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News, insight and tips from the social web.
The Hoop blog covers the evolving digital landscape, social media, mobile communications, content marketing and also includes 5 top finds and Fish on Friday. Feel free to make comments.
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Startups of the week #12.1 »
Geosocial and augmented reality apps seem to be all the rage at the moment, so is an app that combines the two a surefire winner?
1. Wallit
We've covered location-based apps and augmented reality (AR) before, but the potential for combining the two and doing something really interesting is untapped. Until now!
Berkeley, CA's Wallit is a new (free) iOS [iTunes] and Android app (that's due for release in the next few weeks) that allows users to leave a multimedia digital stamp on locations around the world – the digital equivalent of graffiti if you will. Users can leave messages (text, photo, audio or video) on pre-build virtual 'walls' at their location, and can also look at walls around the world. As their Twitter bio states:
Walls for Places. To write on friends Walls, there is Facebook. To write on places, there is Wallit.
The 6 person team have just closed a $1.2million round of funding and publicly launched in 50 countries yesterday. Wallit is planning on riding the iPad 3/ HD release hype by creating 326 walls at each of the Apple stores selling the new device – each of which will then feed into one 'superwall' (although we're not quite sure where this superwall will be).
Wallit plan to monetise by charging brands for digital ad-space, but these marketing deals are "still being finalised" so we're yet to see if it's a viable long-term model for scaling the business and generating sufficient revenue.
Considering we're in a world with finite physical space with which to advertise with, it's intriguing to see a company pitching an idea of using AR that could ultimately solve the problem.
If Wallit takes off, and there's no reason we can see that it won't, we may start being able to give locations physical character, or digital memory. But on the other hand, we may end up being bombarded with augmented reality adverts. Which is an interesting thought...
Categories: Startups of the week
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5 top finds #35 »
'Republicanization', business advice from the world's third richest man, some new creative idents, why Pinterest might not be so great after all and some awesome stop-motion animation. It's 5 top finds...
1. 'Republicanize Me'
For those not in the know, today is Super Tuesday in America – the day when ten US States shape the destiny of the Republican candidates contesting the nomination to challenge Barack Obama's presidency.
If you wanted to get in on the action, why not head over to Republicanize Me and get the ball rolling on your own candidacy? We did – and now rate Frick Judges as an outside bet.
2. Taking business advice from Warren Buffet
Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffet recently published his annual shareholder letter. PandoDaily have summarised the letter into four worthwhile take-home points. Well worth a read!
3. Animal Planet gets creative
"Animal Planet is all about animals, wild and domestic," says Federico Gaggio, VP, executive creative director, Discovery Networks UK & Western Europe. "The channel's primary audience are adults, in particular adult women, who have a passion for animals. At times they watch with their kids or as a family. To reconnect them with our programmes we created small worlds (Animal Planets), where iconic animals display their natural charm and quirky behaviour, which makes them endearing to us. The logo is integrated in the environment where the animal action takes place."
We recently spotted these two new idents for Discovery Planet's Animal Planet over on Creative Review. Lovely stuff, nice work Double G Studios and Blue Zoo!
4. "Why I tearfully deleted my Pinterest boards"
We're big fans of 'self-expression engine' Pinterest, but when we read lawyer/ photographer/ avid Pinterest user Kirsten Kowalski's article we were more than a little shocked. It's a long but ultimately extremely important read on the copyright nightmare Pinterest's users are volunteering for by simply using the service.
5. There's always an 'Easy Way Out'
A truly amazing piece of stop-motion animation from Belgium/ Australia's Gotye (that took 9 months to make). The song's not too bad either!
Categories: 5 top finds
Tags: Digital strategy, Startup
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Startups of the week #11.1 »
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are fast becoming hotspots for technological innovation. Is this new iOS and Android app one of the best examples yet?
1. Evi
When Apple launched the iPhone 4S, the handset's biggest feature was undoubtedly Siri – a voice-activated 'virtual assistant'.
Siri was initially available as an iOS app, powered by speech recognition software from a company called Nuance. Apple bought Siri Inc., a spinoff from Stanford Research Institute, in early 2010 and then built the technology into the software that powers the iPhone 4S.
But, for some, Siri wasn't enough of a temptation to pay the substantial prices for the new handset.
What if the same technology, powered by Nuance, was now available as an iOS (for all iterations of iPhone and iPad) and Android app?
Evi is that app – and it's brilliant. Evi responds to touch or text input and learns users' preferences (as they rate the app's responses to queries)*. Built by Cambridge's True Knowledge, the company behind the world's first "internet answer engine", Evi has ruffled a few feathers in its short existence.
Last week, Apple contacted True Knowledge to say they were going to pull the Evi app from iTunes – citing the App Store's Terms and Conditions ("Apps which appear confusingly similar to an existing Apple product or advertising theme will be rejected"). To be fair, Evi looks a little like Siri, but as True Knowledge's CEO told TechCrunch:
"I don't think it takes too much of a leap of the imagination to realise that 'confusingly similar' is code for 'competitive with' – and that all the user and press reviews along the lines of 'now you don't need to buy a 4S – you can download Evi', 'better than Siri' etc. have resulted in a change of heart from Apple about allowing its users to get the app."
Apple have since relented from this position, saying as long as Evi gets a facelift it'll be allowed to stay in the App Store. So if you're an iPhone [69p on iTunes] or Android [free] user, why not download Evi and start using the future of human/ computer interactions?
* [It's worth noting that, whilst Evi is superb at what it does; the app, unlike the iPhone 4S' Siri, is unable to connect to the handset's other features (like the calendar or messaging platforms). This somewhat limits its usefulness on iOS. As Android allows cross-app integration, this isn't such an issue on hardware running Android.
Evi also occasionally doesn't quite get the semantics of questions posed, leading the user to interact with the app in a more acceptable way.]
Categories: Startups of the week
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Responsive web design: another fad in design and development? »
There are high hopes that responsive web design will lead to great online experiences. We take a look at the method of the moment.
Think about the devices you use to access the web. Chances are you use a desktop or laptop computer. But you might also access it through a smartphone, tablet PC, games console or TV. Do each of these devices give you the same useful experience visiting your favourite websites? If not, why not?
The web, up until now, has been designed from a uniform perspective. Taking its lead from print design, web design has strived to reproduce templates across all of the devices that you might use. This was good for a time. But this "must look the same" approach missed the true potential of the medium.
Unlocking the potential of the web
Responsive Web Design is causing great excitement in the industry as it promises to unlock new digital ideas and experiences. RWD is the method of the moment, but before it came Graceful Degradation, Progressive Enhancement and many other design methods aimed at pushing the medium forward. The difference this time is that, where previous approaches chipped away at the surface of pixel perfection, RWD demands a completely new understanding of how a web page works.
RWD increases the value of web content, no matter what device you use to look at it. Value to the visitor is determined by the content, interaction or tasks they can complete. Think of your favourite social network. A responsive version of it would adapt to your device, making it easy and intuitive to catch up on news, find new friends or contacts and update your profile. If the website was not responsive you would need to zoom into the page on a mobile device and struggle with buttons designed for desktop interaction – giving you a poor experience and bad impression of the brand.
The potential for RWD goes beyond mobile. However, the rapid increase in the use of mobile devices, with different resolutions and features like touch screens, has been a key driving force in the return to some of the founding principles of the web. Content is king and, combined with well structured code, you can use it to make your website support your brand values. As many businesses and organisations have found in the digital age; brand value is not about appearance, it is about user experience.
So where do we go from here?
The latest responsive site we launched has seen a surge in traffic from mobile devices. iPhone increased by 275%, Android by 484% and an astonishing 1040% on iPad. There was a clear business case for creating a responsive website in this case. Perhaps there's one for yours?
We're convinced responsive website design delivers a better user and brand experience and we're currently working on new responsive websites for clients and ourselves. If you think your customers deserve a great online experience get in touch.
Categories: Insight
Tags: Business strategy, Content strategy, Digital strategy, HTML5, Mobile, Mobile First, Reputation, thisishoop, User centred thinking, User Experience
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5 top finds #34 »
Exploring the oceans with the BBC, flashmobbing with Intel, how to combat digital piracy, Panagea makes a come back and Sacha Baron Cohen gatecrashes the Oscars. It's 5 top finds...
1. Diving the depths
Ever wondered what it's like travelling the world's deepest oceans? As four teams race to reach the depths of the Mariana Trench, the BBC take a look at what life is like 7 miles down.
2. Ultrabook pop-up theatre
Intel's marketing team flashmob's its way across LA, demonstrating "the ultra thin design & responsiveness of the Ultrabook™". Well worth a watch!
3. "Right vs. Pragmatic"
Marco Arment, cofounder of Tumblr and the brains behind read-it-later service Instapaper, has an interesting take on the current publishing battle raging between old media publishers and the digitally-savvy user of the 21st century.
4. Pentagram rebrand IDA
Hot off the success of branding the new Windows 8 OS, Pentagram recently unveiled a lovely new visual identity for the International Design Alliance's IDA Congress. You'll find the details over on Logo Design Love.
5. Sacha Baron Cohen does the Oscars
So Sacha Baron Cohen's got a new film out this year – what better way to market it with a bold stunt at the Oscars? You can't deny the man's got guts, even if Ryan Seacrest was left more than a little unimpressed.
Categories: 5 top finds
Tags: Content management, Design, Digital strategy, file sharing, flash mob, SOPA, User Experience
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Startups of the week #10.2 »
Social media played an integral part in the 2008 American Presidential election process. Is this a trend that's set to come to Europe?
2. Votizen
Love it or hate it, social media is here to stay.
In the past decade, the technology has risen to prominence in about every industry you can think of – the Pope is on Twitter, the British Monarchy is on Facebook and the 2008 Presidential elections in America were played out across the social web. More recently, in protest of the proposed PIPA and SOPA bills, a significant portion of the web went quiet; causing support for the two acts to 'collapse'.
With the increased influence wielded on these platforms, is there an opportunity to combine self expression, social media and politics to change the way we vote?
If the investors backing Votizen are anything to go by, the answer is a resounding yes.
Votizen is a social network with a political twist. It connects to your Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ or Facebook accounts and compares your contacts with names on its digital version of America's voting records. This allows users to leverage their social connections to, put simply, do the politician's campaigning for them (it's estimated that the digital spend for the 2012 election will by $1-1.5billion, up from $177m in 2008).
FastCompany recently interviewed David Binetti, co-founder and CEO of Votizen, who explained just how the platform can be used:
"Votizen empowers people to take action directly with the people in their networks. The first thing people do is connect with the voters that they already are connected to in their social networks, reach out to them, and ask them to take an action on behalf of this candidate because they believe it's important. Votizen is an open platform as opposed to a candidate distributing a call list or dictating what actions you take".
The site currently has just under 500,000 registered voters – but given it connects to the 400m+ users on Twitter, 850m+ users on Facebook and the hundreds of millions of Google+ and LinkedIn users the potential for Votizen to make some sizeable waves has not gone unnoticed.
A recent round of funding, announced yesterday, came from some of the most well known investors in technology. Napster/ Facebook/ Spotify's Sean Parker and Ashton Kutcher, along with a host of other prominent venture capitalists, have all pledged their support. And, with the news that Votizen will be expanding out of the United States, we may be hearing a lot more of the political startup in the coming months…
Categories: Startups of the week
