Cross-posted at The Trendwatch

If it is not texting and looking and TV, it’s computer and listen to my iPod (…) If i know i’m gonna miss a show i record it.

I have facebook on my cellphone. I could research a word, do anything on my phone.

— Diamond, 14

The Kaiser Family Foundation released today a report on Generation M(2), a research on media habits of 8-18 year olds, with a sample of more than 2,000 young people across the US. Impressive how this 100% connected generation is using mobile as the main gateway to digital content. Not to mention the multitasking habits. But you knew that already, right?

Key findings of the report include:

• Over the past five years, Young people have increased the daily consumption of media from 6:21 to 7:38

  

• An explosion in mobile and online media has fueled
  the increase in media use among young people.

  

• Youth who spend more time with media report lower grades and lower levels of personal contentment.

For a short overview of what kids have to say, follow the video below:

Since the iPhone was out, i secretly hoped that my mobile carrier in Portugal -TMN – would come to their senses and at least provide some decent alternative below 500€. Unexcited by the Crackberries or even the Nseries, when Google announced Android mobile OS in 2007 i thought the waiting was over. 2008 went by and no geek device worth mentioning (ok, maybe Nokia’s E71 made me think twice) and i was getting really nervous the past few months with no news regarding the “Google phone”.

Disclaimer:
This is a review for TMN’s HTC Magic, based on a device provided by the company. TMN is a Fullsix client, but that never kept me from being demanding.

A few weeks ago, after complaining on Twitter about the lack of exciting devices on TMN, out of the sudden the company announces that HTC Magic is available for pre-order. If things seemed promising, it got even better as last week a member of the board kindly allowed me to review the device. As i only had the chance to pick the package yesterday, let’s cut it short with an unboxing video and highlights first:

With less then 2 busy days getting acquainted with HTC‘s multitouch device, here’s the first impressions:

1. It feels just about the right size. And since we’re on the ergonomics, why do multitouch devices feel so slippery and greazy? Extra points for the HTC Magic sticking to only one side button. I freaking hate those devices where you’re always pressing external buttons unintentionally.
2. Yes, it’s true. It’s not a blazing fast OS. Kind like Firefox 3, before 3.5 was out. So, let’s hope for an updated OS soon (altough i’ve read somewhere you can use the Hero‘s ROM on Magic already)
3. Loving the Augmented Reality apps. SkyMap and Wikitude are a sign of things to come.
4. The integration with Google services is, in my opinion, the best feature. From complete mobile sync with your address book, to smooth experience on Google maps, it’s where Android shows its best. And it can only get more efficient, if Sergei and Larry wish so.
5. Pay close attention to extra apps (notifications, GPS monitoring) as it can drain your battery and data plan. Which takes me to one question for TMN: can we have some decent mobile data plans, please? And while you’re at it, a support page for the device would be nice also.
6. It’s not an iPhone. Can we please stop with all the comparisons? And yet, i feel there’s more future on the Android platform, as nowadays the iPhone ecosystem is starting to feel a bit like MySpace. Somehow i feel the developers are slowly shifting to more open platforms, and it’s always useful to pay attention to the Alpha-geeks

Overall it’s a solid device and one of the best choices for those who can’t live by without Google services (yes, i’m already thinking about Wave). I still don’t dream of electric sheep, so if there’s anyone interested on providing an iPhone 3GS for review you could still change my mind :) Any questions, feel free to drop it in the comments.

Somehow related to last post’s theme of progressive enhancement, i found out via Johnny Holland a simple but effective video on “Designing for Mobiles: Users & Context”. The student work is based on the first chapters of Barbara Ballard’s book Designing the Mobile User Experience, depicting the increasing importance of understanding the newer platforms, where and how are they used, and how it relates to designing the user experience.

Designing for Mobiles: Users & Context from Niek Dekker on Vimeo.

GPS Mission is a location-based game for mobile phones. Using the Mission Designer application, you’re invited to create your own mission using GPS coordinates.

Anyone with a GPS enabled phone can go through mission tasks, control checkpoints or complete their photo assignments, on a new kind of personal ARG.

The Flex application was developed by Orbster. Recently, at Ars Electronica, they were involved in Mission Future‘s location based hunt, with several GPS Missions around the conference venue.

The Braille League (Belgium) helps blind and partially sighted people in professional, social and cultural areas, promoting also several actions to create awareness to the problems this group of individuals faces.
On a brilliant and innovative use of the omnipresent cellphone, agency Duval Guillaume challenged a ordinary daily event: You know when you happen to make a call by accident to the first recorded contact on your cellphone address book?

So how about turn that into a good action, by placing The Braille League number on the first slot ?
And so the award winning campaign “A Blind Call” was born:

• Add “A blind call” as a contact on your cellphone (contact = A blind call ; number = 070 22 22 30)
• If you accidentaly press your address book, that would be the first number
• You no longer would bother Adrian, Alan or Armando – thanks, anyway! – but rather contribute to solve blind people’s problems.
• The call ends after 30 seconds with a maximum toll of € 0,75 *.
• The campaign is live until 31/12/2008

Thousands of people made a blind call, and the much awarded campaign had a surprisingly large coverage in media. A great use of world’s largest platform for a good cause.

This entry was cross posted from Osocio.org

This commercial from Vodafone UK, scrapped at Motiongrapher, visually depicts one of my most recurring thoughts this year.

Brands have been missing the largest platform of all: mobile.

;) ok, David Lynch thinks different.

But wait, the Portuguese racer just got lost in the desert and really needs you to answer his call.

And if you support him, there’s a chance to win a Seat Altea.

Another mobile campaign by eStara Portugal.

Ted talks has just published a new video with Jan Chipchase, where he presents his research on how people are using mobile devices and their importance on daily life.

Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/190

The video immediately reminded me of a Fred’s post highlighting the importance of ethnography, and “how we should look at user needs through observing people in their naturally setting rather than through research”. Increasingly the focus will shift from the platform to what really should matter the most: how and why people use products and services.

One of the reasons why mobile advertising hasn’t lifted off is probably because people do not care about advertising (contextual or not) in their phones. Mobile advertising is not a perceived primary functionality. Or as Jan points in his final remarks:

With another 3 billion people connected they want to be part of the conversation. Our relevance is really about embracing that and learn how to listen.

You know those weekends where you have no idea what to do or what to visit?

How about some geocaching?

If you haven’t heard about it, don’t worry, me neither. Well, that is until last weekend when i was introduced (thanks Ricardo!) to this GPS treasure-hunting game, a global activity with more than 400,000 “caches” (waterproof containers) in 222 countries.

All you need is to get a GPS device, register yourself in geocaching.com and find the cache coordinates (in GPX format) you want to search for.
Once you start, you will eager for your next challenge, always confident that the community members have hidden the caches in interesting places. If you think it’s easy just because you have the latest GPS gadget, don’t! The hard part comes when you find out how hard it is to reach to some places or your GPS signal suddenly goes berserk.

The beauty of it, it’s how simple it is (although variations are encouraged):

1. Take something from the cache
2. Leave something in the cache
3. Write about it in the logbook

The site offers some precious advices and helps you get started with this addictive outdoor experience. If you want to get involved, Geocaching.com even provides tips and materials to place you own caches.

So, what does this have to do with online advertising, you might ask? Everything!
It’s a DIGITAL based SEGMENTED activity involving SEARCH and ENTERTAINMENT with highly motivated COMMUNITY USERS that leave their FEEDBACK on LOG books and TRADE gifts. Connect your own dots.