Buying American Made Underwear on Kickstarter… Go!

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Rob Blatt

The internet (the internet I read) is talking about the Flint and Tinder Kickster project. It’s not only because the lead guy is wearing the Rob Blatt glasses from Warby Parker, but it helps.

It hits a nerve to talk about American made clothing, especially during a presidential election year. I can’t be the only one who was a little touched by the idea of American made undies, because Flint and Tinder has made over six times their goal and there’s still time to get in on it.

The bottom line is that I’m gonna cover my ass and help make some jobs in America. You can too.

Posted in random | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Tighten Your Radius with the Kilometer Hack

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Rob Blatt

Here’s a quick little hack to make life easier, especially when you’re looking to get a tight radius in an app like Seamless.

While the United States has mostly shunned the metric system, you can use kilometers instead of miles in most apps to your advantage. If you want a tighter radius than one mile (the default in Seamless on the iPhone), switch the unit of measurement to kilometers. Instead of one mile, you’ll get food from the nearest 0.62 miles. Instead of the nearest half mile, you’ll get the nearest 0.31 miles.

Enjoy!

Posted in lifehacks | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Fun Tech from SXSW: The GE Social Fridge

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Rob Blatt

The rules were simple: Check in 10 times and the fridge opens. I had some doubts that it would actually work, but on check-in #10 on Foursquare the fridge opened and everyone cheered! I had a Diet Dr. Pepper and checked out the rest of the GE Garage.

It was one of those little pieces of tech at SXSW that really captured my imagination for a moment. I wasn’t the only one, Matthew Knell also noted it one of the best brand activations at SXSW. Jay-Z, a Social Fridge and Cats vs. Humans: The Best Brand Activations at SXSW 2012.

Read more about the Social Fridge at iStrategyLabs’ blog.

Posted in analysis | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chase the Unicorn: The Funnest iPhone App from SXSW 2012

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Rob Blatt

“What’s the next Twitter or Foursquare?”

That’s the question too many people ask at SXSW (I’m guilty of it as well). Sometime you’ve gotta look for the ridiculous, and I found it thanks to my buddy Derek Overbey from Roost.

Chase the Unicorn was the most fun iPhone app from SXSW 2012. Here’s the developer’s description:

Ever been taunted by the elusive unicorn, sowing its seed of doubt whether you are at the best SXSW party or venue? Have you tried to chase the unicorn, foolishly dashing all night from one place to the next? Well, here’s the answer to your woes. Now you can track the unicorn, letting it magically lead you to where the best party is currently happening. Simply open up the app and head for where the unicorns at. Let the magic take over and enjoy your evening knowing you’re having a cooler time than everybody else. Note: this app is not officially affiliated with SXSW Inc.

Who is the Unicorn? Read the SXSW Unicorn Twitter account and read deep enough and you’ll find the answer.

Posted in technology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Love Your Party, What Does Your Company Do?

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Rob Blatt

Going from party to party at SXSW sometimes leaves me a little confused. Karaoke with a thousand people hanging out in the space with free drinks and BBQ? Wonderful. Who was the sponsor? I’m not sure. It’s not that I didn’t ask, it’s more that I didn’t remember. Maybe there were a few sponsors? Who knows.

Year after year there are companies that go to extremes to gain favorability at SXSW by throwing the largest party with the most free booze or food, but they seem to forget about themselves in the shuffle. Who’s the sponsor? What do they make? What product are they promoting this year? Very often those items are forgotten in favor of a quick “thank you” on a microphone from a founder or CEO.

Don’t forget that we, the attendees of SXSW, are here to learn about and play with new things. If you’re taking the time to rent out a bar for a night and offer free drinks, make sure to educate us on why you’re doing so.

Posted in analysis | Tagged , | 2 Comments