By Larry O'Connor, Founder, CEO , Other World Computing

I took a break the other evening from thinking about our business to watch a couple segments of a TV series I enjoyed as a kid, "The A-Team."

I remembered how I was torn between which soldier of fortune I wanted to be: Hannibal– the unflappable, composed boss or Faceman–the good-looking guy with the cool Corvette.

By Andy Marken

Samsung got more buzz from their keynote at this year's CES than they should have because Michael Day walked off the stage.

Sure, Marissa Mayer, Katie Couric, John Chambers and Ford's Mulally (ex-MS boss contender) make it look easy. But standing in front of a huge crowd wanting to make a great impression isn't easy.

By Andy Marken

Everyone, everything wants to be liked, even loved ... including companies and brands.

Being a big cold-hearted, calloused thing that churns out stuff expecting you to buy it until the next thing they churn out and expect you to buy just isn't working anymore.

In the constantly connected, always-on world, the approach no longer wins friends or customers.

People have too many ways to express themselves and ordinary folks are listening, agreeing, disagreeing.

Just engaging real people worked for a little while; being social with them sorta', kinda' worked and being big just isn't enough.

So now it's time to humanize the company. You know; distance it from the competition and be more personable; more real like you and me.

That ad space is getting so crowded that now we're seeing some say (in so many words) – "we invented human" or "we're more human than they are."

By Andy Marken

It's interesting to watch the TV networks and cable providers brawl over who is/should get the biggest share of the entertainment payment pie. Especially when both sides are making handsome profits.

But they always seem to "work things out." Cost is simply passed along to you!

But fewer folks are tolerating the constant increases because today consumers have more options ... a lot more options.

By Andy Marken

Have you noticed that Apple and Samsung have both lowered their sales projections?

Have you noticed that companies like Huawei, Lenovo, ZTE, Coolpad, Xiaomi and Oppo have all raised their projections?

O.K., they aren't household names but they will be soon, at least household names in certain parts of the globe.

That's because these firms (and probably hundreds of no-names you'll never hear of) are doing something Apple and Samsung won't or don't want to do ... make a cheap – really cheap – smartphone.

By Andy Marken

More than anything 2014 is going to be a year of beauty, acceptance, and becoming more comfortable with the fact that we're not alone. even in our own thoughts.

By Andy Marken

O.K., I admit it ... I have (once or twice) forgotten and left my smartphone on during take-off, the duration of the flight and landing.

It usually gets stashed in the overhead with my backpack.

I put my ultrabook in the seat pocket, so the moment the attendants give the word, I can whip it out and get some work done ... watch a video ... or play some mind-numbing game.

I don't feel deprived that I can't make/receive calls or send/receive texts during that time.

By Andy Marken

Better than Paper – The healthcare industry has made tremendous strides in patient care and records management by riding themselves of paper records and doing more and more online and on device. The increased use of technology has helped control quality and cost, except when it comes to reporting patient services/care to the government.

By Andy Marken

For a whole bunch of publicists, the holidays – Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, you name it – are the starting gun to perform/deliver for bosses and clients at what is arguably the largest trade show in the world ... CES (Consumer Electronics Show).

By Andy Marken

A few Saturdays back I visited consumer electronics stores/departments to research buying patterns/activities.

There was a lot of showrooming – using the mobile device to check reviews, store/product comments, competitive pricing – but with price matching being almost universal, we didn't see anyone leave the store to buy somewhere else.

They were there to buy!

By Andy Marken

CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is probably the best, worst trade show in the world.

It's the best because:

- It's the place where firms of every size launch new product concepts, new products.

- It attracts the best potential business partners from around the globe.

- It is the one main event that everyone in the media wants to/has to cover.

By Andy Marken

A friend and his partners recently received the first of three patents after more than three years.

Maybe in the next 12 months they'll get the other two.

It's a great concept and I'd tell you more but then I'd have to ....

Patents are vital to keep innovation and competition moving forward.

If you didn't have some protection – personal and/or company – why pour all the brainpower, time, effort, money into an idea just to have someone rip you off?