Hey, you're always asking me where I find stuff...
Monday, January 30, 2006
Peace
Hong Kong is a very noisy city. But today it was relatively quiet - mainly because today is a public holiday for Chinese New Year. So we spent the day walking around, visiting the Botanical and Zoological gardens, and wandering off to Man Mo temple. It's been really nice to not hear so much noise. Tonight we're off to watch the CNY fireworks display on the harbour.
Man Mo Temple
Man Mo Temple
Monday, January 23, 2006
Little Link List 8
I think this kid might be a bit young to smoke;
Violent vs non-violent protest - or, How do you go about protesting your situation in Communist China without being killed? - a translated discussion;
Fish seems too cheap, although fish is also expensive - maybe fish is too cheap - "Farming salmon in Chile is a bit like farming penguins in the Rocky Mountains" and "One million salmon produce the same sewage ... as sixty-five thousand people".
Violent vs non-violent protest - or, How do you go about protesting your situation in Communist China without being killed? - a translated discussion;
Fish seems too cheap, although fish is also expensive - maybe fish is too cheap - "Farming salmon in Chile is a bit like farming penguins in the Rocky Mountains" and "One million salmon produce the same sewage ... as sixty-five thousand people".
Mobile advertising - the dumb way
I found an article (via SmartMobs) describing the interest marketers are taking in moving advertising to mobile devices. It's so depressing to read how they just want to do what they've always done - invade people's lives with a blizzard of poorly targetted ads, taking up our attention and invading our personal space.
I can only say - this is the way it should be done.
I can only say - this is the way it should be done.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Hong Kong - always carrying cuteness just that one step further
Just when I thought I'd seen every possible variation on Hello Kitty here in Hong Kong, today in Causeway Bay we found a Hello Kitty in a jewellery shop - HK$19,800 worth (AU$3418, US$2553).
There was some other crazy gold stuff too. Check it out:
There was some other crazy gold stuff too. Check it out:
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Location-aware data and your mobile
A few months ago I spent some time thinking about how to find a better way to get directory data (e.g. phone book listings) onto a mobile phone. I had been experimenting with a GPRS-enabled PDA (aka smartphone), and whilst shopping tried logging onto the Yellow Pages to find a shoe shop. The experience was pretty bad - it took ages, the data was wrong and trying to navigate using a stylus was kind of tedious. There had to be a better way.
My brainwave was - what about if instead of making users ask for specific pieces of data using the error-prone and difficult input methods available via today's phones, we just sent all the data all the time to all of the users? I quickly realised that would be a lot of data, and I wasn't sure that networks would really stand for that. Also there was the problem of continually interrupting the user with text messages, which would be VERY intrusive.
However, the idea of sending data to users that they could just reach out and grab is very powerful. And of course the most obvious criteria for determining what to send is the phone owner's location. It is possible to work out where someone is, based on triangulating their phone. It should be fairly simple to work out a set of listings to send users based on where they are. The data set could be updated as they move.
But the problem of intrusiveness remains, and also there would be some data that users really didn't care about, and conversely some data they did.
So - this is the solution. Your phone is always with you, and it's generally always on. So it sits in your pocket, quietly downloading the location-specific data, but not letting you know that it's doing so. Then, when you are somewhere and you want to know what is around you, you look at your phone and you press a button (or something) that then shows you what is around you in the form of a list:
And then if the user is interested in something they see, select the item using the appropriate number:
In order to make it easier for users, the client would have to start learning what they were interested in and what they weren't, so that after a while the things they are interested in start to always appear at the top of the first screen, and not get hidden in the subsequent pages. I think there would have to be a few principles with this kind of app as well:
1) Data disappears from the phone when the user changes location
2) The system learns, but remains transparent
3) Users decide when to interact - the phone should never demand their attention
4) Data is displayed only according to user preference (no pay-for-placement)
5) The data provider keeps no records of who they send data to
This kind of thing could be used for all sorts of location specific data - shops, train timetables, ticketing. Imagine a pub that could beam out ads for upcoming bands, or a cafe that could advertise it's changing meal specials (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Much better than a static directory listing.
tags: wireless | mobile | advertising | location
My brainwave was - what about if instead of making users ask for specific pieces of data using the error-prone and difficult input methods available via today's phones, we just sent all the data all the time to all of the users? I quickly realised that would be a lot of data, and I wasn't sure that networks would really stand for that. Also there was the problem of continually interrupting the user with text messages, which would be VERY intrusive.
However, the idea of sending data to users that they could just reach out and grab is very powerful. And of course the most obvious criteria for determining what to send is the phone owner's location. It is possible to work out where someone is, based on triangulating their phone. It should be fairly simple to work out a set of listings to send users based on where they are. The data set could be updated as they move.
But the problem of intrusiveness remains, and also there would be some data that users really didn't care about, and conversely some data they did.
So - this is the solution. Your phone is always with you, and it's generally always on. So it sits in your pocket, quietly downloading the location-specific data, but not letting you know that it's doing so. Then, when you are somewhere and you want to know what is around you, you look at your phone and you press a button (or something) that then shows you what is around you in the form of a list:
And then if the user is interested in something they see, select the item using the appropriate number:
In order to make it easier for users, the client would have to start learning what they were interested in and what they weren't, so that after a while the things they are interested in start to always appear at the top of the first screen, and not get hidden in the subsequent pages. I think there would have to be a few principles with this kind of app as well:
1) Data disappears from the phone when the user changes location
2) The system learns, but remains transparent
3) Users decide when to interact - the phone should never demand their attention
4) Data is displayed only according to user preference (no pay-for-placement)
5) The data provider keeps no records of who they send data to
This kind of thing could be used for all sorts of location specific data - shops, train timetables, ticketing. Imagine a pub that could beam out ads for upcoming bands, or a cafe that could advertise it's changing meal specials (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Much better than a static directory listing.
tags: wireless | mobile | advertising | location
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Mobile Media & the PSP
Since I've been in HK I've picked up a PSP and so of course I've been trying out all the different uses for it. I have to say - as a game device the PSP is fine, but as a mobile media device it is excellent.
By far the best part of the experience is the video playback - there is a format for the PSP that offers such clear and compact video that any video production company that isn't considering releasing their content formatted for the PSP needs to get serious. But the combination of all three creates a lot of possibilities for true multimedia in a portable form.
KillYourFM is a music magazine that combines print, audio and video to offer a very good multimedia experience. The portability means you can carry it anywhere of course and you don't have to worry about network connectivity (unlike the web). So first of all you read an interview with a band, then you listen to one of their songs, then you watch one of their videos. What's nice is that the publishers have been careful to make sure that the download is formatted to neatly fit into the PSP's file structure so there's no tedious mucking about with moving files around.
The only issue I have though is that there needs to be some way that while I read the interview I can choose to listen to the audio track at the same time. And if I want to I can quickly switch to the video without losing my place in the magazine. I guess I want it to be more weblike - hyperlinked and non-lineal. For this to happen I think Sony is going to have to investigate a kind-of internal media-server with an open protocol like HTML/HTTP that allows content producers and developers to create multimedia packages that work seamlessly.
By far the best part of the experience is the video playback - there is a format for the PSP that offers such clear and compact video that any video production company that isn't considering releasing their content formatted for the PSP needs to get serious. But the combination of all three creates a lot of possibilities for true multimedia in a portable form.
KillYourFM is a music magazine that combines print, audio and video to offer a very good multimedia experience. The portability means you can carry it anywhere of course and you don't have to worry about network connectivity (unlike the web). So first of all you read an interview with a band, then you listen to one of their songs, then you watch one of their videos. What's nice is that the publishers have been careful to make sure that the download is formatted to neatly fit into the PSP's file structure so there's no tedious mucking about with moving files around.
The only issue I have though is that there needs to be some way that while I read the interview I can choose to listen to the audio track at the same time. And if I want to I can quickly switch to the video without losing my place in the magazine. I guess I want it to be more weblike - hyperlinked and non-lineal. For this to happen I think Sony is going to have to investigate a kind-of internal media-server with an open protocol like HTML/HTTP that allows content producers and developers to create multimedia packages that work seamlessly.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Pollution
One thing about living here in Hong Kong - the air pollution is intense. All day there's a dull haze across the entire island and peninsula. At rush hour it gets a lot worse. We went to Macau today and it's just as bad there too. Frankly it's awful, and something needs to be done about it. So I'm thinking about joining these guys.
...the filthy haze...
...so filthy.
...the filthy haze...
...so filthy.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
We live in a canyon
For a month anyway. And then we'll move to another canyon in a different location.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Moving Milly Update
OK - today has been extraordinarily hectic. After two fitful days of pretending to stuff things in boxes (every 5 minutes I would freak out about why we still had lecture notes from 2001 or something), we spent all day actually moving. And I learnt something incredible - the entire contents of a 2 bedroom house can fit into one bedroom. No really - it actually works. That's 2 couches, a bed, 20 boxes of books and assorted crap, guitars, chairs, tables, bookcases, cabinets etc, all in the one small bedroom.
I couldn't have done it without the help of a friend - Joseph rang up and offered to help. He has crucial attributes - he actually knows how to move things (how to lift things easily, how to stow them) and he has a ute. Genius.
From this...
...to this!
And in the best news - Milly has a home. Tomorrow she will be leaving on a plane for the fair city of Adelaide, where she will spend at least the next two years. Hooray!
I couldn't have done it without the help of a friend - Joseph rang up and offered to help. He has crucial attributes - he actually knows how to move things (how to lift things easily, how to stow them) and he has a ute. Genius.
From this...
...to this!
And in the best news - Milly has a home. Tomorrow she will be leaving on a plane for the fair city of Adelaide, where she will spend at least the next two years. Hooray!
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