Gorgeous Defender, originally uploaded by Chris Abraham.

This is one hell of a gorgeous Land Rover Defender 90 in my neighborhood.

Emanuel Rosen sent me a review copy of his new book, The Anatomy of Buzz Revisited — he took the time to personalize the inscription and send along a card — this is WOM done right — I would expect nothing less from the Maestro! How cool is that? I will report on the book as I read through it. Updates forthcoming.

Sweet Steamroller Single Speed, originally uploaded by Chris Abraham.

]]> http://chrisabraham.com/2009/02/28/sweet-steamroller-single-speed/feed/ 0 http://chrisabraham.com/2009/01/04/my-new-randall-model-1/ http://chrisabraham.com/2009/01/04/my-new-randall-model-1/#comments Sun, 04 Jan 2009 03:09:08 +0000 Chris Abraham http://chrisabraham.com/2009/01/04/my-new-randall-model-1/ 7″ Model 1 Randall Made Knife, originally uploaded by Chris Abraham. After four years, I finally received my bespoke, hand-made, Randall Model 1 “All-Purpose Fighting Knife.” Instead of tearing right into the box, I paused and filmed a nine-minute unboxing video and took some photos of the knife — knife porn.

7″ Model 1 Randall Made Knife, originally uploaded by Chris Abraham.

After four years, I finally received my bespoke, hand-made, Randall Model 1 “All-Purpose Fighting Knife.” Instead of tearing right into the box, I paused and filmed a nine-minute unboxing video and took some photos of the knife — knife porn.

Dancing on the Table at the Bird, originally uploaded by Chris Abraham.

So, Charlie, John, and I go to a local burger joint in Prenzlauer Berg and then hang around a while drinking some beers and then, all of a sudden, the pH balance of the table next to us changed and I caught the above photo on my Nokia N95. Spontaneous table dancing by an incidental table dancer.

The low light coupled with the bad lighting resulted in a muddy photo. Luckily, I know what I am doing in Photoshop and was able to recover this image. I actually love this photo the best out of all of them in the set. Just another night out in Berlin, Germany. Very odd but not remotely abnormal.

Nokia N97, originally uploaded by Robert Scoble.

Robert Scoble started a bit-storm when he got his hands on the Nokia N97 even before I have scored myself an N96. I love love love my Nokia N95 8GB and use it as my 5mp camera, my QIK video camera, and my official podcast-listening device. I wake up this morning and there are a million articles about the Nokia N97 all over the place: Robert Scoble, Gizmodo, Engadget, SlashGear, MobileCrunch, GSMArena, Atmaspheric Endeavors, UnwiredView, Mobile.ie, PhoneMag, Laptop Mag, Geeky Gadgets, Mobile Tech Addicts, GadgetHeat, The S60 Blog, Inside View, Scoble’s Flickr, Teche Blog, Mobile Fun, CNet UK, Phones Review, The Serious Games Blog, TechLime, SlashPhone

The Deutsche Bank Store of the Future, originally uploaded by Chris Abraham.

When I arrived in Berlin, my buddy Mark told me that I had to follow him halfway across town, past dozens of banks, including a number of Deutsche Banks, from where we were in Moabit down to Friedrichstraße, south of Straße des 17. Juni, to one particular Deutsche Bank called Die Deutsche Bank der Zukunft — “Deutsche Bank of the Future.”

Well, the service is superb! There is a cafe with coffee and food. When you interact with a bank manager, it is in the cafe with personal service. Also, the cafe is open to the public, there is a boutique store in the front with high-end gifts, including gifts from Harrods, strangely enough. I have always been treated like I am rich and important when I am there, no matter how I am dressed or how unshaven. Everyone speaks English, as well.

Not only that, but I am told that, in general, service sucks in Germany, especially in Berlin, especially the service offered in Banks. Maybe a hold-over from Soviet-era bureaucracy — maybe all of the bureaucratic former Eastern Germans ended up manning all of the Berlin banks. Well, that is not the case with the Deutsche Bank of the Future!

Die Deutsche Bank der Zukunft
(Private & Business Clients)
Friedrichstraße 181
10117 Berlin
Germany
+49 30 460611-0
+49 30 460611-99 Fax
Bank Code: 10070024
Swift Code: DEUTDEBBXXX / DEUTDEDBBER
Opening Hours
Monday – Tuesday: 10:00 – 20:00
Wednesday: 10:00 – 18:00
Thursday – Saturday: 10:00 – 20:00

Thank you to both Howard  B. Greenstein and Dean Landsman for being so generous with their experience and insight.  Here are some assets associated with their “What Old Media can teach New Media: Media Convergence & Integration, Social Media, and Professionalism” presentation at the Social Media Camp NY, held at the offices of Sun Microsystems in New York City.  Here’s the brilliant presentation!

Social Media Camp NYC, originally uploaded by Chris Abraham.

Seiko 6309 Diver, originally uploaded by Chris Abraham.