Update: Why wait for the transition team to make mobile streaming of the inauguration happen when, as I wrote, the technology already exists? I've now created a Qik group so we can stream the Inauguration events from our video phones and everyone can watch! Details below the fold.
From yesterday's post:
As part of the ongoing social technology revolution from Team Obama, on January 7, 2009, they unleashed USAservice.org, an independent, non-partisan social network for civic engagement in America. Exactly one month earlier, on this site, I wrote a post promoting exactly that (and took much flack for the "non-partisan" part, but I stand by it proudly at this wonderful new site!).
The world as we know it just changed. But I, of course, want to change it more.
Update:
Why wait for USAservice.org to make mobile streaming of the inauguration happen when, as I wrote, the technology already exists? So now, I've created a Qik group where we can stream the Inauguration events from our video phones and everyone can watch!
If you will be in DC for Inauguration week, create a free account at Qik and join the "Presidential Inauguration 2009" group. Download the video streaming software to your cell, and on the Big Day(s) we all can stream what we are witnessing from all over D.C. - and everyone can watch for free. (Once you start streaming, "share" the video to that group.)
Bookmark this, everyone: http://qik.com/... - that's where you can go to watch live video from Kossacks across DC on Inauguration Day.
Yesterday's post:
The world as we know it just changed. But I, of course, want to change it more.
Three things immediately leap out as I surf USAservice.org. It is clearly a fledgling site. It pays important homage to our recent but powerful history of digital social engagement. And it is one stunning, united step away from becoming a marker in time: "Before USAservice.org" and "After USAservice.org." Each of these is a great thing - and I have suggestions/requests/expectations (ha!) to make each even better.
Let's start with the beta-ness of it all.... In the real, navigable "USAservice.org," instead, I face a blank page to enter my zip code and begin...
Suggestion #1 is to take a nod from the new content aggregation movement and let site users fill in the rest of their own page, around that simple zip code box. In fact, the technology for customized, widget-driven site pages already exists as a core of sites such as Netvibes, iGoogle and, of course, The CLIC.
So now I invite you to imagine your personalized experience at USAservice.gov, where you can choose from thousands of widgets to fill your home page. Some widgets are government-sponsored, others are independently created by civic organizations, educational institutions, etc. Which widgets would you populate your page with? Maybe:
- a Habitat for Humanities news and volunteer feed,
- the Dept of Energy's "Innovation through Technology" blog,
- a TreePeople LA Flickr widget with the before and after slide shows of neighborhoods they've beautified,
- the default POTUS widget, streaming Obama video, quotes, news conferences, etc.
- a list of all the events you are engaged in, etc.
The second item of note regarding this new network is the tribute it pays to the recent explosion in online social entrepreneurship and political engagement... What is to be learned and applied still, I believe, is a concrete, shared, defined goal at the site.
Suggestion #2, then, is to widgetize USAservice.gov so that all of the organizations in America can custom-build experiences that we can add to our page to create our own daily, digital vision of engagement...
The final point of impact upon visiting the site is...what will be the moment, the call to action, the single event that drives everyone to the site on one day and brings us together as Americans?
Suggestion #3 is that USAservice.org devote what must be unimaginable existing server space to streaming video on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. Let all six million of us who will be filling the streets, malls, museums, trees, car hoods and bus tops of DC create mobile streaming accounts with customized URLs, just like our BarackObama.com blog pages. And let us hold up our iPods, Blackberries, and other digital addictions, and hit "Record." Let us share with family members, friends, strangers who join the site and scroll through the streaming pages, the beauty and awe and excitement and emotion of this historic day. I said it before - the technology already exists to easily do this. And visitors can post comments on the pages. And the world can witness, too, as we welcome in our new president, our new First Family, our new future. Imagine the impact of that on our restored and revitalized world image. Imagine the impact on registrations and awareness of our new national service network.
So, and you knew this part was coming, if you haven't already, sign up for an account at USAservice.org today. Because maybe, just maybe, you will be holding up your cell phone 7 days from now, recording for people around the world the event we have waited so very long to witness.
Don't forget to write "Hi, Mom" on your hat.