Inhibitors
WPP CEO Sorrell Says Regional Offices Can Be ‘Inhibitors’ | Advertising Age – interesting tension happening here; part of the reason for the inhibitors that there isn’t a power to yes is because the power structures aren’t designed right. A second inhibitor issue is also that the centre is all asking for the wrong things. Often HQ has the power to say no; not the power to say yes where they haven’t come up with the idea. All of these inhibitors means that agency side pan-regional roles will be under threat. More related content here.
Business
Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends in China — China Internet Watch – interesting bits particularly around changing business models
Consumer behaviour
In Europe, knowing your neighbor doesn’t necessarily make you happier – Quartz – interesting consumer data, that asks questions about what community actually means
Growing Up Grows Up | CEB Insights – more democratic collaborative households
Culture
leet speak (FBI) | Muckrock – I love this FBI guide to online acronyms
Finance
How to manage all your financial affairs from a $20 mobile phone | Quartz – another article on MPesa
FMCG
Colgate is betting that you care as much about your pet’s mouth as your kid’s | Quartz – interesting trend
Health
No more fillings as dentists reveal new tooth decay treatment | theguardian.com – sounds really simple but is cool idea
Hong Kong
WATCH: Hong Kong ad depicts domestic worker in ‘blackface’: Shanghaiist – interesting how social media is lengthening this story
Luxury
Global Textile Trends Round-Up: The Implications of Fabric Innovation – Nanotechnology – interesting article by Euromonitor
Marketing
The A to Z of mobile marketing: 26 trends to inspire you | Econsultancy – I find the idea of heavy pages horrifying
Should Brands get Involved in Political Issues? – Euromonitor International – interesting that this is coming out of marketing rather than CSR
Media
Financial Times Testing Time-Spent Ads – Business Insider – interesting move. Will engagement on a page mean that one is more likely to click on ads below the fold or will content just be ignored, would need more detail on click through rates or even conversion rates if possible
As Weather Channel Blows Yahoo Off Apple’s Upcoming iOS 8, App Storms Ahead for Mayer | Re/code – adds a stick to beat management team with, needs to be careful about stocks default app
Online
Are links dead for Yandex? | Econsultancy – interesting article on Yandex SEO
Indian chat app Hike adds private mode and 100MB file sending, as it hits 20m users – looks like a me too product
Retailing
UK shoppers are turning German when they walk into a supermarket | Quartz – Aldi finally getting some respect. I would go there if there was a branch close to where I lived
Security
Nokia ‘paid millions to software blackmailers six years ago’ | Reuters – Finnish telecoms equipment company Nokia paid several million euros to criminals who threatened to reveal the source code for part of an operating system used in its smartphones some six years ago – did this make the move away from Symbian even more attractive?
BlackBerry Launches BBM Protected For Confidential Instant Messaging | TechCrunch – does this mean normal BBM will become less secure?
Software
AnandTech | Manual Camera Controls in iOS 8 – offers interesting application opportunities. How long before we see a Contax camera app for example?
Technology
Qualcomm for ARM? Intel for MediaTek? Pondering Chip M&A – Barrons.com – interesting discussion on tax inversion
HP Machine: Memristor pioneer explains his discovery- The Inquirer – this looks like a really interesting discovery by HP
Telecoms
Nokia ‘paid millions to software blackmailers six years ago’ | Reuters – Finnish telecoms equipment company Nokia paid several million euros to criminals who threatened to reveal the source code for part of an operating system used in its smartphones some six years ago – did this make the move away from Symbian even more attractive?
EU, South Korea to Ally on Faster Mobile Access – WSJ – it is a smart move. Impressive that Huawei is investing 600 million dollars through 2018 on next-generation networks.
Web of no web
Blippar buys augmented reality firm Layar – interesting consolidation
Wireless
EU, South Korea to Ally on Faster Mobile Access – WSJ – it is a smart move. Impressive that Huawei is investing 600 million dollars through 2018 on next-generation networks
Chinese gov’t reveals Microsoft’s secret list of Android-killer patents | Ars Technica – interesting document which gives a fuller idea of Microsoft’s portfolio. admittedly much of it couldn’t be used against many Rockstar members like Sony and Apple – and some of them could be used in a wider attack on Google services
Here’s Why Amazon Is Actually Smart To Make Its Smartphone Expensive (AMZN) | BusinessInsider – interesting analysis of Amazon’s Fire phone
Bihar’s largest radio station is not a radio station at all | Quartz – Hindustan Unilever uses mobile airtime to broadcast 15 minute radio segments to consumers
Qualcomm for ARM? Intel for MediaTek? Pondering Chip M&A – Barrons.com – interesting discussion on tax inversion
