In "Technology paternalism – wider implications of ubiquitous computing", S. Spiekermann and F. Pallas deal with how people can maintain control in environments that are supposed to be totally automated. They coined the term "technology paternalism" to describe the situation where "people may be su...
Sousveillance tactic? Protest against CCTV?
Encountered yesterday on my way to a meeting, this nice street camera has been protected but some people have found a more interesting side-effect of the protection. The accumulation of bottles might, down the road, influence what the camera is watching. ...
Paris, invisible city
Finally managed to read the oversized Paris ville invisible book by Bruno Latour and Emilie Hermant (1998). The whole thing is an amazing photographic essay on the "social" and technical aspects of the city of Paris ("social" in Latour's sense). It's a bit like Susan Star's article called The Ethn...
Spatial annotation? reminder?
Weird post-it encounter in Puebla, Mexico last summer. On the street, looks as if it was a secret code of some sort. ...
From the ground to satellites
Seen last week in Geneva, next to temporary constructions for immigrants. What can we see here in this interesting "point of contact" - almost all have the same orientation (= same channels? same cultural group of viewer?) - they are grounded, do not at their regular position on the roof (= left h...
Yet another WiFi graffiti
Encountered this morning in Geneva. The splatters of paint are actually gorgeous, as a sign to reveal a digital-physical friction ...
The Economist on digital nomads
The last issue of The Economist ha a special report on mobile technologies and nomadism. The report features relevant articles but there was one that I don't really agree with. For example, the one called "location, location, location" definitely overestimate the short term and is in contradiction ...
How GPS alter navigation/orientation
In-Car GPS Navigation: Engagement with and Disengagement from the Environment by Leshed, Velden, Rieger, Kot, & Sengers is a paper presented at CHI 2008 that deals with the relationship between GPS car navigation and how people interpret their environment or navigate through it. What's interesting...
Micro-mobility devices to handle "micro-distance"
When it comes to mobility, people are in general mesmerized by Velib or Zipcar lately but there are there sorts of devices that I find very intriguing: aluminium scooters or K-2 Kickboard Scooter. Some people would argue that this for start-up pricks (because real value is in pure P&P skateboarding...
Blizzard's design process and the role of failures
11 innovation lessons from creators of World of Warcraft by Colin Stewart is a very interesting discussion. I don't agree with all of them but some are important. That one struck me as relevant: "6. THE IMPORTANCE OF FREQUENT FAILURES “One of the mantras that a large software development company us...