5 Essential Digital Media Links from the Delvinia Team: Feb 20

Each week we feature the 5 most viewed articles on our Posterous link sharing blog. This week those include a look at new retail banking concepts at Citibank, 3D printing at Citroen, handheld health scanners, who are your trusted advisors and an iPhone app that listens to the TV shows you are watching.

Citibank rolls out retail banking concept
Citibank hired the same architectural and strategic design firm behind the Apple Store concept for their new retail banking prototypes. The Financial Brand takes a look at two of these branches recently launched in Union Square, New York and Mong Kok, Hong Kong.

Citroen prints cars in 3-D
The Autopia blog at Wired.com provides a fascinating look behind the scenes at French automaker Citroen as they use cutting-edge 3D-printing technology to build prototype interiors for their GT concept car.

Star Trek-like scanner tells you if you’re healthy
This futuristic health scanner from Germany may be able to read a person’s overall health by reading the anti-oxidant levels in their skin. This is just one example of how mobile sensors will change the way we monitor and manage our health in the near-future.

Who do you trust most for recommendations?
Are referrals and recommendations from people within your social network still your most trusted source? eMarketer looks at two recent reports that seem to contradict each other on where that behaviour is heading.

iPhone app listens to what you’re watching
You may know your TV shows, but the IntoNow iPhone app can listen and identify which episode you are watching, as well as provide links to cast and background information. Read how MTV is using the app for viewers of Jersey Shore.

Click here to see which Digital Media Links. the Delvinia team is sharing this week.

Getting to Know My iPhone

Getting an iPhone is no big deal for most people, but for me, it’s become a life changing event. Until last week, I had gotten by with a basic phone with 2 features: calling and texting. It was all I needed and it suited the simplicity it gave my life. However, needs change and so have mine. It’s no longer about the phone itself but about the productivity and utility tools available on a smart phone.

My “must-have” feature list included voice mail, email setup and a synched contact list. I visited the App Store looking for CIBC Mobile Banking, Twitter, Facebook, Krafts iFood Assistant, My Account and Rocket Radar. I also came away with BC Reader (a business card reader), Deer Hunter Challenge (a game), Hipstamatic, Cineplex Movie Guide and Epicurious to name just a few.

Another must-have app for any new user is iPhone Secrets – a collection of tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your iPhone or iPod Touch. I purchased the full version for 99 cents and have already gotten more than my money’s worth. Did you know that to quickly insert a period you tap the Space key twice? How about saving battery life by closing unused applications in the multitasking bar? These are just a few of the many shortcuts, tips and tricks you’ll learn.

You need to take a trial and discard approach to apps. I downloaded the free version of Fluent News Reader only to discover I couldn’t add more news sources and was limited to one unsubscribe. This defeated the purpose of streamlined content delivery as it was up to me to shift through unwanted content. Needless to say, it’s gone from my app line-up.

On the advice of my 13 year old son I installed XRay Booth Lite. It applies an x-ray-like filter to my pictures and my kids are having a blast checking out what everything looks like through this lens.

Although I’ve mastered many of the standard features – communicating via voice, email, instant messaging, posting on Facebook and Twitter, banking and navigating to hockey arenas in rural Ontario, there is still much to learn. I’ve created a ‘To Learn’ list in Springpad, a productivity app with features that I’ve only started to scratch the surface on.

As I scroll through my collection of new apps, I can’t help but be curious as to what the apps I’ve install say about me and my personality. Maybe there’s already an app for that.

Shopaholic, Foodie or Wingman? No Friend Left Behind

We’re excited about the launch of ‘No Friend Left Behind‘, a program developed by Microsoft with the help of Delvinia, promoting the launch of Window’s Live Messenger for the iPhone and iPod touch. The iPhone app allows you to stay connected with the people that matter most and keep up with what they are doing across the web.

Through the research and discovery phase, a few key insights about app download behaviour were identified:

• 62% of people searched for apps in the AppStore, while 60% browsed apps. This made it critical to maintain position in the top 5 downloaded apps.
• 46% of iPhone owners found out about apps through Word of Mouth, so targeting Social Influencers that were early adopters of technology and active in social networks was essential.

The initial launch in US and Canada (primarily through PR) would automatically drive the app to a top download within the first few hours. The challenge was how to maintain this position, and increase the number of anticipated downloads, in the months following launch.

Enter “No Friend Left Behind”, a creative concept that recognized the importance of keeping the expertise of your closest contacts with you as you navigate through life (anywhere/anytime).

The marketing campaign highlights those critical moments when you need the expertise of your friends on your IM list the most; while poking fun at how we have different needs met by our different contacts and the value they bring us in our daily lives.

The strategy was to create a unique media platform, which leverages the power of social media to increase awareness and encourage activation. Users are challenged to earn “status” through peer voting and acknowledgement. The nature of the program, and personas created, played on the notion that we are different people to different social circles, which maximized the potential for sharing.

Visit ‘No Friend Left Behind‘, and start earning your badges today.