At The End Of The Day

If You're Reading This, Get A Life

The New York Times has been running a fascinating series on how a digital existence affects our very existence. Overall, the stories show viewpoints on how continuous digital connections deprive our ability to recharge, connect with important people in our lives (you know, spouses, children), affect our personalities and create a general sense that, while we are connected, we are missing something.

Read just some of the stories, then think about whether you are too connected. I find this happening with some of the new toys out there, including Foursquare and Facebook Places. Do we really need this much connectivity? Does this really help us connect?

I wonder if people will be able to flush digital from their systems, even for a short time. There are several people in the office who are in the middle of the Fat Flush system. No comment here on whether that is effective. But, could they undertake a Digital Flush? I expect that would be a much harder task to complete. Now, gotta go check my emails.

Aging and Interface

You know what sucks?  When you open a word document, and you automatically have to set the zoom at 125% because 100% makes the type too small.  You think they could auto-set such things so I don't have to do that every time?

I guess I could do that too.

What are the odds

Two statistical messages jump out at me today. The first is Tiger Woods' chances of winning the Masters golf tournament.  Several sports web sites have Tiger at just about even money.

The second is from Jack Myers newsletter, where you can vote on who is likely to be voted off American Idol this week. That country..whatever, Kristy Lee Cook, is the current "favorite," with 40% of Myers readers predicting she is gone.  Of course, no one remembers that last year, no one was voted off during Idol Gives Back week.

This leads to some interesting comparisons, like, "she has as much chance of winning as Tiger has of losing."  Etc.

At The End Of The Day in no way condones sports betting or any other sort of illegal activity that might in any way be considered fun. 

Wha' happened?

Politics is usually off-limits on this blog.  However, the New Hampshire democratic primary result  presents a research situation that is worth reviewing. The Newspaper of Record's story is interesting in its review of the media's role in predicting the outcome of the primary.  Buried on page 2 is more analysis of why polls did not accurately predict the outcome.

The research tool used helps explain the outcome.  These are public opinion polls.  They were shown here to be poor predictors of future behavior.  They measure the resonance of a particular position on a respondent's opinion.  However, they do not predict how that opinion may change based on messages delivered or the manner in which they are received. 

Such research, practiced already by marketers, can be expensive and time consuming.  In the go-go-go of an election, quick polls are needed by campaigns to drive news stories on how popular the candidates are.  They are also needed by news organizations to drive interest in their own stories, which leads to more readership or viewership and, ultimately, higher ratings and more advertising dollars.  Oh my.

TXT ME OK?

Today's Media Research Brief from Mediapost cites a study from OTX about teens attitudes towards their cell phones.

The research says that teens use cell phones to stay in touch, not to look cool.  The study release is worth reviewing as there is lots of valuable information.  However, I disagree with the conclusion.  Who has a teen at home?  Who has watched him or her text a friend, live, rather than talk?  Is that about convenience?

The truth is, staying connected is being cool.  The last thing a teen wants to be is out of touch.  Therein lies the cool of the cell phone. 

While the survey also cites that only 41% of teens say that the benefits of owning a cell phone include "my friends admire it because of its features," try giving them a phone without the latest.  Worse, try living with a teen that doesn't have the latest features bundle on a cell phone.