Top 10's and Other Lists

Ten for 10 in 2010 – Technology

iScream iNano - ipod series As we approach the end of the year, I thought it might be fun to share Ten for 10 in 2010 ? a list of people, blogs, apps, platforms and more that I think you might enjoy checking out in 2010.

These are just personal takes and, as with any list, this is subjective so please feel free to leave your own thoughts in the comments after the post.

Yesterday I looked at blogs. This time around it’s technology – I hope you enjoy.

HTML 5. The Holy Grail for any web technology has been to offer true collaboration between desktop and cloud services. With HTML 5, 2010 might just be the year it finally happens. By removing the need for plug-in Internet applications like Adobe Flash and Javascript, and introducing the semantic web and improved media use, HTML 5 could be a game changer.
Smartphones. With Apple’s iPhone continuing to grow its loyal fanbase and RIM’s BlackBerry finally breaking away from its business-only audience, 2010 promises to be the year the Smartphone finally takes the mainstream. With numerous Android-powered handsets hitting the market and Google itself selling handsets directly, the mobile market is set to explode once more.
Microsoft Office 2010. Microsoft has found itself floundering recently, with Macs stealing thunder on the computer front and Firefox and Google Chrome enjoying success on the web browser front. But Microsoft is hitting back. 2009 saw a great launch for Bing and Windows 7, and Microsoft Office 2010 is set to continue this revival of fortunes. With web versions of its key desktop appliances, threaded emails and Wave-like collaboration, Office 2010 promises much and actually looks like it could deliver.
Barnes and Noble Nook. The Kindle may be taking the tech hearts along with Sony’s eReader, but don’t discount the Nook from book retailer Barnes and Noble. A colour touch screen and virtual keyboard is cool, but the real trick is LendMe – now you can lend books to other devices like iPods, computers and smartphones. Let’s see you do that, Kindle!
Project Natal. This might slip to 2011, but it’s just too damn sexy not to feature! Microsoft’s foray into controllerless video games, Project Natal looks set to redefine how we play games forever. Depth sensor, directional microphones, camera to gauage movement – if you’re a gamer and Project Natal doesn’t excite you, you may want to go back to playing cards.
Microsoft Surface. Having played with this at the recent launch of the new Microsoft Canada portal, this was nothing short of stunning. If you think touch-screen computers are cool now, wait until you get a load of?Microsoft Surface . Manipulate, design, download, upload, communicate, share and more – this will blow your mind.
OLED Televisions. If you think today’s LCD High-Definition TV’s are cool, then you’ll love the next generation. OLED televisons are thinner, better, more energy efficient, have sharper images, can connect effortlessly to the web and much more. The cost is higher than LCD television’s but the difference is like night and day.
Foursquare. Coming from out of nowhere and taking the mobile world by storm, Foursquare is enjoying a great uptake in 2009 and looks set to explode in 2010. With plans to “be everywhere” coming from the Foursquare office itself, expect this mobile app to become the next Facebook and Twitter and see marketers look at how they can leverage the audience that’s in their neighbourhoods.
Google Chrome OS. While Internet 8, Windows 7 and Bing have seen Microsoft resurgent in the home computer market, it may be short-lived if Google Chrome OS has anything to do with it. Built around their Chrome web browser, Chrome OS looks set to take desktop computing to the web and make it as user-friendly as possible. Should be an interesting battle.
3D Television. James Cameron’s Avatar shows that, done properly, 3D can be exciting and involving without being intrusive. With OLED sets offering improved performance and Sony leading the way, 3D television could be the next contender in 2010. And no, you won’t need those crazy green and red glasses.

So that?s the second part of Ten for 10 in 2010. Some of the products mentioned here are out, or close to being out, while others are further down the line. Some may succeed; some may fail miserably. Either way, I think they offer us some cool times ahead. And please, feel free to leave your own views on what’s ahead next year in the comments.

Hope you join me tomorrow when I have the first guest blogger, UK social media maven Shannon Boudjema, who’ll take a look back at 2009 and what she hopes for in 2010.

Disclaimer – Microsoft is a client of Maritz Canada, yet the views about the products mentioned here are mine alone.

photo credit: Themis was here

Ten for 10 in 2010 – Blogs

Predictions of New Media ala 1974 As we approach the end of the year, I thought it might be fun to share Ten for 10 in 2010 – a list of people, blogs, apps, platforms and more that I think you might enjoy checking out in 2010.

These are just personal takes, and will probably either see you agreeing or thinking I’ve lost the plot – and either one is fine by me! As with any list, this is subjective so please feel free to leave your own recommendations in the comments after the post.

First up, and in no particular order, is Blogs (this is different from Bloggers, which will follow later). I hope you enjoy.

FU Penguin. The “F” and “U” is exactly what you might think they stand for, and set the tone perfectly for the chortle-fest that is F*ck You Penguin. An irreverent take on cute animals, it rips them to shreds and questions their right to be cute in the first place. A favourite.
ReadWriteWeb. Providing analysis of web trends and products, ReadWriteWeb is a must-visit if you have any interest in how the web is growing and the direction it’s taking. It covers mobile, technology, business and social, and better still, its writers don’t fall victim to believing their own hype (unlike some at another popular blog that tags itself “the social media guide”).
PR Breakfast Club. A collective of very cool minds from the public relations field, PR Breakfast Club launched in the second half of 2009 and is already required reading for anyone interested in PR, branding and much more. Not afraid to call things as they are, this should be in your reader today.
AriWriter. Penned by Ari Herzog, AriWriter is a pretty neat collection of a wide variety of topics, although they’re all tied together by social media or strategy planning. While I don’t always agree with Ari’s point of view, there’s no doubting his passion for his topics and that’s always a plus. Besides, who wants to agree all the time?
Jackass Letters. Part spoof, part satire, part comedy, part criticism – Jackass Letters is a pretty cool collection of letters sent to various departments of businesses worldwide. Some are just crude, while others are hilarious beyond belief. If you ever need a reminder why business and service are fun, this blog is it.
The Customer Collective. While its parent site Social Media Today may be the flagship, The Customer Collective is actually my preferred destination. Geared more towards how sales and marketing professionals can communicate better with customers, it offers some great insights from a variety of contributors.
BlogEngage. More a blog recommendation engine than a dedicated blog, I’m still including BlogEngage as it shares so much good stuff. Think of Digg just for bloggers, and with less gaming of the votes by power users, and you’ll have a good idea of what BlogEngage is all about.
MA.TT. The personal blog of WordPress founding developer Matt Mullenweg, MA.TT is a nice collection of information about WordPress, not to mention Matt’s views on blogging in general, technology, start-ups and more. It’s a must-read for any blogger interested in the news around the medium.
Digital Next. Part of the AdAge family, Digital Next is a great collection of what people see as the future of the web and advertising. Geo-tagging marketing, augmented reality, real-time audience targeting – this is a great resource for future trends and possibilities.
io9. I’m a geek – I’ve never hid that fact and I’m pretty proud to say my sci-fi nerdiness has followed me into adult life, so io9 is perfect for me. Talking about sci-fi (and sci-fact that could be fiction and vice versa), it’s the ideal stopover for your inner geek.

So that’s the first part of Ten for 10 in 2010. As I mentioned in the intro, these are all places I feel you’d enjoy as new reading fodder next year. But, please feel free to leave your own recommendations in the comments.

Hope you join me tomorrow when I look at technology that should leave its mark next year.

photo credit:?Dan Zen

Friday Five

Recently I suggested the idea of Friday Five, along the lines of?#FollowFriday on Twitter but with a twist – you choose five things to share that may or may not be related. Here’s this week’s five to get your weekend started.

Blogger Corner. I’ve known Christina Kingston for a little while now, and I’m very glad I do. Not only is she a special person with a heart of gold, she’s also an incredibly talented blogger with a very witty outlook on life. From sex advice to Internet memes, Christina shares her inimitable voice with you – check her out.
Local Heroes. One of my favourite movies is?Local Hero by Bill Forsyth. It’s warm, gentle and human – much like?David Holliday, Elli StGeorge Godfrey and Matt Caruso. These three people put on a live show in Lowell, MA, in support of the 12 Days of Christmas Homeless Push for 12for12k. So far they’ve raised $1,200 and a whole ton of awareness – kudos, guys, you rock.
Friends Forever? Chris Brogan wrote today about how he’s cleansing his Facebook friends, and de-friending a bunch he hasn’t connected with in over a year. I’m not sure if it’s the right approach – aren’t these the same guys that bought the book, helped the blog grow, etc? How do you deal with growing friendships and would you follow Chris’s direction?
Blast from the Past. A little while back I wrote why Twitter mobile apps don’t interest me, and it seemed to spark a healthy conversation on mobile app pros and cons. Now that I’ve been using a Twitter mobile app for a few weeks, it seems a good time to revisit my thoughts from then (follow-up post to come).
Video Manana. Earlier this week I shared the uber-cool Maritz Canada holiday card, the Snow Globe (and if you haven’t seen it yet, check it out!). It received awesome feedback from a lot of people. So, it’s with great delight that I share the Globes of Darkness – the behind-the-scenes look at the making of a corporate video with a difference. Enjoy!

Friday Five

Last week I introduced you to Friday Five and how I was looking to offer a diversion into the weekend. So, without further ado, here are five random offerings for you. Cheers guys, have a great weekend!

Blogger Corner. One of the blogs that has been springing up on my radar recently is that of Jackie Adkins. In the words of Jackie himself, it’s “a street corner where you can… talk about marketing, the business world, social media and life in general.”?Jackie’s not afraid to call out BS when he sees it either, and for that (as well as his easy style) he gets my vote.
Screen-o-Rama. Okay, so I’m not a teenage girl. And I’m not a huge romance fan, either. But, I will admit to being sucker-punched by the Twilight saga. This weekend sees the second movie in the series, New Moon, hit the screens. I’ll be there, if only to cringe at how I’m probably twice the age of the rest of the audience. You going too?
Making the News. There’s an old edict that journalists are meant to break news, not make it. This week, that came to the fore as a storm erupted around Kurt Greenbaum and his actions regarding a comment troll. A reminder that if you’re in the public view, in any form, you’re putting yourself in the front line when it comes to how you present yourself and the actions you take.
Wine-a-Licious. Although I’m not up to the expertise of the lovely?Rachel Kay, I do enjoy a good wine over the weekend, and one I found recently was Allegrini (2004) Palazza della Torre. If you’re looking for something to ease you through a Saturday night, and not have a hangover in the morning because you drank the second one as well, this is it.
Video Manana. I love ice hockey (and yes, I call it ice hockey because I’m from the UK where hockey is played on grass, with no pads, and girls battering your shins with their sticks). I love the skill, the speed, and most of all the hits. I’m just guessing this player won’t want to remember this hit in a hurry…

photo credit: svenwerk