That's GREAT! » GREAT! http://blog.greattv.com a Blog by GREAT! CEO & IDEAologist Dan Smigrod [@smigrod, @uSCANme] Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:12:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 Panoramic Photography Goes Mainstream in 2012; powered by Apple, Google, Microsoft and TourWrist http://blog.greattv.com/2012/01/panoramic-photography-goes-mainstream-in-2012-powered-by-apple-google-microsoft-and-tourwrist/ http://blog.greattv.com/2012/01/panoramic-photography-goes-mainstream-in-2012-powered-by-apple-google-microsoft-and-tourwrist/#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:08:04 +0000 Dan Smigrod http://blog.greattv.com/?p=4789

[Editor's Note: Here is the TourWrist news we announced Thursday (1/26/12) at the Macworld Conference & Expo Mobile Apps Showcase for our GREAT! client.]

360º Pano Photography Shooting Feature Added to Award-Winning, free TourWrist iPhone App

January 27, 2012 • San Francisco, CA – Starting today, millions of iPhone users can easily shoot and share an unlimited number of 360-degree panoramic (pano) images for free using the TourWrist iOS app.

TourWrist App Icon

TourWrist unveiled the addition of a 360-degree capture feature within its market leading app at the MacWorld Conference & Expo® in San Francisco today. This new feature enables an easy, end-to-end shoot and share experience for iPhone users.

TourWrist is the best-in-class mobile and online virtual tour platform empowering consumers to shoot, publish, search for, view, share and market their 360-degree panos.

TourWrist also announced at MacWorld that it would soon release an upload feature in its award-winning iOS app that will give iPhone enthusiasts a choice of using 20+ panoramic photography apps with the ability to publish an unlimited number of their panos – free – via the TourWrist app.

TourWrist App

“Until recently, creating virtual tours required thousands of dollars in camera gear and software, plus hosting – not to mention an expertise in using it all,” said TourWrist CEO & Founder Charles Armstrong. “Now, millions of iPhone users worldwide can easily shoot and share immersive 360-degree panos – for free with the TourWrist app.”

“Plus, many developers worldwide are already integrating the free Publish to TourWrist API into their 360-degree photography apps, image stitching software and camera gear,” said Armstrong. “At least three products will feature an easy Publish to TourWrist button by March 1st.”

“By empowering consumers to shoot and share places and memorable moments from their choice of apps, programs, and cameras, TourWrist will continue to be the new ‘go to’ critical mass repository for geo-searching, viewing and sharing panos – just as YouTube is for video,” said Armstrong. “Developers and manufacturers can now focus on their core competencies, including image capture, stitching, and processing and leverage the TourWrist pano viewing and sharing experience.”

Pano photographers can also publish their panos to TourWrist using the TourWrist.com content management system (CMS).

“Panoramic photography is going mainstream this year as a result of pano initiatives by Apple, Google, Microsoft and TourWrist,” said Armstrong. “By releasing a native panoramic photography feature in iOS 5, Apple, for example, will broaden consumer adoption, just as it did when it re-invented smartphones in 2007.”

Developers and manufacturers, who would like to integrate the free Publish to TourWrist API, should email: API@TourWrist.com

About TourWrist

TourWrist is the leading, mobile and desktop–based virtual tour platform. Just as YouTube is for video, it is the ‘go to’ destination for sharing panos. The company’s mission is to improve how consumers make educated, location-based decisions.

Consumers can easily shoot and upload their own 360-degree panoramic images, or browse and share any of the 30,000+ geo-tagged panos already available via the free TourWrist iOS app (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch), the Android–optimized web app, and on the TourWrist website. TourWrist launched commercially in early 2011. TourWrist owns and operates the world’s largest panoramic photography forum, Panoguide, with 6,500 professional virtual tour photographers globally, and is a sponsor of the International VR Photography Association (IVRPA). The TourWrist company (private) is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information about TourWrist, please visit:

TourWrist is an independent service and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. All trademarks, including TourWrist®, are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Additional Resources

loadEmbeds();

360-degree pano shot with the free, updated TourWrist iPhone app; and displayed using free TourWrist embed code • Image by TourWrist CEO/Founder Charles Armstrong • Location: San Francisco, CA

Video: How to Shoot and Share 360-degree panos using the free TourWrist iOS App

URL For This Blog Post

]]> http://blog.greattv.com/2012/01/panoramic-photography-goes-mainstream-in-2012-powered-by-apple-google-microsoft-and-tourwrist/feed/ 0 360-Degree iPhone 4/s Virtual Tour Photography: Top 10 Reasons to Get a ‘Gymbl Pro’ Gimbal Tripod http://blog.greattv.com/2011/11/360-degree-iphone-4s-virtual-tour-photography-top-10-reasons-to-get-a-gymbl-pro-gimbal-tripod/ http://blog.greattv.com/2011/11/360-degree-iphone-4s-virtual-tour-photography-top-10-reasons-to-get-a-gymbl-pro-gimbal-tripod/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:39:29 +0000 Dan Smigrod http://blog.greattv.com/?p=4494

November 1, 2011 – Atlanta, GA USA – Get a Gymbl!  If you enjoy shooting 360º panoramic images with an iPhone 4/4s, you’ll love the Gymbl ($69) gimbal tripod from YOUBIQ.

Gymbl Pro inlcludes Tripod Adapter

If you enjoy shooting 360º panoramic images with pro gear – and professional stitching software – you’ll love the Gymbl Pro ($99; includes a Tripod Adapter.)

The Gymbl elevates the quality of your images by enabling your iPhone to rotate around its optical center without optical distortion.

If you are a professional 360º photographer, the Gymbl panoramic head is small enough to always carry with your iPhone (when you don’t have or want to carry your pro gear). Plus, you might want to keep the Gymbl Pro tripod adapter always connected to a spare tripod in the truck of your car so you are ready to shoot 360ºs even when you don’t have your pro gear with you.

After shooting more than 30 test images (see links below) at various locations and with and without people; here are my …

Top 10 Reasons to get a Gymbl (or Gymbl Pro with Tripod Adapter)

  1. Cleaner, sharper images (will help eliminate ghosting when subjects are not moving)
  2. Maximize successful image height (you can do multiple “go arounds” when your iPhone is on the Gymbl gimbal. Simply not acceptable quality trying this technique without a Gymbl.)
  3. Like an iPhone, the Gymbl is small enough to alway have it with you (and keep the Tripod Adapter with your professional gear)
  4. The Gymbl (ergonomic) hard-shell case for the iPhone feels comfortable (while both protecting your iPhone AND enabling quick connect and release of the Gymbl).
  5. Shoot 360º x 180º (spherical) virtual tours are possible: (you’ll need to edit out the tripod with professional software for that full spherical look.)
  6. The Gymbl feels like it was designed by a 360º photographer enthusiast for other 360º enthusiasts (it was; so it lives up to your expectations [Click here for YOUBIQ CEO & Founder Gordon Fowler's (humorous) backstory about how the Gymbl came to life.]
  7. It’s iPhone 4 and 4s compatible
  8. Video: in addition to shooting 360º images, you can use the Gymbl for shooting video too: hand-held; using the tripod; or using the tripod adapter to your full-size tripod (Hint for Apple, Inc. – it would be great if the iPhone could be screwed directly onto a tripod without the need of a separate device.)
  9. Lifetime Gymbl warranty
  10. It’s easy! It just works! It’s sweet!
  11. Bonus: You’ll think of other ways to use your Gymbl than the reasons you bought it!

I included links to many of my test 360ºs (bel0w). Here are four sample 360ºs. Many examples and a list of iPhone 360º shooting apps are below the video.

  1. Test Shot 16: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and the 360 Panorama app – good; multiple “go around” to add height created a challenge with the waving American flag – good
  2. Test Shot 17: Shot with a Gymbl Pro, iPhone Camera and Stitched with PTGui Pro – best
  3. Shot with professional gear and stitching and editing software (PTGui Pro and Aperture 3) – very best
  4. Night Shot with professional gear and stitching and editing software (PTGui Pro and Aperture 3) – very best

While there are many 360º iOS shooting apps, I limited my Gymbl testing using 360 Panorama and AutoStitch Panorama because of their uniquely different ’spin’ on shooting 360ºs. (For the novice, 360 Panorama is simply easier and faster. For the pro, AutoStitch Panorama may give you some flexibility, better result and options – with some extra post production.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video (30 seconds): ‘How To’ Use A Gymbl (Source: YOUBIQ)

Examples Shot With Pretty-in-Pink Princess Dani in Atlanta

  1. Test Shot 2: Shot hand-held (without the Gymbl tripod or grip) and the AutoStitch app – okay
  2. Test Shot 4: Shot with the iPhone 4 camera mounted on the Gymbl tripod and stitched with the AutoStitch app – good
  3. Shot with professional gear and stitching and editing software (PTGui Pro and Aperture 3) – best

Examples Shot at Showcase Photo & Video in Atlanta

  1. Test Shot 5: Shot with Gymbl Pro (and then mounted to my full-size tripod) and used AutoStitch – ghosting (overlap of images that included people moving)
  2. Test Show 8: Shot with Gymbl Pro (and then mounted to my full-size tripod) and used AutoStitch – ghosting (overlap of images that included people moving)
  3. Test Shot 6: Shot with iPhone on Gymbl Pro (and then mounted to my full-size tripod) and stitched with PTGui Pro and re-touched with Aperture 3 – best
  4. Test Shot 7: Shot with iPhone on Gymbl Pro (and then mounted to my full-size tripod) and stitched with PTGui Pro and re-touched with Aperture 3 – best

Examples Shot at Lake Lanier, Georgia

In these these test shots, you can see that the ghosting disappears when I used the Gymbl connected to my tripod versus a hand-held 360º without using the Gymbl Grip: (at Lanier Sailing Academy Boat House, Lake Lanier, GA)

  1. Test Shot 15: Shot hand-held (and without the Gymbl Grip) and using the AutoStitch app – ghosting
  2. Test Shot 14: Shot with a Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and the AutoStitch app – no ghosting
  3. Test Shot 11: Shot hand-held (and without the Gymbl Grip) and using AutoStitch app – ghosting of the close-in railing
  4. Test Shot 13: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and the AutoStitch app – no ghosting (It was a dark and stormy day.)
  5. Test Shot 12: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and the Auto Stitch app (lightened image in Aperture 3) – no ghosting (windy; iPhone 4 moved some)

Examples Featuring the St. Simons Island, GA Lighthouse

  1. Test Shot 16: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and the 360 Panorama app – good; multiple “go around” to add height created a challenge with the waving American flag – good
  2. Test Shot 17: Shot with a Gymbl Pro, iPhone Camera and Stitched with PTGui Pro – best
  3. Shot with professional gear and stitching and editing software (PTGui Pro and Aperture 3) – very best
  4. Night Shot with professional gear and stitching and editing software (PTGui Pro and Aperture 3) – very best

Examples on the St. Simons Island, GA Beach

  1. Test Shot 27: Shot hand-held (and without Gymbl Grip) and using 360 Panorama app – notice the horizon over the ocean; not to bad as long as the subjects are are from the camera
  2. Test Shot 28: Shot hand-held (and without Gymbl Grip) and using 360 Panorama app – notice the horizon over the ocean and the uneven height
  3. Test Shot 29: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and the 360 Panorama app – okay

Examples at Gould’s Inlet at St. Simons Island, GA

  1. Test Shot 21: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and using the 360 Panorama app – multiple passes around to create additional height created major stitching challenges
  2. Test Shot 22: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and using the 360 Panorama app – multiple passes without major stitching challenges
  3. Shot with professional gear and stitching and editing software (PTGui Pro and Aperture 3) – best

Examples from Morningstar Marinas at Golden Isles, St. Simons Island, GA

  1. Test Shot 23: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and using the 360 Panorama app – some stitching challenges with the horizon over the water. Floating dock may have added to the challenge. Multiple pass (to add height) added to the stitching challenge
  2. Test Shot 24: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and using the 360 Panorama app – some stitching challenges with the horizon over the water. Floating dock may have added to the challenge
  3. Test Shot 25: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and using the 360 Panorama app – good
  4. Test Shot 26: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and using the 360 Panorama app – some challenges with stitching.
  5. Shot with professional gear and stitching and editing software (PTGui Pro and Aperture 3) – best

Examples from St. Simons Island, GA Pier

  1. Test Shot 18: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and using the 360 Panorama app – good
  2. Test Shot 19: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and using the 360 Panorama app – okay; some blurring with people moving
  3. Test Shot 20: Shot with Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and using the 360 Panorama app – unfortunately, I should not have tried multiple “go arounds” with people. I was trying to add height to the image. One “go around” would have made for a nice 360º.

Warning Will Robinson I should have either used this $6 adapter to mount the Gymbl Tripod Adapter (1/4″) to my professional (3/8″) tripod (instead of using my professional pano head ($80) to “step down” the screw size; or, used my light-weight consumer tripod (1/4″) without the need for this $6 adapter.  As a result of my error, you can see the pano head base, handles and knobs in images 2 and 3.

Examples with ‘Bear’ in the Woods Here are two more test shots to compare the difference of shooting hand-held (without the Gymbl Grip) and with the Gymbl and a full-size tripod:

  1. Test Shot 10: Shot with a Gymbl Pro (then mounted to my full-size tripod) and the AutoStitch app
  2. Shot with professional gear and stitching and editing software (PT GUI Pro and Aperture 3) – best

While the both the Gymbl and Gymbl Pro with Tripod Adapter connect to tripods, the advantage of the Tripod Adapter:

  1. Keep the Tripod Adapter with your full-size tripod and keep the Gymbl with your iPhone 4 (My “Man Bag” contains my iPhone 4, Gymbl, iPad. In lieu of carrying my two FLIP HD video cameras, I use my iPhone 4 with the Gymbl and save the FLIPS for events that need hours of video shot.)
  2. If you want to do 360º spherical panoramas (360º x 180º), the Tripod Adapter is easier to keep out of your image because it doesn’t have a Grip. The Grip is on the Gymbl: not the Tripod Adapter.

To see all my Gymbl tests using my iPhone 4, please go to TourWrist and search the keyword: GYMBL

Tips

  1. When using any powerful app like AutoStitch Panorama, it’s a good idea to close all your other apps (or do a re-start before stitching lots of high resolution images together).
  2. Before you invest in professional gear to shoot 360ºs, you might consider starting out with your iPhone 4, Gymbl Pro and investing in a tripod, professional stitching software (such as PT GUI Pro) and editing software such as Adobe’s PhotoShop (I used Apple’s Aperture 3 on my iMac.) It’s simply amazing what you can achieve with these tools. With the new iPhone 4s 8 megapixel camera, souped-up optics and enhanced image quality, you could probably come close to producing 360ºs that rival photographers with professional gear (at a fraction of the investment). Professional 360º photographers will find the convenience of always being able to shoot 360º attractive.
  3. Can’t decide between the Gymbl and Gymbl Pro? Get the pro version. The Tripod Adopter is worth the difference in price. While the Gymbl will mount a full-size tripod, I like keeping the Gymbl with me; and the Tripod Adopter with a spare full-size tripod in the truck.

Suggestion for YOUBIQ

  • With some slight modification, it looks like the next generation of the Gymbl iPhone case could (easily) be modified to work with the GoPano Micro from EyeSee 360 iPhone 4/4S lens accessory that shoots 360º video. I would like to use the Gymbl to shoot both 360º degree photos and video with the same iPhone 4/4S. (It’s not practical to switch between the Gymbl and GoPano Micro semi-permanent cases.)

Suggestion for 360º App Developers

  • Since the iPhone is upside down in the Gymbl, please provide a “Gymbl Mode” to change the orientation of your app.

iPhone 4/4S 360º Shooting Apps shown in TopAppCharts.com (Price on 10/19/11)

  1. 360 Panorama ($0.99)
  2. AutoStitch Panorama ($0.99)
  3. Apple (native 360º shooting coming soon: “How To: Take Panoramic Photos On Your iPhone Without A Jailbreak,” reports AppAdvice 11/8/11)
  4. DerManDar Panorama ($1.99)
  5. Pano ($1.99)
  6. PanoEasy (Free)
  7. PanoLab (Free)
  8. PanoLab Pro ($2.99)
  9. PanoMinute (Free)
  10. Panorama 360 Camera ($0.99)
  11. Panorama Camera ($2.99)
  12. Panoramatic 360 ($0.99)
  13. Panorama Free (Free)
  14. Panoramas ($1.99)
  15. PanoMinute (Free)
  16. Panorama Mosaicker (Free)
  17. Photosynth (Free)
  18. Pixeet 360 (Free)
  19. UScape.it (Free)
  20. YOUBIQ App ($2.99)
  21. Video to Panorama (Free)
  22. Video Panorama ($1.99)

Gymbl Resources

  1. Gymbl Quick Start Guide
  2. Gymbl Tripod Adapter (Ships with Gymbl Pro) Quick Start Guide
  3. www.YOUBIQ.com
  4. YOUBIQ on Facebook
  5. YOUBIQ’s Panorama Examples
  6. YOUBIQ Community: Blog, Gallery, Tutorials, Forums

Short URL for This Article


Test 6 Image: iPhone 4 with Gymbl Pro Using the Tripod Adapter. This Image Retouched

Disclosures

]]> http://blog.greattv.com/2011/11/360-degree-iphone-4s-virtual-tour-photography-top-10-reasons-to-get-a-gymbl-pro-gimbal-tripod/feed/ 0 TourWrist Media Coverage and Press Releases http://blog.greattv.com/2011/09/tourwrist-media-coverage-and-press-releases/ http://blog.greattv.com/2011/09/tourwrist-media-coverage-and-press-releases/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:50:29 +0000 Dan Smigrod http://blog.greattv.com/?p=4358

September 2, 1011 – Atlanta, GA USA – Since its commercial launch January 2011, TourWrist (Executive Summary, Presentation Deck) continues to be reviewed by consumer and trade press.

Free TourWrist App on an iPad. Here are links to the TourWrist platform (mobile, web and social) consumer and trade media coverage, press releases and video.

[This list below was last updated 1/31/12.]

The free TourWrist app is frequently among the Top 200 Great Free Apps in the Apple iTunes App Store, according to TopAppCharts.com, plus:

  • #6 in iPad Travel Apps (8/3/11)
  • #9 in iPad Entertainment Apps (4/14/11)
  • #36 in iPhone Travel Apps (9/9/11)

TourWrist Media Releases

TourWrist Media Coverage (Consumer)

TourWrist Media Coverage (Consumer – Short Items)

TourWrist Media Coverage (Business Trade Press)

TourWrist Media Coverage (Photography Trade Press)

TourWrist Coverage (Retail Trade Press)

TourWrist Coverage (Real Estate Sales/Leasing)

TourWrist Media Coverage (Travel Trade Press)

TourWrist Media Coverage (Education)

TourWrist: That’s GREAT!

TourWrist Custom White Label Apps (Articles, Webpages and Videos)

TourWrist Video Coverage

TourWrist and Crime Scenes (Media Coverage)

TourWrist Honors

TourWrist Media Coverage (International) [Google Translate -->English]

TourWrist Websites (Official)

Free TourWrist App on an iPhone

TourWrist Custom White Label Apps

TourWrist Attending Events/Trade Shows/Conferences

TourWrist Embed Virtual Tour Scene Examples (Using TourWrist Embed Code)

If you find a TourWrist article that belong here, please let Dan Smigrod know.

Short URL Link To This TourWrist Post

Disclosure: GREAT! CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dan Smigrod is also a TourWrist Marketing and Public Relations Consultant (via his agency, GREAT!). In addition, Dan is an Atlanta-based TourWrist photographer. Here are some examples of his TourWrist 360º virtual tour scenes: St. Simons Island Lighthouse (look for the satellite); Fashion and Glamour Photo Shoot; and a TourWrist microsite for Fire Mountain Inn near Highlands, GA USA.

]]> http://blog.greattv.com/2011/09/tourwrist-media-coverage-and-press-releases/feed/ 2 Predictions: Apple’s New Mobile OS to Include Shoot & Share 360º Virtual Tour Photography; 2011 is the Year of 360º Virtual Tour Marketing http://blog.greattv.com/2011/07/predictions-apple%e2%80%99s-new-mobile-os-to-include-shoot-2011-is-the-year-of-360%c2%ba-virtual-tour-marketing/ http://blog.greattv.com/2011/07/predictions-apple%e2%80%99s-new-mobile-os-to-include-shoot-2011-is-the-year-of-360%c2%ba-virtual-tour-marketing/#comments Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:30:48 +0000 Dan Smigrod http://blog.greattv.com/?p=4283

July 19, 2011 • Atlanta, GA – 2011 is the Year of 360-degree panoramic virtual tour marketing: super-charged by Apple. And, Apple’s new mobile OS – to be introduced soon – will include shoot and share 360-degree virtual tour photography. These are my predictions for 2011.

Here’s Why! And, Why This Matters To You

The world is rapidly moving to mobile because of the speed of innovation by Apple in the mobile space with its iPhone and iPad mobile iDevices. Mobile app usage now surpasses web usage, according to a study released in June 2011. Smartphone purchases have overtaken feature phones in the U.S., according to a Nielsen mobile study also released in June. Apple reported today (7/19/11) that iPhone 3Q11 sales (20.34 million iPhones: more than double than 3Q10) grew by 142% and iPad sales (9.25 million iPads in the quarter: 29 million iPads to since its launch April 2010) grew 183% with record revenue up 82%, according to Apple’s press release.

By September 2011, Apple will release its new iPhone 5 and its new iOS 5 mobile operating system that will, for the first time, include the ability to shoot and share 360-degree panorama virtual tour photos.

Why 2011 Will Be The Year of 360º Virtual Tour Marketing

  1. Know The Code: industry trades report that Apple’s iOS 5 code includes pano and panorama: these are keywords in the 360-degree panoramic virtual tour photography space.

    Free Tour Wrist App on an iPad

  2. Apple iTunes App Store: Apple is sharing its over-the-top love for virtual tour photography to help grow the space in time for its by September 2011 launch in this space. The Apple iTunes App Store Great Free Apps; Staff Picks; What’s Hot and New and Noteworthy frequently include 360-degree panoramic photo apps such as Tour Wrist; Photosynth; Dermandar; and Jetsetter. For example, between Saturday (7/10/11) and today (7/19/11), Apple iTunes App Store Top 100 Great Free Apps list includes these four 360-degree photography apps.
  3. Big Players in the Space: Microsoft has a panorama app (Photosynth) and platform (Bing maps) for sharing virtual tour photos; and, Google Street View spawned the new Business Photos from Google (shooting 360-degree panoramic view) service. Apple sees the success of big players in this space and knows that it can do a better “it just works” user experience.
  4. Tour Wrist API – The Tour Wrist API (first press release 4/27/11), second press release 7/18/11) will enable millions of iPhone users to easily and seamlessly shoot and share 360-degree virtual tour scenes via Tour Wrist – free. Six developers have already expressed interest in integrating the Tour Wrist API into their 360-degree virtual tour shooting app, reported Fast Company and WIRED on July 5, 2011. Will Apple and Microsoft be among the developers that leverages the Tour Wrist platform (mobile, web and social) by enabling its iOS 5 panoramic shooting capability to publish to the open Tour Wrist platform the YouTube of 360-degree virtual tour images – or pursue a proprietary platform strategy – or both?

“A race is underway to map the world’s interior and exterior spaces,” says Tour Wrist CEO & Founder Charles Armstrong. “With web and mobile technology advancing by the day and consumers keeping pace, the ability to travel remotely will soon change the way we market, discover, share and engage with business and one another.”

“Google and Microsoft, the biggest existing virtual tour platforms, continue to show that their motivation is to index properties to create the virtual tour equivalent of a white pages directory rather than yellow pages,” says Armstrong. “Tour Wrist – the YouTube of virtual tour images – gives business the ability to market themselves proactively, stand to unlock a significant consumer buzz generator and mainstream revenue channel.”

Why This Matters To You

Marketers of cable TV, entertainment and travel/tourism are quickly positioning their brands now to benefit from Apple’s “it just works” innovation that will (soon) result in millions of iPhone users easily and seamlessly shooting and sharing their life experiences within 360-degree geo-tagged virtual tour images. Crowd-sourced user generated content (UGC) will quickly and efficiently map the world where Google Street View can’t take you – inside – all of the world’s spaces.

Free Tour Wrist App on an iPhone

By getting started now, you can be ready Fall 2011 – concurrent with Apple’s newest iPhone 5 and iOS 5 releases so you can benefit from tons of media coverage; social media; web and world-of-mouth regarding what brands are doing with 360-degree virtual tour photography. In the Fall 2011, everyone will discover the next generation of 360-degree panoramic photography.

So why use the Tour Wrist virtual tour platform (mobile, web and social) when you could opt to build a virtual tour strategy around Microsoft’s Photosynth app and Bing maps; Business Photos from Google and Google Maps; or Apple’s shoot and share 360-degree photography integrated in its soon-to-be released iOS 5?

Watch Out Goliath, Here Comes David

In a world of slow-moving Goliaths, there is always an opportunity for agile Davids to win the battle.

“Tour Wrist is a total reinterpretation of what it means to shoot, publish, host, search, view and share virtual tours with a platform [mobile, web and social] designed for consumers and marketers,” says Armstrong. “We see great momentum with consumers, content providers and a range of marketing partners since we launched Tour Wrist commercially on January 1, 2011.”

Tour Wrist has added more than 20,000 360-degree virtual tour scenes in just months of its launch.

“Now that we have released the free Tour Wrist publishing Application Programming Interface (API), we anticipate many panoramic image apps, software, and even cameras – to upload and host images on the Tour Wrist platform – free,” says Armstrong.

Top 10 Reasons Why Tour Wrist is Positioned To Contribute to – And Benefit From – 2011 is the Year of 360º Virtual Tour Marketing

“Tour Wrist has an early lead in the race to bridge virtual tours via mobile tools; social media and user generated content from millions of iDevice owners,” says Armstrong. And while I have a Tour Wrist platform bias – my company, GREAT! is the marketing agency for Tour Wrist and has a meaningful interest in the success of Tour Wrist – my sense is that Tour Wrist has – or will have – the right mix of:

  1. Crowd-Sourced Consumer Content – to map the world’s interior spaces via user generated content (USG) leveraging the Tour Wrist publishing API (as Twitter has done with opening its API) – free for consumers. “The old perception is that closed data is a competitive advantage,” reported Read/Write Web in 2007 in discussing the open Twitter API. “The new reality is that open data is a competitive advantage.”
  2. A-list Media and Entertainment Brands – major A-list media and entertainment brands providing both celebrity content and marketing muscle to drive viewership and downloads of its free Tour Wrist app (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch). While Tour Wrist was created for the travel/tourism space, innovation often comes when marketers in different industries use a tool in a new way – a mashup – that may not have been envisioned by its inventor: disruptive innovation. For example, please see my That’s GREAT! story about how cable TV channels and movie marketers will use disruptive innovation to leverage Tour Wrist: Two-Screen Marketing: TV and Movie Marketing Meets ‘Tour Wrist’ Mobile Experience Meets Immersive Consumer Engagement Experience
  3. Hobbyist and Professional Photographers –  producing virtual tour content sourced from the 6,000+ members of the Panoguide community powered by Tour Wrist and its freemium; $5 per month Hobbyist; and $30 per month Professional membership pricing.
  4. A-list Anchor Content Provider Brands – A-list anchor brands in travel/tourism, real estate and vehicle manufacturers will provide tonnage in 360-degree virtual tour image content. For example, hotel chains and cruise lines already have thousands of virtual tour images that can be re-purposed on the Tour Wrist platform (mobile, web and social) Content and marketing are provided by consumer and business users in the course of providing and promoting their Tour Wrist content.
  5. Social Media Promotion – Consumers share their 360-degree virtual tour scenes with family and friends via Facebook, Twitter, email and other social media share tools.
  6. Scalable Business – Tour Wrist lives in the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) – via the Heroku cloud application platform for Ruby on the Rails open-source web framework – and not tied to fixed infrastructural costs. The Amazon EC2 cloud enables Tour Wrist to easily scale digital content storage and usage spikes created by national media promoting Tour Wrist content.
  7. Smart Leadership – In addition to being a brilliant, creative, passionate and energetic technology visionary, Tour Wrist CEO and Founder Charles Armstrong is a great leader, team builder and motivator.
  8. Great User Experience – Charles’ obsession with the design esthetic meets user experience – recognized by Communication Arts magazine – resulted in Tour Wrist being the YouTube of 360-degree virtual tour photography.
  9. Venture Capital –Tour Wrist will soon benefit from millions of dollars in investment capital that will accelerate its consumer marketing; technology development; and Tour Wrist white label re-skinned and custom apps for business to leverage its existing platform, proprietary technologies and expertise. Within just months of its commercial launch, Tour Wrist has already produced five white label app versions of Tour Wrist: a) Eckerd College; b) ProTours360; c) Drink Wine 360; d) Home Tours Florida; e) University of Florida’s CrimeSeen 360 (password required); f) 360iTours; g) City of Redlands, CA and h) Redlands PD [Tour Wrist will create additional white label apps.]
  10. Great Timing – While both Google and Microsoft have paved the way for the next generation of virtual tour photography, Apple’s “it just works” innovation and introduction of a 360-degree virtual tour shooting and sharing built into its mobile OS will empower millions of iPhone users to shoot panoramic images. Instead of limiting Tour Wrist content providers to 6,000+ Panoguide professional photographers using nearly $3,000 or more in camera gear/software and advance photography skills, millions of people will soon use their iPhone and iPod Touch to shoot and share virtual tour images – free (and without any special gear/software or training).
  11. Bonus: Just as opening the Twitter API helped accelerate the success of Twitter, opening the Tour Wrist publishing API will enable many virtual tour app developers – and camera gear manufacturers – to integrate Tour Wrist into their customer experience resulting in millions of people easily and seamlessly shooting and sharing 360-degree virtual tour scenes – free via the Tour Wrist platform (mobile, web and social).

www.TourWrist.com on a Desktop

So, knowing that the future arrives by September 2011 when Apple bursts on the 360-degree panorama virtual tour scene, if you get started today with your test and learn strategy … you’ll be ready to benefit from the media coverage, social media and world of mouth in the Fall of 2011 and beyond.

So, how good am I at predicting the future of emerging digital media trends in the United States? Should you believe me and act now to be ready when the future arrives Fall 2011?

On June 12, 2010, I proclaimed 2010 as the year of the quick response (QR) code in the U.S.

In 2010, did your company even know what a QR code was?  In 2011, is your company still asking, “What’s the ROI on QR codes?”

# # # # #

Virtual Tour Photography Resources

  1. Tour Wrist Publishing API Developer Site
  2. Tour Wrist Publishing API Documentation

App Developers

  1. 360 Panorama (Occipital)
  2. AutoStitch Panorama (Cloudburst Research)
  3. Bubbli (Bubbli Co)
  4. Dermandar (Dermandar (Offshore) S.A.L.)
  5. Pixeet 360 (Pixeet)
  6. Pano (Debacle Software)
  7. PanoLab and PanoLab Pro (Originate Labs)
  8. PanoMinute (Denis Martin)
  9. Panorama (Airshed)
  10. Panorama Free (Free the Apps!)
  11. Panorama Mosaicker (Intpel)
  12. Panoramatic 360 (Andrea Esposito)
  13. Porsche 360º (Porsche)
  14. YouSpin360º (3sixty Ltd.)
  15. UScape.it (EveryScape)
  16. Video to Panorama (Haiqun Deng)

Software Developers

  1. Apple iOS 5 (Apple)
  2. AutoPano Pro (Kolor)
  3. Hugin (Open Source)
  4. ImmerVision (ImmerVision)
  5. Photosynth (Microsoft Corp.)
  6. PTgui (New House Internet Services B.V.)

Hardware Manufacturers

  1. 0-360 Panoramic Optic lens accessory (0-360.com)
  2. Apple iPhone 5 (Apple)
  3. Canon “PhotoStitch” (Canon)
  4. Casio TRYX (Casio)
  5. FujiFilm FinePix Cameras “Motion Panorama 360º” (FujiFilm)
  6. GE “Pancapture” (GE Consumer Electronics)
  7. Giroptic 360 Degree Camera (Giroptic) – 360-degree panoramic video camera
  8. GoPano Micro (EyeSee360) – 360-degree iPhone 4 video accessory
  9. Kodak “Panoramic Stitch” (Kodak)
  10. Nikon COOLPIX “Easy Panorama” (Nikon)
  11. Nodal Ninja (Nodal Ninja)
  12. Olympus “Combine” (Olympus)
  13. Pano Pro MkII one-shot 360º lens (Pano Pro USA)
  14. Pixeet iPhone 360º lens accessory (Pixeet)
  15. Panasonic-Lumix “Panorama Assist” (Panasonic)
  16. Pentax “Digital Panorama” (Pentax)
  17. Samsung “Advanced Panorama with Object Tracking” (Samsung)
  18. Sony iSweep–Enabled Cameras (Sony) — consumer cameras (Watch Sony TX7 Cyber-shot Camera ‘Taylor Swift’ Commercial Video) (View Sony Cyber-Shot Digital Camera with iSweep in Amazon Store)
  19. Vivitar (Sakar International, Inc.)
  20. WebCube – 360 Webcam (ImmerVision)

Panoramic Photography Resources

  1. IVRPA – International Virtual Reality (VR) Photography Association
  2. Panoguide – a community of 6,000+ virtual tour photographers
  3. 360º Photography Weekly – a free weekly online newspaper published by Tour Wrist Virtual Tour Photographer Dan Smigrod using this list of article contributors
  4. Panoramic Photography Shooting Apps ­­– a Twitter list of 360º photography apps (curated by @smigrod)
  5. Panoramic Photography – a Twitter list of 360º photographers, hardware and software providers and other related vendors (curated by @smigrod )
  6. All Tour Wrist articles by Dan Smigrod [See PostScript with Related Tour Wrist stories]

Short URL For This Article

PostScript

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://blog.greattv.com/2011/07/predictions-apple%e2%80%99s-new-mobile-os-to-include-shoot-2011-is-the-year-of-360%c2%ba-virtual-tour-marketing/feed/ 0 Tour Wrist 360-Degree Panoramic Virtual Tour Hosting Company Surpasses 20,000 Virtual Tour Scenes; Launches API & 8 White Label Apps http://blog.greattv.com/2011/07/tour-wrist-360-degree-panoramic-virtual-tour-hosting-company-surpasses-20000-virtual-tour-scenes-launches-api-8-white-label-apps/ http://blog.greattv.com/2011/07/tour-wrist-360-degree-panoramic-virtual-tour-hosting-company-surpasses-20000-virtual-tour-scenes-launches-api-8-white-label-apps/#comments Sat, 16 Jul 2011 17:59:06 +0000 Dan Smigrod http://blog.greattv.com/?p=4243

July 18, 2011 • Atlanta, GA USA – Tour Wrist, a mobile and web-based 360-degree virtual tour hosting company, announced today it has surpassed hosting 20,000 virtual tour scenes; released eight white label apps; surpassed 250,000 downloads of its free Tour Wrist app; and that its Tour Wrist Publishing API (“Application Programming Interface”) is now available, free to developers.

Tour Wrist Adds More Than 20,000 360-degree Virtual Tour Scenes

“Tour Wrist is the YouTube of virtual tours and quickly becoming the definitive destination for searching for and viewing virtual tours,” said Tour Wrist CEO and Founder Charles Armstrong.

“Of the more than 20,000 virtual tour scenes we have added in just months of our launch, nearly 15,000 are hotels. Plus, with our recently announced RE/MAX® Approved Supplier status for virtual tours, we anticipate huge growth in real estate for sale virtual tour scenes on Tour Wrist.”

Companies seeking a professional virtual tour photographer can email their contact information to: orders@TourWrist.com.

Tour Wrist White Label Apps

Since its 1/1/11 commercial launch, Tour Wrist has developed and released these eight white label apps – nearly all available in the Apple iTunes App Store:

  1. Eckerd College provides immersive virtual tour of its Florida Gulf Coast college including: the gulf coach beach, classrooms, cafeteria, library, auditoriums and student housing. The app seamlessy integrates an Eckerd College created and maintained mobile optimized webpage with dynamic content such as Eckerd College news and sport scores.
  2. CrimeSeen 360 allows students of the University of Florida’s Forensic Science program to enter mock crime scenes, capturing photographic evidence in an immersive and engaging new way; then submitting forensic reports to their instructors. (This is a private app with the required password available only from the instructors.)
  3. ProTours360 offers virtual tours of businesses, including a strong emphasis on service industries such as dental and medical practices.
  4. Drink Wine 360 delivers virtual tours of wineries in exciting locations such as Arizona and Setubal, Portugal.
  5. Home Tours Florida allows users to view immersive virtual tours of some of Florida’s most beautiful properties for sale.
  6. 360iTours presents a diverse collection of 360-degree experiences spanning many industries.
  7. City of Redlands delivers a single mobile destination for the many tourist destinations that make up Redlands, CA. This app is being distributed outside of the Apple iTunes App Store, using the city’s own distribution technology.
  8. Redlands PD is a community safety app for use by the Redlands’ Police Department. This app is also being distributed via the city’s own distribution infrastructure.

Additional white label apps are in development. Companies interested in learning about Tour Wrist white app solutions, can email their contact info to: orders@TourWrist.com.

Tour Wrist Publishing API Available Free To Developers

“Millions of iPhone and iPod Touch users will soon be able to shoot and share 360-degree virtual tour images – free, as a result of Tour Wrist making available the use of its powerful Tour Wrist publishing API free to developers,” says Armstrong. “Tour Wrist has embraced developers and manufacturers that specialize in 360-degree imaging.”

Tour Wrist on an iPad

“Developers and manufacturers can now focus on their core competencies; including image capture; stitching; and processing from computers; smartphones; and other devices, says Armstrong. “Tour Wrist picks up where they leave off, providing an easy and seamless consumer experience that extends to uploading; hosting; searching; viewing; and sharing the resulting images through our best–in–class virtual tour platform.”

“While Tour Wrist’s Panoguide photographer website has over 6,000 registered pros and semi-pros,” releasing the Tour Wrist Publishing API truly democratizes panoramic photography – enabling virtually anyone with a smartphone to create and share 360-degree images for free,” says Armstrong.

“Businesses – such as travel and tourism destinations (hotels, bed and breakfasts), real estate professionals and restaurants – will embrace digital panoramic image solutions that enable them to shoot, share and promote their business at little or no cost,” said Armstrong. “Until recently, shooting and sharing panoramic images normally required thousands of dollars in camera gear and software, plus hosting – not to mention an expertise in using it all.”

Plus, with its free–to–paid “freemium” pricing model, Tour Wrist will offer enhanced tour hosting with services that include:

  1. Interactive hotspots linking to web pages, other scenes, photos and more
  2. Standard links to companies’ branding/marketing documents
  3. Inclusion in industry–specific sales categories (e.g. Real Estate for Sale)
  4. Turn–key microsites
  5. Custom advertising spaces
  6. Advanced traffic reporting

“For businesses that require professional virtual tour shoots, Tour Wrist offers a world–wide, professional ‘pano’ photographer community,” says industry veteran and Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Handley.

Video - Tour Wrist: Virtual Tours of Hotels

“We anticipate great uses of the Tour Wrist Publishing API will include mashups that we haven’t even imagined; just as developers have done for other social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr,” says Armstrong. “Tour Wrist has created the very best virtual tour authoring experience by enabling pano developers and manufacturers to do what they do best while leveraging our robust hosting, searching and sharing infrastructure.”

“By enabling consumers to have a seamless shoot and share experience from their choice of multiple apps, programs, and cameras, Tour Wrist will continue to be the new ‘go to’ critical mass repository for geo-searching, viewing and sharing virtual tours — just as YouTube is for video,” said Chief Strategy Officer Tony Miller. “Plus, when appropriate, tours will be syndicated to our other private label apps, supporting individual businesses such as real estate brokers.”

Developers and manufacturers who would like to use the Tour Wrist Publishing API, can email their contact info to: API@TourWrist.com.

About Tour Wrist

Spark Mobile, LLC has been doing business as Tour Wrist since September 2010. The Tour Wrist service was launched commercially on January 1, 2011. The free Tour Wrist viewing app (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) is available from the Apple iTunes App Store and has been downloaded over 250,000 times as of July 5, 2011.

Tour Wrist App

The highly acclaimed and award winning Tour Wrist app allows user to control what they see. On iDevices, it appears as a window to each space. So, for example, pointing upward may reveal the ceiling within a room and looking down, the floor. The Tour Wrist user experience on an Android device will be optimized by August 1, 2011.

Tour Wrist was among the Apple Picks for Great Free Apps, Hot Apps, and New and Noteworthy for much of April 2011 in the iTunes App Store. Also in April, Tour Wrist was among the Top 10 Free Entertainment iPad Apps in the App Store.  And in July, Tour Wrist was among the Top 10 What’s Hot in Travel Apps in the App Store and Top 30 iPad Travel Apps.

The Tour Wrist app is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars among 1,100+ reviewers of the app in the Apple iTunes App Store, as of July 5, 2011.

Tour Wrist owns and operates the world’s largest panoramic photography forum, Panoguide, with 6,000 professional virtual tour photographers globally.

Tour Wrist is a member of the International VR Photography Association (IVRPA).

The Tour Wrist company (private) is headquartered in Tampa, FL with satellite offices around the country. Tour Wrist® and AmaTour® are registered trademarks of Spark Mobile, LLC. For more information about Tour Wrist, please visit:

Short URL for this Article

Additional Resources

]]> http://blog.greattv.com/2011/07/tour-wrist-360-degree-panoramic-virtual-tour-hosting-company-surpasses-20000-virtual-tour-scenes-launches-api-8-white-label-apps/feed/ 1 GREAT! Agency Retained As Exclusive Marketing Agent for the 400 MPH Rocket Car at Air Shows http://blog.greattv.com/2011/06/great-agency-retained-to-market-air-show-performers-nearly-400-mph-in-9-seconds-smoke-n-thunder-jet-car-is-first-off-the-starting-line/ http://blog.greattv.com/2011/06/great-agency-retained-to-market-air-show-performers-nearly-400-mph-in-9-seconds-smoke-n-thunder-jet-car-is-first-off-the-starting-line/#comments Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:33:40 +0000 Dan Smigrod http://blog.greattv.com/?p=2046

June 1, 2011 – Atlanta, GA USA – Would you like your marketing campaign to take-off like a rocket in 2012?

Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Shows (Braack Motorsports, Inc.) has retained Atlanta-based GREAT! agency as the exclusive marketing agent for integrated marketing sponsorship packages for Braack’s 400 mph Rocket Car performances at 20 Air Shows in 2012.

Rocket Car Creates Three-Stories of Smoke

More than 7 million Air Show enthusiasts annually experience the Rocket Car accelerating its more than 10,000 horse power J34 jet engine (from a T-2A Buckeye military aircraft) to a crowd-pleasing 400 mph (without leaving the ground) – in just nine seconds – racing (and often beating) an aircraft (that has a heads start).

Then, a 14′ double-ringed military-style Rocket Car parachute deploys – producing up to 14g’s of negative force to the pilot – brings the Rocket Car to an abrupt stop to cheering crowds. The Rocket Car 2012 sponsorship opportunity is unique: the Rocket Car is the only land performer at the 20 Air Shows it performs in annually.

Air Show attendance continues to soar above other national sporting events with 10-12 million spectators attending Air Shows in the United States annually: shows that are often free.

Braack Motorsports President and Rocket Car Pilot Bill Braack (retired Air Force 20-year C-130 and C-141 Air Force and Air Force Reserve Veteran) works the revved-up crowd – prior to each Rocket Car versus aircraft race – from his Rocket Car cockpit commanding all eyes on the Rocket Car as he slowly drives the Air Show flight line, generating:

  • a roar of multiple near-sonic boom thunder-claps;
  • three-story billowing clouds of smoke; and
  • 30′ shooting flames from the Rocket Car’s afterburner.

Rocket Car and Aircraft Race at an Air Show

“America loves the thrill of racing meets Air Shows. And I’m thrilled that GREAT! is the exclusive marketing agent for the Rocket Car performances at Air Shows across America,” says Braack. “We seek A-List brands – and their agencies – brands that can benefit from sponsoring the 2012 Rocket Car tour at 20 Air Shows to reach more than 7 million engaged fans,” said Braack.

In contrast, USA Today estimated that all annual NASCAR races combined in 2010 would be 3.6 million: that’s 1 million less than in 2003. NASCAR race attendance is nearly half the estimated annual attend of a 20-market annual Rocket Car Air Show tour. And, unlike NASCAR with 40+ cars on the track at one time; all eyes (and ears) are exclusively devoted to the Rocket Car. [The attendance for the entire National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) season attendance equals about two Rocket Car Air Shows, according to Braack.]

“The sky’s the limit for creating and marketing efficient on-brand; adrenaline pumping experiential; integrated entertainment sponsorship packages leveraging the Rocket Car at U.S. Air Shows,” said GREAT! CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dan Smigrod. “There are many terrific opportunities – such as product sales, sampling, lead generation and social media on steroids – that the Rocket Car can help sponsors activate and engage consumers; while firing-up marketing plans at near super-sonic speed in support the brand’s distribution channels such as – retailers, grocery stores and drug stores. With hundreds of Air Shows annually in North America, the title sponsor can pick and choose Air Show markets strategically.”

Rocket Car Excelerates to 400 MPH in Nine Seconds

“We also include VIP money-can’t-buy-experiences. For example, Sponsor’s VIP guests get to flag-start the race between the Rocket Car and an aircraft racing just 100 feet above the  Rocket Car. It’s a heart-pounding experience as the Rocket Car accelerates to 400 mph and an aircraft with 180 mph head start – rockets past the VIP just yards from their whirling green flags to signal the start of the race,” said Smigrod.

“Flag starting the race on the runway starting line is an over-the-top, unique, thrilling and exciting experience to offer a VIP client guest or winner of an internal sales contest. With 20 Air Shows annually, 120 VIPs get to flag-start a race and 360 guests annually experience the adrenaline rush just feet from the flag-starter. Plus, new in 2012, thousands of VIPs will get to experience the Air Show from the Sponsor’s Rocket Car chalet,” said Braack.

With 6,500 pounds of 3:1 thrust-to-weight ratio at 4.5 g’s, the Rocket Car accelerates faster than any jet in an Air Show; including U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds jets. If the 2,250 lb. Rocket Car was stood on its tail, it has enough raw-power thrust to take-off like a rocket, according to Braack.

Integrated sponsorship marketing opportunities to activate and engage audiences experiences during the typical three-day, eight-hour-per-day experience include:

  • Social Media
  • Experiential
  • Sampling
  • Lead Generation
  • Product Selling
  • Publicity
  • VIP Experience
  • Military Activation
  • Pro-Social

Specific Rocket Car marketing legs include:

  • Exclusive performer re-branding naming rights
  • Sampling; couponing (and product selling)
  • VIP Chalet shaded seating on-the-flight-line
  • One-on-one experiences with the Rocket Car Pilot
  • VIP flag-start the race (and accompany the flag-starter)
  • VIP fly-alongs on media/rehearsal day
  • Trade and consumer TV/print/radio media interviews (fly-alongs for media on media day to film the Rocket Car from the air)
  • Pro-Social (at Sponsor’s option: Air Shows at military bases only)
  • Air Show enthusiasts photos and videos of the Rocket Car for their Facebook, YouTube and flickr accounts
  • Social media engagement with Rocket Car Pilot Bill Braack
  • Media interviews with Rocket Car Pilot Bill Braack
  • Retailer, drug store and grocery marketing extension opportunities
  • Media buy integration opportunities
  • Unique contest and sweepstakes prizing opportunities
  • Internal and external sales incentive (with money-can’t-buy VIP experiences)
  • Eco-green/sustainability integration – the Rocket Car can run on biodiesel B20 fuel (20 percent recycled cooking oil) [when/where available]
  • Rocket Car-Cams – video showing the Sponsor’s branding: including inside the 14′ parachute
  • Public Address (PA) announcements during the Rocket Car Air show performance, in particular, and through-out the day
  • Official Air Show program
  • Official Air Show map
  • Official Air Show poster
  • Official Air Show advertising
  • Official Air Show Welcome Party for Performers (and their guests) – and other private events

“Rocket Car Pilot Bill Braack is the ultimate media-savvy spokesperson: well spoken; articulate; a 20-year (retired) airman veteran that can integrate client ‘talking points’ into his media interviews,” says Smigrod. “The Discovery Channel Daily Planet six-minute (11/1/10) segment is an excellent example of Bill and his Rocket Car generating TV coverage.”

In 2012, local market TV coverage – and newspaper and social media coverage – will leverage all Sponsor branding, including the:

The Discovery Channel Daily Planet Segment with Rocket Car Pilot Bill Braack Racing an Aircraft

“Between our decades of Air Show and military expertise – and the nearly 25 years of GREAT! agency entertainment marketing experience – our combined teamwork creates a win-win-win opportunity for brands – and their agencies – with the Rocket Car (presently doing business as the Smoke-N-Thunder Jet Car Shows) and Air Shows across North America,” says Braack.

The International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) estimates that 10 to 12 million people annually attend one or more of the 325-350 Air Shows in the U.S. and Canada. ICAS reports a 20 percent spectator growth trend during the 2008 and 2009 Air Show seasons and that this trend is forecasted to continue in annual Air Shows in the next couple of years.

The Rocket Car typically participates in the larger Air Shows – often at military bases – that are frequented by:

“After more than 4,000 performances since 1980, the Rocket Car has a 100 percent safety record,” says Braack. “Plus, since current safety procedures have been put in place, no spectators fatalities have happened at a North American Air Show since 1960: an enviable safety-record for any business.”

For Rocket Car sponsorship opportunities – including an exclusive Rocket Car “buy out” for the 2012 Air Show season – please contact GREAT! CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dan Smigrod:

For the 2011 Rocket Car performance tour schedule, please visit the Smoke-N-Thinder Jet Car Shows official website: www.smoke-n-thunder.com/ The 2012 Rocket Car performance tour schedule will be determined in conjunction with the 2012 title sponsor of the Rocket Car.

Short URL For This Story

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video: Six Jets Flying in Tight Formation – flying just fee above the runway — race the Rocket Car at 350 mph in this :45 video shot at the Oregon International Air Show on Friday, August 19, 2011.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video: PencilCam video of the Rocket Car at NAS Patuxent River, MD [Rocket Car racing the airplane starts at 3:40 into the video]

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video: Rocket Car at JBLM Air Expo 2010

]]> http://blog.greattv.com/2011/06/great-agency-retained-to-market-air-show-performers-nearly-400-mph-in-9-seconds-smoke-n-thunder-jet-car-is-first-off-the-starting-line/feed/ 0 Summer TOUR WRIST: Seamlessly Shoot, Upload, View, Search and Share 360-Degree Spherical Virtual Tour Photos and Videos via Searchable Map of the World; Facebook; Twitter; and Email – Free! http://blog.greattv.com/2011/04/summer-tour-wrist-seamless-shoot-upload-view-search-and-share-360-degree-spherical-virtual-tour-photos-and-videos-via-searchable-map-of-the-world-facebook-twitter-and-email-%e2%80%93-free/ http://blog.greattv.com/2011/04/summer-tour-wrist-seamless-shoot-upload-view-search-and-share-360-degree-spherical-virtual-tour-photos-and-videos-via-searchable-map-of-the-world-facebook-twitter-and-email-%e2%80%93-free/#comments Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:41:40 +0000 Dan Smigrod http://blog.greattv.com/?p=3961

April 27, 2011 Atlanta, GA USA – I have seen the future. It arrives this summer.

Using your Apple iPhone, you will be able to easily – and seamlessly – shoot, upload, view, search and share 360-degree immersive, spherical virtual tour photos (and in the near future videos) from your summer vacation via a a searchable map of the world; and then also share your images via Facebook, Twitter and email.

Did I mention Free? You will be able to shoot, upload, view, search and share your virtual tours for free?

Wait. It gets better.

When you plan your summer vacation, you can (already) “teleport in” to 18,600+ virtual tour images from around the globe shot by thousands of professional photographers. These pros likely paid $3,000 or more for the gear and software to shoot, upload, view, search and share their images with you.

Going from $3,000 to free – to share 360-degree spherical virtual tour photos – and going from $3,000 to a one-time purchase of an $80 add-on lens for your iPhone to shoot 360-degree virtual tour video is (way-cool) disruptive innovation.

Soon, millions of iPhone owners will be visually mapping the world with their GeoTagged-images – one 360-degree spherical virtual tour photo and video at a time – so that they can tour remotely virtually any place in the world to help them decide on their travel destination. Virtual tour images will include: hotels and resorts; restaurants; attractions; points of interest; arts and entertainment; retail shopping; and more.

And, while you probably have viewed 360-degree panoramic virtual tour images before – on a hotel website or for the sale of real estate – the next generation of virtual tour viewing is magical when combined with:

Wait. It gets better.

Now imagine that all app developers, software developers – and even camera manufacturers – have the ability to create a seamless shoot, upload, host, view, search and share 360-degree  spherical virtual tour experience for you. Starting in June 2011, this will be possible because of an announcement made today by GREAT! client, Tour Wrist.

Video: How to TOUR WRIST (90 Seconds)

As a GREAT! IDEAologist in the television, entertainment and travel spaces – I constantly looks at emerging technologies in other spaces that can be mashed up and leveraged in ways that the inventor may not have ever imagined in behalf of GREAT! clients. If Prometheus was alive today, he would tell you that – the announcement today (4/27/11) by Tour Wrist – is as significant to television, entertainment, travel and real estate marketers as the day Prometheus stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals.

So, even if your eyes glaze over at the thought of reading this geeky media release (below) about – API meets imaging apps meets camera hardware meets hosting platform – get some Visineand read on: it’s like experiencing the early days of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube – and recognizing the power of these then emerging media, communications and community technologies.

Was your company – or client – late to leverage the web, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube?  This time you have a “heads up” that the future of User Generated Content (UGC) meets location-based marketing arrives the summer of 2011. (And, you’re invited to the party!)

The free Tour Wrist API is the “secret sauce” that will make easy and seamless shooting, uploading, searching and sharing 360-degree spherical virtual tour photos and videos possible for millions of us rather than for thousands of professional photographers. Tour Wrist CEO and Founder Charles Armstrong told me, “The Tour Wrist AmaTour API will  truly democratize panoramic photography – enabling virtually anyone with a smartphone to create and share 360-degree images for free.”

“We anticipate great uses of the Tour Wrist AmaTour API will be mashups that we haven’t even imagined; just as developers built amazing apps for the Twitter API,” says Armstrong. “Our vision is to create the very best virtual tour authoring experience by enabling pano developers and manufacturers to do what they do best while leveraging our robust hosting, searching and sharing infrastructure.”

So, as Tour Wrist says in its promotional video says … Go anywhere: Without Going Anywhere. Tour Cities. Tour Homes. Tour Hotels. Tour Cars. Tour Cafes. Tour Shops. Tour Wrist.

Will your cable TV channel; hotel or resort; entertainment and attraction; real estate firm; or restaurant – or other placed-based business – leverage this Prometheus moment for first-movers advance; or wait for your competitors to light the path for leveraging disruptive innovation in your space?

PostScript

TOUR WRIST CEO & Founder Charles Armstrong is one of 12 Digital Summit 2011 (TechMedia) digerati invited to speak during the Demo Showcase session to an audience of 700 digital, online, new media marketers, web strategists and entrepreneurs. Digital Summit is Monday, May 16th and Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at Cobb Galleria, Atlanta, GA USA $50 conference registration fee discount off of the $245 registration with the TOUR WRIST Digital Summit 2011 Promo Code: DEMOFRIEND at www.digitalsummit.com. TOUR WRIST will also be featured in the Digital Summit Demo Showcase during the two-day conference. [Look for GREAT! CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dan Smigrod at the TOUR WRIST booth in the Digital Summit Demo Showcase.] “We feel the Demo companies selected for Digital Summit represent some of the most exciting rising stars in the internet space,” said Eric Gregg, Executive Director of TechMedia, the producer of the conference. “We’re thrilled to be able to have [Digital Summit 2011] attendees interact with each of them.” #dsum11

PostScript (5/19/11)

PostScript

____________________________________

TOUR WRIST 360-Degree Panoramic Virtual Tour Hosting Company To Make Its TOUR WRIST AmaTour API Available in June 2011

Silicon Valley, CA – April 27, 2011 – TOUR WRIST®, a mobile and web-based virtual tour hosting company, will make its Application Programming Interface (API) available in June 2011.

Tour Wrist

The powerful API will enable panoramic image apps, software, and even some hardware to upload and host images on the TOUR WRIST platform, free of charge.

TOUR WRIST – already the destination for 18,000 virtual tour images since the platform launched in September 2010 – will enable consumers to easily shoot, upload, host, search, view and share 360-degree virtual tours using third-party smartphone apps, desktop software, and panoramic cameras.

“We anticipate third-party panoramic photography developers will also leverage affordable smartphone accessories to allow 360-degree video uploads in the near future,” says TOUR WRIST CEO and Founder Charles Armstrong. “We’re embracing developers and manufacturers that specialize in 360-degree imaging to offer consumers a seamless shoot and share virtual tour experience.”

TOUR WRIST will soon contact the growing list of 360-degree panoramic app developers and panoramic camera equipment manufacturers; a list that includes:

Scan This QR Code to Download the Free TOUR WRIST iPhone App • Text SCAN to 43588 to get a Free Scanner App

App Developers

  1. 360 Panorama (Occipital)
  2. Bubbli (Bubbli Co)
  3. AutoStitch Panorama (Cloudburst Research)
  4. Pano (Debacle Software)
  5. PanoLab and PanoLab Pro (Originate Labs)
  6. PanoMinute (Denis Martin)
  7. Panorama (Airshed)
  8. Panorama Free (Free the Apps!)
  9. Panorama Mosaicker (Intpel)
  10. Panoramatic 360 (Andrea Esposito)
  11. Video to Panorama (Haiqun Deng)

Software Developers

  1. AutoPano Pro (Kolor)
  2. Hugin (Open Source)
  3. Photosynth (Microsoft Corp.)
  4. PTgui (New House Internet Services B.V.)

Hardware Manufacturers

  1. 0-360 Panoramic Optic lens accessory (0-360.com)
  2. Giroptic 360 Degree Camera (Giroptic) – 360-degree panoramic video camera
  3. GoPano Micro (EyeSee360) – 360-degree iPhone 4 video accessory
  4. Sony iSweep–Enabled Cameras (Sony) — consumer cameras (Watch Sony TX7 Cyber-shot Camera ‘Taylor Swift’ Commercial Video) (View Sony Cyber-Shot Digital Camera with iSweep in Amazon Store)
  5. Pano Pro MkII one-shot lens (Pano Pro USA)

“Developers and manufacturers will be able to focus on their core competencies; including image capture; stitching; and processing from computers; smartphones; and other devices, Says Armstrong. “TOUR WRIST will then pick up where they leave off, providing a seamless consumer experience that extends to uploading; hosting; searching; viewing; and sharing the resulting images through our best–in–class virtual tour platform.

Tour Wrist on an iPad

“While TOUR WRIST’s Panoguide photographer online site has 5,700 registered pros and semi-pros,” releasing the TOUR WRIST AmaTour® API will truly democratize panoramic photography – enabling virtually anyone with a smartphone to create and share 360-degree images for free.

“Businesses – such as travel and tourism destinations (hotels, bed and breakfasts), restaurants, and real estate professionals – will embrace digital panoramic image solutions that enable them to shoot, share and promote their business at little or no cost. Until recently, shooting and sharing panoramic images often required $3,000 or more in camera gear and software, plus hosting – not to mention an expertise in using them all.”

Plus, with its free–to–paid “freemium” pricing model, TOUR WRIST will offer enhanced tour hosting with services that include:

  1. Links to companies’ branding/marketing documents
  2. No watermarks
  3. Turn–key micro–sites
  4. Premium image tagging options
  5. Premium geo-location options
  6. No banner advertising
  7. Featured in industry specific sales categories (e.g. Real Estate for Sale)

“For businesses that require professional virtual tour shoots, TOUR WRIST offers a world–wide, professional ‘pano’ photographer community,” says industry veteran and Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Handley.

“We anticipate great uses of the TOUR WRIST AmaTour API will be mashups that we haven’t even imagined; just as developers built amazing apps for the Twitter API,” says Armstrong. “Our vision is to create the very best virtual tour authoring experience by enabling pano developers and manufacturers to do what they do best while leveraging our robust hosting, searching and sharing infrastructure.”

“By enabling consumers to have a seamless shoot and share experience from their choice of multiple apps, programs, and cameras, TOUR WRIST will continue to be the new ‘go to’ critical mass repository for geo-searching, viewing and sharing virtual tours — just as YouTube is for video,” said Chief Strategy Officer Tony Miller. “Plus, when appropriate, tours will be syndicated to our other private label apps, supporting individual businesses such as real estate brokers.” Notably, TOUR WRIST is currently the only RE/MAX® Approved Supplier for virtual tours.

Developers and manufacturers who would like to be notified as soon as the free TOUR WRIST AmaTour API is available, can email their contact info to: API@TourWrist.com.

About TOUR WRIST

Spark Mobile, LLC has been doing business as TOUR WRIST since September 2010. The free TOUR WRIST viewing app (for iDevices) is available from the Apple iTunes App Store and has been downloaded over 150,000 times since its launch. The highly acclaimed TOUR WRIST app allows user to control what they see. On iDevices, it appears as a window to each space. So, for example, pointing upward may reveal the ceiling within a room and looking down, the floor.

TOUR WRIST was among the Apple Picks for Great Free Apps, Hot Apps, and New and Noteworthy for much of April 2011 in the iTunes App Store. Also in April, TOUR WRIST was among the Top 10 Free Entertainment iPad Apps in the App Store. The current version of the TOUR WRIST app is rated 4.5 stars from 275+ reviews; and four-stars among all versions of the app from 730+ reviewers. A mobile–optimized web app for Android devices is also being developed.

The TOUR WRIST company (private) is headquartered in Tampa, FL with satellite offices around the country. TOUR WRIST® and AmaTour® are registered trademarks of Spark Mobile, LLC. For more information about TOUR WRIST, please visit:

# # # 20110427-1 # # # #

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]]> http://blog.greattv.com/2011/04/summer-tour-wrist-seamless-shoot-upload-view-search-and-share-360-degree-spherical-virtual-tour-photos-and-videos-via-searchable-map-of-the-world-facebook-twitter-and-email-%e2%80%93-free/feed/ 1 TOUR WRIST 360-Degree Panoramic Virtual Tour Hosting Company Engages GREAT! Agency for Strategic Alliance and Business Development http://blog.greattv.com/2011/04/tour-wrist-360-degree-panoramic-virtual-tour-hosting-company-engages-great-agency-for-strategic-alliance-and-business-development/ http://blog.greattv.com/2011/04/tour-wrist-360-degree-panoramic-virtual-tour-hosting-company-engages-great-agency-for-strategic-alliance-and-business-development/#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:22:04 +0000 Dan Smigrod http://blog.greattv.com/?p=4081

May 9, 2011 – Atlanta, GA USA – TOUR WRIST®, a mobile and web-based virtual tour hosting company, has engaged GREAT! agency for strategic alliance and business development in the television, entertainment and travel spaces; ideation; and additional marketing services.

Video - Tour Wrist: Virtual Tours of Hotels & Real Estate

TOUR WRIST – already the destination for 19,000 virtual tour images since the platform launched commercially January 1, 2011 – will soon enable millions of consumers to easily shoot, upload, host, search, view and share 360-degree virtual tours using third-party smartphone apps, desktop software, and panoramic cameras when it makes its AmaTour®Application Programming Interface (API) available in June 2011.

“As YouTube is for video, TOUR WRIST will soon be for 360-degree virtual tours,” says TOUR WRIST CEO and Founder Charles Armstrong. “GREAT! CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dan Smigrod shares our vision and passion for the TOUR WRIST platform. We’re thrilled to be working with GREAT! to develop strategic alliances and large-scale business opportunities for TOUR WRIST in television, entertainment and travel.”

“As exciting as millions of iPhone users visually mapping the world with their geo-tagged-virtual tour images – coming soon are 360-degree video virtual tours – also created with an iPhone using an iPhone lens accessory scheduled to ship this summer,” says Smigrod. “Television, entertainment and travel companies that get started now with TOUR WRIST will be ready to leverage user generated content.”

“We’re honored that TOUR WRIST selected GREAT! to help share TOUR WRIST large-scale opportunities such as: private label solutions; re-purposing libraries of existing 360-degree virtual tours; and mashups of TOUR WRIST in ways not even anticipated when the platform (mobile, web and social) was developed for the travel-tourism-destination and real estate sale spaces,” says Smigrod.

About TOUR WRIST®

Spark Mobile, LLC has been doing business as TOUR WRIST® since September 2010. The free TOUR WRIST viewing app (for iDevices) is available from the Apple iTunes App Store and has been downloaded over 150,000 times since its launch. The highly acclaimed TOUR WRIST app allows user to control what they see. On iDevices, it appears as a window to each space. So, for example, pointing upward may reveal the ceiling within a room and looking down, the floor.

Scan This QR Code to Download the Free TOUR WRIST iPhone App (http://lite.tw/) • Text SCAN to 43588 to get a Free Scanner App

TOUR WRIST was among the Apple Picks for Great Free Apps, Hot Apps, and New and Noteworthy for much of April 2011 in the iTunes App Store. Also in April, TOUR WRIST was among the Top 10 Free Entertainment iPad apps in the App Store. The current version of the app (2.1.5) is rated 4.5 stars from 275+ reviews; and four-stars among all versions of the app from 730+ reviewers. A mobile–optimized web app for Android devices is also being developed.

The TOUR WRIST company (private) is headquartered in Tampa, FL with satellite offices around the country. TOUR WRIST® and AmaTour® are registered trademarks of Spark Mobile, LLC. For more information about TOUR WRIST, please visit:

About GREAT!

GREAT! creates, sells and delivers value for TV and other entertainment brands by conceiving fun; innovative; brand activating; creative and multi-platform: strategic alliances; imaginative integrated marketing campaigns, and ground-breaking buzz marketing campaigns that often include innovative new digital media technologies. The Atlanta-based agency was founded in 1987 by IDEAologist Dan Smigrod.

Related Tour Wrist Stories by GREAT! CEO & IDEAologist Dan Smigrod

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TOUR WRIST 360-Degree Virtual Tour Scene of Mountain Junction General Store in Scaly, NC by Photographer Dan Smigrod

]]> http://blog.greattv.com/2011/04/tour-wrist-360-degree-panoramic-virtual-tour-hosting-company-engages-great-agency-for-strategic-alliance-and-business-development/feed/ 4 QR Code 101: Video ‘10 Reasons Why Free Quick Response (QR) Codes Will Bite Me In The Tush’ http://blog.greattv.com/2011/03/qr-code-101-video-10-reasons-why-free-quick-response-qr-codes-will-bite-me-in-the-tush/ http://blog.greattv.com/2011/03/qr-code-101-video-10-reasons-why-free-quick-response-qr-codes-will-bite-me-in-the-tush/#comments Mon, 07 Mar 2011 20:04:46 +0000 Dan Smigrod http://blog.greattv.com/?p=3734

March 7, 2011 – Atlanta, GA USA – If you are researching Quick Response (QR)* scan codes for your company, you probably have stumbled on free QR scan code generators on the web.

So, you may be asking yourself, why pay for QR codes when you can get them for free?

Using free scan codes may result in costly and embarrassing mistakes for you and your company. That’s why I wrote and produced this video: 10 Reasons Why Free QR Codes Will Bite Me In The Tush.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video: ‘10 Reasons Why Free QR Codes Will Bite Me In The Tush’

  1. Dynamic Versus Static Scan Codes – with paid scan codes, you can change the URL after the scan code has been generated. For example, if you are promoting a television series, you may want to change the URL that the scan code points to for this week’s teaser video. With free scan codes (jargon alert: “non-managed” or “direct code generation”), the information is contained in the scan code rather than pointing to a dynamic look-up table in a database that can easily be updated with the appropriate URL.
  2. Early Production Deadlines – with paid scan codes, you can generate the code well before your content is ready. For example, if you have an early production deadline for a magazine ad, but the video you would like your scan code to point to will not be ready until after you need to provide your ad, then a paid scan code will make this – easier!
  3. Correction – with paid scan codes, if someone makes a mistake regarding the URL that the scan code points to, you can easily make the correction: with free codes that’s very hard to do unless you get a Ph.D. in engineering and scan codes and chocolate chip cookies for the IT guy to generate free codes using referring links). If you are already a rocket scientist in scan code generation, then you already know not to use free code generators because they will bite you in the tush.
  4. Analytics – with paid scan codes, you can get analytics, including: total scans; unique users; gender; income; age; handset operating system; and scan location (including interactive maps); to help you make decisions about the effectiveness of your print advertising, for example.
  5. Free Codes May Be Harder To Scan – free scan codes may be harder to scan because they often are “dense” compared to paid scan codes (See a “dense” QR code example). That’s because with free scan codes, the URL (or other information) is contained within the scan code rather than simply pointing to a dynamic look-up table in a database for the appropriate URL or other action. [For more on how to make a free code less dense, please see "point 8" in my That's GREAT! article, Top 10 Mistakes To Avoid When Integrating Two Dimensional (2D) Codes (QR • EZcode • Tag) In Your U.S. Marketing Plans (8/2/10)]
  6. Add Value – It’s essential to add value to the scanning engagement experience. With paid scan codes, you can change the URL after the scan code has been generated, which may be key to creating value for the scanning experience. You may not know what works best for you until after the scan code is in use. For example, if you using the scan code to point to a “how to assemble” this product video on YouTube and a better video is created, you can simply change the URL. (When you update a video on YouTube, it creates a new URL: you can’t use the previous video’s URL.) [For more on adding value with QR Codes, please see "point 1" in my That's GREAT! article, Top 10 Mistakes To Avoid When Integrating Two Dimensional (2D) Codes (QR • EZcode • Tag) In Your U.S. Marketing Plans (8/2/10)]
  7. Printing – Can you afford to toss large printing press runs because the scan code points to a URL that needs to be updated? When you use paid scan codes, you can (easily) update the URL for the scan code rather than re-printing brochures; catalogs; direct mail pieces; signage; or any other physical thing that contains your scan code such as t-shirts or cupcakes. For example, if you are a Realtor using a scan code on your Home For Sale signs, you’ll want to change the URL that the scan code points to rather than printing up new signs for each Home For Sale sign.
  8. Change – Stuff happens. With paid scan codes, you can easily deal with change. For example, if you are using scan codes for vCard contact info for a direct mail piece and the contact info changes after the mailing goes out, you can easily change the vCard info.
  9. Large Batch of Scan Codes – With paid scan code platforms, it’s easier to generate a large batch of scan codes.  If you need to create a large batch of scan codes with a free scan code generator, you – or your team – will likely be overwhelmed with the time-consuming code creation process. For example, while you may ultimately point to the same video, you may want to use different scan codes to know which magazine ads generated those scans.
  10. Scan Code Management – With a paid scan code platform, it’s easier to label and keep track of all your scan codes. That’s important for making sure the correct scan code is used and for running scan code usage reports. For example, you may want to use different scan codes for different magazine ads and run a report that compares unique scan code usage by magazine. If you mark, track and manage campaign collateral for lead generation, you’ll want to mark, track and manage your scan code campaigns too.
  11. Bonus: You’re A Hero – When you use a paid scan code platform, such as Scanbuy’s ScanLife Platform (GREAT! ScanLife Promo Code (“Invitation Code” = great), you will be a hero when senior management has requests that can only be accomplished with a paid scan code solution. GREAT! ScanLife Promo Code (“Invitation Code”) = great (for small, medium, large businesses and agency/resellers so you can play with a robust, paid scan code platform (For example, generate free QR codes to practice with; and generate usage reports for these scan codes). When you are ready to use the scan codes commercially, please request a quote from ScanLife or GREAT! CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dan Smigrod.

For most businesses, using free scan code generators will cost the business more: either eating the cost of re-printing, the inability to use the most effective value-added experience; or the staff time consumed using an inefficient free tool for volume business use. If you recommend a free scan code generator, you will go from hero to zero the first time senior managements wants to – or must – make a change that can only be done with a paid scan code platform.

Plus, if you are using free scan codes for your company, you are also likely to repeat the same costly and embarrassing mistakes already made by major U.S. brands using scan codes and major media companies using scan codes. In addition, if you are using free scan code generators, it’s likely that you will fail to follow scan code best practices that could help your marketing campaign to be as effective as possible.

Hero to Zero! Using free QR codes will bite you in the tush!

Special Thanks

Subscribe to the Free Daily Online Scan Code Newspaper From GREAT!

That’s GREAT! Quick Response (QR) Scan Code Resources

  1. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  101 Ideas for Using QR Codes
  2. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  101 ‘Pointers’ for Using QR Codes
  3. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  101 Major U.S. Brands Using QR Codes
  4. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  50 Major Media Companies Using QR Codes
  5. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Using QR Codes
  6. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Top 10 Best QR Codes Uses in the U.S
  7. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  (Video) ‘10 Reasons Free QR Codes Will Bite Me In The Tush’
  8. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  (Video) What’s the Return on Investment (ROI) on QR Codes?
  9. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  (Video) – 2011 is the Year of the Quick Response Code
  10. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Multiple Choice:  (2010) (2011) (2012) is the Year of the QR Code
  11. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Top 300 Must Read QR Code Articles
  12. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Top 150 Must Read QR Code Articles
  13. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  How Newspapers Can Use QR Codes to Delay the Demise of Print
  14. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  QR Code Book : ‘I Live in the Future & Here’s How It Works
  15. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Top 10 Reasons EZcodes Are Better Than QR Codes
  16. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Guest Post: The 10 Commandments for Marketers
  17. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Guest Post: How to Use QR Codes to Promote Your Business
  18. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Guest Post: An Introduction to QR Codes
  19. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Product Camp Atlanta: 25 QR Code Ideas in 10 Minutes
  20. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Follow Dan Smigrod’s QR Twitter Account: uSCANme
  21. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Free Daily Online QR Code Newspaper (The uSCANme Daily)
  22. That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  All ‘That’s GREAT!’ QR Code Lists, Videos, Articles and Resources
  23. Bonus: GREAT! ScanLife Promo Code (“Invitation Code”) = great (for small, medium, large businesses and agency/resellers so you can play with a robust, paid scan code platform (For example: generate free QR codes to practice with and generate usage reports for these codes). When you are ready to use the scan codes commercially, please request a quote from ScanLife or email GREAT! CEO Dan Smigrod.

_____________________

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Disclosures

*Though Quick Response (QR) brand scan codes are a registered trademark of Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave, Quick Response Code (QR) are commonly – and incorrectly – used generically to refer to all Two Dimensional (2D) mobile barcodes: including ScanLife EZcode brand scan codes; Microsoft Tag codes; datamatrix codes; and still other scan codes that are scanned or photographed on a smartphone such as an iPhone 4. Saying Quick Response code or QR code is like saying that you TIVOed the TV show when you actually used the Comcast brand digital video recorder to record the TV show.

]]> http://blog.greattv.com/2011/03/qr-code-101-video-10-reasons-why-free-quick-response-qr-codes-will-bite-me-in-the-tush/feed/ 19 QR Codes 101 Guest Post: An Introduction to Two Dimensional (2D) Scan Codes Sweeping the U.S. http://blog.greattv.com/2011/03/qr-codes-101-guest-post-an-introduction-to-two-dimensional-2d-scan-codes-sweeping-the-u-s/ http://blog.greattv.com/2011/03/qr-codes-101-guest-post-an-introduction-to-two-dimensional-2d-scan-codes-sweeping-the-u-s/#comments Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:01:01 +0000 Dan Smigrod http://blog.greattv.com/?p=3751

March 1, 2011 – Atlanta, GA USA – The follow QR Code 101 Two Dimensional (2D) Quick Response (QR) scan code article was first published by American Printer (February 2011 • Pages 20-25). This excerpt is reprinted by permission of the author.

by Chris Lehan, Director of Product Development for Impressions, Inc.

In the past two years, we’ve heard quite a Quick Response (QR) Code buzz in the printing industry. In an increasingly wireless world, they offer instant gratification. Invented in Japan in 1994, these codes are becoming more commonplace in the United States, particularly as smart phone usage grows.

Author's Example of What NOT to Do with QR Scan Codes: Example of encoding (as text) the first 250 characters of www.i-i.com. Because there is so much more data, the code must be that much larger. This code only scanned at 1.75" x 1.75" on the author’s phone. For a free scanner app, text SCAN to 43588

QR Codes are two-dimensional matrix (as opposed to bar) codes that connect the physical world to the Internet. The connection takes place when a user scans a QR Code using a smart phone equipped with a camera and appropriate application. Denso-Wave, the inventor, retains the patent but allows anyone to use it license-free. It is now a published ISO standard that any company may use to encode text data, including URLs, into a scannable image. (See American Printer “Quick Response,” July 2010.)

QR Codes—as well as ScanLife EZcode, Microsoft Tag and the other 50 or so types of 2D codes in the public domain—provide a lighting-fast connection between advertisers and consumers. Advertising typically contains a call to action: a consumer is asked to call a phone number, go to a store, visit a domain, etc.

With most advertising vehicles, there’s a lag time—a gap between consumer awareness and any subsequent action. Mobile marketers call this “drop off.” 2D codes eliminate that lag time. A person can scan the code and immediately activate the mobile action with an instant response on his or her phone screen.

Scanning a 2D code eliminates the need for the user to manually key text—the code immediately transports the user to a URL, plays a video or displays text. A 2D code storing a URL can be printed in magazines or on signs, business cards, buildings or just about any physical object where a person interacting with it might need information.

There are many creative uses for 2D codes and many yet to be invented. Careful thought and execution is the key to success when incorporating 2D codes into a business model or marketing campaign. Properly executed, they are a great way to augment a business.

Author Chris Lehan

It’s Best to Test, Test and Test

It only takes one negative experience to alienate consumers. Test your codes with several different mobile devices. Just because a code resolves on one device doesn’t mean it will work properly on another. For true verification, use a professionalgrade barcode scanner.

At Impressions, we use an Integra 9500 scanner. It provides a detailed report and overall grades ranging from A to F. Just as with most schools, “C” and higher are passing grades.

Make it as Easy as Possible

Realistically, some consumers won’t know what 2D codes (or QR Codes) are. Others might be familiar with the concept but hazy on using them. Be descriptive in your marketing. Include a sentence along the lines of, “Scan this code with your mobile phone. You’ll need a free reader—download it here: [URL]. Or, simply text [CODE] to this number.” Keep it simple.

Know the Lingo

Technically, two-dimensional (matrix) codes such as ScanLife EZcode, Microsoft Tag, and the other 50 or so types of 2D codes in the public domain aren’t QR Codes. Referring to them as QR Codes is the same as saying you Googled something on the Internet when, in fact, you used Yahoo.

Take a Closer Look

Unlike one-dimensional UPC barcodes, a two-dimensional (matrix) code can contain information on both the vertical and horizontal axes. Significantly more data can be embedded in 2D codes vs. their UPC counterparts. With EAN/UPC barcodes, only the horizontal white space between the black lines is read to extract the embedded data.

Depending on the type and length, a traditional barcode can hold anywhere between 6 and 50 characters. 2D codes can store up to 7,089 numeric characters or 4,296 alphanumeric characters. Three position detection patterns—the smaller squares seen within three corners of a QR Code—enable them to be read in any direction.

Arguably, all 2D codes can be referred to as quick response codes—they all work swiftly. But as a brand, “QR Code” is specific to Denso-Wave while the term “2D code” encompasses all varieties of this technology.

The Mighty Module

A QR Code’s smallest element is called a module. To comply with most mobile phones’ lens capabilities, it shouldn’t be less than 1 mm in size. High-end handheld readers can have smaller apertures and thus can read smaller modules.

The combined symbol size and quiet zone determine the overall image size. “Symbol size” refers to a code’s symbol width from black edge to black edge. The “quiet zone” is a white border that ensures devices can read the code. The quiet zone should be a minimum of four modules wide.

As camera phones continue to improve, a QR Code’s minimum size continues to shrink. About 90% of the phones currently on the market can read codes with a width and height of 26 x 26 mm (1 in. sq.).

But to ensure the broadest reading success rate across a wide variety of phones, the code should be 32 x 32 mm (1.25 x 1.25 in.) excluding the quiet zone. Newer camera models with improved macro capabilities can read QR Codes that are less than 10 mm (0.4 in.) wide and high.

Size Considerations

The more data encoded, the higher the pixel count. If there is too much data, the mobile reader can’t resolve the code. The simpler the code, the greater the chance it will decode successfully on a wide range of mobile devices.

Shorten the String

URL shorteners help reduce the amount of information in a 2-D code, thus its complexity and size. Suppose you started with www.i-i.com/capabilities/ packaging_folding.html.

Here’s what that 2-D code looks like (see American Printer magazine (2/11), page 22 for QR code examples described here). The lengthy URL and attendant number of characters results in lots of modules. Using a URL shortener (Google URL Shortener, bit.ly, tinyurl.com, etc.), we can produce a much simpler code—http://goo.gl/H3ooG—that still resolves to the same URL.

The resulting 2D code [see American Printer magazine (2/11), page 22 for QR code examples described here] is significantly simpler. When a user scans the 2D code created with this shortened URL, an HTTP request is sent to the server where the link was shortened. The server maps the shortened code to the full URL in its database, then redirects the user from its site to the final destination page.

Offline vs. Online

Offline codes do not require an Internet connection; they are resolved directly on the mobile phone because the data is retrieved from the code itself.

Online codes require an Internet connection or phone service and point to a URL, which triggers an interaction with the server. When a code is used as a pointer, information can be updated at the URL—all of the 2D codes that have been published will remain up-to-date. The code itself never changes, as it only contains a fixed-size web address. An online code used as a pointer to a website is much cleaner and more efficient than an offline code that encodes all of the information directly.

Many mobile readers have difficulty with a code greater than 33 x 33 mm (about 50 to 100 characters). Offline codes are best used for small amounts of text such as a phone number or brief contact details.

Direct Versus Indirect

Direct codes typically are larger than indirect codes because they contain the full URL of the content associated with the code. After scanning, a direct code is decoded by software on the mobile device, which sends the extracted URL to the mobile device browser as if it had been keyed in:

Scan code > decode > arrive at final URL.

Indirect codes, by contrast, store an index to a database containing information about the code. Users can track metrics such as the scan frequency and demographics. Like direct codes, software running on the mobile device decodes the code. But here the software creates a URL to a web address specified in the application containing the index and passes it on to the final destination:

Scan code > decode > intermediate URL > reference index > arrive at final URL.

That’s GREAT! Editor’s Note: Additional QR code content (including examples) is available from American Printer magazine (February 2011 • Pages 20-25) This additional content includes: Cracking the Code: A Cheat Sheet for Would-Be Code Warriors; How it Works; Case Study: QR Codes Offer Ohio Paper Growth Potential; QR Codes, AR & Mobile Payments and QR code examples.

_____________________________________

That’s GREAT! blog post by Guest Columnist: Chris Lehan is director of product development for Impressions Inc. Contact him at chrisl@i-i.com. Impressions Inc. (St. Paul, MN) is a privately held, family owned printing and packaging company specializing in production, printing and packaging for the pharmaceutical, medical device, personal care, software, specialty food and private label industries. See www.i-i.com.

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That’s GREAT! Quick Response (QR) Scan Code Resources

1.     That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  101 Ideas for Using QR Codes
2.     That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  101 ‘Pointers’ for Using QR Codes
3.     That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  101 Major U.S. Brands Using QR Codes
4.     That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  50 Major Media Companies Using QR Codes
5.     That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Using QR Codes
6.     That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Top 10 Best QR Codes Uses in the U.S
7.     That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  (Video) ‘10 Reasons Free QR Codes Will Bite Me In The Tush’
8.     That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  (Video) What’s the Return on Investment (ROI) on QR Codes?
9.     That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  (Video) – 2011 is the Year of the Quick Response Code
10.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Multiple Choice:  (2010) (2011) (2012) is the Year of the QR Code
11.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Top 300 Must Read QR Code Articles
12.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Top 150 Must Read QR Code Articles
13.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  How Newspapers Can Use QR Codes to Delay the Demise of Print
14.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  QR Code Book : ‘I Live in the Future & Here’s How It Works
15.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Top 10 Reasons EZcodes Are Better Than QR Codes
16.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Guest Post: The 10 Commandments for Marketers
17.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Guest Post: How to Use QR Codes to Promote Your Business
18.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Guest Post: An Introduction to QR Codes
19.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Product Camp Atlanta: 25 QR Code Ideas in 10 Minutes
20.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Follow Dan Smigrod’s QR Twitter Account: uSCANme
21.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  Free Daily Online QR Code Newspaper (The uSCANme Daily)
22.   That’s GREAT! – QR Code 101:  All ‘That’s GREAT!’ QR Code Lists, Videos, Articles and Resources

Bonus: GREAT! ScanLife Promo Code (“Invitation Code”) = great (for small, medium, large businesses and agency/resellers so you can play with a robust, paid scan code platform (For example: generate free QR codes to practice with and generate usage reports for these codes). When you are ready to use the scan codes commercially, please request a quote from ScanLife or email GREAT! CEO Dan Smigrod.

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Disclosures

*Though Quick Response (QR) brand scan codes are a registered trademark of Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave, Quick Response Code (QR) are commonly – and incorrectly – used generically to refer to all Two Dimensional (2D) mobile barcodes: including ScanLife EZcode brand scan codes; Microsoft Tag codes; datamatrix codes; and still other scan codes that are scanned or photographed on a smartphone such as an iPhone 4. Saying Quick Response code or QR code is like saying that you TIVOed the TV show when you actually used the Comcast brand digital video recorder to record the TV show.

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