The European Commission will research price arrangements between Apple and record companies about the distribution through iTunes. This distribution differs per European country. A person from the Netherlands can only buy music through the Dutch iTunes store (by checking the origin of the credit card). According to the European Commission, lots of rules are violated here, as companies are not allowed to apply different prices within Europe (am, Dutch). Europe slowly becomes one. Now through this step; in a next step copyright will be legislated on a European level as well. For music, for films, and for games. In distribution, borders then fade too. Once something is produced, it will be directly available for everybody, at the same price. First in Europe, but earlier or later anywhere in the world. This is a small step in that direction.

Since the start of mensmerk.nl, early 2005, the amount of visitors has been increasing steadily. After the Summer vacation however, there was a huge increase. This is when I started writing more, among others in the new categories Media evolution, World evolution, Insight in Humans, Twists, and a couple of other categories. Although the amount of postings has stayed more or less the same after the Summer, all statistics are going up. This goes for the amount of visitors as well as the frequency of their visits, their page views, hits, bytes, everything. Very nice, as that is what I'm working for.

At the moment I'm working on a completely renewed site. The content will stay the same, but the design will completely change. At the moment the design is mostly in line with the book; the next version will be in line with my most important activities: readings, workshops and seminars. But let me comfort you: there will not be any flashing banner trying to lure the visitor into buying a Nokia, upgrade to a better connection or another car. This web log follows changes in media, marketing, brands, people, and society. Nothing less. Nothing more. And it will continue to do that.

Through Mojiti consumers can add texts, balloons, or images to videos. Those videos can come from any location, for example from YouTube. Then consumers can share the videos with the added materials on their own websites, comparable to sharing YouTube videos (through a snippet). I tested the service with the video of the Adidas Store in Paris (which in itself is worth watching), and I am happy about the result. If you watch it, you get two-in-one. But it still is just a step in the media evolution. Two steps further and we will see a real revolution in television.

RTL GP Magazine is a magazine about car and motor sport, belonging to the TV program with the same name. The magazine will appear six times per year. The magazine does not repeat the information given in the TV programs: instead, it will provide new items (sak van der boom, Dutch). More and more TV programs get not only their own website, but also their own magazine. The website unites the people under a certain brand. In the end the consumers will determine the content, from the site as well as the magazine. RTL GP then facilitates an online car community, with the paper magazine for learning and entertainment. This is a small step in that direction.