Futurist Thomas Frey: As I’m writing this column, there are currently 466,302 mobile apps available for the iPhone and 512,542 mobile apps available to download on an Android phone.
Continue reading… “Introducing the Perpetual Self-Updating Book”
OECD warns quality of patents ‘falling dramatically’
Companies are filing overly broad patents on obvious ideas in the hope that one day the technology will become feasible.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development reports that “the quality of patent filings has fallen dramatically over the past two decades. The rush to protect even minor improvements in products or services is overburdening patent offices. This slows the time to market for true innovations and reduces the potential for breakthrough inventions.”
Continue reading… “OECD warns quality of patents ‘falling dramatically’”
Are there too many apps?
The Apple App Store has more than 90,000 apps for the iPad.
The marketplace for tablet apps is expanding quickly. The Apple App Store alone has more than 90,000 apps for the iPad. Although many marketers are rushing to get their tablet apps to market, usage data indicates that consumers regularly use a limited number of apps.
Continue reading… “Are there too many apps?”
The struggle of American singles in a married world
Nearly half of all American adults are unmarried.
You probably didn’t know about this September celebration – it’s National Single and Unmarried Americans Week.
Continue reading… “The struggle of American singles in a married world”
More than a third of all digital photos taken in a year are on Facebook
The volume of photos on Facebook are 10,000 times larger than the Library of Congress.
One picture may be worth a thousand words, but Facebook photos could be worth 140 quadrillion words, which is equal to 140 billion photos — more than a third of all digital photos taken in one year.
Continue reading… “More than a third of all digital photos taken in a year are on Facebook”
Beware red light camera scam steals your identity
This new scam will have you seeing red.
Some people may manage to escape the fines from traffic light cameras but most of us simply pay up without thinking about it or questioning whether the charge is valid. Tricky scammers are taking advantage of that lazy human tendency, making a handful of money and stealing identities in the process.
Continue reading… “Beware red light camera scam steals your identity”
One third of Americans prefer texting to talking on the phone
73% of cellphone owners text.
Eighty-three percent of American adults own cell phones and 73% send and receive text messages. The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project asked those texters in a survey how they prefer to be contacted on their cell phone and 31% said they preferred texts to talking on the phone, while 53% said they preferred a voice call to a text message. Another 14% said the contact method they prefer depends on the situation.
Continue reading… “One third of Americans prefer texting to talking on the phone”
World’s largest sperm bank turns down redheads
“There are too many redheads in relation to demand”
The largest sperm bank in the world has started turning down redheaded donors because there is too little demand for their sperm. Cryos’s director, Ole Schou, said that there had been a surge in donations in recent years, allowing the facility to become much more picky about its donors.
Four Fundamental Myths Derailing Academic Change
Futurist Thomas Frey: When we think about Benjamin Franklin, we instantly think of the author, scientist, inventor, diplomat who signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence and has his face on the one-hundred dollar bill. Ben Franklin was a truly remarkable person, yet he had less than two years of formal education.
Continue reading… “Four Fundamental Myths Derailing Academic Change”
Mortgage default warnings surge setting stage for new foreclosure wave
The increase in the number of foreclosure actions could be the beginning of a new trend.
Banks are stepping up their actions against homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments and setting the stage for a fresh wave of foreclosures.
Continue reading… “Mortgage default warnings surge setting stage for new foreclosure wave”
Where America’s millionaires live
Fisher Island, Florida is home to a dense collection of yachts and millionaires.
Where do this country’s most prosperous citizens hang out? How much money do they have? President Obama wants them to pay a bit more in taxes. But how much are they coughing up now?
Continue reading… “Where America’s millionaires live”
5 biggest job cuts announcements in 2011
U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahue
U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahue prepares to testify at Senate hearing on the the U.S. Postal Service’s fiscal crisis on Sept. 6 Senate. The postal service’s 7,500 job cuts announced in March rank No. 5 on outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas’s list of 2011 announced workforce reductions.
Continue reading… “5 biggest job cuts announcements in 2011”
