A technological startup company called RaceMenu recently launched a mobile application to ease the process of onsite registration for running events. The new application allows event managers to focus more on the runners and not so much on finding people to process the paperwork when registering guests onsite. This app benefits both race event managers as well as guests and entrants. It allows for ease of registration and collection of information to run smoothly and easily. Being a runner, I believe this is an incredible app and will really improve how races are run and organized in the future.

This article describes how third party companies are able to track and record consumer information and sell to companies. The way these companies gather the information is done when social media users sign in to their accounts via their mobile device. The information gathered by these companies are: the user's number, data that has been transmitted, the size of the data, the time and the date. Depending on the mobile carrier, this information is held for a specific amount of time. In my opinion, I think this is very valuable information for companies but there has to be some sort of legal regulations to ensure that the information is not misused, lost, or hacked. If companies wish to have access to this information, they should and must be willing to pay a significant amount of money for it.

This article discusses a new less invasive type of airport security technology employed in an airport in Montana. Rather than an x-ray machine, this new machine uses electromagnetic waves to identify and locate metallic and non metallic concealed items. The software employed by this machine does not allow the TSA agent to see an image of the person's body, but rather a generic image of a human being to locate any suspicious items. I believe this is a very interesting new type of technology that would benefit both TSA agents and travelers. It is an easy machine to use and it also makes travelers less weary about their privacy when they are going through airport security. All in all, I think this new technology will be an asset to airport security.

This article discusses several technologies in which all hotels should invest in, in order to stay competitive within the market. The author goes on to discuss technologies such as: interactive television, increasing bandwith, RFID sensors, mobile application technology, and energy management. I think the article brings up valid points in awknowledging that the identity of the traveler is changing and becoming more "tech-savy". In essence, to keep attracting guests hotels must invest in these technologies in order to have a competitive advantage among those who haven't yet invested in such new innovations.

This article talks about the importance of POS systems in the hospitality industry and the new technological trends that are affecting it. POS systems are extremely important to hoteliers primarily to keep track of sales and bookings. With recent technological developments though, POS systems have revolutionized that hospitality industry by increase efficiency and production. The newest trend in these accounting and POS systems are cloud-based technologies. I believe this type of technology will allow for busy hotel managers to track all accounting information through either a smart phone, PC, or even tablet. This type of technology, as stated in the article, would allow for managers to keep track of sales data and profits even when they are away from the office. All in all, I believe this is a very helpful technology for hotel operations and will benefit the industry in the long run.

In 2011, it was announced that Panasonic would be providing their Stingray POS workstations to Carl's Jr. and Hardee's franchisees. This new type of POS system would allow for improved customer service, increased security and increase operational efficiency for the firm. Additionally, the POS system would have increased RAM and could also be integrated into a LAN network. I believe that investing in such systems is extremely beneficial to the firm if it does provide the expected and promised results. It is a costly investment but could in the long term provide tremendous benefits to the company.

In the last 5 to 6 years, MGM Resorts Intl. has instituted a new cloud-based booking technology for its Las Vegas properties called GroupMAX. It was initially used as a way to work jointly with group planners for two of the Las Vegas properties but as a result of the technology's success, the software was implemented in other hotels in the Las Vegas area. All in all, this software enables hotels and planners to access all booking information of numerous hotels in a single location. The article states numerous benefits using the GroupMAX technology - which above all increase operating efficiency and profitability. I believe this technology is extremely beneficial to the corporation, especially because of the enormous amounts of group reservations they have annually among their various properties. Though it may be somewhat costly initially, the benefits far exceed any costs the company encounters.

This article is very interesting because it does not focus solely on one type of technology, but rather summarizes several technologies and discusses the importance of their uses. Green technologies in hotels can vary from anything affecting the water heating system to air ventilation and even plumbing systems in hotels. As stated in the article, it is extremely important for hoteliers to be aware of these changes that are occurring. Hoteliers may not have to immediately alter their current systems but they should definitely be aware and in tuned to the ever-changing "green" technologies - for if they don't they may be putting their hotels at risk.

A very interesting website that allows users to post an existing hotel reservation and then receive "bids" from other hotels in the area to give the user better offers and deals. It essentially allows the hotels to pursue customers, allowing them to take advantage of offers such as upgrades and amenities. As mentioned in the article, the website is very user friendly and transparent - allowing users to get a good feel for the hotels that are "bidding" on them. I believe this website is a very interesting and creative application. The company has put an innovative twist on e-marketing that allows for the user to feel "wanted" by the hotels. By giving a customer so many options, they are able to create a competitive lodging market and hopefully, in turn increase profits in the industry.

Touristlink is new online network that has been created as a means to connect tourists with other tourists as well as experts in the travel and tourism field. This type of network allows users to access the entire website by connecting them with travel agents, hoteliers, tour guides and many other people from all over the world. I personally believe that the Touristlink network facilitates planning a vacation because it centralizes all of the travelers questions and concerns to one particular location. It also puts the traveler in contact with the right people for planning a vacation.

This article, posted on the Visa website discusses how McDonald's UK plans to implement a new type of payment method for customers. This "cash free" payment methods allows for customers to use only debit or credit cards and pay up to 15 euros. Visa states that it is a quick and easy way for customers to purchase a coffee or lunch at a fast food establishment. As stated in the article, this form of payment helps companies save money with regards to operating costs and improves risk management because less cash is available at the restaurant. In my opinion, I believe this is a quick and convenient way for customers to get in and out of the restaurant - which is essentially what a fast food establishment caters to do. The down side of this new hardware addition to McDonald's is that it may reduce the amount of jobs in each store because the computers will be able to do the work, humans once did.