I am still reeling from the physical reality of the iPad itself, along with the deluge of applications that come along with it. Recently launched ‘Flipboard’ is causing quite a stir.  Is it set to shake things up, or do we have another Google Wave on our hands?  The personal online magazine features intuitive content, while also allowing the user to interact with his/her social media profiles. The word on the street is that ‘Flipboard’ will revolutionize the entire publishing industry. Seems like revolutions are coming along with much more frequency these days.

What do I mean by intuitive content?  Why could ‘Flipboard’ be so revolutionary? ‘Flipboard’ is a multi-faceted application with impressive RSS reader functionality, and the ability to personalize content from your Facebook friends and Twitter tweeps. The application design is so intelligent because it makes an accurate assumption that one draws from and informs themselves via their online community of friends, tastemakers and colleagues. ‘Flipboard’ calibrates the information found in your social media pages and presents content in an attractive, user-friendly and totally individualized online magazine. This means that all retweets, ‘likes’, and links will be laid out in your personalized magazine just for you. Content updates in real time, so it stays timely and fresh.

‘Flipboard’ is considered to be such a breakaway app because it makes it simple to wade through mountains of content in a short period of time. Consider the length of time involved in downloading and reading each unique newspaper or magazine application on your iPad, in addition to engaging with social media profiles like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.?  ‘Flipboard’ simplifies all of this and creates a platform for the user to peruse, interact and inform themselves through an ‘eye pleasing’ magazine interface.  Best of all? It’s free!

‘Flipboard’ CEO Mike McCue released a statement last week communicating that popularity and consumer demand have grown ‘clearly beyond our wildest expectations.” Upon launch, the company introduced a ‘first come first serve basis’, which has now become problematic as demand exceeds serviceability.  ‘Flipboard’ has dealt with this prudently: they have put an invitation system in place whereby people can download the new version of ‘Flipboard (1.0.1)’ and reserve an appointment for setup.  McCue’s goal is to expand accordingly and soon disable the invitation system so that transfer is immediate.

In the meantime, you can request your invitation and keep tabs on the ‘Flipboard’ public content via @flipboard and http://www.flipboard.com.  You can also enjoy their promotional video here:

The Guggenheim is hosting a worldwide bienniale in partnership with YouTube, and promises to be the biggest thing the art world has seen since Jeff Koons. To date, the renowned Modern and Contemporary Art Museum has received over 4000 videos from international artists, videographers and graphic designers in an open call for submissions. The Guggenheim has an insatiable appetite for fresh work, and they won’t be satisfied until they hear from YOU. So budding Picassos, Film Noir-ists and bravuras alike—it’s time to flex your creative muscles. The Guggenheim is accepting video submissions for the next ten days, and will short-list twenty entries to be exhibited at their museums in New York, Berlin, Bilbao and Venice in October 2010.

If you’re artistically inclined, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. Few artists experience this level of elevation and only under the most exceptional of circumstances. This project also speaks to a growing trend in social media, which we discussed in our post referencing Ridley Scott’s ‘Life In A Day’ project: Crowdsourcing.  Crowdsourcing is at the forefront of countless public projects across many genres: the arts, politics—like David Cameron’s plan to crowd source the UK on fiscal policy, and your very own Facebook profile. The practice of crowd sourcing guarantees diversity of opinion, innumerable choice and ultimately, peak results. This presents groundbreaking opportunities for artists to forge deep, permeating connections in the international art world.  The divide between ‘art for art sake’ and preconceived notions of what is museum-worthy has effectively been broken down.  This is reminiscent of the Tate Modern’s graffiti exhibit a few years back.  For me, this is what social media is all about: increased connections and the spread of ideas. Prior to social media and online crowd sourcing how else could a local artist receive this kind of exposure?

The Guggenheim and YouTube jury will select 200 videos to stream on the youtube.com/play channel with the twenty most outstanding submissions exhibited in Guggenheims worldwide.  Take note, The NY Guggenheim blog ‘The Take’ instructs that the jury will seek out creative, innovative and experimental submissions. For further information visit http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york and to make a submission via http://www.youtube.com/play

Take a risk! Submit and let us know when you do.

Twitter has found a new, and potentially lucrative feature to expand their relevance.  This new official twitter account is a “dedicated deal” venue whereby @EarlyBird followers can take advantage of time and location specific discounts, local events. 

@EarlyBird’s first deal offered a two for one tickets to new film The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. A deal that certainly appeals to a mass audience of families, moviegoers and Disney aficionados.  Twitter may have another hit on their hands, and the numbers seem to back this up. @Earlybird’s already has 72,941 followers as of this morning. 

Twitter isn’t the only service taking advantage of time sensitive online deals. Couture fashion site Ruelala.com offers high end and designer apparel at heavily reduced price points.  They also offer 5-star vacation packages, house wares and accessories, with each sale lasting 24 hours.  We think this is brilliant because it provides a win-win situation. The consumer is privy to outstanding sales unavailable in the retail market, while the site benefits from the time-sensitive nature of the sale. The “buy now or never” concept is quite effective for a quick sale on luxury items. Ruelala.com also offers a well-designed, streamlined app so to offer consumers a chance to connect and buy on their smartphones.

A few sites have taken the “dedicated deal” trend one step further. Sites like LivingSocial.com and Groupon.com have merged the 24 hour deal with geo-location capabilities. The user is invited to sign-up with emphasis placed on the city they live in. Living Social and Groupon offer daily deals in your home city for meals, sporting excursions, spas and other activities that get you out on the town.

I recently took advantage of an incredible deal offered on Living Social Toronto. I paid $25 for a $50 dollar voucher to the delectable Coco Lezzone in Toronto’s Little Italy. So in this regard, my money—and my enjoyment—were instantly doubled.

The user is certainly not limited to their home city. With offers all across the United States and many cities in Canada, it’s a great option for travelers as well. Many people really appreciate it when their travel dollars stretch further than their budgets. Everyone loves a deal which reinforces the fact these companies will grow exponentially by word of mouth alone.

There are incentives for consumers to spread the word… at the end of Living Social voucher each user is provided with a unique link to share with friends. If three people purchase a voucher through your unique link then BAM! your deal is free. How’s that for value?

Here at The Blog Studio, we really feel that social media through geo-location is about to explode. We’d love to hear your experiences with the above sights and thoughts on this trend.  So comment away!

I read the news today, oh boy/ About a lucky man who made the grade…

Ridley Scott and YouTube have been inspired by social media connectivity and The Beatles classic ‘A Day in the Life.” Through a global collaborative effort, Scott and YouTube plan to create a documentary of what life was like on July 24th 2010—much like John Lennon’s musing on the temporal in ‘A Day in the Life.’

This is definitely a new direction for filmmaking and for digital media.  Usually, a film begins and ends with industry topdogs.  Hollywood creative teams (execs, producers, writers and directors) will take a story and generate a film for a mass audience.  Filmmaking has been turned on its head by opening up the creative process to the everyman. Social media, crowd sourcing and collaborative creation are where it’s at in the post-future world we live in.

Come July 24th we can all collaborate with Ridley Scott, earn a ‘co-director’ credit and carve out a niche in filmmaking when the movie premiers at Sundance 2011. It’s an amazing opportunity indeed… but what’s even more exciting, is this new genre of filmmaking will have broader implications that effect the notion of “art”, and the media industry in general. Ridley Scott is recognizing the potential for greatness in the amateur.

What is ‘Life In A Day’ director Kevin McDonals looking for?  McDonals released a statement which read, “Life in a Day is a time capsule that will allow future generations to discover how we lived on the 24th of July 2010.” What content will peak his interest? And why is July 24th 2010 the big day?  Is it an arbitrary date selected to accommodate Ridley Scott’s production schedules, or is there some deeper meaning?

Will the ‘Life in a Day’ team include average, everyday citizens shaving, hitting Starbucks and heading to the office?  What about authenticity?  Will submissions be an honest account of July 24th or will people submit sensationalized material?

Are you submitting your life to YouTube and Ridley Scott?  What will you contribute to this “time capsule?” Leave us a comment and let us know!

To learn more about the ‘Life in a Day Project’ you can search the hashtags #RidleyScott and #lifeinaday visit http://www.youtube.com/lifeinaday and watch Ridley Scott’s directions in the video above:

The Blog Studio was invited to Government of Ontario’s “Digital Dialogue” conference regarding the future of Canadian media. Hosted by the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the OMDC called upon Ontario’s preeminent literary, commerce, media and academic minds to discuss and ultimately, develop Canada’s digital media strategy.

Keynote speaker and New York Times writer Virginia Heffernan, Minster of Tourism and Culture’s hon. Michael Chan, former editor-in-chief of The Globe and Mail Edward Greenspon and Dr. David Ellis—chair of Communications at York University—all gave their time and expertise to this cause. Among the esteemed panelists were representatives from “Digital Britain” offering their findings after having formulated Britain’s policy on new media.

Ms. Heffernan’s outstanding keynote addressed common fears regarding the forward progression of digital media. She communicated that many are nostalgic for the pre-digital age. There is a body that feels literacy is at risk in the face of video games and that many are wary of the scope and possibilities of the web.  Heffernan did a fantastic job of unpacking and disarming these anxieties: She feels that this moment in media is analogous to the Industrial Revolution and that there now exists alternatives to computer and off line culture embodied in the iPad and the Android.  In response to the skeptics Heffernan challenged her audience to:

• Try an e-reader (preferably the kindle)
• Jump right into the web by commenting and engaging with sites
• Record your experience

Heffernan feels that this endeavour will result in the same conclusion that she has drawn: “Literacy is not at risk because of the Internet, rather literacy is augmented as a result.”

Next, The hon. Michael Chan discussed an official report detailing the vision and direction of Canada as a top tier media economy. Cultural media is Toronto’s big business and generates billions of dollars for the Canadian economy.  We must create new business models, policy frameworks, and a change management plan for Canadian society amidst our digital transformation. He shared that there are six key pillars for this project:

• The development of private investment and financing in new media.
• Creating an environment to support, stimulate and grow creative minds in the cultural media sector.
• Coordinate the force of all Ontario media companies.
• Support start-ups that inject new ideas and matters.
• Create an accessible environment for all Ontarians to learn Digital Media.
• Most importantly, Ontario must extend its global presence by having an official policy on ‘The National Digital Economy Strategy for Canada.’

Each panel highlighted their major recommendations and concerns for government policy and called upon conference peers and especially, the general public to contribute as well. The main concern recurrently voiced was Accessibility- this means the language and practices of digital media must not be esoteric or class based.  We must ensure there are opportunities afforded to small business, inner city schools and the working class so that our entire country moves forward together and is educated in this regard. Digital Britain found “unconferences” were the way to include those who felt disenfranchised.” Additional issues included extension of broadband as well as funding and expansion of tax incentives.

The conference was incredible as a result of the exchange of ideas and recommendations for digital policy. A note to our friends and industry professionals: The Government of Ontario wants to hear from YOU and will be accepting policy recommendations until July 9th.  Send your suggestions post haste to http://www.digitaleconomy.gc.ca and you can follow @OMDCtweets.

Whether you are new to Twitter or a die hard addict, chances are you have a set of favorite Twitter tools you enjoy using. This article discusses innovative and helpful tools that you, our clients, can implement and utilize in your everyday “tweetings.” Twitter is a highly effective marketing tool that can increase your company’s visibility and help reach your target demographic. Here are a few tools that will help you make the most of your Tweeting time. 

Seesmic is an impressive and easy-to-use app. Created for the desktop, iPhone and Blackberry, seesmic helps to simplify using multiple twitter and Facebook accounts.. It features an “email-like interface,” unlimited columns, multiple languages, geo-location support and can save your twitter searches. We love it at TBS because it has a clean design and you can see 4 columns on one page, which is about the most you can handle while staying sane and productive. Follow this app @seesmic

Twitter for iPhone: Twitter’s official app also launched a few weeks ago (literally years after twitter appeared on the web itself.) A personal favourite of our Managing Director Lucia, twitter acquired the highly acclaimed “tweetie” and made it all their own.  It’s an excellent application, we like that twitter waited to see how their users navigated the site and what others apps offered users.  Twitter developed a really intuitive app that could really threaten the longevity of other alternatives.  Try it out for yourself and be sure to let us know what you think. Connect via @twitter

TweetDeck: TweetDeck is a fantastic application especially in its design; it’s an Adobe air desktop application that synchs with Facebook, Linkedin, Foursquare, MySpace and Twitter. It is compatible with several operating systems and features multiple columns meant for organizing tweets, direct messages and twitter exchanges. One especially salient feature is that you can organize your tweeps into different groups allowing for a focused eye on certain “twitterers.” Discover this app @TweetDeck

HootSuite: Are you concerned about the time involved in managing a consistent and successful twitter account? Are you often busy with clients and other aspects of running your business?  If you are short on time and can’t be a dedicated “twitter-er,” HootSuite is the perfect solution for busy professionals. We recommend devoting a minimum of an hour each day researching and preparing your tweets.  You can then feed and organize them into HootSuite’s “preschedule” feature and have them published throughout the day.  It’s also a great tool for measuring analytics and managing multiple accounts. Link to this tool @hootsuite

Brizzly: The major feature on this service is the “picnic” whereby you can create a private space to share pictures, links, sites and comments.  You can create a “picnic” from both Facebook and Twitter and invite a select group of people to see and contribute to the “picnic” content. You can create, manage or join up to ten “picnics” at a time.  Services like brizzly bring the art of conferencing to a whole new level. Connect via @brizzly

So now you know what we use at The Blog Studio to stay organized and connected to the twittersphere. We would love to hear your comments as well as your tool and application preferences so please share them with us!

What a whirlwind NXNEi was for The Blog Studio. We dove right last week to join and learn from the digital conversation. NXNE’s panelist speakers really brought the heat and we were totally blown away by these Social Media leaders and their simple yet brilliant insights. Everyone from our idol Ze Frank to Unmarketing’s Scott Stratten were on the scene to direct, challenge and inspire the new direction of social media.

As we mentioned last week, our President Lucia Mancuso and Lead Strategist Mike Dolan were panelists on two widely anticipated and warmly received panels on the politics and authenticity of Social Media. Our The Blog Studio team was out in full attendance to soak in the sights and the sounds…we brought back key points from our friends that we would like to share with you. We were challenged, inspired and totally had our creative energies renewed:

Challenge: Mike Dolan’s panel kicked things off and certainly set the tone for the week. He and fellow panelists had one clear message: Be Informed and Be Real. Too much of the social mediasphere is being inundated with people who have zero qualifications yet massive influence. It’s also problematic that people share and express things online that they would never utter out loud, it’s important to practice the same social graces and manners that one would in the outside world: take your rules of “real world social engagement” and apply them to your social media accounts. That is how you ensure genuine connections online.

It’s also important to screen what you post; for instance there is really no need to check into your own apartment from 4square because it becomes an “overshare” and reduction of quality. Panelist Andrew Lane gave excellent advice, “Give things to people and hope they will share and enjoy them. Create things that are valuable.” It was an excellent panel and it was worthwhile to hear a candid discussion on social media. They really up’ed the ante...these men are ready to exclusively share their online realties with responsible and inspired users.

2) Create: Next up was the scintillating Scott Stratten who started out with “Everything I know I learned at Lee’s Palace.” He’s also a straight shooter and told us that he lives by three basic principles “Know, Like and Trust.” If you hold this as your goal in social media, business and beyond you will have something of value to offer.

Next up was “The Architects of Community” featuring Erica Ehm of the Yummy Mummy Club who spoke on the subject of “human curation.” She built an incredibly successful network for mother’s to share, seek counsel and advise on parenthood. Ehm built something she cared about and found a strong need for in her own life. What’s the lesson here friends? Again, it’s authenticity—it was a unifying thread for all of the panels—build something that you care about, speak honestly, evoke emotion and that will breed success.

3) Inspire: The afternoon featured “Thank You For Being A Friend” where Lucia and fellow industry colleagues discussed gender, politics and their own personal journey. Panelists agreed that setting clear goals, seeking out mentors, and asking questions were elements of success. Bottom line, information is free, it is up to you to go after it regardless of your gender, orientation or goals. These women were powerful and it really spoke to emerging tech gals… it gave us confidence.

To close the interactive section of the conference we were treated to Ze Frank…it’s hard to say in a few sentences the impact this man creates. He made us laugh, he made us cry and ultimately, defied what is thought possible for human and web connectivity. We love him☺

Did any of you head out to NXNEi? We would love to hear your experiences so write to us and comment. Let’s keep the conversation going!

Is your dad or husband a total tech geek? Is he crazy about contraptions and always drooling over the latest devices?  The Blog Studio is here with the Comprehensive Father’s Day Guide for the guy who love gadgets: DADGETS.

1) First on our “dadget” list is the Samsung LED 7000 3D TV: the very cutting edge of television technology.  We got a sneak peak of it a few months back when Samsung held a preview reception, and we were totally blown away.  Regular flat screens are a thing of the past… the Samsung 3-D TV brings a genuine theatre experience into your dad’s life.  What else would be fit for Avatar’s upcoming DVD release?
http://www.samsung.com/ca/

2) Speaking of surreal experiences, how about Apple’s latest tech toy: the iPad?  They might be hard to score, but this device has the cache to truly impress even the most tech savvy pops.  It became available in Canada recently and is buzzing all over the net as the new hot ticket item.
http://www.apple.com

3) If your dad has already beaten you to the iPad punch, that’s ok. We’d like to introduce you to the brand new line of iPad accessories, like iLuv and Gucci’s line.  We’ve read about everything from slick cases, to desk mounts and… they come in a variety of great colours for you to match to your dad’s favourite gadgets.
http://www.mrgadget.com

4) For the dad who’s a world traveler and always on the move, the perfect gift is Indigo’s kobo electronic book reader.  The kobo is simple, sleek, and best of all you will be supporting a Canadian brand.  If you would like try it out for yourself, Indigo is offering tutorials and demos at their Bay/Bloor location.
http://www.indigo.com

5) Canon Rebel: Is the dad in your life always juggling the digital camera, his video camera, memory cards, etc.?  Save him the hassle and surprise him with the new Canon Rebel complete with 15 megapixel camera and HD video capabilities.
http://www.canon.ca

6) If your dad is a true “Mad Men” fan, look to a chic vintage inspired accessory like the ‘Yubz’ Retro handset sold on roots.com.  Yubz looks great and will make you feel even better: it’s been clinically proven to reduce 95% of radiation emitting from mobile phones. Not only will you show your dear old dad that you care about his health, but it upgrades sound quality and is definitely conversation piece.
http://canada.roots.com

7) If your dad is in the Tech and Social Media business (like us) and is already hip to these trendy tools you might be able to surprise him with the first ever Videophone Touch AiGuru from Asus: The world’s first Skype-enabled touch screen videophone that allows users to make free video and voice calls over Skype.  This Videophone boasts an internal microphone, conference calling capabilities and Skype voicemail.
http://www.saks.com

Still stumped? Be sure to check out these dedicated “gadget guide” websites and you will be sure to find him something he will really love:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/
http://www.dlink.com/boxeebox
http://www.theflip.com/en-us/

Happy Father’s Day to all of our friends!

All hands on deck! The North By North East festival is descending on Toronto Monday for a full-on Music, Film, and Culture takeover.  What’s more exciting for us geeks this year is an ‘i’—meaning NXNE has gone interactive, just like i its’ big sister festival SXSW (where the interactive portion has actually become larger and more popular than music and film!).

Alongside the massive gathering of bands and fans, there will be 30+ panels featuring industry leaders and design professionals discussing digital technology, creativity and social media trends.

This is especially thrilling for us here The Blog Studio, and we’re beyond excited and honoured to be taking a really active role at NXNE. Our President Lucia Mancuso (@lulula), and our Lead Strategy and Outreach nerd, Mike Dolan (@EvilPRGuy) will be speaking on two panels at the sold out conference.

On Monday June 14th at 2:00 pm, Lucia will share the stage with Amrita Chandra, Guinevere Orvis, April Dunford and moderator Meghan Warby on “Thank You For Being A Friend: tips, traits and tactics of successful women in tech and social media.” These women are Toronto’s leaders in Social Media, Marketing, and Digital Communications. They will unveil and discuss gender, workplace and media strategy. You can also expect to walk away from this panel with usable strategies and ideas you can implement into your own workday right away.

On June 14 at 9:30am, Mike will share the stage for the hotly anticipated “Circle Jerking 101” panel, along with Andrew Lane, Kevin Airgid, Mark Evans, and panel moderator Jamie Woo. Mike Dolan is a man who tells it like it is (for better or for worse, his talk at Toronto Social Media Week stirred up more than a little controversy)—and this panel won’t be any different. These contributors will discuss the pitfalls of social media, and exactly what a client can expect from a great social media campaign. You can arm yourself with the insider straight dope you need to make the right decisions for incorporating social media into your business strategies, and avoid getting ripped off by the sham artists that multiply by the day in this industry. This panel is guaranteed to be entertaining, so this is one you definitely don’t want to miss.

These Digital Discussions will be cutting edge, raw and uncut. We are excited to sink our teeth into the NXNEi’s Social Media fabric, but are concerned that NXNEi could fall into the pit that many people feel has crippled SXSW in recent years.  SXSW started small and expanded exponentially very quickly.  With its rampant growth, depth of information and diversity of the SXSW conference, the festival became so popular it it lost some of the intimacy that ensured you would make personal and business connections that are really the most valuable takeaway from a conference..

Too much of SXSW is now spent waiting in lines, coordinating hangouts and trying to hit the fifteen parties hosted each night. A ‘Swarm‘ badge on Foursquare? That’s the line at the Empanada Truck at 4am. How about a SuperSwarm of 250+ people in one spot! That badge popped up at nearly every gathering at the festival.

We love NXNE’s intimate vibe, and are curious to see if it can retain the ‘warm feeling’ this year. As How Magazine editor Bryn Mooth says, “All this Social Media stuff makes us think we are really connected—facebook and twitter are fine ways to do that—But for my money, making connections in person is what really matters.” While Social Media enables you to reach out to a huge cross section of people , there r is nothing like an old school face to face chat.  So come out and chat with Lucia, Mike and all of their colleagues next week during the industry panels (or the parties, which are just as important)!

We invite all of you to attend our panels as well as email us questions to address during our talks, so please send them in. We will also keep you posted via twitter and our blog on the people, parties and panels.

Plus we’ll be annoucning a huge surprise for every attending NXNEi. So keep your eyes on the blog here and at http://www.nxne.com for this special announcement . You’re going to love it (pinky swear)! Stay tuned!