The Cameras Are Never Off
July 23, 2008
Interesting video as President Bush asks that the cameras be turned off and then makes some remarks we have to assume he didn’t want recorded. Unfortunately these days, especially when you are a public figure, the cameras are never off. Somebody out there has a cell phone with video or some other kind of pocket recording device. We live in a time of constant recording. To many people are carrying devices capable of recording and distributing that recording to millions via the Internet is also so easy now. One camera I saw yesterday specifically records video in YouTube compatible format, a feature that was highlighted prominently on the box. Remember when America’s Funniest Home Videos was a top TV show? Now YouTube is America’s Funniest Home Videos. Watch yourself out there in public because the camera is never off. Neither is the audio recorder or the snapshot.
Seth Godin Agrees With Me
July 23, 2008
Or maybe I agree with him. Either way, I have been saying for a long time now that how many people follow you on twitter or read your blog isn’t nearly as important as who. Its a principle I learned from Dave Slusher, and I believe it completely. I would much rather have 20 high quality, important people reading my blog than 2,000 everyday joes.
But we haven’t come very far yet as every blog/podcast ad network still works under the presumption of numbers. Lots of raw numbers. They do this because this is what the advertisers demand. As an “old school” podcaster, I belived we were going to change the world. We were supposed to change the very face of advertising, forcing them out of their relentless chance for raw numbers and getting them to understand the power of who and the return on influence. But were trying to change an industry that has done what it does for many many years and change never comes easily. Until then, the fight goes on.
Flight To Open Source
June 3, 2008
Weather it’s attributable to a fear of Google Open Social or increasingly savvy executives there is a real movement to open up social network platforms. Facebook has been the hottest network of late but is also once of the most closed and restricted. Not anymore as Facebook announces an open platform. Not to be outdone, Myspace also has plans to open it’s code. What the open platforms will do is enable outside developers to create extensions and addons to these services. New features will not be solely at the mercy of the original developer.
Within five years it’s going to be hard to run any kind of web service or application that is not open source, or at least provide a strong set of open API’s. This is part of the new paradigm of Internet business. Open Source has been around for years, but only now it is really starting to take hold. This is partly why Google has the strategic advantage over Microsoft as we move into the future. Open Source is built into the Google DNA. Microsoft has been built on the concept of proprietary systems and control. Buying Yahoo makes sense for Microsoft not just for their search advertising program, but for the Yahoo culture and philosophy. Yahoo also has Open Source built in. If Microsoft would allow some of that to seep in, it could benefit them emencly.
Social Media Morning 5/16/08
May 16, 2008
Penthouse Magazine embraces new media and becomes a social network company.
I Dig Sprout
April 27, 2008
Web widgets are one of the hot topics of 2008. Sprout is a company I found recently that makes creating and publishing widgets super easy. Everything is based on Flash technology which gives your widget a lot of power and flexibility. The interface for creating sprouts couldn’t be easier and there are built in components that make adding things like rss feeds, Twitter and audio files easy. The program also does everything needed to prepare the widget for publishing on a wide variety of web sites. I love tools that empower the common person to harness the Internet in more powerful ways and Sprout certainly fits that bill in the widget category.
Seesmic Video WordPress Plugin
April 23, 2008
Seesmic is already an interesting video platform but this new WordPress plugin takes things to the next level. {seesmic_video:{”url_thumbnail”:{”value”:”http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/YDCHJRXiqP_th1.jpg”}”title”:{”value”:”Seesmic Video WordPress Plugin ”}”videoUri”:{”value”:”http://www.seesmic.com/video/53MaznvsaV”}}}
Will Second Life Go The Way Of Friendster?
April 21, 2008
Social networks are among the hottest technologies in 2008, but one of the early pioneers is only a distant memory. Friendster is one the first social networks and in it’s day it was the hottest thing since sliced bread. But as social networking matured and more services come online, Friendster failed to keep up and faded into insignificance. Part of the problem for Friendster was the fact that it was a general purpose social network in the midst of ever more niche social networks. MySpace focused on music, LinkedIn on business professionals. Now with Ning, individuals can create their own social network on any topic they wish. Facebook could be called an exception to this rule as it is a general purpose network, but they began life and created momentum as a focused social network for the college crowd. Facebook as also been very good at aggressively innovating their platform, especially with the addition of Facebook Applications.
Something similar is happening in the virtual world space. Second Life has been the dominating leader up to now, but the bloom may be coming off the rose. There is lots of competition in the virtual world space and much of it is of the niche variety. Disney purchased Club Penguin. Webkinz is incredibly hot, and now Nickelodeon is experimenting with a virtual world. There are also virtual world platform companies that will allow anyone to create their own virtual world. Sound familiar? Second Life is the general purpose virtual world with no real focus. It also seems to have lived out its 15 minutes of fame. I think if Second Life doesn’t do something dramatic they will end up like Friendster, an innovator that became insignificant.
Social Media Morning 4-14-08
April 14, 2008
April 19 is “Record Store Day” but it just reminds me of real record stores from my past which barely exist today. Here is the source article for my thoughts. I also mention the move High Fidelity.
iJustine Speaks The Truth On Flickr Video
April 10, 2008
I love iJustine. She’s gorgeous, smart and funny. If I wasn’t already happily married I would probably be a stalker. Anyway, here is a great video about the complaining going on in some circles about the new Flickr video features. Personally, I think the video quality is stunning and the integration is fantastic.
Your Chance To Be A New Media Hero
April 9, 2008
Today is your chance to take part in New Media history. Podiobook pioneer Scott Sigler has a chance to be the first Podcast author to hit the New York Times bestseller list. This is an important moment in New Media and could open doors for many other indie writers. If you have not already purchased a copy of Sigler’s Infected, you should do so at Amazon.com or better yet, at major bookstores everywhere. Borders, Barnes and Noble, your choice.
Infected is a great read and it’s your chance to be New Media Hero.