My talk at Google

My Google Talk

ph/ private

I just realised - as the year is coming to an end - that I never shared with you the pictures from my talk at Google. There aren't that many, because boy do I pull some strange faces when I talk. Anyway, I was invited by the people at Google to talk about the importance of online branding and trending online. It was a great experience, and the audience was amazing. Was I nervous, hell yes and I think you can tell from my awkward smile in pic n°2. This is just one of the many opportunities, resulting from my on-the-side blogging, I am very thankful for. Thank you again to the Google team in Brussels for the kind invitation and great hospitality. What are your most memorable experiences or events of 2012?

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Google@6

WHAT? Google@6 is all about taking a bit of time out each month to relax, enjoy some drinks, sit in Google's awesome massage chair, play a round of baby foot, and most importantly learn about something new.

This month’s Google@6 will feature Toni Cowan-Brown of thefashioncloud.com  who will speak about how she turned her fashion blog into an online 'brand' and business, using a camera, a blog and some savvy skills.

WHO?

Toni Cowan-Brown graduated from the College of Europe in the summer of 2011. She is the author and creator of a fashion blog - The FashionCloud. In two years her blog has grown to 3 000 visitors a day and has been featured in ELLE, IDEAT, Victoire, The Guardian, the Independent and le VIF Express. As a result of this she was asked to reflect the views of young digital entrepreneurs about the future of Europe. Toni currently works at the European Commission. Toni is speaking in her personal capacity and the evening will represent her personal views only.

WHEN?

April 26th from 18.00 onwardsWHERE? 

Google EU office on Chaussée d'Etterbeek 180, right next to Park Leopold, a five minute walk from the Parliament and the Commission.HOW CAN I REGISTER? Sign up using this form.We look forward to seeing you at the next Google@6 on Thursday evening!The Google Brussels Team

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I thought I would let the invite talk for itself, but of course the bottom line is: if you are in Brussels and have nothing to do this Thursday feel free to drop by.

Hopefully my talk will be fun, interesting and more importantly interactive. This being said I first need to get my ideas from my head, onto paper to a Prezi presensation before Thursday :)

On another note, I feel very privileged to be one of the finalists of the Weekend Blog Awards - in the  fashion section - along some of my favourite blogs and inspiring  people. I would love for you to vote for me, however due to the very complicated voting system I am not really going to rallye the votes as I don't think voting should be this complicated, especially when done online and for something as easy and laid-back as voting for your favourite blog.

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Not quite "Goliath vs. Goliath"

We will remember the 18 January as the day the Internet partially blackout-ed. Indeed, it would see that many have woken up to the worrying fate that awaits us if bills such as the proposed SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Today) and PIPA (Protect IP Pact) are ever passed.

I have been annoying fellow co-workers, fiends, family and Twitter followers for the last couple of weeks about these bills, and explaining them and their worrying impact with great difficulty.  I am glad to say that it seems to have become a trendy topic, but please don't mistake these bills as the latest Bieber Fever. They represent so much more than a hip and trendy topic to discuss over casual drinks or fancy dinners. These bills, if passed, could potentially change forever our FREE and OPEN Internet as we love and know it today.

Firstly, these two bills - SOPA in the United States House of Representatives and PIPA in the US Senate - are very poorly drafted and written by peoople with an average age of 61 and  "who fundamentally misunderstand how the web works". Secondly, they will not achieve the goal they have been created for - i.e. to tackle copyright infringements - and will do more harm than good, with innocent online users primarily effect. Thirdly,  it will set a dangerous precedent that will potentially put an end to the creative side of our open and free Internet. A creative side that has us uploading and sharing billions of videos worldwide, sharing information and breaking news of events worldwide, creating new political voices, discovering new talent daily ... Fourthly, it will hold accountable all website owners for any contributed material which will result in the COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY shutting down and the blocking of ENTIRE SITES.

If on the one hand, this is not a 'David vs. Goliath' battle but more of a 'Goliath vs. Goliath' battle ( i.e. the music studios and record labels vs. Massive user generated sites such as Youtube, Google, Facebook...) Indeed, let's not kid ourselves in thinking this is all about 'the greater good' as there is certainly an amount of commercial self-interest motivating both parties. On the other, it is much more complicated than this, and many other actors are involved and will be the harmed if these bills pass. Take Wikipedia and Reddit for example, neither have any financial self-interest at play (they don't sell adds or monetize traffic). Take the billions of blogs that have been created so far, all will be affected and could potential face darkness. Except this time it will not be to raise awareness like today, it won't even be your own doing and will be completely out of your hands!

As a blogger, someone who attracts readers by creating and sharing mostly original content on a daily basis and who has personally seen both my image rights and personal content violated, I am the first to say that our generation of media tools need more effective legislation. Especially when it comes to IPR (intellectual Property Rights) and tackling online piracy. Further more, "from the moment the Internet and websites arrived, a veritable Pandora’s box of opportunities have opened to every average Joe and Josephine in the world", why would we ever want to go back in time. Finally,  Both bills attempt to tackle online piracy and copyright infringement respectively by actually infringing on our individual freedom of expression and our knowledge sharing. There is no doubt that these bills are a far cry from being an effective, let alone fair solution.

Neither are dead, contrary to what is being said, they are still a dangerous threat that we should never be faced with again. SOPA is still to be discussed early February and PIPA will possibly still be debated. Are you really ready to say goodbye to Tumblr, Reddit, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Wordpress, Blogger... These bills have expanded the meaning of infringement and copyright to the extent where sharing information would be a felony in itself!

If you feel concerned, and hopefully by now you do. Go learn a bit about these two ludicrous bills and then go and do what our generation does best and spread the word and the awareness. For a laugh, go check out Oatmeal's blackout page and Wikipedia's handy Q&A page.

p.s: In the spirit of copyright, I will thank by dad for the "Goliath vs. Goliath" metaphor :)

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Top 25 Ipad apps for Fashion Bloggers

/Essentials/

1. Twitter: Forget tweetdeck, finally the official Twitter app for iPad is packed and updated with everything twitter needs. It gives "you a full Tweet-and-browse experience". My one advice would be, please don't be overwhelmed and give it and yourself time to get use to the app, because trust me once you do you will love it. Free

2. Flipboard: This is without a doubt one of the best things that has out of the Ipad, it has been called "a true testament to the iPad's transformative powers". Basically, Flipboard scrapes your Twitter, Facebook and RSS feeds for interesting links and then arranges them in a simple, fun and beautiful magazine. You can also custom it by adding and deleting categories that you are interested in. Free.

3. BeeJive GT or IM for iPad: This is the perfect substitute to MSN, Skype, Facebook, Gtalk, and any other chat you can think off. Basically, it creates one single palce to corral all your possible chats, making communicating with your friends and loved ones that much easier. Some have calle dit "the best, best-looking IM client for the iPad". Free

4. TED for iPad: First things first if you have never heard of TED, please run over there now and check it out. TED talks are simply some of the best and most inspiring content from some amazing people the internet has to offer. With the Ipad app you can watch these videos at your own speed and even save some for later. Free.

5. Netflix: This is like the biggest archives of old and new TV shows and DVD imaginable. And what better than to be able to curl up in bed and stream these to your heart content. Again, you can save some for later, put films asides, have them offer you 'your kind of film', and with winter coming this has to be an essential app to have. A subscription is needed. Free.

6. Instapaper: If I am honest, the single biggest thing I use my Ipad for it to watch videos and read, whether it is newspapers, magazines or various articles and pdf documents for my studies. Instapaper turns all those articles you safe and put aside to read later into clean and user friendly documents, stripped from all the "web junk" one finds on websites whilst trying to read articles, and basically "leaves you with the sweet, pure text". $5.

7. Read it Later: This is very similar to Instapaper, I guess it is up to you to chose one or the other. Again, it allows you to save web articles and pages you find interesting in order to simply read them later, no internet connection needed. It has been called "a DVR for the web" by some of the most influential newspaper in the US. Free

7. Reeder: This is basically your RSS feed on your Ipad, allowing you to be kept up to date on all your blogs and website, thus leaving you with plenty to read and enough tome to read them all. According to Reeder, it "is the cleverest, prettiest way to sift through it al"l. $5.

8. Dropbox: have you ever wondered what all this "cloud computing" was all about? Really, what is all the fuss? Well look no further, with Dropbox you can, with one simple click, send all your big files and pictures on your Mac/PC into the clouds, quite literally. Meaning you can access them from anywhere in the world. With the Dropbox app you can access them on your Ipad, at any time and in any place. It has some of the best traits you look for in an app; "It's quick, it's clean, it works, and it's free".

9. Epicurious: If you like food, this one is for you. In my view, it is one of the best apps for recipes. The design is perfect, the pictures make you want to cook straight away, and the format is very easy. Free

10. Qwiki: There is no other way to explain this, other than it is a "visual Wikipedia". A great way to kill time when you are bored or waiting for your plane, train or any other means of transportation. Plus, you are learning cool stuff on the go as it delivers its information in the form of a narrative, with images and even audio comments. Free.

11. IMDB: As most of you know I am a huge TV series addict. Well, I don't smoke, I don't drink coffee so I did need something to get me going. The new app delivers all the information on upcoming (and old) movies, trailers and showtimes, so that you can stay up to date with anything coming to the screens near you. Free.

12. Alien Blue HD: Again, if you don't know Reddit please go and check it out, and just like Twitter, you need to give it and yourself time to understand what it is all about and fully take in all that it has to offer. This app is Reddit's client, and it is the "natural evolution of Reddit for a large touchscreen device". the design is just perfect and the format , again, is very user friendly and allows for better interaction.

13. Friendly: Now, for those of you who know me a bit, they will probably know that I am not a huge fan of Facebook, actually we are probably frenemies! Nevertheless, Friendly did a pretty good job. It is "the best unofficial Facebook app on the iPad because it does everything you'd want the non-existant official Facebook app to do". So if you are a Facebook addict, go for it. Free or $1.

/Newspapers/

14. Zinio: This is a great app if you are big on newspapers and magazines, it is like your own virtual newsagents, allowing you to explore, read, shop and store from a wide range of magazines. I subscribe to Elle, for exemple, and every month it downloads itself into Zinio and then stays in the archives. Once downloaded you can read all your magazines without an internet connection, perfect for those who travel a lot. Free

15. New York Times for iPad: I think it is safe to say that after a rough start, the NYT app is looking pretty amazing, and has delivered a clean user friendly app packed with great content and information.

16. CNN and/or BBC: I am personally more of a BBC user, but again it comes down to a personal choice. However, both have similar great traits; best ways of keeping up-to-date with the world news, with breaking news feeds, videos, audio comments, and top stories. ALl very weel categorised, and very user friendly and easy navigation. Free.

17. The Economist: This, has to be hand up one of the best news app out there. However, this is a very personal choice and I was brought up with copies of The Economist laying around the house, so it was a no brainer for me. It is unique, weekly and has an amazingly clean and practical layout and format, making The Economist a very pleasant read or listen if you would rather listen to the article, allowing you to multitask. Free to download but subscription needed (fairly expensive but so worth while)

18. How to spend it: This is the newest of the Financial Times Ipad app. The How to spend it magazine - the luxury lifestyle magazine of the FT, was another item from my childhood, so again a no brainer for me when it was first launched. Free for users

19. Asos: I love to shop at Asos, and I have always been a huge admirer of just how tuned in they where to digital innovations and how interactive the web store was. When I lived in the Uk, I would receive the Asos magazine which provided some great looks and ideas, and I was very disappointed when I moved back to Belgium. The interactive app, allows you to shop looks right off the pages of the Asos mag, fantastic and probably not good news for our banks. Free

20. Women's Wear Daily: This is the app of the well know website WWD, I would say again a natural transition for the website, and a great addition too. WWDBLAST "provides up-to-the-minute fashion news and comprehensive coverage of the most fashionable scenes".  Free

/Games/

21. Flight Control HD: This is one of those addictive games that looks easy and quickly has you screaming at your tablet for not reason. This one has you directing air  traffic, that quickly turns into utter mayhem. A fun and actually energetic way to waste your time. $5.

22. Tiny Tower: If you like SimCity, this is the game for you that has you playing a landlord, where "you build floors on a tower to attract "bitizens" to live in it and then control their lives (manage, hire, give a job, evict)". I have yet to try it but I have been told it is good fun.

23. Harbor Master: Just like flight control, this meditation games quickly turns into chaos. again, very addictive; If I am not mistaken, it is one of the best selling games on Ipad. Free

24. Sudoku Tablet: I am a huge fan of sudoku, and love the fact that on a tablet you can be wrong as many times as you want. It is basically endless fun! The format is great and it is very user friendly. Free

25. Fruit Ninja HD: This is the most addictive game I have come across lately, swipe your finger across the screen to deliciously slash and splatter fruit like a true ninja warrior. Be careful of bombs - they are explosive to touch and will put a swift end to your juicy adventure! $0.99

I have been asked quite a few times what apps (for iphone and ipad) I couldn't live without. So I thought I would do a nice (and very short hum hum) post about all the apps for ipad that I am loving at the moment. Hope you enjoy it and find it useful! And, of course, if you have any other ipad apps that you love and can't live without that I did not include in the post, please do share.

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Fashion vs. Politics

Good morning! So I had received my invitation last week to say that I had been selected to walk in the world's biggest fashion show, that is taking place tonight in paris,and organised by the famous Galleries Lafayette. Last night, I started thinking about different outfits I could wear, and this morning I woke up at the crack of dawn, as we had to be at the Palais by 9 am. So, me and my maxi leo dress hoped on the metro direction La Bourse. However once I arrived there, it all started to dawn on me - this is just not my kind of thing, but I would give it a shoot anyway. I am more of a behind the scenes kind of girl, which for a blogger might sound weird. So I stood around for about na hour and a half and started reading my emails. Then I received an email from a Politics and International relations student asking me question about "the European dream" as he was writing his Bachelor thesis on this subject, a subject that I know a bit about, but more importantly one that I am fascinated with. Then all of a sudden, it hit me; even thought I like fashion, and find it a complex and amazing part of our lives, I would rather be at home writing to this student and sharing my thoughts and views on the future of the European Union, and our so called "European Dream". So, I snapped a few pictures and headed on home.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love this blog and all the events I go too and all my readers and fellow bloggers I have meet and gotten to know along the years. And, I am definitely not going anywhere, I just realised that some things are just not for me, and as much as I enjoying blogging about fashion and the crazy trends the fashionable people come up with, I do also enjoying doing other stuff more. I wish all the participants of the world's bigest fashion show all the best, and hope they have the most amazing time. I, on the other hand, will be cheering from the crowd tonight with fellow bloggers and friends Sophie and Mireille.

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