Google Assistant is the newest addition to the Google empire and it looks like it’s here to stay. Even though it technically debuted in 2016, Google Assistant seems to be adding more to its device while taking over 2018. Similar to Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant is an artificial intelligence-powered virtual assistant, which can engage in two-way conversations, that is primarily available on mobile and smart home devices.

Users primarily interact with the Google Assistant through natural voice, through keyboard input is also supported. Google Assistant is able to search the Internet by simply asking it “Hey Google” then the question. It can also schedule events and alarms, adjust hardware settings on the user’s device, and show information from the user’s Google account

Google Assistant also can identify objects and gather visual information through the device’s camera, and support purchasing products and sending money, as well as identifying songs. Basically, somebody could take a picture of a clothing product or device and will be able to see where that product is sold and purchase it.

The service itself supports multiple languages and features a more robust third-party integration, meaning that it can help you control your entire digital life, not just your Google life. The visual snapshot platform is also new as it provides “snapshots” of your day. Rolling out over the course of a week, the new section on Google Assistant’s homepage will keep you abreast of travel times and your upcoming schedule, as well as pulling info on recent appointments, dinner reservations, and other similar events from your Gmail account.

All in all, this device can do it all. It combines everything you would ever need and rolls it up all into one, playing well into the idea of “connectivity”. With this technology, Google is laying down a blueprint in which companies should follow. This type of innovation puts Google well ahead of the curb while making more and more products obsolete. Why buy a product from somewhere else that can only do one thing when Google continuously rolls out a product that can do that same thing, plus 100 more features. This type of innovation is cutting edge and only helps to make our lives easier and more enjoyable.

Resources:

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/google-assistant/

https://assistant.google.com/explore?hl=en_us

About a little over a month ago, Apple released its latest installment of the Apple Watch with the Series 4 addition. With the release, Apple also came out with WatchOS 5, the operating system which powers the newest watch. The operating system really doesn’t have that many new features, however the device has been praised for it main newest innovation: The ability to take an electrocardiogram (ECG).

This feature is by far one of the most innovative and intriguing additions that Apple has ever had as the watch can now detect heart conditions early. Think about that. Your watch can detect the condition of your heart. How amazing is that?

This new ECG feature is usually found on medical devices that are used to detect atrial fibrillation, which is a heart condition that can lead to strokes.

“The ECG can potentially register the early signs of a stroke, and warn you to seek medical help before anything serious happens. Depending on the severity of what the ECG on the Apple Watch Series 4 detects, you can have the watch send an automatic emergency notification to a trusted contact.”

That’s not all though as the new Apple Watch can use all the sensors that come with it to detect when you’ve taken a fall. And if you’re immobile for longer than a minute, you can set it to make an emergency call for you. This sort of technology has Apple believing they are the first to offer this type of revolutionary capabilities. With innovations like this, Apple will continue to remain one of the top companies in the entire world. They are connecting our bodies to our devices and have taken the term “connectivity” to the next level. I can’t wait to see what they have in store.

Resources:

https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-watch-watchos-5-new-features-wwdc-2018-6#the-new-apple-watch-series-4-can-also-detect-when-youve-taken-a-fall-3

https://www.apple.com/apple-watch-series-4/

Over the past year, I’ve been seeing more ads than ever on Social Media. At first, I saw it on Twitter, but now its presence has taken over Instagram, SnapChat, and Facebook. It’s marketing techniques are those similar to online website ads you see. However, on social media, it seems a little bit more personable.

Last semester, I studied abroad in Barcelona and whenever I would go on Instagram, I would see an Ad in Spanish. This continued for several months even when I returned home as I would still get advertisements for Spanish shoes and clothing.

Now, it’s not like I ever told Instagram I was studying there, so I decided to do some research. Forbes states that Instagram ads are pretty robust with how they target certain individuals. They present specific advertisements to you based off of Location, Demographics, Interests, Behaviors, Custom Audiences, Lookalike Audiences, and Automated Targeting. In terms of ad objectives, the options are similarly broad. Business objectives include: website clicks and conversions, app installs, video views, brand awareness, local awareness, and reach and frequency.

I think this type of advertising is pretty innovative as Social Media is all the rage right now. With being able to target people on these apps, you get more of a personable marketing agenda.

Social media advertising helps businesses find new potential clients by using users’ own shared information to identify interest. Rather than reactively targeting users who search a certain term, social media advertising proactively targets relevant users before they even begin their search. Social networks are a good option for advertisers because of the advanced targeting options, reliable conversion tracking, and prevalence on mobile devices.

Now, there’s no denying that reaching users while on mobile devices is the next big wave in advertising, making social media advertising the best option. Mobile users are already checking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SnapChat multiple times a day, so advertising to them while they’re within those apps is the best way to reach them without being disruptive. I think this form of advertising is the future of marketing and something all business should focus on in order to appeal to this new, technological dependent generation.

Resources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gabrielshaoolian/2017/04/13/is-instagram-advertising-the-right-social-media-platform-for-your-brand/#47dbf7712d36

Lincoln has released a new car in 2018 that makes you and your phone’s devices more connected than ever. The 2018 Lincoln Navigator comes equipped with Amazon Alexa and over 30,000 of her skills. The car is also connected through the popular traffic maps app “Waze” which will allow users to report traffic incidents in real time. To top it all of, the car comes with 4G wifi capabilities to make everyone and the apps connected to the internet.

This car is obviously appealing to the younger generation, as now more than ever, people are reliant on their cell phones.  What better way to sell a car than to sell the products and applications that come with it. At first, I thought this wouldn’t really work as millennials and teens alike normally drive smaller cars like coupes or sedans. But, when you think about it, millennials are becoming older than you think and will eventually start settling down and starting families. Families typically drive bigger cars like vans and SUV’s, so I think it’s smart on Lincoln to start with this as they will be appealing to not only the younger generation but to their kids as well.

“As a brand, we’re committed to offering advanced technology that makes the driving experience more effortless,” says John Emmert, group marketing manager, The Lincoln Motor Company. “Integrating Alexa and Waze technology across the Lincoln lineup builds on that commitment to our clients.”

Now, Lincoln isn’t the first car company to try and introduce this wifi connected “smart” cars, but they do seem to be the first to truly appeal to this younger generation by simply making desirably technology available. Also, approximately 80 percent of all Navigators sold are equipped with the Technology Package, which adds cutting-edge driver-assist technology features like lane departure warning and head-up display.  In turn, this had led to a 122 percent year-over-year increase through May.

That’s not all as, unexpectedly, around 50 percent of all buyers thus far fall in the 34 to 54 age range. This is very promising for Lincoln as their aim for the younger generation is also hitting the older one. This goes to show that although there might be an age gap in technological knowledge, everyone in this day and age use technology. It’s just the world we live in and Lincoln has done an excellent job of integrating wifi and our dependency on our phones while following this IoT model. By connecting all these interchanging parts, Lincoln has made how we drive easier and smarter while appealing to each target market.

The Lincoln Navigator is selling for an average of $80,000 per vehicle.

Resources:

2018 Lincoln Navigator Adds Waze, Lincoln+Alexa to Increase Appeal to Younger Drivers

Recently, I read an article highlighting how the National Football League is partnering with AWS to provide NextGen stats insights and how it can evolve the game.

I’ve also been seeing a commercial for the partnership that’s been airing on Sunday Night Football. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a subsidiary of Amazon.com that provides on-demand cloud computing platforms to individuals, companies, and governments, on a paid subscription basis.

In the commercial, it showcases Alshon Jeffery’s catch in the first quarter of Super Bowl 52 and how AWS used Artifical Intelligence to process thousands of data points that gave real-time insights for the game. The catch was amazing, and the database actually predicted that there was only a 19.48% chance of him catching the ball. This made me intrigued with what else AWS is doing with football and NextGen stats, so I visited their website.

What I found was nothing short of spectacular, as there were a lot more ways and techniques AWS was using to evolve the game of Football. It provided details on how AWS’s Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence technology enables the NFL to predict formations, play outcomes, routes, and key events in a game. It also talked about how data can be used to enhance broadcasts during games and provide insights for post-game analysis, while also changing the way we as fans understand and experience football.

“At the NFL, we are more efficient in the development of metrics for the NextGen Stats offering by leveraging AWS technology. Machine Learning and other computations that could take months to refine now take weeks or days, allowing us to engage, inform and excite the fan in new and unique ways.”

That’s what Matt Swensson, Vice President of Emerging Products and Technology at the NFL had to say on the topic.

Resources:

https://aws.amazon.com/nextgenstats/

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171129005468/en/National-Football-League-Selects-AWS-Official-Cloud