The Promise of HTML5

I'm not a developer. I learned some HTML and CSS back in school in the days of HTML tables and Flash was the only way to break out of that. Oh, how long ago that was. Now we have CSS3 and @fontface and the web's design capabilities keep growing. I try to keep up on the latest developments since they are really quite exciting, but without getting your hands dirty it's hard to always understand the details and implications of new advancements in web capabilities until you actually see them in use. For awhile now, however, I've been hearing over and over again about how HTML5 is going to change the face of web, and if you listen to Steve Jobs, make Flash a dinosaur. People go back and forth on that argument, but regardless, HTML5 will change web design significantly and I've just seen the first real example pointing that direction.

A friend posted this music video on his blog saying it was the coolest music video of all time, so I clicked of course. To my disappointment, it only runs on Google Chrome, which I had not yet installed (in protest to Google for waiting months to release a Mac version after the initial PC-only release).  So I went, downloaded Chrome and in that download time, promptly forgot about it until this morning when I noticed the Google Chrome icon sitting there in my dock. So I finally clicked through to the site and watched the video. It's quite cool—and well worth the extra steps of downloading Chrome. I suggest you go watch it here (sorry, it's just too unique to embed in this blog).

Have you watched it? I love two aspects of this video. One is the customization and coordination with Google Earth—not totally unexpected since you have to enter the address, but still, the animation being incorporated into the custom Google Earth imagery is awesome. Second, the choreographed windows opening and closing as the video plays is a really dynamic way to present. Plus the animation is Can you imagine the possibilities with online presentations in the future?

The animation is built in HTML5 too, not Flash, using HTML5 Canvas 3D, it interacts with you mouse and the music. Ridiculous. You can read about the behind the scenes here, but this makes me very excited for the future of web design.

Dr. Pepper Extends Free Soda Offer Through Monday Night

According to an article in MarketWatch, Dr. Pepper is extending its offer for a free Dr. Pepper through 6 p.m. EST tonight. With overwhelming demand, the Dr. Pepper Web site was down almost all day Sunday. They've added a toll-free number for those unable to access the site: 1-888-DRPEPPER.

Though the offer is a free Dr. Pepper for everyone in America, the recorded message at the toll-free number limits one per household.

Dr. Pepper Pays Up at the Release of New Guns N' Roses Album

A few weeks ago my husband came home from work all excited because he had heard a radio DJ announce the release of a new Guns N' Roses album, and with it, a free Dr. Pepper. I offered the usual shrug and, "That's nice," clearly not sharing in his enthusiasm. I've never been a hardcore fan of rock 'n roll music and certainly don't know anything about its history. To the shame of my husband, I can't even tell the difference between Metallica and Def Leppard and AC/DC. I'm surprised he married me.

I'd forgotten about this until he came home yesterday saying that people could get their free Dr. Pepper on one day only. I hadn't seen any advertising about this offer, and didn't really understand it, so I did a few seconds' worth of googling to let you know what I know.

Apparently, fans have been waiting for Guns N' Roses new album, Chinese Democracy, since 1994. Yes, 1994. The band hasn't released an album of new songs since 1991. And along the way the band members had issues with each other causing, I think, the break-up of the original band. (Anyone that knows anything about rock music can correct me if I'm wrong.) Since fans have been waiting for so long with canceled release dates and not much hope they'd ever actually see (or hear) the album, Dr. Pepper thought they'd challenge the band by promising a free soda to every person if Chinese Democracy hit shelves in 2008.

Guess what? The album releases tomorrow, Sunday the 23rd. If you want your free Dr. Pepper you must sign up for the coupon on Dr. Pepper's Web site, and you only have tomorrow to do it.

My thing is, why would Dr. Pepper give the challenge if they're not going to promote it?

At any rate, I think I'll sign up for my complimentary Dr. Pepper alongside my husband tomorrow. Anything I can do to make him proud.

Olympic Commercial Favorites

There are a number of nice commercials circulating during the Olympics this year. Two of my favorites are below:

As a huge fan fan of the Killers debut album, this Nike spot featuring All These Things That I've Done caught and held my attention immediately. While it wasn't the album's major single, it was always a personal favorite and Nike put it to great use in this spot.


My other favorite also circles around the music choice—not because I'm a huge fan of this particular song, but because it just works with the spirit of the Olympics. It put a smile on my face :)