"When they want you to buy something they will call you. When they want you to die for profit they will let you know. So, friends, every day do something that won't compute." - Wendell Berry

I joined Twitter in the summer of 2006 (when it was still called Twittr) and immediately fell in love. I encouraged all of my friends, colleagues and students to hop on board because I thought it would change the world and become a standard (like POP or IMAP email or HTML). Then I made a video in early 2007 called "How To Use Twitter" (that still ranks first for that term) because I was so hopeful about the platform's future. I was wrong. Twitter stayed proprietary. Twitter is now looking to monetize by leveraging user data with inserted ads and more cookie-based "optimization." The whole scenario is incredibly frustrating. The whole "social media" or web2.0 scene is blood-boiling to me because instead of creating open spaces (or a web), we're locking ourselves and our data down into proprietary walled gardens that are much more interested in making money by observing our behaviors to maximize "relevant" advertising than creating sustainable platforms for human development. So, I killed my Facebook, Google and Twitter accounts last night. Don't get me wrong... I don't blame them. Twitter, Facebook, Google, Apple etc are corporations. Corporations are inherently out for themselves and their stock holders. I blame myself for falling into the trap of shiny and nifty free/freemium services in exchange for my data and my online identity. I want my children and students to grow up in an era that includes an open web that isn't based on advertising or 3rd party cookie data mining. I'm doing what I can to make that happen.

We Can Haz YouTube:

YouTube - SpartanburgDaySchool's Channel

Apple's new ad unit promoting awareness of its FaceTime feature of iPhone 4 is remarkable in many ways. First, there's the striking simplicity of the presentation of complex emotions. There's also the lack of the iPhone being mentioned by name in the ad, but instead used as a utility or appliance (in this case with a "revolutionary" feature). Of course, video conferencing is nothing new (Skype, Nokia and Google Chat have all made use of the paradigm for the last few years) and I've spent my time video chatting with my daughter over the past year while teaching an hour and a half away from my home. As a result, perhaps what is most striking is the music choice behind the ad... Armstrong's "When You're Smiling." The song has enough cultural reference (even global culture as we'll see in a second) to elicit an emotional response and a feeling of connection or familiarity with a new device. The song itself makes use of familiar devices (such as chord progression and bridges) that were well established jazz fundamentals. However, I was most curious as to how the song has been used in advertising spots before Apple. What fascinated me the most were the range of intended emotions in the various ad spots. Apple's Facetime ad differs dramatically from some of these prior uses: First, Lebanon's MEA: Comfort? Security? Smile more at airports? Next, Coca Cola used the song in a 1999 Mexican ad spot to present a campaign to "Drink the Good Thing" (high fructose corn syrup FTW!): Coke will make you happy and all of your problems will go away (but watch out for the braces)! Of course the song has also been used for humor (as in Seinfeld). I'm constantly amazed at the depth and complexity of what seems to be a very simple concept (a song in an ad). However, as Apple (Steve Jobs) seems to be well aware, it's that complexity of emotions that can turn a device into a must have gadget.