ThomasRuschke.com

Infographic: Social Media Jobs Salary Guide

ThomasRuschke — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:27:51 +0000

What are your Social Media Skills worth as a potential employee? Take a look at this great Infographic from OnwardSearch:

The Social Marketing Roadmap: Expert Advice for Today’s CMO

ThomasRuschke — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:50:13 +0000

Here’s a brilliant Social Media Marketing Roadmap, put together by Awareness, Inc with advice from some of the biggest names in Social Media Marketing today:

Presenting Microsoft #ImagineCup 2012 #GameDesign Captain & Judge Andrew Parsons

ThomasRuschke — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:23:04 +0000

Who is Andrew Parsons?

Andrew Parsons is a Senior Academic Technical Evangelist working with Client Technologies, based out of Redmond. Andrew is also the Captain of Imagine Cup Game Design. Andrew has over 20 years experience in the IT industry, as a software developer, web designer, games and technology journalist, and more. He has written a dozen books on different technologies and is super passionate about video games and what they can do beyond simple entertainment. Andrew has been heavily responsible for the growth of the Game Design competition in Imagine Cup, leading the way to introduce more teams to the world finals and enlisting the help of the world’s elite in the games industry for judging and giving great feedback back to the student competitors. Andrew lives in the USA but misses his children who live back in Australia, his home country.

You can find out more about Andrew on his MSDN Blog.

Watch Andrew introduce himself and share his thoughts on the Imagine Cup competition:

In the video, Mr. Parsons talks about the 2012 Imagine Cup in Syndey, Australia, as well as the incredible development that students regularly come up with for the competition. This year the Microsoft Imagine Cup competition has two Game Design categories: XBox / Windows and Windows Phone.

What is the Microsoft Imagine Cup?

The Microsoft Imagine Cup is the world’s premier student technology competition. All eligible students are invited to use their imagination and passion to create a technology solution that addresses the Imagine Cup 2012 theme: Imagine a world where technology helps solve the toughest problems.

In ten years, the Imagine Cup has grown to be a truly global competition focused on finding solutions to real-world problems. Since 2003, over 1.4 million students have participated in the Imagine Cup with 358,000 students representing 183 countries and regions registering for the Imagine Cup 2011 competition.

The Imagine Cup 2012 competition is your chance to:

Solve tough problems facing the world today, and maybe even turn your ideas into a business.
Learn new technological skills.
Test yourself against the brightest students around the world.
Make new friends.
Win cash, grants , and prizes – plus, a chance for a free trip to Sydney, Australia, next July to compete at the Imagine Cup 2012 Worldwide Finals!

The world is waiting for you. Register today, sign up for the Imagine Cup 2012 competition category that interests you and get started!

EarthHour.org Co-Founder Andy Ridley offers #ImagineCup Competitors Tips

ThomasRuschke — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:22:11 +0000

Who is Andy Ridley?

From NextEcoWarriors.com:

Andy Ridley is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Earth Hour, the global climate change campaign he initiated in one city – Sydney, Australia in 2007, which by 2010 had swept the world, reaching more than 4,600 cities, towns and municipalities, in 128 countries, with hundreds of millions of people taking part. In 2006, Andy was inspired by the idea of executing a campaign to provide everyday people and businesses with a platform to voice their concern on climate change and the environment. He initiated a think tank between Leo Burnett and Fairfax Media, forming a partnership to deliver his ‘lights out’ campaign, which would later become known as Earth Hour.

More information about Mr. Ridley can be found on his site, EarthHour.org.

How do you to capture hearts and minds when presenting your Imagine Cup idea? According to Andy Ridley Co-founder of Earth Hour, the secret is PASSION. Andy talks about how to emotionally connect people with your idea, and shares his winning tips for an awesome pitch.

What is the Microsoft Imagine Cup?

The Imagine Cup 2012 competition is your chance to:

Solve tough problems facing the world today, and maybe even turn your ideas into a business.
Learn new technological skills.
Test yourself against the brightest students around the world.
Make new friends.
Win cash, grants , and prizes – plus, a chance for a free trip to Sydney, Australia, next July to compete at the Imagine Cup 2012 Worldwide Finals!

The world is waiting for you. Register today, sign up for the Imagine Cup 2012 competition category that interests you and get started!

#ImagineCup 2012 #SoftwareDesign Captain @RobMiles Introduces Himself

ThomasRuschke — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:02:13 +0000

Who is Rob Miles?

From his Wikipedia page:

Rob Miles is a Microsoft MVP, a lecturer in Programming (C Sharp) and Software Engineering at the University of Hull.

Rob has given various speeches worldwide on technologies including C Sharp, XNA, Windows Mobile Development and Embedded Development using the .NET Micro Framework. Rob has written an XNA book, and co-authored a .NET Micro Framework book with Donald Thompson.

Rob has also repeatedly been a member of the judging team of the yearly Microsoft Imagine Cup. Again, in 2012, Rob has been selected as a “Captain” of the Software Design competition.

You can find out more about Rob Miles on his Microsoft MVP Page or follow him on Twitter (@robmiles). I had the honor of meeting Mr. Miles at the Imagine Cup 2011 Worldwide Finals in New York City, and he is a truly inspiring individual. His passion for the Imagine Cup and the projects competitors present is incredible!

See Rob introduce himself and share his thoughts on the Imagine Cup:

In the video, Rob gives 3 reasons why Computer Science students are the luckiest students ever. He gives 3 reasons; 1) You have the power to bring your ideas to life, 2) As a student you have lots of time to run with your ideas, and 3) The Imagine Cup – the best student competition for programming in the world!

What is the Microsoft Imagine Cup?

The Imagine Cup 2012 competition is your chance to:

Solve tough problems facing the world today, and maybe even turn your ideas into a business.
Learn new technological skills.
Test yourself against the brightest students around the world.
Make new friends.
Win cash, grants , and prizes – plus, a chance for a free trip to Sydney, Australia, next July to compete at the Imagine Cup 2012 Worldwide Finals!

The world is waiting for you. Register today, sign up for the Imagine Cup 2012 competition category that interests you and get started!

#ImagineCup Inspiration: 2011 #GameDesign Finalists: Team Signum Fidei

ThomasRuschke — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:30:26 +0000

Team Signum Fidei from the Philippines was a competitor in the Game Design category at the Imagine Cup 2011 in New York City.

Take a look at their concept:

The team describes their mission at the Imagine Cup 2011:

Team Signum Fidei from De La Salle University – Manila is the official representative of the Philippines in the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011 (Game Design category) finals in New York, USA. The team is composed of Thomas Tiam-Lee (Team Leader/Programmer, 3rd Year BS CS-ST), Jenina Chua (Team Programmer, 3rd Year BS CS-ST), Jeriah Miranda (Team Programmer, 3rd Year BS CS-ST), and Kev Hernandez (Team Game Designer and Artist, 2nd Year BS INSYS). The team’s mentor is Ms. Lesley Abe, a professor, also from De La Salle University – Manila.

The team created a puzzle game called Conjunct! which represents social issues and problems as puzzles in different locations around the world.

Conjunct! serves as the team’s first project and as their entry for the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011 Game Design – Web category. Currently, they made it to the finals (Top 5 teams worldwide – ONLY ONE FROM THE PHILIPPINES) and will be flying to New York in July to present their game and show the world how a simple yet fun game can actually encourage people to take action against the toughest problems the world is facing right now.

You too can be a part of history – compete in the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2012! Register today and be a part of the world’s premier student technology competition!

Rob Manson shares Advice on #UserExperience for Microsoft #ImagineCup Competitors

ThomasRuschke — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:06:47 +0000

Who is Rob Manson?

Rob Manson is Managing Director of MOB – An Innovation Lab in Sydney, Australia.

Rob has been working with cutting-edge technologies since the early 90s and is focused upon creating tangible experiences that change the way you see technology, business and the world around you. MOB create innovative iPhone, Mobile and Internet based Applications and have created Augmented Reality (AR) applications and ARt installations for public display and consumer markets.

MOB’s customers include the Sculpture by the Sea, Sydney Opera House, The Royal Eastershow, IAG, Warner Music and St George to name a few.

Recently MOB have created a Mobile Augmented Reality experience using historic images of Sydney that the Powerhouse Museum released to the Flickr Commons and MOB regularly contribute to the Open Government/Open Data movement in Australia.

In the following video Rob shares his advice on technical architecture, including the importance of openness and separate parts that can easily connect. Rob also shares his perspective on what’s hot in user experience right now, adapting to different devices, and accessing data to change the world. Take a look:

What is the Microsoft Imagine Cup?

The Imagine Cup 2012 competition is your chance to:

Solve tough problems facing the world today, and maybe even turn your ideas into a business.
Learn new technological skills.
Test yourself against the brightest students around the world.
Make new friends.
Win cash, grants , and prizes – plus, a chance for a free trip to Sydney, Australia, next July to compete at the Imagine Cup 2012 Worldwide Finals!

The world is waiting for you. Register today, sign up for the Imagine Cup 2012 competition category that interests you and get started!

CEO @NigelCollin Shares Insight on Generating Ideas for the Microsoft #ImagineCup

ThomasRuschke — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:55:05 +0000

Who is Nigel Collin?

From his website:

As founder and CEO of ‘Thinkativity‘ Nigel has spent most of his working life helping organizations find ideas that drive growth, outpace competition and ultimately makemoney.

Having spent two decades on the ‘ideas’ front line he understands the important role ideas play in a complex and competitive world. More importantly, he understands the importance of being able to find which ideas cut-through and ultimately make money.

Many companies across a myriad of industries including IT, Entertainment, Design, Events, Marketing, Finance, Pharmaceuticals, Government and Telecommunications have benefited from Nigel’s experience and expertise.

Having grown up in the events industry, Nigel’s talent is being able to draw out the best ideas from people. He has worked on a multitude of corporate and public events including the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Paralympics, and was Show Director for Australia’s largest-ever corporate event in Sydney in 2005.

Author of 2 books ‘Think BITS’ and ‘Herding Monkeys’, Nigel has travelled the globe helping business leaders and their people think more creatively and find ideas that are valuable.

He has studied organizational creativity at The Walt Disney Company, and sat on the roundtable for the Queensland Governments ‘Year of Creativity’. For 9 years Nigel owned and ran Absurd Entertainment – a Creative Entertainment design company.

Nigel is a CSP, (Certified Professional Speaker) the highest designation offered by the National Speakers Association of Australia.

Microsoft Australia sat down with Nigel to discuss idea creation and fine-tuning and how it relates to Imagine Cup competitors. Watch the video below:

The inspiring Nigel Collin mentions that ideas must be “radical and world-changing,” adding that “having an idea that is adequate or that maintains the status quo, or is maybe a little different – isn’t going to cut it.” His advice to Imagine Cup competitors: Be passionate, obsessed, excited and you must be flexible! Your idea may need to be tweaked and/or redesigned. Inspirational words from one of today’s great thinkers!

What is the Microsoft Imagine Cup?

The Imagine Cup 2012 competition is your chance to:

Solve tough problems facing the world today, and maybe even turn your ideas into a business.
Learn new technological skills.
Test yourself against the brightest students around the world.
Make new friends.
Win cash, grants , and prizes – plus, a chance for a free trip to Sydney, Australia, next July to compete at the Imagine Cup 2012 Worldwide Finals!

The world is waiting for you. Register today, sign up for the Imagine Cup 2012 competition category that interests you and get started!

Futurist @TimLonghurst offers Advice & Strategy Tips to Microsoft #ImagineCup Competitors

ThomasRuschke — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:13:33 +0000

Who is Tim Longhurst?

From his website:

Tim Longhurst identifies trends and helps organisations adapt to a changing world. As a futurist, Tim is an energetic and passionate advocate for innovation.

Tim collaborates with organisations to think about the future. He is an advisor and conference speaker for organisations including Nokia, Johnson & Johnson and Fuji Xerox.

Inspiring his audiences to become innovators in their fields, Tim’s examples and case studies are current, practical and fun.

Having appeared on a range of media including ABC Future Tense,Sunrise, 6.30 with George Negus, A Current Affair and Today Tonight, Tim is a frequent media commentator.

Currently the Strategy Lead at Key Message, Tim has a long and successful track record of working collaboratively with clients across the corporate, government and non-government sectors.

Microsoft Australia sat down with Tim and discussed how being a futurist can benefit Imagine Cup competitors. Take a look at his insightful words of wisdom in the following video:

Tim discusses what a Futurist is, what they do, and how this unique thought process can help Microsoft Imagine Cup competitors in changing the world for the better. He advises competitors to dream big, and “when it comes to choosing a problem worth solving, make sure its a big, hairy, audacious goal.” Great advice from a brilliant mind!

What is the Microsoft Imagine Cup?

The Imagine Cup 2012 competition is your chance to:

Solve tough problems facing the world today, and maybe even turn your ideas into a business.
Learn new technological skills.
Test yourself against the brightest students around the world.
Make new friends.
Win cash, grants , and prizes – plus, a chance for a free trip to Sydney, Australia, next July to compete at the Imagine Cup 2012 Worldwide Finals!

The world is waiting for you. Register today, sign up for the Imagine Cup 2012 competition category that interests you and get started!

#ImagineCup Inspiration: 2011 #GameDesign Semi-Finalists “Team Spyyyder” (USA)

ThomasRuschke — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:00:32 +0000

Team Spyyyder from the USA was a semi-finalist competitor in the Game Design category at the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2011 in NYC; take a look at their concept and be inspired!

Check out their video:

Here’s their story, as told by the team themselves:

“We created our Windows Phone 7 competition entry: Fabric of Time in an attempt to point out some of the world’s toughest problems while having fun at the same time. The game starts off with the protagonist searching for his father but then stumbles upon an item called dimensional scissors which allows him to travel between parallel worlds. This other world also has its fair share of issues and the player must try to find ways to better both worlds using resources found in both areas. It’s a 2.5-D puzzle platformer where the player must control both characters simultaneously. The two characters have to rely on one another to get past the levels. Creating a Fabric of Time was a challenging endeavor and a great chance for us to sharpen our skills!“

Team Spyyyder Members: Michelle Ing, Shervin Hossein, Kevin Lownds, and Paul Brom

You too can be a part of history – compete in the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2012! More information about the Game Design challenge can be found by clicking here. Register today and be a part of the world’s premier student technology competition!