Is the next Evolution of Social Media Clusterr?

What is Clusterr?

Taken from The Clusterr Blog: “Here is a very brief synopsis of what Clusterr is:

Clusterr solves the information overload inherent to social media streams. The application parses the users Twitter timeline looking for Tweets that contain links. Clusterr resolves the short URLs, identifies and categorizes the media behind those URLs and then organizes & sorts the content in “Clusterrs” by type: Videos, Pictures, Web Sites and Music. Each piece of media is presented visually using a thumbnail image.

Clusterrs can be viewed chronologically or by popularity of content (number of tweets including the same media URL). Users can consume the media directly in Clusterr, as well as use Clusterr to share the content (through tweeting or re-tweeting) or by saving the media into a Custom Clusterr and then sharing that cluster with their friends. Additionally, Clusterr functions as a Twitter client, allowing users to send tweets with or without media directly from the web site.

We started Clusterr on the web, however our simple yet effective design was created specifically with cross platform applications in mind. Currently Clusterr is in development for the world wide web (Currently in Private Beta). We have also just begun cross platform development for smaller and larger screens. Cluster is the brain child of Kevin Pereira (Host and Executive Producer of G4′s Attack of the Show and Women of the Web) and Joshua Krane (Co-Founder of G4tv and formerly G4′s SVP of New Media and Interactive) and was designed and built lovingly in Los Angeles.”

What does that mean?

Clusterr takes the hassle out of your social media and twitter streams. Instead of having hundreds of links that will redirect you to another website Clusterr provides a way to view this additional information in one place without the need to click on each link. With Clusterr you can easily view all media files buried in your twitter time line, this includes videos, pictures, web sites, and music. Clusterr is similar to TweetDeck. TweetDeck has the ability to have pop ups for digital media, whether it is a picture from yfrog, twitpic, or another place or a video from youtube that when clicked on overlays it on top of your twitter stream. Unlike TweetDeck Clusterr has all the media on one screen where it is easy to view and access.

To simplify this here is a short demo video of Clusterr showing what it does and can do. I am unable to embed the video despite my best efforts.

Clusterr is not a replacement for twitter or twitter clients, yet.

Currently Clusterr doesn’t contain a feed, but maybe it will in the future? But what it is capable of doing is resolving all the links that are included in each tweet to something that is manageable. By using Clusterr I no longer need to click on every other tweet since there is a link it will show me what that link is.

An evolution? The Future?

This is not the big thing for social media, but rather it is another tool to better utilize the current social media. Clusterr makes managing your twitter feed easier similar to HootSuite and TweetDeck. But it doesn’t replace them, not yet at least. Being a beta version a final verdict can’t be stated yet but here are some add ons to Clusterr I would like to see in the future/ full version.

• Integrate with Facebook and other social media streams to be an all in one place
• Allow to tweet and update profile/status from the site
• Include a feed with the rest of the tweets not just ones with links - Now included
• Have a better preview of what Clusterr is, screen shots and a sample video
• Faster uploads, not waiting an hour from time tweeted to seen
  

I will continue to use TweetDeck because I have my columns all set up and most links and items will pop up on screen without a redirect with one click. Clusterr has a lot of possibility depending on the social media integration in the future.

Edit: Update on Clusterr

Wonderful customer service, tweeted a problem and got a response in very little time, and the response was helpful. You are also now able to tweet from Clusterr which is a major plus, still can't see a time stamp or delete seen items. Clusterr has been very helpful in saving time and allowing me to read more tweets and see more content.

Addition Edit (8/12/2010):

Clusterr has been continually updating and adding numerous features including some that I have suggested in this post. I am still loyal to TweetDeck because that is what I am now use to, but I have been logging in and checking out Clusterr almost everyday and like how it is developing and where it is going.

Are you interested in trying out Clusterr? What do you see as the next evolution in Social Media? What would you like to see added to Clusterr to make you want to use it?

Hollywood Remakes = Easy Money?

Hollywood and the film studios are finding it hard to come up with new and original content.
Similar to the South Park episode where Butters as Professor Chaos is trying to impose his evil plans on the town of South Park but every idea he has is not original and has been done by The Simpsons as seen in this clip. Being original is not longer easy with almost 100 years of films having been made coming up with something original is difficult to do. Even the critically acclaimed James Cameron masterpiece Avatar is not without some backlash of how it is not original. The main controversy is that Avatar is a rip-off of many other films/ comic books. With original content being all but gone many film studios are either making comic book/ novel movies, making numerous sequels and prequels, and remaking old "classic" movies.
Original movies have uncertain fates.
A new film runs the risk of being a flop and losing money, something studios wish to avoid, so they are taking less risky films that are likely to flop. This leads to more "remakes" as stated above which are already know so require less marketing for awareness and will already have a following/fans who will see the movie. Some film franchises continue to make sequels (Most horror films, Saw, Friday the 13th....)
Excessive remakes and sequels devalue the franchise.
Similar to most businesses a brand or franchise can be devalued which hurt the returns. But with Hollywood franchises don't have much staying power and remakes don't harm the sale of the original on DVD or bluray. With the lack of staying power it is understandable to "strike the iron while it is hot" so they can get the most out of franchise.
Remake the classics but at what cost.
Lots of movies are being remade most recently Nightmare on Elm Street which made a decent amount at the box office but many critics have said its not as good as the original and receiving bad reviews and ratings. The ratings don't seem to matter to the studios as long as it makes money at the box office but why not do both? Some individuals even on Twitter continue to say how Hollywood is destroying their childhood. There are numerous bad or average movies that can be remade that can be better then the original. The problem with remaking flops are they usually flopped for a good reason and a remake might not fix those reasons.

Should Hollywood continue to remake classics? Do you like having your childhood remade? What movie(s) would you like to be remade?

5 Easy Ways to get me to follow you on Social Media (Twitter)

My followers on Twitter have been steadily increasing, mostly with spam bots and people I have no interest in following or don't know. That and my twitter time line (Twitstream) is pretty full especially when I get to it at lunch break. Usually I don't have time to read all the posts but I do click on a few of the people I follow to see what they posted. A few that I always read include Coalesce, FitMke, Tom Snyder (triveraguy), and Jim Raffel. The reason why I check these 4 before any others is they tweet great content and links about Marketing and Social Media and for Fit Milwaukee they offer great tips for running. They pertain to me and my interests and are not cluttered with a bunch of Foursquare check ins or blip songs. This list is also great suggestions for Follow Friday.

Now on to the ways for me to follow you and to get my attention

1. Follow me first- This is a basic start, but just because you are following me doesn't mean I will follow you back. I follow about 1/3 of the people who follow me mainly because I don't have time to read thousands of tweets. I also only check my followers once a week to see if I have any new followers.
2. Have a logical reason to be following me- If you are following me you should be doing so for a reason.
   A. Are in my geographic location (Milwaukee or Appleton, Wisconsin).
   B. Have a common interest whether it is video games, sports, G4, Olivia Munn (OMFG), or some other commonality.
   C. Like my awesome, witty, hilarious tweets. Which I am sorry have been lacking a lot as of late.
   D. Or most importantly are in the marketing or a similar industry.
   
3. Don't have half your tweets be from apps- I had a hard time wording this but in lament's terms don't have most of your feed be filled with foursquare check ins or similar programs (gowalla) and to a much lesser extent songs from Blip or what video you rated on youtube. Now don't get me wrong its fine to use these apps and post where you are or what you are listening to I just don't want that to be all you do or tweet about.
   
4. Have quality tweets in your timeline- This goes back to point 3 but if you are a new follow the last 20 or so of your tweets determines if I am going to follow you back. Comical tweets are great for a follow but tweets that have information and something I can learn from is best. Have a reason for me to follow you.
   
5. Have a conversation with me- Reply to one of my tweets let me know you are following me and reading what I tweet. Let me know that you exist, this is one of the main ways I follow you.

Do you have any other ways or rules for following someone? Do you agree with this list? Do you follow me on twitter? Do you have someone who I should be following?

5 Things I am doing to become healthier

Been a while since I posted something... I have 4 half written marketing blog posts that I want to finish. But here is a list of 5 things I am doing to become healthier and more fit.

Since I finished college in December my lifestyle has changed, I am off the ramen noodles and no longer walking and biking everywhere while carrying around a 20 pound backpack and my body started to notice (ie I was getting a beer belly)

For this to be successful it has to be for the right reasons. Similar to quitting smoking, diets, and many other lifestyle changes the reason why you do it determines the success. If you are doing this for someone else or half heartly you are likely to fail. YOU have to want to do this and it has to be for YOU, not someone else or another reason. I have done this and am doing this because it is something that I want to do, for me. It also helps that I can notice the improvements that I am making and reaching my personal goals that I have set.

1. I am drinking more water. Before I rarely drank water, mainly cause the tap at the house I was renting was horrible and rusted even with a filter. But I should be drinking around 80... yes 80 ounces of water a day (or fluids which was soda and juice) You can see how much water you should be drinking with this calculator
2. I am eating less. Before I would eat when I was hungry and could eat A LOT. Easily finished The Quad at AJ Bombers was still hungry after that I even finished the Squad Six (not in the 6 minutes though). Now I have portion control with what I eat, instead of a whole pizza or an entire box of macaroni and cheese I will just eat half. At first this was a challenge and always felt hungry but as of right now my body and stomach have adjusted and now I am satisfied quicker and don't have to eat as much or as often.
3. I am watching what I eat. Similar to the first two not just how much I eat but also what I eat. I am going healthier and less processed foods and more fruits and vegetables. Instead of getting french fries with a meal I now opt for a salad. I am also eating (for the most part) less "junk food". Before at night when I got the munchies or even throughout the day I would eat lots of snacks mostly unhealthy chips and other similar products. Now if I will eat something at night which is rare it will be carrots or maybe a salad. I have stopped purchasing the cookies and chips and other snack items I would munch on through out the day and without the temptations it is easier to control what I eat. I remove the unhealthy choices from the menu.
4. I am exercising regularly. Rather then going to a pricey gym which I can't currently afford I do what I can at home. When I wake up (given I did not hit the snooze or overslept) I do a set of push ups and sit ups. When I started doing this I struggled to complete 10 push ups, now I am doing sets of 40. With sit ups at first it was difficult because of the lack of weight holding my feet down (used the bottom of my bed) I can now do sit ups without the bed (still struggle but it is possible). I also purchased some 15 pound dumbbell weights that I use. The biggest thing I am doing now is running, well jogging then walking then jogging again. I am unsure of my pace since I don't have any apps or gadgets to use and my phone from the stone age is no help. But I jog as much as I can and each day try to go farther then I did the day before. The main inspiration for me getting up and running again is Anne and the rest of the members of Fit Milwaukee. One thing I am also trying to do is to find a jogging partner, know of anyone in the south side of Appleton?
   
5. Knowing when to stop. This has been key for me, self control and not pushing my body too far. My body is broken to say the least and I can't push it too far. When my knee starts to hurt when I am jogging I slow down and start to walk and if it is too bad or continues I end my jog. Similar if my wrist of elbow hurt I stop and rest and wait and try again later. I also got the right equipment (new running shoes) that help a lot with the soreness and knee pain. I have been thinking about getting some Dr. Scholls inserts for my running shoes but not sure how effective they would be.
   

What are you doing to improve your lifestyle and become healthier? Who inspired you to do so? What else could you be doing, or I be doing to improve upon this?

Interactivity in Ads

Ads need to attract but more importantly be relevant
While waiting for some games to load an ad will pop up and more frequently I am seeing that these ads are trying to have me do something whether its move my mouse or click on something and I still ignore it like any other ad. Or on Hulu when I am offered a choice of which commercial I want to see, or if I want one long commercial to start or smaller ones throughout. I rarely care which option I take. Why?? Because like most commercials I have no need or interest in the product and the ad doesn't relate to me. They remind me of the spam banners that flash you are the 500000th visitor and have won something click here now. Or the shoot the ducks, which celebrity is this.... and while it does attract my attention I know better then to bother and click on it. The few ads I bother to click on are relevant to the topic that I am reading on or have an interest too. They also offer me something whether it is a discount or additional information.

The few commercials I pay attention to on TV are... hmm let me think... none I either change the channel or do something else like catch up on twitter. There are some commercials I enjoy, for instance the Old Spice "I'm on a horse" commercial. The commercials are entertaining first and foremost, they rarely make me go that extra step from being informed of the product to wanting the product and almost never to the final step of purchasing the product. Most commercials for things that interest me I will see somewhere else, usually online. These commercials are usual previews for video games, movies, and television shows which are available online for when I want to watch them.

Instance of interactivity in a relevant ad

The new Iron Man 2 trailer is embedded below is the main reason for this post. I hope that you either read through or skipped to this part. I saw this ad posted on Scifi wire which I read because I follow their twitter feed. This is a great use of interactivity it provides the user (me) addition information and an enhanced experience which makes me more interested in the product (Iron Man 2). This is a good way to increase interest while attracting attention. I prefer getting more information rather then just moving a mouse or clicking somewhere to continue an ad, boring. This allows the user to take control of their experience and can do as much or as little as they want. This can be used in many other ads to provide the user a unique experience and the ability to get more information.

I may add to this at a later date or make another more detailed and better laid out blog in the future. This was a quick type and post.

Would you like to see more ads like this? Will this type of ad be short lived? Will the interactivity become ignored like many ads are? Any other comments?