Human 4G Hotspots

We have all experienced situations where mobile data coverage has been poor. Well advertising and communcations firm BBH New York, have initiated a charity campaign called "Homeless Hotspots".  Homeless people were engaged to roam the streets of Austin Texas during the SXSW Awards week in March 2012, wearing T-Shirts reading "I am a 4G Hotspot" and offering conference-goers and other passersby access to the 4G Mobile data network for a donation.  

BBH New York, states that "this charitable innovation initiative attempts to modernise the Street Newspaper model employed to support homeless population. At the same time providing a service to the data hungry public and a financial benefit to the homeless. 

There have been mixed reactions to this campaign.  Call it a PR stunt or truely charitable gesture by BHH New York, either way the idea is a innovative one. 

Is this a PR stunt that is objectifying the homeless or is it truely innovative WiFi concept at the same time increasing awareness of the homeless, what do you think?

Human mobile data access points, Telco and ISP product managers take note!

Image Source: Callier Richmond

52 Jobs In 52 Weeks

We all struggle with the question "What do I want to do with my life" at one point in our lives. Well Paul Seymour has decided to take a 12 month journey to discover his true passion by working 52 jobs in 52 weeks in Australia.

Working under the concept "One Week Job" Project, anyone can offer Paul a job for one week. Any money he earns is donated by the employer to the  Big Brother Big Sister charity. 

Mastermind and founder behind the One Week Job, is Canadian resident and University graduate Sean Aiken. In 2008, Sean completed his quest where he completed 52 jobs, covered 75,000km and slept on 55 couches throughout North America and raised over US$20,000.

Great concept for business and charities to affiliate with or initiate a similar concept and at the same time doing some greater good for the world.

Give and Give

A network of reciprocity. GiftFlow is a community where you give things away and ask for things you need in return, though without the expectation of any immediate ‘payback’. Reimagining how communities can share and work together, GiftFlow looks to create a “giant network” of not only individuals but organisations, businesses and governments. A Not for Profit venture, GiftFlow is an ambitious effort to share resources to build a better world, without the need for money. On GiftFlow, you list everything you have to give away, that book you’ve read ten times, the carpet in your garage, an hour every Wednesday afternoon. As well as a list of things you need, six 2B pencils, a hamburger on Tuesdays, a cat. The lists get fed onto the network, where it matches up to other individual’s lists of wants and needs. And the flow begins. As your items get taken they go up to a build an online profile, ‘Joe has given 328 items, Lamp, Wallet…’. Same goes for the list your recieve ‘Microsoft has recieved 12 items, Keyboard, 24 Hectares of Land…’. A profile that directly reflects physical actions you’ve taken as opposed to what kitten video you ‘Liked’. A social profile of generosity. GiftFlow uses the dynamics of a visible social network to tie over any freeloaders and give those who take action a definitive online reputation. Founded by Hans Schoenburg, a student of economic anthropology, GiftFlow looks to provide a platform to support the ‘gift economy‘ – a society where goods and services are (ideally) circulated without an explicit agreement of immediate or future reward. Hans was inspired by the culture of the people of Mali, where giving is seen as “a string connecting families, friends and neighbours in a web of mutual support.” He saw the dynamics of an online social network and how it could weave this web into our own online culture.