Ken Leebow’s Site has Moved

WOW — Wonders of the Web

That’s the title of my speeches. Depending on the group or subject, the WOW speech is modified. You name the subject matter (about the Net) and I’ve talked about it.

I use two amazing quotes as a starting point for my presentations.

In 1996, this profound quote by Scott McNealy, CEO Sun Microsystems, convinced me to get involved with the Internet. I’ve never turned back.

When computers (people) are networked, their power multiplies geometrically. Not only can people share all that information inside their machines, but they can reach out and instantly tap the power of other machines (people), essentially making the entire network their computer.

Until I read Michael Levine’s quote, I thought technology was supposed to make life easier. This quote smacked me across the face. It made me realize that technology makes life much more complicated — put that Blackberry away!

We rarely simplify things, no matter how hard we try. Gadgets are fun, and they may perform tasks we find beneficial, but they don’t actually simplify our lives: they make our lives more complex.

Here’s something to think about. This is a snippet from a recent New York Times article.

Do you recall ‘’the IT revolution'’ that the business press has been pushing for the last 20 years? Sorry to tell you this, but that was just the prologue. The last 20 years were about forging, sharpening and distributing all the new tools to collaborate and connect. Now the real information revolution is about to begin as all the complementarities among these collaborative tools start to converge. One of those who first called this moment by its real name was Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard C.E.O., who in 2004 began to declare in her public speeches that the dot-com boom and bust were just ‘’the end of the beginning.'’ The last 25 years in technology, Fiorina said, have just been ‘’the warm-up act.'’ Now we are going into the main event, she said, ‘’and by the main event, I mean an era in which technology will truly transform every aspect of business, of government, of society, of life.

I can attribute my success to one thing. It’s very simple: I simplify things. In particular, I simplify technology and the Internet.

As a long-time industry observer, I have had the pleasure of predicting and watching trends.

In an entertaining and fun manner, I discuss technology and the Internet. I have spoken to people from the age of 8 to 80 (probably older). Every age group has a different use and perspective of the Internet.

Sure, the kids are Net-knowledgeable, however, they need to be aware of the educational value and the safety issues. Many parents think their kids are more Net-savvy than they are. I address all the issues.

Of course, corporations are using the Net, but I provide, tips, Web sites, and now, information about the world of blogs. For marketing and communications, every corporation should have a blog. Does your company have a blog policy? Probably not.

I enjoy speaking to seniors. Most people are not aware that many seniors are very Net-savvy. They love the Net. It’s a great way to stay in touch with friends, kids and grandchildren. I’ve even had a seniors tell me:

1. “Google saved my husband’s life.”
2. “I play games online because my husband has Alzheimer’s. Playing games online keeps me sharp.”