http://www.psfk.com Your Go-To Source For New Ideas And Inspiration Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:40:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.psfk.com/2008/12/location-based-game-encourages-players-to-explore-the-real-world.html Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:35:34 +0000 As GPS enabled devices continue to evolve, we expect the trend of online applications that engage us in unique ways with our actual physical environments to continue developing increasingly novel uses for our lives.  One of the obvious ways is through play.  We’ve previously written about Parallel Kingdom, a location based game where users’ real world wanderings correspond to in-game movements. More recently we came upon Turf Bombing, a game that forms players into loosely associated “gangs” through shared zip codes, and whoseultimate goal is to control the most territory. Participants complete these tasks by exploring different neighborhoods, cities and even countriesRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/12/a-present-for-the-future.html Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:53:04 +0000 As an alternative to the ubiquitous gift guides that always appear this time of year, each one claiming to contain all the ideal presents for everyone on your list, Changing The Present asks us to consider spending our money in more thoughtful ways.  Run by Important Gifts, a non-profit organization with an Advisory Board of more than 125 leaders with expertise across an entire spectrum, the website offers an easily searchable database of causes and non-profits ranging from sustainable agriculture and medical research to literacy and human rights.  Users are able to create personalized greeting cards to send along to theRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/12/amazon-selling-books-dvds-and-databases.html Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:24:26 +0000 Amazon Web Services, a subsidiary of Amazon, has expanded its offerings to now allow users free access to their large repository of public information with data ranging from US Census findings to the mapping of the Human Genome.  The model provides researchers with the ability to modify and share these data sets while only paying for any computation or storage services they’ve utilized. “We can set up a controlled environment in minutes, run our computational analysis for a couple of hours, and shut down the environment,” Dr. Peter Tonellato, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, said in a statement. “OurRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/12/live-drawing-competition-watch-learn-participate.html Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:58:10 +0000 The Jen Bekman gallery is currently hosting the Thrilla in Manila, “a no holds barred draw-a-thon” between artists Jane Mount and Jason Polan to benefit 826NYC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting youth writing.  The live art experience began December 3rd and will run until 6pm December 6th.  In the spirit of community and collaboration, the press release invites the audience to “come into the gallery, join in the drawing, learn how to draw, be drawn yourself, or just root for your favorite artist,” opening up the creative process in a way that can’t be captured by simply looking at aRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/12/lesson-to-be-learned-from-shaping-our-online-identities.html Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:33:37 +0000 At our Good Ideas in 2009: Digital salon yesterday, much of the conversation surrounded how our online identities are created, both actively – through our own decisions of what we share about ourselves – and passively – through the actions and perceptions of others.   Given that we only have control over half of that equation, how do we ensure that the best and brightest portrait of ourselves is seen by the wider community? Piers posited his “Red Coat, Black Coat” theory back in 2006, which proved to be a harbinger of conversations to come about approaches to online privacyRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/12/youtube-to-create-global-orchestra-online.html Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:35:30 +0000 YouTube’s latest venture is a good example of new approaches to collaboration: an endeavor to engage musicians from all over the world and create the first global symphony orchestra in the process.  Although grand in scope, the concept’s success relies on individual participation. To that end, musicians of all types are asked to record themselves playing any classical selection of their choosing, along with a piece written specifically for this project by composer Tan Dun entitled “The Internet Symphony”.  All videos of the original composition will then be rolled into one collective performance to generate the global event. Contributors areRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/12/facebooks-growing-omniscience.html Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:28:42 +0000 Today Facebook announced the launch of their latest privacy-taunting feature, Facebook Connect, giving its members the option of using their log-ins to share and see their friends’ activities on a vast network of third-party sites. Now, when users are streaming videos on Hulu or reading the SF Chronicle, for example, they’ll be able to broadcast their doings to their circle of ‘friends’ simply by logging into their Facebook account. While the web is already abuzz about the potential backlash from the service, NY Times points out its significance in the evolution of social media: Supporters of [Facebook Connect] say suchRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/good-ideas-in-collaboration-digital.html Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:40:37 +0000 The next two Good Ideas Salons to be held will be on the next two Tuesdays. On Tuesday November 25th, Colin Nagy (PSFK / Attention) will lead a discussion on Good Ideas in Collaboration with Amit Gupta (Jelly / PhotoJojo), Andrew Hoppin (NASA), John Geraci (Outside In / DIY City) and Matt Stinchcomb (Etsy). The PSFK team will start the breakfast briefing with a thought starter from our new book entitled ‘Ask For Help’. Tickets are available here. On Tuesday December 2nd, we will hold a discussion on Good Ideas in Digital with Chet Gulland (Anomaly), Johanna Beyenbach (Naked), MikeRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/media-by-the-people-for-the-people.html Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:06:59 +0000 The unprecedented level of media saturation in our daily lives is making it increasingly difficult to tell the truth from what can simply be passed off as bias. As the pile of online information grows, media outlets try to keep up by chasing headlines that attract larger audiences, whilst many stories go under- or unreported, particularly at a local level. Enter Spot.Us, a nonprofit project from the Center for Media Change. Their goal is to create a model for “community funded reporting” that brings journalists, news organizations and members of the community together in one place.  According to the Spot.UsRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/take-a-break-from-real-life-with-wiis-animal-crossingcity-folk.html Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:35:20 +0000 The Wii continues to reinvent the paradigm of game play with its multipurpose uses that blur the lines between actual and virtual worlds.  With the release of Animal Crossing: City Folk on November 16th, your offline desires have found a new online home.  The game’s narrative unfolds in real time as you navigate your customized Mii character through a world that you’re free to explore depending on your whims.  Watch a fireworks display or take the bus into the city to go see a concert – it’s your life to live any way you choose (except it’s not real).  IfRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/hulucom-inspires-internet-encryption-usage.html Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:50:53 +0000 Asian demand for internet encryption software originally came about because of local government censorship. Chinese wanted more blogging freedom, Thais wanted to watch YouTube, and other citizens with stringent firewalls just wanted to make VoIP calls in peace. Now, we’re finding another great use for the technology: catching up on the latest American movies and tv shows on Hulu.com. Apparently, at least for some, the price of having to sit through American commercials (not even intended for them) is worth paying for the instant entertainment gratification that unauthorized torrent downloading does not yet provide (at current bandwidth speeds). Hulu hasRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/a-new-future-for-coney-island.html Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:36:46 +0000 Coney Island has experienced a decline in recent years, owing to rising costs of real estate, mismanaged development proposals and a general economic downturn.  But despite all of these setbacks, the core aspects of the “world’s playground” remain intact.  Recognizing this, a new initiative spearheaded by the Municipal Art Society of New York is in the early stages of planning, hoping to return the area to its former glory. Aptly named Imagine Coney, the project brings together “world-class architects, engineers, amusement designers and creative producers” to collaborate on a new vision for future of the beleaguered neighborhood. An initial meeting took place atRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/making-cities-better-with-diycity.html Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:06:02 +0000 John Geraci, creator of Outside.In, recently introduced us to his latest project, DIYcity, a site and online-offline community devoted to “finding ways people can make their cities work better with the use of emerging web technologies.” DIYcity asks users to share their ideas on how to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability in their cities through user-built web applications (i.e. apps built on Twitter, Google Maps mash-ups, etc). Anyone in the community can submit problems they see within their cities, which others are then encouraged to suggest solutions for and/or develop apps to help alleviate them. The site just launched andRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/event-we-love-cildo-meireles-meshes-of-freedom-in-london.html Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:35:09 +0000 Londonist points us to a great social art project to be unveiled at the Tate Modern this weekend. As part of artist Cildo Meireles’ Malhas de Liberdade / Meshes of Freedom piece, thousands of Londoners were mailed a set of three orange plastic rods, all parts of a gigantic mesh to be assembled at the museum on the on Saturday. The community-assembled piece will become part of Meireles’ ongoing series of mathematically- and literary-inspired mesh works, which have been seen three iterations since his first mesh piece appeared in 1976 (in the form of cotton weaved together by a fishermanRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/eric-riperts-dinner-social.html Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:44:51 +0000 We love Eric Ripert‘s simple and engaging new project: Dinner Social, a way for (aspiring) chefs, foodies, and anyone else who appreciates a good meal to share a unique Ripert-style dining experience on their own. Ripert provides the menu, which includes two canapés and three courses (first, main and dessert), all chosen with the season’s freshest ingredients in mind. The Michelin star chef will even suggest wine pairings for each stage of the meal and a “step-by-step plan that will allow you to enjoy the party rather than working at the stove for the whole time.” Dinner Social hosts aroundRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/next-generation-marketing.html Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:46:55 +0000 View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: collaboration brand) The way we influence and interact through the internet is constantly changing.  We’ve all witnessed how user generated content has brought new creative potential to consumers and opened up the doors of online collaboration.  But while UGC’s impact on marketing and the way youth consume and create web content is significant, some believe it still has a long way to go.  Screenplay‘s Strategic Director Helge Tennø offers a compelling argument on the limitations of the current means for online collaboration, deeming them too rigid and presenting “artificial barriers” for participation:Read more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/09/ambient-awareness-and-the-digital-village.html Mon, 08 Sep 2008 21:13:35 +0000 This week’s NY Times Magazine features a thoughtful meditation on virtual relationships, ‘digital intimacy’ and the effects of our ever-revelatory online behavior on our real-life social and emotional lives. Clive Thompson takes a look at the growing universe of social networking and broadcasting on the web (resulting in a sort of vague omniscience coined “ambient awareness”) and asks how its increasing ubiquity is changing the way we socialize, keep in touch with friends and acquaintances, and come to perceive both ourselves and those we ‘know’. Thompson discusses the complexities of the interconnectedness we experience via Twitter updates and Facebook newsfeeds:Read more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/09/jan-chipchase-on-future-social.html Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:45:59 +0000 Jan Chipchase recently posted his presentation “Future Social”, a study of how the ubiquity of mobile technology is changing our social spaces, and vice versa. Chipchase’s tireless investigation into the ways people interact with technology around the world, in vastly different contexts, results in some great insight in “Future Social”. In his words: A summary [of Future Social]? As much of the stuff that we use to do things becomes smaller and end up in more (social) contexts we will not only evolve new use-practices but it puts a greater emphasis on communicating our intended use to people in proximity.Read more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/09/harnessing-existing-brain-power-with-recaptcha.html Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:42:53 +0000 If you have trouble with those distorted words while signing up for something online, you’re not alone. CAPTCHAs, as they are officially known, stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.”  Even after decades of research, computers can’t seem to decipher mangled characters the way a human brain can. Luis von Ahn, a computer scientist from Carnegie Mellon University, has developed a security system called reCAPTCHA that keeps that tried-and-true robot filter in place, but harnesses that basic human function for research. Von Ahn’s system pairs a real security word with a word from aRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/08/glassdoorcom-sharing-workplace-rants-raves-and-salaries-anonymously.html Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:21:00 +0000 Glassdoor.com is a site that aims to give users an “inside look at companies from those who know them best” – through anonymous salary sharing, ratings, and reviews of some of the top companies across several industries. A sort of Yelp! meets “Wall Street”. While the salaries featured, ranging from Creative Directors (a CD at Avenue A goes for about $132,500) to tax managers (at Deloitte, around $60,000) are a fun, though at times painful, read, perhaps most useful are the first-hand accounts of the companies from their anonymous employers. CEOs are featured alongside their percentage approval rating, and allRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/08/new-orleans-100-interview-with-zach-kupperman-of-policypitchcom.html Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:35:39 +0000 All Day Buffet has compiled the New Orleans 100, a list of innovative and world-changing ideas that have come out of New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. Designed to encourage discussion about the rebirth of the city, the NOLA 100 highlights the good that has grown out of the tragedy. PSFK sent a few questions to 5 of the groups from the New Orleans 100 list who are making change for the better in New Orleans. Next in our interview series is Zach Kupperman from Policypitch.com. The site is an online platform that allows people to pitch and introduce innovative newRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/08/better-than-the-van-for-rock-bands-who-need-couches.html Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:41:24 +0000 NYTimes’ Freakonomics blog points us to a new website aimed at helping traveling musicians find free places to crash while touring. Similar in concept to couchsurfing.com, Better Than the Van lists room/couch lenders and seekers, whom members can browse through and contact when they find an appropriate match. Members of the site can create profiles, post pictures, and leave feedback on the guestbook (the site’s informal vouching system). [via Freakonomics]]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/08/starting-a-green-restaurant-with-a-crowd.html Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:24:42 +0000 An article in the Washington Post examines a Washington DC project to start a restaurant utilizing a mixture of crowdsourcing and professional experience. Elements is an eatery that is slated to open in 2009, pending the successful establishment of funds and location. Aside from these rather large speed bumps, the idea has been hatched by a community of enthusiastic fans, all with a stake in the business. The prospect of profit sharing is obscured in the passion and supportive nature of the community that the project has created. A well organized website and an occasional meeting has successfully created aRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/08/earflcom-our-this-american-life.html Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:00:10 +0000 While exchanging MP3s online is nothing new, and now pretty easy to do with platforms like Tumblr and Muxtape, Earfl offers a more community-oriented means of sharing audio clips. On Earfl, users can upload, broadcast and browse through more personal soundbites – anecdotes, short confessions, and any other quick audio snapshots of their daily lives. Earfl is the place to find “real stories for real people” – members simply call the Earfl number, leave a message (just like recording a voicemail), and once they hang up, the clip goes online. Users can then tag their clips (with descriptors like “happiness”Read more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/08/hand-drawn-map-association.html Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:50:05 +0000 BoingBoing points us to a neat project: the Hand Drawn Map Association, an online collection of user-submitted cartography of places big and small from around the world. The maps range from quick scribbles of neighborhoods to detailed drawings of cities, sometimes accompanied by a story explaining how and why the map was made. Th HDMA allows anyone to submit their own found or made maps, and they’ll pay for postage if you send the real paper copy because they find it “so much more interesting and fun to archive.” [via BoingBoing]]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/07/location-aware-technology-and-the-threat-of-constant-connectivity.html Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:59:11 +0000 With location-aware applications and mobile devices becoming more mainstream, the issue of privacy grows. Nokia researcher Jan Chipchase offers an interesting perspective on the potential influence – and threat – of shared location awareness on personal space, social relations, and our culture as a whole. He discusses how the the breaking down of barriers between privacy, identity and geography mean more than just knowing where you are and what or who’s around you, but with it, a pervading loss of agency. He explains: If I’m frank, one of the enjoyable aspects of that small bar around the corner is thatRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/07/twitter-style-videoblogging.html Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:01:00 +0000 12seconds.tv (currently by invite-only) is a new microblogging platform that allows users to record and share short video snippets of their life – what they are doing, where they are, and what’s on their minds. Anyone with a webcam or mobile video recording capability can use the free service. Just like Twitter’s 140 character limit, 12seconds has a limit of, well you guessed it, 12 seconds. The idea is to share brief moments of your life, instantaneously, spontaneously, and on the go. Users also have the option of linking their 12seconds accounts to their Twitter accounts. [via TechCrunch] - ContributedRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/07/what-can-you-get-for-5.html Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:07:02 +0000 The Five Dollar Comparison aims to show how far you can get with a crisp Lincoln – a length that varies drastically depending on where you are. The site features user-submitted photos of things around the world that can be bought for five US dollars, ranging from a feature film at a theater in Lima, to a gallon of gas somewhere off the Highway 101 in California. It wasn’t until we dug around the site a little more that we discovered the project was the creation of an advanced design and research team at Nokia. Obviously, the project has noRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/07/despite-credit-crunch-peer-to-peer-lending-remians-popular.html Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:03:54 +0000 After launching in 2005, Zopa has managed to recruit over 200,000 lenders and loan takers, the peer-to-peer lending website reports. The loans that Zopa has enabled between people as funded the purchase of 13 boats, more than 2000 cars and motorbikes, 1200 home improvements and 83 weddings. Their press release adds: Since launch, Zopa lenders have enjoyed an average return of 7.3%, and over the last three months a much higher 8.9% (after charges and any bad debt). Given these rates are typically over a three year period and are effectively fixed, Zopa lenders are enjoying better returns than almostRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/07/uk-govt-turns-to-crowdsourcing-for-better-data-analysis-use.html Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:49:35 +0000 The British Government has created a crowdsourcing project where they hope innovative teams and individuals will suggest better was to analyze and use the data they collect. The project, called Show Us A Better Way, offers a £20,000 prize fund to develop the best ideas to the next level. To kick off the project, the UK government has made available several gigabytes of “new or previously invisible” public information especially for people to use in this competition. The SUABW site says: Ever been frustrated that you can’t find out something that ought to be easy to find? Ever been baffledRead more...]]>