EXPOSE GREYZONES AND GROW THERE

There is not always only black and white. In this gap in-between is where magic happens. Like viruses, identify them and grow there. Digital viruses search for security gaps and for so-called Zero Days where they can infect the programs they are approaching. Between what is allowed and what is forbidden, there are a lot of opportunities, and that's the right place to develop. Take advantage of what you are capable to do without touching what you are not.

Beautiful greyzones full of posibilities 

Jukeboxes were born in Germany, very successful in the US and are a huge phenomenon in Latin America, particularly in countries such as Mexico, Ecuador Peru and Colombia, among many others. In those lands, this artifact is known as a Rockola, a name that preserved after the most popular model. These are musical boxes that play a song every time a coin was introduced. They are great companions in bars and are considered as one of the most effective and successful businesses within people of the common. Acquiring an original jukebox was quite expensive and many couldn't afford that investment, despite the fast earnings. People started modifying, hacking and adapting computers to construct their own Video Rockolas which reduced the investment significantly and could be easily personalized. They play music videos mainly about break ups, alcohol and love from genders such as carrileras, rancheras and the so called 'popular gender' similar to the last one. Many times they are placed in small shops that mutate at night to bars. For this mutation it is necessary that they are highly equipped with neon lights, LED’s, and some even smoke or strobe light.

The state noticed as well the effectiveness and success from the Rockolas and started charging these small businesses a right to play music in an establishment. Although Rockolas still move in a grey zone between legality and illegality where they pay for this right of playing music but contain anyways hard drives full of millions of songs that weren't technically bought. Other stakeholders enter the game as beer brands did, which gave Rockolas for free, of course full of visual advertising. Another interesting point here is how Rockolas are often described as the iTunes or Spotify of the folk. They made people pay one dollar per song even before than the services from Apple, in an ephemeral moment in which they really don’t posses the song forever but for some magical minutes. It wouldn’t be surprising that the form of advertising goes from visual to audio ads between songs, similar to how it is with Spotify or Deezer.

ECOSYSTEM

Jukeboxes where very attractive in the whole world and specially in latin american countries because of its capabilities for easily transforming a place into a social music club. However original jukeboxes where too expensive to take the risk of investing on them.

Need

People needed cheap adaptable devices that could transform spaces to convenient economical music clubs. Something not so trendy and intensive like a club, and still cheaper than a bar. All of that with the power of choosing the music you like for the mood you are on.

Dynamic

People started spontaneously modifying computers so that they could easily work as Video Jukeboxes that offer millions of songs for some magical minutes and memorable experiences in tiny grocery stores. Although they pay the government a right or allowance for playing music, their hard drives are full of downloaded music they don't pay. It grows on a grey zone between legality and illegality moving between what isn't exactly prohibited - yet. People pulled apart computers and re-asembled them again mixing components to build an own Video Rockola. This was made very often without electrical or systematic qualifications and it is also important to remark that this has been happening long before Micro-controllers like Wiring or Arduino and Micro-Computers like Raspberry Pi appeared. 

New Service / Product / Interaction

Video Jukeboxes capable of bringing you the power of music for some minutes in places not directly intended for parties.

New Meaning

Computers act here as the technology that enables this jukebox-frankenstein machine. Music is not understood as something you own forever (or at all) but for some minutes.

Technology

Computer / Jukebox