This infographic from Best Communication Degrees reveals the stats behind the global net:

Andrex – the soft, strong and very long-standing bog-roll brand has decided to spark a debate on the nation prefers to wipe its bottom after a visit to the loo. Yes, we all do it (even the Queen) but I’ve got to admit that I’ve never actually pondered on whether I’m a Scruncher or a Folder.

The following YouTube video sets the tone of the campaign:

Now there have been some great campaigns over the year based around debates, from the unforgettable Marmite “love it or hate it” ads to the more recent KitKat Chunky Champion campaign which asks people to cast their vote on which limited edition variation should gain permanent presence on newsagents’ shelves…

BUTT… is Andrex’s Scrunch or Fold campaign a step too far? Do you really want to think about how other people choose to deploy their toilet paper? Really?

At first I thought it was just a piece of silliness resigned to play out on Andrex’s YouTube channel until I saw that this campaign had been rolled out on Facebook and Twitter too.

In fact their website’s homepage has had a Scrunch or Fold vote takeover with mandatory infographic to boot – just in case you needed to know detailed demographic breakdown of who Scrunches and who Folds. I sh*t you not…

Apparently the debate has spilled out onto Twitter (and at the time of posting, most Tweets are talking about how distasteful the campaign is:

Tweets about “#scrunchorfold”

Is this an example of a badly thought out try-hard campaign or is it by design a cheeky stunt to refresh an otherwise safe brand and move it away from its puppy-dog heritage? What are your thoughts? Has Andrex hit a bum-note with it’s Scrunch or Fold debate?

I love this idea of using Vine to create content for the hotel. The only thing I’m waiting for is for Vine to come to Android.

Follow @Cavendish_Hotel on Twitter.

• Keep track of products you like from Google Shopping and across the web
• View product photos, prices and specs side by side
• Share your Shortlist with friends, who can add their own ideas

Create a Shortlist by visiting google.com/shopping/shortlists or clicking the “Add to Shortlist” button as you browse products on Google Shopping

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I’ve become fascinated with the ingenious ways that technology is helping us overcome boredom in everyday situations. From doing household chores to getting through the daily commute to work, gamification (alternatively known as Fun Theory) is forcing thousands of people to rethink the way they feel about generic ennui.

The late, great and undeniably brilliant Roald Dahl once wrote “Life is more fun if you play games” and this is from a guy that introduced us to characters such as The Big Friendly Giant, The Oompa Loompas and The Enormous Crocodile, so who are we to argue with this antidote to boredom?

I’ve found some great creative examples of games that use the concept of playfulness to combat monotony. If you have some more examples, please feel free to leave a link in the comments below!

Let the games begin…

1. Photo Paintball

Who knew you could have such fun with a cameraphone? An emerging urban sport from Thailand is getting global recognition as a fun, contactless team game that can be played using a digital camera/cameraphone. The rules are simple. Aim, shoot, take photo, score. Headshots only! Guaranteed to liven up any walk in the woods!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N80CQmnWs2Q

2. Traffic Light Pong

‘StreetPong‘ is a concept about playful urban interactions developed by students Sandro Engel and Holger Michel from HAWK Hildesheim in Germany. The traffic lights game is attached to both sides of a pedestrian crossing so people can play while they’re waiting to cross the road. When the lights change to red, a person on either side of the road can play each other in a version of Pong.

Check out the video below to see the game in action:

I was gutted to learn that this concept is in design-stage only and that the video below has been enhanced with some hefty post-production effects. That said, it is a really cool idea and one that makes the most of those short yet annoying pedestrian waits…

3.Chromorama

Chromaroma is a game that shows you your movements and location as you swipe your London Transport Oyster Card in and out of the Tube (Bus, Tram and Boat coming soon).

It connects communities of people who cross paths and routes on a regular basis, and encourages people to make new journeys and use public transport in a different way by exploring new areas and potentially using different modes of public transport.

At its simplest, Chromaroma is about amassing the most points possible. By watching your own travel details you can investigate interesting new ways to travel and exciting new destinations in order to get more points. Grab ‘multipliers’ and bonus points by working with a team, building up connections with fellow passengers and discovering mysteries that are attached to locations on your routes.

Beyond competition and conquest, Chromaroma’s gameplay opens up the beauty in the city’s transport flows and reveals to its most persistent players some of the mysteries of travel, and even the strange characters travelling through the tunnels in the centre of the system, who may hold the secrets to the city.

A truly inspirational game that brings a gaming element to boring tube journeys…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upuT6oWOZkA

4. Pirate Wifi

The “L Train Notwork,” a digital experiment/stunt/art project from the creative agency WeMakeCoolSh.it, launched on NYC subways Monday, allowing commuters to chat and flirt via their devices. The concept could pave the way to a whole new marketing channel…

http://www.fastcocreate.com/1679122/nycs-subway-pirate-wi-fi-not-just-for-anonymous-hookups

5. Looking for Numbers

This example of mobile gaming dates back to June 2004 where someone had the idea of photographing numbers and posting them online. The challenge was to be the next person to upload a number in sequence. No computer screenshots, or staged photos (ie: writing the number, arranging objects etc..) otherwise it’s too easy. The challenge lies in spotting the number somewhere and snapping it before someone else gets there first.  Now that you’ve read about this game, you’ll be hooked. You have been warned… You’ll be on the lookout for numbers everywhere you go.

http://moblog.net/numbers/

6. Inamo – interactive table cloth

OK, so eating out shouldn’t be dull. I guess it depends with whom you’re eating…

London restaurant Inamo makes every meal playful with its interactive tables which deliver a truly memorable dining experience for all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo8kzFfJ5Gg&feature=related

7. Thirty Things To Do While You Queue

Being married to a Frenchwoman, I find myself continually having to explain the merits of queuing and why we Brits are the world leaders when it comes to standing in-line. That said, there’s no denying that even the aesthetic pleasure of a single straight queue can easily be overshadowed by the boredom that accompanies the physical act of waiting. Fret no more, people. The following website has plenty of ideas on how to kill time whilst standing around.

http://thingstodowhileyouqueue.tumblr.com/

8. Slinky Escalator

I’ll let the video do the talking for this gem of a game. Even the humble escalator can be turned into a moment of wowzer…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIPK2NQ85Fc&feature=related

9. Pee Game

Why stare at a blank wall in front of a urinal when you can play a videogame with your pee? Welcome to the world’s first pee-controlled video game in a bar in Balham, London.  Eyes forward, chaps…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8htQPsvf3Ys

10. Bus Game

This has to be one of my favourite web finds of late. Dutch artist Daniel Disselkoen created a brilliant game called “Man-eater” which he installs on his bus ride on his way to school.

The object of the game is simple: the passenger must cover up one eye, then move a little monster sticker stuck on the bus window, eating the heads of passers-by. imagination knows no limits. Beautifully simplistic and comfortably lo-tech.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2f6_1346266368

11.  Tiny Games

99 Tiny Games ran from 28 July to 20 August as part of Showtime, a free outdoor arts festival, presented by Mayor of London and London 2012 Festival. Scattered through London’s thirty-three boroughs were ninety-nine tiny games: posters on walls and floors in streets and parks, each one containing rules for an easy-to-play game.

http://99tinygames.co.uk/

12. Post Office queue

Queue Hacker was developed for the UK Post Office, from a brief delivered by the agency Dare. The students (Richard Trovatten, Paulo Yanaguizawa, Hanna Mejia Beaton, Leo Senra, and Thomas John Clegg) developed the idea for a real-time ticket app that allows customers to browse and order tickets wherever they are and lets them know how long it will be before they’re next in line.

http://www.psfk.com/2012/05/post-office-wait-times.html

13. Disney World Queue Scavenger Hunt

The best thing about Disney World? The rides. The worst thing about Disney World? The queues. Problem solved:

http://www.amazon.com/Disney-World-Queue-Line-Scavenger/dp/0984586644

From Amazon:

The game you play while waiting in line!
The Disney World Queue Line Scavenger Hunt will help you pass the time while waiting in line at the Walt Disney World Resort. It’s a great way to turn waiting in queue lines into an adventure and add fun to your visit! Almost all of the items in this scavenger hunt can be found from the queue lines at attractions in the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Some items are easy to find (perfect for younger participants), while others may pose more of a challenge.

Each scavenger item includes a scoring grid for up to six individuals or teams. An alphabetized list of attractions helps you quickly locate clues when waiting in long queues. Find as many of the items on your scavenger hunt as you can. Tally your score by marking your team bubble below each item found. At the end of your Disney vacation, add up each team’s total points using the worksheet at the end of the book. Who will be crowned The Disney World Queue Line Scavenger Hunt grand champion?

14. Cadbury’s Crème Egg

Waiting for a bus used to be boring. That was until Cadbury’s Cream Egg launched a fantastic campaign using touchscreen technology to entertain people waiting at the bus stop.

Launched across a number of bus shelters in the UK the touchscreens featured interactive games based on a fairground stall, where players can bash Cadbury’s Cream Eggs.

Travellers waiting at the bus stop can play the game by bashing as many digital falling eggs as possible in 20 seconds, in order to release their goo.

The new interactive advertisement were placed across cities such as Manchester, London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Nottingham, Sheffield and York.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1U1OM5UsLA

15. Bottle Bank Arcade

Like me, do you find recycling an annoying yet necessary chore? Is it possible to change people’s attitude towards recycling by making it fun? You betcha…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSiHjMU-MUo

16. The World’s Deepest Bin

The guys that brought us the Bottle Bank Arcade above are also the folks behind the World’s Deepest Bin. Finally, something to encourage litter-bugs to do the right thing.

http://www.thefuntheory.com/worlds-deepest-bin

17. Tooth Brushing

Not even the himble toothbrush can escape the joys of gamification. The next time you skip brushing your teeth before going to bed, make sure you’re not using the Beam Brush. It tracks your dental hygiene habits with a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone, reminding you of your negligence.

http://beamtoothbrush.com/

18. Cleaning the Toilet

Game designer and author Jane McGonigal recounts how the computer game Chore Wars pitted her and her husband against one another to see who could perform more household chores. “We wound up doing some funny things, like hiding the toilet brush so the other person couldn’t do it,” she says. Whatever keeps the magic alive, love!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46UB9hPrIfM

19. Tea Making

If your office is anything like mine, you’ll find yourself doing just about anything to avoid making cups of tea for everyone. You know how it goes… you kindly offer to make tea for somebody and then everyone else’s tea-radar turns on and before you know it, you’re balancing a tray of twenty cups, each with varying permutations of milk and sugar. Now there’s an app to make the process a bit more democratic and in doing so, a bit more fun…

http://www.tearoundapp.com/#step2

20. Studying (Chore Wars)

Trick kids into studying by making it fun? Surely not! Read this account from a teacher looking to inspire his class:

http://www.digitalplay.info/blog/2011/03/28/gamify-your-classroom-with-chore-wars/

21. Gym

So the idea of tricking the mind into exercising the body may not be new but technology now allows gaming to be the primary driver for keeping fit.

http://www.simplyzesty.com/technology/insane-gamification-technology-shows-the-future-of-fitness/

22. Diabetes

I am the world’s worst diabetic and am really rubbish at monitoring my blood sugar. Admittedly, I’ve gotten a lot better at disciplining myself, but I appreciate the thought that has gone into creating http://www.diabetesgame.com/.  Regular blood testing is rewarded with points that unlock games. Simples. As ideas go, this one’s pretty sweet [pun intended]!

23. Eating veggies

If you’ve attended one of my blogging training sessions, you may already have heard me wax lyrical about this example of a parent using a blog platform to encourage their child to discover new vegetables.

“Take one seven-year-old boy named Freddie and his mother as they face the challenge of turning him from a vegetable-phobic into a boy who will eat and even enjoy some of life’s leafier pleasures. Join us as we work through the A to Z of vegetables” are the opening words of a blog started by Charlotte Hume after another dinner table drama involving her seven year old son and peas. She called it the Great Big Vegetable Challenge and opened it to “all of you parents out there who have tried and succeeded to introduce your offspring to the joys of carrots, peas, lettuce, spinach, asparagus, beetroot, green beans – in fact any vegetable. Any idea gratefully received.”

The strategy of the challenge was simple. As Freddie systematically refused nearly every single vegetable, his mother was going to introduce him to the entire alphabet of vegetables cooked in a variety of original and tempting ways and post the results – successes and failures on her blog. And so began a delightful exploration of the world of vegetables. From artichokes to zucchinis, broad beans to yams, every aspect of this family vegetable adventure is lovingly chronicled

http://greatbigvegchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

24. Piano Staircase

”Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator and feel better” is something we often hear or read in the Sunday papers. Few people actually follow that advice. Can we get more people to take the stairs over the escalator by making it fun to do? See the results here: http://youtu.be/2lXh2n0aPyw

25. StumbleUpon

…or as I like to call it, web-heroin. StumbleUpon helps you easily discover new and interesting stuff on the Web. Tell them what you like, and they’ll introduce you to amazing web pages, videos, photos and more that you wouldn’t have found on your own. WARNING: There’s a fine line between boredom and procrastination. Use sparingly.

To see the benefits of StumbleUpon for yourself, click the button below (and share this article with other Stumblers):

So now you have no excuse for getting bored. Next time, you feel the words “I’m bored” forming on your lips, stop what you’re doing and look around… Playtime begins now.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Jay Whiston – I can only imagine what they must be going through at the moment. I’m incredibly touched by the obvious bravery and dignity with which the victim’s mother has used the unwanted media attention to raise awareness about the wider issues surrounded teenage knife-crime.

What I do however disagree with is the fervour and vehement keenness of the media in dubbing this tragic event as a “Facebook party killing”. The fact that the party was organised through Facebook and that invitations were sent out using the social network should not be the focus of the news story. Surely, Caroline Shearer the victim’s mother, is right to shift attention onto the more relevant fact that knife-crime in Britain is a serious issue that needs to be tackled by the Government.

It saddens me to think that the terrible crime that has taken place seems to be less important to some media outlets than the fact that the party was set-up on Facebook.

Lazy journalism and an obvious lack of understanding/fear of social networking do nothing but fuel the demonization of sites like Facebook. Both the Daily Mail and Telegraph are perhaps the two media outlets which are known for their regular Facebook-bashing and so their immediate willingness to blame the for this particular incident is perhaps unsurprising, but even titles such as the Evening Standard and  International Business Times have taken to sensationally calling the story “the Facebook House Party Murder”.

The girl who organised the party did use a private Facebook event invite to let her friends know about the evening but this suggests that the invite’s reach was automatically restricted to people who had been hand-selected from her social circle. Even if this weren’t the case, it is easy for the media to overlook the fact that the notion of gate-crashing teenage house parties predates Facebook and even the age of mobile phones.

When I was at school I can remember several (fairly wild) parties hosted by friends that attracted a wider circle of undesirables to  turn up and cause trouble. On a few of these occasions, I even recall the police getting involved. And whilst I don’t want to paint a perhaps distorted image of my wayward teenage years, I do want to make the point that this was very much a pre-Facebook/Twitter/MySpace era.

If the party that Jay Whiston had attended was organised bycalling up friends on their phones instead of via Facebook, and let’s suppose the same tragic events unfolded due to people hearing on the grapevine that a party was taking place, would the papers be as quick to blame the mobile networks for the evening getting out of hand?

Of course not.

If the party invites had been sent out via traditional (snail-mail) post, would the Daily Mail be using the phrase “Royal Mail House Party Murder”?

I seriously doubt it.

Which is why I can’t help feeling annoyed  at the ease at which Facebook is blamed for what is in essence a problem which has its complex roots firmly grounded in parenting, policing and judicial sentencing issues.

It is far too simple to make Facebook (or any other social platform) the villain in this story.

Take a read of this paragraph that is written by the Telegraph’s Cristina Odone as a response to the Jay Whiston murder:

Yet what is a parent to do? Facebook is part of our children’s world. Our boys are on it for hours every day. Like many parents, I worry that the site is not only dangerous, but that it is a distraction. However, banning it would be as pointless as banning smoking: in the same way the 19-year-old will climb out onto the roof and sneak a fag, a ban on Facebook will drive the addict to subterfuge.

What utter rot.

Perhaps the truth is uglier than we first realise when you consider the SEO benefits for an online news source in sticking in the word FACEBOOK when crafting headlines:

You just need to take a closer look at what people search for when they want to read news online. The Google Insights screengrab (thanks @iMacUK) shows that clicks equate to money for news sites, and that people are searching for Facebook, so it is in a paper’s interest to make a story have a Facebook angle. Sad, but true.

As for the family and friends of Jay Whiston who have to somehow pick up the pieces from this utterly incomprehensible tragedy, many have turned to other online services to express their true grief:

The truth of the situation is that this heinous death should never have happened. It wasn’t Facebook’s fault and it certainly wasn’t Jay Whiston’s fault.

Let’s just hope that justice prevails and that the media start to realise that Facebook is not to answer for all (or any) of society’s problems.

Have I got it wrong or do you agree? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

Granted, people who also get THEIR, THEY’RE and THERE mixed up also nark me but it’s the YOU’RE / YOUR mix-up that really sends my blood-pressure through the roof.

Which is why this video from rapping genius Mac Lethal will be permanently bookmarked and customised via bit.ly and passed-on to anyone that reawakens this gramattical raw-nerve that I suffer from:

[click here if you are unable to view the video]

I hope YOUR all learning something here….

Image from: http://cheezburger.com/3526290944

According to TfL, it’s as simple as pointing people to the re:route iPhone app which rewards individuals every time they choose to walk or cycle around London. Whether your route is quicker, better for the environment or gets you burning more calories, you’ll earn points towards all sorts of treats – from haircuts and hotels, to shopping and spa days.

Recyclebank, the company behind the app is formed of a group of passionate people who’ve made it their mission to inspire others to take action – small to big – that will have a positive impact on our planet.

According to Recyclebank website:

We trade the actions you make that have a positive impact on your home by saving energy, community by recycling and the environment by conserving natural resources for points that you can use for rewards you choose. Those rewards come in a variety of flavours: Products, discounts and coupons from the world’s leading brands (think: Kashi, Footlocker, Dunkin Donuts), or you can pay the good deed forward by donating your points to support environmental education in schools.

TfL have already flirted with the idea of gamification with their Chromorama app which disappointingly has struggled to gain momentum with mainstream commuters. The game connects people’s Oyster cards with an online world where points are earned based on journey challenges that are completed. Chromorama adds a layer of adventure to the otherwise dull and often painful daily trudge faced by millions of Londoners.

Where Chromorama was let down was it didn’t allow players to convert points into tangible rewards – something that re:route obviously has as a key selling-point central to its proposition.

Will you be downloading the app? For us Androiders, we’ll have to wait a few more months, by which time the Olympic crowds may well be a distant memory…

As of today, Hangouts On Air is now available to all users across 40 countries (including the UK) who are 18+ and who have a YouTube account in good standing without any strikes (you will only have a strike on your YouTube account if you have previously posted content to YouTube which violates the YouTube policies).

So if you have something to say—as an aspiring artist, a global celebrity, or a concerned citizen—you can now go live in front of a global audience. With just a few clicks, you’ll be able to:

• Broadcast publicly. By checking “Enable Hangouts On Air,” you can broadcast your live hangout—from the Google+ stream, your YouTube channel or your website—to the entire world.
• See how many viewers you’ve got. During your broadcast, you can look inside the hangout to see how many people are watching live.
• Record and re-share. Once you’re off the air, we’ll upload a public recording to your YouTube channel, and to your original Google+ post. This way it’s easy to share and discuss your broadcast after it’s over.

I see this as an incredibly smart move by Google to force the hand of millions of YouTube account holders to join Google+. Also, how long before brands begin to climb over each other to launch their own live channels (events, product launches, Q&As, crisis management, etc.)?

Cadbury UK is already planning an Olympics Hangout on Air this Friday live from the Royal Albert Hall.

Sign in to Google+ to see what’s live right now, or find inspiration in the many broadcasts that have already aired.