Things you may have missed this week while celebrating my birthday:

• Twitter Launches Group Direct Messages - Twitter has finally added group direct messages (DMs) to its service. If you use the service as a way to privately communicate with friends, family and random celebrities, you will soon be able to communicate with more than one person (or brand) at a time.
• Snapchat Breaks into Media with Discover - Snapchat's highly anticipated media play is here, and it's called Discover. The messaging app rolled out the new feature Tuesday, which will allow media companies to publish content to the app for users to consume. In addition to having outside companies put content on the app, Snapchat is also introducing its own publishing arm.
• Facebook Quietly Rolled Out a Bare-Bones App in Emerging Markets - While 1.6 billion people around the world take the latest and greatest smartphones for granted, many in emerging markets remain tethered to older devices. That's likely why Facebook quietly rolled out Facebook Lite, a lightweight Android version of the full app, to eight countries last week. It isn't nearly as sleek, but it's not intended to be; on Google Play, Facebook plugs the app as being "efficient with data" and "designed for 3G networks and areas with limited network connectivity."
• Twitter Will Let You Shoot 30-Second Videos From The App - Users will be able to access their phone's camera by pushing a button, record clips up to 30 seconds long, edit them, and upload them. Those who have an iPhone will also be able to upload and edit videos from camera roll. Twitter says that feature will be coming to Android devices soon.
• iOS 8.1.3 Shrinks Free Space Needed For iPhone Updates - The latest release of its iOS mobile software, version 8.1.3 shrinks that storage requirement, which can vary depending on the specific iPhone or iPad model. Previous versions of iOS 8 forced many users—particularly those with 8GB or 16GB devices—to either delete apps, media or other data to make room, or connect their cables to perform a “tethered” iTunes sync. 
• Twitter Acquired More Social Media Companies in the Last 4 Years Than Anyone Else - There were over 53 social media acquisitions in 2014, the most active year yet. This is the 4th year we have done this breakdown so we wanted to take a look back and see what companies have been the most active in acquiring over that time period. Twitter and Facebook lead the way. Twitter making smaller (tweet sized?) acquisitions and Facebook larger ones. The rest of the chart has some interesting trends as well, from Yahoo to Hootsuite and back. 
• Uber Is Running In New Delhi Under A “No-Profit” Model - A few days after Uber restarted its business and said that it would be applying for a taxi license so that it could operate legitimately in the city, the company has spelled out some of the details behind what it is doing to stay on the road. Perhaps the important of these is that Uber says it will operate as “a not-for-profit platform that takes no commissions or fees for its marketplace services,” pending approval of a license.
• Connected-Car Test Track to Open at University of Michigan - The University of Michigan is opening the country’s first closed test track for connected cars, dubbed “M City,” to test vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications in safe, realistic scenarios. 
• Ford, Nest, the Internet of Things: Can mobility merge with smart energy? - The potential to reduce carbon emissions is massive for each technology: Big Data analytics could be employed to disincentivize driving at peak times; ridesharing could be leveraged to decrease solo driver trips; new "last-mile" solutions could be implemented to bridge the enduring gaps between cars and public transit. Still, huge obstacles remain to realize any of that potential at scale. Data privacy and security, evolving regulatory frameworks and safety when employing technology on the road are all moving targets. The common denominator to help connect the dots between all of these disparate developments: Data.
• The Case That Turns Your Phone Into A Polaroid Camera Is Now On Kickstarter - The Prynt case, which lets you print photos directly from your phone, is now available for pre-order on Kickstarter. While the startup still plans for its case to retail for $99, early backers can get it for $49.

I love TED talks. No matter the subject, a good talk will leave you feeling inspired. Inspired to do what? Who knows. After watching a good talk you may feel the sudden urge to drop out of school, quit your job, go on a dive to the deep sea, or even give up on real-life altogether to be a video game addict. A passionate, convincing TED speaker can give you the feels about things you never knew you cared about, even if for just a second.

I love this TEDxNewYork talk from Will Stephen that uncovers the "science" behind these convincing talks and how to sound smart should you be invited to be a TEDx speaker.

Today I'm celebrating my 27th birthday! I spent the last few days celebrating in Florida for a long weekend, swimming with the manatees, but now I'm back at work and to the real world where I'm thinking over my goals for my 28th year on this planet.

**UPDATE from 28th Birthday** Progress indicated in green.

1. Be more spontaneous. I'm the person who likes to make an hour-by-hour itinerary for trips. Although it's great to be prepared, I'm starting to learn that good things happen when you go with the flow! [I still overly plan trips, but I've learned to live by the seat of my pants (a little bit)]
2. Read more. [According to Good Reads, I read 8 books which is probably 4 more than last year.]
3. Take better care of my body. I have been lucky enough to have a fast metabolism my entire life (so far). I'm lucky enough to eat whatever I want, whenever I want and never go to the gym (even though I renew my membership every year). But my whole life people have been telling me, "Don't worry, it will catch up with you" and I don't know if/when that will be so I guess I should start being a little more proactive. [I failed.]
4. Expand my businesses. More jewelry and more freelance. Business is going well!
5. Learn to drive a manual transmission. [Thanks to the incredible patience of my cousin, Tyler, and my dad I've learned to drive a stick. I still need more practice but that's what the Mustang is for!]
6. Go camping. In a tent. [Sorta... long story]
7. Unplug. I need to get better at unplugging at night. Put down the phone, turn off the TV, and just relax. [Some days are good, some days are bad.]
8. Be more handy around the house. We have so many power tools that I've already learned to use but I'm not very confident in my skills. I'd like to build something. Or learn how to do all those things I still call my dad to help with. [Overall I'm not as far along with this one as I had hoped. Although I did stain our front door instead of hiring someone and it looks amazing!]
9. Learn to cook. [I failed. But then again can you really fail if you truly have no interest?]
10. Try a hobby with Juneau. I'd really like to get Juneau involved with urban mushing or into a therapy dog training course. [Neither. However Juneau did start a new round of intermediate training which is a step towards therapy dog training. She graduates next week.]
11. Keep up with laundry. [This is terribly hard but I'm trying to make it work.]
12. Stop killing all my house plants. [I have an 60% success rate.]
13. Try new things. New foods, new activities, new ways of life. [meh.]
14. Go on more trips. Even if they are just weekend or day trips. We need to get out of the house more. [Summer 2015 was our summer of trips! We kayaked two great lakes, spent some time in the Canadian wilderness, explored Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and hiked Hocking Hills.
15. Cut the grass. Just once. Just so I can't say, "I've never used a lawnmower" ever again. I don't necessarily have to cut the whole lawn, just a part of it... just enough to count. [Again, does it really count as failing if you really had no interest in ever doing it?]
16. Have a kick ass greenhouse in my backyard. And not kill all the plants. [Greenhouse? Done! Keep the plants alive? Kinda, sorta.]
17. Spend some time in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. [We spent some time this summer in the UP and it was amazing. We hiked the Hiawatha National Forest and kayaked Pictured Rocks.]
18. Worry less. [I try.]
19. Volunteer more. There are so many people and causes out there that could use more volunteers. [Second year Girl Scout leader going strong!]
20. Wake up earlier. [I try.]
21. Learn about more options for investing money. [There's always more to learn here.]
22. Be more active. More trips to the gym or yoga studio. More long walks or hikes with Juneau. More bike rides. Do anything that keeps the dent I put in the couch cushion this winter from getting any worse. [I really need to get to the gym more.]
23. Eat breakfast. I know, I know. It's the most important meal of the day but I've never really cared for eating when I first wake up. [This has been going okay. Free bagels at work really helps though.]
24. Push myself harder in my career but find better balance. [Always actively pushing.]
25. Geocache more. Geocaching is a great way to get out and get active. It's a great activity for us to do to get with Juneau too and explore new places. [I tried Letterboxing with my Girl Scout troop which is very similar.]
26. Learn something new. Anything. Last year I learned how to make jewelry and run a business doing so. [I tried woodburning, candle making, and canning.]
27. Be happy. This isn't something I generally have an issue with but it's nice to remind yourself to leave the past in the past, keep moving forward, and you are in control of your own happiness. [Every day.]

Here's what you may have missed this week:

• 73,000 Webcams Are Open to Peeping Toms -- Is Yours? - According to NetworkWorld: There are 40,746 pages of unsecured cameras just in the first 10 country listings: 11,046 in the U.S.; 6,536 in South Korea; 4,770 in China; 3,359 in Mexico; 3,285 in France; 2,870 in Italy; 2,422 in the U.K.; 2,268 in the Netherlands; 2,220 in Colombia; and 1,970 in India. Like the site said, you can see into 'bedrooms of all countries of the world'. There are 256 countries listed plus one directory not sorted into country categories.
• You Can Now Send Money via Twitter in India - A leading bank in India has set up a facility to allow users to transfer money on Twitter. ICICI Bank is one of the four largest banks in India and the second biggest overall in terms of assets. This week they have launched #icicibankpay, a new service that allows customers to send money via Twitter.
• Apple Buys Music Analytics Startup Semetric to Bolster Beats - Apple has acquired London-based music analytics company Semetric, according to a report citing legal documents filed with the Companies House in the UK in January. The purchase appears to be designed to bolster Apple's Beats streaming music service, which the company reportedly plans to relaunch this year.
• Twitter Confirms ZipDial Acquisition - Twitter has acquired ZipDial, the India-based startup that figured out how to convert the cultural “missed call” phenomenon into a lucrative business. ZipDial built a mobile platform that lets users call a toll-free number where they intentionally hang up, triggering a missed call in exchange for goods and services.
• Google to Sell Wireless Service in Deals With Sprint, T-Mobile - Google Inc. is preparing to sell wireless service directly to consumers after striking deals with Sprint Corp. and T-Mobile US Inc., a move likely to prod the wireless industry to cut prices and improve speeds, according to people familiar with the matter.

As I sit here on the showroom floor from Press Preview of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS)—surrounded by shiny new cars, world renowned members of the press, and auto execs and industry professionals from around the world—I am in absolute awe that all of this is taking place in Detroit.

Detroit is often the butt of jokes in the media and we're always a bit of an underdog but there is one thing Detroit does well and that's automotive. This is where it all started. We are the Motor City and building cars is in our DNA. So of course it makes sense for NAIAS to call Detroit home for over a century.

Preview Week at NAIAS is a magical place to be. It starts off with two jam packed days of press conferences with over 50 vehicle debuts. In attendance are more than 5,000 journalists from all over the world as well as all the movers and shakers of the automotive industry.

From dawn until well after dusk, Detroit is over taken by NAIAS. When the press conferences end for the day and the showroom floor closes and preview week attendees move to other venues for afterparty after afterparty. The lights are bright, the music is loud, and the cars are the guests of honor. The momentum never slows. The Motor City never sleeps.

With all of this excitement I am also surprised to find myself, not only a minority as a female but also, a minority representing a younger generation in the automotive industry. This is because there is a serious talent pipeline issue going on around here and I don't understand why.

We Have the Tools
Michigan is home to 16 universities and colleges with nationally ranked undergraduate engineering programs, four of which also have nationally ranked graduate programs. We're educating them. So what's the problem?

The younger generations want to be a part of the tech industry. And sadly, they don't see automotive as a high tech industry and, even worse, they don't see Michigan as a viable place to live and have a career. Both are bad news for Michigan's number one industry.

Auto: World's Largest Tech Industry
The automotive industry is the world's largest global industry. If you look at cultures around the world, not all of them have the latest iPhone or Surface Pro to Google from, but in every country you will see automobiles. And these vehicles are on the forefront of technology. In fact, today's cars have more computing power than the system that guided the Apollo astronauts to the moon. In addition, the typical new-model vehicle comes with 100 million lines of code and includes more code than Microsoft operating systems. And all of this originates in Michigan.

We are the Center of the Automotive World
Michigan remains the epicenter for auto-related research and development where key industry players from around the world have facilities to remain at the forefront of innovation.

Michigan is home to 375 automotive Research and Development (R&D) centers, 120 of which are foreign-owned proving that Michigan is known as the home of automotive around the globe. Fifteen U.S. and foreign-owned automakers have R&D facilities in Michigan accounting for $8.9 billion or 76 percent of $12 billion in U.S. R&D business—leading the nation in automotive related R&D.

In fact, we have a long standing history of leading the way. Between 1964 and 2012, Michigan accounted for more than 27 percent of the automotive patents issued nationwide, averaging one automotive patent earned in Michigan per day for 49 years straight. This outpaces every state in the nation by more than 300 percent.

During the NAIAS, the Detroit Regional Chamber and MICHauto will be sharing the #MichiganIsAuto hashtag, creating a buzz around all that is happening at the show and promoting Michigan automotive industry as a whole. They are asking for everyone to step up and be a #MichiganIsAuto ambassador throughout the month of January.

Whether it’s the state’s manufacturing know-how, automotive infrastructure, or the engineering talent to drive future innovations, use the #MichiganIsAuto hashtag to showcase the reasons why Michigan is the epicenter of the industry to the world.

Check out our 5th grade @MICHauto " http://t.co/EJIDQc6PHR #MichiganisAuto
— jodie randazzo (@jodierandazzo) January 16, 2015

.@DustinPWalsh: #MichiganIsAuto to me for more reasons than what fits into a social media post. http://t.co/0vvl8e0U08 via @CrainsDetroit
— MICHauto (@MICHauto) January 9, 2015

#MichiganIsAuto @wsuprssa @NAIASDetroit @MICHauto pic.twitter.com/W3dguyIy44
— kristin shaw (@k5haw) January 15, 2015

One of the top three design schools in the USA calls Detroit home: @CCS_Detroit. #NAIAS #MichiganIsAuto pic.twitter.com/249SdrqYpt
— Charlie Wollborg (@CharlieCurve) January 14, 2015

A throng of journalists from around the world pack into each display at #NAIAS to glimpse the future. #MichiganIsAuto pic.twitter.com/rM4gP2725P
— Charlie Wollborg (@CharlieCurve) January 12, 2015

Grab the wheel (or not). Michigan leads in connected vehicle projects & autonomous driving: http://t.co/BzZjUMqe7t #MichiganIsAuto #NAIAS
— Charlie Wollborg (@CharlieCurve) January 12, 2015

#MichiganIsAuto: 10 Reasons Why The Automotive Industry is Critical to Michigan http://t.co/yD2hOdGh0K via @MLive
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) January 20, 2015

Such a wonderful way to praise the Michigan auto industry. Great project idea, @MICHauto! #NAIAS #MichiganIsAuto pic.twitter.com/XVpOsD5zhl
— Diana Nowak (@Diana_Nowak) January 17, 2015

#MichiganIsAuto: @Google's Driverless Cars Being Built in Livonia http://t.co/tVUaPcj6tf Hopes to go to market in 5 years.
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) January 16, 2015

Michigan has more industrial engineers (31,330) and mechanical engineers (23,760) than any other state. #leaders #MichiganIsAuto @MICHauto
— Alex King (@AKMuskie) January 16, 2015

Michigan is the leader for auto manufacturing in the US, with over 13,000 new manufacturing jobs since 2010. #MichiganIsAuto @MICHauto
— Alex King (@AKMuskie) January 16, 2015

#MichiganIsAuto: MI's vehicle production in 2013 was 2.47M, exceeded prerecession level of 2.3M, outpreforming any other state by over 1M.
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) January 16, 2015

#MichiganIsAuto: @Android to expand in #Detroit, add 131 jobs, as part of @GM vehicle contracts http://t.co/RrW5YqavNB
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) January 15, 2015

"Welcome to Michigan, where the automotive industry isn't simply a business, it's our way of life." - @onetoughnerd #MichiganIsAuto
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) January 15, 2015

The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Held annually in Las Vegas, it has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for more than 40 years and is the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.
Sony is Trying to Make the Walkman Cool Again by Mashable
GM Gives a Peek of Next-Generation Chevy Volt at CES by WSJ

I am so proud of where I am in my life. I'm 26 and I have a well-established career, own my own business, own a house, and I'm doing as much community service work as I can to help mentor those younger than me.

I feel like I have already accomplished so much in the first half of my 20s that if I'm not careful, I might become complacent and plateau. So in an effort to work towards continually progress, professionally and personally, here are my 10 resolutions for 2015:

1. Read one book a month (minimum)
2. Stress less
3. Drink more water
4. Push my freelance business more
5. Spend more time outside
6. Cook more
7. Create more
8. Unclutter, physically and emotionally
9. Get back to yoga
10. Be bold, be brave, be humble

What's Changing in Social Media Marketing in 2015 by Social Media Today