Color

So my weekly update starts with an excerpt from CNET:
"What do you get when you mix together a killer domain name, a founder who sold his last company to Apple, a philosophy that borders on "Minority Report"-like futurism, and $41 million in venture funding? Well, it might look something like Color, the photo-sharing app for iPhone and Android unveiled Wednesday evening by erstwhile Lala founder Bill Nguyen".

The basic concept behind Color is that it allows users who constantly utilize the application to view the images taken by others in the same general vicinity. Through use of machine learning, the app as specific to the user will amass contacts that you may not know, but share the same habits as. 

A quick example taken from the article reads, "You'll be able to see the Color photos of the guy sitting two tables away from you at Starbucks, but when he finishes his caramel macchiato and leaves the coffee shop, you can't see them anymore. But if you spend a lot of time in proximity to someone--an office-mate, for example--that person's photos will gradually begin to stay in your contacts list for longer. It's an "elastic network," Nguyen calls it. "The whole goal is to say hello."

My initial thoughts on Bill Nguyen were that of extremely awesome since we share the same thoughts on our future relating to the ideas tossed out in Minority Report. It's a sweet concept, at least as far as technology goes (not the who crime fighting tactics), and I really believe in its validity. That being said however, Color is one of those apps which requires user participation as well as quality of service to run fluently. Without the users, there would be no crowd to supply and source the database of constant photo recognition. Nguyen stated that GPS was old technology, and smartphone technology is not being used to its full potential. This app may not be quite what Nguyen is looking for but does offer a sweet segue into new ideas of location indexing without complete need for GPS.

We'll see how this pans out,  but some threats to consider include privacy concerns and malicious activity. "There's also a distinct idealism to it, as the app is buoyed by the belief that peoples' shared photos will be insightful, provocative, and the sort of things that will prompt introductions. Inappropriate content is clearly banned. "Only public images and videos should be captured," Color regulations state. "Anything captured is visible to those around you and naturally identifiable to you. Color requires real-life etiquette and accountability for all actions. Any violation of decency can result in permanent suspension of service for a specific smartphone." All photos are public and users are encouraged to use it "in the same way as Twitter;" users can block one another if they choose.

This app is free to download and already has a backing of $41 million, let's just see how Nguyen plans to take this reality and make it innovative. 

Web 2.0 and Organizational Strategy

Found some great articles this weekend regarding Billabong's Web 2.0 foorprint and strategic performance in the field. I know my chosen company is Von Zipper, but since they were an acquisition of Billabong all facets of advertising, media, and tech related material resides with the company itself. From a consumer standpoint, Billabong does great business in forms of advertising their product lines. To put it simply, Billabong is a sports wear and casual clothing manufacturer that specializes in innovation through alternative methods of production and promotion. 


As I opened their US regional website  I was greeted with an awesome video revolving around the strange connection between Billabong and organic cotton farmer's in the mid-west. As I watched and learned, I bridged the gap as a result of of the surf and snow company using strictly organic cotton products in all t-shirts the the product line. This is just one example of how they use innovation in their everyday production and sales. 


If it wasn't for their extremely accessable and user friendly website, I probably would have never learned about their process for producing clothing. A long quote taken from their Digital Marketing Manager reads, 


 "Billabong Australia has taken another step into the digital marketing realm by launching a fresh web­site template to be rolled out globally in the next six months. The brand portal engages Web 2.0 principles and encourages the user to interact through messaging, social networking, blogging, email, widgets, video and mobile phones.

Simple HTML promotes faster download speeds and a user friendly one click navigation system gets you anywhere in the site with one move. 'This version three web platform truly engages the Web 2.0 principles and meets the user where they are at,' said Digital Marketing Manager Stirling Howland. 'The main focus is to engage, entertain and con­verse with our user, giving them more control over their experience when dealing with Billabong in the digital space.'

'Version three of the Billabong portal will be driven by high quality, interesting and engaging content de­veloped around our product, events and athletes.' The site also better serves the user who is visiting the site primarily to view product with a new rating system, google maps store locator and Billabong’s largest online product range to date.

On the back of the revamped site launch comes a strengthened brand move into the multi platform realm of social networks and mobile phones."  


This was stated exactly two years ago in 2009, but although out dated the content is extremely relevant. After analyzing their web footprint as well as mobile availability, Billabong has successfully grasped the concept of Web 2.0 technologies and this can be seen through their great success with the changing environment. This footprint is extremely external, with no real content describing the internal software systems used. I'm sure to  keep track of all the programs and sales Billabong uses a complex system, but to date I could not find which one is used. 


 I also was able to find a blog with great information on Billabong's status as a media company. Some of the worthy snippets include, "Billabong is not just a surf brand, it is a media company, says the person in charge of producing the hours of surf-related content.

'This just ups the ante,' says Scott Wallace of the deal announced last week with Sony. 'We are turning into a media company as well as a clothing company.' The strategic partnership between the companies marries Sony’s expertise in video technology with Billabong’s street cred cool. Sony gets access to Billabong’s audience of tech-savvy surfies and followers while Billabong gets help in creating the content and getting it to as many people as possible",

and,

"The surf label produces up to 35 hours of high-definition video a year, drawing on events around the world – there’s almost one every week – and its small army of athletes as the subject.

'We use everything. We cut it up and use it for the web and then we use it for phone content.'

Each week Billabong produces 40 minutes of material to be used on mobile phone networks. When asked if it was working, Wallace is unable to share any figures but says: 'It must be okay as they keep asking for more.'"

An example of Billabong riders filming themselves from the water in epic surf:

And here is a Billabong produced HD video from the beach showing the highlights from their latest contest, the Billabong Pro Pipeline Masters:

That being said, Billabong is really stepping up their game compared to competitors. Todays generation expects nothing less than 1080p, so with that strategy in mind they are able to not only capture video from the shore, but in the water with surfers as camera men. It is truly amazing, some of the quality of shots taken these days that even a couch potato in Idaho can get a basic feeling of what it's like to sit deep in a 10 foot barrel. 

Billabong teamed up with Sony Vaio and introduced this laptop:

FlexDex LED Skateboard

So although not extremely tech savvy, I saw this on CNETs website: An LED illuminated skateboard.


Pretty cool eh?
The article title reads Marty McFly meets Tron with LED skateboard yet the author of the article berates the company for their "overpriced, geeky, prepubescent" product offered at just around $200. That being said however, I feel as if I won that amount of cash off a scratch off ticket, I would head to the website and purchase a green glow board.

Their rival, Photon Light Boards, who offer a cheaper product but with a different effect. Instead of an LED line around the rails, the place the lights on the bottom of the board in sequence. Their board selection is much greater as well.
Now if you're talking Tron, which board fits better?

OR

VZ Web Footprint

VZ's has a decently established web footprint, with the majority of their sales taking place right on the website. As I have talked about before, it is extremely organized and well ordered. As you open the site, not only are you greeted with a flashy hi-res pic of a product, but you also get to choose the country wish you intend to shop in. The choices range from North America, South America, Australasia, Europe, South Africa, Japan, and Korea. A banner also rests on top of it all, "A land where dreams come true... and we all live happily everafter.. VONZIPPER".

Once I click on the North America banner, again I am greeted with a hi-res pic but this time of an American sponsored female surfer sitting on top of a sheep in more or less a skanky farmer's daughter outfit. She is rocking her trusted Von Zipper's though, exemplifying the art, totality, and sexiness of the company. The banner has changed however, now reading "It's a salute to the flag of radness... with a pledge of allegiance to bitcheness".



From this point forward you have the option to check out all their products, press, news, company bio, media, people, dealers, and your cart. Much like any other online retailer, there are copious routes you can go when searching for different products. These include style, frame, lens, colors, and strap preferences.

At the bottom of every loaded page rests the social media icons VZ is associated with. Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter are all linked with a direct request to their profile pages once clicked on. Unlike most surfer/skater/snowboarder websites out there, I am shocked as to the quality and user accessibility of this one. It's like a surfer tech nerd out there was able to asses the needs of the typical user and create the site based on that. Unreeeaaalll!

After searching more into some of the Web 2.0 related Von Zipper material out there, I stumbled upon the official Australasia blogspot created for Von Zipper AUS. Although it hasn't been updated since March 30, 2009 it was neat searching the posts and reflecting on where VZ was two years ago compared/contrasted to where they are now.

This video was found from two years ago as well, and although it doesn't really embody any of their web 2.0 related material, I figured it is awesome enough to be posted.