Great example of data made beautiful

Also from Contagious, a fantastic example of how the imaginative use of data, this time comments and profile information from dating sites, can turn information into something creative and visually stunning that can be interacted with in the real world... awesome

The wonderful Jonathan Harris of 10x10 fame has launched www.iwantyoutowantme.org with Sep Kamvar. The project has been commissioned by New York’s MOMA to explore the search for love and online dating through his res touch screen monitors. Have a look at the installation here:

A real, virtual life getting closer?

Here's a link BusinessWeek's special report on virtual life, ' the coming virtual web' section: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2007/tc20070416_780263.htm

They are putting the arrival of a functioning virtual web as decades away... i personally think it'll happen somewhat faster; most likely driven out of Asia where the ability of people to have virtual selves, combined with anywhere, anytime access via mobile phone, will make a viable, parallel life a reality.

Imagine... Send you virtual self off from your phone to do your shopping, news gathering, banking and maybe get lucky...

Check this out from Vollee

Cooooooooooooooooool webcam driven interface

Found on Contagious - Mouse No More - 22/04/2008

The bizarre technologies of Minority Report are becoming increasingly likely every time we look up. Microsoft’s Surface technology was followed quickly by its miniature parallel the iPhone and now even musical loon Björk is touring with a reacTable. This kind of advanced interactivity is now coming to websites, thanks to UK design agency Clusta who have developed what they claim is the first ever commercial website to be navigated and controlled by movement, picked up via webcam.

The technology has been developed for Publicis and Hal Riney (www.hrp.com) with a demo hosted at http://hrp.clusta.com. The site is controlled by waving your hands to virtually touch or swipe the screen, connecting with ‘hotspots’ to navigate through different areas of the site.

Matthew Clugston, creative director at Clusta told Contagious: ‘Clusta is trying to create a more immersive and engaging experience for users - this is obviously something very valuable to both brands and businesses. Hal Riney were brave enough to utilise a technology ordinarily only seen in the games community - but the publicity and the immersiveness we managed to create for the user has paid off for them.’

Clusta hopes that the site could put an end to Repetitive Strain Injury or even lead the way for a computer interface based entirely around gestures and movements. The next step for the technology is to recognise speed of movement and then develop the grabbing and dropping of objects around the screen.

Clugston continues: ‘From there, we’re moving into the realms of virtual shopping where consumers will conceivably be able to virtually walk around a fully functioning digitally created music store to pick up their latest 3D movies. Such technology is closer than many people think and we’re working hard to make that day a not-too-distant reality.’

Philip K. Dick would approve.

Smarter shopping

Here's a few very digital developments from a space that would be last on most people's list of where to look for digital innovation: the supermarket.

Asda & Orange in the UK provide an excellent example of looking at digital 'beyond the banner'.
Using a bit of knowledge about your customers, some great technology and an understanding of the branded service as an ideal digital marketing approach come together to create what looks like a great way to get the blokes out shopping. Now how can they tie in involvement from the wives and girlfriends? See the articles from Brand Republic and PSKF


Looking past the trolley to the supermarket itself as an interactive space, check out German's Metro Group future store : http://www.future-store.org

A great place to check out the latest in RFID innovation and keep your finger on the pulse of all things digital in retail

Can Sony turn everyhting into a playground?

A couple recent pieces of work from Sony.

The first a really nice idea for bringing the real and digital worlds together. People interacting with a digital tool to effect changes in the real world which are then transmitted back to the digital world via web cam.
Fun for the punters, excellent brand ownership of 'colour' and a great example of thinking about digital as a means to enhance the physical world:http://www.777interactive.jp/awards/2008/bravia/e/index.html

And then next the latest edition to the 'like no other' TVC series, this time with foam for digital cameras/camcorders. Simply stunningly beautiful visuals and audio, but i can;t help thinking that some time soon they've got to deliver something that's either part determined more by people, or can really be interacted with: http://www.sony.co.uk/images

Blu-ray stats

Wow - i guess this pretty much covers all the stats you could possibly want on blu-ray

Interesting finance site

http://burnrate.ca/