Yes, I did just post a screen shot of my favorite childhood pastime, Contra. It’s totally appropriate, you’ll see.

It has been a pretty calm week given that everyone is out of office for the holidays.  It feels as if I’m still in college and people are hibernating at home, drinking eggnog (gross), and getting ready for the big New Year’s Eve bash.  Meanwhile, I’m happy as a clam and enjoying my relaxing work week with my friend Robert at nearly every coffee shop on Capitol Hill.  Thank God for free internet!! — which by the way, Operation Sans Interwebs is going better than I expected. There’s something liberating about being alone with your thoughts that organically leads to soul searching.  Life is a beautiful struggle, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

And speaking of being alone with my thoughts, here are my predictions for all things digital in 2011.  This was definitely more fun than making a list of unrealistic resolutions I’ll neglect by January 31st, anyway.

Being a Gamer Nerd is Cool Again
I went to Coachella for the first time this year and saw thousands of 16-year olds wearing anything and everything from the 80s.  Neon sunglasses, black tights, and pretty much all “retro” garments that I was forced to wear when I was young  — you name it, they wore it.  If this trend is telling of anything worth my time, I have a hunch the Mario Bros. will no longer be the redheaded stepchild since the launch of Halo.  With the rise of gaming consoles suited for not just gamers, playing video games is making a trendy comeback.  You can relieve your nostalgia and break out your old school Nintendo tricks, because you don’t have to hide behind your slick “Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start” moves anymore.  In fact, you’ll probably impress someone and prove your parents that it wasn’t a waste of time after all.

My Better (Cell Phone) is Better than Your Better (Cell Phone)
Move over, iPhone.  You finally have some company.  Google’s Android’s market share continues to gain on the iPhone, but in some cases the Android OS is actually helping iPhone sales.  Microsoft finally releases a smart phone that is comparable, although the marketplace will take 2011 to grow and diversify its application offerings.  On the other hand, consumers are becoming more mobile-savvy than ever and adopting technology after what looks to be the most strong retail season since our economic crisis, especially when it comes to those looking for bargains.  Gadget and hardware companies will continue to penetrate their reach beyond your typical user, and before you know it, every mobile will be…well, smart.  I’m going to sit back with a popcorn while I watch the drama unfold.

Welcome to the Real World, Generation Z
So every generation from X to Y are embracing trendy comebacks and contributing to how we communicate (with technology as an enabler), but what Generation Z?  Also known as the “net generation”, these individuals are the children of parents who drove the dot-com era.  They have likely never chatted on ICQ, never witnessed the Zack Morris cell phone during prime time, and never had to throw away large quantities of AOL free trial CD-roms.  What they have experienced that we did not is getting their own first computer in elementary school (and it was a Mac), creating prom as an event on Facebook, and Skype-ing their friends during their summer break.  Slowly but surely, they are either graduating from college or high school and will be joining us in the workforce tomorrow.  And I’m just gonna say, that teaching an old dog new tricks may not be such a bad thing (as long as learning is intermutual).

Check-Ins, Coupons, and Badges Galore
Facebook Places, Groupon, Living Social, Foursquare, Gowalla — I really can’t keep up anymore.  As an organizing freak of nature, I personally don’t like the fact that my local benefits are so g-damn fragmented.  Conversely, things that will be more connected are user engagement, access to local deals, and incentive for participation.  As people are less averse to sharing more and giving these local-theme based companies ammunition to pitch benefits to retailers, online interactions will start impacting buyer behavior.  Social networking is evolving the way we communicate and it will be a matter of time before it permeates into our shopping habits.  I am curious to see who comes out on top during this time next year.

Death of Traditional Display Advertising & Rise of Ad Neworks
Did you find it ironic that I used the term “traditional” in reference to display advertising?  I thought so too, I even chuckled a bit.  Anyway, I’m going to brave it out and let my cat out of the box:  The only value I see in justifying big chunks of budget for display advertising is sponsorships, such as front page or homepage placements, along with custom and rich media executions.  Why?  Because 2011 will mark the beginning of a new decade where ad networks will kick ass.  A few months ago, I wrote an entry highlighting why display advertising is worth a try (though an ad network), and my thoughts still hold true.  Companies like BlueKai are pooping out data like no one’s business to help ad networks get granular in their targeting features, while start-ups like Aggregate Knowledge are creating transparency and optimization tools for direct advertisers and publishers who are opted into an ad network.  Pardon my french, but shit’s gonna get crazy, just like search advertising exploded a decade ago.  Behind the scenes, tools are getting more sophisticated and display advertising is progressing to be more performance-based, while platforms are getting more simple to use (seamlessly targeting the en masse of small businesses to give it a spin).

Now that’s enough predicting for now, my brain isn’t used to this much thinking during the holidays so I’ll leave on this note:  Happy New Year, everyone!  2011, bring it on.

Me and Kinect. It was love at first facial recognition.

Today, I spent approximately two hours of my life waiting in line for a product. By choice (and, it wasn’t designed by Apple). Why?

Because XBOX has taken gaming to the next level with their newest addition, Kinect.  Here is the documentary of my “Kinect Journey” and why it was worth sacrificing my poor feet and lower back to get my hands on the hottest gaming device.

I began my Kinect journey with fellow Microsofties at approximately 3:30 p.m.  Might I add, the people in line were comprised of about 90% men, and I felt proud to represent the female gaming population (though I don’t really consider myself a hard core gamer).

Did you know that you can video chat using Kinect and your Windows Live account?  I had a minor flashback to Demolition Man days, when John Spartan showed off his cool “TV telephone”.

The line starts moving around 4:00 p.m.  At least the Seattle/Redmond temperature of 74 degrees tied an all time record high for the month of November (last set in 1949).

And…we make it into the building.  I’m warm.

The line continues. Bleh. My legs and lower back start aching.

After turning the corner, I see a zig-zag line that frightens me more than the worst security checkpoint at Sea-Tac.  Feet throbbing ensues.

Standing in line with no company, I exhaust all entertainment on my phone (including Facebook, Twitter, foursquare, 5 rounds of Doodle Jump, and drafting this entry) when I resort to taking random photos like this one.  Who knows when you’ll need a picture of the Microsoft Company Store sign, right?

OH. MY. GOD.  It’s the line that will never end.  But I will soon discover that it was worth every minute!

Oh look, it’s the Windows Live Messenger guy. *waves*

A look into the store from the outside.  I think this dude is modeling.

Another random + cute + fun pic.

Thought twice about buying this shirt for my future kid.

Geeky spaceships and aliens.  Just in case you ever need one.

A look from inside of the company store.  I can’t get but glow at the people looking at me.  At 5:15 p.m., I’m getting closer to the registers!

I can hear my colleague Kaila screaming “KINECTS FOR EVERYBODY!!!”

For those who enjoy behind the scene facts, there were 6 registers for hundreds of Kinects being sold.  God bless them.

YAY!  And I head home after a 2-hour wait.  Mission accomplished.

KINECT REVIEW (Top 5 takeaways)

1. Initial Set-Up
   It took me about 30 minutes to set up Kinect.  However, I blame my 650-square feet condo space, tiny living room, and my curiously roaming black lab.  I don’t think Kinect is dog friendly just yet.
2. Face & Body Detection
   The facial recognition is pretty impressive.  Steve and I exchanged a few giggles every time our avatar would shake their butt when we did.  Spent about 5 minutes doing just this. Haha.
3. Entertainment Factor
   Remember the time when we used to play Mario Bros. on Nintendo?  Ever wished you could jump up and collect those coins and mushrooms for yourself.  Well, now you can. (Just be careful and move furniture around you.  I may have temporarily damaged my right foot tonight from “kicking balls”.)
4. Social Features
   Kinect will take pictures of your randomly while you’re playing your game and reveal them at the end.  Great theme park-like integration here.  XBOX kicks it up to another notch by allowing your to upload and share your photos via XBOX live.
5. Anything Wii can do, XBOX can do better.
   You know the feeling when something just clicks?  Yeah, it’s called an Instant Kinection.

This is only the beginning.  With partnerships with Netflix, last.fm, and now ESPN, who knows what XBOX will think of next.

Special shout outs to my homies over in XBOX (Michael Lee, Jeremy Snook, and Ellena Stiff). Congrats on the launch of a fabulous product!

Cute pic from deviantART

When Microsoft first entered the tech marketplace with their first version of Windows, who would have thought that one day they would segue into the gaming arena?  No one would have guessed that the night before the launch of a Microsoft gaming device would create a trend of waiting overnight in front of gadget stores.

Let’s just say Microsoft has come a long way.  Despite the infamous Mac vs. PC ad campaign led by Apple

, there are still fans of Microsoft out there—rooting and waiting for the next innovation.  And lately, Xbox 360 seems to draw much of the hype.

If you think about the success of Xbox 360 and the making of a gaming product, there are a couple of key aspects that come to mind:

1.       Improved Online/Cyberspace Interaction – With the original Xbox, LIVE was introduced to allow gamers to interact with other Xbox players through the Internet.  With Xbox 360, users can also interact with the Xbox marketplace to download games, sample trial games, etc.

2.       Personalization – Xbox 360 owners can personalize their hardware with different “skins”, which come in various colors and patterns.  While this attribute is fairly simple, the capability of expression goes far in design because it connects the user to their product.

Similarly, the Microsoft Zune is another interactive entertainment product that is based on the same aspects.

1.       Online Interaction – Zune owners can share their music with friends who also own a Zune.  This creates an easy viral movement for new music and artists.  This is the first portable music device that has created an opportunity for users to interact with their music online.

2.       Personalization – Consumers can either purchase their Zune from various colors, or they can purchase a Zune online with a personalized design.  In the same way as Xbox, this is an easy feature that provides significant value to users.

What’s next in store for the entertainment world?  Whatever the next big thing may be, companies should focus on the importance of interactive and personalizable features.