About Us

Erica Driver

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ThinkBalm is a boutique analyst firm focused on work-related use of the Immersive Internet. We provide research for and advisory consulting to technology marketers and Immersive Internet advocates, implementers, and explorers. ThinkBalm was established in June, 2008 and is headquartered in Rhode Island, USA. Our clients have included Altadyn, BP, Chevron, Forterra Systems (now part of SAIC), Linden Lab, Moondus, ProtonMedia, Teleplace, and Tandem Learning.

Research area: work-related use of the Immersive Internet

This includes virtual worlds, immersive learning environments, and virtual event platforms. ThinkBalm offers research, analysis, and strategy consulting on these topics to technology marketers on the vendor side and business and technology decision makers on the enterprise side. We cover use cases like meetings, conferences, learning and training, business activity rehearsal, sales and marketing, collaborative prototyping, data visualization, human resources management, and remote system and facility operations.

Vendors we cover

  • A World for Us (Assemb’Live)
  • Activeworlds
  • Altadyn (3DXplorer)
  • American Research Institute, Inc. (ARI) (PowerU)
  • Amphisocial
  • Avaya (web.alive)
  • Digitell (VirtualU)
  • IBM (Virtual Collaboration for Lotus Sametime)
  • IMASTE IPS
  • InXpo
  • Linden Lab (Second Life and Second Life Enterprise)
  • ON24 (ON24 Virtual Show, ON24 Virtual Briefing Center)
  • Open Wonderland
  • OpenSim
  • ProtonMedia
  • ReactionGrid
  • Rivers Run Red
  • SAIC (Forterra OLIVE and Meeting Labs)
  • Teleplace
  • VenueGen
  • Unisfair
  • VastPark
  • Virtual Italian Parks (Moondus)

 

Objectivity

Last updated January 15, 2010

Objectivity and fairness are central to ThinkBalm’s reputation as informed, neutral industry analysts.

  • ThinkBalm does not endorse any enterprise immersive software vendor or product.
  • When vendors sponsor (fund) ThinkBalm research, the names of sponsoring vendor companies are disclosed in the report.
  • ThinkBalm publishes its research methodology in its reports.
  • When appropriate, ThinkBalm analysts send content out for fact-checking prior to publication.
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About the Author

Erica Driver

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Erica Driver was a co-founder and principal at ThinkBalm. She is a leading industry analyst and consultant with 15 years of experience in the software industry. She is quoted in mainstream and industry trade press including the Boston Globe, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CIO, and Computerworld. Prior to co-founding ThinkBalm, Erica was a principal analyst at Forrester Research, where she launched the company’s Web3D coverage as part of her enterprise collaboration research. She was also the co-conspirator behind Forrester’s Information Workplace concepts and research. Prior to her tenure at Forrester, she was a Director at Giga Information Group (now part of Forrester) and an analyst at Hurwitz & Associates. She began her career in IT as a system administrator and Lotus Notes developer. Erica is a graduate of Harvard University.

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