Social Gaming: nascent industry with a largely nascent user base.  And finally in early 2010, we’re starting to see some pretty unique games.  Even if it’s similar game mechanics; at least it’s not yet another farm game or mafia rpg.

Believe me, I LOVE playing Tiki Farm and Lil Farm Life.  Even played Farmville for a while. But I’m so glad that we’ve stopped last year’s copy and paste themes.  I mean what’s the big difference among Farm Town, Country Farm, and all the copy cats out there?  Not that much.

This is my Tiki Farm.

Side note: Yes, the farm games that have been able to differentiate themselves certainly should exist.  After all, I don’t really like Farmville.  It’s like a factory, even if it’s arguably the first, and the other copy cats are just the same.  On the contrary, Tiki Farm has such great graphics and is just more chill, and I love my workshops in Lil Farm Life, where I can use the clover to feed the cow to make the milk, put the milk in the cheese maker to make the cheese, and add the cheese with tomatoes and peppers in my pizza workshop to make a pizza.  It’s pretty freakin’ sweet.

But I’m glad there’s a flurry of new apps out:

• The Crazies, which is a tower defense flash game, based on the upcoming movie.
• Wild Ones, which takes adorable animals (“pets) and pit them against other players in a real-time show down.  The Mirv? Freakin’ sweet!
• Treasure Madness, which is a highly addictive game treasure game (current obsession).

Instead of the console video game, it's now the casual game based off the movie.

Wild Ones: shooting in action

I'm almost finished solving my Shark Island on Treasure Madness

If you want to get your ass kicked in Wild Ones.. just let me know.

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UPDATE: I’ve been wanting to write a post like this for a while now, but the trend was still on the same ole, same ole.  1) I’m super happy that I finally get to pen this; 2) it would be really hard to write this post, if I didn’t actually like the games our company makes.  So you know, thanks for not making sucky games.

I’ve been on WordPress.com for a few years now and think it’s high time that I move on to WordPress.org.

Here’s what I want: a super-awesome designer who can program a landing page for janyxu.com that will have buttons to my contact info and profiles, link/tab to about page, etc.  I also need my blog divided into two sections: professional (marketing, social media, case studies) and personal entries.  I can help with a lot of the art and html/CSS coding, but I don’t know enough PHP to make it do what I want.

So… if you or someone you know would be willing to help me, please let me know.  I’m kinda super-broke at the moment, but I will totally pay what I can and we can barter the rest.

Thanks!

Other than the fact that a million Mac fanboys and Steve Jobs fanatics gizzed in their pants today, this isn’t more than a iPhone minus a phone and on steroids.

You can read more here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here…

… are you still here?

My take?

Big freakin’ whoop.  Now stop procrastinating and get my effing 4G.

I went to see Avatar yesterday and posted the following message on Facebook: Avatar: if it weren’t for the visual effects and Uhura from Star Trek, I probably would have walked out.

Okay, that’s not exactly true.  This is what I did like about the movie:

1. The evolution of creatures in the movie:  Maybe horses don’t really need 6 legs, and the weird connecting fibrous tissue thing makes it seem that animals are evolved to be domesticated, which is bullshit.  But I’m sure a lot of people put a lot of thought into the evolution of an entire planet’s species.  From the huge winged birds (so glad that they look like bats and don’t have feathers b/c I’m not sure something of that size would be able to take off if it had huge bones and tons of feathers) to the plants that spring to life when it’s out of danger to capture the maximum amount of sunlight, Pandora (whose box is under the earth this time) does have a sophisticated ecosystem.
2. The Na’vi (OMG are they incredibly hot): They’re larger than humans and are therefore able to fight off the large creatures on the planet.  Long limbs allow for maneuvering among trees and branches.  Cat like eyes allow for seeing in the dark and light.  Cat ears to hear.  They even have wide nose bridges. They’re like really sexy some cat, mostly human aliens.  Maybe the blue acts as a type of sun screen.  It’s all pretty interesting.
3. Of course, the 3D features were just right.  It enhanced the movie without being the movie, although that’s probably a reason that I hated the movie so much.  If the 3D features were more in my face, I wouldn’t have noticed all the plot holes and cliche movie roles.

I mean sure, the female lead was strong, but she was still dependent on Mr. Marine.  They weren’t two independent roles.  Business-wise, they would absolutely send in 10-fold the number of troops and claim the minerals on the planet.  It’s money we’re talking about here.  When has nature and living at peace with the environment ever triumphed over having more things?

Yes, I realize that there is no planet of blue humanoids (that we are aware of), but aside from that, the storyline is wholly un-believable.

Will stop ranting now.

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In other news, I’m actually watching Star Wars.  Just finished Episode IV and am now moving on to episode V.  From the fragments that I’ve seen before, I believe there are ice monsters and cutting open a four-legged creature to sleep in it entrails involved.

Note:  I’ve already seen Episodes I-III… and well, I feel like Darth Vader is deeply misunderstood.  I’m not making excuses for his actions.  He chose the dark side, and that was made pretty clear.  But he’s not born evil.  I mean the films really reveal that no one is (although I don’t think that’s the first message they send through… definition of bad acting, anyone?).  Evil is both within the human right and conditional/environmental.  Darth Vader would have never become who he was had it not been for the politicking of the Senators.  Ironically similar to the situation today… err minus the Darth Vader part.

I can’t stop seeing Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, whenever I see Obi-Wan or DV.  I guess that’s why they say watching Episodes I-III spoils the original.

Okay, can’t talk (write) now.  Must watch Episode V.  Tata!!

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P.S. Reminder to self: eating delicious Chinese take-out completely reverses any good done by exercising.

It’s utterly ridiculous that I just spent 45:53 minutes on the phone with AT&T to discuss extraneous roaming charges that showed up on my bill.

It took 30 minutes just to get someone on the phone and load his system because it’s been down (I’m talking 12:00AM on Monday morning).  Once I challenged the rep that it’s not possible (AT&T isn’t so stupid) that AT&T’s account system is completely off the grid and they probably staggered the updates across call centers, he said “Oh, let me check on that.”

After another 10 minutes of having completely different account information, I asked and found that the representative had the wrong person’s account information on his screen.

Once we were on the same page, checking the wrong charges, correcting them and crediting my account the $22.20 took a whole of 5 minutes.

Thanks for wasting 40 minutes of my life!

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The reason I’m ranting isn’t because AT&T sucks and should go to hell.  In fact, quite the opposite.  I want AT&T to be successful.  I’ve been with the company for 8 years now, from AT&T to Cingular back to AT&T.  I’ve been with them for 3 years of DSL/phone service.  In general, I’m pretty happy with the service (okay, minus the dozens of dropped calls on my cell and that one stint of my modem not working).

What I do want is for AT&T to have better presence.

• Besides the measly 4 updates on their Twitter, have Twitter accounts for your wireless (even separated by region/types of service/whatever), phone and internet.  Interact with your clients, and when ish like what happened to me tonight, have someone who can talk me down from screaming at my phone- which I try my best not to do because the rep is more helpful when you’re not pissed off.  Or better yet, solve the problem from the back end.
• Publicize those user forums and have community managers, so that customers can help each other.  I don’t exactly know how deals work (some people pay less for more) but… if user forums save even a fraction of a percent of calls to call centers, that’s a huge cost saving.
• Update your servers.  There is NO reason a customer should wait that long for a rep to pull his/her information.  <Insert old marketing cliche that keeping a customer costs a lot less than acquiring a new one.>
• Start “Your World, Your Voice.“  Make it a virtual suggestion box of making AT&T work better for their customers.

I’m sick of friends teasing me about having AT&T.  I want to be proud. Congrats, Verizon & Comcast, for doing a great job.  But I don’t want to make the network switch just yet.

So AT&T, will you try to help me stay?

I’ve been mulling over the concept of personal brand reputation and what’s acceptable behaviour online.  When Facebook first became public right after I graduated college, I was adamantly against the concept.  Facebook was my personal space online, and allowing my professional world in would create tons of conflict and an anal amount of privacy controls.  But I adapted to the situation and made room for my professional life online.

But as transparency and internet archiving continues to proliferate every part of my online life, from blogging to tumbling to Facebook to Twitter to countless accounts I have over the interwebs, when does my personal life stop making room for my professional.  Sure, the whole concept of transparency is to showcase your real personality and network.  Isn’t it still true that we have some self-censorship?

Even the most brutally real person has to realize that we can’t always write what we think.

I wrote a post recently reclaiming janyxu.com for myself.  I taking it out of consideration for professionals who are considering me for a job or looking for marketing advice.  But I realize that I can’t.  I’m not going to rant about how horrible it was working at my last company.  First and foremost, because it’s absolutely not true (in fact, quite the opposite).  But secondly, no matter what disclaimer I may have to reclaim my personal space online, people will still use this blog to judge my “personal brand reputation.”

So is there anywhere we can truly be ourselves?  Or is it like going to a networking cocktail party… we are ourselves but only about 80% us?

My cousin and me

I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus from blogging (in case you haven’t noticed).  I’ve taken a break from life as well.  Since the new year, I parted with SHIFT, which is still an amazing PR Agency; took a long, needed trip to China; popped by New York for a long weekend, more like almost a week; and am working with some cool guys on a new start-up.

Bird's Nest in north Beijing

You can click on my Facebook badge to see my pictures from China and New York.  Those are all taken by my Canon.  The iPhone pictures are buried a couple of pages down in my Tumblr.

New York Public Library, Main Branch

As for the start-up, we’re hoping to launch in the next few months.  I’ll be posting more about it, when we’re further along.  Totally ping me for the private beta.

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Chinese Ugly Betty (on upper left)

Just in the last two months, I feel like I’ve grown years.  My finances are finally somewhere near the normal rate (I actually went to New York for 5 days and bought nothing!).  My food intake is healthier and more punctual. I’ve bonded with my relatives and cousins as an adult. I just feel more settled.  For the first time since I turned 19, I’m ready to face turning 25 later this year.

My 3 week trip to China sparked some of these changes.  China, in its adolescent years, is a completely different experience.  It’s like 1950s US, with thriving suburbs and more private cars, huge consumerism and still a nacent marketing culture to boot.  One of the most popular shows is the Chinese version of Ugly Betty, really cute.  But what’s astounding is that the entire show is sponsored by Dove, with (it’s an ad company) Dove commercials and a Dove logo at the bottom of the screen during the entire show.  And it’s totally accepted.  Would something like this fly in the US?

BTW, having an iPhone has been a huge life saver internationally.  Sure, I had to pay 50 cents per text and $2.29/min phone time, but when in a pinch, it definitely worked.  And it’s how I found out that my older cousin had his first child a week after I returned home.  It’s a girl.  I’m officially an aunt, or as close to one as I can be.   (I’m bugging my cousin for pics now.)

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Setting off 100K fire crackers to blast away the bad luck from yesteryear

It feels really amazing to write again.  I’ve missed it.  Didn’t know how to restart.  And finally decided to start writing.  Hi again!

Three thoughts:

“San Francisco is godless.”

I paraphrase but that’s what my friend told me over dinner last night.  Why?  SF is hugely liberal, progressive and largely accepting and non-religious.

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“Apple evokes a similar response to a religious experience.”

Again, I paraphrase.  It’s from the book Buyology, about marketing, marketing research and buying habits by Martin Lindstrom.

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“As people evolve, the characteristics of ‘God’ change with them.”

You know what I’m about to say.  This is one point from History of God, an exploration of the three major religions- Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

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So does this mean consumerism is the new God?

Okay, okay.  We’re in a recession.  Stores are closing its doors left and right, and brands are scrambling to mark prices down since before Thanksgiving in an effort to sell sell sell during the Holiday Season.

Well, first of all, we’re talking about strong brands, brands like Apple and Coca-Cola, etc.  Sure, they hurt during a recession too, but they’re not likely to go away.  Also, let’s think in the long term.  This economy thing isn’t going to last forever (knock on wood, salt over the shoulder and all that).  What about in the long run?

More and more, I’m seeing that the younger generations are identifying more with brands than religion.  Instead of going to church, we’re waiting for the new release of our favorite labels.  It’s not just about the technology or design; it’s about lifestyle, self expression and social standing.  Why pray to a grand being who’s become bogged down in religious politics and causing strife worldwide?  Brands speak directly to who we are and where we live.  Islam and Christianity segregate but can’t everyone enjoy a Coke?

Maybe that sounds pretty extreme.  We’re probably not going to have Oprahism or Bartism (remember that Simpson’s episode where Bart become a religion?).  No, we can’t use 20th century traits to define the new religious experience.  But we can draw other parallels.

Waiting in line for the new iPhone, the people around me felt a bond.  We were all freezing, all impatient and yet all energized at the prospect of the new shiny box from Steve Jobs.  Getting the 3G iPhone isn’t about utility but about 1) our lifestyle, 2) our social status in getting one first- okay, exclusivity wasn’t based on social standing but still, and 3) the white glow of the Apple store and its products is bordering on seeming heavenly.  The Apple fan boys act more like a religious cult than just any excited fan base.  (You can read more about it in Buyology, but I’m not here to peddle, and these are only loosely based on what I read.)

It seems that we’ve evolved from God is angry, which is why our crops fail and our wives die from childbirth.  To God is merciful and rewards good deeds.  To God is a bureaucrat and if you can’t read, you’re really at least 5 layers from God with the priests and cardinals and so forth.  To God is democratic and everywhere.  To God loves you unless you’re Muslim or gay.  To God like whatever.  To God?  Oh, btw, did you hear about the new Adidas line?

We’ve gone from “godless heathens” to “God” to “Godless.”  Now will brands be the new gods?

If the answer is yes, don’t worry.  All the major designers carter to all price points by sub-branding, Marc Jacobs, Marc by Marc Jacobs… soon Target by Marc Jacobs?

(Not-so-secretly, I’m praying yes because that means I’ll still have a job and career years down the line. )

Well, I call bullshit.

Advertising is valuable… when done right.

Sure, when I’m watching TV or videos online, I’d rather claw my eyes out than watch yet another 30 second slot of why L’oreal (I never know where to put the apostrophe) or Pantene is so amazing and makes me look exactly like the models, like O. M. G.!

But isn’t that because the ads themselves suck?  I mean I may believe Sarah Jessica Parker actually colors her hair out of a box only because I also believe she has a $500/hr hair dresser applying that color.

Despite Social Media being the “it” thing right now, there’s still value in ads.  With the right execution, ads reinforce positive brand attributes and can actually make your constituency feel a sense of exclusivity and belonging – something Martin Lindstrom covers in his new book, buyology.  (Just had to add a plug.   The marketing research discussed is interesting, although I’m a bit skeptical on the methodology and potential.)

The big take-away is “done right.”  People hate Wal-mart but love Target.  Why?  Because Target understands the importance of design and perception in addition to low prices.  Wal-mart treats their employees like jack and get cheap stuff from developing nations.  Target has the hottest designers and gives 10% back to charity.  I’m pretty sure Target sources from developing nations too… but that’s not what you emphasize, is it?

Ok.  Ok.  The ads don’t make Target better than Wal-mart.  And it shouldn’t.  But it does remind you of exactly why you love going there.

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So go on and hire that Social Media agency.  Research how to interact with bloggers and how to be real with your tweeters.  Understand that a Facebook app or page isn’t a check list item but a project to be executed only if it’s really the right way to interact with your market base.

But remember, good ads stick with you.

Bud-weis-er.

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Here are some of my faves:

Along with Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg,  Evan Williams, Twitter Co-Founder and CEO, and Greg Harper, co-founder of Gadgetoff, showed off gadgets from fuel cells to a Star Wars Wii controllers (with LEDs that light up the laser end of the light saber).  Here’s a quick and dirty look of my favorites:

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This is the Flip Mino HD.  Not only is it smaller than the gen 1 Flip, but it also records in full HD.  As usual, the minimalist design and buttons on the back make operating tres easy, as does the pop out USB connector up top.  Retail: about $229.

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When a friend from Portola Valley, home of many a well-to-do/VC types, invited me over for dinner and discussed such a portable projector, I quickly dismissed it as totally impossible.  A projector this small?  Will it actually work or explode into a burning mess?

So I was ridiculously wrong (like that hasn’t happened before).  This little guy is not much bigger than an iPod, as you can see, and from the demonstration that Greg gave, the projection looks amazingly clear with pretty good color precision.  Retail: $300-500.

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There’s also the phone projector.  I couldn’t find the exactly image of the one that Greg showed, but this is pretty close.  It’s shaped exactly like the iPhone, except longer and even has the same interface.  My guess that it’s from China- looser copyright laws.  No idea on the price, and to be honest, I’d probably skip gen one.  If the product works well and with MS Office, you’ll never had to carry a laptop and projector to a presentation again.  A carry case that comes with a laptop connector (for troubleshooting) and a laser pointer, would make this a top sell for all the corporate types.

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This is the much talked about Blackberry Storm.  For those with Verizon (and not stuck with *cough cough* AT&T), the Storm is supposed to be an iPhone killer.  From what Walt showed us on Tuesday night… not so much.  What’s with Blackberry’s need to use that weird non-QWERTY keypad?  And why would you include the numeric keypad for typing text?  Silliness.  It does have international SIM card slot and GMS but doesn’t work in the US (a.k.a. doesn’t work with other mobile services).  Retail: $249 with a $50 rebate, which puts it at the same range as the iPhone.

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Unlike the Blackberry, because it’s less useful but so much cooler, is Plantsense.  This doo-hickie has a pronged fork at the bottom that you stick into the ground.  It detects the soil PH, moisture, etc., while the green flower up top takes measurements from the air, like light and moisture.  Then (of course), it snaps open to reveal a USB stick, which plugs into your computer and gives you a detail analysis of the flora conditions and what plants would best suit the conditions around you.

This is perfect for me.  My last two plants have sadly died and I’m not sure what to grow anymore.  The window next to my office gets blazing sun from morning until noon and shade for the rest of the day.  I think my last plants, local wild flower varieties, died from sun poisoning.  They were growing fine one day and limp and dark green the next.  Retail: $59.95.

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The femtocell, made by Samsung for Sprint, extends the cell network anywhere you go.  Just plug it in, and it acts like a cell tower, giving you full bars with a radius of 1, 500 feet.  Greg mentioned that other cell carriers have a similar product, and he loves it when he’s in the middle of New York State and needs some bars in hicksville.  I don’t think I’ll be getting one soon, but if you’re like my ex, who lives in a stone house, please consider it on your Santa list.  Retail: a couple hundred plus any subscriber fees, $15-30/month for Sprint customers.

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I started with one of my favorite (the high quality, useful & inexpensive Flip cam), so I’ll end with one too.  This is the Panasonic SDR-SW20.  I’m not 100% sure what that means, except this: it’s a waterproof camcorder that takes pictures too.  And not waterproof, i.e. you can splash water on it.  It will actually go into the swimming pool with you!…!!!  I know!

This lightweight little contraption also comes with wi-fi, which means that you can automatically back up the videos and images on your computer inside the house, while you’re playing underwater (or if you’re my friend in her apartment’s pool, giving a back story to the bandaid floating near the bottom of the pool).  I haven’t hear much feedback on how well the camcorder works in salt water, i.e. on a scuba dive in the Caribbean, but will report back during an unboxing party. Retail: about $282.

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Those were some of the highlights of the evening.  Others like the singing Elvis, which already made a debut on the Late Show with Letterman, and a tiny camera on a stick like those you see in the proctologist’s office, weren’t as exciting.  I can’t wait to see some of these products on market.  With the marketplace in a coma, this is a great time to buy cool gadgets with deep price discounts.  w00t!