iDay today

Apple has just launched the new MacBook and MacBook Pro. I was initially disappointed to see what seemed like a black and white MacBook but a closer look at the new model revealed the new notebook has a solid aluminum casing. Much more like the original MacBook Pro on the keypad, and a lot like the iMac on the screen part. It's nice too see Senior Vice President of Design John Ive describe the new MacBook design.

In the meantime, back in tiny Malta today is iDay, the day when Vodafone introduced the 3G iPhone in Malta. Vodafone is also holding an iPhone 3G open weekend this weekend. Those who have not yet lined up to feel, touch and get the new iPhone may do so at any Vodafone outlet.

FELTOM has a new website

FELTOM commissioned web development agency ICON to build a web portal which is its central tool for relations with the international market. The site is creatively structured to accommodate the complexity of having a federation of language schools communicating a single message: "Learn English in Malta". The web portal features a number of ICON applications which we hope to be able to review soon. Applications include ICON.snap (a content management system), ICON.access (a Members Area) and ICON.banner which is a novel Banner Management module giving FELTOM the opportunity to generate revenue from advertising on its own website.

The most beautiful cruise ship in the world is now online

This morning I came across the new mscfantasia.com. A clean site with a visual feature about the MSc Fantasia Cruise Ship dominating the home page. Even though the website still lacks any touch of community it does include some fun features such as the navigation gallery where anyone can 'navigate' the cruise ship and visit the various sections of it; a virtual personal assistant and a Q&A section.

Locally this is the second cruise service to go online this year, the first one being that of SMSTravel which we had reviewed as well.

MySpace still leading in the US

The above chart is taken from an article run by emarketer.com about Social Media Advertising in the US. Locally there are at least 24,000 users subscribed to the Malta network on Facebook. This excludes people who have not joined the network but still have a facebook profile, others on Hi5 which seems to be the most popular network locally, MySpace and social networks in general. Avoiding the local online community is like not being present in a very successful and highly attended trade fair.

68, St.Lucy Street

Dreams become reality in small steps...not big ones as we (or I) might think! This weekend I visited Alexandra Pace's exhibition in Valletta. The exhibition marks the launch of the redprints online gallery. Alexandra is exhibiting 4 collections which grace different parts of the old house in St. Lucy Street. All 4 collections, and the whole redprints project (house re-innovation included) are Alexandra's small dreams becoming a real exchange of artistic photography.

The redprints exhibition confirms some of what I disussed in my presentation at the Annual MCA conference last Saturday: There's nothing like online or offline, they've converged nicely! An 'offline' exhibition is launching the redprints online gallery at redprints.com! (more about this in my future posts and in trendwatching.com's September briefing)

The above image is just a test print of what you will really get if you pop by at the redprints exhibition. The exhibition is open for all until the 11th November between 10:00 - 12:00 and 14:00 to 20:00. Get a sneak preview of the exhibition before actually getting down to St. Lucy Street: redprints.com

Book your iPhone

Vodafone has publicly launched an online booking form for the iPhone 3G. We've said a lot about the 3G iPhone since day 1, now it's time to stop BLABbing and actually get the gadget! More info at this link: http://www.vodafone.com.mt/jsp/iphone/index.jsp

BLAB is one year old!

A year ago we sat down to discuss BLABinteractive.com. The original plan was much more ambitious yet some surprises were still in store for this humble blog. I am currently working on Recap 365!. The idea behind the project is a resume of BLAB's first year. Apart from including the main highlights of this past year, I also hope to be able to provide some info. about BLAB's future content and initiatives. Whilst reminding all of you about BLAB's first birthday, I don't want to rush the Recap just for its birthday date.

Over the coming week I also hope to be able to highlight BLAB's top 12 contributions (1 for each month of the year), BLAB's most popular article, the most visited day (I am almost sure it was May 11th!) and more. In the meantime, an informal thanks for reading / contributing to BLAB through blogger, facebook, BLAB's network on Ning and anywhere else!

Blackberry is here...thanks to Vodafone!

Vodafone has today launched Blackberry in Malta. I currently own a great Nokia E61 which is a fantastic tool coupled with Vodafone's Push Email, and a very good taste of the term 'mobility'. Now Vodafone's Blackberry solution further enhances 'mobility' in many ways, combining useful applications which literally reduces your office to a simple device. Oh yes, I am biased, very biased indeed...but then again, it's Blackberry and it's Vodafone we're blabbing about!

More about Blackberry: click here

What to do when your web-menu is getting too big!?

From time to time my desktop wallpaper has to feature something that triggers some form of creativity and fun. Whilst searching some images in Google I also stumble upon this website. As you may conclude, the subject of the site is not my primary concern at this time in my life, but the way an extensive menu has been presented without involving sub-menus and further sub-sub menus is worth a blab. So feel free to judge:http://whatareyouwondering.com/


In the meantime, I have above posted the image which is currently residing on my desktop. The concept is really the idea of the same people who designed the innovative web menu.