#int2017

New Alexa interview via NewsHub

Interesting stuff. This is a really nice study looking for actual evidence on the impact of ‘screen time’ given there’s so much hyperbole on the subject at the moment. Given that screens are such a ubiquitous part of our environment now, I wonder how possible it is to untangle their effects on our behaviour. If a teenager does not use a smart phone, the likelihood is that this is a conscious choice. Could this introduce confounding factors into studies such as these? 

New Alexa interview via The Baltimore Sun

P.S. She’s on at the 13:40 mark

I get the compartmentalisation thing. As a chronic procrastinator, the minute I get the chance to waste some time, I squander like a cartoon pig in mud. To be productive, I need all distractions shut down. Having grown in the age of the internet, the world wide web is one of my favourite places to waste time. Does that mean any attempts at productivity with a wireless connection are doomed? I’m sure it’ll be fun to find out! 

I’ve just finished reading Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal and woah. Woah. It’s about the ways in which we find games more satisfying than real life and how we can use these tools to make the world a better place. Which I suppose makes it about gamification, but on a deeper, more rigorous level than the ‘points for getting your shopping’ basis. It’s such a good, positive book and it’s inspired me to go out and try to make the world a better place. I suppose my interactive journey doesn’t stop here... onwards! 

So, I’ve just about absorbed the pitches from last week, and now it’s time to reflect. Absorbing and reflecting, just like a leaf! I found the pitches so interesting, and was fascinated by how different all the ideas were. It was also great that the panel had such a diversity of strength, and were able to stress test ideas in a variety of different ways. It gave me a lot to think about to bring forward into my pitch document: particularly in articulating how the user experience will work with my app and how the mechanics of the app will work. Just because the idea is familiar to me, and the details seem obvious, it doesn’t mean that applies to everyone! Luckily, the pitch document at 3500 words offers a lot more room for explanation than the pitch itself!

Well holy macaroni this is interesting! Are we moving to the point where we can transmit more than sounds and visuals over long distances? Obviously this particular example is pretty crude, but it will be interesting to watch and see if it goes anywhere.