Lowcountry Open Land Trust
By mike | January 26, 2012
Just released some new work for the Lowcountry Open Land Trust. This is a group that strives to protect the traditional use of lands here in the Lowcountry by providing assistance to both public and private landowners to take that land and conserve it forever.
After the recent donation of land nearby Charles Towne Landing to the people of Charleston through Charleston County Parks, the Lowcountry Open Land Trust is taking a step back and looking to engage residents about the bigger picture of where they see the future of our landscape in the next 10 years through public meetings and ongoing dialog on their website.
Learn more about this great organization and the lands they helped protect, just what exactly an easement is, and how you can be a part of process at www.lolt.org.
Topics: Our Work | No Comments »
QR Codes And Magazines
By robert | January 26, 2012
Good new report from Nellymoser on the growing use of QR codes/action tags in the magazine industry world. Nice to see codes being used more thoughtfully, like this one:
For those looking to skip to the conclusions…
1. Mobile action codes, including QR codes and Microsoft Tags, continue to grow. From January to December 2011, the number of codes grew 617%.
2. QR codes are becoming much more common in magazine advertising. In December, more than 8% of magazine ad pages contained any type of code. This is up significantly from 3.6% in January.
3. Almost all action code experiences have been mobile-optimized.
4. Four types of campaigns dominate the use of action codes:
• Video demonstrations and branding (e.g., a look behind the scenes)
• Data capture and list building, with sweepstakes being an important use.
• Links to e-commerce sites and store locators for brick-and-mortar locations.
• Social media sharing with links to Facebook and Twitter.
5. The brands that most commonly use codes are in the fashion, beauty and home industries. In Q4, electronics vendors are retailers entered the Top 10 list for the first time.
6. Two-thirds of action codes follow the best practice of describing what happens after the code is scanned. Other embellishments, such as the use of icons, are less common.
Topics: Marketing & Tech, Our Work | No Comments »
One Giant Apple Tree
By shaun | January 25, 2012
After reading and attempting to put in perspective Apple’s 2012 Q1 earnings ($13.06 billion), I needed to step back and see why Apple is chosen over its competitors. Why are so many buyers so quick to go Apple? What is in their products that is not in their competitors’ products?
Note: I do not have any bias toward Apple, Google, IBM etc. I use what works best for me. I objectively critique any new product I buy, I do prefer some products to others, but do not assume I’m an Apple groupie.
What is in an iPad, iPhone or Mac computer that makes it so desirable?
1. Simplicity/Functionality (user experience)
“There’s a phrase in Buddhism, ‘Beginner’s mind.’ It’s wonderful to have a beginner’s mind.” – Steve Jobs
Number one reason why people choose Apple? Almost anyone can use their phones and computers, and if you can’t you probably could teach yourself. This is a direct result of well designed (sometimes too basic) user interfaces for iOS and OS X. Apple enables their customers by offering simple and eye-pleasing navigation via consistency and simplicity in their products. The easier someone can access their desired content, the more someone will use it. I think the Buddhist quote above was used as inspiration/motivation for the iOS platform. Nothing wrong with keeping things simple.
2. Hardware (elegantly designed)
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” – Steve Jobs
Most of us wouldn’t have guessed you could make computers so small, graceful and polished – one decade ago. Apple has become the bench-mark for great design in tech products. Why do Apple products feel so well-built and solid? Apple has a bunch of talented designers, but more importantly they make their own hardware. This was a passion of Jobs since his early twenties. He said something along the lines, “once you have an appreciation for great software, you want to make great hardware for it to run on.” Imagine designing an iPad from the inside out – each part of the puzzle (hard drive, CPU, memory, cameras etc.) was specially designed to fit inside the product. One of Apple’s most obvious hardware attractions is their screens. Since the majority of user-interaction on phones and tablets is touch, it is extremely crucial to have high quality touch screens. None of Apple competitors (as far as phones and tablets) have yet to notice how inferior their touch screens are. I’m blown away by this, 99% of the interaction on phones/tablets is touch, how can a company afford to offer a screen that does not respond properly?
Well, I could go on – but software (user experience) and hardware (power/design) are the only two things that go into a great computer product. Sure – Apple has great ads, cool stores, an impressive marketing campaign and the appStore, but all that aside…it is Apple’s products that have gotten them where they are.
Apple Stats:
- US smart phone market share = 44.9% (as of Dec 2011)
- Apple Overtakes Exxon as Most Valuable Traded Company In The World… Again
- $97.6 billion cash in hand ($64 billion of shore)
P.S. – If you haven’t read it yet… Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Topics: Life, Marketing & Tech, Misc. | 2 Comments »
SOPA & PIPA Shelved… for Now
By shaun | January 23, 2012
Today the Internet is free and pure. I see it as a physical form of what Carl Jung called our collective unconscious. It is a completely collaborative, user-generated platform we have built to share ideas with one another. It continues to grow into an incredible hub of information passing. Our World Wide Web is responsible for humanity’s greatest accomplishment to date – it has brought the world’s culture, ideas, languages, music, foods, etc. to one central place to be shared and experienced by all.
The Internet has brought many improvements to our lives – but most importantly it provided access to neutral and objective news. With increased exposure, came choice. Now, you can read multiple perspectives of the same story and then weight each to to shape a well-rounded view on the issue. Gone can be the days of spoon fed fabricated stories from America’s corporate media. This global sharing platform has provided the public access to more honest, less bias information that is vital to our development as a global community. The Internet is our most crucial tool in building a united global economy.
The smallest restrictions/limitations of SOPA and PIPA type bills could turn our Internet into just another glorified television. For those unaware – the majority of television is owed by a few huge corporations, and is used as a tool to condition the way you think.
Fortunately, Congress heard our voices! These bills will not be voted on tomorrow as they were suppose to be. Please – continue to promote a free and pure Internet – for the People and by the People.
Topics: Misc. | No Comments »
AT&T “You Will”
By mike | January 20, 2012
Greetings from 1993. Eerie.
Topics: Marketing & Tech | 1 Comment »
A Digital Army of Darkness
By sydney | January 18, 2012
Today is a dark day. And I don’t mean just because it’s overcast and rainy outside in Charleston. Today is the day of blackouts. Many of the web’s most popular sites are going black today to protest SOPA (Stop Internet Piracy Act in the House) and PIPA (Protect IP Act in the Senate). Although they haven’t completely blacked out their website (I’m not sure the world could make it 24 hours without Google..I can barely make it 24 minutes) Google has shown protest to the bills by covering its logo with a black censor stripe, coupled with a message urging users to “Tell Congress: Please don’t censor the web!” Wikipedia’s English sites have gone completely offline, taking a more apocalyptic approach with the message “Imagine A World Without Free Knowledge.” Craigslist’s red, white, and blue themed blackout page includes a snide postscript that states “corporate paymasters, KEEP THOSE CLAMMY HANDS OFF THE INTERNET!” A number of other, smaller sites have joined in the protest as well, including Reddit, Wired, BoingBoing, and WordPress.
Kind of like watching the static channel on TV...
Each of these sites has been asking their users to write to their Congress people to oppose SOPA and PIPA, with Google sponsoring an online petition which has the likelihood to garner hundreds of thousands of digital signatures (it’s already up to 3.3K +1’s as of 11:22 am). Many individuals have even joined in the protest by “blacking out” their Facebook profiles and twitter accounts.
... Math has never been my strong suit.
These bills have been controversial from the start, with many sites, such as Wired.com, likening the acts to “China’s ‘Great Firewall.’” The MPAA and Chris Dodd, who are in favor of the acts, have denounced the blackouts as “stunts” and “an irresponsible response and a disservice to people who rely on [the sites] for information and [who] use their services,” and I’m sure many college students who rely on Wikipedia would agree.
HOW WILL I EVER FINISH MY HISTORY PAPER WITHOUT WIKIPEDIA?!?!
Whether you’re for or against the bills, you have to admit that the grassroots response across the web has been unlike any other. Voting on the bills starts January 24th. With an Internet response this passionate, it’ll be very interesting to see how this all plays out.
Topics: Misc. | 2 Comments »
Jiminy Cricket, he flew the coop
By robert | January 17, 2012
Memorial Day can’t come quick enough for Wes Anderson fans…here’s the first official trailer for Moonrise Kingdom.
Topics: Life | No Comments »
The King of Instruments
By mike | January 17, 2012
Here’s an awesome video by the fellas at Lunch & Recess featuring Alex Collier of Sunday Entertainment. Alex plays the Bedient Pipe Organ at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist here in Charleston. In exchange for providing his talents to the congregation, he gets to hone his playing skills and hear how his compositions will sound with the backing of a full orchestra that the pipe organ provides.
Sunday Entertainment did the killer soundtrack for our Blue Ion video. Alex is way talented.
Topics: Life, Marketing & Tech | 1 Comment »
Say Tchao to the Mice
By shaun | January 16, 2012
g-speak overview 1828121108 from john underkoffler on Vimeo.
The idea of computers continually reshaping the way we live is not new news. We have been experiencing this metamorphose in all industry and our daily lives for decades. With machines and software we have brought about unimaginable conveniences, power and beauty to our daily routines.
One fascinating digital evolutionary step you should be thrilled by is the displacement of the keyboard, and its little rodent partner. Just a decade ago, most people did not believe it would be possible, but easier to surf their digital content via voice and gesture. The digital revolution will continue to accelerate in all directions. As for human computer interaction (HCI), I see the the way humans control computers being something similar to Oblong’s “g-speak platform.”
“The g‑speak SOE (spatial operating environment) is Oblong’s radically new platform. The SOE made its public debut in the film Minority Report, whose bellwether interface one of Oblong’s founders designed. But its full history extends backward to three decades of research at the MIT Media Lab. The g‑speak SOE implements the biggest advance in human-machine interface in twenty-five years. It also introduces:
1. a new model for multi-process cooperation
2. a real-world geometry engine for gestural input and multi-display output
3. an athletic new network layer for data translation, encapsulation, and transport
… and a host of other crucial innovations.
It’s the platform for what’s next.”
-Oblong Industries
Just as Steve Jobs brought a GUI to the personal computer – these new HCI options will uncover another sunny view of the digital horizon. A new perspective that will lead to new insights and higher capacities to learn. Which will in-turn reinforce the actuality of humanity’s boundless potential. When brilliant minds mix with savvy software ideas – we shape our future, rather then letting it shape us.
Yesterday you were drawing with your mouse and typing in the terminal. Today you are shaping digital art with your hands and browsing databases with your body. So what are you capable of tomorrow?
Topics: Life, Marketing & Tech | 2 Comments »
Clementine Bikes – Carbon Speed Machines
By josh | January 16, 2012
We just launched a nice temp site for our friends over at Clementine Bikes. Check back soon for a fully functional site with pictures and detail of the 3 bikes they will be offering.
But in the meantime, take a look at the fully responsive temp site. Adjust your browser size or view it from your computer, tablet or smart phone to see how it changes.
Topics: Misc. | 1 Comment »
