PHS, Meadowbrook Farm, and Flower Show! Oh, My!

LevLane Relaunches PHS multi-brand sites.

The LevLane team worked with PHS to create three beautiful and robust sites, dedicated to providing information on Gardening, Greening, and Learning.

Check out the new Social Stream. It’s way cool. This is just another step in our quest to bring our clients social assets closer to their web home. PHS has totally done away with a traditional Press Room and replaced it with a pure social media stream, pulled from their blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and Flickr feeds. Stay tuned, we feel this may be a growing trend.

Hats off the Digital Team.


www.phsonline.org

www.meadowbrookfarm.org
www.theflowershow.com
The PHS Social Stream

Jomar’s new approach to discount shopping

Check out this great story from 6ABC’s Action News Team about our client, Jomar! We recently helped the local discount chain with a brand makeover, but you can still find the same great deals in-store. The Action News story will tell you about some of the wonderful treasures you can find at Jomar. The chain is now connecting with customers in fun, new ways. Check out Jomar online and visit the store’s Facebook Page and Twitter Handle.

Read full story on abclocal.go.com.

Google Maps, Twitter and SEPTA?

November, 3 2011
By Drake Newkirk

Integrated Transit System or Socially conscious transit.

The next big app you already have …that is of you have a Android or iDevice.


We all know about google Maps for driving directions, but it amazes me how little people know about the little “Transit” button through which SEPTA intergrates with Google Maps, either through the native App or by simply visiting this URL in your phone’s browser: .

See supported phones

No, SEPTA isn’t the only transit system in the country who’s schedule has been tapped by Google Maps and quite frankly it’s not all that new, but it amazes me how many people who have smart phones and don’t even know it’s there. As a Philly native born and raised on SEPTA (35+ years of travel), this schedule in my pocket is a blessing.

Back In The Day
As I said, I was raised on buses, trolleys and on both the blue and orange lines. I’ve crisscrossed this city using various forms of public transportation, West to North, North to Yeadon, Germantown to Center City, Center City to the Airport, Germantown to Nice town, West Philly to Ambler, etc. So, I’m well aware of the inherent anxiety that comes with the fear of not knowing when or where the next bus will arrive. Not to mention being scared to death to take a “highly recommended”, “alternate” or “faster route”.

This little app would have saved my feet plenty of wasted miles walking, after incorrectly guessing what time the dreaded last “C” bus arrived, headed to Broad and Olney from Elkins Park .

Here are 6 reasons to at least try it:

  1. No need to remember it, it’s in your pocket.
  2. Just Explore.
    Take a walk. Get lost…well not really, but with “Lewis and Clark in your pocket”, be BOLD and take that left without fear of forgetting how to “get back” or “to” your next destination. The beauty of GPS, is you never make a wrong turn.
  3. Take The Fear Out. Follow Along.
    That pulsing blue dot is you. Keep an eye on where you are in the universe. It’s comforting to watch and helps keep you from asking that age old question, “Are we there yet?”

    And it even works in the El tunnel (AT&T)

  4. NO MORE MAP INTIMIDATION!
    105, 109, R5, R8 to Lansdale, 52, 46, 38, 15, hike, hike, hike. There is nothing scarier than walking up to a SEPTA schedule rack. Nothing!
  5. Start With The Destination
    With Google Map integration you can focus on where you want to go and what time you want to arrive or depart. With the Goggle Map App you have options, SEPTA runs practically everywhere, so instead of starting at what train or bus, your familiar with, trust the app. I’m confident you will find options that you never knew existed.

    Example: I was taking a short trip to West Palm Beach, Florida a couple of weeks ago and was either going to drive or take a taxi. The flight was at 10am, so I had to be at airport about 8:30. Two problems, if I decided to drive I would have to park…nightmare. If I called a taxi, I’d be worried about if it would show up on time. So, the night before I pulled out my iPhone, opened Google Maps and typed in my Current Location and entered by destination. Then I simply adjusted the arrival time to when I wanted to get there and boom! I had options, 3 buses and a train to choose from. I choose a bus I had never been on before and arrived in 35 min. Normal compute by car from my house is 20 min, but I was dropped off at the gate and no parking nightmare. Success.

    I simply adjusted the arrival time to when “I” wanted to get there and boom! I had options.


  6. SEPTAs On Twitter Too!
    With SEPTAs new twitter stream/notifications SEPTA Is where you want to be.
    On Oct. 31, the authority will go live with more than two dozen accounts providing real-time updates on bus, trolley, subway and regional rail lines.

    System wide updates may be found by following @septa.

  7. Conclusion
    Stop being a punk. Try it, you may like it.

Why I won’t buy the iPhone 4S (Brilliant play by Apple)


UPDATE: October 10, 2011
Told ya’ —> As iPhone 4S sets records, Apple’s legacy models show strong sales too – AppleInsider.com http://bit.ly/qtrSPu



FIRST THINGS FIRST: The Big Announcement.


New iPhone called the iPhone 4s.

  • Twice as fast
  • Advanced Voice Recognition software, Siri
  • Better camera
  • High definition video capability, with image stabilization

Biggest Disappointment: No iPhone 5.

Conclusion: Just fast and different enough to stay ahead of the pack, but far from the hype of the expected iPhone 5.

 

THE PLAY TO THE MIDDLE: The Big News News No One Is Talking About.


  • 3 tiered models – Free iPhone 3G with contract – Expect this to be the dagger in the heart of entry level Android phones.
  • Tiered iPhones means rapid deployment – Apple will sell more, phones to more people at a more rapid pace than ever before.
  • First dual ban iPhone – Compatible with both AT&T, Verizon and Sprint (more on that in a minute). This approach, which I’m sure is to become a rule, will allow Apple to focus on one tier model at a time, without having to develop the same model phone for separate carriers. Brilliant. Say it with me now Android users, “No fragmentation”.
  • Sprint gets iPhone – A Sprint iPhone is big news. Sprint has 35 million postpaid customers, many of which I’m sure have always wanted an iPhone. Sorry Android 🙁 .

This play to the middle market is brilliant, even if not obvious. If you have Apple stock, hold on, to it this will be a great year. iPhone sales will far eclipse this years sales. RIM is dead and Android will become the current day RIM.


WHY I, AND MOST IPHONE 4 OWNERS WON’T SWITCH …just yet.


It’s not GREAT enough.Because, the iPhone 4 I have, is great enough…for now.

Because, its the software stupid. – With all the new toys that are about to launch on the 15th, My iPhone 4 will feel like a brand new phone.


ONE MORE THING:


There WILL be a iPhone 5 in 2012 and we top tier users will be there lining up to buy it. Until then, we will wait.

 

REVIEW ENVIRONMENT:
Listening to CNN coverage of the death of Steve Jobs. Sad day.

 

FOLLOW ME:
@techdrake