Digital media: explained by others, compiled by me, presented to you

In the past two months, I’ve made two trips to the States, which as a Canadian means loads of mobile phone data roaming charges. For someone addicted to the location service  Foursquare, this means I’m spending money to use the free service.

Why do I like Foursquare? It’s a social game that takes the conversation offline. I was a doubter at first, but then I became a mayor of a location, which is given to a user who “checks in” the most (plus a bunch of other secret algorithms only Foursquare understands). When I became mayor for the first time, I thought “cool,” but I wasn’t addicted to checking into everywhere I went.  And then someone took the mayoralship away from me. It struck a competitive chord in me. Soon I was challenging coworkers who could become mayor of the workplace, inadvertently stealing the mayorship from my bf at our fave restaurants… so much fun. I later learned it’s also a blast to earn hard-to-get badges.

On vacation, particularly in the States, Foursquare is an amazing recommendation engine. I check into a restaurant and then review the tips written usually by locals who suggest what to order from the menu, where to sit, and what to avoid. Thanks to Foursquare, I ate some amazing sushi, avoided another restaurant and felt like I was in “the know” in a strange land.

Data roaming charges, however, could affect my use of this service in cities outside of my own because of the high roaming fees. I suspect those without a 3G plan are in the same boat – even those who love services such as Facebook or Twitter. Say you’re in a new city on Twitter, your followers will give you advice on where to go – even if you ask for tips or not.

Starbucks’ free Wifi in all of its locations helped people like me get onto their social media where ever we end up. It’s also a fabulous marketing tool for the coffee chain as most people will tell their friends on Twitter or check in to Foursquare that they’re at Starbucks.

But what’s the solution to help location-based services blossom into this potential of tourism check-ins and become the recommendation engines they’re turning into? Should Twitter sponsor more wifi locations? Should locations that want to exploit the Foursquare marketing tool offer wifi? Thoughts?

Each month, I spent 2 minutes tops using the iPhone to speak to other people. The other 43, 220 minutes I spend using my iPhone as:

- my new book library. I installed Kobo and thanks to some regularly appearing coupons in my email, it’s my new book store. Books were getting annoying to move all the time, anyway. While it doesn’t have everything I’d like to read, I can only assume it will one day.

- my fitness guide. I use the Nike+ system with my shoes to know how far I’ve run and the speed, and it automatically updates my running progress on my Twitter acct (ask to follow for now!). I use RunKeeper Free to help calibrate my Nike+ system with its GPS tracking of my runs. I also use the Nike Training app when it’s a kajillion degrees below zero outside. And finally, I track my chocolate  consumption with Livestrong’s Daily Plate app.

- my notetaker and to do list. I have too many projects on the go, always, with more being added on a regular basis. I was a pen and paper gal when I needed to create to do lists (for the rewarded check mark upon completion) but so far the very popular Things app is helping keep me paperless and less encumbered during meetings. I’m not sure if it qualifies for my day to day work (where I often need to keep 48 things on the top of my head at any given moment) but it’s good to keep me focussed on one project at a time.

- my guitar tuner thanks to Guitar Toolkit and a fun music maker with Groove Maker and of course, autotunetastic I am T-Pain. I can also see song lyrics and locate who’s listening to the same tunes as me on TuneWiki

- my game console. Tons of games – what’s your fave?

- my weather guide

- my news guide

- etc etc etc

How do you use your iPhone outside of dialing up?

Monty Python’s YouTube channel has launched.

The intro video explains it all.. and tells a tale of how TV execs are changing their ways of thinking about free videos online – watch it, and then if you like it, buy it.

Broadband viewership has doubled! Well, at least in the States.

And a large number of people want to see companies on social networking sites… or so it may seem. Social networking is a very broad term. Personally, I’d be happy to stop receiving ads for celebrity dieting techniques while I’m on Facebook. 

I have tried to cancel these ads (you can click a thumbs down on each thumbnail advertisement and let Facebook know why you don’t want to see it) but so far, their technique isn’t working too well. I regularly see a Rachael Ray diet beside my profile, despite regularly telling Facebook it’s irrelevant. I don’t want a Rachael Ray diet! I don’t want to start calling everything yummo.

I currently work in the educational gaming world for kids. I like to argue that all games are educational, but there’s this little ‘curriculum’ issue. We’re sometimes told to create “math” games or “literacy” games… but how can you make learning fun?

This argument  makes a lot of sense. It says there’s this great divide between educational games and ‘fun’ games and this can be solved easily through more thoughtful development. It totally makes sense to me. People want to learn things they’re interested in – not things that are rammed down their throat. Video games can act as a conduit to that information. 

I’d like to think I’m trying this angle with the games I help write with my coworkers. For example, whenever I use a phrase such as Firewall or Verbosity, it’s sometimes suggested to me that “kids don’t know that term.” I’ve always believed that those kids who want to learn what that means will ask an adult or look it up themselves. Those who aren’t interested won’t absorb the content anyway.

Are there any educational games out there that are more about the fun? Let me know!