Web creates new generation of travel writers

Internet technologies have created new forms of publishing that are making it possible for any wannabe travel writer to see their work in print.

Online travel blogs and podcasts, which travellers produce on the move and upload on to the internet in the cyber cafes they visit during their journeys, are attracting audiences of thousands, and thanks to their success, small, independent publishing houses are now turning these amateur works into books.

'Travellers have always kept diaries and scrapbooks of their trips to share with friends and family and to remind them of their adventures. But the web has allowed these to reach a much wider audience, through blogs, podcasts and photo websites,' says Paul Carr, co-founder of ground-breaking publishing house The Friday Project, which specialises in web-to-print publishing. He has seen an increase in people approaching him with their travel blogs and is cashing in on their popularity by turning them into commercial travel books. The company recently published Le Cool: A Weird and Wonderful Guide to Barcelona, which started life as an email newsletter, and is converting tuktotheroad.co.uk a blog by two women who travelled from Bangkok to Brighton, into a book.

Another major trend is travellers using Print On Demand (POD) publishing: this allows anyone to upload their book onto a website, which readers then pay to download and print out or receive in book form by post.

Alastair Humphreys, a 26-year-old Scot, published his book Moods of Future Joys, an account of his epic journey cycling round the world through POD, after failing to secure a standard publishing deal. Though he marketed and edited it himself, it's selling well through Amazon and his website.

Even authors without mass-market potential are turning to POD. 'Most travellers use POD to convert their travel account into something that looks like a book, to share with family and friends,' says Moira Allen, editor of advice website writing-world.com.

Gemma Bowes Sunday November 12, 2006 The Observer

Microsoft Virtual Earth - Now in 3D and With Billboards

Posted: 06 Nov 2006 04:09 PM CST Techcrunch.com

 

Microsoft is unveiling its integration of detailed 3D imagery into its Virtual Earth this afternoon (see Live.com). US users with Vista-ready Windows computers and IE 6 or 7 will be able to navigate through an aerial view of 15 select cities with enough detail to discern the texture of buildings and read clickable billboards from the likes of Fox, Nissan and John L. Scott Real Estate. Virtual Earth 3D is expected to expand to cover up to 100 cities around the world by the end of next summer.

Unlike Google Earth, Microsoft's Virtual Earth is experienced directly inside of IE as part of search results. Search team member Bobby Figueroa told me that the 3D functionality would be useful to many business customers as an integrated feature in offerings like Zillow's real estate search. The imagery was taken from planes and processed with proprietary algorithms.

He also told me that advertising was being integrated into Virtual Earth for the sake of realism. In real life, soda machines don't appear with black or white labels - they say Coke or Pepsi on them, he told me. To insufficiently brand Virtual Earth would apparently be irresponsible in some way, perhaps as an artistic or cultural loss. Figueroa said that billboards would have to prove compelling to users or they would not zoom in close enough to view them in detail and click through. Figueroa would not discuss the particular relationship with the first wave of advertisers but said that the company would evaluate all methods of ad sales and tracking in order to determine what worked best.

I certainly have no inherent objection to advertising, but I'm not excited about it being the first thing I see when I gain the ability to see a new environment in 3D. It seems like a cynical priority when a dazzling new technology is first rolled out. I don't know what I expected though, so I'll wish Vista-ready Windows owners who use IE the best of luck in enjoying the use of a newly 3D virtual world.

You've also got to wonder if anything will ever come of the really impressive Street-Side preview, which we wrote about in February. See also the 3D photo fly through app in the works in Live Labs, called Photosynth.

In addition to integration of Virtual Earth with search and some browsers, another thing you have to give Microsoft credit for is seriously improved picture quality. See the following two shots of San Francisco, Virtual Earth 3D on the left and Google Earth on the right. Lastly a very nice looking shot found on the Virtual Earth blog. Google's got some catching up to in regards to image detail. I'm going to try to grab an image of a billboard when I can.

What's Next? Web Lifestyle Television

Posted by Kathryn Tuggle, FAstCompany at November 1, 2006 10:44 AM

 

LX.TV, a new broadband television network, launched yesterday as the first broadband television network for young affluent online consumers. Although LX.TV first appeared in June of this year as CODE.TV, LX.TV now stands for "Lifestyle Television" and is taking the idea of the tech-savvy moneyed user to a new level.

Although the online network provides professionally produced content, the site is little more than a style and entertainment guide for wealthy city dwellers in their 20s and 30s. Available only in Los Angeles and New York, the site treats visitors to information on shopping, nightlife, arts, health, and philanthropy, all broadcast in high definition.

LX.TV further sets itself apart from traditional broadband entertainment by masquerading as an actual television. When visitors log onto the site, a video plays automatically, just like turning on the TV. To change "channels" viewers can shop a number of two-minute previews before they choose what to view. LX.TV will also welcome the first broadband talk show, featuring MTV News correspondent SuChin Pak and interviews with arts and entertainment celebrities.

As one of the Internet's first broadband channels, LX.TV has a lot to live up to. And with all independently-produced content, it may well exceed expectations. The only question is the viability of the audience. Although Internet TV viewing is up, with 1 in 10 people watching, the target audience for LX.TV is more likely to have bottle service at Marquee than tune in to LX.TV for fashion and society updates.

But high profits in this new media market may keep it a success no matter how many viewers come to the site. Broadband channels eliminate high-cost barriers such as cable carrier or satellite fees, and there are no production studios needed for assembling the content. As long as this medium stays low cost and high profit, an on-demand delivery system can't be beat. LX.TV has also recruited an industry giant as their first sponsor -- Absolut Vodka is rumored to have paid six figures for a six-month sponsorship. The station has also acquired an agreement with NBBC, the syndicated broadband network of NBC, to deliver their content on affiliate networks' Web sites.

Considering the cult following of Rocketboom the video blog and its recent competitor Wallstrip, a similarly irreverent styled online video show, the content and potential sponsorship for LX.TV bodes well for its success.

What do you think? Is LX.TV destined for widespread success? Or do its creators need to go back to the broadband drawing room?

TV Ads Equal Online Sales For Travelocity

If you want to sell more products online, buy some TV time, concludes Jeffrey Glueck, chief marketing officer for Internet travel agency Travelocity. The site is upping its TV ad budget to encourage travelers to search out its name rather than generic terms, such as "discount travel" or "Hawaii vacation."

Glueck says "the dirty little secret to search [engine advertising] is you make money buying your own brand name, but on generic terms, the clicks are more expensive and the return is low." So to get those customers to search his company out by brand name, he does more TV advertising, although Glueck declines to say by how much.

Last year, the company spent one-third of its $85.2 million budget on TV, according to TNS Media Intelligence, but through the first six months of 2006, that is up to half. At the same time, while Travelocity is still on target to spend the same online in 2006 as it did in 2005, it cut newspaper spending 33% and radio buys 67% in the first six months of this year. -

TravelCLICK, VFM Interactive sign exclusive agreement

October 25, 2006

TravelCLICK Inc. has signed an exclusive agreement with VFM Interactive to market Viz-it, a rich digital media content management solution designed to distribute rich media across electronic channels and enhance the online consumer experience.

A report by Harris Interactive indicates that more than two-thirds of online travelers rate visuals as one of the most important buying factors for consumers choosing a hotel online. And, according to another study for the travel industry, rich media click rates are typically five times higher than those for non-rich media(1).

Viz-it works synergistically with TravelCLICK's iStay booking engine, which is designed to optimize hotel merchandising through an enhanced Flash- based user interface. Part of the iHotelier central reservation system, iStay provides a highly graphical, integrated shopping and booking experience using a variety of rich media, including compelling photographs, floor plans and 360-degree room views as well as VFM's Premium Video and Photovideo Tours (videos created from existing image assets).

"Visual content that communicates the guest experience is a powerful conversion tool. It's a must-have for hotels that want to differentiate themselves, particularly independent properties that are trying to build their brand positions," said TravelCLICK Senior Vice President Scott Farrell. "With VFM's advanced digital content management and distribution platform, TravelCLICK provides hotels with the power and flexibility to create a consistent visual brand identity across all targeted distribution channels."

TravelCLICK hotel clients now will be able to leverage digital media well beyond their own websites. Viz-it's web-based management and distribution tool provides a single-source solution for media management and distribution, allowing properties to control media distribution through the GDS, Pegasus Online Distribution Database, search engines and more than 20,000 travel sites including Travelocity, Orbitz, Trip Advisor and Apple Vacations. And, making use of a unique feature of VFM's platform, TravelCLICK customers can selectively control exactly where specific media appears across the Internet.

"The exclusive partnership between VFM and TravelCLICK will provide hoteliers with a unique merchandising advantage," said Paolo Boni, President and Chief Executive Officer of VFM Interactive. "By combining our rich digital media solutions with TravelCLICK's powerful iStay booking engine, we are able to deliver an unsurpassed online customer experience. We are working closely with TravelCLICK to explore all the ways rich media can be used to create mind share among online consumers, market incremental services and increase revenue for its hotel customers."

Related Link: TravelClick

Mapvertising: Getting from Point A to Point Brand

October 25, 2006

Online mapping continues to evolve rapidly offering richer and more detailed graphics such as satellite photos, deeper interactivity and programming flexibility. Major players are still adding and testing features (Microsoft's Windows Life Local is still in beta form).

Sometimes referred to as Neogeography, individuals are creating exciting map mash-ups where they mix maps with other content and information. One recent example from Japan brought together an annual event with the Internet. Individual users overlaid blog information about the best places to see Cherry Blossoms onto online maps.

Effective mapvertising comes down to interactivity - display ads will be necessary and useful, but as the the lines blur between maps, blogs, wikis, and social networks the key to reaching users is cater to and engage with the communities. Mapvertising is an area for marketers to continue to explore and cultivate.

Get the full report from Universal McCann (PDF 940KB)

Reuters' 'Second Life' reporter talks shop

Adam Pasick, in-world correspondent, opens up about how to cover the virtual world and why the news agency is there.

 

By Daniel Terdiman  Staff Writer, CNET News.com Published: October 26, 2006, 4:00 AM PDT

newsmakers On Oct. 16, Reuters opened its first all-digital bureau, a building in the virtual world "Second Life" modeled on its New York and London offices.

Almost immediately, news agencies around the world picked up on the story, intrigued by the fact that one of the oldest existing news outlets would choose to station Adam Pasick, a full-time reporter, in an entirely virtual environment.

For its part, Reuters is using the bureau to disseminate its real-world news feeds to "Second Life" residents, hoping in the process to find a new audience.

Reuters is not the only news outlet to hang a shingle in "Second Life." In fact, CNET had previously opened a "Second Life" bureau and has been using the virtual space as a venue for interviewing luminaries from the technology community.

Still, the fact that Reuters--which is better known for financial and business reporting than for culture coverage--decided to set up shop in " Second Life" is noteworthy.

My parents love it now. They have avatars and hang out in the Reuters building.

Known in-world as Adam Reuters, Pasick is new to covering virtual worlds. ( "Second Life" enables corporate clients to purchase their company's name as a last name for employees' avatars.) But as a seasoned Internet reporter, he is approaching the assignment as he would any new gig.

On Monday, Pasick visited CNET's "Second Life" bureau and sat down for an interview in front of an audience of about 40, during which he talked about many of the issues facing a reporter in such a different kind of environment.

Q: This has been a pretty exciting week or so for you, I'm guessing. What has it been like?
Pasick: You could say that the reaction to our launch went way beyond anything we had expected. Now that the attention from the mainstream press is dying down a little, I'm looking forward to getting into the reporting. We thought we might make a little splash. Instead, I've been getting interview requests from Poland, Colombia, Brazil, New Zealand.

How did the Reuters bureau come about?
Pasick: The idea originally came from a conversation between our CEO, Tom Glocer, and Linden Lab CEO Philip Rosedale at the Sun Valley Conference earlier this year. They came to me (recently) and asked if I wanted to run the bureau.

Why you?
Pasick: I've been writing about technology and media for a while, and somehow, I've gotten the reputation within Reuters of being a bit of a geek.

Adam Pasick's
avatar

What was your initial reaction to being asked if you wanted to do this? Did you know much about "Second Life" at that point?
Pasick: I had heard of "Second Life" but never had been in-world. To be completely honest, when I first heard the idea, I was a bit dubious. But even as I talked it over that first time, I saw that it could be a great idea if done well. I think that's typical of "Second Life": The more time you spend, the more it makes sense.

From that perspective, what did you think "done well" would mean?
Pasick: Offering something useful to the community and being a learning experience for Reuters. If it was just a quick PR hit, I wouldn't have been interested. This is my full-time job. I badly want it to succeed.

So what do you see as the "mission" of Reuters in "Second Life"?
Pasick: If we can provide good financial news and data to the "Second Life" business community, and find a new audience for Reuters among "Second Life" residents, I'll be happy.

So it's as much about bringing Reuters news into "Second Life" as about sending "Second Life" news out?
Pasick: It's twofold. We bring in real-life Reuters news for those who want it, and I write stories specifically for "Second Life" residents.

How do you plan to differentiate your "Second Life" coverage from that of the many "Second Life" bloggers?
Pasick: Well, there will be a certain amount of competition. That's inevitable. But there are so many good stories, especially in the economy and business sectors that I'm focusing on. We're just getting started. We're hoping to do a lot of quantitative stories about the economy, for example. That's one area where Reuters has a lot of expertise.

What was your budget for the bureau?
Pasick: I don't know the exact figure. Luckily, I didn't have to sit through those meetings. But it was a relative drop in the bucket for a company our size.

 

How does Reuters plan to make this effort cost-effective?
Pasick: Right now, there is no direct return-on-investment calculation. We're not selling subscriptions or advertising, for example. But this has the potential to be a very valuable source of experience and exposure to a new tech-savvy community. And it's a tiny project for Reuters. I think my bosses are happy to see where it leads without having a direct source of revenue for now.

How will you and your bosses measure success in this endeavor?
Pasick: I can't give away our internal metrics for success. But broadly speaking, we're measuring visitors to Secondlife.reuters.com and use of (an in-world device that delivers Reuters news to residents). Traffic is the easiest to measure, but it's not the only yardstick we're watching. The caliber of my stories is another. So the pressure's on.

Are you expected to produce scoop after scoop?
Pasick: I'm sure they'd be ecstatic if I did. But no, I think they'll give me some time to learn the ropes.

What are some similarities you've seen between covering this stuff and a "normal" beat?
Pasick: The more time I spend in "Second Life," the more it feels like any other beat. Once you get over--or maybe embrace--the weirdness, it's much the same job: You find interesting people, read as much as you can and chase up the interesting story ideas you find.

What about some of the differences?
Pasick: We've had to do a bit of work adapting the Reuters editorial guidelines to deal with the fact that avatars are anonymous vis-a-vis their real-life identities. I know it breaks the metaphor a bit, but I ask people to provide their real-life identities. Not everyone wants to, and that's their right. I also take into account the reputation that is built up over time in "Second Life." I'm much more likely to trust a quote from someone who's been there awhile.

"Second Life" has gotten a lot of positive press. But there are also many issues that call for critical coverage. It is a business with all kinds of problems. What do you see as some of those?
Pasick: I think I'll gracefully pass on that one. If I have a story, you'll have to wait until I publish.

Well, how about broad topics?
Pasick: OK. Property rights. Contract law. And scalability issues.

How do you explain your new beat to friends, family and colleagues who don't understand what "Second Life" or virtual worlds are?
Pasick: I've had a lot of practice. But I've found the best way is to get them in front of a computer and show them. My parents love it now. They have avatars and hang out in the Reuters building.

Gabriel Riiser (from the audience) asks: There was a Slashdot article recently about several builders of virtual worlds, like Matt Mihaly (CEO of Achaea, published by Iron Realms Entertainment), who are criticizing "Second Life" and Linden Lab for being too much about PR and not enough about the quality of the world itself. What's your take, Adam?
Pasick: I think I'm going to use that old reporter's dodge--which happens to be true--and say that I think I'll report the facts and leave the opinions to smarter people.

But surely, you must have noticed that Linden Lab is rather adept at PR?
Pasick: Well, you don't get to a million registered avatar names by being dumb.

Liv Kamloops (from the audience) asks: Do you see "Second Life" becoming an interactive version of the Internet?
Pasick: This question probably has the potential to make me sound like an idiot. However, I think it makes a lot of sense for there to be a 3D successor to the Internet, and "Second Life" looks like the best candidate at the moment.

Why do you think it's the best candidate?
Pasick: It's a relatively open platform, with content created by users and which is non-game-based. It makes sense that some virtual 3D world or worlds is going to be what's next. Maybe it's "Second Life." Who knows? We wouldn't be here if we didn't think it was a possibility.