Bird Call Field Guide
Along the same vein, as the apps Seek and iNaturalist, that have been previously reviewed, is the app Merlin bird ID app by Cornell University. This is an app that is uses bird calls to help identify the exact species. When I first heard of this it reminded me of the field guides I use […]
Rise of the Remote Workforce
Mobile devices and technology have enabled many of us to work through a pandemic. During this time, many of us moved from our offices/classrooms to our kitchen tables, spare bedrooms, or if we were lucky, home offices. But what will happen next? By the end of 2024, the International Data Corporation (IDC) expects mobile workers […]
Persuasive Technology and Positive Influence
Ever since the emergence of mobile apps, there has been a huge debate over the implications of using persuasive technology in designing mobile software. Persuasive technology refers to the features used to influence the behaviour of users, often in a subtle unnoticed manner. If you catch yourself mindlessly scrolling videos on Facebook or Tiktok for […]
Cyberhate: the impact of online anonymity
Anonymous user profiles on social media websites are so prevalent nowadays that we barely even notice them anymore. The question that is worth looking into is, how does user anonymity impact behavior in virtual environments? Does existence of anonymity increase users’ ability to freely express themselves? Does it pave the path for formation of a […]
#paid: How influencers monetize IG
If you are active on Instagram, odds are that you follow (or at least have come across) an account of an “Influencer”: a term Urban Dictionary defines as “a word instagram users use to describe themselves to make them feel famous and more important when no one really know who they are or care, usually […]
What is your infection prevention IQ?
The 3rd week of October is International Infection Prevention and Control week and celebrated within healthcare facilities around the globe to bring attention to infection prevention. With the discussion around misinformation, I thought I would share an online infection prevention training course I had developed with my team at the company I have since left. […]
Always Available – The Culture of Keeping Work at Arms Length
Mobile devices are rarely powered off. They wake us up in the morning and get plugged in at night before the looming 1% battery icon goes black with the rest of the screen. Mobile culture has led to a culture of always being available to communicate, respond and work. The unwritten rule is that if […]
Live Video Streaming Platforms (LVSP) gives me a bit of a TWITCH
What is very popular among teens right now in the online video streaming world? Well, among many LVSP, one is revolutionizing the gaming landscape. However, what are the advantages and disadvantages of this new mobile culture? A survey and study were conducted by Ramirez, Fernandez and Roldan (2021), to explore the benefits and harms, motivations, […]
PolterApps They’re heeere!
Interconnectivty is one of the cornerstones of the convenience and ease of use that characterize mobile apps and mobile devices. However, this characteristic also enables a less savoury aspect of this technology, the so-called surveillance economy. Close monitoring of inter-device/app communication that was ongoing in a typical home, uncovered a huge amount of metadata being […]
Our phones are telling us how to look
The connection between digital media and body image is undeniable. Throughout our development we have been reminded over and over about the negative implications of media on our self-image: there are ample opportunities for comparison; a constant flow of beauty consumer culture; and the denormalization of all but a few body types. If we are […]