Recently in Ideas Category

With the iPad scheduled to be released in a few days, you can bet developers have been working overtime to have their apps ready in time for the launch.  BRIC Entertainment on the other hand, we're shooting to release an update for our first iPhone app Photo Eye-Q which will include a much needed UI redesign bringing us into the 21st Apple century.  This update should set the app up for an easy transition to the iPad platform.  Let's just hope the folks at Merit Entertainment (the original creators of Photo Hunt / Megatouch) don't hand us another C&D.  Might I add that us being on their radars was fucking awesome!

Anyways back to the topic at hand.  Brian and I have been thinking about a good utility app to release as our next app.  We've given up on the game apps arena seeing how all the major game studios are already on the platform.  If you know me personally, you know I spew ideas for businesses left and right.  This one came as I was getting ready to leave the house and saw the 10+ year old 60inch rear projection TV in my living room.  We have Verizon FIOS (Thank the Lord!) and the one thing I hate about it is the on-screen program guide that comes with it.  There's always a delay between the remote and the on-screen guide.  There's never enough information displayed so I have to navigate the cursor to the show, press on the show and then press Page Down to see the rest of the listing.  At that moment, I realized we needed to create a TV Guide app for the iPad. Navigating through the listings in an app would be so much easier than navigating through the on-screen guide.  If you could somehow link the iPad to the TV so that is becomes a remote control...CASH MONEY! 

And to take it to the next level since I have always loved the concept of Social - Interactive TV, we could create rooms for each show/listing that would be accessible through the app.  In these rooms we could ask relevant trivia questions during the show, offer a real-time chat room for users to discuss what's happening or what's going to happen next, and provide the ability for users to create private rooms for their friends.  I know CBS already has this on their website for episodes that have already aired.  All the other major networks need to catch up because it's the future.  If we were able to get in early on the game and build up a large enough user base, we could probably get bought out by a major TV network. Anyways...I'll revisit this idea after I work on items 1-5 on my list of things to do.  I would love to hear any feedback or comments about the idea. Thank you in advance! 

From wikipedia:

Busking is the practice of performing  in public places for tips and gratuities. People engaging in this practice are called buskers. Buskers may also be known as street performers, street musicians, minstrels or troubadours. Busking performances can be just about anything that people find entertaining. Buskers may do acrobatics, animal tricks, balloon twisting, card tricks, clowning, comedy, contortions & escapes, dance, fire eating, fire breathing, fortune-telling, juggling, magic, mime  and a mime variation where the artist performs as a living statue, musical performance, puppeteering, snake charming, storytelling  or recite poetry  or prose  as a bard, street art (sketching and painting, etc.), street theatre, sword swallowing, and even putting on a flea circus.

As I was waiting for the 10:19 LIRR to Port Washington last week, a busker was singing some classic r&b hits like "When A Man Loves A Woman" , "Tell It Like Is Is" , and "Cruisin."  The guy was doing such a great job, you could feel the energy in the corridor.  I wanted to go tip the guy but unfortunately I didn't have any small bills.  And even if I did, I would feel bad crossing in front of everyone and interrupting the performance.  So I thought to myself, wouldn't it be awesome if you could tip these street performers through your mobile phone.  Not having change or small bills wouldn't be an excuse.  Plus you could tip them from wherever you are.  Hell you could even tip them after you've gotten onto your train. 

I know this is not a idea that will make billions of dollars but I think it'd be a great service for these street performers that work hard to entertain us.  Sure the market is limited to Buskers but technically you could implement this platform anywhere in the world.  Each busker could have their own unique code.  TEXT "PENN STATION" to donate $2 to Busker A.  Taking it to the next level, the confirmation text to the tipper could include a URL or some kind of information that the busker would want to relay to his fans.

This is probably my fourth attempt to keep the blog going so expect more of these random ideas.  Seeing how bschool is winding down, I'll definitely have more time to post my ramblings. Rambling #1: I tried a new grip at the driving range today and I've got to say I think I've finally figured out THE SWING.  I can't wait to get out onto the course on Friday in LA with Hong!