Yesterday Google launched their much-rumored push into the social networking space: The Google+ Project. I was interviewed by ABC5‘s Katie Eastman (video embed below) about the new network and how it stacks up to the main competition – Facebook.

Here are a couple of quick takeaways and initial reactions to Google+:

No friend requests. Unlike Facebook, Google+ doesn’t require mutual friendship acceptance. Users can subscribe to each other’s updates without defining one another as a friend (similar to Twitter), thereby removing some of the initial social navigation barriers, drama and decision-making. Note: Google+ users still have complete control over how their profiles appear, down to specific individuals.

Small groups. Google+ has baked a feature called Huddle into the network, which lets you create small groups of colleagues or friends to interact with. We’re seeing an explosion of group messaging apps right now, and Facebook’s recent acquisition of Beluga proves that the major players want to have a presence in that space. Beluga is something we find quite useful here at Lava Row (we have a Beluga “pod” for our work group and one with a client team). Facebook has not yet integrated Beluga into it’s standard messaging system, so it appears that Google has beat them to it with Huddle – at least in terms of layering it on top of existing products.

Where will the users come from? The biggest challenge is 750 million+ active Facebook users that “live” in that ecosystem every day. Google will need to focus on user overlap (similar to the symbiotic relationship between Twitter and Facebook) because there’s no way to shift that many people overnight. Integrating Google+ with popular, existing products such as Gmail will also be key.

So what are your thoughts on Google+? The company has been stumbled of late with their Buzz and Wave products, but they’ve been quietly succeeding outside of North America with Orkut. Please leave your comments below.

The Launch of Google+ from Katie Eastman on Vimeo.

ABOVE: Video of the ABC5 interview with Nathan T. Wright. Watch for the Shane Reiser man-hug at the end!

Above is a presentation I gave last week at the American Library Association‘s youth privacy summit in Chicago. I addressed how teenagers are currently using social and mobile technology and their varying views of what privacy actually means to them.

You can’t dig deep into this topic without coming across the mountains of research done by none other than danah boyd – and I referenced her work often. This presentation was only meant to be a conversation starter, and I highly recommend danah’s publications and research to anyone wanting to explore the complex issues behind youth privacy and emerging media.

Some of the questions put forth in the session were:

• What digital footprints are we leaving behind online through our participation in social networks?
• How will this data be used in the future? (Potentially integrated with non-tech brands such as Kraft, OnStar and Safeway.)
• Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) and Christopher Poole’s (4chan) opposite views on authenticity.
• How do teenagers define privacy? How does this differ from other generations?
• How do teenagers navigate social networks to protect their privacy?
• Where are they learning these skills? (Typically peers, not adults or the social networks themselves.)
• What new, more private forms of online media are they migrating to next, while still maintaining a Facebook presence?
• Do teens actually use email?

Below are few additional remarks I made after the session in an interview with Loida Garcia Febo from Queens Library New York, referencing how individual teenagers are tweaking their Facebook usage in interesting ways to maintain their own personal sense of privacy.

I would love to hear your opinions in the comments below (especially from parents). Are teenagers failing to understand long-term privacy implications of using social technology? Or are they smarter about privacy that any other generation before them?

Over the last year or so, we’ve seen increased integration of QR codes in traditional and digital marketing campaigns in the U.S. and even on a local level. You might commonly see QR codes in your local newspaper, on print ads, in magazines, at point-of-purchase, and on product packaging. Since QR, or ‘quick-response’ codes can hold more information than standard linear bar codes and can be read by mobile phones with the correct applications installed, the possibilities of how these codes are utilized are endless.

Below are three examples of creative and effective uses of QR codes. Note that these campaigns are all from overseas where brands have been using QR codes for years. While many brands may want to jump on the QR code bandwagon because it seems cool and innovative, it’s important to remember that QR codes should provide some kind of value to the user. QR codes are still relatively new in the U.S., and you will likely need to provide additional information to educate your audience on how to scan the QR code and help instruct them on where they can grab scanner apps.

Zoo Records in Hong Kong uses QR codes as a platform to sell alternative music.

Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) the largest mobile phone operator in Russia promotes its Red Energy tariff plan in Moscow with a QR Code treasure hunt.

The N Building in the Tachikawa district of Tokyo displays a QR code on the whole side of the building facing the street that uncovers information about the stores inside and special offers to those scanning.

What are some creative uses of QR codes that you’ve seen? How were the QR code campaigns marketed?

After three years of desperately clinging to the 4GB first generation iPhone like some old curmudgeon, I finally upgraded to the 32GB iPhone 4 this weekend. I used it to records some of my initial thoughts on video (above). The things that impressed me about the device were practical stuff: much better battery life and processing power.

Have you snagged an iPhone 4 yet? What do you think? Here’s what a few people said about antennagate in Norah’s last post.

The Lava Row FlipCam came out from the depths of our office to make an appearance at last week’s Des Moines Tweetup at el Bait Shop. Apple held an iPhone 4 press conference earlier that day, offering up an apology for the functional issues many users had encountered in getting (and keeping) reception. Naturally, we wondered if our Des Moines tweeps would consider buying an iPhone again. Here’s what they said.

Would you consider buying an iPhone? Did Apple do enough to solve the problems with the iPhone 4? How should they win back the loyalty of their customers? Share your thoughts below.

As part of my emcee duties for the 2010 Prometheus Awards, I got the amazing opportunity to travel Google’s new data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and chat with Operations Manager Chris Russell about the facility and his company’s recent investment in our state.

Great things are happening for the tech industry in Iowa, and I think Chris perfectly sums up the benefits of Iowa’s workforce and achievements.

Big thanks to Chris for his time, patience and sense of humor. Thank you to Google for the unprecedented access – this was the first time cameras were allowed inside the facility gates! Thanks also to the Technology Association of Iowa for this cool opportunity and Applied Art and Technology for filming, sound and post-production.

Last January we decided to create 52 videos in 52 weeks, and somehow managed to pull it off. The reason for doing it? We preach to our clients all the time about creating lots of valuable video content as a means to increase digital footprint, so we wanted to feel what it was like to walk in their shoes and adhere to a strict schedule for one year. (It’s tough, but doable.)

When I put the Flip Cam in Hillary’s hands and leave the office, entertaining videos happen. And traffic to our blog increases 1000%. Lesson learned: Put her in charge of all videos in 2010.

For our 52nd video we turned over directing duties to John Pemble. Over the past year he interviewed us a few times for an Iowa Public Radio story, and along the way he grabbed a bunch of footage and graciously compiled it together (above). John asked us about how our business has shifted, competition, and trends in the industry.

So there you have it. Thanks everyone for a great 2009 – it was a blast!

What will you be creating in 2010?

This morning we said thanks for a great 2009 by buying coffee for anyone who showed up at Mars Cafe between 8:00 and 9:00. What a great way to close out the year — a cozy café, hot coffee and good friends. Thanks to everyone who dropped by! Below are some video highlights.

Here’s something different for this week’s video. We’re 50 episodes into our Area 52 video series, so it’s time to get creative, right? We shot various components of our day and attempted to stitch them together into some narrative form, which you can view above. Inspired by our friend John Pemble’s work on 12seconds.tv, each clip is only three seconds long. (John is a master at short-form storytelling.)

Today’s video and self-publishing tools are easy and affordable, so there’s no reason you can’t get into it. What sorts of creative things have you done with video lately?

On November 19th, Foursquare (a location-based social network) announced it was adding 50 more cities to the service. Unfortunately, Des Moines wasn’t on the list. Thus, it’s time to make some noise.

Here’s what we’d like you to do. Create a video response to my YouTube video above, telling the Foursquare team exactly why you want the service to come to DeMo. Be sure to shoot it inside or outside your favorite coffee shop, restaurant, bar, office, etc. (whatever venue you know you’ll be the Mayor of).

If our community creates enough videos, we might just get noticed. Don’t forget to include the words Foursquare and Des Moines in the YouTube tags and title. Visit YouTube’s help section if you need assistance posting your video response. A direct link to my video can be found here.

For those readers asking “Huh? What’s this Foursquare thing you speak of?” — it is a location-based social network that you use to “check in” at your favorite haunts (with your GPS-enabled mobile device) and compete with your friends over who visits more often. If that’s you, you become the “Mayor” of that location. Foursquare’s creators refer to the service as 50% friend-finder, 30% social cityguide and 20% nightlife game.

Currently I’m the Mayor of a martini bar in Indianapolis, but I’d much rather be battling my Des Moines friends over Mayorship of venues here in town. So let’s get started on those videos, folks. If you’re too shy to create one, you can demand Des Moines as a Foursquare city using this form.

Lights, camera — action!