2 minutes estimated reading time
Voice activated coupon
Google’s First Voice Activated Coupon – WPP – Google distributed its first voice-activated coupon offering customers $15 off Target purchases placed on Google Express through Google Assistant –through desktop, mobile or Google Assistant enabled devices – I am surprised that Amazon didn’t introduce the voice activated coupon before Google.
Beauty
SK-II finds success in selling to younger Chinese: P&G | Advertising | Campaign Asia – luxury brand with an on ramp for college students
China
China Bans Online Bible Sales as It Tightens Religious Controls – The New York Times – I am concerned about Vatican appeasement of China. It looks like Neville Chamberlain
Consumer behaviour
Headline from China: Purchase Restriction and Red Streetwear | Jing Daily – interesting how streetwear brands are being cleared out of the way by the Chinese government to support Chinese originated brands
How Americans Self-Sort Themselves by Age and Class – CityLab
Culture
Molly Ringwald Revisits “The Breakfast Club” in the Age of #MeToo | The New Yorker – good read, what I remember is how those films nailed emotion
Japan
Japan to place accident liability on self-driving car owners – Nikkei Asian Review – makers liable only in case of a system flaw
Online
China’s Didi Chuxing prepares to launch Mexico operations | HKEJ Insights – China going global
RSS is undead | Techcrunch – no RSS is alive, but Techcrunch haven’t worked out issues the RSS users have already. Much of the issues are solved by using NewsBlur and finding sources is organic rather than an instant end state. More online related topics here.
Security
Could Cambridge Analytica boss be probed for Philippine meddling? | SCMP – This could get interesting. Putting aside arguments about whether Cambridge Analytica’s technology actually works as promised, Philippines law would still have been broken. It forbids all outside parties from participating in its election process.It is alleged that they were supporting Duterte, which would make the foreign reaction to it interesting as well.
Technology
ARM Mac: Piece of Cake Or Gas Refinery? – Monday Note – assumes that there will be a transition, which I am not convinced about
API and Other Platform Product Changes – Facebook for Developers – reduces information that can be taken out to beef up privacy
Wireless
Smartphone shipments fall again in Q1 | Shanghai Daily – China looks saturated in terms of smartphones