Now this is one of the things that has really impressed me in recent times. I think it is the best example at the moment of something that is almost properly integrated.

Here’s the site, and here’s the ad:

I really like the thought that ‘the only thing we’ve really got left is authenticity’. While crazy CGI can be really impressive, people will really get into something that’s genuine and painstaking. Just take things like the Honda Accord ad, or Bravia Balls for example… and the general craze for anything stop-frame animation.My only criticisms are that the making of seemed a little bit over-dramatised, and I’d have a appreciated more insights into how the tricks were set up and put together.

Secondly, some parts of the site seem tacked-on-at-the-last-minute, the Pong game for example, which doesn’t seem to have anything to do with effortless style. I think they really missed a trick here, it would have really suited a ‘marvelous machine’ style game, like this great one for the science museum.

But yeah, fantastic!

“Pownce is a way to send stuff to your friends.”

While I first dismissed this as another Twitter clone like Jaiku, but on closer inspection it actually looks really interesting. The site itself has a nice interface, not quite as simple as twitter, but very intuitive. Didn’t surprise me to find out it has been created by the founder of Digg.

Pownce does have a big overlap with the other micro-blogging services, but its key strength is definitely the ability to create sets of people to share things with. In a creative office this could be really handy. Instead of having an inbox full of one-link emails, create a set of colleagues and post things of interestingness to that. Then when you want to go back to something sent round two months ago, instead of searching through your emails, just refer to the archived timeline of that set - which you’ve already star-rated 1-5.

Like everything in this category, it will only be good if you can get everyone you know using it. So, Early Adopters, I have 5 invites :)

Who wants one?