Welcome to the end of the workweek! It was an exciting week for tech geeks everywhere, but the iPad wasn’t the only thing going on this week. There have been some awesome discussions going on in the association community, and I’m thrilled to highlight a few of my favorite posts.

1. Wes Trochlil has been a technology consultant for 10 years now, and I really enjoyed his post about changes he’s seen during that time. Technology certainly has come a long way since 1999, and I expect 2019 to hold even more surprises! What tech change do you think has most affected the association community?

2. Since she’s been crowdsourcing an “action list” for 2010, Peggy Hoffman also turned to author David Nour. Nour came up with a great list focused on building relationships. My favorite? When it comes to social networking, consistency is a lot more valuable than creativity.

3. This post at Erik’s Experts in Membership Marketing surprised me a little: Students and Young Professionals are Influenced by Direct Mail. I’m a big believer in using the right channels to contact people (and they can differ from person to person), and Erik Schonher summed up a 2008 study so well in this great post.

4. I really loved Cindy Butts’ post comparing association executives to student athletes. There are a lot of similarities to be had, and participating in sports can teach us all invaluable lessons for later in life. One of my favorite lessons Cindy highlights is to take pride in your school or team, and by extension, your association.

5. Mark Alcorn, an association lawyer and management consultant, has a fantastic new blog and this week’s post was superb: Top Ten Signs of a Dysfunctional Board. From power struggles and lack of respect to micromanagement and overly powerful executives, Mark tackles many board issues with a unique perspective and clear voice. Can’t wait to read his future posts!

From everyone at MemberClicks, have a wonderful weekend!

(Image via Flickr.)

Rumors had been swirling among tech geeks for months (nay, years!) and Wednesday, their suspicions were confirmed with the announcement of Apple’s iPad, a hybrid iPod Touch/laptop. Although it doesn’t have the iPhone’s ability to make phone calls, it  has a ton of other capabilities, and could rival Amazon’s Kindle with its iBooks application and through contracts with publishers.

There have been mixed reactions about the iPad. Some are enthralled; some don’t quite understand the purpose. “It’s a bigger iPhone that can’t make calls,” I’ve heard.

However, keep in mind this is just the first version of the iPad, and if the product takes off, there will surely be many more versions to come. Apple is setting the stage for a very different type of computing experience.

I think the iPad could truly have some amazing implications for small-staff associations down the road (and so does our Director of Product Experience Kevin Patrick!).

I’ve written before about cloud computing, and this product could take that to a whole new level – especially because it syncs perfectly with Macs, PCs, iPhones, and iPod Touches through Apple’s MobileMe Storage. As technology moves to Web-only, devices such as the iPad will become even more mainstream because, as Jobs said, you’re literally “holding the Internet in your hands.”

The iPad and its subsequent versions could be extremely beneficial for small-staff associations. The amount of hardware needed at events would drastically diminish. For smaller meetings, all check-ins could be done instantly just by passing the device around the room.

I’d be willing to bet than many association management software companies are in the midst of developing iPhone and other smartphone apps for their products, especially amidst the buzz about mobile technology for associations in 2010.

But the iPad will also have access to Apple’s App Store, and will be able to run about 140,000 of them right away. Apps can also be synced with the iPhone or iPod touch, which could greatly streamline communication among staffers.

Although the iPad clearly won’t replace laptops (at least for awhile), the possibilities are still numerous. People who travel constantly and prefer not to carry their laptops could greatly benefit from owning an iPad, and I think the iPad dock, which includes a keyboard, is pretty spiffy.

In all honesty, I think the real “magic” (to quote Steve Jobs) of the iPad will come later, especially once developers begin creating apps for it. Additionally, I’d love to see Apple add a camera and video-chat capabilities (which would be amazing for small associations working remotely), as well as multitasking.

The release of the iPad is just the beginning. Right now, I think the device would be most beneficial at events – no matter how big or small. Exhibitors could easily run demos with iPads. It would make blogging-on-the-go a snap. Multimedia could be used in presentations more easily, and attendees could use iPads for receiving event updates and news.

Samuel J. Smith wrote an excellent post about the iPad for events and I agree with many of his points. Be sure to check it out – I especially love his idea for creating e-versions of meeting newsletters and exhibitor guides. Multimedia could be included in those, as well.

How would your association use an iPad? What are your initial thoughts about the device?

(All iPad images via Engadget.)

Confession: I’m a consistent lurker of Association Chat, the chat that takes place on Twitter each week at 2 p.m. ET. Something often catches my eye so I go back later and check out the transcript.

This week was no different. The first half of this week’s chat focused on podcasts, specifically, whether they garner enough attention to continue producing.

Jeff De Cagna, the moderator of #assnchat, hosts podcasts that include discussions with thought leaders and pertain to innovation and associations. To gauge interest, he asked #assnchat participants how they felt about podcasts in general.

The responses were pretty varied.

Some people prefer to receive information visually and like to read. Others like podcasts, but often don’t have the time to listen to them. And some were avid podcast listeners.

I think, in many cases, podcasts can be extremely useful.

I recently moved within 3 miles of the office, so needless to say, my commute isn’t too long. But for awhile, I was driving 25 miles one-way to work five days a week. And in Atlanta traffic, that meant I spent at least 10 hours each week in my car.

Podcasts saved my sanity. I listened to all kinds – NPR, This American Life, sports-focused ones, marketing-centric ones, media-centered ones. For some reason, I found them easier to digest than audiobooks.

I did a little digging and found a few podcasts association and nonprofit professionals might be interested in.

Idealist.org produces podcasts about people making connections in their communities, along with interviews with nonprofit professionals.

Of course, Jeff De Cagna’s podcasts are geared specifically toward association professionals. He’s featured Charlene Li, Clay Shirky and Dan Pink, among numerous other thought leaders.

And Jeff Cobb’s podcasts aren’t specifically aimed at association professionals, but I think they’re valuable regardless. The author of the Mission to Learn blog, Jeff talked to thought leaders and authors about all kinds of topics that any professional can benefit from.

Perhaps your commute isn’t as long as mine was. Consider listening to them while you cook dinner or work. What about while you get ready in the mornings? Maybe they’re not your style. That’s OK. Podcasts can benefit lots of people; some prefer the more conversational style over blog posts.

If there were interest among your association’s members, would you ever consider producing your own podcast? The APTA’s podcast showed up in the iTunes store when I searched for “association” and narrowed it down to podcasts. They’re not very long in length; the ones I saw were all less than 20 minutes, and most were around 10 or 12. Just another way to share news and information with your members!

Of course, I’m not suggesting podcasts be your only source of communication. I think Shelly Alcorn said it best during #assnchat: “Capitalizing on learning styles could mean podcasting needs to be integrated with other pieces to be truly successful.”

Check out Audacity, a free tool that helps you edit audio files, if you’re interested in producing a podcast.

Do you listen to podcasts? Which ones?

Since the 2010 Technology Conference and Expo is rapidly approaching, I wanted to introduce everyone to the MemberClicks team members who will be in Washington DC. I’ll be profiling one Clicker this week and one next week. First up? Solution Adviser Hannae Berhanu. (Pronounce her first name like you would the capital of Hawaii: Honolulu.)

Hannae has worked at MemberClicks for almost three years, and she’s been a part of implementing solutions for more than 300 small-staff associations during that time! Not only is she a fantastic problem solver, Hannae always has a positive outlook and her amazing attitude is infectious in the office.

These skills are a great asset as she helps organizations find the most appropriate technology solution, whether it’s MemberClicks or not. She’s always able to maintain a good perspective when working with potential customers and has a knack for listening to and understanding their needs.

Hannae is looking forward to meeting as many small-staff association professionals as possible in Washington DC and she’s psyched to learn more about their technology issues and needs. Whether MemberClicks is the right fit for you or not, she’s happy to discuss your technology needs and point you in the right direction.

When she’s not advising associations on membership- and data-management technology, the Georgia State University graduate likes to watch independent and foreign films, as well as makeover shows. Hannae also loves spending time with her family and trying new restaurants in the Atlanta area.

For more information, feel free to e-mail Hannae at hannae@memberclicks.com, or follow her on Twitter at @hannaeb. And don’t forget to stop by and say hi at Booth 326 in a few weeks!

It’s not too late to sign up for ASAE and The Center‘s Online Conference for Small-Staff Associations. Although the three-day conference began today, there is still tons of valuable information to be had. Wednesday’s segment will discuss additional ways for smaller associations to earn revenue and will feature Lewis Flax, president of Flax Associates, an organization that assists nonprofits in understanding and implementing successful sales strategies.

Thursday’s sessions will discuss getting the most from your board and some tips for working with volunteers. ASAE has put together a really awesome line-up with some fantastic speakers.

Check out the agenda for the conference here, and register here. There’s some awesome information, and those of us at MemberClicks encourage association professionals at small-staff organizations to consider participating.