Why Yogi's Might Appreciate Your Next Computer

Your next computer purchase might be a touchscreen. If you're skeptical about that claim you might point to the not so popular HP Touchsmart, but I would counter your argument with rumors about the new Apple Tablet. Supposedly a larger, more laptop like iPhone sort of device, the tablet is just one step along the way toward incorporating serious touch technology into regular laptops and desktops.

If Apple releases their tablet the right way and brings us into the realm of touchscreen computing, there's no doubt that others will follow. So unlike the laptops of yesteryear, when touching your screen and blurring the graphics was a mortal sin, the next generation could encourage intuitive touches and gestures.

What's significant about all of this to me though, is something I've never heard anyone consider. Of course I'm interested in flicks and resizing, but what seems more important is the way that such technology will naturally change the office environment. As traditional computing combines with the touchscreen technology we'll find ourselves reaching up and grabbing the world rendered on our computers. We'll open our shoulders and work against the all too known I-spend-too-much-time-on-the-computer-so-I-look-like-a-gorilla slump. The next generation computer might release us from the confines of our keyboards, but more than that, we will literally free our constricting pectorals and open ourselves up to a freer world. That, to me, seems like technology at it's best.

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Open your life up to the easy flow of Aussie singer-songwriter ">Jamie Hutchings.

Jamie Hutchings - "After the Flood"

Social Media Revolution

Last November I wrote about a dizzying 2008 video called Did You Know 3.0. Socialnomics author Erik Qualman created a Social Media focused video with equally fascinating statistics (and the exact same song as the previous video). Check it out:

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Take a listen to Free Energy, an emerging rock act with a gentle sentiment and the heart of a pride of lions.

Rock Paper Scissors, An Important Environmental Breakthrough

There's a new paper that's made of stone. It's called TerraSkin and production takes half the energy of regular paper. According to a recent article in Business Week it's recyclable and durable, but if "exposed to sunlight and humidity long enough" it "breaks down like talcum powder." I'm not sure what long enough means, but sales of these bags are expected to triple by the end of 2009 and some proponents of green are calling TerraSkin a major solution.

All I have to say is that I can hardly wait to offer to carry a TerraSkin bag for someone and then say, "Goodness this is heavy! What do you have in here, rocks?!?!?!"

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And in case that wasn't enough pun for one night, until you get your hands on a rock bag you should rock out to Frankmuzik electro style.

Obsessed With Augmented Reality

Until a few days ago I was fairly ignorant when it came to Augmented Reality (AR). And then I found the application below.

Nearest Tube, An Augmented Reality App for the iPhone

Now I'm obsessed with Augmented Reality but in my research I've been particularly fascinated with the attitude of people in the AR community. They are extremely forward thinking and I believe this is one of the reasons why AR will accomplish incredible feats in the future. They're so confident, so inspiring, and so full of opportunity. One of the most common phrases I keep hearing as I read up is, "When technology catches up we could build..."

From now I want to apply the same attitude to my thoughts on marketing, advertising, and life in general. It's not about adapting and staying caught up to emerging technologies (phrases I've heard so often), but anticipating them and foreseeing their capabilities. That, I think, is the trick. So thank you AR and everyone in it. You've already, even though I have yet to use your technologies, changed my life.

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For rock music that makes you feel like you're flying, check out Fanfarlo.

Is Cyber Warfare Effective?

Cyber warfare. It's one of the only social media related news I heard about after reports started coming out offering reasons why Twitter, Facebook and LiveJournal were experiencing so many problems. It was DDoS (Denial of Service Attacks) related to the conflict between Russia and Georgia, and the attackers wanted to stifle the voice of a guy with a handle of Cyxymu.

In turn, people suddenly started talking about ways to back up your social media profiles and Twitter accounts, and just about everything else on the elusive cloud where we're all starting to store more of our data. They also started talking about cyber warfare and how it might become a piece of the future. But before the lights went out on Twitter I had no idea Cyxymu even existed, and goodness knows I didn't know to he was someone whose voice was important enough to send internet usage for millions to a screeching halt.

Now my appetite for Cyxymu's words is insatiable and it makes me wonder. If an attempt to stifle a voice sends its decibels further than they would have reached before, can this so called cyber warfare really be effective?

Let's hope not.

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Now for some affable folk (although as a warning, some of his songs will hit you hard and leave you wallowing on the floor in sweet misery...okay that was major hyperbole). Check out Brooklyn's own Jonah Smith.