Tech journalists may have been wrong about Meerkat but they're right to get excited about new apps

The danger of a herd mentality in tech hack circles is real, including missing out on mainstream products, but a nose for interesting news goes beyond analyticsTechnology journalism – and US technology journalism in particular – is getting a roasting every bit as stinging as Justin Bieber’s recent Comedy Central special, in an opinion piece by mobile industry expert Tero Kuittinen published on tech site Boy Genius Report.Titled “Meerkat is dying – and it’s taking US tech journalism with it”, it pulls no punches in its assessment of whether recent, excitable coverage of video-broadcasting app Meerkat was matched by actual downloads and usage.“Meerkat’s highest daily ranking on the U.S. iPhone download chart was No. 140, on March 20th. At this point, the app had already generated thousands of news stories and blog posts, most of them enthusiastically describing it as a hit. But actual American consumers never showed the slightest sign of warming up.Meerkat’s ‘success’ was the creation of a handful of West Coast tech bloggers who managed to lure major newspapers into covering a phenomenon that did not exist.“Writing about the mobile app industry is a curious niche; you don’t actually have to understand download statistics, different product segments or other industry fundamentals. Unlike movies, fashion, cars or the book industry, you don’t have to focus on products that possess real consumer appeal. In the United States, app industry reporters can simply choose to cover an... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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IAB Tech Lab presents Google with Privacy Sandbox gap analysis following Annual Leadership Meeting

Frustrations over the most critical development in digital media shared at flagship industry conference. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2024-01-31 05:01:00 UTC ]
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The best tech support helplines for seniors (according to my 73-year-old mom)

Engadget readers like yourself are probably more tech savvy than the average person. That means you may get roped into helping older family members with email woes, new phone setups, or deciphering if a message is legit or a phishing scam. In my family, I’ve become my mother’s unofficial IT... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-01-15 14:00:13 UTC ]
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Amazon's Audible is laying off 5% of its workforce, marking another round of job cuts in tech

Amazon-owned online audiobook and podcast service Audible is laying off about 5% of its workforce Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2024-01-11 22:47:05 UTC ]
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This L.A. flash-fiction star thinks novels are 'saggy.' Her own debut proves her wrong

The debut novel 'Dead in Long Beach, California,' is a sharp, dazzling turn for Compton-raised author Venita Blackburn, who made her name with lightning-fast fiction. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-01-11 11:00:44 UTC ]
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A History of Ad Tech Chapter 4: The Privacy Reckoning

How the digital media industry had to come to grips with growing privacy requirements. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-12-22 05:01:00 UTC ]
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Digiday’s Oral History of Ad Tech podcast, episode 4, the privacy reckoning with Ana Milicevic

The final episode of Digiday’s Oral History of Ad Tech discusses how the digital media industry has moved faster than those charged to keep it in check, with Ana Milicevic of Sparrow Advisers sharing her insights. In this episode, she discusses how the blurred lines between data management... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-12-22 05:01:00 UTC ]
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Samsung adds medication tracking to its Health app

Samsung has added a new medication tracking feature to its Health app and it's expected to launch in the US when the app updates later this week. Using the new feature, you can set up alerts to remind yourself when to take medications and get reminders for when to request refills from your... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-12-20 17:40:53 UTC ]
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2023 was the year the economics of tech caught up with reality

As a precocious teen looking to improve my college application, I sat in on a business studies class. I figured taking two extra A-Levels at night school alongside those I took during the day would make me irresistible to admissions tutors. The class I watched examined if it was worth a large... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-12-18 15:30:52 UTC ]
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2024 YA Book Adaptations To Get Excited For

These are the 2024 YA book to film adaptations you'll want on your to-be-seen list, as well as some possible upcoming adaptations. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-12-14 11:33:00 UTC ]
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A billionaire and a novelist offer two versions of tech's future. Who's right?

Where exactly is tech going? Joanne McNeil's debut novel 'Wrong Way' and billionaire Marc Andreessen's 'Techno-Optimist Manifesto' offer some clues. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-12-12 11:00:26 UTC ]
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Digiday’s Oral History of Ad Tech podcast, episode 2, with Ari Paparo

There are few better placed to critique and narrate the history of the digital media landscape, never mind the sub-sector of ad tech, than Ari Paparo. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-12-11 05:01:00 UTC ]
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Sonos home theater gear is up to 25 percent off, plus the rest of the best tech deals this week

Depending on what you buy and where you shop, many online purchases should arrive before December 25th, so if you're still working through your gift list, it might not be too late. Even if you're just looking for deals in general, there are plenty out there. Despite the fact that the official... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-12-08 17:45:42 UTC ]
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Arkane Lyon is making a Blade game and we're all very excited

Arkane Lyon, the developer of Deathloop, is making a game based on Marvel’s resident vampire hunter Blade. There’s a trailer, but it’s just a cinematic with no gameplay. Still, this is very exciting news as Arkane Lyon is the talented team behind Prey and the Dishonored 2. It also made the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-12-08 03:21:48 UTC ]
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Naomi Alderman On Tech Billionaires as Today’s Villains

This week on The Maris Review, Naomi Alderman joins Maris Kreizman live at the Strand Bookstore in New York City to discuss The Future, out now from Simon & Schuster. Subscribe and download the episode, wherever you get your podcasts. * from the episode: Maris Kreizman: You really captured... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-12-07 09:06:54 UTC ]
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AAP Calls Big Tech's AI Arguments 'Nonsense'

In comments submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office this week, the Association of American Publishers slammed assertions by the tech industry that fair use permits AI developers to use copyrighted works to train their systems without permission or compensation. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-06 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Beeper says it reverse-engineered iMessage into an Android app

The universal chat app Beeper just got a lot more, well, universal. The company just unveiled the Beeper Mini app, which makes the bold claim to bring true iMessage support to Android devices. Even bolder? It seems to actually work, according to users who have tried it. This isn’t done in a... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-12-05 17:22:50 UTC ]
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The 60 best Black Friday deals for 2023: Get record-low prices on tech from Apple, Samsung, Google and others

Black Friday 2023 is finally upon us, so if you're just getting started on your holiday shopping, you're in luck. Even though we've seen Black Friday deals populate the internet over the past couple of weeks, there remain plenty to be had today. Many of the deals we've... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-24 15:32:10 UTC ]
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The 58 best Black Friday deals 2023: Get record-low prices on tech from Apple, Samsung, Google and others

Black Friday 2023 is finally here, and if you're just getting around to your holiday shopping, there are a ton of great deals to be had across the internet. Black Friday may still technically be one day, but we've been seeing solid early Black Friday deals throughout the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-24 14:12:44 UTC ]
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The 52 best Black Friday 2023 tech deals you can shop right now

We've still got a few hours before Black Friday begins in earnest, but the deals are already here. Really, Black Friday deals have been here for the entire month of November. As has been the case for a few years in a row, most retailers including Amazon, Target, Best Buy... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-23 21:00:15 UTC ]
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Amazon is officially killing the Comixology app, forcing users over to Kindle

Amazon has begun notifying Comixology users that they’ll no longer be able to read comics on the app come December 4. Comixology is merging with the Kindle app, and users’ libraries will soon only be accessible via the latter. The move caps off the ruination of... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-15 21:39:11 UTC ]
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