Archive for COOL STUFF

As a real estate broker for nearly 25 years and with MANY real estate clients who have used THINK-TANK over the years to assist them with branding and marketing consultation, I have also been a fan of Apple for a long time. At the time the iPad was first introduced, I was fascinated with the potential for real estate agents who are more mobile than ever before and not so tied to their offices. After all, agents make their livings being out in the field with prospects. Was this idle speculation or is it coming to fruition?

Apple just profiled a “boutique” real estate firm in Austin, Texas which has embraced the concept full bore. See the details and watch the video HERE.

I’m not really into model trains or creating Lego models. But, this WORKING model airport completely blew me away!!

My guess is that just about ANYONE (regardless of age) would appreciate the design and “construction” talent that went into this project! Check out the video HERE.

Comments (0)

While Apple has, for years now, hosted iTunes U as a way to bring mostly FREE educational videos to students, teachers and others, Google has just now launched its own service called YouTube.edu.

It has sections for Primary & Secondary Education, University and Lifelong Learning. While it may not have the depth and breadth that iTunes U has, it signifies that online learning and extending the reach of an individual educator appears to be the wave of the future. See what you think HERE.

While the new Phillips Vital Signs Camera App may cause you to say, “Very  cool, but not groundbreaking,” you may want to consider the revolution that is underway with it. After all, it’s a $.99 app that will actually determine your heart rate and breathing rate just by watching a camera on your iPad. No big deal? Well, just imagine the NEXT innovation that uses such clever technology to reveal even more about your personal health without you visiting the doctor or hooking up some equipment. To get a glimpse of the future, check out the Phillips video here.

If you read my most recent post, you have a bit of an insight into what was predicted might happen with Apple’s new iPhone release. While the phone itself wasn’t the vaunted iPhone FIVE, the iPhone 4S is a rather significant upgrade to the previous version even though the physical appearance is the same. One of the most interesting inclusions is the “Siri Assistant.” To see how Apple has taken the original concept and woven it into the entire operating system and how this might “assist” you, check out the video here.

While we won’t know until October 4th, 2011 (or so) whether Apple is going to release an iPhone 5, there are rumors floating around that one of the AWESOME capabilities of the new phone is a built-in capability rumored to be called “Assistant.”

If this technology is included, it will once again elevate Apple’s innovation to a new level for all of us including those who are visually impaired. Check out my original post about what I saw then as a major coup for Apple in their purchase of a company called Siri, the company that developed the technology used in Assistant.

To go directly to the video, click here.

We’ll all have to wait and see if this comes to pass. If so, get ready to be dazzled by Apple once again!

If you look around the THINK-TANK site very long, you’ll quickly understand that I am an extreme advocate of sharing Unique Business Cards that help you stand apart. From my trademarked “CardChure” (combination Bus Card and Brochure) to Motion Cards and beyond, setting yourself apart rarely, if ever, happens by having a Business Card that looks like everyone else. Other than a personal logo, your most valuable marketing tool is often your UNIQUE business card. Click on the BUSINESS CARD CATEGORY in the right sidebar to see some samples that I’ve designed.

But, is the future of card sharing becoming more digital and less physical? Possibly. However, just as I think that sending someone a handwritten note in the mail is way more powerful than sending them an email, I still believe that giving someone a “can’t-throw-it-away” Business Card that has a WOW factor to it is brand-building 101.

However, if you are wanting to move to a digital brand, there’s an interesting app that might intrigue you. Here’s the video that shows how it works. The only disadvantage that I see with this and other electronic cards is that often (almost always) the other person has to have the same app installed on their phone for the sharing to work.

Nonetheless, this video will give you a peek at what’s coming in the years ahead.

Several years ago, Marco Caporale, the co-owner of Family Firearms in Tampa, Florida, was involved in a completely different business. He had retained THINK-TANK at that time to help with designing a visual brand and multiple marketing strategies for that business.

So when he and his partners decided to update the look of their current business, he contacted us again to assist.

One of our associates is a masterful designer and world-class illustrator, so I tapped him to assist with this project. Marco and his team were so thrilled with that logo-design project that they asked us to provide a followup ad/poster design for their BUILD AN AR Project.

Their happiness with that led to us providing a BUILD-N-AR Certificate that they could run through their printer showing the details about when the student completed their AR Building Project.

See the results here.

When Holly Miller began writing her book, The Face of an Arrow, she contacted me to discuss designing the cover. As a Christian author, she had previously published Life After the Games. Her new book was an ambitious project, taking over a year to complete. In addition to the book cover design, I suggested that she utilize social networking strategies as a way to deepen her connection with readers and PROSPECTIVE readers. The first component was shooting a video about the book and launching it on a YouTube Channel which I designed to have a congruent look with the latest book. Finally, I suggested that she link her www.HollyMillerMinistries.com domain to her business Facebook page to improve her communication with readers.

Buy a copy and see how she connects with spiritual topics in such a meaningful way!!

One of the favorite THINK-TANK slogans is “Forget Out-of-the-Box. Try Out-of-this-World!

While Thomas Heatherly and his team haven’t REALLY moved into the extraterrestrial with their architecture, they are close. Now, I realize that there are MANY very innovative architects the world over, the case studies shared in this video were, well, STUNNING! Click HERE to see if you don’t agree.