Irv Shapiro - Cogitations

Models Application is Shutting Down

I have put much effort over the past 2 years into creating an alternative for the Thingiverse(TM) Customizer. However, despite having over 6,000 registered users, only a few found it valuable enough to upgrade to a premium license. This could be due to two potential reasons: firstly, there

makewithtech

MakeWithTech Community Goes Live

Launching the new MakeWithTech learning community for DIYers and Makers.

The Journey Continues

As we enter the fourth quarter of 2022 with Covid now a routine part of life, the MakeWithTech family of services is rapidly expanding. The discussion forum at forum.makewithtech.com now has over 3,000 registered members contributing over 13,000 posts. The YouTube channel is approaching 70,000

makers

September 2022 Update

MakeWithTech continues to expand with close to 65,000 YouTube subscribers, 3,000 Forum Members and 2,000 Models @ MakeWithTech users.

50,000 Subscribers What's Next

Models at MakeWithTech is a new application that addresses some of the Thingiverse limitations. It includes a working customizer for OpenSCAD models.

DrVax is now MakeWithTech

DrVax is continuing our journey with a newly updated brand. In the early 1980's I worked for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in the software services group supporting DEC PDP-11 and DEC VAX/VMS computer systems. The VAX acronym stands for virtual address extended, and the VMS acronym stands

business ideas

The Journey Continues

This past year has been rather remarkable. First, I survived ten days on a ventilator and three weeks in total in a hospital with Covid. Then while DialogTech, a company I founded in 2005 and retired from almost three years ago, battles with the impact of Covid's influence

COVID 19, Ventilator, I Survived

The past six weeks have been a blur. On March 7st, I came down with a slight fever and thought nothing of it. By Thursday, March 12th, after a temperature of 100.3 each of the last few days, I called my doctor. We discussed that I may or may

youtube

My YouTube Creator Story

Millions of dollars all for shooting and posting videos created with your phone. Seems easy to make a fortune on YouTube if you don't mind letting people watch you play video games, chat as you walk down the street, or open toys. As I approach the end of

makers

Google is More Than Search

Over the past six months, I have discovered more about the Google iceberg that is beneath the surface. This discovery occurred while I was becoming a YouTuber.

DrVax is Growing

In just a 5 months, since the launch of the first DrVax focused video, we have advanced from an idea to a rapidly growing skills and how to YouTube channel. As of May 2d here are the DrVax statistics: The DrVax concept has been validated with almost 500,000 minutes

3d printing

Learn about DrVax

DrVAX is my new media play consisting of the drvax.com web site, drvax YouTube channel and a DrVax Facebook page. The DrVAX mission is to empower retiring baby boomers to take control of their lives by learning how to be makers.

Technology

Don't retire. Retool and Reboot as a Maker..

The reasons boomers should become makers as they retire.

3d printing

3d Printing will Change the World

I received my first 3d printer last Thursday and after spending about 8 hours on Friday and Sunday assembling it I have used it to produce my first prints. As an engineer I have been hearing about 3d printing for years, but until you experience it first hand it is

management

Is Delegation a Continous or Analog Function

In electronics, signals may be either analog or digital. Analog signals are smooth and continuous while digital signals are composed of small discrete steps. In binary systems, a digital signal is either on or off. Think about the difference between a staircase and a ramp for a real-world example we

management

Empowerment Failures

As a technology executive and company founder for over 35 years, I have drunk the empowerment Kool-Aid and found it wanting. Wikipedia defines Empowerment as: "The term empowerment refers to measures designed to increase the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities in order to enable

USHMM Event at DialogTech

Join DialogTech for a special program on Thursday, August 23 with Michael Hayley Goldman, Director of Future Projects Division at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Michael will discuss the space between the Museum and technology and the new ways technology is being used to tell the story of the

DrVax: coming to YouTube and the Web

I have begun to work on my next business while continuing to contribute to DialogTech as the Chairman of the Board. I recently celebrated my 63rd birthday, and in conversations with friends and family, I find myself answering questions about technology, the startup world, the venture capital world and anything

DialogTech named Best Overall Marketing Analytics Platform

During a year of industry excitement, high growth for our company and multitudes of client successes, DialogTech has been named Best Overall Marketing Analytics Platform by MarTech Breakthrough [http://martechbreakthrough.com/award-winners/] . MarTech Breakthrough, part of the Tech Breakthrough Awards organization, recognizes industry leaders in today’s hottest categories of

Why It’s Critical for Marketers to Embrace Voice in 2017

2017 is poised to be a turning point for voice. The use of virtual assistants is on the rise, and there’s an explosion in the ways users interact with smartphones and computers. More and more, consumers are choosing to engage with brands through a virtual assistant, voice search or

The Evolution of a Founders Role

In my basement, in 2006 I started on a journey that continues today. This journey evolved from a crazy idea to become DialogTech, a company approaching 200 employees and thousands of customers, analyzing over 50 million minutes of voice conversations a month with the latest AI and cloud-based technologies. At

Spam Calls are Impacting all Marketers

Tired of spammed phone calls. Calls you don't want and cannot stop. Learn more about telephone spammers at this DialopTech blog post. https://www.dialogtech.com/blog/news/industry-problem-putting-a-stop-to-traffic-pumping-spam-calls

Voice & Marketing Technology

This video describes how phone calls are becoming a critical component of marketing technology stacks.

Purple Cow Focus: The Microsoft Lesson for Startups

Microsoft recently announced [http://www.extremetech.com/computing/209470-microsoft-writes-off-7-6-billion-nokia-purchase-cuts-7800-jobs] plans to write off $7B and lay off up to 7,800 employees. Wondering how this happened? Lack of focus. Unlike Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, Steve Ballmer (the former CEO of Microsoft) never was and never will be a product

Telephony Industry

Google Voice - Not Ready for Business

As I have shared in previous blog posts, I believe Google Voice is a fantastic addition to the Telephony 2.0 ecosystem and will help to establish the concept of supplementing a dial tone telephone company with additional resources from a telephone application service. However, for business users I find