Media-rich urban shared experience
The Tao of Mac - Sony/MyloSony/Mylo
A Sony consumer device reminiscent of the PSP, but with Skype support and (hopefully) a better browser.
Sony’s Mylo (My Life Online) seems to be a cross-over between a Danger’s Sidekick and a PSP. It’s basically a new handheld device that has interesting capabilities as reported by BBC:
The pocked-sized gadget, called the mylo, will sell for about $350, according to the Associated Press. It has a small display and keyboard and is pitched at the young, mainstream market who use IM and are interested in making net telephone calls. Sony has formed a partnership with Skype for net phone calls and with Yahoo and Google for instant messaging. The mylo, which stands for ‘my life online’, will only be available in the United States.
The so-called personal communicator doubles as a portable media player. It can play music, and screen photos and videos that are stored on its internal one gigabyte of flash memory or optional Memory Stick cards.
What about the PSP and Mylo? BBC’s comment about that is also true:
It too has wi-fi, can play music and video, display photos and is technically capable of supporting instant messaging and internet telephone calls. But the wi-fi functionality has yet to be taken advantage of by the company. It is not clear if the mylo will be a rival to, or complementary to, the PSP.
Why do I blog this? yet another handheld, nice design, time will tell. With this sort of device (Swisscom release a sort-of similar product), I am always wondering about pricing, especially regarding IM but in this case; but if it can take advantage of Wifi, that might be easier (the next step is to find a free hotspot).
"(Via pasta and vinegar.)
Flashpackers: "
'Flashpackers,' reports The Oregonian, upload photos, podcast, e-mail and text message as they travel.
Mobile technologies and social coordination in urban environments: "
In the last issue of the Receiver, there is a paper by Lee Humphreys about mobile technologies and social coordination in urban environments which is of great interest to my research.
Starting from Rich Ling & Birgitte Yttri’s seminal work about that question (see the paper ‘Nobody sits at home and waits for the telephone to ring:’ Micro and hyper-coordination through the use of the mobile telephone), she is investigating ‘how people use mobile phones within their social networks in the course of their everyday lives‘. What is interesting is that tit does not only described coordination patterns but ‘also the subtle communicative exchanges used in a complex mobile world (…) What do you communicate? How do you communicate? With whom do you communicate? ‘.
An efficient way to coordinate in her study was ‘mobile broacasting’ (’ Text messages can also be broadcast from one person to several or even many people.‘).
The mobile phone becomes a good tool for the exchange of duration information and coordinating the when of casual social interactions.
(…)
The where of coordination is also more complex than just a venue name or address. A venue name can suggest quite a bit of social information used by people in order to determine who will meet up. (…) Location is not just longitude and latitude or even a street address, but also includes important social information (…) the proximity of the venue is also an important determinant in who will show up
(…)
The who of coordination is also a complex negotiation of casual social interaction. One of the interesting elements of broadcasting is that users can see who is coordinating meeting up — to whom was the message sent. This visibility allows for the exchange of complex social informationShe also discusses issues that needs to be negotiated such as freedom vs. constraint and social performance vs. social functionality, but this is less my focus.
"
Why do I blog this? the research I am carrying out in my PhD is about how people use the location of others as a resources for coordination. Even though it’s much more CSCW-oriented that Lee’s work, there are some interesting lessons to draw from her work. I have to grab an academic paper about that.(Via pasta and vinegar.)
"The heaviest mobile users even display the typical signs of "cold turkey" drug withdrawal - anxiety, restlessness and even panic - when parted from their phones.
The psychological cost of excessive mobile phone use was highlighted in a study published yesterday by Queensland University in Australia.
Diana James, the academic who led the study, said: "Mobile phone addiction is going to surpass internet addiction because at least you can walk away from your computer."
I see web 2.0 as the Intelligent web or ‘harnessing collective intelligence’
Mobile web 2.0 extends the principle of ‘harnessing collective intelligence’ to restricted devices
The seemingly simple idea of extending web 2.0 to mobile web 2.0 has many facets - for instance :
a) What is a restricted device?
b) What are the implications of extending the web to restricted devices?
c) As devices become creators and not mere consumers of information - what categories of intelligence can be captured/harnessed from restricted devices?
d) What is the impact for services as devices start using the web as a massive information repository and the PC as a local cache where services can be configured?
Restricted devices: A broad definition of a ‘restricted device’ is not easy. The only thing they all have in common is - ‘they are battery driven’. But then - watches have batteries?
A better definition of restricted devices can be formulated by incorporating Barbara Ballard’s carry principle.
Thus, a restricted device could now be deemed as
a) Carried by the user
b) battery driven
c) Small(by definition)
d) Probably multifunctional but with a primary focus
e) A device with limited input mechanisms(small keyboard)
f) Personal and personalised BUT
g) Not wearable (that rules out the watch!). But, there is a caveat, a mobile device in the future could be wearable and it's capacities may well be beyond what we imagine today. The input mechanism in the future will not be a key stroke on such devices, but a movement or sound. So, this is an evolving definition.
Finally, there is a difference between a ‘carried’ device and a ‘mobile device which is in a vehicle’.
For example - in a car, a GPS navigator is a ‘mobile device’ and in a plane, the in-flight entertainment screen is also ‘mobile’. However, both these devices are not ‘carried by a person’ and do not have the same screen/power restrictions as devices that are carried by people.
However, whichever way you look at it, it's clear that the mobile phone is an example of a restricted device. From now on - we use the definition of mobile devices interchangeably with ‘restricted devices’ and the meaning will be clearer in the context.
Extending the web to restricted devices: It may seem obvious - but web 2.0 is all about the ‘web’ because web 2.0 could not have been possible without the web. Thus, in a ‘pure’ definition - web 2.0 is about ‘harnessing collective intelligence via the web’. When we extend this definition to ‘mobile web 2.0’ - there are two implications :
a) The web does not necessarily extend to mobile devices
b) Even though the web does not extend to mobile devices, intelligence can still be captured from mobile devices.
The seven principles of web 2.0 speak of this accurately when they discuss the example of the ipod/iTunes. The ipod uses the web as a back end and the PC as a local cache. In this sense, the service is ‘driven by the web and configured at the PC’ but it is not strictly a ‘web’ application because it is not driven by web protocols end to end(ipod protocols are proprietary to Apple).
Tim O Reilly puts it succinctly in his response to my post on the O Reilly radar when he says ..
So writes Ajit Jaokar, arguing that "Harnessing Collective Intelligence" is the root principle of Web 2.0, and the others make sense to the extent that you understand how they feed into (and draw from) this one. He's absolutely right: the web is mechanism only. And it's "web" only by naming convenience, because much as the internet was originally defined as "a network of networks," the web is becoming "a web of webs," as various mechanisms for harnessing and aggregating collective intelligence start to interconnect. In particular, Ajit's focus is on the mobile web, which doesn't have much in common technically with the http-based web, but everything in common with Web 2.0.
Thus, the characteristics(distinguishing principles) of mobile web 2.0 are:
a) Harnessing collective intelligence through restricted devices i.e. a two way flow where people carrying devices become reporters rather than mere consumers
b) Driven by the web backbone - but not necessarily based on the web protocols end to end
c) Use of the PC as a local cache/configuration mechanism where the service will be selected and configured
As usual, I seek your thoughts and feedback on this concept.
According to The New York Times, "Nielsen Entertainment is planning on using cellphone text messages to collect data on consumers' opinions . The initiative will aim first at moviegoers, with cellphone text messages sent during trips to the movies"."The text messages will ask cellphone users about specific products, brands and services that appeared during the theater visit, perhaps in an ad before the movie or in a product placement. Or, the studios could use the technology to get an instant reading on the response to blockbuster films on opening weekends.
... Cellphone numbers will be collected from visitors to MovieTickets.com, a ticket-purchase Web site. When moviegoers are buying tickets, they will be asked if they would like to take part; they are asked again in a follow-up message."
Radio Map, by Michael Hohl and Stephan Huber, is an immersive telematic environment that enables participants to walk about a projected photorealistic image of the Earth and listen to live internet radio programs that are located at the corresponding locations all over the world.
Once a person walks about the map, a graphic element is placed into the direction of movement. Called the PoI (Point of Interest), it is used to select radio stations. Should more participants enter the space, all their lines connect to this single element, creating a shared PoI, which is placed in the calculated middle of all participants. The individuals have to collaborate to navigate the PoI. This encourages complete strangers to act as a group while exploring the map for radio stations.
As the PoI approaches the location of a radio station its volume increases giving the impression of "tuning in" to it. If the PoI is located between two or more stations that are close together their signals would mix. This creates potential for surprising "mixing" of the sound. Yet participants are always able to accurately “tune into” a station avoiding disturbing effects.
Experiencing the content and local colour of the actual radio programs invokes surprise. Participants become aware of different time zones, weather conditions, Summer and Winter, and the fact that we are living on a globe that is rotating around the Sun.
Related: Gravity and Resistance, The Earth as a CD player.
Via res-qualia.
RFID Snakes and Ladders is a game currently played at the Media Centre, Huddersfield, until June 2nd.
The rules are the same as the traditional game, except the whole building - which is home to over 120 separate small businesses - becomes part of the game board.
Players get a counter containing an RFID chip. They have to pass it in front of the giant dice and check how far they ‘rolled’ on a connected website. If they land at the bottom of the ladder, they pass their counter in front of the model ladder to climb it. If they hit the head of a snake, it’s a slippery slide unless they get to the model snake in time.
Models are placed around the Media Centre: in the entrance, the café bar and outside the lifts.
Players take a turn every three hours (unless they throw a six or land on a snake or a ladder, when they have to act quickly). In this way the game becomes part of the normal working day. Players might take a turn when they first arrive, another when they grab a coffee, and another at lunchtime.
And if they land on a bonus square, they get a secret prize. Players who reach the top square first win prizes from the centre’s Café Ollo menu.
RFID Snakes and Ladders is a great way of connecting people who inhabit the same location, but who often feel isolated from each other.
"After the Media Centre we hope to test the game in places where people are in danger of feeling cut off or lonely," said Andrew Wilson of Blink Media. "For example in sheltered housing or the children’s ward of a hospital, where playing a simple, ongoing game with others might help to bring people together face to face."
Developed by new media company Blink. Game programming and web design by C.H.I.P.S.. Hardware by Daniel Blackburn of Carbon Based Games. Illustrations by Andy Sykes. Models by Richard Dawson.
Thanks Stefan!
Update: It appears that the initiative is not the work of Google tagging New York nor an initiative mandated by government regulation, but something as distant as an accounting standard titled GASB 34 issuing municipalities financial reporting requirements to maintain their credit ratings.
Interesting geodata can emerge from anywhere indeed. As so many times before, we only need inherent openness and creativity to harness the unintended uses.
On the Geowanking mailing list comes rumour from Dodgeball's Dennis Crowley that light posts on Manhattan are being geotagged.
Start looking at all the light posts in the city, about 7-8 feet off the ground. Every single one has a barcode.Steve Bull clued me in to this on Wednesday night. He said a few weeks ago, he was walking along and ran into a few guys with a huge GPS unit and a 6-foot antenna. They were placing the bar codes and correlating them with their respective geocoords. He didn't know who they were or why there were doing it.
Does anyone know what's going on?
Space Invaders 2006 is an outdoor video game that takes advantage of real world architecture spaces and transforms them into a game playground. Basically, the video game is projected onto a building. The player controls an aircraft by moving his/her body in the space to shoot down the invaders before they move off the building.
The invaders come out of the wall cracks and move down to the ground. The player has to move left or right to control the motion of the aircraft. Whenever the player jumps, the aircraft shoots out a bullet.
Developed by Evan Barba and Kuan Huang.
Other works by Kuan Huang: Virtual Instrument and Cellwish.
Related: Blinkenlights.
http://www.geoskating.com/
GeoSkating aims to automate the creation of
interactive, multimedial skate-maps by using the
Global Positioning System (GPS), Mobile Phones and the Internet.
While skating,
GPS position data is being assembled and published to a server through
a mobile phone.
At the same time the skater can enrich the GPS data
with road surface ratings and by sending pictures and videos from the phone.
The server will draw geographic maps
showing road quality through colouring. All pictures and videos
are presented as clickable dots on the GPS locations where they were taken.
Even more, skaters can also be followed
in real-time over the map while skating!
Technorati Tags: locative media, GPS, Europe
Blister Entertainment is a leading publisher of location-based games and entertainment products to mobile operators. As a market leader in location-based services, Blister is creating a new industry category within the mobile entertainment industry. Location-based games are designed to make mobile gaming more active and interactive. Mobile players can play while interacting with their environment and other players around the world.
Geominder allows you to create location-based reminders that stay attached to physical locations.
A location-based reminder can be much more convenient than standard time-based reminders - for example in situations such as:
"When I arrive at the office, remind me to review next week's schedule"
"When I pass supermarket, remind me to buy vegetables"
"At home remind me to call Dave"
When arriving at a marked location, Geominder can play an alarm and display a stored text note or a voice note previously associated to that location.
Using Geominder is as simple as 1,2,3:
Teach Geominder about your locations.
Create reminders for those locations as needed.
When arriving at a marked location, Geominder will notify you.
Geominder uses mobile network's cell id information and doesn't require an extra GPS device. Mobile Network cell id information is usually suited for most common day-to-day uses (for example: home - office - shopping). No mobile operator fees are involved in using Geominder.
[...] the first actually popular location-aware tool is Dodgeball, which lets you keep track of your posse while you're out club-hopping. But though Dodgeball's great, you have to manually enter your location into the phone. The really wild stuff will happen with phones that are automatically location-aware -- as with cell-tower triangulation and GPS.
Thus I was really intrigued to hear about Mologogo -- a free new app that runs on any GPS-enabled Nextel phone, tracks where you are in real-time, and displays it on a teensy mobile-phone version of Google Maps. For Xtra social fun, you can authorize your friends to track your location, and you theirs. That picture above is a snapshot of random Mologogo users who publicly display their everyday locations.
Using Mobile Phones to Model Complex Social Systems by Nathan Eagle -- The very nature of mobile phones makes them ideal vehicles to study individuals and organizations. Nathan Eagle describes the Reality Mining project, underway at MIT's Media Lab, which collects information from the phones of 100 human subjects at MIT to show how the use of mobile phones can model complex social systems. Nathan discussed this project in more depth at O'Reilly's Where 2.0 Conference.
BlueCasting is the new way to deliver content to mobile phones. Developed by Filter UK, the BlueCasting system comprises of a small BlueCast Server running our unique set of software services.
Located at poster sites, retail locations, entertainment venues, public spaces or embedded in interactive kiosks, the BlueCasting system will identify each consumer's BlueTooth-enabled handset and deliver a tailored message to them.
BlueCasting can deliver content as simple as text and still images or richer media like audio samples, video clips and Java applications.
Based on BlueTooth, the world standard platform for short-range networking, the BlueCasting system can deliver content up to 10 times faster than downloading it via a mobile network. And since the content is delivered direct from our system there are no network charges for the brand or the consumer.
Our software tools allow the system to be highly personalised, tracking users and delivering them relevant content. The service also provides remote monitoring via an easy-to-use Web interface.
