Video Post: Employment benefits include insurance, 401K and...an iPad?

Companies are buying up ipads and other tablets for their employees, or plan to in the near future. However, a recent report shows that those companies don't exactly have a plan for how to use for them. So is this just a case of technology for the sake of technology? Steve discusses this and more in today's Daily Axioms video post.

Intel Steps Up Competition with Mac

Intel announced at this year's Computex trade show their new product that will blur the lines between Windows products and Microsoft products. The new Ultrabook is meant to be a cross between Apple's MacBook Air and iPad.

ASUS's UX21 will be the premier Ultrabook laptop, scheduled for release during the 2011 holiday season. At its thickest point the laptop will measure .67 inches and weighs in at only 2.4 pounds. This first version will run on Intel's Sandy Bridge Core i5 and i7 processors. Two future versions are already in the making as well, and each time will run on newer and faster processors. The second version, planned to hit stores in the first half of 2012, will use Intel's new Ivy Bridge processor.

This new technology is 37% faster than current technology, based on its 22-nm processing that can support 3D transistors. According to an article posted on PCWorld.com, the new chips use half the energy as 2D supporters. Not much information is available for the third wave of Ultrabooks, but it is reported that they will use an even more innovative Intel Core processor, Haswell, and will be released in 2013.

The dwindling market for Netbooks has forced Intel to create an all-new product for the computer world. The Ultrabook will attract consumers that enjoy the convenience of a smaller and lighter laptop, but need the fast responses of high-end technology. As someone who has been considering switching from being a PC to a Mac user, this product may get me to stick with Windows. Finally something light, small, and fast is combined in one Windows product!

Google Wallet: The Next Big Thing?

There once was a time when people scoffed at the idea of purchasing things with the swipe of a tiny, rectangular plastic card. People didn’t have to actually carry any money, there was never any change back, and the process seemed too cryptic to really take hold. It would never work.

Well, we all know that isn’t the case anymore. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, the list goes on and on for that tiny, plastic magic-money-swiping card. And now we have another fight for the next best payment system, lead by none other than Google (Surprised?).

This week Google announced a new mobile payment service, Google Wallet. It is an Android app that “makes your phone your wallet.” It stores virtual versions of your existing plastic cards on your phone. Using Near Field Communication, Google Wallet is able to transfer your card information to the register, when tapped to the appropriate register or payment terminal.

So much critical information stored on your phone sounds a little un-nerving to me, especially when I think of all the “I lost my phone, need your number” events I get on Facebook. However, Google reassures us that it is safer than a traditional wallet because you set up a Google Wallet PIN that must be entered before making a purchase. Osama Bedier, Google's vice president of payments, assures that the mobile payments system is more secure than credit and debit cards with magnetic stripes, and that Google Wallet is designed to enable safe, secure payments.

Google said Thursday that it's launching a trial of its payment system in San Francisco and New York in cooperation with MasterCard and Citibank. It is opening it up to consumers in the summer. It then plans to expand across the country.

Google Wallet isn’t the first to dream up a new payment system that combines phones, retailers and banks, and it won’t be long until other cellphone companies and Visa launch their own competition. But the question remains: will Google Wallet be able to tap out on top?

Video Post: E-Books Besting Bestsellers

Not long after my post last week about Barnes & Noble's new e-reader, Amazon announced that e-books have outsold all other forms of print books on Amazon.com. It's an impressive achievement, and Steve explores what this means for both the e-reader market and the print book industry in this week's Daily Axioms video post.

Axiom Soars With Girls With Wings, Inc.

by Dave Sniadak

Everyday, we're fortunate to help our clients' needs bloom into successful promotional opportunities. However, this week we're excited to help an aviation-based organization raise awareness for it's noble cause. Girls With Wings, Inc. is a non-profit from Cleveland, Ohio that aims to help the dreams of young girls take flight.

The organization is hosting the Twin Cities' first Aviation Inspiration Day at historic Fleming Field in South St. Paul on Saturday, May 28th. Axiom Marketing Communications took on this pro bono project and is honored to be serving as media liaisons for this special event.

Girls With Wings Founder Lynda Meeks will be hosting the event, along with several inspirational women in aviation, talking to young girls from across the Twin Cities from 1st grade through 8th grade. Families are encouraged to attend the event. There are morning and afternoon sessions and admission is $5 per person. Tickets can booked here.

"At the end of the day, girls need flight plans, not fairy tales," Meeks said. At Axiom, we're happy and proud to help this program get cleared for take off.