The next generation of computer interfaces will drive better remote collaboration

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I have long believed that the evolution of man-machine interfaces is at the heart of our future. In Living Networks I described better Interfaces as one of the three fundamental shifts that are bringing the networks to life. For over a decade I have ranted about how the mouse is antediluvian technology for interacting with computers – a great leap forward at the time but something we should have long transcended.

Among the numerous blog posts I have written about the evolution of interfaces, in 2008 I wrote about how the user interface featured in the film ‘Minority Report’ had been created by John Underkoffler, who had designed the concept for the film.

Now Underkoffler’s company, Oblong Industries, has created the collaboration platform Mezzanine, shown below.


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Marc Newson at Sydney Design Excellence Forum: the design process is always the same

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I’m at Sydney Town Hall, where iconic Australian designer Marc Newson is speaking at the City of Sydney’s Design Excellence Forum.

Marc has had a powerful impact on many facets of design. His 1986 Lockheed lounge (one of which most recently sold for $2.1 million) and the 1988 Embryo chair were early landmarks in his career. Initially working in furniture, he has now designed cars, boats, bicycles, cookware, Nike shoes, executive jets, and across many, many other domains. He is Royal Designer for Industry in the UK.


Image: Lockheed lounge, image from Dezeen
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On my 3rd Twitter birthday: 7 reasons Twitter is central to my life

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Earlier today I noticed it’s three years since my life on Twitter began. At the time I wrote about my belated entry to Twitterland.

It now seems strange to me that I was such a late starter compared to many other connected folk, given that Twitter is now so central to my life.

The primary reason I held off getting started on Twitter was that I felt that my blog was my primary space for content sharing, and I didn’t want to divide my limited spare attention across platforms. I now know that blogs and Twitter are highly complementary. Yes Twitter can be time-consuming. But the rewards are absolutely worthwhile.

Here are 7 reasons why Twitter has become central to my life.
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Seeking talent in Sydney: Amazing Content and Web Project Managers – Part-time

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We have just placed an ad on Seek for Amazing Content and Web Project Managers – Part-time.

Here is the ad below. At this point, we are looking for people who will be part of our local team in Sydney. A bit later we will extend our search for similar talent globally. We’d love to hear from you if you think it’s a fit, or please pass it on if you think there are others who would be interested – thanks!

Amazing Content and Web Project Managers – Part-time

* Drive cutting-edge content projects with global visibility
* Looking for skills in high-value reports, web publishing and communities, web apps, iPad apps, events and more
* Apply your talents within exciting new business models
* Part-time/ flexible hours – work in Surry Hills and remotely
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LinkedIn demographics: global and diverse but most typical is an American male high-tech salesperson

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Some nice data on the demographics of LinkedIn has just been compiled, shortly after it has reached 100 million users. Notable are the country breakdowns, shown here:

It is interesting to see India and Brazil so highly ranked, while Netherlands, Australia, and Canada, with populations of 17 million and 22 million, and 33 million respectively, have the highest uptake per capita outside the US.
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Why Turntable.fm’s Lame/Awesome button is awesome

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Turntable.fm has certainly created a sensation – over the last couple of weeks it has been one of the hottest topics on the web.

Deservedly. It really changes the game in making music truly social. And the concept, the strategy, and the execution are superb.

One of the things is really well conceived is their Lame/ Awesome button which shows on every channel. The net of positive and negative views is highly prominent, encouraging everyone to rate the song.


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Keynote: The Business Opportunities of the Future

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This morning I gave the keynote at the MyBiz Expo 2011, on Business Opportunities of the Future.

I had been interviewed for the cover story of February edition of MyBusiness magazine on which industries will prosper and shrink in the decade ahead. I shared some thoughts on the blurring boundaries of industries, and some specific ideas on what sectors to delve into and avoid (on which I’ll share more in a future post).

Below are the slides from my presentation, which include discussion of emerging business opportunities as well as a detailed view of my Success in a Connected World framework. As usual, be warned that the slides are not intended to stand alone but to provide visual support to my presentation.

Keynote: The Business Opportunities of the Future

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Why crowdsourcing should (and maybe will) be the future of government

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You may have seen the marvellous news that Iceland is crowdsourcing its new constitution.

Draft clauses are put up on the Internet for people to comment on below, or on the Council’s Facebook page. Council meetings are open and streamed live, video interviews with council members are posted on YouTube, and they interact with citizens on Twitter. Since the constitution will be put to a referendum when it is completed, they very rightly thought citizens should be involved from the outset.

A similar but less ambitious project was the public redrafting of New Zealand’s Police Act, which was done on a wiki in 2007.

These examples represent the future of government, though the path forward will be long and slow.
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9 great ways to make the iPad a useful work tool: structures, setup, apps

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When I posted a little while back about using an external keyboard with the iPad, I promised to share how I use the iPad for work.

When I bought the iPad I found it quite frustrating for a while in trying to use the iPad as I wanted, but I managed to work it out, and some of the elements that were missing at launch have been put in place. Here is what I have learned and how I use the iPad for work. I’m keen to hear what others have learned, as I’m sure there are plenty of other great tips.

1. External keyboard.
To my mind an iPad is of very limited use, almost a toy, without an external keyboard. I am sitting in an economy seat on an airplane right now, able to pull out my iPad and immediately write a blog post, respond to email, make notes in my to do list, or work on a client report. It is a fully functional work device. For more on this see my post The REAL transformative package: iPad plus wireless keyboard.
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Who is the conscience of the global brain?

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The Business21C radio program on Monday morning broadcast an interview with myself and and a representative of Anonymous on the topic of cybercrime.

You can listen to the 25 minute cybercrime program as a podcast from the Business21C site. Here is the description of the program:

Last month the hacking of Sony’s PlayStation3 system that compromised 77 million credit card users’ details gained worldwide attention as Sony shutdown its PlayStation network and music streaming service.

The network breach raised questions about how the companies that fall victim to cyber crime can track down hackers, and whether they can overcome the challenges posed by online security breaches.

If the key to security is raising collective consciousness through education, how can this be done effectively? Is the government’s proposed Internet filter an adequate protection measure?

This week in part 2 of Business21C Weekly’s series on cybercrime, we speak to Ross Dawson, keynote speaker and expert on the future of business and technology; and we are joined by a member from the activist hacker group Anonymous, to discuss what is needed to ensure cyber security for individuals and business.

It was a fascinating conversation, particularly given the participation of Anonymous, though as he noted, no one person can truly speak for a distributed network.
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