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Friend living in Thailand trading with China is offering to be middleman for anyone wanting to sell apps to China market. DM me for info
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October 30, 2009
Visual Radio
My old friend John Ousby (The Fat Controller) recently having moved to Texas is now on a visit to Europe.
This photo is on his Flickr feed. This is something we were talking about five or six years ago. And now visual radio is here where he says
“the pure sensia. nice big colour touch screen, internet radio, DAB and FM. This also is the first device to have RadioDNS capability, using radioVis to deliver visuals alongside the DAB stream from Global and absoloute at the moment. good stuff.”
Visual Radio
My old friend John Ousby (The Fat Controller) recently having moved to Texas is now on a visit to Europe.
This photo is on his Flickr feed. This is something we were talking about five or six years ago. And now visual radio is here:
October 28, 2009
October 27, 2009
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David Kirk @dhkirk on the ITLG visit to Belfast: http://ping.fm/BMruu
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October 24, 2009
Digital Circle Meets Irish Technology Leadership Group
Following the ITLG events on Wednesday (here) and (here) Matt, Aidan, Andy, Marty and I (most of the DC Steering Group) went to meet ITLG Chairman John Hartnett who is also President & Chief Executive Officer at G24 Innovations, Johnny Gilmore - CEO, Sling Media (originally from Warrenpoint) and David Kirk formerly of this parish.
Ten minutes in front of people like that can be the precursor of development, the kick in a kick start, especially when they are asking the question “How can we help?” Johnny John and David were not only asking that question, but are prepared to put work if required. It was a challenging room; we had a short precise shopping list. And I want to compliment Matt who was doing the talking.
There’s to be some thinking and more importantly more conversation. And I have no doupt something beneficial for everyone will emerge.
October 22, 2009
“And I’ll ask the panel to introduce themselves”
I had a great job yesterday. First apologies to all who had sent questions for the ITLG http://www.itlg.org/Belfast_Event_09/ceo_panel.phpVC/CEO Panel which I didn’t manage to get in. I did get in a few (and Jeff –I did talk to them about the Delaware Flip idea before hand and they all agreed that it was a good idea).
Someone told me afterwards that I had around $5billion VC Funding sitting to my left on the panel answering questions. I suspect there was actually more – and a few other $billion funding in the audience too. The event was one of the highlights of the visit to Belfast. I was initially concerned that the output might not be as exciting or entertaining as it could be. Perhaps good manners and politeness would get in the way of a bit of argument. But within minutes there was disagreement and differing interpretations and opinions. And we were off.
Brendan Richardson
Straight forward answers predominated and the audience appeared to genuinely enjoy what they were hearing. They also put direct questions to the panel and were prepared to offer direct opinions.
Moderating a discussion like that is almost identical to producing a live radio programme. The first five minutes feels like an hour and the rest of the time speeds by like … something that speeds by very fast indeed.
I hope someone was taking notes. We were told what they as VCs expected of business and industry (specifically in Northern Ireland – and generally in any geographic region). The fact that people enjoyed it and found it interesting and /or useful was of course nothing to do with the chairmanship – it’s all to do with the panel and the audience. So, thanks to you all for making it a fantastic experience.
Laughing in the Great Hall of The People
The ITLG visit to Ireland (and in particular Belfast) promises a lot but if nothing else it will be a witness to the birth of the newfound public bonhomie of First and deputy First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness. Welcoming the members and guests of the ITLG in the Great Hall in Parliament buildings Stormont there was crack galore, ribbing, jesting, joshing and so on and so forth.
I say “public bonhomie”, because the vast majority of Northern Ireland’s political representatives get on better than well … off camera. I don’t know for sure what either man’s private attitude to the other was before last night, but I would take a guess that it had been pretty good. “Choreographed” I was told today. The appearance was the ITLG was all part of the elaborate two-step that is negotiation and politics. They had returned hot foot off the BD91 Heathrow/Belfast City having brokered the Policing and Justice budget and the first meeting between Mr. McGuinness and Mr. Cameron - historic enough some might say. Yes, it was heartening to see and … well some real belly laughs from the audience. “The reason I’m speaking for so long,” said FM. “Is because it means Martin has to speak for longer.” “The TV pilot being made at the Paint Hall is Her Majesty. It’s good to see Martin engaging with the Monarchy.” Good lines – funny lines – delivered with panache. “Peter steals my best lines," quoth dFM. "That one about the Monarchy was one of mine from a speech at Queens.” (I think we all missed the pun there - or maybe it was just me). Good political lines worthy of … Tim McGarry or Damon Quinn. (Sims stops for a moment and sits back and wonders …).
I was historic – not big massive history written about and analysed for years to come. But it was history.
But this post was supposed to be about the ITLG —-
October 20, 2009
The World’s Editorial Page
This is my column for Belfast Telegraph for this week.
Only occasionally will you find “breaking news” on Twitter. If you are following the right people and reading at the right time you might. If you follow any of the newspaper feeds including the Belfast Telegraph, you will get a headline linking to the story online. Once or twice news has been broken on Twitter. The biggest story was the US Airways plane crash landing on Hudson accompanied by Photos on Twitpic. It is said – although I’ve yet to see the evidence – that Michael Jackson’s was announced on Twitter 13 minutes after it was declared from within the hospital. News of earthquakes is Tweeted and sometimes other major disasters are covered by citizens caught up in them.
Instant communications about events are enhanced by micro-blogging. Although back in the summer on 10 July when there was a bomb alert in Belfast, only two people Tweeted about it – me and someone else milling around the Waterfront. At that time there was smoke coming from a building in west London which was getting a lot more attention from the Twitterati. London was recently recognised as the Twitter capital of the world. So we haven’t got the bulk users yet.
Short form messaging will play a real part in breaking news in the future, but for now Twitter and similar are reactive spaces. Throughout September there was hardly a mention of the Nobel Prize. Yet on 9 October according to trendistic.com the Nobel Peace Prize was the biggest topic – for a day.
- Great comment on TIME: Nobel committee should be given a peace prize for uniting the twitterverse in sarcasm
- Was that thunder we heard? Or Alfred Nobel rolling over in his grave?
- Must have been the "beer summit" that put #obama over the top for the Nobel Peace Prize. What else could it have been?
You don’t get a lot of analysis in 140 characters, but you do get sense the mood. Sometimes you’ll find pithy observations.
But that’s what it’s for. If there is something more interesting or important a link with the comment will take you to there. It’s not news, but it is a global editorial page where everyone’s view has equal exposure.
October 19, 2009
Boston Irish Film Festival
I've just been talking on Skype to Dawn Morrissy and Michael Novaria in Boston about BIFF - The Boston Irish Film Fesival. The 11th Festival launch will be towards the end of November and the Feestival itself will be held on March 25th.
If you are interested in or involved in Film and want to find out more (as i find out more), let me know. I'll be spreading the word here and in the Presidents' Club.
October 18, 2009
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Suddenly, the laws of publishing collapse after a blue bird tweets (lots). http://ping.fm/igYEj
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October 12, 2009
ITLG VC/CEO Panel Discussion
Next week (week beginning 19 October) the Irish Technology Leadership Group will be in Belfast. Among them, international investors will be looking for companies north and south to talk to and perhaps do business with.
On Wednesday 21st a panel discussion will be held in Belfast City Hall with VCs and Senior Executives from Silicon Valley. There will be an audience of more than 150 people who will be a mix of start-up CEO's, industry leaders, university leaders, politicians and government officials.
I’ll be chairing the panel.
I think it is important that the agenda for conversation and question and answer session is set by the audience. The panel will be talking about who they are and why they are in Belfast. The audience will be able to ask questions, discuss opinions, explore ideas. But I would really like the readers of the Belfast Telegraph business pages to help me set the theme for the day.
My background is journalism, broadcasting and digital media. Technology is much wider than that and the issues around technology are important to Northern Ireland. What is the importance of digital health care? Is Clean Tech really the Next Big Thing? What are we doing in bio Tech? Is business in Northern Ireland “investor ready”? Come to that what does “investor ready” really mean?
I do not want to wait until the beginning of the session to start the conversation and set the theme. With your help – whether you are going to be there or not – I would like to start the conversation now. What are the Big Issues? What are the Big Questions? You can email me ds@davysims.co.uk or or add to the blog.
October 10, 2009
Barcamp Derry
To Derry this morning for the first Barcamp Derry held at Magee. With 170 people signed up to attend and three streams of events throughout the day, it was a success the moment it started. On the podcast interviews with Paul from Learning Pool, Jason Bell, Martin Gilchrist and organiser Mark Nagurski.
More information about Barcamp Derry at http://www.barcampderry.com/
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Barcamp Derry Podcast now ready: http://ping.fm/JE0mf
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