Monthly Archive for December, 2009
I’ve spent the past couple weeks field-testing the new Kindle.
Overall, I was shocked by how quickly I forgot that I wasn’t reading a book.
Obama
H1N1
Stimulus
Vampire
If, hundreds of years from now, some lucky anthropologist were to stumble across the above list…what do you think they’d make of 2009? Hmm. Deadly virus mutates online swallowing up the world’s first internet President in 140-character bites? It’s interesting this – tracking our word trends. There’s lots to keep a handle on too…apparently English gains almost 15 new words a day.
You can find out more here at the Global Language Monitor. They’ve got 2009’s ‘most used words’ ranked for you. And it goes well beyond the top 5 I’ve given you, above.
Clever colleague of mine just remarked that if we all wrote nothing but “Obama” on our blogs and Twitter feeds until the end of December…we might well turn the tide.
Who’s in?
As the year draws to a close, it’s time to reflect back on what’s gone before. If you’re winding down at work and look for a 5 (45) minute diversion, check out WhattheTrend.com for tracking and analysis of tons of this past year’s trends…intersting: between “BBQ,” “TGIF” and “Swine Flu,” which do you think ranked most active in 2009?
Cool. Though webcam-driven AR apps can still be a little tricky/painful to use…this one from AKQA/USPS is actually a great leap forward in justifying their utility.
Yes it would be handy to know what size box I need before I go ahead and set up a shipment…thanks (but only in the US)!
We are more than familiar with the use of computer generated imagery these days. From Hollywood blockbusters to the annoying 3D map of Britain we get on the weather. CGI is everywhere and constantly putting the fantastic on a plate for us.
So if everything is possible, what’s next? Continue reading ‘Tiger Woods?’
Well, not quite 99 … ok, ten. Red balloons may be seen ‘floating in the summer (cough) sky’ of America this week, after the US defence research agency released them from secret locations, to test the communicative power of social networking sites.
On December 7th, Starbucks and (RED) gathered musicians from all over the world to join in the first ever global sing-a-long in support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. At exactly 8:30am ET voices around the world joined together to sing The Beatles classic, ‘All You Need is Love.’ Continue reading ‘Starbucks Spreads the Love…’
In an industry like comms, riddled with everyday cliches, it’s nice to come across a few brave souls willing to push the envelope, challenge the norm and really take it to the extreme.
So, if you want a 10-min break before escaping work, check out photocliches.com, a site set up specifically to showcase those special photos from the far corners of the internet that most perfectly embody the spirit of cliche.
A refreshing look at, well, totally unrefreshing ideas.
p.s. I think the photo comments were the highlight for me.
p.p.s. I take no responsibility for having exposed you to this site if you decide it’s offensive!
News today that the rocker and his son have made a deal: son gets 1 million fans on Facebook, dad finally quits smoking. Can it work?
We’ve seen fan/follower targets before – CNN/aplusk, Drew Carey, and more recently Gilbert Arenas…but is this new twist going to effect the behavioural change Mellencamp’s son is ultimately after? Popularity is one thing…fundraising for charity another…but quitting smoking is a personal commitment & a daily challenge. Can social influence stretch so far? Continue reading ‘Mellencamp’s son starts Facebook page to stop him smoking’
