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What might explain the unhappiness epidemic?

Every activity that didn’t involve a screen was linked to more happiness, and every activity that involved a screen was linked to less happiness. The differences were considerable: Teens who spent more than five hours a day online were twice as likely to be unhappy as those who spent less than an hour a day

If you wanted to give advice based on this research, it would be very simple: Put down your phone or tablet and go do something – just about anything – else.

Source: What might explain the unhappiness epidemic?

While Apple’s Cash Pile hits a New Record, they continue to Glacially Invest in Apple TV & Services 

With Apple’s mind boggling cash pile hitting a new record, you have to wonder why they aren’t investing more aggressive  with larger acquisitions or at least more aggressively in their new video content service so that it could better compete for new shows with current leaders Hulu, Netflix and Amazon’s Prime.

Source: While Apple’s Cash Pile hits a New Record, they continue to Glacially Invest in Apple TV & Services – Patently Apple

Stop blaming Apple and take responsibility for tech addiction

There are many accusations against Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon and others for their addictive effects on our brains and culture. Most of the discourse is about how evil tech companies are (covertly) peddling addictive products/services that are destroying our minds, our society and our relationships. I’ve been frequently quoted in this dialogue as an example of someone who used to focus on increasing addiction (through gamification) to a “changed man” who now believes things have gone too far — with a startup to prove it.

Source: Stop blaming Apple and take responsibility for tech addiction | TechCrunch

Apple reportedly slashing orders because iPhone X isn’t selling well

Several reports from Asia say Apple has slashed component orders for the iPhone X, its most important product. Apple shares dropped on the news. Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously said about component orders that “even if a particular data point were factual, it would be impossible to accurately interpret” what it means for iPhone sales.

Source: Apple reportedly slashing orders because iPhone X isn’t selling well – Business Insider

Google, Please Put Your Clips AI in the Next Pixel Camera 

Clips is basically a GoPro with a clip on the back that can also serve as a stand. The unique part is how Google embedded its machine learning skills directly into the camera, so you don’t actually take pictures with it. Instead, you just put Clips somewhere, then go about your day, and the AI will sit back like a voyeur until it sees the perfect shot, which it will then capture as a brief Motion Photo with ideal composition and a sort-of candid feel that you couldn’t get anywhere else.

Source: Google, Please Put Your Clips AI in the Next Pixel Camera « Android :: Gadget Hacks

Beyond Pokémon: Augmented Reality Is a Universal Design for Learning Tool

The success of Pokémon Go is demonstrating that augmented reality (AR) is reaching the masses quickly and can be a robust tool to enhance student engagement and learning. Leveraging AR for instructional purposes has the potential to become a powerful medium for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by providing new tools for multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement. One of the advantages of using AR applications and AR platforms is the ability to display context relevant digital information to support students’ needs in real time and in specific contexts. Although many educational AR applications are in their developmental stages, the rapid growth of AR is likely to continue. The examples presented in this article focus on how educators can use mobile devices and AR to apply the principles of UDL. Combining AR with the principles of UDL can help educators create lessons that are accessible, engaging, and powerful for a diverse range of learners.

Source: Beyond Pokémon: Augmented Reality Is a Universal Design for Learning ToolSAGE Open – Zachary Walker, Don D. McMahon, Kara Rosenblatt, Tracy Arner, 2017

Google is reportedly revamping its store website as the war with Amazon escalates 

Image result for google home vs amazon echo

Google and Amazon are expanding their efforts to promote their digital assistants to a number of third-party manufacturers, as the war between the two escalates. Amazon recently removed Google products from its e-commerce platform, and Google dropped support for YouTube on Amazon’s online platforms. This is why devices they make themselves are still important, and why Google is reportedly planning to launch an overhauled store to sell its own gadgets.

Source: Google is reportedly revamping its store website as the war with Amazon escalates – Business Insider