GUY KAWASAKI
The massive trend that I see, and particularly in technical start-ups is everything is getting cheaper. Before, you had to buy computers and you know, servers and stuff like that. But now, everything is in the cloud. Right? So now you don't have to buy as much hardware.
And marketing can be very cheap now with Groupon and Loopt and Gowalla these location-based stuff. And Twitter and Facebook and blogging, so now marketing is cheap. With virtual teams, you don't need as much office space. It’s getting cheaper and cheaper.
CHRIS BROGAN
In 2011, trends for small business seems to be, we're back to growth. There’s people actually getting back to hiring again. There’s people looking for making some expenses. 2010 was a cut-back stake, calm, be cautious, hold your uh, money and cash as long as you can.
People are investing ... people are investing in people, and they're also looking for, how can I do more with less in really creative ways.
SCOTT BELSKY
Well, I think small businesses are going to start having their products and services um, highlighting along with their huge, you know, competitors that they may be ... you know, that maybe though ... behemoths in their industry.
RAMON RAY
I think in general what we're seeing at CES for consumers overall, I think is accessorizing your life. So instead of just having a boring room or boring home, you can have. And you can have somebody ... a device cleaning your carpet.
You have your smart phone. Do you want to make it see TV? All kind of things like that. I think those are some of the things we're seeing at CES, and of course, a lot more.
GUY KAWASAKI
Well, I think one of the main trends that ... a small business would be interested in is the application of inexpensive tablets to small businesses.
RAMON RAY
Tablet competing(?) is definitely exploding.
CHRIS BROGAN
Tablets ... a lot of various, a lot of touch. If your thing doesn’t touch and doesn’t move around, then you ... you’ve already lost.
GUY KAWASAKI
Tablets, tablets and tablets.
RAMON RAY
CES in fact, said they expect over one hundred tablets to be out in 2011.
CHRIS BROGAN
You can do your ... a lot of business from tablet computers now. It changes the cost on, if you have to have a bunch of computers in your company. Maybe they're cheaper than a laptop to service. Maybe it’s gonna be a little more flexible. So there’s a lot of opportunities in the mobility sphere.
SCOTT BELSKY
Well, I think that uh, the mobile work force is a reality.
CHRIS BROGAN
Small business owners have the opportunity to ... to learn how mobility is going to change their business. For example, uh, payment devices that are taking swipes off of your mobile phone. We’ve seen that ... originally, the Apple store seemed to be the only person who has it. Now there’s a lot of those opportunity.
RAMON RAY
Wireless broadband. 3G, which is pretty standard now probably (inaudible) the country to 4G. That’s exploding. So we're gonna see faster mobile communications.
SCOTT BELSKY
Um, I think that we're going to be working on our own terms, and uh ... you know, and ... and wherever we want to be.
RAMON RAY
In the past, you may have had five notebook computers to choose from. Now you can have 20. So I think that’s the main thing is that we're at CES ... all of this technology is around us. So I think what you're gonna see is that there’s more. More options for more vendors, which is great, because that’ll mean there’s more choice.
On the other hand, it’s more of a challenge, because that means you have to really, critically think, do I want to go with Vendor X or Vendor B or Vendor Y to make sure that they're good for your business.
SCOTT BELSKY
This is the age of the curator. Our friends ... our friends will serve as curators. Other you know, leaders online and ... and people who are bloggers and whatever will also serve as curators. And it’s a huge opportunity for small business.
(END OF TAPE)