SensoryMetrics

Yes it’s BarCamp time again in Ottawa, Canada. It’s our 4th edition here, and it looks like it’s going to be an overflowing house. Attendance is (unfortunately) capped at 120 people. It’s back at BitHeads. It’s totally free thanks in part to these great sponsors: The Ottawa Angel Alliance (cheer!); bitheads (cheer!); inMedia (cheer!) and Market2World (cheer!)

Presentations of note so far:

1. SM friend Alec Saunders talking about his popular Facebook conferencing app.

2. SM friend Ian Graham showcasing Ottawa’s new co-working facility

3. InMedia’s take on PR 3.0

Oh Yeah – I’ll also be speaking too… this time in the Social Media Stream. My talk is titled Eyeball Currency: Monetizing your UX. If you’re wondering what that means, you’ll have to attend! If you’d like to help me figure out what that means, you can email me your suggestions!!

Last BarCamp attracted 300+ people… we can only fit 120 this time. Sign up now!

Popularity: 36%

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Events barcamp, Facebook, iotum, socialMedia

Despite Microsoft Vista, and Apple’s new Blue Screen of Death, there aren’t nearly as many horrible software user interfaces these days. This is probably due to mature programming platforms that include pre-built GUIs. Also, most vendors actually invest in good design and user experience.

A truly ghoulish nightmare would be finding ourselves back to 1973! Happy Halloween!

Popularity: 15%

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Events, Usability, User Experience

Every industry needs to recognize excellence in innovation. The world of Intranets is no different. So, this October – the prizes were handed out. Some of the highlights:

Gold Award to “Staff Locator”

Commended entries – “Real-time status of staff”

Get you act together before March 2008 to compete for the 2008 awards!

BTW – do you know where your staff is???

Popularity: 14%

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Business, Innovation awards, intranet innovation, staff

It’s obviously much easier to search for that totally purrfect freaky partner on the web…. Here are some fun “vertical” dating sites… LOL (after all – it’s Sunday, all the good folk are in church!)

1. TattooedSingles… yeah – you’re all inked and pierced and can’t get a date….

2. CyclingSingles… obsessed with that stupid bike? You deserve to be alone!

3. CowboyDate… great if you want to get roped! OOOwEEE! ah geez the site is under reconstruction until 2008. (Apparently the webmaster’s typing fingers got eaten by a mad bull…)

Popularity: 36%

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Business, Long Tail, User Experience, Web 3.0

It’s a tad boring on this rainy evening in lovely Renfrew, Ontario, Canada… So, if you’re like me, you’re looking for something interesting to do. You’ve always wanted to build your own web2.0 app, but never had any ideas… here’s one for ya.

Build a Social Net / Web 2.0 app based on Celtic Wisdom Sticks. Never heard of them? That’s ok. We have Google! Be the first to write a Wikipedia entry, too! The sticks are perfect for the web. Obviously this will also be a HUGE Facebook app… so better get coding!!!

Wisdom sticks date back to the 4th century – that’s good street cred. Basically you take 4 of 20 sticks – arrange them in a square, and interpret the reading…

Twenty sticks are made from 20 different types of wood: Birch, Rowan, Alder, Willow, Ash, Hawthorn, Oak, Holly, Hazel, Apple, Vine, Ivy, Fern, Blackthorn, Elder, Pine, Gorse, Heather, Aspen, and Yew.

Each Stick has a name: Beith, Luis, Fearn, Saille, Nin, Huath, Duir, Tinne, Coll, Quert,
Muin, Gort, Ngetal, Straif, Ruis, Ailm, Onn, Uir, Edad, and Idad.

Hey – Amazon sells these things now – better get coding!!! c’mon!

,,,and if you make any money at this, I expect a cut!

Popularity: 15%

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Business, User Experience, Web 3.0

We’re (of course) not condoning massive state-wide destruction of The Golden State, now known as the burnt orange state. What could have caused such a fire / weather crisis? Could it be decades of waste and environmental crimes? If you’re still doubting this, consider the case of The Batter Blaster Company – headquartered in lovely San Francisco. They manufacture pancake batter in an aerosol can! Squeeze out 8 pancakes and throw away the can!

No mess. No fuss. Breakfast is easy – unless of course your house burned down!

Best of all – the batter is ORGANIC!!!

Popularity: 17%

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Environment, Usability

Via my favourite VC blog – finally someone puts a value on the User Interface!

Here is one UI Turd:

As you click around the store, load up some songs into the shopping cart. Then type in your name. Then put in an address from any country except the US. Yeah, you can’t buy anything. But, for sure, they make you go through a bunch of hoops before telling you about it. The TuneGenie guys clearly blew this despite trying to be major cute with all the flash stuff in the application. It’s annoying but thanks for getting the province thing right.

But the bigger issue? None of this solves that instant gratification problem. The exact moment somebody is grooving on a song and wanting it is the exact moment you should be providing an instant, friction free way for the customer to get the song, not 25 clicks.

Popularity: 14%

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Business, Usability, User Experience

Today in Patent Applications Thursday, Apple reveals two interesting patent applications with the US Patent & Trademark Office.

The first is titled “Environmental Friendly Animal Excrement Collector”. Using magnets and some “collector bags”, it aims to be a “no touch” Pet Excrement eXperience. Evidently, Apple is reversing itself from its previous “touch” strategy.

eerrrr… ok This “Apple Inc.” is a Taiwanese manufacturer of pet supplies… BUT – I’m waiting for a joint venture here – the iPod-ready Environmental Friendly Animal Excrement Collector.

You can criticize the Patent System all you want – but when some company named Apple can patent a strap-on bag for the butt of your dog, you have to admire capitalism! Dontcha?

In other Apple patent news… Today’s patent apps include “Method and apparatus for quickly reanimating devices from hibernation”. Now – Microsoft may have its Blue Screen of Death – but Apple has the Sleeping Beauty Hibernating Laptops. Too often, the darn things don’t wake up, and you’re forced to reboot, or even take out the battery. Any improvements to MacBernation will be greatly appreciated!

Popularity: 23%

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Innovation, Patents, Usability, User Experience

Beer and booze advertising has dominated media since the crush of prohibition. We wouldn’t have glossy magazines if it wasn’t for Absolut this and that… Coors Lite this and that… It’s not just about prominence – it’s about controversy – AKA viral marketing. So I do love the intrigue with CC’s ad… (what…DAD???)

What comes after that is cool online condom ads – of course… and the chance to win money and condoms… Durex is looking for a thousand “TESTERS”…

Popularity: 18%

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Business

Brought to us from BrandFlakes… virtual bubble wrap…

Popularity: 14%

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User Experience, Web 3.0