having the vibe

This is just too funny not to post. I’m sure that even my venture capitalist friends will agree. If you are interested in start-ups, technology and the process of securing venture funding, this presentation from Shpigler on raising money from VCs is must-watch. Just remember, if you find yourself presenting before a partnership, use acronyms and always project the vibe.

Btw, the Smart Player technology is very cool as well. Click the button to access a broad menu of choices. Slow down, widescreen, story board and alternate language subtitles are among the options. Very well done!

(a hat tip to techcunch for discovering this)

draggable driving directions

Google Maps is the best, true ‘dat double true. In fact, the pace at which they have been introducing new features over the last two years has been enviable. First, hybrid view, combining their Google Earth satellite imager with standard web maps. More recently, street view, the impressive ability to take a 360 degree look around many street corners in the US. Sure, A9 was first with the idea many years ago but the scale and integration of Google’s effort makes it much more useful. Now, draggable driving directions.

Don’t like your suggested route? Need to take a detour? Looking for a lunch stop along the way? Google has you covered. Jess and Evan have the details in the above video and even provide some travel tips should you ever decide to drive from the Bay Area to Kirkland, WA.

For tips, tricks and Google Maps mashups, like mapping your Picasa photo album, check out the Google Maps Mania blog. And, for a in-depth discussion of the impact of Google Maps, check out this month’s Wired.