We’ve given this  start-up a lot of attention in recent weeks, but rightfully so. Our February Breakfast guest was Aaron Prather, CEO of stiQRd and QR Code know-it-all. When we last spoke to him for our Social Expedition podcast, his team was preparing for 48 Hour Launch. If you missed the podcast, StiQRd is a location-based check-in service (like Foursquare or Gowalla), but it’s unique characteristic is in the program’s marriage of QR codes and GPS location. Fresh, and sleep-deprived, from the LaunchMemphis weekend, he spoke to us this morning about their latest developments and educated us more thoroughly about the virtual loyalty program that is expected to be out of beta test and in an app store near you by April. But don’t miss out on the fun until then – you can apply to be a tester now. stiQRd has been received with a resounding “awesome!” and will have at least ten venues on board by the end of the month (they’re basically already there). Become a fan, follow them on Twitter, and sign-up for beta testing. Still not convinced? Since launching their social platforms last week, they’ve collected 82 Facebook fans and 123 Twitter followers. Their website has collected 551 unique site visitors with 989 unique page views. Support this start-up, and your tech community!

There was a lot of interest in WordPress at the breakfast, but we had our favorite WordPress-er Beth Sanders there to educate us when we broke out into roundtable discussion. If you haven’t checked out her monthly MeetUp, please do so. In fact, they’re meeting this Thursday night (Feb. 3) at 6:00PM at Republic Coffee. (Psst… if you check in there on foursquare, you can get a free cup of their coffee of the day). Free coffee and knowledge? I dare you to pass it up.

If you couldn’t make it, make sure to put the following events on your calendar. And, please, come next time – we love your smiling faces!

MobileCampMemphis: May 7, EmergeMemphis – Start planning your presentations now!

IgniteMemphis 2: As soon as we have this date nailed down, we’ll let you know. Just know that it’s soon, and it’s awesome, so you should come. Presenters will have exactly 5 minutes to impart a little information about just  about anything. You can check out Ignite Memphis 1 footage at ignitememphis.com.

As many of you know, LaunchMemphis held the first ever IgniteMemphis event on Tuesday, October 12, and if we may be so bold, was quite a success. The event went so well in fact, that LaunchMemphis is already setting up meetings to plan for the next one, which may be in February or March.

In preparation for an IgniteMemphis revival, we set up the live podcast and encouraged folks to call in with feedback. We’re always interested to hear what people liked, and especially what they didn’t, so we can improve the next one. One thing we have already learned to do differently for next time is to announce the feedback podcast at the event, instead of trying to contact people afterwards. LaunchMemphis founder Eric Mathews called in, but unfortunately, the word didn’t seem to get out to the general public.

The three of us did have a great chance to break down some key points of the presentation though, including our favorite presentations, and how the event ties in with the mission of LaunchMemphis. It’s all about making things happen in this city, and Ignite was (and will be) a great way for anyone to find out how they can contribute to the thriving entrepreneurial and cultural spirit of Memphis.

To listen to the podcast on BlogTalkRadio, find it here.

Download the podcast here, listen with the player below, or click the iTunes logo to subscribe.

A few of our regular expedition folks joined us last night for a screening of Melissa’s new documentary, Life in Perpetual Beta, which explores the ways in which technology and the Internet are changing our culture. Are we more creative now that the Internet has given us an open forum to display our art? Are we more open and authentic? Melissa’s film dives head first into these issues and more. Dave, Eric, and Melissa tackle a few of them with this podcast interview!

Give it a listen, and then don’t miss the next big LaunchMemphis event: IgniteMemphis on October 12.

Download the podcast here, listen with the player below, or click the iTunes logo to subscribe.

Then there’s the 8 million events coming up! First and foremost, we want you to know about the Memphis Screening of the new documentary, Life in Perpetual Beta, sponsored by LaunchMemphis, FuelFilm, and LunaWeb. This crowd-sourced film set out to ask members of the online community for their thoughts on how the internet and technology are shaping modern life and society. On September 29 (that’s THIS Wednesday!), the producer, Melissa Pierce, will be joining us for a Q & A session right after the film. We are so very excited about meeting and talking with Melissa that we actually went out and did our own mini-interviews! We call it Memphis Edition: Life in Perpetual Beta. Check it out on YouTube, then be sure to register for tickets to the event HERE! They’re only $10, but Like the Facebook page to stay updated on upcoming promotions. Then follow Melissa at @melissapierce!

Then there’s the other upcoming events:

• BarCamp Jonesboro – Sept. 25
• IgniteMemphis – Oct. 12
• BarCamp Nashville – Oct. 16
• BarCamp Memphis – Nov. 13

So hop on the tech events train!

Download the podcast here, listen with the player below, or click the iTunes logo to subscribe.

• TONIGHT! The WordPress Memphis Kickoff!! – 6pm at the LunaWeb offices, 5180 Park, Suite 305
  (FREE)
• LaunchMemphis presents After Hours with Larry Farrell – Sept. 13^th, 5:00 –7:00pm at LaunchMemphis (FREE)
• LaunchMemphis presents a Book Signing with Larry Farrell and Bridget DiCello– Sept. 14^th, 6:30 –8:00pm at Davis Kidd (Also FREE)
• WordCamp Birmingham, Sept. 18 & 19 – http://wordcampbirmingham.org/
  
• BarCamp Jonesboro, Sept 25 – http://www.barcampjonesboro.com/
• Ignite Memphis, Oct. 20, 7:30 pm at Playhouse on the Square
• BarCamp Memphis – November

So go! Jonesboro is only an hour or so away, and we’re trying to put together a caravan to go to Birmingham for WordCamp.

But besides our raves about BarCamps, the podcast also includes a great interview with Michael Synk: the business man, the consultant, the book club organizer. In one of his many roles, Michael coordinates the In-Synk Executive Huddle, a peer group for entrepreneurs and CEOs. In the same vein, he has also formed a Business Book Club, which he describes as “the book club for people who don’t have time to read the book.” RSVP here for the next meeting, which is tomorrow, September 3, 8 am at Davis Kidd, when they’ll be reviewing Blue Ocean Strategy.

After you listen in, find Michael on the web at www.in-synk.com, or on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook!

Download the podcast here, listen with the player below, or click the iTunes logo to subscribe.

Amanda Mauck – Facebook 101

Think you know Facebook? Well, maybe you did a day or two ago, but chances are, they’ve changed something since then. It seems like the internet’s most popular social network site rolls out a new update almost daily, and for the last few months, each and everyone has a parade of privacy complaints right behind it.

Amanda Mauck’s Facebook 101 session was an open forum to ask questions about using the ever-expanding site for your business. Amanda runs the Facebook page for Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, which has 8700 fans (or… likers?), posts new content at least a couple of times every day, and uses photos and videos to promote the message of the hospital. She is also on Facebook chat as I write this. She’s definitely someone who’s got the skinny on utilizing Facebook for a business.

The discussion ranged from the basic, like the difference between fan pages and personal profiles, to the more advanced, like Pay-Per-Click ads and Facebook’s statistics service, Insights. Everyone in the room had a different level of familiarity with the site, and Amanda was really great about answering all of the questions thoroughly.

As for “Like” versus “Become a fan?” Amanda’s stance is that it’s just plain ridiculous, and pretty much everyone in the room had to agree.

Audio 101 – Justin McGregor

Podcasting can be intimidating, but Justin McGregor promises it doesn’t have to be. Equipment can be inexpensive, set-up can be simple, and editing can be just as easy as you need it to be.

A podcast with only one or two speakers can be produced with a USB microphone and Audacity, a completely free sound editor. Or, for a little more money, you can upgrade to a dynamic microphone and sound card. The “Audio 101″ session was highly practical, and Justin was great about recommending really specific equipment brands, like the Blue Microphones Yeti USB mic, and the M Audio Fast Track Pro sound card.

Justin also went over the basic three elements of sound editing: compression, equalization, and time expansion, complete with screen shots of audacity editing modes.

Of course, after you edit, you’ll want to share your podcast, and Justin recommended some of the easiest ways to do that, too! Posterous is the easiest (and least expensive – it’s free) way to publish your podcast. Otherwise, you’ll need to purchase some web storage and link to your audio file. Anyone can podcast!

LaunchMemphis and LunaWeb recently co-hosted TribeCamp, a day-long conference on social media, web topics and professional development. The Social Expedition was proud to be a Platinum Sponsor of the event. We’ll be posting notes from some TribeCamp sessions over the next couple of weeks. The posts will be on a variety of topics, from social media to production to content.

Amanda Mauck – Facebook 101

Think you know Facebook? Well, maybe you did a day or two ago, but chances are, they’ve changed something since then. It seems like the internet’s most popular social network site rolls out a new update almost daily, and for the last few months, each and everyone has a parade of privacy complaints right behind it.

Amanda Mauck’s Facebook 101 session was an open forum to ask questions about using the ever-expanding site for your business. Amanda runs the Facebook page for Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, which has 8700 fans (or… likers?), posts new content at least a couple of times every day, and uses photos and videos to promote the message of the hospital. She is also on Facebook chat as I write this. She’s definitely someone who’s got the skinny on utilizing Facebook for a business.

The discussion ranged from the basic, like the difference between fan pages and personal profiles, to the more advanced, like Pay-Per-Click ads and Facebook’s statistics service, Insights. Everyone in the room had a different level of familiarity with the site, and Amanda was really great about answering all of the questions thoroughly.

As for “Like” versus “Become a fan?” Amanda’s stance is that it’s just plain ridiculous, and pretty much everyone in the room had to agree.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took place recently, and the nascent gadget freaks in us await January’s unveiling of shiny new toys as though it were Christmas proper. Everyone wants in on the act.

Even Google and Apple unveiled or are unveiling new products this month, and though the true identity of Apple’s product won’t be known until it’s announced Jan. 27, everyone seems to think they know what it is.

While we’ve been telling people for a long time to go ahead and grab the Twitter username you want before someone else does, it seems that Twitter will soon begin releasing usernames that seem to have been abandoned.

If they delete and release these usernames all at once, expect there to be an absolutely insane landgrab, like when Facebook suddenly allowed custom usernames and URLs.

Unfortunately, when it comes to usernames, you can’t always get what you want. But if you try canonical URLs, you’ll get what you need – an easy way to tell your audience how to find your social presence.

Elizabeth Cawein, Matthew Crawford Trisler, Eric Mathews, and Dave Barger

Eric Mathews stopped by our office to drop some knowledge on us about how two Mercury Technology Labs startups – Marks Menus and Into Outdoors – are leveraging social technologies to achieve their goals and provide functionality.

Eric notes that if Memphis wants to maintain a vibrant entrepreneurial community, then what’s going on in that community needs the city’s attention.

The Memphis Flyer gets that – and “20 Under 30,” the cover story of their latest issue, takes that idea to the general public. The story focuses on 20 of the most influential Memphians, most of whom bring attention to how great it can be to live here – and at least two of them are local social luminaries.

Stephen Hackett made the list – not for his “#gojgo” campaign, like Matthew says in the podcast (he hadn’t seen the paper yet, just the list of who was on it) – but for a post on his blog, Fork Bombr, about how if we want Memphis to be a better place, we need to take responsibility for making it so.

And there’s @ILoveMemphis herself, Kerry Crawford Trisler, married to our own Matthew Crawford Trisler (whose heart beats faster at just the sound of her name). Her efforts on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and the I Love Memphis Blog have earned her not just a spot on the Flyer’s list, but the cover.

Congratulations to everyone on the list – that’s a big honor, and you all deserve it!

Please join us tomorrow – Friday – for the Core Conversation podcast. This time around we’ll be talking about Creative Commons, Copyright/Copyleft issues, and promoting music online with the Creative Commons Foundation and Eric Maskol, who wrote our crazy-catchy theme music.

Do take some time between 11:30 and 12:30 to join us. You can call in to the Core Conversation at 646-721-9429.

As for the Social Expedition Podcast we’ve been talking about all this time, you can Download it here, listen in the player at the bottom of this post, or click the iTunes logo to subscribe.

The day was filled with home run presentations, great food, and a big crowd of extremely fun people.  By the end of the day, we had registered well over 100 SocialCamp attendees and even trended as the #1 topic on Twitter.

There was something for everyone to learn, with topics ranging from introductory 101 presentations, to meaty, uber-advanced discussions.  We saw several traditional presentations, as well as panels, core conversation groups, and quite a few spontaneous discussions.

Thanks to everyone who attended, and helped make this all happen.  The planners and volunteers put a lot of time into putting SocialCamp together, and we couldn’t have asked for a better crowd to attend.  We also had a bunch of wonderful sponsors aside from the Social Media Expedition.  Please go and check them out on the SocialCamp Memphis site.

If you were able to attend, leave a comment to let us know what you thought of the conference.  We plan on bringing more things like this to Memphis, and keeping our city on the Social Media map.  Next on the horizon, we have our monthly Social Media Expedition breakfast on April 1st at the University of Memphis Holiday Inn.  There will be more details posted on the Meetup site.

Here’s an ongoing list of blog write-ups from the event:

Skinny White Boy

The Displaced Texan

Team140.com

SocialCamp Memphis

The post "Geeks and Newbies Unite at SocialCamp Memphis" by lunaweb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.