The uber-creatives at Brand Flakes point us to this MIT Media Lab project run by Aaron Zinman. Simply type in your name and its search and categorization software will attempt to define your internet persona. This works better if you have a reasonably unique name and a decent web presence.
With me, it was reasonably accurate – my most prominent web categories include: Online, Management, Social Media, Education, and Professional. It caught some of my Legal and Medical interests, but it misjudged a bunch of other things (sports??). Hey, it’s fun. Try it.
From German design firm Biegert & Funk comes QlockTwo – very cool use of technology. But – cool comes at price! The firm has just lowered the price of the 450mm square clock to a mere 885 Euros. The readout can be set to English or German.
A much more affordable B&F creation is an iPhone version of the Qlock timing in at a mere 99 cents! (shown in inset) Search for QlockTwo on iTunes.
This Qlock would be even more exciting if it had a bluetooth interface linking to a calendar or even just being able to program special times, like “time to take out the garbage”. I guess if you can afford a $1,000+ clock, someone else is tasked with taking out your garbage.
The Tropicana Resort & Casino is one of Las Vegas’ classic casinos, built in 1957. Some scenes in Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas were shot there. James Bond was a guest in Diamonds Are Forever. The hotel is now under renovation and will re-launch with new branding in 2010. According to the CEO,
The new Tropicana Las Vegas will have a hot Havana-like vibe with pulsating music, live salsa dancers, bright tropical colors and a sizzling nightlife scene.
I think the new brand reflects this value proposition very well. (before and after logos above)
Another Tropicana wasn’t so successful earlier this year with its rebranding efforts. PepsiCo’s Tropicana juice was re-launched in February . Critics hated the new look. Apparently consumers mistook the new drink boxes for generic brands – sales quickly fell 20%. Opinions on logos is one thing, but money talks! Pepsi re-introduced the old brand a few weeks later.
Recently, Jobe added an ad-space to Sensorymetrics (after much wrangling with Google!). I was pleased to see that Manage Engine was on board – they develop IT management software. It’s not easy to compete against established players. That’s why I liked their bold approach. 90:10. For the company, this marketing creates a middle tier that cost-conscious enterprise IT managers can’t ignore!
12 years ago, a few of us at Nortel tried to envision what types of services could be made possible with a high-speed third-generation wireless network. In my mind, the network was the service. In 1999, we filed a US patent for “Wireless network communications”. Despite a huge time lag of 10 years, patent 7,486,628 was finally granted in February this year!
Currently, networks are used within most enterprises to allow for sharing of resources such as printers and to allow for central server features to be available such as backup operations, shared files, and internal email. With the introduction of the third generation of wireless communication networks in which a mobile station can have an always on capability, private networks can now be established between mobile stations.
So who cares, right? What’s in it for you… and me?
What’s in it for me became evident today. I bought a Bell “Turbo Stick – usb wireless internet” at Walmart of all places. Activated the device within 10 minutes (wow – I’m actually saying I was extremely satisfied with Bell’s service – although I think this was a separate CSR group for Walmart customers.)
The 3G service in my little town 50 miles from Ottawa is actually impressive – 1.45 mb download speed at my funky little cabin in the woods way behind the house.
Kudos to Bell… and Walmart. 3G was a good idea after all!
The Uniform Project is a fundraising concept being executed by Sheena Matheiken. For an entire year she plans on wearing the same dress with 365 different accessories and looks. Last Sunday’s creation features a crocheted necklace designed by Sarah Peters of Museum of Useless Objects fame.
The US MInt has started to offer businesses free shipping and handling for US $1 coins. The coins are rarely used in circulation, but the mint wants to change that. Makes sense. Coins last longer than paper bills. Canada got rid of one dollar bills in 1987 – replaced by the beloved loonie. It’s success was followed by the elimination of the two-dollar bill – with the introduction of the toonie in 1996.
But the US Mint is misguided – unless paper bills are eliminated, the coin will never be adopted. The “dispensing” industry must be on board – drink machines, parking meters, etc…
As a final “qualitative” comment – the US coins are very unimaginative. They feature 4 fairly obscure presidents. Another series though, has a great a wonderful homage to native Americans.
Microsoft has a dismal record of advertising to consumers. The Gates / Seinfeld ads were a “joke”. The “I’m a PC” campaign had some people talking – mostly asking MS was promoting hardware and not Vista (duh?)
What Microsoft rejected was this proposal by a competing agency, MacCann Worldgroup. The series of videos are a bit sappy – but I think they would have worked extremely well in making people feel warm and fuzzy for having chosen Windows. Not an easy feat!
UPDATE: I love the tag line “It’s just a computer, but it’s my life.” So true for many of us. My mother’s Vista laptop died a few days ago. She’s 70. I suggested she wait for a good sale. Her response, “I can’t wait, got to get back my email!!!” This wasn’t just a complaint, it was a demand! lol Amazing how the “net” is the drug of choice for all generations.
Recently, Jobe added an ad-space to Sensorymetrics (after much wrangling with Google!). I was pleased to see that 
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