Archive
May
25
A rather beautiful font and wondering if indeed it is really handwritten - a rare craft these days.

A rather beautiful font and wondering if indeed it is really handwritten - a rare craft these days.

Apr
22

Old school packaging goodness

There’s something refreshingly tactile about the times of old. Beautiful packaging design by I love dust

Apr
21

Loving the tunes!


Read full review of A Little Big - Bobby & Blumm on Boomkat.com ©

New embed feature on Boomkat.com


Read full review of Lemonade - COCOROSIE on Boomkat.com ©

Apr
17

How does Garmin use the social web to market their GPS products?

It’s amazing to think that you can find the social web revolving around just about any activity you can think of these days.

Garmin, the creator’s of GPS navigation and communication devices have incorporated the social web into their running devices in a seemingly unexpected way by allowing their users to share activity information with others using maps and cool stats such as heart rate, timing, elevation and speed.

To someone who needs a bit of encouragement to put their running shoes on this really clinches it. The best part awaits on your return home when, still panting from that last sprint up the road, you settle down to review how well you have done by transferring the data off the device and onto the screen (via bluetooth).

The user interface Garmin have put together to convey this information is both engaging and scores high up on usability. It even allows you to embed your activity details as follows:

This is a good example of how a business focused on making GPS products thinks outside of the raw product functionality and extends its core offering into a service that not only compliments the essential functionality of the device they sell i.e. GPS tracking, but goes much further to create a purpose for it by enthusing the user for the activity for which it is made i.e. go running and be rewarded with the stats.

In business terms this is quite an achievement; essentially making a product and creating the need for it at the same time. This is not entirely new to anyone as with many socially orientated services such as Flickr, Twitter and others too numerous to list, the user is encouraged to participate and is rewarded for their participation in the form of receipt of praise in number of views and user comments. Only here it is different because the activity itself is not only not digitised, it is neither related to the use of a computer nor complimentary in any way, at least until now.

It would be interesting to explore other marketing models built around seemingly disparate connections. If you know of any please tell us.

Feb
2

Latest iPhone app purchase

Just got this new iPhone app for VW Golf and finding it really useful. Particularly great when trying to avoid the traffic wardens.

Nov
2
Some Halloween artistry thanks to Pete and his dad’s garden grown pumpkin.

Some Halloween artistry thanks to Pete and his dad’s garden grown pumpkin.

Aug
6

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke Dishes on CD Hatred and the Music Industry but commends Boomkat.com. Full article: http://bit.ly/o4VrG

Jul
13

Just rolled out with Japanese for Generator Hostels http://bit.ly/GvwhR now with a repertoire of 8 languages in total!

Jun
11
Job: Ruby on Rails Developer Boomkat.com is seeking Ruby / Rails developers to take it’s existing site + 14tracks.com to the next level! The role calls for a team player with good customer facing and communication skills, a willingness to learn new methods and technologies. You’ll ideally have a consulting / software development background and will be able to demonstrate your competencies using a portfolio of sites you have been involved in designing and building. You’ll have developed content-management systems and designed applications for production-strength architectures. You’ll understand how to optimise relational databases and write fast queries. You’ll be happy working within a small team of capable and enthusiastic developers with practical processes and to high standards. You’ll have a keen eye for detail and a desire to maintain exemplary output. You’ll be experienced in taking ownership and responsibility for functional sections from conception through design to implementation and support. You will also receive training as necessary to develop your technical skills further. The successful candidate will join a committed and friendly team. Essential skill set: * 3+ years OO programming experience. * Strong knowledge of Ruby and Rails * Solid understanding of MySQL * Standards based Javascript & CSS Helpful skill set * Python experience a plus. * Server maintenance / Shell scripting * AJAX (if you are going to play this card you must have excellent javascript skills, not just Prototype/jQuery) * Enterprise development experience a plus! Key Responsibilities * Carry out requirements analysis and system design with full responsibility or as part of the team * Manage time and plan work to ensure quality output on time and budget * Produce code to standards ensuring it is high quality, maintainable and fully tested * Experience of TDD/BDD practices * Ensure projects are documented in a manner that will ease future system and code upgrades Duration: 3 month trial period with a view for full time employment. Location: You’ll be working with Rumble, we are based in Notting Hill, London. Salary: Negotiable Applicants are required to send the following: * CV * URLs exemplifying your work. * Give three web based examples of your favoured web applications (these can be your own work and/or other websites you consider to be of merit). Please send CV and application for the attention of Guy using our contact form 

Job: Ruby on Rails Developer

Boomkat.com is seeking Ruby / Rails developers to take it’s existing site + 14tracks.com to the next level!

The role calls for a team player with good customer facing and communication skills, a willingness to learn new methods and technologies. You’ll ideally have a consulting / software development background and will be able to demonstrate your competencies using a portfolio of sites you have been involved in designing and building. You’ll have developed content-management systems and designed applications for production-strength architectures. You’ll understand how to optimise relational databases and write fast queries.

You’ll be happy working within a small team of capable and enthusiastic developers with practical processes and to high standards. You’ll have a keen eye for detail and a desire to maintain exemplary output. You’ll be experienced in taking ownership and responsibility for functional sections from conception through design to implementation and support. You will also receive training as necessary to develop your technical skills further. The successful candidate will join a committed and friendly team.

Essential skill set:

* 3+ years OO programming experience.

* Strong knowledge of Ruby and Rails

* Solid understanding of MySQL

* Standards based Javascript & CSS Helpful skill set

* Python experience a plus.

* Server maintenance / Shell scripting

* AJAX (if you are going to play this card you must have excellent javascript skills, not just Prototype/jQuery)

* Enterprise development experience a plus! Key Responsibilities

* Carry out requirements analysis and system design with full responsibility or as part of the team

* Manage time and plan work to ensure quality output on time and budget

* Produce code to standards ensuring it is high quality, maintainable and fully tested

* Experience of TDD/BDD practices

* Ensure projects are documented in a manner that will ease future system and code upgrades

Duration: 3 month trial period with a view for full time employment.

Location: You’ll be working with Rumble, we are based in Notting Hill, London.

Salary: Negotiable

Applicants are required to send the following:

* CV

* URLs exemplifying your work.

* Give three web based examples of your favoured web applications (these can be your own work and/or other websites you consider to be of merit).

Please send CV and application for the attention of Guy using our contact form 

May
11
We would like to welcome Alexis Deforges to the team. Alex is joining us in his capacity to open up new business forays into the French market. Alex comes from a strong Marketing background specialising in the active youth market. We have been working together to assemble a media pack that will be used to introduce Rumble’s Digital Marketing Services into the French market. This will be Rumble’s first ever dedicated approach made into France and we hope that our London based media perspective and a little bit of some Je ne sais quoi will wash off favorably on our counterparts across the channel. Bienvenue Alexis! Vive la France.

We would like to welcome Alexis Deforges to the team. Alex is joining us in his capacity to open up new business forays into the French market. Alex comes from a strong Marketing background specialising in the active youth market. We have been working together to assemble a media pack that will be used to introduce Rumble’s Digital Marketing Services into the French market. This will be Rumble’s first ever dedicated approach made into France and we hope that our London based media perspective and a little bit of some Je ne sais quoi will wash off favorably on our counterparts across the channel.

Bienvenue Alexis!

Vive la France.

Apr
29

14:00 behavioural targeting, audience extension seminar at Internet world

Apr
20

Who do you talk to most often on Twitter? http://twitter.mailana.com/

Tim Ferris on Ted: How to feel like the Incredible Hulk

Love the deconstructionist approach to swimming, language learning and tango.

Apr
18
In my laziness I have only just downloaded photos taken over the Easter break. This is our attempt at colouring some Easter eggs - an old Italian tradition.

In my laziness I have only just downloaded photos taken over the Easter break. This is our attempt at colouring some Easter eggs - an old Italian tradition.