The Internet Of Branded Things

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Writing for Ad Age, Garrick Schmitt looks at novel ways companies are harnessing the internet of things concept, bypassing the marketer-consumer connection and instead trying to create a direct link between people and branded things. Read more at Ad Age.

Bungie sees ‘ripe’ opportunity for Halo film

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Bungie s Brian Jarrard has told IndustryGamers that the prospect for a Halo film to get off the ground will be higher than ever after Halo: Reach releases.  Jarrard said the potential for it will be more ripe post Reach than it even was after Halo3, adding that it s not a matter of if, just when.   He said he believed Halo: Reach will be the biggest Halo game ever for Microsoft, expanding the IP s audience.  Jarrard also said the success of the recently released Halo Legends animated feature shows there is demand for Halo outside of games.  IndustryGamers points to separate comments made by Microsoft s Frank O Connor supporting the notion of a reignited Halo film project.  O Connor told IGN that the answer to whether Microsoft is ready for a film adaptation of Halo is very much so, yes, but added that the company can afford to wait for the right partner.  Read more at IndustryGamers.

Microsoft schedules pre-E3 Natal premiere

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Joystiq is reporting that Microsoft has scheduled the Natal debut take place in Los Angeles the weekend before E3.  The outlet received a save-the-date notice for an event dubbed the World Premiere Project Natal for Xbox 360 Experience.   The event is scheduled for Sunday, June 13, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, two days before the official start of E3.  Microsoft s E3 press conference is scheduled on its regular Monday before E3 date, taking place this year on June 14 at the Wiltern in LA.  Joystiq points out Microsoft has already announced that this year s E3 will see the full lineup of Natal games.  Read more at Joystiq.

Red Or Blue Pill

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The World Wildlife Fund is promoting Earth Hour with this nifty online video. As AdFreak describes it, it s essentially two videos in one that respond to the amount of light input from a web cam to show either a light or a dark version. For anyone without a web cam, AdFreak points to a version on YouTube that users can manipulate manually. Check it out at AdFreak.

Pachter’s Podium Trades Barbs With Nintendo

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IndustryGamers is featuring its periodic Q&A session with Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter. This go around Pachter addresses comments by Reggie Fils-Aime on analysts’ Nintendo predictions and their track records. He also answers questions on the coming faceoff between Microsoft Natal and PlayStation Move, the prospects for Ubisoft s Red Steel sequel for Wii, and whether it was worth it for Microsoft to chase Japanese role-playing games for Xbox 360. Read it at IndustryGamers.