EU promises wireless wonderland as it sets Europe-wide standard

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/14/business/EU_FIN_EU_Wireless_Wonderland.php

Wireless baby monitors and headphones bought in one European country will work anywhere in the European Union, the European Commission promised Thursday after setting EU-wide frequencies for short range wireless products…..

But the EU executive is living in a wireless wonderland, saying standard EU rules — also covering radio frequency identification tags — will do away with the need for national licenses to use that part of the spectrum and give makers of electronics certainty that their products won’t interfere with other wireless communications….

For those of you interested in CRISIS COMMUNICATION, there is a great blog on the wordpress network with insights and further links to resources. The crisisblogger is Gerald Baron. Gerald has been involved in Crisis Communication since the mid-90s. He has also published a book called “Now Is Too Late: Survival in an Era of Instant News” which is now released in its second edition: “Now Is Too Late2.” For more information:  http://crisisblogger.wordpress.com/ 

Patricia

Article in the FT of Oct 09, 2006

Silence is golden. At least that is the view of many companies when it comes to sustainability and environmental management. However, with shareholders, activists and consumers increasingly focused on this, communications experts argue that silence is not golden – it is a dangerous strategy.

“A large number of companies are nervous about communicating in one area for fear of being a target for poor performance in another,” says Richard Aldwinckle, an independent consultant who works with Unilever. “They know traditional public relations methods are not the way, but they don't feel comfortable with what they should be doing to get the message out, so they don't do anything – and there is a great weakness here.” When a crisis does strike, companies with a reputation for responsibility will fare better.

There is a new website online GenevaLunch that mixes news from professional sources and citizen journalists – and all in English. If you are living in the Geneva region, there is a lot of information and news about what is going on.

Also for all the budding writers out there, they are looking for community reporters – could be your big break!

Glenn

For those who are interested, here is a list of blogs in PR, Marketing & Communications in the German speaking part of Switzerland (blogs are in German of course!) Note: two blogs are from the French side: ICAgency & Marketingetc.

 Patricia

• b-spirit
• Bernetblog
• Bruno Bucher
• IC Agency
• Infam
• Marketing etc.
• Marketingplaner in Ausbildung
• Online Marketing Blog
• Online Marketing Report
• Peter Bütikofer & Company
• PR-Blog von Büro10
• pro campaigning weblog
• Reklame – Weblog zur Werbung in der Schweiz
• Suchmaschinenmarketing Blog
• Das Texter-Blog

View the original list and comments on the Swiss Metablog>>

One of the sharpest PR bloggers around, Constantin Basturea has just updated his list of PR and Communication Blogs. The list is by country, and lo and behold, the only blog listed under Switzerland is the Geneva Communicators blog! How great it is for us two *false* Swiss to be representing our dear homeland…

Patricia & Glenn

Google revamps blogging service

One of the leading names in blogging is overhauling its service in an attempt to catch up with the competition.
Blogger, which is owned by Google, has redesigned its site to make it easier to use and added new features, including posting by e-mail.

“The focus is on lifting the barrier to start blogging,” said Evan Williams, co-founder of Blogger.

There are hundreds of thousands of blogs, creating an eco-system of ever-changing ideas on the net.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3694691.stm

An interesting article in the International Herald Tribune on progress with video conferencing technology;

The videoconference comes of age

By Eric Pfanner International Herald Tribune

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2006

LONDON When Ken Crangle, a Hewlett-Packard executive in Corvallis, Oregon, wants to meet with colleagues in farflung corners of the world, he avoids the airport and instead walks down the hall to a room equipped with $425,000 worth of communications gear.He clicks a computer mouse and his colleagues appear life size on high-definition video screens. They speak as if they are with him in the room, without the delay or jerkiness typically associated with such links. If there are several people on the other end, the sound system automatically adjusts to help direct participants’ gaze from one speaker to the next.”What you experience very quickly changes your impressions of videoconferencing,” Crangle said in an interview by telephone.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/22/business/talk.ph

An interesting article in the IHT on the role of email and communications: 

E-mail cannot yet wash our dishes or balance our checkbooks – soon, no doubt – but the more dependent we become on Internet communications, the more new features e-mail seems to sprout.

One is “hands-free e-mail.” A Canadian company called Intelligent Mechatronic Systems says it has the world’s first hands-and-eyes- free e-mail system, designed for use while driving. It was previewed at the IFA consumer electronics fair last week in Berlin…..

Read the complete article here >> 

Patricia

You’ve probably certainly heard of podcasts – and if you don’t know what they are – here is a handy little explanation. 

 If you are interested to check out a podcast that is about communications, probably the most well-know is the For Immediate Release podcast from Shel Holtz (based in the US) and Neville Hobson (based in Europe). The podcast focuses on public relations and technology and is released twice a week.

Also on their home page, they have a list of other PR podcasts.

Happy listening!
Glenn