Mitch Joel's Blog: Six Pixels of Separation, page 105

Are You Getting Scammed By Your Apps? – Tech Tuesday In Two Minutes

Apple looks to rid App Store of ‘rip-off’ scam apps that trick users into paying large sums.

That is the title from a recent article on Mashable. App developers can charge what they want for apps. There are one-time fees or it could be a free app (but with in-app purchases), and there are even apps that are based on a subscription model (which could be every month or year, etc…). With that, Apple is getting serious about apps that are charging one price, but the quality does not reflect the value of the features and the content. Or, as Mashable puts it: “…if Apple thinks a developer is charging too much for their app or in-app purchases, the company will reject the app from inclusion in the App Store.” This is a good step to protect consumers, and I’m not sure what levers are in place when it comes to those on the Android device, but it’s a step in the right direction. It’s also a reminder that we should all check our monthly statements to ensure that we’re paying what we’re supposed to, and (just maybe) removing the subscriptions and paid apps that we no longer want or need.

This is what Heather Backman and I discussed this morning over on Jack 103 FM for a couple of minutes.

What is Tech Tuesday?

If you ever find yourself wondering… What, exactly, is the point of TikTok? How can I make myself look better on a Zoom? Reddit? What’s that about? How do I help my kids be safer online? Who’s the latest creator and streamer that I should be checking out?

You are not alone.

Every Tuesday – for just a few minutes – I join Heather Backman (my old buddy from her days on CHOM FM) on the air at Jack 103 (Rogers Sports & Media) to give a quick blast about the current state of technology, media and Internet culture. We’re calling the segment Tech Tuesday (and we do it in just a few minutes).

Subscribe to get it free in your inbox right here.

Once the segment goes live on Jack 103, I will post it here for you to listen in, learn, share and engage….

Mitch Joel · Tech Tuesday – Jack 103 FM – Are You Getting Scammed By Your Apps? – February 23rd, 2021

Mars Rover Perseverance And More On CHOM 97.7 FM

Every Monday morning at 7:10 am, I am on air at CHOM 97.7 FM radio out of Montreal (home base). It’s not a long segment – about 10 minutes every week – to decode the future. We discuss everything that is happening in the world of technology, digital media and culture. The good folks at CHOM 97.7 FM are posting these segments weekly on i Heart Radio, if you’re interested in hearing more about what’s happening in the transformation of our digital world. I’m really excited about these weekly hits, because this is the radio station that I grew up listening to, and it really is a fun treat to be invited to the Mornings Rock with Terry DiMonte morning show. The segment is called, CTRL ALT Delete with Mitch Joel.

This week we discussed:

Most tech stories this week pale in comparison to NASA‘s Perseverance rover landing on Mars. The rover is even tweeting (“I’m safe on Mars. Perseverance will get you anywhere.”), and it wasn’t long after hitting the martian ground that we saw the first pictures. I have a hard time getting decent cell reception in certain rooms in my house, so how we can easily (and quickly) get content from Mars makes my head explode.How many “Fit Pics” are you posting these days? These are not those self-indulgent, no shirt or workout pics. A Fit Pic is, simply, when you take a picture of what you’re wearing from head to toe. According to The Wall Street Journal, some of Instagram‘s biggest fashion influencers are big on the #fitpic. So, who is shooting these non-selfie photos? Your kids, a partner, a stranger? Welcome to the latest photo and fashion fad. There is nothing more mesmerizing than chain reaction videos. You know the ones: A ball rolls into a cup, the cup falls over, it hits some dominoes, and the next thing that you know, you’re stunned by the complexity of these Rube Goldberg machine videos. They’ve gone from art to humor to these new, weird, and funny video collages attempting to make a simple action (like a morning routine) into a viral and hilarious YouTube sensation. Joseph Herscher and his Jospeh’s Machine YouTube channel may be one of the best. WFH. Virtual work. Home office. Those terms have become our reality over the past year. So, this begs the question: As vaccines and therapeutics become more widely available, is this the end of the high profile office? Will the office of tomorrow affect our business in a different way? App of the Week: Clubhouse – drop-in chat audio.

You can also listen in via I Heart Radio. 

Mitch Joel · CTRL ALT Delete – CHOM 97.7 FM – February 22nd, 2021

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

Jeremiah Owyang On The Future Of Social Audio – Live From Clubhouse – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #763 of Six Pixels of Separation is now live and ready for you to listen to.

Welcome to our first-ever live podcast recording from Clubhouse (the new social audio app that is all the rage). This conversation was recorded this past Friday (February 19th, 2021). Our conversation this week is with my old friend, Jeremiah Owyang, to discuss the present and future of social audio, Clubhouse, smart audio, podcasting and beyond. Jeremiah is no stranger to this show. He is an industry analyst based in Silicon Valley who helps his clients solve how new technology connects companies to their customers. He is well recognized by both the tech industry and the media for his grounded approach to deriving insights through rigorous research. From corporate innovation, autonomous technology or modern wellbeing, he views every aspect of emerging technologies through the lens of growth, opportunity and constantly shifting consumer behaviors and expectations. Forever at the forefront, Jeremiah identifies trends and advises major companies to adapt their business models to better connect with customers. He also publishes numerous research reports, playbooks and frameworks to help businesses navigate change, improve customer experiences and identify trends before they happen. He used to work as an analyst for Forrester Research, co-founded Altimeter Group and many more. Currently, he is the founder at Catalyst Companies and Kaleido Insights. Like me, he is fascinated with this new space known as social audio and published, The Future of Social Audio: Startups, Roadmap, Business Models, and a Forecast. Plus, he works out of an awesome Airstream trailer. Enjoy the live conversation…

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via iTunes): Six Pixels of Separation #763.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

SPOS #763 – Jeremiah Owyang On The Future Of Social Audio – Live From Clubhouse

Welcome to episode #763 of Six Pixels of Separation.

Here it is: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #763 – Host: Mitch Joel. Welcome to our first-ever live podcast recording from Clubhouse (the new social audio app that is all the rage). This conversation was recorded this past Friday (February 19th, 2021). Our conversation this week is with my old friend, Jeremiah Owyang, to discuss the present and future of social audio, Clubhouse, smart audio, podcasting and beyond. Jeremiah is no stranger to this show. He is an industry analyst based in Silicon Valley who helps his clients solve how new technology connects companies to their customers. He is well recognized by both the tech industry and the media for his grounded approach to deriving insights through rigorous research. From corporate innovation, autonomous technology or modern wellbeing, he views every aspect of emerging technologies through the lens of growth, opportunity and constantly shifting consumer behaviors and expectations. Forever at the forefront, Jeremiah identifies trends and advises major companies to adapt their business models to better connect with customers. He also publishes numerous research reports, playbooks and frameworks to help businesses navigate change, improve customer experiences and identify trends before they happen. He used to work as an analyst for Forrester Research, co-founded Altimeter Group and many more. Currently, he is the founder at Catalyst Companies and Kaleido Insights. Like me, he is fascinated with this new space known as social audio and published, The Future of Social Audio: Startups, Roadmap, Business Models, and a Forecast. Plus, he works out of an awesome Airstream trailer. Enjoy the live conversation…

Running time: 1:06:36.Hello from beautiful Montreal.Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.Please visit and leave comments on the blog – Six Pixels of Separation.Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.or you can connect on LinkedIn.…or on Twitter.Here is my conversation with Jeremiah Owyang.The Future of Social Audio: Startups, Roadmap, Business Models, and a Forecast.Kaleido Insights.Catalyst Companies.Airstream trailer.Clubhouse (I am mitchjoel over there, if you would like to follow me).Follow Jeremiah on Instagram.Follow Jeremiah on LinkedIn.Follow Jeremiah on Twitter.This week’s music: David Usher ‘St. Lawrence River’.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #763 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

Six Links Worthy of Your Attention #556

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another: 

Online, no one gets to be young – The Ink. “Nobody covers youth and tech the way Taylor Lorenz does. She manages that trick of immersion and distance, able to explain inside ideas to outsiders. The Internet has passed its wondrous years where the world could do no wrong, and slid into angry, hormone-addled adolescence. This is a solid interview about all the tumult of that coming of age, with one of its main chroniclers.” (Alistair for Hugh). Status as a Service (StaaS) – Remains of the Day . “Eugene Wei‘s comparison of social networks to currency—with performative participation as proof of work—is one of the best models for understanding the growth and aging of every social platform. This should be required reading for anyone hoping to understand the ebb and flow of the Internet. This is long, and thoughtful, and really, really worth it.” (Alistair for Mitch). Why you can’t play on history’s most thrilling piece of playground equipment – Montreal Gazette . “How the Giant Stride was the most fun, and most maiming of childhood entertainments.” (Hugh for Alistair). Waiting For The Last Dance – GMO . “Famed investor, Jeremy Grantham, explains why the stock market has been so nutty lately, and what happens next.” (Hugh for Mitch). Clubhouse’s Inevitability – Stratechery . “You know the drill when it comes to new social media networks. You try one. You wonder if this is all something worth your time. Then, one of two things happen. One, you realize that it’s not of interest, and it fades. Two, you don’ realize just how much of your time or attention it’s actually occupying. That second one? That has been my experience to date on Clubhouse. I am really loving the ‘live’ aspect of creating a ’show’ with an audience. It feels like I suddenly have my own AM talk radio program. So, I’m having fun with it. What has your experience been?” (Mitch for Hugh). Bill Gates Has Always Sought Out New Reading Recommendations – The New York Times . “If I told you that one of the books that Bill Gates is recommending is a Dummies guide, would you believe me? I am not joking…” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on Twitter, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends ;): 

The Viral Sensation “I Am Not A Cat” – Tech Tuesday In Two Minutes

Have you seen the Zoom video laughed about around the world?

“I am not a cat.” This is what a lawyer in Texas claimed in front of a judge and his peers when Zoom mixed with a kitten screen filter gone wrong created a scene of staggering hilarity. It immediately went viral, and highlighted both the humor of video technology and the reality of what can happen when things go sideways (which they often do). It’s a situation we can all relate to, and the cat/lawyer knew that the world could use the laugh. If you need more context, the video is below, and check out The New York Times article, ‘I’m Not a Cat,’ Says Lawyer Having Zoom Difficulties.

This is what Heather Backman and I discussed this morning over on Jack 103 FM for a couple of minutes.

What is Tech Tuesday?

If you ever find yourself wondering… What, exactly, is the point of TikTok? How can I make myself look better on a Zoom? Reddit? What’s that about? How do I help my kids be safer online? Who’s the latest creator and streamer that I should be checking out?

You are not alone.

Every Tuesday – for just a few minutes – I join Heather Backman (my old buddy from her days on CHOM FM) on the air at Jack 103 (Rogers Sports & Media) to give a quick blast about the current state of technology, media and Internet culture. We’re calling the segment Tech Tuesday (and we do it in just a few minutes).

Subscribe to get it free in your inbox right here.

Once the segment goes live on Jack 103, I will post it here for you to listen in, learn, share and engage….

Mitch Joel · Tech Tuesday – Jack 103 FM – The Viral Sensation "I Am Not A Cat" – February 16th, 2021

Mitch Joel · Tech Tuesday – Jack 103 FM – The Viral Sensation "I Am Not A Cat" – February 16th, 2021

AI Work Recruitment And More On CHOM 97.7 FM

Every Monday morning at 7:10 am, I am on air at CHOM 97.7 FM radio out of Montreal (home base). It’s not a long segment – about 10 minutes every week – to decode the future. We discuss everything that is happening in the world of technology, digital media and culture. The good folks at CHOM 97.7 FM are posting these segments weekly on i Heart Radio, if you’re interested in hearing more about what’s happening in the transformation of our digital world. I’m really excited about these weekly hits, because this is the radio station that I grew up listening to, and it really is a fun treat to be invited to the Mornings Rock with Terry DiMonte morning show. The segment is called, CTRL ALT Delete with Mitch Joel.

This week we discussed:

As if working during these Covid times were not tough enough, imagine having to look for work and being rejected by a computer. Artificial intelligence recruitment is a new reality. Putting aside the technical component of what this enables (an employer to filter and go through many more applications), is it ethical? What if the technology is evaluating the potential employee not only on where they live, gender and past work experience, but through a handful questions, it is measuring sentiment and more. Based on your answers and the AI’s algorithm, it could well be that your application is not even getting in front of a human being. Stressful.The Hustle has become an email newsletter phenomenon. The Hustle was started in 2016, and has more than 1.5 million daily readers. HubSpot – which is a CRM software – purchased The Hustle the other week. Are big tech companies now buying media? Is that a good thing? Word is that the sale was for around $30 million dollars… for a newsletter. The media landscape continues to change. Tech has been meeting fashion for some time now. A few years back, Nike said that they were no longer making sports gear, but a tech company. Last week they launched the FlyEase. A shoe that slips on without zippers, laces or straps… or a need to use your hands. And, in case, this is leaving you confounded… it takes a lot of tech to make a high performance sneaker that doesn’t require you to use anything but sliding your foot into it.App of the Week: Notion – It’s the all-in-one workspace for you and your team.

You can also listen in via I Heart Radio. 

Mitch Joel · CTRL ALT Delete – CHOM 97.7 FM – February 15th, 2021

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

Judy Samuelson On The Six New Rules of Business – This Week’s Six Pixels of Separation Podcast

Episode #762 of Six Pixels of Separation is now live and ready for you to listen to.

Judy Samuelson is founder and executive director of the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program and a vice president at the Aspen Institute. Judy led a ten-year campaign to disrupt Milton Friedman‘s narrative about profit-maximization to successfully challenge conventional thinking in board rooms and classrooms about the purpose of the corporation. She produced the Aspen Principles of Long-Term Value Creation to challenge short-termism in business and capital markets, and is promoting a set of principles designed to disrupt the status quo in boardrooms about the design of CEO pay. Judy’s career spans working in the California State Legislature, banking in New York’s garment center, and directing the Ford Foundation‘s exploration of impact investing – the Office of Program-Related Investments. Judy writes regularly for Quartz at Work. She is a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellow and a director of the Financial Health Network. Her new book is called, The Six New Rules of Business – Creating Real Value in a Changing World. Enjoy the conversation…

You can grab the latest episode of Six Pixels of Separation here (or feel free to subscribe via iTunes): Six Pixels of Separation #762.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

SPOS #762 – Judy Samuelson On The Six New Rules of Business

Welcome to episode #762 of Six Pixels of Separation.

Here it is: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #762 – Host: Mitch Joel. Judy Samuelson is founder and executive director of the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program and a vice president at the Aspen Institute. Judy led a ten-year campaign to disrupt Milton Friedman‘s narrative about profit-maximization to successfully challenge conventional thinking in board rooms and classrooms about the purpose of the corporation. She produced the Aspen Principles of Long-Term Value Creation to challenge short-termism in business and capital markets, and is promoting a set of principles designed to disrupt the status quo in boardrooms about the design of CEO pay. Judy’s career spans working in the California State Legislature, banking in New York’s garment center, and directing the Ford Foundation‘s exploration of impact investing – the Office of Program-Related Investments. Judy writes regularly for Quartz at Work. She is a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellow and a director of the Financial Health Network. Her new book is called, The Six New Rules of Business – Creating Real Value in a Changing World. Enjoy the conversation…

Running time: 52:12.Hello from beautiful Montreal.Subscribe over at Apple Podcasts.Please visit and leave comments on the blog – Six Pixels of Separation.Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook.or you can connect on LinkedIn.…or on Twitter.Here is my conversation with Judy Samuelson.The Six New Rules of Business – Creating Real Value in a Changing World.Aspen Institute Business and Society Program.Follow Judy on LinkedIn.Follow Judy on Twitter.This week’s music: David Usher ‘St. Lawrence River’.

Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels of Separation – Episode #762 – Host: Mitch Joel.

Before you go… if you enjoyed this, please subscribe (all new content arrives in your inbox). It’s easy, it’s free and it’s right here.

Six Links Worthy of Your Attention #555

Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another: 

Vintage Jim Henson Commercials – Wilkins Coffee – KermiClown – YouTube. “Before he was Kermit The Frog, Jim Henson made commercials. I went down a Muppet rabbit-hole recently after John Oliver mentioned that there’s a Muppet Movie screen test video of Henson and Frank Oz improvising existential crises about being a sentient puppet, and that brought me… here. Please enjoy proto-Kermit, shilling coffee.” (Alistair for Hugh).
SorryWatch . “Apologies have taken on a new meaning in the modern world. They’re picked apart by pundits, scrutinized for sincerity, run through the mill of talk shows. But are they any good? There’s a site for that! From food critics to crossword writers, it’s amazing how much we have to apologize for, and how badly we do it.” (Alistair for Mitch). Posthaste: ‘Alarming’ numbers show Canadian business investment has plunged to just 58 cents for every dollar spent in the U.S. – Financial Post . “We’re not supposed to talk politics in these links, but I’m really worried about Canada. While I track left I still like my governments to make sure that Canada’s economic/fiscal footing is solid, while also addressing other important issues. Given the challenges that we will be presented with trying to pull ourselves out of the Covid hole, it’s data like that presented in these articles that makes me very worried indeed about the next couple of decades — more so when I think these two decades will see China and the USA battling for power. Canada is not in good shape to navigate such choppy waters.” (Hugh for Alistair). Trudeau has presided over worst business investment growth of past five prime ministers – Financial Post . “More bad news about Canada.” (Hugh for Mitch).  N.Y.’s Vaccine Websites Weren’t Working. He Built a New One for $50. – The New York Times.  “I’ve spent decades – since the early nineties – building websites. Thinking about websites. Listening to what people would like their company’s website to do. And, time and time again, when the developers believe that the build needs to be custom, I find myself saying: ‘Hasn’t someone already solved for this? Can’t we get this off-the-shelf?’ It’s a naive question (maybe), but that’s how I am wired. So, when I wind up seeing the sticker price for many website builds, I am usually a little dizzy from the price. I love the way Squarespace works (my mitchjoel.com website is built on it), and the flow makes sense to. But, it is limited (there is only so much that you do with the templates and functionality). This story makes me rethink everything. Especially, when we live in a world where websites do cost millions of dollars…” (Mitch for Alistair). Why Computers Will Never Write Good Novels – Nautilus . “Hey Siri, grab all of my blog posts/articles and write me a book about the intersection of brands, consumers and technology. It seems to me, like this may not be an unrealistic request for the machine learning systems that are being developed and improved upon. ‘Machines can’t be creative’ may be an erroneous way of looking at things. This article goes deep into what it means to be creative and, in the end, I am not sure that I agree with the sentiment expressed so plainly in the title of this article. Machines can and do learn. If machines can make decisions and review creative endeavors in ways that human beings could never capture, it may be way too early in the game to think that computers will never write good novels. In the end, it could be that computers will write the best novels? Time and technology will tell…” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on Twitter, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

Are you interested in what’s next? How to decode the future? I publish between 2-3 times per week and then the Six Pixels of Separation Podcast comes out every Sunday. Feel free to subscribe (and tell your friends ;):