DEMO Fall 2010
Always in touch
Today's Headlines
DLD News
January 20, 2006 · 11:58 PM
Three questions to Nicole Simon
Nicole is a European blogger and podcast pioneer with a passion for digital rights, social media and the way technology is revolutionising how we live and interact with each other. Together with Thomas Wanhoff and Frank Tentler from the Tomorrow Podcast-Show she recorded the DLD06 pre-conference podcasts.
1.) Why did you start podcasting?
"Being online" was always about meeting people and talking to them. Even though we may start with a digital conversation, in the end you want "more" talk to them, even meet them. Often it was just a message board, a chat or a mailinglist. Blogging was a step further: you talk to an interested audience about the topics you care about. Part of them you know, but in general it still is "one to many".
When podcasting started, it took conversation to a whole new level because of the emotional impact of the sound of a voice. Some people prefer to read, others to watch, but for me a good voice to listen to is just fantastic. I started podcasting for the same reason I immediatly feel for blogging: It just felt natural to do it and unnatural not to. Surprisingly for me, there are a lot of people who like listening to me.
2.) What is digital lifestyle all about?
"Digital Lifestyle" is how normal people call it when they take their first baby steps in this universe of Mail, Web and more. They need a name for it because it is so different to what they are used to. It is new and exciting. For others it is just about using technology to enhance our daily lifes. For the most of the so called digital lifestyle is just my daily life and I am ready to move on to the next evolutionary step. If I have to define it: it is about having this great place we call the Net. Not the web, but the Net.
Technology helps us to connect with like minded people achieve great things through it - and 'great' depends on my point of view. This may look pathetic at first, but look at how we work, how we share, create and discover: you will find that this is indeed working towards "make this world a better place, step by step and everybody with what they can contribute to it". Society itself is changing (not in all parts of the world of course) and I think that when people will look back to the first decade of this millenium they will say "that truly was the beginning of a new area".
3.) What do you expect from the conference?
To be a beginning, a kick-off so to speak. To connect traditional with this (for me) normal lifestyle and make them understand, that there is no turning back to the way it was 10 years ago. I am hoping to see speakers as well as other guests who can and want to help evolve this new world to normal peope. There needs to be a business side as well, I am all for it. But the beauty of this "new world" is while we are still consumers (show me the gadgets!), there is something new to it, more distinctive. And I would like this to spread in Europe but especially in Germany were digital lifesytle is still in the beginning. And of course looking forward to the party and new people I am going to meet!