PodCamp isn’t just about podcasting! If you’re interested in blogging, social media, social networking, podcasting, video on the net, if you’re a podsafe musician (or want to be), or just someone curious about new media, then please join us — and bring a friend or colleague.

I watched a group of people talk about Podcamp Toronto, on twitter, while it was happening a month or 2 ago.  These were the Londoner’s that will be at Podcamp London, so I know they are going to be even more pumped for a London event.  I was jealous and could not wait for the awesome to come to London again.   Yes, I missed last year due to an annoying day shift on the weekend at my old day job.  The one I left for events like Podcamp.

I believe the best thing that will come from Podcamp London is the networking, the conversations, seeing the people that have the same interests.  I am excited for a bunch of the sessions, but I know the huge benefits come from the attendees.

Add me up on twitter – @scotttwebb – and I hope we can connect at some point during Podcamp London.

Here is a picture of Jims Speed on Wellington Road here in London.  I have always loved the front facade and windows of the store.  While I was taking a few pictures the own came out and was asking me about the pictures.  He said that he has new signage that he should get up sometime soon.

I have a habit of taking photos of a subject and it disappearing or changing very soon after.  With that in mind, I’m keeping an eye on the store – the signage to the left has actually been taken down as of yesterday.   Wild eh!

Few notes – The is an HDR Photograph which means it’s made from 5 handheld raw shots and merged/tone mapped in Photomatix.

BTW I am going to be launching a new newsletter very soon with my daily photography/art.  My website Nuwomb is getting a makeover and it’s being launch at the same time.   I’d love your support and the best way to support me is to join up on the newsletter  Join it over on my personal blog by following the link below.

Daily Photography and Art Newsletter Sign Up

This photoblog does continue yet, the photos will not be daily.   I’ve been working on a newsletter that will be easier for people and hopefully inspire people to see the beauty in the city and world.

I’ll have more information on this very soon.

In the mean time, I was featured over at L Dot Online – I wrote a little about it in a self-promotion type post on my personal blog.

We went to the 7 Dwarfs Restaurant for breakfast this morning. We didn’t realize it was the new opening day for the place. It wasn’t too busy and it seemed that most of the staff were learning the ropes.  It was closed since I can remember here in London.  Breakfast was great! No complaints here.  I think my coffee was ‘warmed’ more than any other place I’ve been to lately!

This photo is from outside and taken with my iPhone!

Sadly after breakfast, I had some kind of mental breakdown.  I don’t understand where these feelings come from but I had to just breathe and fall asleep for a while.  I woke up hours later and felt a bit better.  I just really don’t enjoy when a panic attack comes on.  I didn’t get to AgendaCamp.  Which frustrates me.  I have to do my best to get to the Geek Dinner for the first Wednesday in February.

I discussed a huge benefit of Foursquare and Gowalla on Nuwomb Creative the other week.  Check it out because I describe the 2 applications a little more.

I woke up today with an interesting question:

Where will be the first location to start offering free items or great specials to customers that embrace mobile applications like Foursquare and Gowalla?

If you’ve found my blog here and aren’t familiar with these location based applications for a smart phone, let me give you a really quick run down.

• Gowalla: You check-in locations and gain/drop items.  I could go to the JLC, check-in.  Gowalla can announce to my friends in the app and to friends on twitter/facebook that I checked-in as well. Meeting a group of people? wonder if they are there? These applications tell you right away. These items add that element of game play, and if you pick up an item it will tell you if other people have had the item before too.  Last christmas I saw Gowalla hiding real prizes in locations and people won ipods/ipod nanos.
• Foursquare: You check-in at locations – so if I go to Silvercity to watch a movie, I can announce to my friends in the application, and to my friends on twitter/facebook if I want too.  I gain points and if I go there often enough I can become the Mayor of that location.  The Mayor of that location is visible and you can use this to breed competition.

While I am not sure how locations would be able to hide gifts within their store, restaurant, bar, or club using Gowalla as of yet, I believe that would be awesome. Right now the benefit for locations that promote this type of activity, is within the information they can obtain about their demographic. The location could see into their customers much more than you’d imaging.  Who are their friends, what do they talk about all the time, do they have a website? Perhaps they could reward someone if they drop a specific item in their location on a specific day.    It gets people in, and a free drink would be a very cheap way to get this type of information.

As for Foursquare, in some major cities where the app is more widely used, locations are offering free drinks and food to the Mayor.  Like I said, check-in to a location enough and you become the Mayor.  As the mayor, you could recommend something to everyone too.  Maybe you love sweet potato fries, so you say “hey try the sweet potato fries! I have them every time I’m here.”   The Mayor aspect promotes competition because someone could bump you out of that spot if they go more often.   As for points, I haven’t seen a major use for the weekly points system other than seeing who gets around a lot.  But I believe something more will come of this statistic.

Which locations will promote this?

I found a beer bottle at Barneys last weekend. Sadly it didn’t mean I was going to get a free beer. But that would have been amazing eh?

I’m looking for this to play a huge role in the bars/clubs in London.  I don’t if there are people in London using this exclusively for night life but don’t visit Barneys.  I am looking into more information on these applications and I’d love to figure out how to create some trips in Gowalla and how to get a badge specific to our city of London in Foursquare.   If meeting up with people at a club, it’s hugely beneficial to know when they check-in.  HUGE! Let me just plant two seeds:

1. You are in the club/bar and hanging out, you see on your phone that your buddy just checked-in.  Now you know another person there, you’re not wondering who might show up.  Or maybe you were waiting for them to show but you didn’t want to stand by the door looking awkward.
2. You’re running late and going to get to the bar after your friends.  Your friends start checking-in.  Suddenly you know they are either right outside or inside the bar now.  How could this benefit you? You send them an e-mail, text, call, tweet, facebook message (whichever you know they use most) and ask if there is a line!! Is it busy? what’s up as they checked in?

The more we explore the benefits of these locations, the more interesting and awesome it gets.  I can’t wait to see where we go with all of this.  If you’ve got an iPhone, or a type of phone that can have one of these applications, get them. They are free.  Check it out.

What do you think? Are you using them or prefer 1 or the other? I’m looking forward to knowing how we push this in London.

It’s usually dark now! This is nice that it’s still light!

It’s going to increase in length as each day passes.  This is really nice for photography.  I have a hard time getting out in the cold. That’s why this photo today is another shot from the Summer Wortley Cruise Night.

That was my initial thought because I tuned in right at the time the Mayor was talking about sustainable energy.

Now for the photograph today! This is a photograph shot in the summer at the Wortley Cruise Night.  I will be getting out a lot more this year! Seriously.  I will be getting out today because the sun is out and the sky is blue. I just need to find some gloves first.  This is a Mini Cooper and shot with my D300 and 50mm 1.4 Lens.

Well, as Londoner’s we need to make sure our city is on this board.  London was sitting #13, and has moved up to #6.  Let’s build a huge cushion! Show some support in the city.  I know the green bins issue is annoying but let’s get excited over something else for a moment.

The top 20 cities across Canada get to be a part of Monopoly history.

Vote for London to be on Monopoly!

]]> http://www.1lovelondon.com/how-to-get-london-ontario-on-the-monopoly-game-board/feed/ 4 http://www.1lovelondon.com/flickr-in-london-happy-new-year-fireworks/ http://www.1lovelondon.com/flickr-in-london-happy-new-year-fireworks/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:15:56 +0000 1 Love London http://www.1lovelondon.com/?p=736 The first image of Flickr Friday on 1 Love London is by Bun T. Pein.  This image captured the lights and fireworks at Victoria Park.  Glad Bun submitted this image into the Group because I didn’t get down to the park to see these fireworks. Check out more of Bun T. Pein’s work around London, Ontario in his Flickr Photostream.

This Pay-Phone is found on Dundas Street – Taken on one of my personal Photowalks last year.  You’ll have to walk the length to find out which one.  I took it handheld using multiple exposures.  I’ve had some fun today and given it an artistic impressions of the seasons. Hope you enjoy!