If you used Google Maps today you may have noticed that they have finally added subway stations to the map interface.
It’s nice visually, but doesn’t give you as much options as HopStop (directions by train, driving or walking) but nonetheless I am a fan.
So I had a conversation with a co-worker today about sharing music and it reminded me of the daddy over at Apple.
What is it?
What’s all the fuss about?
Why should you care?
What does it all mean?
Food for thought…sound off here…
Sometimes we can become device dependent and this is a sad, sad case of tech taking over our lives. There are actual studies that have linked the internet to an actual addiction and this video is exhibit A
Yes the internet is a series of pipes and tubes and Yahoo takes that quite seriously. Yesterday they launched a service called Yahoo! Pipes.
It’s received quite a bit of traffic and went down for part of day due to the excess traffic to the site.
What is it?
The editor is pretty slick, using ajax-like technology, rather than Flash and shows actionable modules that are connected by lines.
An article in the January issue of Telephony Online found the following:
• There were 2.7 million IPTV subscribers worldwide (as of end Q3 2006)
• 68% of which were in
• 28% in
•
•
France is arguably the most digitally forward thinking country in Europe leading the way in IPTV, blogging and even mobile TV (not first but near the top).
Why may you ask?
Well consider the different regulations between IPTV and traditional distribution means. The bundle approach (ie: Comcast Triple Play) of combining broadband, TV and phone services have been very success. Although the
Orginal Link: Telephony Online
This weekend I had a chance to check out Time Warners's Home of the Future.
It conssist of a 45,000-cubic-foot exhibition on home-related technologies. It also combines “massive size” with “tactile interactivity” to show how new technologies will soon shape homes.
It's nice to see Time Warner considering audible levels, which is a big concern for urban dwellers. In the future, the structure of our homes may be tied to how we enjoy our entertainment and its interesting to see how a cable company is preparing for that future push.
Original Post: NYTimes
Company: Various Japanese Companies
Since the release of the iPhone, Nokia hasn't been sitting idle. They have long been considering the future of our mobile lives. Below is just one rendition of what is to come.
It’s hard keep up with the tech Jones, but if you are going to try, make sure to add the following tech terms to your vocabulary in 2007
TV Standards
Full HD (aka 1080p)
Currently the best image quality you can get on high-definition television. But content is iffy.
Slingbox
A device from Sling Media that makes live or recorded tv from your home system available to PCs and handhelds over the internet
IPTV
Standards for Internet Protocol television – means TV delivered over the web
Mobility
Follow-me TV
Lets you start watching a record TV show in your family room, and then move to your bedroom without losing your place
HSDPA / EV-DO
Two superfast 3rd generation mobile networks, the former from Cingular Wireless, the latter from Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless
Home Servers
Put all your photos, music, and video on the server that can dish them up on different devices in your home
High Definition
Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD
Two rival standards for next generation, high definition DVDs. It’s still too early to call a winner
GPS
Location Based Services
Global positioning chips in your phone lets companies figure out where you are and point you in the best local shop or restaurant
Set Top Box
HDMI
A new strand for connecting HDTV source, such as a cable set-top box, to an HD display. What is unknown is much the cable connection will cost (range between $80 to $120)
Mobile Internet Standard
Wi-MAX
A new mobile Internet standard, more advanced than Wi-Fi, that will soon be available from Sprint Nextel, Clearwire, and others
Coming to Dubai in 2009 the iPad a 23 story, $800 million apartment building shaped like an iPod and tilted an iPod-like 6 degrees for anchoring in a “docking station”
I quite like it when brands integrate well with local markets. Checkout the detail of this ad as they bundle the essence of Japan into the landscape of a shoe.
I believe sneakers are a canvas for creative expression and this ad created by StrawberryFrog does a good up of conveying that point. I wonder what the website will look like, and if a website does exist if this concept can be localized to fit every county's taste.
If a website does exist, how can the concept live beyond print or the web? Well I believe the next evolution of communication will be the grey area of interactive advertising. Say for example those images move or communicate directly with consumers. Lots of possibilities here.
What if things weren't what they seemed or if natural was cool. These are some things that I like today.
Photo Printing on Leaves
Company: Grand Illusions
What is it: Print lasting portraits on leaves in a process similar to printing real photos
Bona Fide: Imagine leaves reigning down on you with moving images on them of a football player throwing a touchdown or a liquor bottle swigging from side to side with a link to the URL. Effective, bio-degradable and unique
What is it: A fun and worthwhile journey of Converse Russia’s new website
Bona Fide: Great imagery and fun to explore
What If Google and Yahoo Switched
Company: GoogleWatch
What is it: What the ultra clean Google user interface might look like if they did things the Yahoo way
Bona Fide: Gives you an idea of how Google really is a "portal," and how well all its apps fit together into a more work-oriented Yahoo start page.
Company: Technovelgy
What is it: Self-cleaning fabric
Bona Fide: The same technology, created by scientists working for the U.S. Air Force, has already been used to create t-shirts and underwear that can be worn hygenically for weeks without washing
What is it: an umbrella with embedded speakers
Bona Fide: Another example of a trend towards presenting ways to listen to personal music that aren’t too intrusive, without having to plug in headphones
Selflessness and selfishness are one in the same.
They are flip sides of the same coin.
Both paths lead to detachment.
It is the paths we choose that define us.
As the 110th Congress settles into the Capitol building this month, one congressman won't be able to get too comfortable in his chair, with a controversy over the electronic voting machines that put him in office boiling down to a battle over the source code.
Republican Vern Buchanan claimed Florida's 13th Congressional District seat last November by fewer than 400 votes, while some 18,000 ballots cast in Sarasota County mysteriously contained no vote either for Buchanan or his Democratic opponent Christine Jennings -- an anomaly that prompted Jennings to challenge the election results in a lawsuit against state election officials, Buchanan and the company that makes the machines.
Original Post: Wired Magazine
A visual representation of visualization methods across several disciples. I'm most interested in the strategy visualization elements because a picture is worth a thousands words when you are trying to convey a complex idea in a simple way.
Original Posting: Visualization Method
A simple tutorial that show you how to download videos from the internet (ie: YouTube, MySpace or Google Video) and save them to your computer. Download the tutorial here or check out the orginal posting.
Orginal Posting: Gil's Method
PingMag, an online design magazine based in Tokyo has compiled a quick little list of the top five Wi-Fi toys for home.
1. Nabaztag - A 9" rabbit that can receive text messages, e-mails and any kind of RSS-feeds. Instead of a display it reads out any message in a synthetic voice or plays any audio content your friends emailed to the little bunny.
2. Chumby - A cute little round shaped wi-fi device with a display that can be programed to display just about anything you want.
3. Ambient Orb - A color changing orb that can be synchronized to display changes in everything from the weather to the stock market or even traffic conditions.
4. R100 - With three microphones, two tiny video cameras and six ultra-sonic sensors, this little robot can detect you, listen to your commands and read you your emails aloud. Plus, it can even walk around!
5. PhotoVu - This Wi-Fi enabled photo frame will synchronize itself with your Flickr output and constantly updated itself with the pictures you want to see in a spacious 17" frame. It's also compatible with iPhoto, Photocasts and Picasa.
Orginal Post: PSFK
PingMag: Top 5 Wi-Fi Toys At Home
In the near future mobile TV will quickly become a reality in the U.S. Already in 2007 the BlackJack has come to market, the iPhone presents the promise of new opportunities and Verizon has announced plans to carry live TV programming through their V-Cast service.
So what learnings can be applied to the mobile tv viewing experience that havs already taken place in more mature overseas markets?
1. Home use is a strong use cases for Mobile TV
It offers a very personal experience including micro-level control over where, what and how to watch. Mobile TV is about personal experiences so expect a level of personalization and programs that to market to be part of the consideration set in how people consume mobile video
2. Factor in what happens before, during and after watching
Currently finding decent program to watch is harder than you think. Limited display real estate makes browsing, choosing and retaining program information challenging. That’s why the promise of the iPhone is so important. The accelerometer sensors that detects when you rotate the device from portrait to landscape will automatically changes the contents display to widescreen so that content can be enjoyed the way it was intended to be consumed. Apple has also signed agreements with Paramount and Viacom to enable people to access movie content from their wide selection bringing the potential for a large library of widely available content to the mobile platform.
Almost as important, is Apple’s agreement with Cingular to bring the phone to market, accelerating the further adoption of 3G or Wi-Maxx technology to make streaming broadband content fluid as watching at home or steaming content on your computer. This will make it easier for people to share, discuss and comment on mobile content making the experience akin to watching traditional tv programming.
3. Accessories designed to enhance the watching experience will vary in effectiveness
For the most part people are on the move when the decided to access mobile content, so arm length space is at a premium and often a luxury. If mobile TV users are like me, they will be willing to watch between 15 and 45 minutes worth of content on the go. Usually this content will be consumed on public transportation and more often then than not in tight spaces. So the technology used has to be transparient enough not to interrupt the viewing experience. I think the Wall Street Journal has taken the right approach is their paper redesign to streamline the experience of readers. This will help determine the adoption rate of consummation as more people will be on the go with less leisure time.
While enhancements like antennas may not increase the marginal utility of mobile TV consumption, headphone via noise reduction tools like headphones will always be at a premium. People will want to control the environment around them and that goes double for when you are trying to focus your attention on TV programming.
So the watching experience needs to couple a smooth watching experience with sensory considerations (ie: listening when a conductor makes announcements or being aware of when your stop is)
4. Consider the posture in which people decide to consume
Ergonomical design is more important than you think. How people consume mobile TV will largely be dependent on the context of the type of content people decide to watch. For instance, while watching my video iPod this morning I had to hold the screen up close so that I could see the detail of the fight scenes taking place in Episode 1 of the Clone Wars. I can’t help to think design will inform my purchase decision depending on how people like to watch TV. For instance a vertical vs. horizontal display would weigh heavy in my mind if I knew I was going to be watching most of my videos on the subway
Inspired by: Perfect Future
There is something to be said about brands that take the direct approach when describing their pruduct's function. I really like how Hind writes about how their product keep you cool under pressure.
Orginally posted at SideWalk Life
Technorati Profile
The creator of the Slideroll slideshows tool has just launched something very cool: Sploder allows you to build your own custom Flash games and post them to MySpace, Xanga, hi5, Piczo and the rest. It’s your typical action game, with a spaceship, missiles, mines, obstacles and enemy craft, except that it’s user-editable.
Read the full review at Mashable
Mac and TiVo have finally released Mac TiVoToGo a looong promise desktop software that will enable users to publish and share digital music, photos, and TiVo recordings between their computers and a networked TiVo Series2 DVR.
But here's the thing...Mac TiVoToGo does not require the TiVo Desktop and has been entirely built into Roxio Toast 8 Titanium as a collaboration between TiVo and Sonic.
For a full description and more pictures head over to zatznotfunny
Hard to believe that the video game industry is over two decades old! If you are like me, you grew-up with video games. Today kids, young girls and 35 year old men alike all own a gaming console in some form. Its just a part of our digital lives.
So when a coworker put me on to It's Knuttz, I thought i'd share this with you so you can see how far the industry has come and where its headed. It's Knuttz has a nice picture outline of the evolution of the gaming console. If you want more detail check out the history of video game consoles here.
We have gone from the Oddssey:
To the Xbox 360's online gaming service, called Xbox Live, which is currently the most advanced console marketplace, with a full lineup of game downloads and multiplayer options.
To the high powered graphic display of the PS3 with its ultrafast Cell microprocessor and a high-definition Blu-ray DVD player, which will help programmers improve on 3D images and add artificial intelligence so games will look and feel more realistic.
To the motion sensitive control of the Wii remote. The least powerful of the current gaming consoles but comes fully equipped with cutting-edge motion and pointing sensors that allow it to be swung like a golf club or aimed like a gun making the console truly interactive.
In addition to playing games, all 3 machines will let you tap into the Internet over a high-speed connection, send instant-messages and connect with others using the same system, and store and view digital photos.
Sony and Microsoft are also billing their machines as entertainment systems for the living room. One bonus: You'll be able to play high-definition DVDs or Web downloads. The PS3 includes the Blu-ray disc player, while Xbox 360 owners can buy a separate HD DVD player. The Wii lets you create avatars—digital look-alikes of real people—that can make cameo appearances in friends' machines and some games.
My, my how far the gaming console has come!
In an increasingly converging world, Microsoft is shifting its strategy to what they call "connected entertainment". Spearheading the effort is Microsoft vet Robert Bach the staple behind the Xbox and Zune.
In a memo to Bill Gates, Bach outlined six priorites to better intergrate Microsoft's Xbox 360 properities into the entertainmet genre. Among them is muscling into the sale of movies online and building their own hardware and software to compete with Apple's market leading iTunes and iPod properties.
Microsoft is playing catch-up and is moving at the speed of light to innovate in markets where stiff competition exist.
As a result Microsoft has consolated their entertainment groups under one umberlla to create ways for Microsoft properties to work better together (note the mishap of Zune not being able to run the Vista platform).
This new strategy will require Microsoft to develop better relationships with content makers. Among the relationships they seek to develop is with record labels, movie studies and cellphone makers.
For the consumer, Microsoft's shift in strategy could mean seemless integration into alll aspects of our digital lives from setting our DVR from our cellphones to purchasing DVD from the Xbox 360.
Very interesting, can't wait to see what innovations are to come
News about BMW's new product has been making it rounds on the blogsphere. Not much is know to for what the products does, but it has been rumored to be an MP3 player / GPS tool.
Still, the prospect of BMW possibly launching products outside of their luxury sports cars is intriguing. Stay tuned on this one.
As reported by Game Industry the Xbox 360 is driving the concept of digital movie downloads far better than consumer competitor Amazon, as audience's favorite, ease of use over the amount of content on offer from the world's biggest online retailer.
It's even suggested that box office flops are performing well as downloads over Xbox Live, appealing to consumers eager to access high definition content.
Is the Xbox360 finally becoming the first gaming console to finally become the home theater gateway that industry experts and marketing buffs have envisioned for years...
Plants is the creation of French based Elipson maker of some high-end speakers that has taken the aural experience to another level. The speakers are armed with Bluetooth and developed in partnership with Parrot.
According to The Minstry of Tech the speakers "feature a custom built Bluetooth 2.0 wireless module with EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) from Parrot which enables each speaker to automatically detect one another when switched on then pair and couple.”
If you are looking to purchase one of these expect to shell out $1,316 a pop for a set
The guys over at Samsung have created a double sided LCD panel that can show independent visuals on either side of the screen.
According to fareastgizmos its able to do so because it's controlled by two gates that operate each pixel. This new development will replace two display panels with one; thereby reducing overall thickness of mobile products by at least 1mm.
I wonder if they will make this in HD? I can see this taking off in public spaces or showcasing the dual nature or versatility of a product's range.
For those of you out there that hate sweeping the floor, Electrolux has developed a prototype shoe that vaacums as you walk.
Don't know if this will take off or if green is my color
I've been walking around SoHo on my lunch breaks and i've noticed lots of kids wearing Vans, so I did a quick search by walking around the hot little shops in my hood and to my surprise I found a stockpile of vans shoes just waiting to be locked away in my closet.
All the shoes look super confortable and could easily be good transitional shoes. Head over to The Hyde they have got some great pictures of the latest collection.
As orginally reported by the Washington Post one of my favorite music sites is being sued (tear drop) for some $1.65 trillion!!!
Among the plantiffs includes he major record labels Arista Records LLC, Warner Bros. Records Inc., Capitol Records Inc. and UMG Recordings Inc. As part of their claim, the labels are seeking $150,000 USD for each of the 11 million songs that were downloaded from June to October 2006 from the AllofMP3.com website.
I can't help but to think if I was a brand stewart of one of these record labels, there has to be a way to flip these loses into a profit. Don't see what good sueing a company like the Russian based Mediaservices will do except remind me not to buy anymore CD's
The digital space provide ample opportunity to morph risk into reward (Mentos and Eepie Bird) or raise the profile of some dying brands (Dove). I hope they got some smart people over there who are thinking positives ways consumers are using technology instead of hindering it.
The proliferation of wi-fi access is now amongst us. If you hate yourself orare feeling connectivity withdraw wired magazine list the top 10beaches that offer wi-fi access. Among them are...
If I ever took a vacation I am going to avoid all of the above
Lately i've been considering buying a flat screen tv. The problem is that I don't have anywhere to put it. My current TV just won't do and the wall stand is little to pricey for me.
To my delight Alivar has designed some comtempory TV stands to go alongside my everything Ikea apartment. 
As they are calling it, the flat screen furniture unit featues a glossy metal shelf in front that accomodates a DVD play or (potentially a PS3 soon). The TV stand also includes two slender aluminum slabs to put on bothside to complete the modern look.
Oh man, i'm going to be broke in 2007.
If you are a do-it-yourself kind of person and you are looking for a way to release your creative juices check out the online icon maker. Its a web application that allows the creation of 16x16 icons (favicons) using simple drawing tools.
Here's how it works:
As we move into 2007 some interesting things happened in 2006 with alcoholic brands. Below are some highlights over the past year that will continue in the S7ven:
Natural Cravings
Quinn's a fruit ferment blended drink is made from 100% fruit. Because of its composition, Quinn is being marketed as as a new type of alcoholic beverage that is a "natural evolution" of the ready-to-drink (RTD) category.
Exotic Appeal
People love things from exotic places and beer and other drinks are no exception. In Jan. 07 Miller Brewing will begin importing No.1 Columbia beer Aguila and leading Peruvian brands Cistal and Cusquena. Meanwhile Diageo bought a major stake in Sichuan Swellfun Company.
Packaging
Bong Vodka made inroads into elevating art AND keeping us all buzzed with a program called Spirit of the Brand.
It gives artist a chance to get their names and work out, while giving you the opportunity to show off pimped out bong-shaped vodka bottles with some kickass art.
Other big trends in '06 that will grow in '07 include pears, R&D, Partnerships and Community Building
ScenarioDNA put together a really comprehensive report on this very subject
A beautful 8 minute animation created for Harvard;s Molecular & Cellular Biology program. It is intented to "transports Harvard Biology undergraduate students into a three-dimensional journey through the microscopic world of a cell" The animation illustrates the mechanisms that allow a white blood cell to sense its surroundings & respond to an external stimulus.
links: infomation aesthetics
With the upcoming release of CS3 Suite, Adobe has decided to rebrand over hundreds of their icons.
Veerle writes:
While this color-wheel beautifully presents the approach in the entire re-branding, I think it fails in bringing the message across on how it will tie together as a whole. The idea is great though but the color-wheel is very overwhelming, taking away all the attention and the icons are scattered over the place. People seems to fail to grasp the bigger picture. It seems that most just want to make it look pretty because the app is giving these possibilities, but it’s more than that, it’s about problem-solving too. It’s a major undertaking to revamp and re-brand both Adobe’s and Macromedia’s apps as one brand, we’re talking thousands of icons.
Read the interview with Ryan Hicks, Sr. Experience Designer here
The Atlanta Journal reports that 300 vending machines rolled out to sell iPods are bringing in high revenues. One in Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport that makes $55,000 a month.
The AJ says:
The vending machines are user-friendly, providing easy-to-access product information through a video touch screen. And, unlike traditional retailers, they never close... The Hartsfield machines have created a buzz among travelers for dispensing a variety of iPods, but offer about 30 different electronic items, from headphones to rechargers, as well.
Check out the article here, you may have to register to read it
Company: Yellow Pages
What is it: Allows consumers to send search results directly to their mobile handsets for future use.
Importance: party-goers can now look up the number to taxi services on yellowpages.com and text message the listing to their cell phones for easy reference 
