My name is Terri Nakamura, I’m a graphic designer and writer, and I’ve been a social media aficionado and netizen since the early 2000s. On March 18, 2024, my tweets and connections were rudely hijacked, and I was shocked to discover that hackers had stolen my paid “Twitter Blue” @terrinakamura Twitter/X account!
Has this happened to you or someone close to you? It’s worrisome, time-consuming, and, in my case, incredibly frustrating.
Since March 18, I’ve been trapped in a never-ending nightmare, fighting through countless support requests and presenting a mountain of evidence to Twitter. I’ve shared receipts of my payment for Twitter Blue, selfies, a barrage of links and screenshots, and official “Twitter” scans of my legal ID – all hoping to prove my identity and ownership. But Twitter remains unconvinced, and it’s been unbelievable and disheartening.
If any of you know a human being employed by Twitter, or maybe someone who USED to be employed before (according to CNN) Elon Musk fired 6,000 people, I would be beyond grateful to talk with someone who could shed light on this insanity.
Out of sheer desperation, I did something I never thought I would – I recorded a video of myself speaking. I did this to share my story and the frustration I’ve been experiencing, hoping that it might resonate or inspire someone to help.
I’ve been a podcast interview guest with Neal Schaffer, Tim Hughes, Rod Jones, Avery Nishimura, Begoña Pino, Julian Leahy, and others. For me, it’s much easier to answer questions than to just talk by myself. I’d been thinking of posting a YouTube video, and today, I finally sat down and made one. I wish I’d spent more time making myself look presentable, but oh, well. I gathered a few visual props and turned on the camera. I didn’t rehearse, and it was done in one take, with imperfections and all.
The Seattle PD and the Washington State Attorney General have taken up my cause, stepping up to help me reclaim what was unjustly taken from me. Both take identity theft very seriously, wheras Twitter doesn’t. But still, the hackers remain at large, enjoying the show from their parents’ basement.
Have any of you experienced this level of frustration when regaining access to a hacked account? I’ve been told LinkedIn and META are much better neighborhoods when it comes to keeping users safe from account theft. Were you able to resolve the issue? If so, could you please share your story with me?
Your assistance could make a difference, and I will be forever grateful for any help you can provide.
Keeping kids safe on social media. Photo: Unsplash with Andrej Lišakov
Social Media’s Impact on Kids – What’s Next for Tech?
During my four days at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), I had the opportunity to attend only one panel discussion. I’m grateful that I chose to listen and see this particular one in person.
A lengthy queue of eager attendees had formed, all looking forward to hearing insights from the three distinguished speakers, including Mitch Prinstein from the American Psychological Association (APA), Megan Jones Bell from Google, and Ravi Iyer from the USC Marshall School’s Neely Center. The panel was expertly hosted by Corbin Evans, Senior Director at APA.
While my own children are now adults, I find myself thinking about the impact of electronic devices and the potential repercussions of allowing young children access to social media platforms. This concern has taken on a greater significance since I’ve become a grandparent.
The dynamics of social media engagement are vastly different for adults compared to the experiences of children and teenagers. Most adults, myself included, can navigate platforms like Instagram without getting caught up in the potential negative experiences. My personal journey with social media journey dates back to the early 2000s and I’ve been fortunate to encounter very few negative incidents. This contrast underscores the importance of distinguishing between adult, adolescent and pre-teen use.
In sharing this summary, my hope is that it sparks interest among parents, educators, and all who share concerns regarding the profound influence of social media on our kids. It’s a topic that deserves our collective attention as we seek to safeguard the well-being and development of younger generations.
Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer, APA
Mitch Prinstein asked the question, did problems get worse when social media began? He talked about the lack of specific data that correlated between social media and negative effects on mental health including suicide, weight gain or substance abuse. They’re unable to say the current youth mental health crisis has been caused by social media.
When kids are asked, they report a wide array of reasons that affect their mental well-being, such as school shootings, exposure to violence and sexual assault, unrealistic academic pressures, increased polarization, climate change and leadership critique of underrepresented identities. These things exacerbate the current situation, but none are the singular cause of the current mental health crisis.
Image: Mitch Prinstein, APA
It’s important to consider that the adolescent brain isn’t fully cooked, and that teenagers and their developing brains are affected by social media. Even though these platforms were made for adults, kids use them instead, and especially when their brains are changing the most.
During this time when the adolescent brain is changing, the rapidity of change is second only to the changes during the first year of life. The first area of the brain that changes is the part that makes kids roll their eyes, especially at their parents. Prinstein says it’s because of the proliferation of dopamine and oxytocin receptors in an area called the anterior cingulate cortex.
Graphic: Mitch Prinstein, APA
They suddenly become very sensitive to what their peers think, and very interested in avoiding anything that could cause them harm or a social consequence. This is happening around the age of 10, 11, 12 when there is a hyper-charged desire to connect with peers.
Not many years later, we see the full capacity of the pre-frontal cortex, the last area of the brain to develop, which is like the “brain’s breaks,” or the inhibition center that stops people from pursuing every impulse they have.
Between the ages of 10 and 25 is when we see the most social media use. A lot of kids are getting their phones at the time when they’re desiring so much interaction with peers. And they’re unable to stop themselves from the hyper engagement with social media platforms for many years to come.
What Scientists are Asking
Scientists don’t usually ask if social media is all good or all bad. The scientific community is asking a variety of other questions to try to understand the effects of digital media on adolescent development. In what ways is social media benefitting or fostering the development of important competencies or relationships?
What are the ways kids are showing problematic effects of social media use, like addiction? What are the opportunities that kids miss each minute they’re on social media, like sleep and exercise? What ways are kids more susceptible to misinformation?
Overall, when we talk about social media, there are 3 separate aspects.
Content on SM that kids generate, seek out, or things that are presented to them
Specific features of SM, the “like button, the endless scroll, the follower counts — these are things that are new and different and change our social relationships.
The AI piece, which is new and evolving, and we know less about.
Parents wonder how much time their kids should spend on social media. If they’re reading the New York Times and talking with their friends about political issues, maybe 20 hours a day? joked Prinstein.
But if they’re on SM and being directed to content on how to cut themselves and how to keep it from their parents, less than a minute would be too much.
We have to think about ways of building competencies that could help their development.
10 Recommendations for Parents, Platforms and Policymakers
Build and encourage use of functions that promote socialization
Tailor platform design, functionality, and permissions to developmental capabilities
Monitor use for early adolescents
Remove content and mininimize exposure to content that promotes illegal or psychologicall maladaptive behavior
Remove content and minimize exposure to content that promotes prejudice, hate or cyberbullying
Routinely screen for signs of problematic use
Limit use that interferes with sleep and physical activity
Limit use that encourages social comparison
Precede use with training teens in social media literacy
Provide resources for continued research on the positive and negative effects of social media on development.
(Excerpted from the graphic below.)
Graphic: Mitch Prinstein, APA
Our recommendations are reflective of a scientific perspective, on how social media can be used to foster healthy and adaptive social milestones, but we need parents to be monitoring social media use. Not looking over their shoulders, but to talk with their kids about what they’re experiencing on social media.
We’re asking tech companies to really think about the adolescent brain and its unique vulnerabilities and capabilities, and to think about making the experiences of an 8 year old on social media different from the experience of an 80 year old on social media. We’re looking at different ways to screen for problematic use, we’re calling for a take down discriminatory and harmful content — content that encourages maladaptive or psychiatrically disordered behavior.
In particular we’re interested in fostering a conversation around social media literacy. We don’t just give kids the keys to a car and wish them luck as they head down the driveway. We make sure they know how to operate a car in a way that would be safe for themselves and others. With social media, there are no tests to demonstrate that they have the competency to understand fake profiles, mis- and disinformation, how to combat cyber-hate and how to engage in adaptive ways of solving interpersonal conflict. This is based on psychological science. Psychologists have developed interventions to teach kids these skills effectively, so we have those tools. It’s time to bring them to scale.
Parents can do so much in this space. There is no psychological science that shows kids are harmed by NOT being on social media. We can stop social media use after 9 PM, use parental controls, and build social media competency.
Prinstein suggested that social media should not be allowed during class time, and that schools/teachers should be teaching kids how to use social media safely, and that educators should be teaching kids about the online world. (My note: I’m not an educator, but I have an issue with integrating social media into schools. I see teachers as being burdened with integrating societal changes, which has had a significant impact on their work, and I doubt that educators have the capacity to handle “one more thing.”)
We need to get lawmakers to make sure that kids and their data are protected and we’re not sacrificing their development to help others make a profit.
And we need the tech industry to think of ways that they can put child safety over the model of increased and constant engagement. There are ways this can be accomplished, and that’s what we hope for.
Megan Jones Bell, PsyD, Clinical Director, Consumer and Mental Health, Google
Megan Jones Bell leads consumer and mental health across Google. She shared an overview of how Google approaches the objective of keeping kids and their mental health in the spotlight, highlighting their work on YouTube.
Google is all about creating online experiences that empower kids. Its goal is to provide enriching, safe, and age-appropriate online spaces that respect children’s unique needs while giving families control over technology. Jones Bell said Google builds these experiences with safety in mind from the start, and she shared some recent work done on YouTube, although the efforts extend across Google products.
Jones Bell focused on recent work they’ve done on YouTube. Kids’ mental health, which requires special protection online. They’ve developed 5 Youth Principles that form the core of the work that Google does to create a safer and more enriching environment.
Image: Megan Jones Bell, Google. (Excerpt from graphic, below)
Kids’ mental health requires special protection online
Parents and caregivers should have a say in how technology is used within their families.
Every child deserves access to high-quality, age-appropriate content that suits their interests and needs.
Developmental needs of children differ from teenagers’, so tech should reflect that.
With the proper safeguards, kids can benefit from and use innovative technologies.
Google has already introduced features like “take a break” and bedtime reminders in many Google products, but they’re enhancing them to be more effective by creating moments for pause and reflection.
Image: Megan Jones Bell, Google
One thing they’re about to roll out is an all-screen takeover (third panel). These will be more disruptive and create more moment to pause which we know is more likely to get someone to disengage.
They’re also changing the way they recommend content by focusing on limiting repeated suggestions of videos that might promote unhealthy social comparisons or social aggression among young viewers. They’ve been eliminated from the “watch next” algorithm on YouTube.
Image: Megan Jones Bell, Google
Google wants to ensure that the content they suggest is safe and positive. To support users during difficult moments, they’ve updated their crisis resource panel to encourage safer searches and offer crisis resources more prominently. (It was a small blue bar in its earlier iteration, but the new “pause” page on the right, is a full-screen takeover.) This way, people are more likely to find help when needed.
We know from our research that slowing people down in moments of crisis will lead to disengage from problematic search.
Image: Megan Jones Bell, Google
In terms of promoting high-quality health information, they’re working to elevate high-quality mental health content for young teens by collaborating with experts at the National Academy of Medicine and organizations like the World Health Organization. They’ve also partnered with Common Sense Networks to provide training and resources for creators, helping them make responsible and helpful content and promote digital well-being. These are just some steps they’re taking to create a safer and more enriching online environment for kids and teens.
Image: Megan Jones Bell, Google
Ravi Iyer, Managing Director of the USC Marshall School’s Neely Center
Ravi Iyer was present to discuss how we can design social media to have a positive impact on mental health. While social media isn’t solely responsible for mental health issues, there are ways to make it better for those who are affected negatively. Here are two key takeaways:
Platform Accountability: We should hold social media platforms accountable for their design choices, not just the content they host. Creating spaces that discourage harmful activities and incentivize positive ones is essential.
User Experience Surveys: We can use surveys to gauge user experiences and validate whether platforms improve their design. By listening to users’ concerns and feedback, we can ensure that the changes implemented align with their needs.
During his time at Facebook, he realized that existing policies didn’t cover some harmful behaviors, such as fear speech and subtle misinformation. They focused on design changes to address this, like removing engagement incentives that encouraged negative interactions. They also introduced rate and functionality limits to prevent a small group of users from dominating discussions.
These ideas have been compiled into a design code for social media. It acts similarly to building codes. While preventing every bad thing from happening online is impossible, we can hold platforms responsible if their design choices promote harmful behavior. By doing so, we aim to empower users to engage with content that aligns with their aspirations rather than just what grabs their attention.
Says, Iyer, “We’ve started measuring user experiences by asking people about positive and negative encounters on social media platforms. This helps us understand which platforms are improving and where improvements are needed. For instance, LinkedIn stands out for having fewer negative experiences and fostering a more positive environment.”
In the world of AI, we’re also keeping an eye on user experiences to catch potential harms early as AI adoption grows.
In summary, we can create a healthier online environment by holding platforms accountable for their design choices and continually measuring user experiences to ensure progress.
Postscript
CES, one of the largest global tech events in the world, offers thousands of compelling reasons to be make the pilgrimage.
Among the foremost is the chance to be present for groundbreaking product launches. It’s a place where B2B deals and investments are made. It’s a chance to witness the debut of inventions and feel the sensation of the future unfolding before your eyes. You can not only observe but actively interact with innovations. The experience far exceeds articles on the Internet, or mere observation.
We have access to the stories and inspirations behind new technology that exemplify how visionary founders and engineers were driven to bring their dreams to fruition. We can hear from the inventors first-hand and feel the passion fueling their journeys.
In addition to introducing new technology and innovations, CES is a knowledge hub where industry luminaries deliver breaking news at press conferences, and lead thought-provoking panel discussions. These sessions provide an invaluable opportunity to glean insights into the ever-changing landscape of our world. The perspectives are the most up-to-date and feature the best practices across various sectors.
The “Social Media’s Impact on Kids” session featured a stellar panel of speakers. They offered rare glimpses into the behind-the-scenes initiatives driving research and policy, bringing changes to the forefront. It was a journey into understanding the relationship between education, research, and technology, showing how these forces combine to safeguard our children and families.
I did my best to accurately represent the concepts shared by the panel. Any omissions while conveying their thoughts, were unintentional.
In closing, thank you for your interest in this post. CES is the convergence of innovation, knowledge, and potential in technology. It’s a realm where the future is not a distant idea but a tangible reality waiting for us to explore. It was my privilege to take part.
Additional Information:
There are countless resources to support consumers who seek information on social media and its effect on children and adolescents. Here are a a few links to articles related to this post.
Most of us are familiar with the sinking feeling we experience when we discover that one of our credit cards or online accounts was breached. Personally, in the past, I was more reactive than proactive but changed to now employ 2FA (two-factor authentication). It is an extra step that I find annoying sometimes, but it’s a minor annoyance if it helps protect our data.
Data Privacy Day (known in Europe as Data Protection Day) is an annual international event observed on January 28th. However, its activities often continue for a week or longer. It is depurpose is to raise awareness about the importance of protecting personal information and to encourage individuals and organizations to take action to protect personal information.
Data privacy is important because personal information, such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, and personal contacts, can be used for identity theft, financial fraud, and other malicious activities. Additionally, in today’s digital age, personal information is often collected and shared by companies, governments, and other organizations, which can raise concerns about how this information is used and who has access to it. Observing Data Privacy Day helps raise awareness of these issues and encourages individuals and organizations to take steps to protect personal information.
Preventing Unauthorized Digital Access
Folio Photonics recently showcased its optical storage advancements at CES 2023. Steve Sanatamaria, CEO of Folio Photonics. provided a quote on this very timely and important topic:
“It is no secret that data is at the center of everything you do. Whether you are a business, a nonprofit, an educational institution, a government agency, or the military, it is vital to your everyday operations. It is, therefore, critical that the appropriate person(s) in your organization have access to the data they need anytime, anywhere, and under any conditions. However, it is of equal importance that you keep it from falling into the wrong hands.
Therefore, when managing current and archival data, a top concern must be data security and durability, not just today but for decades upon decades into the future. The ideal data storage solution must offer encryption and WORM (write-once, read-many) capabilities. It must require little power and minimal climate control. It should be impervious to EMPs, salt water, high temps, and altitudes. And, all archive solutions must have 100+ years of media life and be infinitely backward compatible, while still delivering a competitive TCO. But most importantly, the data storage must have the ability to be air-gapped as this is truly the only way to prevent unauthorized digital access.”
How Can We Get Involved in Data Privacy Week 2023?
Organizations, including the National Cybersecurity Alliance and IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals) list activities and events in the coming weeks. Check out the National Cybersecurity Alliance (StaySafeOnline) video below, or visit the IAPP website for more information:
Data Privacy Week, Jan. 2-28, 2023.
Make Data Security and Privacy Safeguards a Habit
There are many reasons why it’s important to be aware and proactive about protecting our privacy and data.
Personal information can be used for identity theft, which can cause financial harm and damage to our credit.
Companies and organizations may use personal information for targeted advertising, which can be invasive and creepy.
Governments may use personal information for surveillance, which can be a violation of civil liberties.
Personal information can be hacked or leaked, which can embarrass or damage our reputation.
Protecting our privacy and data is essential because it helps maintain our autonomy and control over our personal information. The more we take measures to secure our data, the greater our sense of well-being.
Terri Nakamura, Hunter Huntington the Maine Coon, and Neal Schaffer
Exciting things have happened since I published my book, Blogging on Instagram: Engagement Writing on One of the World’s Best Social Media Platforms.
One of the most surprisingly fun experiences has been doing podcast interviews. For those of you who listen to podcasts, you might not be aware of what goes into making them happen.
Each host has his/her own protocol for preparing for a podcast episode. Many conduct pre-production “meetings,” to prepare the guest. The pre-conversation could touch on sequence, types of questions and other things to expect. I’ve found it helps me be relaxed going into an interview because I understand what is going to happen.
Others hosts do zero prep and let the podcast interview become a spontaneous conversation. This is more like “My Dinner With Andre,” a 1980s movie of a 2-hour dinner conversation. They’re often entertaining but this format can leave a guest with a feeling of uncertainty.
There are also pointers for a guest. I found some terrific suggestions from Billy Samoa, CEO and co-founder of Podify, and shared them in an Instagram blogpost.
I recently listened to Celeste Headlee, an award-winning journalist, professional speaker, 20-year veteran of NPR, talk with Jaime Jay about what goes into making a great interview happen. She offered some great advice the best podcasters have employed in preparing me to be a guest on their shows.
It was exciting to finally meet Neal Schaffer at a pre-production meeting. He described our interview “as if we we ran into each other at a conference, and had a conversation where people overheard us like a fly on the wall.” So the interview was a conversation, but Neal also prepared by doing research. The result revealed unexpected information in a fun and interesting way.
The in-person attendance at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show was about 40,000 people – a fraction of the crowd of 175,000 in 2019. But there were dazzling products and experiences offered and attendees were able to gain easier access to exhibitors.
I would have attended as a social media influencer under the umbrella of media, so I have access to media assets to share.
“B-Roll,” in movie and video parlance, is the secondary footage that is shot to add depth, context and interest to primary (A-Roll) video. I reviewed the B-Roll this year and found some really cool things. For example, in the following segment, at about 2 minutes, you can see the BMW model that changes colors:
This time lapse includes views of Las Vegas, the convention center including the new West Hall (at about 1 minute).
THE ONLINE EXPERIENCE
The online experience was a huge improvement over #CES2021. With a completely redesigned interface, it was better organized and offered more features. With 4 channels of live content, there were some interesting topics, panels and panelists. I tried to catch a few each day, but wasn’t always able to make it. The beauty of that is, all of the content is recorded and available to view.
At about 1:10 you can see a panel discussion, on this Jan. 6 segment recording of the showroom floor, but there are lots cool things going on.
CES took extraordinary measures to ensure the health and safety of employees, visitors and exhibitors. It was requested that each person in attendance took a quick covid test before being admitted and covid tests were supplied to each person. Of course, proof of vaccination was required.
The finale of the show was the Indy Autonomous Challenge that took place this afternoon. Forty-one universities signed up to complete in this autonomous challenge beginning in February of 2020. Nine universities were left and joined countries around the world to form eight teams at CES 2022. Congratulations to team PoliMOVE –UniversityofAlabama, the winners of the IndyAutonomousChallenge at CES2022 at 150 MPH!
Podcast: When It Worked | Host: Julian Leahy – 11/29/21
Click graphic to listen:
Description from John Leahy podcast interview with Terri Nakamura
“I made a concerted effort a few years ago to grow my following. I would try to find somebody who posts similar content to me and I would follow them. I would see the kinds of people they were following and if you look at their list you can kind of tell if somebody looks like they’re kind of in the same niche that you’re in. If you follow those people there’s a pretty good chance that they’ll follow back and that’s kind of what I did for about a year trying to grow my following because I was stuck at 3 500 for years and years before that.
On Automatic Instagram Tools
“I did it manually because I think instagram really frowns upon people who use apps and services to get there. They can tell somehow, so I don’t advise you to try to cheat.
“The big shortcut is buying followers and they can definitely tell when people are just fake followers. On instagram you can end up actually losing your account if they figure out that you’re doing things like that.
“I was just doing it by hand. I would follow like 20 people a week or something like that so it wasn’t wasn’t highly efficient or fast but it was faster than if I did nothing at all.
‘At least with follow backs you know they are real because you picked them out and followed them in the first place. If you just do nothing but follow back those who followed you, you will just end up following bot accounts which are useless.
What Is Blogging On Instagram?
“It’s a disruptive approach to blogging. If you have spent a lot of time trying to develop a blog from scratch you will find that it is a lot of hard work. You basically have to cultivate a mailing list and subscribers in order to have any kind of traction on a blog.
“However, with instagram it’s completely different. Let’s say you have 100 followers on instagram it would take a long time for you to develop 100 subscribers on a blog.
“You already likely have this audience on instagram and that audience is very amiable to see what kind of content you’re posting. So you have this channel where you have an automatic audience.
“It’s pretty unbeatable access to your audience because they really want to be there. They’re not having to be cajoled into clicking a link or making a big time investment because there is a 2200 character limit on instagram. You’re not going to ever be required to read 5000 words of a blog post. Instagram keeps things to a pretty magic manageable length.
Why This Works
“It just cultivates a lot of engagement. The engagement part of it is what’s really unique because it’s like there’s a dialogue that takes place between your followers and you and makes them feel more connected to your brand.”
Available on Amazon:
Available at Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA
Thoughtrow Podcast | Hosts: Rod & Inci Jones | 12/2/21
Click image to listen
SHOW NOTES – Thoughtrow Podcast
Episode 51: Terri Nakamura – Harnessing the Power of Social Media
In this episode, show co-hosts Rod & Inci Jones share their quote of the day and motivational thought, and then discuss the pros & cons of social media and how its impacted their social media presence.
After Rod & Inci’s brief discussion, they introduce Terri Nakamura, who is a Social Media Consultant, Designer, Writer, and Author of “Blogging on Instagram: Engagement Writing on One of the World’s Best Social Media Platforms”.
Their guest Terri Nakamura discusses with them the power of blogging on Instagram and its benefits. Teri shares her tips on how to be more effective in building your brand and notoriety on social media.
She gives the number one takeaway from the interview today, and what would benefit people most when it comes to building their social media presence.
Terri Nakamura is a social media strategist, graphic designer, writer and author of the upcoming book “Blogging on Instagram” which was successfully fundraised on IndieGoGo and is being published by New Degree Press. Terri was named by Business Insider as one of the top women in technology on Twitter, she is also a Verizon brand partner and co-owner of Alki Shurf Shop in Seattle.
The Consumer Electronics Show is the world stage to show, see and get hands-on experiences with new technology. Twelve months ago, CES was the last normal thing I remember about 2020. The pandemic changed the way we work, live and play, and in keeping with all of our pivoting, the first all-digital CES began Monday, Jan. 11. When CES first appeared in 1967, 17,000 people showed up. In recent years the show has attracted about 180,000 visitors and last year there were 4,400 exhibitors.
CES in 2020 by Terri Nakamura
I had high expectations. If anyone could pull it off a digital extravaganza, it would be CES, right? But the first day wasn’t ideal for me. I’d poured through dozens of advance press releases and did due diligence to determine which products interested me. Some were added to “My Exhibits”, which one would assume to be a shortcut. But I experienced glitches with the links. By day two, all was well. Since I didn’t know what I was doing, it could’ve been me.
Leading up to CES, I’m usually working overtime to clear deadlines out of the way. I’ll travel to McLaren International Airport where I’ll be greeted by my friends Diane and Steve Brogan — my hosts the past two years.
But this year CES is VIRTUAL. So Monday I woke up at reasonable time, ate my Cheerios, then turned on my computer. BOOM. I was there.
Best-laid plans
Monday, I sat in on several live events. If something wasn’t interesting, I wandered away, so in that respect, it was like the real deal. In between the keynotes and presentations, I visited dozens of companies and viewed their content. Some of the exhibitors were “present” when I “stopped by,” so if I typed a question in the chat box, they answered in real time as they would if you were there in person.
What I’ve liked so far
So far, two events made big impressions. One was the 30-minute “Better Normal for All” press conference by Samsung. The storytelling was superb from the “Mad Men”-style opening graphics to the host (name) and introduction of products, of which some I’d normally feel under-excited about, like washers, dryers and vacuums. Samsung pulled out the stops and even the refrigerators seemed cool (pun intended). The reveal felt like what I might normally see at CES — exciting showmanship and lots of “wow.” Entertaining animal actors and vacuum robots that keep a camera eye on your pet clean up after them made for fun context for their products. Here is a link: https://youtu.be/DqXsTtW5VEo
The Samsung Jetbot90 AI+ robot vacuum keeps an eye on your pets and when it sees a mishap, it goes to clean it up.
The other was a “thing” rather than an event. Over the weekend I had a chance to explore The Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA). TTA came closest to what I imagined digital CES would feel like. A cool video greets you upon arrival visually touching on some of the companies and products. It did a great job of setting the tone and I liked this quote: “There are ordinary people and extraordinary dreamers.”
Screen grab of the Taiwan Tech Arena at CES 2021
TTA was a virtual reality experience that featured more than 100 startups. Their arena was set up like you’d expect to see an exhibition hall: visitors could navigate to five categories and wander from exhibitor to exhibitor. Each startup featured multimedia presentations and I had the sensation I was wandering around the show floor. Thunderzee showcased a zinc air battery which hopes to usurp lithium ion. The zinc batteries eliminate the fire risk associated with lithium ion batteries and are more lightweight, cheaper and reportedly better for the environment.
Verizon’s presentation focused on 5G. They’ve been working to educate consumers about 5G because many of us don’t know anything about it. A series of Twitter chats have focused on it and introduced consumers to ways 5G is beneficial. (Disclosure: I have been a paid brand partner in Verizon 5G promotions). In addition to learning what is really exciting about 5G and how Verizon is partnering with businesses to enable almost incomprehensible speed in everything from medicine to delivery to sports to gaming and entertainment, it also gave us the chance to experience a live concert using virtual reality. By aiming at a QR code, viewers were taken into a VR environment to feel the reality of walking around the performers and viewing them live in 360°
By scanning a QR code while watching the event, you’re taken into the concert as it happens
Tuesday and Wednesday I spent spelunking in smaller exhibits and companies. A few that have interested me so far include:
American Printing House for the Blind and their “Road to Code” that makes coding activities accessible to visually impaired students, preparing them for future careers.
DeepScore enables people without traditional credit to earn “trust scores” based on facial responses to pressurized questions using AI to detect fraud/
Nomadplug is a product designed for travelers who are tired of lugging around a bag full of adapters as they travel from country to country. It’s attractive and compact and uses magnets to morph from one adapter type to another..
NinuPerfume positions its product as the first “smart perfume” that personalizes fragrance and is guided by AI. At the real-life CES you could experience what it smells like.
What works
It’s actually easier to make a one-on-one connection with companies at this digital version of CES, so if you’re interested in what they’re doing, you can chat or email and they quickly respond. The immediacy makes the virtual nature of CES feel more satisfying. Also, as anyone who has attended the CES knows—the guards start shepherding people out of the venues around 5 or 6 PM. With the all-digital CES and the linked micro sites, visitors can wander around in the middle of the night. You can explore whenever it’s convenient.
What’s missing
I really miss the crowds, atmosphere, mind-boggling immersive displays like taking a simulated helicopter ride. And the accidental discoveries of amazing products, ideas and services like when Alibaba previewed real-time voice translation in 2019.
In the demo, people spoke into the camera and both speakers were simultaneously were translated in different languages. Screen grab from video by Terri Nakamura
And I miss hanging out in the media room writing, drinking coffee and having lunch with friends, journalists and analysts who share something in common — a love of technology.
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PS. A crazy thing about this story — I couldn’t publish it. We had a huge power outage from Tuesday evening until mid-day Wednesday. It’s ironic to have no Internet during a major tech event. It was like 2018 when the lights went out in the Central Hall at CES — another unforgettable moment that could only be experienced in person!
Two weeks ago, I was invited to join an exclusive gathering of technology aficionados sponsored by the Consumer Technology Association and Techlicious. It was a great opportunity to see and experience new tech gadgets and to get some terrific ideas for the holidays.
One of the features I love about this road show is seeing current trends as well as revisit trends from yesteryear.
Remember 1999?
Going back to 1999, the year before the famous Y2K? Can you believe that was TWENTY years ago? Back then the most popular items included:
1. Color TV – 27” or greater
2. VCR
3. Color TV- less than 27”
4. DVD player
5. Digital camera
Top choices were laptops, MP3, Flat panel TV, Video game system and Digital camera
Ten Years Later— 2009 Top Trends:
1. Notebook or laptop PC
2. MP3 player
3. Flat panel TV
4. Video game system
5. Digital camera
So in 1999 and 2009, digital cameras made it onto the list, but now, everyone’s phones have such fantastic cameras, sadly for casual camera manufacturers, I’m sure they’ve taken a big hit. In 2019, we see some similar things like TVs and laptops but I think this is the first time wearables made it on to the list.
CTA research revealed the most wanted tech this holiday season to include Laptops, Smartphones, TVs, Tablets and Wearable tech
Another really cool trend in 2019 is giving the gift of content! In fact, 71 percent of those surveyed plan to purchase a content-related gifts like streaming or download entertainment services such as Netflix or Disney+.
So, there are the typical “big-ticket items” on a lot of people’s wish lists, but what are consumers really going to purchase? The Top Tech Gifts people actually intend to buy are relatively more affordable.
Top Tech Gifts for 2019:
• Headphones/earbuds
• Mobile case devices
• Portable battery chargers
• Video game discs
• Portable wireless speakers
Headphones, Mobile cases devices, Portable battery chargers, Video game discs and Portable wireless speakers
From my own point of view, and writing as a full-time college student, I’m on a budget, so it was great to see gift ideas presented by Mophie, Jabra, Amazon, Fitbit and 1More (and I don’t mean “one more!”) that were affordable, attractive and super useful.
True Wireless Bluetooth
Apple earbuds don’t fit snugly in my ears, and other wrap around options have been uncomfortable, so I enjoyed trying out the Jabra Elite 65t Bluetooth wireless headset.
Comfortable and beautifully designed in Copenhagen, Jabra offers great sound quality and noise suppression
The Jabras turned out to be surprisingly comfortable and fit snugly. The sound quality is excellent both from the standpoint of hearing and being heard. I don’t like the idea of having both ears being blocked from hearing ambient sounds and have mostly used single-ear headsets, but it’s not a problem with the Elite 65t. There are also settings to allow you to hear more external sounds, and also you can use just the right earbud, leaving your left ear open to all sound.
They normally sell for $170, but I noticed on the website they’re $110, which is a great deal. The industrial design is handsome, (they’re designed and engineered in Copenhagen) and it comes with a case which is used to store and charge your earbuds.
Amazon Fire tablets for kids – Almost indestructible and peace of mind for parents with great parental controls
For the past year or so I’ve been using the Sennheiser Presence bluetooth headset, which also has great sound quality and noise suppression. Its list price is $180. The design is old school, and the ear hook is uncomfortable. Actually, uncomfortable is an understatement!
Tablets for Kids
I thought the indestructible Amazon Fire tablets for kids were pretty cool. They give parents control over what their kids are reading, seeing, doing and when. The smaller 7” tablets were around $60 and the larger HD tablet (with more memory) is around $90. A tablet for under $100 seemed great!
Great variety of Mophie power stations and power banks for every need.
Battery Backup Power
There were so many great choices from Mophie and this picture doesn’t do justice to some of the fancier versions, but most range from $30 to $70 with a few more expensive options for powering laptops, tablets and Fast-charge portable hubs with Qi-enabled wireless charging.
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What are your thoughts about giving technology for the holidays? Yay or Nay?
Do you live in the U.S.? If so, please leave a comment and you’ll have a chance to win a Mophie Power station!
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Thanks to Techlicious and CTA for this fun event and for the gift bag of goodies, a great lunch and valet parking. My assessments of the products mentioned in this post are my own and don’t represent the manufacturers, CTA or Techlicious.
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