Digital Habits During Isolation

In today’s times of quarantines and lockdowns, our digital habits during isolation have changed. Without restaurants to go and eat at or movie theaters to spend our time in, Americans are spending way more time online.

While people want to keep themselves as entertained as they can, there has been a surprising decrease in phone and app usage. This could be due to all the time we are spending at home, close to our computers. Why use a smaller screen and keyboard when you have a bigger one right next to you? Popular websites that also have their own popular apps have experienced this decrease. Facebook, Netflix, and YouTube have all seen user numbers on their phone apps slow down or decrease, while their website usage has grown. This might be one of the largest changes in our digital habits since isolation.

Analysis of Digital Habits During Lockdown

As you can see, website traffic for all three has significantly increased recently, causing a large upward spike. In contrast, app usage for these three has been anything but predictable. App usage for Facebook, Netflix, and YouTube spiked toward the beginning of lockdowns and quarantines, but has taken a significant dip recently. This could be due to the initial lockdown, causing people to cling on to habits of constantly checking their phone. Recently, our digital habits during isolation have shifted to using popular apps rather than websites. Although we have a lot more free time for screens, people are preferring using their laptops rather than their phones. 

We have now become dependent on services that allow us to learn and work from home. Our schools and work areas have been moved to our bedrooms and living rooms. This has had another huge impact on our digital habits during isolation. For example, class time and meetings are happening on Zoom, Google Hangouts and Microsoft Teams. It will be incredibly interesting to see how our digital habits continue to change as we slowly begin to reintegrate into society.

Spectacles by Snapchat, Take That Instagram

Yes. The rumors are true. According to Evan Spiegel, Snapchat’s beloved CEO, Snapsnapchat-spectacleschat has revealed its Snap Spectacles. The spectacles will be released in the fall of 2016 in three blooming colors: black, teal or coral. These snazzy new sunglasses aren’t just cool because of their futuristic design. Oh no. These spectacles take videotaping to a whole new level. Continue reading

Streaming Music Hits Its High

Digital Music Hits A High

Digital Music Hits A High

No longer do you see people listening to their Walkman’s when running down the street. That’s because the days of buying CD’s is long gone. Today, there are millions of songs available to download for free online. Streaming music has taken over due to its continuous inflow of new tracks and the fact that you pay nothing to add it to your most current playlist. Digital music is dominating the music business, from professional musicians to radio broadcasters. Continue reading

Is Shopping Online the Safest Way?

 

Online ShoppingSitting in class each day, I easily see over twenty people, mostly girls, scrolling through different online shopping websites. I always wonder if they are actually buying things, or just browsing to pass the time. This unremitting search seems to have become an addiction, and whether people are buying items or not, this habit serves as a major advertising mechanism, as well as a means for companies to compile information about these personal shopping habits for later use.

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NBC Thinks Bigger is Better

Digital allows NBC to up coverage of Sochi Olympics  NBC logo over Olympic rings

The 2012 London Summer Olympics proved to be a rough time for NBC.  Following the delayed broadcasting of the opening ceremonies and many anticipated events, the network found itself the subject of Twitter’s trending #FailNBC.  This go-round, however, NBC promises not to disappoint.  Its solution?  Digital coverage – and lots of it.

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The Ethics of Photoshop

When does digital retouching cross a line?

Americans are all too familiar with the effects of Photoshop.  Standing in line at the checkout counter, consumers are bombarded with magazine covers featuring beautiful, digitally enhanced celebrities.  Yet, Americans both accept and perpetuate this tradition of retouching.  In fact, should a cover model not display a perfectly chiseled body, a scandal erupts.  However, accepting as consumers are of photoshopped images in the celebrity world, they reject the retouching of photographs shared by news organizations.  Actually, the retouching of images in this setting is considered unethical, as reality is neither truthfully nor accurately depicted.  Recently, AP freelance photographer Narciso Contreras ignored this ethical standard, and as a result, is now facing serious consequences.

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Travel with Pinterest Using Place Pins

Place Pins

Pinterest announced a new tool yesterday, called Place Pins. Place Pins is a product that can feature local spots that might interest users as well as help users plan vacations.

Place Pins can be found on a new pin board that features a map where users can pin locations such as restaurants, bars, tourist sites or different hot spots around a city and add descriptions about them. With partners such as Trulia, Booking.com and OpenTable, these new Place Pins include a brief description of each location. Not only can users create their own Place Pins board for trip ideas or places to go, but they can also share their entire board with their friends.

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Can Amazon’s Alpha House Compete with Netflix?

Alpha House

Last Friday, Amazon’s original series “Alpha House,” a political comedy, debuted to Amazon customers. While some users may think that Amazon’s original series will be available to binge watch like Netflix series Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, “Alpha House” will be aired weekly.

By posting new episodes of “Alpha House” weekly, Amazon hopes that gossip about the show will carry on longer than the buzz surrounding shows on Netflix that can be watching in a few days.

Although Amazon hopes that it’s original series will be talked about over a period of time, the buzz that revolves around the show will depend on the success of the show itself. If the show is not popular among viewers, Amazon potentially runs of the risk of talk about “Alpha House” dying out rather than spreading.

Amazon’s original series can be viewed by not only Amazon subscribers, but by all customers with a free trial as Amazon has found that free trial Prime memberships often turn into paid subscribers.

With there only being 11 to 12 million Amazon Prime members compared to there being 43 million Netflix members, do you think Amazon’s original series will compete with Netflix’s original series? What are your thoughts on binge watching versus anxiously waiting the suspense of next week’s episode?

StyleSaint : Fashion Designed by Digital Consumers

Imagine a fashion brand that listens to what you want; a brand that is inspired by your personal tastes and preferences; a brand that is driven by its consumer’s requests. Imagine a fashion brand that allows Internet users to create mood boards that inspire the brand’s future collections. Imagination… meet StyleSaint.

StyleSaint

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Christmas Tech List

As Halloween approaches, it’s hard not to start thinking about Thanksgiving and inevitably it’s cousin Christmas, and all the goodies you would love to find under the Christmas tree. So I have compiled not just any old Christmas Wish List but a Christmas Tech List of all the cool digital gadgets that I and maybe you would love brimming out of the stocking this year! From TVs, to tablets, to apps and more!

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iOS 7: The Unexpected Rollercoaster?

Apple’s newest software update for iPhones and iPads, iOS 7, is all the rage so far. It’s proven contagious, as 35% of Apple’s user updated from iOS6 within 24 hours of its introduction. Its sleek design and new look is visually appealing, but unique complaints have been rolling in – is the new operating system making people sick? Continue reading

The New Fad: Digital Autographs

 

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Google announces that they will have Major League Soccer player Darlington Nagbe sign exclusive ” digital autographs” for his fans while he hosts a  Google+ hangout this upcoming monday. Google explains that after fans ask questions, Nagbe will digitally sign a photo of himself on a tablet which will then be emailed to the recipients. Continue reading