If You Liked That Video, Try THIS One: "Amazon and Netflix work well because their sites attract large audiences" [AdAge]
No, not the sites as such - but the recommendation engines, the algorithms matching preferences, interest and behavior over time to increase the "findability" in huge libraries of offerings.
And that is the challenge for a lot of the numerous web tv players - not big enough scale to give meaningful recommendations. Even Amazon can tend to get stuck in a track, making it hard to change the direction of the offerings "mistream" with out either manually ignoring a large chunk or just using the "similar" reccomendations from one nugget.
Maybe you should have different profiles and tracking for differnet moods, or uses? One for light comedy relaxing after work, another for meaningful insights before bed - and a third for mutually acceptable weekend fare.
Monday, December 29
Bandwidth meltdown?
BBC Ditches Kontiki P2P: "Because its P2P technology simply wasn’t needed anymore."“[O]ver the past year the cost of bandwidth has decreased by 90 percent, making direct HTTP downloads a viable alternative" [NewTeeVee]
- shame the same can't be said for end-user prices, despite financial markets taking a dive and gas prices jumping all over the map, the cost for home connections have stayed stable here at least.
- shame the same can't be said for end-user prices, despite financial markets taking a dive and gas prices jumping all over the map, the cost for home connections have stayed stable here at least.
Xmas in march
CoffeeGeek - Baratza Vario Grinder: "Baratza partnered with Mahkonig to produce the burr set and burr housing on this grinder, and it's unique to the Vario - 54mm flat burrs made out of ceramic"
As I've learned today while looking around for the euro relaease and pricepoint, Mahlköning is a maker of professional grade grinders - and will be pushing out the Vario under their brand with a 220V set-up - listed now as march 2009.
At a bit over €300 it will take some time to "sell it" internally, but by the time easter arrives I hope to have one to play around with - for doppio, presspot and the huge presspot.
...and the sun is coming back...
As I've learned today while looking around for the euro relaease and pricepoint, Mahlköning is a maker of professional grade grinders - and will be pushing out the Vario under their brand with a 220V set-up - listed now as march 2009.
At a bit over €300 it will take some time to "sell it" internally, but by the time easter arrives I hope to have one to play around with - for doppio, presspot and the huge presspot.
...and the sun is coming back...
Sunday, December 21
playtime
More on georss - blogpost led me to google blog- then a bit of copy paste work around in flick made my images pop up on the map. Just like magic. Loving it. And that was released in march 07...
Also found a fun part of flickr related to camera useage - drilled down to the 450 page. (Chart (c) yahoo/flickr and so on) - it is now ranked 4th of all Canon cameras in terms of volume and popularity "28,784 items uploaded yesterday"
http://api.flickr.com/services/feeds/photos_public.gne?
id=17766908@N00&format=rss_200&georss=trueAlso found a fun part of flickr related to camera useage - drilled down to the 450 page. (Chart (c) yahoo/flickr and so on) - it is now ranked 4th of all Canon cameras in terms of volume and popularity "28,784 items uploaded yesterday"
Beta'est
Not a word yet? Well, it should be when you need to describe Google - always another beta and labs around the corner. The latest one I just got a heads up about when posting the last post, was Blogger in Draft: "the official blog for Blogger in draft"
- so I'll be swapping my dashboard over and hopefully having as much fun and use from that as from the labs extensions to Reader.
First up? Geotags and learning more about GeoRSS.
Impressions;
snazzy new toolbar for the compose tab - easy to add in location, hopefully it will have a default/common list along the way to avoid searching each time. Increase the textfield - is that new or draft? Nice anyways for those longer posts
Impressions 2:
reverting the code for the widgets also fixed up the impressions widget, and got the location span in place - but it "killed" my tag-cloud edits to the frequent labels. Oh well, there should be a backup nearby.
- so I'll be swapping my dashboard over and hopefully having as much fun and use from that as from the labs extensions to Reader.
First up? Geotags and learning more about GeoRSS.
Impressions;
snazzy new toolbar for the compose tab - easy to add in location, hopefully it will have a default/common list along the way to avoid searching each time. Increase the textfield - is that new or draft? Nice anyways for those longer posts
Impressions 2:
reverting the code for the widgets also fixed up the impressions widget, and got the location span in place - but it "killed" my tag-cloud edits to the frequent labels. Oh well, there should be a backup nearby.
Friday, December 19
News or media?
"Mark Glaser, of PBS's MediaShift... offering up alternative business models" [SFN blog]
"mixing business models for journalism with business models for newspapers" - from the comments on the 'guide'
It is a (by web standards) interesting and broad piece - but I agree with some of the commenters; Glaser is mixing it all up and could do with a bit more structure and defining some terms.
Most magazines offer some sort of "journalistic content" - but the form and process differ across titles and genres (compare a games magazine to a fashion title, and then with a journal like Nature)
Many (most?) television channels offer only a small share of news - and even for those that do it makes up a small percentage of total time spent viewing. And yet some of the core tenets of objectivity and presenting a story are well taken care of on channels like Discovery and National Geo. (Mythbusters rather than American Chopper - but even the latter serves as a human interest story and presents both details on the production as well as the cause of the bike in question)
Turning back to Glaser - blogs and video are tools for spreading online content, not a business model as such, but a vital part of any broader or more niche offering. Hyperlocal and niches are targets or user needs - but still need to be supported by revenues.
That narrows down the list to subscription (walled garden), classified (ie business and private ads), philantrophy (crowdfunding, nonprofit) - with the last one being the only "alternative" to the two most common for newspapers today, but still as well known media solution in terms of NPR, PBS etc.
Does that make the piece thin? No, because the main conclusion is delivered up front before the different models - and it is one with which I for one wholeheartedly agree with;
"a successful online newspaper will need a mix of many different revenue streams to survive in the digital age" - Glaser
...and the sun turned around today - heading towards summer as of a little past noon local time...
...and yes - I intentionnaly did not define the terms or link extensively to wikipedia and so on - as this is a short musing and not a "guide" :)
"mixing business models for journalism with business models for newspapers" - from the comments on the 'guide'
It is a (by web standards) interesting and broad piece - but I agree with some of the commenters; Glaser is mixing it all up and could do with a bit more structure and defining some terms.
Journalism, publishing and media - are they entwined, and do the need to be?
Looking across from newspapers into print in general, television and online services - the answer is a partial yes, and clearly no.Most magazines offer some sort of "journalistic content" - but the form and process differ across titles and genres (compare a games magazine to a fashion title, and then with a journal like Nature)
Many (most?) television channels offer only a small share of news - and even for those that do it makes up a small percentage of total time spent viewing. And yet some of the core tenets of objectivity and presenting a story are well taken care of on channels like Discovery and National Geo. (Mythbusters rather than American Chopper - but even the latter serves as a human interest story and presents both details on the production as well as the cause of the bike in question)
Turning back to Glaser - blogs and video are tools for spreading online content, not a business model as such, but a vital part of any broader or more niche offering. Hyperlocal and niches are targets or user needs - but still need to be supported by revenues.
That narrows down the list to subscription (walled garden), classified (ie business and private ads), philantrophy (crowdfunding, nonprofit) - with the last one being the only "alternative" to the two most common for newspapers today, but still as well known media solution in terms of NPR, PBS etc.
Does that make the piece thin? No, because the main conclusion is delivered up front before the different models - and it is one with which I for one wholeheartedly agree with;
"a successful online newspaper will need a mix of many different revenue streams to survive in the digital age" - Glaser
...and the sun turned around today - heading towards summer as of a little past noon local time...
...and yes - I intentionnaly did not define the terms or link extensively to wikipedia and so on - as this is a short musing and not a "guide" :)
Monday, December 15
Poynter column on the news as a part of a process rather than as a goal in and of itself;
"News doesn't always have to be a finished story. In some cases, a launching point might be even more intriguing and engaging."
Isn't that the "holy grail" or great promise of online journalism? Giving the reader everything they need in order to go as deep or far as they need, want and have the time for?
By tying in information both from internal and external sources, you can provide a much bigger picture - just like Silobreaker - thereby broadening the options for the reades.
Previous articles about the mayor and his campaing finance? Check. Previous tv-segments from the debate last fall? Check. Google or Archive versions of his blog posts? Check.
No, it doesn't make sense for a lot of stories - but the more automated the core is, the easier it becomes to add some insight quickly by highlighting one of five possible stories - or by removing one that is out of date. When there is between a hundred and three hundred articles on the taliban in silobreaker, it is a pure necessity to be able to filter further, zoom in on a timespan (use the chart) And the same policy should be core for any news organization.
Bring the reader everything they might need or want - and then make it easy for them to do their filtering.
"But then, "most people" don't care about any particular story you can find in a mainstream news venue. The "general audience" is a myth. When you get down to the story level, news has always been about niches. Every piece of news has its own community of relevance -- and every news topic offers myriad potential stories." - check for further comments
"News doesn't always have to be a finished story. In some cases, a launching point might be even more intriguing and engaging."
Isn't that the "holy grail" or great promise of online journalism? Giving the reader everything they need in order to go as deep or far as they need, want and have the time for?
By tying in information both from internal and external sources, you can provide a much bigger picture - just like Silobreaker - thereby broadening the options for the reades.
Previous articles about the mayor and his campaing finance? Check. Previous tv-segments from the debate last fall? Check. Google or Archive versions of his blog posts? Check.
No, it doesn't make sense for a lot of stories - but the more automated the core is, the easier it becomes to add some insight quickly by highlighting one of five possible stories - or by removing one that is out of date. When there is between a hundred and three hundred articles on the taliban in silobreaker, it is a pure necessity to be able to filter further, zoom in on a timespan (use the chart) And the same policy should be core for any news organization.
Bring the reader everything they might need or want - and then make it easy for them to do their filtering.
"But then, "most people" don't care about any particular story you can find in a mainstream news venue. The "general audience" is a myth. When you get down to the story level, news has always been about niches. Every piece of news has its own community of relevance -- and every news topic offers myriad potential stories." - check for further comments
Hey hoo hulu
Hulu came in sixth with 24.0 million unique viewers,... considering the duration of the average online video was three minutes, and its average was 11.6 minutes instead. [comScore stats]
Monday, December 8
Scale, test and improve
The EU is building a digital library - "direct access to some 2 million digital objects, including film material, photos, paintings, sounds, maps, manuscripts, books, newspapers and archival papers"
The prototype was launched November 20th, but quickly take down - due to excessive traffic reported as "more than 10m hits per hour". Comparing that to the official stats here in Norway with VG.no clocking in some 350m PI last week - should equate to 2m per hour over the whole week, and a bit more during peaks.
So the conclusion? Great idea - to bad about the miscalculation on the interest. looking forward to the re-launch!
Might have been a better idea to get things going with just some of the content types - those not needing a lot of server prowess for pushing out. Seems like the partner list is a bit thin in terms of high tech and hosting - no Akamai or Cisco here.
Can't imagine YouTube and Google seeing anything less with their expanded HD offering over the last few days...
The prototype was launched November 20th, but quickly take down - due to excessive traffic reported as "more than 10m hits per hour". Comparing that to the official stats here in Norway with VG.no clocking in some 350m PI last week - should equate to 2m per hour over the whole week, and a bit more during peaks.
So the conclusion? Great idea - to bad about the miscalculation on the interest. looking forward to the re-launch!
Might have been a better idea to get things going with just some of the content types - those not needing a lot of server prowess for pushing out. Seems like the partner list is a bit thin in terms of high tech and hosting - no Akamai or Cisco here.
Can't imagine YouTube and Google seeing anything less with their expanded HD offering over the last few days...
So says who?
While waiting for the next BSG season to hit the local dvd window, I'm spending some thoughtful time with the essay collection "So say we all"- with the highlight so far being a piece by Charlie W. Starr ('personal' site seems to be either down or moved) on Galacticas Gods and their "real world" potential reflections. Adds another layer or two to the show, so I guess it's time to start over once more. So many angels and connection to reconsider or discover. Long-form storytelling at its best.
One of the main cases is RvB - and I have a minor gripe considering that they also have a subscription/sponsor model, and do a brisk trade in dvds of the show - thereby actually also getting income on the "product" as such. So while it might be correct that the t-shirt put them in business, as a case it is more suited for their versatility both in terms of productions, distribution and income.
So how does this compare to the discussion of "free" [C.Anderson] - or 1000 true fans [K.Kelly with follow-up]?
There is a way for people to make (enough) money doing what they love. The web makes it possible to gather enough dedicated fans or followers to cover costs and then some. BUT - it is a way out for a few, just like there are quite a few "would-be Britneys" out there.
Just because it is feasible and might be gaining traction doesn't make it a sure thing. PBS has been doing it for years. And here in Norway it is 'down by law' - as everyone who owns a television gets to contribute a bit to the NRK (public broadcaster). At just over 2 million homes we are a niche unto ourselves. (and it might be more akin to the ransom model :D)
For two more pieces from Clive T - head over to OTM - from february (on conncetors and Gladwell) and november (reccomendations and Netflix)
Wipeout when the fat lady sings?
Also in the [16.12] was a spread on the new Opera house in Oslo. It is a stunning piece of architecture, and a bit of a gamble considering the threat of increased sea-levels. But the urban angle tying it into skating and cross-use is good branding.
...and the sun is sneaking away, but I'm caught up with Wired - just a bit of backlog to clear out...
T or dvd?
The latest issue of Wired [16.12] has another good read by Clive Thomspson - on the t-shirt economy, how niche sites and creators can support themselves by selling basic merchandise like t-shirts to their fans.One of the main cases is RvB - and I have a minor gripe considering that they also have a subscription/sponsor model, and do a brisk trade in dvds of the show - thereby actually also getting income on the "product" as such. So while it might be correct that the t-shirt put them in business, as a case it is more suited for their versatility both in terms of productions, distribution and income.
So how does this compare to the discussion of "free" [C.Anderson] - or 1000 true fans [K.Kelly with follow-up]?
There is a way for people to make (enough) money doing what they love. The web makes it possible to gather enough dedicated fans or followers to cover costs and then some. BUT - it is a way out for a few, just like there are quite a few "would-be Britneys" out there.
Just because it is feasible and might be gaining traction doesn't make it a sure thing. PBS has been doing it for years. And here in Norway it is 'down by law' - as everyone who owns a television gets to contribute a bit to the NRK (public broadcaster). At just over 2 million homes we are a niche unto ourselves. (and it might be more akin to the ransom model :D)
For two more pieces from Clive T - head over to OTM - from february (on conncetors and Gladwell) and november (reccomendations and Netflix)
Wipeout when the fat lady sings?
Also in the [16.12] was a spread on the new Opera house in Oslo. It is a stunning piece of architecture, and a bit of a gamble considering the threat of increased sea-levels. But the urban angle tying it into skating and cross-use is good branding.
...and the sun is sneaking away, but I'm caught up with Wired - just a bit of backlog to clear out...
Thursday, December 4
Ads work
And so does free stuff. Along with some other stuff for xmas I put in an order for season 1 of Dexter today- two things that helped push it into my basket were the ad in Wired (800px wallpaper), styled up just like a Wired cover and a co-worker using another image as a wallpaper at work. Combined with the weekly ads for the previous season running on local television it was just enough to consider it. With a full season on dvd at less than $30 it makes for a good supplemental 'gift' for the season ahead.
The other item from 16.10 worth a note was a quote by Zucker from Hulu; "the best way to combat piracy is to make your content available". Not too far off from the NRKbeta doctrine and good words to take to mind in turbulent times
The other item from 16.10 worth a note was a quote by Zucker from Hulu; "the best way to combat piracy is to make your content available". Not too far off from the NRKbeta doctrine and good words to take to mind in turbulent times
Forget me - or not
Facebook Friendonomics: "friendships, like long-forgotten photos and mixtapes, would distort and slowly whistle into oblivion, quite naturally, nothing personal." [Scott Brown, Wired 16.11]
Love the point about a "Fade Utility" - sort of the same way your rss reader could do with a "sort by actually reading" button. There is too much information, too many posts, tweets and articles to have any chance of seeing it all - never mind responding or reflecting on it.
Social overload as the next disorder? ADHD taken to the next level? Do we need to loose touch with some in order to maintain touch with ourselves? Or is the net helping us expand our social capabilities and the ability to fade people in and out?
testing blogthis bookmarklet, still missing labels, but otherwise fair enough
witcher enhanced out on tuesday - and a console version announced, time to get playing
Love the point about a "Fade Utility" - sort of the same way your rss reader could do with a "sort by actually reading" button. There is too much information, too many posts, tweets and articles to have any chance of seeing it all - never mind responding or reflecting on it.
Social overload as the next disorder? ADHD taken to the next level? Do we need to loose touch with some in order to maintain touch with ourselves? Or is the net helping us expand our social capabilities and the ability to fade people in and out?
testing blogthis bookmarklet, still missing labels, but otherwise fair enough
witcher enhanced out on tuesday - and a console version announced, time to get playing
Wednesday, December 3
wORD - open
Via NRKBeta; a short post from Make - links on to the interesting thing - the base .fla file used for making the video. Have to download it again tomorrow and have a quick peak at work, see if we can't get something up and make a plug out of it. [like this...]
(and the Guild s2e2 is out - 'buff me' :D)
(and the Guild s2e2 is out - 'buff me' :D)
Keep going, keep improving
A wonderful and inspering post on how you need to keep on going in order to improve your skills as a photographer.
Doesn't matter if it is "just" a hobby - the way to improve and get better is to do it, over and over. Get the basics inside and on automatic. Digital means endless supply of "film" - so there is no need to skimp. [Found by tweet from f.day]
And if you need some more inspiration or guidance, there are several good podcasts on photography out there (Tips from top floor, photowalkthrough, martin bailey,...)
Not to forget a recent post on eirikso - gives some visual aides for different ISO, aperture and shutter. Now get out there and make your own test and flip thorugh them in picasa.
...and the sun fades fast this time of year...
sidenotes;
-finished Rep.Commando - True Colors today (good yarn, fun stuff, need to get Order66)
and picked up the Clone Wars dvd along with Kung Fu Panda
for some nice animated fun over the days ahead
Doesn't matter if it is "just" a hobby - the way to improve and get better is to do it, over and over. Get the basics inside and on automatic. Digital means endless supply of "film" - so there is no need to skimp. [Found by tweet from f.day]
And if you need some more inspiration or guidance, there are several good podcasts on photography out there (Tips from top floor, photowalkthrough, martin bailey,...)
Not to forget a recent post on eirikso - gives some visual aides for different ISO, aperture and shutter. Now get out there and make your own test and flip thorugh them in picasa.
...and the sun fades fast this time of year...
sidenotes;
-finished Rep.Commando - True Colors today (good yarn, fun stuff, need to get Order66)
and picked up the Clone Wars dvd along with Kung Fu Panda
for some nice animated fun over the days ahead
Monday, December 1
Bit by little bit
What is next and now in terms of streaming video? The Adobe Media Player looked really neat when it arrived, playing up CSI episodes full screen even over here in Norway. But now it seems to be a bit quiet on that side of the aisle.
Several companies are working on changing the underlying logic, much like bittorrent did for distirbution of files. Here are some notes and thoughts on tow of them - BitGravity and Move Networks.
Bitgravity caught my notice due to a nifty "multiview" experiment one of their people put up, and I think it was CC who tweeted it.
They got a bit of funding back in august (2.5m)- and uses a flash interface making them at home on most computers;
"challenged conventional methods for delivering content" - "automatically detects end-user bandwidth quality ... adjusts the stream’s bitrate to optimize it for the user" - sure sounds nice and comfortable.
Move on the other hand got their hands on quite a bit of funding this spring (46m), they have a solid roster og clients ( ABC, FOX, ESPN, the CW, and Discovery.) - but have been based around a dedicated player.
However, there was talk of the solution becoming a part of Silverlight (v2 most likely?) - and MS also put up some cash. But little readily available info on what has happened since march. A good sign that they are doing a solid job, or another case of times moving on?
With MS partnering with Akamai; "Smooth Streaming (SmoothHD.com) from our partner Akamai. Smooth Streaming will be available in a public beta in Q1 2009. " - and that ties into the Open Player initiative.
...and the sun, oh the sun...
Several companies are working on changing the underlying logic, much like bittorrent did for distirbution of files. Here are some notes and thoughts on tow of them - BitGravity and Move Networks.
Bitgravity caught my notice due to a nifty "multiview" experiment one of their people put up, and I think it was CC who tweeted it.
They got a bit of funding back in august (2.5m)- and uses a flash interface making them at home on most computers;
"challenged conventional methods for delivering content" - "automatically detects end-user bandwidth quality ... adjusts the stream’s bitrate to optimize it for the user" - sure sounds nice and comfortable.
Move on the other hand got their hands on quite a bit of funding this spring (46m), they have a solid roster og clients ( ABC, FOX, ESPN, the CW, and Discovery.) - but have been based around a dedicated player.
However, there was talk of the solution becoming a part of Silverlight (v2 most likely?) - and MS also put up some cash. But little readily available info on what has happened since march. A good sign that they are doing a solid job, or another case of times moving on?
With MS partnering with Akamai; "Smooth Streaming (SmoothHD.com) from our partner Akamai. Smooth Streaming will be available in a public beta in Q1 2009. " - and that ties into the Open Player initiative.
...and the sun, oh the sun...
Monday, November 24
Too small to loose
" lesson is that more is different. The Internet, by giving everybody access to a market of hundreds of millions of people, can work at participation rates that would be a disaster in the traditional world of non-zero marginal costs" - The miraculous power of scale (C. Anderson)
And isn't that the beauty of it all? When everybody can get the same stuff, you can have a core audience spanning the globe, across ages and education backgrounds - and still with something in common that makes it work. Be it Wikipedia or DeviantArt. Combining a sense of community effort, partaking in something bigger - while at the same time using those "spare cycles" to create something more than just filler.
It is actually okay to have a solid share of 'lurkers' - or readers as they are know in the traditional media. Because that 1% (or less) that produce the opinions and content make it worthwhile for the other 99% - and then some. It's all good, as the saying goes...
...and the sun is much missed - 'tis the season to get another pot of tea brewing...
And isn't that the beauty of it all? When everybody can get the same stuff, you can have a core audience spanning the globe, across ages and education backgrounds - and still with something in common that makes it work. Be it Wikipedia or DeviantArt. Combining a sense of community effort, partaking in something bigger - while at the same time using those "spare cycles" to create something more than just filler.
It is actually okay to have a solid share of 'lurkers' - or readers as they are know in the traditional media. Because that 1% (or less) that produce the opinions and content make it worthwhile for the other 99% - and then some. It's all good, as the saying goes...
...and the sun is much missed - 'tis the season to get another pot of tea brewing...
Tuesday, November 11
Silver lining?
"in most cases, Flash video streaming is still more expensive for content owners to deliver, especially for those with a lot of traffic" (full post and comments)
Could Silverlight seriously push aside Flash as the main format for more advanced web applications and experiments? With javascript apps eating away at the other end of the market, losing the video/animation focus could seriously dampen the way forward.
Several media companies are already promoting Silverlight as a Mac/Unix option for their exsisting WMV streaming, thereby helping spread the installed base and user awareness. And solutions like the JW makes it even easier to play around.
Short term? No worries... long term? Netscape, Real Networks and Wordperfect anyone?
Could Silverlight seriously push aside Flash as the main format for more advanced web applications and experiments? With javascript apps eating away at the other end of the market, losing the video/animation focus could seriously dampen the way forward.
Several media companies are already promoting Silverlight as a Mac/Unix option for their exsisting WMV streaming, thereby helping spread the installed base and user awareness. And solutions like the JW makes it even easier to play around.
Short term? No worries... long term? Netscape, Real Networks and Wordperfect anyone?
Customer first
"Similar to Apple’s own ‘Remote’ app for iTunes, Sonos today released a free download that turns an iPhone into a wireless controller for the company’s Multi-Room Music System." - from post over at Last 100 (including a video clip demo)
Wonderful move, making it easier for their customers to both enjoy and show off their cool system to friends and visitors. And giving them serious insight along the way. At almost no cost.
Score another point or five for the Touch - a true multipurpose tool for the digital age.
Wonderful move, making it easier for their customers to both enjoy and show off their cool system to friends and visitors. And giving them serious insight along the way. At almost no cost.
Score another point or five for the Touch - a true multipurpose tool for the digital age.
Engage me
Chevron had some interesting ads in Wired a while back, and after hunting around a bit on their site I found what I was looking for; Energyville. It is a game/simulation developed along with the Economist- where you set up the mix of power supplies for a major city, seeing how it affects economic, environmental and security levels. Then some random events occur to affect your current situation, and you get to refine your choices for the next time period.
Captivating and informative at the same time. Good fun and a great example of using the net to extend information (and in this case a wee bit marketing) by "simply" adding interactivity and a bit of randomness
And on the topic of engagement - apparently Two and a Half Men is "it" right now. NewTeeVee had a piece on comparing viewership with online engagement ( reading, rating, sharing, linking and inviting). The show stacked up an average score of 9.5 interactions per viewer - while House got some 3.3 interactions and the most viewed, Greys A., got a rather modest .74
So does it give any good indications of the loyalty of either group of viewers?
Perhaps not as a one of (single week comparison), but given some time and comparable data it could be a nice addition to the toolbox (and perhaps the option of adjusting the scores for various activities on the fly - reading might be a better goal for a news show, while sharing could be key for a new show getting started - could even predict future viewership potential and be correlated)
...and the sun is long gone - it is getting close to 11, on the 11th day of the 11th month...
Captivating and informative at the same time. Good fun and a great example of using the net to extend information (and in this case a wee bit marketing) by "simply" adding interactivity and a bit of randomness
And on the topic of engagement - apparently Two and a Half Men is "it" right now. NewTeeVee had a piece on comparing viewership with online engagement ( reading, rating, sharing, linking and inviting). The show stacked up an average score of 9.5 interactions per viewer - while House got some 3.3 interactions and the most viewed, Greys A., got a rather modest .74
So does it give any good indications of the loyalty of either group of viewers?
Perhaps not as a one of (single week comparison), but given some time and comparable data it could be a nice addition to the toolbox (and perhaps the option of adjusting the scores for various activities on the fly - reading might be a better goal for a news show, while sharing could be key for a new show getting started - could even predict future viewership potential and be correlated)
...and the sun is long gone - it is getting close to 11, on the 11th day of the 11th month...
Thursday, November 6
Don't play inChrome?
At least not if you intend to do any changes to your blog on Blogger. Because adding in new gadgets to the page, is a one way process in the Google browser. The "remove" button doesn't work. Which is kind of strange, considering how they touted their huge base of test-pages, you would assume they made sure their own actual services worked without major hitches.
Makes me not want to risk posting with Chrome, which was supposed to be on the agenda after doing some layout adjustments. Reminds me of when they added in the first version of the spellchecker - and it didn't include blog or Blogger... the joys of division of labour
Makes me not want to risk posting with Chrome, which was supposed to be on the agenda after doing some layout adjustments. Reminds me of when they added in the first version of the spellchecker - and it didn't include blog or Blogger... the joys of division of labour
Tuesday, October 21
Betray | Seduce | Persuade
- are three of the tech names used for the indie game "Love"- which was mentioned in Wired 16.08, and got a little extra love on the site. But putting up 10 screenshots from something where you are gushing about algorithms and generative computing seems oddly misplaced. What I wanted was to see a bit of the "machine as God" in action.
Oh well, there was at least a link, so I spent some time digging a bit more - and here are some direct links;
"Some of it is yours, and some is your friends. Some just happens by itself. Sometimes it disappears and makes you sad." [more on love]
And a nice blog with the news and updates - "Do you have time to read this? What if this update turns out to be a waist of time?" [25]
11k coffee?
"With an $11,000 asking price, the Clover has become a fetish object among the coffee-obsessed"
"program three key variables: dose, water temperature, and brew time. (Example: 37.5 grams of Brazilian Fazenda São João at 204 degrees for 43 seconds.)"
See the Clover work some magic in a short video along with the Wired article. Wonderful concept. A bit of a sticke-shock, but hey - it points to a brighter future for coffee in general. Details and control for the extra-ordinary cup. And just a little bit better everyday joe.
"program three key variables: dose, water temperature, and brew time. (Example: 37.5 grams of Brazilian Fazenda São João at 204 degrees for 43 seconds.)"
See the Clover work some magic in a short video along with the Wired article. Wonderful concept. A bit of a sticke-shock, but hey - it points to a brighter future for coffee in general. Details and control for the extra-ordinary cup. And just a little bit better everyday joe.
Want to watch with me?
So, what does YouTube lack? How can online video take it to the next level?
According to some - it is all about UsTube, connecting viewers they way the family and neighbours used to gather around the tv set.
"Laughter is social, and that’s important to consider as watching online video ... can be a pretty isolating experience" - from a story on CBS and their new social solution
"pre-populated and active fan communities ... each have nearly a million members spread over five different social network platforms: Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, and hi5" - ABC branching onwards
So - both building new solutions and hooking up across existing avenues seem like valid paths. And that is probably one of the key messages going forward - with Hulu driving the point home every day - it is not about locking up the farm, but about making it easy to spend more time and get even more engaded. In a world of too much to count, abundant choices and offerings across channels, plattforms and media - it makes a lot more sense to take a handfull viewers here and a score minutes there...
(always assuming it makes economic sense to play on the field at all)
...and the sun hides a bit too well behind the rainy clouds...
According to some - it is all about UsTube, connecting viewers they way the family and neighbours used to gather around the tv set.
"Laughter is social, and that’s important to consider as watching online video ... can be a pretty isolating experience" - from a story on CBS and their new social solution
"pre-populated and active fan communities ... each have nearly a million members spread over five different social network platforms: Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, and hi5" - ABC branching onwards
So - both building new solutions and hooking up across existing avenues seem like valid paths. And that is probably one of the key messages going forward - with Hulu driving the point home every day - it is not about locking up the farm, but about making it easy to spend more time and get even more engaded. In a world of too much to count, abundant choices and offerings across channels, plattforms and media - it makes a lot more sense to take a handfull viewers here and a score minutes there...
(always assuming it makes economic sense to play on the field at all)
...and the sun hides a bit too well behind the rainy clouds...
Tuesday, September 23
"Just" a camera
EF Lenses used in the making of REVERIE:
All in all? A great time to look for great content in new places. Enjoy.
...and the sun made a comeback this afternoon...
- FD 7.5mm f/5.6 (converted to EF mount)
- EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
- EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
- EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
- EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM
- EF 135mm f/2L USM
- EF 200mm f/1.8L USM
- EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM
- EF 500mm f/4L IS USM
- TS-E 24mm f/3.5L
- TS-E 45mm f/2.8
All in all? A great time to look for great content in new places. Enjoy.
...and the sun made a comeback this afternoon...
Cross-post
Comment on the post
Podcasting Is Not Dead:
...from being "one" phenomenon where almost everybody knew a lot of the same references (DSC, Dawn&Drew, ...) podcasting is now nothing more than a way to get audio (and video) content
Even if I'm using Google Reader to skim headlines, I'm not rss'ing the news - I still read them.
Same for audio - now I have a way of getting shows conveniently whether they are broadcast locally, nationally or abroad. Whenever, wherever.
But it still comes down to time constraints - take out work, sleep and family time. What remains is leisure - surfing, reading, watching video, playing games - or working out...
Subscriptions and loyalty are great, but pull-based push doesn't equate to actual use. There is a reason iTunes has built in limits for backlogged content
So - text, audio and video are all alive and doing quite well, each across a multitude of platforms, formats and distribution channels.
Podcasting Is Not Dead:
...from being "one" phenomenon where almost everybody knew a lot of the same references (DSC, Dawn&Drew, ...) podcasting is now nothing more than a way to get audio (and video) content
Even if I'm using Google Reader to skim headlines, I'm not rss'ing the news - I still read them.
Same for audio - now I have a way of getting shows conveniently whether they are broadcast locally, nationally or abroad. Whenever, wherever.
But it still comes down to time constraints - take out work, sleep and family time. What remains is leisure - surfing, reading, watching video, playing games - or working out...
Subscriptions and loyalty are great, but pull-based push doesn't equate to actual use. There is a reason iTunes has built in limits for backlogged content
So - text, audio and video are all alive and doing quite well, each across a multitude of platforms, formats and distribution channels.
Monday, September 22
What me video?
Market Overview For Video Transcoding Services; "content owners continue to need more services than just pushing bits across a network" - not a full overview, but some directions and a good slide by RipCode (linked image) - and as on most post by Dan R. some good comments
just another click on the net
Is it possible that those two extra clicks of the mouse generate enough page impressions and banner ads served that it's worth the frustration to their readers?
Most Magazine And Newspaper Sites Are Tricking You (And Their Advertisers)
-quick read from Mitch Joel, some good links as well
Is there a good business model for in-depth content on the web? How do you find a balance between diving long-form content up, and readability? And how to you monetize (or finance) longer pieces, if the print-friendly version is more read than the originals?
...and the sun has passed on to the other side...
Most Magazine And Newspaper Sites Are Tricking You (And Their Advertisers)
-quick read from Mitch Joel, some good links as well
Is there a good business model for in-depth content on the web? How do you find a balance between diving long-form content up, and readability? And how to you monetize (or finance) longer pieces, if the print-friendly version is more read than the originals?
...and the sun has passed on to the other side...
Friday, August 8
Five and change
And then the Olympics are officially started. On the eight day of the eight month in the eight year.
The same day that marks the fifth "spiritual" anniversary of this blog.
It has been mostly periodic - clusters of posts over a short period of time, and then a whole lot of nothing but good intentions.
And that is most likely the way forward as well...
Tuesday, July 8
8/7/8
Stepping up a notch
...and the sun sets a bit earlier today - but still late enough to make wonderfully bright evenings ...
...and the sun sets a bit earlier today - but still late enough to make wonderfully bright evenings ...
So - now what?
Three small clippings to start off the summer season - and then some reflections on short term and long term implications of online transaprency, business models and actual insights
"it’s important to recognize that a lot of advertising numbers have historically been crap, with pricing based on promises of “reach” and other fuzzy math extrapolated from circulation numbers and Nielsen ratings.
Advertising will find its place in new media, but it may be a necessarily smaller chunk of its former self because accountability will only continue to improve online." (NewTeeVee)
"Marketers need to start thinking about how we do business and how, in a world where reproduction, distribution and categorization is becoming ubiquitous, where we're going to add value and differentiate" (Twist Image)
"long-term thinking entails the confluence of the linear and the exponential. ... Balancing that point where the linear crosses the exponential is what long-term thinking should be about"(Kevin Kelly)
So - media as we know it (newspapers and television, radio and online) mainly relies on ads to support the business. And as it has been stated and quoted a lot over the years, a lot of it is hit and miss (or miss, miss, miss and maybe hit). You have no good way of actually knowing if someone sees your ad, if the react to it or if it is something else that makes them pick up your cereal in the grocery store the next week.
Which is why a lot of ads are more focused on "branding" than actual purchasing. But with online ads the metrics are (almost) all there. Do the click through, sign up, engage or even buy? You can measure it, compare and contrast on the spot. Run six different ads on the same site - and then scrap the bottom four performers the same night.
And as that kind of information, insight and understanding spreads - how much mass advertising is really needed to help support the sales of product X? Only the 50% that isn't wasted right now? Or perhaps only 20% because the message is even better suited to the audience.
Then the big question and the long term view becomes; will it be sustainable - and for whom?
YouTube is filled with "professional" content - but also with a huge amount of user generated "free content". Made by the users for the users. Ditto for most of the newsgroups and forums out there. With 24hr news channels and talk radio producing more content in a day than you can consume in a month or year - is the glut of content needed? Will we be able to achieve a balance, with some professional content (or sorting, or prioritizing) being valueable enough to attract ads?
Or is it the HBO and NPR models that will win out? Subscriptions and donations - since the time to sift is more valuable than the cost of getting the content? Convenience or lazyness. How often do you go around actively looking for new blogs, podcasts or websites? Or do you wait until someone somehow reccomends them? When you hear a promo or see a link in a post?
Consumption often trumps discovery in terms of time - but there is also hoarding or gathering, chances are that quite a bit of p2p content is never consumed. Becuase it is easier to pull it down and think that someday I'll want to watch four seasons of it. When in fact it is all to easy to just turn on the tv and surf the channels for 20 minutes rather than starting that first season.
Yes, no, both, neither? One thing is for sure. Media consumption is changing rapidly, while advertising is (still) changing relatively slowly. So - when do we reach the intersection?
"it’s important to recognize that a lot of advertising numbers have historically been crap, with pricing based on promises of “reach” and other fuzzy math extrapolated from circulation numbers and Nielsen ratings.
Advertising will find its place in new media, but it may be a necessarily smaller chunk of its former self because accountability will only continue to improve online." (NewTeeVee)
"Marketers need to start thinking about how we do business and how, in a world where reproduction, distribution and categorization is becoming ubiquitous, where we're going to add value and differentiate" (Twist Image)
"long-term thinking entails the confluence of the linear and the exponential. ... Balancing that point where the linear crosses the exponential is what long-term thinking should be about"(Kevin Kelly)
So - media as we know it (newspapers and television, radio and online) mainly relies on ads to support the business. And as it has been stated and quoted a lot over the years, a lot of it is hit and miss (or miss, miss, miss and maybe hit). You have no good way of actually knowing if someone sees your ad, if the react to it or if it is something else that makes them pick up your cereal in the grocery store the next week.
Which is why a lot of ads are more focused on "branding" than actual purchasing. But with online ads the metrics are (almost) all there. Do the click through, sign up, engage or even buy? You can measure it, compare and contrast on the spot. Run six different ads on the same site - and then scrap the bottom four performers the same night.
And as that kind of information, insight and understanding spreads - how much mass advertising is really needed to help support the sales of product X? Only the 50% that isn't wasted right now? Or perhaps only 20% because the message is even better suited to the audience.
Then the big question and the long term view becomes; will it be sustainable - and for whom?
YouTube is filled with "professional" content - but also with a huge amount of user generated "free content". Made by the users for the users. Ditto for most of the newsgroups and forums out there. With 24hr news channels and talk radio producing more content in a day than you can consume in a month or year - is the glut of content needed? Will we be able to achieve a balance, with some professional content (or sorting, or prioritizing) being valueable enough to attract ads?
Or is it the HBO and NPR models that will win out? Subscriptions and donations - since the time to sift is more valuable than the cost of getting the content? Convenience or lazyness. How often do you go around actively looking for new blogs, podcasts or websites? Or do you wait until someone somehow reccomends them? When you hear a promo or see a link in a post?
Consumption often trumps discovery in terms of time - but there is also hoarding or gathering, chances are that quite a bit of p2p content is never consumed. Becuase it is easier to pull it down and think that someday I'll want to watch four seasons of it. When in fact it is all to easy to just turn on the tv and surf the channels for 20 minutes rather than starting that first season.
Yes, no, both, neither? One thing is for sure. Media consumption is changing rapidly, while advertising is (still) changing relatively slowly. So - when do we reach the intersection?
Monday, July 7
8-7-7 - rewind and record
Yes, it is another "not dead" posting. Meta all the way, and some topics coming up this time around
New job, new city - perhaps a new direction for the blog to go along?
The first two months of the 'break' were spent moving and getting to grips with a new job in the industry. Out of consulting and into doing.
The last month (june) has been spent mainly taking care of practicalities resulting from the move, as well as some lazy summer days in the sun. And since the rain is back today, what better drive than to post a bit as well.
Lately I've expanded my podcasts and rss feeds a bit towards more digital marketing and social media type content. So - some ideas and thoughts on that will be coming up over the summer. One key coencept being identity versus authenticity.
I've also spent some time getting a bit back into coding and development - so naturally some refelections and ideas down that street as well (Java after a few years mostly dabbeling with MS products, both desktop and web)
Then there is the quest for new gear, having a mac mini as a backup at work, and getting some good use out of the iPod Touch - now what? iPhone? Media PC or connector solution?
As always - the rss is never far off - and will let you know when a brain dump is underway (3 issues of wired all noted up and ready for posting - and some interesting print-outs from earlier in the spring)
...and the sun fled after weeks of summer...
New job, new city - perhaps a new direction for the blog to go along?
The first two months of the 'break' were spent moving and getting to grips with a new job in the industry. Out of consulting and into doing.
The last month (june) has been spent mainly taking care of practicalities resulting from the move, as well as some lazy summer days in the sun. And since the rain is back today, what better drive than to post a bit as well.
Lately I've expanded my podcasts and rss feeds a bit towards more digital marketing and social media type content. So - some ideas and thoughts on that will be coming up over the summer. One key coencept being identity versus authenticity.
I've also spent some time getting a bit back into coding and development - so naturally some refelections and ideas down that street as well (Java after a few years mostly dabbeling with MS products, both desktop and web)
Then there is the quest for new gear, having a mac mini as a backup at work, and getting some good use out of the iPod Touch - now what? iPhone? Media PC or connector solution?
As always - the rss is never far off - and will let you know when a brain dump is underway (3 issues of wired all noted up and ready for posting - and some interesting print-outs from earlier in the spring)
...and the sun fled after weeks of summer...
Wednesday, April 2
Who is surfing you?
Well, for a specific value of "you", namely the participants in the official Norwegian benchmarking - TNS Metrix - you can now have a better idea of some of the basic demographic variables. A new solution [direct flash link] - gives charts and data for comparing up to three sites at once (or two against the total).
So, how old or young, how male or female - and how educated is your audience?
...and the sun should really be shining outside, it feels like spring but doesn't look it...
So, how old or young, how male or female - and how educated is your audience?
...and the sun should really be shining outside, it feels like spring but doesn't look it...
Wednesday, March 26
Be all you can
so true, and so simple - don't work against your audience, work for it and with it!
"The NRKbeta doctrine":
"The NRKbeta doctrine":
[NRK beta is the play/think site for the national broadcaster here in Norway]The only way to control your content is to be the best provider of it.
Inspiring insights
First off, if you haven't already - head over to CC and read his wonderful and inspering piece Contemplating Creativity - and the assorted comments and suggestion from a host of characters with some serious creative mojo of their own (including J.C. and Sigler).
So what gets the juices flowing - and is it still a shame (/fact) that quite a lot of the time spent in 'education' reduces the willingness to think outside the box and replaces it with the re-iteration of mindless facts?
First off, like stated over there - constraints are good - at least when it comes to taking images, setting off with an assignment such as "twenty images of straight lines, then twenty of curves" or "one image every five minutes, taken within 20 seconds" lets you see old places in a new light.
Then there is one of my personal faves; making a latte, taking the time and concentration all the way with the Gaggia and grinder. Then sitting down, preferably in the sun on the balcony and just enjoying it.
In terms of books, there are direct guides such as the "brainticklers" from good old Business 2.0, the little book of creativity by Stig [norw.] and Idea index for shapes and jump off points.
But what about schools and education?
Well, I think it is still true to a certain degree that education can be more limiting than inspiring in terms of creativity and pure enjoyment of wonders. But at the same time, isn't a lot of it just about growing up and getting a better grasp on things in general?
Ask a kid about why Pokemons can't do something or why Harry Potter needs a wand and they'll give you strict answers more often than not. Because they relate to the "rules" and the overall "setting".
So, as we grow older and gather experience, do we understand a bit more about the real "setting" we are in and the guidelines we need to stick with to avoid excess and wasted time?
...and the sun is slowly melting some of the easter snow...
So what gets the juices flowing - and is it still a shame (/fact) that quite a lot of the time spent in 'education' reduces the willingness to think outside the box and replaces it with the re-iteration of mindless facts?
First off, like stated over there - constraints are good - at least when it comes to taking images, setting off with an assignment such as "twenty images of straight lines, then twenty of curves" or "one image every five minutes, taken within 20 seconds" lets you see old places in a new light.
Then there is one of my personal faves; making a latte, taking the time and concentration all the way with the Gaggia and grinder. Then sitting down, preferably in the sun on the balcony and just enjoying it.
In terms of books, there are direct guides such as the "brainticklers" from good old Business 2.0, the little book of creativity by Stig [norw.] and Idea index for shapes and jump off points.
But what about schools and education?
Well, I think it is still true to a certain degree that education can be more limiting than inspiring in terms of creativity and pure enjoyment of wonders. But at the same time, isn't a lot of it just about growing up and getting a better grasp on things in general?
Ask a kid about why Pokemons can't do something or why Harry Potter needs a wand and they'll give you strict answers more often than not. Because they relate to the "rules" and the overall "setting".
So, as we grow older and gather experience, do we understand a bit more about the real "setting" we are in and the guidelines we need to stick with to avoid excess and wasted time?
...and the sun is slowly melting some of the easter snow...
Wednesday, March 12
Google is different - but not like that
CNET Blog on the counter-culture of Google - stickiness is not the key; "Google is probably the largest online firm in the world that does as much as it can to get you off its pages"-is a nice read, but neglects one point: income.
With AdWords Google is interested in having you click on their own links and hence onto paid journeys. And with AdSense on a lot of those other pages, driving additional traffic onto (for Google) freely produced content makes a lot of sense.
So yes, they are open at the core and offer up API's and a broad, free selection of services for you to pick and choose - but they can afford to because a lot of what you do (including reading and writing this post) happens in their sphere of influence and income - ad revenues from own sites stood at 10.7 with network clocking up 5.8 for 2007 (unaudited)
With AdWords Google is interested in having you click on their own links and hence onto paid journeys. And with AdSense on a lot of those other pages, driving additional traffic onto (for Google) freely produced content makes a lot of sense.
So yes, they are open at the core and offer up API's and a broad, free selection of services for you to pick and choose - but they can afford to because a lot of what you do (including reading and writing this post) happens in their sphere of influence and income - ad revenues from own sites stood at 10.7 with network clocking up 5.8 for 2007 (unaudited)
Tuesday, March 11
think outside the box
Using nothing less than Excel as a "game engine" - cells become pixels, and calculations become a cinch when you have not only linear coding format, but two dimensional structuring for displaying them. Sure it isn't up to par in terms of high intensity performance, but for casual games or for educational purposes? Not to mention for the "hey cool" factor - a good and fun idea. (Example file download from the article)
...and the sun hides away for now, making it more grey fall than early spring...
...and the sun hides away for now, making it more grey fall than early spring...
Friday, February 15
Video for niches
"the heaviest viewers (top 20 percent of viewers) averaged 841 minutes of online viewing per month, while moderate viewers (next 30 percent) averaged 77 minutes" - according to ComScore, as covered by NewTeeVee.
That is quite a dramatic difference, and does but a lot of other metrics in a new light - be it total number of streams or share of users playing video. It will be interesting to see if they keep publishing this kind of detailed breakdown or simply revert to the average and total numbers again.
Also, the pressrelase list some (for me at least) new sites that are apparently a big draw in the 'heavy' crowd - might be worth a look (not linking since I haven't seen the sites or their brand of content/ads yet):
That is quite a dramatic difference, and does but a lot of other metrics in a new light - be it total number of streams or share of users playing video. It will be interesting to see if they keep publishing this kind of detailed breakdown or simply revert to the average and total numbers again.
Also, the pressrelase list some (for me at least) new sites that are apparently a big draw in the 'heavy' crowd - might be worth a look (not linking since I haven't seen the sites or their brand of content/ads yet):
- Ouou.com
- MegaVideo.com
- Youku.com
- zSHARE
- Tudou.com
Monday, February 11
Tell the story - live the dream?
"Mass Effect was the most grandiose while Rock Band had the most subtle. The difference in the three games, he noted, was embodied by the different ways in which each approaches its narrative". [Dice discuss]
Games span from huge sandboxes, via story-oriented with a potential for sandbox (like the module editor for NWN - the narrative can both be made and used outside the confines of the basics of the game itselg), to more linear bite-sized levels and tasks. And then back again to the endless tasks of something like tetris or zuma.
So why do we play - most likely for a different reason at different times, and for a quite varied set of reasons compared to someone else's list. Games and gaming is no longer one thing, any more than 'music' is a single activity and direction. It is high and low. Easy and complex. Loud and quiet. And so on. Games are starting to truly reach that same level - of breadth of offering, of quality of selection and most certainly of scope of users. It is just something you do.
"If you want to read books that tackle profound philosophical questions, then the best — and perhaps only — place to turn these days is sci-fi" Clive Thompson over at Wired sings the gospel of Cory Doctorow (mostly well deserved) and ponders the challenge of dealing with 'issues' in writing. One oversight is possibly the ethical side of philosophy, having migrated quite a bit into the crime section - notably in works along the lines of American Pshyco.
He also mentions various authors on the edge, like Susanna Clarke (of Norrel fame) - whom I personally found rather long winded and a bit dull compared to a proper novel by Dickens, since his work was serialized and had to keep the tempo at all times. So, a better place to start looking is in the games section - and then nip over to the media section in general, and have a look at the 'universes' still expanding and finding their multiple shapes. Be it the Buffyverse in comic form for Season 8, Discworld branching into stories for older, younger and on tv - or the many faces of Star Wars in printed, drawn, animated and game form. Neither of the three sit comfortably inside a 'sci-fi' cordon, yet all take their fans on journeys of the mind as well as the dreams.
(on a side-note, Bioware has recently put a date for the first mini-expansion for Mass Effect - a sidequest on a different planet, with some 90 minutes of playtime. Look for it on XBL)
Games span from huge sandboxes, via story-oriented with a potential for sandbox (like the module editor for NWN - the narrative can both be made and used outside the confines of the basics of the game itselg), to more linear bite-sized levels and tasks. And then back again to the endless tasks of something like tetris or zuma.
So why do we play - most likely for a different reason at different times, and for a quite varied set of reasons compared to someone else's list. Games and gaming is no longer one thing, any more than 'music' is a single activity and direction. It is high and low. Easy and complex. Loud and quiet. And so on. Games are starting to truly reach that same level - of breadth of offering, of quality of selection and most certainly of scope of users. It is just something you do.
"If you want to read books that tackle profound philosophical questions, then the best — and perhaps only — place to turn these days is sci-fi" Clive Thompson over at Wired sings the gospel of Cory Doctorow (mostly well deserved) and ponders the challenge of dealing with 'issues' in writing. One oversight is possibly the ethical side of philosophy, having migrated quite a bit into the crime section - notably in works along the lines of American Pshyco.
He also mentions various authors on the edge, like Susanna Clarke (of Norrel fame) - whom I personally found rather long winded and a bit dull compared to a proper novel by Dickens, since his work was serialized and had to keep the tempo at all times. So, a better place to start looking is in the games section - and then nip over to the media section in general, and have a look at the 'universes' still expanding and finding their multiple shapes. Be it the Buffyverse in comic form for Season 8, Discworld branching into stories for older, younger and on tv - or the many faces of Star Wars in printed, drawn, animated and game form. Neither of the three sit comfortably inside a 'sci-fi' cordon, yet all take their fans on journeys of the mind as well as the dreams.
(on a side-note, Bioware has recently put a date for the first mini-expansion for Mass Effect - a sidequest on a different planet, with some 90 minutes of playtime. Look for it on XBL)
Friday, February 8
Did YOU watch it?
Delving into the numbers today, first off a piece on NewTeeVee on the "season" concept applied to web based series.
Regarding Quarterlife: "it seems to consistently pull in around 100,000 viewers per episode on MySpace"
The once so dominant LonelyGirl is also living up to the name, with viewership for the second season (on Youtube) of around 100k - sans one episode of 4 million plays, called "girl tied up"
Compare that to the new Yahoo Live with ~2600 concurrent users. Or perhaps to the Superbowl - with over 90 million viewers (link via C3 post)
Web-tv and video online? Great idea, superb for niche content and quick supplements to news stories. But still a ways to go before becoming a consistent distribution channel for new'ish content and ideas
...and the sun is shaded by the fog...
Sunday, January 27
Contrasting authors and life
Two non-related authors popped up in my assorted reading over the weekend;
first off Upton Sinclair, and his work The Jungle [Wikip 1 and 2, including a link to the free e-verison] - presenting a grim view of what lie hidden behind the doors that society would rather not peek at. And certainly would rather not have burst open. But they did, and in time it became better.
Now, a hundred years later? Well, as the world turns, so does the sins of the fathers. Still there are sweatshops, child labour and limited options for some, while others have too much of everything but time and happiness.
Then there is the author known as Yukio Mishima and mainly the book Spring Snow, part of the Sea of Fertility quartet [Wikip 1, 2 and 3]. Here it was certainly the man and not the books who had the most apparent impact, in terms of his rather public ritualized suicide and apparent attempted coup.
But it is the writings that live on, telling of a time gone by but bringing up issues and problems that are as eternal as the duality of man (good and evil, love and hate). So, another book to read and another perspective to consider or just enjoy.
One a sidenote, I just got around to finishing Slaughterhouse-Five( from 1969, the year after Spring Snow) during the week. So it goes. Somewhere in time they are all alive, and Dresden is beautiful. So it goes.
first off Upton Sinclair, and his work The Jungle [Wikip 1 and 2, including a link to the free e-verison] - presenting a grim view of what lie hidden behind the doors that society would rather not peek at. And certainly would rather not have burst open. But they did, and in time it became better.
Now, a hundred years later? Well, as the world turns, so does the sins of the fathers. Still there are sweatshops, child labour and limited options for some, while others have too much of everything but time and happiness.
Then there is the author known as Yukio Mishima and mainly the book Spring Snow, part of the Sea of Fertility quartet [Wikip 1, 2 and 3]. Here it was certainly the man and not the books who had the most apparent impact, in terms of his rather public ritualized suicide and apparent attempted coup.
But it is the writings that live on, telling of a time gone by but bringing up issues and problems that are as eternal as the duality of man (good and evil, love and hate). So, another book to read and another perspective to consider or just enjoy.
One a sidenote, I just got around to finishing Slaughterhouse-Five( from 1969, the year after Spring Snow) during the week. So it goes. Somewhere in time they are all alive, and Dresden is beautiful. So it goes.
Hidden in plain sight
A pretty good article in Wired this issue on "ARG" or alternate reality games, focusing mainly on the NIN and Trent Reznor game around Year Zero. The article itself included several pretty obvious clues and mini-games, but it is the online edition that really shines - including links to special video and a bit more background. Among them a clip that ends with a link to the Open Source Resistance.
One minor gripe, having the same question online makes sense - but that makes the magazine redundant, so perhaps there should have been a more direct pointer to the 'hidden' link and the content (or perhaps there was? In a hex transformation of the text, or as the first letter of each word of the hidden message? The possibilities are almost endless, considering the complexity of some of the the other "hints")
...and the sun shone brightly on the new snow...
One minor gripe, having the same question online makes sense - but that makes the magazine redundant, so perhaps there should have been a more direct pointer to the 'hidden' link and the content (or perhaps there was? In a hex transformation of the text, or as the first letter of each word of the hidden message? The possibilities are almost endless, considering the complexity of some of the the other "hints")
...and the sun shone brightly on the new snow...
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