thinking digital

"Snow is falling all around me.
Children playing having fun.
Trains are cancelled. Shops are heaving.
It's the season of MacBooks and shiny iPads. 
Merry Christmas everyone."

I'm in a musical mood, so sue me ;-) And those Applistas everywhere are struggling to resist the urge to splurge on a shiny new metallic toys from the wizards in Cupertino.

But, I hear you cry, who put the "i" in iMac, iPhone, iPad? And did you know that Steve Jobs hated the name originally? And had an alternative...

Ken Segall (@ksegall), the ad-man Apple turned to, talks about his naming fame and his book, Insanely Simple about the principles that guides the company and makes it stand out from its competitors, in this video from Thinking Digital 2012.

Thinking Digital are holding their first ever Thinking Digital Startup Competition, chaired by Paul Smith (of the Ignite100 startup accelorator programme) and supported by Northstar Ventures, at this year's event.

To enter, the startup needs to have been created or started operating after 1st Jan 2011 and applications need to be in by Friday 11th May.

There'll be a total of 5 startups pitching for 3 minutes on Tuesday 29th May during Thinking Digital University (TDU). Chosen startups will get a free pass to Thinking Digital 2012 (or 2013 if you already have a 2012 pass).

Thinking Digital (29th - 31st May) is a three-day event drawing together exceptional talent from the worlds of technology, media, science, industry and the arts. 

It attracts speakers from around the world, who to come to Gateshead to share their wisdom and experiences to encourage us all to pursue our passions and dreams. 

We're delighted the organisers have offered one lucky Chinwagger the chance to win a free conference ticket worth £330.00.

Entering the competition couldn't be easier, simply follow the link below, complete the form and a ticket could be yours.

My annual trek to the North East for Thinking Digital is always a treat. Organised by Herb Kim, recently named #83 in the MediaGuardian Top 100 and his team at Codeworks, the event promises much and delivers.

The event takes place in the futuristic surroundings of Newcastle's re-developed quayside using the photogenic Sage and Baltic venues and features a wide range of speakers from tech-heavy to the unexpected.

The videos from this year's event have just been published on their website. My favourites...

I may have found THE perfect geek Christmas present with only...49 shopping days to spare. Well done me.

It's a tiny interactive dino robot, that goes by the name of Pleo.

It's the brainchild of "Mr Furby"  Caleb Chung, who told the story behind the little robodino at this year's Thinking Digital (25% discount for Chinwaggers on the 2010 event) - video below...