Mick Darling's posterousAll my blogging in one spot. (mostly)Filed under: readerCES Exhibitor Directory Connects You to 3,100 Consumer Technology Companies
The 2012 International CES was the largest in the event's 44 year history, with a record number of more than 3,100 exhibitors across the largest show floor in CES history.
VW’s Sequel to ‘The Force’ Super Bowl Ad Features Dog, Vader [VIDEO]A chubby dog gets in shape to chase a Beetle in Volkswagen’s long-awaited sequel to its “The Force” Super Bowl ad from last year. And don’t worry, there’s a shout out to Star Wars as well. Mark Hunter, CCO of Deutsch LA, which created “The Force” and the new ad, “The Dog Strikes Back,” acknowledges that the former ad was a tough act to follow. “The pressure is on because we did that great ad,” he says. “We don’t mind. That’s what we’re in this business for.” Hunter jokes that the Deutsch team went to work on the new ad shortly after the whistle blew in the 2011 Super Bowl. Actually, work began in earnest about six months ago. Over that time, the agency went through many, many concepts. “I would be surprised if the raw number of script ideas was less than 200,” he says. One of the challenges was to somehow work in a Star Wars reference. Hunter says the online Star Wars community is one of the reasons that last year’s ad caught on. One major difference is that most advertisers are dropping their complete ads before the big game. Last year, VW was among a more select group. The timing, however, is the same: The Wednesday before the big game. Within a day, the video had received more than 150,000 views. However, VW’s teaser for this latest ad, “The Bark Side,” already has racked up 10 million views since hitting YouTube Jan. 18. Does “Dog Strikes Back” live up to the hype? Sound off in the comments. 1. "The Bark Side" (Vokswagen)Not surprisingly, the sequel to the most-shared ad of last year's Super Bowl, and of all of 2011 for that matter, is leading the pack this year. Volkswagen released this video last week showing dogs barking to the tune of Star Wars's "The Imperial March." So does that mean there will be dogs in this year's ad? More Star Wars? We'll know soon enough. Click here to view this gallery. More About: Advertising, Marketing, Super Bowl ads, trending, TV, Video, VW, YouTube Florida Primary: Can Social Media Predict the Winner?The Florida primary is shaping up to be an important battleground in the war for the Republican presidential nomination, and it’s getting plenty of attention on social media. Mashable asked social media analysis company Fizziology to determine the sentiment around each of the remaining candidates and compare it to recent polling data. In the latest poll from the American Research Group (ARG), which was carried out by live interviewers from Jan. 29 to 30, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (with 43 percent) leads former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (with 31 percent). Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron Paul are following far behind, with 13 percent and 9 percent respectively. So, polls are predicting a Romney win with a close showing from Gingrich but little competition from Santorum or Paul. Does the social sentiment data match up? According to Fizziology’s analysis, Romney created the most overall social chatter (139,886 relevant mentions), followed closely by Gingrich (137,122 mentions). Rick Santorum had a dramatic increase in positive sentiment, but Fizziology also found less overall chatter around him (31,173 mentions) — suggesting a smaller but more focused support base. Fizziology noted that the volume of social media posts around a particular candidate has closely mirrored that candidate’s performance in a particular election. Therefore, its data predicts a much closer battle between Romney and Gingrich than that predicted by the ARG poll. Meanwhile, negative sentiment is on the rise for Romney, which Fizziology believes to be a byproduct of the increased scrutiny received by a frontrunner. Fizziology found that he has 48% negative sentiment and 10% positive sentiment (42% of Romney-related posts were neutral). Check out Fizziology’s graph on the top 3 candidate’s (per the ARG poll) positive sentiment throughout the nomination process thus far: Fizziology’s methodology works by using humans to analyze and interpret the sentiment of posts on the “big 3:” Twitter, Facebook and blogs. The company’s process isn’t a scientific poll. However, we’ve found in the past that social media sentiment has lined up with election and caucus results very well. So is it useful to look at social media sentiment ahead of an election? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, TPopova More About: 2012 presidential campaign, Facebook, Social Media, Twitter You wasted $9.7 billion on unseen online ads? WHAT?!
Thinking about this theme of relevancy – I couldn’t help but take a moment to pause when I came across an article from Clickz, noting that 31% of display ads go unseen. Let’s do some quick math here… According to eMarketer’s forecasts for 2011 – 2015 the US spent approximately $31.3 billion on online ads in 2011. $31.3 billion * .31 = $9.7 billion online display advertising dollars down the drain!!!! The article mentions that one of the main causes why these ads go unseen is that they are placed on parts of websites that are not viewed by the users. We’re talking about “below the fold” ads or ads in locations that someone won’t easily see — not to mention other reasons such as slow loading times, mobile devices/tablets or computer screen resolution (think of the vast difference between 600 x 400 vs. 1280 x 1024). Now I’m not one to go jumping to conclusions, and yes I may be slightly biased, but it seems to me that $9.7 billion spent on unseen ads might go to better use somewhere else – like social media. It appears however that I’m not alone here, as there are a number of studies coming out in support of social concept advertising. To further confirm this point, let’s look at a social advertising. You know you have seen countless statistics about individuals considering the product input/recommendations of their friends and family above almost anything else – in fact, more than 3 in 4 (78%) consumers trust peer recommendations, whereas only 14% trust ads. Facebook’s sponsored stories proves that these recommendations make a difference in ad recall, purchase intent and awarenessbased on advertising with a social concept versus those that do not. Given this data, it seems like a no brainer that social, leveraging relevancy and the power of peer influence, seems to be the most effective place to think about reallocating $9.7 billion. End of day, to really draw a line in the sand here and prove social media ROI we need to take a stab at redefining KPIs and success metrics for Social Media, but that is for another time and blog post. Bottom line – even if we haven’t figured out the exact ROI formula, you can’t really do any worse than spending money on something that no one will see…. from BostInno http://bostinno.com/channels/you-wasted-9-7-billion-on-unseen-online-ads-what/Apple Reportedly Investigating Television Set Components as Anticipation Builds
Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, whose long-standing claims of an Apple television set have been gaining steam in recent months as new rumors have surfaced in support of the idea, issued a research note late yesterday (via AppleInsider) discussing some new developments with Apple's work. Specifically, Munster notes that he had recent discussion with a "major TV component supplier" which disclosed that Apple had contacted the company to inquire about their products. The disclosure adds another data point to rumors from Asian supply chains that Apple has been working on a television set. The relevant portion of Munster's report is quoted by Barron's:
In Jan-12 we spoke with a major TV component supplier who has been contacted by Apple regarding various capabilities of their television display components. We see this as continued evidence that Apple is exploring production of a television. This latest data point follows Jan-11 meetings in Asia that led us to believe Apple was investing in manufacturing facilities for LCD displays ranging from 3.5″ mobile displays to 50″ television displays. In Sept-11 we met with a contact close to an Asian supplier who indicated that prototypes of an Apple Television are in the works. We believe TV hardware could be ready for a late CY12 launch, but the timeline and scope of a revamped content solution is more uncertain.Observers have been looking for Apple's next major product line even as the iPad and iPhone experience booming sales and the Mac continues its resurgence with long-standing steady growth easily outpacing that of the overall PC industry. The rumor mill clicked into high gear on the topic of an Apple television set with Steve Jobs' disclosure in his authorized biography that he had "finally cracked" how to revolutionize television technology. ![]() Rumors have since focused on an integrated television set involving iTunes and iCloud and controlled via Siri voice technology. One report has claimed that Apple design chief Jony Ive has a 50-inch Apple television set prototype in his design lab, although various sources have at different times claimed a wide range of sizes for Apple's TV set, from 32 inches to over 50 inches. Sources seems to suggest that Apple is shooting for a launch of its television set later this year or early next year. What remains unknown is whether Apple will be able to make any revolutionary changes on the content side within that timeframe. The company has made several efforts to work with content providers on ideas such as "best of TV" packages that would be made available through iTunes and enable users to in some cases eliminate their cable television subscriptions, but the company has reportedly made little progress in those negotiations. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Hardware Chief Bob Mansfield Cashes in Nearly $12.5 Million in Stock Options • Dexim Visible Green iPhone Cable Makes Charging More Visible • Steam Companion iPhone App Now Available to All Users • Explore Strange New Worlds With Sir Benfro's Brilliant Balloon • NASA Releases "Sector 33" Air Traffic Control Game Twitter Is Not a Media Company, CEO Says“Twitter is not a media company,” Twitter CEO Dick Costolo declared on stage at AllThingsD‘s media conference in Laguna Nigel, CA, Monday evening. The statement was surprising given Twitter’s well-publicized role as a platform for breaking news, entertainment and other communications. “You [even] sell advertising,” AllThingsD‘s Peter Kafka pointed out. “We’re in the media business, but we’re not necessarily a media company,” Costolo elaborated. “We don’t create our own content; we’re a distributor of content and traffic. We’re one of the largest drivers of traffic to other media properties, [namely] to other online web properties, even to films.” Costolo pointed to a Super8 campaign Paramount Pictures ran on Twitter last June. The studio promoted the hashtag #Super8Secret, through which it offered advanced screening tickets to the film. The film performed “50% better” during opening weekend than Paramount expected, Costolo said. Kafka and Costolo went on to discuss the origins of Twitter’s advertising business. “When you came [to Twitter] in 2009, Twitter’s business model wasn’t clear,” Kafka recalled. “Now it’s solidly an ad business. Did you push the company in that direction?” he asked. “I was certainly involved in it,” said Costolo. “The honest answer is that i was a key participant in it, certainly advocated for it. By no means was it my idea to create and launch the products we have now.” Kafka asked Costolo if the company explored any other business models at the time, but Costolo evaded the question. “The notion that there were other ideas we considered and that I disposed of makes it sound too palace intrigue-y,” he complained. “It makes it sound a little too Hamlet. The reality of life is that it’s a lot more Tom Stoppard than Shakespeare,” he said. Costolo likewise skirted questions about whether Twitter would have its first profitable year in 2012 — “We don’t discuss financials,” he said — but did stress the health of Twitter’s advertising business. In particular, he noted that engagement in several recent Promoted campaigns was above 50%, and that the cost per customer acquisition rate — by which we assume he means the cost per follower acquisition rate — is “fantastic.” At the moment, Twitter is less interested in developing new products or revenue streams than growing the ones it’s already developed, Costolo suggested. “It’s all about scaling that now, launching these products globally,” he said. More About: Advertising, dick costolo, Media, trending, Twitter Want to Speak at TED? Now You Can AuditionThe speaker list at the Technology Entertainment Design conference, TED, has included well-known names such as Bill Gates, Al Gore and Jane Goodall. But with an audition tour the organization announced Tuesday, the roster could soon include a new name: yours. TED will host auditions in 14 countries on six continents this spring. Anybody can submit an application on the TED website, and include a short video if they’d like, but auditions are invite-only. Favorites from live auditions will record short videos to post on TED.com for public voting, and the top 50 most popular contenders will be considered for TED 2013 programming. The organization began to open its prestigious and arguably elitist speaker selection list to contributions from the general public last year, when it launched a video audition application process. That process, which culminated in a live audition in New York, resulted in about five speakers for next month’s TED2012 conference. TED expects to choose many more speakers, about half of its list, from its new live audition process. That’s an ambitious goal. The invite-only conference is known for bringing the world’s top thought leaders together. Surely there are top thinkers with fresh perspectives who also have low profiles, but it could be hard to find them. The description of the auditions on TED’s website says the organization is looking for “undiscovered talent,” perhaps “the inventor,” “the teacher,” “the prodigy” or “the artist.” It is not, it says, looking for “product-hawkers, jargon-junkies, dullards, wafflers, motivator wannabes, self-promoters, spouters of new-age fluff.” But if the American Idol audition process is any indication, TED will likely sort through much of the latter category in its selection for the former. Photo credit: James Duncan Davidson / TED More About: TED For more Social Media coverage:
I'M A TURTLE!: Pocket-Sized Portable 'House'
This is a 'house' that fits in your pocket, created by Barcelona designer Martin Azura, whose work focuses on minimalistic and environmentally friendly constructions. It's basically an incredibly lightweight balloon that can be carried in your pocket and used for shelter. *patting backpack* Thanks, but I think I'm good on portable shelter. "Sssshhhhhhh -- he thinks he's one of us." YOU SHUT THE F*** UP, DONATELLO.
The Basic House is a temporary housing solution so portable it can be folded up to fit in your pocket. Created from a metalized polyester material, when unfolded it self inflates with body heat or from the heat of the sun to provide an instant shelter. Once inside the shelter, the material reflects your body heat to keep the user warm. If reversed the material will reflect the sun to keep a cool interior.Great idea, just stop calling it a house. A house isn't just an enclosed space, there's usually more to it. I dunno, a bookshelf or something. I LIVE ON THE STREETS. Meet the house that fits in your pocket [dvice] Thanks to Ashraf, who agrees if this is a house then the guy living on my corner with two refrigerator boxes taped together in an L shape must have a f***ing mansion. from Geekologie - Gadgets, Gizmos, and Awesome http://www.geekologie.com/2012/01/im-a-turtle-pocket-sized-portable-house.php Electronic Tattoo-Like Devices Monitor Brain, Heart and Muscles [VIDEO]We might one day be able to monitor our bodies’ internal functions — and prevent things like epileptic seizures before they happen — using a flexible circuit attached to the surface of skin. The National Science Foundation announced Monday that researchers are working on a prototype tattoo-like device that can detect heart, muscle and brain activity. Tiny curly wires in a flexible membrane make up these devices and work better than conventional hard, brittle circuits, because body tissue itself is soft and pliable. “We’re trying to bridge that gap, from silicon, wafer-based electronics to biological, ’tissue-like’ electronics, to really blur the distinction between electronics and the body,” said materials scientist John Rogers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “As the skin moves and deforms, the circuit can follow those deformations in a completely noninvasive way.” These devices could detect brainwave activity before a seizure and respond to the electrical abnormalities. The scientists also say the could be particularly useful for premature babies. “They are such tiny humans that this epidermal form of electronics could really be valuable in the monitoring of these babies in a manner that is completely noninvasive and mechanically ‘invisible’,” Rogers said. Check out the video above to learn more. [via CNET] More About: future tech, mashable video, Science, tattoo Twitter CEO: 2012 Will Be the Twitter Election“I really think 2012 is going to be the Twitter Election,” Dick Costolo said on stage at AllThingsD‘s media conference in Laguna Nigel, Calif., Monday evening. It was an unusually confident declaration from a CEO who has hitherto appeared remarkably modest in his communications. By saying that 2012 would be a “Twitter Election,” Costolo was not suggesting that sentiment analysis of tweets would indicate the winning candidate. Instead, he meant that Twitter has become an essential platform for reaching voters, and for gathering and responding to feedback in real time. “We already saw this during the State of the Union when [President] Obama made the spilled milk joke and a collective groan went up across the country on Twitter,” Costolo posited. “In the past, you’d have to wait for the networks to cut to the pundits after the address was done to discuss it. You don’t have to do that anymore.” “Washington is really starting to get that too … [It's] actively engaging in the real-time feedback loop now,” he added. “Instead of waiting for the rebuttal at the end, there were two senators live-tweeting their rebuttals [during the speech].” This kind of real-time engagement is essential, he said. “Candidates who don’t participate in the conversation on Twitter will be left behind [in the elections], The next morning is too late to respond.” He also emphasized Twitter’s role in humanizing public figures. “One of the reasons we’ve gotten so many celebrities from all walks of life [on Twitter] is because it gives them a vehicle to communicate directly with the people.” That capability could be crucial during election season, he suggested. More About: 2012 election, althingsd, dick costolo, Politics, Social Media, Twitter |
|