Graeme Thickins on Tech

Reflections & analysis about innovation, technology, startups, investing, healthcare, and more .... with a focus on Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Lakes. Blogging continuously since 2005.

Tag: Google (Page 5 of 6)

Google Party Pix

November 15, 2006 / / 0 Comments

Now, who would have guessed Google would throw a party? 🙂 It was a very cool wing-ding last night, at least for those in the know here at the Travel 2.0 event — that is, it wasn’t an official event. The venue was the Roosevelt Hotel, just a couple blocks away on Hollywood Boulevard. Very cool, retro place. They don’t build ’em like this anymore! I shot some pix on the way over (handheld without flash, so excuse the shakiness), including the lights at Graumann’s Theater and the El Capitan across the street. I took the rest of the shots around the pool where the party was held. The two guys shown, who I tipped a couple with, are Josh Steinitz, founder of San Francisco-based The Nile Project (also a surfer!) and Pasadena-based angel Mark Harris….my favorite nephew.

Speaking of Hollywood Boulevard, that reminds me of how bummed I still am to have missed Lou Reed last week at the Web 2.0 Summit in SF. One of my favorite tracks of his is “The Dirty Boulevard” — which this street sure is (but you don’t notice it at night). No wait…”Busload of Faith” is my favorite…no, wait….


Graumanns


Elcapitan


Pool


Poolhotelvert


Joshmark

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Travel 2.0: ‘Social Networking Floodgates Have Opened’

November 14, 2006 / / 0 Comments

So said Phil Wolf, CEO of PhocusWright, in kicking off his firm’s 13th annual executive travel conference. “Travel 2.0 is soon to become accepted practice. Last November, we celebrated Travel 1.0’s swan song. It started in ’95 was dominated by price,” he said. “Now we have other factors like consumer collaboration, recommendations from friends, and friends of friends.” Of the price factor, he made a significant point: “It’s now about complete transparenecy in data and pricing — which is code for ‘truth’.”

Wolf noted that ony 10% of online travelers now belong to an online community site to help them plan their trips. But he ended his opening remarks with this prediction: “Interaction with others will expand exponentially.”

I thought the bump music that came up loud at this point hit the mark: “Break on Through to the Other Side” by The Doors…who, incidentally, became famous not far from here. [Jim Morrison, you still rock…]

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Early Notes from the Travel 2.0 Conference

November 14, 2006 / / 0 Comments

Well, the sun’s not up yet in Tinsel Town [no, I haven’t been up all night!], but I thought I’d do a quick blog post before I get to the opening session. After stopping to have lunch yesterday with PureVideo Networks in El Segundo on my way up the 405, I made it to the very crowded, gleaming Renaissance Hollywood Hotel (near the Hollywood Bowl) yesterday about 2:00 for registration at PhocusWright’s annual travel-industry confab. What a mob! Close to 900 turned out, huge lines, and the hotel was sold out weeks ago. Other press in attendance includes BusinessWeek, Reuters, USA Today, The Internet Traveler, and about 16 travel-industry press. Blog coverage? Some press may be blogging live, but I appear to be the only pure blogger listed. I would have expected more at an event that’s largely about how Web 2.0 is affecting travel. Well, I’ll try to uphold my end of things…

I see sponsors of the event include Google (14 people here), Yahoo (16), and AOL (7). Also having good representation, as one would expect, are mega travel powers American Express (24), as well as Minneota’s own Carlson Companies (5), which includes folks from Carlson Leisure Travel, Carlson Hotels, and Carlson Wagonlit Travel, whose CEO is speaking this morning.

Why so much attention focused on travel? Well, I’m learning it’s one humongous space. The event’s producers call it “the world’s largest industry,” and I see Jupiter Research just released projections that would appear to back that up. It says online travel will hit $85 billion this year, and $128 billion by 2011. That big enough for ya?

Stand by for my onsite posts. The wi-fi here appears to be good.

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The ‘Other’ YouTube Founder – Minnesota’s Own!

October 13, 2006 / / 0 Comments

Great story on page 1A of the StarTrib today: St. Paul Whiz Kid Cashes In. Yes, Jawed Karim, the quiet one you don’t hear much about is from here. Jawedkarim He’s not involved day-to-day in YouTube right now, since he’s studying computer science at Stanford (which is why you don’t hear his name mentioned much) — but, as a founder of the company, he definitely benefits from the Google buyout. A quote from the story:

Although he has lived in California for several years now, he still considers himself “a Minnesota guy.”I think Minnesota has a unique place among the states,” Karim said. “It’s very progressive and modern, but it’s not overrun by all the negative things that come with progress. Things are a little more in balance with Minnesota.”

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Why Google Just Paid $1.65 Billion for YouTube

October 9, 2006 / / 0 Comments

This chart says it all….

Youtubechart

In surfing, there’s a saying for one of the ultimate achievements in riding a wave: “getting tubed.” Well, today, I’d say YouTube kicked out of the ultimate tube ride of all time in the history of tech startups! A story that began just 19 months ago. Congratulations to Chad, Steve, and the 65 other lucky souls above the pizza shop out in San Bruno. Talk about winning the lottery…

And lest we not forget the VC behind it all, Sequoia Capital (behind Google as well) — just what they need: another $495 million in winnings! 🙂

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