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Month: November 2010

Emma? This is the Portland tech community. Portland tech community? Meet Emma… and her free beer

And one of those email loving companies is now officially opening its Portland office. Meet Emma. The Portland edition.

Do you like email? I know right? Who doesn’t? Well, some people love it. Love love love it. They love it so much that they like to help other folks send email. So that more people can have more email. What’s more, they like to make it pretty and straightforward and (gasp!) useful. No. It’s true.

And one of those email loving companies is now officially opening its Portland office. Meet Emma. The Portland edition. Read More

Experience The Brave New World of Media today… or at least on November 17

While we’ve still got a few days left before we’re living in the future envisioned by Aldous Huxley, we do live in a pretty entertaining time where everyone is both a creator and a consumer of media—in all of its various formats. But what does this mean for the world of media? And how is changing the business of media?

Well, the folks behind the annual WebVisions conference may have composed a event that can answer that very question. Meet The Brave New World of Media. Read More

Calling all you digital journalist types! Digital Journalism Social Hour returns November 16

Digital Journalism Social Hour. It was a regular gathering of bloggers, podcasters, and traditional journalists organized by Abraham Hyatt, former managing editor of Oregon Business Magazine and now production editor at ReadWriteWeb.

You might remember a little thing called Digital Journalism Social Hour. It was a regular gathering that sprung out of the inaugural Digital Journalism Camp—an unconference for  bloggers, podcasters, and traditional journalists—organized by Abraham Hyatt, former managing editor of Oregon Business Magazine and now production editor at ReadWriteWeb.

Well, the event took a bit of hiatus. And it was sorely missed. But now—with the help of Betsy Richter of Redoing Media—it’s back. Read More

Want to profit off of streaming media? Attend OEN PubTalk tonight. I mean in person.

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Where aspiring entrepreneurs stand up and pitch their startup story to a beer quaffing crowd. That’s right. It’s time for OEN PubTalks.

And while any sort of startup is allowed to pitch during the events, here at Silicon Florist, we always take an interest in those startups with more of a techie bent. Tonight, one of those startups will be taking the stage at OEN PubTalk Seed Oregon 2010 – Round 2. Read More

Everything is a product management problem

Everything is a product management problem. Not just the product. Not just features. Not just platforms. Everything you do.

I was going through some posts I had written years ago for other blogs when I happened upon one that—while originally targeted at helping folks reassess their careers—seemed to play really well in the realm of being an entrepreneur and building startups.

The basis of the post is this: Everything is a product management problem. Not just the product. Not just features. Not just platforms. Everything you do. Read More

Portland’s Grove makes exceptionally awesome iPhone 4 cases out of bamboo—and for a limited time old skateboards

Take a look at Grove, an awesome Portland, Oregon, company that makes incredibly beautiful bamboo iPhone 4 cases by hand. Well, at least mostly. I mean, they use freakin’ lasers.

[HTML2]While I tend to write about the Web, mobile, and open source technology, every once in awhile I feel the urge to branch out a bit. To write some stuff on the industries tangential to tech. To cover other startups in Portland that are doing awesome work. To cover something less ethereal and more tangible.

Well, I didn’t have to look very far. Meet Grove, an awesome Portland, Oregon, company that makes incredibly beautiful bamboo iPhone 4 cases—by hand. Well, at least mostly. I mean, they use freakin’ lasers. Read More

Like old flicks, cheesy B movies, and classic television? Grab your iPhone or iPad and wander into the Movie Vault

Like those classic flicks of yesteryear and those horrible yet addictive cheesy b movies. If only you could stream those on your iPad or iPhone. Well, now you can, with Movie Vault.

As soon as Apple decided to add the ability to watch movies to the iPod, folks have been staring at little screens watching their favorite modern flicks and television shows. With the advent of the iPad, Netflix streaming augmented the whole mobile movie viewing experience.

And yet, something was still missing. Like those classic flicks of yesteryear and those horrible yet addictive cheesy B movies. If only you could stream those on your iPad or iPhone. Well, now you can, with Movie Vault. Read More

Bus for the WIN! Head down to Ignite Corvallis and Willamette Innovators Night with wifi and free beer

Portland isn’t the only Ignite in town. Um. I mean the state. Bend has one. So does Corvallis. And if you’ve been feeling the itch to head south to see what the Covallisians are presenting, it just got a whole heck of a lot easier.

You see, on November 11th, Ignite Corvallis is once again being held in conjunction with the Willamette Innovators’ Night with Willamette Innovators Network (WIN)—and once again they’re happily bussing Portland folks down to the event with free beer and wifi the whole way. Read More

Looking for that early stage investment? OTBC offers 11 steps for getting investor ready

Yes, I know. 11 steps. Yes, most of these things are supposed to be 12 step programs, but this one—11 Steps for Getting Investor Ready—goes to 11. Besides, we’re looking to feed your addiction to startups. Not curtail it. Oh wait. I think step 12 may be “Profit!”

In any case, our friends over at OTBC in Beaverton are offering to coach entrepreneurs on pitching their ideas and companies to would be investors. All it takes is an hour, beginning at 4:30 PM on November 16. Read More

Portland’s Parent Hacks recognized by Babble as Most Useful Mom Blog, #10 of the Top 50 Mom Blogs

If you’ve ever happened upon a parenting blog, you’ve happened upon Parent Hacks. It’s Lifehacker for the parenting set. But what you might not have realized is that Parent Hacks is penned right here in Portland.

Now, that uber-useful resource has received some well deserved recognition. Parent Hacks, which is curated by Asha Dornfest, was recognized as the single most useful mom blog and—for the second year in a row—#10 out of the Top 50 Mom Blogs compiled by Babble. Read More