Given my limited free time, and my affinity for spending it offline, I rarely keep up with the seemingly billions of posts, rants, editorials, etcetera that are tirelessly flying around the Internet. But, last night I landed at 02138 and actually read (do people do that?) Poking Facebook.
First off, it’s a magazine about Harvard alumni, and while you’d expect accolades and back-rubs, the few articles I read were scathing and exposing. Regardless of the overall tone, which I’m not one to judge because I literally read only two articles, the story of Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook origins is fascinating. Not just because it involves controversy that is still being debated in court, but because of the collaborative academic culture that spawned the social network.
Secondly, I’m quite fascinated with this whole social networking craze. Being an active participant who realizes the power of connectivity, both for the networks and their participants, I’m a bit weary of corporate integration, data-mining, and other profitable byproducts of huge social groups relinquishing very personal information with ignorant disregard.
Also, as a designer, the article offers some insight into how a great idea can be hijacked and executed to the tune of billions with a “b”. While it’s unfortunate for those who “got royally screwed,” it’s also a reminder that the web is still a wild, dynamic environment, where new ideas continue to emerge and forge huge shifts in the cultural landscape.
If you’ve never experienced the espionage juggernaut Metal Gear Solid, the above clip may not make much sense. What started off as a Rambo rip-off for the NES in the 1980’s has become a full fledged franchise for Sony’s Playstation system. You are Solid Snake, a reluctant semi-retired spy for the military who happens to be a bad-ass at dispatching, mostly Russian, enemies. The game is about stealth and avoiding detection from bad guys, but what makes the game so enjoyable is the level of accuracy created by the game’s designers. Weaponry and level settings are constructed with such detail, you can often find yourself just wandering about pushing and opening things to discover easter eggs left scattered throughout the game. One fan with a Rube Goldbergian spirit has taken things a step further, using Snake’s digital camera he has orchestrated a very elaborate set of in-game photographs. Watch the full clip as this virtual photographer choreographs some out-there moments.
This video tells me a few things, mainly as proof that resourceful minds can create anywhere but it also raises the question of what tools will future artists be using to create? It’s hard enough being a photographer in the real world. Via Kotaku
But, young interactive netizens, take heart because you can fiddle around with the java version online. Like Lady Sovereign said, “Fiddle with the volume, I beg ya.”
Everyone, this is Tim. He’s a student at Assets High School. He’s also going to be mentoring at Airspace Workshop for the next 21 weeks. Internet, say hello to Tim.
Tim is also a Halo bad ass, and leaves tomorrow for Vegas to compete in the Major League Gaming Halo 2 event at the Sands Expo Center. Good luck Tim!
The ‘callabo is part of get things done in todays culture, but this has to be one of the strangest pairings I’ve ever seen. Photographer/Illustrator Maya Hayuk teamed with Sony to fancy up a Vaio laptop. Custom case, wallpapers and a pre-installed documentary about how this insanity was created. Where’s the hairy naked couple? Via Akihabara News
Published 09.20.07 / 12am by Josh in Blog, Art, Tech
Interactive tables rendezvous with business cards to reveal fashion portfolios. Software become tactile to bridge the physical / virtual gap. An Interesting application.
Brightcove is an online video delivery network, which enables content producers and owners to upload, manage, and syndicate their content across the web.
The company has distribution partnerships with AOL, TiVO and Yahoo and its founder, Jeremy Allaire was once the Chief Technology Officer at Macromedia. Their board includes executives from various media, technology and Internet companies, and they continue to secure partnerships with media heavy-hitters such as Hearst and Time, Inc.
However, the most exciting aspect of this network are the possibilities it creates for independent content creators, allowing them to insert themselves into a vast distribution network and monetize their content. Read the rest of this entry »
