Wednesday 17 October 2018

The Morning After: Robot dance

Engadget Email Newsletter

It's Wednesday, October 17, 2018.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

Facebook’s next big launch is… The Real World? We’ll explain. Also, it’s time to look inside Google’s new Pixel 3, and YouTube took an unplanned break last night.

(View in browser.)

And Twitter’s iOS notifications got weird.

Outage pulls the plug on YouTube

Last night, all of YouTube’s services -- including live TV and music -- went offline for a little over an hour. They did eventually return to normal, without much in the way of an explanation for what happened. Earlier in the day, Twitter pumped notifications full of nonsense to users on iOS, which the company eventually explained as a bug that made its background update codes visible for a short time.

Well that’s new

Huawei’s Mate 20 can wirelessly charge your buddy’s phone

Huawei’s big phone launch event turned into a veritable firehose of products -- some with launch dates and spec sheets, and plenty without. The standout was the Mate 20 Pro, a new smartphone with a new tri-camera setup, in-screen fingerprint reader and wireless charging. But not as you know it.

The Mate 20 Pro can wirelessly charge other devices -- you simply lay it on top. It sounds bizarre, but you could top up your friend’s phone with 5 percent battery left -- or top up some AirPods once that wireless charging case eventually appears.

Stop being polite and start being… socially networked?

Facebook and MTV are revamping 'The Real World'

Facebook is teaming up with MTV on a "reimagined" version of the popular reality series The Real World, which will have an interactive social component that'll let viewers vote one housemate on to the show before it airs. The new seasons of The Real World, set to debut exclusively on Facebook Watch in 2019, will be produced in Mexico, Thailand and, of course, the United States.

Prepaid car service.

Lyft's $299 All-Access service is available across the US

So picture this: The Lyft All-Access plan has you paying $299 per month to get 30 'free' trips of any type worth up to $15 each (you pay the difference above that), with a 5-percent discount on additional journeys. Compared to paying for a car note, insurance, parking, gas and everything else, maybe some would find it worthwhile -- and you don’t even have to do the driving. Your move, Uber.

Well that doesn’t seem sinister at all.

Watch Boston Dynamics’ SpotMini robot twerk to ‘Uptown Funk’

Instead of a highlight workout video (or just one showing a robot at work), Boston Dynamics took an all-new tack with its latest YouTube post: a Spot robot dancing to Bruno Mars.

Romantic comedies are big business.

Netflix’s ‘Summer of Love’ sees nearly 7 million new subscribers

For the third quarter, Netflix’s subscriber additions were well above its internal prediction, with worldwide growth of 6.96 million compared to the projected five million. Now it predicts it will grow by another 9.4 million customers in Q4, with most of the new subscribers coming from outside the US.

It also took the opportunity to pitch itself as a star-making platform, citing the explosion in Instagram followers for actors like Noah Centineo and Millie Bobby Brown after their projects debuted. Apparently more than 80 million people watched at least one of its original romcom flicks this summer -- so you can definitely expect more of them very soon -- and we have some advice on which ones were the best.

Its features are catching up with the Kindle Oasis.

The Kindle Paperwhite is ready for the bath

The new Paperwhite (available for order now and shipping on November 7th) is waterproof, has a higher resolution screen (300ppi) and supports Audible audiobooks via Bluetooth headphones. The 8GB version will set you back $130 while the ridiculously large 32GB Paperwhite will cost you $160. If WiFi doesn’t cut it, you can even get a free built-in cellular connection and 32GB for $250.

Even if you have an older model, a software update will bring a new home screen and configurable profiles that readers can set up for different ways and places they use the device.

But wait, there's more...

1. Pixel 3 XL teardown reveals Google's switch to a Samsung display

2. Analogue's Mega Sg sounds like the ultimate Sega Genesis

3. New study dissects FCC net neutrality commenter backgrounds

4. Huawei Watch GT hands-on: Big battery promises and yet another OS

5. Fujifilm X-T3 review: An X-Series camera that gets video right

6. Fox Sports' new virtual NASCAR studio runs on Unreal Engine

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Tuesday 16 October 2018

Editor's Pick: Top 3 E-Commerce Trends That Will Drive Sales in 2019

Top 3 E-Commerce Trends That Will Drive Sales in 2019

Kosta Popov Oct 16, 2018 5:00 AM PT
	When it comes to e-commerce, it seems like one day you are in and the next you are out. With online shopping now more accessible than ever, customers steadily are becoming harder to please, and they are considering it a given that their rising expectations be met every time. Just having an online version of a physical store isn't enough anymore, as consumers don't want to grab and go. [More...]

More Picks:

For Great Customer Experiences, Design Great Employee Experiences
"Customer experience" is the great watchword of 2018 -- and it was a great watchword in 2017 and 2016, too. Eighty-five percent of executives said that CX was important to their companies' strategic priorities, in an Accenture survey. Sixty-two percent of companies viewed CX delivered by contact centers as a competitive differentiator, Deloitte found. [More...]

How to Avoid 10 Mobile E-Commerce Conversion Killers
Just five years ago, mobile e-commerce was a minor part of the e-commerce landscape. Today, most online searches are carried out from mobile devices, and 40 percent of all e-commerce is carried out from smartphones. This has forever changed the e-commerce industry. The smartphone is the most important lead channel. Smartphones are an extended part of our brains and social life. [More...]

4 Ways SMBs Can Compete With Amazon on Cyber Monday
E-commerce companies compete with Amazon for shoppers year-round, but especially around the holidays when Q4 earnings are made. More than 75 percent of U.S. consumers shop on Amazon despite endless e-commerce options. Amazon commands more than 49.1 percent of all online sales and has more than 300 million active consumer accounts, making it a competitor that can't be ignored. [More...]

Serious Efforts to Use Tech for Good Shine Through
For much of this year, technology companies have been showcased in a very poor light. Several firms have been moving aggressively to buck this trend, however. HP's latest effort, in conjunction with the Clooney Foundation for Justice, is an impressive initiative to supply and fund schools in places like war-torn Syria. HP also has provided substantial support to the Girl Rising movement. [More...]

5 Tech Advances That Can Deepen Customer Engagement
Customers are crucial to a successful business. They can be one-off customers or repeat buyers. Ideally, a business wants a mix of both. Problems arise when marketing tactics fail to attract either type, which is why customer engagement is so critical in today's hypercompetitive e-commerce environment. It should be no surprise that customers prefer companies that treat them as valued individuals. [More...]

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E-Commerce Minute

E-Commerce Minute: Tuesday -- October 16, 2018

The E-Commerce Times -- E-Business Means Business
http://www.ecommercetimes.com
Part of the ECT News Network

Headline Scan
Top 3 E-Commerce Trends That Will Drive Sales in 2019
How to Avoid 10 Mobile E-Commerce Conversion Killers
4 Ways SMBs Can Compete With Amazon on Cyber Monday
5 Tech Advances That Can Deepen Customer Engagement
The Trouble With CRM Data

Message From Our Sponsor
A Guide for eCommerce Merchants: Disputing Chargebacks
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fraudsters'tricks & protect their business from chargebacks,
without compromising the shopping experience. Download the Guide:
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Today's Story Highlights

Top 3 E-Commerce Trends That Will Drive Sales in 2019

When it comes to e-commerce, it seems like one day you are in and the
next you are out. With online shopping now more accessible than ever,
customers steadily are becoming harder to please, and they are
considering it a given that their rising expectations be met every time.
Just having an online version of a physical store isn't enough anymore,
as consumers don't want to grab and go.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/85620.html

How to Avoid 10 Mobile E-Commerce Conversion Killers

Just five years ago, mobile e-commerce was a minor part of the e-
commerce landscape. Today, most online searches are carried out from
mobile devices, and 40 percent of all e-commerce is carried out from
smartphones. This has forever changed the e-commerce industry. The
smartphone is the most important lead channel. Smartphones are an
extended part of our brains and social life.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/85619.html

4 Ways SMBs Can Compete With Amazon on Cyber Monday

E-commerce companies compete with Amazon for shoppers year-round, but
especially around the holidays when Q4 earnings are made. More than 75
percent of U.S. consumers shop on Amazon despite endless e-commerce
options. Amazon commands more than 49.1 percent of all online sales and
has more than 300 million active consumer accounts, making it a
competitor that can't be ignored.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/85615.html

5 Tech Advances That Can Deepen Customer Engagement

Customers are crucial to a successful business. They can be one-off
customers or repeat buyers. Ideally, a business wants a mix of both.
Problems arise when marketing tactics fail to attract either type, which
is why customer engagement is so critical in today's hypercompetitive e-
commerce environment. It should be no surprise that customers prefer
companies that treat them as valued individuals.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/85614.html

The Trouble With CRM Data

The ability to collect massive amounts of data represented a huge leap
forward in customer service and communication when CRM first hit the
market as a marketing, sales and data management tool. However, CRMs
aren't a holy grail. Data management is one thing. Using data to
understand what customers really need -- not just what you think they do
-- and how to engage them is another thing entirely.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/85616.html

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