Smartphones are the new ‘virtual handbags’ according to Mumsnet.

Marketing Weekly has indicated that Netmums, the parenting website, has urged advertisers to focus their marketing activity on mobile devices when targeting mums, following a report revealing that 10% of mothers are more likely to use technology, such as tablets and smartphones, than the average Briton.

  The survey, which polled 5,000 mums, also highlighted that UK mums are seven times more likely to own a tablet device than the general population, compared to 18% owning a smartphone.

According to Netmums founder, Siobhan Freegard, mums are using their mobile devices increasingly as a “virtual handbag” to help raise their families.

She adds: “From our research and conversations on our sites, mums are increasingly using their smartphones to help them raise their children. Advertisers should be doing more to be a part of this process, through apps, interactive advertising and more localised editorial content.”

The report revealed that 93% of online mums have a Facebook account, while two in five claim to use Twitter.

Freegard says: “With mums taking to mobile devices faster than the rest of population, brands ought to be looking at how this shift affects how open they are to sharing content, rather than solely concentrating on the harder metrics such as, KPIs and return-on-investment metrics.”

Additionally, almost 80% of mums now check online ratings and reviews before buying goods and 72% actively look for web discount vouchers.

Nest – the Learning Thermostat

Visionary Tony Fadell who, back in the day, was in charge of the iPod at Apple *just* launched a brand new product called Nest, the world’s first Learning Thermostat.

Nest learns from your temperature adjustments, programs itself to keep you comfortable, and guides you to energy savings. You can control the thermostat from anywhere using a smartphone, tablet or laptop, and Nest never stops learning, even as your life and the seasons change.

 

Learn more at http://www.nest.com.

Mf, studio, dbda

A Free, Open, Curriculum for Web Education

 

 

WaSP InterACT is a community driven project that offers a free, open, curriculum for web education.

Schools that teach web design struggle to keep pace with our industry, and those just starting their curricula often set off in the wrong direction because the breadth and depth of our medium can be daunting. The WaSP InterACT curriculum project seeks to ease the challenges schools around the world face as they prepare their students for careers on the Web.

WaSP InterACT is a living curriculum designed to change and keep pace with the fast moving industry. Its courses are divided into several tracks that provide students with a well rounded foundation in the many facets of the web design craft.

Anyone can get involved and contribute!

(via swissmiss)

MF, studio, dbda

Creating the Future of Education and Work

Creating the Future of Education and Work wants to help educators foster creativity and conceptual thinking in schools. The founders, Rita J. King and Joshua Fouts, created creatingthefuturetoday.com as a resource for teachers and parents with ideas that help foster imagination and teach kids to collaborate while problem solving.

“A truly collaborative approach to problem solving is a necessity, and a recognition of the importance not only of science and mathematics, but of creativity, art and music to amplify learning. Einstein credits some of his greatest breakthroughs in insight to his violin breaks, which connected different parts of his brain in new ways.”

I find the idea behind this site pretty fantastic.

MF, studio, dbda

The Golden Grid

The Golden Grid System is a folding grid for responsive design. It’s by Joni Korpi, a web designer from Espoo, Finland, and allows your site to adapt to whatever size display people are viewing it on – really very clever.

(More info on what responsive web design is? Read this!)

via swissmiss

MF, studio, dbda

Opera goers get the ‘WOW’ factor

Guests at the Annual Opera Festival in Holland Park, London were treated to the ‘WOW’ factor in the form of a 7m helium ballon complete with 3D projections, by Knifedge. Love it!

Nicki

pleasurehunt – Magnum

AMAZING game by Magnum. Not sure whether there is anything else like this about but I haven’t seen any yet if there are. Very impressive. Give it a go, I’m sure you’ll agree.

http://pleasurehunt.mymagnum.com/?lc=en_au

CE, dbda

Pop and Lolli wall decal

Pop & Lolli make beautiful BIG illustrated wall decals that are totally removal and repositionable. I think they are lovely, and there is such a wide range of themes and characters.

Website is rather cute and quirky too – have a “nest” to add items to rather than a basket. Sweet idea.

MF, studio, dbda

 

 

Fantastic Flying books

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore iPad App Trailer from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.

William Joyce’s “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” is an interactive narrative experience for the iPad. The app impressively blurs the line between picture books and animated film. Magical!

MF, studio, dbda

Cbeebies ‘Big and Small’ music game

When you give the characters a different musical instrument, the tune immediately changes to incorporate THAT particular instrument’s sound. You can keep changing their instruments and quickly see hear the adapted tune. This is lovely, simple idea, which combined with the speed at which the program allows the user to hear the difference in sounds – quite seamlessly – makes this a fun and easy game to play.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/games/atoz/b#/lb/bigandsmall/bigandsmallhouse

dbda, studio CE

Showing the characters playing their different instruments.