Renault integrated RFID technology with social media at the Amsterdam Motorshow “AutoRAI.”
Sources:
YouTube.com
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Google's Insane Index
In June 2010, Google released its new index, Caffeine. Google's old index was several layers, some of which would update more frequently than others. The main layer would update about every two weeks. Caffeine takes a different approach. It analyzes the web in small portions on a continuous basis, so information is constantly being updated. This allows users to get the most recent and accurate search results when using Google. The following image demonstrates the difference between the old index and Caffeine.
Just to give you a visual of how much information is stored in Caffeine:
- If Caffeine were a pile of paper, it would grow 3 miles taller every second
- It would take 625,000 of the largest iPods to store the same amount of information stored in Caffeine
Sources:
YouTube.com
Monday, April 25, 2011
Augmented Reality: Changing the Way We See the World
Augmented reality apps are becoming more and more popular with the rise in smart phones. GoldRun, a relatively new app, lets companies create augmented reality campaigns. By combining augmented reality with location-based marketing, companies can engage consumers. Some have created games that people can play to unlock discounts, others have used it to promote products.
Airwalk launched a campaign last November for a limited edition shoe. People in Washington Square in New York City and Venice Beach in Los Angeles could shop in a virtual pop-up store. Users saw a floating shoe on their screen and could buy the shoe online. The campaign was successful, and the shoe sold out within 24 hours.
Read the full article.
Source:
http://gigaom.com/2011/04/11/goldrun-leverages-augmented-reality-for-mobile-marketing/
Thursday, April 14, 2011
SCVNGR: Turning Location-Based Marketing into a Game
With the rise of smart phones, location-based marketing has become more and more prevalent. It’s unlike any other form of marketing because it targets people based on where they are at any given moment. I know a lot of people who don’t want to be bothered with location-based marketing. They view it as being intrusive and almost creepy. I understand this concern. Getting a text message based on where you are gives you the uncomfortable feeling that someone is watching you. There’s another side to it, though. I wouldn’t mind walking by a McDonald’s and getting a text message for a free small soda or something along those lines.
Location-based marketing can be very effective, but it must be done in the right way. Jason Dempsey from Coremetrics provides a useful guide on how to get started with this strategy. First, he suggests that you register your stores. Although basic, if your store location isn’t accurate, your efforts will fail. Next he says that you should know the landscape. There are several different options for location-based marketing (Foursquare, Gowalla, SCVNGR, etc.) and it’s important to know what the different platforms offer. Lastly, he says it’s important to know what you’re trying to accomplish. As I said, the different platforms offer different incentives so you should know what you want to get out of using location-based marketing. For example, Foursquare is strictly location based, and users can earn badges and discounts by checking-in at different locations. SCVNGR on the other hand, actually gives users challenges based on where they are, like posing with a mannequin or scanning a QR code, making the experience more engaging.
Like Foursquare, SCVNGR lets you check in at different locations by using your smartphone. The difference: SCVNGR gives users challenges based on where they are, and they can earn points by completing certain tasks. One task might be answering a riddle based on your location or taking a picture of something around you. SCVNGR also has time-sensitive games, adding to its appeal. These have included “Help Vince,” a game for the New England Patriots. In Boston, players completed tasks to help Vince Wilfork find his stolen Super Bowl ring. “The goSmithsonian Trek,” took place last July where players visited nine Smithsonian museums for the chance to win an Apple iPad. “Inception,” was based on the film and had unique tasks at the tallest buildings in the 100 largest US cities and at movie theaters.
SCVNGR started up differently than its competitors like Foursquare and Gowalla. After coming up with the idea for a location-based game, the company received $4 million in financing from several venture firms, including Google Ventures. The company decided to focus on the enterprise side of the business before targeting consumers. The target for the platform was large organizations, like the US Army, Princeton University, and retail stores with 20-plus outlets. Clients use SCVNGR’s enterprise tools to create their own games. As for pricing, clients purchase one credit to create one challenge. Originally, SCVNGR only allowed users to play at locations where clients had created tasks. Almost a year ago, the company decided to expand. The mobile app allows any business or individual to create a challenge at no cost. By simply checking in to a location several times, the user unlocks the power to create a challenge. The paying customers need some benefit to keep paying, so for those using the platform at no charge, SCNVGR does not provide as many support tools. The following YouTube video (also found at www.SCVNGR.com) is a simple tutorial on how to build a challenge.
While checking-in and completing challenges is fun, some people might need more of an incentive to spend time with SCVNGR. When a user checks in somewhere, he or she can choose different challenges to compete in, and is told how many points he or she needs to unlock different rewards. An example of a reward might be a free cup of coffee, or a free burrito from the restaurant they’re at. This is a pretty great incentive in my opinion, because you’re already at the restaurant. If you’re going to be eating there anyway, you may as well take advantage of SCVNGR and get something free out of it. The following YouTube video (also found at www.SCVNGR.com) is a simple tutorial on how to complete challenges and redeem rewards.
SCVNGR is targeting a wide variety of people with this platform. One commonality between these people is that they have a smartphone. On its website, it tells people to play via their iPhones or Androids, and provides information about playing on other platforms. You can do certain things using SMS, and Blackberry will be the next platform that SCVNGR will take advantage of. One thing that comes to my mind is that people who are using SCVNGR need to have some free time. A businessperson on the go may have time to check-in using Foursquare, but probably won’t have time to complete enough SCVNGR challenges to earn a reward. The target market for this application is very broad, because different businesses attract a different sort of audience. Not everyone that uses SCVNGR will be a football fan or someone who visits different Smithsonian museums. People who aren’t interested in these types of activities though might enjoy sitting down at a restaurant for a meal, where challenges can also be completed.
SCVNGR definitely has clear competitors with platforms like Foursquare and Gowalla. The people that use these platforms are most likely to try out SCVNGR. I would say that the audience tends to be younger. Older generations are less likely to want to share their locations with friends, while younger people have been doing this for a while now. The older generations feel that it’s almost an invasion of privacy for their friends and family to know where they are all the time. I can understand this feeling though, especially since this technology is relatively new and they lived most of their lives without it. Younger people are just more comfortable sharing this information, and are more interested in what they can gain, like rewards. Women tend to adopt technologies like this faster than men, and men will follow suit. Not to say that men aren’t a part of the target audience, because some of the challenges are more geared towards men (i.e. sports related challenges). Women just might be easier to convince that SCVNGR is worthwhile, and once they start using it, men will follow their lead.
One downside of SCVNGR is that the user-generated challenges could become too much. If multiple challenges have been created for one location, users might not know which one to choose from. Challenges are sorted by popularity, but that puts newer challenges at a disadvantage. Several people have shared their opinions of SCVNGR by rating the iPhone app. Over 2,000 people have rated the current version of the app for an overall rating of three out of five stars. Over 800 people gave it five stars, while just under 800 people gave it only one star. Some users say it’s a good way to kill some time and are really enjoying the app. Others like the concept but think it isn’t executed well. An opinion across the board seems to be that it is more fun if you’re friends are using it too. Curiously, one user was upset that they don’t offer rewards. I’m a little confused about this since I watched a tutorial on how to get and redeem rewards that they offer. The review is fairly recent, so I’m wondering if the app isn’t as easy to navigate as one would hope.
The reviews at this point seem very mixed. Some people are really enjoying SCVNGR and others aren’t seeing what’s so great about it. Perhaps if it becomes more popular, the increase in users will make it more exciting. I think that the idea is pretty cool. I haven’t had the chance to personally experience SCVNGR, but given the opportunity I may try it. That’s saying something since I’m not really into the other location-based services. The app itself is free too, so there isn’t much of a risk to try it out. Location-based marketing is definitely something that businesses can take advantage of, and if SCVNGR gains popularity, it’s a platform they won’t want to pass up.
Sources:
bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/a-new-entry-into-the-world-of-location-based-games/?scp=1&sq=SCVNGR&st=cse
gigaom.com/2010/05/12/SCVNGR-goes-beyond-the-check-in-to-the-challenge/
iTunes Reviews for SCVNGR Version 3.5.5
techcrunch.com/2010/05/19/SCVNGR-ceo-weve-seen-a-ridiculous-spike-video/
www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2041824/introductory-guide-location-marketing
www.SCVNGR.com/
www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/a-look-at-the-location-based-mobile-gaming-platform-SCVNGR/
YouTube.com
gigaom.com/2010/05/12/SCVNGR-goes-beyond-the-check-in-to-the-challenge/
iTunes Reviews for SCVNGR Version 3.5.5
techcrunch.com/2010/05/19/SCVNGR-ceo-weve-seen-a-ridiculous-spike-video/
www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2041824/introductory-guide-location-marketing
www.SCVNGR.com/
www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/a-look-at-the-location-based-mobile-gaming-platform-SCVNGR/
YouTube.com
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The Copyright Infringement World of Harry Potter
The Harry Potter series is one of the most popular series in the world. By putting her brilliant idea on paper, J.K. Rowling’s life changed overnight. She went from living on benefits to having more money that she knew what to do with. With all of that fame and fortune, others are sure to take notice and some may even try to benefit. Since Harry Potter became wildly popular, several have accused J.K. Rowling of stealing their ideas, and others have tried to steal her ideas and pass them off as their own. Cases have been brought against not only J.K. Rowling, but also her publishers, Bloomsbury (UK) and Scholastic (US), and Warner Bros., which owns the rights to the Harry Potter movies. The first lawsuit was in 1999.
Nancy Stouffer
Nancy Stouffer brought the first lawsuit against Harry Potter, just two years Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was published. Stouffer attempted to sue J.K. Rowling, her publisher, Scholastic, and Warner Bros. for copyright and trademark infringement. Stouffer wrote a book that was published in 1984 entitled The Legend of Rah and the Muggles, in which there is a character, Larry Potter. The first part of Stouffer’s claim was that she owned the rights of the “muggle” trademark. According to Stouffer a muggle is a small creature that has no hair and can understand all languages. However, any Harry Potter fan knows that a muggle is someone who lacks magical powers. As for copyright infringement, Stouffer claimed that other elements in the books were also similar. For example, in Harry Potter there is a Keeper of the Keys (none other than Rubeus Hagrid), and in Stouffer’s book there is a Keeper of the Gardens. Also, Larry Potter has unruly black hair and wears glasses, much like Harry Potter.
In the end, a New York court ruled in favor of J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, and Warner Bros. US District Court Judge, Allen Schwartz, ordered that Stouffer be prohibited from claiming the trademark rights to the term “muggle.” She is also no longer allowed to claim that her intellectual property rights were infringed. On top of that, Schwartz ordered that Stouffer pay a $50,000 penalty, along with a portion of the legal fees acquired by J.K. Rowling, Scholastic, and Warner Bros. I agree with the court’s ruling. A couple of similar terms and character traits isn’t enough for me to believe that Stouffer’s ideas were stolen. Harry Potter prevailed in this instance, but several other suits followed.
Chinese Harry Potter Books
In 2002, the year before Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out, a fake book was written and published in China. The fake book, Harry Potter and Bao Zoulong (which translates to Harry Potter and Leopard-Walk-Up-to-Dragon, whatever that means…), was far from original. The text itself was almost verbatim from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Most of the names in the novel were changed to names of Harry Potter characters. I’d like to take this opportunity to give credit where credit is due. The first chapter of the novel is almost entirely original. The story begins with Harry transforming into a hobbit from a magical rain. I can assure you that didn’t happen in any of the Harry Potter books or The Hobbit.
The book didn’t fool too many people, and was almost immediately recognized as a fake. J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. took the necessary steps to stop distribution of the book. After the fifth book was released in 2003, interest in the fake book was almost nonexistent. The publisher, Bashu Publishing House had to pay a fine and issue a public apology in China’s Legal Times for printing and distributing the book. As of 2007 the author of Harry Potter and Bao Zoulong was still unknown.
Dmitri Yemets
In 2002 Dmitri Yemets, a Russian author, wrote and released his book, Tanya Grotter and the Magical Double Bass. The protagonist is a teenage girl with magical powers who attends a school for witches. She wears glasses, flies on magical instrument (sounds like Harry’s broom…), and has a mole on her nose (sounds like Harry’s scar…). Rowling and her publishers sued Yemets for copyright infringement. Yemets insisted that the work was a parody. He claimed that there were several differences between the two, and no one would mix up the works. The covers however, are strikingly similar. When I first saw a picture of the cover my immediate reaction was, “Wow, those covers are the same. If I wasn’t such a die-hard Harry Potter fan, I may confuse the two books.”
The courts in the Netherlands stopped distribution of the book, saying that it did not qualify as a parody and therefore was guilty of copyright infringement. However, international copyright laws vary from those in the US. Because of this, in Belgium, the Flemish publisher Roularta Books, chose to print only 1,000 copies and let people decide if it was in fact plagiarism. Rowling didn’t sue, and the book was surprisingly popular and sold out. Since then the books are still being published in Russia and several sequels have been written.
Adrian Jacobs
The estate of Adrian Jacobs, author of Willy the Wizard, brought the most recent case against Harry Potter. The estate attempted to sue J.K. Rowling and both publishers. The claim was first made in 2004, and in the US, the case against Scholastic was just wrapped up in January of this year. Unfortunately, the case is still going on in the UK against Rowling and Bloomsbury, and the trial is scheduled to be held in February 2012. Rowling was accused of plagiarizing the works of Jacobs in the fourth book in her series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Jacob wrote his book in 1987, ten years before Rowling wrote the first book in the Harry Potter series, and three years before she came up with the idea. Jacob lost all his money in a stock market crash in 1991, and died in 1997, before he could see the success of Harry Potter.
Willy the Wizard is a 32-page book with 16 pages of illustrations, while Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a 734-page novel. Willy the Wizard follows an adult who takes part in a wizards’ contest, while Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is about a teenage wizard who takes part in the Triwizard Tournament, competing against three other wizards. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is very detailed and goes to great lengths to describe the three different tasks that the competitors have to complete. Along with the story of the tournament, there is an entire side story going on dealing with Lord Voldemort and his followers, better known as death eaters. This book continues storylines that began in the first three books in the series, and creates new storylines that are carried on in later books.
In the US the ruling was decided based on the fact that ideas and concepts can’t be copyrighted. J.K. Rowling can’t be guilty of stealing the idea of a “wizard duel” when it was used as an essential element in so many fairytales. The books don’t sound remotely familiar to me. Jacobs didn’t invent wizards or contests, so I’m not really sure why his estate feels his ideas were stolen.
Conclusion
J.K. Rowling’s brilliance certainly spawned some urges in people to attempt to benefit from her work. Whether they tried to claim that Rowling stole their ideas, or they tried to steal Rowling’s and write their own works, they all had the same thing in mind: They wanted to benefit from this wonderful creation.
So far, J.K. Rowling has managed to come out on top in these lawsuits. However, this franchise is sure to continue growing, with one more movie being released in July of this year and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opening just last year in Orlando, FL. With this growth I would be surprised if others didn’t step forward and claim their ideas were stolen. Or maybe someday soon we’ll be reading about Sherry Shmotter and her seven-year long battle with Lord Shmoldemort.
Sources:
Court conjures ‘Potter’ protection
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117872988?refCatId=22&query=stouffer+vs+harry+potter
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117872988?refCatId=22&query=stouffer+vs+harry+potter
Larry vs. Harry Gets Hairy
The Toronto Star
March 15, 2001, Thursday, Edition 1
http://ezproxy.ithaca.edu:2239/hottopics/lnacademic/
March 15, 2001, Thursday, Edition 1
http://ezproxy.ithaca.edu:2239/hottopics/lnacademic/
Harry Potter copyright infringement lawsuit dismissed
http://atlantatmlawyer.com/2011/01/harry-potter-copyright-infringement-lawsuit-dismissed/
‘Potter’ plagiarism suit stays in court
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118025685?refCatId=13&query=jacobs+harry+potter
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118025685?refCatId=13&query=jacobs+harry+potter
JK Rowling sued for £500m plagiarism lawsuit by family of late Willy The Wizard author
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1193283/JK-Rowling-sued-500m-plagiarism-lawsuit-family-late-Willy-The-Wizard-author.html#ixzz1FUpgrVg6
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1193283/JK-Rowling-sued-500m-plagiarism-lawsuit-family-late-Willy-The-Wizard-author.html#ixzz1FUpgrVg6
‘Harry Potter’ Copyright Suit Against Scholastic Dismissed by U.S. Judge
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-07/scholastic-wins-dismissal-of-harry-potter-copyright-suit.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-07/scholastic-wins-dismissal-of-harry-potter-copyright-suit.html
Harry Potter and Leopard-Walk-Up-to-Dragon
http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_Leopard-Walk-Up-to-Dragon
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
IMDb: A Product of the Web 2.0 Era
IMDb’s Mission: “provide useful and up to date movie information freely available online across as many platforms as possible.”
History
While most companies of the Web 2.0 era weren’t founded until 2001 or later, IMDb was founded in 1990, even before the first web browser. It began as a series of scripts published by Col Needham, founder and CEO, on a Usenet bulletin board called rec.art.movies. Users could search a list of credits while discussing movies and sharing knowledge with other movie fans. Users took the most popular topics and created an FAQs section. This large list was divided into four smaller lists of actors, actresses, directors, and late movie makers. In October 1990, these lists contained over 23,000 entries referring to almost 10,000 television shows and movies.
The first web version of the database went live in 1993, but only on the servers at Cardiff University in Wales. The database was becoming extremely popular, and in 1995 adopted the name we know it as today: Internet Movie Database or IMDb. It was becoming so popular, in fact, that the amount of information being submitted was becoming too much to handle for the section managers, and the capacity and equipment necessary to keep the site running were becoming too expensive for the donors. This rapid growth caused IMDb to incorporate in January 1996, and become Internet Movie Database, Ltd. At this time, IMDb was becoming widely popular in the U.S.
In 1998 Amazon.com purchased IMDb and kept it in the same format, continuing to provide free content to users. Unlike the other larger companies that showed an interest in IMDb, Amazon.com basically said, “we want you to keep doing what you’re doing.” Some changes took place over the years to improve the functionality of the site: the site was redesigned, more information was added (and is still being added), and the information was organized in a more efficient way. In 2008 more features were added, and it became the IMDb that we know today.
Mass Customization
IMDb uses a mass customization strategy. I had to create an account to discover this. Before doing so, I was only able to view the standard database that is available to everyone. Making an account is free though, so I figured it was worth it, especially since I’m a frequent visitor. After creating an account I was prompted to update my preferences, which allowed me to pick and choose what is displayed. The different options allow me to tailor the database to meet my needs. I can choose to:
- Display credits in a certain order
- Hide theater showtimes and television listings
- Change the display options to customize the view of my messages board
- Alter my search preferences to have results appear in a different order than the default
With an account I have the ability to create lists of pretty much anything that I would like (favorite movies, TV shows, etc.). I can also create my own small database, which allows me to sort movies into their own categories based on criteria chosen by me. Just in case I forget or want to reference anything that I’ve done, my account gives me the ability to view all of my history of anything that I vote on, review, etc. Creating an account and customizing it really makes the IMDb experience more personal. Although you have to edit your preferences manually, it really allows you to cater your account to meet your needs.
Principles of Wikinomics
IMDb demonstrates the openness principle of wikinomics. Since IMDb began, volunteers were uploading information to improve the database. It would be impossible for the people running IMDb to provide all of the information. The database is much more than just character lists and plot summaries. Visitors can find anything from photos of their favorite stars to what celebs were born on their birthdays. Contributors send in content to be reviewed by section managers. Content on IMDb is a little more controlled than on sites such as Wikipedia or OpenStreetMap. Contributors can’t simply change content that has been posted; the IMDb staff controls the data on the site.
Perhaps the most important part of the Community section is the Contributor Zone. The Contributor Zone contains all the necessary information to help IMDb improve the database. A link to the Contributor’s Blog is provided, which discusses changes that will be made to the database, new information they are looking to add, etc. This allows contributors to tailor the information they provide to what the section managers are looking for. Also in the Contributor Zone is a list of current research projects that they are looking for help with. By alerting contributors of information they are looking for at IMDb, people who may be experts in certain areas can lend their knowledge and help complete projects faster. I think the most important section of the Contributor Zone is the list of top contributors. By recognizing the people who are providing the most information, IMDb is hopefully persuading them to keep doing what they are doing. The volunteers play a huge part in keeping IMDb current, and I know that if I was a contributor I would appreciate the credit.
The contributions also demonstrate the sharing aspect of wikinomics. Volunteers upload content for other visitors. The contribution of the volunteers allows IMDb to update information at a much faster rate than if only the staff created the content. Also, a major factor of IMDb, and an element of sharing, is the free usage. Visitors can use the database for free and, if they choose to do so, can create an account for free. Without sharing, IMDb wouldn’t have nearly as much content as it does.
As I said before, IMDb is different than a lot of Web 2.0 websites because it was founded over 20 years ago. Because of this, IMDb doesn’t employ the other principles of wikinomics: peering and acting globally.
IMDb uses a hierarchical approach. CEO and founder, Col Needham, runs the database. The staff of IMDb consists of people to manage the data and improve the site. It’s organized in such a way that some people have more power than others, resulting in a hierarchical approach rather than collaboration without a formal hierarchy, better known as peering. This chain of command can be contributed to the time period in which the site was created. This was the way businesses were run in 1990, so it was only natural for IMDb to use this approach.
I think that IMDb has an effective business model. The fact that it’s lasted over 20 years says something about its success. It is pretty amazing to me that it lasted through the first web browser and into the Web 2.0 era. Starting so early helped IMDb succeed. By the time Web 2.0 came around, the database was ready to go for users. Ways to upload content were already set up, along with an easy-to-use site design. I think that selling the company to Amazon.com was a very smart move. It was a win-win for both companies. IMDb was struggling to make enough money to update the database as frequently as desired, and Amazon.com was in the process of beginning to sell VHS tapes and DVDs on its website. By buying an online movie database, Amazon.com gave itself a great way to direct people to its website to purchase movies and TV on DVD. On virtually every movie and TV show page there is an option on the right hand side to either watch it now on Amazon video on demand, or to buy it from Amazon. For a company that sells over 600,000 movies and TV series this is a great way to get fans to purchase them from Amazon.com and not another seller.
IMDb provides an unbelievable amount of information to visitors at no charge, sticking true to its mission statement. Considering just how much information is contained in IMDb, it’s pretty unbelievable that the site is so organized and easy to navigate. This is a huge plus for gaining visitors, because information is so easy to find that they just keep coming back for more. I think most of us agree with Amazon.com when it comes to IMDb. We want you to keep doing what you’re doing.
Sources:
Komaromi, Kurt. Web 2.0 Wikinomics Presentation; February 3, 2011
Komaromi, Kurt. Web 2.0 The Digital World Presentation; February 3, 2011
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