FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jill Feldman,jill@mkpr.com
Patrick Kowalczyk, patrick@mkpr.com
Michael Kaminer Public Relations, 212.627.8098
WEBBY AWARDS FOUNDER TIFFANY SHLAIN
PREVIEWS TOP TECH AND WEB TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2006
www.webbyawards.com
For a lively sneak preview of the top web trends to watch in 2006, you’ll want to
speak with Tiffany Shlain, the founder and ambassador of The Webby Awards, the
leading international honors for web sites.
Proclaimed “the online equivalent of an OSCAR®” by the New York Times (June 21,
2005), The Webby Awards is the leading international honors for web sites and the
innovators behind them.
To compete in the landmark 10th Annual Webby Awards, companies, agencies,
organizations, and individuals must enter online at target=”new”>www.webbyawards.com before
December 16, 2005.
Honored as one of Newsweek’s “Women of the 21st Century,” Tiffany can give your
audience the inside scoop on some surprising ways the web will work on everything
from entertainment to shopping in 2006.
Webby Award’s Top Web Trends for 2006
Mobile Phones Grow Up
Imagine using your mobile to dictate and send an email while driving to work. Or
how about scanning a bottle of sunscreen with your phone to see if it’s expired?
Or taking a picture of a movie poster and having a list of show times texted to
you. In 2006, mobile phones will begin to see, hear and scan as voice, image and
sensor recognition technologies evolve and move closer to reality.
The New Dollar Store
The number of ringtones downloaded in 2005 quadrupled, prompting some music biz
insiders to hail ringtones as “the new single.” In 2006, watch for everyone else
to start selling small pieces of their products for very small prices – from cook
books selling recipes to TV networks hawking single episodes to college students
downloading their biology book one chapter at a time.
Web Slays the TV Star
Online video turned a corner in 2005 when more than 5 million people tuned into
AOL’s coverage of Live 8. With broadband boosting speed and video quality, your
TV may start feeling neglected in 2006, as both the major networks, including MTV
and Comedy Central, and upstarts roll out a slew of new high-quality, original
programming for your PC.
You Are What You Search
Imagine entering “sneakers” as a search term and getting personalized results that
highlight your favorite brands – and your friend’s review of the pair she just bought.
As search engines adopt more intuitive technology that leverages your social networks,
search results will be based more on your own unique interests and connections.
Web for Everyone
Sayonara, Starbucks. With Wi-Max, a more powerful form of Wi-Fi, making its debut
next year, and cities from New York to San Francisco completing their plans for
installing citywide wireless access, you’ll be able to log on whether you’re at
the Statue of Liberty or on the Golden Gate. Besting the U.S., everyone in the U.K.
will be given free internet access through their televisions.
To arrange an interview with Tiffany Shlain or if you need additional information
about The 10th Annual Webby Awards, please contact Jill Feldman (jill@mkpr.com)
at 212.627.8098.
About The Webby Awards:
Founded in 1996, The Webby Awards is the leading international honors for Web sites. The Webby Awards is presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a 535-member judging organization consisting of leading experts in a diverse range of fields. Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: The Creative Group; Verizon; Adweek Magazines; Fortune and FSB; OnRequest Images, IDG; PricewaterhouseCoopers; iStockphoto, American Marketing Association; 2Advanced Studios, 2 Advanced.net; MX Interactive; For more information visit www.webbyawards.com
OSCAR® is a federally registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Webby Awards and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences are in no way affiliated with or sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences or OSCAR®.
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