We live in an increasingly complex, networked world, where almost anything or anyone is accessible in virtual spaces or through virtual channels. The ability to initiate and maintain connections in this way has not only redefined our methods of communication, but our concept of identity. Interaction online not only affects our personal sense of self in the physical world but, more importantly, feeds our collective social and global identity. Emerging technology utilized by online social networks and media sharing portals has allowed large populations of people to publish themselves to a degree that has not been afforded before. The ramifications of which should, theoretically, enable individuals and communities to contribute valuable content to the global conversation. However, the implementation of the current popular networking applications has flourished on the voyeuristic exploration of online identity, resulting in content serving primarily as entertainment or fodder for personal self-expression. In spite, or perhaps because, of their tremendous popularity, many of the current social networking and media sharing sites have failed to tap into what is the ultimate power of possessing an online identity; the creation of relevant conversations within groups that are built upon and extend beyond the context of the online platform itself. This effect has a direct relationship to the popularity of the current online social structure, which places emphasis on the individual, rather then building an architecture that can support communication centered around communities, community building and social action. freeFormed.net is an experiment attempting to bridge this gap by allowing members to uploaded media in various ways to communal spaces, allowing the media to become the point of conversation and connection, rather then self-serving statements about personal identity. Freeformed has also structured their architecture around the capabilities of mobile phones, opening up access to individuals and communities that may have not previously been able to contribute to the global conversation due to technological barriers.

MobileVoices explores my concept of an open source reverse p2p anonymous mobile communication platform and its possible effects in encouraging the growth of grassroots citizen media within developing nations especially those in Africa.

The goals of MobileVoices are to:

* Provide a secure anonymous communications platform, through a mobile and web platform, in which the identity and the media assets uploaded by a user of MobileVoices, would never be traceable, thus preventing any retaliatory actions against them for expressing their viewpoints and opinions. The mobile platform would be a open source application which would break the large media contents into smalls parts and blue tooth it over to other trusted users, who would then upload it to any network, without risking detection.

* Provide a unique online resource for other to review the media content submitted by users, hopefully they would include journalists, human rights activists, and ordinary people who want to get engaged tin bringing about community/global action around their issues which were raised by the users of MobileVoices

*Provide a platform for community dissuasion and dialogue around the issues raised by the users, as well involving the users to moderate and establish guidelines of what types of media will be reviewed and how factual they are.

*Develop a open source secure communications application/platform, which would flourish with the efforts of those like me that believe that technology, especially mobile technology can be used to have and bring about positive social change in our world.

MobiNet is a location based service. The core idea is to build internet over ad hoc Bluetooth network. For people and objects, Bluetooth device are used as tags which are registered with URL. A MobiNet is automatically generated around a Bluetooth cell phone user. Thus, the Bluetooth cell phone user can pull web content related to the objects/people around him.

Trigr is a project that attempts to get people to think differently about the moments of life they choose to photograph. Most of us only take photos of \”special times\” like holidays and birthdays. Trigr prompts people via text message at random times during the day to \”take a picture\” to capture potentially important information that we don\’t usually document. Trigr is about memory and connecting to others by sharing the ordinary moments of our lives.

iPLATEu is a patent-pending, toll-free communications platform for motorists. Its purpose: to minimize road rage and make driving a safer, friendlier interaction.

The license plate is by far the most popular, publicly-broadcasted unique identifier known to man. But outside of law enforcement circles, it\’s been of very little use to the general public, that is, until now. What the iPLATEu service does, is it uses those imaginary, meaningless characters found on the backs of our vehicles to make a very real connection.

The way the iPLATEu system works is quite simple. All that participants have to do is log on to the iPLATEu website and register their cell phone and license plate number(s) into the database. Now they\’re ready to receive plate calls. And making plate calls is a safe & easy hands-free experience. Just dial 888-iPLATEu and you\’ll be greeted with a voice menu system asking you to speak the license plate number of the motorist you\’d like to connect with. The phone system then searches for the spoken license plate number in its database and intelligently connects your call.

The benefits of an anonymous contact system for motorists are limitless. Drivers can not only start up meaningful conversations with complete strangers during their morning commute, but they can also use this system for very practical applications such as asking any car around them for directions, coordinating parking space swaps in the city or even notifying someone that their parked car is being fiddled with. But the focus of iPLATEu remains its mission to reduce the dangerous effects of road rage by removing the need for any face-to-face confrontation after an incident. By giving drivers a much needed alternative to physical, potentially violent outbursts, iPLATEu keeps motorists at a safe distance apart yet allows them to express their emotions in a more constructive manner.

Owning a pet requires time, space, and money. People who own a dog knows how much attention a dog needs from the owner and the amount of care and time they need to give to a dog. Therefore, many people want to own a dog, but are afraid of their time commitment or the cost of owning a dog. My goal is to make a MobileDog which can be owned in your cell phone. Mobiledog will be very portable, economical, and entertaining for anyone who has a cell phone, and the way users communicate and interact with their MobileDog will be by text messages.