TREND REPORTS
The Internet of Fewer Things
[Business]
2016/09/27 11:08
Early predictions of 50 billion connected devices by 2020 are being scaled back.If you follow discussions about the Internet of Things, you’ve probably heard this stunning prediction at least once: The world will have 50 billion Internet-connected devices by 2020. Ericsson’s former CEO, Hans Vestburg, was among the first to toss out that number, when he gave a 2010 presentation to shareholder...
(Video) Solar Panels Cut Down on Range Anxiety in German Compact EV - SION
[Tech]
2016/09/27 11:08
There are 7.5 sq.m of solar panels on the body.As electric power becomes more widespread, novel workarounds to minimize range anxiety are becoming more common. From fast charging to fuel cells, eking more mileage out of batteries will be crucial if electric cars are to win over devotees of gas and diesel. German company Sono Motors plans on using solar panels to solve the problem, with its comp...
Live TV Declines Have Slowed, but Homes With Netflix and Hulu Watch Fewer Channels
[Consumer]
2016/09/27 11:06
Even with more outlets and devices competing for audiences' attention, viewers aren't moving away from live TV as much as they did a year ago, according to Nielsen's second-quarter 2016 Total Audience Report released today.The report found that live TV declines are starting to level off. In the second quarter of this year, adults spent an average of four hours, nine minutes watching live TV, wh...
Tax Compliance Software Company Avalara Raises $96M
[Investing]
2016/09/27 11:05
Death and taxes may be the only two certainties in life (according to Ben Franklin), but tax compliance software provider Avalara has raised $96 million with a pitch to make one a lot less painful.The company’s whopping new round of growth capital will be used to buy out some undisclosed existing shareholders and to provide $50 million in new money for growth and acquisitions.“This financing...
Art Installation Draws Attention to Plastic Pollution
[Design]
2016/09/27 11:04
We have grown so accustomed to plastic pollution that we hardly notice it anymore. Bottles, cups, and straws blend into the ground like part of the scenery, and we often pass them by without stopping to pick them up.Two artists named Jana Cruder and Matthew LaPenta have created an art installation called “Natural Plasticity,” with which they hope to wake the general public out of its apatheti...
Specialized Smart Glasses
[Design]
2016/09/27 11:03
Ironically, smart specs (like Google Glasses) turned out to be a pretty dumb idea for mainstream users. The tech wasn’t quite there and the idea of wearing a bulky headset wasn’t all that appealing. While the concept has lost momentum, one group of people are still finding this wearable tech useful: the visually impaired.Many blind individuals wear sunglasses to avoid others’ distraction. Wi...
(PDF) Few Smartphone Users Interested in Phones Without Headphone Jacks
[Consumer]
2016/09/26 11:10
New data also shows that concerns over battery life far outweigh demands for better cameras or shatterproof screens.By now it's old news that after announcing that the iPhone 7 wouldn't include a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, Apple's reputation took a hit. Late-night talk show hosts to people across Twitter derided the brand's decision to replace the universal smartphone feature with wireless...
MIT Sloan - A Fresh Take on Supply Chain Innovation
[Business]
2016/09/26 11:09
Companies are presented with many opportunities when they decide to enter a new market. Venturing into unfamiliar territory offers a unique chance to innovate and make changes that benefit the business as a whole.One of PepsiCo’s growth strategies is to proactively adapt to emerging market trends for natural, healthy, and nutritious beverages. The strategy makes the company’s supply chain mor...
Blue Bottle Coffee is Raising Another Big Round of Funding
[Investing]
2016/09/26 11:08
The coffee wars of San Francisco are back on!We’re now hearing from sources that Blue Bottle is raising a big round of financing a little more than a year after it raised a whopping $75 million. We don’t know the exact amount, but given the immense (and at times odd) interest in coffee from investors in Silicon Valley, it wouldn’t be surprising if it would be approaching or matching that pre...
