From the VGAs Red Carpet: Criterion's Craig Sullivan

We just saw Criterion's creative director Craig Sullivan at the launch for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit a few weeks ago, and so when he showed up on this weekend's VGAs red carpet, we congratulated him on the game and its addictive Autolog feature. "It's been phenomenal," he agreed. "It does change the way people play. People are playing the same event ten, fifteen, fifty times, and you don't get that in racing games. It's a very big deal for us and we're really glad that people are embracing it and having fun."

The social service doesn't do what most implementations have so far done and share stats out to Twitter or Facebook. Instead, it keeps the sharing inside the game, and Sullivan says that's the way Criterion designed it. "You get information about Need for Speed when you're playing Need for Speed," he says. "That was really key to us." Criterion is also seeing in-game comments used more than expected, though it "usually degenerates into a load of swearing."

As for what's next, Sullivan says DLC is the current focus, though Criterion wouldn't mind making either another Need for Speed or Burnout title, or any other genre for that matter. "We made Black before, and everybody wants us to make Black 2. As long as it's fun and it suits the strengths of the studio, we're interested in making any kind of game. We always joke and say we'll make a game about jelly, or make a game about horses, or tennis or whatever it is. If it fun and it fits with what Criterion stands for, then we'll pretty much make anything."

JoystiqFrom the VGAs Red Carpet: Criterion's Craig Sullivan originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 12 Dec 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/12/from-the-vgas-red-carpet-criterions-craig-sullivan/

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The Rise of the Corporate Transmedia Storyteller

The following is also cross-posted on Forbes.com.

According to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, by the end of today the web will fill up with more information than what had existed in entirety prior to 2003. Much of this deluge is being created by ordinary netizens, rather than by corporations. The web has become a raging river filled with tweets, status updates, photos and videos.

There?s both a positive and negative side to this story. In fact it has spawned a divergent debate of ideas.

Nicholas Carr in his book ?The Shallows? argues that the digital deluge is rewiring our brains for less depth. NYU professor Clay Shirky, meanwhile, says in his book Cognitive Surplusthat as more of us become content creators rather than consumers, it?s ushering in a new age of enlightenment.

Regardless of which side of the debate you buy into, one that sees superficiality rising versus another that envisions a new Renaissance, one thing remains clear. Space on the Internet is infinite. Time and attention, meanwhile, remain finite. Therefore, ?Digital Relativity? will become a major challenge.

Taken in context, when you do the math it?s easy to see that it?s going to be harder than ever to reach people. On the one hand, social networking sites like Facebook consolidate audiences. (The average user spends five hours/month on the site.) On the other hand, social media is forcing us to make hard choices every day ? Bieber vs brands, Forbes vs families, business vs. babies.

The new law of digital relativity (e.g. the relationship between time and space) means the end of scarcity. This was the currency that, for years, powered marketing budgets, filled media coffers and drove the information economy. Now that scarcity is gone, however, we will need to adopt a new set of skills.

Enter the Transmedia Storyteller.

Even though millions of us are now content producers in some form or another, the reality is there?s still chasm when it comes to quality. There?s art and there?s junk. Audiences want art.

To stand out today it?s critical that businesses create content. Activating your cadre of internal subject matter experts is the surest path to visibility. According to the 2010 Edelman Trust Barometer, the public is increasingly relying on subject matter experts as trusted authorities. And many businesses are beginning to do just that, especially on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The reality is, however, that organizations need to do more than just unleash their subject matter experts en masse. They need to activate them in multiple channels at once and equip them in how to create a compelling narrative ? an emerging set of skills called Transmedia Storytelling

Transmedia Storytelling doesn?t need to be fancy. It can be executed with low budget tools. However, it does need to be thought through. It requires that a business? subject matter experts know how to simultaneously tell good stories and to do so using text, video, audio and images depending on the venue.

Transmedia storytelling is the future of marketing. And those who can span across formats and share their expertise will stand out in an age of Digital Relativity. There?s a first-mover advantage here. However, it remains to be seen who will grab the ring.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/steverubel/~3/LzMAnugFIvY/the-rise-of-the-corporate-transmedia-storytel

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Random Robot Roundup

By popular demand, another robot news roundup is here. First up is news from our friend William Cox. You probably know William as the guy who spent the last decade maintaining the GoRobotics blog, which was recently acquired by Roboshop. His new project is RobotBox a community site for showing off robots you've built. Some other robot building friends of ours over at Willow Garage are celebrating the 3rd anniversary of ROS, one of the leading robot operating systems software packages (no doubt because it's released as open source to preserve the user's software freedoms). Lisa Devaney writes to tell us about a cool new educational program in UK schools that "aims to teach youth about the future workplace in 10-15 years time, demonstrating how robotics will influence career choices". It's called Robots and Avatars. And of course, The Swirling Brain swirls on, this week swirling up a Register story on CMU's flying robot jeep, a cnet story on Japan's new flying surveillance robot, a cake decorating robot, and an update on military exoskeletons. Know any other robot news, gossip, or amazing facts we should report? Send 'em our way please. And don't forget to follow us on twitter.

Source: http://robots.net/article/3072.html

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Small Ways to Use Less and Save Money

Why worry about the small things, they aren't worth much and waste time. There is an Ethiopian proverb that talks about the power of small things: "When the spiderwebs unite, they can tie up a lion."

In the Bathroom
Shampoo - I was watching a shampoo commercial on TV and found it interesting that the person in the commercial had used enough shampoo that they could spike their hair into the shape of a Mohawk. That meant that they had used more than the recommended quarter size amount, or in his case, since it was shorter, nickel or dime shaped amount.


The shampoo bottle doesn't have a recommended amount to use on the bottle, they just hope you will think of their highly suds out commercial and use enough to make your own Mohawk.

Toothpaste - Toothpaste commercials again show us the way not to use toothpaste. That large amount of toothpaste looks really pretty on the brush, but is a waste. (If it all even makes it into your mouth and not onto the sink.) The dental association says, "Simply squeeze on a pea-sized dab of paste on the top half of your brush....the paste should foam enough to cover all of your teeth."

Toilet Paper - This subject can get kind of stinky with some people, such as when Sheryl Crow suggested we only use one square or even before that, Elaine from Seinfeld begged the person in the next stall to "spare a square".

But think about it, is it our goal to make the toilet paper into the size of a catcher's mitt in order to wipe. There isn't a square we can spare before we wash our hand's anyway? During World War II, it was rationed and you would only use a few squares of TP as your way to help the troops.

Water - It runs throughout the house, but doesn't have to run down the drain. There are 25 ways you save water and I have one way to save hot water in the shower, not including a low-flow shower head.

In the Laundry Room
Laundry Detergent - They give you a measured cup for the load size you are using, but do you have to use that amount? Based on responses over at the Dollar Strether, they say  to agree on ¼ to ½ of what the suggested amount is.

Hot Water - Using cold water cleans just as thoroughly as hot water and keeps your clothes in continued good shape and retain their color. Plus you don't have to wait for it to heat up. Then save the hot water to wash towels/linens and underwear to kill bacteria.

In the Kitchen
Boiling water - Just enough water to cover the food and a cover over the pan saves on heating water.

Dish Soap - If you do it by hand, a few dollups of soap are all that is needed. Most of the time you can have the pan soak while washing the other dishes and not have to use as much soap in getting the grime off.
For dishwasher detergent they have packets that can be used and if you compare that against the size of your compartment, you don't have to fill the compartment up - about 1-2 tablespoons.

Electricity - Using less electricity can be viewed the same as using a car to run errands, bundle it in one trip. That saves you the time to heat up for each item you want to cook each day. An already warm oven can allow you to move the food in and out faster, saving time.

This idea can be used for the dryer as well. An already warm dryer allows the 2nd batch of clothes to dry quicker because the dryer is not having to ramp up to the warmth needed.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/IpRp/~3/aAnxEF66CKU/small-ways-to-use-less-and-save-money.html

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Homemade Knitting Machine


Youtube user correx37 made this homemade knitting machine using old printer parts, two servos and a Picaxe-18x microcontroller. I love the simplicity and re-use of components. That slow, deliberate action could easily lull me in to a deep sleep... and when I woke up, I'd have a freshly-made scarf!

See also:

Read the Full Story » | More on MAKE » | Comments » | Read more articles in Crafts | Digg this!

Source: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/12/homemade_knitting_machine.html

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Create your very own Sonic the Sackboy

Ever wonder what it'd be like if Sackboy and Sonic had a kid? Well, let your imagination take a break and check out the real deal past the jump -- complete with instructions on how to make one of your own!.

Continue reading Create your very own Sonic the Sackboy

JoystiqCreate your very own Sonic the Sackboy originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 Dec 2010 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/11/create-your-very-own-sonic-the-sackboy/

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Real-time Face Time = the New Primetime

The following essay is also my column in next week's Advertising Age.

Real-time + Face Time = the New Primetime

One of the realities of the modern era and the age of continuous information streams is that consumers now expect, rather than simply demand, that their needs be addressed in real time. One of my former colleagues summed this up best by calling the phenomenon "The Baby Monitor Principle."

The basic premise is that once an infant knows a baby monitor is in a room and comprehends what it does, he/she begins to use it to their advantage. Babies somehow understand that when they cry, mom or dad will come running to save the day. So they cry some more.

In the digital space, a similar metaphor rings true. Savvy consumers now are well aware that companies are listening in to their conversations on Twitter and Facebook. And some are using it to their advantage. They know that if they're vocal enough and find a community of like minded individuals, brands will eventually have to cater to their needs. Business has evolved by establishing robust digital embassies on platforms like Twitter.

It's not just social media, however, that's encouraging companies to live a far more dynamic existence than they're accustomed to. In many ways, it's also the new mobile services, some social, that are arming consumers with essential real-time information. and changing our behaviors and expectations. 

Consider Red Laser, a popular iPhone application that is owned by eBay (an Edelman client). Red Laser gives consumers the ability to scan bar codes to find cheaper prices. There are countless other apps available for all platforms. As tools like Red Laser become more popular, it's conceivable that retailers will have to empower their personnel at the point of sale to be more nimble in approving just-in-time pricing.

Not sitting on their laurels, retailers are already wisely responding to such empowered consumers by dangling equally attractive alternatives. Macy's, Sports Authority and Best Buy (also an Edelman client), for example, all are aggressively promoting ShopKick. This new platform rewards customers with savings and rewards for using their phones when they are physically in a store or shopping mall.

However, the war doesn't end there. This may end up a game of whack-a-mole as new real-time services continually emerge.

One such technology is LucyPhone, a web site that lets you bypass one of the joys of life - waiting on hold for customer service. Simply dial a consumer 1-800 hotline via LucyPhone, then disconnect the call once you're placed into the holding carousel and they will dial you back once a real human joins the call.

Lastly there's Google Instant - a controversial new offering from the search giant that alters your results in real-time with every letter you type. This immediate feedback mechanism is sure to alter search behaviors over time, forcing marketers to constantly look at how they pivot their content and ads.

Queen Rania of Jordan once said that "real time is the new primetime." And she's right. Business must aspire to operate in real-time, or come as close to it as they possibly can. However, this is just the beginning. Enter face time.

Despite all of the wonders of the modern age that we live in, technology has not diminished the need for human interaction. We still like to see who we're talking to and how they physically react to our questions and concerns.

The coming years will usher in a gaggle of new devices that bring face-to-face communication to our pockets and bring back in vogue. Apple's FaceTime, for example, is a new video communication standard that the company is looking to make available across a number of devices.

The moral of the story here is that every business today must try to catch up to consumers by becoming one that loves living in real time. At the same time, organizations also need to being to stay one step ahead of their customers by leveraging emerging face-to-face technologies before others do.

This two-fisted combo - real-time plus face-time - is the new primetime.

Photo credit: Chris Lamphear via masternewmedia.org

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/steverubel/~3/vhrSK9cngrM/real-time-face-time-the-new-primetime

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Gary Mortimer replied to John Cousins's discussion 'First UAV!'

Gary Mortimer replied to John Cousins's discussion 'First UAV!'
Remember the correct term is UAS ;-) Four hours is easily attainable with electric power, your airframe just has to be very sleek. The big advantage, less vibration. I can see amateur UAS being restricted to 30 minutes flight time pretty much everyw?

Source: http://diydrones.com/xn/detail/705844:Comment:236162?xg_source=activity

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Open Lidar Project

We're big fans of promoting the adoption of free software for robotics use so we couldn't pass this story up. William Cox of RobotBox is offering a bounty to free software developers and robot hackers who are willing to reverse engineer the laser rangefinder on Neato Robotics's XV-11.

Inspired by Ladyada's Kinect bounty, I thought, "hey, why can't I do that?" So, I'm offering a $200 bounty to the first person that successfully hacks Neato Robotics's XV-11 floor vacuuming robot's laser rangefinder and releases open source documentation/drivers for using it on a robot. This type of sensor would be a great asset to small (and large) mobile robots and it's a steal for the $399 it costs to buy the Neato robot. I want to kickstart the process of documenting how to use it.

Maybe a kickstarter campaign should be set up because Willaim's $200 bounty has already been upped to $300. RobotNV on the Trossen Robotics forums is contributing another $100 towards the bounty. Anyone else out there want to chip in a few bucks to help promote software freedom and help reverse engineer some pretty cool hardware for robots?

Source: http://robots.net/article/3074.html

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