A brief overview of digital trends and developments for 2012...its not meant to be massively comprehensive, nor overly detailed, its just my view on some interesting things that are going on in the digital world currently

1. digitalism
//a view by james watson

2. Contents are King
Ditalism, according to the dictionary, is a someone who suffers from digitalis. Its also two
pretty damn cool electronic DJs from Germany. In this case however, its just the title for
my brief overview of the digital world in 2012. Enjoy.
TRENDS
What will be the big things that drive digital in 2012?
WARNINGS
Are some things just getting too big and out of control?
AND SOME OTHER STUFF THAT CAUGHT MY EYE RECENTLY
Hardware, software and underwater wear
digitalism
//intro

3. digitalism
//trends

4. Major Tom to data control
Data is a big deal for 2012, and specifically in how we use it. Technologies are now in
place that will allow data to be used far more intelligently and efficiently so we can move
ever closer towards the ultimate goal of right people, right content, right place, right time.
Zite
A personalised magazine for iPhone or iPad that
delivers you all the news and features that you
(according to your data profile) will enjoy. It also
learns as it goes to help further refine and evolve the
stories that are most relevant and interesting to you.
Hadoop
“Hadoop is an open source software used for distributed
computing that can be used to query a large set of data
and get the results faster using reliable and scalable
architecture”…in laymans terms, this basically means
using multiple servers simultaneously to retrieve and
consolidate results giving a faster and more reliable
service. And there endeth the technical lesson.
digitalism
//trends

6. Witness the fitness
Logging, recording and sharing your fitness workouts is not a new concept, but this is an
area that will grow, evolve and develop yet further in 2012.
#geotagging #lifelogging
Nike+ Kinect
Nike have teamed up with Xbox 360 Kinect to
produce a piece of software that deliver a
personalised fitness program that evolves as you do
with virtual personal trainers in the shape of Nike
athletes Lebron James and Rafael Nadal.
Up by Jawbone
This a wrist band that you wear 24/7 – it monitors your
sleep, what you are eating and how much your are
exercising – it will even tell you to get up and move
about when you have been still for too long!
All tracked, recorded, and of course, shareable.
digitalism
//trends

9. Baby I got ya money
Kiss goodbye to your wallets, because now you can pay by phone. Or, you can take
payments on your phone. Security risk you say?
Square Up
A device that plugs into your iPhone or smartphone that
allows the user to take secure credit card payments, send
pictures and receipts of what has been bought and geotags
the location where the transaction took place. Square also
allows you to remotely set up a tab in say a bar or restaurant
and just charges you as you go. Oh, and Square will charge
you 2.97% per transaction for the privilege!
Pingit by Barclays
A app that allows you to send or receive money via
your smartphone. Once both parties have
downloaded the app, you simply enter a passcode,
select the mobile number you wish to send/receive
cash from, add the amount and press go. All done.
digitalism
//trends

10. Cloud 9,000,000pb
As everything starts moving up into the cloud, the storage of information, data and
content gets cheaper, quicker and more accessible. And with less of the old local
storage problems and expense to worry about, the IT world can now focus on innovation!
iCloud
Apples answer to storage limitations on your iPhone or iPad –
simply put your music, photos and apps in the cloud! You can
access them for free while connected by Wi-Fi, but it will
come out of your data allowance if you need to access it via
3G. Apple also charges you for the privilege of having the
service!
Cloudee by Boxee
The ability to easily share video content among
friends and family. While there are plenty of services
that allow you to move content up into the cloud for
others too see, Cloudee facilitates the more private,
invite-only sharing of files – all accessible from a
smartphone app.
digitalism
//trends

11. Moreaugmented Reality
Augmented Realty is now longer new, but how we are using it is getting more and more
interesting, particularly when accessed through mobile devices.
Blippar
Moving things on somewhat, Blippar is an app that allows you
to embed a code on print creative enabling additional
video, images and content to be accessed via your
smartphone. PaddyPower recently used this app to great
effect by delivering an animated message from the Queen
around Euro 2012 betting that was accessed by pointing your
phone at the Queens head on a ten pound note.
Project Glass by Google
Damn you Google, you have done it again! While
the promotional trailer is a bit cheesy, these are high-
tech specs that provide the user with a head-up
display giving access to and information on the likes
of weather, emails, sms, maps, calls, camera, video,
diary and geotagging.
digitalism
//trends

12. digitalism
//warnings

13. I cant believe its not clutter…
Social Media
Are there just too many social media options out there now, or is variety and the growth
of more specialised interest sites a good thing? Oh, and ten points for spotting Pinterest is
not (and should be) included on here.
digitalism
//warnings

14. Hotel, Motel, Holiday Sin…
Habbo Hotel
Even the kids who played Habbo Hotel knew there were unsavory types that lurked
about in their virtual world, but it appears as if Sulake did not take enough steps to
prevent them - and their moderation software failed to pick up, or act on, conversations
that were blatantly improper. As investors and retailers pulled out on mass, Habbo Hotel
may have to check-out itself!
digitalism
//warnings

15. Under pressure?
Google
Apart from having the monopolies commission breathing down their shoulder constantly,
are Google also in danger of receiving some public backlash soon? It seems they are
getting potentially quite close to the tipping point of becoming too big and too powerful
and many are starting to question the levels of data they are capturing.
digitalism
//warnings

16. digitalism
//and some other stuff that caught my eye recently

17. Omnipresent
OmniTouch
Although the contraption itself looks a little clunky still as it sits a awkwardly on your
shoulder, OmniTouch have created a really clever portable device that will project a
touch-screen surface onto absolutely anything...handy.
digitalism
//and some other stuff that caught my eye recently

18. Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Ghost
Peppers Ghost
Tupac lives via a really cool holographic illusion that brought him back on stage with Snoop
Dogg at The Coachella Festival in April. Apparently some of the more intoxicated festival
goers actually though it was the real Tupac resurrected from the grave! There is talk of
having whole concerts using holograms of past artists…is that just taking it too far though?
digitalism
//and some other stuff that caught my eye recently

19. Aye aye Captain
Captain Morgans
Brands should always strive to produce branded content that is both interesting and
entertaining but also authentic and credible – Captain Morgans believe they have
found Captain Morgans actual ship and are documenting an Indiana Jones style dive to
retrieve its inner treasures.
digitalism
//and some other stuff that caught my eye recently

20. So long, and thanks for all the fish
Contact
jarwatson@yahoo.co.uk
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/jarwatson
digitalism
//thanks for reading