8.30.2008

6 word stories

There's the famous challenge, issued to famous writers, to write a story in six words. Hemingway's went something like, "For sale: baby shoes. Never worn."

I would like to take on this challenge.


He never meant to wake up.

She smelled perfume. Not her brand.

Before the procedure, they were twins.

New pet. New car. One survivor.

"Love you," he said. She paused.

Are you pregnant?
No.
New hairdo?

Alimony paid for her first honeymoon.

When he ducked, she got shot.

Inbox: 0. Sent: 32. Still sorry.

50th anniversary. 30th reunion. No regrets.


Main discovery - it's much easier to write sad stories. Is this the format or just me?

8.29.2008

Ideas for iPhone apps and sponsors

iRot
A DVR program that works remotely to set up your television recordings. You can set the DVR to record, see what you have recorded and search for upcoming shows.

The obvious choices for companies would be cable companies or TiVo. Channels, like the TV Guide Channel, could bring this service to you individually, as well. Other more random ideas include: Entertainment Weekly, Pop Secret


i Got Connections
This program would be incredibly simple, a lot like contacts but with a camera component. You get a business card, you take a photo of the front and back, input the last and first name and then give the card back. Eventually, if enough people had the program, you could exchange cards without the paper card altogether. "Send my card to iPhones in the vicinity."

Obvious sponsors include Rolodex and calendar companies. You could also use an environmental company or Monster.com/Careerbuilder.com.


Classified
An apartment-finding application that's user-run. It's like craigslist with a map feature. You're in your apartment and trying to rent it. You take pictures on your iPhone then pinpoint your location on the map. Prices, pictures, location, directions from your Current Location, surrounding apartments for rent, everything renters need to know is all there.

Craigslist could obviously be a sponsor, assuming this was a paid service. IKEA and other furniture or home companies would fit. Or a realtor could steal the entire thing for their properties exclusively.

8.28.2008

Give and take dot com

This is an idea I've wanted to see happen for quite some time.

Sites have registries easily available for baby gifts and wedding gifts, but it's usually on the companies' individual pages. I think there should be an online registry available, independent of any individual company, for any occasion that you can create for yourself.

Here's how it would work. Let's say I had a registry under my name. I am not engaged or preggers, so my registry would currently be general. I'd go on there, input my name, my birthday, holidays I celebrate, anniversary dates, etc. Then I'd start a general list because nothing is coming up right now. I'd go to sites, pick out things I wanted, link them back to the page where they would be inputted as a small photo, a price and a link to the site. (I guess if things were really awesome, you could order it from here.)

My friends, family, adoring fans could access this list at any time. They could also see when my birthday or holidays were coming.

Well, once Christmas rolled around, I'd make a list for that, moving things from my general list into there. I could also send an e-card to my family, telling them where my list was. Same thing for my birthday.

Of course you could create baby and wedding gift lists in here too, sending e-cards as well. And your guests wouldn't have to go access different sites to see what you were asking for.

And like a normal registry, the site would keep a running list of who bought what for any occasion. This list would also be available to the gift receiver to help them create thank you cards after the gift arrives.

Ways the site could make money:
Advertisers could pay to be included in suggestions for users, kind of like the Amazon "also recommend" function.
Paying advertisers would also be considered for the Top Ten lists, available in all categories. Top ten most given, top ten most requested, etc.
There could be a one-time low fee site for users (though this would discourage use.)

How are people going to hear about it:
The site would need some hype, of course. Hello Oprah...
Participating stores would be sent window decals, cards and more to make available to browsing shoppers.
The site could be connected to Facebook's birthday reminders. If you want, you could have it say "see what she wants" beside your reminder.
Ads would run online on shopping sites and in women's magazines.
The site would send birthday e-cards to anyone whose birthday they could access, several weeks in advance, informing them of the site.
Small ads could be run in card aisles.
Around big gift-giving holidays, ads would run targeted to men, asking them, "Don't you wish you knew what she wanted?"
The site would also partner with wedding planners, informing them of the service, perhaps offering discounts on certain things.