MediaFuturist: July 2011

Article: Not so dumb pipes (The Deal Magazine)

This is becoming a key issue: the OTT world versus the cable guys...?
Not so dumb pipes (The Deal Magazine)

http://www.thedeal.com/magazine/ID/040214/2011/not-so-dumb-pipes.php

But this isn’t the only pricing dispute Netflix faces. The Los Gatos, Calif., company is a vocal party in another debate with far-reaching consequences, pitting companies that sell content online against the cable and telecom operators that provide and maintain the infrastructure. AT&T Inc. and some other broadband providers have begun to charge Internet subscribers based on how many gigabytes of data they consume, a change in pricing that has profound implications for Netflix, Pandora Media Inc. and other companies that make their money by moving content over the Internet.

Metering broadband service is a cousin to the perennially divisive issue of net neutrality, or the precept that network operators should not discriminate between certain content traveling over the Internet. So far, the Federal Communications Commission has signaled its openness to the new pricing models.

(via Instapaper)

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Watch this video: everything is a remix (part 3)

via www.futureof.biz

Everything is a Remix Part 3 from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 4:33 PM in Copyright, Videos I Like | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Video conversation with fellow futurist Ross Dawson: what is the role of a futurist?

... Looking beyond the obvious:) From Ross' blog-post on this:

Here are a few of the topics we discuss:

* A key role of futurists is to develop and share foresights
* Someone who helps people think about the future to make better decisions today
* To examine and distinguish between trends and uncertainties in order to work out the best path forward
* Clients are interested in having help thinking about things they don’t have time to think about
* It is not a luxury but a necessity to think about the future, but it is useful to get help doing that from people who spend all their time doing that
* Going beyond the obvious is a special skill, but it is also about drawing out the implications of the obvious
* Stepping outside of beliefs and orthodoxies can be more easily done from outside organizations
* While some companies have resident futurists it is highly valuable to bring in people who can be disrespectful and challenge internal thinking
* Being a ‘provocateur’ means provoking not just thoughts but sometimes emotions

Watch the rest of the videos on Ross' Youtube channel or on GerdTube.

Follow Ross on Twitter, or Gerd. Visit The Futures Agency's website.

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 9:05 AM in Bottom Lines, Branding, Futerati, Future of Business, Future Watch, Futurism, Futurists, The Futures Agency, VIDEO BLOG, Videos I Like | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Cool: The Economist’s World in Figures iPhone app

via www.futureof.biz

This is a very cool app, for $1, loads of stats, very useful

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Check out my Future of Business blog on Tumblr

I started using Tumblr a year ago, and because of its easy use of viral tools and instant-post options via Instapaper etc I have build a pretty good following there, already. I usually post interesting snippets I find via Twitter, Flipboard or my 1000+ RSS feeds (no, I don't actually read all of them), and only the most crucial ones are presented. In other words, this is not a river but a drip-feed:) Check it out at Futureof.biz , on any mobile devices try the new Conduit-powered mobile app.

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 9:54 AM in About Me, Announcements, Attention Economy, Blogging, Me, Mobile, Must Reads, My Mobile App, News | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Article: Former Google CIO says business misses key people marks - innovation, human resources, Google, Douglas Merrill, CIOs - Computerworld

Former Google CIO says business misses key people marks - innovation, human resources, Google, Douglas Merrill, CIOs - Computerworld

http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/394785/former_google_cio_says_business_misses_key_people_marks/

When Merrill left Google he worked at EMI records, which was interesting and enjoyable, but he knew the music industry was “collapsing”.

“The RIAA said it isn’t that we are making bad music, but the ‘dirty file sharing guys’ are the problem,” he said. “Going to sue customers for file sharing is like trying to sell soap by throwing dirt on your customers.”

Merrill profiled the file sharing behaviour of people who used Limewire against the top iTunes sales and the biggest iTunes buyers were the same as the highest sharing “thieves” on Limewire.

“That’s not theft, that’s try-before-you-buy marketing and we weren’t even paying for it… so it makes sense to sue them,” he said wryly.

(via Instapaper)

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

New video: conversation with fellow futurist Ross Dawson: The Future of Music

Yeah, I know... just can't see to get away from the digital music stuff:) But this is quite good and succinct so... spend the 7 minutes:)

I did a whole series of videos with Ross Dawson on my last trip to Sydney - be sure to follow him on Twitter and Youtube to get the latest updates.

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 5:31 PM in 21st Century Content Ecology, Consumer Insights, Cultural Industries, Digital Music, Eoc: Music Industry, For Musicians, Future of Music, Futurists, Music, Music 2.0, Music Flat Rate, Music Like Water, Music Recognition, Music2.0 Book, Musician 2.0, Must-watch, Resources, Spotify, The Futures Agency, VIDEO BLOG, Videos I Like | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Futurist Conversations: The Future of Money (Ross Dawson & Gerd Leonhard Video)

Ross Dawson and me recently met in Sydney (where I spoke at the Google ThinkTravel event, on The Consumer of Tomorrow) to do some videos together. The first episode is now live on Youtube, on the Future of Money. I think this turned out quite well and provides some interesting brain-teasers. You?

Ross has a good summary of what we discussed:

* The world of money is opening out in a big way today
* Facebook credits are becoming an important alternative currency
* Cash will phase out for digital payments
* The rise of Bitcoin is important in shifting transactions out of the purvey of governments
* In many developing countries mobile phones are becoming the predominant banking platform
* Micro-payments for content could work through social media and dominant platforms such as China’s QQ
* These could flow into crowdfunding for creative endeavors
* Behaviorally we are some way from micro-payments working well
* Money will inevitably shift to the cloud

And don't forget to follow @rossdawson on Twitter!

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 8:56 PM in Broadband Culture, Current Affairs, Facebook, Future of Money, Other writers, P2P, Smart People, Social Commerce, The Futures Agency, Trends, Video, VIDEO BLOG, Videos I Like, Youtube | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Mobile Marketing Futures: my presentation at the MMA's CEO/CMO Summit

Mobile Marketing Futures: Futurist Gerd Leonhard @ MMA CEO/CMO Summit

View more presentations from Gerd Leonhard

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 6:57 PM in Marketing2.0, Mobile, Mobile Advertising, Mobility, MY PRESENTATIONS, My speaking engagements | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

What does the future hold for the space race (video)

Via CBS News and Column Five Media

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 11:52 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Twitter & social TV: best practices

Found at WiredSet.com

See and download the high res version

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 11:23 AM in Future of TV, Social Commerce, Social Media, Social Networks, Trends, TV 2.0, Twitter, UGC | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

State of the Internet: nice graphic

Created by: Online Schools Launch interactive infographic

Posted by Gerd Leonhard at 12:38 AM in Resources | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

The video of my presentation at the Google Think-Travel event in Sydney: the consumer of tomorrow

This is a brand-new and very nicely produced video - a big thank-you to Google Australia for making it available so quickly. If you are in the travel business, do make sure to watch this video, and check out the other speakers and their presentations, as well. Enjoy, RT, Google + this :)))