When Steve Jobs said the iPad was a “game changer,” it was easy to dismiss the comment as more Apple hyperbole. I certainly didn’t know I wanted a tablet computer until the iPad marketing assault began. Walking down Michigan Ave. in Chicago, every single bus shelter advertised it.  I thought I was well served with two laptops, Mac and Windows, an iMac desktop and a Blackberry.

Well, Steve, you are right—again. The iPad is a game changer. But it’s also a tabula rasa, a blank slate, which doesn’t reveal its secrets until some time passes. Also, if you are not already an iPhone user, there is a learning curve with the keyboard and touch technology. It could defeat some potential users.

I had elected to stay with my Blackberry when the iPhone came out, with some trepidation and craving for the other product but I have to admit, it’s one time where the utilitarian, efficient BB met my needs better—though when the next upgrade comes around and the iPhone 4 problems are solved, I probably will switch. Despite Mac synching software for the Blackberry, I’ve had a lot of trouble with keeping calendars and contacts intact on both.

Along with the Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg, I believe touch technology could surpass laptops and the previous generation of mouse and point-click interface. The tech isn’t perfect, particularly in its word processing applications, but it is highly functional for basic document entry, editing and emailing. It’s a trade off—size and portability versus functionality.

Here are the ways I am using my iPad:

1. The Big Surprise: the plain vanilla Apple Notes app. While there are improved versions like the $1.99 NotePadPro, the basic version has made my note taking efficient in ways I couldn’t imagined. On my office shelf right now, there are a pile of legal pads I’m about to throw out. I will never buy one again, saving all that paper and expense. This is how the iPad pays for itself. I go to a meeting, give it a name and that’s recorded as the file name on top. I make notes and can email them or refer to them in a list later. Fantastic.
2. Media: one of the reasons I bought the iPad was to get rid of daily newspaper delivery and I did—no more daily Globe and Mail and Sunday New York Times, for the first time in more than 30 years. It took a lot for me to do that, especially the Times to which I am ultra loyal. Neither app is perfect, and one wishes more from the NYT. I’d be willing to pay for it, when the time comes; so far the Globe is terribly behind the Times, unlike the Wall Street Journal whose app is both fantastic and totally annoying, peppered with pleas for subscriptions when contact is locked.  One does receive enough of the Journal to learn from it.
3. Books: The Apple reader is coming on line in this country, as copyrights are straightened out and will be useful but mostly I’ve gotten stuff from Kindle. I really like the sample idea, where you receive a chapter or two and then can download the rest if you want—it’s no different than a bookstore, where you can practically read the whole book if you are willing to sit there long enough. The reading surface is fine; you don’t need the “ink reader.” The book app has made a huge difference; I take the iPad with me on the subway and don’t have to struggle with a book or a paper. I haven’t been on a plane yet with it but I am looking forward to that too. If you have an iPad with books on it, you can read just about anywhere and don’t have to plan in advance. I just love it. A huge plus in efficiency and environmental concern
4. Music: I play guitar and the music-related apps have been a revelation. I didn’t think anticipate that these would be so important and life changing but they have. Previously, I had notebooks full of songs and they’d fall out or rip or whatever: total disorganization. With an app like Totalguitar.com, I can reproduce my song collection, including tabs, for finger positions, in alphabetical order, without paper! Also game-changing; coupled with Guitar Scales and Guitar Tuner, I have a portable gig set up and can play happily on my porch with everything I need. GuitarTab was free but a waste.

Other apps I’ve downloaded include (with comments)

• Guardian Eyewitness, fantastic daily color news photos and photo tips
• The Weather Channel, which I am highly dependent on; hourly weather and radar
• Instapaper, a great app for repurposing web stories for later reading or circulation
• Streamitall radio, not so hot, very limited supply of stations
• Urbanspoon, great restaurant locations
• FatSecret, keeps track of food, which I must do better with
• Twitter and InstantMessenger, both work well
• Flipboard—this must be very popular already, as there is a waiting list to add email addresses for incorporating Facebook and Twitter
• Skype—well, Steve, no camera makes this one less that perfect but the voice works just fine. Get a camera, OK? And a phone, too!
• Pages—Apple’s word processor. A few features missing but it works well, given the medium’s limitations.

I have my eye on more iWork apps, Scrabble and Wired—but another time. The case is also well worth purchasing; let’s the pad stand up and holds it in one place.

Complaints: why doesn’t iTunes have radio, just like the desktop/laptop version? Why no camera—it’s silly. Just withdrawing something because the iPhone has it? There inevitably will be a phone too; you know it and I know it, Steve.

Absence of Flash so far hasn’t been a major problem—can’t listen to the my favourite radio station, Q107 Classic Rock, as it’s player doesn’t’ run without it. WiFi is adequate most places but when the signal is faint, it’s a problem. Works great in Starbucks but not at Humber College.

To draw a picture of how I use it, it’s something like this:

• Sit on porch, read, play guitar or write and correct papers
• Mealtimes, particularly breakfast: read Journal, Times, Globe
• Public transportation, catch up on books
• Bedtime, books or IM
• Random emails or web searching around the house
• Meetings: take notes
• Encounters with the uninitiated (even with a pretty girl on the subway): demonstrate it, show it off. Even the rabbi wanted to see it and took an hour reviewing it. He wants one too.

Thanks, Apple and Steve. Now why didn’t buy the stock?

Calling out XM Canada, an old client at the Wilcox Group and something I subscribe to, for bad writing is painful but this is too good (bad) to pass up. I am indebted to my Humber College class for pointing it out—the individual herself will remain nameless to protect her later job prospects but thanks just the same. We review good and bad writing as a way of trying to articulate how it works or not. It was very clear to her that this did not adhere to what we learn as best practices. Here’s the story:

XM Canada Kicks Off Search for The Ultimate Soccer Party Guest with Online Video Challenge

Best Seats in the House Up for Grabs for 2010 FIFA World Cup Final Game at Wayne Gretzky’s Restaurant in Toronto

TORONTO, June 25 /CNW/ – There is no bigger event in sports than the FIFA World Cup(TM) and no better destination for sports fans than XM Canada(TM), the country’s leading audio entertainment company. In celebration of its in-depth sports coverage, from MLB(R) and The PGA TOUR(R) to the final 10 playoff matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, XM today kicked-off The Ultimate Soccer Party Guest Challenge in search of the best party guest in Canada. The lucky winner will celebrate the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final in front-row style with 24 friends at Wayne Gretzky’s Restaurant in Toronto on July 11th.

Note how many questions this writing raises:

1. There is no bigger event in sports than the FIFA World Cup(TM) Is that news? While it’s true now is it intrinsically reality at all times? Why begin with it; is it something editors need to be informed about while it’s happening? Why the TM? Not necessary in a news release, which isn’t advertising or marketing copy and never ever used in media. Just annoys editors who have to take it out.
2. And no better destination for sports fans (TM) than XM Canada, the country’s leading audio entertainment company. Another useless TM with more wasted commercial message.Where’s the news? Aren’t news releases supposed to start with the story? Are we reading an ad here?
3. In celebration of its in-depth sports coverage, from MLB(R) and The PGA TOUR(R) to the final 10 playoff matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa…Still wondering what the story is and why we need to know about and celebrate MLB and PGA (in unnecessary caps, no less, and the two R marks, ever seen those in the news)? This is not inverted pyramid style, following news values, it’s the pyramid right side up.
4. XM today kicked-off The Ultimate Soccer Party Guest Challenge in search of the best party guest in Canada. The lucky winner will celebrate the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final in front-row style with 24 friends at Wayne Gretzky’s Restaurant Finally…some news! In the fifth line of the story. Not the biggest story in the world but certainly more useful to editors than ‘celebrating in-depth sports coverage.’

After considering writing various company leaders about this release, the class urged me contact the author directly to avoid creating difficulty for her and we said:

“Today in our PR writing class at Humber College, we were looking at examples of different types of PR writing and we came across your release for XM Canada and the best party guest competition. 

We were puzzled by your lead and second paragraph; it struck us that it buried the news and we were also wondering about the usage of TM in a news release when it is never published in media. 

Also the sentences appear to be lengthy as well as there were many company acronyms mentioned. 

Could you tell us for PR educational purposes what was your thought processes concerning this news release? Is there a specific format to be followed? What is the rationale for this style?”

She responded promptly with a certain candour:

“Thanks for your note.  I agree with your points about what typically are good approaches for releases. As I am sure you can understand, unfortunately, we can’t give you and your class much more context on how this specific release was developed due to standard confidentiality about client projects and processes.

I’d be more than happy to share our general point-of-view of writing for the media and social media.”

We will be inviting her soon….

Professor of Public Relations, Humber College

PR Writer Extraordinaire

Part I

It arrived from China as scheduled but not on time. I had been tracking its journey from Shenzen to Anchorage, Alaska. It then flew to the FedEx hub in Memphis and on to Mississagua, ON, where it arrived at my home office at 2:00 pm. Sheldon, the FedEx delivery guy, said his station delivered 500 iPads and that he personally was responsible for 30.  Sheldon added that often no one is home when he must obtain signatures. I asked if he knew what he was delivering and he said, “Yes, I do and everyone is home today.” Immediately sent my kids a photo of it out of the box.

Is it the future of computing?

As was once said about Bruce Springsteen and the future of rock ‘n’ roll, I have seen the dawn of something new in computing and it’s called iPad. I agree with The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg that the touch entry could take over the mouse, which has dominated computing since the Mac’s intro in 1984.

Why do I have one? Because I had the very first Mac the first week it came out and two Apple Newtons, the first ever PDA? Partially but I believe that this venture will ultimately mean more.

I spent much of the first and second days exploring and opening my eyes to how it works.

General observations:

1. It is as good as the hype: seeing the high-resolution photos and fast processor at work is remarkable.
2. Some things are so amazing they are freakish: turning the pages in the Apple library and seeing how they wrinkle and can be partially turned is almost too dazzling. It comes with a copy of Winnie the Pooh, one of my old favorites; it almost makes me want to read it again.
3. The Kindle app from Amazon simply moves the pages forward with a finger. I downloaded a chapter from Tom Rachman’s The Imperfectionists, a journalism novel, and read it in bed at night. I wanted to read the third book in the Dragon Tattoo series but Amazon said it wasn’t available in Canada. Boo!

Apart from participating in the technology, my main purpose in getting an iPad was two-fold: read media online and eliminate paper; read books and reduce paper. On both those counts, it does appear to work as promised. As I cancelled my newspaper subscriptions, this is important.

App review:

• New York Times: great but not enough stories; still need the online version. No doubt I will be paying for the iPad version soon.
• Globe and Mail: Haven’t worked out the paid app but the one for Blackberry/iPhone is a masterpiece and it works on the iPad.
• Guardian Eyewitness (all photos) and BBC, both wonderful.
• Best app so far: Instapaper: This killer app repurposes web articles by eliminating ads, graphics and links and then turning the entire article into a news story with a headline and saving it for later reference.

Part II: people’s reactions, Apple’s Pages and Notepad.

by Richard E. Rotman –PR Writer Extraordinaire

All one has to do to find notable examples of poor news release writing is go to Canada Newsire on any day. Organizations pay good money to release this news but they don’t bother to. Here are originals and suggested corrections: why do these organizations bother?

I. Xpertdoc Technologies Inc. Appoints President – Ms Varsha Bhat

or:

Xpertdoc Technologies Inc. Appoints Varsha Bhat President

PRW Comment:

• Don’t need the Ms.
• More active to put her name first

Released version: MONTREAL, Oct. 9 /CNW Telbec/ – Xpertdoc Technologies Inc. – a Montreal based technology firm providing document output products and solutions – continues to ‘wow’ the local community with its recent new appointment. Xpertdoc welcomes Ms Varsha Bhat as the incoming President, effective immediately.

PRW Revision: MONTREAL, Oct. 9 /CNW Telbec/ – Xpertdoc Technologies Inc. – a Montreal-based technology firm providing document output products and solutions ‘wowed’ the industry by apppointing Varsha Bhat as its President.

Comments:

• Need a hyphen between Montreal and based
• If you must use the ‘wow’ idea, who is being wowed? Why the local community—isn’t the industry more important?
• ‘Continues to’ is one of those clauses that almost always be eliminated. Previous examples of ‘wow’ can be expressed in subsequent comments.
• ‘Recent new’ appointment is redundant and unnecessary. The announcement implies ‘new.’ The only way the qualifier would be relevant and ‘effective immediately’ is if the appointment took place in the future.
• Using Mr or Ms is not CP style. If saying that Bhat is female is important, isn’t there a stronger way to underscore it, such as she is the ‘industry’s first female’ or something like that.
• In the rest of the release, the CEO is ‘proud to announce’ the appointment, while an advisory board member is also ‘pleased’ as is an investor who is quoted, repeating the word. “Ms” is also repeated four times and her first and last name is used in the last paragraph, where it should not be necessary.

All that in one release!

Ontario Long Term Care Companies Recognized Nationally for Leadership and Excellence

Original: MARKHAM, ON, Oct. 9 /CNW/ – The Ontario Long Term Care Association (OLTCA) is delighted to congratulate two of its members on being nationally recognized for the levels of excellence they have achieved in developing quality relationships and processes within their organizations.

PRW: MARKHAM, ON, Oct. 9 /CNW/ – Two Ontario Long Term Care Association (OLTCA) members have been being nationally recognized for excellence in developing quality relationships and processes within their organizations as a result of the Mediacorp Canada Inc annual competition.

OMNI Health Care Ltd. was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2010 and in September, Diversicare Canada received the National Quality Institute’s Order of Excellence Award for continuous excellence in quality.

Comments:

• Combines two sentences into one
• Avoids passive voice
• Gets rid of the “delighted to congratulate” idea, which is not news.

Original: “We applaud the owners, management and staff at OMNI Health Care and Diversicare Canada for their leadership and commitment to excellence that resulted in this distinguished recognition,” said Christina Bisanz, OLTCA CEO. “It reflects a desire I see across our membership to be the best that they can be for the benefit of the residents they serve.”

PRW: “We applaud everyone OMNI Health Care and Diversicare Canada for leadership and commitment to excellence resulting in this distinguished recognition,” said Christina Bisanz, OLTCA CEO.  “Our members seek to be the best service providers possible for their residents.”

Comments:

• So many superfluous words. “We applaud…is delighted to congratulate.”
• “It reflects a desire I see—“ can be totally eliminated.
• “For the benefit of the residents they serve?” Or: “the best service providers for their residents.”
• This is a poor excuse for a news release anyway—no news, flabby language, no chance it would mean anything to an editor.

Just incredible–I never understand why they bother, when the writing is so substandard. Until next time…

PR practitioners, many of whom are enjoying enhanced business opportunities, must be grating on the nerves of industry outsiders with their casual approach to today’s market meltdown. Crises, shutdowns and layoffs can often provide work for PR experts—just as journalists thrive on negative events.  While other sectors are pummeled by the one-two punch of inaccessible credit and decreased consumer spending, communicators still see opportunity. Such is the PR game, where tough times for others can reap big rewards for savvy strategists.

Businesses can’t simply stop talking when profits are down. Regardless of the message, companies need to articulate it clearly, using the right tactics, reaching the proper stakeholders. PR is thus needed at gloomy company announcements as much as it is at celebrations and positive news. Opportunity is always abundant with the right positioning and good news judgment.

Communications, however, is far from “recession-proof.” PR prospects are certainly out there, but the approach necessarily changes when profits are down. What remains important? Knowing where opportunities lay, what venues are no longer viable and which audiences remain relevant. Do people buy luxuries during recessions? Not really but they do go to movies and eat at McDonald’s (which just announced strong results, while Starbucks’ profits dropped).

Here are some helpful pointers to set you on the right path:

• Contract Work is In – Reduced budgets mean large, long-term retainers are unlikely in many companies. Short-term, one-time projects are increasingly available, especially during crises situations. If you were ever planning on heading out on your own, now – ironically enough – may be the time.
• Internal Communication is Key – When companies face hard realities, their employees do too. The need to communicate effectively within organizations becomes especially necessary in the instance of layoffs (such as is happening at Canwest now), pay-cuts or hiring-freezes. Leverage your practice toward these areas, showing clients that your external PR successes are only half of the equation.
• Public Sector Pays – In bad times we are all Keynesians; governments will start pumping money into job-creating public works projects as unemployment rises. This investment can prove costly and     contentious despite its benefits. PR expertise will be needed to broaden massive government spending’s appeal.
• Diversify Your Portfolio – Balance investments – and client portfolios; loading up on clients in one industry is asking for undue risk. If you mainly deal with resource companies, try to land contracts with a retailer or entertainment firm. Depending on your experience, this may be unrealistic; however, any hedge you can afford against overexposure can’t hurt.

Lastly, get out there and hustle. As you’d advise clients to step up their marketing efforts and ramp up PR, who are you to retreat? Now is the time to invest for your business’ future. It can’t last forever, the experts say but it might last for a while. Be ready; don’t stop thinking about tomorrow; create your own strategic plan for a post-recession Obama economy. That starts January 20.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CANADA NEWSWIRE—Oct. 31

Attention Business Editors:
James Goodfellow joins the Board of Directors of Discovery Air

Original version:

LONDON, ON, Oct. 31 /CNW/ – Gil Bennett, the Chairman of the Board of Discovery Air Inc. (TSX A.A), is pleased to announce that Mr. James Goodfellow  has joined the Board of Directors of Discovery Air.

PR Writer Improvements:

James Goodfellow, former Deloitte & Touche LLP Vice-Chairman, has joined the Discovery Air Inc. Board, said Gil Bennett, Chairman.

Reasons:

1. “In general, do not use the courtesy titles Mr. Mrs., Miss or Ms.” CP Stylebook, p. 318.
2. Who is the story about? A distinguished person joining the Board or the Chairman? Best to announce the news, and then say who is announcing which is at best insignificant or secondary.
3. Mentioning James Goodfellow without any title or attribution renders the story next to worthless—who is he after all?  He is the former Vice-Chair of Deloitte, the major accounting firm, so say it.
4. The Board of Directors of Discovery Air is unwieldy; two ‘ofs’ in one sentence are a sign that editing is required, hence: The Discovery Air Board of Directors.

So simple, all that in one sentence?

Next paragraph, original version:

Goodfellow became a Fellow of the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1986 for distinguished service to the profession. He has over 40 years experience in public accounting and providing assurance and advisory services, primarily to large public companies.

PR Writer improvements:

Goodfellow, a Fellow of the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants since 1986, has more than 40 years distinguished service to the profession, providing assurance and advisory services, primarily to large public companies. He retired from Deloitte & Touche in 2008, and also served on the firm’s board.
Reasons:

1. Just a handy little rewrite. It brought two sentences together.
2. Got rid of the ‘became’ and moved distinguished service in place of experience.
3. Moved the retirement statement to here and combined it with his service to the board.

Original version:

“I am delighted that Jim has joined the Board of Discovery Air. His substantial experience with issues of corporate governance and financial reporting will be a great benefit to the Corporation. ” said Mr. Bennett.

PR Writer improvements:

“Jim’s substantial experience with issues of corporate governance and financial reporting will be a great benefit to the Corporation,” said Bennett. “We welcome him to the Board.”

Reasons:

1. Commas follow quotes, not periods.
2. “I am delighted that” and similar phrases sure better be the truth; otherwise, why do a news release?
3. We’ve already introduced the idea of the Board so why repeat it. His benefit as written is to the corporation not just the Board.
4. Better to say he is welcomed to the Board, rather than simply delighted to have him. Not so crazy about either version.

Can’t resist the following!

Original:
Fire Prevention Canada – Time change – Check your smoke detector
MONTREAL, Oct. 31 /CNW Telbec/ – Fire Prevention Canada reminds you when resetting those clocks back one hour this weekend to also check the batteries in your smoke detectors. The sad reality is that on average, fire kills eight Canadians every week. Residential property fires account for 40% of all fires and a staggering 73% of all fire deaths. Most of these deaths are caused by
human carelessness and so are completely avoidable.

PR Writer improvements:

MONTREAL, Oct. 31 /CNW Telbec/ – When resetting clocks back one hour this weekend, Fire Prevention Canada suggests checking batteries in smoke detectors.

Fire sadly kills an average of eight Canadians every week. Residential property accounts for 40% of all fires and a staggering 73% of all fire deaths. Human carelessness causes virtually all the deaths; they are completely avoidable.

1. 54 vs. 67 words.
2. Don’t use ‘you’ in formal news writing.
3. Starting with when resetting clocks taps into the news event: reversion to standard time. The most important thing is not Fire Prevention Canada reminding you—that’s only the attribution.
4. “The sad reality is that” is another one of those phrases like “I think that” or a variety of others beginning with that. It can easily be replaced by converting “sad” to “sadly” and having it modify “fire.”
5. On average is clearly unnecessary.
6. A great deal of ‘fire’ repetition in the sentence beginning with “Residential property.”
7. We removed the passive voice in the last sentence.

Can we do this for you? As Obama says, Yes, we can!