“Online video advertising is like sex in high school: Everybody talks about it, nobody really does it and the ones doing it are pretty bad at it
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sex in High School
Love this quote on a Videoplaza blogpost of their CEO Sorosh Tavakoli. So true!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Home in 2040
Academic
There was an interesting article in Tekniikka & Talous webzine in Finland about a design vision of a home in 2040. Below is the English translation.
”I wake up in my multiroom box and go from the bedroom to the bathroom. When I return through the same door, bedroom has turned itself into a kitchen, as my home will guess that it will the step in my morning routines.
The breakfast is already made. I spread the table wider with my hands and look around. I'm in a Parisian cafe. With a gesture of my arm the view changes in a safari scene. I pick up a banana, peel it up and throw the rubbish on the table, which instantly drops it into the waste disposal system.
I go to work at a wikibar, which is at the street level of my condominium. At the wikibar, I go to the brainfloor, which stimulates my senses and wakes me up for thinking. At the workconsole I will save the intuitive created thoughts and continue to the team working space. My colleagues are gathering there as well.
Our ideas are displaced on the walls, the space will listen to us and saves all the new thoughts from the brainstorming.
We have a break at the bar, where I get a new idea. I go the information display, which does offer me more info about the subject. After the break, our team goes to simulationroom to have a look at the plan, product or project would look like when completed.
After work I go to the condominiums meeting space. I will meet my family and friends, pick up an apple and sit by the river under a blue sky. In reality the meeting space is part of the series of rooms, but with display systems and mirrors, it looks very realistic outdoor space. In our room its spring, though elsewhere it could winter wonderland or a tropical sunset."
This is a vision of architecture engineering student Juuso Kangas about living in 2040. He is a member of the group which won a Finnish award for future visions.
The core idea around the vision is "metamaterial", in which the material will mold into the needs of the user guided by AI. Bedroom will become living room and the bed becomes a couch. The design sculpture becomes a table.
Metamaterial creates a wealth of opportunities. In the future, shops are not selling pieces of furniture anymore, but codes for materials that creates certain shapes.
There was an interesting article in Tekniikka & Talous webzine in Finland about a design vision of a home in 2040. Below is the English translation.
”I wake up in my multiroom box and go from the bedroom to the bathroom. When I return through the same door, bedroom has turned itself into a kitchen, as my home will guess that it will the step in my morning routines.
The breakfast is already made. I spread the table wider with my hands and look around. I'm in a Parisian cafe. With a gesture of my arm the view changes in a safari scene. I pick up a banana, peel it up and throw the rubbish on the table, which instantly drops it into the waste disposal system.
I go to work at a wikibar, which is at the street level of my condominium. At the wikibar, I go to the brainfloor, which stimulates my senses and wakes me up for thinking. At the workconsole I will save the intuitive created thoughts and continue to the team working space. My colleagues are gathering there as well.
Our ideas are displaced on the walls, the space will listen to us and saves all the new thoughts from the brainstorming.
We have a break at the bar, where I get a new idea. I go the information display, which does offer me more info about the subject. After the break, our team goes to simulationroom to have a look at the plan, product or project would look like when completed.
After work I go to the condominiums meeting space. I will meet my family and friends, pick up an apple and sit by the river under a blue sky. In reality the meeting space is part of the series of rooms, but with display systems and mirrors, it looks very realistic outdoor space. In our room its spring, though elsewhere it could winter wonderland or a tropical sunset."
This is a vision of architecture engineering student Juuso Kangas about living in 2040. He is a member of the group which won a Finnish award for future visions.
The core idea around the vision is "metamaterial", in which the material will mold into the needs of the user guided by AI. Bedroom will become living room and the bed becomes a couch. The design sculpture becomes a table.
Metamaterial creates a wealth of opportunities. In the future, shops are not selling pieces of furniture anymore, but codes for materials that creates certain shapes.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Staggering Teenage Online Habits
Business
I repost this info from a great blog site of Flypaper.tv. Go the flypaper post for links to more in depth data of the surveys.
Telegraph.co.uk reported that Teenagers spend an average of 31 hours a week online, according to a study by CyberSentinel. The study interviewed 1000 teenagers, all between the ages of 13 to 19 years. In addition, Paidcontent covers a music-related study around youth, which asks: would you rather go without sex or music?
Below we gather a few key statistics, in the hopes such insight helps us cater to our customers in more profound and effective ways.
Internet Habits Per Week (CyberSentinel):
* 3.5 hours communicating with friends on MSN
* 9 hours spent using Chat rooms, forums, MSN, and social networking sites such as Facebook to communicate with friends
* 1 in 4 teenagers polled admitted to regularly chatting with strangers online - the majority of whom think it is harmless
* 2 hours watching videos on YouTube
* Over 1hr is spent looking at cosmetic surgery procedures
* 1.5hrs are devoted to family planning and pregancy websites
* 1hr 35minutes spent on diet and weigh loss websites
* 14hours per week are spent surfing the net un-chaperoned
* 1hrs and 40 minutes browsing sites for pornography (If you do the math that equals 87 hours per year!)
* 1hr and 40 minutes spent downloading or listening to music
* 33% of teenagers surf the web in the bedroom, while 27% surf in their parent’s study or living room
* Thankfully, its not all fun and games, as these teenagers also admit spending a minimum of 3hrs per week use the internet as a homework and academic resource
SEX or MUSIC?
A recent study by Marrakesh Records and Human Capital shows that:
(Surveyed 1,000 15 to 24-year-olds)
* 60% of young people would rather give up sex than music
* 70% say they don’t feel guilty for illegally downloading music from the internet
* 61% feel they shouldn’t have to pay for music.
* 43 to 49% of the music owned has not been paid for
* The majority think £6.58 is a good price for a CD album
* They also believe downloaded albums should be £3.91, singles 39p
* 75 % have watched a music video online in the past three months
* 70 % bought a CD in the past three months
* 62 % played music on their phone in the past three months
* 52 % have paid for a music download in the past three months
* 45 % have played music on their games console in the past three months
* 67 % think radio is still the best medium for hearing about new bands
* 63 % say they rely on recommendations from friends for hearing about new bands
* 49 % prefer music channels like MTV for hearing about new bands
* 21 % prefer newspapers for hearing about new bands
* 17 % prefer music magazines for hearing about new bands
* 14 % prefer blogs for hearing about new bands
* 38% think YouTube is the best way for exploring new music
* 15% feel MySpace is best for exploring new music
* 8% think Facebook and official band sites are best for exploring new music
* 4% think NME and Last.fm are the least important sites for exploring new music
I repost this info from a great blog site of Flypaper.tv. Go the flypaper post for links to more in depth data of the surveys.Telegraph.co.uk reported that Teenagers spend an average of 31 hours a week online, according to a study by CyberSentinel. The study interviewed 1000 teenagers, all between the ages of 13 to 19 years. In addition, Paidcontent covers a music-related study around youth, which asks: would you rather go without sex or music?
Below we gather a few key statistics, in the hopes such insight helps us cater to our customers in more profound and effective ways.
Internet Habits Per Week (CyberSentinel):
* 3.5 hours communicating with friends on MSN
* 9 hours spent using Chat rooms, forums, MSN, and social networking sites such as Facebook to communicate with friends
* 1 in 4 teenagers polled admitted to regularly chatting with strangers online - the majority of whom think it is harmless
* 2 hours watching videos on YouTube
* Over 1hr is spent looking at cosmetic surgery procedures
* 1.5hrs are devoted to family planning and pregancy websites
* 1hr 35minutes spent on diet and weigh loss websites
* 14hours per week are spent surfing the net un-chaperoned
* 1hrs and 40 minutes browsing sites for pornography (If you do the math that equals 87 hours per year!)
* 1hr and 40 minutes spent downloading or listening to music
* 33% of teenagers surf the web in the bedroom, while 27% surf in their parent’s study or living room
* Thankfully, its not all fun and games, as these teenagers also admit spending a minimum of 3hrs per week use the internet as a homework and academic resource
SEX or MUSIC?
A recent study by Marrakesh Records and Human Capital shows that:
(Surveyed 1,000 15 to 24-year-olds)
* 60% of young people would rather give up sex than music
* 70% say they don’t feel guilty for illegally downloading music from the internet
* 61% feel they shouldn’t have to pay for music.
* 43 to 49% of the music owned has not been paid for
* The majority think £6.58 is a good price for a CD album
* They also believe downloaded albums should be £3.91, singles 39p
* 75 % have watched a music video online in the past three months
* 70 % bought a CD in the past three months
* 62 % played music on their phone in the past three months
* 52 % have paid for a music download in the past three months
* 45 % have played music on their games console in the past three months
* 67 % think radio is still the best medium for hearing about new bands
* 63 % say they rely on recommendations from friends for hearing about new bands
* 49 % prefer music channels like MTV for hearing about new bands
* 21 % prefer newspapers for hearing about new bands
* 17 % prefer music magazines for hearing about new bands
* 14 % prefer blogs for hearing about new bands
* 38% think YouTube is the best way for exploring new music
* 15% feel MySpace is best for exploring new music
* 8% think Facebook and official band sites are best for exploring new music
* 4% think NME and Last.fm are the least important sites for exploring new music
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Brain Hacking
Visuals
I guess these projects in advertising were inevitable. In a blog run by Taneli Tikka, he explains geniously the way to "hack you brain". Or more perhaps way to fuck up the way brain functions and operates the evolved and learned patterns of understanding the world around. Read the blog post for the explanation.
I wonder how many examples of such there is in the arts? What kind of experiments? There are many I know, most well known maybe Dali using this hacking of brains idea.
I guess these projects in advertising were inevitable. In a blog run by Taneli Tikka, he explains geniously the way to "hack you brain". Or more perhaps way to fuck up the way brain functions and operates the evolved and learned patterns of understanding the world around. Read the blog post for the explanation.I wonder how many examples of such there is in the arts? What kind of experiments? There are many I know, most well known maybe Dali using this hacking of brains idea.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Web Real Estate vs. Content
Business
Raising funding in the current economical situation is tough. However,Twitter has raised $35 million from Venture Capitalist. Well done for them for the amazing service that I as well use. Thou this raises some questions about the current state of online business and so called real estate.
For me, working on the online's content side, all the technological development and platform systems with API's are like real estate land. Currently everyone is racking up users as fast as they can, still not aiming to make money from the huge amount of users populating their service. Like Facebook, over 200 million regular users and very low income compared to their size. Obviously there are few examples like Finnish Habbo Hotel, which are actually racking up a solid cashflow.
I think all this architecture building should start looking for more opportunities. Like what to build on this land they have acquired? Technology, or kinda infrastructure is important and a base on everything, though the actual service and monetizing that service is very important.
Just relying on user generated content is not enough, because no one is really not interested to pay anything for it. It is low quality, badly designed and it is not regularly generated.
Raising funding in the current economical situation is tough. However,Twitter has raised $35 million from Venture Capitalist. Well done for them for the amazing service that I as well use. Thou this raises some questions about the current state of online business and so called real estate.For me, working on the online's content side, all the technological development and platform systems with API's are like real estate land. Currently everyone is racking up users as fast as they can, still not aiming to make money from the huge amount of users populating their service. Like Facebook, over 200 million regular users and very low income compared to their size. Obviously there are few examples like Finnish Habbo Hotel, which are actually racking up a solid cashflow.
I think all this architecture building should start looking for more opportunities. Like what to build on this land they have acquired? Technology, or kinda infrastructure is important and a base on everything, though the actual service and monetizing that service is very important.
Just relying on user generated content is not enough, because no one is really not interested to pay anything for it. It is low quality, badly designed and it is not regularly generated.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Dream of Forgiveness
Thoughts
What characterises the human race more, cruelty, or the capacity to feel shame for it. I'm lonelier and wiser now, and I know it isn't cruelty or shame that characterises the human race. It's forgiveness that makes us what we are. Without forgiveness, our species would've annihilated itself in endless retributions. Without forgiveness, there would be no history.
Without hope, the would be no art, for every work of art is in some way an act of forgiveness. Without that dream, there would be no love, for every act of love is in some way a promise to forgive. We live on because we can love, and we love because we can forgive.
- Roberts, Gregory David (2003) Shantaram
What characterises the human race more, cruelty, or the capacity to feel shame for it. I'm lonelier and wiser now, and I know it isn't cruelty or shame that characterises the human race. It's forgiveness that makes us what we are. Without forgiveness, our species would've annihilated itself in endless retributions. Without forgiveness, there would be no history.
Without hope, the would be no art, for every work of art is in some way an act of forgiveness. Without that dream, there would be no love, for every act of love is in some way a promise to forgive. We live on because we can love, and we love because we can forgive.
- Roberts, Gregory David (2003) Shantaram
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Diving to turn 30
After a lot of work, me and my dear family took a week of to dive at the Red Sea. This was part of the celebration of my 30th Birthday, which by the way is on the same day as my dad's 57th. I say, diving is just amazing. Can't talk enough of it. Here are a few photos.[gallery]
Monday, January 12, 2009
More Online Video Data
Comscore has announced its latest Online Video findings, with Americans watching 12.7 billion videos in November 2008 (up 34% from last year), watching 87 videos on average per person. Google and YouTube dominated the statistics, accounting for 40% of this online video usage. Fox Interactive Media came second ( 3.5% of video views), then Viacom digital (2.6 % of video views). Hulu topped the charts in terms of duration of video watched (avg. 12 minutes per video, vs. 3 min avg duration of YouTube), but in terms of percentage of video views it placed sixth with 1.8%. We expect this figure to rise exponentially over the year.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
CityVice won an award
Business
Last friday, on 12.12.08, CityVice was awarded "Willi Idea 2008" award for the best business idea in the south eastern Finland. The review had 27 teams returning their idea for the judge panel compromising from top public business development and funding agencies representatives. Such as Technopolis, Tekes, Lappeenranta Technological University.
CityVice won the awards with a clear unanimous opinion of the panel. Were were praised for the idea, markets that were well defined and for a team that has resources to make it happen.
CityVice salutes and thanks all who have been part of this so far. It is great to see such interest toward the idea. Much more to come.
Last friday, on 12.12.08, CityVice was awarded "Willi Idea 2008" award for the best business idea in the south eastern Finland. The review had 27 teams returning their idea for the judge panel compromising from top public business development and funding agencies representatives. Such as Technopolis, Tekes, Lappeenranta Technological University.CityVice won the awards with a clear unanimous opinion of the panel. Were were praised for the idea, markets that were well defined and for a team that has resources to make it happen.
CityVice salutes and thanks all who have been part of this so far. It is great to see such interest toward the idea. Much more to come.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Risto Siilasmaa Keynote in Helsinki
Feature
Risto Siilasmaa, the founder and former CEO of F-Secure (among other tricks of trade), kicked off Slush Helsinki last week with his keynote addressing the current economic situation. Mr. Siilasmaa is one of the most famous Finnish entrepreneurs of all time, having IPO’d F-Secure and now directing such companies as Fruugo, Nokia and others as a board member. Few very good points.
Keynote Video
By ArcticStartup
Risto Siilasmaa, the founder and former CEO of F-Secure (among other tricks of trade), kicked off Slush Helsinki last week with his keynote addressing the current economic situation. Mr. Siilasmaa is one of the most famous Finnish entrepreneurs of all time, having IPO’d F-Secure and now directing such companies as Fruugo, Nokia and others as a board member. Few very good points.
Keynote Video
By ArcticStartup
Friday, November 28, 2008
Web 3.0
Business
Last couple of years the development of the web has been dubbed as web 2.0, which is about the social media, networking and users contributing to the content. In addition there has been talks over terms such as Enterprise 2.0, in which the business development, intellectual capital and innovation come from community ideology. Or mine Creativity 2.0.
I agree that this is very important in the new age, and definitely networking technologies have propelled opportunities of a community based knowledge further than they have ever been. However, over a year now, I have said that such a huge amount of content in places like YouTube, needs curation and editing. Someone to edit the information to a package that is high quality and to the point.
Now there are indications about the next phase of web development, and its curating. Dubbed as Web 3.0. Here is a quote by Michelle Madhok, published on Beet.tv
Last couple of years the development of the web has been dubbed as web 2.0, which is about the social media, networking and users contributing to the content. In addition there has been talks over terms such as Enterprise 2.0, in which the business development, intellectual capital and innovation come from community ideology. Or mine Creativity 2.0.I agree that this is very important in the new age, and definitely networking technologies have propelled opportunities of a community based knowledge further than they have ever been. However, over a year now, I have said that such a huge amount of content in places like YouTube, needs curation and editing. Someone to edit the information to a package that is high quality and to the point.
Now there are indications about the next phase of web development, and its curating. Dubbed as Web 3.0. Here is a quote by Michelle Madhok, published on Beet.tv
"Web 2.0 was all about everybody having access...Everybody had an opinion," she says. "What we're looking for now in Web 3.0 is curation."
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Beautiful Mine
Thoughts
Every time I see you, the film of high heels and silver plates runs through the void. You can't ease what the pain divides, and I don't want this state of mind. You are a stress factor that I can't handle, while at the same time I prostitute myself trying to understand you. It is hard to be strong when I crave you like I do.
At the core is the ruthless and emotionless change within a day. Where is the smile, open heart and willingness to involve? Now, all I see is distorted dreams in silence. No vital signs just the violence. Please, push me away because I can't do it myself.
Every time I see you, the film of high heels and silver plates runs through the void. You can't ease what the pain divides, and I don't want this state of mind. You are a stress factor that I can't handle, while at the same time I prostitute myself trying to understand you. It is hard to be strong when I crave you like I do.
At the core is the ruthless and emotionless change within a day. Where is the smile, open heart and willingness to involve? Now, all I see is distorted dreams in silence. No vital signs just the violence. Please, push me away because I can't do it myself.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Online Videos Are Booming
Business
According to TNS Gallup's online video research 2008 (PDF here in Finnish) online video usage is booming through the roof in Finland. 40% of the users are watching videos every week. Most of them uses home computer to do this, a third at work as well. I however doubt that a portion did not want to plead using work computers for watching videos.
Men are interested about music, sports, news, lifestyle and porn.Women say watching music, news and gossip vids. Mostly free content is interesting, however 36% are ready to pay to watch films and other high quality content.
In addition, the research concluded that advertisers are extremely interested to use video as a tool.
According to TNS Gallup's online video research 2008 (PDF here in Finnish) online video usage is booming through the roof in Finland. 40% of the users are watching videos every week. Most of them uses home computer to do this, a third at work as well. I however doubt that a portion did not want to plead using work computers for watching videos.Men are interested about music, sports, news, lifestyle and porn.Women say watching music, news and gossip vids. Mostly free content is interesting, however 36% are ready to pay to watch films and other high quality content.
In addition, the research concluded that advertisers are extremely interested to use video as a tool.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Peace Is My Culture
Thoughts
I was thinking about another kind of soul, one that runs through every one of us, no matter where we come from. It's the pure, essential truth of what each of us is, and can achieve. All my life I'd been a fighter. I was always ready, too ready, to fight for what I loved, and against what I deplored. In the end, I became the expression of that fight, and my real nature was concealed behind a mask of menace and hostility.
They nailed their stakes into the earth of my life, and marked it with a new name, Shantaram - man of peace. Whether they discovered that peace or created it, the truth is that the man I am was born in those moments. The better man that, slowly, and much too late, I began to be.
- Roberts, Gregory David (2003) Shantaram
I was thinking about another kind of soul, one that runs through every one of us, no matter where we come from. It's the pure, essential truth of what each of us is, and can achieve. All my life I'd been a fighter. I was always ready, too ready, to fight for what I loved, and against what I deplored. In the end, I became the expression of that fight, and my real nature was concealed behind a mask of menace and hostility.
They nailed their stakes into the earth of my life, and marked it with a new name, Shantaram - man of peace. Whether they discovered that peace or created it, the truth is that the man I am was born in those moments. The better man that, slowly, and much too late, I began to be.
- Roberts, Gregory David (2003) Shantaram
Monday, November 17, 2008
The Soul Has No Culture
Thoughts
I was falling a sleep. At that very moment she came and touched my shoulder. Reached out to comfort me; only there and then did I see and feel the torment of what I'd done, and what I'd become. My heart broke on its shame and sorrow. I suddenly knew how much crying there was in me, and how little love. I knew, at last, how lonely I was.
But I couldn't respond. My culture had taught me all the wrong things well. So I lay completely still, and gave no reaction at all. But the soul has no culture. The soul has no nations. The soul has no colour or accent or way of life. The soul is forever. The soul is one. And when the heart has its moment of truth and sorrow, the soul can't be stilled.
I clenched my teeth against the stars. I closed my eyes. I surrendered to sleep. One of the reasons why we crave love, and seek it so desperately, is that love is the only cure for loneliness, and shame, and sorrow. But some feelings sink so deep into the heart that only loneliness can help you find them again. Some truths about yourself are so painful that only shame can help you live with them. And some things are just so sad that only your soul can do the crying for you.
- Roberts, Gregory David (2003) Shantaram
I was falling a sleep. At that very moment she came and touched my shoulder. Reached out to comfort me; only there and then did I see and feel the torment of what I'd done, and what I'd become. My heart broke on its shame and sorrow. I suddenly knew how much crying there was in me, and how little love. I knew, at last, how lonely I was.
But I couldn't respond. My culture had taught me all the wrong things well. So I lay completely still, and gave no reaction at all. But the soul has no culture. The soul has no nations. The soul has no colour or accent or way of life. The soul is forever. The soul is one. And when the heart has its moment of truth and sorrow, the soul can't be stilled.
I clenched my teeth against the stars. I closed my eyes. I surrendered to sleep. One of the reasons why we crave love, and seek it so desperately, is that love is the only cure for loneliness, and shame, and sorrow. But some feelings sink so deep into the heart that only loneliness can help you find them again. Some truths about yourself are so painful that only shame can help you live with them. And some things are just so sad that only your soul can do the crying for you.
- Roberts, Gregory David (2003) Shantaram
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