A2D Consulting - Digital Feed

Adults Now Turn More To Social Media For News Than Print Newspapers

12/11/2018

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For the first time, adults in the USA now rely more on social media than print newspapers to get their news according to a new report from the Pew Research Center. Television is still the most popular source of news with 49% of respondents reporting they often get news from TV, followed by news websites with 33%, radio with 26%, social media with 20% and print newspaper with 16%. Although TV still tops the list, it has declined since 2016 when 57% of respondents identified it as a regular source of news and when online news sources are combined (social media and news websites), they are quickly catching TV as the top news source - 43% for online new sources and 47% for TV.

As the graph above demonstrates, there are some dramatic differences in news sources between age groups. Social media is significantly more popular among the 18-29 age group, while TV dominates the older age groups. Interestingly, the 30-49 age group's most popular news source is news websites.

Earlier in 2018, another report by the Pew Research Center showed that 89% of college students surveyed reported receiving some news through social media. Interestingly, college students identified Snapchat and Facebook as the top social media news sources.

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Cuba Rolls Out Mobile Internet

12/7/2018

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Source: AP Photo/Desmond Boylan, File

For the first time, Cubans will be able to buy 3G internet access for their mobile phones on Thursday as Cuba became one of the last nations to offer its citizens full internet access for their mobile phones. Previously, Cubans were only able to access state-run email accounts through their mobile phones unless they were connected to Wi-Fi connections at home or on a limited number of government sponsored Wi-Fi Spots. The Cuban government first authorized home internet for their citizens in 2017.

The new 3G internet service will cost citizens 10 cents per megabyte, and available packages range from 600 megabytes for $7 to 4 gigabytes for $30.

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The Digitalization Of The Auto Industry

12/5/2018

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Source: Harvard Business Review

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Source: Harvard Business Review

General Motors recently announced that it would cut over 14,000 jobs in Canada and the United States. While the layoffs are reportedly due to business-cycle adjustments and possibly slowing demand in key markets, the layoffs are definitely a sign of the incoming disruption that the company's current transition from analog to digital will bring. The digitalization of the auto industry, which is also occurring in nearly every other industry, has resulted in a massive reorientation of the workforce needs of companies like GM. The layoffs and eventual future hirings are likely evidence of the acceleration of GM's response to the diffusion of technology driven changes in their industry and the need to adjust its labor force to it.

Over the last 15 years, the digital content of work in the auto industry has soared as consumer electronics, battery and electric powered drivetrains, IT, and autonomy place new demands on auto companies and their workers. In fact, the fastest growing occupations in the auto sector as of 2016 have been software developers and computer network support specialists. The occupations which have seen the fastest decrease as of 2016 have been sheet metal workers and drilling and boring machine operators. Evidence of this can be seen in one of GM's statements last week which noted that their transformation "includes adding technology and engineering jobs to support the future of mobility, such as new jobs in electrification and autonomous vehicles." This shift in the layoff decisions and hiring needs of the auto industry is only likely to continue in the future as many jobs in auto-sector jobs are highly susceptible to automation over the next 10 to 15 years.

It is vital that companies, industries and nations respond to the diffusion of digitalization by embracing the changes technology brings and increasing their investments in digitally focused training (re-training) and education in order to empower workers to be a part of the change.

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This Year's Biggest Online Shopping Days

12/3/2018

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Source: Adobe Analytics and Alibaba/ Skye Gould/ BI Graphics

Close to 41.4 million shoppers chose to shop only online from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, more than the 34.7 million who chose to shop exclusively in stores according to the National Retail Federation. Cyber Monday and Black Friday both saw double-digit sales growth compared to last year and broke online sales records in the United States. Interestingly, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving saw the highest increase from last year with online sales experiencing a growth of 31.8%. It is clear that each year, more and more customers make their holiday purchases online.

Here are the online sales figures for this year:

Single's Day: $30.8 billion in gross merchandise volume; up 27% compared to 2017
Cyber Monday: $7.9 billion in online sales; up 19.3% compared to 2017
Black Friday: $6.22 billion in online sales; up 23.6% compared to 2017
Amazon Prime Day: $4.2 billion in online sales
Thanksgiving Day: $3.7 billion in online sales; up 28% compared to 2017
Wednesday before Thanksgiving: $2.4 billion in online sales; up 31% compared to 2017
US Single's Day Sales: $1.82 billion on Singles Day; up 29.1% from 2017

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El Corte Inglés and Alibaba Group Sign Cooperation Agreement

11/30/2018

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Source: El Corte Inglés

El Corte Inglés and the Alibaba Group have signed a cooperation agreement to explore business opportunities in numerous areas of interest including smart payments, digital innovation, cloud computing services, and global commerce and retail. The agreement should enable both companies to leverage digital innovation to accelerate their respective omnichannel plans. El Corte Inglés will use Alibaba's cloud computing solutions and their B2C marketplaces to enhance and personalize their digital offering while Alibaba will be able to open physical locations at El Corte Inglés' shopping centers and use El Corte Inglés' distribution centers as collection points for online purchases on AliExpress. Agreements between traditional retailers and technology companies who live and breath digital transformation and innovation are becoming common place as each look to explore the expertise of the other.

As part of the agreement, both companies will also cooperate with each other on logistics, and delivery & supply infrastructure.

El Corte Inglés is Europe's largest shopping center, and the Alibaba Group is one of the world's leading technology companies. Combining the skills and expertise of each should bring incredible value to both companies as they both seek to create better customer experiences for their customers worldwide.

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Augmented Reality For Combat Missions

11/29/2018

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Source: Engadget

The United States Army will give Microsoft a $480 million contract to supply its augmented reality Hololens headset for use in training and even live combat missions. With the goal of increasing "lethality by enhancing the ability to detect, decide and engage before the enemy," the US Army is expected to buy up to 100,000 headsets. The US Army reportedly wanted a device that would be able to measure vital signs and breathing, monitor for signs of concussion and provide night vision. Non-traditional military suppliers such as Magic Leap and Microsoft were encouraged to bid for the contract. Microsoft's Hololens augmented reality headset is not available for consumers but has become increasingly popular with businesses for marketing, training, and manufacturing.

With close to 50,000 units sold so far, the US Army's contract will practically triple Microsoft Hololens' sales. The headset is available to businesses for $5000 and $3,000 for developers. Microsoft released a statement to Bloomberg saying "augmented reality technology will provide troops with more and better information to make decisions. This new work extends our longstanding, trusted relationship with the Department of Defense to this new area."

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Mobile Accounted For Over 1/3 Of Online Sales During Black Friday

11/26/2018

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Source: Pattanaphong Khuankaew via Getty Images/ Engadget

Over a third of online Black Friday purchases (33.5%) in the United States were completed from a mobile phone according to Adobe analysts, up from 29.1% in 2017. This year's mobile online sales of $2.1 billion set a record, comfortably topping the record set last during Cyber Monday of $1.4 billion. In total, consumers spent $6.22 billion during this year's Black Friday in the United States, a 23.6% increase over 2017. Some credit for mobile's increasing share of online sales can definitely be attributed to companies providing better and better mobile experiences for consumers.

Unsurprisingly, this year's biggest hits during Black Friday in the United States were tech related with laptops, video games and headphones among the most purchased items.

Cyber Monday, the online shopping event that was the previous record holder for most online sales, takes place today.

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British Columbia Will Phase Out Non-Electric Cars By 2045

11/21/2018

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Source: REUTERS/Chris Helgren

British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province, will introduce legislation that will require all new vehicles sold in the province by 2045 to be zero-emissions or electric. The legislation will set targets for 10% of new car sales in 2025, 30% by 2030, and 100% by 2040 to be zero-emissions or electric. To support the legislation, British Columbia plans to expand both its incentive program (offers credits for the purchase or lease of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and electric cars) and its fast charging network. Quebec, another Canadian province, and a couple of U.S. states have passed similar pieces of legislation aimed at increasing the sales and supply of electric vehicles.

The news came Tuesday from current British Columbia Premier, John Horgan, who also explained that the sales targets noted in the legislation are part of a bigger effort to hit ambitious carbon emissions goals. British Columbia plans increase its electric vehicle incentive program for consumers by $15 million this year. British Columbia offers consumers who lease or purchase new hydrogen fuel cell vehicles C$6000, and C$5000 for those who lease or purchase new plug-in hybrid vehicles or battery electric vehicles.

Canada has seen electric vehicle sales double in the second quarter of 2018 compared to last year, according to data firm FleetCarma.

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SpaceX Gets Approval For Full Satellite Internet Constellation

11/19/2018

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Source: SpaceX

SpaceX received permission to launch 7,518 satellites into orbit last week from the Federal Communications Commission in the United States, the second such approval from the FCC after receiving approval for the launch of 4,425 satellites in March 2018. The approval means SpaceX has now received full approval for the 12,000 satellites needed to launch Starlink, a project which will use low-orbiting satellites to provide global internet connectivity. SpaceX has stated it intends to send its first batch of satellites into orbit in 2019 and expects to have the entire Starlink constellation up and running by the mid 2020s.

Starlink, which is expected to cost $10 billion to develop, will provide internet coverage globally by creating a synchronized orbit of satellites that will ensure there is line of sight with at least one of Starlink's satellites at all times from anywhere on earth.

The FCC also approved the requests of 3 other companies to send satellites into space - Keplar Communications, LeoSat, and Telesat. SpaceX's approval is conditioned on it launching half of the approved satellites into orbit within the next six years.

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Germany Increases Focus on AI

11/16/2018

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Source: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Hesse's Science Minister Boris Rhein and President of Darmstadt University of Technology (TU Darmstadt) Hans Jurgen Promel attend a demonstration of a rescue robot at the university in Darmstadt, Germany, October 8, 2018. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski

In order to close the digital gap between it and leading countries in technology, Germany will create 100 positions for professors focused on artificial intelligence and invest more than 3 billion euros in AI funding by 2025. Chancellor Angela Merkel explained that in addition to the federal investment, the private sector is also expected to provide more than 6 billion euros in funding. Chancellor Angela Merkel will focus on Germany's digital deficiencies in what is probably her final term as Chancellor and stated an aim for "'Made in Germany' to be a brand in artificial intelligence as well." Germany was ranked 29th out of 34 for internet connection speeds in industrialized countries last year, and has failed to produce a world leading startup that pioneers AI technology.

Chancellor Angela Merkel appointed Dorothee Baer, Minister of State for Digital Affairs, to coordinate Germany's digital strategy. Baer and others have stated that Germany's economic stability has resulted in a lack of preparation for the digital future. Germany's export model, which has been leading industrial innovation for years, is focused on traditional manufacturing and it appears to be struggling to keep up. Merkel's comments came at the end of two-day cabinet on AI and she made it clear that fixing Germany's digital deficiencies is a "prerequisite for its future prosperity."

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