PIXEL MAVERICK

PayPal recently opened up its platform to 3rd party developers.  Honestly I am surprised that they had not done this much earlier, and was a little shocked to see this news that seeking innovation from outside their walls was a new thing.

Nevertheless, they have opened things up and to kick this off they have launched a small campaign to get the ideas flowing.  Obviously they are hoping to create awareness in general, but also create some heightened interest from their primary target audience (primary target = ideally the 3rd party developers that are sitting on badass monetary innovation ideas).

They have developed a Microsite called ChangeHowWePay.com that honestly is nothing more than a landing page with the announcement, a twitter feed, and a request to start sending ideas via a twitter #hashtag.  They also created a commercial/ video that dwells on showing various future-states of monetary transaction.  Cheesy music track, but the content in the video is really good.  Cool thumbprint verification in there, but I was surprised to NOT see some use of a mobile phone as a method of user ID to complete a transaction.

Looking forward to what ideas emerge.  I have never had any issues using PayPal and think it is a great service.

I just watched the video review of the new iPhone app for Pizza Hut, and am so happy for the team at imc2 and Pizza Hut for such a great looking app after what I am sure has been a long process of creative, reviews, explaining the importance of iPhone specific UX design to a room of “huh?” faces, development, breakthroughs, delays, and late-game-twists.

As a former member of this team, I can say with 100% honesty that this app looks nothing like what we were originally brainstorming …and thank god for that because this is TONS better than we were thinking at that time.  I personally had nothing to do with this app, but as a former team leader for the imc2 PH team I am definitely proud of them and hope they get the credit they deserve for working their asses off while still managing to be brilliant.

Great work PH and imc2 Team!