Wowd Blog

CES 2011: Let’s Get Connected

Every year, hundreds of thousands of technology lovers gather in Las Vegas to geek out on the latest and greatest in technology at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).  At CES, we saw a plethora of ingenious ideas that are sure to make quite a splash this year from tablets that are neat to appliances that tweet.  One central theme we saw was connectivity.  A majority of the platforms, gadgets and more shared in common the goal of making people’s digital lives more connected whether from one device to another, one network to another, one country to another – you get the idea.

2010 was deemed the year of social.  We are in an era where everything is headed in that direction.  We have evolved from simply connecting with our friends on Facebook to checking-in on Foursquare at our local Starbucks.  One of the reasons everything is going social is because we all crave connectivity – to our friends, family and even total strangers.  2011 will be the year of connectivity.

At CES, the “Internet of Things” – the idea that everyday objects have the ability to connect with the Internet and each other – became a reality.  Using “smart technology”, LG, Panasonic and Samsung are revolutionizing household products by enabling them to email, browse the Internet, and even tweet.  Yes, you read correctly, tweet.  Many of you are probably asking yourself, “Why would I tweet from my fridge?”  The truth of the matter is, it’s not about IF you would tweet from your fridge, but the fact that you CAN.  Want to give your laundry an extra tumble but you’re not at home?  Not to worry, you can tell your dryer to do it from your smartphone.  Patrick Steinkuhl, LG's product insight manager explains, “Imagine an oven that's so smart that on the day of the big game it's able to send you a text and say, 'Hey, your roast is about done. You'd better get in the kitchen’.”

As household appliances and digital devices, such as tablets, TVs and more become more connected, social media will be a huge element.  Our TVs will suggest what we should watch based on what our friends watch because the TVs are connected through Facebook.  We’ll tweet our friends from the fridge to tell them what to bring over for dinner.  Social media integration will be a key element in the age of connectivity.  But with all this connectivity will come clutter.  Tools like Wowd will be necessary to cut the clutter to surface the people and topics that you actually want to be connected with.

What struck you most about CES news this year?  Is there something in your digital/social life you wish was more connected?  Tell us your thoughts!

KEEP your New Year’s Resolutions with These Helpful Apps

Every New Year, we sit down with ourselves and come up with resolutions – things that we’d like to change or improve in our lives. Many of us occasionally, okay almost always, fall into the pattern of either not seeing the resolutions through the whole year, or giving up before we’ve even begun. With the plethora of applications at our disposal these days, keeping our resolutions might actually be possible this year. In the spirit of the New Year, the Wowd team decided to take a look at the most common resolutions and find applications that will help us all achieve our goals – once and for all!

1.     Shedding those extra pounds

The most common New Year’s resolution seems to be to lose weight. The good news is there are many applications that can help you track your weight loss progress and count calories all in the effort to help you stick to your goal and keep you honest.

 Lose it from Fit Now is a free application, available for both the iPad and iPhone, that helps you organize your weight loss. Users can plan their diet and exercise routine to the infinite detail. You also can share the information with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

2.     Getting organized

If you haven’t been blessed with the organization gene and have trouble keeping track of receipts, business cards and other things, you’re not alone and these apps aim to help you take control.

 The very popular Evernote, available for almost all smartphones , lets you scan your notes, receipts and business cards, and uploads them to Evernote’s website. Time to recycle all that paper you have floating around!

 And of course, if you want to organize your social life on Facebook and keep better track of your favorite friends, topics and more, we think Wowd is a pretty great desktop app, which by the way also now has a Web version.

 3.     Getting in shape

If you want to get back in shape, perhaps to run a marathon or to simply live a healthier lifestyle, there are tons of apps that can help get you there.

The RunKeeper Pro app is a must have for runners. The app allows runners to track their activity, interval workouts and target paces, and maps the route you take on your runs. Additionally it has iPod access and Facebook, Twitter and email integration. The app is $10, but is free through January.

As many of you probably already know, Nike and Apple have partnered to offer the Nike+ app, which when combined with the shoe sensor, allows you to track your runs. As you run, the app tells you your progress, including distance, pace and calories burned. You can even program a specific “power song” to motivate you while you run!

4.     Managing your money

If you need help keeping track of your finances, or want to reach a financial goal or two, there are of course, a few apps for that too.

Mint.com’s free app is a personal finance tool that helps you track, budget and manage your money. You can access your finances both online and though the mobile app (both on iPhone and Android devices). It also helps you set, track and reach financial goals, such as saving for retirement, paying off debt, saving for a trip, etc.

Another helpful app is Expenditure. This one lets you track your expenses and set up recurring payments. It also provides you with the ability to track your income.

What are your New Year’s resolutions? What apps do you think you’ll use to help achieve them?

Happy New Year from all of us at Wowd!