Freedom for digital doppelgangers!
This week the BBC reports a new jv between IBM and Linden Labs to create avatars freed from the constraints of any one, particular world. Firstly the project aims to open up individual worlds so that information can be taken from one world to another; there onwards, work will commence on creating universal characters that can transcend boundaries, allowing users to take their well-honed (and buffed) mini-digi-me’s into other contexts. But how will the in-world communities react to this news? Do the principles and codes of conduct of one world translate to another? And, more importantly, how will this impact on the burgeoning economies of these worlds – will virtual currency be portable between worlds too? Surely it’s doubtful that the world creators would want to see revenue leaving their domain? It will be interesting to see how far Linden Lab take the sentiment of universality when it comes to money…
Read more here. Photo credit: Dean Terry
Posted by: Ruth at lunchtime on Friday, 12th October 2007
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Name your price
This week came the news that Radiohead are going to let their fans price their new album. Fans have the option of giving a donation when they download the album with the minimum contribution being just 1p (plus a mandatory 45p credit card fee). This news is hot on the heals of Prince who recently gave his new album away for free with the Mail on Sunday (and a free copy to all those who attended his concert at the 02). So what does this mean for content in a digital age where the artists call the shots and choose how they want to monetise it? This is further admission that traditional retailing models are being deconstructed, but interestingly in this instance by the content-owners themselves. The Register has an interesting point of view on who really benefits. Read it here. Or for a more succinct reading of the situation see the lead comment on leyink’s Flickr picture posting: "Haha, the entire recording industry is so f*cked!".
Photo credit: leyink
Posted by: Ruth at time for tea on Friday, 5th October 2007
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It's a widget world
This week someone invited me to add the vibrating hamsters widget on Facebook (I am now the proud owner of said jiggling rodent on my profile). Widgets are all the rage; the latest must-have in any digital comms discussion. And there’s increasing discussion as to their potential – ComScore says that over 40% of internet users have visited a page using embedded / widgetised content (as reported in Clickz).
Widgets are portable, flexible and very ‘testable’, and they’re instantly alluring for their bottom-up viral nature. The real challenge comes, however, in creating branded versions that have appeal, longevity and can be used to drive an ongoing relationship with consumers. After all, the vibrating hamster only gets my endorsement for a very finite time.
Add your favourites in the comments below.
Posted by: Ruth at 17:07 on Friday, 13th July 2007
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