Post-traumatic web loss

It was a tough week without the web for Nigel Hawthorn, European marketing manager at Blue Coat Systems, who took part in an FT Digital Business challenge to see if he could give it up.

Though back online, he has not forgotten the stress. He emailed me from Africa earlier this week, saying “I am in Nairobi in Kenya and keep on having flashbacks to not having access to the web. For example I was supposed to be picked up at the airport, but due to traffic the taxi driver didn’t make it. As I didn’t have the phone number of the hotel, I used the web to find it and call them.”

“If I’d still been on my week without the web, I might still be standing and waiting,” says Nigel, who also sent me the cartoon above. What can I say except: “There, there Nigel, it’s all over now.”

More on:
www.ft.com/dbpodcast
www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4a9e3d1c-b80c-11de-8ca9-00144feab49a.html
www.ft.com/digitalbusiness
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBXFStZ8exM

A week without the web

Next week I am watching one man's struggle to live without the
internet for a week for the Financial Times.

You can read about Nigel Hawthorn, European Marketing manager of Blue Coat's experiences at http://www.ft.com/digitalbusiness.

I'm delighted that today Nigel promised to restrict his access to
the internet at home, but a bit worried to hear on his Youtube post - at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBXFStZ8exM - that he has an Apple iTouch.

So I am posting a photo of him. If anyone sees this man on a train or in an airport using his iTouch in the week of September 21, please contact me urgently.

(c) Joia Shillingford


One to watch

Once a staple of science fiction, watch phones are set to become more widespread. Mobile network operator Orange began selling the LG watch phone at its Bond Street store in central London today.

The phone has a cool retro 70s look and was one of the most interesting products at the big mobile shindig, the Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona this February. The phone costs £500.

People queued to be first to own one when the store opened at 8am. The watch phone has a touch sensitive screen, and can take voice commands of the “Call Bob” variety. LG also makes a watch phone for high-fashion brand Prada.

(c)Joia Shillingford

Making the news, not filtering it

SocialMedian, the news filtering and recommendation website founded by New York-based internet entrepreneur Jason Goldberg, has been acquired by German business networking site Xing.

Goldberg, founder of US jobs website Jobster, will move to Xing’s headquarters in Hamburg as a vice president of the business.

XING, which claims 6.5 million business users, plans to offer its members filtered news on topics that tie in with their interests or business needs.

“We want to offer our members the greatest value in their networks, and this includes having the relevant news at their fingertips,” said Lars Hinrichs, chief executive and founder of XING. “Now we have the technology necessary to do so.

“We're also excited to have someone like Jason working with us to develop the XING ecosystem of partnerships with leading companies around the world.”

SocialMedian sends out emails of the top stories on topics subscribers select. Recent topics have included the credit crunch and the US elections.

The emails can be received on mobile devices, such as the BlackBerry, or on PCs. Or users can interact directly with the site at www.socialmedian.com.

XING also has offices in Barcelona, Istanbul and Beijing. The deal was announced on December 19.

More on: http://blog.xing.com/category/english

(c)Joia Shillingford 2008


Driving without due care and attention

A clever piece of concept art at the Frieze Art Fair in London this month showed a wall of text messages.

In front of them, stood a Witness Appeal board for a fatal traffic accident between a lorry and a cyclist. A reminder not to text while driving.

Battery-free BlackBerry

A guest on CBS News on August 7 came up with the alarming (if true) suggestion that China’s intelligence service has the technology to switch on a BlackBerry when it is switched off, and to turn the microphone on. He advised visitors to remove the battery from their BlackBerry when it is not in use.

Mobile's the Star

In the Hong Kong film The Detective (currently showing on Virgin Atlantic to the US), a Nokia N-series phone features so often it is almost one of the characters.

The phone is used by actor Aaron Kwok - who plays Detective Tam - to store and take pictures in a murder investigation. The film is edgy and well directed by Oxide Pang Chun. The action begins when Tam searches for an elusive woman, with just a photo to go on...

(c) Joia Shillingford 2008


Mobiles good enough to eat

Almost anything can be the inspiration for a new mobile phone, it seems.

At the China Design Now exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Lenovo - which was sold to the Chinese - is showing a phone inspired by a traditional Chinese dish - the hotpot. It's the second on the left.