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Author Archives: Erin Vogelsanger
Rubbing Elbows
Our President, Gary Peterson, is a very busy man. So busy in fact that he often times does not have enough time to squeeze in all of the events that he is invited to into his hectic schedule. When the demands of running gap intelligence keep him tethered to his desk, it often comes with major benefits to the rest of the company because he will pass the “work perks” our way.
In case you missed the very exciting news that was announced at our 2011 holiday party, gap intelligence purchased season tickets for the 2012 Padres Baseball season. Peterson was invited to enjoy “Lunch on the Field” and was unable to attend. His loss equaled Senior Project Manager, Katie Hess, and my gain. Aren’t we the two luckiest gappers in the whole wide world?
Our hospitable contact through the Padres organization, John Torris, rolled out the red carpet for us yesterday! Hess and I had the pleasure of touring the stadium through the underground tunnels that few get to see. We rode in super-secret elevators that few get to ride. I kept murmuring to Hess, “look how cool we are”, as we wandered the halls beneath Petco Park. Once we finished making our way through the stadium to the field, we couldn’t help but gaze in awe at the beauty of Petco Park. Although there were a small group of other season ticket holders enjoying this perk as well, the stadium was for the most part deserted. Torris was nice enough to indulge my need to get my paparazzi on and he also showed us where our seats are for the 2012 season. Lunch was amazing! They set up a buffet in the dugout.
As Hess and I sat enjoying lunch we both couldn’t help but smile. Torris was nice enough to load us up with Padres swag bags full of all sorts of loot. We rubbed elbows with several other season ticket holders and had the most fantastic time. We even had the pleasure of meeting the Padres GM! I was excited for baseball season before but this totally pushed me over the edge. Can’t wait for the 2012 baseball season to begin!
Gappy Holidays
The culture of our office is something that is truly unique. Instead of simply having a boring standard holiday gathering to celebrate the end of the year we like to mix things up a bit. This year we decided to try something completely different; we entered our company in the Ocean Beach Holiday Parade. Our theme was simple, “Retro Christmas”. The float was decorated in a 70’s Theme. We all dressed up in retro themed costumes. We handed out tons of loot to the families that lined the streets. It was such a great way to get in the holiday spirit. As the sun set over OB I couldn’t help but feel lucky to work with such a fun group of people. We had the BEST time! It was so much fun being a part of the parade.
After the parade was over we headed to Old Venice in Point Loma. We had the entire back patio reserved for gap. The patio was decorated with sparkly lights. It was a beautiful night to take a moment to toast each other’s successes over the last year. Our President, Gary Peterson, presented the highly coveted G.A.P. awards. One of the exciting things this year was a change in the award name and design. Our awards are now shiny gold statues called “gappys”. They are similar to the Emmys…but cooler of course. We all dined on delicious Italian fare and enjoyed tray passed cocktails. We even had a “Step and Repeat” with our company logo. We partied well into the evening. Everyone had a wonderful time.
Among the many highlights of the night, the most exciting announcements included our 2011 office gifts. Peterson announced the following three amazing gifts:
1) Office beach cruisers so we can ride around Liberty Station on bikes in style
2) A ping pong and air hockey table in our back conference room
3) 2012 Padres Baseball Season tickets
The three gifts bestowed to us are a part of what makes gap so special and the culture of gap is what makes working here so much fun. These three gifts have the office buzzing with excitement! Here’s why…
Our office is located along the water in San Diego. I have now been enjoying what I like to call “Bike Breaks”. It’s such a luxury to be able to take a short break during the day and feel the wind in my hair. There is something about riding a bike that makes you feel like a kid again. Yay bikes!
Our office has four large conference rooms. One of the rooms never really saw much activity…until now. The conference room table has been removed and replaced with a ping pong and air hockey table. How sweet is that? I can’t wait for the first tournament to begin. The new “She’s in a meeting” will really mean that a ping pong game is going strong. Yay ping pong!
San Diego’s Petco Park is the home of the Padres. While I am a San Francisco Giants fan through and through I love going to Padres games because Petco Park is awesome. I can’t wait for the 2012 season to begin! Knowing that baseball tickets are going to be available for us the entire year is so exciting! I can’t wait to soak up the sights and smells of the ballpark. Yay Baseball!
In a nut shell…gap ROCKS! We are so lucky to work at such a sweeeeeet company!
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Steve Jobs, 1955 – 2011
Steve Jobs passed away on October 5, 2011 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. The Apple chairman and former CEO will be admired as one of the greatest, brightest, and best innovators of the past two centuries. He made technology fun and fearlessly challenged traditional thinking for five decades. Farewell, Mr. Jobs. You have left the world a better place and will be terribly missed.
Underwhelmed
If you google “iPhone 5” a plethora of articles pop up in which writers have speculated, predicted, agonized, and foamed at the mouth about when the iPhone 5 would be gracing us with its presence. Many were horrified this week to learn that the iPhone 5 is not Apple’s next prototype of the world’s most beloved phone. Drum roll please…let me introduce the iPhone 4S! Excited?!?!?! Yeah, me neither.
These are features of the new iPhone 4S along with my review:
- A super-fast dual core A5 chip = Boring
- A fancy new camera = Who cares
- The “Intelligent Assistant” Siri = You can’t fool me Apple, this is voice activation with notes
Overall, this not a must have phone; this is a sit and twiddle your thumbs and wait till the iPhone 5 is launched phone. The feature Apple is really trying to sell consumers on with the iPhone 4S is Siri, Apple’s “intelligent assistant” that allows you to talk to your phone. Siri can take notes and make calls for you. I already have voice activation on my current iPhone. I never use it. I would find Siri impressive if she could actually pick up my dry cleaning instead of just allowing me to remind myself I need to do it. I already fight daily with autocorrect on my iPhone when I text. The last thing I need is to add a verbally abusive relationship with Siri into the mix.
The biggest design flaw of the iPhone 4 was the antenna located around the outside of the phone. This design flaw leads to dropped calls. Apple decided not to address any inquiries about why they would leave the design flaw in tact with the iPhone 4S. Instead, they only offered to tell you all about a chip, camera, and intelligent assistant. Again, you can’t fool me, Apple. This is the same phone with a couple more bells and whistles and a bumper (which is sold separately for $29) as a band aid.
The disappointment felt after the announcement of the iPhone 4S was wide spread. Investors sold stock moments after the underwhelming announcement was made. Shares dipped as much as 5 percent before ending down around 0.6 percent. The overall announcement by new CEO Tim Cook lacked the super sweet swagger that former CEO Steve Jobs brought to the table as well. Cook passed many moments that were his time to shine to other top executives. Sometimes it’s good to pass the ball. This was the time for Cook to show us his slam dunk skills and he chose instead to sit on the bench during key plays.
If Apple wants to remain the coolest kid at the party they need to bring it. Its cult followers are hungry for more and the iPhone 4S isn’t going satisfy that need. Give the people what they crave, Apple! Give us a redesigned iPhone 5, not something that can be categorized as “same, same, but different”.
Herbie
Hi. My name is Herbie. I am short. Like, really short. I am covered in hair. I have the pleasure of being gap intelligence’s company mascot. My hobbies include curling up in a ball when the going gets tough and playing hide and seek throughout the office. I am a hedgehog and I am totally awesome! Whenever one of the humans in the office finds me they get super excited. I like to hang with whoever found me for a bit and shadow them. I soak up the knowledge of their category like a sponge.
I was hanging out in the tree next to Erin’s desk a few months ago when Katie spotted me. I moved into her spacious office for a few weeks. I got to learn about the fascinating world of TCO from Katie. TCO is pretty cool! I was super impressed with her ability to type because all of the letters are rubbed off of her computer keyboard. I had a hard time updating my Facebook status due to this. I am horrible at typing. I need the letters. I probably would have stayed in Katie’s office longer if it wasn’t for her keyboard not having letters. After the office was empty early one morning I scampered out of Katie’s office and found a hiding spot behind a picture frame.
I was beyond pumped when the prestigious President of gap intelligence found me. I had the pleasure of hanging with the big cheese, President Peterson, in his office for a few weeks. Boy, was that a treat! After only one week of shadowing, I can confidently say that I could run gap intelligence if need be. That’s all the time I needed to learn it all! That’s all it took! I bet you’re shocked, but I am crazy smart. The best part of hanging with President Peterson is he would leave snacks on his desk for me. I am now suffering from intense cravings for chips. I also now have become a huge Philadelphia Flyers fan. Hockey is so cool!
Once I felt I had learned how to run the company I decided to cozy up on a window ledge that has a beautiful view of Liberty Station. I wanted to work on my tan. To my shock and dismay before it was even announced that I had ran off again Erin spotted me and swooped me up. Erin was an absolute delight to work with. Not only did she teach me about gap’s channel monitoring service, but she also slathered my fur with deep conditioner several times a week. She called them “spa days”. My fur has never been softer or shinier.
I was sad to leave Erin, but I had learned all I could about her service. I’m not going to lie though, leaving “spa days” was so hard. I scurried off late one evening and decided to hide in a box of printer paper. After a few days Taryn found me. I really enjoyed learning about the wonderful world of DCV3 with her. I even took the liberty of fixing a few bugs that popped up after everyone left the office for the day. I also enjoyed sitting at her desk because it’s right under the AC vent so it’s nice and cool. I get hot under all of this fur! I made the mistake once of hopping in the freezer in an attempt to cool off. That was a huge mistake. It was way too cold!
As much as I enjoyed my time with Taryn all good things must come to an end. My next hiding spot had to be a spot that few would be inclined to look. I snuck my way into a cabinet that was viewable from Taryn’s desk. I had never seen anyone open it. I made myself right at home inside and settled in for what I thought would be a long pleasant nap. To my surprise, Erin found me again a few days later! She and I both squeaked with delight at being reunited again. Erin came to discover my top secret location when she went on an OCD rampage and decided to place a few phone books that needed a home right where I was hiding. So, now I’m literally hanging out on Erin’s desk chair, snug as a bug in a rug. I am looking forward to “spa days” over the next few weeks.
I figured since Erin is always so sweet to me I should return the favor. So, I decided to write this blog for her since I knew she had one due. Well, it’s almost time for the humans to start coming into the office so I am going to need to sign off. Keep a look out for me. You never know where in the office I might pop up next!
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Off the Grid
When a large group of people are all doing the same thing it’s hard not to take notice. As I waited at the airport in San Jose, California the evening of Sunday, May 1, I couldn’t help but notice that everyone was staring intently at the same television screen. I was surprised to see in bold across the screen, “Osama Bin Laden: Dead”.
A strange flood of emotions came over me. While waiting to board a plane, finding out that the man responsible for the world’s most deadly terrorist attack is dead is good news if you ask me. That is of course assuming that the super duper “I want to feel you up” security staff at the airport have made sure none of Bin Laden’s bitter friends are aboard my flight.
How did it take ten years in this day and age to find a man that was being feverously hunted? Reports have surfaced that staying “off the grid” is eventually what brought Bin Laden to justice. Technology is a crazy thing. Lack of technology is even crazier it seems.
Sources claim that Bin Laden was roughing it in a million-dollar mansion in Abbottabad, Pakistan right under the nose of the police and military. There were several interesting factors that lead to finding Bin Laden. US officials had obtained insider information about a compound with secret rooms that was harboring a high powered terrorist. Reports also surfaced that Bin Laden’s BFF and most trusted courier was seen at the compound in Abbottabad. The tid bit of information I found most interesting was that officials thought it was peculiar that despite this mansion’s massive size, there was no phone or internet connection on property (I’m sure Bin Laden was logging onto his neighbors Wi-Fi to update his Facebook status). This information, plus strange activities like burning garbage instead of taking trash out in bins like the rest of the neighbors, barbwire fences, and crazy amounts of security guards lead to officials keeping a close watch on the Abbottabad mansion. What or who were they hiding? Ironically Bin Laden’s attempt to stay “off the grid” shot up a major red flag.
The way terrorist cells communicate is something our military can only hope to master. The lack of technology used in such an intricate network is impressive even if they are using it to do something so sucky. The whole, “can you hear me now” does not apply. Capturing Bin Laden would have been so much easier if he used Foursquare. I’m just grateful that the world can at the very least breathe easier for a bit.
Apple is honey bear tested and Cupid approved
Valentine’s Day is upon us. If this is a shock, don’t worry, there is still time to get your act together and gift creatively. Rather than going the typical flower and candy route, why not give your Valentine something a little cooler? Monitoring the daily activities of IT manufactures hints that Apple is the best place to help you profess your undying love this year. Apple’s Valentine’s Day gift guide has many options that will melt your honey bear’s heart.
For the committed relationship: Give the gift that’s so hot it’s even on Cupid’s wish list; the highly coveted iPad! It’s Wi-Fi compatible with the option to upgrade to 3G lightening fast speed. The iPad offers state-of-the-art internet connectivity and only weighs 1.5 pounds. If you want to take this gift to the next level, pair it with the Altec Lansing Octiv Stage iPad dock. All you have to do is download your Valentine’s favorite romantic movie onto the device before you gift it. Then cuddle up and watch together, surely forgetting about the iPad’s hefty price tag.
Again, I only recommend giving this gift if you are in a serious relationship. The last thing you want to deal with is the pain of a breakup PLUS iPad withdrawal.
For a long distance love: The iPod touch offers several neat features like FaceTime, Retina Display, HD video recording, a game center, and it also plays MP3s. FaceTime allows users to talk face to face through Wi-Fi. The only downside is that you may have to take some extra time to look nice for your significant other before picking up a call.
For a new someone special: An iTunes gift card is the way to go for a person you are still getting to know. Plus, they come in pink, red, and Tiffany blue with a heart design. If you want to kick it up a notch, a candy colored iPod nano comes with a reasonable price tag. The new compact design is too cute for your Valentine not to fall in love with! Cupid prefers you to gift a nano in red or pink, of course.
For the schmoopies: Apple is offering free engraving on any iPod or iPad as a special way to personalize your Valentine’s gift. Each time he or she uses their iPod or iPad they will be reminded of how amazing you are for giving it to them. You can even engrave it with, “To: My Honey Bear, From: Your Googlely Boo.” That’s so sweet I think I just got a toothache!
For the environmentally conscious: Sending an electronic Valentine from the AppStore is a great way to save trees. My favorite is Country Livings Treemail App. It costs 99 cents and makes a big impact. You can “carve” a special message onto an electronic tree selecting the type of bark, thickness of the carving tool, and special symbol, such as a heart, to make your message extra special. Then share your proclamation of love with your Valentine via email, Facebook or Twitter.
For the movie buff: An Apple TV is the gift that keeps on giving. The newly designed system is not only reasonably priced, but it allows access to 90,000 movies through Netflix. You can also access your iTunes library, pictures, and YouTube accounts. Keep in mind you will need a TV that is HD ready in order for this gift to be useable. So, if your Valentine’s TV is from 1980, this is not a good gift option.
For the procrastinator: Apple has put together a handy Valentines Shipping Matrix. This way you can be sure to order your gift with the proper shipping so you don’t end up in the dog house because your present did not arrive in time for the romantic day. Apple just makes things so convenient!
No matter what you decide to give this Valentine’s Day, I hope you have a magical day full of romance, love and an Apple from your honey bear. If you’re flying solo, why not treat yourself to a snazzy gift? You deserve it. Who says you can’t be your own Valentine?
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The Ghosts of gap’s Past
At gap intelligence we know how to work hard and we also know how to play hard. This year’s annual gap intelligence holiday party was epic to say the least. We toasted to our successes over the last year and we toasted to our future new office at Liberty Station.
The eight plus hour party involved four stops and a super sweet party bus to chauffer us around. The theme of the party was, “The Ghosts of gap’s Past”. Our President, Gary Peterson, wanted to take the time to look back on how far gap intelligence has come since the company was founded 8 years ago. It was such a fantastic day!
Our party started in Point Loma with a tour of our brand new office at the historic Liberty Station. Everyone was a buzz over how many amazing restaurants and shops are located a hop and skip away from our new digs. A huge part of why this is so exciting is that Liberty Station is such a change from our old office located on the out skirts of downtown. It feels as if we have upgraded to a fancy college campus with manicured grounds and fountains.
After the tour of the new office we walked over to the oh so chic wine bar, Winesteals, and the festivities began. We visited, laughed, and snacked on yummy appetizers. Peterson, wearing an oversized cowboy hat, welcomed us and began handing out highly coveted Hirooka awards to recognize the hard work each gapper had done over the last year. Hirooka’s are like the Oscars of gap intelligence.
From there we hopped on a party bus and proceeded to our next location in Pacific Beach. As the party bus wound through the streets of PB, Peterson handed out several more Hirooka awards. Some awards are on the serious side while others have a more humorous tone.
After a short drive we arrived at Beachwood. We were all thrilled to see that gap intelligence had the entire roof top deck which overlooks the stunning Pacific Ocean reserved to get our party on! Whoo Hoo! It was simply magical toasting each other as we watched the sunset.
After Beachwood we stopped at the very first office gap intelligence ever called home in Pacific Beach. We all piled out of the bus so our driver could take a group picture of us in front of it. The very first gap intelligence office was located right next to an auto shop and Peterson reminisced about sitting at his desk with the clanging, banging, and buzzing of the shop. Too funny!
Our next stop was the second gap office in Bankers Hill. It was an older Victorian house that didn’t look like much of an office at all. We heard stories of how the office was freezing cold in the winter and super hot in the summer. We snapped another team photo and then moved on to delicious Mexican fare at the Bankers Hill hot spot, Barrio Star. At this point in the evening the party was truly in full swing! Barrio Star served us yummy in our tummy tacos and blackberry jalapeño cocktails. As we all enjoyed our dinner I couldn’t help but notice how nice it was to see everyone let loose.
After the last of the Hirookas were awarded, we all jumped back on the bus for our final stop located downtown right across from Petco Park, at Corner Bar. The few of us that were still standing enjoyed more cocktails and talked about how this was hands down one of the coolest parties we had ever had the pleasure of attending! It was so nice to take the time out to celebrate our successes, acknowledge how far we’ve come, and look to the future! It’s so wonderful that we get to work at a company that appreciates its employees and takes the time to recognize our dedication to gap intelligence. I feel so blessed to not only love what I do but to love where I work. It’s a rarity these days for sure. Hooray for gap intelligence! Can’t wait till the holiday party next year!
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The $212,267 Apple 1
Italian business man Marco Boglione is the proud new owner of a $212,267 Apple 1 computer. You may be curious as to what would make this particular Apple computer’s price sky rocket to such an enormous amount. What sort of amazing features does this pricey Apple 1 offer? To be completely honest, the features are lacking and it is safe to assume that Boglione has no plans to use the Apple 1 as anything other than a very cool display. This computer does not connect to the internet. This computer does not even have the ability to plug into a wall socket. The Apple 1 is not a highly sought after collectors item for its cutting edge technology; it’s highly sought after for its special place in history.
The Apple 1 was one of the original 200 computers made by co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniack. This computer was made in Steve Jobs’ parents’ garage in 1976. The price of the Apple 1 in 1976 was $666.66. The Apple 1 was auctioned at Christie’s in London on November 23, 2010. Boglione now the owner of a rare collector’s item. Sources say there are believed to only be 30 to 50 still in existence. The features of this particular computer fall more in line with memorabilia. This auction item includes the Apple 1 in its original shipping box and the return address on the packaging shows that the unit shipped from Jobs’ parents’ house. The Apple 1 cassette interface as well as a signed letter from Apple cofounder Steve Jobs were also included in this auction item.
Christie’s noted that before bidding began on the Apple 1 it was apparent how far Apple has come over the last 34 years as bidders studied Christie’s sale catalogue from the very popular iPad. Bidders were also using the Christie’s App to follow the action as well. Steve Wozniack was in attendance at the auction. I’m sure in Wozniack’s wildest dreams he never imagined that the original Apple 1 he helped create in Steve Jobs’ parents’ garage would ever sell for such an astronomical amount.
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Apple Love
I love Apple. I use multiple Apple products every day. I get excited to walk into Apple’s candy colored immaculate stores. I walk through the different sections enamored with each product. I could spend hours exploring each product’s nuances. Surprisingly enough though, my love of all things Apple wasn’t love at first sight; it was more like a seed planted that slowly grew.
My Mom purchased an iPod shuffle for me in December 2005 as a Christmas gift. I remember opening the gift and not getting particularly excited. I think my lack of excitement came more from not understanding exactly what I was looking at. It was a small white rectangle with my name engraved on the side of it. I didn’t even open the box for a few months. I clearly remember when I finally decided to open my new toy becoming all consumed with finding the coolest music to add on to the little guy. I would spend hour after hour listening to thirty second clips of songs trying to decide if a certain song was worthy of my super cool iPod. I am happy to say that I still use this very same first generation iPod shuffle today. The fact that I continue to use an iPod shuffle that was made nearly five years ago is impressive to say the least. This is a testament to the quality of Apple products.
The next Apple love of my life was my 3G iPhone. It was given to me as a gift since my other phone decided to die on me out of no where. Once again I wasn’t particularly excited about my new toy. I didn’t think I needed a phone with so many bells and whistles. My iPhone quickly became (and still is) my most prized possession. My iPhone is always by my side. My iPhone is the first thing I reach for when I wake up and the last thing I tinker with before I go to bed. To be honest, I actually sleep with it under my pillow. My iPhone has helped me pass times of extreme boredom and it keeps me in touch with those that I hold dear to my heart. If my house as burning down and I only had time to grab one possession, my iPhone would be spared. I never knew I could love a piece of technology so much.
My iPhone is clearly my favorite Apple product that I own, hands down. Coming in at a close second though is my Apple TV. I like to think of my Apple TV as my own personal television channel. I can access iTunes, movies, and pictures through my television. Of all the cutting edge features that the Apple TV has to offer my favorite feature is the screen saver. The screen saver runs a slide show of all of my photos. I can sit on my couch watching the screen saver shuffle through my photos for hours. I have even tailored the slide show for certain events. For example for my friend’s birthday I had a small party at my house. Along with creating the perfect party playlist through iTunes, I also ran a slide show on my Apple TV of the birthday girl. It added a special touch to the event.
I recently saw a story on the local news that warmed my heart. The story touched on how the iPad was a hit with those slightly technology challenged. The story was about how an elderly woman was reading again for the first time in years because of the iPad’s ability to enlarge text. The woman raved about how easy the iPad’s touch screen was to use and how it was giving her back the gift of reading. The story made me think of a very special 80 year old bingo loving lady named Lee. I used to run bingo at an assisted living community and Lee was my partner in crime. Lee had a computer in her room and next to her computer were several large bold faced instructions on how to use the computer. Lee often complained about how complicated and confusing using the computer was. It made me wish Lee was still here today. She would have loved an iPad and having an iPad would have also freed up quite a bit of wall space in her room. An iPad is next on my wish list for sure!
My love of all things Apple will continue to grow. I know this because the company is always reinventing its products in a way that makes the coolest thing you own even cooler! I look forward to seeing what Apple comes up with next and how my love will grow!
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