The Henry Ford transforms Motor City to Maker City July 31-Aug. 1
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, art, design, drinks, events, life, technology
Eric Merrill showed his QuadCopter at the Maker Faire preview yesterday.
I know what you’re wondering. What’s a “maker” exactly? Is it a crafter? An inventor? An engineer? The answer is yes and so much more. And we can all find out together when Make magazine brings its reknowned DIY festival, Maker Faire, to the midwest for the first time.
Dearborn’s own The Henry Ford will host two days devoted to learning, thinking, playing, inventing, crafting, creating and more when Maker Faire Detroit takes over the grounds outside July 31 and Aug. 1. More than 200 makers will feature their wares – we’re talking everything from robots and remote control toys to woodworking creations, arts and crafts and urban farming. Thursday evening, The Henry Ford hosted a preview event to introduce the press and sponsors to the concept of Maker Faire. The location makes perfect sense.
Patricia Mooradian, president of The Henry Ford, noted that the idea behind Maker Faire aligns naturally with the mission and vision of The Henry Ford. “This has always been a place where the can-do spirit of Americans has been best represented by tinkerers, by makers and by entrepreneurs,” she said. “These are people with ordinary beginnings who did something extraordinary.”
The same can be said of those expected to showcase their work at Maker Faire. Make magazine editor and publisher Dale Dougherty told the crowd that he started Maker Faire as a way to connect makers with one another and with the public. And when he did that a very natural, simple conversation occurred. They asked one another “How did you figure that out?” And that, he said, is the “seed of invention.” The Maker Faire Bay area event now draws 80,000 people over 2 days.
The Henry Ford aims to become an annual affair, as well. It’s expected to draw thousands of visitors – some from as far as Texas – in this, it’s first midwest show.
Maker Faire is about grassroots innovation, toying with technology and inspiring kids to become excited about science and math outside of the classroom. Eric Merrill, a programmer at Oakland University and member of Ferndale’s I3 Detroit, an art and technology collective, will be showing his QuadCopter at Maker Faire this year. He’s still in the “software-tuning stages” but his remote-controlled device can be used to take aerial photographs. The event inspired him to make one, something he’d been wanting to do for some time.
Merrill said he was surprised to hear Maker Faire was coming to the metro Detroit area. It’s an event he associates with major cities on the coasts, like New York and San Francisco. “I think it’s really exciting that it’s happening here,” he said.
For more information, visit makerfaire.com or send e-mail to detroit@makerfaire.com to be added to the mailing list and receive notices about other event details. See you at Maker Faire!
If you’re a maker and you’re participating this year, let us know! Leave a comment and we’ll be sure to look for you and you’re work!
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments and theUrbane Lobby. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter at@UrbaneLife
Tags: Detroit, entrepreneurs, Eric Merrill, ferndale, i3 Detroit, inventors, Make magazine, Maker Faire, oakland university, The Henry Ford, Urbane, UrbaneLife
Do you text and drive? After July 1 it’s gonna cost you
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Clawson Neighborhood, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, UrbaneApts, events, life, people, politics, technology, travel, trends
In a lot of ways, Michigan is just following suit. Twenty-two other states have already made it official and banned texting while driving. Tomorrow, on national television, Gov. Jennifer Granholm is expected to sign a bill that will ban Michigan drivers from doing the same. As of July 1, texting while driving will be illegal across our state.
The signing – set for 9:30 a.m. at Detroit’s GM Renaissance Center Wintergarden – will be televised for an upcoming Oprah Winfrey special titled No Phone Zone.
What does this mean to drivers who can’t put down a Blackberry while behind the wheel?
If you’re lucky, it will hit your wallet first. Violators can be fined up to $100 for a first offense or up to $200 if caught again. The ticket doesn’t involve points or become part of a driver’s record.
The law prohibits reading, typing and sending text messages on a wireless device while driving. And police officers are going to be on the lookout. They don’t need another reason to pull you over. Dash-mounted navigation systems are still A-OK according to this law, but if you use cell phone navigation features – like I have – you may be at risk.
The law makes a lot of sense. Texting is a serious distraction for drivers. But I can’t say I haven’t done it. At a time when we’ve become so attached to our cell phones, it’s hard not to reach for them when we receive a message. I’ve been known to peek at or return a text while paused at a stoplight.
Have you read or sent text messages while behind the wheel? Have you ever been involved in an accident with someone who was distracted or using a cell phone? What are your thoughts on the ban?
This post brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments and the Urbane Lobby. We would love to connect with you on twitter at @UrbaneLife.
Tags: Blackberry, Detroit, Gov. Jennifer Granholm, michigan, Michigan law, Oprah Winfrey, texting and driving, texting ban in Michigan, texting while driving, Urbane, urbane apartments, Urbane Lobby, UrbaneLife
140 Characters Conference: Using the social web to do good
Posted by ericafinley | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, events, life, people, technology, travel, trends, uncategorized
I think that one tweet says it all.
The 140 Characters Conference in New York City this past week brought together more than 140 speakers who discussed topics ranging from education to comic books, and everything in between. But all of them shared a common thread: questioning the status quo and pushing entire industries forward using the social web.
A large majority of the sessions opened my eyes to new uses for sites like Twitter, and it was refreshing to see so many people in one room who really want to use social media to do good things.
Take Alon Nir, for example. He founded TheKotel movement, which allows users to direct message prayers to @TheKotel Twitter account, where they are then transferred to a sheet of paper and placed inside the Western Wall in Jerusalem, also known as The Kotel. On a recent trip, Nir visited the Western Wall with 3,812 prayers in a box. He’s changing lives, but his message is simple:
Or how about George Haines, director of technology at Sts. Philip & James School in St. James, New York. Instead of simply reading the book “Animal Farm” and quizzing his students on the major themes, he chose to bring it to life by having them tweet on behalf of characters in the book. By talking about the characters in the first person, the students were able to dig deeper into their motivations and also have fun at the same time. He took a chance on an unconventional project on the social web, and his classroom is better for it. For a clip of their appearance at #140conf, including a parody of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” click here.
How about going digital to revive a California neighborhood that was fading fast? The Social Strip describes itself as a “collection of businesses on the Sunset Strip that are using social media to collaborate and create a new community on the legendary boulevard.” Once thought to be the epicenter of music discovery, residents started to neglect the historic area, seeing it as old and outdated. Businesses regarded their competition as enemies, instead of fellow community members.
Roxy Theatre owner Nic Adler saw the writing on the wall and knew he needed to do something. The theater launched a blog and adopted what they call a “social personality.” Staffers and customers began sharing photos and videos of their experiences, and the theater started offering Twitter contests and focusing on fan outreach. When theater neighbor The Viper Room joined Twitter, The Roxy encouraged its fans to follow them and The Viper Room returned the favor. Soon the Andaz Hotel and Book Soup were joining in and all of the businesses began promoting each other’s shows. They were building a community.
Their most successful collaboration to date is the Tweet Crawl – a night of free entertainment at venues up and down the Strip. A music festival, attended by more than 10,000 people, and a “Strip Joint” followed. The neighborhood has again become a “socially relevant and thriving music community.”
But none of this greatness happened overnight.
And that’s an important thing to keep in mind, especially for us here in the Detroit area. I think Nikki Stephan said it best when she talked about slow and steady progress, or “baby steps,” during the #tweetea discussion before FutureMidwest. Two events that are great examples of such progress. So are #dogup, Positive Detroit, Brand Camp University, Ignite Detroit, Detroit Moxie and all of the other wonderful things we’ve done thus far with the goal of bringing people together and bucking the negative stereotypes about our region.
What’s something else we can do right now? Bring a friend to one of the upcoming events who’s never been before. I met Jerry Paffendorf, a resident of Detroit, during the 140conf, and he didn’t know FutureMidwest had taken place or even what it was. I’m positive our digital community could have benefited from his input and feedback about the event because he’s excited about the city and its possibilities, too.
New people. New ideas. The future looks bright, Detroit!
This post brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments and the Urbane Lobby. We would love to connect with you on twitter at @UrbaneLife
Tags: 140 Characters Conference, 140conf, alon nir, Brand Camp University, dogup, futuremidwest, george haines, ignite detroit, jeff pulver, nic adler, nikki stephan, positive detroit, roxy theatre, social media, social strip, social web, sts. philip & james, the viper room, thekotel
Reporting live from New York City
Posted by ericafinley | Filed under Cool People, Detroit MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, events, life, people, technology, travel, trends, uncategorized
As a lot of you already know, I am currently knee-deep in my very first trip to New York City. The experience is one-part business as an attendee of the 140 Characters Conference, and one-part pleasure because a few extra days here has afforded me the opportunity to explore.
New York City is everything everyone says it is, and then some. A few things I’ve learned so far:
- All New Yorkers are thin. This is because they have to walk EVERYWHERE and do a lot of stair climbing in the subway.
- Speaking of the subway, it’s tough to design a more terrifying situation than taking this mode of transportation for the third time in your life, and having your boyfriend hop on the train just as the doors are closing, leaving you on the platform. “Deer in headlights” doesn’t adequately articulate my reaction to this situation, but it is survivable.
- New York drivers use their horns like it’s going out of style. Pause even for a second at a green light or otherwise, and you will feel the wrath.
- Times Square is brighter than the surface of the sun. I get that it’s a tourist trap, but it’s an absolute must-see if you’re in the city. It’s truly unreal.
- Columbia University is a stunning campus. Every building is a work of art, and there are a lot of really smart people walking the halls.
And I’m sure the lessons won’t end there. I’ll be blogging and tweeting here at The Urbane Life throughout the 140 Characters Conference, as well as from my personal Twitter account. I can’t wait to build off of the success of FutureMidwest and share the story of the Detroit community with attendees who maybe think they already have us figured out.
Jeff Pulver bills #140conf as the “largest worldwide gathering of people interested in the effects of the real-time Internet on both business and ‘we’ the people.” More than 140 people will speak over the course of 2 days, discussing “The State of NOW” – how social communication platforms are affecting industries from the media to public policy.
Long story short, I’ll be in a room with a lot of really smart people, and I hope some of their insight rubs off on me. And I hope you’ll come along for the ride!
Tags: 140 Characters Conference, 140conf, columbia university, fmw, futuremidwest, jeff pulver, new york, new york city
Bickbot’s Henry Balanon gets the New York Times treatment
Posted by scasola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Clawson Neighborhood, Cool People, Ferndale MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, design, food, life, marketing, people, technology, trends
A regular here at Urbane Space in Birmingham, we at UrbaneLife were pleased to see one of our own has just made the New York Times.
West Bloomfield’s Henry Balanon is founder and lead developer at Bickbot, a Michigan-based company that designs iPhone apps. He’s also known as one-fourth of Team Detroit, winners of last month’s cross-country Chevy SXSW challenge. You might even recognize him as half of the Detroit-based foodie duo, Two Hungry Dudes.
In an April 12th article, Apple Places New Limits on App Developers, reporter Jenna Northam writes: “Apple is tightening its already firm grip on what software can run on the iPhone and its other mobile devices, as shown by its recent changes to the rules that outside programmers must follow.”
She explains that new rules will require app developers – like Balanon – to use only Apple’s programming tools. The move raises questions for analytics companies like Flurry, that create software to tracks how applications are used on smart phones.
The article continues: “Henry Balanon, lead developer at an iPhone development company called Bickbot, said he had no immediate plans to remove Flurry’s software from his applications.
‘We’d have to roll our own analytics into the software, which is just a pain,’ Mr. Balanon said. ‘But if we start getting rejections because of the analytics, we may have to reconsider.’”
Way to go, Henry!
Tags: bickbot, Henry Balanon, iPhone apps, New York Times, Two Hungry Dudes, West Bloomfield
One of our own sets her sights on NYC’s 140 Characters Conference
Posted by s_casola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Detroit MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, events, life, people, technology, travel
You may know Erica Finley as a journalist-turned-PR professional and one of our bloggers here at The Urbane Life. You might also know her as an avid animal lover - her anticipated Detroit Dogup event is just around the corner. I first crossed paths with Erica on Twitter. Whether it was our similar professional backgrounds, personal interests or close proximity here in the metro Detroit area that encouraged our first contact on the site, I’m just not sure. I do know she’s making serious waves in our digital community.
As she packs her bags to head off to Jeff Pulver’s 140 Characters Conference next weekend, I’ll be virtually and vicariously experiencing it too. If you’re interested in the latest social media news, you won’t want to miss out. I’ll let Erica explain why:
UrbaneLife: When did you become familiar with The 140 Characters Conference and what drew you to the upcoming New York City event in particular?
Erica Finley: “I always have my eyes peeled for opportunities to learn more about social media, specifically, how it’s used in a business setting. I learned of the 140 Characters Conference last year because I was following its founder, Jeff Pulver (@jeffpulver). Unfortunately, I found out about it too late in the game, but I vowed to try to go at the next available opportunity. I try to pick and choose which events I attend because often they end up being a Social Media 101, and after looking at the speaker roster for 140 Conf, I knew this was much more than that. And I was attracted to the NYC event in particular because I’ve never been to the city and wanted to work a mini vacation into my plans!”
UL: Are you doing anything special to prepare for the conference?
EF: “I’m doing a lot of tweeting about the conference and trying to connect with others who are attending. I’m also hoping to steal a few minutes with conference founder Jeff Pulver to fill him in on both the accomplishments and future goals of the Detroit digital community. I think a lot of people have started to take notice of us after Team Detroit’s big win in the Chevy South by Southwest Road Trip Challenge, and it’s important to talk to more people about what we’ve been doing here.”
UL: Which speakers you are most looking forward to learn from or connect with during this event?
EF: ”I’m looking forward to hearing from Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu), an NYU journalism professor, because my background is also in journalism, and I’m fascinated by how that field and social media intersect. Twitter especially has revolutionized the way people report and receive news. There will also be a Twitter and News Gathering session with Andy Carvin (@acarvin) of NPR and Ryan Osborn (@todayshow). Ann Curry (@AnnCurry) is a high-profile journalist that has really embraced the social media space – she’ll be talking about Twitter and the Evolution of Emergency Communications.
“I can’t miss Gary Vaynerchuk’s (@garyvee) 140 question-and-answer because he’s Gary V, and I’ve never seen him speak but have heard great things. Same with Liz Strauss (@lizstrauss).”
UL: Briefly describe your personal experience with Twitter - how long have you used it and in what ways has it impacted your life and your work?
EF: “I’ve been on Twitter since 2008, and it wasn’t love at first sight by any means. I tried it out for a few weeks, wasn’t really seeing the value in it, and then left it alone for awhile. I jumped back in it a few months later when I was working for the Michigan Business Review and was amazed by the direct connections I could make with people, not only as sources for stories, but simply people in the field of journalism, PR and beyond. It became an essential tool later on in my job hunt, and I was even offered a full-time internship with benefits as a result of my presence on the site. Soon I began learning as much as I could about how businesses were using it to connect with customers and improve their bottom line. It’s hard to fully articulate the positive impact it’s had on me and how many relationships it’s helped foster, but one thing is for sure: I’m hooked, and I don’t see it going away anytime soon.”
UL: Is there anything you’d like to add?
EF: “I’m very thankful to Eric Brown and Urbane Apartments for giving me the amazing opportunity to attend this conference and use it as a way to learn and build on my current skill set. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about social media, it’s that it’s constantly changing, and the right and wrong way to go about it isn’t always black and white. I also hope to connect with people who maybe don’t know all of the amazing things happening in the Detroit digital community every day, and start a dialogue about how much we have to offer.”
Follow Erica’s updates from New York City and the 140 Characters Conference between April 17-21. She’ll be tweeting @ericafinley and blogging right here.
Tags: 140 Characters Conference, Detroit, Detroit Dogup, Detroit SXSW, Eric Brown, Erica Finley, new york city, social media, Twitter, Urbane, urbane apartments
Apple’s iPad - is it a game-changer for media consumers?
Posted by s_casola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Detroit MI, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, life, technology
iPad - changing the way we read
While I don’t yet have an iPad to call my own, a friend and Apple guru was kind enough to share some of his iPad playtime with me, shortly after he purchased it Saturday afternoon. We met at Royal Oak’s Bean & Leaf, and tried to stay out of the way to avoid too many curious on-lookers.
After tooling around on the sleek, thin new device, I’m convinced Giga Omni Media Founder Om Malik was right – iPad is a game changer when it comes to the way we consume media. I thought I’d share some first impressions.
As a longtime journalist, I can confidently say that yes, fellow media consumers, the iPad is poised to revolutionize the way we do everything from consume news to get lost in a good book, check the weather forecast, experience HD movies and so much more.
And as traditional media outlets fight to stay relevant and run to keep up with the constantly-evolving way we consume information, this device offers a tangible glimpse at the future of news.
The New York Times use of scrolling stories was intuitive enough to spur the conversion from print to an online product, even for the most stubborn newsprint fans. Rather than deal with annoying pop up ads, advertisements appeared occasionally – as they would in print – and did not significantly disrupt the experience.
But the iPad’s way of presenting e-books is what made me a serious fan. It’s easy to view pages in profile or landscape mode and the experience of flipping pages, altering fonts and font size and even easily accessing a dictionary while reading were seriously impressive. For the first time, I got the feeling I wouldn’t miss the nostalgia of carrying a dog-eared paperback in my purse. If Kindle piqued your interest, this is sure to change the way you think about reading books online.
For all those who once snickered at the thought of watching a TV show or film on a tiny iPod or iPhone screen, iPad proves Apple will have the final say. Loading an HD movie onto this device is nothing less than stunning. It was hard to look away.
After just a short time exploring, I found iPad had its own feel, it’s own look. It builds on the impressive qualities I’ve come to love from my iPhone, yes, but takes full advantage of the larger screen with multi-touch qualities.
The 10-hour battery life get could take me in-flight from Detroit to Tokyo without batting an eye. A family friend and new iPad owner has already determined the device will be a great addition to his household. He plans to keep it in the house and readily accessible for the family. And when it’s not in use? The screen will display family photos on rotation. That’s quite the digital photo frame, if you ask me.
What are your thoughts on Apple’s iPad? Have you given it a test-run? Fallen head-over-heels for it? Or have you decided it’s far too great a luxury item to buy now?
Or are you like me and waiting to see what improvements and additions the next generation will have in store? Can anyone say - camera?
Tags: Apple, Bean & Leaf, e-books Royal Oak, HD movies, iPad, media, media consumptions
Apple fans, the iPad is almost here
Posted by s_casola | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Royal Oak MI, Apartments Troy MI, Birmingham MI, Clawson Neighborhood, Cool People, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Rambalings, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, UrbaneTV, events, life, marketing, technology
It’s almost here! Apple will begin shipping its shiny new iPad tomorrow, April 3. All who pre-ordered the tablet computer are probably planning to stick close-to-home for the delivery. I know that’s where I’d be.
According to the MacDailyNews Apple analysts are estimating between 200,000 and 300,000 iPads will be sold in this, its opening weekend. Considering that 120,000 units pre-sold the first day, March 12, those estimates seem a bit conservative.
Whatever happens, the tablet Apple calls “magical and revolutionary” is sure to bring long lines and very large crowds of curious customers to Apple’s nearby stores – at Troy’s Somerset Collection, The Mall at Partridge Creek Mall in Clinton Township, Briarwood in Ann Arbor and Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi. Some Apple employees will work the night shift to prepare for the crowds, and all will get hands-on training prior to opening.
While some reports deemed the iPad to be little more than a larger version of the iPod Touch, early reviews had iPad testers gushing with glee. Time contributor Steven Fry wrote yesterday: “I had been prepared for a smooth feel, for a bright screen and the ‘immersive’ experience everyone had promised. I was not prepared, though, for how instant the relationship I formed with the device would be.”
I recently decided to go all-digital, cleaning out countless CDs, my less-coveted books and the few DVDs I owned. The iPad would certainly be a great fit, though I was hoping for a sleek product that might also take the place of my laptop. It doesn’t look like that’s going to be the case, still like so many others, I can’t wait to test it out.
Apple, considered by Fortune Magazine to be the World’s Most Admired Company for a third consecutive year, has a way of tapping into our psyche. I’ve been drinking the proverbial Apple Kool-Aid for years now. While I’m not convinced the iPad will have as much of an impact on my life as my can’t-live-without-it iPhone has, it has piqued my curiosity. Will I see you at the Apple store?
Tags: all-digital, Ann Arbor, Apple, Apple Store, April 3, Briarwood, Clinton Township, iPad, Novi, pre-sold, Somerset Collection, tablet computer, The Mall at Partridge Creek, Troy, Twelve Oaks
Kettles kick butt!
Posted by Monica | Filed under Rambalings, music, people, technology, uncategorized
At first I was a bit hesitant to purchase the kettlebell, after seeing some pretty scary training sessions (we will leave the gym unknown here) where a trainer was letting a client use a kettlebell and I was just waiting to see the clients shoulder pop out of it’s socket. Needless to say the kettlebell’s weight was to heavy as well as improper, uncontrolled movements…
tisk tisk Mr Trainer!
I did however do some further research where I discovered the CORRECT way to use this exercise tool, and all the benefits you can gain from it. They are not meant to train muscles to failure either.
“Consistency is more important than intensity,”
says Tsatsouline (www.healthwriting.com/health/kettlebells/), who considers kettlebell training a greater challenge than either traditional weight lifting or aerobics. “Unlike in running or other popular weight loss regimens, kettlebell exercises distribute the load evenly throughout the body,” he says. “More muscles working at once means greater metabolic overload, which translates to superior fat loss.”
I have to say I am slowly but surely becoming a kettlebell junkie, I love it! I have actually named mine KIRBY (don’t even think about stealing my name either haha) Not only is it portable, but you can get an entire body workout (if done the right way), they are pretty cost effective, and they vary in weight as well as color, which can be fun too:) Most companies now re-arrange the bells by weight, and beginners should start with a lighter weight until they progress, which they can then go heavier in weight. So go ahead grab a bell and hop to it!
Social Media Done Right: Moosejaw
Posted by ericafinley | Filed under life, marketing, people, technology
Moosejaw, 34288 Woodward Ave. in Birmingham.
Missing: one blue coat and one brown Moosejaw hat.
When Shelby Reynolds, a freshman musical theater major at Oakland University, lost these items on the second day of classes, she was determined to get them back. Her tenacity eventually paid off in a way she never imagined, and left her with lifetime loyalty to a social media savvy company that went out of its way to make things right.
She was dressing for her ballet class in the women’s restroom outside of one of the campus dance studios, and placed her coat and hat on the counter as she changed. In a rush to get to class, she scooped up her bags but left behind the two things she’d need most to brave the Michigan winter: her coat and hat.
Tags: cornerstone community financial, moosejaw, moosejaw madness, oakland university, shelby reynolds, social media, Twitter
REFRESH EVERYTHING: Pepsi to Shun Super Bowl Ads and Save the World
Posted by Ashley | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Birmingham MI, Cool People, Detroit MI, Ferndale MI, Health Care Reform, Rambalings, Royal Oak, Royal Oak MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts, UrbaneTV, art, design, eco, events, fitness, food, life, marketing, music, people, pets, politics, technology, trends, uncategorized, video
Nothing kicks off a new year quite like the countdown to Super Bowl. For non-football fans, the advertising arms race to create the biggest, baddest and boldest TV commercials is an all-consuming media maelstrom. We learn something about America, for better or worse, every year during that Sunday sports spectacular. Super Bowl commercials create inescapable social memes (Budweiser frogs, anyone?), launch household pitchmen (from Wiliam Shatner to the GEICO gecko), and even inspire watershed cultural moments (Madonna’s interracial kiss during the Pepsi “Like a Prayer” ad).
That’s why Pepsi’s new advertising push for Super Bowl XLIV is so big, so bad (as in good), so bold…and so brave. This year, the soda-pop juggernaut’s television advertising budget for Super Bowl is $0. Yep, you read that right. In the biggest showdown between social-media marketing and traditional TV ads to date, Pepsi will give away over $20 Million in advertising dollars to fund “good ideas, big and small, that make the world a better place”–and it’s all happening at their new do-gooding website. The Pepsi Refresh Project will disperse grants in the amounts of 10 5k grants, 10 25k grants, 10 50k grants, and 2 250k grants every month of 2010. The best part? It’s all interactive. Anyone over the age of 13 can submit an idea, along with video, photographs, and anything else to convince voters to click your button.
Wait, voters? It gets even better. Pepsi will accept up to 1000 submissions every month, and host a public vote so we can pick the winners. Remember Mountain Dew’s Dewmocracy campaign? I think the Refresh Project just blew it out of the water. We’ll have to use Facebook, Twitter, Flyers, Foursquare, and whatever else we have at our disposal to win.
Got a great idea? Wanna make things better? I do. It ain’t easy being a Michigander these days. We’re hurt, we’re struggling, and many of us are hungry, out of work, or scared to death. I’m here to propose a challenge to all of you Urbane Blog readers out there. Let’s win this thing for Michigan.
If you’re still reading this blog, it’s because you care about where you live. You love Metro Detroit, and you’re connected enough to think about improving our quality of life, and sustaining our economy. This is our chance. For all those times that you’ve wished you could change your world…now we can. Power to the people.
In the next month, we’ll be using the Urbane Blog as a forum to come up with some great ideas for Pepsi Refresh grants. Stay tuned this week for more information about how to get your ideas to us, and how we’lll vote for our favorites every month. If your idea wins, you’ll have the full-throttle marketing machine of the Urbane Way behind you–logistics, proposal-writing, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, video…if we have it, we’ll help you get the word out, and get our people voting.
Stuck on ideas? Yeah, me too. There are six different categories on the Refresh Everything website: Health, Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Neighborhoods, and Education. Below, you’ll find a few sample ideas for each category to get your brain cells moving. You can also check out the Pepsi Refresh Project Blog for a ton of really cool ideas, plus a toolkit to help you figure out how to put it all together.
Jan 13 is just about two weeks away. Together, we’re so much stronger than we are alone–and this is our chance to do some good. Let’s band together, and make it happen.
Sample ideas:
Health: Obesity is a crucial health problem. Can we help fund an after school fitness program in our community? Or connect local farmers with schools, so cafeterias begin serving organic and fresh food at lunch? What about free phys-ed classes for senior citizens?
Arts & Culture: Every artist needs a place to live and create, and most of them are penniless. We could start a land bank to buy abandoned and foreclosed properties in Detroit and surrounding areas. Then, we could lease the properties for really cheap to artists from around the world. The caveat–they have to sign a 3 year lease, and pledge to clean up, repaint, install new floors…whatever it takes to make that home liveable. What does that create? A community of creatives, a neighborhood reborn, and houses restored uniquely and with care. When the artists are ready to move on, they can be kept in a trust for other creatives, or sold on the open market. Or we could start a movement to build public sculptures all over our downtowns. Create a Heidelberg project in the streets. A community School of Rock program to teach the next generation of rockers, guitars included.
Food & Shelter: There’s plenty of empty buildings in the area, and thousands more men, women and children without homes this winter. We could rent these buildings out and turn them into temporary winter shelters for our local homeless. Or start a Sunday dinner soup kitchen so every hungry person in our community could get a delicious warm meal one night per week.
The Planet:Let’s help Royal Oak go solar! We could request a grant to outfit houses, storefronts, and restaurants with home solar panels or windmills. Or what about starting a massive city-wide recycling project? Or even painting 100 rooftops white to reduce energy costs.
Neighborhoods: Community gardens. We could request the money for tools, buying the land, bulldozing an abandoned building, and seeds. Plant wildflowers, or even a food garden. That food could be donated to a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Or renting space in an empty storefront downtown for a kids’ community center. A greenway connecting Royal Oak, Berkley, Ferndale, Clawson, etc. (like the Dequindre Cut) for bicyclists and pedestrians only. Even safe bike racks in all of our downtown areas.
Education: Operation Kid Equip is just one charity that helps get school supplies to Oakland County kids without the means to get what they need for school–from pencils to backpacks. That’s one cause we could certainly support. Or what about starting our own Big Brothers, Big Sisters chapter with Urbane residents and friends? Or adopting an elementary school in Detroit, and helping them clean up and build a new playground. Is there empty land in Ferndale that could be recreated as a Field of Dreams for local kids?
Start dreaming! And please leave your comments and ideas here. We want to hear all the input, thoughts, inspiration, questions, and directions you can give.
A Christmas Shopping List of DUMB Phones
Posted by WEKetchum | Filed under technology
These days, smart phones are the gadget du jour amongst businessmen and students, but at what cost? The Star Tribune in Minneapolis reported “smart phones accounted for nearly 90 percent of the growth in the number of U.S. cell phone users” during 2008 (click here), and a new study asserts that they account for nearly one third of Canadian cell phone users’ devices (click here). Though Blackberrys, iPhones and the like arm their owners with a myriad of capabilities, they hurt wallets just as much. Carriers require a mandatory data plan of up to extra $50 per month, while charging even more for GPS, radio and TV services. As a result, users nearly double their voice and text messaging bills for extra features.
But is all of that necessary? There are plenty of users who need a cell phone just for that—a phone. An extra feature or two, like a camera or a music player, is fine. But why get charged additional fees for extras that they don’t need? Below, find Urbane’s list of “Dumb Phones:” phones that get the job done, add a few bonuses, and leave out the mandatory data plan charges.
