Volume 8 • November 31, 2011

Technology

Lifestyle

Retail

Media

Sign of the timesPopular mobile music app Shazam saw a 100% increase in downloads of the app each week in the 12 months preceding June 2011. Shazam also announced that more than $100 million was spent each year on digital music via the app. A similar service, Midomi SoundHound, is now partnering with Spotify.

Technology

Retail

Kids Engage in Multidimensional Playtime

Just as adults are increasingly grabbing for their digital media devices, their children are too. However, realizing children’s need for tangible touch, toymakers are introducing games that combine screen-based and tactile activity to deliver a sensory yet digital experience.

Sign of the timesResearchers found that 40% of 2- to 4-year-olds, and 52% of 5- to 8-year-olds have used smartphones, video iPods, iPads or similar devices.

Nearly a quarter of 5- to 8-year-olds use more than one media most or some of the time.

Via ABCnews | Oct 2011

ObservationDisney released the first AppMATe, a Cars-themed app equipped with various games and races. Required to play are real life miniature toy cars that players can “drive” along the screen.

Trendcentral | 2011

LEGO Life of George is an iPhone app that challenges players to use LEGOs to build real-world replicas of digital images.Trendcentral | 2011

Point and Know With textual information now readily available to most people most of the time, marketers and retailers are scrambling to come up with new ways to bridge the gap between real-world objects and digital information. Expect to see innovative uses of existing technogies (apps, QR codes, augmented reality) that provide consumers with instant access to information about tangible objects.

Shazam | 2011

ObservationOpened during October 2011, The eBay Inspiration Shop in New York collaborated with a selection of tastemakers such as celebrities, bloggers and stylists to create a virtual storefront display. Shoppers were exposed to a range of electronic, fashion and automotive products, and were given the option to shop instantly via a QR code and eBay’s mobile app.

Trendcentral | 2011

The “Google+ is a ghost town” meme, shown above, has added fuel to rumor of Google+’s decline.

Adweek | Sept 2011

LifestyleDo-It-Together

The do-it-yourself trend spurred by the recession has shifted towards a more collaborative mindset. From art to home decor, consumers are looking to each other, as well as retail partners to extend a helping hand. Brands that deliver services that either promote convenience and confidence, or facilitate communication between DIYers will likely earn a lasting halo.

Observation

TED | 2011

Sign of the timesTechShop, a membership-based do-it-together venue that provides access to machinery, instruction and a like-minded community to tech DIY enthusiasts, recently opened its fourth US location, in San Jose, CA.

Via Iconoculture | 2011

MediaGoogle+ looks to music to revive popularity Talks of Google+’s decline into social media oblivion has been circulating for the past few weeks. Google hopes to win over users with its new addition: Google Music. The new product not only offers cloud storage and streaming services, but acts as an iTunes-like digital marketplace for purchasing and discovering songs. Once someone makes a purchase on Google Music, he or she can give Google+ friends a full listen to a track, or even an album, free of charge. Google+ hopes that music can help fuel its success similar to the way gaming has helped Facebook.

Google’s musical alliesGoogle has secured more than 13 million tracks from about 1,000 major and independent record labels, including big players such as EMI, Universal, and Sony (not Warner Music Group, though).

Sign of the timesThe average number of daily public Google+ posts declined 41% between July and September.

ManageFlitter | 2011

French photographer JR won the 2011 TED Prize by asking participants to upload their self-portraits to his site for free large-scale printing, then tasking them with displaying the photo in a high traffic location. More than 50,000 people have uploaded photos across the globe.