Tuesday 8 December 2009

The Guardian: what are the best TV ads of the noughties?

The Guardian take an interesting look at what they feel are the best ads of the last ten years.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/organgrinder/2009/dec/01/best-tv-ads-of-the-noughties-decade

Monday 7 December 2009

Personalised Search for Everyone

On Friday Google switched it's default search results to personalised

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/personalized-search-for-everyone.html

What does this mean to searchers?

Basically, every computer accessing Google is now being personalized based on previous searches, signed in or not, so any desktop, laptop or internet kiosk will start tracking everything everyone searches for and you won't be able to access the same search results from any two computers.

If you want to disable history-based customisation, follow these steps:

In the top right corner of the search results page, click Web History. On the resulting page, click Disable customisations.(Because this preference is stored in a cookie, it'll affect anyone else who uses the same browser and computer as you).

Thursday 26 November 2009

Apple opens first France store

Apple opened its first store in France on November 7th. The store, located in the "Carousel du Louvre", hopes to maximise store visits thanks to the 7.5 million annual visitors to the museum. Ten thousand people gathered for the opening, with many there as early as dawn and some even the night before.

The Paris store will be followed by numerous other stores in France, including the opening in Montpellier on November 14th.

For more information, please contact MediaCom France.




Thursday 12 November 2009

Windows 7

Please find below the four ads Microsoft have produced for the launch of Windows 7. Each ad highlights one of the new features of the operating system.

Taxi Lady


Gym Guy


Family Man


Mum

Tuesday 27 October 2009

PC World - Windows 7

Please see below the new PC World ad for Windows 7.

Tuesday 20 October 2009

Apple posts record profits in spite of the recession

Sales of the iPhone and Mac computers have boosted the company's profits to a record-breaking high of $1.67bn for the last quarter:

The Guardian look at how communication has changed over the past 10 years

Alan Rusbridger maps 10 inventions of the past 10 years that have changed, in his opinion, the way we communicate.

Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, also looks back at his decade:

Wednesday 30 September 2009

Charlie Brooker on the Mac vs. Windows Debate

Charlie Brooker comments in typically acerbic style in the Guardian on why although he doesn't get along with Windows (and those Windows 7 party ads...), his hatred for Mac is even more vitriolic.
http://m.guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gmg/op/s0LCIqoIpabmuj41C1_S3Xg/view.m?id=191371&tid=120787&chk_my-text=t,1;c,1&cat=Most_Read

Friday 25 September 2009

Intel believe "the future is tv-shaped"

Technology giant Intel believe that by 2015 there will be 12 billion computer devices with the capability to connect to 500 billion hours of TV and video content.

Justin Rattner, Intel's chief technology officer, predicts that TV will remain at the centre of our lives but that the future brings more flexibility in terms of when and where we watch our favourite shows due to the growing number of ways we can now consume content

Monday 14 September 2009

New PC World TV Ad - "My world is my son's future"

PC World have launched a new Back2School TV campaign. The ad features a female voiceover talking about taking her son to PC World to buy a laptop for the start of the new school year. She ends with the line: "My world is my son's future."

Thursday 10 September 2009

Steve Jobs returns to Apple but commentors left underwhelmed by new products

Apple boss Steve jobs has returned to his role at the company after a year of medical leave following a liver transplant operation.

He returned to unveil the latest range of Apple products at a press conference in San Francisco. New products included the new iPod Nano, which now has a built-in video camera, FM tuner and voice recorder. Apple also lowered the price of existing iPods.

Some commentors were left underwhelmed by the new products as they were hoping to hear news on the Apple Tablet. One writer commented:

"It was all about the iPod today and in terms of competition they are still running away with the show. Our biggest question is what is going to happen in the next six months. The Apple Tablet is what we want to hear about and it's going to address this mid-market as people look for portability with their computing...This is a niche they really need to address in the coming months."

Thursday 6 August 2009

Ofcom review shows technology to be a "priority for Britons"

Britons are more likely to cut back on holidays and meals out than technology during the recession, according to an Ofcom review published today.

The report asked consumers what they were most likely to cut back on during the recession. 47% said going out for dinner, 41% said DIY and 40% said holidays; however, only 19% said they would cut back on mobile phone spending, 16% on TV subscriptions and 10% on highlighted broadband services.

The review also found that:

- In May 2009 consumers spent an average of 19 minutes a day online at home
- Takeup of broadband in the UK is at 68%, compared to 58% last year
- In May this year, there were 250k new mobile broadband connections, up from 139k in May last year
- 50% of internet users use Facebook
- There were 2.6 million Twitter users in May 2009
- Men are more likely to watch catch-up TV
- Leeds has the highest take-up off mobile broadband in the UK; the Scottish Borders has the lowest
-

For the full article, visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8186127.stm

Friday 31 July 2009

New PC World TV Ad - "My World is Fashion"

PC World have launched a new TV ad featuring a Dell Inspiron and targeting women. The ad features a female voiceover talking about her world, how it revolves around fashion and how consequently she loves the different colours that Dell offer.

William Shatner hits out at HP for using dangerous plastics













Star Trek legend leaves HP employees voice mails berating their use of toxic plastics.



PC World feature in MediaWeek's "Brand Barometer"

Success of new ad from retail giant scuppered by news of economic woes for DSG group.

HP place Vivienne Tam netbook in latest Black Eyed Peas video

If you skip to 2mins49secs it features for about 10 seconds.



Monday 13 July 2009

New PC World TV Ad

Dell, Innocent and Kodak using Twitter successfully to engage with consumers

Dell, Innocent and Kodak are among the few brands who use Twitter successfully to engage consumers, according to PR Week. A report, conducted by Comms. Agency Immediate Future, listed Dell "as as a brand successfully engaging with its audience via Twitter. The IT firm claims to have made more than US$3m worth of sales since 2007 via its @DellOutlet stream, where
it posts special offers and responds to consumer enquiries."

Wednesday 10 June 2009

Acer to add Android into Aspire One models


Computer giant Acer have announced that they plan to ship all new versions of the Aspire One netbook with a version of Google's Android operating system, which is currently in use on phones such as the G1. The company said that, "the Android operating system will provide Acer netbook users with faster connection to the internet, further enhancing efficiency on-the-go."



Dell to offer open source applications for SMBs

According to an article published by PC World, Dell are to offer pre-configured hardware bundles and open source software to SMBs.

HP research mobile social networks




HP are in the process of testing an intelligent mobile-based social network. The system, Friendlee, analyses call data and messages to build a profile of a user's closest contacts, with regular contacts being displayed more prominently so that users do not have to trawl through their phone book.

A similar application already exists on Windows Mobile and Google Android handsets, and a prototype for Blackberry has also been unveiled.



Tuesday 9 June 2009

China orders PC manufacturers to install blocking software

The Chinese government, in push to control internet access in China, has ordered PC makers in the country to pre-install blocking software onto every hard drive starting from next month.

The software, which has been developed with the Chinese military, is aimed specifically to restrict access to pornography websites but could also be used to prevent users from accessing "politically sensitive webistes", according to the Guardian. The software also collects private user data.

Computer injuries on the rise


Injuries related to computer use have risen sevenfold, the BBC reports. 

According to findings from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, over 78,000 patients were submitted to hospital with computer-related injuries between 1994 and 2006, mainly due to tripping over cables or head injuries from falling monitors. The main victims of such injuries are children under 15.



Friday 5 June 2009

The UK Media Landscape - what's hot and what's not

The below is a summary of a piece of research carried out by Chameleon PR, analysing the themes and topics which have featured in technology media in the last year. It covers off technology topics which have featured in national and regional newspapers, business techonlogy, vertical industry and so on. The company who compiled the research - Apollo - look at over 30,000 stories a month.

1) Biggest Technology Risers versus last quarter

Top 5
1) Facial Recognition
2) Video Phones
3) Service Orientated Architecture
4) Web Conferencing
5) Storage Services

- Facial recognition has seen largest rise in the past quarter as the recession takes hold and more companies use teleconferencing to cut costs


2) Subjects which have lost the most media coverage in the last quarter

Top 5
1) Digital signal processing
2) Data Warehousing
3) Storage Technology
4) Web Versions
5) XML

3) Most covered technology categories from November 2008 - January 2009

1) Mobile phones
2) Networks
3) Home Entertainment
4) Security
5) Games

4) Most popular themes covered in Q1 2001 vs Q1 2009

1) Games - software
2) Digital television
3) Mobile entertainment
4) Processors
5) Email

- As in most other sectors, the economic downturn and recession has also dominated the technology sector





Monday 1 June 2009

"Buy Now, Pay Later" offers soar year-on-year

Hire-purchase borrowing has increased 24% year-on-year to £231 million in March, according to the Daily Mail. Experts are, however, warning customers of the dangers of such deals. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1187871/Buy-pay-later-fashion-hire-purchase-borrowing-soars-24.html

Thursday 28 May 2009

HP to cut 840 manufacturing jobs in Scotland

HP are to cut 843 manufacturing job at its plant in Erskine, near Glasgow. Some local MPs have reacted angrily to the news, suggesting that there could be a possible backlash.

New PC World ad in the UK

Please see below the new PC World ad which dropped last night in the UK during the Champions' League Final on ITV1. This represents a much more brand-focused execution than what we have seen in previous months. There is also a celebrity appearance from Christian Slater at the end.


Wednesday 20 May 2009

Sony reports first loss in 14 years


Sony have reported a 1.4billion dollar loss for the year ending in March after being hit by a sharp drop in sales, the BBC reports. However, the loss was not as great as Sony had forecast.



HP cuts outlook and jobs

PC giant HP are to cut 2% of its workforce after a 17% drop in quarterly profit. In the quarter ending 30th April the company's revenue fell 3%, with a reported 13% drop desktops and  24% in laptops. The company have also introduced a staff pay cut of 5% as a cost-cutting measure.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/19/technology/hp/index.htm?postversion=2009051918

Sunday 17 May 2009

Spotify outlines expansion plan

Spotify, the online music service, is planning to launch a mobile version and launch in the US, the BBC reports. The company are also in the process of developing an iphone application. It also plans to partner with lastfm in order to supply its listeners with song recommendations.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8052917.stm

Wednesday 15 April 2009

CNet take a look at the new Acer Aspire 3935-6504

Cnet have reviewed Acer's new ultra-thin laptop, citing it as the budget-friendly competition to the Adamo. It retails at $899.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10219847-1.html

Wednesday 8 April 2009

How Acer is getting aggressive

BusinessWeek look into how Acer are increasing aggressiveness in order to gain on Dell and HP.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_16/b4127000406657.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily

Monday 30 March 2009

The Sunday Times analyses the effect the global downturn is having on Ireland

The Sunday Times has written an interesting piece looking into how the global recession is impacting Ireland. It even asks if Ireland might be the first country in the EU to go bust.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article5980940.ece

Monday 23 March 2009

Dell WK8 DRTV ad

For anyone who may not have seen the WK8 DRTV ad with slightly altered voice over, please see below. 


Tuesday 17 March 2009

The BBC looks at the Adamo

Please see below for a piece of video in which members of the public are asked for the opinions on the Adamo and how it ties in with their perceptions of the Dell brand.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7948617.stm

There are also some more reviews here:






Acer to move into mobile devices

Following the success of Apple's iphone, other computer manufacturers are branching out into the world of mobile devices, the New York Times reports.

Acer have moved from making no phones to no less than eight, with more models to be unveiled before the end of the year. Gianfranco Lanci, Acer CEO, says that the smartphone market "is the natural direction of our long-term mobile strategy".

The newspaper also reports that Dell and Asus are also planning to move into the smartphone market.



New Sony Mini Vaio









Please see the link below for a review in the Telegraph:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid2888913001/bclid1387917998/bctid10252485001

The ad has also been featured on elle.com.  They've gone down a similar avenue to the HP Vivienne Tam netbook, asking in the ad, "What's missing in your handbag? Your new season must have!"

Ad clicks through to a dedicated mini site where you can enter a competition to win one of the netbooks and watch some videos of the product being used in Paris, Bruges and Rome.

To fill in on the specs:

- weighs 638 grams
- 120mm x 245mm x 19.8mm
- 60gb memory, 2gb ram
- windows vista

....and costs a whopping £849!

There's a small picture taken from the website above. Please email me if you want to have a look at the bigger version.


Google to introduce phone services

Google is to introduce a service called "Voice", similar to Skype.

Google boss Eric Schmidt believes that mobile is the next big opportunity, stating recently that he believed that mobile search revenues would overtake those on PC within a few years.

HP believes a shift in research will help it survive the recession

In 2008 HP announced that it would be aligning the work done in its lab with its business goals, a shift which it now believes will allow the company to survive the global recession.

One of the major changes is that the business unit will now help decide which research projects should be funded and which shouldn't.

Thursday 19 February 2009

Greenest Mac Book Ever

Apple have launched a new Mac Book, which is apparently their greenest ever. Just a few of its features include:

- 100% recyclable aluminium/glass casing
- Runs on a quarter of the power of a lightbulb
- Made without using some harmful toxins such as mercury

The ad, below, went live on Tuesday 17th February and was apparently on during last night's Brit Awards.


Monday 16 February 2009

Microsoft to move into retail


In a surprise move, Microsoft has announced that it will be opening a line of branded shops. The stores will sell a range of Windows PCs and mobile phones. 

The firm have hired David Porter, an executive from the movie studio Dreamworks and previous WalMart executive, to oversee the operation.



Monday 9 February 2009

Apple co-founder to compete on Dancing with the Stars













Steve Wozniak has been confirmed as a contestant on the US dance competition Dancing with the Stars.

Thriller writer Christopher Fowler on his MacBook Air

Christopher Fowler, the English thriller writer, sings the praises of his MacBook Air, hailing it as "super-light and fast". When asked the question "Mac or PC?" he replies, "What's a PC?"

The Mail on Sunday's "Live" magazines reviews a range of netbooks

 "Live" review a range of netbooks, their favourites being the Asus eeePC and the Samsung NC 10.

Tuesday 3 February 2009

The Guardian asks, "Are netbooks extra devices, or PC replacements?"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/feb/01/netbooks-pc-replacements

The desktop isn't dead


Craig Mundie, Chief Research and Strategy Officer at Microsoft, explains to Sky News why he thinks the desktop will remain a part of our lives, despite predictions from many that it's on its way out. 

Click the link below to watch:

Sony Vaio TT laptop rated by telegraph.co.uk


The Sony Vaio TT laptop has been rated as on the year's hottest gadgets by the Daily Telegraph:

"n tough carbon fibre and weighing only 1.3kg, this laptop is ultra-mobile, and its 11in widescreen display and ergonomic keyboard make it a joy to use. It offers about nine hours’ battery life, has a biometric fingerprint scanner for security, plus built-in webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G mobile broadband connectivity."


India to develop £7 laptop

The Indian government is developing an ultra-cheap laptop in a bid to close the "digital divide" between rich and poor.



IBM to build fastest computer on planet for managing US nuclear arsenal

IBM is to buil a super computer to manage the US' nuclear arsenal. The "Sequoia" will achieve speeds of up to 20,000 trillion calculations a second, will contain more than 1.6 million microprocessors and will be housed in a 3,422 sq ft building in the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.

Monday 26 January 2009

Asus N series rated by telegraph.co.uk

The Asus N series range of laptops has been rated as one of the Telegraph's hottest gadgets. Just some of the features include a super hybrid engine which helps to conserve battery power and a smart login based on facial recognition.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/technologyreviews/4324939/Hottest-gadgets.

Google to launch "GDrive"

Google is to launch the "GDrive", a system which will allow users to store almost all of their data on the internet and access it from any computer with an internet connection. Users' information would be stored on Google's own drives, and some comentators say that it could "kill off the desktop computer".


Tuesday 20 January 2009

Google to cut 100 jobs

Google are to cut 100 jobs. They plan to shed staff in recruitment and shut down three engineering offices as a result of a decision to slow expansion.


Concerns over Apple's future raised as Steve Jobs takes absence

Concerns are being raised over Apple's future as their CEO Steve Jobs takes medical leave.

Thursday 15 January 2009

Sales slide at DSG Group

The BBC reports that DSG International's sales have dropped 10% in the three months to 10th January. The group's chairman stated that many people waited for the post-Christmas sales to purchase televisions and laptops.

Thursday 8 January 2009

LeNovo to cut 2,500 jobs in Asia

LeNovo is to cut 2,500 jobs in Asia, whilst TDK, the electronic components maker, is to cut 8,000.