Apps have become second-nature for smartphone users as mobile devices now provide a platform for flashlights, paperless concert tickets, dinner reservations, pharmaceutical and banking services, travel plans, and more. However, safety is one area that has yet to be infiltrated and adapted. Virginia Tech shooting survivor Kristina Anderson hopes to change that with a new app called LiveSafe.
Image courtesy of www.livesafe.ly
To say I’m a senior is a bit of a stretch. I graduated high school in May of 2010 and started my college career in August of 2010. All my friends are seniors and my graduation year is still 2014. I’ve even exceeded the total number of credits necessary to graduate from SMU, but I have a full three semesters worth of classes left before I can get my diploma. I might have (accidentally) stretched out my time at SMU as long as I could, but I wouldn’t change a thing about my college experience.
Visiting SMU my freshman year with my parents
A recent BuzzFeed article showcased a hilarious Twitter conversation that has garnered a lot of attention. The conversation won the internet for one simple reason: it took place between major UK-based companies Tesco Mobile, Yorkshire Tea, Jaffa Cakes, and others.
Image courtesy of BuzzFeed
The exchange began when a man named Riccardo Esposito tweeted a picture to @tescomobile of a Facebook status complaining about the company’s customer service. Tesco responded in a clever and familiar way, leading to a full on conversation between the company and the random individual who caught its social media manager’s attention. The situation became truly remarkable when the back-and-forth between Esposito and Tesco turned to the subject of a party, getting food and tea brands involved. Acting like old friends, the banter turned into a playful argument that allowed the brands to bring the attention to their products and public images.
The responses were pithy and dripping with a typically British dry humor, making the exchange all the more enjoyable for those who so happened to be following one of the companies or customers involved. The conversation is funny because the companies are conversing like a solitary person amongst themselves and consumers. Because of the unlikeliness of the situation, the Internet, including BuzzFeed, picked it up and ran with it. The BuzzFeed article garnered a lot of attention for Riccardo Esposito, as well as the companies he engaged.
The conversation demonstrates a clever and thoughtful way to engage playfully with consumers using social media. Companies engaging with each other through platforms like Twitter allows them to entertain customers while potentially informing them about products and promotions in a subtle way. This situation also shows that branding through Twitter and other social media outlets doesn’t always have to be through promotional and special deal tweets. Because of the uniqueness of the situation, the conversation and how it unfolded would be hard to replicate, but the idea is eye-catching nonetheless.
An act of kindness doesn’t take much; an oncoming car flashing their brights to warn drivers of a speed trap ahead, or a coworker sending an email informing the office that a road on the way out of town is closed. Helping others is fulfilling, even if the results don’t affect friends or coworkers. Google Maps has made it possible for users to warn fellow travelers of traffic delays by adding alerts provided by Waze app users.
A live Waze map of Dallas and surrounding areas from waze.com
Vine has introduced the app’s first major update since its launch in January of this year. The changes, announced on the company’s blog last week, give users two new editing options: Sessions and Time Travel. The app has traditionally only allowed the recording of six second videos, so the Vine updates will present new opportunities to users.
“Sessions” Vine update
Lulu is the app a lot of girls have been waiting for; a nail-salon gossip session of all your male Facebook friends conveniently located on your smartphone.
Image via Huffington Post
Calling all Android users: there’s now an app that will give you money for one small price – advertisements on your smartphone’s lock screen.
Image courtesy of Locket
Snapchat has made its first move into the realm of social media after introducing “Snapchat Stories” on their blog Thursday. Stories will allow users to add multiple snaps from the past 24 hours together into “My Story,” which can then be shared with friends as a narrative of what they have done or seen that day. The new component adds dimension to the app known for sending pictures to friends for 10 seconds or less before disappearing.
The package is simple; an Internet radio service with an Apple design, complete with a one-click “buy” button for easy purchases and a lowercase “i” at the front to ensure loyal users. Could iRadio be the gift the music business has been waiting for?
Just when you thought Arcade Fire couldn’t get any more psychedelic, some geeks stepped in to make a video experience that would make John Lennon blush. Creators at Google have designed a platform with an interactive short film for the band’s song “Reflektor,” allowing the audience to manipulate videography using a smart phone and a computer.