MapMyName…the truth is out there

 

According to statistics, there are 1,018,057,389 Internet Users in the world [Source: Internet World Stats, January 2006]. But that’s just not good enough for two guys from Portugal, who have embarked on a crazy project to map all the Internet users in the world at MapMyName.

The precise number. In a month. Surely not?! The absurd calculations goes something along the lines of every Internet user tells three friends, and so on.  The calculations leave something to be desired. Not to mention language barriers.

Maybe it’s because I like ambitious people like me, or just can’t resist a Google mash-up, but I thought I’d do my bit and spread the word. It’s only day 5 and there’s a whole month to go! Join at MapMyName.

Dodgeball…improving your social life with your mobile

Dodgeball is a location-based mobile social network in the US, which is actually pretty cool. Apparently it’s been around for a while, but it seems to have come back ‘in’. After my rant a while ago about mobile social networking, I must admit that there’s actually some pretty exciting stuff going on (perhaps more so in the US though). 

Mobile phones have already changed the way we communicate with our friends and the way arrange to meet up. Perhaps this is just the next logical step. I would love it. Hit Soho, hit Endurance (nice pub), send a text message to Dodgeball, it relays this to all my mates in the area and we all meet up. Simple but neat. Anyone know of anything similar in the UK?

Location-based stuff can be a bit too ‘big brother’, but if you keep it to close friends on your Dodgeball list it could be a genuinely useful way of casually meeting up with mates. It also notifies your ‘crushes’ when you are nearby. Kinda like poking people on Facebook…but even more stalkerish!

It’s no surprise to hear that as part of Google’s world domination plans (okay slight exageration), they have of course acquired Dodgeball. Yes that’s right, they not only know what we like, but where we are and who we fancy! 

Another simple but useful mobile application is jott.com which saves voice messages into text messages - great for offloading stuff you need to remember later…

Holiday

Well it’s been a busy start to 2007, what with work and blogging an all, and so I’m going on a well deserved holiday!

 I’m off to Egypt…

 

So don’t think I’ve dropped off the blogosphere…

 

I’ll be back…

Nice things

Thortons chocolate billboard - yummy…

 

Selected 7-Eleven stores are about to get a Kwik-e-mart makeover to promote the Simpson movie - experiential at its best…

Touchscreen Prada Mobile - subtle and nice…

Second Life brand map

K Zero have produced a cool brand map of Second Life. Looks a bit confusing but just shows how many brands have set-up a presence there. And I’m not even convinced that they’re all in there! ING’s OurVirtualHolland is just one example of this.

I found these really interesting SL facts from Komjunity found by Greg Verdino

72% of respondents are disappointed with the activities of companies in Second Life

42% think companies are just fad-following and lack long-term commitment to the virtual world

More than 33% are actually unaware of the presence of brands in-world

The fact that a third of SL residents are completely unaware is just astonishing!