We’ve all got that start of a new term feeling here at We Are Social, and have been swotting up as ever for this month’s Curiosity Stop. Are you feeling a little behind on the latest innovation trends? Then sit back, grab a brew, and enjoy this month’s innovation cheat-sheet.
The trend for seeking social status is nothing new (#humblebrag much?) but for better or worse, it’s getting even easier to show off in the digital world. X.ia is an artificially intelligent personal assistant who can make you, well, look like you’ve got a real life PA. Just email ‘Amy’ with your meeting needs and she’ll pester your colleagues to find a time that works for all of you. If the waiting list for Amy is too long, you could also try Julie Desk or Zoom.ai instead.
Wearable tech also shows no signs of stopping, but the sneaky Pilot earbuds could make you look like a bit of a language guru if nobody looks too closely at your ears. The earbuds translate speech directly into your ear, allowing you to finally chat up that french guy you’ve had your eye on for ages.
On the Horizon is our catch-all term for amazing innovations that don’t fit neatly into our trend categories but look set to make an huge impact. One of this month’s horizon stars is the WeChat connected Mon-Mon toy, which allows parents in China to send voice messages to their kids. When a message is received, Mon-Mon’s belly lights up to alert the child there’s a message waiting. And with time-poor parents being a global trend, we predict you’ll be sending messages to your own kids toys within a matter of months (if you’ve got kids, that is).
For all these and more, check out the Curiosity Stop deck in full. Enjoy!
