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A Pocket Guide to Social Media and Kids from Nielsen http://ping.fm/hy64i
via Ping.fm
November 7, 2009
November 6, 2009
Anaeko Profile and Podcast
Podcast available on iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=324552612
or direct MP3 Download:
A Belfast software company has developed a product to help the public read and understand government information as it becomes available. Anaeko, who specialise working with raw data, have developed a unique software product to make public information more accessible to anyone who wants to use it. They are now further encouraged by the recent launch of Open Data NI (www.opendatani.info) – a public website with information from some of Northern Ireland’s government departments.
Anaeko has a staff of 20 and was founded in 2004 by Denis Murphy to address the shortcomings of existing data integration technology.
Colm Hayden, the company’s Technical Director says that information from Open Data NI is just the beginning and sets out some practical and useful ideas for products that could be developed using public information. “A company like Anaeko can take information from government data and mash it up with Google Maps to build a ‘Find my Nearest Doctor’ iPhone application for example.” Another application could be for anglers. “If you had information on the level of water in the rivers collected by NI Water you would know when it is a good time to go fishing. That could be built as a public information application” Another product might be good for business and the domestic user. “If you take information on the tracking of cattle and meat products, then you can ensure food traceability. So there are a range of applications through making public information available through simple technology.” The public will have access to data and a means by which they can understand it and use it.
“As the industry moved to Web 2.0 and cloud based computing, new and unique challenges emerged in data management.” Colm explains. “These include policy based inter-organisational data exchange, open data access and data mash-ups. At Anaeko, we examined how existing technology failed to meet these challenges and developed the Anaeko Data Agility Server (A-DAS) to solve these problems. We are confident that our A-DAS technology is uniquely positioned to become the data fabric for cloud computing.”
The recently launched government website Open Data NI will be one source for information. The website sets out to improve access to government information and data, and stimulate creative use of that information and data beyond the walls of government. It acknowledges that the owner of government information is the public, but sometimes it is all but impossible to get it.
Opendatani includes searchable catalogues that provide access to "raw" datasets and various tools. The information is not available in uniform formats.
“The Anaeko Data Agility Server can provide the tools for government to publish data, and for citizens and private sector to innovate on the government’s behalf. Data formats aren’t standardised. It is impractical, and perhaps even impossible, to standardise data formats across all government departments.”
The system aggregates rather than reorganises the information and as applications develop it is likely that the public will add to the official information available.
Many countries are ahead of Northern Ireland in making government information available but in Colm’s view, there are a few key individuals in government departments here who understand that making more information available as a valuable public service. “There are individuals in the private sector that recognise that if some of this information was made available, particularly research statistics that can drive business models and further develop the NI economy.”
The Anaeko plan is to start with the information that is available but not in an easily digestible format and use that to prove the concept and to promote the use of this information. They hope that the barriers to getting the information will be broken down over time.
“I think that moving beyond the initial data sets in the opendatani.info web site is one move that we need to take and that means speaking to each of the departments evangelising the idea giving them the confidence that this will reflect well on them and then to cultivate a system where all of the creative people can start using that information in creative ways.”
“There is potentially real economic benefit because the information that is collected has a direct bearing on what is happening in Northern Ireland today. It is statistical information that not only reflective of what is happening now, but shows the trends that have evolved over the years.”
Wee Man Studios - Profile
This is the original version of the Belfast Telegraph article from earlier this week. You can hear the interview here
A Belfast mobile games company are preparing to go head to head with the world’s biggest games producers in the Christmas market. Their soon to be launched iPhone game Galactic Racer has already impressed several games magazine reviewers. Galactic Racer was chosen by the leading gaming website Pocket Gamer as one of the Top 10 most anticipated iPhone Games of Winter 2009 and had positive reviews in Touch Arcade and Mac Observer web sites.
Wee Man Studios <WeeManstudios.com>, the company behind Galactic Racer, has offices and working space up several floors in the Blick Studios shared creative space on Malone Road. As we climbed the stairs, company co-founder Liam McGarry explained that the reviews had taken him by surprise. Those early previews came about because of the company’s first experience at San Francisco’s Games Developer Conference in February this year. They saw what the Games Industry was like and realised they needed to plan their next US visit which was the Apple World Wide Developers Conference in June. By the time they arrived back in San Francisco, they had already taken advice and had done their research. They had planned who they wanted to see and talk to including the games reviewers and influential leaders in games technology. “We showed them the preview – a video of the game. They were impressed and the comments were very supportive.”
Liam is the business brain behind Wee Man Studios and John Owens is the self acknowledged “Super Geek” developer. Liam found us a vacant room at the top of the Blick Studios building where we could talk. “Our first big decision was finding an artist. John had the skills as a coder, but for a game you need a coder and an artist. That took some time because although there are games courses here and the Universities say they have the students, there seems to be a gap between the person with a few months experience and a person with 10 years experience.” They were looking for something in the middle, but something more important than experience. “One of the key attributes we were also looking for was – you are either a gamer or you are not. I’m not a gamer, but when I see a gamer they have that understanding.” It took four months to find the right person.
When they began, the Apple Apps store was still to come, so when Liam tried to explain their business plan, potential funders could not see how the business was going to work. Liam and John were convinced, but ahead of the pack. “Now iPhone is a buzz word. A year ago we were told ‘No!’”
Another crucial decision was a games engine which they decided to build their own based on an open source platform. That had several attractive advantages including cost and control of the code that John was writing. “It saved us significantly. We had access to the source code; we could tinker with it. It gave us greater functionality. We were able to do more.”
While they have ambition for their first release, it will be initially only available for the iPhone. And that was another important business decision. “Apple is selling $125 million a month on the iPhone and $73 million on the Touch. Google is next with $5 million and the majority of their games are free. So if you are going to go for one platform, it makes sense to go for the iPhone. Other App Stores aren’t developed. Maybe in a year’s time we might be looking at a different market. With the rise and rise of Apple with 500 million downloads last quarter, and as a way into the market to build our name, Apple is the way we are going.”
Another development is the PSP Mini launched on 1 October. “Existing PSP Portable and Playstation owners will be able to play games that can be bought for €1, €2, €5. We would intend to move there. It’s a ready base of 50 million gamers. That’s a huge market and makes a lot more sense than moving to Blackberry or something else our game wouldn’t suit.”
Wee Man’s declared plan is to be the leading mobile games producer in Ireland by 2012. A bold statement considering their first game Galactic Racer is still to be released. But it is a bold statement backed up by a bold business vision supported by a board of advisors drawn from business and technology. To support their ambitions they are already planning to take on more employees.
As he showed me out Liam said “It is going to take us 18 months to be an overnight sensation.” And while they are not quite there yet, they are focused on a games Christmas and a successful future.
Belfast’s Most Influential Twitterers
This article in the Belfast Telegraph caused a fair amount of discussion and hilarity on Twitter on Tuesday when I exclusively announced the most influential and popular Users in Belfast (and Holywood, come to that).
This is the original - slightly longer version
I am happy to announce that I am the most popular and most influential Twitter User in Holywood. That I appear to be the only Twitter User in Holywood makes me slightly sceptical of this result from www.wefollow.com. I know at least two other Twitter Users in this house so I can’t be the only one in this town. However in my Twitter settings I am probably the only person to have set “Holywood” as my Location.
At time of writing (so if you try this at home you might not get the same result as me - things can move fast in the Twittersphere) using “Belfast” as a search tag I discover that @nomoreart is the Most Influential User in Belfast. If you already know Marty Neill Director of No More Art and member of the Digital Circle Steering Group, you will probably not be too surprised at this result. Neither will you be too surprised by who are the top 5:
2 @alaninbelfast
3 @icedcoffee
4 @stuartgibson
5 @escapeact
There is no explanation of how the site concludes that someone is “influential”; it is not by counting the number of followers. There is a different section for that where we discover that @EamonnHolmes is the most popular with around 8,000 followers. The next people (as opposed to organisations and businesses) are
2 @icedcoffee
3 @leelowe
4 @stuartgibson
5 @alaninbelfast
What is interesting though is that all of these people know each other (with the probable exclusion of Eamonn who we all know, but I don’t know how many he knows). They talk to each other and meet up at events like Open Coffee and BarCamps. I would wager that most of the people on your Friends Lists on Twitter, Facebook and so on are actual, real, see from time to time friends, work with, go to school with non-cyberworld friends. I shake my head and wonder at the narrowness of those who criticise people – particularly young people – for spending so much time on Social Media.
The Internet does not replace real life, it affirms and extends it.
October 30, 2009
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Friend living in Thailand trading with China is offering to be middleman for anyone wanting to sell apps to China market. DM me for info
via Ping.fm
Visual Radio
My old friend John Ousby (The Fat Controller) recently having moved to Texas is now on a visit to Europe.
This photo is on his Flickr feed. This is something we were talking about five or six years ago. And now visual radio is here where he says
“the pure sensia. nice big colour touch screen, internet radio, DAB and FM. This also is the first device to have RadioDNS capability, using radioVis to deliver visuals alongside the DAB stream from Global and absoloute at the moment. good stuff.”
Visual Radio
My old friend John Ousby (The Fat Controller) recently having moved to Texas is now on a visit to Europe.
This photo is on his Flickr feed. This is something we were talking about five or six years ago. And now visual radio is here:
October 28, 2009
October 27, 2009
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David Kirk @dhkirk on the ITLG visit to Belfast: http://ping.fm/BMruu
via Ping.fm
October 24, 2009
Digital Circle Meets Irish Technology Leadership Group
Following the ITLG events on Wednesday (here) and (here) Matt, Aidan, Andy, Marty and I (most of the DC Steering Group) went to meet ITLG Chairman John Hartnett who is also President & Chief Executive Officer at G24 Innovations, Johnny Gilmore - CEO, Sling Media (originally from Warrenpoint) and David Kirk formerly of this parish.
Ten minutes in front of people like that can be the precursor of development, the kick in a kick start, especially when they are asking the question “How can we help?” Johnny John and David were not only asking that question, but are prepared to put work if required. It was a challenging room; we had a short precise shopping list. And I want to compliment Matt who was doing the talking.
There’s to be some thinking and more importantly more conversation. And I have no doupt something beneficial for everyone will emerge.
October 22, 2009
“And I’ll ask the panel to introduce themselves”
I had a great job yesterday. First apologies to all who had sent questions for the ITLG http://www.itlg.org/Belfast_Event_09/ceo_panel.phpVC/CEO Panel which I didn’t manage to get in. I did get in a few (and Jeff –I did talk to them about the Delaware Flip idea before hand and they all agreed that it was a good idea).
Someone told me afterwards that I had around $5billion VC Funding sitting to my left on the panel answering questions. I suspect there was actually more – and a few other $billion funding in the audience too. The event was one of the highlights of the visit to Belfast. I was initially concerned that the output might not be as exciting or entertaining as it could be. Perhaps good manners and politeness would get in the way of a bit of argument. But within minutes there was disagreement and differing interpretations and opinions. And we were off.
Brendan Richardson
Straight forward answers predominated and the audience appeared to genuinely enjoy what they were hearing. They also put direct questions to the panel and were prepared to offer direct opinions.
Moderating a discussion like that is almost identical to producing a live radio programme. The first five minutes feels like an hour and the rest of the time speeds by like … something that speeds by very fast indeed.
I hope someone was taking notes. We were told what they as VCs expected of business and industry (specifically in Northern Ireland – and generally in any geographic region). The fact that people enjoyed it and found it interesting and /or useful was of course nothing to do with the chairmanship – it’s all to do with the panel and the audience. So, thanks to you all for making it a fantastic experience.
Laughing in the Great Hall of The People
The ITLG visit to Ireland (and in particular Belfast) promises a lot but if nothing else it will be a witness to the birth of the newfound public bonhomie of First and deputy First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness. Welcoming the members and guests of the ITLG in the Great Hall in Parliament buildings Stormont there was crack galore, ribbing, jesting, joshing and so on and so forth.
I say “public bonhomie”, because the vast majority of Northern Ireland’s political representatives get on better than well … off camera. I don’t know for sure what either man’s private attitude to the other was before last night, but I would take a guess that it had been pretty good. “Choreographed” I was told today. The appearance was the ITLG was all part of the elaborate two-step that is negotiation and politics. They had returned hot foot off the BD91 Heathrow/Belfast City having brokered the Policing and Justice budget and the first meeting between Mr. McGuinness and Mr. Cameron - historic enough some might say. Yes, it was heartening to see and … well some real belly laughs from the audience. “The reason I’m speaking for so long,” said FM. “Is because it means Martin has to speak for longer.” “The TV pilot being made at the Paint Hall is Her Majesty. It’s good to see Martin engaging with the Monarchy.” Good lines – funny lines – delivered with panache. “Peter steals my best lines," quoth dFM. "That one about the Monarchy was one of mine from a speech at Queens.” (I think we all missed the pun there - or maybe it was just me). Good political lines worthy of … Tim McGarry or Damon Quinn. (Sims stops for a moment and sits back and wonders …).
I was historic – not big massive history written about and analysed for years to come. But it was history.
But this post was supposed to be about the ITLG —-
October 20, 2009
The World’s Editorial Page
This is my column for Belfast Telegraph for this week.
Only occasionally will you find “breaking news” on Twitter. If you are following the right people and reading at the right time you might. If you follow any of the newspaper feeds including the Belfast Telegraph, you will get a headline linking to the story online. Once or twice news has been broken on Twitter. The biggest story was the US Airways plane crash landing on Hudson accompanied by Photos on Twitpic. It is said – although I’ve yet to see the evidence – that Michael Jackson’s was announced on Twitter 13 minutes after it was declared from within the hospital. News of earthquakes is Tweeted and sometimes other major disasters are covered by citizens caught up in them.
Instant communications about events are enhanced by micro-blogging. Although back in the summer on 10 July when there was a bomb alert in Belfast, only two people Tweeted about it – me and someone else milling around the Waterfront. At that time there was smoke coming from a building in west London which was getting a lot more attention from the Twitterati. London was recently recognised as the Twitter capital of the world. So we haven’t got the bulk users yet.
Short form messaging will play a real part in breaking news in the future, but for now Twitter and similar are reactive spaces. Throughout September there was hardly a mention of the Nobel Prize. Yet on 9 October according to trendistic.com the Nobel Peace Prize was the biggest topic – for a day.
- Great comment on TIME: Nobel committee should be given a peace prize for uniting the twitterverse in sarcasm
- Was that thunder we heard? Or Alfred Nobel rolling over in his grave?
- Must have been the "beer summit" that put #obama over the top for the Nobel Peace Prize. What else could it have been?
You don’t get a lot of analysis in 140 characters, but you do get sense the mood. Sometimes you’ll find pithy observations.
But that’s what it’s for. If there is something more interesting or important a link with the comment will take you to there. It’s not news, but it is a global editorial page where everyone’s view has equal exposure.
October 19, 2009
Boston Irish Film Festival
I've just been talking on Skype to Dawn Morrissy and Michael Novaria in Boston about BIFF - The Boston Irish Film Fesival. The 11th Festival launch will be towards the end of November and the Feestival itself will be held on March 25th.
If you are interested in or involved in Film and want to find out more (as i find out more), let me know. I'll be spreading the word here and in the Presidents' Club.
October 18, 2009
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Suddenly, the laws of publishing collapse after a blue bird tweets (lots). http://ping.fm/igYEj
via Ping.fm
