In a first, Americans’ top news source is social media, at 54%, overtaking TV, at 50%, and news websites and apps, at 48%. Oxford’s Reuters institute for the Study of Journalism just put out their 2025 Digital News Report, which it has done yearly since 2012. The report surveys around 100,000 people in 48 countries. Besides passing up TV, the report also shows that digital creators reach audiences that traditional media have a lot of trouble reaching….including young men, right-leaning audiences, and folks with low levels of trust in mainstream media outlets. For those of us who are something of dinosaurs…and prize the written word over video, well guess what? The world is moving on. In the US, 60% still prefer to read, but 27% would rather watch now, and 13% gravitate to listening. The latter probably due to folks who are getting news over radio while commuting in their cars. Some other countries have flipped even faster…the Philippines breakdown has 55% preferring watching, with just 31% picking reading, and 14% listening.
Meta’s Ray-Bans are some pretty cool smart glasses…and really as good as any out there at the moment…but wait…there’s more, to quote the great pitchman Ron Popiel. According to 9to5mac.com, a longtime rumor that Meta has partnered with Oakley is about to come true. A joint product launch is scheduled for this Friday, June 20th. The Oakley smart glasses are aimed more at cyclists and athletes than at the general public. What’s the difference between the Oakleys and Ray-Bans? The Oakley glasses apparently feature a center mounted camera, so will give a more GoPro like video of fast moving events. Meta is doing better than expected with the Ray-Bans. They have shipped 2 million, and plan to scale up to 10 million units a year by the end of 2026. They have also announced smart glasses partnerships with Warby Parker, Gentle Monster, and Kering Eyewear…all running Android XR. In the rear view mirror Meta should be watching Apple…now looking to release AI powered smart glasses by the end of 2026.
If you are among the many who have chuckled about Amazon Prime Day being bloated to two days…get ready for a really hearty laugh. This summer’s Amazon Prime Day will start Tuesday, July 8th, at 3AM Eastern…AND will also until Friday, July 11th…so a day now lasts 4 days in Amazon World! Theverge.com notes that we can expect to see teases pretty much nonstop between now and July 8th. As usual, Amazon’s own products will be on sale big time, to lure you even deeper into their ecosystem.
With all the turmoil at the Department of Health and Human Services under Robert Kennedy, Jr, including cutbacks and efforts to minimize COVID vaccination needs, here comes a new variant…NB.1.8.1, picking up steam quickly in the US. Arstechnica.com reports that the variant has already surged in parts of Asia. Experts are concerned for a big summer wave as protection from vaccines or having had COVID is waning, and the new variant…a descendent of omicron…seems to have an infectious advantage over other variants. The brighter side? Thus far, the variant does not appear to cause more severe disease, and current vaccines are expected to remain effective against it. So…go get another jab when you can!
Apple will “break new ground” on generative AI this year. That’s the word from CEO Tim Cook at the Apple annual shareholders meeting. This is the second time in a month Apple has teased big AI news. The announcements are expected at their World Wide Developers Conference in June. Notoriously tight lipped Apple may actually be able to move the needle significantly with AI due to the tight integration between their operating systems and their own software.
With the Biden Administration taking aim at Chinese EVs over their software that can track the cars and traffic, and nose around in your connected smartphone, here’s yet another cheap thing to be leery of…video doorbells. According to Consumer Reports, some of the cheapies can be hacked, and the camera can be taken over simply by holding down a button. The consumer watchdog put out research that listed 4 security flaws in cams made by EKEN, out of China. They make the EKEN camera, as well as ones branded Tuck, and several others. Walmart and Temu have pulled the cams after the Consumer Reports study came out, but they remain available on Amazon and Sears, among other places. If you are looking at a $30 doorbell cam, it’s probably one of these easily hacked models…steer clear!
There has been a lot of buzz about legendary tech journalist Kara Swisher’s new book that comes out March 1st. The actual book is titled Burn Book: A Tech Love Story. That said, Mashable.com notes that there is a fleet of wannabe books written by AI showing up on Amazon with either similar names, or with her name on them. An example…Kara Swisher: Silicon Valley’s Bulldog (A Biography), but Jane Coelho. The woman pictured on the cover isn’t even Swisher, but has some resemblance to her. There are at least a dozen of these, so if you want to read Kara’s book….and it should be a great one…look for Burn Book!
If you are over 65, you should go in for a Spring COVID Jab. Arstechnica.com reports that an advisory committee for the CDC voted overwhelmingly in favor of recommending the spring booster dose. And late yesterday afternoon, CDC Director Mandy Cohen signed off on the recommendation, allowing boosting to begin. There will also be a 2024-25 booster in the fall for everybody. People over 65 made up 67% of COVID-19 hospitalizations between October 2023 and January 2024, according to CDC data. They advise getting the spring shot before the end of June.
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