Facebook watch (David Kirkpatrick in FORTUNE)

Good article from David Kirkpatrick about facebook's new advertising strategy:

"...snip... Facebook's strategy is based on a relatively new concept known as word-of-mouth marketing. In recent years, a sizable industry has grown up around the idea of getting people to talk to other people about products and services while hanging out together at neighborhood barbecues or late-night dance clubs. [Andrew's note: a la Magda in Wm Gibson's Pattern Recognition] Consumers, the thinking goes, are far more likely to trust a pitch from friends than from a 30-second TV spot.

It makes sense. And now Facebook is automating that process -- combining e-commerce with word-of-mouth marketing. When a Facebook user buys something, the seller will ask for permission to promote that fact to his or her social network (and, presumably, pay Facebook a fee if the user agrees). The contrast with conventional advertising is stark. It's more akin to an Amazon seller who pays a per-sale commission than an advertiser who pays for a click on Google (Charts, Fortune 500)."

Minority Report-style trends & technologies watch, item #2

Coming through Sea-Tac last week, I noticed advertisements for Zappo's Shoes in the bottoms of the plastic bins at the TSA security checkpoint. Snapping casual photos wasn't an option, but the graphics are what you would expect -- outlines of shoes, in just the place where travelers put their... shoes. Check out the website to see how the system works.

It is a brilliant concept, provided you don't object to public agencies selling advertising space.

Here's another article about the program.

Minority Report-style trends & technologies watch, item #1

Thanks to TechRepublic for this one. From the fogscreen.com website:

"Using nothing more than tap water and ultrasonic waves, FogScreen projection screen machines employ a patented technology to create a smooth foggy airflow that captures images just like a screen. You can walk right through a FogScreen projection screen without getting wet. The microscopic fog droplets actually feel dry to the touch, just like air."

"The beauty of FogScreen projection screen is that anything you can see on a computer screen can now float in the air. Otherwise it’s like any ordinary projection screen; installation couldn’t be any easier. Just replace your conventional screen with FogScreen projection screen. It works with still pictures, moving images and lasers. With two projectors, different images can be shown on both sides of the screen."