There’s a lot going on at the intersection — some might even say collision — of mobile, social, digital revolution and the travel industry. Last week I presented at the Educational Travel Community summarizing current and emerging challenges, and offering seven digital opportunities to pursue. The New Digital Normal, and What It Means for Travel from …
In defense of screen time
“Screen time” ranks among the phrases, along with “trans fats” and “big box retailer,” that elicit mournful nods among the chattering classes. People regret the loss of unmediated presence: museums free from selfie sticks, dinners uninterrupted by stealthy smartphone checks and weekends free from the tyranny of email. And I get that, I do. But …
Friday 5 — 2.20.2015
Consumer feedback is crucial in building a successful product. Understanding how and when to solicit it can make all the difference. Read and learn from these 5 mistakes we all make with product feedback. Marketing is now in the experience business. In a digital era, marketers need to invest in user experience as a critical competency, and embrace …
Noble or lazy gas: language and perspective
Last week I was speaking to a Chinese-speaking colleague when the concept of ‘noble gas‘ came up. Initially, translation was a problem, because it turns out the Chinese phrase is ‘lazy gas’ or 惰性气体. The difference made me wonder enough to go back and check where the English phrase came from. It was translated directly from the …
Friday 5 — 2.13.2015
With the rise of sideways traffic via search and social, the homepage of a news site isn’t the single navigational portal it once was. Still, it’s an important brand asset, and defines organizing principles for content. Here are 64 ways to think about a news home page. Balancing being informed with staying productive isn’t easy. It requires effort …
What Google knows to show you
Google has come a long way from the user experience of “ten blue links.” Today, Google pulls in a vast amount of the information it searches, has a keener understanding of what you are looking for — and serves it up to you directly. Google’s organization of the world’s data, called ‘The Knowledge Graph,’ affects about 25% of …
Friday 5 — 2.6.2015
Social media preferences vary by race and ethnicity. Instagram users reflect some stark differences, with 38% of blacks and 34% of Latinos using the photo sharing service, compared to just 21% of whites. In the surprising news category, it turns out that the best Gmail app for the iPhone is now made by Microsoft. Gmail has always worked well …
Friday 5 — 1.30.2015
Snapchat aims to become a force in mobile news with this week’s launch of Snapchat Discover. Here are some tips on how to use it. If you’re like 82% of people, you have forgotten a password for a website. Luke Wroblewski has a thoughtful piece on password masking, security, and our one-touch future. Because we’re …
Friday 5 — 1.23.2015
There’s a reassuring familiarity to Google search. Launched in 1999, Google today accounts for two-thirds of all searches in the U.S. But behind the scenes, the search product is constantly evolving, determined to stay dominant in an era tilting rapidly toward mobile and social. Physical proximity meets content sharing with viral app Plague. You create …
Quick takes on Southeast Asia digital
I began 2015 with a few weeks off the grid in Vietnam and Cambodia. The trip was all about learning and exploration — touring, reading, reflecting — and a break from the hyperconnected day-to-day. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but pay attention to the rapid encroachment of technology, and compare digital behaviors to those back in …