Writer, Agilist, Elder Geek
The presence of the Kno and similar specialty devices and specially-configured general computing device made me think of one thing – "pre-loaded software."
Remember when pre-loaded software was the bane of a new computer? Where a system, no matter how pristine, too often came with assorted programs, tools, and invasive software you'd never planned to use? Now it's a selling point – because people are getting pre-loaded software they want. Which made me think of some other potentials . . .
(Last week I suggested spontaneity and surprise were elements that people making media could use to add value and increase interest. I wanted to explore that more.)
As I've suggested before, spontaneity and unpredictability is an element of a media product (a story, a game, etc.) that can get, maintain, and expand people's interest in the product. Spontaneity, combined with relatively fast access to the spontaneous content, is a unique way to add value to a media product as its un duplicateable and plays on our love of the unknown and novel. Getting that spontaneity is thus important – but varies from media to media.
Every kind of media has its different advantages and disadvantages in adding spontaneity to it. Changing technology has also altered how this can be done, and changing expectations have altered what people expect. I'm going to take a look at the different kinds of media and how spontaneity can be added to them.
Lots of upper-management moves, changes in manga, and the worst commutes in America. It's must-know geek news time!
Economics/Geekonomics:
Consumer Bankruptcy filings up in September. *sigh*. This is probably people finally throwing in the towel, savings and lives spent, or weakened by the downturn they can't deal with a financial trauma. I also have to wonder if bankrupcy carries the same stigma it would have years ago – I imagine not, as many people experience it, know someone who did, and thus are more empathetic.
Those confused/fraudulent florclosure documents? Oh yeah, it's bad. A summary of a longer, paywalled NYT with the usual effective Ritholtz summary. The potential for lawsuits – and further financial trauma to banks – is great.
Location:
Take a look at the worst peak commutes in America.
Anime and Manga:
Changes to the Kodansha-Random House relationship: Kodansha will publish their manga directly in the US, with Random House's help. Sounds not so much like cutting out the middleman but reassigning him. Not sure what this means for progeeks, except the Kodansha USA branch may be hiring – and I'm sure that changes aren't over yet in the manga market.
Social Media:
Twitter has a new CEO, and he sounds big on ads, which would fit changes we've seen so far. I just expect as Twitter gets more "businesslike", we will see changes and expansions, so this may herald a lot of change to come . . . Oh, and here's Twitter's promoted accounts.
A look at event planning and social media in the future. A good read as, for my money, event planning is VASTLY forgotten by many software developers and service providers. There's a market there. If you do conventions or event planning, this is a good read as well.
Technology:
Is the sheer grind of Web 2.0 the bane of Web 2.0 companies, equivalent to the crash of the 90's/00's?. Insight from one of the TechCrunch people that I think is valid – I'm in Silicon Valley, and trust me, a lot of people feel overworked.
Video:
More on Google TV, including more ideas of how it works and what it'll have. I'm finding its hodgepodge of elements suggests to me they've got an easily-expandable technology. That means they can probably move very quick to add new streams, content, and more.
Video Games:
Warner Brothers has a new Senior VP of digital games in two divisions and he's a got a lot of experience to back up that choice (it soudns like enough experience that this guy is going to keep moving up).
DC Universe Online delayed to 2011. Sounds like they want to get it right. I think this has a chance to be a big hit, so whenever it comes out it'll be important to watch.
That Yahoo exodus last week? Former SVP David Ko is now the head of Zynga's mobile division. Another high-profile hire for Zynga, and more trouble for Yahoo . ..
And still in the promotion/hiring thing, Playdom's CEO is now Co-President of DIsney Interactive Media . . . sharing the position with someone from Yahoo. Disney's going to be focusing more on social media, it would seem . . . might be a place to send a resume?
The Escapist Magazine is hiring a PHP developer. You know what to do.
QUESTION OF THE DAY:Is the grind of Web 2.0 going to truly be it's downfall?
– Steven Savage