When the platform changes, the leaders change.

Wordperfect had a virtual monopoly on word processing in big firms that used DOS. Then Windows arrived and the folks at Wordperfect didn't feel the need to hurry in porting themselves to the new platform. They had achieved lock-in after all, and why support Microsoft?

In less than a year, they were toast.

When the game machine platform of choice switches from Sony to xBox to Nintendo, etc., the list of bestelling games change and new companies become dominant.

When the platform for music shifted from record stores to iTunes, the power shifted too, and many labels were crushed.

Again and again the same rules apply. In fact, they always do. When the platform changes, the deck gets shuffled.

Think this only applies to software?

The platform for healthcare changed from independent doctor's offices and small practices to hospitals and hmos.

The platform for TV changed from airwaves to wires (so HBO and ESPN win, NBC loses).

The platform for cars is changing from gas engines to alternatives.

And the platform for books is changing (fast!) to e-books and readers. Just published today: the Vook multimedia production of Unleashing the Ideavirus. The price will increase to $5 in two weeks, but right now it's 99 cents. It runs on the web and on your iphone [try this link too] (and the iPad on April 3rd.)

Here's the thing: Vook abridged it, built it, filmed it and distributed it in less than ninety days. They have a software application that they can use again and again for other titles. They've organized themselves to be profitable at a profit margin that few big book publishers can match.

Once again, the platform changes. Insiders become outsiders and new opportunities abound.

The best-laid plans to give clothing as a gift can be foiled in an instant for lack of the recipient's correct size. Aiming to banish such disappointments once and for all, Belgian OrgaSizer offers an online place to check... Springwise http://www.springwise.com

Aesthetically pleasing as they may be, windows are typically a drain on a building's energy efficiency. Enter Smart Energy Glass, a new innovation from Dutch Peer+ that turns windows into solar energy collectors with a customisable appearance. Not only... Springwise http://www.springwise.com

Aesthetically pleasing as they may be, windows are typically a drain on a building's energy efficiency. Enter Smart Energy Glass, a new innovation from Dutch Peer+ that turns windows into solar energy collectors with a customisable appearance.

Not only are Smart Energy Glass windows available in several colours, but they can switch between three modes: dark, bright and privacy, which scatters the light passing through. Even better, the glass serves to collect solar energy, which can then be used directly or fed back to the grid.

Users can control the darkness mode of the windows at will, depending on light conditions and energy concerns. Privacy mode generates the most energy, while bright mode is the least productive. Corporate logos can even be incorporated into the glass, Peer+ says.

Peer+ is currently working on its first pilots in the Netherlands, and is seeking further projects for testing. One to get in on early for a little eco-bounty of your own...? (Related: Thin, flexible solar paneling — Solar panels shaped like clay roof tiles.)

Website: www.peerplus.nl
Contact: t.wagenaar@peerplus.nl

Spotted by: Simonn Jagers

We've seen the crowdsourcing contest model applied to everything from business documents to doughnut design. The latest spotting? One Billion Minds, a prize-led innovation platform that connects problem-solving scholars with solution-seeking companies and non-profits.

One Billion Minds challenges student and alumni crowds from universities worldwide to come up with innovative solutions to real-world problems. Challenges range from designing a USD 1 teaching aid for the education of children to developing an innovative solution for the garbage disposal problem in Kolkata. Prizes from the participating corporations include cash, professional recognition, and opportunities to interview for full-time or internship positions. Members can compete as individuals or teams.

In public beta as of September 2009, One Billion Minds is on a mission to change the world by unleashing the power of a billion minds on challenges in the areas of design, engineering, science, business, technology and social innovation. Something to get involved in to make that happen? (Related: Crowdsourcing economic solutions for Ireland.)

Website: www.onebillionminds.com
Contact: general.inquiry@onebillionminds.com

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann 

When we wrote about Bamboo Bike Studio late last year, we noted the company's involvement in the Bamboo Bike Project, which seeds bamboo bike factories in developing countries. Working towards a similar goal is Calfee Design, which is helping entrepreneurs in the developing world make locally sourced bamboo bicycles for domestic and international sale.

Calfee Design has been manufacturing and selling its own bamboo bikes from its California studios since 2005, but a trip to Africa inspired founder Craig Calfee to promote the concept in Africa. In 2008, through an initiative called Bamboosero, Calfee set up two bike-building groups in Ghana—one in the capital, Accra, and one in Abompe. Both groups now build frames for several bike designs using locally sourced bamboo; they then ship those frames back to Calfee's shop, where the US team adds wheels and hardware before sending them on to distributors.

The Ghanaian entrepreneurs earn about USD 150 for every frame they build, while the finished bikes are sold for about USD 950 each, according to a report on SantaCruz.com. By December 2009, Calfee had sold 28 Bamboosero bikes and sent six back to Ghana for use by tourists and locals, the site reported.

Calfee hopes to expand the ranks of its bicycle entrepreneurs both in Ghana and in other developing countries, as well as to bolster the supply chain of bicycle parts for those local teams. One to sponsor, partner with or otherwise get involved in? (Related: Low-cost bicycles for (not only) the rural poor — Used Danish bikes help African poor.)

Websites: www.bamboosero.com and www.calfeedesign.com
Contact: craig@calfeedesign.com

Spotted by: Brian Yang

It's been a while since we've come across any new efforts involving vending machines, but recently a nice one in the Paris Métro caught our eye. A week before Valentine's Day, fragrance retailer Sephora installed a series of machines at various Métro stations dedicated to selling Calvin Klein's CK One scent in a special, portable size.

From February 7 through February 20, visitors to the Métro's La Défense, Charles de Gaulle-Étoile, Montparnasse and Miromesnil stations could buy a special 15ml size of CK One at an on-site "CK One Pocket Store" by Sephora. Priced at EUR 10, the limited-edition pocket size is also available through Sephora itself. The vending-machine concept was created by Paris agency Nouveau Jour, which says it expects to use it abroad as well. A video on Daily Motion shows the campaign in action.

Another option, of course, would have been for Sephora to use the vending machines to give out free samples of the fragrances, much the way Fosfor's Boobox does. Either way, however, the approach is sure to generate far more interest and trials among trysumers than a traditional advert ever could. Keep the vending-machine ideas coming! (Related: Upscale vending machine sells curated luxury goods — Vending machines sell after-party shoes — Vending machines sell bathing suits at hotel pools — Touch-screen machine for interactive vending — Best Buy starts vending at airports.)

Website: www.sephora.fr
Contact: serviceclients@sephora.fr

The best-laid plans to give clothing as a gift can be foiled in an instant for lack of the recipient's correct size. Aiming to banish such disappointments once and for all, Belgian OrgaSizer offers an online place to check the sizes and preferences of loved ones and friends.

Users of OrgaSizer begin by registering with their age, location and gender, among other information. They can then enter all their sizes and preferences for a variety of different types of clothing. Along the way, users can decide what information they'd like to share with others, and exactly whom they'd like to share it with. Nothing is ever publicly shared, OrgaSizer stresses. Users can also create wish lists and request reminders about important gift-giving dates. Ultimately, the idea is that shoppers hoping to purchase a gift can then check the site from wherever they happen to be to see what the recipient wants, and in what sizes or variations.

OrgaSizer is still smoothing out the edges on its site, which at present is available only in English. More languages are coming soon, along with advertising support, it's hoped. Clothing brands and retailers around the globe: one to sponsor, partner with or otherwise get involved in? (Related: Gift-giving simplified through a prepaid plan — Never forget to send a birthday card.)

Website: www.orgasizer.com
Contact: www.orgasizer.com/Contact.aspx

We've seen several efforts recently to bring Facebook photos into the offline world, such as HotPrints' free, advert-supported albums. Now bringing such capabilities to brick-and-mortar stores comes a new initiative from Kodak that lets consumers print online photos from Facebook and Picasa using its in-store kiosks.

Starting this summer, users of Kodak Picture Kiosks will be able to access their web albums on Facebook and Picasa as well as Kodak's own Kodak Gallery service. The kiosks will make 4x6in (102x152mm) prints of the photos, provided the resolution is high enough to make a quality print. Kodak says it also intends to connect with other social networking sites around the globe.

Given that more than 3 billion photos are uploaded to Facebook alone each month, there are plenty of opportunities for forging OFF=ON connections for consumers whose memories increasingly reside in the virtual world. How can your brand help make those memories more tangible? (Related: Mini web-to-print photo albums.)

Website: www.kodak.com
Contact: tinyurl.com/emailkodak

Spotted by: Judy McRae

When we wrote about Bamboo Bike Studio late last year, we noted the company's involvement in the Bamboo Bike Project, which seeds bamboo bike factories in developing countries. Working towards a similar goal is Calfee Design, which is helping... Springwise http://www.springwise.com

Old time factories had a linear layout, because there was just one steam engine driving one drive shaft. Every machine in the shop had to line up under the shaft (connected by a pulley) in order to get power.

That metaphor extended to the people working in the factory. Each person was hired and trained and arranged to maximize output. The goal was to engage the factory, to feed it, maintain it and have it produce efficiently.

Distribution was designed in sync with the factory. You wanted to have the right number of trucks and drivers to handle whatever the factory produced and to get it where it needed to go.

Marketing was driven by the factory as well. The goal of marketing was to sell whatever the factory could produce in a given month, for as much money and as little overhead as possible.

And things like customer service and community relations were expenses, things you did in order to keep the factory out of trouble.

So...

What happens when the factory goes away?

What if the organization has no engine in the center that makes something. What if that's outsourced? What if you produce a service or traffic in ideas? What happens when the revolution comes along (the post-industrial revolution) and now all the value lies in the stuff you used to do because you had to, not because you wanted to?

Now it doesn't matter where you sit. Now it doesn't matter whether or not you're adding to the efficiency or productivity of the machine. Now you don't market to sell what you made, you make to satisfy the market. Now, the market and the consumer and idea trump the system.

Suddenly, the power is in a different place, and the organization must change or else the donut collapses.

Old time factories had a linear layout, because there was just one steam engine driving one drive shaft. Every machine in the shop had to line up under the shaft (connected by a pulley) in order to get power. That... Seth Godin

We've seen the crowdsourcing contest model applied to everything from business documents to doughnut design. The latest spotting? One Billion Minds, a prize-led innovation platform that connects problem-solving scholars with solution-seeking companies and non-profits. One Billion Minds challenges student... Springwise http://www.springwise.com

Extreme sports such as bungee-jumping from the Macau Tower may well be enough to satisfy the adrenaline needs of the majority of premium thrill-seekers. Those still wishing for more, however, have a new alternative: they can pay to be... Springwise http://www.springwise.com

Extreme sports such as bungee-jumping from the Macau Tower may well be enough to satisfy the adrenaline needs of the majority of premium thrill-seekers. Those still wishing for more, however, have a new alternative: they can pay to be kidnapped, without warning, by French Ultime Réalité.

"Kidnapping", "Manhunt" and "Go-Fast Adventure" are all among the standard services Ultime Réalité offers, but it's open to special requests. Through the company's simulated kidnapping packages, for instance, the participant is abducted without warning—after leaving a restaurant, say, or in the supermarket parking lot. Paying "victims" are then bound, gagged and imprisoned for four or 10 hours (depending on the scenario they choose), allowing them to experience the terror of the real thing. Additional elements such as ransom, escapes and helicopter chases can also be involved. Manhunt packages, meanwhile, can last either one or two days, with the option to play the role of either hunter or prey. Then there's the Go-Fast Adventure, where participants take the role of a drug dealer smuggling cargo on the high seas. Finally, a recently added "extreme" package allows clients to wake up on an autopsy table in a morgue, surrounded by corpses and body bags. Pricing on a basic kidnap package is EUR 900.

Just a few weeks into its launch, Ultime Réalité was already getting as many as two requests per day, according to Reuters primarily from top-level executives seeking an extreme-sports alternative. Don't look now, but the premium bar just got raised again... (Related: Paparazzi for the rest of us.)

Website: www.ultimerealite.fr
Contact: contact@ultimerealite.fr

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann

As the electronic age puts physical bookstores and libraries under increasing threat, Local Books is a great example of how, by encouraging a resurgence of consumer interest at a local level, new technologies can be used to provide a... Springwise http://www.springwise.com

As the electronic age puts physical bookstores and libraries under increasing threat, Local Books is a great example of how, by encouraging a resurgence of consumer interest at a local level, new technologies can be used to provide a shot in the arm for traditional outlets. Launched in January, it's a free iPhone app that allows users to search an area for bookstores, libraries and literary events such as readings, book discussions and signings.

Local Books is powered by LibraryThing Local—a crowdsourced database of 51,000 bookstores and libraries around the world. Users can search for these "venues" by name or by location. The details provided for venues include maps plus (when available) descriptions, photographs, links, and information about upcoming events at those establishments. Venues and events can be sorted by distance, name, type and date.

At present Local Books does not show inventories from bookstores and libraries. We wouldn't be surprised to see this feature available from them or from someone else in the near future. Could that be you? (Related: Online platform connecting booklovers.)

Website: www.librarything.com/blog/2010/01/local-books-iphone-application.php
Contact: tim@librarything.com

Spotted by: Los Angeles Times via Jim Stewart

This is deceptive. You don't rock all the time. No one does. No one is a rock star, superstar, world-changing artist all the time. In fact, it's a self-defeating goal. You can't do it. No, but you might rock five... Seth Godin

This is deceptive.

You don't rock all the time. No one does. No one is a rock star, superstar, world-changing artist all the time. In fact, it's a self-defeating goal. You can't do it.

No, but you might rock five minutes a day.

Five minutes to write a blog post that changes everything, or five minutes to deliver an act of generosity that changes someone. Five minutes to invent a great new feature, or five minutes to teach a groundbreaking skill in a way that no one ever thought of before. Five minutes to tell the truth (or hear the truth).

Five minutes a day you might do exceptional work, remarkable work, work that matters. Five minutes a day you might defeat the lizard brain long enough to stand up and make a difference.

And five minutes of rocking would be enough, because it would be five minutes more than just about anyone else.

We've seen several efforts recently to bring Facebook photos into the offline world, such as HotPrints' free, advert-supported albums. Now bringing such capabilities to brick-and-mortar stores comes a new initiative from Kodak that lets consumers print online photos from... Springwise http://www.springwise.com