The increase in usage of digital cameras combined with social networks becoming a primary method of storing photos has reduced the tangible ownership of our photos.
Since I discovered GRID by the people from VVall, that sense of ownership feels like it may return. It’s not the same as having chronicles of printed photo albums but the way it presents the photos makes it a little more organised. It’s also a great way to get a quick hit and fast overview of your memories.
GRID pulls in all your photos from Facebook, Twitpic, Picplz and Dailybooth. You just give the site access to your accounts and it collates the photos together in a timeline. Photos can also be viewed in the days of the week they were taken. Clicking on the thumbnail of the image takes you to the original file. Fetching images belonging to another persons account is also possible if their photo setting is public.
When I added my Facebook account to GRID it brought together 439 photos from 994 days, dating all the way back to 2008 when I first began using Facebook. I was really hoping it was going to bring together photos that I was tagged in but did not own, just to make the experience more complete, but that was not the case.
Also the site doesn’t merge photos together from different sources, like Facebook and Twitpic which would have been handy. You need to reload each account to view the images.
As we store and share our photos on different websites there is a real need to have a central place to collate and view them.
I have been using Greplin recently and that organises search from all facets of my online life, now there needs to be something that does that for photo viewing and storage and GRID has highlighted this need.Piccsy, HN
Matthias Galica is CEO of ShareSquare. Via a self-serve mobile web app CMS and QR codes, the ShareSquare platform enhances real world promotions for artists, agencies & brands. Mashable readers can sign up for the private beta for free by clicking here. He will also be presenting on the topic of QR code adoption at the Where 2.0 Conference.
Nearly every year since 1994 has been hyped as the year that QR codes pierce the mainstream, but in 2011 the hubbub is finally reaching a fever pitch.
This is thanks to a confluence of factors: Critical mass in smartphone penetration, a large installed base of many barcode-scanning apps, and an approaching social tipping point of awareness. QR codes are finally becoming an effective tool for driving offline-to-online interactions at scale.
Combine this with the fact that enhancing real world promotions in music, film and brand marketing is among the best applications of this technology, and next month’s SXSW has the potential to be the breakout event for QR codes in America.
Unfortunately, many well-intentioned early adopters will waste the opportunity by not delivering enough value or making some very simple mistakes.
I’ve spent nine months isolating the best practices and highest converting use cases specific to these applications. Taking over where Jamie Turner left off with his post on the 10 commandments for marketers using 2D codes, below is a “brass tacks” breakdown of the minimum value each marketer needs to offer to be successful.
What Should My QR Code Do?
It should direct users to a mobile-optimized webpage with functionality tailored to your audience and application. Below are recommendations based on the calls-to-action that we’ve seen achieve the highest engagement. You’ll notice the following themes recur: Exclusivity, rich media, downloads, social media, incentives like prizes and contests, and contextual relevance.
Music and Artist Performances
Must-Haves: Provide immediate music playback via an online service like YouTube or Rdio. Show a bio along with performance and venue information. Allow users to “Like” on Facebook and follow on Twitter.
Extra Credit: Link to native apps like those made by Mobile Roadie; offer free downloads in exchange for e-mail submissions; win VIP access or free schwag; offer mobile e-commerce through a provider like TopSpin or BandCamp.
Must-Haves: Show the trailer (ideally an exclusive); put sneak peek images into a slideshow; provide screening and venue information; pre-populate status updates and tweets to help new fans spread the word.
Extra Credit: Deleted scene downloads; free passes; ticket purchases.
Must-Haves: Show screenshots; play a demo video; link to all your native apps (if you have them); display company info, “Like” on Facebook and follow on Twitter.
Extra Credit: Offer early access; send private invites, or register the scan as a check-in.
Extra Credit / Example: Add a QR code to your business card.
Where Should I Put My QR Code at a Major Event?
Put your QR code on every single piece of promotional material you have. This goes for every marketer. Posters, flyers, stickers, merchandise tags, press kits, temporary tattoos; The more unusual the better. Any promotion without one is a missed opportunity at major events, especially tech-forward gatherings like SXSW.
What Not To Do
There are pitfalls you need to avoid at all costs, or else your QR code campaign will fail miserably:
Don’t use proprietary code formats like those from AT&T Barcode Services or any other that requires a particular scanning app to work. Your QR code should simply contain a URL directing to your mobile web presence. You can easily create a free QR code with services like bit.ly or goo.gl, and they come with the added benefits of shortening your URL (which compresses the size of the QR code) and some basic tracking.
Don’t link to a non-mobile-optimized site, or (heaven forbid) any pages containing Flash.
Don’t forget to prominently place a compelling call-to-action (e.g. “Scan to Win”) near the QR code so that your audience immediately knows why they should bother scanning your code.
Don’t forget to test-scan the proofs for your creative. Make sure your QR code works as intended before you produce a bunch of collateral.
It’s also a good idea to set up your QR code and the corresponding mobile webpage with analytics. This will give you the ability to track and optimize your campaign, and if you’re using a plug-and-play CMS, even make updates during the event.
What Results Should You Expect?
At my company, we’re seeing an average time on the mobile page of about 4 minutes, with bounce rates in the low 20% range. When your call-to-action is valuable, and well aligned with your application, you’ll find that you can delight your audience and capture the precious attention that you wouldn’t have before. Your mileage will vary on the total number of scans, which is why a shotgun approach with a variety of different placements will give you the best odds of standing out from the crowd.
We’re also upping the game for SXSW, which I predict will be a big event for QR codes. My company will be displaying real-time Austin heat maps of scanning activity happening on our platform, as well as aggregating leader-boards of the “Most Scanned Bands.” We’ll be giving those artists extra attention and visibility, in addition to some special prizes we’ll announce at the event. I hope to see you, your QR codes, and some effective mobile calls-to-action in Austin next month.
The official and full HTML specification, besides the information a web developer usually needs, has many other details that only browser vendors need to know.
WHATWG (Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group) has a filtered HTML5 version which focuses on readability and ease of access.
It has find-as-you-type search, offline access, very nice typography, technical references pulled inline, and alternate styles for handheld devices or low resolution displays.
Charles M. Blow has a look at some metrics for the International Monetary Fund’s “Advanced economy” countries. As Americans, we like to think that we’re the best at everything, but in many instances, that just isn’t the case. Sometimes we’re the worst.
For those shopping around for a new internet service provider, the FCC just released a new site to help you out.
The National Broadband Map is a complete database of all broadband connections in the U.S. and their average speeds.
Just head over to the site, type in your address or zip code, and you’ll get a list of all ISPs available to you along with an infographic comparing their connection speeds.
If you want to see what broadband connections look like nationwide, you can check out the FCC’s interactive map here.
It’s an excellent resource if you’re moving to a new town or are unhappy with your current service and want to find the best alternative.
There’s also an API for all this data, so developers can start coming up with useful ways to help people find the speediest connection.
