Branded Google Glass Apps

Presenting Branded Google Glass Apps.  Another move forward?  " ... Google Glass may have just 10,000 users, but that hasn't stopped a handful of brands from developing apps -- or "Glassware," in Google speak -- for the wearable computer.

Advertising is banned from Google Glass apps, per the terms of service for the Google Mirror API that lets developers build experiences for the device, but that prohibition doesn't extend to branded apps.

A cross-section of brands are now dabbling in Glass, starting with the usual suspects. During the Google I/O developer conference in May, a big batch of "Glassware" from tech companies like Facebook and Evernote and media entities like Elle and CNN was introduced. ... "

Project10X: Semantic Research

Brought to my attention. Semantic analysis work is always of interest.  " .... Mills Davis is founder and managing director of Project10X — a research consultancy specializing in next wave semantic technologies and solutions. The firm’s clients include technology manufacturers, global 2000 corporations, and government agencies. .... " 

Teaching the World to Make Maps

Making Maps.  Another example of specialty MOOC.   " ... Meet the Man Who Wants to Teach the World to Make Maps.  The world’s first digital-mapping MOOC (massive open online course) [ Introduced his course in July ] ... About 30,000 people from all over the world have enrolled so far. The course, called Maps and the Geospatial Revolution, will be taught by Anthony Robinson, a geographer at Penn State. Last weekend, I gave him a call to find out more about the course and the man behind it. ... " 

More about the course in Coursera, where you can add yourself to a watchlist for future editions of this and related courses.

Types of Analytics

Yet another view of categories of analytics, here Descriptive, Diagnostic, Predictive and Prescriptive.  Adding diagnostic, which I have not typically added to the list. Reasonable, but I like to keep the list simpler and categorize diagnostic under predictive.

Scoping the Digital Divide

Pew Statistics on US access to the Internet.  20% of US adults have no access. But is that fair since most US libraries do have public connections to the net?  Plus lots more statistics.

" ... The proliferation of smartphones has helped narrow the digital divide because more consumers have obtained mobile Internet access, according to a report from Pew Research Center that says 10% of Americans rely on such devices as their sole connection to the Web. The survey found that despite the new options for access, 30% of Americans remain unconnected to the Internet at home, although Pew suggested this may be by choice for many .. " 

Marketing Engineering Revisited

I am reposting my review of this book below.  First because I had a need to take another look at it.  Second because it now has a second edition, which I have not looked at yet.  Love it as a mix of quant and qualitative methods.  ....  Wish I had the excel sheets that implement the methods described. 

As part of a practice of applied marketing meeting at Wharton I received a copy of the new book: Principles of Marketing Engineering, by Gary L. Lilien et al. Marketing engineering? Could there be such a thing? At least it's not marketing physics. First I admit though I have taken many engineering and physics courses I have never taken a marketing course. I have learned a bit of the quantitative aspects of the field over the years here.

I had a chance to read and overview a good portion of this book, and to my surprise it does a good job of positioning marketing as quantitative engineering in a meager 192 pages. Each topic: response models, market share, customer value, segmentation, perceptual maps, forecasting, conjoint, new product development, marketing mix and promotions are carefully positioned with only a minimum number of equations and some real-world examples.

Surprising, too is that this book is readable, I managed a third of it on a long flight. I don't think it can be complete given its size, but it positions a lot of fairly new techniques well. I would like to go through this book with a knowledgeable P&G person to see if, and how we use each technique, and have altered it to our own requirements. Much recommended for someone who wants a readable introduction to modern quantitative marketing methods. Even the analysis of Web 2.0 topics like blogs are mentioned, and the use of advanced simulation techniques to iteratively test proposed solutions.

The primary author Gary Lilien of Penn State, is one of the well-known deans of marketing science. He has a consultancy (who doesn't) called DecisonPro. They sell a number of marketing analysis frameworks that work in Excel, free for evaluation, have not tried any of them.

Data Points Mean Something

They do.  Book of interest brought to my attention: Data Points: Visualization That Means Something by Nathan Yau

"Whether it's statistical charts, geographic maps, or the snappy graphical statistics you see on your favorite news sites, the art of data graphics or visualization is fast becoming a movement of its own. In Data Points: Visualization That Means Something, author Nathan Yau presents an intriguing complement to his bestseller Visualize This, this time focusing on the graphics side of data analysis. Using examples from art, design, business, statistics, cartography, and online media, he explores both standard-and not so standard-concepts and ideas about illustrating data.

Shares intriguing ideas from Nathan Yau, author of Visualize This and creator of flowingdata.com, with over 66,000 subscribers. Focuses on visualization, data graphics that help viewers see trends and patterns they might not otherwise see in a table ... " 

Humanoid Robotics

Kurzweil on Samsung's humanoid robot.  The visual map aspect of the intelligence of the device is intriguing.  Geography and knowledge need maps.   I have often mused on the need for a robotic to look like a human.  Will that cause more complications than the value it provides?  Likely inevitable, though.    It does not seem that previous attempts at humanoid robotics have been particularly useful,  just clever demonstrations.