Yes, word on the grapevine is that Twitter is set to launch brand pages similar to Facebook’s pages to allow brands more space to communicate with followers. If this is in fact true, this will be a major change to Twitter and something which will either make it or break it. My prediction – it will break it. We already have FB so we don’t need a copycat. Stay true, Twitter. Stay true.
Angry Birds Rio
Are you an Angry Birds addict? How would you feel if you could play it guilt free for your client? This is how the promoters of the new movie, Rio, feel right now. Actually, not only are they probably guilt-free, but are probably high-fiving their way to the bank as their partnership with Angry Birds has given them 10 million downloads in 10 days. At $AU1.19 per download, that’s $11.9 million from a promotion. Win.
So what other apps are you obsessed with and how could you make them work for your clients?
Facebook for mobile
With over 250 million users logging into Facebook from their mobiles, it makes sense to have as much functionality as possible without impacting on usability. Facebook feel pretty confident that they can squeeze some more function into their mobile apps (let’s face it, there wasn’t that much to begin with so it was a fairly safe bet) and have launched maps, unfriending and most importantly, the ability to check-in to events, not just locations.
To be able to check-in to an event you have to be invited and RSVP’d “yes” to attending. Your location also has to match the location of the listed event venue, and it has to be the correct time of the event. This will be an interesting addition to watch as it merges real life social with online social. Update your software on your phone to start checking in now.
Vice and WPP join forces
Global, monolithic ad agency network WPP has become a major partner in Vice Magazine. Vice – an infamous youth magazine – is known for its cheeky and irreverent take on the world. An interesting acquisition you may think, but WPP have invested in the mag to further develop their content capabilities and no doubt, further blur the lines between advertising and entertainment. If they don’t kill the mag in the meantime, this will be a stellar move.
In a direct move to combat Facebook’s “like” button, Google have introduced the “+1” button. The button will appear on articles, websites, etc for you to click and give your “public stamp of approval” towards. While I love the idea of “+1” as it taps into an already well-used terminology and acts as more of a indication of agreement, be it good or bad, rather than the positivity of a “like”, when I stop to think about it, the possibilities that come with this (if it takes off) are actually quite worrying. Let’s not beat around the bush here, Google already know everything about your internet habits. But what they don’t properly understand is the sentiment around your habits. By introducing this button, every time you click +1 Google will be able to build up a more accurate profile of you in order to better target ads and search results to you. More so though, this is actually a really smart move by Google. As the US prepares to introduce a “do not track” option for web browsing, Google will need other ways to play big brother…and this is it. Let’s just hope they remember their tagline is “don’t be evil”.
Get more info here:
Facebook announces profiles can become pages
If you are one of the many confused brands out there that is struggling to manage a business page when people keep trying to friend your profile page instead, you’ll be happy to know some changes are coming. Profiles were set up to operate for people only, however as pages became more popular for brands, many companies were setting up profiles for their employees to work from to manage the brand. The double up of pages vs profiles confused users and many were friending and fanning both, resulting in information overload. Now businesses who have built up a big friend base don’t have to worry about losing them and can convert their profile into a page and administer the page via a business account. I’m still investigating whether profiles can be merged with existing pages – fingers crossed! Stay tuned.
Amazon Music and Cloud
Best known as book sellers, Amazon have moved into music. Better still though, Amazon have launched a cloud service so you can stream your music from anywhere. You can upload 5GB of music for free and an extra 1GB for $1 per gig. It will be interesting to see how this picks up. As the first major player to offer this functionality, they will surely make huge inroads, but as they are not known for their music, will people think to use them? And is Apple just letting them go as a test before they launch their own category smashing product? Regardless, cloud music is the next big step for the music industry and one I can’t wait for!
Well the bike wasn’t a winner but nobody’s a loser at school these days so I guess we did ok. Right?
So her favourite subject at school is apparently computers. What they do in computers is hard to tell though. She says they play games. I hope they do more than that. On one half you have a generation of children growing up in the most connected world ever experienced and children whose instincts are naturally inclined to use technology, but on the other half you have an education system that relegates technology and computers to a single subject where the students simply play set educational games. Why the educational system is so threatened by technology, I don’t know. You would think that the schools would embrace technology and the doors it opens for students.
Personally, I would like to see schools open up technology options to help students learn in ways that best suit them rather than the autocratic manner classes are currently run. With so many videos, infographics, essays or interactive diagrams available on any one subject, students could find what ever works best for them, rather than what ever is easiest or best suits their teacher.
My mother is a high school teacher and I have a constant battle to try and encourage her to use twitter to help her receive new information related to her classes. While I don’t think she is anti technology, I think she is afraid of information overload, even if the information will be beneficial to her classes. I think this is probably a concern for most people and a major reason why so many people turn away from the opportunities technology can open, hence the need for an understanding of how best to filter information will need to be at the core of any technological push.
Does a 9 year old need a mobile phone? And do they understand etiquette associated with mobile phone usage? Such was the dilemma I was faced with when I picked her up from after school care today as I was berated by her teacher for allowing her to take a phone to school and that she was using it to take photos of people.
Her school allows students to take mobiles to school, however they are not allowed to have them with them during the day, raising the question of why they need them in the first place. But by removing them, is the school turning a blind eye to the fact that mobiles are now a standard part of everyday life and not preparing students to be able to juggle the various distractions competing for their attention by creating this traditional, single-focussed microcosm? Do schools have a responsibility to raise its students to best learn for today/tomorrow’s society?
That said, her lack of understanding of privacy and etiquette around taking photos of people is somewhat alarming. She sees nothing wrong with springing a surprise photo on any person, at any time and while she hasn’t yet extended it to posting the photos online, it is the next logical step. This brought on my first motherly talk to help make her realise that she cannot take pictures without asking the person’s permission first. In theory I think she realises this, but when a moment or impulse arises, understanding of what is right seems like it goes out the window. While I could tut tut over her lack of impulse control, I think it is probably more so an outcome of the instant sharing nature of her generation.
Luckily not everything is all about technology. Tomorrow is ride your bike to school day, so tonight was spent decorating her bike. With not a lot to work with, I think we worked wonders with foil, cotton buds and my own ribbons and beads. Watching her decorate it was fascinating as she worked out how best to attach the various materials, particularly the cotton buds, and how once given a nudge in the right direction she could think laterally to make things work better. Let’s see if she’s on a winner…
If you follow my Twitter stream, you probably caught the fact that I am playing mum to my 9 year old cousin for 10 days. Being essentially homeless before I pack my suitcase and begin an around the world trip next month, the offer of a house in my old hood 5 mins from the city was just too tempting, even if the offer did come with a 9 year old only child in tow. To make the most of it, I’ve decided to turn it into an experiment on how she interacts with and reacts to technology.
So Tuesday morning we waved goodbye to Mum and Dad and began what is sure to be an eye opener. In the beginning she was on her best behaviour and I could tell she was not very relaxed. I pulled out my iPhone and started watching Maru videos on YouTube with her. Nothing like a good cat video to break the ice! While we had 2 computers in the room, the iPhone was the perfect device because it was something only the two of us could watch so it became a shared moment, like I was letting her in on a secret.
9 is an interesting age. Old enough to do things for herself and yet not old enough to think “what’s next?” She gets totally mesmerised by the tv and will stare at it for minutes, letting whatever she was doing go by the wayside until you snap her out of it, and even so, snapping her out of it is no mean feat. It doesn’t matter what is on and I haven’t been able to pinpoint if it’s anything in particular the piques her attention like that, but it is like she goes into a trance. I have never seen anything like it and quite frankly, it’s a little scary that the tv can affect her so dramatically.
She has an iPod Touch and a computer and uses them both in equal amounts, mostly to play games. Her favourite games are anything with sounds. She always has the sound on, no matter how repetitive and annoying it is. She will snack on the games, playing them for a few minutes then switching to something else. When she focuses on a device, she loses track of everything else around her, so keeping her moving in the morning is a struggle when she gets so easily distracted. I wonder if her inability to multitask is connected to the fact that she is an only child and has never had a sibling to bounce off and keep her on her toes…just a thought.
Well it’s the pre-SXSW edition of BOTI this week, and let me just say, I am freakin’ excited for next week. If the twitter stream is anything to go by, it’s going to be a highlight edition. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we still have this week to get through and there were actually still quite a few substantial announcements to document.
Al Jazeera’s new Facebook talk show
Arab news network, Al Jazeera, have announced they will be producing a talk show using content from social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, to drive the topics. This is an initiative aimed at attracting “a younger, more technologically connected audience than most other news talk shows”.
The move comes following the reliance on social media during the recent uprisings in Egypt and Libya, which gives an interesting look at the changing role of social media in society from narcissistic mirror to a news and entertainment source.
WiFi Cabs
Japan strikes again in the innovation stakes, introducing WiFi to their fleet of taxis. While business people might rejoice at being one step closer to being constantly online, you have to ask, should there be times when we need to log off?
Facebook’s anti-bullying strategy
Long accused of inactivity in the fight against online bullying, Facebook have stepped up and developed an anti-bullying strategy. With the aim of creating a “culture of respect” the new tools include a better reporting system for offensive or bullying content as well as a more community focused option, whereby people are guided through the possible options for action including privately messaging offenders, removing them as a friend or blocking them altogether.
It’s important to note that users must be over 13 to join Facebook in the first place. So, what do you think of these steps? Is the subtle but empowering approach enough or should Facebook be more aggressive in their steps to reduce bullying across the site?
SXSW
Everyone get excited because SXSW is happening right now! SXSW is the premier event each year to reveal what new technologies are going to emerge and dominate. Hold onto your seats because the next issue of Best of the Internetz is going to be awesome! If you just can’t wait until next week, check out http://sxsw.com/ or the twitter stream for all the latest as it happens – search #sxsw.
Last week the brightest thinkers from round the world congregated in Long Beach, California for the TED 2011 Conference. Speakers included Bill Gates talking about schools and Wael Ghonim giving an insiders view into the Egyptian revolution. If you didn’t get up at 3.00am to watch the simulcast in Bondi, you can catch a snapshot of what you missed here: http://conferences.ted.com/TED2011/
A really lovely initiative at the conference was a competition for the best Ads worth Spreading. The competition sought to reward advertisers who “reversed the trend of online ads being aggressively forced on users” and was implemented to “nurture ads so good you choose to watch”. To see the ads which made the cut, check out the full list here: http://www.ted.com/initiatives/aws
Or my two favourites: Chrysler – Imported from Detroit
Dulux – Let’s colour
iPad 2
Yes, unless you’ve been hiding under a rock last week, you will have heardthat Apple have released the long awaited iPad 2. There may not have been any major surprises with the announcement, but the new features are set to open up a new level of interaction. While the two cameras are touted as perfect for Facetime, they are also perfect for augmented reality, which with this release, could experience its tipping point. Expect to see a whole onslaught of apps taking advantage of the cameras.
In addition to this, the way we use tablets is set to change. The iPad 2 has taken the tablet from being a passive piece of technology where we merely consume info, to being a tool for content creation. With its touch screen capabilities, the iPad 2 allows users to edit, remix and create with accuracy not possible from a laptop.
Again, if you haven’t heard about Charlie Sheen’s antics last week, where have you been? Not only ranting his way across every talk show in America, Charlie also decided to rant his way across Twitter. On Thursday morning, Sheen had 90 followers and no tweets. 24 hours later, he had over a million followers for his 12 tweets. While his bio might read: “Born Small… Now Huge… Winning… Bring it..! (unemployed winner…)” perhaps the most intriguing part was his hashtags. Branding many of his tweets with the interesting hashtag of #tigerblood, which has been a trending topic for 5 days now and dominated Twitter on Thursday night, he also uses #winning, #planbetter and #teamsheen sporadically throughout his tweets to make his point.
While you might just think it is a joke, Charlie has realised that Twitter gives him a direct voice to his fans and the public, which cannot be edited by the media. He is replying to his fans and using the channel to be open about what is happening and for the most part, actually using it very well. While it could be seen as a risky strategy as one misstep could see him come undone, this is probably his best move yet, as the power it has already given him is immense.
What is more interesting though, was the rush by brands to ride Charlie’s coattails. McDonald’s cashed in with this interesting addition:
While the Red Cross dropped this witty tweet for one of the most popular tweets of the night:
If you are on Twitter, I recommend you follow him at @charliesheen to keep up with his hilarious tweets and if you’re not on twitter (you should be), here’s a taste of his gold:
The world’s biggest geeks have descended into the land of sin for the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas this week. Showcasing all the latest and greatest in gadgets and technology, the expo gives the world their first peek into what will be dominating the shelves over 2011.So what should we be looking for?
Tablets. The iPad is just the beginning. Almost every computer company is launching their own iPad-esque tablet, using Windows 7 and Android operating systems, so whatever your preference there’s something for you…even you, Tony.
Connected TVs. No longer will we be merely watching TV passively, now interactivity through social networks connected to viewing will become the norm. Set top boxes (Apple TV, Google TV, TiVo) will give us more than a few new free to air channels as we start downloading apps for our tv which will boost interactivity, while X-Box Kinect will dominate even more as it starts to stream Netflix and Hulu through the console.
The expanding effect of the internet of things – Ever noticed that the house of the future always has a computerised fridge? Well from this year, it is the house of now. Fridges that text you to let you know they need milk, ovens that give you a heads up you’ve left them on and cars that call 000 when the airbags deploy. Move over George Jetson, the future is now.
Mac Apps
Apple have deemed their Mac App Store open for business. Now, just as you can download apps for your iPhone or iPad, you can also install them onto your desktop or laptop computers. This will be a game changer for the software business. No longer will you need to duck down to Harvey Norman to pick up a copy of MS Office then spend hours trying to install it, you can just jump on iTunes and download away. Too easy!
There is already 1000 apps online and they are really cheap compared to the usual software costs.The potential for this is enormous and not just for software. We’ll soon start seeing branded apps take advantage of the technology. Will we see Coles develop an app to let you shop from your desktop without needing to log into their website? RAMS develop a weekly budget calculator that automatically taps into your home loans? IMAX post trailers of their movies with quick links to book tickets? What else could we be doing?
Quora
The biggest buzz term out there at the moment is ‘Quora’. Launched on new years day, Quora is a new social network that allows people to ask questions and have them answered by experts in that field. Users can register themselves as experts in their fields to help build their profiles/egos. Hyped to become bigger than Twitter during 2011, the reality remains to be seen. Hopefully it won’t follow the same fate as similar site Aardvark, Yahoo Answers and ask.com which went down hill when the experts got catty. http://www.quora.com/
Meme of the Week
A new addition to our weekly wrap up this year sees ‘meme of the week’ join the family. So to kick things off, meet Ted Williams – The Golden Voice. Ted is a homeless man who was found on the side of the road holding a cardboards sign that reads: “I have a God given gift of voice. I’m an ex-radio announcer who has fallen on hard times. Please! Any help will be gratefully appreciated. Thank you.”
What does this mean for you? Well Farmville is a huge growth channel for advertising with Bing taking out a full paddock a few months ago to build their Facebook fans and McDonald’s creating a branded farm for the day to reward punters with virtual goods, so the advertising world in social gaming is booming too.
YouTube drops its 15 min limit
Yes, you can now upload videos of unlimited length. As services in the US such as Hulu.com increase in popularity, is this YouTube’s attempt to cash in on some of this television program and movie hosting action? Will we start seeing YouTube set up partnerships for paid content and unlimited, on-demand viewing? Should Foxtel start getting worried? Probably.
R.I.P. Delicious
The online bookmarking tool is face to face with its demise this week as Yahoo announced it has been thrown onto the scrapheap. If you are one of the thousands of people with years worth of articles bookmarked here, best to start migrating to another tool. Talk to Dave about instapaper.com for an alternative.
iPad iAds have arrived
Tron has been the first to demo the iAds for iPad. Complete with the movie’s trailer, the story, the soundtrack (Daft Punk for those playing at home), a gallery and where it’s showing, it makes for a slightly more interesting experience than your average banner ad. These ads set quite a high barrier to entry by requiring such innovation and creativity but as they start gaining more traction, they will revolutionise what we know as online advertising.
I'm Lindsey. I work in advertising, but I'm also an ex-record store, high fidelity-esque Aria Award winner. I'm a trend hunter, music obsessed and a pop culture tragic. I collect watches and scarves & I love to travel to anywhere completely different to home. I'm an Australian living an adventure in Singapore.
