Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan joined Australian Anthill Magazine as a features writer in May 2004 and was appointed Editor soon after.
He has written scores of feature articles for Anthill Magazine, on diverse issues including digital media, innovation, venture capital, export, intellectual property, technology commercialisation and online strategy. During this time he has interviewed scores of prominent people, including Andrew Denton, Don Watson, Sabeer Bhatia (founder of Hotmail) and Sir Martin Evans (father of stem cell research).
Paul presides over the development of Anthill’s web presence.
He also blogs at http://1000shards.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @PaulDRyan.
The history of pretty much everything, one page at a time
Seventeen-year-old art student Jamie Bell created this stop-motion clip using biros, about 50 jotter books and 2100 pages. It took him three weeks, but it was worth it – he received full marks from his teacher. (And us.)
Gap’s upside-down store turns heads
To promote awareness of Sprize, Gap's new loyalty program carrying the tag line "shopping turned on its head", the company turned its entire store on Robinson Street, Vancouver upsidedown. It took 12 hours to flip the instore decor -- including four display tables and 32 mannequins -- as well as a hot dog stand and three cars outside.
Romania eyes fast food tax to reverse national waistline inflation
Thomas Jefferson once said that “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance”. However, in the case of Romania’s post-communist population, the price is also size 52 trousers. In stark contrast to the lean Eastern Bloc days, half of Romania’s population is now overweight. Apparently, a burger, fries and jumbo soda became the cherished trophies of Cold War liberation.
Take your desperate loneliness to the next level with the Hug-E-Gram
If you thought the recent Snuggie Blanket commercial marked the nadir of craven commercial pointlessness, watch this promo for the revolutionary Hug-E-Gram. You'll need a hug when you're done.
The best three-minute video about leadership you will ever see
You might think you have a pretty good grasp on what makes an effective leader. You might even think you're pretty good at explaining it to others. But it's unlikely you can do a better job explaining it than this roughly shot three-minute video of a lone, shirtless guy dancing at a concert.
Debate rages at Mumbrella/Anthill Online Marketing by Design in Sydney last night — #mumhill...
There were plenty of great insights and conversations shared about marketing and social media at last nights Online Marketing By Design event held at the Shelbourne Hotel in Sydney, co-hosted by Mumbrella and Anthill Magazine.
Website of the Week: The Loop helps creative people sell themselves
Creative industries have changed dramatically over the past decade, but unfortunately the options for creative professionals to showcase their talent to peers and prospective employers hasn’t. Until now.
TechCrunch gets hacked. How the hunter became the hunted.
It’s not often that today’s technology media inspires thoughts of William Shakespeare. However, it’s likely that The Bard, had he lived in the 21st Century, would draw great inspiration from the brief and turbulent history of one of the world’s premier tech blogs, TechCrunch, and its founder Michael Arrington.
TV news reporting by the book (spoof)
The format for composing TV news reports contains less than meets the eye. Much less, as English satirist Charlie Brook reveals in this searing exposé.
Innovative bike helmet prototype folds like a hand fan for easy storage
We're conditioned to expect sturdiness from our protective head gear, but this prototypical helmet being developed by DoYouVélo? turns the concept on its... well... head.
The honeycomb...
Kiss and sell: Will Chinese demand transform Australia’s cane toad problem into a princely...
A Queensland entrepreneur is hoping Chinese demand will solve one of northern Australia’s most pressing natural problems: cane toads.
Lethal mini-ninjas star in Google’s AWESOME new Nexus One viral video
There's no denying that Apple's iPhone has a huge headstart on Google's new Nexus One phone. But with uber cool promos like this one, it won't be long before all the cool kids will be brandishing a 'ninja phone'.
RunPee: An iPhone app that reveals the optimal bathroom break moments in movies
RunPee provides full-bladdered users with several suggested movie “break” times during which not much happens plot-wise. Users start a timer as the movie starts, get told how long each interlude lasts and can access a full plot rundown of what they miss.
BBC reporter breaks ‘unbreakable’ new phone, embarrasses phone CEO
Sonim CEO Bob Plaschke was surely chuffed when the BBC's flagship technology programme Click asked him to discuss on camera his company's new phone, the Sonim XP1, which he was bullishly touting as "unbreakable". So Click reporter Dan Simmons put Plaschke's claim to the test.
Quirky clock design to keep you on time
Whatever your stance on deliberately-fast clocks, you have to love this clock designed for tardy time-shifters by Italian design house Fabrica Design. The long hand on On-Time clocks deviates three minutes ahead to encourage you to get a move on.
Cool waterproof suction notepad for capturing great ideas in the shower
People have their best ideas in the oddest places, but one of the most common places is the shower (perhaps all that singing gets the creative juices going).
This proved sufficient inspiration for Aquanotes, a waterproof notepad, pencil and suction cups to ensure that you never, as the website says, "let another great idea go down the drain!"
Anthill print back issues in the bargain basement basket already? That didn’t take long.
Anthill print editions always had a pass-on rate -- i.e. how many people read the same copy -- that was well above the industry average. In other words, they had a great shelf life. However, it seems that, in some people at least, the desire to continue sharing Anthill back issues is more pressing than the desire to wait patiently for their collection to mature into a golden egg.
New Year’s Resolutions: You probably won’t keep them, but many companies profit from your...
Let's face it, setting new year's resolutions is a mug's game. The smart money is in servicing these resolutions, for they are as recession-proof as gambling and religion.
iBend – a useful low-tech iPhone accessory with panache
iPhone owners delight in exploring many of the creative third-party applications that are release every day via the Apple store. Many of these are awesome . But in the scramble to download the latest high-tech apps, it's easy to miss those low-tech accessories that you will likely use more often than most apps.
How to harness bloggers to spread your message (the right way)
Earlier this year, Australian wallet maker Dosh Wallets released its second line of wallets (which are über cool, by the way). Consumer awareness was low, so Dosh Wallets hired digital strategist Julian Cole and his team at Sydney-based agency The Population to create a buzz online for the product line release.
