As we look back at 2012 and ahead toward 2013, we hear and see a lot of talk about uncertainty in the economy, politics and foreign affairs, to name a few. Yes, many things do remain uncertain as 2012 comes to a close, however we are also seeing many positive things. Most notably, in our industry, more builders are building and buyers are buying. It is still too early to determine a consistent trend, but it is a good thing for our industry and economy.

With that in mind, we offer a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to our clients. They provide us with the distinct privilege of crafting and sharing the stories of their new home communities. Our collective teamwork and passion made 2012 a year we will never forget.

We couldn’t be more excited for what 2013 brings, and we wish you all a healthy and prosperous new year.

My family and I are in the middle of moving residences, so I have started setting up utilities in our new home. We really needed to evaluate our media consumption habits because I just did not feel like we were getting our money’s worth from our cable television service. Turns out, I’m not the only one.

According to Parks Associates, the shift from cable and satellite to IPTV (Internet Protocol television) is on the rise. The firm is predicting that IPTV subscribers will increase from 8.8 to 18.6 million by 2017 in the United States alone. I must really be behind the eight ball, because even PBS has published a step-by-step guide on how to cancel cable and stream to your television.

After taking a look at what we watch and when we watch it, I realized cable television just does not make sense for us anymore. Enter Roku, a brilliant piece of hardware that allows you stream programming to your television directly from your internet connection. There are several hardware devices on the market that do this. The PBS article does a good job of explaining each one. Aside from our iPhones, we are not really a Mac family (insert audible gasp), so we decided on the Roku because it is easy to set up, a PC is not needed and there are no additional monthly fees with the exception of our existing subscriptions like Netflix and Hulu Plus. We can also play games, listen to internet radio and enjoy music, photos and videos from our smartphones. Sold yet?

This is where television consumption is heading. Telecommunications companies see this and are marketing their high-speed broadband services as the market moves from cable and satellite services to IPTV. It will be interesting to see how the market shifts in this direction over the next several years.

With all of the iPhone 5 hoopla, I couldn’t help but wonder what the big deal is. Yes, it’s Apple. Yes, it’s a new iPhone. Apparently, that is enough to warrant a bazillion news articles and blog posts about Apple’s latest iteration.
Then I came across the latest LEAP Index by New Media Metrix. LEAP stands for Leveraging Emotional Attachment for Profit, and the firm measures peoples’ attachment to 350 brands across 45 categories. iPhone ranked #1 for 2012, edging out iPod that reigned supreme for the last couple of years. In fact, Apple and its product brands took 4 of the top 10 spots, technology brands 7 of the 10. The study clearly indicates we are becoming increasingly attached to technology, devices and brands that aim to streamline our lives. We like gadgets and we like our iPhones.
By most accounts, iPhone 5 is not revolutionary. It is sleeker, prettier, a tad faster with a larger screen; some argue its style trumps its substance. The brand, however, is strong enough to overcome that, largely in part from its predeccesors, which arguably were quite revolutionary. We could spend days discussing all of the other parts that contribute to the power and mystique of a standout brand, but let’s not go there just yet. I’ve got an iPhone 5 to preorder.

Airtime is being described as a free browser-based Skype/Google+ hangout/Facebook chat web application, with a little bit of Chatroulette thrown in.  This person-to-person video calling application was built by Napster co-founders Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker and is built on top of the Facebook platform so it does require a Facebook account for use.

Fanning and Parker call this a “social discovery” application, as it aims to help people make new friends online by allowing users to chat with people they don’t know via a video call.  Users will log in through Facebook and will then be able to get Airtime alerts through instant messages.  Airtime will also be able to find people a partner based on common interests and mutual friends.  If calls with strangers isn’t your thing, that’s okay because the app works for friends too, similarly to Skype.  Though this app has a lot of fun features: being able to watch videos together, give each other props by having a shower of stars take over the screen, there are a few functions that are not available including sharing music and multiparty chats.

The Airtime launch had a lot of celebrity backing at their launch yesterday, but it’s still up in the air whether this will be an app that sticks or comes and goes like Chatroulette.  What do our readers think, will you be trying this app?

For more information: http://allthingsd.com/20120605/sean-parker-and-shawn-fannings-airtime-finally-launches-today-interview/

The iCache Geode was announced in April and interested parties have been patiently waiting for this product to actually become available.  The iCache Geode “is an iPhone case with a particularly wonderful twist — in addition to just wrapping a protective layer of plastic around your phone, it also sports a rewritable magstripe card on its rear end.”  Once users install the corresponding app, they can store their credit card information and turn this case into a GeoCard.  Additionally, there is a small e-ink display on the back of the Geode which stores information for your loyalty cards.  In order to make sure your credit card information is secure, there is a small fingerprint reader that only allows access to you.

With rumors of the new, slimmer, redesigned iPhones on the way, users will want to make sure that they are sticking with their iPhone 4/4s for a while longer before making the $199 investment. Will you go out and buy one?

For more information and a great introductory video, check out the full article at: http://techcrunch.com/2012/06/01/icache-geode-now-available/

Amazon and Xbox have teamed up to take on Netflix.  Amazon announced today that they will be providing an Instant Video service that utilizes the Xbox 360.  The Amazon Instant Video App costs $79-per-year (“Prime” service), but allows users to stream more than 17,000 movies ant TV shows from their Xbox 360.  Although there are no additional Amazon costs, besides the yearly $79, users will need the Xbox Live Gold Membership from Microsoft, which costs about $50.

This announcement is a big deal because Xbox 360 accounted for nearly 25% of Netflix’s traffic last year.  The partnership between Amazon and Xbox 360 not only benefits Amazon but also aims to get more people hooked on the media console, especially with Amazon’s Whispersync technology, which lets you start a movie or show on your Kindle Fire and switch to you Xbox 360, without interruptions.

For more information about this partnership, and the implications for Amazon Prime and Netflix, go to: http://techland.time.com/2012/05/29/amazon-instant-video-challenges-netflix-with-app-for-the-xbox-360/

Google’s Project Glass first made its way onto the scene this past April, when the company announced that they would be bringing the world the first augmented reality glasses.  These glasses will project augmented reality images into the wearer’s field of vision, as well as having the ability to take pictures & video.  A great example of the glasses functionality is that when someone is wearing them, they will be able to see weather forecasts and what’s on their calendar for the day, as well as send texts and emails as projected in front of you.

Mashable got its hands on the first video as taken from these goggles.  Check it out here

For a great look into what Project Glass offers, including photos & videos taken from the glasses, check out: https://plus.google.com/111626127367496192147/posts

Additionally, Project Glass is developing a feature on the glasses that will offer text alerts for hearing impaired users.  Read all about how these glasses are working towards overcoming hearing obstacles: http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/google-glasses-may-translate-directional-sound-speech-for-the-deaf/

There are plenty of people who are using scanners, QR codes and various apps to price shop at different retailers.  They go to a store, find the price and then the app or website will give them competitors rate all over town.  Food and medicine are two categories that have seen the least amount of smartphone usage (researching) for coupons and discounts.

But these categories won’t be left alone for long.  In fact, “Catalina, the company that powers loyalty programs for 30,000 stores nationwide (including those coupons at checkout), acquired mobile commerce company Modiv Mobile.”  Modiv, now Catalina Mobile’s app will work like this:  “A shopper walks into the store, opens the store-branded app and receives offers based on their shopping history. To skip the line at checkout, shoppers can scan barcodes of items they put into the cart to buy the haul right on the phone. Catalina says the app will be available in 200 more Stop & Shops this summer.”  The company knows that people are not going to scan a box of Cheerios and run across town if it’s a few cents or a dollar cheaper elsewhere, what people will do though is redeem food coupons through the app and either print them at home, or sync and load them onto their supermarket loyalty cards.

Additionally, a new app that has hit the market is SnipSnap.  This app simplifies the couponing process by allowing users to snap pictures of all of your coupons, save them to your iPhone and redeem them from your device, without having to carry around all those bits of paper.  The app also provides you with in-store reminders for when to use your coupons, expiration date alerts, uses for your “any” coupons and the ability to share with friends.

For more information on both products, check out the articles, here and here