Mobile Progress

"Google Mobile applications have seen a spike this summer, with a 35% increase from May to June. The increase has lasted throughout the summer, completely reversing typical trends for web activity, including Google searches.

These trends indicate that users have become more comfortable with using Google’s mobile applications, and also that phone technology and browsing capabilities are improving. There’s also a noted correlation between the increased use of Google mobile applications and the launching of the iPhone, for which Google maps has a featured spot on the hand held device."

Thoughts: If Google can break into mobile apps, when is the mobile device coming?



Source

hk

Mindmeister

Check out this new mind mapping technology called mindmeister. I've only been using it a short time but so far it's pretty neato and it's FREE. Not only can you collaborate on mind maps with other users, you can also include web content from Google, Wikipedia and tags from del.icio.us. Could be a great tool for brainstorms or trend tracking...

Invasion of the Robo-Bus

Radical thinking applied to everyday problems...

The idea:
"Buses that practically drive themselves. Over the next three years, workers will carve a narrow lane down the shoulder of the increasingly congested Interstate 805, exclusively for buses and commercial trucks modded with lane-keeping sensors and adaptive cruise control. Neither technology is new, but most automakers tune adaptive cruise control to keep cars farther apart than normal, making traffic worse. In the robot lane, vehicles will be packed like train cars. They'll still have drivers — everyone has to leave the freeway sometime — but they'll be out of the main flow."

From Wired.

Rethink Your Skill-Set

A few of the speakers at last week's AAAA Planning conference spoke about rethinking our skill-sets as planners in order to fuel creativity and innovation.

This video offers a nice demonstration of this point...

Are you a good brand boyfriend?

Went to a session led by Hall & Partners at the planning conference. They talked a lot about reciprocity between the brand and the consumer. Is the relationship equal parts talking and equal parts listening? Just because you have a website with a comments section...it doesn't count.

The Break Up
Uploaded by geertdesager

Micro-blogging + Geotechnology = This World

I recently discovered ThisNext, a community of "real recommendations by real people." In the midst of my exploration they have launched a new feature, ThisWorld, that combines location, location, location with their hip and helpful services.

An early verdict: Tre' cool.

Planning Conference Themes

Insightful Insights:

1. Micro: Bite-sized entertainment, information, conversations. Consumer power to select length of engagement based on lifestyle. Think Wii microgames vs. Final Fantasy.

2. Consistent, continual change: Instead of viewing advertising and planning as being in transition period (moving from one static point to the next), we are really in a constant state of flux and will continue to move faster and change more quickly as time progresses.

3. Return to Gestalt: Embrace iterative, fluid, collaborative processes. Silos are irrelevant when the essence/elasticity of the idea is the end goal.

Semi/Non-Insightful Insights

1. Google=2007, Yahoo=2004: In case you didn't know yet, the 30 sec spot doesn't work online...

2. Contacts are out. 2007 is the year of glasses (a MC insight)

3. Sustainability and social consciousness are being talked about... but we are not yet acting on what we are all talking about (this conference is producing massive amounts of garbage, plastic bottles to recycle, printing out information that should be emailed out...)

More to come when we return to Mpls! -hk

See you there!

Mel and I are OFF! See you there! Exciting posts to come when we return next Thursday.

Our Bridge

An emotional day.