Digital Bytes

A helpful website

Just this week I was in a situation where I needed a reliable tradesman to do some work on my house and have been thoroughly impressed with what I found.  It is not particularly new but equally I doubt everyone is aware of a site called Ratedpeople.com.  You sign up and specify the job you need doing and registered tradesman can respond and quote for the job.  Within 24 hrs I had found someone to do the work.  Every user is invited to rate the people they use just like you rate an 'ebayer'.  Next time you are looking for a local recommended tradesman give it a go. www.ratedpeople.com

Phorm: we can see the whole internet

Phorm - behavioural targeting technology that sits within ISPs' services.  Promises to target consumers with relevant ads based on each individual's browsing history gained from their ISP.  Inital partners include BT, Carphone Warehouse and Virgin Media.  So what's the big deal...

The main concern is on the part of the ISPs who are concerned about how Phorm will use their users data.  Clearly there are strict guidelines in place to ensure the protection of user's data and to uphold privacy standards. 

Although Phorm CEO, Hugo Drayton, insists that users are "anonymous individuals with random user IDs", information within webpages and post data will almost certainly contain identifiable data.  At least some of this will be sensitive and personal.

In support of Phorm's technology; although ads can be directed at users based on where their online activity, consumers remain anonymous because Phorm don't actually know anything about them - only their online patterns and habits.

To decide on which side of the debate you stand, have a sift through some of links below.  Opinions are of individuals and obviously not associated with Mindshare Interaction...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/29/phorm_documents/comments/#c_167819
http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/02/29/phorm-might-be-onto-something/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/06/internet.privacy
http://www.badphorm.co.uk/
http://www.phorm.com/
http://www.brandrepublic.com/InDepth/Opinion/795756/Andrew-Walmsley-digital-Phorm-function-fuel-privacy-fears/ - Andrew Walmsley has a say on Brand Republic 28/03

sources: nma and bbc

Google backs 'white space' wi-fi

Google is pressing the US government to allow TV 'white space' to be used for wi-fi.

The unlicensed analogue frequencies currently remain unused, with Google claiming that 'white space' could  be used to bring 'ubiquitous wireless broadband to all Americans'

Previously, TV broadcasters have feared that the use of white space could interfere with the transmission of their programmes.  Goggle have countered the argument by encouraging regulators to adopt overlapping technologies to prevent signals interfering with each other.

Here in the UK, 'white space' is currently used for wireless microphones and cognitive radio.

source: BBC

Is nothing sacred?

There was a time when a flight was the only place where you could not be disturbed, no blackberry and no phone calls.  Now that is set to change.  Emirates were the first airline to allow mobile calls to be made.  Their new airbus is fitted with a device that stops interference with flight electronics.  They plan to roll this out to other planes and for blackberry users soon.  Enjoy the peace while it lasts....

Showing the strain

The success of the BBC iPlayer has caused complaints from the broadband providers because of the bandwidth that the downloads are taking up.  Up to half a million programmes each day are being streamed or downloaded through iPlayer. In January over 2.2 million people used the BBC iPlayer, streaming or downloading around 11 million programmes. There were also nearly 16 million radio downloads during the month. In comparison, only 5.6 million hours of audio and video were streamed by the BBC in the whole of 2006-2007.  Current iPlayer usage represents less than 1% of consumption of programmes on the main BBC television networks. 

BBC are just one of the many content providers offering video and audio content on demand online.  There is no doubt that the future is all about TV via internet and right now the priority for any content provider needs to be investing in technology and infrastructure that will avoid problems like these.  Broadband capacity will increase but will it be fast enough to handle growth like the BBC are seeing? 

Facebook advertising driving users 'insane'

Research carried out by Facebook on behalf of Kyp Systems has shown that social network users are becoming increasingly irritated by online advertising. 

The biggest gripes include invasions of privacy and being targeted with irrelevant marketing, but the majority of frustration was reserved for pop-ups ads, with 90%* of the poll voting them as the least trustworthy format.

Social networks are arguably one of the most effective tools to target specific types of consumers, but for agencies the challenge ahead is continue to connect with users but in a less obtrusive manner.

* 800 users between 13-49 surveyed

Source: Brand Republic

Are Swedes Europe's best social networkers?

Are you a creator, critic or collector?  Do you know your blogs from your RSS feeds?  Internet research firm Forrester has released a report looking at the key social networking habits of Europeans - who uses what, when and how.

The report looks at consumer engagement with social technologies and profiles them using 6 levels of participation - from complete lack of engagement to heavy engagement in original content creation.  Click here for the levels.

The report also looks at behaviours by country, citing that Sweden has the most active audience and Holland the most creative.  The UK comes out top in the participation stakes with 21% of the population using social networks compared the 13% in Europe as a whole.

Find the whole report (for a mere £140) here, or for a summary of key points click here.

O2's 'Little Blue Book' goes live

O2's new web portal launch, Bluebook, is giving a platform for customers to publish their 'mobile lives' online.

Users will be able to automatically save pictures and text messages before editing and displaying content in online albums that can be viewed and shared by others.

Blueblog will allow O2 customers to creative interactive diaries using photos and messages saved directly from their handset.

As O2 makes it's social networking debut should every brand be considering starting an online community?  Bluebook does after all provide a service that enhances and pulls together user's lives, but is it simply just another branded network site?  And what 'extra' does it give us that the Facebooks, MySpaces and Bebos of this world don't?

O2 users find out for yourself here if you haven't already...

source: BrandRepublic

Singing for England: The World's First Interactive Football Shirt

England kit makers Umbro have used a QR code in their new away strip giving them new ways of engaging with fans.

The code, which can be found in all replica shirts, is read and translated by phones carrying QR software.  Simply point at the two-dimensional pattern, and your phone directs you to the Umbro WAP site which cannot be accessed any other way.  The site contains exclusive information, pictures and competitions relating England.

To download the software and find out more visit Umbro's website.

source: Sky

Dictionary Corner

When was the last time you had a geekasm or suffered from connectile dysfunction?

No, these aren't the latest entries from the depths of Roger's Profanisaurus, but a witty jaunt in the world of adspeak courtesy of addictionary.org

There is a plethora of made-up terms and phrases on offer, with favourites including wiitard, scholg-on and comcastic.  Click to check out the latest movers and shifters and upload your own adland jargon.

source: Addictionary