Did you catch that word “un-conference”? For those of you unfamiliar with the un-conference format, the goal of these events is to take the amazing conversations, networking opportunities and ‘know how’ sharing that take place in the hallways between sessions at a normal conference and make that moment of connection and inspiration the actual focus of the un-conference sessions.

For instance, I’m the “conversation starter” for the 10 a.m. Video Blogging Session, but the session will NOT consist of a 30 slide PowerPoint presentation with me pontificating on video blogging best practices while you sit idly by going into post caffeine-coffee-coma.

The Vlogosphere is too dynamic a place to be so underhandedly treated. My goal in this session will be to draw you into the digital dialog and encourage you to go beyond a mere interest in video blogging to becoming a camera wielding Vlogger yourself.

I want to show you the pulsing bleeding edge of video blogging technology. I’ll share the amazing creators, storytellers, innovators, tools, tips and tricks that are shaping the Vlogosphere and encourage and empower you to carve out your own niche in this exciting medium.

But, but, but ……..this is a conversation. If there aren’t other passionate vloggers in the session sharing their own insights and experiences I’ll be sorely disappointed. I don’t want to rest on my “reels” as they say. There are plenty of amazing developments in video blogging that haven’t crossed my radar, but they’ve crossed yours. So come prepared to participate in the conversation, to learn, be inspired and to get equipped to capture and share the world as you see it in a whole new way.

If there are specific areas that you want to see discussed feel free to comment below or drop me an e-mail. Remember this session will be what we make of it so join in the exchange now.

This Saturday 5:30 at Red Light Red Light in Winter Park (map) we’re having a casual gathering of local new media mavens. Basically it’s a happy hour or what I like to call a ‘think and drink’ for anyone who likes to play with digital media and the web.

The goal of the meeting is to catch up with friends, both new and old, share a pint and discuss the possibility of hosting a new media / digital media conference this year in O-town.

There are a lot of us creating and digesting digital media content in Central Florida and it would be so cool to bring everyone together for a BarCamp like event that gives us the chance to shoot the digital breeze and see what new and innovative things the community is up to. Mark and Ryan have mentioned that the popular PodCamp conference focuses on the New Media Community so we can discuss whether that format best serves the community.

So if you Digg new media and want to StumbleUpon a tasty new beer come by Red Light this Saturday at 5:30 and join the discussion.

Cheers.

P.S. Ryan just set up an Upcoming Event Info and RSVP page - You don’t have to RSVP but if you want to or need more info check it out.

I really love this App. Works equally well on WiFi or on Edge and if you enjoy playing Texas Holdem you’re going to love playing this standing in line, driving on I-4 and during boring classes. Anyhow thought I’d chime in to say thanks Erik for a nice post and point out a new app to ya if it hadn’t crossed your path yet.

One thing I like about it over other iPhone web Apps is the speed with which you can play. I’ve noticed that Bejewelled has lost some luster for me since the touch response is a little slow due to the web nature of the game. Scenario Poker avoids this somehow even on Edge. Ok enough - obviously I love this app.

While Burnett’s diagnosis confirms the assertions I made in a previous post: Orlando’s early-stage venture capital needs, I didn’t really want to be right, especially now that I’m leading the charge for a start-up that will need VC or Angel investment within the next 6 months.

The venture capital environment in Orlando has seen a dramatic shift towards investing in more conservative and maturing businesses and away from the cutting-edge start-ups whose payout potential is higher but whose risk/reward ratio is hard for Central Florida VCs to swallow.

Early stage start-ups are, therefore, at a loss for a dependable and local source of institutional financing. This leaves them the option of self funding or seeking aid from Angel investors and while Orlando does have its fair share of wealthy individuals, apprising them of the growth opportunities that funding early stage ventures provides, presents its own set of challenges. Even our local Angel firm the Winter Park Angels prefers to invest in companies whose maturity and capital requirements approach the 2 year and $2 million dollar mark, leaving the early stage and seed money needs of area star-ups underfunded.

There does however seem to be a desire on the part of these high net worth individuals to gain a better understanding of this opportunity, evidenced by the oversold status of an upcoming workshop entitled: Investor Overview Seminar for Accredited Investors. This UCF Venture Lab sponsored event has the stated goal of “sharing best practices and tips for angel investors to form angel investment groups, conduct proper investment due diligence, and implement policies and infrastructure to support a successful angel investor group or network.”

The UCF Venture Lab is an incredible resource for those of us striving to breathe life into a new venture. Their team has been instrumental in helping me develop our business strategy, pointing us in the right direction for market analysis, helping us shape our pitch and has even sat with me and had a round table brain storming session. The fact that they diligently serve the start-up community from the inside and also work to educate the outside world to our value, is worthy of my applause.

In my typical contrarian fashion, the more bleak the outlook becomes the more optimistic I am that we in start-up businesses are at the right place at the right time. Five years from now, and maybe as soon as 3, I can foresee a vibrant venture capital environment, in which the valuable entrepreneurial and technological capital of the local start-up garners both the attention and funding it requires to stay planted in Orlando’s fertile soil. As more companies find profitability and longevity in the Central Florida sun the gravitational pull of VC funds to area start-ups will only grow stronger.

I began filming a PBS special last week on the Local Food movement going on in Central Florida. I’ve been doing a lot of research and this morning I stumbled upon this excellent Star Wars spoof called Grocery Store Wars. The trailer is cleverly written and the special effects are hilarious. Check it out.

As the production cost of quality film making continues to drop, I hope we’ll see more worth while and thought provoking films like this one making it to the small screen of our monitors.

Oh and if you care to talk about your Local Food experiences drop me a line. I’ll be filming through the 15th of November.

May the Farm be with you!

Here’s the rub she dances both ways for me. If I look at her she dances counter clockwise, but if i read other text on the screen she dances clockwise. Suffice it so that my brain is really wigging out. Please comment as to how you see the image. This is important for my sanity.

I find that I can focus my thoughts and change the way she twirls. What the hell!!!!! If all else fails move closer to the image and you can notice her change directions. Please someone explain this to me. Hopefully Snopes has something on this. Am I loosing my mind?

Thanks to the wizkids at GooSync I was able to download a small program to run on my Treo 650 that syncs my palm calendar with my Google calendar without the mediation of my computer. Since my wife and I use Google’s virtual calendar’s to coordinate our scheduling this little app is a major time saver.

Thank you GooSync - and no - LOL - this is not a PayPerPost.

He has begun a daily videoblog of the start-up process of his new company. I think he has some exciting ideas about using crowd sourcing as part of the business development process. His Day 4 post has a interview with the vlogging legend Steve Garfield whose work I mentioned at BlogOrlando. I also love that his office is in a co-working space - jealous.

Anyhow give Loic a look if you want to hear some fresh ideas about developing a new business concept and join the conversation. Check out his Day 3 post which includes a conversation with Robert Scoble. The discussion about videoblogging 2.0 is an interesting one.

Did you catch that word “un-conference”? For those of you unfamiliar with the un-conference format, the goal of these events is to take the amazing conversations, networking opportunities and ‘know how’ sharing that take place in the hallways between sessions at a normal conference and make that moment of connection and inspiration the actual focus of the un-conference sessions.

For instance the Video Blogging session I’m leading at 2:10 will NOT consist of a 30 slide PowerPoint presentation with me pontificating on video blogging best practices while you sit idly by going into a post lunch food-coma.

The Vlogosphere is too dynamic a place to be so underhandedly treated. My goal in this session will be to draw you into the digital dialog and encourage you to go beyond a mere interest in video blogging to becoming a camera wielding Vlogger yourself.

I want to show you the pulsing bleeding edge of video blogging technology. I’ll share the amazing creators, storytellers, innovators, tools, tips and tricks that are shaping the Vlogosphere and encourage and empower you to carve out your own niche in this exciting medium.

But, but, but ……..this is a conversation. If there aren’t other passionate vloggers in the session sharing their own insights and experiences I’ll be sorely disappointed. I don’t want to rest on my reels as they say. There are plenty of amazing developments in video blogging that haven’t crossed my radar, but they’ve crossed yours. So come prepared to participate in the conversation, to learn, be inspired and to get equipped to capture and share the world as you see it in a whole new way.

If there are specific areas that you want to see discussed feel free to comment below or drop me an e-mail. Remember this session will be what we make of it so join in the exchange now.

See you at BlogOrlando.

Here is my Vlog post from last years event. See what other sessions are on the schedule .

Click To Play