I have found the mobile location and navigation utilities genuinely useful in several occasions lately, and have been following with interest the release of new, 3.0 version of Nokia Maps. The possibility to have certain landmark buildings as 3D objects in the maps sounds something that should make it more intuitive to place yourself in the real environment. Also, the synchronisation of favorites between a PC version (Maps in OVI service) and the mobile handset one makes it much easier to plan your routes beforehand on the proper PC keyboard, and then utilise those points of interest later, on the road. I was disappointed, however, to find out that currently Maps 3.0 is only available to the very limited number of S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 devices, and e.g. my N95 8GB model is not supported (it belongs to the S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 category). But they at least promise a quick release with more supported devices, lets see how fast that will be. More: http://www.nokia.com/betalabs/maps
Category: moblog
mobile blog notes
Nokia Pervasive Games seminar
Today, the final Helsinki trip and seminar of the week: Pervasive Games seminar, run by our IPerG collaborator Nokia Research Center (and some of our own previous and ex-researchers, like Markus Montola, pictured). Time to lean back and enjoy listening other people doing the speaking, for a change. Pity that we have now flu in our family, and I am a bit worried how Laura and Luka will manage back home today…
Social Gaming panel (MindTrek)
As my most probably final note, I think that this years’ MindTrek conference was actually pretty successful and managed to provide a nice balance of research/scholarship and practical/industry related presentations so that most did find at least something of interest. Here is my final photo, taken from the note I scribbled during the panel talk in session Social Gaming, chaired by Olli Sotamaa. It was fun and inspiring discussion — thanks all!
Playing together, business panel
Continuing my blog stream from MindTrek: I went to listen to the “Business of Playing Together” session with Ville Mujunen, Joakim Achrén and Jussi Laakkonen (chaired by Peter Vesterbacka). I made some notes during Jussi’s talk:
Blizzard/Vivendi made 517 million in profit in 2007 from WoW. On the other hand, it will cost 50 million dollars to make a MMO. Facebook games are already making million dollars per year in revenue (e.g. Friends for Sale, MobWars). Introducing concept ‘FunWare’; providing games-like interaction for non-game applications.
Marc Davis in MindTrek
Today is the second day of MindTrek conference, and I am happy just to lean back, listen, and participate as an audience. This camera-photo is taken during the opening session, showing the chief scientist (Yahoo’s Connected Life) Marc Davis speaking about social media from a system oriented and ecosystem perspective.
MindTrek conference starting today
I am today, tomorrow and until Thursday participating in the MindTrek conference, first as the chair of the Games Track in Tuesday, then giving a short presentation on SoPlay project in Thursday. See the program (note two versions!) here:
J.P. Gee's lecture in Helsinki
Jim Gee is offering an interesting lecture today in Helsinki University. I wanted to hear him comment on the state of literacy and the current dilemmas the US is facing, and he did not disappoint. Games provide valuable tools for learning to understand and to handle complex systems with multiple interrelated variables. (Something that people responsible for the US economy were not apparently capable to manage.) Interesting opportunities are also opened up for future collaboration, considering that our University Alliance games & learning spearhead group will be focusing exactly on similar themes.
Imaginary Japan Conference
Today I am again in Helsinki, this time participating in the Imaginary Japan Conference; see: http://sets.wordpress.com/category/imaginary-japan-conference/
Much really interesting talk about Japan, its role in the world of new media and media culture. My talk is titled “Japanese Fantasy and the East-West Dialectic”. (Pictured is Ateneum, where they have a Hokusai exhibition — much of Japan going around today!)
AVEK Award to Pia Lindman
It looks like this will be one of those 13-hour work days. But lets not complain when everything you work on is so interesting and challenging. The late-night part of today’s agenda was acting the part of award jury and handing the 2008 AVEK media art award to Pia Lindman (pictured). She is really interesting contemporary artist, with work that explores topical yet timeless themes like emotions and universal/inter-cultural communication with wit and intelligence. Congratulations! (And shame on me for not remembering to thank fellow juries Minna Tarkka and Janne Gallen-Kallela-Sirén for their crucial expertise in my short speech — my only apology is that I saw the program and realized that I would be speaking only half-an-hour before I was on the LUME main stage…) More on the event e.g. in Helsingin Sanomat and in the AVEK info bulletin.
Gambling seminar
Rahapeliseminaari
Originally uploaded by FransBadger
I am today participating in a gambling addiction seminar in Helsinki (in SES Auditorium, under the “Kino K-13” sign pictured). The speakers are providing an update on the dark side of gaming in Finland in 2008. I will be presenting our own studies of the player experiences and control issues of online poker in two weeks (an invitation-only seminar in Sept. 24th, organised by SOCCA/Helsinki).
frans goes blog 
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