#St Louis App & Software Development Services

[xtappssoftwarecompanystlouismo]

St Louis App & Software Development Services

Contact Us for Premier St. Louis App & Software Development Services. Reach out to our expert team today to discuss your digital project needs.

[mariacallous]

Sixteen years ago, software developer Jeremy Vaught created the Twitter handle @music to curate news and share stories about, obviously, music. Tens of thousands of Tweets later, he’d built a following of more than 11 million. Then, last week, Twitter—now rebranded as X—took the handle off him. An email from X, which Vaught posted to the platform, offered him no explanation but told him he could choose one of three other handles: @music123, @musicmusic, or @musiclover. All three were held by other users and so would presumably have to have been taken off them. 

“It feels like this would be this forever thing where somebody's got their account taken and they were allowed to go take another one,” Vaught says. "Where would we end up? That'd be crazy."

He has since been assigned @musicfan.

The confiscation is entirely within X’s terms of service. As the company tries to turn itself into an everything app, from music to video to finance, it’s likely it will need to stake a claim to handles related to its new business lines. But unilaterally taking a popular handle off a user could be bad business and another demonstration of how X under Musk is stripping away the things that made Twitter, Twitter.

“I definitely think that it gives pause to building any sort of a brand on there,” Vaught says. "When you can't have any confidence that what you're working on is not just going to be taken away, that's huge."

The platform’s success was built on people, like Vaught, doing the work to build followings and create organic communities around shared interests. Heavy-handed land grabs on top of surging hate speech, shifting policies on verification, and, of course, the dropping of a globally recognized brand in favor of a letter, reinforce the feeling that Twitter is more and more becoming a place catering to a usership of one: Musk himself.

“It seems to me that he wants it to turn into a fanboy platform where people just go agree with him no matter what he says,” says Tim Fullerton, CEO of Fullerton Strategies and former VP of content marketing at WeWork. “There has been just this ongoing attack on the Twitter users that have made Twitter what it is. He doesn't respect the user base.”

Before purchasing Twitter, Musk was a super user of the platform, having tweeted some 19,000 times to an audience that now stands at 152 million. This meant that his experience on the app was likely radically different than that of most users��the average Twitter user has 707 followers, and many have no followers at all. On pre-Musk Twitter, about 80 percent of tweets came from just 10 percent of Twitter’s users.

Verification helped average users figure out who was worth following. Twitter invented the blue check mark (which now exists on other platforms like Instagram and TikTok to indicate a verified user) after the manager for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team threatened to sue the platform over a parody account. From then onward, it was used to indicate the authentic accounts of public figures such as celebrities, journalists, and politicians, as well as brands or particularly large accounts (like @music).

Verified accounts “were the people who were producing the majority of the content that was driving more people to stay engaged and increasing the number of people who were using Twitter,” says Fullerton.

But to an influencer like Musk, a blue check was a valuable commodity. Who wouldn’t want to pay for it? So in December he launched Twitter Blue as a pay-to-play “verification” program, replacing the previous merit-based system.

It was, Fullerton says, the first step in its erosion of the communities that made it so popular.

According to a report from Similarweb, only 116,000 people signed up for the $8-a-month service in March. Less than 5 percent of the platform’s 300,000 legacy verified accounts have signed on to keep their blue ticks. Of the 444,435 users who signed up for Twitter Blue in its first month, about half have less than 1,000 followers, according to reporting from Mashable.

And for most users, removing verification has done away with a key visual shorthand that allows users to easily discern if the account or information they’re looking at is real. Firing most of the company’s trust and safety staff, the people who made and enforced the company’s policies around hate speech and misinformation, exacerbated the problem and made the platform increasingly unusable as a real-time source of information and news.

This week, Australia’s national broadcaster, ABC, became the latest large news organization to say it was leaving the platform over its “toxicity.”

For advertisers—still the largest source of X’s revenue—the growth of hate speech and misinformation is a major problem. In the first six months of Musk’s ownership, Twitter lost half of its advertising revenue.

Before, verified accounts and organizations were vetted by Twitter staff for authenticity and legitimacy. These accounts could drive conversation about certain topics, even without getting paid. The communities and engagement that they drove was part of what made Twitter attractive to advertisers.

“It's clear [formerly verified users] are not getting the traffic that they once did, because it's just a jumble and that's not what people want to see. They want to see the news. They want to see political people or sports,” says Fullerton. “When the Grammys or the Golden Globes or something like that happens, you're littering the feed with the RFK Jr.’s and all these awful right-wingers who used to be—rightly—banned.”

Musk has tried to entice influencers with a revenue-sharing program, which requires that users be verified to access. But, as Benedict Evans, an analyst and former partner at Andreessen Horowitz, pointed out in a tweet, confiscating the @music handle illustrated “essentially why no creator in their right minds would invest in Twitter’s monetization products.”

Research from Media Matters for America, a nonprofit watchdog group, found that the revenue-sharing program was cutting checks to right-wing conspiracy theorists. One user identified by MMA, Dom Lucre, regularly pushes QAnon conspiracy theories.

In December, shortly after taking over the platform, Musk announced that he would offer amnesty to accounts that had been previously banned from the platform, including right-wing influencers and Andrew Tate, who has been indicted for human trafficking. While these users may not be the ideal community for legacy users of Twitter, Bill Bergman, a lecturer in marketing at the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond, suggests that perhaps Twitter’s current users are not the ones Musk is seeking to retain or draw in. “I get the impression Musk, with the direction it's going, doesn’t care what Bill Bergman, who has 400 followers, thinks, because Twitter as Bill Bergman knows it doesn’t exist anymore.” But what is coming next (except perhaps an ill-fated super-app) seems unclear.

And while his antics may have hurt Twitter’s brand, Bergman notes that the company is getting consistent if somewhat outsize coverage, a “pretty good” promotional strategy.

“Has he intimidated and upset all of the advertisers? Absolutely. Has he intimidated and upset all of our users that have been with this platform for 20 years? Absolutely,” says Bergman. “But he doesn’t seem to care about that.”

[anju23426t3]

Boost Your Business with Expert Digital Services in St. Louis 🚀

In today’s fast-paced digital age, having the right online presence is everything. Whether you're a startup or an established business, investing in mobile app development, custom software, and digital marketing is no longer optional—it's essential.

Why Custom Software & Mobile Apps Drive Growth

If you're still relying on generic platforms, you're missing out on powerful efficiency and engagement. With custom software development, businesses streamline operations, offer personalized services, and gain competitive advantages. Pair that with mobile app development—and you're literally in your customer’s pocket. From loyalty programs to real-time updates, the possibilities are endless.

Top-Tier Web Development Companies in St. Louis

Choosing a trusted web development company in St. Louis means you get more than just a pretty site. You get SEO-optimized, mobile-responsive, lightning-fast websites built for results. These local teams understand regional markets and can tailor digital strategies that truly resonate.

The Foundation: Website Hosting Services You Can Rely On

A fast, secure website starts with the right website hosting services. If your website is slow or constantly down, you're losing both traffic and trust. Don’t let technical hiccups hold you back—invest in reliable hosting for seamless digital performance.

Fuel Your Growth with SEO & Digital Marketing

Looking to rank higher and get found faster? The right SEO services in St. Louis can drive targeted traffic to your site, while a skilled digital marketing company crafts strategies that convert visitors into loyal customers. From PPC to content and social media, full-funnel marketing is key.

Ready to Grow Faster Than Ever?

🔍 Curious how your business could transform with better tech and smarter marketing? 💡 Let’s turn your idea into a scalable digital solution.

👉 [Contact us now] or book your free consultation today and discover what’s truly possible.

[rana-usman]

What You Should Know About Microsoft Azure Consultants

About Microsoft Azure Consultants. IT Consultants provides Microsoft Azure technical support and Azure Consulting services for businesses located in the St. Louis, MO region. Microsoft Azure Consultants is valuable tools for moving your organization into the cloud! These specialists are trained professionals with Microsoft certification. They can help you meet your tech support needs with a comprehensive and integrated understanding of Microsoft technologies, cloud computing technologies and Microsoft applications.

Microsoft Azure Consultants

Microsoft Azure Consultants can help you implement your Microsoft cloud platform solutions into your business needs. The experts at Microsoft Azure can help you evaluate your tech support needs and find a solution that works well within your budget. Microsoft Azure Consultants can also help you determine the benefits of utilizing the public cloud platform. In addition, they can assist you with implementing new software applications and testing them on the cloud platform. Technical support from Microsoft Azure Consultants can help you make informed decisions about implementing new software in your environment. They can also assist with migration planning and can train you on using the new technology.

There are many benefits to using the cloud platform. You will have significantly less technical expertise to maintain, so you can focus your efforts on developing your business solutions. This will help you reduce your development costs. You will also save money on your Microsoft licenses and avoid expensive Microsoft licensing fees. Cost Optimization these new solutions into your business can greatly enhance the performance and operational benefits of your business.

There are many things that you will want to consider before you begin deploying your Microsoft cloud platform. These consulting services will help you determine what features and functions are most important for your website or app. Depending upon the type of application you are trying to deploy, there are different cloud deployment options available. Microsoft Azure provides three general deployment models: private cloud, public cloud and hybrid cloud. The kind of features and functions that are provided by each model will be based on the needs of your particular application.

Before you start deploying solutions to the cloud, you will want to determine the most appropriate stages of its deployment. If you are only using it as a consulting tool, then you probably don't need the advanced functionality that comes with some of the more advanced solutions. You may only want to test basic features, or conduct a few demonstrations on your own site. Using the Microsoft Azure portal can help Azure Micro Services you get a feel for how these applications work and what you need in order to fully utilize them.

If you already know what you need from your cloud platform then you can focus on evaluating the features that are most important to you. Consulting with Microsoft Azure Consultants can help you decide what features and functions are most useful to your business and how they can make a difference. It is important to take a look at how the portal can help your team be more productive. A cloud platform such as Azure can be a great investment that saves you money in the long run.

When evaluating the Azure Infrastructure experience and capabilities, you should be able to clearly define your needs and discuss them with the consultant. The portal was developed with businesses in mind and designed to be a simple way to access and manage all of your digital files from any internet connection. You can easily coordinate work between colleagues in different locations without the need for email or collaboration. Microsoft has taken great strides in developing new solutions for cloud computing and you can gain a lot of insight into what to expect with their cloud platform through informal conversations with experts.

The opportunities for increased productivity and efficiency that you can enjoy through cloud platform solutions are endless. If you are unsure about which solution is right for your company, then consider the services provided by Azure Migration Consultants. You can have the information you need to make an informed decision and save money while doing so.

[jobsearchtips02]

Dow, S&P 500 set to begin August trade higher as tech stocks resume rally, but stalled coronavirus stimulus talks in focus

Market Picture.

Released: Aug. 3, 2020 at 8: 46 a.m. ET.

Microsoft shares rally amidst its efforts to purchase U.S. part of TikTok from China’s ByteDance.

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JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images.

U.S. stock-index futures on Monday traded decently higher after fluctuating in early action in the very first trading day in August, with wrangling in Washington over another round of coronavirus stimulus supporting some appetite for large-capitalization innovation stocks that have been considered as more resilient to the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How are equity benchmarks carrying out?

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. YMU20,. 0.86% YM00,. 0.86% were up 132 points, or 0.6%, at 26,451, while S&P 500 futures. ESU20,. 0.79% ES00,. 0.79% were 19.75 points, or 0.6%, higher at 3,28350 Nasdaq-100 futures. NQU20,. 1.30% NQ00,. 1.30% 75 points, or 0.9%, at 10,985

On Friday, the Dow. DJIA,. 0.69% put in a weekly loss of 0.2%, while the S&P500 SPX,. 0.67% gotten 1.7%and the Nasdaq Composite Index. COMP,. 1.17% rose 3.7%over the duration. In July, the indexes scheduled a 4th straight regular monthly gain, with the Dow acquiring 2.4%, the S&P 500 advancing 5.5%and the Nasdaq rallying 6.8%for the month.

What’s driving the marketplace?

Market participants are concentrated on the reality that there are no signs of a stimulus package between Democrats and Republicans after negotiations over the weekend failed to yield a replacement for a $600- a-week increase to welfare that expired Friday.

Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin exposed clear geological fault in negotiations between the parties during Sunday talk shows. Pelosi said that “we’ll be close to an agreement when we have … an arrangement,” speaking to ABC’s Martha Raddatz on “This Week.”

At concern for Democrats and Republicans is the quantity of unemployment help for Americans. The White House has actually come out in favor of reducing the federal help to $200 a week, Democrats have actually called for keeping it at $600 a week. Nevertheless, the parties appear to both support a fresh round of stimulus checks of $1,200 for workers.

The defend help for out-of-work Americans comes ahead of Friday’s July report on the labor market that will be read to figure out the impact of the lethal pathogen on employment as cases of the infection have steadily increased in a number of states.

Certainly, coronavirus infections in the U.S. reached a record in July, with more than 1.9 million new cases. The U.S. has almost 4.7 million verified COVID-19 cases and about 155,000 deaths, while the worldwide tally for infections stands at more than 18 million and nearly 690,000 deaths, according to information put together by Johns Hopkins University

Meanwhile, financiers might concentrate on developments in between Microsoft Corp. MSFT,. 4.06% and video-sharing app TikTok, owned by a Chinese business, ByteDance. Microsoft validated talk with buy the American unit of the company and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said he spoke with President Donald Trump. Trump on Friday had actually signaled that he was thinking about a ban of the popular app.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the weekend stated that the White House might act versus other Chinese software application business, highlighting elevated tensions between Beijing and Washington.

Looking ahead, financiers waited for a report on manufacturing activity for July from the Institute for Supply Management due at 10 a.m. ET., along with a report on building costs for June. A separate, less carefully followed report on manufacturing from IHS Markit will be released at 9: 45 a.m.

On the Federal Reserve front, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard is expected to speak at 12: 30 p.m., while Charles Evans, Chicago Fed president, is slated to speak at 2 p.m.

Which stocks remain in focus?

Shares of Clorox Co. CLX,. -1.94% rose in premarket trading, after the maker of cleaning and household items reported a financial fourth-quarter revenue and revenue that beat expectations, as it gained from demand for cleaning products as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, while offering an in-line outlook.

Microsoft MSFT,. 4.06% shares rallied 2%premarket Monday after verifying on Sunday that it is holding talks with China-based ByteDance to purchase the U.S. operations of its TikTok unit.

Marathon Petroleum Corp MPC,. 2.56%, fresh from the sale of its gasoline station to the owners of the 7-Eleven corner store chain for $21 billion in the biggest U.S. energy deal of the year, published second-quarter incomes Monday, revealing a smaller-than-expected adjusted loss however income that lagged quotes.

Shares of domestic and industrial security provider ADT Inc ADT,. 7444% soared in premarket trade Monday, after the company announced a brand-new venture with Alphabet Inc.‘s. GOOG,. -0.73% GOOGL,. -0.66% Google to develop the next generation of smart home security offerings.

Apple Inc. AAPL,. 3.35% has actually bought an online payments startup that could turn the iPhone into a payment terminal, much as Square. SQ,. 3.10% does, according to a report. Apple has actually bought Montreal’s Mobeewave for about $100 million, according to Bloomberg News

McKesson Corp. MCK,. 3.31% Shares of climbed 1.9%in premarket trading Monday, after the drug supplier and health care services company reported financial first-quarter earnings and revenue that beat expectations.

Tyson Foods Inc. TSN,. 2.75% increased almost 1%in Monday premarket trading even after the meat manufacturer’s profits topped Wall Street forecasts.

How are other markets trading?

The 10- year Treasury note yield. TMUBMUSD10 Y,. 0.560% was up 2 basis indicate 0.556%. Bond rates move inversely to yields.

Global equity markets marched higher on Monday. The Stoxx Europe 600 index. SXXP,. 2.10% rose 1.6%, while China’s CSI 300 index. 000300,. 1.62% acquired 1.6%. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei index. NIK,. 2.23% climbed 2.2%.

The greenback reversed some of its decline this year, with the ICE U.S. Dollar index. DXY,. 0.42% jumping 0.5%.

Unrefined futures. CL00,. 1.11% hovered above $40 a barrel to trade somewhat down at $4015, based on the New york city Mercantile Exchange. Gold futures. GCQ20,. 0.08% acquired $5.10, or 0.3%, to $1,97690 an ounce.

%.

from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/dow-sp-500-set-to-begin-august-trade-higher-as-tech-stocks-resume-rally-but-stalled-coronavirus-stimulus-talks-in-focus/

[sataware-blog]

Mobile App Developers St. Louis

Mobile app development involves a native app on an Android or iOS device. We also develop the mobile apps that animate in the mist that the mobile strategies connect with to satisfy the resolution of the system. We, at Sataware Technologies, support you to make a faultless business process. We are a foremost Mobile App Development Company with headquarters in St. Louis, USA. Our talented mobile app developers put their core and passion into progress to deliver first-rate mobile apps to the real world. A prodigious team accustomed to the planned method creates a great mobile app as a result.

Our imaginative method of developing is an innovative elegance to block the difficulties. Our mobile app developers continuously have a technician out to your problems using new procedures to execute a mobile app development plan. This newest appearance and style will take in more clients and outcome in improved downloads. Consuming worked on some successful plans, we track the exact mobile approach for structure the application. An active usability plan permits your clients to relate with your mobile application or web site with comfort and proficiency.

If you’re seeing to pull mobile technology for your corporate, our top mobile app developers are at your deal. We deliver Android and iOS mobile app services therefore you can spread your customers on their preferred policies.

We have aided much business to get successful business and return from startups to Creativity. We bring you the first-rate and first-class mobile apps by consuming the newest technologies

Sataware Technologies is a mobile app development agency focusing on Mobile App Development, software development, web development. We have established inventive and client-centric mobile applications to give constant responsive knowledge to our customers. Our developers bid sole custom-made solutions that certify the client’s business development. With a crew of trained experts in Mobile Application Development, we make a wide-ranging variety of apps that kind us a projecting company.

Mobile app development is the technique of developing software that executes on a moveable device. Hereafter, the mobile development method involves making installable software packages, executing back-end facilities such as statistics access with an API, and testing the request on goal devices.

We stretch the method and knowledge desired to change talented concepts into fruitful mobile applications. Our plan team kinds of advanced edges custom-tailored to see your requirements. We bid you with superior mobile app development facilities for your business methods optimization and mechanization. App developers St Louis.

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[transhumanitynet]

How Likely Is Your Job to be Automated?

What is it about the word automation that makes some perk-up while others cringe?

According to Erik Brynjolfsson, author of Race Against the Machine and The Second Machine Age, automation simply means one fewer job than there used to be, with the same amount of output.

For example, a tax preparer can get automated away by TurboTax and no longer be able to find work. An assembly line worker can get automated away by a robot. Hordes of attorneys are now displaced by software in the legal discovery process, where an algorithm can search and classify thousands of documents in minutes which used to take dozens of lawyers weeks to accomplish. The common thread is the emerging digitalization or automation of what used to be manual, human-driven tasks.

A recent report shows that almost 50% of jobs will be automated within the next 10-20 years. In a recent public health study by the UK government, the combined costs from worklessness and sickness absence amount to over £100bn annually (about $125bn USD). The results show that it is healthy for people to be in ‘good work’ than to be out of work.

Good work means having not only a work environment that is safe but also having a sense of security, autonomy, good line management, and communication within an organization. Besides automation’s risk to job security and income, there is a moral and ethical case for greater action.

Advances in hardware and software mean it’s possible to automate more. It’s getting easier and quicker to automate white-collar jobs today than ever before. Technological advances in hardware, software/AI all make this possible and irreversible. Think of the airline staffers whose job checking in passengers has been taken by self-service kiosks.

For the hackers among us, there is even a Y Combinator-backed tech startup that provides crowdsourced app development-as-a-service (I have no connection or relationship to them). You can build your own startup without needing a tech co-founder or even knowing how to code. It uses machine learning to identify the best packages for a given feature set based on what has historically been used with that relevant framework.

In a way, this seems inevitable. How many apps are built on a daily basis where the same tech stack or development problem has been solved thousands of times already? This takes productivity to another level but at what cost to the developers whose jobs may be displaced due to this crowdsourced approach to developer work allocation? This is only the beginning.

Productivity gives us a sense of usefulness and well-being but increasingly at the cost of cheaper labor. More middle-class workers are getting left behind and starting over mid-career being unable to relearn or develop new relevant skills in time. Some parents with young children already worry that robots will take all potential jobs for their children in the near future. But how bad is it really?

Is My Job Likely To Be Automated?

To see how likely your job is at risk of being automated run a job search on the Will Robots Take My Job website. With data taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics augmented with its own internal quantitative poll, you may be surprised. Out of over 700 occupations, here are the top twenty most at-risk for automation:

For example, Accountants and Auditors have a 94% probability of being replaced by software and AI in the next couple of decades:

You’ll notice a common pattern to the jobs that are in danger of being automated–they are mainly based on a routine. In fact, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Routine Cognitive (i.e. accountants, lawyers) and Routine Manual (i.e. assembly line workers, watch repairers) jobs are on the decline.

There is nothing innately wrong with routine. Some of our most rewarding experiences can be routine-driven such as repairing a gadget, fixing a car or even chopping wood. Routine work gets us into our flow state where we “get into the zone”. You’ve felt flow when you’re performing an activity and get fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, total involvement, and enjoyment.

Flow is characterized by complete absorption in what one does, and a resulting loss in one’s sense of space and time. But what if your livelihood and ability to pay your bills depend on that routine job that is increasingly in danger of being automated? Bliss can quickly turn into buzzkill.

Conclusion

The probability of automation does not necessarily equal the probability of job loss. Just because a job can be automated doesn’t mean that it will. Successful companies will figure out the right balance of human and digital labor to keep a healthy and motivated workforce. This will require deeper thinking about the problem that you are trying to solve. The cost and productivity incentives will drive more companies to pursue digital labor. This time is now to reimagine your occupation and decide how you can continue to provide value, gain personal autonomy and future-proof your source of livelihood.

How Likely Is Your Job to be Automated? was originally published on transhumanity.net

[unixcommerce]

The 25 Most Famous Veteran Entrepreneurs

Military veteran entrepreneurs have a keen insight when it comes to assessing risk, making decisions and persevering even in the most adverse situations. This has allowed vets to succeed when they switch to civilian life and pursue their entrepreneurial dream.

Even though 99.9% of businesses veterans own are small, there are some have eventually become global enterprises.  According to a Small Business Administration report, veterans make up less 10% of the population. However, they have a disproportionately large number of businesses. The report reveals vets own close to 10% of firms in the U.S. This comes out to 2.4 million businesses with majority or outright veteran ownership.

Famous Veteran Entrepreneurs

If you are a veteran just starting on your entrepreneurial journey, here are 25 famous vets who will inspire you to keep going no matter what.

Phil Knight – Nike

Nike is now a multi-billion-dollar global corporation, but it had some very humble beginnings. When Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman founded what would become Nike, the shoes they imported from Japan were being sold from the trunk of a car at track meets.

This was in the early 1960s. Fast forward to today and Knight is worth around $37.6 billion and he is the 21st richest person in the world.

But before he accomplished all of these goals, Knight enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1962 after graduating from college. He would serve an additional seven years in the Army Reserve for a total of eight years of service.

Frederick Smith – FedEx

As one of the big three in the delivery industry, FedEx is now a transition verb (I am going to FedEx it). But before achieving this popularity, Smith was running it from a Yale University dorm.

After graduating from Yale, Smith was commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving three years from 1966 to 1969. He served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War, where he received two Purple Hearts, the Silver Star, and the Bronze Star.

Smith learned about logistics while in the Marines, which he would use later to perfect his overnight delivery service.

Bob Parsons – GoDaddy

GoDaddy was founded by Bob Parsons in 1997. In less than two decades he became a billionaire, resigned as the CEO of his company and sold 70% of it to a private consortium.

However, long before all of this success, Parsons enlisted in the U.S. Marines after flunking high school. He served in the Vietnam War as a rifleman where he was wounded in action. This would earn him the Purple Heart among other honors.

Jason Crabtree and Andrew Sellers — Qomplx

Jason Crabtree and Andrew Sellers are both veterans and cofounders of Qomplx. Crabtree is a West Point grad who was a combat rifle-platoon leader in Afghanistan, Sellers an Air Force Academy valedictorian who served in the Iraq war.

Qomplx offers software tools that bring multiple sources of data together in one place. It allows leaders to get a simplified overview of what’s going on in their organization. The startup plays in the fast-moving artificial intelligence space.

Richard Kinder — Kinder Morgan

Kinder Morgan is one of the largest energy infrastructure company in North America. Currently it operates 84,000 miles of pipelines and 157 terminals, while employing around 11,000 people. Morgan’s pipelines transport natural gas, refined petroleum products, crude oil, carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethanol.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (KMP) was founded in February of 1997 when a group of investors led by Executive Chairman Richard D. Kinder and V. Morgan acquired the general partner of Enron Liquids Pipeline. Richard Kinder is a Vietnam veteran, serving as a Captain in the U.S. Army.

Blake Hall — ID.me

Hall is an Army veteran who served in a combat unit in Iraq. Hall credits the lessons he learned in Iraq have served him well as an entrepreneur. Good leadership, he says, is good leadership, both on the battlefield and in the boardroom.

ID.me provides secure identity proofing, authentication, and group affiliation verification for government and businesses across sectors. Today ID.me’s services are used by more than 10 million people.

Gregory Coleman — Sworkit

Coleman co-founded exercise app Sworkit in 2010 with CEO Benjamin Young. In 2016 the company raised $1.5 million in funding from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, after a successful Shark Tank pitch.

Coleman is a former Air Force pilot. To date the Sworkit app has over 35 million downloads and more than 3 million active monthly users.

Mark L. Rockefeller — StreetShares

Rockefeller co-founded StreetShares, a small business funding community in D.C. run by veterans.

StreetShares is a peer-to-peer lending service that helps small businesses to apply for veteran and small business loans, using crowdfunding tech to match borrowers and investors.

Rockefeller first spent time as a military officer in Iraq and was an attorney and also a federal prosecutor.

John B. Rogers Jr. — Local Motors

John B. Rogers Jr. is former US Marine Corps Captain who served from the Pacific Rim to Iraq.

founded in 2007, Local Motors’ focuses on low-volume manufacturing of open-source motor vehicle designs using multiple micro factories.

In 2016, the company introduced Ollim the popular autonomous electric-powered shuttle. The company’s current vehicles include the Rally Fighter and their 3D-printed Strati and Swim vehicles.

Catheryne Nicholson — BlockCypher

After serving five years as a U.S. Naval Officer, Catheryne Nicholson turned to software and startups. She has more than 15 years of experience in software product management, product marketing, environmental & energy, and defense.

Her expertise includes crypto-currency, CRM, energy management systems, product management, product marketing, investor relations and environmental management.  In 2014, she launched platform, BlockCypher, providing a cloud-optimized block chain platform that offers bitcoin web services.

Matt “Griff” Griffin — Combat Flip Flops

Matt “Griff” Griffin is the CEO & Co-Founder of Combat Flip Flops. Griffin served in the 75th Ranger Regiment as a Rifle Company Fire Support Officer with three tours to Afghanistan and one tour to Iraq.

Established in 2016, Combat Flip Flops operates of an e-commerce store designed to provide opportunities for self-determined entrepreneurs affected by conflict. The company sells flip flops, clothing and accessories through its online store to consumers. It thendonates the proceeds to people affected by wars.

Salvatore Defranco — Battle Grounds Coffee

In 2015, Defranco and his wife Dana founded Battle Grounds Coffee serving high-quality coffee. The Massachusetts native, DeFranco, was a Navy SEAL from 2004-10 and served a tour in Iraq.

In addition to offering up premium roasts like Hold Fast, White Knuckle Espresso, and Treason (the brand’s decaf brew) the DeFranco’s first opened a brick and mortar cafe in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Later on, they opened a second store in Lawerence. Battle Grounds Coffee employs veterans and helps support charities for both veteran and the homeless.

Bob Rosedale — Tutor Doctor

Rosedale is an Air Force veteran who has helped countless young officers become pilots. When opening the first Tutor Doctor business in Boise, he applied his military training which helps students build organizational and executive skills.

Tutor Doctor today provides affordable one-on-one supplementary education to students and adults by offering in-home tutoring to families. The company also leverages a leading-edge e-tutoring platform to reach cities and regions throughout the world not yet serviced by a local Tutor Doctor office.

Dale King — Doc Spartan

Dale King is a former military intelligence officer with the 10th Special Forces Group. King along with Renee Wallace founded Doc Spartan in June of 2015. This is when they developed an all-natural first aid ointment for the fitness community.

They idea for the ointment was initiated to help athletes and others treat everyday cuts and scrapes. Since being featured on Shark Tank, Doc Spartan has grown to operate in the Cosmetics business / industry within the miscellaneous retail sector.

Jack Taylor — Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Jack Taylor, a decorated Navy pilot who served in WWII founded Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company. After the war, he returned to St. Louis and started a delivery service company. In 1948, he took a job at the Lindburg Cadillac dealership where he eventually became a sales manager. In 1957, he started a car leasing business at the dealership in partnership with his employer, Arthur R. Lindburg.

Targeting people whose cars were in the shop, the Executive Leasing Company began operation with a total of seven cars. Today the company’s fleet exceeds 700,000 vehicles, and its fleet services unit serving corporate clients includes an additional 135,000 vehicles.

Brad Hunstable and John Ham — Ustream

Former Army Captain Brad Hunstable founded live broadcasting service Ustream with John Ham, whom he met at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The company was originally created to help soldiers in war zones communicate with their families via live video. Later on, it expanded into interactive broadcasting platform for political events, concerts, conferences, movie premieres, talk shows, sporting events, and interactive games. In 2016, Ustream was acquired by IBM.

Phyllis Newhouse — Xtreme Solutions, Inc.

Phyllis Newhouse, is the chief executive officer of Xtreme Solutions. Newhouse a former military intelligence sergeant for the Army, used her training on leadership, resilience and cybersecurity to found Xtreme Solutions.

Xtreme Solutions, Inc. (XSI) specializes in providing Information technology, cybersecurity, and telecommunications services & solutions as a government and commercial contractor. In addition, it provides information technology, cybersecurity, & telecommunications services & solutions.

Krissa Watry — Dynepic, Inc

Krissa Watry, a former Air Force Officer is a co-founder of Dynepic, Inc. Watry has also worked at the Department of Defense and NASA.

Dynepic develops connected toys, an open architecture and a cloud platform for child friendly content. The company aims to connect kids with the Internet of Things (IoT) and the platform acts as a playground for smart toys.

Jay Van Andel — Amway

Jay Van Andel is cofounder of AmyWay. The World War II veteran served as a United States Army Air Force officer and trained crews for B-17 and B-29 bombers. In 1959, the “American Way Association” began in the basements of the Van Andel and DeVos homes (veteran of the Army Air Corps), and later that year “Amway Sales Corporation” was formed. A converted service station became Amway’s first outside office building in 1960.

Today Amway is a manufacturer and distributor of health, beauty, and home care products such as cleansers, moisturizers, and fragrances. Amway went on to become the largest direct selling company in the world. Amway corporate reports that in 2019, they have over 3 million independent business owners (IBO’s) in over 100 countries

Lou Scola — CARSTAR

Lou Scola is a Navy veteran and owner of CARSTAR. CARSTAR is America’s largest Multi-Shop Operator Network of independently owned collision repair facilities. It offers auto body repair, paintless dent repair, storm damage repair with 24/7 accident assistance.

Paul A. Sperry — Sperry Shoes

Sperry Shoes came about in 1935, after Sperry watched his dog dart effortlessly across the ice. He was inspired to carve grooves – like those on his dog’s paws – into the bottom of a rubber sole. In that moment of inspiration, the world’s first boat shoe was born. The iconic rubber soled canvas has since been a favorite for generations.

The navy veteran’s company has now grown to employ 2,500 employees with $50 million in annual revenue.

Gordon Logan — Sport Clips

Gordon Logan is a veteran Aircraft Commander in the U.S. Air Force. Prior to founding Sport Clips in 1990s, Gordon owned and operated salons throughout Texas. The MIT and Wharton School of Business graduate took five years to open the first 50 stores. By 2007, Sport Clips celebrated the opening of its 400th and 500th store in the same year. Today the Company’s services include MVP haircuts, Triple Play Haircuts, and Varsity Haircuts.

Sport Clips products include American Crew, Paul Mitchel, and Nioxin.

Damien Patton — Banjo

Damien Patton, is CEO of Banjo. Patton served two tours of duty in Desert Storm and went on to work as a chief mechanic for one of the top NASCAR teams.

Banjo, was born from Damien winning an engineering hackathon at Google in 2010. Banjo develops and maintains an Internet and mobile software platform. It provides real time display of live, shared events from around the world indexed by location and content.

Derek Sisson — Famous Brands

Derek Sisson is the founder and CEO of Famous Brands and a former Force Recon Marine. Famous Brands is Derek’s fourth company. Famous Brands’ flagship product is Merica Bourbon, a bourbon “from military veterans who want to share the great taste of bourbon and freedom.”

Merica Bourbon won a silver medal at the Whiskies of the World Awards in 2017.

Chuck Wallace — Esurance

Esurance was one of the first companies to start selling insurance online. The company was founded by Chuck Wallace and four other partners in 1999.

Allstate bought Esurance in 2011 and since has become a wholly owned subsidiary of the insurance giant.

Wallace attended the United States Airforce Academy from 1982 to 1986.

Image: Depositphotos.com

This article, “The 25 Most Famous Veteran Entrepreneurs” was first published on Small Business Trends

https://smallbiztrends.com/

The post The 25 Most Famous Veteran Entrepreneurs appeared first on Unix Commerce.

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[edivupage]

Announcing the Finalists for The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards

We are pleased to announce the finalists for The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards. On August

31, 2018, the winners will be announced. Finalists can access their award seals by clicking here.

  Best Lesson Planning App or Tool

Finalists:

Profile Planner

ClassFlow

ActivInspire

Nearpod

  Best Assessment App or Tool

Finalists:

Google Classroom

Evo Social/Emotional by Aperture Education

MobyMax

  Best Early Childhood Education App or Tool

Finalists:

KIBO – The STEAM Robot Kit for Children 4 – 7

HeadSprout

Canticos Los Pollitos (Little Chickies) App

Levar Burton Skybrary Family

MobyMax

  Best Literacy App or Tool

Finalists:

PBS Parents Play and Learn

EssayJack

Microsoft Learning Tools

Raz-Plus

Speare.com

MobyMax

Lexia Core5 Reading

  Best Math App or Tool

Finalists:

ABCmouse Mastering Math

MATHia

Matific

ExploreLearning Reflex

MobyMax

  Best STEM/STEAM Education App or Tool

Finalists:

KOOV Educator Kit by Sony

Vernier Go Direct® Sensors with Graphical Analysis 4 @VernierST

FlinnSTEM Powered by IMSA Fusion

WhiteBox Learning

DigitalEd

robots4STEM

Science A-Z

littleBits

ExploreLearning Gizmos

MobyMax

  Best Language Learning App or Tool

Finalists:

Languagenut

Voces Digital

Sprig Learning

  Best Virtual or Augmented Reality App or Tool

Finalists:

DiscoveryVR

Gamar

HoloLAB Champions

  Best Personalized/Adaptive Learning App or Tool

Finalists:

ABCmouse Mastering Math

AVer CP3Series Interactive Flat Panel

Amplifire

Nearpod

Lexia PowerUp Literacy

StudySmarter

MATHia

Curriculum Associates i-Ready Mathematics and Reading

MobyMax

  Best Coding App or Tool

Finalists:

CodeMonkey

Tynker

CoderZ by Intelitek

  Best Gamification App or Tool

Finalists:

Classcraft

Play Brighter

Kahoot!

  Best Learning Management System

Finalists:

NEO LMS

Odysseyware

Edsby

  Best Blended/Flipped Learning App or Tool

Finalists:

ClassFlow

FlinnPREP

Odysseyware ClassPace

Learnlight

MobyMax

  Best Assistive Technology App or Tool

Finalists:

Robots4Autism

Learning Ally

  Best Parent-Teacher/School Communication App or Tool

Finalists:

Base Education

Bloomz

Edsby

RYCOR

  Best Collaboration App or Tool

Finalists:

Newline Interactive

ADVANCEfeedback by Insight ADVANCE

Project Pals, Inc.

Epson iProjection App

Snowflake MultiTeach® (NUITEQ®)

Boxlight MimioFrame

  Best Tutoring/Test Prep App or Tool

Finalists:

Learnamic

FlinnPREP

www.winwardacademy.com

StudyLock

Varsity Tutors

GradeSlam

  Best Classroom/Behavior Management App or Tool

Finalists:

PBIS Rewards

NetSupport School

Impero Education Pro V7

MobyMax

  Best Classroom Audio-Visual App or Tool

Finalists:

Newline Interacitve

ActivPanel

Epson BrightLink 710Ui Interactive Laser Display

Boxlight MimioFrame

  Best Higher Education Solution

Finalists:

Study.com

TeamDynamix

CampusLogic

Perceivant

  Best Learning Analytics/Data Mining App or Tool

Finalists:

Otus

Edsby

Tableau Software

  Best Professional Development App or Tool

Winner:

Finalists:

Edthena

ADVANCEfeedback by Insight ADVANCE

  Best Student Information System (SIS) App or Tool

Finalists:

SynergySIS

Alma

  Best Global EdTech Leader

Finalists:

Angela Maiers

Nathaniel A. Davis

Dr. Edward Tse

  Best Global EdTech Company

Finalists:

Promethean

RoboKind

ClassLink

Epson America

MobyMax

GradeSlam

  Best Global EdTech Startup

Finalists:

Orange Neurosciences

Learnamic

Yewno

Otus

  Best K-12 School Leader

Finalists:

Yvonne Mackey-Boyd, River Roads Lutheran School, St. Louis, MO

Dr. Adam Hartley, Fenton Area Public Schools, Genesee County, Michigan

Shawn Wigg, Director of Mathematics, Duval County Public Schools

  Best Higher Education Leader

Finalists:         

Nichole Pinkard, Professor, Depaul University, Chicago, IL

Anant Agarwal, edx, Cambridge, MA

  Best School District Technology Coordinator/Director

Finalists:

John Martin, Inter-Lakes School District, Meredith, NH

Dan Warren, Director of Technology Operation, Central Stores, and Printing Services at Des Moines Public Schools

  Best K-12 Teacher

Finalists:

Crystal Avila, Socorro High School, El Paso Texas

Cathy Haskett Morrison, Peel District School Board, Canada

  Best College/University Professor

Finalists:

Nicole Kraft, Ohio State University

David J. Malan, Harvard University

  Best EdTech PR Firm

Finalists:

PR With Pananche

J Harrison Public Relations Group

Nickel Communications

  The post Announcing the Finalists for The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards appeared first on The Edvocate.

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[investmart007]

SAN JOSE, Calif | New iPhone features to include ways to use it less

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/lcqXeZ

SAN JOSE, Calif | New iPhone features to include ways to use it less

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Apple introduced new controls for limiting how much time customers spend on their devices as the company tackles criticism that its devices are becoming increasingly addictive and distracting.

The controls allow users to set “Do Not Disturb” modes on their phones, such as at night or during trips to the playground with their kids. During that time, app notifications will be blocked from showing up on the home screen. Apple also will give users reports on how much time they spend on apps and what gets them to check them constantly. They can set time limits on specific apps. Parents can also set controls for their kids.

Some of the controls are similar to those unveiled by Google last month, when it revealed plans to have phones go into “shush” mode when placed face down on a table and have the screen show only greyscale colors late at night.

The new Apple features are among the software updates previewed Monday at the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, California. These and other features won’t reach users for a few months; rather, they were being shown to give software developers a chance to build new apps to make iPhones and other Apple devices more useful. The next iPhone software, iOS 12, is expected in September following the announcements on new iPhones, for instance.

Other highlights from the show include:

AUGMENTED REALITY GETS AUGMENTED Apple rolled out new support for augmented reality applications as it unveiled a new format for digital objects that appear to live in the real world.

The update comes as Apple tries to extend AR experiences to a broader population, rather than just hard-core, tech-savvy users.

The company started that effort last year when it built AR tools into most iPhones and iPads; by contrast, Google had limited that to niche Android phone models.

Digital objects created with the new format, called USDZ, will work in Apple’s Safari browser, Messages and Mail apps, meaning AR isn’t limited to stand-alone apps that people choose to download separately. The format will also get support in Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite of apps for professional photographers, videographers and designers. What remains to be seen is whether there is enough of a compelling reason for someone to use AR, even if it’s built-in to everyday apps.

Apple also unveiled an app called “Measure” that measures boxes and other objects in the real world by pointing the camera at them.

Apple is also offering tools to give multiple users a different view of the same digital objects viewed from different angles.

SIRI SHORTCUTS

Apple wants its digital assistant Siri to do more. Third-party apps will now be able to let users invoke Siri for commonly used tasks, much the way competing assistants from Google and Amazon long have.

Before, Apple had limited third-party access to a handful of categories, such as messaging, while excluding competitors to Apple’s Music service, for instance.

The software update will also let people group similar tasks together into shortcuts that can be accessed by simple phrases like “heading home.” Saying the phrase can be set to open Apple Maps to find the best route home and launching a radio app.

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE and RYAN NAKASHIMA , By Associated Press – published on STL.News by St. Louis Media, LLC(R.A)

[blackpjensen]

Is Remote Jobsite Monitoring For You?

Two major landscape equipment manufacturers are now taking connectivity to the production equipment we use every day.

Briggs & Stratton and Husqvarna have developed innovative systems to connect landscape company owners and managers with the real-time, in-the-field performance of their landscape and snow production equipment and, by extension, the employees who use it. And they do this without having someone on the ground supervising production.

Let’s start with InfoHub, the Internet of Things (IoT) device and web-based platform that Briggs & Stratton showcased at this past fall’s GIE+EXPO. Most simply, it’s a system that allows an owner or manager to track the location and usage of equipment in real time, any time via a website. But its capabilities extend way beyond equipment location and usage. The on-the-job data that it tracks and collects is fed from a cloud-based platform to the InfoHub portal, which can be instantly accessed.

The nature and the volume of the data, a function of its 75-plus platform features, greatly aids scheduling, job bidding and analysis, proof of service and equipment maintenance, says Jason Rives, general manager of Brake Landscape and Lawn Care in St. Louis, Missouri. Improving any of these operational functions benefits any company’s efficiency and profitability; improving on most or all of them is a huge win, he says.

A full season of InfoHub

Brake Landscaping and Lawn Care began using InfoHub this past May. It was one of 24 companies giving the Briggs & Stratton system its baptism under fire on clients’ properties during 2016 and 2017.

In Brake Landscaping’s case, a local Ferris dealer visited its headquarters and installed InfoHub on about 40 of its mowers in a single day. Installation takes minutes, says Rives, and it’s agnostic, meaning that InfoHub can be installed on any piece of gasoline-fueled equipment with a battery, regardless of size or color of the unit.

Rives says he grew to depend more and more on the system as this past mowing season progressed. He adds that as he became more familiar with the system, he also became more impressed with the value of the information it shared with him on its dashboard.

“At any given time, I can pull up the website and immediately see where every mower in our fleet is then and there. There is no lag time. I can see even what direction the mowers are moving and the patterns they are making,” says Rives, adding that being able to watch his firm’s equipment, and how it’s being used by employees from jobsite to jobsite in real time resulted in significant savings for his company in 2017.

Mowing margins improve

Rives says his company this past season more than doubled its budgeted 10 percent margin for mowing. He says the system provides visibility to profitability by jobs and by crew, making it much easier for a company like his to determine whether it is making money or losing money on each property or project.

Beyond that, the system is a great training tool, too. Rives appreciates being able to pull up the history of specific jobs and showing and explaining to employees how to do them more efficiently. In the end, the more efficient a company becomes, the more leverage it gains in pricing, bidding and selling work in its marketplace, he says.

“We had one crew finishing a job after 5 p.m. After we let them know about the program and made some suggestions to improve their performance, they began finishing the job about 3 p.m. and the quality was just as good. That crew wasn’t purposely messing around; they were just going up and beyond what the client expected of them,” recalls Rives.

Other savings result from not having to have a supervisor spending so much time on jobsites monitoring what everybody is doing and how they’re doing it, Rives says.

“If I didn’t get this installed when I did, I was going to hire another production manager to help out with the load. It’s definitely saving us management and supervisory time,” he adds.

After mowing season was over, Rives said he was investigating using it for snow services. Also, he plans, using the program’s route-optimization features, to streamline the process of scheduling more than 700 mowing jobs for spring 2018, a task that usually takes him weeks each off-season.

Husqvarna Fleet Services

Early in 2017, Husqvarna shared its Fleet Services system with the U.S. green media at its “Silent City North America” event in Miami, Florida. Fleet Services is a cloud-based system that connects its lawn services machines and their in-the-field operators directly to an online portal.

Three components make up the system — machine sensors (which work for gas and battery tools whether ride-on or handheld), a Wi-Fi base station and an operator tag. The sensor transmits the data to the cloud, which can be accessed via an online portal or a mobile application using the Fleet Services app.

The machine sensor is designed for Husqvarna commercial lawn equipment — ride-on mowers, walk-behind mowers, and commercial-grade trimmers, backpack blowers, hedge-trimmers and chainsaws. The system allows company owners and managers to see what their production equipment is doing on jobsites by capturing and recording precisely when equipment is on or off, how long it is on, when it is idling and when it is actually working, including what level of power is being used.

The data from each piece of equipment is uploaded to the cloud where you can access and review it via the dashboard on your computer or tablet. After data on machine usage and landscaping teams is collected, the intuitive software optimizes the process by sorting the information into the following categories:

Workday log — reveals how productive the company really is, visualizing how much the whole fleet, or individual machines, are being used.

Interactive maintenance system — keeps track of all machines and alerts both the service manager and Husqvarna dealer before maintenance intervals.

Machine handling — Improves machine handling to prolong the life of the product, improve safe machine operation and reduce fatigue for crew members as well as boost efficiency and productivity.

Vibration reports — focuses on improving the health and safety of operators in the field by helping them better understand and manage vibration levels. All power tools generate a certain level of movement.

Library — continuously aims to arm both management and operators with practical, up-to-date insights and tools. This includes operator manuals, workshop manuals, parts lists, machine handling movies and tutorials.

Business lead bank — landscaping teams can submit business leads from the field. Those business leads end up in a business lead bank, making it easier for landscapers to communicate the most cost-efficient way to improve maintenance levels on properties under their care.

Individualized green care — allows managers to create the information around each property. Information can include tasks, dates, frequency, quality levels, location information and contact information.

Fleet Services has been in development and testing for several years, both in Europe and the U.S. Husqvarna is planning a limited launch in the second quarter of 2018. Pricing for Fleet Services, a subscription service, will be announced at product launch.

Read more:

Why Sebert Landscape Embraces Battery Power

‘Talking’ Power Equipment Coming to You Soon

The post Is Remote Jobsite Monitoring For You? appeared first on Turf.

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[mystlnewsonline]

New Post has been published on https://www.stl.news/inman-announces-another-18-real-estate-companies-sponsoring-inman-connect-new-york-2018/59003/

Inman announces another 18 real estate companies sponsoring for Inman Connect New York 2018

TALLAHASEE, Fla./ December 31, 2017 (STLRealEstate.News) –Inman announced the next 18 companies that will be sponsoring Inman Connect New York, Jan. 22-26, 2018.

Inman Connect is a week-long event that will foster connections and big business deals among more than 4,000 real estate professionals. Featuring critical, inspiring keynotes, the latest industry driving trends and research, and experts from inside the industry and out on hand to interpret and make sense of it all, CEOs, tech entrepreneurs, marketing experts, top agents and brokers, and financial executives will come together to explore a future of opportunities.

“We have lined up the best sponsors for the best-ever Connect,” said Brad Inman, Publisher. “I’m excited to see how they help our attendees drive themselves and their business.”

For more information on Inman Connect sponsorship or exhibitor opportunities, please contact sales@inman.com.

Sponsors will include: Platinum Sponsor Wells Fargo Home Mortgage wellsfargo.com/mortgage

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a retail mortgage lender, which provides home mortgage solutions. It offers construction and renovation financing, home buying, and refinancing solutions, as well as jumbo, adjustable-rate, and reverse mortgages. The company serves homeowners, homebuyers, and real estate.

Gold Sponsors

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices berkshirehathawayhs.com

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices remains one of the nation’s fastest-growing real estate brokerage networks with 43,500 agents and 1,350 offices named to the brand since its launch in fall 2013. The network, among the few organizations entrusted to use the world-renowned Berkshire Hathaway name, brings to the real estate market a definitive mark of trust, integrity, stability and longevity.

Commissions Inc. (CINC) commissionsinc.com

CINC is the leading provider of web-based real estate marketing and CRM software for elite agents and teams across North America. The CINC solution includes: a consumer website that integrates with local MLS data; a complete CRM platform that allows real estate agents to nurture clients and monitor their business; and access to three mobile apps.

Firepoint firepoint.net

Firepoint is made by and for real estate professionals. In real estate software, most CRMs seem more focused on what investors and developers wanted to create rather than what actual real estate agents need. Firepoint was started not to sell software but rather to solve real estate software problems.

Realtor.com

Realtor.com is the trusted resource for home buyers, sellers and dreamers, offering the most comprehensive source of for-sale properties, among competing national sites, and the information, tools and professional expertise to help people move confidently through every step of their home journey. It pioneered the world of digital real estate 20 years ago, and today helps make all things home simple, efficient and enjoyable. Realtor.com is operated by News Corp subsidiary Move, Inc. under a perpetual license from the National Association of REALTORS.

Bronze Sponsors

Chetu chetu.com

Chetu is a full-service software development provider with experience in real estate and property management technologies, including customer relationship management (CRM) systems, analytics platforms, marketing automation tools, plus mobile applications with virtual and augmented reality features. Chetu’s real estate developers have expertise integrating MLS and IDX data while adhering to all regulatory standards. For more information visit Chetu.com.

Contactually contactually.com/how-contactually-works/for-agents

Contactually is a relationship management platform that helps real estate professionals turn existing contacts into relationships that create results. Agents can generate more referrals and close deals faster with automated follow-up reminders, contact organization, effective email templates and much more. Contactually is the CRM that helps agents prioritize clients and leads to drive more business.

CoreLogic corelogic.com

CoreLogic is a leading property information, analytics and services provider. The company’s combined public, contributory and proprietary data sources include over 4.5 billion records spanning more than 50 years. The company helps real estate professionals identify and manage growth opportunities, improve performance and mitigate risk.

GeoCV geocv.com

GeoCV is the only provider of virtual tours for via 3D-enabled smartphones. The Virtual Open House is an all-in-one solution for the full suite of real estate marketing visuals, delivering 3D tours, floor plans and photos at an affordable price, without sacrificing the highest quality. Agents can sell smarter while acquiring new business.

Matterport matterport.com

Matterport is changing the face of real estate marketing with it’s all-in-one marketing tool that wins listings and engages buyers. Their end-to-end media platform allows anyone to quickly, easily, and affordably create immersive virtual experiences from real-world properties, viewable right from a desktop, mobile browser, or VR headset. With Matterport provides 3D immersive tours, unlimited hi-res photography, virtual reality, teaser videos, floor plans, and more.

Nodalview nodalview.com

Nodalview is a unique platform that transforms smartphones into the ultimate toolkit for real estate agents to create high definition, perfectly exposed pictures, 8k 360° panoramas and quality videos. Nodalview leverages smartphone technology into a complete cutting edge visual marketing tool.

Onjax onjax.com

Onjax is a provider of superior technology and web marketing solutions for real estate businesses. The Onjax Real Estate Web Platform is an all-inclusive system encompassing a CMS real estate websites, and premium map-based IDX property search, along with the powerful and easy-to-use PureAgent CRM. Onjax is one real estate platform for the entire team.

RealKey realkey.com

RealKey is a transaction management platform for mortgage and real estate professionals. Leveraging modern technology, intuitive design, and extensive industry experience, RealKey has developed the simplest, most integrated, and accurate transaction management platform in the world. Their patented technology ensures that loan and real estate transactions are accurate, complete, and error free the first time. No more back-and-forth with underwriting, processing, transaction coordination, or compliance. RealKey allows agents to close more transactions in less time.

ReferralExchange referralexchange.com

ReferralExchange’s Referral Network creates great real estate experiences between real estate agents and customers. ReferralExchange matches clients outside of an area, price point or property type with three great agents, handles all paperwork/tracking, and pays a 25% referral fee at closing. They utilize a curated network of 23,000+ agents to ensure that clients are matched to agents who fit their specific needs.

Revaluate revaluate.com/inman

An Inman Innovator Award Finalist and a Swanepoel Top 20 Trendsetter, Revaluate researches, follows and analyzes prospects, telling top 10 agents, teams and brands in both real estate and mortgage who is most likely to move in the next 3-6 months.

SecureShare portal.secureshare.cloud/forms/realestate

The only program real estate agents need to go paperless. SecureShare provides unlimited cloud storage, e-signature and PDF markup so agents can execute transactions without printing, scanning or faxing. SecureShare is a one-stop solution to take real estate business paperless and save time and money.

Streak streak.com

Streak is the only CRM integrated entirely within Gmail/G Suite inbox. Real estate professionals from companies like Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker, and Engel & Volkers use Streak to manage their buyers, sellers, properties, and more. It’s as easy to use and setup as a Google Sheet, but has the power and flexibility of a fully featured CRM.

Tweak Cloud tweak.com

Tweak Cloud allows real estate agents to accelerate the production of print and digital marketing materials by empowering negotiators and their assistants to create marketing collateral in a web browser without complicated software or licences. Property details and images can be populated automatically in templates, creating savings of up to 70% on traditional design methods. Other features include full brand control and automated print routing with live reporting.

Inman Connect New York will take place at the New York Marriott Marquis from Jan. 22-26, 2018. The best and the brightest in real estate and technology are expected to attend. For information on how to receive a press pass, please contact jennifer@inman.com.

_____

Source: news by Inman, distributed by PRNewswire.com on STL.News by St. Louis Media, LLC (PS)

[sweeteagletree-blog]

Fedcoin Could Be Coming Soon, But Would It Really Challenge Bitcoin?

The idea of “Fedcoin,” a cryptocurrency sponsored by the U.S. government and managed by the Federal Reserve, has been around for quite some time. “Imagine that the Fed, as the core developer, makes available an open-source Bitcoin-like protocol (suitably modified) called Fedcoin,” a Federal Reserve VP speculated already in 2015. The idea gained traction also in Europe in connection with the financial crisis in Greece, and was notably discussed in a “Eurocoin” context by former Greek Minister of Finance Yanis Varoufakis.

Earlier this year, Nobel Prize–winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said he believes “very strongly” that the U.S. could and should move to a digital currency and get rid of physical currency. While Stiglitz is persuaded that “the main use of bitcoin has been to circumvent tax authorities and regulation,” he appeared to be in favor of digital currency technology for government.

“The technology underlying bitcoin could fundamentally change the way we think of money,” said Campbell R. Harvey, a finance professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, in the Washington Post. “It is only a matter of time before paper money is phased out.”

Phasing out physical cash — the reserve of drug dealers and black marketers — would be one of the main advantages of a national cryptocurrency, according to Harvey, since it would make it far more difficult for criminals to hide and launder money if all transactions could be recorded on the government’s blockchain.

The potential for privacy isn’t considered a desirable feature for state-owned cryptocurrencies. On the contrary, as Harvey argues, the introduction of digital currencies would be partly motivated by the desire to eliminate the anonymity of cash. On the other hand, even in a future Fedcoin-like, all-electronic economy, it’s easy to predict that there would be a strong black economy on the side, powered by privacy-oriented cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, ether, Monero and other emerging alternatives able to offer stronger privacy.

“Despite the negative press about bitcoin being used for illegal transactions, bitcoin is not anonymous, and criminals who use it often do not understand that their transactions are being recorded,” notes Harvey. In fact, while a Bitcoin address isn’t explicitly associated with its owner, blockchain network analysis can often de-anonymize Bitcoin users. To support law enforcement, companies like Chainalysis and Elliptic offer sophisticated blockchain network analysis tools and services to trace Bitcoin transactions back to their participants and de-anonymize users.

In a recent presentation, Harvey defined Fedcoin as “a digital USD currency where the complete history of all transactions is visible to the Fed via a Fed blockchain.” That blockchain technology, initially thought of as a libertarian means to escape government control, could become a killer app for governments to have complete control over the citizens, and enforce compliance and tax collection, seems surreal to say the least.

Indeed, as Saifedean Ammous, an economics professor at the Lebanese American University, told Bitcoin Magazine, “The importance of Bitcoin is that it makes monetary policy and payment settlement according to predetermined software, free of third-party control. This defeats the point of having a central bank, and is anathema to central banks’ mission, to control monetary policy and supervise money flows.”

In the presentation, Harvey cited economist Kenneth Rogoff’s 2016 book “The Curse of Cash,” which proposes to gradually phase out cash, eventually leaving only small notes and coins in circulation, and move to electronic money, perhaps “a government-run version of the virtual currency Bitcoin.”

While Rogoff is not persuaded that the “potentially disruptive” technology of today’s cryptocurrencies is sufficiently mature, he thinks a next-generation “Bitcoin 3.0” could be a precursor to a government-controlled digital currency. “If the private sector comes up with a much better way of doing things, the government will eventually adapt and regulate as necessary to eventually win out,” says Rogoff.

Ammous disagrees with this sort of argument. “The only thing central banks can do with Bitcoin is accumulate it as a monetary reserve asset. At some point, central banks around the world will start asking themselves if they might be better off holding Bitcoin, with its apolitical monetary policy, than other countries’ national currencies.”

Central banks have as much to learn from Bitcoin’s operation as horses have to learn from car engines. It’s a technology meant to displace central control of money.

“The Fedcoin idea was presented by David Andolfatto, Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, at the first P2PFISY workshop that I organized at the Bundesbank in Frankfurt, 2015,” Paolo Tasca, executive director of the University College London Centre for Blockchain Technologies, told Bitcoin Magazine.

“The idea of dispensing with cash in favor of alternative, more efficient means of payments is not new. Pre-1900 utopian thinkers devoted a lot of effort to finding a way to allow people to get rid of what Robert Owen called the ‘insane money-mystery.’ In more recent years, economists have also begun to study the implications of living in cashless societies, especially referring to the role of central banks and to the conduct of monetary policy.”

Other governments and central banks are considering their own versions of Fedcoin. Sweden’s central bank, the Riksbank, is considering whether the country should introduce a purely digital form of government-backed money, perhaps using distributed ledger technology (DLT). The proposed e-krona would be a digital complement to cash guaranteed by the state, and work as a means of payment, unit of account and store of value. It’s worth noting that usage of cash in Sweden is declining, and there are indications that the country could go entirely cashless in five years.

The Riksbank isn’t the only central bank to consider issuing its own digital currency. The central banks of Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Canada and others are considering similar moves. A recent research paper issued by the Bank of Canada, which considers a possible Bitcoin standard similar to the gold standard, is especially interesting. A discussion paperpublished by the Bank of Finland, which describes Bitcoin as a revolutionary, marvelous economic system, could indicate that the bank is considering with interest the possibility to someday launch its own digital currency. Even China’s central bank is cautiously testing a digital currency.

“Other central banks (Bank of England, Bank of Canada and European Central Bank, among others) are studying the idea of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) as a non-ordinary monetary tool that could improve the central banks’ ability to stabilize inflation and the business cycle, and as a new payment channel that could permit tracing the network of payments and record the payment history of each individual,” added Tasca.

Another reason for governments to like the idea of a national cryptocurrency, according to both Harvey and Rogoff, is the possibility to strengthen the power of monetary policy to help manage the economy, for example by making it easier to impose negative interest rates.

Harvey notes that, were the Federal Reserve to adopt its own cryptocurrency someday, it will become a major (and far less volatile) competitor to bitcoin and other digital currencies. “In fact, it’s not clear whether [F]edcoin would want that competition, and the Fed is in a position to impose a regulatory environment that tilts the playing field,” warns Harvey.

“So watch out, bitcoin.”