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As a digital lifestyle expert, people are constantly coming to me wanting to know what the next big trend will be. For 2012, all of my predictions relate to one thing: mobility. As smartphone and tablet adoption reaches critical mass in 2012, all the major new innovation we’re going to see will be in the mobile arena. Here are four of the top trends I’m expecting to see explode in 2012, as well as some tips on how your business can adapt:

1. Mobile Payments

While 2010 first saw the rise of mobile payment devices like Square transform your smartphone into a credit card terminal, 2011 was a banner year for mobile payments with all of the big players launching their first attempts at NFC payment technology. We’re going to see the mobile payment field rapidly expand in 2012, both in terms of more consumers using their mobile devices to pay for things as well as small business owners taking more of their payments with their phones, tablets to process credit card transactions while on the go. Don’t lose a sale because you haven’t started taking credit cards—research the newest and most innovative apps, and then find a way to bring your customers what they want this year.

Read more…

December 21st was my birthday and yes I had a blast BUT it’s also a time where I take a moment to reflect and really think through the events and experiences of the past year. I take a hard look at what worked well and what didn’t and where I can improve, this thought process goes for both family and career! In doing some reflection I realized I had not followed one of my own pieces of advice, visualization—the ability to see in advance the successful outcome of your goals. To o this you must write it down and review it daily which will help you see it through to reality! This process may not work for all but has definitely helped me. Below is a list of some of my career goals for 2012. My 2012 family goals are written down on paper and posted in 2 highly trafficked spots in the home! What? I’m not throwing all my business out on the internets :-)

With that being said, here are my personal/career goals for 2012: (not in a prioritized order)

1. Last year I started a tech teachers contest, this year I want to double it! The contest is an all expenses paid trip to ISTE, the largest technology conference for educators. Each year their conference has 20,000+ attendees from all over the world. It is SIMPLY THE BEST PLACE for any educator to be, learn, connect and bring back new ideas to empower education in their community.

2. Begin discussions to host a national TV show or special series– I’m an official contributor for NBC TODAY show and HLN and CNN as well as Rachael Ray and Nate Berkus shows and this year I even won an Emmy for hosting a tv show. I’m ready and am anxious to host a national tv show or special series. We have 2 show pilots and are headed to a few tv industry conferences this year and we are pitching networks and I’m really hoping my dream takes off this year. If Al Roker, Oprah or Simon Cowell are reading this gimme a call – lets gooo :-)

3. Increase the amount of random acts of kindness! Little acts can have an impact. I’ve done all kinds of random – like paying for the car behind me at a toll booth or asking people randomly on twttiter/FaceBook is there anything I can do to help move their goals forward. In fact, I’m running a survey right now to help me understand how I can bring you more value in 2012 (please fill it out). One act in 2011 stood out! I 4sq’d that I was at a Starbucks and someone tweeted that they wish they could go to a Starbucks but didn’t have money due to the recession, I didn’t know them at all but I immediately bought a Starbucks gift card & sent it to them, they replied via email with the most sincere note–it was an awesome feeling and a feeling I want to replicate more of in 2012.  I want to heighten my awareness and my action of giving more kindness!

4. Be more in the present! Summer of 2011 I took a “tech-detox” – yep my own version of removing tech from my life. I did this for 3 weeks during the summer and it was incredible! I did a piece on CNN & some radio interviews and I’m starting a new blog to help others take a tech-detox. The clarity of mind was refreshing, all of my 5 senses were extremely heightened and right then I committed to taking more control over tech. I mean with all these damn screens and over stimulating environments, it can really pull at your concentration and derail your focus. Don’t get me wrong, you know I live and breathe tech BUT I don’t believe in multi-tasking, so why do I find myself trapped sometimes trying to do it. To me there is no such thing as multi-tasking. Worst though, I fear the “twitter-memory”. No, I don’t fear twitter, I LOVE me some tweets. I’m talking about feeling like your life is a bunch of scattered brief moments because we are trying to do too much at the same time. This year, I am putting even more systems & controls in place to increase “being in the present” and sucking it all in, not just a piece of the moment but really tasting, smelling, comprehending and concentrating harder in the moment so it goes to my internal HD and not something temporary like my RAM :-)

5. Bring more value! Personally, this is a big one to me! I get pumped when I see others “value temperature” increase! Everyone (I think to some degree) wants to feel that they are contributing and that they have a sense of purpose in life. The size of the purpose or contribution doesn’t matter, what does matter is FINDING YOUR PURPOSE QUICKLY AND TAKING ACTION to make as big a contribution as you can make! Quite often, I think, “we think” we know what our value/purpose is BUT there are times when we need to step back and ask others, what value do YOU really gain from me? I often use twitter and FaceBook to help keep me in check and make sure I’m delivering as much value as I can, so I ask folks – What do you expect from me in this space? What kind of content resonates the most with you? What’s a specific post/tweet your remember? What can I do more of that you like? What REALLY brings you more value? What should I do less of? We should constantly check our value temperature and make sure it is rising! I’m doing a survey right now to gather these answers, please fill out the survey to help me make my value temperature rise!

6. Try some acting or join an improv group – I really want to see if I have some potential in this area. It will be a new challenge that I’m excited to take on. Additionally, acting and improv have been proven to really help bring out more of your creative qualities. I don’t want to leave any creative ideas locked away in 2012!

7. Begin Spanish lessons – are you kidding? There’s no spanish, media-techie person out there! Ok, ok there are a few BUT how cool would it be to do tech segments on NBC TODAY show one minute and then jump into a different studio and do a segment on Univision or CNN Espanol :-)

8. Start the book writing process – it’s time I write this kids book about tech, life and passion! Over the past 18 mos. I have spoken to over 12,000 kids — I’ve learned so much from them and how they prefer content. A portion of the book proceeds will be given to an educational program that is really making an impact to our future problem solvers.

9. Summer App Academy camp for Youth – I can’t wait to get this goin! This camp would teach young minds problem-solving, spirit of innovation and precisely how to make, sell and market apps. I’d like to start in Baltimore, refine it and then offer up resources for others to host their own App Academy in their cities. The program would have to be free for the kids and offered in a distressed area where the kids really lack the exposure and opportunity.

10. Increase the amount of TV segments and/or a special series on NBC’s TODAY show, CNN & HLN networks. I am excited we have a newly signed contract with network HLN and the TODAY show but I can’t sit on my butt, now I have to pitch them solid ideas constantly to ensure I get on-air. The more I get on air the close I hope this will get me to goal #2!

11. Identify people and sponsors who want to create/support an annual Technology Diversity Awards program at CES, honoring the behind the scenes heroes of the consumer electronics industry. These people never get the accolades deserved. I’m talking a full-blown, red-carpet program that’s fun, inviting and highlights women, minorities and those who are disabled that are making a big impact on the tech industry. Interested or want to know why this is needed-read up!

12. Outsource, Outsource, Outsource! Time is precious and we can’t control it so maximize it by outsourcing tasks that take up time and pull you away from spending time with your family or on your business. I watch over my time like a hawk and you should too! There is no way I could do as many networks as possible, also blog, do public speaking and travel without outsourcing effectively. You can outsource so many things for example, lawn care, laundry service, proposal writing, scheduling travel, setting meetings etc… In 2012, pick at least one task that you can outsource to get time back. You can also take a look at this site GetFriday for help https://getfriday.com/

These are my Goals for 2012 BUT NOW I want to know, What are yours? Tell me in the comments, I wanna get pumped up by reading your goals!!!!

I’m looking to jump start an awards program that celebrates employees & entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds in the consumer electronics arena.  I need your help! Would you like to be a part of the team to help make this a reality? We are looking at kicking off this awards program at CES 2013! Let me know if you are interested by posting a comment!

Also if you happen to be going to CES 2012, let me know if you have a quick moment to discuss this idea? Or hit me on twitter @marioarmstrong

Hey everybody, here’s a fun tech holiday song we did last year! I’m looking for ideas on what to do this year. Should we do a part 2 of this OR do something different? Let us know in the comments below: