Internet Killed the Newspaper Star

Google has just taken up the arduous goal of bringing all the glory of paper-press-periodical humanity to the Interweb.

Soon, you'll be able to view billions of pages of archived newsprint from the comfort of your cubicle.

Pretty neat, and you don't even have to get your hands all inky.

AdAge Article on mobile advertising

Not sure if this will load up correctly. If it doesn't, then use your
mobile devise!

http://adage.qwapi.com/site?t=FnTlaZuPXsZiMMsVa.wgJw&tsid=QWS5E80C78A14BCF5E93D0F38C05D18F5161367e40&tcid=84d03862b23e4fa0a9e4ac7c7c59e03e

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Sent from my iPhone

Get inspired:
http://creativebureau.blogspot.com

Cell Phone Coupons Get Local

I was just watching ABC News and they featured a piece on a new player, 8Coupons, in the Cell Phone Couponing industry. They have a wide array of local NYC offers from services, to Spa and Beauty to restaurants. They work with/train local vendors to make it easy for the consumer to simply show the offer on their phone to the cashier to get their offer. Could this be the end of the local coop mailer that stuff our mailboxes each month? Check it out at:

http://www.8coupons.com/

Life

Nice. Simple. Smart.
(for a coaster)

$34.5 million spent on Facebook virtual goods? | Negative Approach - CNET News

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13846_3-10030354-62.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5

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Sent from my iPhone

Get inspired:
http://creativebureau.blogspot.com

Google Chrome Explained.

Google Chrome explained

Explorer, Firefox or the new Chrome?

I've been a big fan of firefox since it came out. For me, it's anything that gets me away from the clunky IE browser. Plus I'm biased, pre IE winning the browser wars I was exclusively a Netscape user. Anyhow, it's been announced that Google is launching a new browser called Chrome.


Find the article here


WASHINGTON (AFP) - Google on Tuesday launches its own internet browser, Google Chrome, in a new challenge to Microsoft Internet Explorer and Firefox.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Chrome browser, designed to cope with the next generation of graphics and multimedia dominated web applications, was announced in a Google blog late Monday.

It will launch initially for Windows machines in 100 countries, with Mac and Linux versions to come.

"We realised ... we needed to completely rethink the browser," Google's Sundar Pichai said in a blog post.

The application can be downloaded for free and its code will be open source so no rights will have to be paid by anyone using or adapting the software.

Chrome is Google's latest weapon in its bid to become the leader in all Internet areas. The latest major browser war was won by Microsoft when it won the battle for dominance in the 1990s against Netscape Navigator.

According to various estimates, Internet Explorer, which is the default browser on computers with Windows operating systems, is used by between 60 and 80 percent of Internet users around the world, with Mozilla Firefox a long way back in second place.

What's your favorite campaign?

See what these professionals had to say about what they felt was the best campaign. It's a really simple, but great question. I'd have to agree that the Apple work is really well done both online and offline. Take a look at this and if another campaign comes to mind, please post it.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1681694293/bctid1681848514

Cloud Computing

If you haven't heard of cloud computing, then you should read this article. Early adopters are already there, for the most part. Wiki's, webmail and web based FTP all fit the bill as far as cloud computing goes.

http://adage.com/article?article_id=130488

on with it.

Take a Shot.

So, it's not Call of Duty 4, but it's worth taking a few shots with.  I kind of wish that there was a) more ammo and B) more of a website to shoot up.  Maybe version 2.0.

check it out.

wifi at 32,000 feet

Well, it's finally here, wifi on airplanes. I am posting this high above the Iowa plains, thanks to the new wifi service being offered by American Airlines on some domestic flights. today might be the first day, there are representatives from the service provider, GoGo internet, on the flight to offer any assistance. 

Details: $12.95 per flight segment. Easy sign up based on very simple browser based registration, takes all major CCs, and confirms your order very quickly. Initial experience provided very quick broadband access. It seems to allow full access to the internet, including IM, altough it has disabled any VOIP or audio/video chat capability. I assume that is to promote quiet surfing, a welcome choice. the thought of 70 people all talking to their computers via skype or ichat is too maddending to consider.

The service did go down briefly, but a restart of my computer has had it up and running flawlessly for the last 2 hours. good thing i have a second laptop battery!

for all those IP access whores like me, it's a very cool thing. for all those who have been dreading this day, sorry dude. 

and please, no one tell my boss i can be reached in flight! :)

Wireless useage.

My take on this article is that they just don't know what they are
missing. Similar things were said about the web early on. Who would
ever want to bank online? Ya got me?

http://mobile.adage.com/site?sid=adage_ip&pid=article&targetURL=http://adage.com//digital/article.php?article_id=130223

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Sent from my iPhone

Get inspired:
http://creativebureau.blogspot.com

cesar: a Blast from the Past

For those who haven't yet come across this, a cesar T.V. commercial from 1990. I think it's safe to say, "We've come a long way, baby." Also, check out the one from 1991 the next time you're on YouTube. Looks like it made a huge leap from 1990.

Twitter on the iPhone: Which App Will Rule Them All?

If you twitter and have an iPhone then you should check this out. I've tried almost off of these apps and, agree that it's tough finding the right app.

Which will rule them all on the iPhone?

The Mojave Experiment...

As most of you are probably aware, Windows Vista has taken a different approach to their campaign...It goes by the code name "Mojave." It targets "regular" (clueless?) people who have never laid eyes on Vista, then lets them "decide for themselves." At first, I was skeptical about the brand's need to disguise itself, but I've since warmed up to it. Branding needs a little alter ego action now and then.

Take a look at the site, if only to check out the video execution.

Tivo to Try Something New with Amazon

Interactivity doesn't stop at web and/or mobile technology. It looks like T.V. advertising is in for quite the face lift. Let's face it, with the web constantly blooming, it's becoming harder and harder for T.V. commercials to make their mark, and effectively, at that.

So, what's the plan? With the TiVo remote, users will be able to buy the products being advertised, with the help of Amazon as a partner. This is believed to enrich the overall viewer experience and will not distract the consumer from their favorite program (that's the beauty of TiVo)....

It's still risky, however...

"As DVRs get more popular, 'the majority of commercials in home will be fast-forwarded through,' he said. 'It is critical that there be a form of advertising and a transactional solution that underpins the DVR, or the economics of television are going to be substantially undermined.”

Putting a Fresh Face (or Lack Thereof) to Viral

More proof you don't need a huge budget to produce an extremely successful viral ad campaign.

This faceless ad campaign for Lotus has sparked huge buzz across automotive blogs, forums, and more.

And all it cost them was a few latex masks, a couple stand-ins, and tickets to a handful of high profile British events.

MARS Petcare Makes the News!

Today's lead headline on BrandChannel was a feature about the pet industry, and everything from the conservative to the crazy (like dogs taking the runway at the Tokyo Pet Fashion Week!).

Of the entire article, Mars Petcare, our most favored client, took the lead on real estate. Check it out for yourself!

Killer Pizza

Some funny TV Spots for Round Table Pizza. The silly nature of them actually gets funnier and funnier as you see each spot. Done pretty well, enjoy.

iPhone with out contract?

http://m.usatoday.com/news.jsp?key=864264

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Sent from my iPhone

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http://creativebureau.blogspot.com

Have you Plurked?

Goodbye Twitter.

Build Karma points and start plurking instead. They've got a cool timeline to see who's doing what. It's pretty nifty. I guess you could say it's sort of like Twittering, but with a different twist. It's definitely worth checking out. Plurk.com

Will ".PEDIGREE" Be an Available Domain Next Year?

The ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is voting today in Paris. A vote that could lead to a radical and historical shift in the way we navigate the Web.

We are all familiar with ".com" and ".net", ".us" and ".gov". But what if we could secure ".Pedigree" or ".Cesar"? Based on the vote today, we'll see! Intrigued? Read on...

I wonder if we shouldn't be getting out our wallets now for our clients...

Spirit of Steve Irwin, Protect Us

Browsing MySpace is more dangerous than you think.

Hidden Meaning Behind the Photo...?

Hint: It's TOTALLY unrelated to botany and/or human anatomy...Think...technology.

Video Entertainment 8 Hours a Day

Did you see today's headline of eMarketer?  Research is indicating that Internet users in the US spend over 6 hours a day on video entertainment, and in 5 years they will be spending 8 hours per day.   That's a third of the day, the same amount of time many consider to be a good night's sleep.

As a marketer focused on the interactive space, recent articles and buzz over the growth of online video leads to excitement as there is tremendous opportunity.  My perception of this shift is positive given my position.  Years ago I worked in the more traditional space focused on print and broadcast, when I would have perhaps viewed such shift as a liability. 

Even so, it seems unfathomable that I personally could spend a third of my day engaging with online video entertainment.  Perhaps if I were still sweet 16, or if I were retired.  I guess they could be using the term "video entertainment" loosely and that some of those 8 hours in front of the computer are for educational purposes.   I kind of like to think the society of Internet users maintains such level of integrity.

Take a look on top articles for June 25, at www.emarketer.com

Diapers & Laptops & iPhones...Oh My!

It's no question that as technology skyrockets, so does its use among young people. How young is too young? Some parents these days are clueless as to when and how to provide their children with technology.

Take a read. It's a really interesting analysis (broken down by child age groups) on an issue with no clear-cut answer.

Vote for the next Wegmens WPOP

Wegmens is soliciting the help of its shoppers to vote on the next flavor of its private label CSD line "WPOP". As incentive, shoppers can win from a variety of prizes (patio packages, wii consoles, etc.) The promotion is featured on-pack and linked to a micro-site off wegmens.com. One of the first private label promotions I've seen. Its also advanced given the unique codes on packgaing linked to the promotional microsite.

http://www.wegmansvoteandwin.com/

Go2Pets - Out and About with Spot

Purina has teamed with go2® to provide dog owners with local information right to their cell phone including location of off-leash parks, pet friendly accommodations, camping, airlines, fun places, kennels, vets, etc..

http://www.go2.com/webbrowser/indexPetsLanding.cfm

Gas Price Saver Widget

Great Widget that features lowest gas prices in your area. Widget that saves your money!

Is Shorter Still Better When It Comes to Subject Lines?

Not according to a new study of over 225 MM emails and 660 subject lines done by Dela Quist, CEO of London shop Alchemy Worx. So what's the new magic number?

What is the optimal number of characters? Take a guess:

A) 50

B) 60

C) 70
D) 80

According to this study, if you chose A and D, you are correct. A 50 character subject line with a strong offer, or an 80 character line with an enticement are the two winners by a long shot. Open rates decrease significantly in the 60 - 70 range!

Check out the full article to ready the background and rationale! Looks like we might have a good reason to go a little longer!

Browser Wars 08

Over the next several months, both Firefox and MS Internet Explorer will release new, feature rich versions, according to this article in the NY Times.  Expected advances will include tools like Firefox 3.0's "Awesome Bar" that will provide smart search results based on past browser history, and IE 8.0's planned content sharing and dynamic content updating features, the new browser field looks like it will provide users all sorts of new useful features.

the times surmises that this renewed focus on the browser foreshadows a time in the not too distant future when all a computer really needs is a browser and a broadband internet connection, with most all information and applications like word processing and spreadsheets help on the web. This future has been developing right before our eyes with the advent of tools like Google documents, and now browsers are starting to bet that this type of server-side computing is going to start to pick up steam.

it's about time

Finally, Facebook will be undergoing "drastic" changes in the next month or so. To quote this article, "Profile pages are getting a total makeover." It looks like the clutter is being put where it belongs: in FOUR separate tabs. The idea is to clean up and simplify users' profiles, allowing for more control (something of which Facebookers were likely fearing loss).

And we all know what this means: those not-relevant-to-life, malfunctioning, annoying applications will become...LESS visible! (They will reside in their own tab.) It's believed that the more "meaningful" applications will shine brighter under the spotlight (ala the new-and-improved mini-feed feature).

I truly hope these changes bring about nothing but success. The clutter, similar to many tacky (to say the least) MySpace profiles, is soon to incur the wrath of...organization? What a concept!

And as a reminder, MySpace is precisely what I moved AWAY from.

Micro blogging with PhoneZap!

If you haven't already Jailbroke your iPhone, this may be the best reason to do so. Microblogging with PhoneZap! Snap a photo, add some copy and post it to phonezap.com. It's an easy way to have fun and share cool times. What's great is that there are ways to share ringtones too, how cool. Yet another social network, but this one may stick around and take off. Check out PhoneZap.com

Social Design Best Practices - OpenSocial - Google Code

Article has 9 good best practice principles for developing social applications:

If you're new to developing social applications, it can be difficult to immediately grasp how good
applications facilitate fun and meaningful social experiences. To accelerate your learning, we've come up with a list of a few light-hearted recommendations around building good social applications. Not all of these "best practices" are necessary in every case, but they might spark thoughts about finding new users, keeping old ones, and leveraging the social graph for fresh content and viral spread.....

Social Design Best Practices - OpenSocial - Google Code

Go Go Gadget Netflix

Netflix is contunuing to defend their holding in the marketplace against Blockbuster and cheap downloads with the announcement of a new device - a set-top box through which movies can be streamed from your online Netflix account conveniently to your TV. There seem to be a few bugs left to work out, and it isn't technically "free" (box plus you need to maintain an online account with netflix), but it certainly expands access for those die-hard movie buffs.

Good for netflix, bad for USPS? Any Netflix loyals out there?

Should YouTubers Heed this Advice?

Found today on the YouTube.com homepage. Take it as you will--for entertainment purposes or solid guidance on how to successfully maintain your posted videos.

He does make a COUPLE valid points, but I won't spoil it...Have a watch.

and would you like to scan your iphone, sir?

Interesting piece at Mashable about a service that allows barcodes to be read by mobile devices. It's called Scanlife, and it has lots of potential as a seriously cool way for brands to capture data and promote special offers.

Although grandma will still want to clip coupons for the foreseeable future, this is where the future of retail promotions is going.

Brand Resuscitation

The New York Times reports that a company called River West in Chicago has begun quietly buying up brand names of once beloved products. Names like Brim ("fill it to the rim with Brim!"), Underalls, and Quisp cereal are starting to make a come back on a store shelf near you. 

This strategy is based on the insight that just because a $40BB company like Unilever or Anheuser-Busch can't sustain a smaller brand like Nuprin or Eagle Snacks doesn't mean that there isn.t still lingering brand equity in the market place that can be tapped to create a resuscitated brand presence. 

In fact, River West did research that showed, for instance, that Brim coffee still has over 90% aided awareness in the market despite being off shelves for over a decade.

Get more from mobile marketing - DMNews

Interesting article on Mobile applications featured in DM News from the perspective of a few thoguht leaders in the space (ShopLocal, StudioCom, Store Xperience, Slifter)

Get more from mobile marketing - DMNews

Walk the Talk

Interesting Ad Week article on Mobile Word of Mouth featuring Google Android open source platform which will open up to developers to create a variety new applications.

Walk the Talk

NY1: Technology

NY1: Technology

There are some relatively-new high-tech tools available that combine shopping online with shopping offline that could have cut down on the amount of time you spent waiting in line this past holiday season.

Grocery Retailers rethink merchandising

Everyone knows that when you go to the grocery store, the bread in on the left, the produce is on the right, the meat is in the back, and you are going to do a loop in one direction or another, with occasional forays into the center for essential items like cereal. The best a CPG marketer can hope for is an end-aisle display to have their product featured within the perimeter "racetrack" itself.

Piggly wiggly has opened up an experimental format in Myrtle Beach, SC that takes that standard approach and turns it inside out, organizing products in what they claim is a more logical pattern. This includes things like placing the cereal next to the milk and putting frozen corn near fresh corn.

Will it work, or will it confuse the hell out of people who have been shopping grocery the same way for decades? Only time will tell.

Digital Carding

In the UK, 10% of kids age 12-15 admit to buying their own alcoholic beverages at a shop. This rising trend has led one chain to test out facial recognition software that will indicate if a buyer seems to have the facial characteristics of someone old enough to be buying alcohol. Is this a trend we can imagine coming to the US anytime soon? Beyond the privacy issues, there is a legal question as to the validity of this type of random criteria mapping. 

It does however demonstrate how digital tools are coming to the retail environment in ways that help the store owner, and sometimes, the customer.

Coming Soon: A Web-Wide Social Network?

"NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Three announcements, all within a week of each other, were indicative of the same trend: that the future of online social networking doesn't live within a single entity's walls but instead permeates the web. "

http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=127012

Cooler than Google Earth?

It looks like Microsoft has finally created a content feature that out googles google in terms of aggregating and displaying massive information in a totally compelling interface. It's the WorldWide Telescope project, found here.

This interface promises to have aggregated the photographic artifacts from both the Hubble and the best of land-based telescope-captured photograhy. As Microsoft puts it on the WWT site, " bringing together imagery from the best ground and space-based telescopes in the world for a seamless exploration of the universe."

Like Google Earth, Microsoft has created a 3 dimensional environment that allows users to explore in three dimensions the universe around us. The only problem is that you need a very advanced computer to view it, my MacBook Pro just isn't up to the task (ideally viewed on a PC with Vista, a .net framework installed, etc, etc, blah blah blah). At least give Google credit for making the old Keyhole technology both browser and OS agnostic. I'm sure MS will get there eventually, but I can't believe they think that this will sell more copies of Vista.

Assuming you don't have a .net framework on your computer, there is a pretty good overview here, showcasing it's introduction at TED earlier this year.

Are Diamonds Better Than an iPhone

Will the new HTC Touch Diamond Phone be the iphone killer.

Launching in europe and then us.

http://www.unwiredview.com/2008/04/15/htc-diamond-touch-and-dream-android-to-be-unveiled-may-6/

And now for a laugh. (Facebook in real life)

If you thought that last posting was a downer, then watch this for a chuckle. It's humor is based entirely in truth, which is... Hey isn't that a saying?

MySpace Humiliated Me

To quote from HHH's entry on Monday, "I've been violated." I never did work up the courage to share my experience with you all. In a rage of boredom (can boredom really be raging?), I joined MySpace a year ago. I had already been a member of Facebook for three years, starting back in the day when it was exclusively for college students. Somehow, it just wasn't enough. I wanted more. Knowing full well I'd feel creepy and full of regret, I joined MySpace.

MySpace was tolerable for the few months I had it, but I got bored quickly. Bulletins were abused by certain friends of mine who solicited useless junk, friend requests from swingers in Idaho kept flying in (it felt dirty), top friends got jealous if they got demoted in rank. My lunch hours would consist of filling out useless survey bulletin posts with no relevance to life. At one point, I threw my hands up and purged my top friends' list. Among my top four friends were politicians, singers and maybe a few bigots just to show how ridiculous the notion was. I couldn't take it.

Over the course of my membership, my account got "phished" three times. The first two times, it was harmless but annoying, nonetheless. The third time, I had to find out through a group of people at work. I quote, "WHAT was that naked video you posted on my comment space?" WHAT!? OH MY GOD. I was mortified. And THAT...was when my scandalous, unwilling affair with MySpace ENDED. There's no looking back; we're done.

While Facebook's security has become a little looser these days in the vast social orb, I can still say that it's 100 times safer than MySpace.

So, without further adieu, I close with some MySpace etiquette.

Bluetooth Marketing

What a great Bluetooth campaign.
-mags

http://www.cscout.com/blog/2008/05/06/trend-bluetooth-marketing.html

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Sent from my iPhone

The mentos Kiss-Cam
Need a kiss? I like this experience a lot, except for the webcam-connection which made me wonder 'what are they doing with my image here'. I wonder if others feel the same way?

Other than that it's a fun use of video online. It has a touch of interactivity built into the video too, Not bad! (Nice talent selection too)

Have we no manners??

I've been violated. Or, at least that is how I see it with my latest run-in on FB. All along, my biggest concern about joining FB was the privacy, or lack thereof. After much persuasion, I ventured into social media-land regardless and to my surprise it's been amazing - just in the number of old friends I have been able to reconnect with. That is until today.

Today, I opened my inbox to a rash of messages from friends demanding to know who the hell "So and So" was, because this person had invited god knows how many of my friends to be his friends. 99.9% of these he has never met, knows not how I know them nor how they came to be my FB friends and his perception was that this is acceptable FB behavior. Now, I am sure we have all gotten the completely random FB friend request, and we accept it or ignore it, and it's no big deal. But suddenly, when one of your own friends does it, and it results in an influx of messages into your inbox, it is a completely different story. It's the online version of a party crasher, and I did not react well.

So, in an effort to determine whether or not my reaction was completely irrational, and whether I should block him and go hide my head in the sand after sending a note of apology to all my friends, I googled "Facebook Etiquette". We should all take note with this quick refresher on proper behaviour on FB, and use these Top 10 as our "Facebook Mantra":

1. One should NOT friend another with whom they have no association with, that is without a proper introduction. You don't want to be the creepy dude on FB, do you?? Oh, and for those of you who are still single, it is recommended that you wait 2 days before friending someone you hooked up with.

2. If you must "Poke", do so with moderation and caution.

3. In conversations with fellow FB members, be careful not to let on that you know everything about them, even if they have plastered their page with gory details about thier latest breakup or conquest. Stalk secretly all you want, but in conversation do respect some level of (dare I say) privacy, otherwise you are right back in the "creepy" category.

4. Keep a clean profile page - avoid abusive posted items, notes, information or wall posts. And post pictures that include clothing - lack thereof is just wrong, no matter how you slice it.

5. Treat FB friends with respect - respect their views, even if they are of lesser quality or you perceive them to be wrong.

6. RSVP'd event attendance must be respected and upheld.

7. Tell the truth. (this is worth multiple mentions)

8. Be gentle and patient with non-savvy FB users (like the elderly and small animals).

9. Help friends who seem to be in distress - reach out to them, share the love.

10. Lastly, FB is not an acceptable replacement for socializing offline. Make time for your friends outside FB.

Domo Arigato, Rocky Roboto!

Meet Rocky, the doppelganger "robo-squirrel" residing on the lush, green campus of Hampshire College. Rocky's mission: to help observe animal (group interaction, individual behavior and patterns) behavior in a more "natural" fashion, as opposed to laboratory testing. The technology inside Rocky, who's a few years old, is constantly being updated.

Rocky's anatomy: a basic computer and speakers that mimic various squirrel calls. And yes, he can even discreetly connect to laptops!

"One recent afternoon...[they] brought Rocky out for field testing and placed him near real squirrels. Mounted on a board, he was shielded by a camouflage hood and a long cord connected him to the researchers' laptop.

After the computer's program flipped the hood open, Rocky went into a sequence of tail-flagging, barking and other motions squirrels recognize as warnings of danger.

The most successful experiments are when the real squirrels respond by 'flagging' their own tail, halting their foraging to check for danger, scamper up a tree or take other actions that show they picked up on the signals..."

Of course, optimal results can only be achieved if the actual species being tested is reasonably capable and intelligent. (Also, the smaller the easier when it comes to mimicking body language and signals.) Among other animals/reptiles/critters tested are lizards, wild parrots, sage grouses and even sea slugs!

Thoughts? Could this potentially be pulled off with some small dog breeds? And please, let's not call the robo-Chihuahua "Tinkerbelle."

Never too Late to Change...

Can you guess what this is a picture of?

Hint: Its really thin and really cool and may get me off a PC once and for all!

Whats a CTO?

A Chief Twitter Office, OMG, RME TISNF someone really landed this job at Comcast. Read on Twitterheads...

http://blogs.mediapost.com/social_media_insider/?p=13

Nifty Laser-Guided Wheelchair

This chair's computerized laser power says it all. Will the FDA hurry up and approve it already!?



http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/30/researchers-show-off-laser-guided-wheelchair-that-docks-with-veh/

Newsflash: people dig social media

Universal McCann has released some interesting survey statistics on social media. Use is up. People are even starting to understand that whole RSS thing.

- 83% watch video clips, up from 62% in the last study in June 2007
- 78% read blogs, up from 66%
- 57% of internet users are now members of a social network
- RSS consumption is growing rapidly up from 15% to 39%
- Podcasts are now mainstream digital content, listened to by 48%

More proof that social media isn't just a passing trend or blip on the radar. That doesn't mean that brands should scramble desperately to make use of these mediums. Relax, think and come up with compelling - not forced - ideas. There's nothing worse than a social media campaign made for the sake of being a social media campaign. Just because it's new and burgeoning doesn't mean it is immune from quality control.

Above we find the 13-million-view sneezing panda from YouTube, because a chart or graph would've be kinda boring.

Mobile Technology Meets Retail

An interesting, quick read featuring a sneak peak into the future highlighting patent development that will allow consumers to use their cell phones to pay for groceries.

This will open up a ton of targeting/programming options.

http://storefrontbacktalk.com/story/040308mobilepatent

Ecco, cool site.

I came across this site for Ecco shoes and aside from the long-ish load time, it's pretty sweet little site.

The way motion brought to life through the rotating ground is a nice, it's a different approach. Not to mention all the little things happening in the background. Also, I really like the deeper dive into shoes which shows how the shoe looks while walking. Nice Job.

http://eccoworld.ecco.com.pl/

MySpace: karaoke

If you're into Karaoke, this might be the new place for you. MySpace is launching karaoke. Now, i'm not a big Karaoke fan. (for some reason my voice is much better when singing in the car)

Check out the full article here at Yahoo.

Starbucks, you're breaking our hearts

It's nothing new that Starbucks has been experiencing declines in in-store traffic as of late. So, they've cut back on their projections for '08, shortly after promising to deliver a better web experience.

This coffee joint was never really known for providing the utmost in online user experience, despite priding itself on being one of the first means of social networking. As one source confirms, they've wasted potential and opportunity: "Starbucks had mastered social networking long before MySpace, Facebook and YouTube had any prominence. And yet, Starbucks focused almost exclusively on stores, dismissing the Web as a place to sell coffee beans, grinders and maybe some jazz CDs."

Ah, yes. It's also a Wi-Fi zone. Big deal. So are ten thousand other places that reek of coffee. Come on, Starbucks- make us web-savvy caffeine lovers proud. (I'll give them this: they have mentioned implementing a strong CRM platform, but where are the results?)

It seems the best they can do is, more or less, a weak hybrid between a "network" and online suggestion box:

"The Starbucks Experience grows, in part, from the unique combination of a shared passion for coffee and the exchange of great ideas. For years, Starbucks stores have served as the center of vibrant communities, welcoming customers and encouraging creativity and dialogue. Starbucks today announced the extension of that community beyond the doors of its stores with the launch of MyStarbucksIdea.com."

They're doing this to become even richer, essentially. Although profit makes the world go 'round, they're missing the point. Social networking is about appealing to people of the world...Just trust us on this one, Starbucks.

Making Print Interactive

We've been reading about QR Codes, SMS codes, and other ways to make interactive calls-to-action a working part of print media. The latest example comes from today's NY Times, which describes a program being tested by Rolling Stone and Jan Wenner to increase the value of print advertising in their magazine. 

In this case, you take a picture of various ads with your cell phone and email it in, and a photo recognition service (SnapTell, check them out here) translates what you've sent and forwards you more information.

This is a great idea that I wold have assumed would need QR codes to make it work. This service does not use QR codes. If the photo recognition software the Snaptell is using is powerful enough, it could do away with the need for QR codes or SMS short codes to add customized CTAs to print, OOH and packaging, and really accelerate the use of user-captured imagery to drive dialog between consumers and brands.

Logo Gone Bad.

"It cost £14,000 to create, but clearly no-one at the smart London design outfit that came up with the new logo for HM Treasury thought to turn it on its side...."

This is too funny.
A logo gone terribly wrong indeed, see the full article.

Limitless Paper in a Paperless World

A clip from The Office. The Dunder Mifflin Paper Company commercial premiere. All paper commercials should be this creative.

Take it From the Googleys

An example of the power of simple, straightforward approaches to really good design. The ten design principles that make Google googley:

1. Focus on people—their lives, their work, their dreams.

2. Every millisecond counts.

3. Simplicity is powerful.

4. Engage beginners and attract experts.

5. Dare to innovate.

6. Design for the world.

7. Plan for today's and tomorrow's business.

8. Delight the eye without distracting the mind.

9. Be worthy of people's trust.

10. Add a human touch.

And, in case there was any doubt, take a philosophy lesson from the team.

More of the Circuit

Ok, it's official, i'm a fan, be sure to stick around for the "Dell Dude" interview, it's great.
Definitely also checkout their HD player at http://thecircuit.mojohd.com

Internet Speak in Essays? IDK! Common Sense?

Perhaps we shouldn't ROFLMAO about this one, because it's kind of sad. (Or can we!?) As of late, teachers are finding emoticons and acronyms, popular in instant messaging and emails, seeping their way into classroom assignments. The line between formal and informal writing is beginning to appear a bit hazy to a quarter of the teens surveyed in the study.

This issue allows for more forceful lesson-planning going forward. One research specialist declares, "It's a teachable moment...If you find that in a child's or student's writing, that's an opportunity to address the differences between formal and informal writing. They learn to make the distinction ... just as they learn not to use slang terms in formal writing."

What I see here is a lack of common sense. According to the laws of grammar, every sentence begins with a capital letter. Every sentence ends with a period. :-) is not a word, and esoteric (well, to some) acronyms are out of place in formal classroom assignments. Why can't this concept be grasped and applied accordingly? Some get it, some don't. And it seems the rest...just feign ignorance or give into laziness.

Thoughts?

Noise to the Ears: When Enough is Enough

Several posts ago, we were on the topic of ...noise. While London's use of LED decibel meters for up-to-the-minute noise monitoring may be brilliant, the Mosquito by Santel is a stretch. And now, it's causing uproar. (As a side note, it was sold under the North American company name "Kids Be Gone".)

Essentially, it's a device to ward off teens and those in their early 20's from places they shouldn't be loitering. How? By giving off high-pitched (that's an understatement), ear-damaging (another understatement) frequency waves similar to, "fingernails dragged across a chalkboard or a pesky mosquito buzzing in your ear." Come on, now. No one can argue that ear drums should not be tampered with to this extent. Not only that, but it's just a poor way of dealing with annoying teens.

While some areas admit that the Mosquito does its job in irritating teens to the point of shoo-ing them away, other cities have banned it or are in the process. As predicted, it's becoming a huge invasion of private property, echoing its way into sidewalks and apartment complexes.

And I couldn't agree more....

"There is a significant problem with giving people a tool like this and empowering the public to take over the tasks of law enforcement...It can certainly be used in a way that's inappropriate, and without a doubt, it will be."

simple is good

No high budget, 3d-rendered, overly scripted, supermodel-laden campaigning necessary.

Just a sharpie and some imagination.

After seeing just how bad pharma advertising can be, this Zyrtec street campaign is quite refreshing.

Keep the banana hammock away from the banana stand

Very summer. Very European. Very funny.

South Korea's iPhone "Contender"...or is It?

Presenting my technological finding from last week's trip to Seoul, SK!

The 3-inch touchscreen LG LH2300 launched late March, and became readily available in the Korean market early this month. If it makes its way stateside, will it outperform the capabilities of our beloved iPhone?

As the article states, some of its primary features are:

-800×480 pixel widescreen resolution

-direct access to main internet portals

-3MP camera (auto-focus, face recognition, anti-shake)

-digital T.V.

-bluetooth 2.0 connectivity

It's still a bit early on to determine whether this breakthrough will triumph over Apple's brainchild, but let's be on the lookout for user reviews in the months to come and keep it on the brain.

Obama sells out?

It's everywhere in the blogosphere today, but it's nowhere in the press that i've seen. It's the bubbling sponsor-gate the world witnessed as Barack Obama gave his mini-concession speech after yesterday's loss to Hillary in the PA primary. Is it paid endorsement? is it Guerilla marketing? is it whack coincidence? The blogosphere is divided. What do you think? 

I will point out that none of the t-shirts in question had a URL on them. i'm imagining a "secret" url tied to some underground group either in support of or against obama. that would have been interesting to behold. And to ponder.

Google gone green

Subtlety be damned, Google made quite the splash with their melting iceberg logo during last year's Earth Day.

Well, grab yourself a tall cup of sustainable shade-grown coffee and slip into a pair of organic hemp slippers. This year - while it's yet to be seen what they can stir up with this year's logo - Google has launched a mash-up of Google Maps and YouTube where users can share their planet-friendly achievements with the rest of the Google Earth.

The end goal, to “honor Earth Day and combat global climate change".

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should

Please, no more lame YouTube video contests. If you aren't already convinced they are more often than not a waste of time, behold the pinnacle of user generated video voting idiocy:



Ready to enter and win big?

Not so fast! First, make sure you're not in one of the states where the contest is void in.

Ready? Hold your horses there! You must have a house listed with Century 21. Oh yeah, and your agent must be in the video too.

What better way to promote your brand than to patronize your current customers and bore the snot out of anyone who happens to come across your bandwidth-wasting content?