Be the Voice
News, assignments, and appearances for Spark Media Solutions in 2010. Jump to the latest news or news from 2009, 2008, or 2007
What’s geekier: Tech geeks or doctoral students who study tech geeks? What’s geekier:
Tech geeks or doctoral students who study tech geeks?

December 21st, 2010 - A collection of the best videos from the geekiest of events, the ICIS Conference where doctoral students and professors give presentations on studies they’ve been conducting over the past year.

Best videos from Enterprise 2.0 Conference #e2conf Best videos from Enterprise 2.0 Conference #e2conf

December 1st, 2010 - How are you building your personal brand to improve your own marketability? Those questions answered and more from David Spark's coverage of the Enterprise 2.0 Conference.

BIG MISTAKE: When lawyers come to Spark for advice #TWiL BIG MISTAKE: When lawyers come to Spark for advice #TWiL

Nov. 29th, 2010 - It’s not often a lawyer calls David Spark for advice, but such was the case last week when the legal counsel of Denise Howell and Evan Brown, a.k.a. “This Week in Law” asked Spark to be on their show along with Socialmedia.biz founder, JD Lasica.

Streaming Media West 2010 video round up Streaming Media West 2010 video round up

Nov. 17th, 2010 - The #1 conference on the online video industry. Spark Media Solutions was there reporting for Insight Technologies.

Expert tricks for pulling off social media ROI Expert tricks for pulling off social media ROI

Nov. 16th, 2010 - How do I actually get a return for all this money I’m investing in social media? We looked for answers from industry experts at Zuberance’s event “How to Turn Word of Mouth and Social Media into Sales.”

Word of mouth: How do you get others talking about your company? Word of mouth: How do you get others talking about your company?

Nov. 5th, 2010 - At the Zuberance event “How to Turn Word of Mouth and Social Media into Sales” we asked the attendees if they could tell us their secret to energizing word of mouth.

Best practices for recruiting and hiring Best practices for recruiting and hiring

Oct. 28th, 2010 - Are you always looking for great talent but just having a hard time finding it? At Staffing World 2010, we asked a bunch of expert recruiters what their favorite recruiting best practice was.

Our five favorite videos from Silicon Valley Code Camp Our five favorite videos from Silicon Valley Code Camp

Oct. 25th, 2010 - Here are our five favorite videos (along with 15 more) that we shot and produced at Silicon Valley Code Camp for Dice.com. You’ll enjoy them, even if you’re not a developer.

Best practices for crisis communications over social media Best practices for crisis communications over social media

Oct. 19th, 2010 - Here are 15 tips on how to handle communications when you’re facing a PR nightmare. Offers advice from preparation, monitoring, communication, engagement, and disengagement.

Tales of presentations gone horribly wrong Tales of presentations gone horribly wrong

Oct. 12th, 2010 - Every speaker has a presentation horror story. Here are more than a dozen tales of a presentation that went horribly wrong.

Co-Hosting TWiT’s “Tech News Today”: Video in the Toilet Co-Hosting TWiT’s “Tech News Today”: Video in the Toilet

Oct. 8th, 2010 - David Spark co-hosts “Tech News Today” with Becky Worley. A really fun episode with lots of props from viewers in the chat room. Watch to see why it's called “Video in the toilet."

Our five favorite videos from TechCrunch Disrupt Our five favorite videos from TechCrunch Disrupt

Oct. 8th, 2010 - What was the buzz on the floor from the attendees, presenters, and exhibitors at TechCrunch Disrupt last week? Of the 28 videos we produced at the event, here are our five favorites.

Ever witness a communications faux pas in the workplace? Ever witness a communications faux pas in the workplace?

Sept. 30th, 2010 - Yammer threw a party at TechCrunch Disrupt and we asked attendees if they were ever witness to or guilty of an inappropriate use of electronic communications in the office.

The very last episode of Cranky Geeks The very last episode of Cranky Geeks

Sept. 22nd, 2010 - This week is the airing of the very last Cranky Geeks episode. I appeared on the very first episode 4 1/2 years ago and I appeared on the very last episode as well. Watch the last episode as we reflect on the past four years.

What makes you a true geek? What makes you a true geek?

August 30th, 2010 - Think you're a real geek? Check to see how you stack up against the attendees of Gnomedex in Seattle. For a roundup of the event, read "The cool and not-so-cool from Gnomedex."

On KQED talking Google, Verizon, and net neutrality On KQED talking Google, Verizon, and net neutrality

August 13th, 2010 - David Spark discusses the Google/Verizon open letter that proposed new broadband requirements for mobile and some type of second Internet.

Did Mark Hurd sexually harass an iPhone user? Did Mark Hurd sexually harass an iPhone user?

August 11th, 2010 - Who knows? The mystery around Mark Hurd’s leaving HP and the absurd study by OKCupid about iPhone users having more sex than Android phone users became the fodder for this week’s episode of Cranky Geeks.

Cranky Geeks: Road warriors checking email on the toilet Cranky Geeks: Road warriors checking email on the toilet

July 7th, 2010 - In this week’s Cranky Geeks, we got to arguing about the nearly half of all road warriors that check email on the toilet. Plus who you should and shouldn’t befriend when you start a new job.

Cranky on Apple fanatics dating each other Cranky on Apple fanatics dating each other

June 16th, 2010 - On this week's episode of Cranky Geeks we talk a about 3D gaming, genitalia recognition algorithms for Chatroulette, and Cupidtino, the dating site only for Apple fanatics.

Successful Techniques for Building Your Industry Voice with Social Media Successful Techniques for Building Your Industry Voice with Social Media

May 6th, 2010 - Listen and watch David Spark's 25 minute keynote presentation at the PINC Show, a conference for print designers. Slidecast focuses particularly on the power of super users and contests powered by social media.

HOW TO: Cultivate Your Brand's Super Users HOW TO: Cultivate Your Brand's Super Users

May 4th, 2010 - Spark's story in Mashable examines four different ways companies ignored economies of scale and developed super user relationships that were more effective than their company's marketing department.

Why can't John C. Dvorak and I get along? Why can't John C. Dvorak and I get along?

April 28st, 2010 - It really gets heated on Cranky Geeks this week when John and I start arguing about an inappropriate invite I received from a PR firm.

Who needs a 200 GB drive in their car? Who needs a 200 GB drive in their car?

April 21st, 2010 - The Cranky Geeks can't stop complaining. This week it's about useless huge hard drives in cars, the "stolen" iPhone, and whether or not we're in a tech boom.

Spark Minute Listed as one of The Top 100 Social Media and Marketing Blogs

April 19th, 2010 - From research conducted by Cision US, Spark Minute blog made The Top 100 Social Media and Marketing Blogs list this year. We're #90, but we're happy to start somewhere.

My top ten favorite videos from SXSW My top ten favorite videos from SXSW

March 18th, 2010 - After producing more than 40 video interviews at the SXSW Interactive conference in Austin, here's a highlight of some of our favorite interviews with industry luminaries such as Pete Cashmore of Mashable, Randi Zuckerberg of Facebook, and Leo Laporte of TWiT.

Cranky on RSA, web introverts, and Jimi Hendrix? Cranky on RSA, web introverts, and Jimi Hendrix?

March 10th, 2010 - A funny episode of Cranky Geeks where we talk about the RSA conference, people being web introverts, and then we get sidetracked on a conversation about Jimi Hendrix.

End of the resume. Rise of the super user. End of the resume. Rise of the super user.

March 8th, 2010 - Live 15 minute Slidecast presentation David Spark gave at The Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. Want to get the best job? Be a super user. Want to hire the best employees? Look for super users.

Cranky on Google Buzz, people who don't own TVs, and Teens Cranky on Google Buzz, people who don't own TVs, and Teens

February 10th, 2010 - On Cranky Geeks this week, John C. Dvorak and David Spark argue about planted tech stories and how annoying it is when people announce, "I don't have a TV." Is that paradigm changing?

Cranky Geeks asks, 'Are we living in a Googleopoly?' Cranky Geeks asks, 'Are we living in a Googleopoly?'

January 12th, 2010 - On Cranky Geeks, John C. Dvorak and David Spark complain about Google pulling out of China, and Spark getting uninvited to a press party.

Is Google dominating or leading the way? Is Google dominating or leading the way?

January 9th, 2010 - David Spark joined Belva Davis on KQED's "This Week in Northern California" to discuss what was Google's real plan with the release of the Nexus One, a.k.a. the Google Phone. Are they intent on world domination or are they paving the way?

Seeing Spark