Writer, Agilist, Elder Geek
Steven Savage I hear a lot of talk lately about "gamifictation" – adding gamelike elements to non-gaming software and services. It may be achievements, titles, even controls – and the goal of course is to get people interested and using the software and services.
Let me state frankly that this is a great idea. I'm bang alongside it, and I wanted to explore just why I think it works, and why we need to pay attention to it:
Delicious may not be dead, Kindle on Android gets upgraded, and some directions at Amazon become apparent. Lets go!
This Holiday Season, here's Over 75 ways to do good with social media
Geek Law:
More details on the siezure of domain names by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. Didn't know about this? Exactly.
Comics:
Well if it wasn't enough people get angry over the actor playing Heimdall in Thor, they're angry that the French Batman is an Algerian Muslim. Again a reminder that comics and comic properties are getting more and more attention, because people with way too much time on their hands and a need to feel superior to others are ragging on them.
Movies:
SyFy to team up with Universal to make movies. These are small/moderate budget films. Jokes aside, not a bad venture – and I bet they get a heck of a first run deal from . . . themselves.
Publishing:
Kindle for Android will be the first to get an upgrade that allows subscribing and reading to newspapers. There's a win for Amazon, and a technological middle finger to Apple. Combine this with their "Cloud Kindle" and Amazon is improving things at a nice clip.
A look at the Kobo strategy. I still think Kobo is doomed, but this may give you some ideas of features e-Readers need, and a good point is made that you can target people who don't want tablets.
Social Media:
The fear of Delicious going away may be mitigated by the fact Yahoo wants to sell it. Hmmm, hey AOL . . . .
RIM may be raising it's social media profile with an acquisition of social data aggregator Gist. Also interesting, that 92% of RIMs growth is outside of the US. Sounds like whatever RIM does (and from what I'm seeing people have VERY strong differences over their future) it's going to need to be global.
Technology:
Jon Rubinstein joints the Board of Directors at Amazon. He's got quite a lot of experience at Palm HP< and Apple (one of the guys behind the iPod). He knows his media, which gives you big hint where Amazon is heading.
Video Games:
OpenFeint launches its game channel with group discounts. They've been pretty scrappy (and the backing they have gotten hasn't hurt) so I give them a good chance of making something of this. Social-mixed-with-games seems to be a big trend anyway.
I've spent a lot of Frustration Fridays being rather non ranty and morose. Indeed, I'm sorry to disappoint my readers used to some fire and brimstone, or at least sparks and interesting rocks that smell funny.
But I do want to add a rather positive rant, and that is the fact that, in the technical and media wonderland I'm getting tired of having too many cool things to enjoy.
Oh I don't want it to end, seriously. I love having games from decades ago, new comics, old books, and fascinating gizmos to play with. It's just by now I'm overwhelmed with cool things.
I have Pocket Legends on my Android Phone, a lovely and fun and easy MMO that cries for attention. I've got DLC on my XBox to play. I've got eBooks to look at, books to read, new websites to check out . . . and that's while I'm still diving headfirst into the marvels of mobile.
Then there's the services. Netflix ensures that I can do an Invader Zim marathon. I've got newsfeeds keeping me informed of everything. I'm in touch all over the world with Social Media.
Congratulations world, you've created an ever-expanding geek dream and it's overwhelming me.
Oh, and don't stop, Keep it coming.
– Steven Savage