Sorry for being so quiet!
Posted by: benjamindyer on: February 25, 2010
I haven’t given up writing, quite the contrary I am probably writing more now than I ever have, but for other people!
I will get around to updating this place, but for now you can find most of my content at Business Zone, Marketing Donut or even in some traditional press (how quaint).
Get real with Augmented Reality
Posted by: benjamindyer on: February 15, 2010
One of my all time favourite films of the last ten years is the futuristic action movie Minority Report. I remember watching in fascination as our hero John Anderton passed through a shopping centre of the future. The whole sequence was brilliant. Billboards and advertising changed as people walked past, tannoy systems in shops welcomed you back and asked how your last purchase was working out. It was both a scary and tantalising view of the future.
Minority Report was released in 2002 and only eight years later Augmented Reality (AR), the blending of the real and virtual world, has exploded into popular culture. Some of the highlights include iPhone apps that use the camera to overlay directions to your nearest Starbucks, and interactive kiosks demonstrating yet to be manufactured products at trade shows. For business in general, and retail in particular, it seems that the opportunities are endless.
I have a t-shirt at home with a slogan “RL has rubbish FPS”. Translating, this means that real life isn’t as good as virtual. Sadly my t-shirt is right, the real world is still light years away from the possibilities of Minority Report. Where are the interactive billboards? Where is the personalised voice?
However, with smart phone adoption going stratospheric, developers are finding new ways to supplement real life. For retail, my current favourite augmented app is Google Goggles. Goggles allows you to take a picture of a product, logo or landmark and look it up on the web.
Surfing the web via real life items is a revolutionary concept. Not only will this allow you to look up online pricing while arguing with the sales person in your local garage, but it also means that you can discover more about the sculpture and its creator while on a museum trip, just by taking a photo.
The ecommerce world is getting in on the act too. Several major online clothing companies are rolling out the “Magic Mirror” feature. It allows you to try clothes on via your webcam from the comfort of your own home. This Christmas Hugo Boss also trialled an impressive online and offline marketing campaign based around a game of blackjack, using both the real tangible items and virtual pixelated content. And we’re just at the start of the possibilities.
Why don’t you see for yourself and give one of the following augmented experiences a go:
1. www.layar.com – A free application for your mobile phone. This shows what is around you by displaying real time digital information on top of reality using the camera on your mobile phone.
2. Watch a YouTube video about the augmented reality and motion capture shopping application
I am not yet expecting my embarrassing shopping habits to be blurted out over a loud speaker as I walk into Tesco. But some aspects of the future have definitely arrived already. Brace yourself for the ride, it’s going to be exciting.
What are your first impressions of Google Wave?
Posted by: benjamindyer on: February 3, 2010
I answered .net magazines Big Question:
Google wave has made me feel, well, sea sick. After sitting through the colossal 80 minute demo I was sold, I can now summarise my feelings into two words: EPIC DISAPPOINTMENT
First things first, Wave is basically glorified IRC. I spent ages hunting for the secret sauce, the game changing functionality or the hidden menu that said, “I’ll do your work, take the day off”. I couldn’t find it, maybe it will be in the production release.
I had fun with a few of the plug-ins … for about three minutes. This was with the only other person I knew that had an account, the poor lost and wandering soul.
The thing that has irritated me more than anything is the terrible way it’s been rolled out. My life is run via Google apps, my team are spread all over the world and team chat is done via Skype. I can’t think of a more perfect case study. Sadly, I’m the only one with an invite.
I understand the concept of beta software. I also understand the idea of building excitement though a limited availability. However, given the massive hype, the under delivery and the poor execution, I wonder if Google do.
Are you experienced?
Posted by: benjamindyer on: January 28, 2010
Yesterday I was sitting on a train trying very hard not to listen to two elderly people engaging in a loud discussion about politics. The topics discussed ranging from our participation in Europe to the welfare state. The arguments were fairly fascinating; an insight into how life has changed over the years. I am delighted to report that the phrase “it wasn’t like that in our day” was used more than once. My initial reaction was to dismiss their opinions, but on reflection I understand their conclusions. As humans we are biased towards our own life experiences, we form our views based on our own particular past.
The advertising industry doesn’t like this. In the brand-driven 21st century billions of pounds are pumped into pre-conditioning our understanding of a particular product or service. From advertising and product placement to celebrity endorsements, every brand is busy at work and the results can be worryingly influential. I have never owned an Audi but my perception of their products is one of quality, refinement and social status. I haven’t even driven an Audi, so the very idea that owning one will be a good experience is based almost entirely on the slick advertising and I’m ashamed to say that it worked on me.
But there is hope. ‘Influence independence’ is one of the single most important revolutions arising from the internet. As a consumer I can now check out the nostrums peddled by the marketers. The world is connected, we all like to talk and it’s a game changer. No longer do I have to rely on my own experiences and those of the guys trying to sell me something. I can ask the world and it’s easy to get an answer.
Social networks such as Twitter and independent product review services like FeeFo have enabled the independent assessment of everything from the car we drive to the movies we watch. Sticking with Audi, my perceptions were dashed when I spotted a tweet from a friend complaining that his brand new A3 was full of water after the boot seals failed. Thanks to his online commentary I also got a blow-by-blow account of the resulting customer care, product quality and after sales process and it wasn’t pretty. Certainly not the “vorsprung durk technique” I was expecting. Again I have been influenced, but this time it’s from a source I trust. Crucially it’s independent.
It turns out the two old ladies on the train were right, comparing our own experiences with the realities of the world gives us a unique view point. While not everyone may agree with our views, the internet has provided us with a platform for voicing them and that’s to the benefit of everyone. In addition, when you aggregate all of the view together you end up with both an independent and statistically accurate view of the world. Now companies can’t just string a nice line, they need to deliver as well.
What’s Happening in Mobile Commerce?
Posted by: benjamindyer on: January 15, 2010
Mobile-commerce has been touted as the next big thing for years. However the reality has failed to materialise. Or has it?
In years gone by whenever I talked to anyone about mobile commerce I often got the impression it would be more realistic to discuss the latest sighting of Nessie, unicorns or alien abductions. Most people believe it to be a myth.
Mobile commerce has been the next big thing for longer than I care to recall. I remember making some very grand claims in 1997 when WAP launched, that the wallet would be obsolete within years. However the reality has failed to materialise. So is the future for m-commerce bleak or is it the next big thing on the verge of taking off? Maybe it’s the Sinclair C5 of the internet.
Last week I was dashing for the Tube and realised I had left my wallet at home. Highly irritating and a complete show stopper, apart from honing my busking skills the only real alternative is to go home. It was this exact moment I understood the power of m-commerce.
Again another example was the time I was away from my computer and remembered that the eBay auction I had been tracking for weeks is ending and I’d forgotten to bid. If either of these situations sound familiar I have good news, there are already mobile commerce solutions that provide solutions to these situations.
In Asia the use of the “mobile wallet” is a reality. The Tokyo subway already allows for contactless payments akin to our Oyster cards. In Finland the mobile manufacturer Nokia is trialling RFID and Bluetooth instant payments. The idea is simple; your phone is connected to your bank or credit card. Then when you go shopping your phone uses contactless technology to pay for the goods. Quite amazingly for a new technology, a single framework has already been agreed. The next step is surely world-wide roll out?
According to Gartner, almost 500 million mobile transactions will occur in Asia during 2009. In the Philippines it’s easier, cheaper and faster to transfer money via text message. South Korea is the world leader in true multi-channel retail, allowing orders to be received in-store, online or via mobile and then sent to friends and family.
However, the West is finally catching up. Looking towards Silicon Valley it’s once again Apple showing the rest of us how m-commerce should work. While many people believe the iPhone revolutionised the mobile industry, it’s the surrounding eco-system that has transformed the company from hardware provider to media vendor. The iPhone app store currently has 70K apps available and 1.5bn apps have been downloaded, and paid for via a mobile device.
So, what’s next?
I believe the mobile is the ultimate ubiquitous device. The facts are obvious; a device that just a few years ago was only being used for making and receiving calls has morphed into a camera, media player, mobile office, wallet and more. What’s more, thanks to the investment of the carriers, advances in wireless connectivity, these devices are online 24/7, and UK penetration of phones is over 100% — more people have two or more than don’t have a mobile.
Starting with payments, how many times have you bought something online and wondered how safe the site you are using is? While the banking industry is pushing schemes such as PCI DSS, I can see a future involving the mobile. The vision is this. When you buy online the store contacts your bank for approval, and this is then sent to your mobile for confirmation.
That’s a completely disconnected device, separate hardware on a separate network. Without approval the payment is rejected. This would make online card fraud virtually impossible.
M-commerce may not be everywhere and it’s certainly not as wide spread as many predicted. However, its growth is being fuelled by the gradual adoption of pragmatic technical solutions to real problems. There are no flights of fancy or Alien abductions involved.
