Puppy Pile...

... just let it roll of your tongue. Savour it: Puppy Pile. There is an undeniably blissful quality to the phrase alone. But when a pile of puppies is continuously made available for anyone who cares to bask in it, whenever they want to, then the world just became a happier - possibly better! - place.

The latest offering of the gift that keeps on giving, the phenomena that we've come to designate as 'virals', is a livestream of a litter of Shiba Inu (yeah, I hadn't ever heard of that breed before either). These adorable fluffy balls wobble around, attempt their youthful barks, play with their toy trout, and - yes! - they pile on top of each other for comfort.

There are some exceptionally lucky humans that get to interact with the puppy pile. They bring in the mother dog for the pups to feed. They do the necessary maintenance. And then, sometimes, they simply sit down and let the puppies pile up in their laps. We hear these people talk to the puppies ('Thank you, posing puppy!' whilst taking pictures), and to each other (about the puppies!). Though we never see their faces, we sense this is the kindest couple on earth, if only for being in the constant presence of the puppy pile of bliss.

The puppy cam has taken the internet by storm. The blogosphere is rife with admissions of 'being glued' to the puppy livestream. As always, the next big thing prompts the discussion what it all means... How is it that we, the people, are swept of of our feet en masse on a regular basis by videos that generally serve no real purpose, have no real impact on the state of affairs, do not solve the economic crisis, or save lives? Or is it exactly by virtue of that very fun-for-fun's-sake quality?

Some clever people have taken a crack at answering this question. I say, why ask when you can bask? What the heck, it's feel-good-Friday:

Video streaming by Ustream

(sometimes, the puppies sleep. Check back later!)

Keywords: puppycam,livestream,feelgoodfriday,viral,virals

 

Be a 'loan shark' with a cause

<Am posting in behalf of Joris ;-p. So instead of thinking chinky eyes, long hair, cute, wonderful and witty while reading this post, think big, grey eyes, long hair, cute, wonderful and witty -- timi>

For years I have been getting more and more cynical about donating money to large corporations that beg for your money with pictures that are supposed to trigger my guilt (or viewed from a less cynical point of view, compassion). Where does the money go, who benefits from it, does it end up in the hands of the oppressing military. Stuff like that.

Today however I came across a site during my lunchtime browsing, which actually got me all enthusiastic (something which might shock some people that know me ). Since I think this concept is so awesome, I wanted to let other people know of its existence. Just in case you would think it rocked, too.

The (U.S. based, and registered) non-profit organization kiva provides a web interface where you (the rich person who has the money) can provide micro credit to people who want to start a business. They provide a business plan and a timeline for repayment. This is a way to actually help someone, an actual person, in a very direct way. It is the best kind of aid I think you can give people. You support them to build up their businesses, therefore their local economy.

Lastly, for the Dutch, after you have helped, you get your money back. Of course there is a chance someone defaults on their loan and can't repay. Personally I'm considering my loan a donation. If the person can repay, I'll lend it to someone else. However if you wish, after someone pays you back, you can simply withdraw the money and have it back in your account.

From the how it works website:

Choose an Entrepreneur, Lend, Get Repaid
1) Lenders like you browse profiles of entrepreneurs in need, and choose someone to lend to. When they lend, using PayPal or their credit cards, Kiva collects the funds and then passes them along to one of our microfinance partners worldwide.

2) Kiva's microfinance partners distribute the loan funds to the selected entrepreneur. Often, our partners also provide training and other assistance to maximize the entrepreneur's chances of success.

3) Over time, the entrepreneur repays their loan. Repayment and other updates are posted on Kiva and emailed to lenders who wish to receive them.

4) When lenders get their money back, they can re-lend to someone else in need, donate their funds to Kiva (to cover operational expenses), or withdraw their funds

Anyway, check it out. If you wish to join, you'll need to have a paypal account (www.paypal.com) but I kind of assume most people have one.

Cheers and greetings from your local loanshark,

Joris

Keywords: micro-credit,Kiva,entrepreneur

 

Joe Lamantia's extra-curricular activities

Two articles penned by our Information Architect and Strategist, Joe Lamantia, have just been published. For your enjoyment, please see synopses below, and follow the links!

First Fictions and the Parable of the Palace
By Joe Lamantia
Published: November 3, 2008


'First Fictions and the Parable of the Palace' is the inaugural installment
of “Everyware: Designing the Ubiquitous Experience,” a quarterly column
exploring user experience and design in the era of ubiquitous computing.
'First Fictions' considers the profound design implications of foundational
visions of ubiquitous computing imagined by technologists such as Mark
Weiser and John Seely Brown, and sees precedent for techno-social futures in
the poetic parables of Jorge Louis Borges.

"Everyware" will be a journey through the expanding wavefront of the
ubiquitous experience as it impacts design, covering topics ranging from
ubiquitous computing to near-field communication, pervasive computing, The
Internet of Things, spimes, ubicomp, locative media, and ambient
informatics.


The Building Blocks of Effective Portals
By Joe Lamantia

(NB! Unfortunately, this site is subscribers only. You should be so lucky...)

Enterprise portals promise increased productivity, utility, and convenience
by gathering scattered content and functionality into a single destination
experience. Yet many portals become victims of their own success. Rapid
expansion and frequent changes in audience and content lead to problems of
poorly integrated or conflicting assets, impaired usability and findability,
and inflated management and IT support costs.

This case study demonstrates a simple design framework of standardized
information architecture building blocks that can help maintain findability,
usability and user experience quality in portal and other syndicated content
settings by effectively guiding growth and change.

Keywords: Joe,Lamantia,JoeLamantia,UXmatters,intranetstoday

 

MediaCatalyst wins W3 award

The Winners of The 2008 W3 Awards have been announced by the International Academy of the Visual Arts. Honouring creative excellence on the web, our work for Canon EOS 400D picked up a silver statuette. The W3 Awards received over 3,000 entries this year.

So say the W3 folks: “We were amazed at the caliber and quality of work received this year. Our winners continue to push the envelope of internet creativity and web design, and it is gratifying to see such great work from the smallest agencies to the biggest firms” said Linda Day, the director of the IAVA. “On behalf of the The International Academy of the Visual Arts, we are honored to recognize our winners as they continue to set a high standard of excellence for Web development.”

 

Yamaha VMAX 2009 roars exclusively online

1985 saw the birth of Yamaha’s first VMAX, a beast of a muscle bike and reigning Quarter Mile King that acquired instant cult status. 2009 witnesses its rebirth: nearly a decade in the making by Yamaha’s dedicated team, the new VMAX is poised to push the asphalt and burn rubber once again. We have created the site where visitors can experience in sound and sight the rush of Yamaha's legendary motorbike. Exceptionally, the V-MAX is available exclusively online - it's not for sale nor view in the dealerships! - and in a limited edition only.

Michaela Neilson, Online Communications Manager for Yamaha Motor Europe remarks: “Over 30 countries are benefiting from this site’s great interactivity. We really pushed the envelope having everything, from photography and video production to the development, done last minute. This really was a high adrenaline project! We couldn’t have done it without the commitment and energy of MediaCatalyst.”

The only source of all things VMAX, the campaign site needed to be every bit as pumped up as the powerbike itself. MediaCatalyst has transposed the adrenaline rush of riding the VMAX to anonline experience . No rich media efforts were spared: the visitors can hear the VMAX’ roaring engines in stereo, watch it speed off while controlling the angle of the camera, marvel at its design in 360˚, peruse its detailed tech specs and immerse themselves in its complete history.

Since the VMAX is not physically available in dealerships, it can only be admired, scrutinized, and reserved for purchase online. Michaela Neilson remarks: “Only online, people can look at, but also reserve their VMAX, choose their dealer and where they would like their bike delivered. Our customers can even personalize their VMAX 2009 with a unique plate.”

As the VMAX 2009 was kept tightly under wraps until its reveal, a teaser version of the site generated quite a buzz. The minute the fully-fledged Yamaha VMAX 2009 campaign site went live, it spread like a wildfire. The sole source for VMAX information, this campaign site turned viral indeed. To confirm its success, Yamaha New Zealand/Australia adopted the Yamaha Europe VMAX 2009 site created by MediaCatalyst. Most importantly, the site has helped far exceed expectations of all sales targets.

 

I, video game (2/2)

I didn’t have any inkling that such childhood experiences in digital games would someday be a part of a collective engagement with technology that would be critically studied, and will form one of the many perspectives from which to view today’s society and culture.

This perspective was taken by Discovery Channel when it made in 2007 a documentary presenting a comprehensive exploration of the past, present and future of games and gamers. ‘Rise of the Video Game ‘ (or I, Video Game) is a five-part documentary that presents a historical and critical account of games: how it represents society and how society is now imitating games. I’ve seen the first part and trying to download the rest.

The first part — aptly called ‘Level 1’— is a must-see for anyone who would want a better understanding of games and its socio-historical dynamics; and the larger view of the people, ideologies and technology that gave birth to this ever-evolving cultural phenomenon.

Level 1: Games as by-products of war and societal changes
The Cold War’s promise of mutually assured destruction resulted in a disquieting standoff, which drove computer technology to create missile simulations — an important process in predicting the effects of a nuclear war. This same computer technology was used to create games such as the ‘Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device’ in 1947, which involved aiming missiles at a target, and was inspired by the radar displays used in World War II.

(Read more...)

Keywords: history,of,games,first-generation,video,games,war,cold,war

 

I, video game (1/2)

I often wonder how my eight-year old nephew really experiences video games.  He has Playstation, PSP and Wii, which he shares with his brothers and nephews. Every now and then, he also plays games on his mom’s laptop. He’s growing up amidst a revolutionary time for games and the gamer.

When I was his age, my brother and I didn’t have any game consoles or personal computers. Our first experience with digital games came about a year or two later in the form of ‘Pyramid’ a built-in game on a black Casio digital watch. It was a gift from our Tito (Uncle) Alex working in Saudi Arabia (all nephews and nieces got one). I was thrilled not because it was ‘imported’, but because I was challenged to score higher than my brother and cousins. Yep, it was exciting for me to be able to catch the little triangles falling and make sure if all fell nicely in place to form a big pyramid. I had no idea then that Tetris existed and that I would be addicted to it in the future. Anyway, I guess the first signs of my obsessive nature started to reveal itself as it became my daily goal, wherever I was — bathroom no exception — to top the previous day’s score. I was also very pleased with myself when I discovered that pressing a hidden button gave me more chances allowing me to play longer.

Then came Nintendo’s ‘Game & watch’, handheld electronic games that were simply fast and fun to play. I can still see very clearly in mind the words, ‘GAME A’ and ‘GAME B’. These were pretty much the level of difficulties, but that was enough.  

My first ‘Game & watch’ was the game, ‘Chef’. Chef had to catch the food in his pan, while a cat did its best to steal it, and a smug mouse took the food Chef spilled on the floor. The shapes of the sausages, chicken drumstick falling so fast are still imprinted in my mind, but most especially the panicky expression on the very simple and yet memorable illustration of Chef. Again, my inquisitive mind took over as I found out that if I pressed the ACL button long enough, I could get the highest score of 999

(Read more...)

Keywords: games,history,of,games,first-generation,games

 

The hole in the wall

I was in Copenhagen last May 29-30 to get my annual dose of ideas and inspiration overload at the conference aptly called reboot. It’s an annual gathering — a community event to be more precise — that’s been going on for a decade; it has been a crossroads of digital technology and change where practical visionaries meet and reboot.

This year’s theme was ‘Free’: not just the price, but the freedom to flow, create and re-create spaces and interfaces around and within us.

One of the topics that struck me the most was the talk on ‘walking through walls’ by Molly Wright Steenson. It was a military strategy used by units of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on its attack on the city of Nablus in April 2002. Described as ‘inverse geometry’ as it re-organised the ‘urban syntax’, it used the streets, roads, alleys, or courtyards that constitute the syntax of the city in a non-traditional way; as well as the external doors, internal stairwells, and windows that constitute the order of buildings, the soldiers moved horizontally through blasted walls, and vertically through blasted ceilings and floors. Because the rebels interpreted the spaces made by doors, windows and alleys in a traditional manner — places where you can walk through or enter, but also places where you can be trapped and confronted — Aviv Kochavi, then commander of the Paratrooper Brigade decided to perceive these spaces not in the same way as every architect did. He considered it forbidden territory and thus looked for other ways of moving through the spatial boundaries they were in.

(Read more...)

Keywords: wallls,spaces,democratic,spaces,architecture,cities,urban,flow

 

The Source Code of Music Videos

After seeing US industrial band Nine Inch Nails released the source of a complete album for the fans to play around with (as reported previously on this blog), last week Radiohead took the concept of open source in music a step further.

 

First of all, they made a funky little video for their song "House of Cards" in a non-traditional way:

"No cameras or lights were used. Instead two technologies were used to capture 3D images: Geometric Informatics and Velodyne LIDAR. Geometric Informatics scanning systems produce structured light to capture 3D images at close proximity, while a Velodyne Lidar system that uses multiple lasers is used to capture large environments such as landscapes. In this video, 64 lasers rotating and shooting in a 360 degree radius 900 times per minute produced all the exterior scenes."

This did not only lead to a very cool music video (something Radiohead's been known to do more often, take for example the classic Street Spirit (Fade Out)), but the technologies used also made it possible to release the actual data gathered for and used in the video. Which is what they did: open source meets music video productions. Or at least a first step in the right direction has been made.

On YouTube, a House of Cards group has been created to keep track of user-generated videos from the released data, and Google Code features details of the project, including the making-of video and a data visualisation tool which allows you to browse 'navigate' the video yourself while it plays. Nice.

 

Get on the Bus!

In a recruitment effort, we've been decorating some Amsterdam buses, egging people on to come work with us. This time around, in a bout of megalomania brought on by deadline-rush, we discovered our inner superheroes. The result jumps of the bus right atcha, even on a dreary, rainy day...

Keywords: recruitment,wearehiring,amsterdam,bus

 

A game, a name and a song

It’s only 9 a.m. and already I’ve come across three juicy bits of interactive goodness

• There’s a game console designed for active playing indoors and outdoors
• Crowds naming products and getting paid for it
• And my personal fave — a 2.8 inch karaoke machine (w00t!)

Last time, I posted about Locomatrix, a UK-based company that develops location-based games. Locomatrix creators, Richard Vahrman and Moira Nangle, who described themselves as ‘keen walkers’, wanted to make game that would encourage kids to play outdoors. Now, there’s ‘Swinxs’, a game console designed to encourage active and social play among children. It’s created by Swinxs B.V., a Dutch games developer.  

How it works: You’ve got Swinxs, the game console. which talks, cheers and explains the games, referees and keeps score. Then there are the XS tags, wristbands with microchips that communicate with the console. It starts the games, retrieves player profiles and measures performance. Up to 10 individual players can join in a game.

(Read more...)

Keywords: game,branding,karaoke,crowdsourcing

 

Reboot 10: spirited sh*t-sharing

by Ilko Batakliev

The theme of this year’s edition of Reboot in Copenhagen was “free”. Is there such a thing as free lunches, software, mobile phones, networks…? What are the social boundaries of the concept of freedom? How free or gratis or libre is the open-source melting pot we dwell in? How much does freedom actually cost?

The conference kicked off with an invigorating talk by Tor Nørretranders in which the proverbial line ”Share your shit” was born and which became something of a motto of the conference. Just like physical shit, intellectual shit (or ideas in other words) need to be shared and released. Otherwise they become waste. In order to be able to continuously generate progressive and effective ideas, we need to share them with the world when they are born and set them free.

At conferences like this, it’s about those two lines a day which your hear and which make perfect sense to you. I certainly had more than two of them and I feel grateful for the insights they provided me with. Thanks to them, the inevitable quasi-intellectual nagging of some of the talks did not disturb me.

Day two was definitely more stimulating with talks like Beauty in web design by Cennydd Bowles, Building the open web by David Recorden and the absolute highlight for me: Complexity and freedom by Flemming Funch. In a smooth and convincing manner the concepts of complexity as self-organizing criticality and freedom were explored and married. In both the realms of nature and nurture complexity means self-organizing criticality and not an equilibrium. This state makes freedom possible and from then on, we are “free” to redefine the concept of freedom until it matches our needs and desires. The speech was intensely intricate and the audience was “in the flow” from start till finish. Even the overtly flamboyant outfit and appearance of Funch failed to distract or raise an eye-brow.

In general the amount of verbal diarrhoea was rather limited and the creative shit-sharing prevailed. Outside the conference too, sharing took place in different forms and shapes. Well, hungover is simply overrated…toch?

More inspiration: www.reboot.dk