August 30, 2007
Skype Spam
Not too sure how I got this as my Skype number is a little more private than my email but I got hit with Skype Spam for the first time this afternoon. It’s interesting how a lot of people were hit at the same time - and that if you were online you’d all be present at the time - everyone had to leave the chat room to ignore the spammer.
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Niku Banaie on 25 Ideas For Change at the PSFK Conference London
In this video taken at the PSFK Conference London 2007, Niku Banaie from Naked Comminications talks about how an understanding of the basic human needs can keep your employees, customers and friends happier, fresher and healthier. There’s a nice intro on the man who created the penny-archade too.
Come get more inspiration in LA on Sept 18 at the PSFK Conference Los Angeles
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Wireless iTunes
While we’re trying to ignore the gossip that a range of new iPods will be launched on September 5th (the 2 year anniversary of the Nano), one whisper that really caught our attention is the idea that iTunes (the store) will soon be wireless. You can buy tracks anytime anywhere from your iPhone (or your wireless iPod). MacDaily news comments:
Apple will debut “wireless-capable iPods” next Wednesday along with “wireless iTunes Store sales,” enabling users to buy content “directly from iPod, iPhone,” a single source often familiar with Apple’s digital content plans tells MacDailyNews.
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Consumption Is Killing Us
Treehugger points us to a study in Australia that suggests that the environmental impact of shopping far outweighs any efforts to save water and power in the home. For every additional dollar (Aus?) of consumption we make, we are responsible for 720 grams of greenhouse gas emissions and 28 liters of water.
More in the Sydney Morning Herald
Related PSFK Articles
2007 Trends - Brand Abstinence
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iFashion: Virtual Shopping in South Korea
South Korea’s Shinsegae Department Store is planning on opening the world’s first “advanced virtual reality fashion store,” where customers will be able to use a smart card holding an avatar of themselves (with their real dimensions) that can be used to try on items in the virtual shop and even get them custom-fit. According to iFashion, the virtual store and fitting room site, the joint project between the Clothing Technical Centre at Konkuk University and clothing manufacturer FnC Kolon Corp with support from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy aims to revolutionize virtual and online shopping. Jung Dong-chang, head of the Ministry’s textile industry team, claims that “anyone with this card will be able to easily try on and buy clothes using mobile phones and computers,” and that people with access to others’ smart cards could easily gift their loved ones with clothing without having to worry they’ll be the wrong fit. The project is still in the experimental stage, according to iFashion, but FnC Kolon hopes to have its virtual shop open by November.
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Phaidon’s Ice Cream: 100 of the Coolest Artists
Phaidon’s recent release Ice Cream, following its earlier collections Cream (1998), Fresh Cream (2000), and Cream 3 (2003), showcases a selection of works from 100 of the most significant up-and-coming artists working today. Ten famed curators selected the works to go into Ice Cream, which calls itself “an exhibition-in-a-book” that will serve as “an expert guide to the trends of tomorrow”. The book is not exactly subway reading material, hard-cover and a hefty 448 pages thick, but its a delectable addition to your library, filled with 700-plus images sure to entertain, provoke, and maybe inspire you for a good while.
[via JoshSpear]
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A Vision of the (Still Theoretical) iCar
The blogosphere’s been abuzz about a potential teaming up of Apple and Volkswagen to create an iCar, the rumor originating from a report in German Magazine Capital. Supposedly, the two companies are in the beginning stages of planning a line of concept vehicles that would integrate Apple’s features and designs with VW’s. Engadget directed us to ChrisD’s imagining of what the vehicle might like, a sort of old-school color iMac/VW Beetle hybrid. If the whispers hold any truth, we’re hoping they’ll offer a sporty line to match Apple’s new iMac aesthetic as well.
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Eulogy for the Compact Disc
Last Friday was the 25th anniversary of the Compact Disc. Rather than a celebration, however, I think a Eulogy is in order. In only 25 short years, the format is on the verge of extinction. You know the culprit.
The first commercial CD rolled off the production line on August 17, 1982 in a Phillips factory near Hanover, Germany. It took almost 6 years for CDs to begin outselling vinyl records, but the format would only shine for around a decade more, with the launch of Napster in 1999 signaling a change in the future of music consumption. According to CNN, sales of CDs peaked in 2001 and have declined nearly 22% to date.
Perhaps the fate of the cassette tape can offer some insight into where CD sales will stand in 10 years. According to the LATimes, sales of cassette tapes dwindled from 442 million in 1990 to 700,000 last year. I know what you’re thinking… who in the heck bought those 700,000 cassette tapes this year?
Why not embrace the death of the CD? Certainly all those compact discs being thrown away can’t be good for the environment. With the growth of hard drive capacity and online storage, we don’t need them anyways. The automotive industry seems to share this opinion. According to a Detroit News article from June 17th of this year, CDs may be gone from the dashboard as early as 2012. In fact, DaimlerChrysler already introduced MyGiG in 2006, a system that allows you to save your music on a 20GB hard drive. Countless other auto manufacturers are allowing portable music players to integrate with stereo systems.
Soon enough, we will file away the memory of the compact disc with the likes of the LP and the cassette tape. Until then, we’ll just have to let them take up space.
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David Rosenberg on Gaming Trends at PSFK Conference New York
David Rosenberg is the Director of Emerging Media at JWT in New York. Currently at JWT for almost two years, David’s group focuses on gaming, mobile and social media programs that utilize new media technologies to deliver strategic branding solutions for clients. This talk given at the PSFK Conference New York 2007 describes what’s driving the widespread adoption of video gaming and online worlds and what cultural shift video gaming was defining. (The sound is a not so hot in this video - but it does pep up after Piers Fawkes’ intro)!
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More Stories
No Free WiFi
Looks like we’re going to have to continue paying through the nose at airports or squished into cafes where the owners don’t want us. Wired says:Earthlink’s restructuring announcement, along with the company’s planned elimination of 900 jobs, seems to confirm its attempts at becoming an integrated service provider have failed. Yesterday’s news also calls into question the ultimate fate of already struggling municipal Wi-Fi projects in San Francisco and other cities.While there was no specific mention of such projects in Tuesday’s announcement, according to a filing registered at the SEC on Aug. 28, Earthlink will in fact be letting go of Don Berryman. ... continue reading
| 2 Comments Cape Town Fashion Week interview: Maya Prass
Maya Prass has built a strong reputation in South Africa for her approach to womenswear that matches creativity with wearability. Having made the transition from emerging talent to established designer in recent years she continues… ... continue reading
| 1 Comment The Trend In Trendspotting
PSFK got featured in Brand Strategy magazine (again). This time they looked at the theme of ‘Is there a trendspotting theme?’ An oldie subject but a constant discussion. ... continue reading
| Comments Jobs We Love On jobs.psfk
Some super jobs have been submitted to our jobs site by Deep Focus, MTV Networks, Nike and TBWA Chiat Day. ... continue reading
| Comments “Where Are The Joneses?”
We saw the potential of interactive branded-entertainment with Diesel Heidies, winner of the Grand Prix Cannes Cyber Lion, and recently we’re duly impressed by a campaign for Ford Europe called “Where are the… ... continue reading
| 4 Comments Here’s Who’s Going To PSFK Conference Los Angeles… Are You? Are Your Clients?
Abraham EventsAdvantaAppleARTISTdirect / MediaDefender, Inc.BREAKFASTCanvas AtelierCohn & WolfeD/R Added ValuedialogueDeep FocusFluidesignFraser CommunicationsFrog DesignGoodby, Silverstein & PartnersGrey SFIconoculturejackson/riveLeo Burnett USALook-Look, Inc.Music InteractiveNike, Inc.NokiaParadigmqualcommRaz Public RelationsRodgers TownsendRPASaatchi & Saatchi LASan Diego Union-TribuneSanctuary RecordsSeso Media GroupSeven Productionsspace150Sweet Talk… ... continue reading
| Comments Hugh MacLeod at the PSFK Conference London
In this 25 minute video, Hugh MacLeod speaks about how a small South African wine company called Stormhoek shook up an industry with a web 2.0 approach, among several other things (including Microsoft).
Click To Play
| 1 Comment Behance Network for Creatives
The company behind those Action Pads we love started a collaborative network for creative professionals that went live on Monday.
The Behance Network is a platform for creative projects, portfolios, and collaborations. It has a lot… ... continue reading
| 1 Comment Zipcar Gets
Zipcar, the International car sharing program that recently merged with Flexcar has made finding a car even easier. They’re rolling out a mobile strategy that will provide instant, anywhere access to it’s vehicle fleet… ... continue reading
| Comments Bullfighting
According to an article in the LA Times, bullfighting is popular once again among young Spaniards… ... continue reading
| Comments Hello, Charli: Heineken’s Brew for Women
Ladies, start chilling those mugs: introducing Charli, Heineken’s sparkling cider brew “for women”. The drink, which the Dutch beer brewer is expected to soft launch soon, is a combination of cider, barley malt and fruit… ... continue reading
| 3 Comments Reginé Debatty on The Intersection of Art, Biology & Technology at the PSFK Conference London
In this 28 minute video from PSFK Conference London 07, Reginé Debatty of We Make Money Not Art describes how today’s artists explore electronics, digital bits and even the so-called “emerging technologies” such as biotechnology… ... continue reading
| 1 Comment Nokia Follows Gaming Strategy With N-Gage
The press release says:The service allows you to try all N-Gage games for free from any one of the tens of millions of compatible Nokia devices in the market…. You can also share the fun by connecting with friends, challenging players around the world, and participating in community activities in the N-Gage Arena.”As we expand our focus from a dedicated game phone to a gaming service, we are making getting and playing games even easier,” said Jaakko Kaidesoja, head of the games business at Nokia. ... continue reading
| Comments Crocs Go Fashion With Croslite rt
Popular love-hate shoe brand Crocs is to take its Croslite resin and use it in apparel. ... continue reading
| Comments Filmport By Alsop
E-Architect reports:The materials used in this unique building are inspired by the massive ships that have been part of the Port Lands heritage. The roof will flood the mezzanined top floor with natural light and provide a spectacular view of downtown Toronto… ... continue reading
| Comments Hey! Nielsen Starts A Social Network
Yesterday we reported that CIA was starting a “social network” for spies. Now, we hear that Nielsen is creating one for, well, still not sure. But they are making one in Spanish too. From… ... continue reading
| 4 Comments Help Needed: Support The Alt Transport Session At PSFK Conference LA
One of the most important sessions at the PSFK Conference Los Angeles is our alternative transport talk where Michael Powers and Roberto Espinosa will be discussing transport culture with a great panel of speakers…. If you want to help out email me at piers at psfk.comPSFK.COM FILM PROPOSITIONSWritten by R.Espinosa/M.PowersPOINT A TO BThe concept is to choose point A and B, say WestCovina to Venice Beach and film one person or severalpeople traveling from the two points using variousmethods of transportation: subway, bus, FlexCar,driving, bike….The images would be bumped up against each other a laMike Figgs film TIMECODE.The film should run the entire time of thepresentation (approx. 40 min.). ... continue reading
| Comments Levi’s Quietly Drops Eco Brand?
When we asked about the jeans in the store, the staff didn’t know what we were talking about and eventually pointed us to the Capital E range (which may have replaced Eco we suppose - maybe eco wasn’t innovative enough for Fall 2007…). Eco Jeans are still available on the Levi’s site. ... continue reading
| 2 Comments Europe’s Biggest Scam – Tax Free Cash Refund
By looking at the crafty promotion of the service to entice visitors into stores and the huge effort to make collection of paid taxes as difficult as possible, we can only conclude that this must be just one big scam.Here’s our example – as we left Paris for Milan, when we found the tax office identified only by a paper-sign in the arrivals (?!)… When we left Milan for Newark, at the second tax office (the first was hidden in the corner of the airport and was unable to help us because we hadn’t crossed security… which made us wonder why it was there) we were told that we couldn’t collect the tax from the purchase in Paris because the store didn’t exist in Italy and that we had to send a letter to the store to help us get the tax back. ... continue reading
| 3 Comments Dark Planners Eric & Thomas On How Trends Don’t Matter In France
We recently spent a thoroughly stimulating evening at the new Park Hyatt in Paris with Eric and Thomas, two creative strategists who run the site DarkPlanneur.com. One of the things we discussed was the idea that the French don’t tend to respond to trends. They like to be independent you see. Therefore, they don’t follow what’s happening elsewhere. Or so they’d like to think. ... continue reading
| 2 Comments Timo Veikkola From Nokia At The PSFK Conference London
Another video to look back at on our run up to the PSFK Conference Los Angeles: One of the most popular videos from PSFK Conference London 2007 was given by Timo Veikkola, Future Strategist at Nokia\, on his Vision of our Future. As design is the reflection of society, how can we envision the future through trends, observation and informed intuition. What values, attitudes and behaviours of today will shape our future? ... continue reading
| Comments G Marketing Manifesto
Having been drooling with anticipation since the title debate, PSFK were lucky enough to get given a couple of early copies of the lovely John Grant’s new book the Green Marketing Manifesto. Our appetite now… ... continue reading
| Comments Buy By Phone, Berlin
German Rail Service Deutsche Bahn has teamed up with Vodafone for the development of a new ticketing solution. They are currently testing a service called Touch and Travel in Berlin, Potsdam and Hannover. The test… ... continue reading
| 1 Comment The Futures
Hosted by The MIT Convergence Culture Consortium (C3), The Futures of Entertainment 2 conference featured 6 panel discussions spread over the weekend. With attendace split roughly 50% industry and 50% academics the event provided a… ... continue reading
| Comments BoingBoing Revisits Comments & Gets Its Geek On
Whoa. Xeni Jardin just dropped by our office and told us that after seven years her site BoingBoing has been redesigned. The site includes three new features:
Logos, layout and graphics
Comments - which were turned off… ... continue reading
| Comments Fly Virgin America To The PSFK Conference Los Angeles
Virgin America are giving PSFK Conference Los Angeles attendees a 10% discount on flights to LAX. Thanks guys!Simply, book your tickets for the conference here - and we’ll send you a link. ... continue reading
| Comments New Young Pony Club
We can’t work out whether Vice shot this video for their VBS channel or they just cut and paste the video into their archives. ... continue reading
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