http://blogs.electricsheepcompany.com/swords/2008/03/08/sxsw-interactive-what-teens-want-online-on-their-phones/ A social software and virtual worlds blog by John Swords of Electric Sheep Company Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:58:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 http://blogs.electricsheepcompany.com/swords/2008/03/08/sxsw-interactive-what-teens-want-online-on-their-phones/#comment-55 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:56:48 +0000 http://blogs.electricsheepcompany.com/swords/2008/03/08/sxsw-interactive-what-teens-want-online-on-their-phones/#comment-55 I think there's something to your thoughts Sibley, but I also think that teen and especially college years are when humans are especially active in building their real world network and real world identity. Sub-12 and Post20 are easier demographics in many ways, but as you say, perhaps the right innovation approaches could solve that. I think there’s something to your thoughts Sibley, but I also think that teen and especially college years are when humans are especially active in building their real world network and real world identity. Sub-12 and Post20 are easier demographics in many ways, but as you say, perhaps the right innovation approaches could solve that.

]]> http://blogs.electricsheepcompany.com/swords/2008/03/08/sxsw-interactive-what-teens-want-online-on-their-phones/#comment-54 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:51:42 +0000 http://blogs.electricsheepcompany.com/swords/2008/03/08/sxsw-interactive-what-teens-want-online-on-their-phones/#comment-54 I suspect this means we haven't found the right way to present avatars and virtual spaces to teens, not that they're fundamentally irrelevant to that demographic. Focus groups with teens are great for finding out what they do among the current choices but not that useful for figuring out what they would do if things were different. I suspect if avatars were very emotive, provided a forum for self-expression, and were used easily on mobile phones for text, voice, gifting, and other interactions, they might be quite popular. I suspect this means we haven’t found the right way to present avatars and virtual spaces to teens, not that they’re fundamentally irrelevant to that demographic. Focus groups with teens are great for finding out what they do among the current choices but not that useful for figuring out what they would do if things were different. I suspect if avatars were very emotive, provided a forum for self-expression, and were used easily on mobile phones for text, voice, gifting, and other interactions, they might be quite popular.

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