Tuesday Tune-Up #302

News
michele.danno
Pay for your nuggets by smiling

KFC has launched Smile to Pay technology in one of its China stores. The technology uses a few of seconds facial scanning with a 3D camera to detect the identity of the person paying, along with their phone number, to protect against fraud. The particular KFC store is a spin off called K Pro, which serves salads and juices, and is using the technology to entice younger customers to make healthier choices. So say cheese! Er….say chicken!

Apple leak shows how it decides on iPhone repair or replacement

Have you ever dropped your phone down the toilet at a bar and cried when you realised your AppleCare has expired? Me neither. But a leaked warranty guide now outlines how Apple technicians are advised on how they should decide which iPhones are eligible for replacement or repair. The types of damage that Apple covers under its warranty service includes debris under display glass or pixel anomaly, a misalignment of the FaceTime camera foam, or a single hairline crack to the front glass without an impact point. Theres also a section on “water damage”… Better study up before the highly-anticipated iPhone 8 launch this month!

WhatsApp tests verified business accounts

WhatsApp is testing verified business accounts, which can be identified by green checkmarks. The application’s test “is currently limited to a small number of businesses participating in a pilot program.” Users will be able to communicate with businesses via the messaging service in a bid to make a more seamless stream of conversation for customers. Users who already have a business’ phone number saved in their address books will see the names as they are saved, while the names chosen by the businesses will be displayed for users who don’t have their numbers saved.

Instagram makes trio of changes
Feeling like a sad rain cloud? Head over to Instagram, where you can now decide what ‘weather’ you are with their new face filters on Instagram Stories. Users can share emotions using a happy sun, a sad rain cloud, an angry thunderstorm or a laid-back sun. And that’s not all – Stories have had another update – they’re coming to web, allowing desktop and mobile web users to view Stories posted by people they follow. In the coming months, the web version will also allow users to post to Stories.



If that wasn’t enough for one week, the app now allows users to add both portrait and landscape photos to albums. However, you’ll still need to make sure all the photos in an album are cropped the same way. So, you can’t upload a portrait and landscape image to the same album.

Extreme Makeover: YouTube edition
For the first time, YouTube has a new logo and has refreshed its look with a spanking new brand aesthetic. The service debuted a new typeface, colour scheme, and other major changes to the look, feel, and functionality of its desktop and mobile app. Christopher Bettig, YouTube’s head of art, said “the new look is a ribbon that ties these moves together, highlighting the company’s broader shift from a singular website to a family of different apps that stretch across multiple platforms.”



Celebrities to host new Twitter series for Converse
Amongst the slew of social sites attempting to overtake TV, Twitter is not one you’d expect to see. However, Converse is giving it a go by appealing to the younger generation with some poppin’ Tweetable content. Public Access, a new series, will debut on Twitter on 5th September. The first episode will be hosted by Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams, Miley Cyrus will host the second, and (if it survives to see) a third is in the works. All are between 15 and 20 minutes in length.

Toyota uses emoji targeting in social video campaign 
Toyota is getting in touch with consumers’ feelings by using emoji targeting in its latest campaign, which raises awareness and the ‘emotional appeal’ of its Camry Midsize Sedan. Toyota has created 83 unique videos – which feature some rather disturbing Camry drivers with emojis as heads – designed to match a person’s online mood based on which emoji they have shared. Toyota’s also using Twitter targeting based on interests and behaviours along with the emojis.

Brooklinen uses pet influencers to inspire new campaign
In Brooklinen‘s latest out-of-home campaign, the bedding start-up used crowd-sourced photos from popular pet influencers to market its line of sheets – highlighting that humans aren’t the only fans of its products. The campaign launched on Labour Day (Monday 4th September) and will run at the 8th Ave/14th St. station, with future takeovers planned to pop up in October and November at West 4th and Broadway-Lafayette, respectively.



This post courtesy of @larabarnett96