Wires+Tubes

The implications of Google TV

In case you've been trapped under a heavy object for the last 24-36 hours or so, you probably already know about Google TV and some of the other announcements from Google IO.  Perhaps the biggest relates to Google TV. 

Take 2 minutes, 7 seconds, and watch this...

The first thing I was struck with is that now all screens (desktop, laptop, netbook, tablet, mobile, and now TV's) will have access to any and every kind of content.  This fundamentally changes what TV is on a large scale.  The TV is just another screen now.  It's no longer a black box, with limited access to content, it's now going to be connected to any and every kind of content available on all aforementioned screens.  It's been this way on a limited basis for awhile, Google TV and its associated protocols simply takes the concept deeper into the mainstream. 

I think this has huge social, cultural, and economic implications.  Rooms won't necessarily be defined by the type of entertainment or content devices you typically would have there.  Your living room can be about living, working, playing, learning or whatever via your TV.  Your living room can also be your office and vice versa.

Sure, with wifi and mobile devices this has been somewhat true for awhile. Now, the content is unlocked and open across most any device. 

What are the old school networks and their executives thinking right now?  "Run like hell" I would think is in the top 10. 

What do you think?

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• Google TV turns on at I/O (engadget.com)
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• Announcing Google TV: TV meets web. Web meets TV. (googleblog.blogspot.com)
• Android-based Google TV coming to living rooms this fall (arstechnica.com)

Normals and the things they say on Facebook

I learned a couple of interesting things this morning. 

The first thing is that Will Moffat built a tool called Facebook Search. It allows you to search status messages from Facebook.

Oh yeah, didn't you know? Unless you change the default setting, your Facebook status messages are public, and searchable. 

Will has kindly offered up some one click searches for us. Go see who's talking about playing hooky, their stupid boss, their rectal exam, or enter your own search. Genital warts returns some interesting stuff.  He also provides a bit of education for those who want to get out of the stream.

The second thing is a new term; 'normals'. Not to be confused with Norml.org , 'normals' are essentially that part of the population that follows the default, without questioning it. The non-geek among us who for example wouldn't be aware of the privacy implications of Facebook's settings for their personal accounts.

I first heard the term on a Hacker News discussion about Will's Facebook Search tool.  If you are one who builds apps, considers user experiences, or does any kind of marketing via social media; normals are people you'd be wise to research and understand.  Both in terms of what motivates them to act, and also in terms of what they understand and don't understand about the technology you're asking them to use.

What the Hell is going on?

Four part video interview with Robert Stephens, Gary Koelling, and Ben Hedrington from Best Buy.  These are videos that we do every so often at Best Buy to reveal what we are thinking on a range of topics.

In this short series the lads are sharing our current thinking on how technology is affecting our business, and what we're doing about it.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Google Chrome is really, really, fast.

This must have been a fun shoot.

Google Chrome is fast. Great illustration video.

The Program

The Mayor of Mount Holly recently shared an inspiring video. It was of Douglas Rushkoff speaking at SXSW.  Worth 6 minutes of your time.

The worldview he describes is to me, imminently clear and useful. To that end I've realized in my job and life that I want to be the higher order, the "programmer"; or if I'm not the one writing "the code", I can at least be conversant in its syntax, it's place in the ecosystem, its influences, it's flavors and be able to explain it, to anyone.  Even more, be able to understand the ramifications of our architecture and our method to their world.

I've been trying to decide what I want to do with this blog. I landed on it sometime around 4:30am this morning.  My job is really about being the interface between the real makers, our developers and designers, and the people who need stuff made; the business. My role is to help the non-makers understand the makers (and what gets made) and how and why it works, and how and why the business would need it or not need it.

So here, on this blog, I'll be learning in the open. I'll be sharing what I'm learning, and attempting to do so in a way that is in plain english and provides context, so that regardless of your technical understanding, you can understand it.  It's practice for me in learning about and explaining things that I only superficially understand now.  Maybe it will help some others understand and explain this stuff better as well.

Mr Splashy Pants

Alex Ohanian is the founder of Reddit, I think his TED video below represents most of the key elements of social media done right. Let the people play. If you're the brand, in this case Greenpeace, let them influence decisions, then you find a way to give those decisions life in your offerings. You're not giving up total control, just control within certain boundaries.