This week’s picks are courtesy of Lauren Gaskill: Spyder Trap’s newest hire. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
1) iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Shift Reading Away From iPad
Recent data from Pocket shows that iPhone 6 and 6 Plus owners are spending more time reading saved content on their phones, rather than their personal iPad. The study, which was compiled by analyzing more than two million article and video opens, found that iPhone 5/5S users who upgraded to an iPhone 6 now view content on their phones 72% of the time, up from 55% when on a smaller screen. Read more here.
2) Black Friday shopping made easy with ShopPad Inc. app
Let’s face it – unless you are ultra-prepared for Black Friday, you’re probably not going to accomplish all that you set out to do. In order to stand up against a crowded, loud, fast-moving frenzy, you have to have a game plan. ShopPad Inc.’s app, Chameleon – Your In Store Shopping Companion, can help you plan and execute your Black Friday Goals. Rated by TIME magazine as one of the top five must-have Black Friday apps, Chameleon allows users to check the aisle location and inventory status of their shopping list while they are in the store. The app also allows users to earn points to redeem for gift cards, navigate their way through shopping malls, and discover deals in any store. Unfortunately, Chameleon is only for Apple users (Android users check out Slickdeals).
3) Firefox Update Offers New Search Interface
Mozilla is overhauling the traditional search bar with its upcoming version of Firefox. The updated web browser lets users search a specific site with one click – simply type, locate the search icon you want and click!
4) At-Home Robotics: Google Purchases Smart Spoon
About a year ago Lift Labs, a startup company made of scientists and engineers, developed a “smart spoon” that can steady itself in the most tremor-filled hand. The LiftWare spoon could improve the lives of millions of people dealing with Parkinson’s and similar illnesses. Seeing this potential, Google purchased the company and its spoon earlier this week. Filed under the GoogleX brand, the stability technology can be applied to many other areas.
5) Tumblr Named Fastest-Growing Social Platform
Yesterday, a report by Global Web Index revealed that Tumblr is now the fatest-growing social network. To be specific, its active user base has grown 120 percent in the past six months. At the bottom of the list was Facebook. Read more about the fastest-growing mobile apps from the Search Engine Journal.
