Appables, the Invisible Wearables

One of my girlfriends came to me recently and said "You have to tell me what all the new hot apps are!" So here is what I told her:

Super.me

Instagram + Twitter

Super is an amazing new app created by +Biz Stone, one of the co-founders of +Twitter. The thing I love about this app is its playfulness. It has a fun augmented reality profile pic creation aspect which allows you to virtually put on different types of glasses. When you want to make a post you start by choosing some of the most popular colloquial terms from OMG, current status, love, dude to hey-oh. The interesting part about this is that it also changes every day and does not allow for modification. You must choose among the choices presented to you. Today if you want to post you have to pick between "I love,," "We should," "The best," and "The worst." The other thing that makes this app so unique is its content library. What ever you write about it will automatically generate a catalog of picture suggestions or you can search within the app. For example, when I wrote about billiards, after typing my limited characters (not sure by how many) it presented me with a whole bunch of beautiful billiard pictures to select from. This app, like +Instagram, is very design friendly and photography-centric. Super allows users to create amazing content and surf either friends posts or locally, like +Yik Yak. With more and more noise out there, sometimes what is local is all that might matter at that moment in time.

Nextdoor

Facebook + Craigslist + Local Newspaper/Town hall

+Nextdoor is literally one of my favorite go to networks. If I want to find out what is going on locally in my neighborhood, I check it out  From local events, to local police activity and crime, to local business recommendations, to neighborhood gossip; it is like the city town hall meeting all wrapped up into an app. If someone is looking for a plumber or if they want to sell or give away their couch, they post it here. Need a babysitter, tech help, or heard a loud noise, post it on Nextdoor. Nextdoor is designed like a community discussion board, where you can either post to your extremely localized neighborhood which basically is a mile or two in radius, or you can post to all the little neighborhoods in your city. Additionally, every neighborhood is a closed fence - you cannot see or access anything outside of your city. You can either like a post or comment, and it is a purely time based organic feed with the most recent always at the top, refreshing based on comments. There are no advertisements and you can completely control your privacy settings, deciding to either show it to your neighborhood, or the entire city. You can choose whether to show your full address, the street you live on, or nothing at all. With either postcard or cellphone confirmations for accounts, this network is as absent of fake accounts and abuse as any network will ever get. Everyone is always very polite and respectful, aside from the occassional heated conversation about conserving water or little neighborly spats. With the world getting smaller everyday, what a better place to start getting to know your neighbors than by using Nextdoor.

Pinterest

+Pinterest has become one of my recent favorite networks. The thing I like most about Pinterest is the ability to organize ideas and content, and know that it will always be there when you go back. In doing internet research I used to post things on Facebook and Twitter, so that I could not only share it but go back for future reference. However, what I discovered was that not only was that completely time consuming, but literally sometimes it wouldn't be there. This infuriated me for sometimes I couldn't remember the company name, product or press organization that had published it. Additionally, lately I've been using it a lot to formulate my ideas for future articles. Essentially, each one of my boards is an outline for an article, or could be. Pinterest is also one of best networks for selling products and merchandise. People that go there are at least 2x more likely to purchase a product than on Facebook or Twitter. And lastly, I love the beautiful content that they curate for me. Based on the boards I follow and the pins that I like, their algorithm picks tremendous personally curated content that has kept me at times on the network obsessively all day.  

Yo

I haven't used Yo much but based on +Robert Scoble's evangelizing, I had to try it out. Yo! is a trendy simple little app which allows you to merely send a Yo! to someone, with or without your location details. Rather than call someone, first send them a Yo! to see if they are available. If you are just thinking of someone and want to let them know, send them a Yo! 

Yik Yak

Now this is a network that though I'd heard of it, never downloaded it until a few days ago. +Yik Yak. While at first I was a bit put off because the top trending things sounded like a bunch of giggling gossiping girls in the high school bathroom mixed with a men's locker conversations, it has grown on me. If you feel like shouting at the top of your lungs or whispering something under your breath, Yik Yak it. The cool thing about this app is that it is solely based on geo-location. So while I can find out what the Yikkies are talking about in London, I can't vote up or down or comment on the conversation. It is merely a portal into a different world. Over dinner and a bottle of wine last night, my girlfriend and I had a little too much fun on this network. Thanks Andrew Watts for the inspiration!

Snapchat

I used to be turned off by +Snapchat and refused to get on it or use it simply because I thought people would be sending me naughty pics and/or asking and expecting them of me. If a guy asked if I was on it, I would quickly say no. However, now, though I don't use it that much (partially because not many of my friends do), I quite like it. It allows you to share pictures and video, without having to worry too much about whether you like the pic or video, or whether you will like it tomorrow. Essentially, it is a more sincere and real form of communication. Rather than sending someone a text or email, you simply snap them. One of the other features that I really like is the event stories that they have started to share. A few months ago I was able to watch the collage of all the most popular snaps from Germany's Oktoberfest. Like all the social networks, Snapchat is helping break down the barriers between countries and languages, helping us understand each other better. I additionally greatly appreciate Evan Spiegel's innovative approach. Recently they added Snappay, allowing people to quickly send money, and surely will continue to be mobile. 

AnonyMessenger

+AnonyMess is an app that I actually haven't even used before (it's only available on iOS currently), but since I met with the two founders, +Marcus Perezi-Tormos and +David Mendlewicz I thought I'd include a reference. AnnonyMessenger is a new app created by two Belgium's which is kinda like Snapchat except you can only send messages to the people in your phone book and the person sending the message always stays anonymous. If you want to get someone's real opinion or doubt if they gave it to you the first time, +AnonyMess them, and see what gets pulled out of the hat. Within this app, just like +Snapchat you can send someone a pic and not have to worry about it's after life. You can delete it at any time and if you delete it, it gets deleted on both ends. It also incorporates an easy blurring functionality so that you can blur out faces or things of those your are trying to delude.  

Happy New Year!

If you would like to follow my future blog entries check out http://sarahslocum.blogspot.com/ where I will be speaking about wearables, fashtech, innovation and the future!

If you would like help managing your social media presence, you can shoot me an email at sarah@sarahslocum.co.

Happy New Year and to 2015!

Hey Ms. Google!

I received +Google Glass on Friday from a developer and wanted to relay my initial experience using the wearable smart device. All in all it is super awesome, and the first night practically everyone that I encountered while downtown kept saying, "Hey Ms. Google!"

First thing we did to set up the device was link up my Google account and download the My Glass app onto my cell, which took about 15 minutes, and then I was free to start experimenting. I did not and still have not read any directions (for I'd rather ride the horse than read about doing so), so my learning experience has mostly comprised of tapping, swiping and a bit of cursing at my first "Him." I have since captured a plethora of pictures and videos, made a few blunders, and in addition to Gmail linked my +Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr , +YouTube, Hangouts, Google Now, +CNN, +The New York Times, +Wall Street Journal, +Mashable and Weather Alert. I will additionally be linking up +IFTTT. All of these, along with some other apps, all come with my new companion, Mr. Glass.

The first night I had not yet linked up any of the other apps, so I was merely experimenting with the basic UI and capabilities of the device - ie. photos and videos - and for that it was amazing for capturing moments that I would not have been able to or previously thought of catching. +Google Glass's design is so light that you hardly even notice after wearing it for 10 minutes, and the lens does not interfere with your vision. The screen itself is a bit small though and hard to see at times, and the ear piece is slightly irritating and hard to fit just right in your ear. It does have a microphone without the ear piece, but it is hard to hear without it and I'm not sure yet if the volume can be adjusted.

About 5 minutes after downloading the My Glass app and first putting it on I received a call and ran to grab my cell but consequently realized that I could not answer it from there and that Mr. Glass was making noise on the table where I had placed it. Initially I was a bit flustered for I wasn't sure how to answer, then couldn't hear without the ear piece and was alarmed that my cell was not working, but nonetheless figured it out within a few seconds. The first experiences on Glass are quite exciting - first calls, first text messages, first pics and videos, and first Tweets. It is very cool to have instant access to these vital functions of our daily lives.

Unlike many might assume, +Google Glass is not on the majority of the time, but can be instantly accessed by a simple tap of the band which puts you in prompt mode. Additionally, it is pretty easy to detect when it is on because you can see the reflection and light of the screen in the prism. From the prompt mode, one may take a picture, record a video, get directions, message, call, make a video call, or post an update. Though Facebook is also connected, when posting an update from the prompt screen it automatically goes straight to Twitter. Additionally, for some reason all of the photos and videos that I have taken thus far are not uploading into my Google account, so I am not sure what is going on there. In prompt mode you can also scroll through your stream of apps and recent activity. Glass displays in chronological order your text messages, pictures, videos and any updates brought to you by the various different apps that you've connected. You can either read the various updates from the news services or you can have Glass read them to you.

Obviously, since there is no keyboard all of your messages and status updates are done through voice command, for which there is no current editing, formatting or punctuation. This is one of the current considerably dangerous and undeveloped aspects of the UX, for when in the message or post update functions, you speak your message or post and it sends two seconds later without the ability to review, edit or even confirm that you would like to send it. Or if there is the ability to do so, I have not yet figured it out. While the voice detection is quite accurate and your friends and family will hopefully be aware and understanding of any odd messages and lack of punctuation, if posting to the world on Twitter this could lead to some serious problems. Additionally, while some in the presence of Glass might have precautions about privacy, the users are equally more exposed, for any message or post must be read out loud.

While everyone has either been oblivious or quite excited and curious about Glass, the most awkward experience I have currently had is that the first night I accidentally sent a photo via Hangouts to a friend of mine without even realizing it at the time. Luckily it wasn't anything too personal, wasn't sent to someone else, and luckily I didn't post it to Twitter or Facebook, because that could clearly present serious problems.

One interesting aspect of the UI is that I only seem capable of adding and sending media by text to contacts who have a Google+ account. I tried adding one of my girlfriends who is obviously in my cell, but the My Glass app does not recognize her name and won't allow me to add her as a contact. When clicking on media - pictures and videos - you are given three options: send, share and delete. The send function, as I previously mentioned, defaults to Hangouts, while the share function currently gives me the following options: Twitter, Facebook friends, Google+ circles, G+ public, G+ acquaintances, G+ family, G+ friends, G+ I Love Social Media, Facebook only me, Facebook public, G+ PR, and G+ following. And while hashtags might not be necessary for Google+ due to the fact that Google automatically generates them, while in Twitter not having the ability to format and @ or # something is quite irritating and one of the essential functions of Twitter.

Two of the most frustrating things though that I have encountered thus far in my Glass experience are that I cannot seem to figure out how to go back on the device and that the voice command feature does not always work they way I would like it to. The only way that I have been able to work around the go back function is to allow it to reset to the prompt by taking off the glasses or by leaving it alone for a few seconds. Otherwise, for example, I sometimes find myself stuck in the send, share or delete functions and cannot get back.

Another aspect that I don't really like is that the videos taken on Glass seem to currently be limited to only 10 seconds. I'm sure there's a way to reprogram and/or change this, but it isn't clear to me at the moment.

Before using Glass I thought that there would be a constant stream of info appearing in the prism. This isn't the case however. When you get a text message, or if there is a new update you will be notified with a little chime in your ear and you must tap on the Glass and swipe to access. Personally, I would like it to automatically just appear, but I am not sure how arrange that at the moment either.

Stay tuned for more updates on my #throughglass experience.

Happy 2014!

Sarah Slocum
Founder of I Love Social Media, Inc.