Posts In Category City University at Digital Shoreditch
Play: Day 11 of Digital Shoreditch
on May 31, 2012 by Admin in City University at Digital Shoreditch, Digital Shoreditch, Comments (0)
Play’s what you get to do after you’ve finished work right? Not any more. It’s not news that play is now big business (stop playing Angry Birds on your iPad and pay attention you at the back). Just as crucial, though, is the way play and playfulness is seeping into how we work. So the key at Day 11 of Digital Shoreditch 2012 will be filling the hours with fun and play. Today’s the day we look at art, science, business and future of games but gamification.
Kam Star, Chief Play Officer, kicks things off with the Keynote, The Rise & Rise of Play. Kam will be looking at how games and playful interactions are evolving and identifying the biggest opportunities. Clay Ewing, games designer at DataPlayed asks “How do you take a message and turn it into a game?” and identifies best practice for working with non-profit organisations. And is game design an art, a science … or simply a secret? Chris Lowthorpe, PhD researcher at Abertay University, explains how to make the gaming experience better by design.
Phil Stuart, creative director of Preloaded leads a talk on the power of “games with purpose”, tackling issues such as drug abuse, death and mental illness. And Martha Henson of the Wellcome Collection debates how games can inform education in the snappily titled How we got millions of people to play our games and learn stuff.
Please don’t kill me! takes an interesting slant on the narrative of games – and how brands like LEGO have changed the game, by allowing players to win not lose. TV was once the young kid on the block, but has seen its thunder stolen by the proliferation of other media in the past decade or so. But TV was the genius in finding and developing huge mainstream audiences – and keeping them loyal. In Telefication – what games can learn from TV, we take lessons from the granddaddy of media. And while you’ve got the telly switched on – don’t just sit there, tweet something. TV Beyond the Hashtag looks out how we can turn a passive TV audience into active online fans. How do you find and build that community?
Coding for kids
on May 30, 2012 by Admin in City University at Digital Shoreditch, Inspire at Digital Shoreditch, Comments (0)
Youtube video courtesy of Proactive Paul.
As the Raspberry Pi finally went on sale this week, the accent was firmly back on the importance of coding. It may be no surprise to attendees at Digital Shoreditch this week and last that some of the brightest and most creative coders are still at school.
We spoke to young coders at Digital Shoreditch’s Inspire day (21 May) and get a feel for the skills they’ve acquired. A straw poll revealed CSS, HTML and PHP to be top of the list, and they’re quick learners. One participant said: “I started playing around with HTML and am now into CSS as I’ve got more confident. But everything I’ve learned has been in the past 12 months.”
Self-directed learning (as teachers would call it) or trial and error (as the rest of us know and love it) is unsurprisingly the way most of our young coders liked to learn. But schools are playing a vital role too. One year 13 pupil spoke approvingly of after-school clubs led by the IT staff at his south London school, but confirmed that he was one of the older members. “Most of the kids there are year 7s, 8s and 9s,” he said.
Brands: Day 10 of Digital Shoreditch
on by Admin in City University at Digital Shoreditch, Digital Shoreditch, Comments (0)
Day nine of Digital Shoreditch is all about the brand. And as ever, we have industry experts on hand to explain and explore how branding can take your ideas from the drawing board and into profit.
First up we have Mark Earls, author of HERD, who looks at the future of customer engagement, and why it’s all about tapping into the herd instinct.
Next is Big, Bold and not Boring. Patou Nuytemans of Ogilvy & Mather showcases some of the company’s best work for clients including IBM, Louis Vuitton, Coca Cola and Perrier.
Are you really engaging your customers? Jeremy Waite, of TBG Digital, outlines how you measure what counts – and how you convert likes into real value for your organisation. And Kam Star, of PlayGen, gives his take on “pure behavioural economics and the science of persuasion in a playful guise” and how you can translate play into conversions for your business.
Mark Malone, of Grape Digital, gives practical tips, stats and ideas for marketing to urban, up and coming, trendy audiences – his advice for capturing Generation Y. It’s all about understanding human behaviour, says Andy Hewitt of Global Dawn, who explains how you can put that understanding at the heart of your marketing strategy.
Is Facebook over? Well not quite, but fatigue may well be setting in. Christophe Mallet, of Carve Consulting looks at the next big things in social media.
Just a taster of the goodies on offer at Digital Shoreditch today. For a full menu, go to http://digitalshoreditch.com/brands/.
Cirque de Mobile – how phones became a big top event.
on May 29, 2012 by Paul Muchmore in City University at Digital Shoreditch, Digital Shoreditch, Comments (0)
Mobile phones are becoming an essential way for brands to communicate with consumers, a mobile communications expert told the audience at Digital Shoreditch today (29 May 2012).
Ben Scott Robinson of creative mobile agency We Love Mobile, said: “Fifteen per cent of all web traffic is now coming from mobile platforms – and it’s only going to grow.”
In a presentation titled Cirque de Mobile, Robinson told of the changing environment of the mobile industry, with more and more consumers carrying their whole lives in the palm of their hands. He said the always-on nature provides a perfect opportunity for brands to engage with the public.
He said: “That 15 per cent is really just the start. 80 per cent of shoppers use their phones to do research before they purchase, and 74 per cent of mobile interactions are in conjunction with other media – for example you see something on the TV, or the street, then you search it on your mobile.”
The number of people using their mobiles to connect is constantly on the rise according to Robinson. 46.2 per cent of mobile users used an app or browser in January 2011, up from 36.8 per cent a year earlier. And four in five mobile phones are now classed as smartphones.
Robinson demonstrated two campaigns his company has recently carried out in a push to connect brands with customers through mobile phones.
The first was for drinks brand Nestea, and involved an augmented reality tabletop game to be placed on trays in fast food restaurants. The aim was to give more reasons to stay and engage with their brand, and to share their experience of Nestea. The second was to promote the Peugeot 508 RXH car. This innovative app, available for iOS and Android, allows the user to explore the car via augmented reality. You can personalise the vehicle and explore the inside, create your dream car and view it in 3D from every angle. The AR feature lets you place your virtual car in the real world, take a picture and share via email or social networks. It even shows you where you can buy the car.
Wireless charging shows the way for electric vehicles
on by Paul Muchmore in City University at Digital Shoreditch, Digital Shoreditch, Comments (0)
Qualcomm revealed its latest wireless technologies at Digital Shoreditch this morning (29 May 2012), which the company hopes will revolutionise the automotive industry.
Qualcomm Halo is a wireless electric charging pad which the company has tested in a range of vehicles, including a small Citroen C1, a Rolls Royce Phantom and a high-speed Lola Drayson sports car. While it isn’t the first use of wireless charging, it promises much quicker charging times and a higher degree of tolerance of the alignment of the wireless charging pads.
Anthony Thomson, vice president for business development and marketing at Qualcomm, said that the technology is an extension of its previous research into wireless charging of mobile phones and consumer electronics.
He said to the audience at Digital Shoreditch: “Why do we think this technology is so important? The population in urban areas is growing faster than the general rate of population, and more cars in these areas means more pollution. Poor air quality contributes to 50,000 deaths each year in the UK.”
Qualcomm believes that its technology, known as WEVC, provides many benefits over the standard, wired charging of electric vehicles. Wireless charging points will reduce clutter on the streets and won’t cause ugly clutter in historic city centres. Footpaths can remain clear, and the charging pads have no moving parts, are weatherproof and vandal-proof.
Thomson also said wireless charging is a lot more convenient for drivers. He said: “With wireless charging, you can charge for a few seconds, or minutes if need be. And there is no need to park precisely either.”
The company claims that even off-centre charging plates can transfer power with 90 percent efficiency – meaning very little power is lost and batteries replenish as fast as plug-in, wired charging.
The wireless technology giant is also trialling dynamic charging, with charging pads placed along the road so vehicles can charge as they go. Qualcomm is hoping to license the technology and wants to create a set of global standards to govern wireless charging. The company expects to start a trial in London involving up to 50 electric vehicles using Qualcomm Halo later this year, but doesn’t expect to see the technology featured at retail until at least 2015.
Next: Digital Shoreditch Tuesday 29 May
on by Admin in City University at Digital Shoreditch, Digital Shoreditch, Comments (0)
A day about tomorrow? No, we’re not being wilfully obscure. The ninth full day at Digital Shoreditch 2012 is about exploring the next big ideas in creativity and technology. As ever, there will be a plethora of industry experts on hand to discuss and debate. No crystal balls on hand at the Shoreditch Big Top alas – but plenty of incisive and, we hope, provocative future gazing.
Has Apple got the future of mobile technology sewn up, or is there life beyond the App Store? It’s fair to say that most of the people working in and around the Silicon Roundabout are working to ensure that’s the case. Jeremy Silver of TSB delivers the Digital Shoreditch keynote this morning and looks beyond Apple. Next up, Colin Smith of Intel, who looks at the future of ultrabooks and software, and explores new possibilities for app development.
We all love a good story. Greg Williams, executive editor of Wired, asks how the multiple platforms and media of today affect the way we construct and narratives. That’s followed by What’s the Future for electric cars. Anthony Thompson of Qualcomm looks at the conditions required for success and how the market will be (ahem) driven forward. Paul Crook of IBM has a refreshingly pragmatic take on tranforming and applying technology so it works with your business. Here him at Business transformation in the real world … I wouldn’t have started from here!
Forget Cirque de Soleil, Ben Scott Robinson of We Love Mobile introduces Cirque de Mobile – a showcase of tomorrow’s weird and wonderful digital technology. He looks at how consumer and brand engagement is changing, and its future direction. And Tim Caynes, user experience designer at Flow Interactive, wants you to dip into your pocket. What is a mobile wallet? Why would you want one and how would you use (and design) one.
Can we make cities smarter with digital tools such NFC tags? Darias Homo, business development manager at Connecthings, explores how we can use mobile contactless technologies to bridge the phusical and virtual worlds.
A mere taster then of the exciting menu on offer at the Shoreditch Big Top today. Follow the hashtags #ds12 and #city12 for updates throughout the day.
Growth: Day 8 of Digital Shoreditch
on May 28, 2012 by Admin in City University at Digital Shoreditch, Digital Shoreditch, Comments (0)
The start of the second full week at Digital Shoreditch 2012, and today the focus is on established entrepreneurs, and how you can unleash your potential for growth. The 9.45am keynote is followed by Growth in the UK. James Webb of Propel and Dan Richardson of Integrity have hints, tips and case studies on accelerating your company’s growth in the UK.
At 11.55am we turn out focus from the UK, as the panel look at expanding into other markets? Jeff Cao of London & Partners, Sam Michel of Chinwag and John Davies of UK Trade & Investment are the speakers, and there will be real life stories telling you how best to grow overseas. Take your pick from expert interactive sessions on The US, The Middle East, Asia Pacific, Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, India and China.
From 2pm-3pm, a series of table-top discussions dig into more detail and the practicalities of growing your business both here and abroad. Speakers include Richard Heap of Kingston Smith LLP, while Christopher Jeffery of Taylor Wessing discusses privacy issues for online startups. Paul Callaghan speaks on technology and employment law. Bob Dearsley talks about PR for startups – and why it’s not sales, not your ego. Toby Ryland looks at the tax advantages if you’re wanting to invest in R&D in the UK. Want to digitise your business? Join Sarah Wood and Stephanie Hughes of SwiSh Thinking. Check out the full schedule at the Digital Shoreditch Growth page.
You’ve heard of speed dating and speed pitching. Now check out Speed Pledging in the Shoreditch Big Top at 3-15 to 4.15pm. It’s followed by a ‘fireside’ session with a cache of industry experts and the closing keynote is at 4.45pm.
Educating children to live in the digital world
on May 25, 2012 by Catalina Albeanu in City University at Digital Shoreditch, Digital Shoreditch, Comments (0)
By Catalina Albeanu, Digital Daily reporter
Holly Clarke of Unruly
Ever find yourself planning your next Twitter update or booking a meal at a fancy restaurant just to brag about it on Facebook? Or perhaps you check in at the Ritz when you walk past it to boost your online profile. If some adults are doing this, then we must ask the question: what about the children?
Holly Clarke, group head of the UK operations team at Unruly Media, argues that children today “feel lost without their identities online”. She quoted a study comissioned by Unruly which found that the majority of females in the 11-17 age group pefer to talk to their friends on Facebook than meet up in person.
Clarke suggested that we should all power-off occasionally. “We need to allow for identity experimentation. We need to find identity away from online personas.” But how do we get the children away from all this? “We need to teach the children with the tools they are using,” said Clarke.
She disagrees with the Facebook ban in schools and believes that children need to be taught about internet culture. She brought up the fact that children grow up with Facebook Timeline, where they record everything they do for everyone to see. This has to stop, and the only way to do this is to educate children about online identities.
University students also need to realise where they are in relation to social media and take a step back. Clarke said: “Think ‘why did I tweet that, why did I share that, what was I trying to achieve?’ and make sure you find the right balance.” We all need to go outside, and not just to have something to post on the internet about. We also need to take the children with us.
You’ve been tagged!
on by Catalina Albeanu in City University at Digital Shoreditch, Digital Shoreditch, Comments (0)
By Catalina Albeanu, Digital Daily Reporter
Identity day at Digital Shoreditch started with the introduction of Tagged, an experiment which takes the act of tagging someone in a photo on Facebook and brings it into the real world.
Mitra Memarzia, a freelance artist and educator based in London, came up with the idea during a discussion with the festival team about what digital actually meant. She said: “We realised that, throughout the festival, there needed to be a day about people. I wanted to do a kind of intervention.”
Memarzia has been tagged as "Dark Monroe".
The activity consists of going up to people and pinning physical tags on their clothes. Memariza is aiming to get the crowd thinking about the idea of being tagged online and what it really means. When tagging a picture or writing a comment, we perceive it as interaction, but how real and authentic is it? “When you’re actually going up to someone and tagging them, you’re much more aware of what you’re doing”, she explained.
Memarzia hopes that the intervention is going to be “something playful” that people will do throughout the day. So who’s going to manage more than five tags by the end of the day?
Identity: Day 5 of Digital Shoreditch
on by Admin in City University at Digital Shoreditch, Digital Shoreditch, Comments (0)
And so to Day 5 of Digital Shoreditch, Friday 25 May, and a chance to ask some interesting questions about what we do in this new digital world we’ve created. How do we relate to it … and to each other within it. DS5 will be “exploring the spaces that connect us as individuals and collectives within the digital world. Discover a alternative landscapes from the views of art, science, psychology, film, social media, gaming and technology”. As ever at Digital Shoreditch, some of the keenest minds in the business will be discussing what this means to us as creators, entrepreneurs and – not least – viewers and consumers. Let’s take a look at just a few of the goodies in store.
2012 is a year in telly to compete with 1932 (the dawn of what we now call BBC One, though a look through the schedules confirms there was nothing on) and 1955 (the advent of ITV).
Twitter and TV. Pic: Rhys Moult
This, of course, is the year we said goodbye to the Crystal Palace mast and go completely digital. The end of TV to more channels means that we’re watching more TV than ever. In Identity parade: public and private relationships with telly in the Big Top from 1pm to 1.20pm, Lindsey Clay of Thinkbox TV looks at a world where we’re watching TV with at least one other screen or internet enabled device to hand and asks: “In this multi-screen, digitally enabled world how is TV being used to express key aspects of identity?”
For being digital to getting physical next. Tagging is a crucial part of how we mark up our stories for the web, but in Tagged, led by Mitra Memarzia, visitors will be invited to tag one another using physical tags. “It’s a physical manifestation of an act we have all become so accustomed to doing online – you’ll have to decide how you use your tags for the day,” explains Mitra, who cheerfully admits she has no idea how the session will pan out. “You’ll learn, you’ll have fun … that should be enough for a start.”
The observant among you will have noticed an event almost as compelling as Digital Shoreditch taking place in the East End of London this summer. Testimonies is an art project led by the artist Lorenzo Belenguer recording Londoners’ personal stories and expectations about the 1948 Olympic Games and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The project will be broadcast around London in the format of video installations during the summer of 2012 and social media is a huge part of the project with stories collected over Twitter, Facebook and Vimeo. More information at www.LondonersTestimonies.com.
In I.dentit.y, Tony Fish, author of My Digital Footprint, thinks about what a digital life will look like in 2020. In Tony will look at how we all have different and deep routed opinions on how data and identity. He explores the business models and how to analyse data, without it being creepy, but explains: “To do this we will have to be prepared to leave a few of our outdated white, male, middle classed and techy views at the door!” And in Social Good Through Social Media, David Erasmus, CEO of Givey, explores how we can harness social media for social good to help local and wider communities.
Enough to be going on with? You can get a full programme at http://digitalshoreditch.com/identity/, so head down to the Big Top in Shoreditch High Street for an afternoon of inspirational talks, showcases and workshops. And don’t forget, you can debrief, unwind and let it all sink in with a fantastic evening provide by Salon and the East End Film Festival.
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