Apple iPhone & AT&T vs. Google gPhone & Verizon

The iPhone made a grand entrance and splash in the consumer product industry in 2007. Since AT&T was the only U.S. carrier able to capitalize on this successful product, it has left a bitter taste in many mobile carriers’ mouth; Verizon Wireless being one of them.

Google recognizes the disdain of many mobile carriers and is looking at Verizon Wireless to help make a splash in the wireless industry. Reuters.com reported that current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart stated, “If Google is going to make a splash, it’s going to have to say (to operators) ‘offer our phones and we’ll share the revenue’.”

If Google truly believes that a long key factor of their growth is in the wireless market, making concessions with America’s large mobile companies is a must. Although Google and Verizon are amidst talks of putting Google applications on Verizon phones, they still have many obstacles to overcome.

Being a Verizon Wireless customer myself, I would love to get a phone equivalent to an iPhone. Word on the street is that Google doesn’t offer much of a financial return for prospective mobile carriers, so I am afraid my dreams will have to be put aside for the moment.

How do you feel about an “all inclusive” phone put out by Google? Do you think it would be as successful as the iPhone and which Google applications do you think would be available?

If you want more information, check out Reuters.com

The Hepatitis B Foundation Launches Corporate Video

We're excited to announce that the Hepatitis B Foundation, located in the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center in Bucks County, Pa., launched their corporate video. The Foundation is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected with hepatitis B worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy.

The video is a must see. It's a great way to learn about all the wonderful things the Foundation is doing. And of course, we're proud to call them a client. To check out the video on YouTube, click here.

Cole Silver Launches Legal Expert Audio Series on FindCareerSuccess.com

Cole Silver, the Legal Marketing Secrets blogger, announced today that they will be launching an expert audio series through http://www.findcareersuccess.com/. He says the audio series will feature

interviews from world renowned experts and advisors that will provide you profitable and incisive information, secrets, and tactics that will help you create the legal career you desire.

The line up includes:

• Dan Janel, member of the public relations team that launched America Online.

• Harry Beckwith, one of the world's most respected marketers and author of What Clients Love.

• Gerry Riskin, world renowned expert in law firm management and rainmaking.

• Jim Hassett, founder of LegalBizDev and author of seven books and more than 70 articles on legal marketing.

• Margaret Grisdela, the author of "Courting Your Clients: The Essential Guide to Legal Marketing”.

• Trey Rider, one of the country’s premier legal marketing experts.

• Hindi Greenberg, author of the best selling, The Lawyer's Career Change Handbook.

• YOURS TRULY . . . Gina Furia Rubel, Esquire, a communications expert, attorney and publicist, is the owner of Furia Rubel Communications (We'll be talking about the advice in my book, Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers, due out mid-December)

• Mike Schultz, Principal of the Wellesley Hill Group and Publisher of RainToday.com.

I'll keep you posted about my audio interview. Be sure to check out Cole's blog too!

Do You Want Productivity in Your Life - Read Neen James

There's one productivity expert that I've worked with who has made a huge difference in my life and she's Neen James. Check out her blog at http://neenjames.blogspot.com/. The bottom line is this: if you want to get more done in less time, make more money and sleep better - just give Neen a call.

Two Union City High Schools End an Era and Begin Anew - New York Times

Today I share a great New York Times Story about the end of an era and new beginnings in Union City. Winnie Hu wrote “After 88 Years of Rivalry, the Last as Us and Them.”

Be sure to check out the multi-media program too.

The folks at the Union City Board of Education including the staff within the schools are some of the most dedicated educators I've ever met. This story is a beautiful tribute. If you happen to be near Union City today, it's a must-attend event.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Your Full Time Job – Are You Happy?

Time Magazine surveyed ‘Happiness on the Job’ across America to find what professions make people the most happy.

In the spirit of the PRLawyer blog, we were curious to research the “happiness” factors of lawyers in America. It turns out that 43% of lawyers are “very happy” with their job. However, only 22.8% of legal assistants reported that they were “very happy.”

We sense a need for some internal public relations in American firms to boost morale. There is no better time than the holiday season! Need some suggestions…let us know?

To see where other professions ranked, check out the article here.

Green Practices – Giving Your Firm A Competitive Edge

Environmentally friendly trends such as recycling and energy conservation should be a part of our everyday lives. So how can you and your company capitalize on this trend?

In Hamilton Nolan’s, “Green Practices Can Benefit Firms’ Bottom Line,” in the October 1st, 2007 version of PR Week, Nolan incorporates great tips on how your company can save money by being environmentally friendly. Also, adopting “green” practices can be a great way to position your company as condoning revolutionary business practices.

General suggestions for day-to-day practices include:
-become conscience about energy consumption
-use recycled materials
-use energy conserving office equipment

There are many ways other ways to get business green.
-Hire an environmentally conscience cleaning service that uses all natural, non-toxic cleaning solutions like the one we use here in Doylestown, Pa.: Harmony Clean.
-Make sure recycling containers (especially paper) are available in all offices or at least departments in your firm.
-Recycle print cartridges by using the self-mailers that are included in the packaging. (Here’s an article on how to recycle laser and ink-jet print cartridges.) You can even turn you “trash into cash” at http://www.freerecycling.com/.

Taking steps to “green” your company’s practices can be as simple as turning off the lights when you exit a room or putting your computer on stand-by when not using it for more than 10 minutes. Post signs around the office to remind your staff to Be Green!

Little changes make a big difference. That concept is what potential clients are looking for – recognizing the little details that matter. In the end, wouldn’t you want your business relationship to care about the details?

If you want more information, check out the article online.

Rock the Vote : Youth Involvement in 2008 Presidential Elections

There is only a year until the voting for the next President of the United States gets underway. Campaigns such as MTV’s Choose or Lose or Rock the Vote have cultivated youth all across the America to stand up, voice their opinions, and vote!

As a recent graduate of Drexel University, I am glad to say that my alma matter supports this movement. Recently hosting the Democratic debates, the student response was overwhelming; inspiring some members of the student body to spar on “who won” the debate. Check the article out here, it’s a great read.

I also urge you to pass on a new youth campaign initiative, Scoop08.com that will utilize blogs, podcasts and networking tools that interest America’s youth.

The PR Lawyer Blog Available Via Email

We hope you're enjoying the new look of The PR Lawyer Blog. It is our goal to provide solid information on trends and issues facing lawyers and legal communicators alike. Along with the new look comes some added features.

In the next few weeks, my book, Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers, will be available for purchase via the blog.

And for all of you who find your way here but don't have RSS feed, you can now subscribe via e-mail. Just scroll down on the right and enter your e-mail address.

If there are any other features you'd like to see added, just let us know.

Google Squares Off Against Microsoft

Google has made it quite clear over that it wants to be a prominent contender in the social networking arena. So naturally, when Facebook was taking bids for a developer, Google jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, Facebook founders chose Microsoft for an undisclosed three year deal.

Google moved on and made an alliance with MySpace for $900 million dollars spread out for more than three years. Interestingly, Microsoft was denied the same deal from MySpace.

Google, being the social giant it is, then harnessed around a dozen additional social network partners such as LinkedIn, Friendster, and their own social networking site, Okrut, to build as big a base as possible. Google also plans to incorporate other applications like Flixster, iLike and RockYou for the music minded users.

Is this just a “I can do it better game” without having any real purpose? I don’t think so. Facebook software is notoriously known as costly and difficult to learn by developers and with Google creating a basic javascript and html code that can be used across most platforms, they offer a much needed remedy for unsatisfied developers.

TechCrunch, a leading blog on social media, “believes that the plan is likely to be a big hit with developers as well as Facebook’s rivals.” TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington states, “Developers have been complaining…Facebook-fear has clearly driven good partners to side with Google.”

I sense a schoolyard gang-up against Facebook. What do you think?

For more information, check out the article here.

"Make My Logo Bigger" is a Born Classic

There's a great viral campaign online called Make My Logo Bigger. The video is a hoot. All marketers must check it out. It's long but it's great for a laugh!

The PR Lawyer Makeover

We are excited to debut the new look of our blog; feel free to comment!

Also, check out Gina’s cover of her new book on the right hand side titled, “Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers,” which is due out in the next couple of weeks.

Chris Anderson of Wired Magazine Blocks PR People

This past Monday, Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine and author of The Long Tail, wrote, a blog entry titled, “Sorry PR people: you're blocked.”

In the blog entry, Anderson has this to say:

I've had it. I get more than 300 emails a day and my problem isn't spam
(Cloudmark Desktop solves that nicely), it's PR people. Lazy flacks send press
releases to the Editor in Chief of Wired because they can't be bothered to find
out who on my staff, if anyone, might actually be interested in what they're
pitching. Fact: I am an actual person, not a team assigned to read press
releases and distribute them to the right editors and writers (that's
editor@wired.com).

So fair warning: I only want two kinds of
email: those from people I know, and those from people who have taken the time
to find out what I'm interested in and composed a note meant to appeal to that
(I love those emails; indeed, that's why my email address is public).

Everything else gets banned on first abuse.

Anderson went on to publish a list of people and companies who had been blocked from his Outlook during the last 30 days. Just reading the comments took me 45 minutes so, as you can see, see this is a touchy subject.

Anderson posted a follow up yesterday which is well done and a good read for anyone planning to pitch media – especially Wired Magazine. One of the musings struck a personal cord with me. He says:

Amusing secondary effects include people pitching their business in the comments (which I thought was fine, btw), and even PR companies emailing the clients of people on the list and encouraging them to switch firms. "We're not on the list!" is their marketing tactic. Wow. [UPDATE: holy crap!]

I’d like to know how many of the practitioners telling their clients that they’re not on the list have never pitched a story to Wired in the first place?! I’d also like to know when Anderson is going to publish his next book on the crappy conundrums of PR practices. . .