Chaotic Neutrality

The mobile space continues to heat up. Apple’s iPhone 2.0 fireware update is almost upon us (some tech sites have been given early access to the 2.0 release) based on the fact that there is a new version of iTunes (7.7) that contains the App Store.

In preparation, I have downloaded a few free applications such as AIM, Facebook Mobile, Google Apps Mobile, an iTunes Remote Control for the iPhone, and a WeatherBug application.

Of course, this is all also on the eve of the release of the iPhone 3G (stores open at 8AM tomorrow, 7/11/08) which boasts the increased speed of the AT&T 3G network and GPS.

I’m looking more forward to the public release of the App Store so that I can get away from my jailbroken phone and start utilizing the power of an open development environment. Plus, I remain on the fence about the iPhone 3G and whether the small amount of new features are really worth the increased costs ($15 per month more).

(I’ll probably breakdown and upgrade at some point… just because the EDGE network is that annoying. But, we’ll see!)

UPDATE: Direct download link for iPhone 2.0 software which is now available!

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A few weeks ago, the Spore creature creation software and sharing platform (by Electronic Arts) became all the rage. It allowed anyone to download the application, customize their monster, and upload and share the creation with the world.

Creative users came up with lots of funky little Pixar-esque creatures. Some were cute. Some were scary. And then… some were obscene.

The following two blog / article posts details some of the humorous side of the dirty Spore creatures:

1. NSFW: A Beginners Guide To Sporn at Rock, Paper, Shotgun
2. NSFW: Horny Gamers Upload ‘Sporn’ To YouTube at Wired

While incredibly amusing, things like this are definitely a concern when you release a campaign or program of this nature into the wild. User generated content can create some spectacular discussions and collections of knowledge, but it can also go places that were never anticipated.

As user generated content initiatives continue to grow, it will be interesting to see how much moderation and policing needs to continue to happen in order to foster the creator’s intended atmosphere… and what this type of UGC censorship leaves in its wake (whether it makes these UGC worlds better or stifles them).

Whatever happens… Spore porn is pretty funny.

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