ForbesOnTech

Demo Continues to Hit Homers for its Companies and Audience-- but Presentations Need Improving

Now in its 21^st year, the technology showcase continues to grow and remains a solid proving ground for launching new companies and technologies. But like any medalist athlete, Demo can improve in order to out stride competitors.

I’ve been part of Demo for most of its life (eventually becoming one of the producers of its event) and I have some pretty strong opinions about Demo’s strengths and its weaknesses.

Right out of the starting blocks, if there’s one thing Demo producers can do to improve the show for demonstrators and attendees alike, it’s to put more effort into coaching companies on how to give demonstrations. Delivering a great pitch to Demo audiences is absolutely not the same thing as pitching to investors.

Although most companies say access to investors is an important reason for coming to Demo,  it’s the show’s list working technology reporters and editors that give it its cachet.

A six minute stage presentation that’s aimed at Demo’s press audience can quickly position a company and its technologies in and answer questions on how a company can differentiate itself.

Recently Demo has undergone several improvements that increase its viability and value.

The most important of these is its use of scholarships for very young startups, known as “Alpha Pitch” Presentations. Demo’s scholarship program is underwritten by sponsors such as Microsoft and AARP, and has helped to bring cash strapped new companies into Demo.

The second big change in Demo has been partnerships with organizations like Microsoft BizSpark and StartupAmerica who prescreen potential Demonstrators and pass the cream of their crops onto Demo’s producer as candidates.

The net effect of the changes in Demo has increased attendance and opened the show to companies located outside of the West Coast.  You had only to look at the audience and the list of Demonstrators and their locations to see the proof is this change to Demo.

Demo has faced down several challengers in its 21 year history. Now in its third decade, this technology showcase continues to generate homeruns for its demonstrators and audience.

I make no apologies for my grandstand support of the show. The long list of companies and entrepreneurs who have successfully launched at Demo grows every year.—Jim Forbes on May 23/2012.

 

Geo Tag and other Meta Data technologies Really Shine at Demo 2012-- John Fortt's Intuit Q&A Sets New Standard

Demo 2012 was a little like watching a road being revealed in the bright light of high powered quartz halogen high beams – what’s unveiled by the light is sometimes overlooked the casual observers

Up front, I need to disclose I have strong opinions about Demo. I produced Demo branded events and interviewed thousands of companies in conjunction with this family of technology showcases.

There was a lot to see and experience at Demo 2012 last month. More than 1,000 attendees saw about 70 companies with new consumer, business and enterprise technologies. What was shining brightly in Demo’s hi beams was CNBC business reporter John Fortt’s interview with Intuit’s CEO, Brad Smith.

Fortt was at the top of his game. His interview of Smith completely reversed my somewhat negative view of conference Q&A sessions. It was the best CEO interview I’ve seen at a conference since the days of Stuart Alsop’s legendary one-on-ones with Bill Gates at the Agenda Conferences.

Fortt’s preparation for his one on one with Smith was stunning. By the time his segment ended, I fully understood what drove Intuit’s usability efforts and had new insight into the company’s intrapreneurial and external acquisition strategies. Frankly, I’m surprised Intuit’s executive management hasn’t been selected for any executive technology show case one-on-one conversation before now. This veteran technology company is literally the 10,000 pound gorilla that dominates a large part of the Silicon Valley jungle.

The CNBC correspondent’s Q&A with Brad Smith illuminates the uneven nature of most conference panels. When a discussion leader and panelists prepare for their discussions and are not allowed to venture into self-serving pitches on portfolio companies, panels can provide attendees with deep insight into emerging trends or real market opportunities. And ultimately it’s up to an event’s producer to map out their expectations on the purpose of the panel.

After sitting through two presentations by companies with technologies that enhance the important of geotags I understand that there are still major opportunities in mining metadata information. GeoTrex—which lets organizations push enhance content to patrons’ smart phones and tablets based on their physical location in a facility appears to have good commercial potential and fulfills an underserved need. This company did the one thing that helps to validate a Demo stage presentations— a customer endorsement. GeoTrex’s first installation is Midwestern zoo that uses the technology to provide visitors with additional information on its animals or exhibits.

As a San Diego zoo and Los Angeles Museum of Science and Industry patron, I immediately understood why some organizations should adopt GeoTrex’s technology.

ShareWith911.com was an alpha startup at Demo 2012 with a Geotag related technology. The idea driving this Chesapeake Bay Area company is the capability to send photos taken with camera phones of scenes where emergency services are needed to a centralized site that’s designed to be accessed by emergency dispatchers.

If the idea sets off alarms in your head that this might be too much information, settle down. It’s not. Moreover, ShareWith 911.com does something that’s not been done before and provides several pieces of critical information needed by emergency responders—the physical location of an accident scene and mixed media (graphics and text)—that increases first responders’ situational awareness. But what really impressed me about this startup was a feature that extracts and displays the geotag data in about one second.

ShareWith 911.com came to Demo2012 via a partnership with StartupAmerica. This demonstrator’s technology may seem to have a small market, but the technology comes at a time when the federal government is pumping millions of dollars into first response agencies nationwide. Moreover, this is exactly the type of application that providers of computerized automatic dispatch systems can use to differentiate their products or make them more appealing and useful to law enforcement, fire departments and other services who serve rural areas with landmarks or mile markers that are not apparent to 911 callers.

There were sveral pother Demo2012 companies and tends I want to spotlight in tomorrow’s post—jim Forbes May 9, 2012.

Demo Rolls Out Scholarship Programs-- New Effort Aimed at Universities and Very Young Companies

A new program for the venerable technology launch show,Demo, adds an ocean of new entrepreneurial talent and could give long legs to the event.

Quietly unveiled by the show’s executive producer last year, Matt Marshall of VentureBeat, the new program includes three types of scholarships which can be used by any domestic and International technology company.

Universities are the target of Demo’s entry-level College Alpha Pitch Program which is underwritten by Microsoft Corp, according to Neal Silverman the IDG Senior Vice President who is Demo’s General Manager. The Student Alpha Pitch Program includes two full admissions to Demo and 90-second stage demonstrator slots as well as stations in Demo’s Demonstrator Pavilion. Ten College Pitch Scholarships will be available at Demo, Silverman says.

Demo is offering two other categories of scholarships; 20 full scholarships for young companies which launch their products at Demo but which have received less than $500,000 in funding and 10 partial scholarships for companies that have received limited angel funding but raised less than $1.5 million overall.

Funding for the new Demo Scholarship programs is coming from Demo’s Platinum Partners which includes AARP, Porter Novelli, Microsoft and other companies, according to Demo’s General Manager.

Demo Spring 2012 is April 17-19 and its location is the Hyatt Regency, Silicon Valley in Santa Clara, CA. the deadline to apply for College Alpha Pitch Scholarships is February 17.Additional information on Demo’s Scholarship program including applications is at http://demo.com/ehome/DEMO/launch/scholarships.

in the past, many startups operated on budgets that precluded their participation in the show, the new scholarships open up Demo to more new companies,” Silverman notes. Demo does not accept equity positions or warrants in any company that are part of its scholarship programs, Silverman reports.

In addition to Demo Spring and Demo Fall, Demo also has events in Asia, China and Brazil.—Jim Forbes on 02/14/2012.

Disclosure: I was the founding producer of Demo Mobile, now known as Demo Fall. I have no fiduciary relationships with Demo, IDG or any of its contract executive producers.

 

Three Additional Standouts from Demo Fall2011: Gimme, Daily Digital Storefront for Facebook and BringShare.

Sometimes is takes me a little time bit to digest what I’ve seen at Demo. Three companies at the cutting edge of consumer and enterprise segments markets that really stood out were Gimme and Daily Digital Storefront for Facebook and BringShare,

If there’s one launch that knocked my socks off, it was Gimme, which is the first mobile commerce platform I’ve seen that opens a pipeline between consumers and retailers.

Gimme does the one thing that captures consumers attention, it provides an immediate cash advantage for using coupons. It’s primary instrument for this is the ubiquitous cell phone.

Virtually all new cell phones can read and capture QR and bar codes. Gimme lets its users capture those codes and deposit cash from cash back offers directly into PayPal accounts or opt to receive a check.

Alternatively, people with older cell phones that don’t support bar code reading can use their cameras phones to capture an image of the QR code and then transmit the image back to Gimme’s site.

Gimme also offers something for retailers-- a software platform for popular tablet computrs that lets retailers directly connect and make offers to consumers. Gimme’s technology works with Apple iPhone and Google Android hardware.

Gimme is the first platform to connect retailers and consumers in mobile commerce couponing, although another start-up, Pushpins Inc, is in use at select Safeway stores. PushPinsties into Safeway’s customer loyalty program and supports electronic couponing. However initially PushPins is limited to supermarkets,. Where Gimme id open to any retailer who wants to open a pipeline to all consumers.

It’s been years since I’ve been really impressed with a mobile commerce platform, but I feel Gimme may have been the most important technology start-up at Demo Fall 201.

More specifically, I believe Gimme is a harbinger of mobile commerce platforms to come and its first-in market position could payoff in the coming years.

Daily Digital Storefronts was another memorable Demo Fall 2011 standout. Daily Digital’s software turns Facebook pages into virtual storefronts that artists and others can use to promote, distribute and sell their digital work. This start-up has an obvious market and using Facebook as a pipeline between artists and consumers is straightforward idea.

What made Daily Digital’s launch an eye popping stand out was how simple its software makes creating Facebook pages with original digital content while protecting the artist’s Intellectual Property and selecting a compensation model.

My first reaction to this Demonstrator was to compare it to an updated version of Garage Band-- a start-up funded in the 1990’s by New Enterprise Associates that languished because it never demonstrated a valid revenue model.

My second reaction was Daily Digital’s Facebook Storefront has a clearly understood path to revenue and multiple mid-term exit strategies.

There was an enterprise application that shined like a lighthouse at Demo Fall2011-- BringShare. This dashboard software simplifies the complex task marketing department analysts face when compiling weekly metrics on campaigns and marketing programs.

BringShare works by connecting ita dashboard interface to feeds like those provided by Google Analytics.

BringShare’s feeds can be used to generate charts or statistical reports with minimal user intervention.

What’s important about BringShare is how easy it makes creating near real time marketing lead generation reports. In many organizations this is a task that takes hours of work by a dedicated data analyst. BringShare cuts the time it takes to generate such reports to minutes.

Of all the demonstrations I wanted to see in Demo’s Pavillion, BringShare’s pitch lacked a clear path to success message. Nevertheless, BringShare has such obvious advantages it’s difficult to imagine it not attracting solid investors or big-name backers

I need to disclose something before I close this post. I was the founding producer of Demo Mobile (which became Demo Fall) but no longer have a fiduciary or other relationshp with IDG-- which initially backed Demo. Additionally, I have no relationship with either of the private entities thst produce the Demo events.--Jim Forbes on 09/23/2011.

Veteran Producer and GuideWire Group Founder Launches Tech Acelerator, Stuidio G

 

 

 

Studio G, a new technology incubator in Redwood City, CA breaks a long established Silicon Valley mold with an approach that makes it seem more like a graduate school for entrepreneurs than rubber stamp hatchery producing the “next big thing.”

Called “Studio G, the 3,500 sf incubator is located in downtown Redwood City, CA, and is the home of Guidewire’s US operations and the office of its founder , Chris Shipley.

Located near the Train station in downtown Redwood City’s revitalized theater district, Studio G is designed to accelerate technology entrepreneurs through product development, Ms Shipley notes.

Shipley has spiced the traditional Silicon Valley incubator recipe of working space, office tools and relentless high speed internet connectivity with practicum and other on-site instruction on what entrepreneurs need to know to succeed.

Unlike many Silicon Valley incubators that rely on captive Venture capitalists to proctor start-ups. Studio G’s faculty comes from the deep pool of entrepreneurial connections Shipley has maintained throughout her 30-plus year career.

Another important spice in Studio G’s menu is an a la cart option that lets entrepreneurs sign up for classes on a yearly basis.

Guidewire groups Studio G accelerator offers Start-ups offers resident and non-resident programs. Non resident membership costs only $650 a year and allows participants to attend Studio G mentoring activities (including lecture classes and critiques of business propositions, attendance at on-site panels by funding sources and other activities.)

Ms Shipley says companies selected to participate in Studio G pay for the incubator’ s service on either fee or equity-based arrangements. To apply for a berth with Studio G go to:

http://studiog.wufoo.com/forms/z7x4a3/   

When discussing Studio ’d business model with Chris Shipley I was struck by how much her new venture reminded me of consultancy and how easy it would be to scale her new venture for venues nation or world-wide.

　

(disclosure: Chris Shipley and I were colleagues several times in our careers; first at PCWeek, and most recently producing the Demo technology conference events--jmf.)

 

Demo 2011, Snapshots of Trends

The entrepreneurs are gathering here in Palm Desert CA as Demo 2011 the  technology industry’s premier launch events gets ready to open Monday morning.
 Upfront disclosure: I produced Demo events for nine years and also wrote and edited PCLetter and its successor DemoLetter. Because of my previous involvement in Demo and an understanding of how the shows works, and its intended audience,  my posts over the next few days will be focused on Demo companies and new technologies. I try to provide a top-0down view of Demo, I am not affiliated with VentureBeat, the firm headed by  Matt Marshall, Demo’s executive producer or IDG which owns the Demo brand.
 Some assembly required, as the saying goes.
My favorite part of Demo is the day before it officially opens. I use the time to talk to companies, entrepreneurs and to reconnect with friends and former co-workers.
I’ll begin posting on specific details on demonstrator early tomorrow morning but I have some early impressions.
 Social media has become a matrix check box item. Everyone has the requisite ties links to the appropriate brand names.
But what’s different about one of the threads this year is the appearance of technologies that let you do more than text or post images.
I’m particularly interested in this because under used peripherals such as webcams could be easily become integral to the social media phenomena. All that’s needed is software that lets users define and implement rules.
Unbeknown to entrepreneurs working on  video technologies  for social media Microsoft and a handful of other companies are researching consumer’s expectations on how various devices should interact with them as their distance from such and interaction with such machines changes.
Nowhere is it written that every company at launches a product that introduces a new category. But there is something you see at Demo that’s altogether missing at other events: Technology that redefines and expands existing categories. There are several at this years show and I want to get into them in a subsequent post after Demo opens tomorrow.
A specific example of this are tools and Internet sites that give consumers more control over important tasks like managing household accounts. I recently set up two homes within in the last two years, I’ve come to long for a mechanism that lets me set up a new household from one, not several sites using rules I define.
As a veteran Demo watcher and former producer of the show, I’ve always defined the event as a “snap shot” of an industry at a specific time. And this year the back drop for most of those images will ber social media---Jim Forbes from Demo 2011 on 02/27/2011

 

HealthinReach, Cyncz and Capture Mobile Scanner-- What Demo does Best-; Products that Redefine Existing Technologies

Just when I begin to think a software or hardware category is mature with no room for new products or services something I see at a Demo show proves me dead wrong. Three products at Demo Fall 2010 brought this home; a new portable scanner from

Rocky Mountain Ventures, a bi-directional contact synchronizing application called Cyncz, and an innovative web-based health management service called HealthinReach.com.

HealthinReach.com does something no other online health management destination site does. It lets consumers find medical practitioners and provides information on pricing for office visits, the practitioners’ qualifications and other attributes. And of course it also lets consumers make appointments and view lab and other medical test results.

What’s different about HealthinReach.com is its intended market, the millions of Americans who have elected to save money by carrying medical insurance that covers only catastrophic illness or emergencies. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be useful to anyone who moves to a new neighborhood and who needs to find an affordable doctor that will work with a medical insurer. It’s this capability that captured and held my interest in HealthinReach.com.

As millions of baby boomers creep into retirement, any health destination site that lets this aging group of Americans find medical practitioners who will accept their insurance-- including whether or not a doctor will work with Medicare-- increases its present and future value.

HealthinReach is being beta tested in the Los Angeles area initially. I plan on keeping my keen, but -ever aging-- eyes on this Demo Fall 2010 company to see how they plan to scale up and service the largest market for medical services this country has ever produced-- baby boomers-- enter retirement.

I Liked Demo Fall 2010 launcher Cyncz.com a because its clean interface simplifies complex but strategically important tasks. Maintaining contact lists across disparate platforms isn’t as simple a task as it should be and Cyncz.com my be one of the easiest approaches I’ve ever seen aimed at this task.

Cyncz’s graphical interface goes a long way to simplifying contact list maintenance, and although hre haave been other applications and platforms aimed at this task, I’ve never seen one that blends Cyncz’s power and simplicity.

One of the worst computing accidents I’ve ever had was with synchronizing software. While traveling, my synch app wiped out my address book. Cyncz.com eliminates this problem altogether while layering on automatic synchronization, self updating and other features.

Cyncz is the type of application that first appears at Demo, but which later shows up as a strategic feature in other applications. I suspect Cyncz’s capabilities could kick off of a feature battle among web-based CRM vendors.

　

Rocky Mountain Venture’s Capture ID Mobile Scanner-- which is based on this company’s older Flip Pal Mobile scanner is the second scanner launched at Demo that could redefine an existing category.

Like a product shown at Demo nearly 20 years ago-- the Visioneer roller optical scanner--Rocky Mountain’s products layers on capabilities that makes it possible to do new things --or find new uses for scanned images. The secret sauce in this hardware is its software.

Some of the new features in the underlying capabilities include the ability to scan text from open books without showing binding creases, and the ability to effortlessly create landscape images using an ultra portable scanner.

Another feature I like is that this device can be configured to wirelessly upload scanned images to cloud database applications.

I first became aware of this company while living in Colorado last year, where the company’s first technology is used by arts and crafts hobbyists and professionals who swore by the technology because of software that eliminated yellow tints in old scanned photos.

I liked this Loveland, CO, demonstrator for several reasons: First, it redefines a seemingly staid category -- scanners; Secondly, its management includes a technological leader whose work in optical scanning for Hewlett Packard set an industry baseline.

I believe one of the things Demo does best is to introduce and help launch companies that redefine existing categories. HealthinReach, Cyncz and Rocky Mountain Ventures are all examples of this concept.--Jim Forbes on 09/25/2010.

(Mandatory disclosure: I was the founding producer of Demo Mobile-- Demo Fall’s predecessor and helped produce Demo until I retired. I have no fiduciary or other relationships with Demo or any of the third party organizations who organize and produce the event--jmf)

My Three High Tide Picks for Demo Fall 2010-- Dynamics' Card 2.0,Copia Interactive and MobiCart.

Picking platform plays as demonstrators at shows such as Demo can be a two-edged sword. Unless they can be linked visibly to obvious user benefits, theey're often too subtle to go over well with an audience.

And platform software could well have been the underlying percussive beat that drove Demo Fall 2010.

One of the platform demonstrators that set a new high bar at Demo was Dynamics’ Card 2.0, which I believe was the most significant launch I’ve seen at Demo since Jeff Hawkins premiered the original Palm Pilot in the early 1990’s.

Dynamics Card 2.0 is based on a card programmable magnetic stripe and is a “smart” card that will work with existing card readers. What I love about Dynamics technologies is simple: I can turn the card on or off or invoke functions with a few simple keystrokes on the face of the card and it has an integrated display that can be used to show balances on gift cards. But most importantly, unlike many so-called disruptive technologies, Dynamics’ Card 2.0 works with the existing infrastructure. Also, unlike many of the the next-generation smart cards I saw in my time before Demo’s mast, Card 2.0 is both thin and extremely rugged.  Furthermore, because of built in safeguards, such as requirements to turn this device on and enter a numeric pass cade, I am cojmpetely satisfied with the safety of my financial information and account access.

I also like this company because of the work it put into its product design. Card 2.0 is

Jeff Mullen Dynamics’ CEO flat out nailed his demonstration. After watching his on-stage pitch, I went back and reviewed my notes. Sure enough he had answered every follow-up question I had noted.

Dynamics’ Card 2.0 was awarded Demo Fall’s Peoples’ Choice Award.  My advice to any company prepping for a future spot at Demo—including pitching Matt Marshall-- is to look at the video of Jeff Mullen’s on stage Demo and use it as a template. It was simply one of the best I’ve ever seen.

Copia Interactive may be one of the best forward positioned products and platforms I’ve seen  at Demo in the last several years. Copia is both a social media application and platform. Copia is also a great example of aiming a product at a convergence of technologies. What I love about Copia’s technology is that it taps into the turbulent force of social media and provides its users with the ability to create and manage ad hoc interest groups while maintaining control over what’s publicly shown.

Copia scored pints with me through its demonstration in an Apple iPad slate computer.

I went to Demo anxiously hoping I’d find even more reasons to devote the remainder of my 2010 “gadget budget” to the purchase of a slate compute. Copia may have pushed my decision forward while convincing me that screen real estate and the availability of a good external keyboard will be an important part of my purchase decision.

The basics of Copia’s capabilities are somewhat available now on shared social media platforms like Google Books, Facebook and other web-based services. What Copia has done is provide a platform and an application that synchronizes content in discussion and special interest that lets me pick out what I have in common with members of discussions and keep public and private notes on such conversations. And it also supports multiple views of conversations.

Over the years, I’ve been openly critical of technology companies that try to tap into the entertainment industry without investing in the intellectual capital that drives the segment.

Two minutes into a conversation with this demonstrator in the pavilion and I said to myself “Aha! They get Hollywood and New York Media!” Copia was shown running on Apple iPads, Windows 7 computers but its developers make the point they’re platform agnostic but dedicated to the e-reader platform. The agnosticism that marks this platform should help any publishing partner that wants to incorporate social media as a strategic component to its long-term marketing plans. What I see in Copra is a platform that fundamentally binds users to brands and products at a grassroots level.

A small UK-based start-up at Demo Fall 2010 called MobiCart, demonstrated a technology that I think goes a long way in helping to deliver on the promises of making it much easier for retailers of all sizes to sell products online. MobiCart art does something that’s not really been done before: it allows retailers to to set up e-commerce sites that reflect not only their unique inventories, but also their individual brands. And it does this with less hassle than any other product I’ve ever seen.

MobiCart is an iPhone app. When used by consumers, it supports normal shopping cart functions and allows users to shop using one of several views.

MobiCart launches at a critical time. Companies such as Visa have recently announced their intentions to bring ecommerce to smart phones, at the time as geo-location based shopping site and applications are flourishing. This small company’s technology benefits from being at the right place at the right time, but the developer isn’t blind to the reality of the US market and told me in the pavilion they were indeed looking beyond the confines of the iPhone and thinking about readying versions for Android-based handsets.

But, while geolocation based shopping is growing, what’s been missing are simple toold that close the chasm between retailers and consumers.  MobiCart bridges this chasm.

My enduring post event thought about this company is that I hope it catches the attention of platform managers at either Visa or Intuit, both of which could use MobiCart as a foundation product for mobile commerce platforms.

I’m still thinking about a couple of other companies I saw at Demo Fall 2010 and my reaction to the show and its new venue in the heart of Silicon Valley. But that’s stuff for another post. Jim Forbes on 09/22/2010.

Demo Fall 2010-- Matt Marshall hits Opening Session Grand Slam with VOntata Connect, Federated Netwoks and EM Clie

Demo Fall 2010’s first day offered a cornucopia of new mobile computing and enterprise products that left me wanting more. Executive producer Matt Marshall’s recipe is one of the best I’ve tasted at DemoFall in years.

From the enterprise menu, I liked Federated FN Networks’ Connect Secure Desktop and Server enterprise cyber security software a great deal. Federated has done something with security software that other vendors should have done a longtime ago; they reinvented a category and have introduced a much better mousetrap. What’s truly unusual about Federated Network’s approach is that it begins b with the users interactions with the computer. All of the users’ interactions and communications with the computer-- are encrypted. If this seems like overkill. It’s not. Analysts quoted by Federated believe the cyber security market is worth approximately $40 billion and say the weakest link in the chain is the user. FN Secure Desktop locks the door on the weakest link in the cyber security chain and makes t impossible for miscreants to intercept all types of data. At the user’s computer or anywhere in the communications pipeline.

I was extremely impressed with this Canadian company’s demonstration. Historically enterprise software developers have needed to resort to gimmicks to get their points across. Federated’s presentation quickly showed the company has set a new bar for this category at the desktop and server.

EM Client popped right up in my ballroom seat. EM Client has an auspicious target-- Microsoft Outlook is the and the enterprise email market. This new application is a full-featured communications client that includes a messaging client and an integrated search engine. What really impressed me is how easy this developer has made migrating from Outlook to EM Client. I’ve never seen any communications application that made migration of everything in my Outlook files--including scheduling-- so easy. EM Client automatically synchronizes and is capable of determining and using the fastest available communications path for message routing. Of all the applications I saw on the first day of Demo presentations, EM Client’s was the one that kicked off my strongest ”gotta use it” instinct.

Vonata’s Connect-- an enterprise telephony and mobile device application was another classic Demo technology introduction. If you’ve ever had to crawl through corporate voice mail hell, you’re sure to quickly jump on Connect’s Vonata bandwagon. One of the most innovative products I’ve seen at Demo in the last 15 years. In theory, once Connect’s enterprise application has been installed and the user has the client on their smart phone, the user would see a list of numbers and corresponding wait times associated with a response from those numbers. Vonata Connect also includes a feature anyone whose ever experienced a dropped call in the middle of a tech support call will really love, direct redial. Vonata could face a tough up hill Sales cycle with Vonata. Corporate telepphoney departments are notoriously conservative and while allowing consumers direct access to an appropriate employee may sound like a strategy that helps a corporation seem more open to consumers, providing such information with client software that runs on smartphone could be perceived by corporate telephony managers as giving bank robbers the keys to heavily guarded vaults and safes.

I got a lot out of the speakers at this year’s event; thanks to incredible planning by Matt Marshall and his staff that resulted in topical questions such as what processes do large enterprise buyers use to acquire new technology. Most of all kudos to Computerworld’s Exec Editor, Julia King, for her skillful questioning of vice presidents of Information technology from disparate companies.

I reluctantly left the main ball room and headed for the demonstrator’s pavilion to get a double helping of “Wow” and “that’s very cool“ but more on that later.--Jim Forbes on 09/14/2010, from Demo Fall 2010..

DemoFall2010, nearly Two-Score Demonstrators Alpha Pitchers, and Appx. 100 Press Wait for Tuesday Opener.

I enjoy the day before Demo opens as much as the actual show.

The day before Demo opens is when you get to see demonstrators rehearsing pitches heads down in quiet corners of hotel lobbies or outdoor seating areas.

Although I’ve promised not to write about specific details of companies or new products, you’d have to be blind not to notice Apple Inc. technologiess, as the centerpiece for demonstrations of new infrastructure and consumer software.

The appearance of Apple hardware at Demo has become a rising tide, driven by the popularity of the iPhone. In addition to the iPhone, I also ticked off an half-dozen iPads in the lobby and outside of the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara and outside .

I can’t say for sure that there are iPad specific products in the show’s line-up, since I noticed that most of the tablets were being used to review demonstrator scripts and other forms of content.

But one thing I’ll bet a $2 bill from my stash of deuces is: there will be no shortage of iPhone product developers who use their stage spots to add they’re working on versions of their iPhone apps for the iPad too.

I’m more than willing to double down on that bet and predict that at lease half of the CEO’s pitching iPhone applications will add that they’re planning to support versions of their Apple-related products for Google’s Android mobile phone operating system before they leave the stage.

Like all other technology related journalists, I have watched Google’s steady flanking against the iPhone. And every developer I’ve talked to--except one--has said they will support Android in forthcoming products for smart phones.

DemoFall kicks off Tuesday morning. Appx 70 demonstrators are slated to appear over the two-day show, here at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara, CA. More than 60 of the companies are lunching never before seen products and nine companies are pitching ideas for future products (called alpha pitches) will be interspersed among the regular demonstrators.

I’ve become a big fan of Demo’s Alpha Pitch Program, which was instituted by Executive Producer Matt Marshall when he took over the show earlier this year. Alpha Pitch companies participating in Demo receive invaluable feed back on their proposed companies and technologies from established entrepreneurs, angel and other investors. Unlike most Demo companies-- which have six minutes to show off their technologies, Demo Alpha Pitch companies have only 90 seconds to explain their propositions.

Almost 800 attendees are expected to be at DemoFall 2010, 1bout 100 of which are members of the press,--20 of whom are from publications and organizations outside of the US.

DemoFall was originally called DemoMobile because it was focused solely on mobile computing technology. This is the first year the event is being held in Silicon Valley. Previous year’s events were held at southern California venues.-- Jim Forbes on September 13,2010.

(Mandatory disclosure I was the producer of Demo Mobile and co-produced the Demo shows with Chris Shipley.)