The Social Netbook

It is perhaps reasonably well known that i won a Netbook courtesy of Vodafone last month. As soon as i got it I started to think about how it could make its way into the everyday lives of the people i know. So, here are a couple of suggestions:

Social Software
The first thing is that these Netboos need to come pre-bundled with social software. Most people won't buy a Netbook to write code or even compile documents. Most will buy them to "get on the web" as Netbooks are a great opportunity to point them at things to do.

I imagine a wizard in startup that suggests the services you may like to use, takes you through a signing up process and installs and configures the appropriate software for you.

An example is ...

1. Configure an OpenID account
2. Create Twitter account (they should be doing (1) by now!) and install software
3. Create a flickr and twitpic account and configure appropriately.
4. Set up friendfeed.
5. Create a MySpace/Facebook account and store shortcuts.
6. Install UStream/Qik and configure an account.
7. Email account.
8. blah dee blah ...

(Other suggestions ??)

Cloud Services
We're talking about a lightweight laptop that has limited disk space and less than the typical laptop in terms of memory and processor speeds. It is pretty much reliant on you being online. So why not use the cloud??

An example ...

1. An Amazon/Mesh storage account direct from your desktop ... via your OpenID account ;)
2. Allow direct storage and management of pictures, video and so on on the clound (maybe on top of (1)).
3. Perhaps even EC2 could be somehow synchd with Netbooks to allow complex calculations to be carried out on the cloud. Idea here?

In short there is potentially a huge opportunity for services to get on board this new wave of laptop and whilst rolling out an empty laptop works fine for me, there are many others who could climb on board the social wagon if they were given some help along the way!

Who else uses a Netbook? What do you think?

Xtranormal - create your own 3D animation

Keeping the kids amuzed on a Sunday morning can be somewhat slow, but when @joecar mentioned Xtranormal to us this morning we tried it out... and how addictive it has become. To me, sure - but my 5 yr old loves it.

So we created a story (i helped him out but all the ideas, script, names and so on were his and you can perhaps guess someof his influences!).

Here is it below - you can also see it here and in youtube . I suggest you try it out - some things still to be worked on, but in general very, very well done.

Secret Santa on Twitter

This Christmas i'm running a secret santa on Twitter.

The idea is that - you contact me with your twitter name and you will be added to the list - this will stop on Friday December 12 (I'll extend to December 19 if need be).

You will then be contacted with the twitter username of the person you are to get a "gift" for. The gift can be a cool URL, a connection with someone, a beta invite - anything useful (probably best avoid sending anything involving advertising).

When done (i.e. after i have contacted a secret link), you simply send the following:

@username #secretsanta [message]

The #secretsanta is just so we can follow this happening (and the person knows why you are contacting them).

If wished, i could publish the list after Christmas.

Update - Who's involved?

@weblivz
@katiebarrowman
@jenjeng
@KyleMacRae
@holeinhiseye
@salidatious
@garymurning
@peewii
@frontofficebox
@jimwolffman