HQ Trivia’s Roller Coaster of Motions: Stop what you’re doing and watch this woman suffer devastating defeat and then pure joy at winning $11.30 on HQ Trivia. And you can’t even cash out until you win $20!
The Creative History Behind Earcons: The beeps and boops from Siri, Alexa or your car may seem arbitrary, but they’re actually very important, decades-old audio cues called “earcons.” In fact, these beeps and dings are straight up robot languages that help shape how we interact with these devices. Did you know the Windows ’95 startup sound was composed by Brian Eno? Austrian composer Walter Werzowa tried to create “tones that evoked innovation, troubleshooting skills, and the inside of a computer” for Intel, and wouldn’t you know it was named one of the most addictive sounds in the world. BEEP. BOOP. (LINK)
A Snapchat Show Worth Watching? NBC’s news show “Stay Tuned” on Snapchat has gained 4 million viewers since its launch five months ago, with more than two-thirds of its audience under the age of 25. More than half of the audience watches three or more episodes per week. It’s no Vice News, but we’re watching. (LINK)
Are QR Codes Actually Going to Be a Thing? The ability to scan QR codes is increasingly becoming native to our smartphones (hello iPhone!) and that’s driving a steep increase in adoption. New research predicts that the number of QR coupons redeemed via mobile will reach 5.3 billion by 2022. Target recently announced a QR code-based payments system to scan offers directly to their device-stored payment cards, which can then be scanned at checkout for instant payment. We’ll soon see even more of these in use at retail. Pigs are flying, too. (LINK)
GREG SWAN 