Bloggers of social media analysis
Bloggers of social media analysis:
Links to blogs associated with social media analysis companies. Some are more work-oriented than others, but there are some good sources in here. via Megite Technology News
June 15, 2007
June 13, 2007
America's Army Invades Xbox 360 (Hilary Goldstein/IGN)
Just a quick link that carries the announcement from the US Army that they are moving their "video game" to the Xbox 360. They emphasize the "realism" of their games. My favorite counter-intuitive quote from the games developer "IGN: Will the single-player have gamers facing realistic situations based on the current war in Iraq or are you staying clear of this? Greenback: We are steering clear of any current Iraq situations as well as any other real-world scenarios."
That's the ticket, we want to use the game to teach tactics, but we wouldn't want the "realism" of war to get in the way.
TB and the Rise of Government Power
Effect Measure:Interesting read about the balance between freedom of movement and the need to restrict or control movement of individuals who can become pandemic carriers. Where is the right balance?
October 30, 2006
Where's Microsoft?
Where's Microsoft?:
A couple of days ago, I reread Ray Ozzie's famous memo to top Microsoft's top executives and engineers on "the internet services disruption," as well as Bill Gates's cover note. The sense of urgency in both men's words remains striking. Gates spoke of the software-as-a-service model as being a "wave" that could swamp the traditional software business. Ozzie said that "the most important step is for each of us to internalize the transformative and disruptive...
April 11, 2006
The Web-Powered Control Shift: Social Computing
The Web-Powered Control Shift: Social Computing:
The idea of social computing is getting a lot of play these days, most notably this week as folks discuss the fall-out, good and bad, of Chevy's own large-scale experiement in this space, Chevy Apprentice. Forrester's Charlene Li wrote some good coverage about this yesterday, as did ZDNet's Dan Farber. For those of you not following the premise yet, social computing is the fallout of the mass deployment of two-way style Web 2.0 technologies to a world-wide audience that is ready and eager to use them. What happened with Chevy Apprentice? Chevy created a community Web site where anyone could post their theme-based remix videos in an Apprentice style competition for their Chevy Tahoe product line. Over 22,000 videos were ultimately submitted.
Compellingly, Ed Peper notes on his the GM Fastlane blog that "early on we made the decision that if we were to hold this contest, in which we invite anyone to create an ad, in an open forum, that we would be summarily destroyed in the blogosphere if we censored the ads based on their viewpoint. So, we adopted a position of openness and transparency, and decided that we would welcome the debate." This led to environmentalists posting anti-SUV videos that were actually welcomed. This allowed Chevy to illuminate their position as the most environmentally friendly line of SUVs (Note: This is their claim, I have no idea.) While some believe it was marketing spin, I think Chevy was almost certainly poised to take advantage of both good and negative publicity, surely understanding that this was going to happen.
As far as I'm concerned, Charlene Li is absolutely correct when she writes, "if you're going to participate as a marketer in the social computing arena, you've got to have thick skin and be ready to engage in the messy world of your customer's opinions. Marketers that have the guts to turn over their brand to the public will in the end win over their customers." And Chevy apparently wins here. The question will be whether this is the beginning of a trend or a isolated incident.
However, phenomenons like Katrinalist and CivicSpace shows what's possible with these technologies or provide tools that fundamentally change the conception of how to create online communities spontaenously in terms of trigging network effects at a grassroots level. The sheer number of contributions in the Chevy Apprentice campaign is a fascinating data point. This shows us that sites like YouTube are not only educating folks about what's possible but is also making video remixing and sharing the new mass entertainment medium. This is true mass peer production amongst a now-global "audience" of participants instead of top-down production of media by a few self-appointed practioners. While the possibilities and potential are truly striking, there will many good and bad consequences of all this, not the least the relentless deflation and reshaping of existing media institutions.
The upshot: There is a giant bow-wave of user generated content forming on the Web. The bell curve effect tells us that the best of it is very, very good and will likely eclipse (sooner rather than later) anything you can get from commercial sources. Finding the good content in the haystack is getting easier and easier all the time. The outcome is quite clear, even while the economics of it very much aren't yet.
All of this highlights what social computing describes, the fundamental shift of control from organizations to individuals. The mass attention and participation of the global market is is increasingly moving to places like MySpace, SecondLife, and YouTube. And any other place where rewarding, social experiences can be readily had instead of the solitude of the one-way transmission of traditional media in the form of TV, radio, and newspapers. And these latter meda forms will become dramatically marginalized until and unless they figure out how to turn their viewers into participants.
Do Web 2.0 technologies and technique turn control upside down? Have good examples?
February 28, 2006
ASIA: Uneven preparedness for bird flu poses huge risks
ASIA: Uneven preparedness for bird flu poses huge risks:
Bird flu is continuing its relentless spread across the world, in India more than 200-thousand chickens have been slaughtered, after its first reported outbreak. The World Health Organisation estimates that 92 people have died from bird flu, most of them in Asia.
George Bush in India - what is success?
George Bush in India - what is success?:
Paul Danahar asks whether George Bush's visit to India will still be a success even if nuclear differences remain.
Indian budget pushes for growth
Indian budget pushes for growth:
... India's finance minister presents his budget, saying his country's economy will push for annual growth of 10%.. More on Wine Storage Conditions. Read the full story here ...
monopolistic426
Maoists massacre 25 ahead of Bush's visit to India (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Maoists massacre 25 ahead of Bush's visit to India (AFP via Yahoo! News):
Leftwing guerrillas killed at least 25 anti-Maoist campaigners after ambushing a convoy of trucks ferrying the unarmed activists in central India, police said.
India-U.S. Nuke Deal Key to Business Ties (AP via Yahoo! News)
India-U.S. Nuke Deal Key to Business Ties (AP via Yahoo! News):
Former U.S. Ambassador Robert Blackwill would often tell Indians that President George W. Bush had a "big idea" about closer ties between the U.S. and India, but for it to work trade between the two nations must become a two-way street.
