The Professor's Notes

The New York Times has the story, Broadband Now! So Why Don’t Some Use It? where they ask the question “Why not?”

So for those that have been listening to our podcast Real Tech for Real People, we have talked quite a bit about the numbers of people that don’t have high speed (broadband) internet access.  We have been reporting the numbers we had previously read that had anywhere from 40-45% of the population does not have access.

Okay, I am confused. FCC says 96% of households have, or have access to, broadband.

“No less than 96 percent of households either subscribe to or have access to broadband service, according to an F.C.C. task force, which presented a status report to the commission last month.” (see commission report here)

The article reports that the task force goes on to report that:

• median speed is 3 megabit/second ¹
• 1/3 of households “choose” to not subscribe Read the rest of this entry »

I have entered into a new podcasting venture with Tony Pittman (@TonyPittman).  We have decided to start talking about tech from the perspective of real people, outside the “tech bubble” of Silicon Valley.  Our goal with our podcast is to talk with regular users, and focus on regular technology.

Listen, join in, and let us know how you use technology, and what you would like us to talk about each week.  We are already lining up guest speakers, so tell us who you want to hear!

If the other link doesn’t work, listen here

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Last month, Jason Calacanis (entrepreneur, and most recently founder of Mahalo) wrote in his newsletter about how he was willing to pay twitter for exposure, and he then asked his readers three questions.  I chose then to reply to him and, after waiting a respectable amount of time, have chosen to repost segments of my response here.

Enjoy!

Jason

First thank you for all your newsletters and emails that you share with the world.  As a business professor at Penn State, I find it refreshing and useful to see a business person not only being successful and touting their success, but sharing the inner-workings of their decision processes.  Certainly this most recent email with the Twitter/$500K explanation is great to show students how to actually conduct an analysis for a business decision.

I did want to answer your three questions, and then as for what amounts to a “favor” from you (to someone you don’t know.)

First, the questions:

1. Am I crazy, or crazy like fox?

Crazy?  Well I would say not–but if the choice is simply either/or, then crazy like a fox.  I actually believe you are far from crazy.  You have conducted a detailed analysis of the situation, evaluated what history has shown, and made a deliberate and informed decision.  All decisions have risk, but it appears you have worked to limit the risk (or at least understand it.)

2. What’s the value of a Twitter follower?

This one, honestly, is a “it depends on the follower.”  Of course, you have accounted for the “it depends” piece by eliminating group after group, and working down to just how many out of a million followers with be “valuable.”  I have found that followers, AND following, are quite valuable for the ways I use Twitter–and I use Twitter in different ways for different groups.  I use Twitter to connect with at least 3 (sometimes overlapping) groups.  First, there are the “supply chain” professionals actively engaged in my profession and field of study.  Then there are the educators, specifically those that are using technology to reach students.  Finally, there is the geo-specific group of folks here in Central PA, that I reach out and touch to stay connected with my community.  ed: (Of course there always exists that 3rd group–actual friends and family!)

Each has value, but in different ways.  Can I monetize this? Perhaps–but that’s not quite what I am about in a direct sense.  Although I would like to think that, as we all improve our skill sets, learning from one another, we all enhance our earnings, potential and kinetic (to steal from Physics).

3. What’s the value of of being one of “The Suggested?”

This is an interesting one.  I think being one of “The Suggested” is great in your type of area, where you are offering services that are of value to nearly the full range of Twitter users.  I suspect if I were to show up on the list, I would end up with a large number of followers with whom I have little in common, and that “twitter-stream” would cloud the engagement with the communities I have worked to develop.
This discussion is actually what I like most about Twitter–it allows us to develop our own communities, meeting nearly an infinite set of needs and desires truly providing a platform for community.  The communities are no longer bound by time, or space, and can grow organically as people connect with what is of interest to them.

The “Requests”

//**requests deleted–for I hope obvious reasons**//

Thanks for perhaps reading this far down–I realize your time is far more valuable than mine.

Best wishes.

While I haven’t heard back from Mr Calacanis I wanted to at least share these thoughts with you, my reader.

S

Aaron Aiken called me, and we talked about the Google Voice experience.  We talked about the experience on each side of the phone-call.  He called, and I ignored, and received his voice mail.

The important thing to remember here is, our conversation was recorded ON Google Voice, using the re

Needless to say we enjoyed the experience–it’s a typical Google experience!

We did spend a few minutes talking about our various websites.

To learn more about my son’s water polo camp, or to have him design a custom branding image, go visit http://fathersonchats.com

Aaron has a couple of websites worth visiting.  Check out his personal site.  He and his wife have a good site going, and worth checking out, especially helping out with financial issues!

Finally, Aaron is beginning a new business of his own, so go check http://trimtabcreative.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I am always interested in the setups people use when recording their podcasts.  Of course, there are several different approaches and each will require twists or changes to the setups.  For instance, if I am doing a face-to-face, or solo podcast, I will obviously not be using Skype.  That said, I asked on Twitter for people to share their set ups.  So far, this is what I have learned.

Aaron Aiken replied:

@aaronaiken: sweet. Macbook 13″ (4gig mem) with GarageBand ‘08 and the Blue Snowball (USB) microphone

He then sent the link for a photo of his setup.

Next, a friend of Aaron’s from Scotland I believe sent his:

@stewartcutler:  MacBook, Audacity. That’s it. Sometimes use sony minidisc recorder with sony ECM-MS907 mic and use audacity to edit.

Alas, I don’t have a photo of his setup.

Then my brother, the keeper of Targuman.org shared his set up:

@Targuman:  M-Audio MobilePre USB with 2xM-Audio mics into MacPro or MacBook Pro; usually recorded in GarageBand or Skype w/Call Recorder

Hopefully he too will send a photo of his set up.

Here is his setup:

Finally, my set up:

@SCMProfessor:  my podcast setup: Vista, running Adobe Audition. AudioTechnica AT2020 Mic. Alesis Firewire8 mixer. Skype. and Prayers

and my photo:

Anyone else want to share their set up with me?  Would love to hear/read/see it!

I have a rather lengthy blog post dealing with books in “new media” simmering on the wordpress burner here.  While that post isn’t quite ready yet, I wanted to quickly toss out another “thought” for discussion.  Yes.  Discussion.  Feel free to comment!

I am a regular listener to most of the TWIT podcasts produced by Leo Laporte.  For a while now they have been sponsored by Audible Books.  The pitch, which is rather formulaic across all of the podcasts, is this.  The podcasters present a “book of the week” that they recommend from Audible.  And, if you go visit audible with their “secret code” your first book is free. That’s right–FREE!

Now, I am curious about several things, which I will list here in classic bullet fashion:

• How long will it take before every listener will have an account? (1st book free only lasts for one book, after all…)
• How many people actually buy the recommended books?  (Anyone? Does the recommendation influence your buying patterns?)
• How often do YOU listen to audio books?
• And how often do you listen to podcasts?  How many do you follow?

So, there ya have it.  Perhaps I will some day add the polling widget, like my brother has over at his blog.  Until then, let’s engage here in the comments!

I presented my paper on Podcasting in Supply Chain Education. The paper received the “Teaching Innovation Award” for best paper in teaching innovations.

From the paper:

“Podcasting” has taken the technological and hobbyist worlds by storm, allowing for the creation of highly specialized audio (and now video) productions for delivery over the internet. This sort of capability has found its way into the classroom and into courseware, allowing professors to deliver a wide range of content to their students. (King, et al., 2006) This paper discusses the background of podcasting, the technology that enabled it, and how podcasting can be used to enhance supply chain courses with a “blended” or hybrid learning experience.

In addition to the podcast recording of the presentation, I am including the pdf of the paper, as well as the PowerPoint slides from the presentation.

Let me know what you think of it, and as always, leave comments, or send me a voice mail at the number listed in the contact section!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Recorded at Podcamp Pittsburgh 2 in August of 2007, this interview covers why he decided to help start a Podcamp in Pittsburgh (“the need to instigate.”) We take a few minutes to talk about how friendly Pittsburgh happens to be, and how Pittsburgh really is the high-tech city of the Eastern US. It’s good to talk about the “third most blogged about city.”

Additionally, he shares about “Something to be Desired,” the local video series provided online, at http://stbd.tv

You can find Justin, at his blog, Cafe Witness.

Take a few minutes and listen–it’s short!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this podcast, I interview Chris Brogan, one of the original creators of the first PodCamp in Boston. We talked about how podcasting works, and what our favorite podcasts are. In fact, we both have enjoyed Teaching for the Future with Dave LaMorte. Chris mentions the “Something to be Desired” online TV show produced in Piitsburgh, and politely gives a plug for The Father Son Chats.

We talk about Chris’ social media group, Grasshoppers that is there to answer the question “How can I be helpful?”

How can podcasting be useful for students, or educators? We talk about that as well.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I mentioned that I enjoyed the presentation by Alex. After his presentation, he asked if he could interview me about my experiences at PodCamp as part of his documenting the weekend. I, of course, agreed!

Go watch it at Alex’s Site!

Enjoy, and be sure to visit his site for other interviews from the weekend.