UpNext Maps
UpNext is more interactive than your typical map. It allows you to explore 3D renderings of cities – looking inside of buildings and subway lines, letting you find nearby restaurants and bars with highly stylized and dynamic directions. Overall the experience is super-smooth and definitely worth giving a try.

BAND-AID® Brand Magic Vision App 
We’re always inspired when an analog brand successfully extends a product to a digital platform. BAND-AID’s new app Magic Vision uses augmented reality to scan their Muppet bandages to make the characters come to life on screen, giving kids a chance to interact with them. A case where augmented reality makes perfect sense.

Pentagram: The Forty Story
For Pentagram’s 40th anniversary, they created an incredible video telling the story of someone born on the day the company opened, showing how their life has been affected by Pentagram design over the years. Extremely well done and a great way to commemorate their work.

Google’s Green initiative launched a charming little site that shows you exactly what happens to an email after you click “Send.”

Kiva’s Annual Report

Nonprofit micro-lending platform Kiva released their 2011 annual report – an elegant, interactive look at the impact they made last year. Beyond an overview of their growth and success, it stands out because it highlights the individual users that made a difference.

New Tech City

NY Times reported on a study called “New Tech City” – which says that New York City has the fastest growing technology scene in America. What’s interesting is how the city’s growth is rooted in creative uses of technology rather than building hardware and computer chips.

AT&T’s Educational Game Hub

As game mechanics find their way into nearly every facet of our digital lives, AT&T is aiming to spearhead the movement by donating $3.8 million (the largest donation in the company’s history) to create a national hub for educational games.

Mapped in NY

With New York’s digital scene growing exponentially, it’s getting hard to keep track of where every tech agency lives on the grid. The Made in NY Digital Map helps by plotting nearly every digital company in the city on one simple map.

Alias /project-name "/Users/skoch/Documents/Development/WORK/2012/CLIENT/PROJECT/dev/bin"
	Options Indexes MultiViews
	AllowOverride All
	Order allow,deny
	Allow from all

… which would then allow me to use ‘http://skoch.local/project-name’ as the testing URL on my machine. Handy, indeed, however ultimately you end up with a lot of aliases and it’s not as convenient as using ‘project-name.local’ which allows for the team to agree on a ‘local’ url to use in the code and thus, easier to set up for everyone involved in the project. I prefer the ‘local’ concept but if you don’t set things up properly, you will lose the alias to ‘skoch.local’ for anything else.

Furthermore, if I was asked to help out on a particular project, I had to jump through rings of fire (it seemed) to get my machine set up to use another-project.local for development. I felt like I was wasting time trying to figure out what I should change in my httpd.conf file and/or my hosts file to match what the other developer has set up as the testing URL.

Well, I’m here to tell you how we can all set up things for faster development for a team of developers AND maintain your respective local (skoch.local) aliases in THREE EASY STEPS.

A few things to note before we begin: Our network is almost entirely mac and all of our developers are on macs. As such, most are using a MAMP configuration. If you have a different configuration, please edit the files corresponding to your configuration. If you are not on a mac friendly network, using *.local URL’s could be made to work for you, but that would require editing the DNS on your internal network.

Configuration

• Create a file (if one doesn’t already exist) in /Applications/MAMP/conf/apache named vhosts.conf
• Paste the following (editing ‘DocumentRoot’, ‘ServerName’, and ‘Directory’ appropriately):

	DocumentRoot /Users/skoch/Sites
	ServerName skoch.local
 
		Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
		AllowOverride All
		Order allow,deny
		allow from all

This will allow everyone to find your root should you want to share something with someone on your network. (eg: http://skoch.local/js/tests/spritesheets/)

• Open /private/etc/hosts and add the the server name you used in the above step to your local IP (you need admin privileges)

127.0.0.1 skoch.local

• Open up your httpd.conf file and add the following to the very end of the file (changing the path to where you saved the vhosts.conf file, if necessary):

NameVirtualHost *:80
Include /Applications/MAMP/conf/apache/vhosts.conf

• Restart Apache using MAMP control panel or use the command:

/Applications/MAMP/bin/apache2/bin/apachectl restart

At this point you should be able to use your standard alias (skoch.local) for all your usual needs using any aliases you already have. To add a specific VirtualHost, just follow the two steps above but once again change ‘DocumentRoot’, ‘ServerName’, and ‘Directory’ appropriately. For example:

	ServerName foobaz.local
	DocumentRoot /Users/skoch/Documents/Development/WORK/2012/FOO/BAZ/site/dev/bin
 
		Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
		AllowOverride All
		Order allow,deny
		allow from all

… and then in the hosts file add:

127.0.0.1 foobaz.local

Lastly, if you want to allow other people on the network to access a particular project, you can edit the settings in System Preferences -> Sharing and then they will be able to access the project from their machine. Handy for design and functionality reviews!

Summary

Setting up a project for everyone to view as well as having other developers jump in can be a pain. Using this method, you will be able to use the same URL on your local machine as everyone else on the network and it’s painless to set up. Open two files, edit to add the ServerName your team has agreed on, restart Apache, done.

Ray Ban: Bright Light
Ray-Ban recently launched an app called Bright Light – a tool to help people in cities get the most out of the sun. The app predicts where the sun will be shining during different points in the day based on the shadows of tall buildings in the city, and plots crowd-sourced locations (cafes, parks, etc.) where you can enjoy the weather. A smart digital execution by a classically analog brand.

ctrl +[p]aper
An interactive tool that lets you create customizable monster-looking paper toys. Using HTML5 to combine animation and illustration, ctrl + [p] successfully bridges the digital/analog gap, giving users the option to print out their creation with instructions on how to put it together the old fashioned way (see: glue and scissors).

Advertising People are Not Normal
A recent study by iThink found that people who work in advertising are worlds apart from “normal” people. The statistics come as no surprise, since the industry is constantly immersed in digital trends and technologies – but the real proof is that they had to see it laid out in an infograph to truly appreciate it.

The World’s First Interactive, Shoppable Music Video
SSENSE, a Canadian luxury retail company, recently released an interactive, shoppable music video. The video, which features artists decked out in the retailer’s clothes, gives viewers the option of pausing the video to “shop the look” on the screen. An innovative idea – we’re curious to see if more brands harness this technology as a way to let consumers contextualize their products.

IOWEYOU Project
An incredibly cool approach to online retail, the IOU Project celebrates the stories behind the brand’s handmade clothing. The Project showcases weavers and craftsmen alongside the clothes they create, while encouraging customers to submit their own photos to include in the garment’s journey. A great example of online retail done well.

Dark Sky App
An elegant weather app that uses the powerful graphics of iOS devices to create stunning radar animations. The smooth visuals allow users to see how storms are moving and track rainclouds so closely that they can predict what’s coming within the hour.

How the Blind are Reinventing the iPhone
A fantastic piece by The Atlantic explaining how the iPhone’s flat touch screen technology has turned out to be a useful tool for the blind community. The variety of uses they’ve identified are incredible from both sociological and tech standpoints.

Play Maps Cube
Google’s new game that takes place on a cube-shaped Google Maps interface. Players navigate a ball through a maze of streets, moving from one point to another using maps from around the world. A fun extension of the platform which was clearly derived from the excellent video Google posted a few months back.

Zombies, Run!
Awesome app that creates an ultra immersive running experience by using sound to transport you to a post apocalyptic world where you’re collecting critical supplies while trying to avoid  hordes of zombies. The smartest thing about this app is that the gaming experience doesn’t end when you get home after your run –  you can continue the game and figure out how to use the supplies you collected. Zombies, Run! is a perfect example of a fluid, well done gaming experience.

Descriptive Camera
Developed at NYU, this camera prototype prints out a description of the photo you take, rather than an actual image. While Descriptive Camera is still only a prototype, we’re curious to see where this goes. Nonetheless, an inspiring example of technology being used to create cool stuff.

FlyFire
A recent innovation that uses self-organizing micro helicopters with small LEDs to perform synchronized motions, creating a free-form, adaptive display surface. A very cool use of technology, we’re excited to see how this product gets used and adapted – because the possibilities seem incredible.

Taking a Look at Spelltower’s Success
Penny Arcade’s Ben Kuchera recounts the story of Zach Gage, the developer behind the hit indie game SpellTower, and his attempt to take on gaming giants Rovio and Zynga. A great example of using momentum to build a sales push – and who doesn’t love a good David and Goliath story?

The Future of Touchable Movies
The use of video technology that uses HD video to shoot objects from multiple angles, has the ability to create richer, more interactive video content on tablet devices. With the the increasing popularity of tablets, this technology has the potential to be an extremely useful tool for brands.

Nature Valley Trail View
A cool site by Nature Valley that lets you hike America’s greatest parks, online. The site uses “Streetview” technology to allow users to explore major US parks with 360° views and detailed information. Really smart use of this kind of technology, in an educational way.

Carousel
While much of the appeal of Instagram lies in the fact that it’s a native mobile app, many third party companies have made attempts at bringing Instagram photos to desktop. We were recently introduced to the desktop Mac OS app Carousel which does a good job of maintaining the look and feel of the mobile version by keeping the app in a compact, easy-to-use feed.

Edits Quarterly
A great site that utilizes parallax scrolling in a beautiful way. Edits Quarterly is an online publication by photographer Ian Coyle, who uses the site to create a dynamic way to explore his photos. The winter issue is about the ideas of exploration and home – lovely photos, well worth a look.

Spelltower.com
Another great scrolling site that uses the technique in a unique way. The site for top game app, SpellTower harnesses the parallax effect to explain the app in an interactive way that’s educational and easy to comprehend.

A Year of Sun with Mr. Persol
Short video filled with beautiful motion animation.

Scoopinion
This browser-based app is a crowd-curated magazine that analyzes users’ online reading habits and uses this data to aggregate relevant content for the rest of the community. Although we love our mobile news aggregators (Flipboard, Pulse, Zite), it’s nice to have a simple solution for desktop as well.

The New Web Typography
Interactive site by The Font Bureau that displays OpenType features such as small caps, ligatures and kerning. Great site and awesome tool for designing on the web.

Swivl: Your Personal Cameraman
This new device turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into a personal cameraman with handsfree video control. Swivl automatically follows the subject and keeps you centered in the frame. An intelligent design for our busy, visual lives.

“Artist pages exist as islands on the Internet,” says MTV executive Van Toffler. “Maybe you learn about an artist on Pandora, then you see a video on YouTube or read about them on Wikipedia, then maybe you buy the song on iTunes. It’s a disparate experience.”

He’s right, but the network faces an uphill battle if they hope to regain some of their former glory. Here’s what’s changed since MTV’s heyday:

1) MTV changed. The MTV brand has evolved drastically since the days of Yo! MTV Raps and TRL—and not for the better, many say. The channel, which used to be the arbiter of cool, now features characters who are distinctively more . . . downmarket. What once was synonymous with rock stars is now home to Snooki and the Shake Weight. MTV certainly wasn’t the only channel to pursue the cheap, easy money of reality TV, but once a brand’s integrity has been neglected, it’s virtually impossible to earn that credibility back. An entire generation of music fans has grown up with an MTV that isn’t about music. That’s going to be hard to undo.

2) Musicians changed. In the ’80s and ’90s, MTV was critical to artists’ success because it provided exposure to a massive audience in a way no other channel could, except possibly Rolling Stone. That era is over. Bands no longer need worry about catching the ear of professional producers and editors.

“Goodbye, big-money bollocks and big-city trappings,” wrote Brandon Soderberg in Spin. “Hello, tireless Internet hustlers taking their futures into their own hands.”

It sounds silly, but being a proficient community manager is as much a necessity for the modern musician as being able to count in 4/4. Using Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Twitter and Tumblr, acts like Nicki Minaj and OFWGKTA built massive followings without media dollars. These are the role models for aspiring acts everywhere, and it will be difficult to convince them they need MTV. It used to be that bands had to sell themselves to MTV, but now the tables have turned—it’s MTV’s turn to sell itself as relevant.

Furthermore, the biggest music videos these days debut on VEVO, the preroll-ad-supported video service which pays artists based on viewership. How can MTV compete with that?

3) Audiences changed. Pandora eclipsed MTV’s search traffic way back in 2010, and since then music fans have developed even more new behaviors for learning about bands. While many listeners are vocal about their dislike of the ads on VEVO, their millions of collective views show they are willing to tolerate it, along with other ad-supported channels like Hype Machine, Pitchfork, and Myspace.

Speaking of Myspace, big changes are underway for that social network as well. The platform is partnering with brands to create original video content, beginning with Let’s Big Happy, a comedy series about indie bands co-produced by Taco Bell. Here’s the trailer:

Music is in Myspace’s DNA, but that may not be enough to differentiate it from the plethora of other online video networks. ”If you look at Myspace and you look at the roster of [performers] who used it as a platform, Myspace really more than anything is a platform for discovery,” says Roger Mincheff, president of Myspace Entertainment. He’s right, but the same thing can be said about YouTube, Hulu, Funny Or Die, and even Netflix. It also seems incongruous to categorize Myspace as a discovery platform when they are creating new, exclusive content. Why not just “discover” existing content and aggregate it in a unique and compelling way?

Furthermore, this will be Myspace’s third iteration, having gone from social network to music hub to content distributor. This lack of focus can be dangerous, because with each new identity it becomes harder for audiences to figure out what the brand has become.

And so we find ourselves observing the strange situation in which MTV is trying to be the next Myspace while Myspace is trying to be like MTV. Each brand has roots in very different parts of the entertainment spectrum, but now they are converging in the middle. Which one will have the authenticity and digital acumen to succeed?

Only time will tell if these strategies succeed or if the MTV/Myspace story becomes yet another cautionary tale of too little, too late. Reinvention is essential, but no one said it would be easy.