New Smartglasses Raise Nearly $83,000, Rival Google Glass

There have been many companies jumping on the smartwatch bandwagon since the introduction of the Pebble.

But so far, one company has clearly led the way in the development of smartglasses. In fact, Google has been so closely associated with the smartglass revolution that one tech writer coined the term glogging to describe blogging with Google Glass.

Of course, all of that may be about to change.

Atheer Labs Introduces Immersive Experience

The word you hear repeated most often by developers at Athere Labs to describe their new smartglass prototypes is “immersive.” And a glimpse of what the company says these devices can do certainly seems to bear that out.

Check out this video shared with the Indiegogo community, where Athere Labs is trying to raise $100,000 for release of two devices (nearly $83,000 has already been raised) :

Google Glass offers a computer display projected against one lens of the wearable glasses. The device allows you to check online information and control the taking of point-of-view video and photos.

The new devices from Athere create a 3D experience with a 36 degree field of vision. The glasses create the impression of a tablet display screen floating just in front of your eyes.

The 3D effect is visible through both lenses on the devices. And gesture recognition technology even makes it possible for you to scroll through online documents, turn pages and do searches with a swipe of your finger.

New Adhere Devices Set for 2014 Release

A consumer device called the Athere One starts at $350 and can be pre-ordered now on the company website for estimated shipment in late 2014. The device allows you to connect to an Android smartphone and use it to access online information, games and even videos.

Developers say connecting with an Android device means you have access to around 800,000 apps in the Android app store.

A developer version of the glasses called simply the “Developer Kit” starts at $850. And it should be available in early 2014. It comes with USB and other connections designed so that developers can hook up a tablet and use it to develop new applications.

A Truly Mobile Business Tool

Just based on initial impressions, it looks as if the new devices may have real potential as business tools.

While news on Google Glass has focused mainly around its ability to capture images and to be a source of multitasking distraction, the Athere devices may be different.

There have been stories of Google Glass users being banned from businesses due to privacy concerns. And there has even been one run-in with the law by a Google Glass wearer.

However, Athere developers have focused on accessing data rather than taking photos or video. There is no way to use the new devices while driving or performing any other activity. However, there may be a benefit for business owners away from the office to be able to immerse themselves in important work online. And that’s without the need to carry a laptop or even a tablet along.

Image: Athere Labs

Techieworks: Providing Seniors with Online Tech Help

When Anant Vats was working for Infosys in Houston, he once took the bus with some friends to go to dinner in town.

Suddenly, an old lady sitting next to them asked them if they could fix her computer. Pleasantly surprised at this request, Anant asked her what led her to believe they could.

“Because you are Indian!” she said.

The incident stuck in Anant’s mind. So two years later, when he quit his job at Infosys, it was to co-found Techieworks, a venture that fixes computers remotely for seniors in the U.S. and Canada.

More Seniors Online

The need to keep in touch with family and friends is leading an increasing number of seniors to use the Internet. A Pew Research Center report says that more than half of American adults over 65 years of age are active online.

Nearly 86% use e-mail for communication, with 48% accessing it every day. More than 39 million from this group use social networking sites such as Facebook, Skype, and Twitter. Their presence on social networking sites such as Facebook has tripled to 43% during the last four years making them one of the fastest growing demographics in this space.

However, they are often at a loss when they encounter technical problems.

It was to solve these problems specifically that led Vats and his brother, Abhinav, an advertising and copywriting professional, to found Techieworks in 2011.

Based in Gurgaon, India, the company offers remote technical assistance services including PC optimization, anti-virus support, operating system support and troubleshooting. The company also helps with data backup, transfer of contacts and multimedia from phone to PC, application installation, home or office network setup and and other tech updates.

Need for Online Technical Help Grows

Techieworks is not alone in providing online tech help.

There are several remote technical support firms operating out of India. But what sets Techieworks apart is its specific targeting of the senior niche.

The company is sensitive to the needs of its ideal customers and so has evolved an intuitive, simple service model.

It offers multiple touch-points to reach out to customers eliminating the need to remember and write down numbers. It also offers chat support for customers who find it difficult to talk. And it eliminates waiting queues by allowing customers to leave a request to be called back.

Bootstrapping Model Leads to Profitability

The two brothers bootstrapped the company with their own funds.

They hired their first two employees in a coffee shop even before they had any office space. And they pushed themselves to be austere in their expenditures by using second hand furniture and by renting IT infrastructure instead of buying new.

The money they saved was used to build their knowledge and expertise in areas where they could gain a competitive edge. The company is currently generating revenue and profitable. And it owes this profitability to the cost-saving methods established in its early days.

What Comes Next?

So, what’s next for Techieworks? Vats says the company will continue to offer new products and services that address the needs of the senior market.

The company is not yet ready to look for external funding. And Vats says he believes that external investors take the fun and freedom out of building a company.

The founder adds that he does not harbor dreams of becoming a multimillionaire overnight. Though making more money is certainly a consideration, he says he wants to be in a situation where he can decide the kind of culture he will build for the members of the Techieworks family.

As a fan of bootstrapping entrepreneurs, I am delighted to see a company generating revenue and reaching profitability without external financing. And the secret is catering to the needs of an under-served segment.

Senior on laptop image via Shutterstock

10 Best Content Marketing Books for Small Businesses in 2013

Marketing has gotten complex. But who says you have to be implementing every single marketing technique or social media platform? Granted, there are many experts extolling the virtues of this strategy or that platform, but no one is telling you to use them all.   In 2014 consider SIMPLIFYING your marketing.

In fact, if you were to just choose ONE major marketing strategy, you would have more than enough tactics to keep you busy for years. Let’s take content marketing as an example.  And what better place to learn about content marketing than a good reading list.

Here are the Small Business Trends Editorial Team picks for best content marketing books published originally or in a new edition during 2013:

1. Epic Content Marketing

by Joe Pulizzi (@JoePulizzi) (Sep 3, 2013)

It’s not enough to simply throw content out onto the Internet and expect that customers will see it and connect to it. You need more than that.

This book is a great resource for marketing managers and small business owners who would like to use content marketing as a way to gain visibility for your business. You will find everything you need to get started here. (Read our review.)

You will learn to define your niche, revise your mission statement, and differentiate content types and content assets. You will also learn how to use social media to market your content and be introduced to some other content promotion techniques as well. And you will learn how to measure the impact of your content marketing initiatives to determine whether they have been successful.

2. The New Rules of Marketing & PR

by David Meerman Scott (@dmscott) (Jul 1, 2013)

This is a classic! It is now in its 4th edition.

It contains updates on all of the basic social media channels as well as new case studies and examples.

You’ll learn the best and most successful practices in social media, blogging, video and audio as well as the latest content marketing strategies.

This is a comprehensive content marketing guide for small business owners.  Every marketing department/person in a small business should have this on the shelf.

3. Content Marketing: Insider’s Secret to Online Sales & Lead Generation

by Rick Ramos (@ricktramos) (Jul 10, 2013)

If you’ve chosen content marketing as a strategy for getting the word out about your business, but are unsure of exactly what is involved, this is a great place to start.

Ramos, an online marketer himself, shares everything you need to know to develop a comprehensive content marketing strategy for your business.

Some of the topics include finding your online voice, choosing your channels, developing content calendars and providing insider tips and tricks for creating killer content.

4. 500 Social Media Marketing Tips 

by Andrew Macarthy (@andrewmacarthy) (Feb 7, 2013)

If you’d rather be in the trenches DOING social media rather than just thinking or reading about it, this might be the book for you.

It contains 500 practical tips that you can put to use in minutes. You’ll get strategies for LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, Vine and a few more.

Included are also templates and a general strategy for social media success. You’ll find this truly readable book full of ideas that will get you ready to reap the benefits of social media for your business.

5. The Big Book of Content Marketing

by Andreas Ramos (@andreas_ramos99) (May 26, 2013)

Done right, content marketing can help you both build your brand and attract your ideal customers.

This book will help you get that process started. Or if you’ve already started and want to improve your strategy, the Big Book of Content Marketing will help you do that too. In its pages you’ll learn to determine how content marketing fits into your overall strategy, use influencer marketing to distribute your content, and track the success of your strategy.

6. Content to Commerce

by Avi Savar (@avisavar) (May 20, 2013)

If you have already implemented a content marketing strategy and are looking for some ideas to help you take your efforts to the next level, this is a good choice.

This book gives you more of a 30,000 foot view of content marketing and contains essays from successful strategists and marketers who have used these strategies to propel big brands to success.

7. Youtility: Why Smart Marketing Is about Help Not Hype

by Jay Baer (@jaybaer) (Jun 27, 2013)

You already know that selling to existing customers is the best and highest use of your marketing dollars and efforts.

This book shows you how to transform your marketing content from being “hype” focused to being “help” focused. Baer asks the pivotal question for today’s content-focused marketing strategists.

“What if instead of trying to be amazing, you tried to be useful?”This book will show you how to transform your marketing content from being salesy to being helpful and in-turn generating more profitable customers.

8. How to Write Articles That Convert Like Crazy 

by Ian Hollander (Jan 24, 2013)

The subtitle to this book is:  ”The Secret To Turning Your Ideas into Income …. & Your Content into CASH!”

From that subtitle, you might think this was going to be a totally cheesy Kindle book â€" but you’d be wrong.

Yes, it’s self-published and not as polished as some of the other books on this list.  But it’s also only $2.99, so you won’t be risking much.

Read this short and easy-to-scan book to harvest the straight-forward ideas.  For a small business owner or entrepreneur on a budget, who writes a blog or submits guest articles, this book has practical advice you can put to work immediately.

9. The Invisible Sale

by Tom Martin (Oct 4, 2013)

Content marketing isn’t just for writers. It’s a good strategy for people who hate cold calling.

So many small business owners run away from selling. But you can’t afford to do that.

This 200+ page book contains four sections that overlay a common selling cycle on top of powerful content marketing strategies that will help you reach out to customers and generate leads for your business without cold calling.

10. Subliminally Exposed

by Steven Dayan MD (Jun 4, 2013)

Subliminally Exposed isn’t a marketing book per se, but no marketer should ignore it. Author Steven Dayan, MD reveals the how and why behind your actions and empowers you to decode and translate others’ subconscious behaviors.

No, this isn’t likely to be a book on the radar of your typical marketing professional. But it’s loaded with interesting facts that will help you better understand social dynamics of all kinds. It could also help you attract your ideal customer, too.

Think of content not just as words, but as images, too.  If you want to know how to push the right buttons to engage the interest of customers, this is the book.

* * * * *

While some of these content marketing books may not be best sellers, they each offer something of value for those intent on becoming expert content marketers.

We limited this list to books new (or newly updated) in 2013.  If you’re looking for older content marketing books, take a look at a previous list of content marketing books.