TV Dinners

Recently, I was kicking off about the lack of ‘sequence mode’ on the new Nokia N8. Sequence mode, for the uninitiated, is basically a way to set the device to snap every ten, twenty or thirty seconds (depending on your preferred setting), basically allowing you to create awesome timelapse videos direct from your mobile phone.

It’s quite a fun feature that’s been present in leading Nokia handsets for several years. Alas, it is lacking in the N8.

However, to my rescue, here comes super-talented coder, Iain Wallace. Shortly after I tweeted about the disappearance of one of my favourite modes of Nokias gone by, Iain reached out and asked if I’d be a tester for an app that would do just that. I said yes (obviously) and have been messing around with ‘Lapsed’ for most of the afternoon.

This is my first take, it’s not brilliant but, expect more in the future…

The app itself isn’t open for public beta (yet) and isn’t available to download (yet). Iain’s still very much in alpha creation mode (many new dev libraries required etc) BUT, eventually, we might see something like this on the Ovi Store… Maybe.

1000heads: Make mine McDonald’s

Sometimes the best kind of word of mouth is that created out of taking the mundane, everyday things we’re so used to and simply doing something different with them.

Take this example here from fast-food giant, McDonalds.

Nice huh?

They took your average, everyday bus stop and turned it into a point of conversation.

How?

By building a bespoke steam machine made to the exact measurements of the bus shelter which then fills the space whenever anyone sits near. Only when the ad is filled with steam does the message become visible. Very smart.

Suddenly the free coffee promotion becomes the point of a conversation, instead of just merely a call to action.

Look around you, what everyday things could you turn to your advantage?

Hat tip to @litmanlive for the original link

1000heads: Some of the old IN-N-OUT

So here I am at 1000heads (or ‘a thousand heads’ – depending who you ask) and I’ve been charged with becoming a regular contributor to the this here 1000heads blog page.

Does it have a name?
No.

Is it front page?
Yes.

Excellent.

About that whole 1000heads thing, we’re the Word of Mouth people don’t you know. We teach brands and people, big or small, how to talk to other brands or people, big or small. By using that most ancient and naked form of communication, word of mouth.

Astonishingly simple when you write it down like that but in the main, relatively difficult to achieve by comparison. Or so you’d think…

One of my personal favourite word of mouth (or WOM) thingy wotsits of late is that of In-N-Out Burger.

Sorry, who?

Who exactly?

The WOM hasn’t really worked here has it? Well it kind of has, but locally. The thing with In-N-Out, is that it’s a Western US-exclusive burger bar. The menu is made up burgers, cheeseburgers and fries… and that’s it. Yes there’s the usual array of soft drinks, fizzy and milky in equal measure, but in the main the overall offering available for your delectation is somewhat lacking,

Or so you might think.

In-N-Out have a ‘secret menu’ (not so secret that it’s not on their own website – but still), that is only available if you know what to ask for. Animal Fries for instance. Can you see it on the menu? I can’t. The 4×4? Nope, not there either…

In INO’s own words (on the secret menu page):

“Ok, you’ve heard the rumors, wondered what was on it, maybe even felt a little left out of the loop. But in reality, we don’t have any secrets at all. It’s just the way some of our customers like their burgers prepared, and we’re all about making our customers happy. So here are some of the most popular items on our not-so-secret menu…”

Yes they’re up front(ish) about it, but notice how they only give away ‘some’ of the most popular items on the secret menu. There be gold in them there hills. Oh yes…

There’s something inherently cool about being ‘in the club’ and ‘in the know’ – and reaching those lofty pinnacles of whispers on the beaches of Los Angeles betwixt one surfer and another is – as I stated earlier – no easy task.

But one small chain of burger bars in the US has managed to do just that.

Now tell me you’re not hungry…

My mate, Marmite

How do you feel about Marmite?

Me, I love it. In fact I could eat it with a SPOON.
Obviously, some people hate it. I mean REALLY hate it.

But what if, just imagine, you’d gone through your whole life without ever trying it. Ever.

Well, one morning, out in the middle of Damaraland, that’s exactly what we discovered Manzoor had done.

Something which, of course, we had to rectify…

It wouldn’t be a NaVloPoMo post without tipping you off about someone else’s efforts…
So why not go give one of Benny Crime’s videos a whirl.

You’ll never feel the same again…

😉