TECH
TAP
TRENDS ACROSS THE
PLANET V4.12
TECH
TAP
TRENDS ACROSS THE
PLANET
Tech TAP has been created with technological innovation in mind. Our aim is to provide a snapshot of the latest cool campaigns, future trends in technology and general marketing news. This edition includes some highlights from the Mobile World Congress and kicks off with Google augmented reality glasses, and check out the new designer handbag that allows you to charge your phone (we love this).
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Contents
Contents 01
Google Unveils Augmented-Reality Glasses Its Vision Of The Post-PC Era
02
Galileo Your iOS in Motion
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Robot Concierge Sends Your Luggage Directly From the Hotel To the Airport
04
Ultra-Thin Batteries Could Power Displays On Credit Cards
MERCEDES MAKES THEIR ZERO EMISSION CAR INVISIBLE
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New Balance Store Uses Pick-Up And Play Video To Sell
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Pebble: E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android
03
Withdraw Cash With Your Palm At A Biometric ATM
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Mobile World Congress
Smart Kitchen Features Touchscreen Kitchen Island & Tablet Controlled Stoves
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Interactive Nike Fuel Station Opens in London
05
iPhone App Helps You Navigate Cities Using Brand Logos
Your Next Tattoo May Vibrate When You Get a Phone Call
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Designer handbag can charge a phone while on the go
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Barclaycard launches PayTag mobile payment
06
Flexible Touchscreen Could Prompt Sleeker, Curvier Tablets, Smartphones
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How 3d holographic technology moves to the next level
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What’s your favourite app and why?
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Getting In Touch
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The shoe of tomorrow knows how hard you hustle
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Google Unveils Augmented-Reality Glasses, Its Vision Of The Post-PC Era
Google Unveils Augmented-Reality Glasses Its Vision Of The Post-PC Era Source: Singularity hub
Google’s venture into augmented reality has finally come out into the light of day. The Android-running device are glasses that aren’t really glasses, but more like frames with one small lens over the right eye and a camera. That lens provides a heads-updisplay which overlays the wearer’s frame of view. The glasses have all the features expected from a mobile device: messaging and chat, photo and video, wireless connectivity, GPS and location services, and music. One of the biggest surprises with the glasses design is how unobtrusive they are, a far cry from the clunky headgear that had been previously suggested. Additionally, there’s the issue of market traction with these devices, which likely would relegate them to
the hobby market, but in Google’s hands, augmentedreality devices could easily go mainstream, especially as rumours abound about the possibility of a Google Online Store for Android devices around the corner. Though the video shows an incredibly well thought-out HUD design that’s interactive and as multifunctional as any mobile device, these glasses are far from being ready to hit the market. The Project Glass announcement was careful to say that the images of the glasses are intended to show what this technology “could look like” and the video demonstrates what it “might enable you to do.”
Ultimately, this latest announcement is intended to excite public interest, get feedback, and assess demand along with coming up with strategies to deal with resistance to the technology. It’ll also answer any questions from people wondering what those things are that early Google testers are wearing around town and potentially acting goofy as they interact with virtual objects in real surroundings. Additionally, Google just might be trying to create a bigger shift in the current mind set about technology. View Video
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Galileo, Your iOS in Motion
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Galileo Your iOS in Motion Source: Kickstarter
The Galileo is a revolutionary, iOS-controlled robotic iPhone platform with infinite spherical rotation capability. Just swipe your finger on the screen of your iPad or other iOS device and Galileo reacts, orienting your iPhone or iPod Touch accordingly. With applications in areas of photography, cinematography, social networking, and video conferencing, Galileo gives iOS devices endless possibilities of remote-controlled motion.
Capable of infinite 360째 pan-and-tilt at speeds up to 200째 per second in any orientation, Galileo is an invaluable tool to everyone from an amateur photographer to the professional cinematographer, and vastly improves the experience of video chat for anyone needing to stay connected. View Video
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Ultra-Thin Batteries Could Power Displays On Credit Cards
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Ultra-Thin Batteries Could Power Displays On Credit Cards Source: Inhabitat.com
Have you ever looked at your debit or credit card and wondered what your balance was? Well, rather than going to an ATM or checking your online statement, ultra-thin batteries could potentially allow for a tiny screen on your card to display your balance. It is one of several ideas being discussed for the incredibly thin and flexible technology. Developed by NEC, the technology is known as ORB or Organic Radical Battery. With a thickness of only 0.3mm, ORB batteries (which are completely rechargeable) could in theory be used in credit cards (which are 0.76mm thick) ORB batteries have a high power output, and according to NEC, have faster recharging speeds than existing rechargeable batteries, including lithium-ion batteries. Currently, the ORB prototype has been manufactured using printing technologies to integrate circuit boards with batteries, allowing for negative electrodes to be embedded directly onto the circuit boards. Wrapped in a polymer film that is 0.05mm thick, the batteries can be inserted into circuit boards that in turn can be equipped with small electronic components, such as an antenna. Despite being incredibly thin, the ORB batteries have a decent power output meaning that the new ORBs
are capable of 2,000 display screen updates, 360 consecutive flash firings and 35 location transmissions on a single charge.
of including visual displays and advanced encryption processing. In fact, NEC has said they are already working on new functions.
It is hoped that in the near future, credit cards using these new ultra-thin, flexible batteries will be capable 03
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MERCEDES MAKES THEIR ZERO EMISSION CAR INVISIBLE
MERCEDES MAKES THEIR ZERO EMISSION CAR INVISIBLE Source: PSFK
To demonstrate the zero carbon impact of its fuel cell vehicle, Mercedes-Benz made its car “invisible” with LEDs and a camera hack that transmitted images from the opposite side of the car, blending the vehicle in with its surroundings. This creative hack conveyed the company’s message that its vehicle is invisible to the environment because it produces zero emissions. To carry out the marketing stunt, panels of LEDs were
placed across one side of the car and a Canon 5D Mark II digital SLR camera was mounted to the other side. The LEDs then displayed whatever was being filmed, making the car appear (virtually) invisible to onlookers. View Video
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iPhone App Helps You Navigate Cities Using Brand Logos
iPhone App Helps You Navigate Cities Using Brand Logos Source: PSFK
Imagine a city map of New York, San Francisco, and Austin comprised entirely of brand logos. This novel idea was conceived by New York-based startup CityMaps in a newly released social mapping iPhone app. Three cities are visualized according to their retail landmarks instead of street names and numbers – it’s an astounding way to view cities, where you’re never a block away from a shop, Starbucks, or restaurant. As a test, the app was used in the downtown streets of Soho in New York in search of ice cream nearby. The query yielded 15 results, and showed a sprinkling amongst H&M, David Z, Sephora, and the countless other shops that line Broadway. The app also has an interactive element which lets mobile users see retail stores’ Twitter streams, reviews, and deals. An excellent tool for tourists looking for shopping districts, and for local city dwellers it stimulates your visual memory of familiar city streets.
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Your Next Tattoo May Vibrate When You Get a Phone Call
Your Next Tattoo May Vibrate When You Get a Phone Call Source: Mashable
You’ve heard of setting your phone on vibrate, but how about your arm? A new patent filed by Nokia describes a piece of fabric that can be attached to your skin, that will also alert you if you have a call. The patent shows a small, square piece of fabric that could be attached to your fingernail, abdominal area, or forearm. The device would pair with your mobile phone, and when a call comes in would vibrate where it’s attached, much like your phone does now. Vibrations could be customized depending on the person calling or type of message you’re receiving. So, the vibration for your girlfriend sending you a text message might feel a little different than your Mum calling to check in. In addition to being attached to your body in fabric form, the patent also suggests producing the same effect with ferromagnetic ink in the form of a tattoo. Ink would be demagnetized before it was placed on your body, and then magnetized again once your “Mum” tattoo was complete.
Tattoos could be anywhere you might traditionally get inked and could be in any design. For all intents and purposes, you’d be getting a traditional tattoo, just in this case that tattoo would also serve another purpose. Nokia’s vibrating tattoo patent is still in the patent stage, so it may or may not become a reality.
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Flexible Touchscreen Could Prompt Sleeker, Curvier Tablets, Smartphones
Flexible Touchscreen Could Prompt Sleeker, Curvier Tablets, Smartphones Source: Mashable
Atmel, which makes hardware used in devices from Samsung, Acer and LG, have introduced XSense, a flexible touchscreen the company claims can fuel a new wave of lighter, sleeker bendable smartphones and tablets. The video, aimed at industrial designers, posits that the flexible touchscreens could also be used for “completely new products” such as coffee machines and watches. According to a press release, the company was able to make this breakthrough via a “proprietary roll-toroll metal mesh technology.” A rep says the screen is “very bendable” and achieves that flexibility by using
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) rather than more common, stiffer materials. Atmel’s not the only company that believes bendable screens are the future. LG have announced that it has started mass production of an electronic paper display (EPD) product, which will launch in Europe next month. LG’s EPD is a 6-inch, 1024×768 e-ink plastic screen. It’s 0.7mm thick, it weighs 14g, and LG claims it’s resistant to scratches and drops from up to 1.5 meters. Of course, its biggest claim to fame is its flexibility: LG claims the screen allows bending at a range of 40 degrees from its center.
Nokia also introduced a prototype handheld device last year that lets you bend and twist the screen to complete actions like scrolling and zooming. Samsung has also told analysts it plans to introduce phones with flexible displays sometime this year. View Video
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Robot Concierge Sends Your Luggage Directly From Hotel To Airport
Robot Concierge Sends Your Luggage Directly From the Hotel To the Airport Source: PSFK
Yotel is known for its trendy compact rooms that are created by aircraft designers and feature luxurious facilities. One of its high-tech features is the Yobot, a robotic arm that can collect and store your luggage for $2 a bag. Recently Yotel in New York has synced Yobot with the JetBlue luggage handlers
at JFK airport. Now guests can have their luggage seamlessly stored, picked up, and transported from the hotel to the airport. View Video
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New Balance Store Uses Pick-Up And Play Video To Sell
New Balance Store Uses Pick-Up And Play Video To Sell Source: PSFK
LL Bean has been trialling a system to help shoppers make decisions about buying shoes. In this example, when a shoe is removed from its stand, it triggers a video to play nearby to explain the story behind it, and give other additional information. Following this, sportswear brand New Balance opened a flagship store in Boston and they seem to be employing a similar feature to LL Bean. Named ‘the Line Up’ by New Balance, the experience uses embedded RFID tags to trigger content on in-store screens when shoes are picked up from a wall display.
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Withdraw Cash With Your Palm At A Biometric ATM
Withdraw Cash With Your Palm At A Biometric ATM Source: PSFK
Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank in Japan has announced that in September it will be introducing the country’s first ATM that lets people withdraw cash and access other services just by scanning their palm. Other ATMs equipped with biometric readers ask customers for extra verification to withdraw money but this is the first machine that doesn’t require them to use their card or bank book as well. Nikkei reports that customers wanting to use the new ATMs will need to register at a bank branch, where their palm will be scanned. Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank hopes the new machines will be more convenient for its customers as they will still have access to their money if they lose their card, which would be useful in the event of a natural disaster or other unforeseen circumstances. 10
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Smart Kitchen Features Touchscreen Kitchen Island & Tablet-Controlled Stoves
Smart Kitchen Features Touchscreen Kitchen Island & Tablet-Controlled Stoves Source : PSFK
Italian company Toncelli Kitchens has created a hightech kitchen benchtop with a sleek design and high level functionality. The Prisma kitchen island includes a touchscreen glass panel that allows users to watch a video or browse the web as they dine on the table. The Samsung Galaxy tablet has also been embedded into the kitchen counter, that allows users to control basic kitchen functions, such as adjusting the fridge settings, or changing the heat on the stove top.
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Designer handbag can charge a phone while on the go
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Designer handbag can charge a phone while on the go Source: Springwise
WE ♥ THIS! A new handbag, introduced by the designer Richard Nicoll in partnership with Vodafone at London Fashion Week earlier this year, includes technology that can charge the user’s smartphone. Following on from Vodafone UK’s branded taxis giving London consumers a way to charge their mobile phones while on the go, the company has now partnered with designer Richard Nicoll for a similar purpose. Specifically, a new handbag which includes technology that can charge the user’s smartphone. Users need only charge the bag from a traditional
outlet while at work or at home using an inductive charging cable that attaches to the outside of the bag, according to a report in The Telegraph. Once that’s done, the bag can reportedly charge handsets and tablets alike for at least two days via a retractable cable installed in the bag’s pocket. There’s even an LED light on the bag’s Bluetooth-enabled charm that flashes to indicate incoming calls, phone notifications, and battery life.
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How 3d holographic technology moves to the next level
How 3d holographic technology moves to the next level During the headline Dr. Dre set at Coachella 2012 festival the audience got to see an unusual cameo appearance. A 3D holographic rendering of Tupac, with footage from past live performances. View Video
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The shoe of tomorrow knows how hard you hustle
The shoe of tomorrow Knows how hard you hustle Source: Wired
Innovation in athletic shoes historically has focused on improving materials and manufacturing to make lighter, stronger trainers. Now the focus is on making shoes smarter. The next generation of athletic shoes will feature radio frequency identification tags, motion sensors and accelerometers that will allow you to customise the look, fit and responsiveness of your kicks. The shoes of tomorrow will also transmit data to the cloud, allowing you to fine-tune your workout and brag about your accomplishments on Facebook or Twitter.
The Adidas and Nikes of the world have been experimenting with this for almost 30 years. But advancements in radio frequency identification tags coupled with ever-cheaper microchips allow them to integrate technology and training more holistically. It’s no longer enough to provide consumers with comfortable shoes that let them run faster or jump higher and call it a day. Shoes must add to the workout experience each and every day to help athletes improve. View Video
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Pebble: E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android
Pebble: E-Paper Watch For iPhone and Android Source: Kickstarter
Pebble is the first watch built for the 21st century. It’s infinitely customizable, with beautiful downloadable watchfaces and useful internet-connected apps. Pebble connects to iPhone and Android smartphones using Bluetooth, alerting you with a silent vibration to incoming calls, emails and messages. While designing Pebble, the creators strove to produce a minimalist yet fashionable product that seamlessly blends into everyday life.
data. Runners get a similar set of data displayed on their wrist. Use the music control app to play, pause or skip tracks on your phone with the touch of a button. If you’re a golfer, feel free to bring Pebble onto the course. They’re also working with Freecaddie to create a great golf rangefinder app for Pebble that works on over 25,000 courses world-wide. Instead of using your phone, view your current distance to the green right on your wrist.
Apps bring Pebble to life. The developers are currently building some amazing apps for Pebble. Cyclists can use Pebble as a bike computer, accessing the GPS on your smartphone to display speed, distance and pace 15
Mobile World Congress
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Mobile World Congress Editor: Daniel Codd, Project Manager
Mobile World Congress was held over 4 days in the beautiful city of Barcelona. We were there to provide a first hand report on the highlights. Tens of thousands of visitors descended on the Fira de Barcelona which, amongst showcasing the best in mobile technology, launched a number of new devices to the consumer market. Sony’s new range of smartphones, the Xperia P, Xperia U and the previously launched Xperia S, form part of the their Xperia NXT series which are all geared towards providing “connected entertainment experiences”. This effectively means the sharing of content across smartphones, laptops, tablets and TVs seamlessly. They also demo’d their SmartTag system for setting your Xperia mobile modes through NFC technology,
the relatively unknown augmented reality gaming on the PS Vita and their Smartwatch offering.
(that’s not a typo) sensor shoots impressive images and can record full 1080p HD video.
HTC also announced its new range of Android powered devices in the form of its One Smartphone range. Utilising the latest Ice Cream Sandwich Android OS, the One is available in 3 sizes. The largest of the 3, the One X, boasts a 4.7 inch screen and a quad core processor at its heart and continues with the integration of technology from Beats Audio.
Two main themes which stood out for me at the show were LTE networks and NFC technology. For those who don’t know, LTE (Long Term Evolution) is the next generation in mobile communications. Also referred to as 4G, its set to dramatically increase wireless speeds for obvious applications such as downloads, mobile video calling and full HD voice transfer. If I’m honest, I didn’t get a clear idea on just how fast an LTE network could be as different stands quoted different figures, although the official standard seems to be peek rates of 300 Mbit/s. Pretty impressive... Although already launched in some countries, LTE is unlikely to hit the UK until much later in the year.
Nokia showed off its Windows phone offering by demonstrating its Lumia series of handsets. The main focus (pardon the pun) of the Nokia stand though, was their new 808 series handset which is more of a camera than a phone. The 41 megapixel
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Mobile World Congress
Mobile World Congress Editor: Daniel Codd, Project Manager
NFC is growing in availability on handsets, with any new device worth its salt already having this incorporated. NFC stands for Near Field Communications and is set to change the way we communicate between devices and even integrate payment methods as part of the service. For security, this is likely to be low transaction cases (vending machines being one example), but it could be the dawn of something life changing and further strengthen the technology on offer to condense everyday applications into one device. From a retail perspective, the bold vision of Duracell to integrate their powermat technology into chains such as Starbucks does have great appeal. The
system uses a modified mobile phone case that charges your phone through magnetic induction and their aim is to allow their consumers to have charging points in table tops within well known chains, so that a charging station is never too far away. LG had focussed on demonstrating that they’re at the cutting edge of technology and also showcased their Optimus range of handsets, including the Optimus 3D. The handset uses “glasses free” 3D technology for video and photo capture as well as general functionality.
for developers to show off their apps to the massive crowds which descended on the area – the focus here was on their new Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) platform. A great show all in all with far too much to cover off in one article. For more info on the show and the highlights follow through on the link below to go through highlights, keynote speeches and more. http://www.mobileworldcongress.com/2012-highlights.html
Android’s stand drew much of the attention with a slide from balcony to main floor and individual areas 17
Interactive Nike Fuel Station Opens in London
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Interactive Nike Fuel Station Opens in London Source: Mashable
British runners: on your mark, get set — shop! Nike fans in London can re-fuel at a new interactive popup shop designed to sync with the company’s latest high-tech product: the Nike+ Fuelband. The wristband tracks your movements throughout the day. It records “your entire athletic life,” says Nike’s promo video, and can sync that information to your smartphone. The wristband records steps taken, calories burned and time of activity. The shop opened in London’s BOXPARK Shoreditch pop-up mall, a low-cost moveable shopping center made from shipping containers. The mall already houses brands including Levi’s and Calvin Klein.
In addition to shoes and gear, Nike’s new shop will include an LCD wall that can take a pixelated snapshot of your outline. The colourful imprint can move with you — definitely a fun feature that could draw-in shoppers passing by. In addition to the LCD screen there will also be iPads embedded in the store walls. (After all, Nike and Apple have a partnership.) Visitors to the shop can also sign-up for local running clubs and design customised shoes. This is just Nike’s latest step toward elevating the brand’s tech presence. In February, Nike announced that its Nike+ line of shoes for runners would expand to include shoes made for basketball and other
general athletic activities. The Nike+ shoe records workout information, which users can sync to the Nike+ apps on their iPhone, iPod touch and the web. The Fuelband is the latest product Nike is adding to the digitally connected Nike+ ecosystem. The interactive shop hasn’t come to the U.S. yet, but fans can stay connected by using the hashtag #makeitcount on Twitter. View Video
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Barclaycard launches PayTag mobile payment
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Barclaycard launches PayTag mobile payment Source: Marketing Magazine
Barclaycard has launched a contactless payment method called PayTag that works on all mobile phones.
Barclaycard claims PayTag provides customers with the choice of simple mobile phone payment without having to wait to upgrade and at no additional cost.
Millions of Barclaycard customers will be able to make payments with any mobile phone by sticking a Barclaycard PayTag to the back of their handset.
David Chan, Chief Executive Officer of Barclaycard Consumer Europe, said: “Today, we are offering the choice of mobile payments to millions of our customers at no additional cost to them.
PayTag is a third of the size of a normal card and can be used to make payments of up to £15 when it is held over a contactless payment terminal. From June this amount will rise to £20.
convenient, everyday payments without the need to upgrade their current handset.“
“More than half of us say that the item we’re most lost without is our mobile phone, so we’re giving people the option of using them to make easy, 19
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What’s your favourite app and why?
What’s your favourite app and why?
Bamboozle & Pandora
Pulse & Matchbook
Bamboozle For those old enough to remember the days of teletext ☺ I like this as it reminds me of what you can do without much technology and of much simpler days.
Pulse Pulse is a beautifully designed feed reader which collates all the blogs I follow in one handy place. It’s fluid in design and as well as easy sharing to Facebook or Twitter, it also allows me to bank my favourite posts for future use.
Pandora The UI is intelligent and intuitive and the content is great.
Courtney Daryanani, Head of Technology and Innovation London
Matchbook Matchbook is a simple bookmarking app for those ‘I must remember that restaurant/bar/ shop’ moments as you walk past them. It has become my first port of call when I’m out and deciding where to go – genius.
Karen Bloom, Senior Art Director London
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What’s your favourite app and why?
What’s your favourite app And why?
Instapaper & Evernote
FAB.com & Glasses up
Instapaper Amazing app that turns any article, or link to article, into simple easy to read format. App enables you to quickly scan articles and save them to read later. It’s Twitter integration is amazing. Love this application. I always have a bank of articles I can read anytime anywhere.
FAB.com Awesome shopping app. Unique & inspirational fresh design items for sale at discount
Evernote Great application that allows you to store things you would like to remember later. Browser extensions allow you to quickly “Clip” articles and URLs you’d like to save as well. Can also “Tag” items for quick search and reference. Great for collecting items for relationship follow-ups.
Dan Mills, Growth & Development St Louis
prices. It’s fun to just browse around and “window shop” because everything is so cool. Glasses Up by Tullamore Dew Because Momentum created it! And if you are searching for the perfect toast or words to say at a special occasion, this app will help you find those right words. You can tailor your speech by choosing a specific occasion, theme, tone, and audience- or just opt for a random one.
Hillary Vigdor, Global Marketing Associate New York
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What’s your favourite app and why?
What’s your favourite app And why?
Pinterest & Sleep Cycle Pinterest: Like 31 million others around the globe I have jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon. Having recently bought a house I am finding it an incredibly useful way to find inspirational renovation ideas, identify and follow people with great style and to organise my own mood boards. Also great for fashion, motivation, photography, weddings and pretty much anything you can think of! You can also download the PC/Mac web browser add on to add any photos on a website to your account. Sleep Cycle: Every night before I go to bed I turn this app on. The Sleep Cycle alarm clock is a bio-alarm clock that analyses your sleep patterns and wakes you when you are in the lightest sleep phase which makes a tremendous difference to which ‘side of the bed’ you get up on. Each morning you can view a graph of how restless your sleep has been thanks to the device’s accelerometer. As someone who sleeps poorly I find this particularly interesting.
Marc Cowper, Group Account Director Experiential & Phygital Practices Sydney 22
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Getting In Touch
Getting in touch
email us your news & views
tap@momentumww.com http://blog.momentumww.com/blogs/wwtap/
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