Facebook Finds Ways Shift Social Networking Offline

By Nick Clayton

Facebook is moving from a purely online existence into the real world. It is experimenting with technology that allows its members to carry out a variety of social networking tasks without the need for a computer or smartphone. Instead they use RFID chips embedded in wristbands or badges.

The system was first tried last summer at Coca-Cola Village, an Israeli amusement park. More recently, visitors to the Dutch Autorei exhibition could “Like” their favorite Renault cars by swiping their badge on special pillars.

This summer the technology has been extended into the hospitality industry. Amsterdam manufacturing company Dorst Lesser has constructed a network at the Ushuaïa Beach Hotel in Ibiza, Spain. This is a new, trendy resort property aimed at well-heeled clubbers. Rooms in the summer season cost upwards of around €500 a night. It is also used almost daily as a paying concert venue attracting audiences of several thousand poolside.

Guests and concert-goers are given a slim wristband which they can synchronize to their Facebook profile. Swiping these across pillars located throughout the hotel allows them to check-in to Facebook Places, take pictures for upload or post a status update.

Other Facebook users can see the content when it is posted on an Ushuaïa guest’s wall. Their friends can then connect to the hotel’s wall and its website.

In the first seven days of operation the hotel says it doubled its Facebook Fans conversion rate from 1,000 to 2,000 a week. Guests took around 1,200 pictures.

Niels Verhoeven, creative director of Dorst Lesser said that every picture posted on Facebook is shared with an average of 100 friends. “That is a lot of media value for the company,” he said.

The advantage for guests, he said, is that they do not have to bring laptops or risk high roaming charges on their smartphones. “The wrist bands are also waterproof so you can go swimming with them on,” he said.

It was Facebook that contacted his company, he said, after it saw the work done for Renault. “They are good at supporting companies that are doing something innovative.” Facebook in turn said it was “constantly developing our services to find synergies between the virtual and real worlds.”

Mr. Verhoeven said the Ushuaïa project and the idea of connecting to Facebook without a computer or phone had attracted interest from hotels and other businesses worldwide. “We’re now particularly looking to grow in India where a lot of Facebook users are.”

Share and Enjoy

Google+: I’m Just Not That Into You

Dear Google+,

Where did we go wrong? I had such high expectations for you. You were hyped, praised and touted as the next best social network. So far, though, we’re just not connecting. You were supposed to be better than Facebook, cooler than Twitter, but right now we just don’t have enough in common for me to waste spend more time with you.

I’d love to say that the problem is me, not you. But I’d be wrong. You’ve disappointed me.

Franky, I find it difficult to fit you into my social-networking life. I use Facebook to communicate with my close friends, my family and my colleagues. And while it’s my social network of choice, my relationship with Facebook is admittedly complicated—the site has me so entwined in its web of photos and friendships and messages that I’m not sure I could ever leave it, even if I wanted to. Yes, I know our situation isn’t ideal—privacy and security and all—but I’ve learned how to cope with its downfalls.

And then there’s LinkedIn, where I keep all my professional contacts.

And Twitter for people I don’t know, but find interesting. And truly, I’m happy with this situation: 140-character updates from strangers are all I need.

So that leaves us. I keep asking myself, where do you fit in?

Lately, it seems like it’s only the techies and tech pundits who have an eye for you. I see them visit you every day. Every hour, it seems. They’re using you—in a good way, of course—but if those are your only fans, your only visitors, you’ve gone wrong somewhere. Maybe it’s not my business, but it may be time to reflect and reassess.

Okay, I admit it: I’m a bit infatuated with your circles. But that really doesn’t make up for the fact that my friends just don’t like you. Sure, a few handfuls of folks have joined…but that’s where it ends. Their profiles are empty, their activity streams barren. My friends, plain and simple, prefer Facebook. Like me, they’ve invested too much in that site to leave it now. And if I can’t have my friends by my side in our relationship, it’s a relationship that I don’t want.

I know it’s still early; you’ve only been around for a month. But if that time is any indication of things to come, I’m sorry, it just isn’t going to work out.

You have a lot of potential, Google+. And I’m sure you’ll find the perfect user(s) for you in the future.

Right now, though, I’m just not that into you.

Share and Enjoy