The CEO Game

• 09Mar

  YouTube to Launch Auto Captions

  Technology What is Your Opinion?

  Google, YouTube’s parent company has announced on its blog that automatic captions will start rolling out across the site. The world’s largest video hosting service will begin automatically add subtitles to videos using Google’s voice recognition program. Thus YouTube, will become far more accessible to speakers of different languages, the hearing impaired and additionally YouTube will make one giant leap towards search engine dominance.

  

  Youtube - Now With Captions

  YouTube announced on November 2009, on launching a new automatic caption service. The service was good but limited, it offered English captions but those were found only on 13 of YouTube’s streaming channels. These include National Geographic, Columbia, as well as most Google and YouTube channels. But, from this day and on, all users will be able to use Google’s speech recognition technology, in order to create subtitles for their content.

  Google already admitted that the new technology is not perfect, nevertheless it still provides a better solution than manually captioning the content. In a demonstration held the phrase “sim card” became “salmon” in text, but Google also promises that the technology “will continue to improve with time”.

  Automatic captioning, will allow the hearing impaired to enjoy video content over the web, without any need for additional help or program. In addition, the service will allow watching content with no need for speakers, that might intrude the surrounding environment. The automatic captioning service, is currently supporting only English soundtracks, but Google says that making it international is its top priority and it is only a matter of time before they will achieve that.

  Still, that does not mean you won’t be able to enjoy the clips in your own language. The English subtitles could be translated with one button click to any of the 50 languages supported by Google’s translation service.

  How will it work? Upon uploading a video to the site, the user would be able to create an automatic caption of the clip’s soundtrack and then fix it manually, if there is a need. The user then, would be able to download the subtitles file to the personal computer in a SUB or SRT file format. Users who already uploaded content, are expected to find a new button for requesting captions for their existing content. According to Google, processing each video could take some time. Hence, Google promises to add more servers if users will experience a slow service.

  One of the big challenges of the video medium is whether it can be made accessible to everyone, and now Google is raising the standard and doing just that. In the web 2.0 age, where “content is king”, Google- the web’s searching giant, will become even bigger by “writing down” and indexing every video we have got.

  Omer Shachnai

  The CEO Game.

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  Tags: Google, Search Engine, Web 2.0, Youtube

• 27Feb

  The Pentagon Invades Farmville

  Technology What is Your Opinion?

  Washington- Everyone from combat troops in the field to the highest ranking personal and civilian leaders will be allowed to tweet, blog and use Facebook on military’s non classified computers.

  The US armed forces are connecting to Twitter, Facebook and other web 2.0 social networks that are based on users’ content. The Defense Department, had announced on Friday, on a new policy, which authorizes the use of social networks from military computers that aren’t connected to the army’s intra-secured network. The Pentagon officials behind the announcement, also claimed the new policy will allow to quickly share information and data and will increase the cooperation among the different armed forces.

  

  Farmville

  The new policy comes after a seven-month long review, in which the Defense Department looked over the threats and benefits of allowing the use of these Internet services. The new directive practically seeks to manage the risks while recognizing the Internet is a powerful tool for a great number of tasks such as recruiting, cooperation with a wide range of people, communication between soldiers and their families and even, yes, public relations, which are in need, in these days.

  Nevertheless, the announcement protruded the importance of data protection. The new policy gives commanders the right to cut off access to the web for a specified time only, in order to guard security and the integrity of military operations. The policy also standardizes all the previous web related commands across the entire department. Workers of the Defense Department and the army, still are prohibited to visit certain sites such as gambling, pornography and hatred sites on military computers.

  Up to this point, the official policy of the Defense Department was not to allow access to social networks and other services, in order to prevent the leakage of classified data. Moreover, access to YouTube, MySpace and more than a dozen other sites was blocked due to bandwidth usage and now will be allowed to use once again. David M. Wennergren, US deputy assistant secretary of defense for information technology, says the Pentagon can no longer treat social networks as a safety threat only and the new policy recognizes the need to be both “responsible and use these tools to help get the job done”.

  Makes you wonder, whether the guys at the Defense Department ever took into consideration the implications on the soldiers’ personal time usage and priorities.

  Omer Shachnai

  The CEO Game.

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  Tags: Army, Farmville, Information Security, Pentagon

• 09Feb

  The Google Buzz

  Technology Comments Off

  Twitter watch out, Facebook beware? After Facebook has announced on a mail service, searching giant Google has announced tonight (Tuesday) on a new media sharing service and status updating platform named “Buzz”: which will transform Gmail to a social network that will compete with the large social networks. Following today’s earlier reports, Google held a press conference tonight which was broadcasted on YouTube, Google’s very own video site. The new out bursting service Buzz, will be an “entire separate world inside Gmail” according to Tod Jackson, the product manager.

  Go search for your friends in Google. The goal of the new service is to allow sharing friends with links, RSS feeds, media content such as Picasa’s galleries or YouTube clips, addresses books and to allow status updates as well, just like in Twitter. Buzz will be mobile friendly and even support the iPhone and it’s URL is buzz.google.com.

  Anytime Anywhere. Those mobile users will also be able to inform Buzz of their Geographic whereabouts, and therefore not only update what’s going on but where. The social network will also be available as a new GIS layer in Google’s maps service, Google Earth.

  Security and Privacy. Google promises to advanced and easy security settings and moreover privacy settings such as blocking user from watching your updates, and removing them from the loop, the friend update list. Of course you will be able to watch the updates of other users who aren’t your friends, but have made their updates and statuses public.

  Google has also announced future plans to create an enterprise version of Buzz which will be designated for inner organization communication. The company said that Gmail users, will soon start seeing the social network’s features in their mailboxes, while other users will be able to get more information from the site which will launch soon.

  In Conclusion Google’s new Buzz, will definitely fuel the raging feud amongst the social networks and it might just be the next big thing. It sounds promising and definitely something to watch out for especially when Google says the next step is “to dial Buzz”.

  Omer Shachnai

  The CEO Game.

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  Tags: Buzz, Facebook, Google, Social Networks, Twitter

• 27Jan

  Meet Apple’s iPad

  Technology Comments Off

  Apple Lunched today its new flag product – The iPad a tablet pc which will cost starting from 499$.

  Apple had to put an end to the rumors and speculations when it announced its new tablet PC. During an event that took place in San Francisco, Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs had announced the release of the new product- the iPad.

  

  iPad- Apple's new tablet PC

  The new product, which is mainly focused around network services, includes a 10 inch screen and it’s based on the iPhone operation system iPhoneOS. The iPad is 1.25 cm thick and weights 700 grams. The iPad works on Apple’s CPU the A4 with approximately 1 GHz CPU power. The iPad also has a Bluetooth capability and apple had declared that it can last as long as 10 hours on its batteries. The iPad screen is of course a multi touch screen.

  Job has declared that the iPad is a part of a new generation of products between the Laptops and Smartphones. What about notebooks? Jobs said that notebooks are nothing but weak and cheap laptops.

  Apples had declared that the iPad will support all the iPhone and iPod applications as well as having original application of its own. One of the major goals of the iPad is to act as an electronic reader (similar to Amazon Kindle). In the event itself Jobs announce that Apple had already signed deals with 5 of the world’s largest book publishers.

  Also during that event Jobs had announced that Apple had sold its 250 million iPod few weeks ago and had more than 250 million visitors, in its 284 stores, in the last quarter.

  Ailon.

  The CEO Game.

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  Tags: Apple, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Steve Jobs, Tablet PC

• 24Nov

  Google Buys Teracent

  Technology 3 Comments

  Blow for Yahoo? Strike on Bing? Google Acquires Teracent for Targeted Display Ad Technology

  Internet giant Google announced today on buying Teracent, an American startup company which specializes in display advertising. This is another step in Google’s waged war on the control of the advertising market, with the arch rival Yahoo and newly sworn enemy Bing by Microsoft. Unfortunately, the financial terms are undisclosed and haven’t been revealed yet. Google whose income comes mainly from textual advertising which is search related, intends to maneuver the purchase in order to base its status in the field of online graphical targeted advertising. This announcement underscores Google’s plans to double down in display advertisement.

  

  A New Age For Interactive Ads?

  This is no surprise, last year Google completed purchasing the online advertising company Double Click, which also deals with display advertising for 3.2$ billion. Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt claimed on September that Google plans to return to making purchases, after a minor pause, or setback if you wish, due to the global financial crisis. At the time, he also said that Google wishes to “buy a company a month” (on average). It seems Google is keen on fulfilling its chairman’s announcement: under-less than two weeks ago, Google bought AdMob, which provides solutions for cellular marketing for 750$ million in shares in a deal which is meant to sweep the cellular advertising market.

  Teracent was founded by Vikas Jha, former vice president of Inktomi, a software company which was acquired by Yahoo. Teracent, the California based company runs software that lets private advertisers, agencies and ad networks to deliver multiple versions of ads to different users across the Web and on mobile phones. It is triggered by certain information that can be determined on the user from the web such as location, gender, income and interests. A fashion giant like Lacoste or Calvin Klein would be able to use Teracent’s technology to advertise a promo for its winter collection for Vancouver viewers, while users from Sunny San Diego might see new summer accessories.

  This concept is nothing new, many competitors such as Tumri and Dapper have been behaviorally targeting viewers so they can promote customized ads. The only difference is that Google is going to use the software to automate display ads in the same manner it did with search ads, trying to make web display ads relevant more than ever for both advertisers and consumers. This move means that the entire search industry could be shifting to display ads. It’s also a slap in the face of Yahoo who previously partnered with Teracent for some business ventures. Up to now, Yahoo has surpassed Google in display ads.

  In conclusion, the move comes as a blow to Yahoo, which may have to end the aforementioned partnership with Teracent, but it’s a big win for the marketers, which will be able to create interactive ads that will customize themselves just like search ads do, hitting the iron when it’s hot. Just so you know, last year, the popular Internet search engine had an income of 22$ billion, I suggest keeping an eye on the next year’s income.

  More from The CEO Game on Google: Google’s investment in the EBM, and Google Planet.

  Omer Shachnai

  The CEO Game.

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  Tags: Advertisings, Bing, Google, Marketing, Microsoft, Teracent, Yahoo

• 20Oct

  Google’s Espresso Book Machine

  Technology 2 Comments

  Imagine if you could walk up to a machine, without walking out of your way, and buy any book you fancy with no cashiers, no lines and no need for the book to even be in stock. How would you like an ATM for books? Well, the revolution has begun. The EBM, also known as the Espresso Book Machine, does just that. It offers a brand new concept of print on demand, buying books hot off the press, literally. This “Johnny on the spot” wonder offers quality paperbacks–even extinct and hard-to-find ones–at cheap prices, just like factory-made books, but instead printed directly from online files within just minutes.

  

  The Espresso Book Machine

  The concept lies within the name itself–Espresso, which is something that is made to order, one at a time, at the time of sale and most importantly in a fast manner. It all started with a series of lectures back in 1999, when lecturer Jason Epstein. An experienced editor, who had worked with writers ranging from Phillip Roth to widely renowned Nabokov, mentioned that the future of the business was possible if readers could print an out-of-stock piece on the spot, especially if a book-printing machine could be made so it would fit in any ordinary store. At the same time Jeff Marsh, an inventor from Missouri, was already working on a device with many similar features. When one of his friends heard Epstein’s lecture and ideas, he immediately contacted him. In short time, Epstein (along with other partners) licensed Marsh’s invention and formed “On Demand Books“; you can guess the business logic behind the name.

  The first EBM, a machine that can cost up to 75,000 dollars, was placed and demonstrated June 2007 in the Science, Industry and Business Library of the New York Public Library. For an entire month the public could test the machine by printing free copies of all-time best sellers such as “Moby Dick”, “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, “A Christmas Carol” (soon to be a Disney picture) and many more. It was a big success, drawing the mass audience and media attention it deserved. Ever since the heat began, beta EBMs were dispensed in many more locations in the US like Washington, New Orleans, San Francisco, Vermont, Michigan and other places throughout the world: The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and even Egypt (Bibliotheca Alexandrina). It is important to point out the phenomenal success in the UK where it was embraced by “Blackwell’s book store” which now plans to place EBMs in 60 more of its stores and has a catalogue of over one million books.

  The machine measures 2.8 feet deep, 3.2 feet wide and 4.5 feet high, which indeed makes it small enough to fit in retail book stores or small library rooms. It consists of two modular parts, making it easy for transport. The EBM can print up to 105 pages in a minute in black and white or 35 pages a minute in color. This means that the EBM can print, collate, bind and cover a 300 page book in about three and a half minutes. In total the EBM can bind 830 pages, if that’s not satisfactory for you, then good luck. Moreover, it can also print four-color covers not at all different from factory-made books’ covers. There is hardly any room for human intervention, and aside from choosing the book and color settings, all you need to do is decide on the trim size of the book and maybe refill the paper. It is based on the EspressNet, a user-friendly virtual network which provides the content itself, content and rights managing tools, encryption and security and the ordering interface itself. Both cover and the book block are printed from PDF files.

  So what is the Google connection? Lately Google signed an agreement with On Demand Books whereby Google will provide them the digitized files on more than two million books in the public domain for printing and selling. This unprecedented number of reading options will be added to the current 1.6 million titles already available via the Espresso Book Machine, thus creating a limitless digital inventory. According to the associated press, Google will get one buck for each book sold, but Google had already announced it will donate all profits to charities. The Harvard Book Store in Cambridge will be among the pioneers to be equipped with an EBM that has access to Google’s desired digital library.

  What about economic consequences? The direct selling model that the EBM represents eliminates shipping, storing and the formation of tons of unsold books or books which are in a bad shape and allows concurrent world wide availability of new titles and golden oldies, which are out print. It basically screams decentralization. Moreover, it will allow self published authors to get instant distribution. All of these influences may in time cause prices to lower to consumers and libraries and allow greater profits for the publishers. Many feel that this innovation could actually help conventional bookshops to survive and even encourage literacy. So aside from the teamsters, everyone is pretty happy. Especially with a one cent a page tariff for some book categories, that will probably even lower later on.

  With all that in mind, it’s no wonder it landed a spot on Time Magazine’s “Best Inventions of the year” list in 2007 and it’s no wonder why some proclaim that what Guttenberg’s printing press did for Europe six hundred years ago, digitization and the Espresso Book Machine will do for the world tomorrow.

  Omer Shachnai

  The CEO Game.

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  Tags: Amazon, Books, EBM, Espresso Book Machine, Google, Harvard, Time Magazine

• 18Oct

  Tycoon Online – Review

  Technology 1 Comment

  Tycoon Online is a browser-based business simulation game based on the concept of other well-known tycoon games such as SimCity, Rollercoaster Tycoon and Transport Tycoon Deluxe.  The game was  developed by Capitalist Games, and was first released in 2007. Today it includes six virtual games where each game is based on its own country: Sweden, Portugal, Turkey, Netherlands and the United States.

  
  

  At the beginning of the game the player constructs his own company at the location he chooses.  After creating the company the player can produce goods, build factories, import or export goods bought from other players or sell products on the local markets and shops. Tycoon Online also offers a virtual stock market that allows you to purchase stocks of other players’ companies and even take the over. Inside the game a player can manage production, calculate financial costs and manage human resources. The game itself has a pretty simple and easy to understand interface and allows a quick start for joining new games. Capitalist Games take great pride that their game would be fun for the whole family.

  
  

  Tycoon Online is unlike the CEO Game puts it main focus on being a game and less on being a simulation. Tycoon Online offer only basic educational values and focuses more on being an entertaining game. So enjoy it, but don’t forget to sign up for the CEO Game beta — more bang for you (free) buck!

  Ailon.

  The CEO Game.

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  Tags: business games, Business simulation, The CEO Game, Tycoon Online, Tycoon Zone

• 13Oct

  5 Tips For Saving Money With Your iPhone

  Technology 2 Comments

  Since the invention of the iPhone, the smartphone trend has exhibited continuously exponential growth. Many new developments have created a new market to explore.

  A lot of iPhone buyers use only a small and trivial part of its functionality, not realizing the full potential of their mobile friend.

  iPhone Applications, the hottest trend of the mobile world, let everyone (with Mac and technical approach) to develop their mobile dream, from every corner of the world. The talented ones can also make money out of it.

  But this article is not about just any iPhone apps. It is about those applications that may save you time and money!

  Here are 5 tips for managing money with your iPhone:

  • Convert Currencies
    Check the up-to-date exchange rate of any desired currency, and get a close look at your stocks.

    Applications such as Currency Converter Pro enable you to check 220 exchange rates, including silver and gold, and to convert between them.

  • Manage your budget
    In order to stay on top of your budget planning and implementation, you may need a tool to help you plan and act appropriately.
    

    iPhone - Budget Application

    Budget is an application for managing your personal budget. It enables you to receive some basic information, such as graphs of your expenses, reminders relevant to your plans (such as when you need to pay your monthly rent), retrieved data and sets the time period for you budget plan.
    You may synchronize the data over several iPhones, for more than one person managing their households (husband and wife, partners etc.).

    Another budget management application is Day Bank, which allows you to synchronize the iPhone application with software on your computer.

  • Save SMS and phone calls
    The fact that you’re with your mobile phone doesn’t necessarily means that you need to make your phone calls through the device.
    Fring is an application that combines all your contacts in the instant massages networks (Google Talk, ICQ, MSN messanger etc.), allowing you to chat with them and even have a voice conversation (VOIP) through Wifi.
    Fring users can speak free with one another. Skype is also enabled by the SkypeOUT rates.
  • Keep updated in the stock market
    Keeping track of stocks is something you can do with the application Stocks, which comes with the iPhone. You can get information about stocks and receive relevant updates, including detailed graphs and a list of securities.

    Stock information for experts is provided with the application Bloomberg, built by the financial information agency, Bloomberg. The

    

    iPhone - Bloomberg application

    application is far more detailed than ‘Stocks’ and allows you to keep updated with the world’s markets, complete with news and estimations.

  • Tip calculator
    Have you ever wondered how much money you should leave for the waiter? Tipulator, an iPhone application that easily calculates the tip everyone in the table need to pay, does it for you. You simply enter the amount to pay, the tip percentage desire and the number of people dinning.

  This is only a few of the enormous pool of iPhone applications that can save you time and money.

  I believe that in the future the mobile revolution will manage our wallet very, very closely. Smartphones are already helping us manage our budget and advise us for smart saving. Of course, until the CEO Game becomes an iPhone app, in order to play what will surely be the most fun and realistic business simulation ever, you’re going to have to sit down at a computer. It’ll be worth it, we promise.

  Nimrod.

  The CEO Game.

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  Tags: Apple, applications, economic tips, iPhone, mobile, money saving, smartphones, Time management

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