Wharton WCAI says it’s the “year of mobile”

When we last checked in with the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative, the group was taking heaps of data from ESPN to predict viewing habits across the cable channel’s multiple platforms.

Since then, the group has changed its name to the Wharton Customer Analytics Initiatve and is out of what Co-Director Eric Bradlow calls “startup mode.”

After the name change, all kinds of companies have been approaching WCAI asking for its brainpower to help make sense of the piles of consumer data we all generate every day.

After the jump, we ask Bradlow what the name change means, how he’s helping you buy better airline tickets and what he thinks of the Comcast/NBC merger.

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Jim Cramer investment tip to Chamber: Anyone from PA knows ‘the Marcellus is for real’

G. Paul Burnett/The New York Times

In addition to the release the annual year outlook from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, crazed CNBC ‘Mad Money’ host and region native Jim Cramer gave a ‘lively’ keynote at a Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce event.

Afterward, Cramer spoke to the Chamber about his roots in the region, his thoughts on its economic outlook and some financial advice, including interest in investing on scarce oil and gas commodities, noting that ‘anyone from the Pennsylvania area knows the Marcellus is for real,” referring to the controversial Marcellus Shale drilling. He does reference support from the Sierra Club for natural gas generally.

Watch the interview below.

University of Pennsylvania medical graduate is Ariz. Rep. Giffords’ doctor and other Links

• Penn Goes Mobile [Under the Button] — On Hackathon we told you about
• Giffords’ doctors balancing role as rock stars [Associated Press] — Including two Pennsylvania natives, including a Penn grad.
• Phila. firms go for the bland in name changes [PhillyInc: Inquirer]
• What happens when the CD factory closes? [CNet] — On the Pitman, South Jersey Sony CD plant shutting down.
• Apostrophe 1.5 – Now with Viddler support [Viddler blog] — “Our very good friends at Punk Avenue in Philadelphia, the very same guys behind the amazing CMS Apostrophe, have just released Apostrophe 1.5 which now includes support for Viddler.”
• Can we take a moment to celebrate the kind of technology that allows us to so easily watch a 1980s WHYY documentary about Philly’s rap scene? Watch the first part below, the second here and the third here. Featuring plenty of Jazzy Jeff, Fresh Prince and Schooly D. H/T Johnny Goodtimes.

Thanks to our weekly sponsors

Technically Philly is made possible by advertisers and sponsors that are important to Philadelphia’s technology community. This week we’d like to thank:

Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce – The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting growth and economic development, advocating for sound public policy, and serving its members with outstanding programs and benefits. GPCC is the premier advocate of the region’s business community, representing members in 11 counties across three states with one voice.

Caffeine Fish – Caffeine Fish develops the Trainboard iPhone app and offers iPhone development consulting in the Philadelphia area.

Empowerkit MLM Software – Empowerkit roots are in Philadelphia where it started as a company. It creates websites for Franchisees through powerful software solutions.

Optimized Cable Company – OCC is a distributor of high end electronic cable products, at a much lower price than most physical storefronts. Pick up some HDMI cables for your upcoming football parties today!

Springboard Media – Springboard Media is a certified Apple Specialist and retailer based in Center City and now, in Exton. They’ve got a ton of accessories and a great trade-in program that can score you up to $1,500 when you’re ready to upgrade.

Volpe and Koenig, P.C. — Since 1987, intellectual property boutique law firm Volpe and Koenig has provided guidance on matters relating to patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, e-commerce, technology joint ventures, non-disclosure agreements, technology acquisitions, licensing and litigation. Whatever your intellectual property law issue… Volpe and Koenig bring law to your ideas.

OpenDesks – OpenDesks.com lets you monetize unused workspaces – a cubicle, a conference room, an office or a seat in the lunchroom – as long as there’s somewhere to sit and work, you can post it. Join OpenDesks.com‘s Founders Circle today for a low-cost lifetime membership.

Interested in joining these organizations and individuals in supporting Technically Philly? Check out our ad packages and contact our Ad Sales Manager. Can’t find something that fits? We’ll customize a package for you.

A look back: Google’s former CEO Eric Schmidt on Philly tech

Today, Google CEO Eric Schmidt announced that he was leaving the position to take on more responsibilities as Executive Chairman of the company. Co-Founder Larry Page will be taking over as CEO while Co-Founder Sergey Brin will become the company’s president of technology.

As Schmidt wrote in a company blog post this afternoon:

For the last 10 years, we have all been equally involved in making decisions. This triumvirate approach has real benefits in terms of shared wisdom, and we will continue to discuss the big decisions among the three of us. But we have also agreed to clarify our individual roles so there’s clear responsibility and accountability at the top of the company.

In 2009, Schmidt sat down with Technically Philly and a handful of Philly reporters at a press event following Penn’s 253rd commencement. He spoke about his Princeton past, his relationship with Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, and Philly’s technology industry.

And as he put it then, Philly was a great place to support a technology hub:

“To have a tech renaissance, you need universities, which you have here. You need good engineering programs like [Penn and Drexel]. You need a vibrant youth culture and a diverse culture. I think you have all of that criteria here,” he said.

“It’s not a suburban phenomenon. It’s an urban phenomenon. Young people want to live in urban culture.”

Read the rest HERE.

Penn Robotics engineers make robots that learn how to work together

From Mashable:

Those clever programmers at the GRASP (General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception) Lab at the University of Pennsylvania have made these quadrotor helicopters autonomous, teaching them how to work together while building things.

Read MORE or watch the video below.

Duck Duck Go takes its anti-Google privacy policy message to San Francisco

Update, 1/20/11, 10:40 a.m.: Added encryption detail from Google.

On the heels of our coverage of Valley Forge search engine company Duck Duck Go’s new marketing strategy that plays off of Google’s targeted advertising technology and its inherent tracking capacity, founder Gabriel Weinberg has taken the message straight to San Francisco.

This week, the company unveiled a billboard promoting its DontTrack.Us campaign along the Bay Bridge, reminding drivers and passengers that Google’s use of advertising targeting technologies allegedly puts users at risk for identity tracking, third-party profile building and search history leaks.

But Google responded promptly this morning to an e-mail for comment.

“It’s unfortunate that DuckDuckGo is preying on people’s fears and offering incomplete information in order to garner attention,” wrote Google’s Christine Chen, Senior Manager of Global Communications and Public Affairs.

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Comcast celebrates eight victories in regulatory conditions for NBC deal: Roundup

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an e-mail subscription for our Comcast news updates.

• Comcast-NBC Deal Wins Federal Approval [Media Decoder: New York Times] — As we shared this week, paving the way for deal closure by month’s end.
• Comcast and NBC venture approved with bevvy of conditions [Washington Post] — Post Tech also did a round up of meaningful perspective on the approval.
• Comcast-NBC Deal: What’s Next? [Deal Journal: Wall Street Journal]
• Comcast’s Biggest Regulatory Win? What The FCC And DOJ Didn’t Do [paidContent] — David L. Cohen claims eight substantive victories H/T PTN
• Senator Al Franken: No joke, Comcast trying to whack Netflix [ars technica]
• Level 3 May Test FCC ‘Open Internet’ Rules In Comcast Fight [Multichannel News] — “Level 3 Communications could mount the first major challenge under the Federal Communications Commission’s recently adopted network neutrality rules, as the Internet backbone provider continues to accuse Comcast of improperly demanding payment to deliver content.”
• Comcast invests in online publishing consultant [Philadelphia Business Journal] — “Comcast Interactive Capital has led a $9 million, fourth-round venture-capital financing of Perfect Market Inc., a Pasadena, Calif., company that helps publishers make more money from their online content.”
• A Digital Niche for Indie Film [Media Decoder: New York Times] — Comcast invests in an indie film distribution company
• NBC-Comcast Merger Approved: What It Means For You [Wonkette] — Slightly NSFW, but worth a chuckle.

Philly business privilege tax reform legislation working group: discussing ‘contours of a proposal’ in March

Councilman Bill Green, with Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez to the left. Photo courtesy WHYY.

A joint Philadelphia City Council and Nutter administration working group is examining details on business privilege tax reform, says City Councilman Bill Green.

“[We are working] to achieve the underlying policy goals of the BPT reform legislation, which includ[es] helping small businesses, encouraging job creation, closing tax loopholes and making Philadelphia an attractive location for businesses to locate, expand, and stay,” Green tells Technically Philly.

The working group is charged with taking elements of City Council Bill 100635, primarily sponsored by Green and City Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez, and creating a new version more palatable to a big business community that labeled the legislation ‘ill-timed’ in recent council testimony.

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The Onion to launch Philadelphia edition in spring, reports Dan Gross

From Dan Gross’s Daily News Gossip column:

The Onion, the popular news parody publication, is finally coming to Philadelphia. A print edition of the weekly paper, also online at TheOnion.com, is expected to launch here this spring. The paper is also looking for a Philadelphia city editor to oversee the local editorial operations

Read MORE for details on partnership with the Inquirer’s new parent company and details on getting that editor job.