If in the 20th century we learned to use machines, in the 21st we are learning to interact with them. And Teruyuki and Yuka Shikawa are making a game of blurring the boundaries between the physical and digital world.

The Shikawas are taking digital imagery to the next level by delivering the most accurate lighting and 3D texturing you’ve ever seen. Judge by yourself how digital got natural.

All pictures are reproduced with the kind permission of Teruyuki and Yuka.

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Many wonder if we really need this new wearable. Google Glass has already come and gone and some still expect the same fate for other upcoming technologies, but watch out—a wearable may be on your wrist sooner than you expected.

Google unveiled Google Glass expecting that consumer adoption would be solely driven by the draw of the new technology and failed in this unforgiving world where consumers are motivated by social fashion trends.

Apple learned from Google’s mistakes: The Apple Watch is positioned as a lifestyle product rather than a tech gadget. For the first time in Apple history, an upgrade in price results in an upgrade in design, but not in technology power. Technologically, it is a one-size-fits-all product. In design, Apple aims for the high-fashion market, competing against Louis Vuitton bags.

Apple hired two big names from the fashion industry: Angela Ahrendts (CEO of Burberry) and Paul Deneve (CEO of YSL) to get big spenders to love this watch. Meanwhile, Google is partnering with the folks at TAG Heuer developing a sleek connected watch to be released soon.

It’s true that the Apple Watch has not yet achieved “must have” status. Sales figures from the first versions of the iPhone, iPod, and iPad were somewhat disappointing, too. So, you never know. You may be wearing a smartwatch soon.

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Look—we were young advertising creatives in the late 90s, and as premium Apple users, we had a lot to say. We dared to spend our precious time on Friday afternoons at the agency discussing Apple’s future, while holding a beer or a glass of good Barolo. It was as if no one thought Steve Jobs was capable of cleaning up or doing something good for the company.

Afternoon at the agency. Polaroid blur before Instagram.

Do not think that the press had a more qualified take back then; the editorial staff at Wired Magazine prompted Jobs to run Windows on the Mac and then to manufacture them as cheap as possible, even suggesting to license the Apple brand and software to washing machine manufacturers.

Crazy—wrong: The bible of the tech industry at the time, Wired Magazine proposed 101 ideas to save Apple.

But, Jobs has always had his own version of reality, and actually had a bunch of much more interesting people to pay attention to. His conflict personality aside, Steve Jobs was widely recognized as one of the people at the top of his field who had a gift for spotting talent, both inside and outside the company. He was a great listener, and someone with whom others wanted to share their wild ideas, in anticipation of consumer needs—many years in advance.

While touring Xerox PARC in the late 70s, Jobs seemed to be the first person to truly understand what was going on there. The potential of the graphic user interface featuring icons, windows and the use of a mouse was developed there, based on research by Douglas Engelbart at Stanford University. Jobs loved it, but Xerox’ top direction did not, and the rest—as they say—is history.

Crazy-right: The graphic interface from Xerox PARC.

Jobs was also the only Apple CEO who really understood the ideas put forth by the young British designer Jonathan Ive and his creative team. Ive’s proposals were the right kind of kind of crazy Jobs sought for his projects: titanium computers in the era of the Tamagotchi and disposable electronics; transparent and colorful computers in a previously all-beige world; and sleek mobile phone technology layered between sandwiches of metal and glass. Such innovations were just some of the many products which, under different direction, likely wouldn’t have passed focus groups or standard manufacturing plans.

Crazy—right: Aluminum computers in the era of the Tamagotchi.

Jobs showed genuine interest in listening to Ive and his team. What followed was an intense working relationship that produced some of the most acclaimed design products of the last two decades; crazy ideas that came from people seeking authenticity in design, in an industry previously devoid of any. The results: the iMac, the PowerBook, the iPod, the iPad, the iPhone…

Crazy—right: The first product from the new Apple—the iMac—is still as impressive as it was in the late 90s.

It took no time at all for Grey Odense—my agency at the time—to spoil us with brand new iMacs as soon they became available. After a few minutes of working on it, I immediately understood why Apple was indeed on the right track—despite never having heard of me or my plans.

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We wanted to give the attendees a taste of the future to come, and in cooperation with Samsung, we let the people experience the new Samsung Gear VR powered by Oculus, which integrates smoothly with the new Samsung Galaxy S6.

There is no question that this is the real 3-D. I indulged myself last week flying low above Iceland and attending a weird performance by the Cirque du Soleil, standing in the middle of the stage. It was an immersive experience in all directions following a natural perspective. It is far more exciting than the pop-up book experience that 3-D cinema offers today.

The interesting part is how third-party developers will make the whole thing even much more exciting.DigitasLBi won an award at DIA15 for launching a car that has not been produced yet. Creating a virtual experience for this premium segment vehicle online and a virtual test drive with Oculus Rift at the Paris Motor Show, Volvo sold 1,927 first-edition XC90 cars online in only 47 hours.

Welcome to the digital future.

The new Volvo does not exist yet. Picture from DigitasLBi at the Paris Motor Show.

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1) Easy-to-understand concept
For travellers, the advantages of booking rooms with locals rather than hotels. For hosts, the chance to monetizing empty space. It is said that Silicon Valley startups are pitching investors with one liners such as: “This is the Airbnb of…”

2) Short term stays become personal experiences
Breaking the hotel category, Airbnb took service to another level. Now that hotels in the mid range segment care mainly about saving costs, Airbnb has turned a business that was getting more and more mechanical into a host-guest relationship, with easy booking and wide availability.

3) They made it digital for you and me
We are Generation X, Y, Millennials… Despite being the most traveled generation in history and fully digital, the hotel industry did not deliver a simple global booking system as the airline booking industry has done. Airbnb filled the gap and understood that good service starts in the potential guest’s smartphone via a smooth digital search and booking solutions. In my Airbnb app, my bookings, payment records and correspondence with the host or hostess are just a click away.

4) They made it local
A desire for genuine local experiences when travelling has been a growing trend in recent decades. International hotel chains provided a safe standard experience when you are away from home. But many people want to get close to the local reality and get unique experiences they can share on social media. The independent boutique hotels understood this trend and provided a good option in the premium class segment. Premium chains are now refurbishing standard hotels into boutique hotels in order to get a bite of the cake. But travellers who want local experiences but lack that buying power was almost forgotten. Airbnb filled that local solution in the medium segment, offering global service,

5) They made it happen
In the tough tech business, Airbnb succeeded in monetizing the Sharing Economy. Many other startups tried, but only a few succeeded and scaled up internationally, Airbnb and Uber are at the top of the list and are both admired and envied.

6) Popularity may overcome local resistance
One of the most controversial aspects of Airbnb is how they deal with local regulations. The race is about becoming popular enough with users to a point where local administrators can no longer sustain a ban on a popular service. The City of San Francisco ended up making a deal to regulate the short-term stays business last year. It became the blueprint for other cities: Rolling out the product as fast as possible expecting that regulations will follow later.

What we’re looking at now is just his first act of an unfinished game. We will see how the hotel business will play its next card and show its strengths globally.

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