This has been the year of the MVNO (Multiple Virtual Network Operator) and for the US to show their plucky chops and perhaps shine in the mobile space at last. The promise of applying brand focus to a carefully targeted audience in the form of an MVNO has been tried and true in other countries - why not the US? Well - a few days ago it was announced (officially) that Mobile ESPN is closing.
Although I’m a yonsai (4th generation 100% Japanese, which is a feat these days with the hapa hauli world at large) I still eat rice and sushi whenever possible and have a house filled with Zojirushi electronics (which are worthy of another post). The designers at my office frequent Japantown in San Francisco, and as such are very familiar with the “purikura” print club culture. Enter the next phase of customized, portable video culture, straight from Japan (KDDI actually.) Videkura is set to be the next rage … (ready youtube?)
claimed to be sydney’s best budget accommodation, wake up! is an example of effective branding. signs for ‘wake up’ and ‘eat up’ are friendly and inviting.
Happy fingers, smarter phones, easier life. This is the promise of ConnexTo, the creators of mCode, a 2D visual code that can be customized to ‘pass information from print to the digital world.’ The concept is to easily create the graphic containing customized information - or what they call ‘digital graffiti’ - and share it with others quickly and easily.
I just discovered this excellent user experience podcast site, called UXpod - User Experience Podcast. Interviews and discussions with Gerry Gaffney and industry experts like Jesse James Garrett, Caroline Jarrett and John Murphy.
Hopefully with a lot more interesting stuff to come, excellent initiative!
in seattle for an event apart, minutes from the famous pike place market.
this display of veggies shows a bit of the market flavor and flair. jeffrey zeldman, eric meyer and jason santa maria made this event a fantastic one - and the weather (for the most part) complied!
san francisco cafe’s reflect the latest trends in internet blogging … seen here at Ritual Roasters Cafe, identified CSI-style by the logo stamp behind the handwritten text (thanks Matt!).