Jeremy Johnson Embraces Innovation & Disrupts Higher Education with 2tor

Jeremy Johnson, co-founder and CMO of 2tor, began his talk at the Education & Entrepreneurs Summit by pulling up an image of a fortune cookie. Inside, the slip of paper read, “May you live in interesting times.” Often referred to as the Chinese curse, Johnson used it to describe the education field instead.

“We’re living in the most interesting time,” Johnson said, claiming that we’re seeing more innovation in the classroom now than we’ve seen in the past 200 years.

Johnson was one of the three keynote speakers at yesterday’s first EdTechup Conference. Speaking on behalf of 2tor, an education technology company that partners with elite universities, such as Georgetown, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and University of Southern California to deliver rigorous, selective programs online to students from around the world, he proved how one can easily disrupt the higher ed market right now.

The second image Johnson pulled up was of a college lecture hall. In it, 95 percent of the students were seen on their laptops. Now, whether they were taking notes or chatting with friends on Facebook, we’ll never know, but what we do know is that students are more engaged with their laptops today than they are with their professors. How is that then different from online learning? The answer? It’s not.

“Ten percent of marriages now start online,” Johnson said. “You can build relationships there.”

Professors have told Johnson they often feel more connected to the students in their online class than to those in their physical class. During an online class, when a student leaves their computer, you see an empty chair. There’s no “hiding in the back of the classroom” when you’re online. As Johnson said, “Everyone is front and center on the Internet.” Students are more apt to pay attention to their teachers, when they’re face-to-face with them on their computer. Johnson realized that, and took advantage of the market.

“Education is one of the last industries to be disrupted by the Internet,” Johnson said, as he pulled up images of books and movies. Why go to Barnes and Noble now when we have Amazon? Why go to Blockbuster when, instead, there’s Netflix? Had those companies changed with the times sooner, they could have been preserved. Education is next on the chopping block, and Johnson claimed that those “who embrace technology and change are going to have an oversized advantage.”

Prior to yesterday’s conference, Marissa Lowman, the founder of EdTechup, said, “I think the education industry, as a whole, is very fragmented. If entrepreneurs and educators collaborated more, I think it would spur more innovation in education, as well as help entrepreneurs start companies that are both sustainable and scalable since they’d be catering to the market from the beginning.”

Johnson’s company is the perfect example of that. With 2tor, he’s trying to fix a fragmented market, which is crucial when you take into account the end user of education products: children. Those using these new classroom tools are the world’s future, and if we’re not innovating now, it’s soon going to be too late.

“We need to view all of this as an opportunity,” Johnson said. “We’re about to experience the renaissance of education.”

from BostInno http://bostinno.com/2011/12/11/jeremy-johnson-embraces-innovation-disrupts-hi...

Kisai Rogue Touch Pocket Watch from Tokyoflash keeps things dapper, semi-hard to decipher (video)

Yeah, we're well aware that our fascination with unique and multi-hued timpieces may be more of an obsession. Well, you can add another to the list with the Kisai Rogue Touch Pocket Watch from Tokyoflash. Enclosed by a stainless steel case with brushed edges, the $149 timekeeper makes use of a LCD display with LED backlights in your choice of four color options. The watch's face is protected by a spring-hinged cover and crystal lens. You'll notice a similar dial design to that of the Rogue Touch of the wrist wrapping variety, as this watch also sports four hot-zones for switching between modes. Capable of displaying two time zones, along with date and an alarm, the pocket watch uses an animation to monitor the hours instead of those clunky mechanized arms. If you're wanting a closer look hit the gallery below, and to see the timepiece in action, peep the video just past the break.

Continue reading Kisai Rogue Touch Pocket Watch from Tokyoflash keeps things dapper, semi-hard to decipher (video)

Kisai Rogue Touch Pocket Watch from Tokyoflash keeps things dapper, semi-hard to decipher (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 02:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/08/kisai-rogue-touch-pocket-watch-from-tokyof...

US Launches Virtual Embassy For Iran

An anonymous reader sends this excerpt from a report at Al Jazeera "The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has launched a virtual embassy for Iran in what it said was a bid to promote dialogue with the Iranian people in the absence of formal diplomatic ties. The web-based embassy went online on Tuesday in English and Farsi, offering visitors what it described as 'another perspective' for Iranians who 'remain hungry for information about the United States.' 'This website is not a formal diplomatic mission, nor does it represent or describe a real U.S. embassy accredited to the Iranian government,' the U.S. state department said in an introductory note. 'But, in the absence of direct contact, it can work as a bridge between the American and Iranian people.'"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://politics.slashdot.org/story/11/12/06/2057244/us-launches-virtual-embas...

DirecTV's TiVo ready to return December 8th in a few markets

It's been over three years since we first heard a new TiVo was coming to DirecTV, but the satellite broadcaster has finally revealed it will be available -- in select markets -- starting December 8th, the same day its own HR34 multiroom solution becomes available. Both the HR34 and the TiVo HD DVR from DirecTV (THR22-100) got the official nod in DirecTV's installer forums, informing techs the $199 TiVo box would be available for an extra $5 / month service fee, in addition to the $10 / month HD Access and $7 / month DVR tariffs. What does that extra scratch buy you? The new box can access all of DirecTV's live, on demand and pay-per-view video, downloading updates via satellite, and supports remote DVR scheduling through the website. On the downside however, there's no mention of the new TiVo Premiere UI or internet streaming, and it does not support other add-ons like 3D, whole home DVR, apps, or DirecTV's iPad app. One way or another, starting Thursday customers will have their choice of HD DVR satellite boxes, so hit the source link for a few more details and a PDF spec sheet (also pictured in the gallery).

Update: Official details from TiVo are included after the break, mentioning a nationwide rollout will occur next year.

[Thanks, @TechWzrd]

Gallery: DirecTiVo specs

Continue reading DirecTV's TiVo ready to return December 8th in a few markets

DirecTV's TiVo ready to return December 8th in a few markets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/06/directvs-tivo-ready-to-return-december-8th...

Apple iTV to Come in Three Sizes [RUMOR]


Apple’s upcoming TV product might come in three sizes, including a 32” and a 55” screen size, Smarthouse reports citing sources from a major Japanese company involved in the manufacturing of the product.

iTV will sport a new processor – one that will also appear in the upcoming iPad 3, and a new software interface which will include support for Siri, the charming voice-based personal assistant that came with the iPhone 4S.

The largest, 55” version is set to compete with the new generation of Smart TVs from companies such as Samsung and LG.

Nothing has been officially confirmed at this point, and the entire hoopla surrounding iTV – if that’s the product’s name – might turn out to be fake. Still, rumors around Apple TV are heating up, with some sources claiming Apple is working with Japanese-based Sharp on iTV, which might be ready for commercial production by February 2012. Other reports say the device might be introduced by the end of next year or in 2013.

[via Smarthouse]

More About: apple, Apple TV, TV

from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2011/12/06/apple-tv-three-sizes/?utm_source=feedburner&ut...

Hover Anything That Weighs Less Than 12-Ounces!

hovering-things.jpg In other hover-news, this is the $100 Levitron Revolution. It can levitate any object that fits on its hoverdisk and weighs less than 12-ounces. How? Magic magnets WIZAAAAAARDZ!
According to the manufacturers, "The Levitron automatically compensates for changes in weight by making up to 1,000 corrections per second to the electromagnets contained within the base."
Are you thinking what I'm thinking? "Buy 80 and build a hoverboard for your little brother?!" Wow, it really is like you and I share one big, retarded brain. To my basement workshop! "This...is your bedroom." I'm getting under the covers! Hit the jump for a video demo.

from Geekologie - Gadgets, Gizmos, and Awesome http://www.geekologie.com/2011/12/hover-anything-that-weighs-less-than-12-.php

4 Reasons Tech Hiring Will Explode in 2012

Still stuck in the 2008, 2009 doldrums?  Well, it’s time to snap out of it, because as 2011 whisked by several key indicators fell into place suggesting strong growth and explosive hiring for the tech industry.

While we were focused on a government stalemate over the summer and Europe’s own economic woes this fall Boston’s IT scene came alive.  2012 is going to be big, and here are four reasons why:

Startups are Back

Venture capital sat on the sidelines long enough.  Over the last eighteen months VCs have been pouring money into young companies with big ideas.  With funding secured, start ups launch into rapid growth mode, creating jobs and scooping up some of the hottest tech talent on the street.  Besides the organic addition of new positions, the individuals hopping on board these fledgling firms are vacating hundreds of positions at their former employers.   Human resources hates this.   As soon as a letter of resignation is tendered, it means it’s time to draft up a new job description to fill the vacancy.

New IT Spending

It was a CFO’s easiest move over the last three years to save money by holding off on new application development or IT infrastructure enhancements.  They were rewarded for making do with what was already in place, and applauded for keeping teams lean and mean.  This year the tide shifted and companies began launching new IT projects.   Boardroom decisions already made have paved the way for increases in IT spending by 20%, 30%, and in some smaller firms, as much as 50% year over year.  The mood is no longer how to stay small; it’s time to grow.

Some of the increased IT spending is cyclical.  People need new desktops, printers, and mobile devices because the hardware is just plain worn out.   Some of the new dollars will go to finally upgrading software.  How many of us are still using Microsoft Word 2003?   Eight software years is like 40 in real time.  What about the mission critical internal applications that companies rely on to run their businesses?  That’s where the major new projects are coming in and filling up the vast workload for 2012.  Any company relying on web based applications or operating software in the cloud MUST upgrade just to stay current with browser compatibility.

We’re talking a tectonic shift in the importance of IT for 2012 and beyond.   Technology is no longer just a way to enhance the business.  It IS the business.  If you think that is an overly dramatic statement, tell your systems administrator to shut down your internet connection and count the seconds before your co-workers cry out in despair and lose their minds.

Companies are Hiring Recruiters

Log on to your favorite job board and run a search for companies looking to hire recruiters. Tech, healthcare, finance, start up blue chip, non-profit; everybody is beefing up their HR staff. You don’t hire recruiters unless you have some serious increases to headcount planned.  Not to mention staffing firms themselves are hungry to hire internally. Across the board, national recruiting firms and small boutique shops alike are looking to expand their teams just to meet their clients’ needs.   As fast as the industry was decimated in 2008 and 2009, the demand for good recruiting talent is back, and smart players who left the field in the downswing are returning to reap the new business.

History Doesn’t Always Repeat Itself, But it Rhymes

Remember when the tech bubble burst in 2000?   The NASDAQ crashed, and in its descent it took tens of thousands of tech jobs with it.  For about two years the landscape looked bleak with a war in the Middle East, gas prices spiking, and a country gripped in recession.  Recent grads were faced with a non-existent job market and qualified candidates fought for what few openings were there.  Sound familiar?

Without any fanfare, the economy came back through ‘03, ‘04, and ‘05 until we were at a healthy peak that saw an unemployment rate sub 5% for Greater Boston throughout 2006 and 2007.  Tech led the way.  The same scenario played out in 1991, 1987, 1984, and 1979.  There are larger economic factors at work here than just what we read in the news.

Smart money knows cover stories and headlines are reacting to the old news on the street. Watch 2012 open with more fear jitters, talks of a correction and flogs of writers foretelling a swift return to recession.  It’s easy and sexy to predict the next downturn.  It’s foolish to always believe it.  It takes some sand to gear up for success when the herd is still living in fear, but those that do will capture the full extent of the upswing and will be rewarded handsomely.   2012 is going to be a good year.

from BostInno http://bostinno.com/2011/12/09/4-reasons-tech-hiring-will-explode-in-2012/

Why Apple Is Winning the Mobile Video Format War … For Now


Jeroen Wijering is the creator of the incredibly successful JW Player, which has generated millions of downloads since its release in 2005. In 2007 he co-founded LongTail Video, focusing on a full-fledged online video platform that includes encoding, delivery, syndication and advertising.

The mobile video space has begun to consolidate. In early November, Adobe announced it would stop developing its Flash Player for mobile devices (read: Android). Going forward, HTML5 will be the only method to play back video on mobile phones and tablets.

This is a big win for Apple, the company to most strongly oppose Flash over the last few years. The company is indeed beginning to dictate the industry’s future. In addition to defeating Flash in the battle for video playback, Apple continues to innovate with its H.264 codec, since WebM is still nowhere to be found.

The company has also taken the lead in video streaming. Apple’s homegrown streaming protocol, HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), has always been the one and only way to stream content to iDevices. Now, due to the popularity of iOS, many tool vendors and even competing platforms are starting to support it too.


Playback and Encoding


According to Adobe, Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) will be the last mobile platform to use a Flash plugin. The OS is launching without one, though. Given Flash’s terrible track record with mobile, it wouldn’t be surprising if it never arrives. Therefore, video publishers should ensure their Android video works in HTML5.

In terms of encoding, the H.264 codec is baked into the CPU of every single mobile phone today, while WebM is still confined to a software-only (and non-HTML5) implementation on some Android devices. Google is working on hardware, but the path from reference designs to phone integration, and eventually market share, is a long one.

Until WebM hardware decoding is supported by a decent slice of mobile devices, video publishers will continue to focus on H.264. Seeing this, Google continues to support H264 in Chrome, despite announcing that it would drop it almost a year ago. For all intents and purposes, H.264 is the baseline codec for HTML5 video at present.


What Is HLS?


The acronym HLS stands for HTTP Live Streaming. It is a protocol that allows publishers to stream video using plain HTTP web servers, as opposed to using expensive and hard to scale dedicated streaming servers. This streaming is achieved by chopping up the video hosted on the server into small fragments (usually 10 seconds), and then stitching them together again in the browser. The browser only requests the next fragment in line, instead of loading the entire video and wasting bandwidth, which is how vanilla HTML5 operates. See the diagram below for a single fragmented stream.

A video streamed through HLS is usually encoded into multiple qualities, ranging from a mere 180px to full-blown 720px and beyond. Every time the browser returns to the server to load the next fragment, it decides which quality level to load. Thus, the browser continuously adjusts the quality of the stream to best match the available bandwidth. This is hugely important in mobile, because devices perpetually swap between 2G, 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi connections. See diagram below for an adaptive fragmented stream.

In addition, the fragments of HLS streams can be encrypted for secure delivery. Users who intercept these fragments will not be able to play them at all. This is a big security advantage over plain HTML5 video, in which every savvy user can find the URL of a video and download for his own use.


Why Use HLS?


Today’s wide usage of the HLS protocol is a result of iOS success. Apple designated the protocol as the one and only way to stream video to the iPhone and iPad. No Flash, no Silverlight, no RTP or RTSP. On top of that, HLS is required for in-app video. Even simple MP4 downloads, which work for in-browser playback, are not allowed in iOS apps.

Every major publisher, therefore, needs to use the HLS protocol. Every major encoding tool (e.g. Encoding.com or Sorenson Squeeze) and streaming server (e.g. Flash Media Server or Wowza Media Server) supports it nowadays. This broad ecosystem, in turn, now has many devices that support the protocol as well. Nearly every popular set-top box (Xbox, PS3, Roku, Apple TV, Boxee) can play HLS, as will Android phones running the new Ice Cream Sandwich release.

Are there are any competing protocols? Absolutely. Dynamic Streaming from Adobe is one, but requires the (now desktop only) Flash plugin. Also, Smooth Streaming from Microsoft requires Silverlight, another desktop-only (and soon to retire?) plugin. HLS is deployed on top of HTML5, which is easily implemented by both browsers and devices.

A standardization effort is on its way as well, in the form of MPEG DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP). Supported by many companies (including Apple) and boasting a rich set of features, DASH may well become the single video streaming protocol to replace HLS, as well as RTMP and RTSP. However, progress is slow and broad support is years away.


The Apple Standard


For the foreseeable future, we’ll watch our mobile video the Apple way: HTML5 embedded, H.264 encoded and HLS streamed. Any platform seeking broad support for quality video (Windows Phone?) must implement HLS. And any publisher seeking mobile viewers must encode in H.264, embed using HTML5 and stream using HLS.

Is this a bad thing? Quite the contrary. The alternative is fragmentation: multiple plugins, multiple codecs and multiple protocols. This is an annoyance for large media corporations; it increases their development and delivery costs. However, it’s disastrous for smaller video publishers, since the companies lack the resources to build and support multi-platform video delivery. Ultimately, that is a detriment to mobile video. Like the web in general, mobile video thrives on broad availability of a wide variety of content.

A more open set of standards (WebM and DASH) should come in time. For now though, Apple is the standard.

More About: apple, contributor, features, Flash, iOS, mobile video, Video

For more Mobile coverage:

from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2011/12/09/apple-mobile-video/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_...