Inspire

Gary Small on iBrain, fMRI, Media and How Google Changes Our Mind

The video below with a short presentation by Gary Small is in my view interesting in many ways. It is original and shows how Digital Natives differ in their minds relative to Digital Immigrants. It is one of the first neuroscience and fMRI studies related to searching the web and it shows that the web has both positive and negative impact on our minds and learned skills. If you like this video, I strongly recommend reading the extensive discussion related to the August post in Edge.org by Nicholas Carr called Is Google Making Us Stupid? This post raises in my view some important issues related to multi-tasking, continuous partial attention (CPA), focus, critical and structured thinking, concentration and reading long, deep articles and/or books.

Daniel Suarez Presents DAEMON - Bot-Mediated Reality at the LongNow Foundation

There are many incredible, fascinating and inspiring videos and presentations available on the web and this seems to increase every year. Below one of the better ones in my view. The reason is an upcoming science fiction novel called DAEMON - Bot-Mediated Reality by Daniel Suarez. Recently, he gave a high-impact presentation at the LongNow Foundation, of which I am an active/paid member since the beginning of 2008.

DAEMON deals with bots (software based on narrow AI incorporating algorithms for specific search, retrieve and actionable goals) and the future of the (mobile) web. Daniel shows us that bots are on the rise and that they redefine what it means to be human. What strikes me about this presentation can be summed up as follows:

• The first time it impressed me, but by the time of the second viewing this video really inspired me to broaden my vision.
• Bots are within my field of interest since May 2005 when I worked with/for Yme Bosma and Bas Verhart within MediaRepublic for extending the opportunities of the Eccky bot. Artificial Intelligence (AI), both narrow and general, is key to the development of chatbots.
• Recently, I visited the The Singularity Summit 2008, a remarkable and highly recommended event with speakers like Esther Dyson, Ray Kurzweil, Nova Spivack, Eric Baum, Neil Gerschenfeld, Cynthia Breazeal (fantastic!) and Ben Goertzel. Many talks in this one-day-event considered AI, bots and robots. 
• Daniel Suarez raises several important questions based on the rise of bots. They focus on a new Internet (DarkNet with limited bot-access), lifelogging, pattern recognition, copyright (User Owned Data?), security, terrorism, privacy, authentication, authenticity, identity, outsourcing, (hyper)efficiency, games and virtual worlds and new organizational structures.
• Amazing insights related to advanced reputational (human) systems, social networks and Mobile Augmented Reality as a gateway to a newer, more secured and better Internet (DarkNet) as to block unlimited powers of bots in the next decades in the current internet.
• Bots are also related to the current global financial crisis. Bots are in almost all cases linear, dualistic and digital in nature. The non-linearity of the real world (see the remarks by Nassim Taleb) in most cases might imply sub-optimal decision making by financial bots as can be seen by our current crisis.

Recommended viewing by Peter Schwartz, Paul Saffo and Kevin Kelly! The book will be officially released on January 9th, 2009.

Leona Lewis singing Run by Snow Patrol LIVE

This LIVE performance by Leona Lewis is so incredibly fantastic and out of this world that I stop trying to convey its impact with words. Dedicated to Maaike.

Clay Shirky at PopTech 2008 on Generosity, Intrinsic Motivations and Communities

As you probably know I am big fan of TED, LIFT, PopTech, Google TechTalks, Fora.tv and Authors@Google. Below the latest presentation by Clay Shirky on PopTech 2008. He tells three stories on generosity and intrinsic motivations within communities. "It is better to feel good than to look good". Amen.

We Are The Web: an Inspirational Video

Why is Mobile Monday Amsterdam a Nodal Point?

On November 3rd, 2008 we had our latest Mobile Monday Amsterdam event. In my view one of the best ones of all the eight MoMo events. People around the world often ask me why this event is so popular in the Netherlands. The video below gives an accurate explanation of different success factors. Again, I am proud to part of this innovative organizing team, so thank you all for making this a great ride, including all speakers, attendees and sponsors! In April 2007, Raimo van der Klein, Maarten Lens-Fitzgerald and me started it and we never expected all of this to happen.

35 Years Old

Before the age of 35 we live in a world of unbounded risk, possibilities and growth
After the age of 35 we experience our limitations and restrictions as well as disease and death around us

Before the age of 35 we act and participate spontaneously and exploratory
After the age of 35 we reflect and live with purpose

Before the age of 35 we focus on ourselves, ego and taking
After the age of 35 we focus on others, mind and giving

At the age of 35 we not only understand our past but can also see into the future as we are symbolically on top of the curve of our lives, bringing the core of our being into existence. The awareness of scarcity of time, fragility and humanity come to the fore.

Reminds me of the band K's Choice singing:

"Now everything I feel
Whether it's fiction or it's real
It's so much clearer
Like the color of this light
It seems more dangerous and bright
But I don't fear her"

John Francis on TED on the Power of Silence

I wished I saw this video with John Francis a few months back. In our hectic lives driven my passion we sometimes forget about the basics. Enjoy the silence, keep on walking, open your heart and listen carefully ;-)

Bruce Sterling on the Internet of Things (New Version)

At our latest Mobile Monday Amsterdam event Bruce Sterling from Wired and The Well and highly acclaimed speaker gave a special talk on the Internet of Things and mobile devices. A great update from his thinking in Shaping Things and his previous LIFT Conference talk on SPIMES. The religious setting makes it complete. We from the Mobile Monday crew and our audience were uplifted. Thank you Bruce! 

Blackberry Storm versus Google G1: Video Review

Below a short entertaining video shot at the Mobile Monday Amsterdam event with reviews of the new Blackberry Storm and Google Android HTC G1 phone by me and Vincent Everts. I guess both devices have their value depending on your exact requirements for a smart phone. Personally, I adore the G1.