In another example of information going portable and on demand, auto giant Ford Motor Company announced today that it will begin offering Microsoft's mobile data system in its cars beginning early next year.

Just when you thought a multitasking driver clutching a Blackberry was all you could handle... (Full disclosure: guilty, your honor.)

The new system, called "Sync" will let motorists download information to car-based and mobile computing devices including music, email, real-time traffic data and more.

Think of it as a lightweight mobile internet access point built right into your car with extreme ease of use, similar to some of today's hands-free bluetooth audio systems for mobile phones. It reportedly creates a mini wireless network for digital devices to talk to each other inside your car.

If it's simple enough to use, mobile data systems in-car could make it big. Imagine downloading new albums or time-shifted radio shows on demand to your car stereo on a long road trip. Or (eventually) grabbing the latest Disney animated flick for the kids to watch in the back seat. Or even hunting down the cheapest gas prices nearest to your location.

Once these new mobile pipelines to audiences are installed and operational, we can bet that marketers will soon follow. The next time you drive by your local Taco Bell, you could be hit with an instant mobile message offering discounts off products along with a gentle reminder that it's lunch time (and that their products are, above all, safe to eat).

As always, it's up to us to figure out creative uses for new technology that add value to consumers. If marketers push too hard or too fast with these new channels without adding something audiences want or need, technologies like this might die on the vine before they ripen. The best applications of this new potential access to audiences will see companies provide a valuable service to consumers -- not just unwanted, pushed marketing messages. They have to be tailored to individual interests and needs.

Years ago, many wrote that email would fundementally change direct marketing. And in some ways, it did. But ever since email hit the mainstream, over-zealous marketers stumbled over themselves to bastardize it without adding value. They sold consumer lists for unsolicited email to spammers far and wide, starting "phishing" for bank account information illegally, and partially detroyed email marketing's potential as an effective marketing communications channel.

Still, it's an exciting time when new technologies like this continue to make information -- and those we try to reach with it -- more and more accessible.

Think you've got what it takes to create a Super Bowl-worthy TV spot?

Chip maker Doritos does. The latest brand to jump on the consumer generated content craze, Doritos is conducting a contest online letting snack fanatics submit their own :30 second video spots best representing the brand.

Alka-Seltzer, Chevrolet and the NFL itself are also reportedly airing consumer generated content during Super Bowl XLI.

In the Doritos promotion, brand police select finalists based on subjective criteria like "creativity" and "overall appeal" (and of course, adherence to the "no naked people" rule), and America gets to vote for their favorite finalist's short to appear in Doritos' slot during the big game -- reportedly worth more than $2.6 million this year.

While the keys to the Frito-Lay marketing machine haven't been totally turned over to the masses without some restrictions in place, it's noteworthy to see companies giving brand loyalists a bigger say in one of the most hyped advertising venues around.

If the NFL exists in some form 50 years from today, one can only imagine how we'll be enjoying games, and how marketers will be capitalizing on the Super Bowl's captive audience to deliver branded messages.

One thing's for sure: consumers and brand enthusiasts will play increasingly active roles in the creation of their marketing messages and most visible campaigns.

As we keep a close eye on the devices, technologies and channels consumers use to get information and entertainment, today's announcements by Apple, Inc. should help give us a better indication of how audiences might get information in the future.

It's all about convergence.

Today, Steve Jobs -- the pop culture icon credited with ushering in the personal computer revolution and bringing portable media to the masses (via the iPod), announced a handful of new products aimed at making it easier for consumers to make information portable and shared between the devices at their fingertips.

While not entirely unexpected, Apple's big announcement today centered around the iPhone -- a handsome all-in-one device that melds together the ease of use of the iPod, with a high resolution screen, a quad-band mobile phone, and the ability to get email, download and listen to music, movies, television shows, take pictures and surf the Web. All from a slim micro-device that syncs up to your PC or Mac and shares information seamlessly. This isn't the ROKR -- quite clearly, a bungled rushed-to-market iPod/phone MESS developed with Motorola in years past. It's a full-fledged Apple device, running their UNIX-based OS X operating system and completely controlled by a novel new touchscreen system called Multi-touch that lets you navigate everything on the device with your fingers. No keyboard. No stylus. All interaction is dictated by the software and based on how you need to input data. Elegant and easy.

Great-- yet another gadget to buy. But if history is an indicator, this device might mark the beginning of an even bigger shift for the masses. The mobile component of a fully-integrated digital lifestyle.

The second piece of this converged media puzzle discussed today was Apple's new set-top-box device, dubbed Apple TV. The idea is simple: a hard-drive based, wirelessly-networked box that connects to America's big screen televisions and makes all your media available (from up to 5 computers on your home network) in your living room. That's right -- the place where we now watch local news and interest-specific cable shows.

The third piece of the puzzle, Apple's already had in existence: the personal computer. It's the piece that goes with you to the office, adorns your den, and helps manage your personal and professional lives. It now stores your photos, holds your entire digital music library, downloads time-shifted newscasts in the form of audio and video podcasts, and even lets you grab full-length motion pictures.

All these pieces will now work together, fairly seamlessly. As with all new technologies, widespread adoption is largely a function of ease of use. And Apple's hallmark is taking complex technologies and making them user-friendly.

The big shift here is that the control and flow of information is entirely in the consumers' hands. You download a new album from U2 or a video podcast from Disneyland, and it's automatically available to view on your PC, your iPod or iPhone, and now your television with Apple TV. You choose what, when, where and how to consume the information.

The gatekeeper of this information becomes Apple. Make no mistake about it -- they're a media company now, not a computer manufacturer (which explains why they've officially changed their name to Apple, Inc., from Apple Computer). Consumers who purchase these interconnected devices will get their information directly from the source, so Apple's control over what people see will grow exponentially.

These new technologies have a number of implications for those of us who are tasked with telling our clients' stories ... A few considerations:

1.) Traditional media relations isn't dead. In fact, it may see an uptick in importance. How many times have you made it home from work too late to see NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams? Now, just subscribe to NBC News' video podcasts and you can watch it when you want. On the train, in your living room, on your laptop. It doesn't matter. Placements in these trusted, mainstream media channels which increasingly make their content available on demand will gain importance in the future.

2.) We need to build relationships with the content distributors, like Apple. A few years ago, we were calling on their iTunes managers to discuss how to build visibility for clients' podcasts in the iTunes Music Store. As Apple and other information distributors play a bigger role in deciding what you can choose to see on your devices, we communicators need to be able to work closely with these distributors to get our clients' messages out through their digital pipelines.

3.) We must remain dedicated to creative storytelling. In addition to content providers selected by distributors, most of these new media technologies allow consumers to get information directly from 3rd party sources. iTunes, for example, let's anyone with an audio or video podcast submit it to their directory for potential consumption by consumers. But only the best, most creative, most valuable content gets regularly downloaded and enjoyed.

As I bang out this blog entry on my Macbook, I'm excited about what the future might hold for converged media. Today's announcements marked another big step.

Now if only I can figure out how to convince my wife to spring for these new devices.

Brands the world over are bellying up to the bar this year for a major helping of online marketing. Researcher eMarketer says that spending will be up across the board for ads on everything from social networks to viral video sites to social media wikis.

All generally good news, though the 19% overall online ad growth predicted this year (for an eye-popping *$20B*) pales to the 30% tear seen in previous years. And despite the buzz over online videos via sites like YouTube, eMarketer predicts that related ads will amount to only about 4% of the total spend for the year.

The Takeaway for PR: CMOs and their ilk seem to get the fact that digital media is worth dumping some serious coin on because of its reach, diversity and role as the primary driver in consumer-influencing WOM.

The Challenge for PR: Get these brand masters to understand that applying the old rules of an ad-based model to the extraordinary dynamic of something like social media is like using the King’s English to write a text message.

In an environment where the primary currency is authenticity (read, flog me once shame on you… for eternity), there’s something about a pop-up ad or punch the monkey banner that just feels painfully out of place.

And ridiculously ineffective given the billions being spent.

This is where PR has a leg up. As an industry we’ve made great strides in focusing on the content of the blogosphere and respecting the unique boundaries inherent in the world of social media, some painfully embarrassing gaffes notwithstanding.

Just as it’s always been with mainstream media, we have the ability to affect opinion on the editorial side of the page in ways that ads and infomercials just can’t. And with all due respect to our brothers and sisters on Madison Ave, the digital consumer has increasingly put more credence in the content that sits above the proverbial ad line.

That is all the more valuable today, as reference-based consumers make purchase decisions more according to what friends and family are buzzing about than the brand of watch a celebrity wears in a 30 second spot.

This is PR’s moment to not only get a bigger slice of the pie, but to in fact mix up something entirely new as the lines between PR and Mktg become more blurred and content-driven consumers dictate the form and function of media.

There’s plenty of room in the comms sandbox for all of us to play, but this is an exciting time to be in PR – and to be making a call on CMOs everywhere to talk to them about their online strategies for the year ahead.

Today marks the 65th birthday of a legend: Muhammad Ali. The self-proclaimed "greatest of all time" boxing champ has withstood the test of time, leaving behind a legacy of sporting dominance, and more importantly, cultural change. But what was the secret to Ali's success: his superb ringmanship and boxing skills, his grandiosity and bravado, or perhaps something longer lasting - his authenticity?

While many today remember Ali as a great boxer, and others note his importance in urban culture (including being a forefather of the rap genre), Ali most notably shook the world with his opinions on society. At a time when African-American athletes were discouraged from expressing themselves too loudly, Ali brashly shouted his true feelings on a wide variety of topics, earning him both notoriety and unconditional support. Whether changing his name from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali, and in the process introducing many white Americans to the Nation of Islam, or refusing to enter the draft for the Vietnam war, Ali stood up for what he believed in, regardless of the penalty.

Muhammad Ali's importance extends beyond the boxing ring, as he created a forum where athletes could express, and influence, public opinion. However, unlike the multimillionaire athletes of today, Ali's actions and words were not motivated by monetary gains (in fact, Ali's actions often cost him money and nearly ended with him in jail). It is the simple truth, the authentic beliefs and feelings that Ali expressed that reverberated with Americans then, and still echo in his shadow now. Ali's lasting legacy will be his willingness to be himself, and will forever let him retain the mantle of "The Greatest."

The writing is on the wall (and in this blog). The traditional news media is in decline and even the affable cuteness of Katie Couric can't stop it. So where are the citizens of the future going to get their information? Who is going to be the next Walter Cronkite who will keep them informed of the events impacting their world.

How about Bart Simpson? Or Lara Croft? Or maybe SpongeBob SquarePants?

According to a recent story in the Wall St. Journal, a new online show called "News at Seven" is allowing viewers to choose their news and their newscaster, too. This service utilizes an automated computer program to comb online news outlets and combine them with visuals from Google and YouTube to create personal newscasts for users who choose the topics they are most interested in. They can also select an avatar to deliver the news and the backgrounds they stand in front of.

Although this new news channel is in its infancy, imagine the possibilities. While you are at work all day, your own virtual news crew is assembling segments on topics that are specially chosen just for you. When you come home, you turn on the screen anytime you want and your handpicked avatar delivers these highly relevant stories in a style and tone customized for your eyes and ears. Maybe an animated Laker Girl tells you about the day in sports. Or a virtual Donald Trump relays the day's business news. Or maybe the newscaster looks just like you!

So in 50 years, we may not need Matt Lauer anymore becuase we will all have our own "Today" shows -- personalized just for us. The ratings might be low (an audience of one) but the whole world could be watching.

As more companies emerge with business models based on social networking, consumer-generated media (CGM) is moving past the beta phase. Online connectivity, coupled with easy-to-use publishing tools, has given many outspoken Internet users the opportunity to post and share artistic and editorial content. Going past the initial excitement of reaching audiences beyond their immediate circles, many Internet users are now cashing on their creativity.

Some players in this space are aligning the tried-and-true online advertising methods with amateur content. For instance, Google is adding a new layer to sponsored search results by inviting advertisers to reach their target audiences through Youtube . Similarly, Revver allows Internet users to load and mix their own videos, using either their or professionally cut content. The company then directs appropriate advertising to the newly mixed video and gets a share of the resulting revenue. And Blogads connects advertisers such as the Wall Street Journal, Roadrunner and Howard Dean with its wide cast of bloggers who write about politics, fashion, education, gadgets and health, among other topics.

The nascent social-networking industry is also generating its unique value proposition with peer-to-peer business models where recommendations become exchange units and turn into dollars. The independent online music retailer BurnLounge is an example of this unique approach. BurnLounge positions itself as a community-powered digital download center, which gives musicians and listeners the platform to distribute content and make money through referrals and sales of their favorite songs. Internet users who can spare as little as $30 can use BurnLounge’s proprietary software and templates to build an online store full of music they like and recommend. Each referral and sale is traced back to its “lounge” where the owner earns either store credit and/or cents to burn. Its competitor Peer Impact takes it up a notch, enabling subscribers to recommend, rent and sell movies, games and TV shows in addition to music.

These new business models represent an alternative approach to traditional media production and distribution. Online social networks are fueling business through word of mouth marketing. Besides witnessing widely read bloggers gain acceptance as opinion makers and independent artists reach commercial success, we will see the rise of new media entrepreneurs who sell based on social capital.

The proliferation of instant messaging, texting and Blackberry“ing” by everyone from the baby to the boomer seems to have had a negative impact on remembering and following conventional rules of spelling and grammar in our industry. It may seem pedestrian, but being able to clearly express yourself in writing is absolutely critical to the public relations profession. Earlier this month, the Bulldog Reporter highlighted one of the major issues reporters have with PR materials – typos. In today’s 24/7 news cycle, information needs to be timely, it needs to be relevant, and it needs to be…readable. Because we don’t get a second chance to correct the negative impressions left by something poorly written, sometimes we need to go “back to basics.” Casual, consumer-driven media is hot and bloggers want informal communications, but the PR professional cannot forget about – or forego - the importance of the proper, persuasive written word.

No one wants to wind up on blogs like “The Bad Pitch Blog” that vilify PR people for their careless work.

This is not to say that journalists themselves aren’t sometimes guilty of their own grammatical errors. 2006 celebrated blunders like the Reuters coverage of the “recall of beef panties” and the New York Daily News’ incorrect revelation that “Kirstie Alley eats twenty-six, seven, eight thousand calories a day.” Check out “Crunk 06: The Year in Media Errors and Corrections”

Many bloggers readily admit to short-shrifting grammar for the sake of speed. Who’s got time for proper punctuation when another blogger could beat you to the punch? And doesn’t blackberry-ing automatically imply a free-pass on spelling because those keys are so close together?

Fifty years from now could society’s grammar tolerance have sunk to the point that the inherent structure of our language has changed? Will proper punctuation even be noticed beyond 8th grade English teachers and hard-core grammar-police and punctunistas?

In the meantime, I’d be happy if spell check would recognize homonyms…

DotheRightThing.com offers a new bullhorn for consumers to report and rate the positive and negative impacts that companies are making everyday.

With a Digg-style news story sharing interface, users are encouraged to share news and stories about companies while simultaneously rating how a particular item is contributing to the world in a positive or negative way.

Nearly 80 companies, from Apple to Patagonia to Wal-Mart, have been rated and reviewed by this small but growing community of users. Though this site is less than a year old and its overall body of ratings is limited, it offers interesting insights into how John Q. Public feels about the impacts of a corporation's actions on social and environmental issues.

Regardless of the ultimate success of DotheRightThing.com, this obvious extension of online social media provides a new activist voice for the Internet masses that could one day provide meaningful and measurable data that truly impacts the actions and financial performance of corporations.

One day in the future, could such social and environmental ratings prove to be as important to investors as Hoovers and Reuters financial data? And for public relations, won't maintaining high ratings on such sites be a key advisory service that agencies provide for clients? We'll soon see.

As a Barnes & Noble member card holder, I regularly receive e-mails about discounts, special deals and new arrivals from the bookstore chain. Recently I got an email invitation to book club discussions on bn.com. With one click, I was transferred to a page buzzing with reader comments on fiction, non-fiction, classics and books about writing. The book club is also supported by a blog that functions as a live help line, dating back to October 2006.

The B&N campaign is smart. Its messages are directed to those readers who frequently buy books and would join an online forum about books. The email invitation serves as a gateway to an enhanced user experience and it’s on target.

Some might say online book clubs lack the intimacy of those formed by old friends who enjoy having an excuse to get together on a regular basis. However, these types of Web areas can play a pivotal role in sustaining interest in books. Online clubs present users with a practical, easy-to-access platform to network with hundreds of other readers and communicate one-on-one with their favorite authors. Meanwhile, online book stores get longer visits, showcase advertisers, increase awareness of new releases and draw customers to their shopping areas.

Well-known bookstores and publishing companies have the brand equity and traffic volume to boost and foster communities online. But what happens when regular readers and cybercitizens want to set up their own book clubs? There is already a variety of software techie book readers can download to set up shop.Once customizing the look and feel of the discussion area, they can populate the board area and grow membership through in-person conversations, recommendations, friendly email notices and even flyers posted on local community boards. Traffic may not boom overnight, but they can surely have a steady flow of discussion with the benefit of having an always-on, convenient discussion area.

Book aficionados can take online chats a step further by developing a full-scale hub that extends beyond a discussion area. A more evolved online club can have writers showcasing and getting feedback on their work, editors coaching aspiring writers in a collaborative space and visitors reading select chapters from published books. These sites can eventually generate revenue through memberships, online coaching fees, podcast download sales, sponsored links and online advertising. With the help of easy-to-use, flexible and affordable software solutions, B&N is sure to have competitors leading book discussions from their kitchens and home offices.