Volunteers needed for fashion experiment
November 24, 2006 Posted by Clare in : Digital Challenge, Wireless, Innovation , add a commentCommunication-Wear returns to Watershed in December, a research project which integrates mobile phone technology into clothing. Watershed is looking for volunteers to spend an hour trying out the futuristic jackets and the new forms of communication they enable. . (more…)
Eurocities Manchester
November 23, 2006 Posted by oliver in : Digital Challenge , 1 comment so farI must say, Manchester is a smashing place. I used to come here a lot as a teenager but in just a decade (plus a bit) it has moved on faster than I have.
Last night’s Eurocities awards ceremony was in the Bridgewater Hall. A theatre, which although 10 years old, still looks and feels fantastic.
Today, Cllr Barbara Janke, Terry and I have been at the International Conference Centre for day 2 of Eurocities. There were some very inspiring presentations about the link between knowledge and digital cities, sustainability and social inclusion. Barbara gave a speech on Science cities at ‘the Mayor’s and Leader’s only’ session.
Terry arranged a visit to the Manchester Arena over lunch where we met the Manager and watched the crew setting up for Christine Agelera (spelling?). They have sold 15,000 tickets - not bad for a Thursday evening and Cliff has pretty much sold out for the next 3 nights??!.
Terry arranged the visit as Bristol is still working on its arena plans. The most amazing thing was just how mixed use appeared to take place, from Pavorotti to Bob the Builder - ice skating to river dance - a very inspiring mix.
Gala dinner at Town Hall tonight - Must not get drunk… Must not…
Stephen Hilton
Connecting Bristol Lead
Bristol City Council-Watershed
01179275116 (office)
www.connectingbristol.org
Connecting Bristol is the city’s response to the Digital Challenge.
Compelling Content workshop
Posted by Roz in : Digital Challenge, Connecting SW Conference , add a commentCompelling Content:
A workshop facilitated during the ‘Harnessing Digital Disruption’ event Watershed Media Centre: 1 November 2006
Carolyn Hassan and Roz Hall
Delegates at the Harnessing Digital Disruption event attended one of four workshops. Our workshop, ‘Compelling Content’ began by outlining the purpose of the session to the group. The question we had been asked to consider was:
“How can we work together with communities to develop content and services that are relevant and of high value?”
We had been asked to facilitate a discussion about this question and then to agree the four most significant factors effecting this question.
The discussion was very lively and delegates were keen to consider the nature of the question as well as responding to it. Several issues appeared to create challenges for the diverse group participating in the discussion, and highlighted the difficulties in taking the debate around Compelling Content further (and by extension, pulling concrete ideas for the Connecting Bristol bid together).
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Knowle West Media Centre meets The Health Park Lunch Club
November 22, 2006 Posted by Roz in : Digital Challenge , add a commentMeeting with the Lunch Club
8 November 2006
I went to the Health Park where I met with members of the Lunch club. The Lunch Club ‘provides a safe environment for older people to enjoy a healthy meal, to develop friendships and break isolation. The activity sessions help members to stimulate and learn new things.’
I told the group why I wanted to meet with them, and about the digital challenge bid. Some members of the lunch club had spoken to me previously when I met with the walking group. One member of the group asked me to clarify what I meant by digital technology and so I explained what I had meant.
One of the women in the group talked about how the way in which technologies change is inconvenient and expensive, with specific reference to digital television. She also articulated a lack of clarity about exactly what such changes mean; for example, does going digital mean having to buy a new tv or having to get a box? She said that it is impossible to keep up with new technology because it keeps on changing.
Another member of the group commented on how many jobs have been lost through new technologies. Someone else commented that many people are suffering from problems with their hands because of using keyboards too much, and problems with their eyes because of looking at a screen too much. Someone else added that such issues were bound to have impact on the NHS. One of the men in the group said that similar issues have arisen with other, older, technologies, such as when strip lighting was introduced and many people suffered headaches and needed glasses from working under them.
Several members of the group then said that they have computers. They talked about how they use them. One couple talked about having photos on their computer. Another member of the group said that she used her computer and scanner to make cards and that she uses her scanner loads. She also said that she uses the internet a lot for research and finding out information, especially for getting maps and directions when visiting somewhere new.
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