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Everyday it seems like a new canvas emerges that could provide a potential opportunity for engagement. Faced with the rapid pace of change, we sometimes forget about how we can use the technology that already exists, but in a better way.

A great example is how Arcade Fire, them again!, thought about the integration of art for the digital format. Understanding that the richness of the LP experience had long gone, they wondered how there might be greater interaction between music and art in the MP3 world. Their designer came up with a smart solution that has the potential to continually enhance the experience.



While the "sexy" thing might have been to develop on iPad application, this solution demonstrates an understanding of the "gap" that exists with existing technology in the user experience that can easily be enhanced with a little thought.

Via Creative Review

Posted by Ed Cotton Not content with being in everyone's pockets and in their ears, Apple's iPod is carving out a position of ubiquity by being "dockable" anywhere you might want it to be and the places you probably don't.

Does this ecosystem ensure societal permanence for iPod, or does its very ubiquity ultimately become a turn off?

Now available on freezers and dozens of other household devices.


Posted by Ed Cotton Borders Books and Music, one of the largest bookstore chains in the country is trying to find new sources of revenue by bringing new experiences to its stores.

These experiences include: mixing and burning CDs, creating photo books, building family trees, all at computer stations, the store is also retailing some electronic iPod related products.

They are testing the idea in 12 stores around the country. On paper it seems to make strategic sense, in reality, having visited one of the 12 stores, it's harder to understand and its a good example of the problem with the retail experience these days.

There's an old fashioned notion in the minds of consumers that stores are working hard on their behalf to create a nice "edited' experience, of course, we know that this experience is fast becoming advertising based, with stores charging slotting fees and pay to play models for brands.

You can see this in the new Borders experience; it feels like a physical version of a catalog where companies have paid to be there. Part of the problem is that the chain has taken a lot of its inspiration from Apple and the emerging iPod economy, but it can't provide an Apple-like in-store environment to pull the vision off.

Clearly, the senior management at Borders have a challenge on their hands, they can't offer the breadth and selection of online players, or even some of the big box electronics retailers, not can they provide an Apple experience, but they also appear to want to generate additional revenue from suppliers.

I don't just want to pick on Borders, because retail is rapidly shifting from an edited to an advertised experience. The consumer is oblivious to what's going on behind the scenes, which is fine, until it starts to impact their experience and in the long-term, that could have serious implications for retailers.



Posted by Ed Cotton Ad in San Francisco for sandwich store and bakery

Posted by Ed Cotton There’s no doubting the functional power of iTunes software, but it plays second fiddle to the more powerful and dominant iPod.

Now it looks as if Apple would like to beef up the  iTunes brand a little more.

No 9 on Influx's prediction list for 2007 is happening

In the UK, Apple worked with the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) to create the iTunes Music Festival. The festival takes place during the month of July at the ICA where bands and artists will play to an intimate crowd of 350 people. Acts lined up for this include; Ash, Athlete, Groove Armada, Imogen Heap.

Not surprisingly, there’s some nice integration with the iTunes brand, as all the concerts will be recorded and be available for sale on the site.

You can’t buy tickets, you can only win them in a prize draw, so Apple gets to capture lots of nice data.
 

Posted by Ed Cotton Yesterday, Gizmodo broke the news of a fireplace manufacturer installing iPod functionality into their latest line of luxury of fireplaces and at the same time, Harry Potter’s publishing house, Bloomsbury, announced that it would be looking to make acquisitions following a 74% drop in pre-tax profits.

Both these stories suggest that it’s easy to get fat and lazy; either you borrow someone else’s innovation, take it into a new category call it your own, hoping people will respond or you continue to milk the same franchise until time runs out.

The problem with both these initiatives is that they lack fundamental foresight.

Surely, execs at Bloomsbury must have been aware that not having any Harry Potter books to publish would result in profit and revenue declines.

Influx would have loved to be in the meeting with the fireplace manufacturer where the embedded iPod was given the go ahead.

Did anyone question it?

How did they justify it- everyone’s doing it- so we should?

In the end, this is all about timing.

Had the fireplace manufacturer come up with the idea two years back; there’s a slight possibility it would not have been ridiculed.

Had Bloomsbury started thinking about acquisitions and finding the next Harry Potter, three years ago, things might have been different.

The time to look for the next new thing is right after you had your first success.

You shouldn’t wait till problems strike to innovate.

Innovation is not just a way out of a problem; it’s a continuous process to ensure that you don’t get into trouble in the first place.

The secret is to never to stop and you don't get so drunk on success that you press “pause” on the innovation engine.