Now the beverage giant has brought us another new social frontier, social vending – a real vending machine that is social media-enabled.

PepsiCo’s Social Vending Machine, announced last week, lets users send free soft drink to their friends.

“Our vision is to use innovative technology to empower consumers and create new ways for them to engage with our brands, their social networks and each other at the point of purchase,” said Mikel Durham, Chief Innovation Officer at PepsiCo Foodservice. “Social Vending extends our consumers’ social networks beyond the confines of their own devices and transforms a static, transaction-oriented experience into something fun and exciting they’ll want to return to, again and again.”

This could potentially see the remodeling of vending machines globally.

This video (although a little lengthy) shows just how it would work.

Would you use a social vending machine?

EB

Jeremy Rowsell and Jim Hazelton have landed in Sydney’s Bankstown airport today in their single-engine Beechcraft 36 aircraft, having flown tens of thousands of kilometres across the mighty Pacific Ocean in the footsteps (exhaust fumes!) of the legendary Charles Kingsford Smith. “Smithy” became famous in 1928 as the first man to fly from America to Australia in a three-engined monoplane called the Southern Cross. Some of you may recognise his name, now synonymous with the Sydney International Airport.

The journey, coined ‘Flying 4 The Doctors’, came about after Jeremy, needing to get his aircraft from California back to Australia, decided that he should raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, a cause he holds close to his heart.

“I’ve flown across the Pacific for the RFDS because I know that if I were in trouble they would fly anywhere in Australia to help me.”

Flying 4 The Doctors Beechcraft 36 aircraft

We at d.tail have been incredibly fortunate to be part of the support team for the ‘Flying 4 The Doctors’ team, helping to communicate the journey through social media. It is very exciting to get the first video footage from a small plane in the middle of the Pacific!

The Flying Doctor recognises the importance of social media within their communications strategy.

“The RFDS began operating in the same year as Smithy undertook that historic flight, 1928, and the Flying Doctor has always been at the cutting edge of both aviation and communications technology.” explains Communications Manager Ruth Redfern.

“In fact, it was the RFDS who were responsible for opening up the lines of communication across the outback using the pedal radio! Today, we’re just as passionate about technology – the Flying 4 the Doctors fundraiser is helping us raise funds for data flight recorders for our aircraft, while the social media strategy is helping us keep our supporters up to date with the adventure as it happens. D.tail Noisemakers are the leaders in this field, and we have been delighted to be working with them on this campaign.”

Jeremy Rowsell (L) and Jim Hazelton address the media upon arriving in Sydney today

Jeremy plans to take the adventure global, with an attempt to fly the rest of the way around the world soon. Stay tuned.

Please support the RFDS by donating now.

For more information: Royal Flying Doctor Service / Flying 4 The Doctors

Are you a bit confused about the custom tabs on your Page being skinny all of a sudden? Get ready for what Facebook calls “Your Streamlined” Page.

From August 23, Facebook will be “simplifying your Page to make it easier to browse.” All custom tabs will change from the current 760 pixel width to 520 pixels to fit in the centre console of your Page, in the same way that the Wall and Info sections currently do. Boxes will also be disappearing on Pages and profiles, as well as the Boxes tab.

You will currently see these changes on Pages that you are an admin of. Your fans do not, just yet. We advise you modify the layouts of your custom tabs if needed so that your Page looks fabulous for when the rest of Facebook changes over on August 23.

“The updates are designed to simplify navigation for users, reduce complexity for developers, and enable us to build the next generation of tools for growing your business with Facebook.” ~ Fran, a Facebook platform product marketing manager.

Sounds good to us! Although we’re sad to see the box customization go from our left sidebar, we’re sure Facebook has the best of intentions with it’s new Page width.

You can find out more about the changes here.

EB

http://www.dtailnoisemakers.com.au

Late April can’t come quick enough for some eager Aussies who also want to get their hands on this latest Apple gadget.

At d.tail we’ve talked in some of our presentations about the younger generation growing up with new technologies such as the iPhone and the iPad and the explosion of the apps market. I came across a video that shows just how easily this generation will pick up this technology. You’ll see a 2-year-old’s first encounter with an iPad.

There are sure to be more apps created targeting the youngest of the new generation if this video is anything to go by!

EB