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Nora’s Twitter- nora3000: Hmm, prospects for #snowshoeing not looking so hot this weekend :(
- nora3000: @BCPlerf I know! That really freaked me out. What happens when the rate of change is so fast it defies our ability to predict it.
- nora3000: RT @thenfb: Once again, here's the link to watch our 2 #Oscar-nominated shorts, and more Oscar goodness! http://t.co/FTaf9w9N #wildlife ...
- nora3000: Lovely set by Joanne MacKell at the Cameron #greatcountrychicks
- nora3000: @alirio Ha! Posting a new one tomorrow am #thesniffer
- Podcast Feed
- The Sniffer, Jan 23, 2012: Trends in Social Media and Employment
- The Sniffer, Jan 6, 2012: Trends in New York and IKEA’s Urban Planning
- The Sniffer, Dec 20th, 2011: Trends in Robotics and Niche Marketing
- The Sniffer, Dec. 2nd, 2011: Trends in Medical Monitors and Crowd Control
- The Sniffer, Nov 21st, 2011: Trends in Gaming and Urban Life
The Sniffer, Jan 23, 2012: Trends in Social Media and Employment
On this week's podcast, Cathi Bond is feeling inspired by her participation in 1,000 Songs, a Facebook group about music, coordinated by arts guy about town, Jim Shedden. She's discovered great tunes by The Cowsills and more. If you can't get depth from long form journalism, maybe social media is the answer after all.
Meanwhile, Nora Young talks about this article in Technology Review, about the impending job loss as a result of the rate of change in computer technology. It reminded Nora of this article by Farhad Manjoo. Oh, and watch out for flying robots.
After we recorded this podcast, Nora thought it might make for an interesting topic for Spark. If you'd like to hear more, here's the full interview with Andrew McAfee, co-author (with Eryk Brynjolfsson) of Race Against the Machine.
Cathi continues her search for novelty personal transport with the Seabird personal submarine. Check it out here!
Posted in Arts and Culture, Personal Devices, Social Change
Tagged 1000 Songs, computers, personal submarines, social media, unemployment
The Sniffer, Jan 6, 2012: Trends in New York and IKEA’s Urban Planning
In today's trendwatching podcast, Cathi Bond looks at the news that IKEA is creating a development in east London. The neighbourhood will have about 1,200 homes, and will be mostly car-free. What do you think? Would you live in a development like this? Is this the ultimate in 'extending the brand'? You can read more about it here.
Meanwhile, Nora Young is back from New York, and finds the city still in retro mode, at least as far as cool bars and eateries goes, from the 70s vibe of Marshall Stack, to older aesthetic throwbacks. Still, nothing felt as fresh as the steampunk vibe of a few years back. Cathi points out that the retro feel is found far and wide these days, from the return of vinyl to Toronto spots like The Communist's Daughter and Commute Home, to the 'rumpus room' aesthetic you find in videos like this one, from Real Estate:
Posted in Architecture, Arts and Culture
Tagged development, housing, IKEA, new york tourism, retro
The Sniffer, Dec 20th, 2011: Trends in Robotics and Niche Marketing
In today's podcast for trendwatchers, Cathi Bond has more examples of the niche subscription trend we've been talking about. This time, it's niche Brazilian bread (via PSFK). For more on niche subscriptions, check out Cathi's story on Spark here.
Just in time for New Year's resolutions, Nora Young points out Rajesh Shetty's Metrics that Matter. For inspiration, or a long dark night of the soul, check it out here and see how you're doing going into a new year.
Meanwhile, Nora Young points to Gizmag's piece on tiny robots called Kilobots that Harvard is making available for sale. Gizmag wondered whether it might be feasible for regular folks to get them. Nora thinks they might make a lovely Christmas present (hint, hint). Note: after we recorded this episode of The Sniffer, Gizmag updated their story, saying that they would sell for about $2,000 for 10 'bots. Pricey, but cool. On a more serious note, Nora points to the more general trend in robotics research away from modeling humans or mammals and towards swarming of flocking behaviour. They reminded Cathi of the robots in Minority Report:
Posted in Electronics, Marketing
Tagged bread marketing, kilobot, New Years Resolutions, niche subscriptions, robotics, swarming robots
The Sniffer, Dec. 2nd, 2011: Trends in Medical Monitors and Crowd Control
In this trendwatching podcast, Nora Young wonders who owns the data your devices generate? She started thinking about it because of a story about a man with a defibrillator implant who is trying to get access to the data it generates, in order to better understand what triggers his heart condition (via Technology Review). As more of us have implants or other devices that generate data about how we're using them, is this the shape of things to come?
Looking for a gentle alarm for the guitar lover in your life? Cathi Bond brings you the Acoustic Alarm, a clock that awakens you to a strumming guitar (via Ohgizmo. Take a look at it here.
Cathi also discusses a new Segway-esque police vehicle, the T3, augmented with the ability to use non-lethal weapons such as rubber projectiles or dye bullets (via Gizmag). Smart approach to riots and crowd control, or gateway to overuse? What do you think?
Posted in Personal Devices, Vehicles
Tagged alarm clocks, open data, policing, self-tracking, vehicles
The Sniffer, Nov 21st, 2011: Trends in Gaming and Urban Life
In this trendwatching podcast, Cathi Bond discusses Bivouac New York, a very cool-looking urban campsite - on the roofs of buildings! We hope they have railings! (via PSFK).
Meanwhile, Nora Young looks at yet another example of gamification: Stray Boots is designing scavenger hunts, with clues sent to players' cell phones, as a way to explore cities. It's also being used in marketing, to create a fun way for consumers to interact with brands. (Via the consistently excellent PSFK) At least branded entertainment today is more subtle than this:
Posted in Fun Stuff, Personal Devices
Tagged alternate reality games, camping, gamification, stray boots, urban life
The Sniffer, Nov 4th, 2011: Trends in Publishing and Cellphones
In this trendwatching podcast, Cathi Bond talks about the launch of The Slant, dubbed an “artifact” publication (via JC Report). It looks cool, with a bit of an anti-consumerist edge. What’s the place for real, physical artifacts in a digital age? You can find out more about the project by watching their charming Kickstarter pitch.
Meanwhile, Nora Young mentions this new infographic on post-secondary students’ use of cellphones, particularly in class (via Mashable). Nora wonders how educators can respond. Should they design courses that actually involve interactive use of phones, thereby satisfying the urge for a quick info hit while keeping the course on track?
And a quick note in the ongoing struggle for publishers to adapt to a digital age: a division of Simon and Schuster is trying out smart books. These are regular paper books kitted out with RFID tags. Browsers can touch their phones to them to learn more about the books (via PSFK)
Posted in Arts and Culture, Education, Electronics
Tagged cellphones, education, publishing, RFID tags, smart books, The Slant
The Sniffer, Oct 21st, 2011: Trends in Apps and Health
This time, Nora Young talks about the trend in peer-to-peer applications for tracking and sharing your health (via Technology Review). The trend appears to be growing, with tons of diet, fitness, and health sites and apps popping up. They're a great idea, but users will have to be aware of their privacy, and make sure they understand what these services are doing with their data. The Wall Street Journal, for instance, has a story on insurance companies experimenting with checking out people's social networking sites for signs of healthy or unhealthy lifestyles.
Meanwhile, Cathi Bond looks at the fun boom in apps for cats! (Via Gizmag)
This little kitty sure seems to be enjoying it:
Cats not your thing? Well how about Alpha Dog, from Boston Dynamics. They're the people who brought you the Big Dog robot. Holy Uncanny Valley:
Posted in Electronics, Fun Stuff, Self-Tracking
Tagged apps, fitness, pets, robotics, self-tracking
The Sniffer, Oct 7th, 2011: Trends in Publishing and Niche Subscriptions
In this trendwatching podcast, Nora Young talks about how cultural entrepreneurs are experimenting with subscriptions to limited edition, niche products, appealing to our love of the physical and the unique in an era of zeros and ones. Fast Company discusses how two projects, The Thing Quarterly and Quarterly.co are using the subscription model for physical goods. Nora points to Trendwatching's take on the rise of subscription services.
Meanwhile, Cathi Bond takes us on a journey into publishing in the 21st century. Though she's had encouraging signs in the conventional publishing world, including having her novel optioned for a film, she's considering self-publishing. Cathi asks the hard questions every author thinking about going this route ought to be looking at. What do you think the future of self-publishing in a digital age is? Any tips for Cathi?
The Sniffer, Sept 23, 2011: Trends in Cool Displays and Social Networking
In today's trendwatching podcast, we talk about the future of multiple displays and seamless screens. Cathi Bond looks at nsquared's application for Windows phones and the surface (via PSFK). It lets designers and clients move seamlessly from screen to screen. Watch the video for a better idea. Can you imagine practical applications for this?
Meanwhile, Nora Young recently joined the alpha version of Diaspora, the open source social network that works on a model of dispersed 'seeds' as opposed to a central hub that holds all users' data. A lively yip-yap about social media ensues!
Posted in Electronics, Social Networking
Tagged Diaspora, electronic displays, Microsoft Surface, social media
The Sniffer, Sept 9th, 2011: Trends in Crowdsourcing and 3D
The Sniffer is back for a new season! Thanks for checking out the updated blog. In this episode, Cathi Bond and Nora Young open up the windows to catch a last bit of summer breeze (and the occasional fire alarm) and chew over some new tech trends. Nora looks at UCLA's Urban Sensing lab as an example of a trend she's been seeing pop up a lot: the move towards ordinary citizens contributing data about the environment around them (via Scientific American). For example, there's Biketastic, where cyclists contribute frequently updated information about the quality of bike routes.
Cathi Bond always has her eye on what's new in media and entertainment. This time, it's Sony's forthcoming, high end 3D headset, the HMZ-T1 (check them out over at Gizmag). It sound great for gaming, but tell us, can you see yourself slipping them on by yourself or with your family, sitting around the TV, or is this sort of thing just for gaming? We've had plans for these immersive goggles for ages (Cathi talked about some way back on an early episode of the podcast), but has their time finally come?
Posted in Electronics, Personal Devices, Self-Tracking
Tagged 3D, cell phones, gaming, headsets, self-tracking, urban sensing