Sometimes you just never know from where the cool news is going to originate; hence my somewhat eclectic linklist. So in an effort to gain additional insight into something that’s recently piqued my interest, I surfed over to Appliance Manufacturer and read the surprising announcement of a “virtual tradeshow”. From their breaking news article (Link):

Responding to the need for a trade show devoted to space and water heating equipment and products, the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Associaton (GAMA) announced the launch of its first “Heating Technology Expo,” a virtual trade show to run online concurrently with GAMA’s 71st Annual Meeting scheduled for April 8-11, 2006 in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.

Sounds pretty exciting, doesn’t it? It does to me. Probably because about ten years ago I suggested my employer use CAD files for more than cutting steel molds; they could be released as branded videogame content, embedded in sales and marketing presentations, composited into television commercials, aso. I just couldn’t understand why no one was looking to leverage all the content we were creating (at considerable cost I might add). And here it finally looks as if commodity appliance manufacturers are finally coming round; they’re finally starting to understand that just because they manufacture low-tech, low-margin product in a fiercely competitive market, there still might be something going on over in the high-tech industry of worth to them (even if “smart appliances” didn’t pan out).

Whoops. Not so fast, young man. This may not be quite what it sounds. To continue:

“Booths” in the virtual trade show will have an area where attendees can “drop”their electronic business cards, and each exhibitor will receive a list of all Expo attendees and a list of those who visit their specific booths.

I think we’re going to need a definition of the word “booth”. This certainly sounds like nothing more than a website with some Guestbook code – a long, long way from the 3D virtual trade show I was imagining. Instead, it appears this might be an example of why I visited the site in the first place: limited horizontal expertise. I hope I’m wrong.

There was an article on one of the “home product” websites last year. It pointed out how CEO’s from high-tech companies typically crashed and burned when they were given the reins of a low-tech, commodity product manufacturing company. I wish I had a link to it.

Via Blue’s News comes word that IGA, the in-game advertising company involved in the recent Subway ad placement scandal (if you can call it that; read about it in my earlier post – Link), has reached an amicable agreement with Valve Software, the company on the receiving end of their ad-tention. From the entry over on Blue’s (Link):

Valve and IGA have announced that they are pleased to have reached a swift and professional resolution of any issues that may have existed between them, IGA’s advertisers and IGA’s advertising agencies. Valve and IGA look forward to discussing mutually beneficial opportunities in the future.

After the recent infusement of investment dollars into IGA’s coffers (see this recent story – Link), I guess no one should be surprised.

I’m not really all that impressed with the exterior of the new Rinspeed Design concept, zaZen, but I’m digging some of the interior details. I especially like all the transparency; from the roof dome to the Technogel® upholstery (whatever the heck that is). Nice way to showcase some cutting edge technology.

Go check out the Rinspeed Design website (Link) for more information and imagery. You might also want to check out the Protoscar site (Link). Apparently they’re doing most if not all of the 3D modeling for Rinspeed.

via Core77

{Image Copyright © Rinspeed Design Corporation}

Via C|Net (Link):

Technology innovations are more likely to come from someone’s living room than from the corporate boardroom or even an entrepreneur’s garage, says Frank Moss, the newly named director of the MIT Media Lab.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology announced Wednesday that Moss is heading its Media Lab.
…
But in his mind, technology users are increasingly setting the direction of inventions, rather than corporate research labs or venture capital-funded start-ups.

“I think a lot of innovation will come from a different place. It will trickle down further so that innovation will come from the consumer, whereas in the past they were the recipient” of new technologies, Moss said Wednesday.
…
The MIT Media Lab will continue doing research in a number of areas, as it already does. But Moss said that he would like to have participants take their ideas beyond the “demo,” or demonstration, phases.

Instead, Moss thinks that the Media Lab should be involved in making prototypes, which will help the lab make a broader impact.

I like this guy already. It’s a long way from a $100 Laptop demo the previous director has been promoting to an actual prototype… as I mentioned in an earlier post (Link). Sounds like MIT has someone in charge who groks that. Awesome news.

Not surprising but still interesting to see is an article over on Wired discussing the rapidly increasing interest in virtual sex in videogames. Okay, maybe not increasing interest … more like increasing acknowledgement of interest. Businesses know there’s a ton of money in it. How to most effectively get at that money is the real issue. From the article (Link):

“Mature themes and sexual content in games is huge,” said Brenda Brathwaite, conference chair and leader of the International Game Developers Association Sex special interest group. “The adult game market is taking off like a rocket!”

Brathwaite pointed to titles such as VirtuallyJenna, Playboy: The Mansion and even God of War as proof that sex is gaining a solid foothold in the video-game industry.

After my own experience watching traffic skyrocket following the release of Virtual Eve (see my post regarding that situation – Link), I’ve been wondering just how quickly things would be “stimulated”. Well, considering we now have another acronym to serve as a benchmark (MMOEG), I’d say penetration could be “huge” in spite of current concerns regarding distribution. Heck, let them set up a streaming service; “Steamed”.

The only thing that article (and this entry) needs is a few more double-entendre’s. That and perhaps a little more information on how ex-Doom/ Quake programmer Dave Taylor coded his simulation engine to improve realism. No aimbots allowed, guys.