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The Learning Company was acquired by Mattel and its glamorous CEO Jill Barad for $3.5 billion. Mattel wanted to do Barbie on the Oregon Trail and other spin-offs. But almost instantly, it was clear a mistake had been made. The Learning Company owned all of the most successful titles in children’s educational software—Oregon Trail, Where…
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Hello. I work as an interaction designer in London. At the minute, I’m mixing freelance and personal projects with a part-time role as Lead Designer at a company called BERG, where I’m based for four days a week. I’ve worked freelance on and off since 2003, with companies such as RIG, Airside, Wieden+Kennedy, The BRIT…
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*If everybody has to get online in order to ‘participate,“ that removes the classics from our civic discourse. That means that we can no longer derive advantage from the wisdom of dead people. Because the dead don’t "participate.” *When I’m reading D’Israeli’s CURIOSITIES OF LITERATURE, (as many before me have done for two centuries), I’m…
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Next month, Tate Modern will host a stellar group show entitled Pop Life. Apparently, the show was going to be called Sold Out – a much more provocative and, some would say, apposite title, given that among the themes addressed by the curators is the notion of the artist as brand. Think Damien Hirst, think…
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The unthinkable scenario unfolded something like this: The ability to share content wouldn’t shrink, it would grow. Walled gardens would prove unpopular. Digital advertising would reduce inefficiencies, and therefore profits. Dislike of micropayments would prevent widespread use. People would resist being educated to act against their own desires. Old habits of advertisers and readers would…