Tech Review: Ooho Is The New Eco-Friendly Water Bottle

Three London-based industrial design student's recently created Ooho, a "blob-like water container that is easy to make, cheap, strong, hygienic, biodegradable, and edible." The water is contained in a double membrane via spherification, a way to shape liquids into spheres. The compound used to create the Ooho is made from brown algae and calcium chloride, which forms a gel sphere to encase the water. Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, one of the developers behind the product, states that 80% of all plastic bottles are not recycled. This is not healthy for the Earth or the businesses that produce the bottles, as creating the plastic bottle is the most expensive step in bottling water. The Ooho can be created for just 2 cents and results in no waste product after being consumed.

Think of an egg yolk; now picture it clear and filled with water. That is exactly what the Ooho looks like. The difference is that the Ooho is stronger as it uses a double membrane to contain the water while an egg yolk holds its shape with a thin membrane. This is a revolutionary product that has the ability to play a major role is curbing pollution. However, there are some uncertainties, as packaging and distribution still need to be worked out to keep the Ooho clean throughout the whole process. All in all, I believe it will be years before the Ooho hits the shelves but when it does, it will take the bottling industry by storm. If you do not want to wait for that to happen, you can cook the packaging in your home through modifying the recipe.

This Edible Blob Is A Water Bottle Without The Plastic

Tech Review: Android Wear Keeps Google In the Forefront Of Wearables

While sales of smartphones have continued to increase, they have begun to level off. This has left the major technology companies wondering what is going to be the next major product that consumers want. Google believes that the answer is simple: wearables. Having already made investments in Google Glass, they announced recently that they have built Android Wear, and operating system designed for their smartwatch that is due to be released in the near future. Smartwatches are not new news, as Samsung already has a product on the market and Apple has been working on their own iWatch for some time now. Wearables are not supposed to be the death of smartphones; in fact they need these devices to survive as they will connect with the users personal device via an app installed on the phone. 

I agree with this article in the aspect that wearables are the future of personal technology. However, I do not think that smartphones will fade out anytime soon. There are things that I would much rather do on my phone than on a watch. For instance, sending emails is a task that needs the smartphone to be accomplished proficiently. Receiving notifications, listening to music, and making phone calls are all tasks suitable for wearables. I think there are many benefits associated with the rise of wearables, especially when it comes to tracking health. This technology will make it much easier for consumers to monitor their own health without the reliance of trips to the hospital for certain ailments. I personally do not see myself purchasing a smartphone any time soon as I do not see the need. However, I am not ruling out other types of wearables. I am very interested in new technology and if something is released that is captivating; I will certainly give it a try.

Smarphones are fading. Wearables are next.

Tech Review: Planet Labs Is Taking Space Exploration By Storm

Planet Labs is a San Francisco based startup that is looking to shake up space exploration through lower prices achieved by expert engineering. The company has already launched dozens of satallites into space and is planning on launching 28 more over the course of the next month. Their product is cheap because it is solar powered, has one maneuver setting, and is only expected to last a couple of years. However, their capability is not diminished as they have the ability of taking weekly photos of the Earth with details as small as a car. In total, the company plans on launching approximately 100 more satallites over the course of the year, bringing their total to 131 in space.

Planet Labs is fitting into the space exploration market nicely as they have found a niche audience their product applies to. With plans of creating a daily photo mosaic of the entire Earth, they will have a unique viewpoint that many companies will want to access. They will be able to strike deals with agricultural companies to monitor farmland or even governments looking to monitor and prevent nation disasters. What I love about this company is they are helping fix the major problem the world faces today; climate change. Using their technology for good and producing very little carbon output, I believe Planet Labs is poised to make strides in a highly lucrative market.

Start-Ups Aim to Conquer Space Market

Tech Review: MLB Is The Most Innovative Professional Sport

Major League Advanced Media is introducing new technology that will be used within each ballpark to analyze each play of the game, using data analytics. This infrastructure will allow the industry to understand the whole play on the field (batting, pitching, fielding, and baserunning). MLBAM CEO had this to say about the technology at the eighth annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference, "This is going to be pretty exciting. We think it is going to change the way we argue about the game, but we don't think it's going to settle any debates. We hope it starts more." This infrastructure is slated to be built by opening day in the Spring.

This announcement is definitely exciting news to hear as a baseball fan. A key thing to note here is that the technology will enable new metrics for evaluation from clubs, scouts, players, and fans. For instance, teams will be able to analyze how each outfielder makes a catch. They will be able to see their speed, route taken, jump on the ball, etc. This will in turn allow each player to work on their flaws in order to be prepared for the next catch they have to make. While this is great news to hear, it is nothing new from the MLB as the league has consistently remained at the forefront of technology across the professional sports world.

MLBAM Introduces New Way To Analyze Every Play

Tech Review: SmartMio - The New Wearable Every Fitness Enthusiast Needs

The SmartMio is a wearable device that connects to the users smartphone and uses electric muscle stimulation (EMS) to engage the part of the body the device is placed on. The device connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and is meant to enhance workouts by releasing small doses and electrical stimulation to the muscle groups being targeted. SmartMio is built by Smartmissimo, a startup based in Singapore that builds wearable technology. This product will be the first EMS to hit the market, as units cost $69 and are expected to ship out in November 2014.

SmartMio is a brilliant product that will definitely find success among the niche audience being targeted. Users can wear the device at work, during their commute, while watching TV, or literally anywhere they want. The product is meant to enhance preexisting workout routines as the company "insists" that it be used in conjunction with exercise. SmartMio is targeted at athletes and health enthusiasts looking to stay fit with innovative technology. I would 100% use it and may very well place an order before I finish this blog post.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/20/smartmio-offers-athletes-wearable-muscle-stimulation-controlled-by-your-smartphone/

Social Media Advertising And Its Effect On User Bases

Since the 2004 launch of Facebook, social media has exploded with networks going live seemingly every day. While some social networks have experienced vast growth, most have failed as ideas have become a dime a dozen. For the platforms that have succeeded, they still face a major issue: how to monetize their growing user bases. Facebook went public in September of 2012 but its stock quickly fell 47% as investors realized that the company was not generating sustainable profits from advertising, which is its main revenue source (Vardi Forbes). Twitter went public in November of 2013 and while the stock performed much better than Facebook’s, it was reported that the company had not turned a profit in its seven years of operation. Twitter earns 89% of its revenue from advertising, but still has not managed to master ads as it has lost money every year (Benoit Wall Street Journal). The big question then is when will social media understand advertising as other media outlets have, and when will they generate profits to illustrate they deserve to be in the same conversation with other tech giants such as Google?

Despite their initial lack of success with ads, the most popular social platforms could turn out to be extremely lucrative for the companies that operate them and the advertisers who wish to connect with their users. Over the past year, for instance, revenue per visit to Tumblr has grown 340%, Pinterest witnessed a 244% increase, Twitter a 131% jump, and Facebook a 72% boost (Hof Forbes). Advertisers are reaping the benefits of social ads as a result of being able to directly target their markets based on personal information they purchase from the different networks. Through features such as targeted Facebook ads and promoted Twitter tweets, advertisers are able place relevant ads on user’s personal pages. Users are also embracing multiple social networks, as 42% of online adults now use two or more social networks (Pew Research). This illustrates that the networks must adapt with their users, and figure out how to allow advertisers to strategically place ads on all networks in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

While Facebook struggled in its early days as a publicly traded company, the company has since proved to be as valuable as it was made out to be in its IPO by substantiating its value to advertisers. Revenues in 2013 were $7.87 billion, a 55% increase from 2012 and the stock finished at an all time high. All of this hype can be attributed to mobile platforms, as Facebook now earns 53% of its total revenue from mobile ads. In fact, media experts have begun to call Facebook a mobile company, as their mobile monthly users have increased by 39% compared to the 16% increase from desktops. Facebook has also amassed over one million advertisers, illustrating the trust they have built with companies looking to engage with their 1.23 billion monthly active users (Edwards Business Insider).

Though this growth is remarkable, advertisers have not completely been sold on Facebook’s staying power. A recent study by digital consultancy iStrategy Labs has revealed that more than 11 million high school and college users have left the network since 2011. Facebook, and social networks in general, have been able to augment their user bases massively as a result of appearing “hip,” which can be attributed to appealing to the younger generation. Without that appeal, these companies could potentially appear as a fad that will eventually fade. Facebook itself has acknowledged the problem; “We did see a decrease in teenage daily users during the quarter, especially younger teens,” said Facebook CFO David Ebersman (Matthews Time). Nevertheless, while teens are leaving the platform, other age groups have continued to expand rapidly. Pew Research reports that 71% of online adults are now on Facebook. As long as there are individuals, regardless of age, spending money as a result of ad impressions, advertisers are content.

As every major social network has begun to roll out ads to drive revenue, users have not fled as analysts initially expected. In fact, the top social networks have continue to grow at rates that are unmatched by any other field in media. The following percentages indicate the increase in total minutes spent on the networks from 2011 to 2012: Facebook 61%, Twitter 48%, Foursquare 154%, Pinterest 6,056%, and Tumblr 108% (Nielson 2012). These growth percentages demonstrate that each social network has a value to not only their users, but also advertisers who wish to capitalize on the easy access to perspective clients. As user bases continue to grow and the respective social platforms supply advertisers with the tools they need to be successful, the next social network will shortly go for their IPO, and investors certainly will not want to miss out.
Works Cited

Benoit, David. "Twitter's IPO: What You Need to Know." The Wall Street Jounral. N.p., 6 Nov. 2013. Web. 01 Feb. 2014. <http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2013/11/06/twitters-ipo-what-you-need-to-know/>.

Duggan, Maeve, and Aaron Smith. "Social Media Update 2013." Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. Pew Research Center, 30 Dec. 2013. Web. 01 Feb. 2014. <http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Social-Media-Update.aspx>.

Edwards, Jim. "Facebook Shares Surge On First Ever $1 Billion Mobile Ad Revenue Quarter." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 29 Jan. 2014. Web. 01 Feb. 2014. <http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-q4-2013-earnings-2014-1>.

Hof, Robert. "Pinterest, Twitter And Tumblr (Yes, Tumblr!) Are Starting To Steal Revenues From Facebook." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 27 Jan. 2014. Web. 01 Feb. 2014. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2014/01/27/pinterest-twitter-and-tumblr-yes-tumblr-are-starting-to-steal-revenues-from-facebook/>.

Matthews, Christopher. "More Than 11 Million Young People Have Fled Facebook Since 2011 Comments." Time: Business & Money. Time Magazine, 15 Jan. 2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://business.time.com/2014/01/15/more-than-11-million-young-people-have-fled-facebook-since-2011/>.

State of the Media: The Social Media Report 2012. Rep. The Nielson Company, 04 Dec. 2012. Web. 01 Feb. 2014.

Vardi, Nathan. "Ten Ways Twitter's IPO Didn't Turn Out To Be Like Facebook's IPO." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 07 Nov. 2013. Web. 01 Feb. 2014. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanvardi/2013/11/07/ten-ways-twitters-ipo-didnt-turn-out-to-be-like-facebooks-ipo/>.