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Lawsuit against Apple for undelivered texts to Android phones now completely dismissed
Back in August, U.S. District Judge Lucy H. Koh threw out a class action lawsuit against Apple from former iPhone users complaining that text messages were no longer delivered when they ported their number to an Android phone. The lawsuit alleged that Apple was guilty of “interference” with their messages.
That wasn’t quite the end of it, however. Three of the plaintiffs persisted in individual claims against Apple, alleging that the company was in breach of the Federal Wire Tap Act by ‘intercepting’ their messages. The court has now dismissed these claims – with, it turns out, very good reason …
As Business Insider reports, Apple requested a dismissal after discovering that the claim appeared to be spurious.
Apple […] discovered that two of the three plaintiffs in the case had gotten rid of their old iPhones after they filed the suit against Apple. They are thus unable to demonstrate whether texts sent to their phone numbers went to their Apple or Android devices, Apple claimed. One of the plaintiffs also previously asked that she be dismissed as a “named plaintiff” in the case.
The three plaintiffs were a husband, wife and family friend. Judge Lucy Koh dismissed the case in a single-paragraph order.
The Court has granted the Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Defendant Apple Inc. See ECF No. 112. Accordingly, the Clerk of the Court shall enter judgment in favor of Defendant. The Clerk shall close the file. IT IS SO ORDERED.
The original issue appeared to have been caused by a bug in the iMessage system, arising where someone switched to an Android phone without first disabling iMessage on their iPhone. While Apple later solved the problem by creating a web-based tool, it continues to recommend that people switch off iMessage on their iPhone before switching devices.
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices Tagged: Android, Apple Inc, Class action, class action lawsuit, iMessage, iMessage bug, iMessages, Lawsuit
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5 Ecommerce Companies Using Content Wisely this Holiday Season
Content marketing is so much more than a business blog, but many forget that little fact when trying to boost their business. When the holidays roll around, there are only so many blogs you can write, right? This is when you really need the reminder that content actually means anything your customers will consume, including social media, videos, images, and even sounds.
Some of these ecommerce shops show you what content marketing is all about. Take a look at some of the hottest digital marketing this season has to offer.
Coach
This holiday video features the products in a festive light, yes, but there’s also a cute little guest that no one with a heart can ignore. The introduction of a mascot and a video that shows the little guy in all his scrunchy-faced glory is just about the smartest move this luxury brand could make. Who could possibly stop watching? And grabbing and keeping consumers’ attention is what content marketing is all about.
Target
Target’s Pinterest feed hits the exact tone necessary for the holiday season.
Gift guides are a great idea for prompting purchases, but buyers can’t always buy right away. Putting the online catalog on Pinterest helps users save ideas for later, like after the paycheck arrives. With all their gift ideas in one place, buyers are more likely to remember the gifts they’d planned to buy.
Burberry
An online gift guide is a great way to help new visitors to your site find things their loved ones will cherish.
Burberry does an absolutely stellar job with their stunning catalog. It’s filled with gorgeous shots of their most popular products, all in a very festive layout that makes shoppers excited about picking the perfect gift. Something like the exquisitely decorated shopping malls of the ’80s that once inspired a holiday purchasing furor.
Wayfair
Similar to a gift guide, Wayfair’s online magazine shows off their products in festive situation. The company keeps the online magazine all year long, however, and fills it with decorating advice, information about new products, and tips for finding the best deals. It’s a little more special at Christmas because it does serve to provide information about holiday decorations and gifts, and they really do know how to make the most of it.
Overstock.com
Email counts as marketing content, doesn’t it? Check out this email from Overstock.com, which was opened just a little too late.
The urgency a recipient felt when opening the email immediately upon receipt must have been incredible, and it strongly plays on buyer’s feelings of FOMO. That countdown showing the potential buyer a deadline on amazing deals surely prompted quite a few sales.
What amazing holiday content have you seen this year? What makes you excited for the season and more likely to open your wallet to buy?
Disney-backed virtual reality company brings 360-degree videos to Apple TV
If you have an Apple TV, look out for the Littlstar app, which brings 360-degree videos to the platform for the first time. The company says that it has thousands of videos in its library, including ones from major brands like Discovery, Disney, Fusion, MLB, Mountain Dew, National Geographic, PBS and Red Bull.
You use the trackpad on the Siri remote to control your viewpoint. In a ballet video, for example, you can look around the theater as well as watch the performance, to get more of a sense of really being there …
Littlstar, which already has an iOS app, is backed by Disney Accelerator, which provides both financial backing and mentoring for tech companies launching products in the consumer entertainment and media fields.
In addition to partnerships with commercial brands, Littlstar also allows anyone to upload 360-degree content to the service.
Via Gizmodo
Filed under: Apple TV, Apps Tagged: 360-degree video, Apple TV, Disney, Immersive video, Littlstar, Virtual reality, vr
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How to Extend the Life of Your Social Media Content
Wish you didn’t have to keep creating new content? Do you need a better return on the content you create? Having a plan in place for posting, and repurposing your best content will give your content a longer life and make the most of the time you spend creating it. In this article you’ll discover how […]
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How to Actually Stick To Your New Year’s Resolutions: 9 Data-Backed Tips
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.
It’s that time of year again. And as we all sit down and make a list of habit-changing, self-improving, mood-boosting things we vow to do next year, there’s no shortage of motivation to go around.
However, come the third or fourth week of January, most of us are caught singing an entirely different tune. In fact, just 8% of people actually achieve their New Year’s goals, according to research from the University of Scranton.
So how can you defy those odds and actually achieve what you set out to do in 2016? Below, we’ve uncovered nine data-backed tips for fail-proofing your New Year’s resolution.
We can’t guarantee it’ll be easy, but we can guarantee it’ll be worth it.
9 Data-Backed Tips for Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolution
1) Write out a plan.
Before I go to the grocery store, I always make a list. Not only does this help me avoid filling my cart with a bunch of junk, but it also helps me focus enough to speed up the process.
According to a study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, clearly defining your intention can improve your success rate. In this particular study, researchers found that people who wrote down a strict plan for where and when they intended to exercise were more likely to follow through with the plan than those who didn’t.
So if you want to stick to your goals this year, write them down. Start a journal, make a note in your phone, or use one of these handy to-do list apps to keep track and hold yourself accountable.
2) Break your goals down into micro-goals.
Saving up $365 dollars sounds hard, but what about saving one dollar a day for 365 days? Similarly, losing 100 pounds sounds pretty intense, but what if you were tasked with losing 10 pounds a month over 10 months?
Research on pricing tactics suggests that consumption is driven not by the actual cost of a product or service, but by its perceived cost. When we break down a price — or, in our case, a goal — into more manageable segments, it’s easier to convince ourselves to go after it.
So if your goal is to learn a new language, for example, start by learning to count to 10. Working towards micro-goals will make the entire process seem more doable, and help you build the momentum you need to continue pushing forward.
3) Join forces with friends & family.
We’ve all heard the saying “strength in numbers” before, right?
According to a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, participants who enrolled in a weight-loss program with friends were more likely to keep off the weight. Participants remained motivated to complete the program — and maintain the weight loss — thanks to the built-in social support.
But this doesn’t have to be limited to dieting and exercise. If you want to read more, ask a few friends to start a bi-weekly book club. Want to learn how to code? Encourage a few friends to register for a night class with you. It’ll keep you accountable and help you stay on track.
4) Tackle one goal at a time.
We’re all guilty of multi-tasking. In fact, in the midst of writing this article, I’ve already checked my phone several times, replied to an email, changed my Spotify playlist, and got up to make coffee.
However, when it comes to actually succeeding at our resolutions, it’s typically best to focus on checking off one box at a time. Bad or unhealthy behaviors develop over the course of time, meaning it will also take time to replace them with healthy ones.
While we may think we’re getting more accomplished by multitasking, we’re never really doing tasks simultaneously. Instead, our brain is forced to switch tasks quickly, which ultimately detracts from our efficiency, according to Psychology Today.
(Sounds like I should add this to my list of New Year’s resolutions.)
5) Make a bet.
Let me start by saying that gambling is a bad (costly) habit. And while I wouldn’t want to encourage you to pick up one habit while trying to get rid of another, making a friendly wager on the outcome of your New Year’s resolution can serve as a powerful incentive to get you going.
The reason being? Loss aversion.
This is a theory that states that people prefer to avoid losses more than acquiring gains. In other words, we’re more deeply affected by losing than we are by gaining.
So if you really want to stick to your New Year’s resolution, make a wager with one of your friends? It could be something as simple as buying them lunch every time you skip a gym day, flake on an event, overbook yourself at work — whatever your goal may be.
6) Precommit to your goals.
Let’s say you really want to focus on being more productive at work in the year ahead. When you’re working on a project that doesn’t require an internet connection, you have two choices:
- Find a place to work without internet.
- Stay in a place that has internet … and trust yourself not to give in to temptation.
While the latter requires you to rely on your own willpower, the first option demonstrates precommitment: the ability to avoid temptation by eliminating the choice from the start.
Want to eat healthy? Do meal prep on Sunday for the whole week. Want to ease your smartphone addiction? Leave it behind when you don’t really need it. It’s simple.
7) Talk yourself through it.
Research suggests that tapping into your inner voice can serve as an effective way to restrain impulses and encourage motivation.
This could boil down to something as simple as telling yourself “Don’t give up” when you’re on the treadmill or reassuring yourself that “You’ve got this” before giving an important presentation.
By sidetracking our impulses, it’s easier to keep pushing forward to complete the task at hand.
8) Monitor your glucose levels.
According to research from Florida State University, acts of self-control have the ability to deplete large amount of glucose — and we’re more likely to fail when attempting to exercise self-control if our glucose levels are low.
To keep your glucose levels stable through out the day, the above study suggests fueling the body with protein and complex carbohydrates.
So if you’re feeling like you might break down and give in to temptation, try snacking on some Greek yogurt, grilled chicken, oats, peanut butter, beans, or peas.
9) Treat yo self.
If you’ve ever taken a psychology class at any level, you’re probably familiar with the work of B.F. Skinner. He is perhaps best known for his research around operant conditioning — the process of modifying behavior through the use of both positive and negative reinforcement.
In terms of achieving your New Year’s resolutions, Skinner’s research suggests that it’s okay to treat yourself. In fact, it’s encouraged.
Positive reinforcers — like a sweet treat, shopping trip, or new piece of technology you’ve had your eye on — help condition us to repeat a desired behavior. Just make sure you’re not overindulging … or using your vice as a reward. You don’t want to slide back into the bad habits of yore.
Of course … if you do happen to slip, you still have eight other science-backed techniques to help you tackle your goal once again.
What’s your plan for sticking to your New Year’s resolution? Share them with us in the comments section below.
Report reiterates Beatles catalog streaming from Christmas Eve, will include Apple Music & others
Building on a report from Billboard last week, Re/code now says that starting on Christmas Eve, The Beatles will be available on Apple Music. The report from last week said that the hit British boy band’s catalog would launch on one streaming service on December 24, but left out specifics.
Today’s report, citing industry sources, says that The Beatles’ music will be available on nearly every streaming service beginning December 24th. That includes Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, Tidal, and Amazon Prime Music. Pandora will remain in the dark and will not have access to the band’s catalog due to the fact that it does not do direct deals with music owners.
The Beatles will be available on all tiers of popular streaming services, including the free tier of Spotify. This is different from, say, an artist like Taylor Swift, who is only available on paid services. Of course, Taylor Swift was also an Apple Music holdout at first, saying she wouldn’t be on the service unless Apple agreed to pay artists royalties during the free trial period. Apple and Swift’s relationship has now blossomed to an entirely new level.
The Beatles catalog was first available digitally in 2010 exclusively through iTunes for a while, which was a major deal for Apple at the time with 2 million tracks sold within days. With the addition of the catalog to Apple Music, The Beatles should again expect a surge in listens. Much like The Beatles, AC/DC strongly resisted streaming services, but gave in and released their content on Apple Music earlier this year.
Filed under: Apple Music Tagged: Apple Music, Music, streaming, The Beatles
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Chief White House Photographer shares behind the scenes images he took w/ his iPhone
Apple has heavily touted the camera capabilities of the iPhone 6/iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 Plus/iPhone 6s Plus since the first introduction of the devices in 2014. The company ran a worldwide ad campaign called “Shot on iPhone” that showcased some of the beautiful photographs taken with iPhones. Now, the Chief Official White House Photographer has shared a collection of images that he took throughout 2015 with his iPhone.
In a post on Medium, Pete Souza shared that throughout the year he took a handful of images around The White House with his iPhone as opposed to his DSLR. Over the course of the year, he shared a plethora of images on his Instagram account, but never disclosed which were taken with a DSLR and which were taken with his iPhone. Now, Souza has said that any images shared in the square format were taken with an iPhone.
Scrolling through Souza’s Instagram you can see that there isn’t a huge discrepancy in quality between any of his images, again showing how truly great the iPhone camera has gotten over the past two years.
My approach to my Instagram feed continues to be all square photos are taken with an iPhone, and full-frame horizontals and verticals are taken with a DSLR (usually a Canon 5DMark3, but I’ve also posted some from Sony, Nikon and Leica cameras).
Souza has shared many of his iPhone-taken White House images in his Medium post and we’ve uploaded some below, as well. Souza also shared some images that he processed with the popular Hipstamatic iOS app.
Stunning iPhone photography by White House chief official photog @petesouza WhiteHouse/behind-the-lens-my-year-on-instagram-2015-b4d5a0eb6c44“> medium.com@WhiteHouse/be…
—
Tim Cook (@tim_cook) December 22, 2015
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, iPhone, iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, photography, White House
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Apple starts offering proxy access to give shareholders more power over board of directors
The Wall Street Journal reports this evening that Apple has amended its bylaws to make it easier for long-time shareholders to nominate to the company’s board of directors. This makes Apple the latest company to adopt what is commonly referred to as “proxy access.”
Apple revealed the change in a securities filing. Details include that a shareholder of 3% shares for 3 years, or a group of up to 20 shareholders, can now nominate to the board in the company’s annual proxy statement. Shareholders can nominate up to 20% of Apple’s directors, which with Apple’s 8 member board, comes out to one director position that is controlled by the shareholders.
In a securities filing, Apple said its board of directors had adopted amended bylaws Monday that allow a shareholder, or a group of up to 20 shareholders, holding 3% of its shares continuously for three years to include board nominees in the company’s annual proxy statement.
The bylaw allows shareholders to nominate up to 20% of Apple’s directors. Apple’s board currently has eight members, so shareholders could nominate one director.
Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple, Board of directors, executive, sec
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Upwork – A new way of finding resources for projects
The proper management of resources is one of the most critical components for a project to be completed within budget and within schedule. When companies decide to start a project, one of the first things they consider is where to get the resources for the project. Depending on the nature of the project, hiring external consultants may be the best option.
Global Job Marketplace like Upwork.com
When hiring external consultants, project managers carefully select the candidates, so that the skills match the particular task required to be completed. Nowadays, more candidates are available, with some located in different countries or even different continents. This is possible with online job marketplace services that offer the hiring and managing of freelance consultants, either individuals or teams, working in remote locations but connected through the Internet.
Some of these online services include Upwork, Freelancer, Elance, Guru, and Fiverr. These online staffing platforms have a global reach. They also have tools and features for communication, timekeeping, file sharing, and different modes of payment between employer and consultant. As of last year, Upwork is the largest and most dominant among these online staffing platforms. Project tasks that are usually outsourced deal with writing content, web programming, web design, drawing/drafting, documentation, transcribing, and marketing. This new way of finding project resources is helping many organizations.
Advantages of Outsourcing
- Reduced operational costs. By nature, projects are temporary. External consultants can be hired on a project basis, so they will not increase operational costs of the company unnecessarily.
- Flexible staffing. Some projects may be seasonal in nature. Companies can easily add or subtract resources depending on the number of projects being engaged, and still remain lean in-between projects. In a company where there is high turnover of employees, hiring external consultants also provide stability in the operations.
- Available expertise. Some companies may not have the required skill or expertise readily available within the organization or business area. Hiring external consultants is a quick way to find the matching skills needed to complete a critical project task.
- Staff development. Internal staff who may not yet have the level of expertise to complete a project task can learn from an external consultant. By letting employees study the consultant’s work, management can develop the staff in an inexpensive way and prepare them to handle similar tasks in the future.
- Core business concentration. For businesses with limited staff that need to undertake a project only once, hiring external consultants with matching expertise will allow them to remain concentrated on the nature of their business. A group of lawyers or doctors, for example, can remain focused on their practice, while an IT project manager with a team of outsourced web programmers can work on a computer system for them and their business.
Disadvantages of Outsourcing
- Minimal control. The project manager can track the progress only of the tasks assigned to the external consultant. If the external consultant accommodates other tasks from other employers, the project manager may not get the desired focus that he or she wants for the tasks.
- Confidential data exposure. The project might involve giving confidential data to external consultants. Of course, a confidentiality agreement or a non-disclosure agreement can be signed, but still, the possibility that the data will be exposed exists.
- Substandard quality. The completion of a task may be defined only by the output. However, the means of how the task is completed may not be up to the quality standards that the employer is expecting. For example, a task of developing a computer program is considered complete when it gives the correct output. The program may be giving the right output, but the way the code was written is inefficient.
- Higher risks. An important task assigned to an external consultant may be delayed or not done because of a problem specific to the consultant’s location. The external consultant may suddenly become unavailable and for a long time due to an unreliable Internet connection, a power outage, or a natural disaster.
- Misunderstanding and miscommunication. Sometimes, hiring external consultants give an impression to internal staff that they are not trusted or dependable enough. This can lower the morale of the project team. Cultural differences and time differences can also result in miscommunication.
Final Decision
Resources are a vital component in the success of a project. Having the right number of people, with the proper skills, at the required time can result in the fulfillment of all the defined goals, at the scheduled time without going beyond its budget. Online staffing platforms such as Upwork offer a great way to hire external resources. External consultants are available and practical options. They may not be applicable or advisable at all times, but they certainly can help make project goals more achievable most of the time.
The post Upwork – A new way of finding resources for projects appeared first on Project-Management.com.
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China Mobile roadmap reportedly claims 4-inch ‘Apple iPhone 7c’ coming in April 2016
According to Chinese website ‘MyDrivers’, China Mobile laid out its product roadmap for 2016 and included mentions of a new Apple product. As shown from the photo above, in April 2016 China Mobile is expecting to launch the ‘iPhone 7c’. This seems to be the 4 inch iPhone device that has been rumored for several months, although the rumor mill moniker has generally settled on it being called the iPhone 6c. MICGadget reported that Apple’s new phone would be called the iPhone 7c, matching this report, earlier in the month however.
The validity of the image could not be independently verified but its just another 4-inch iPhone rumor to add to the mound with many sources now claiming Apple will launch a new iPhone model early next year. The true iPhone 6s successor, dubbed the iPhone 7, is still expected at the normal launch time in September 2016.
9to5Mac has already reported that Apple is planning a March event for Apple Watch 2. It is possible that the new 4-inch iPhone could also be unveiled at the same event. In terms of hardware components, the iPhone 7c is expected to include iPhone 6s hardware internals with an appearance similar to the iPhone 5s, crucially retaining the 4 inch display and smaller total chassis. The new 4 inch phone is expected to be targeted at a slightly cheaper price point than Apple’s high end iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus … but also appeal to those who were put off by the larger screens first introduced with the iPhone 6.
If the timing is accurate, the iPhone 7c would be Apple’s ‘new phone’ for about six months when the flagship iPhone 7 debuts in fall 2016. Somewhat confusingly, these reports seem to be claiming that Apple will launch an ‘iPhone 7c’ before the actual ‘iPhone 7’. This is why many are backing the iPhone 6c name, as the 4 inch iPhone would essentially be an iPhone 6s with a smaller screen.
Are you excited for the return of the 4 inch iPhone?
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS, iOS Devices
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9to5Toys Lunch Break: Apple Watch (Stainless) from $379 effective, Pixelmator for Mac free promo, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
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Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys Lunch Break
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12 Awesome HubSpot Resources That Won’t Cost You a Dime
In the midst of holiday shopping and seasonal sales, it’s easy to get caught up in spending. But sometimes, the best things are free.
Over the years, HubSpot has developed a number of free tools and programs that we love to share with others.
In celebration of the giving season, we’ve packaged up 12 days of free features that you can use, no strings attached. (Well, maybe they’re tied up with a proverbial bow.)
12 Free Features & Tools for Marketers
1) HubSpot CRM
Give your sales team everything they’ve hoped for and more this holiday season: an entire, all-in-one customer relationship management platform. For free.
Our CRM is easy to adopt and helps businesses automate their sales processes to save time, money, and energy. HubSpot CRM comes with a searchable database to simplify researching and prospecting, powerful browser and email integrations, and impressive enrichment capabilities.
2) Free Stock Photos
Why pay for stock photos when you can get them for free? HubSpot’s new site, freestockphotos.org, catalogs photos that you can use for blog posts, social media, or wherever else you need high quality photos. The site is broken down into categories such as office supplies, technology and cities to facilitate your browsing. Not to mention, all photos are tagged and searchable. New photos are being added consistently, so keep checking back as you work on projects.
3) Website Grader
How’s your website doing? Great websites are key to attracting (and keeping) traffic. This free tool grades four key areas of your website: performance, mobile, SEO, and security. See how you rate in each of these areas and get actionable tips to make your website even better than it already is.
4) Academy
Learning can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. HubSpot’s Academy is a tuition-free way to get inspired and learn new things. In-depth courses show you how to set up campaigns, create content, optimize pages, and nurture leads.
Learn better by doing? Academy also offers Projects — a series of step-by-step guides that help your leverage HubSpot tools to reach your goals — so you can learn as you go!
5) Sidekick
The easiest way to know when your email has been opened? Sidekick.
This tool helps put the data in your hands about who, when, and where your emails are accessed. Emailing doesn’t have to be a dreaded activity — make your inbox work for you instead.
6) Inbound.org
Inbound.org is the ultimate community of marketers. Members can stay informed about what’s happening with their inbound marketing peers and connect with new people who are passionate about the same things. More than 500,000 members are already taking advantage of this free-ness — don’t be left out!
7) Inbound Certification
Expand your skills and grow your career with our free inbound certification. You’ll learn things that can be instantly applied to your organization and help you grow your career. If you’re looking for a job, it’s not bad to have on your resume either.
8) Marketing Salary Grader
Wondering how your salary stacks up against other marketers? This tool shows you where your salary ranks among your peers in similar geographic areas, with similar levels of experience. Oh, and it also gives some fun personality facts to compare with others.
9) INBOUND Decks
Missed out on HubSpot’s annual INBOUND event? No worries. The slides from the 250+ inspiring speakers have been posted online. Yep, that means you can do all the learning, for free, without ever leaving your desk. Get insights from amazing INBOUND speakers like Joel Comm, Jason Miller, and Marcus Sheridan on topics ranging from getting inbound marketing buy-in to selling the inbound way.
10) Marketing Library
If you’re looking for templates, guides, or in-depth ebooks, the marketing library is your one-stop shop. (Metaphorically, of course, because the content is all free). The library includes a range of topics and styles including presentation templates for sales meetings, budget spreadsheet templates, and webinars from remarkable marketers such as Oli Gardner and Noah Kagan.
11) State of Inbound
Check out the latest report on the state of inbound marketing and sales. The result of surveying nearly 4,000 marketing and sales professionals is an in-depth look at the priorities and challenges of your peers.
12) Leadin
Leadin is the free tool that gives you insights about visitors to your site. With a quick, 5-minute setup, the plugin is easy to use and immediately helpful.
Nobody likes wasting money, so we’re always on the lookout for free ways to get the job done. Celebrate the season of giving this year by showing others how to save themselves money (and time) with awesome free tools.
Apple Watch Diary: Looking back at the year, and looking forward to the future
Steve Jobs famously said that people don’t know what they want until they see it. To which I’d add that sometimes we don’t know what we want until we’ve used it for a while.
I’m old enough to have been around when the first Macintosh was launched. In that case, I knew I wanted one the moment I saw it. This was how computers were supposed to work. The total cost of the Macintosh plus second floppy drive plus ImageWriter printer was a frightening amount at the time, but I didn’t care – I had to have one.
The iPad was a different story. I originally bought one intending it to be nothing more than the movie equivalent of the Kindle, yet within a very short time it became my primary mobile computing device.
The Apple Watch was different again. As someone who started out as a total smartwatch skeptic and has now been fully assimilated, I thought it might be interesting to briefly look back on that journey and also think a little about what the future might hold for the device …
Prior to owning one, smartwatches had always struck me as a solution in search of a problem. They didn’t do anything the iPhone couldn’t do (ok, bar automatic heart-rate measurement), and I couldn’t see any good reason why I’d want to spend additional money on an extra device merely to repeat some of its functionality.
But I wasn’t totally dismissive of the Apple Watch. It was clear that Apple had made a better job of it than existing models, and while I couldn’t see a compelling reason to want one, I could see potential applications for it. I also knew that sometimes I have to use a device to find out how useful it will be. Plus, of course, it was a gadget – and since when did I need a good reason to try a gadget?
On day one, I was starting to see the benefits of notifications on my wrist, but wasn’t really sold on the look, and didn’t think I was going to keep it.
By day four, the look had grown on me quite a lot – and more so when I later swapped the white band for the black one I wanted in the first place. The user-interface had become familiar. Notifications were definitely convenient, though less so in winter, with multiple layers of long sleeves. The Activity rings sucked me in. Some of the apps were proving their value.
By day seven, I was still of the view that nobody needs an Apple Watch, but it was undeniably useful – and it was, I had to confess, a cool gadget. A month in, it no longer felt like a cool new gadget, it had simply become part of my life. Something that added just a tiny amount of convenience a dozen or more times a day.
The arrival of Apple Pay in the UK then sealed the deal. On its own, not quite a killer app, but a very, very appealing one. Added to the conveniences of wrist notifications and it was enough to make me realize that this was a device that was slowly transforming itself into a ‘first world essential.’
So what more does the Watch need to do to complete that transformation? I chatted with my colleagues, and we came up with a few thoughts.
The first very obvious thing is performance. There are definitely times when you open an app – or even a Glance – and you find yourself staring at the progress wheel. If you’re opening an app you haven’t used for a while, the delay can even amount to four or five seconds. This would be unacceptable at any time, but even more so in a device which is all about quick glances.
Whether through hardware or software improvements or both, Apple needs to make the performance snappy enough that everything feels instant.
Another obvious one is some combination of battery-life and fast-charging capability. For my personal use, the Watch makes it comfortably though a typical day. The only times it’s failed to do so are when travelling, when switching time-zones has meant a very long day. But others are not too fortunate – either because their days start rather earlier than mine, or because their usage patterns are more demanding.
And even when the Watch makes it through a day just fine, there’s still a good reason to demand more from the battery: sleep-tracking. It’s not that the device can’t do it – there are a whole bunch of apps out there for it, and they don’t actually use too much power. But most people need to charge the Watch overnight to make it through the next day, so this is rather a theoretical capability.
Even if you don’t want to track your sleep, you may still want to wear your Watch at night: some apps allow you to set an alarm not for an exact time, but for an approximate time. The Watch then waits until you’re in a light phase of sleep before waking you, which has you wake feeling less groggy.
Apple could address the battery issue in a couple of ways. The hard way is to significantly boost the battery-life. But that’s really tough. If we’re wearing the Watch both during the day and in bed at night, when do we charge it? This is not an e-ink display that will ever make it through a whole week.
So the more practical approach is fast-charging capability. Seth notes that his Moto 360 can be charged from around 35% to 95% in about 40 minutes. That makes it practical to use the watch all day, use it for sleep-tracking at night and then just charge it while showering and breakfasting in the morning.
The main reason I started out as an Apple Watch skeptic is that it’s just a companion device. It can’t do very much without the phone. Adding a few more chips to the device would be handy.
The Watch is never going to become a fully-fledged iPhone substitute. That’s not realistic, and even if it were, Apple is never going to do anything which reduces sales of the product that generates the vast majority of its revenue. But it could make the device more useful when used on its own for a time.
For example, you can’t really use the Watch for activity tracking without the phone because it doesn’t have its own GPS – it gets location data from the phone. Admittedly the Watch does its best in that situation using its own motion trackers, but you need the GPS for the most accurate data, so you can’t leave the phone at home when you go for a run. Giving the Watch its own GPS chip would make a big difference to some.
Even with a GPS chip, though, people may still be reluctant to leave their phone behind when jogging because they’d be cut off from communication. Including GSM and LTE capabilities into the Watch would mean that it could be used for emergency communication, at least, and you’d also continue to receive notifications without the phone in your pocket or strapped to your arm.
There are a couple more hardware improvements we’d like to see. First, while the Apple Watch is impressively water-resistant, many people would feel more comfortable if it were properly waterproof. Sure, some people have showed the Watch surviving when used underwater, but that’s not a use Apple recommends, and not one many would want to risk on a regular basis. Being able to wear the watch while swimming or snorkeling without having to worry about it would be welcome.
Apple also needs to make the sapphire screen more readable in sunlight. Ironically, the cheapest model – the Sport – effectively has the best display when used outdoors. Sapphire may protect the steel and Edition models from scratches, but it makes the display harder to read in sunlight.
When the Apple Watch was but a rumor (the ‘iWatch’ label feels so long ago now!), there were suggestions that it would be packed with health-oriented sensors. That turned out not to be the case, and we now know why: Apple didn’t want to get tied-up in FDA approvals. Instead, it intends to release separate sensor devices that can communicate with the Watch. That’s less convenient, but better than having to wait much longer for new models.
But things like pulse ox would be welcomed by many fitness folks, and blood sugar monitoring would be a real boon for diabetics. If those devices could sit under the Watch without obscuring the heart-rate monitor, they would be far more convenient than existing products.
Finally, while the Watch UI is generally extremely well thought-through, there’s one aspect of it that is a total mess: the main apps screen! The icons are just too small to be distinctive, and having to scroll around randomly enlarging sections of them in an effort to figure out which is which is not what we expect from Apple. The more Watch apps that become available, the messier it gets.
Personally, I use Siri to open apps, but there are those who get on less well with Siri than I do, so this is an area Apple urgently needs to address.
What are the things you really want to see in future Apple Watch updates, either hardware or software? As ever, please let us know in the comments.
Filed under: Apple Watch, Opinion Tagged: Apple watch, Apple Watch diary, Apple Watch future, Apple Watch wishlist, Opinion, Steve Jobs
Check out 9to5Mac for more breaking coverage of Apple watch, Apple Watch, and Steve Jobs.
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VLC app lands on Apple TV, gains Split Screen + Touch ID features on iOS, much more
The popular VLC app for playing a variety of media formats not supported by iTunes has now made its way to the new Apple TV. We heard in September that VLC for Apple TV was in the works, and last month the team started accepting beta testers. Today VLC for Mobile delivered a major update that includes the first Apple TV version as well as a handful of new features on iPhones and iPads.
VLC is especially useful for playing video and music formats on Apple products that would otherwise require converting to compatible formats. The iOS app can plug into cloud services like Dropbox and even iCloud Drive to pull source files. The app is in the entertainment/utility category similarly to Plex which wouldn’t have been whitelisted for the old Apple TV model but is possible on the new Apple TV thanks to the App Store model.
In addition to including the first Apple TV version of VLC, the latest update includes an updated watchOS 2 app for Apple Watch users and several new iOS 9 features for iPhone and iPad.
VLC now supports system wide search through Spotlight, Split View for side-by-side apps on the latest iPads, and Touch ID unlocking on iPhones and iPads with fingerprint scanners.
VLC for Mobile version 2.7 also includes a list of other changes and improvements as well:
∙ Dropped support for iOS 6.1. VLC requires iOS 7.0 now
∙ Added support for SMB file sharing
∙ Media stored in folders on remote servers is now played as a list
∙ Reworked networking UI
∙ Added improved UI support for Right-to-Left languages
∙ Added option to configure playback continuation
∙ Added option to configure gestures
∙ Added support for music albums with more than 1 disk
∙ Display chapter duration in playback UI
∙ Recently played network stream URL are now shared across all devices
∙ Stored login information is now shared across all devices
∙ Cloud login credentials are now shared across all devices
You can grab the latest version of VLC for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch from the App Store, and VLC for Apple TV should appear in search and purchase history shortly.
Visit 9to5Mac to find more special coverage of Apps and Apple TV.
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Amazon’s Xmas shipping cutoff for Prime is today, score last-minute deals & Apple gifts
From 9to5Toys.com:
Today is your last chance to place a Prime order at Amazon and get it in time for Christmas without having to pay extra for expedited delivery. That means you can avoid crowds at the mall and still knock out the rest of your holiday shopping. Even better, there are still tons of deals available so you can save a few bucks while you’re at it. Don’t stress about finding good gifts either. We’ve put together several guides that’ll steer you in the right direction.
First off, if you’re not yet a Prime member go ahead and sign-up for a free trial. Along with 2-day shipping on millions of products, Amazon Prime also includes unlimited photo storage, early access to Lightning deals, and streaming of TV shows/movies. Pro tip: Prime memberships make great gifts for new and current Prime shoppers.
For last-minute deals you should head to the Gold Box page. There you’ll find the Deals of the Day, Lighting Deals, coupons, and on-going offers. Typically, Deals of the Day offer the greatest savings, but Lightning Deals are great too if you’re quick enough to score the best ones. Amazon’s Holiday Central makes it really easy to find gifts for anyone. Just browse through different categories including electronics, toys, books, movies & TV, tools & home improvement, and others to get inspired. If all else fails, here are a couple can’t-miss gift ideas to bail out you procrastinating shoppers:
Mophie Juice Pack Plus for iPhone 6/6s: from $90.41
SteelSeries Stratus XL Bluetooth Wireless Gaming Controller for iOS Devices: $61.50
Panasonic Eneloop Power Pack Rechargeable Batteries: $34.98
The Anchor – Under-Desk Headphone Stand Mount: $14.95
Belkin Mini Travel Charger/Surge Protector with Dual USB Ports: $14.99
Mohu Leaf Metro Over-the-Air HDTV Antenna: $19.99
Still looking for more gift ideas? Browse our guides to see what products we recommend:
- Jeremy’s top 10 last-minute Apple gift picks
- Rare Apple collectibles & swag for the techie who has everything
- Top Apple-friendly accessories for travelers this holiday season
- Chance’s wish list & picks for every budget
- Benjamin’s favorite iPhone and iPad accessories and gift picks
- Zac’s picks to unlock hidden iPhone features
- Some of the hottest tech products of the moment, at all prices
- Entertainment Holiday Gift Guide: best picks for every budget
- The best stocking stuffers for the Apple lover on your list
- iPad Holiday Gift Guide: best picks for every budget
- iPhone Holiday Gift Guide: best picks for every budget
- Mac Holiday Gift Guide: best picks for every budget
- Premium audio gift guide: special gifts for the music lover in your life
- Speakers, Lightning mics & more to up your home recording set-up
It’s worth noting that other retailers including Best Buy are also offering free 2-day shipping, but they obviously don’t come close to offering the same breadth of products as Amazon.
Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: Amazon, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Amazon Prime, Belkin, eneloop, free trial, Gold Box, Headphone Stand, last-minute deals, Lightning Deals, Mohu, Prime
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Apple adds iPhones to Lightning to USB Camera Adapter compatibility list, photo import works under iOS 9.2
Two weeks after quietly updating the Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader to USB 3.0 and adding iPhone support to the formerly iPad-only accessory, Apple is signaling that similar changes may be coming to its cousin, the Lightning to USB Camera Adapter. Notably, Apple has updated the USB Camera Adapter’s official page to add support for the iPhone 5, 5c, 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, and 6s Plus, mirroring a change to the SD Card Camera Reader that was discovered alongside iOS 9.2. Apple previously left the USB Camera Adapter’s page unchanged.
Originally released in late 2012, the USB Camera Adapter consists of a male Lightning plug and a female full-sized USB port, enabling camera users with USB cables to transfer photos and videos to iPads without the need for SD cards — useful for DSLR owners with CompactFlash, Memory Stick, and other non-SD formats. Some versions of iOS also allowed the USB Camera Adapter to connect USB microphones and keyboards to iPads, though Apple later withdrew the support, apparently due to the potential for excessive iPad battery drain.
Unlike the SD Card Camera Reader, which was replaced with a USB 3.0 version that looks nearly identical yet runs slightly faster when used with the iPad Pro, there doesn’t yet appear to be a USB 3.0 version of the USB Camera Adapter. The original model carried a MD821ZM/A part number, and is currently listed as “discontinued by manufacturer” on Amazon.com, having apparently been swapped earlier this year; the current version sold by Apple and Amazon has an MD821AM/A part number, with customer reviews starting in late November. We’ve confirmed that the older MD821ZM/A model now works as a camera adapter with iPhones…
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Camera, iOS, iPhone, Lightning, Lightning to USB Camera Adapter, photography, USB
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App Santa discounts 20 popular iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps by up to 60%
Over the last few years, indie developers have banded together just before Christmas Day to discount top iOS and Mac apps for new customers. The sale is called App Santa and includes popular apps like Tweetbot for Mac, Pcalc, Screens, Deliveries, and over a dozen other highly recommended apps for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. App Santa doesn’t last long though so check out the full list below to save some money on quality apps.
App Santa launches today, December 22nd, and only runs through Christmas Day. Prices will revert from App Santa discounts to regular App Store prices after Friday, so act fast:
- Calendars 5 for iOS ($2.99, reg. $6.99)
- Clear for iOS ($1.99, reg. $4.99)
- Clear for Mac ($4.99, reg. $9.99)
- Day One for iOS ($0.99, reg. $4.99)
- Day One for Mac ($6.99, reg. $9.99)
- Deliveries for iOS ($2.99, reg. $4.99)
- Deliveries for Mac ($2.99, reg. $4.99)
- Drafts 4 for iOS ($4.99, reg. $9.99)
- Group Text+ for iOS ($0.99, reg. $3.99)
- Launch Center Pro for iOS ($1.99, reg. $4.99)
- PDF Expert for iOS ($4.99, reg. $9.99)
- Pcalc for iOS ($6.99, reg. $9.99)
- Pcalc for Mac ($6.99, reg. $9.99)
- Pennies for iOS ($1.99, reg. $3.99)
- Perfect Weather for iOS ($0.99, reg. $2.99)
- Scanner Pro for iOS ($0.99, reg. $6.99)
- Screens for iOS ($13.99, reg. $19.99)
- Screens for Mac ($19.99, reg. $29.99)
- Soulver for iOS ($0.99, reg. $4.99)
- Soulver for Mac ($6.99, reg. $11.99)
- Star Walk for iPad ($0.99, reg. $2.99)
- Star Walk for iPhone ($0.99, reg. $2.99)
- Terminology for iOS ($0.99, reg. $2.99)
- TextExpander Touch for iOS ($2.99, reg. $4.99)
- Tweetbot for Mac ($6.99, reg. $9.99)
- Vee for Video on iOS ($1.99, reg. $4.99)
If you’re hunting for more iOS and Mac app deals, 9to5Toys has showcased the best iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps out of hundreds currently discounted during the holidays including popular games and utilities.
Filed under: Apps Tagged: App Santa, App Store, iPad, iPhone, IPod Touch, Mac, Mac App Store
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21 of the Best Podcasts, Movies, Shows, Books & Apps to Keep You Entertained While Traveling
Whether you’re driving across town, stuck on a layover, or settling down for an overnight train ride, you’re going to have some time to kill the next time you travel. If you’re anything like me, spending hours window shopping at the airport or scrolling aimlessly through your Facebook News Feed feels like a total waste of time.
But there are much better ways to pass the time while traveling — which is why we’ve curated a list of our absolute favorite movies, TV shows, podcasts, books, and apps that our readers might also enjoy.
Whether you have thirty minutes, two hours, or five hours to kill, we’ve included plenty of options.
Pro Tip: If you’re into the podcasts on this list, the free app Stitcher lets you make playlists of all your favorite podcasts.
Under 1 Hour
1) NextDraft (Free App)
NextDraft is hands down my favorite newsletter, which you can either get in your inbox every day or check on your own time via their free app. What is it? It’s ten quick summaries of the most fascinating news stories of the day, shared in a way that’s expertly written, witty, and always relevant.
If this sounds interesting to you, download it now in preparation for your trip so you have plenty to catch up on.
Image Credit: NextDraft
2) Pocket (Free App)
The great thing about reading articles while you travel is that you finally have time to read the whole thing (instead of just skimming the first few paragraphs), and then actually reflect on what you’ve just read. Pocket is a place for you to save all those articles you stumble on when you don’t have time to read them.
It lets you save articles, videos, and images either from your browser or from over 1,500 apps like Twitter, Flipboard, Pulse, and Zite. While you’re traveling, you can open Pocket — no internet connection needed — and finally spend time reading through, digesting, and pondering all the cool stuff you’ve saved.
3) Headspace (Free App)
Headspace calls itself “a gym membership for your mind.” It’s an app that helps you learn how to meditate — which you can totally do inconspicuously on the train, bus, or airplane. All it takes to learn meditation and mindfulness is ten minutes on the app.
4) Duolingo (Free App)
Ever wanted to learn a new language, or just brush up on those French skills from high school? Duolingo is an awesome app that makes learning languages fun — and you can make progress in only a few minutes, if that’s all you have. Each lesson is short, painless, and legitimately enjoyable. Slate called it “the most productive means of procrastination I’ve ever discovered.”
The languages available are Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Irish, Danish, Swedish, Russian, Polish, Esperanto, Turkish, Norwegian, and Ukrainian.
You’ll need headphones to listen to pronunciation. And while speaking isn’t required, be warned that you may want to repeat words out loud to practice your pronunciation.
Image Credit: Google Play
5) This.cm (Website)
Itching to get lost in a rabbit hole of great internet content? This.cm is a website that curates some of the best links on the internet. If you’re looking for entertaining, relevant stories, it’s a great place to spend some time. You’ll need internet connection to browse, though.
6) Death, Sex & Money (Podcast)
This is my colleague Ginny Soskey‘s favorite podcast of all time — and it happens to be one of the best in the business. It’s hosted by Anna Sale and covers the big questions and hard voices that are often left out of polite conversation.
Nicholas Quah of The Vulture wrote: “Anna Sale is the absolute best at exploring difficult, intimate, and harrowing topics — loss, loneliness, survival, being left behind, pain, secrets, sex (or lack thereof) — while maintaining a deep, deep sense of dignity for the people she interviews.”
7) The Message (Podcast)
Ever hear of Orson Welles’ radio drama “The War of the Worlds” from 1938 about an alien invasion of Earth? Here’s a fictional podcast that’s also about aliens, albeit with a much more modern take: It’s a fake pop-science series about cryptographers investigating mysterious transmissions. It was produced by General Electric, making it a great example of native advertising and branded content in podcasts.
If you liked the Serial podcast and enjoy science-fiction, this one could be a great choice for your next trip. David Sims wrote for The Atlantic, “The Message is clearly inspired by the success of Serial, but it plays with the format in a creative way.” My colleague loved it so much, she started and finished the entire series during her drive home for Thanksgiving. If you want to break it into smaller chunks, each episode is between 10–20 minutes long.
8) Freakonomics (Podcast)
How do you win a Nobel Prize? Should kids pay back their parents for raising them? What are the tactics of competitive eating? The Freakonomics podcast will challenge your perspective on some common (and some not-so-common) issues, from gossip to violence to exercise — and all from an economic perspective.
It’s the type of content that really makes you think, and delivers a good framework for how you should approach analyzing everyday things in your work and personal life.
9) BBC’s Global News (Podcast)
Getting news from podcasts can be a lot more efficient than getting them from articles — especially if you’re prone to getting sucked into the black hole of “recommended reading” sections. BBC’s Global News podcast is especially great because it curates some of the best stories they’ve covered from a global perspective. Each episode is about thirty minutes long.
1–2 Hours
10) Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! (Podcast)
If you like keeping up with current events but get bored with the normal format, NPR’s weekly podcast could be a perfect match. It’s a quiz-style news show that catches you up on current events in a fun and totally unique format, where you’ll have to test your knowledge against guest stars and figure out what’s real news and what they totally made up.
11) You Made It Weird (Podcast)
Here’s another personal favorite of mine. In this podcast, host Pete Holmes interviews comedians (for the most part) and covers comedy, relationships, and God. The best part about this podcast is that it’s unstructured, so it’s just like listening in on a great conversation. Holmes is very open and does a good job of creating an environment where guests want to open up.
Each episode lasts anywhere from 90 minutes to 2+ hours, so if you download a few before you leave, you’ll get through your flights with some top-notch entertainment.
12) “Moneyball” (Movie, 2011)
One of the underlying principles of inbound marketing is that you can bring some sense of order to chaos using a methodical, data-driven approach. The movie illustrates how sports learned the same lesson. Starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, it’s based on a true story of the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team who was faced with a tight budget and had to reinvent his team by outsmarting the richer baseball teams.
It may sound like it’s all baseball all the time, but you don’t need to be a big sports fan to enjoy this movie: It earned a 94% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
13) “Particle Fever” (Documentary, 2014)
If you’re at all captivated by science, the universe, and the unknown, then you’re gonna love this option. In the documentary, scientists recreate conditions from the big bang theory to investigate the origin of matter and unravel the mysteries of the universe.
Not a science nerd? Don’t be intimidated by the subject matter. The producers did an amazing job presenting it in such a way that anyone can understand and enjoy. Plus, it earned a 96% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
14) “Thank You For Smoking” (Movie, 2006)
Here’s a super interesting movie on sales and marketing positioning — from the days when it wasn’t so noble. It’s about a big tobacco lobbyist struggling to balance his duties defending tobacco with those of being a good role model for his young son. It earned an 86% critic rating and 87% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
15) “Glengerry Glen Ross” (Movie, 1992)
Looking for another great movie on sales and marketing position from the olden days? Here’s an oldie but goodie that any marketing or sales professional would appreciate. It’s a movie based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by the same name. The movie is about a team of New York City real estate salesmen who are told that everyone except the top two reps will be fired by the end of the week. Talk about “survival of the fittest.” It earned a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Here’s a famous scene from the movie featuring a monologue from actor Alec Baldwin on how to “always be closing.”
(Warning: NSFW language.)
16) “Man On Wire” (Documentary, 2008)
Here’s a documentary that’ll have you holding your breath — even though you know how it ends. It’s about a young French man named Phillippe Petit who, in 1974, decided he wanted to (illegally) string a wire between the New York World Trade Center’s twin towers. After dancing for nearly an hour on the wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation, and brought to jail before being released.
The documentary incorporates Petit’s personal footage with modern film and interviews — and it’s absolutely mesmerizing. It earned a whopping 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it a guaranteed worthwhile way to spend an hour and a half of travel time.
Over 2 Hours
17) “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” (Documentary Miniseries, 2015)
Here’s one of the best and most controversial documentaries from 2015. If you haven’t seen it yet … well it’s gripping, not to mention a phenomenal example of great storytelling.
It’s about a man named Robert Durst, son of a New York real estate mogul and suspect of three notorious murder cases over three decades. He was arrested on first-degree murder charges the day before the finale aired. (Just wait until you see the finale.) The HBO miniseries is broken up into six episodes, each of which run under an hour.
It won two 2015 Emmy Awards, including best documentary or nonfiction series, and earned a 94% critic review and 98% audience review on Rotten Tomatoes.
18) “Mad Men” (TV Series)
This multi-season television series is a big commitment … but let’s be honest, this is to marketing what “Boiler Room” and “Glengarry Glen Ross” is to sales. It’s about a Madison Avenue advertising firm in the 1960s — and alpha male Don Draper’s struggles to stay on top of the heap in a high-pressure world. For marketers like us, it’s a fascinating look at how things in marketing used to be, which gives us context to help drive changes in our own companies.
Starting with Season 1? Great choice: It got an 87% critic review and a 95% audience review on Rotten Tomatoes.
19) Smarter Than You Think: How Technology is Changing Our Minds For the Better (Book)
If you’re trying to get some serious reading done while you travel, here’s a great choice. Smarter Than You Think is a brilliantly written book by science and technology writer Clive Thompson about how the introduction of new technology advances our society and extend the way we think. Moreover, it’s nice counterargument to similar books which decry that the internet is making us lazy, dumb, and isolated.
20) Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things No One Taught You About Being Creative (Book)
This book by Austin Kleon is an interesting, quick read on how to come up with creative ideas. It’s based on the premise that that no idea is original — and it walks you through ways to collect ideas, remix existing ones, and get in touch with your inner creative.
Listen to the book’s author talk about some of the ideas in the book at a TEDx conference to see if it’s up your alley:
21) Contagious: Why Things Catch On (Book)
Here’s another great book for marketers, written by Jonah Berger, the Wharton professor and best-selling author my colleague Carly Stec interviewed for her blog post on the secret formula for ideas that take off. In Berger’s book, he talks about why some ideas catch on — and others don’t — by highlighting his research on social influence and word-of-mouth.
Now, then: Go forth and travel without getting bored!
What other movies, shows, podcasts, books, and apps would you add to this list? Share with us in the comments.