Tino’s August Blog Post
Weather is one of the most frequently discussed topics among people and The Weather Channel (TWC) has become one of the leading sources of information for weather-related conversations. According to TWC, weather is talked about 200 times per minute nationally on average on Twitter with more than two million tweets per day during significant weather events. So it’s not surprising that the company decided to take advantage of online discussions about weather by adding social elements to all TWC platforms.
TWC partnered with Twitter to curate appropriate weather-related content and match it with a user’s location for display across TWC properties. So now, instead of just seeing the weather forecast, you can get real-time updates from people in the community about what they’re experiencing.
This is a great example of an innovative use of technology. The Weather Channel won our Excalibur Award in the Large Company category in 2011 because of their innovation. (Want the full story? Click here.)
Today nearly every company uses technology in some form or another; from schools using technology in the classroom (check out how our 2011 Excalibur winner Georgia Gwinnett College is innovating organic chemistry lessons) to manufacturers using 3D imaging to help identify and deliver the products that meet their customers’ needs (watch this video of 2011 Excalibur winner DIRTT Environmental Solutions to learn what they are doing).
At TAG, we believe it is important to not only recognize the producers of technology, but also to honor the companies that are end-users. This is why we created the Excalibur Awards.
The 2012 Excalibur Awards recognize and call attention to Georgia’s “tech-enabled” companies—those that demonstrate exemplary competency in utilizing technology (typically provided by a third-party) to enhance their businesses and solve complex business problems. A tech-enabled company may also develop and use its own non-commercial technology solutions. The best of these companies find great ways to use current and oftentimes disruptive technology to facilitate a competitive advantage.
We are looking for companies and organizations from all industries—not just those traditionally considered technology companies. Awards will be granted in small, mid-size, large and non-profit/education categories.
Let’s face it—today, most of us use technology for our businesses. So I encourage you to submit your application or nominate a one of your clients for the Excalibur Awards. Help us uncover even more great stories about technology in Georgia. The deadline is September 7. Visit http://www.tagonline.org/excapplication.php for an online application.
