(Raleigh, N.C.) Marshall Brain, entrepreneur, innovator, and the most curious guy on the planet, will lead a panel of esteemed local interactive marketing experts as they explore “Internet Marketing — How will it work in 2012?” Sponsored by the Triangle Interactive Marketing Association (TIMA), the panel will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11 at the Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh. Lunch is included. (more…)

(Greensboro, N.C.) There’s an emerging market in consumer electronics for powerful indoor antennas that allow consumers to cut the cord on expensive cable and switch to free broadcast television. For many consumers, indoor antennas are a welcome option to the hassle and expense of installing an outdoor antenna. A leader in this rapidly growing category is WallTenna, an innovative indoor antenna that combines superior performance with sleek, flat design. For just $40, less than one month of cable charges, consumers can purchase a WallTenna, and access their favorite stations broadcast for free over the air (OTA). (more…)

(Morrisville, N.C.) Montie Design, an innovative concept-to-marketplace product design and development firm, has added to its ever-expanding line of popular Montie Gear hunting and camping equipment with a fun new lightweight slingshot for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. The high-tech slingshot features a sturdy aluminum frame for unrivaled strength, a tapered flat band and leather pouch assembly. Like all of the products available at www.montiegear.com or via the Montie Gear store on Amazon.com, the Montie Gear slingshot is made in the USA. (more…)

(Research Triangle Park, N.C.) NCTechNews, a professionally edited online news publication, is now accepting submissions for listings in the Fall 2011 edition of its Innovation Resources Guide. The NCTechNews Innovation Resources Guide provides links and detailed information for technology vendors and organizations serving clients throughout North Carolina. No membership or fee is required to submit information for listing in the Guide, which is available at NCTechNews.com/innovation. (more…)

(Morrisville, N.C.) Montie Design, an innovative concept-to-marketplace product design and development firm, is hosting four student interns participating in its first annual Summer of Product Design program. The program offers the student designers rare access to state-of-the-art resources and instruction from industry professionals as they work to develop their ideas into marketable products. (more…)

(Cary, N.C.) The award-winning national financial media outlet TheStreet.com has published an original article by F.O.C.U.S. (TM) Resources President Lea Strickland, MBA/CMA/CFM/CBM/GMC, on two 11-year-old entrepreneurs pitching their innovative ideas at this summer’s Triangle Startup Weekend in Durham, N.C. (more…)

(Winston-Salem, N.C.) As part of an ongoing initiative to inspire and support the next generation of innovators in the Forsyth County community, Cook Medical, the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber’s Technology Council are proud to announce the third annual Cook Medical Innovation Award. Open to organizations, companies and individuals, the award will be given to the most outstanding locally developed and novel technologies that positively affect society. The award will be recognized on November 30, 2011 at the Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting. (more…)

(Morrisville, N.C.) The Porticool II was unveiled this week at the American Society of Safety Engineers 2011 conference held at the McCormick Center in Chicago, Illinois. At under 800 grams (1.8 lbs) the Porticool II is the “World’s lightest untethered active cooling garment” on the market; making it ideally suited for demanding applications where phase change, water cooled or portable heat pump solutions are not a viable option. Examples include HAZMAT, fire fighters, industrial (nuclear, welding, etc.) and military applications. (more…)

(Research Triangle Park, N.C.) NC IDEA, an organization committed to supporting business innovation and economic advancement in North Carolina, has awarded $205,000 in grants to five North Carolina startups in one of its most competitive cycles to-date. Since its inception in 2006, NC IDEA’s grants program has awarded over $2.1M to 57 companies across the state, with these most recent awards being the eleventh cycle of the program. The five grant recipients were chosen after a 4-month application and selection process, which drew over 110 applications from 17 counties across the state. A committee comprised of experienced venture investors, industry experts and seasoned entrepreneurs selected 23 companies to submit full proposals which was further narrowed down to ten finalists who were given the opportunity to pitch their idea in person, ultimately resulting in five winners. (more…)

(Greensboro, N.C.) New River Innovation announced today that its advanced post-filing application Beyond415 has been recognized as a winner of the prestigious 2011 Technology Innovation Award from CPA Practice Advisor magazine. Beyond415 is the system for everything after tax filing, such as IRS notices, issues, audits and client management. (more…)

(Research Triangle Park, N.C. and San Francisco, Calif.) Global intellectual property leader Murgitroyd & Company has expanded its U.S. operations into the Bay Area with the opening of its West Coast office in San Francisco, California. The firm has hired 20-year industry veteran and California native Dylan Gittleman as its Senior Corporate Sales Manager to head-up marketing of Murgitroyd’s services. These include its hugely successful IP Portal which allows established technology companies and early-stage startups to benefit from increased efficiency and lower costs. (more…)

by Ty Hagler
Special to NCTechNews

Design Thinking is the customer-centered creative process for consistent innovation. In a cost leadership strategy, the focus is not on traditional design problems of form or function, but rather to deliver the lowest retail price at the highest margin with acceptable product quality. Surprisingly, the design thought process has a lot to say about what customers find acceptable within this framework (more…)