Clay Shirky. Teaches a course for computers and art. Aimed at Artists and creatives who aren't afraid of the machines. Looking for things which ought to exist and trying to bring them into reality

The students are running point and they started to involve phones into what they were doing. Now more formal.

PacManhatten. Big Games Class. Tried using GPS but in an urban environment it doesn't work. So fell back on two way voice, over phones. A control room controls a runner.

ConQwest. Joint venture with Qwest. Combines 2d barcodes (semacodes) with cameraphones. Automated server interpreting the semacodes and sending data back to phone.

Dodgeball. First mobile social software. Problem is that you have to tell the system where you are. But it is SoSo that becomes part of real life. First problem was the ex-girlfriend bug. Your ex is still a friend of a friend so you get messages suggesting you meet!

Mobjects/Hearbeat. Bluetooth huggable piece of soft plastic. Send a hug to someone and their Mobject glows and demands a hug back.

Phone hardly used as a device.
- Standard connectivity beats local flexibility.
- Only the minimum latform is widespread.
- SMS had in USA (doh!)
- Develops lack experience and tools
- Device manufacturers unfamiliar with hackishness
- OWNERZERD by the US carriers. (same in UK).

- Server infrastructure is key. Pry data out of carriers.
- Out of band (eg Flickr) allows complimentary value.
- supports CPU-intensive post-processing
- Phone # is universal primary key

Underuse of Voice
- VoIP.

Mesh is coming but not soon.
- Dodgeball is social mesh on point to point links.
- Multi-network coming. Bluetooth, Wifi

Note here the differences with the UK. And the recent announcement that Broadreach WiFi hotspots would be free for Skype only. So Skype + Skype in and out + wifi + PDA + Broadreach = free encrypted phone calls with presence.


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[ 16-Mar-05 9:38pm ] [ ]