Can Buying Another Smartphone Solve Your Smartphone Addiction?

Smartphones are immensely useful devices that have made life far easier to live than might have been the case otherwise, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, they also give rise to smartphone addictions. The manner in which they have been designed is in many ways optimized to make it so that you are unable to stay away from them for very long, with the average American spending a third of their day looking at screens.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the solution to smartphone addiction might not be to check your screen time or to alter the color scheme to reduce dopamine response. Rather, some are suggesting the unique proposition which is to simply buy another phone.

Phones are a necessity in this modern day and age, so you won’t be able to get very far without one in your hands. A Twitter personality by the name of George Mack suggested the novel approach of using two phones.

One of these phones is the so called “kale phone” because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing you to be productive. It will include reading apps, news apps and anything else that might be useful or necessary with all things having been considered and taken into account.

How I fixed my smartphone addiction:

I have 2 phones - Cocaine Phone & Kale Phone

Here's how it works:

1. The Smartphone Paradox - Your phone is a gateway to the world's best knowledge -- and the world's best distractions.

It's like having the best teachers, strip clubs, and… pic.twitter.com/Ol5YZyTRf8

— George Mack (@george__mack) July 18, 2023

The second phone is what he is referring to as the “cocaine phone” since it is chock full of apps that are not necessary but are entertaining to one extent or another. He limits the usage of this phone to 12pm on weekdays and 2pm on weekends so that he can enjoy it without it taking over his entire life.

This can create a situation wherein you might actually start to crave your kale phone after spending more than an hour on your cocaine phone. Tricking your brain like this could be the key to cracking your smartphone addiction and availing the advantages of this tech with none of the downsides as long as you stick to the schedule.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Meta’s Latest Performance Update Displays Strong Results With Facebook Adding 27 Million New Users

The latest earnings call for Meta is out and the company has recorded a massive win for Facebook with the app’s userbase rising by 27 million in Q2 of 2023.

This means the company’s total figure for monthly active users has struck the 3 billion mark and this is the first time ever that we’re seeing this take place for Meta. Hence if you think the famous Blue app is going anywhere soon, well, think again.

Most of the growth in users was interestingly arising from the Asian region and we’re seeing an immense rise in users in places like India as well as Indonesia. The justification provided by tech experts regarding this finding is how connectivity in these places is definitely increasing as developing markets make the move to bring more users online. Hence, they are more likely to get into an app while growth across the EU and the US is still quite at a standstill, which definitely means the adoption is already quite high in these places.

Figures for usage in Facebook saw a decline in the EU region for the second time, and that’s after seeing a slight rise in Q1 of this year.

We agree that the platform may not be the most trending when you’ve got so many more choices out there but it does make some sense as to why people are taking a step back and demand is waning in markets where it has already established its stronghold.

Yet, we have to give Meta credit because Facebook reaching the 3 billion figure for monthly active users is definitely something worth celebrating. And right now, there is yet to be any other app coming close to that stage.

The figures for revenue turned out to be $32 billion and that’s a massive 11% rise when compared to 2022. See, right now, the challenge is linked to Meta witnessing growth in many developing regions but not getting enough revenue from established regions. And we might be seeing a while before new users get the right kind of profit.

Nevertheless, the $32 billion figure is quite strong and we’re seeing a shift in economic conditions. This would reinforce the firm’s ongoing strength and ensure the newest developments in today’s advertising sector.

• Also read: Meta’s Threads May Be Soaring But Its Reality Labs Is Dwindling With Losses Worth $21 Billion

Coming down to the firm’s performance with ads, the company claims that its ad impressions saw a rise of 34% when compared to last year during the second quarter. But the price point was not where the firm would want it to be, declining by 16%.

The company is still going to find some more advertising chances and make new placement decisions. Clearly, more ads would affect user’s experiences on the apps but still, the figures for usage are not disturbed, ironically, keeping in mind that rise.

Moreover, let’s not forget how all of this is before we even begin to consider the great potential that ads would have on Meta’s Threads apps. This is not something the firm is planning right now but we might be seeing it arise soon.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Fast Charging Smartphones Compose 80% of Global Sales

As new and improved tech makes its way to consumers around the world, this tech rapidly starts to turn into a must-have for any consumers that are thinking of buying something that is within that niche. In the first quarter of 2023, 80% of the global smartphone units that were shipped had fast charging applications, which represents a 7 point increase year over year.

Back in 2022, this proportion sat at around 73%. In 2018, just 29% of all the smartphones sold in the world had fast charging capabilities. This seems to suggest that this is becoming an even better requirement than might have been the case otherwise.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the level of power offered by these fast charging devices is also going up. In the first quarter of 2022, these devices were capable of providing 30 watts of power on average. By the first quarter of 2023, this average had gone up to 34 watts with all things having been considered and taken into account.

One thing that bears mentioning here is that people tend to use their smartphones upwards of 5 hours a day. Fast charging is therefore essential because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up keeping them connected to their friends and family.

China appears to be leading the charge here, with the East Asian nation playing a role in standardizing fast charging tech. Other Western corporations may be forced to follow suit, otherwise they will give way to China’s dominance which is starting to seem more and more unassailable as the years go by.

5G connectivity and smartphone gaming are just two of the things that are draining smartphone batteries more quickly, and consumers will require fast charging to compensate for that. Larger batteries and more efficient chipsets could also play a tremendous role here, and it will be interesting to see which of these options ends up becoming more prevalent as smartphones continue to up their energy consumption in the future.

H/T: Counterpointresearch

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Twitter's X Rebrand: Love It or Hate It, The Battle Rages On!

Once upon a time, in the fast-paced world of social media, a brilliant tech entrepreneur named Elon Musk thought that Twitter needed to undergo a miraculous metamorphosis. He presented the enigmatic "X" brand for Twitter, and the social media world erupted in shouts of anger! This X branding seems a big issue, with one marketing expert calling it "completely irrational." But wait, there's more to this magical story!

A smart crew of CivicScience researchers performed an online poll to understand the reality behind the X rebrand's appeal. Over 5,000 people participated in this adventure, with over 1,000 of them being fearless Twitter users. The results showed a surprise! While over a third of all respondents were unhappy with the shift, a brave 14% remained upbeat.

When the researchers dug deeper into the charmed data, they discovered that the tale took a different course among contemporary Twitter users. The courageous souls who utilized the site daily were 36% favorable about the shift and 27% negative. Meanwhile, weekly users had similar sentiments, with 43% positive and 27% skeptical of the X makeover.

But there's more magic in this story! Threads, Meta's newly minted Twitter competitor, played an important influence. Almost a third of Threads users were interested in utilizing the mysterious X, while another 28% were moderately interested. According to CivicScience's studies, 60% of Threads users were fascinated by the X's attractiveness.

Though the poll provided some enthralling insights, remember that the charming findings were restricted in scope. With around 250 million daily average Twitter users, the study only received replies from a few thousand people. Not to mention Elon Musk's ardent followers, which may have added a little additional zeal to the mix.

However, as we continue this fanciful voyage, we must prepare for the plot twist. The future of X, with its promised additional capabilities such as financial services, remains hazy. Alas, 40% of daily Twitter users and a daunting 51% of weekly users expressed disinterest in embracing the magical X with its upcoming changes. Our hero may be in for some rough days ahead!

Let us enter another dimension where a new story is being told. System1Group, a courageous bunch, embarked on an adventure to assess customers' real-time emotional responses to social network logos. The fearsome Twitter X logo stood tall among them, braving the scrutiny of 500 brave testers.

The researchers uncovered something unexpected when using their Test Your Idea software, which rated emotional intensity and potential profitability. The X logo elicited the highest Emotional Intensity score, eliciting "disgust" among responders.

The simplicity of the white X on a black backdrop, devoid of vivid aspects of nature such as birds, water, or the sun, was the source of this mystical repulsion.

The real twist in this story occurred when the Star Rating was disclosed. The Twitter bird emblem extended its wings and flew with a modest 1.5 Stars on a 1 - 5-Star scale. Reddit came in second with 1.4 Stars, while Threads received a respectable 1.3. Unfortunately, both Twitter X and Truth Social received a 1.0 rating.

As we go deeper into the realm of logos, it becomes clear that social media may be suffering from sensory overload. The proliferation of platforms has confused customers, and a shortage of appealing logos may add to their dissatisfaction.

So, my readers, while the beautiful Twitter X redesign continues to enchant the online world, we must recognize the conflicting emotions it has elicited. Some users have been charmed, while others have been disenchanted. Only time will tell whether this mysterious X will endure the test of time and bring more joy or ire to the social media globe. Until then, keep an eye out for the next chapter in the ever-changing story of the IT world!

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by Rubah Usman via Digital Information World

Should AI Weapons Be Legal? 61% of People Say No

The rise of AI has created numerous opportunities for automation that can make things easier to accomplish than might have been the case otherwise. In spite of the fact that this is the case, it also brings its fair share of dangers to the table. Perhaps the most threatening aspect of AI is the manner in which it can be used to create weapon systems that possess automated payload delivery, and it is easy to see how this can destabilize the global status quo.

A recent survey conducted by Ipsos revealed that 61.3% of adults around the world feel like these types of weapon systems should be banned with all things having been considered and taken into account. However, it bears mentioning that these results varied from country to country, with some notable examples showing a striking willingness to not just legalize but also normalize automated weaponry of all kinds.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Sweden showed the most support for a widespread ban on AI based weapon systems, with 76.1% being in favor of a ban. Turkey came in second with 73.2%, followed by Hungary with 70.4%. Outside of this top three, no other country surpassed the 70% mark, although many of them expressed more approval for a ban than the global average.

Germany, Mexico, Spain and South Korea showed above average desires to ban these types of weapons, sitting at 67.8%, 66.3%, 65.8% and 64.8% respectively. However, some other nations showed a less than average level of intent to enact such a ban.

In India, just 35.7% of people said that they feel like automated weapons should be made illegal by some kind of international authority. 47.3% of French people agreed, which means that a majority of France’s population does to appear to believe in a blanket ban.

Some of the most powerful countries in the world, namely the US and China, showed a below average desire for a ban with 55.4% and 52.5% respectively. This does not bode well for the future of global peace and harmony.

H/T: Statista

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Each $1 Spent on Email Marketing Provides $21 ROI, New Study Shows

Email marketing is proving to be a worthy contender for businesses because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing them to connect with all of their customers. Small businesses in particular can use email marketing to obtain far more customers than might have been the case otherwise, and it is interesting to see just how massive of a return on investment this can provide.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that 75% of businesses that spent $100 or less on email marketing ended up receiving $2,100 ROI on average. As for businesses that spent up to $500 on email marketing, their ROI turned out to be $31 for each dollar spent, coming up to $15,500 in total.

This is interesting since 57% of businesses spend between $100 to $500 on email marketing with all things having been considered and taken into account. In spite of the fact that this is the case, there are some challenges that small to medium businesses are facing as far as email marketing is concerned.

46% said that it is a struggle for them to find the very best service providers that could offer them tools to help with this process. 43% said that enticing customers that get their emails to clicking on them or even opening them was a singularly significant challenge. Surprisingly, 42% said that getting the right kind of ROI was the problem, although this might be due to them not investing as much as they should into this space.

32% of businesses that send out email marketing do so on a daily basis, with 33% sending out at least one marketing email every single week. 30% of these businesses said that their primary goal is to find new customers, with 28% trying to increase awareness for their brands. A further 27% are attempting to provide more information on their latest products and services, with 26% apiece saying that they want to boost web traffic and user engagement respectively.

H/T: Upcity

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Twitter vs. Facebook: The Social Media Smackdown Continues!

Social media never fails to bring everyone’s attention to it. Have you ever wondered which social media platform you like to use the most? Do you want to know what’s cooking new in that oven? Hold on to your hashtags because the social media drama has just begun! Today's matchup pits Twitter, the chirpy small bird, against Facebook, the huge blue behemoth. Who will be crowned the most despised social network? Let us investigate!

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), Facebook's primary platform, currently called Meta (fancy name alert! ), is the least popular among users. Ouch! With a score of 66 out of 100, it appears that consumers have yet to forgive Facebook for its previous transgressions. But wait, there's a bright side! This year, they managed to claw their way up from a dreadful score of 62, so cheers for tiny triumphs!

Surprisingly, Twitter and Reddit have managed to outperform Facebook in the hate department (you go, little birdie!). They tied for second-to-last position with scores of 69, indicating they're not far behind in the "most-hated" title. It appears that Facebook is not alone in the ring, and they have some formidable opponents!

But hold your tweets because a social media celebrity is at the top! Please, drumroll. It's YouTube from Google, with a score of 78! With its top-notch mobile app quality, simplicity of navigation, and lightning-fast loading speed, this video hub understands how to keep its viewers satisfied. YouTube, you've got the social media game down pat!

Not to be outdone, Pinterest and TikTok are battling for second place with scores of 77.

Despite privacy and security worries, TikTok, the new kid on the block, has upped its game. TikTok, you are earning hearts and likes!

Now for a plot twist! LinkedIn from Microsoft and Instagram from Meta are the winners of "Most Improved." LinkedIn improved from 68 to an amazing 75, while Instagram improved from 67 to 73. Congratulations, you two! It appears that a quick makeover may do wonders in the realm of social media.

But there's a problem in paradise! The ACSI announcement signals that Twitter, which is currently attempting to relaunch itself as "X," may be in for some difficult days ahead. Recent changes, like charging for account verification and restricting daily tweet views, have piqued users' interest. Come on, X, don't mess it up!

As the social media rollercoaster continues, overall user happiness has risen from 71 to 73. It appears like the rivalry is heating up, and the top competitors are neck and neck in the quest for user adoration.

So, will Twitter, the little bird that could overcome its recent difficulties and become the most loved (or despised) social network? Will Facebook, now Meta, fight back and demonstrate that it will not go down without a fight?

To discover, tune in to the next "Social Media Smackdown" episode! Until then, continue to tweet carefully and responsibly share your cat videos. Happy scrolling, internet friends!

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by Rubah Usman via Digital Information World