called CondoDomain that is trying something different. They have a flat fee of $5000 that they receive for every sale and anything over that they refund back to the buyer, and I guess seller if they work that side of the deal. While I love the idea and think the business model is workable I worry about how it will fare during our current real estate downturn.
I’m a real estate agent and if I were like many agents I could see this as a challenge to my very survival but I don’t. On the one hand not everybody wants a hands off approach likes Redfin and CondoDomain offer and I can work with the buyers and sellers that want a more hands on approach. The other side of this is that I’m an entrepreneur and I’ve chosen to work with GenX and GenY clients in my business. If I see that my target market wants that type of service I will change my business model to serve my clients.
I think that the real estate business will change drastically in the next 5-10 years. I have no idea what it will look like but I am certain it will be much different than it is now. The Realtors who can adapt and change with it will survive, those that can’t will perish.
December 4, 2008
How to Get a Free Computer Package: HP Magic!
This is a GREAT PACKAGE and if you think you can meet the requirements you should at least try to win.
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