Here's what you may have missed in the world of social media and tech this week:

• Apple to Release Racially Diverse Emoji - According to multiple reports, Apple will roll out the new emoji with its next version of iOS and OS X, introducing new emoji characters that are much more racially diverse than the current selection.
• Detroit To Get Fiber-Optic Internet - High speed fiber optic internet is coming to downtown Detroit thanks to Dan Gilbert’s Rock Ventures. The investment group recently confirmed that construction is underway on a fiber-optic network starting in the downtown area. The network, dubbed Rocket Fiber, will serve residents and businesses and will offer internet connection 100 times faster than current services. Detroit will be the second major city in Michigan to get access to the super fast Internet.
• Apple Expands Editorial Focus With Music Hires - Apple is sharpening its focus on editorial content by looking to hire people with a background in music and pop culture commentary. It’s currently advertising for an editorial producer role, based in London, and the job ad specifies it’s looking for an individual with “a specific expertise in music journalism” who is a “seasoned writer with broad pop culture background.” Apple finding its editorial voice looks like another instance of a technology platform seeking to morph into a media destination in its own right. See also: Netflix and Amazon producing original programming; Snapchat hiring journalists and dishing up ephemeral entertainment; and mobile messaging platforms, like Line, getting into kawaii cartoon franchises. Tech platforms flush with users are the new mass media, and the digital medium fast becoming the message.
• Meet The New Pebble Watch - Don’t call Pebble’s new smartwatch platform a reboot. That implies scrapping the old and ushering in the new. Consider the new software and its new companion product, dubbed Pebble Time, a progression of the Pebbles that came before. The new Pebble Time isn't available yet. In fact, Pebble will once again take orders via Kickstarter, with the first hardware shipping in May.

Here's what you may have missed this week:

• Microsoft Officially Launches Azure Machine Learning Platform - You know all that big data that’s streaming into your company from sensors, customers, social media, Excel spreadsheets, and data sources all over the internet? Microsoft wants to help you process all of it, build APIs and make use of that data in the cloud with machine learning technology. And to that end, Microsoft officially announced at the Strata Conference, the general availability of the Azure Machine Learning service for big data processing in the cloud. It also announced some enhancements to the platform since its Beta release in June.
• Breathometer Now Calls Ubers To Drive The Drunks Home - Breathometer, a blood alcohol level breath analysis startup, and Uber are teaming up to get the drunks home safely. Anyone who registers at the halfway point of the legal limit in California (.04 blood alcohol concentration level) or higher on a Breathometer Breeze device will now be directed to order a cab, Uber or a designated driver to ensure they don’t get behind the wheel when tipsy.
• Facebook Met Users’ Expectations More Than Other Social Networks - Facebook was the social network that best met customers’ expectations in the new Brand Keys 2015 Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, while Facebook-owned WhatsApp topped the list of messaging applications. Leaders in other categories included Pandora for online music, Netflix for online video streaming and Google for search.
• Facebook Indicating When Friends Have Used Same Hashtag? - Facebook appears to be testing a feature that alerts users who include hashtags when their friends have used the same hashtags.

I'm excited to announce the launch of my new website for my freelance business at www.katelyndavis.com.

If you hadn't visited the old site, trust me when I say this is a HUGE improvement. It had been neglected for many years because the content management system I was using was out of date and too fussy. But now, it's back and looking as beautiful as ever with a new design and new branding!


The site includes a little bit about me, my resume and portfolio, as well as an RSS feed to katelynshelby.me and a simple way for perspective clients to contact me.

Please take a second to visit www.katelyndavis.com and let me know what you think!

Here's what you may have missed this week in the world of social media, tech, and other fun stuff:

• Facebook Adds Craigslist-like Features for Buying and Selling - As an alternative to services like Craigslist or eBay, Facebook users sometimes turn to Facebook Groups to make purchases. Previously, however, this was mostly done informally.
• Amazon Will Let Bloggers and Brands Host Their Own Giveaways - Amazon is pushing the idea of using its platform as a sales and promotion channel with a new self-service tool called Amazon Giveaway that lets individuals and brands host their own giveaway promotions.
• Apple's New Ad was Filmed Entirely on an iPad - Apple released a new iPad ad during the Grammys on Sunday, showing how the tablet can be used to create music. The 60-second spot features recording artists Elliphant, Riton and The Gaslamp Killer, showing various stages of the creative process. In the ad, we see the iPad being used to write and read lyrics, create beats, record and mix tracks — and, finally, perform live. It was filmed entirely on an iPad and based on current rates for ads during the Grammys, Apple paid more than $2 million for the spot.
• You Can Now Decide Who Will Run Your Facebook After You Die - When a Facebook user dies, their page often becomes a memorial, frozen in time. Now, members can designate someone to manage their account posthumously, Facebook said this week.

Last night I attend Ignite Automotive, an evening of automotive themed presentations with a very serious purpose.

There is a widely held belief that the automotive industry is headed toward a human capital crisis. As senior workers exit into retirement, the younger generation of skilled and unskilled workers is showing little interest in pursuing careers in manufacturing--or the auto industry period. Ignite Automotive intends to inspire the next generation.

The evening was filled with engaging speakers from OEMs, automotive suppliers, technology companies, and art schools all pushing the message about how important automotive is to Detroit and how important the people of Detroit are to automotive, no matter what your background.

No one hit this message better than Ignite Auto keynote speaker, Ralph Gilles, Senior Vice President Product Design of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) North America.

This industry is like a chose your own adventure. Each choice taking you down your own path. #IgniteAuto
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) February 10, 2015

The auto industry is truly for everyone. You decide what it is you want to spend your life doing and there is a good chance there is place for you in automotive. You chose your own adventure.

Obviously automotive needs engineers, basically anyone part of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field, but this industry needs so much other talent.

This is much more than engineering. This industry needs skill sets that didn't exist before. @RalphGilles #IgniteAuto pic.twitter.com/4pAKt8EgJz
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) February 10, 2015

Here are a few unique examples of what is needed:

• Automotive would not be the global industry it is today without its dedicated supply chain making sure all the products are arriving properly and on time.
• Everyone needs legal counsel and lawyers, right?
• Fashion designers, look no further than automotive! We need to to design beautiful and functional interiors.
• Did you know the auto industry built the advertising industry? Automotive continues to need top notch advertising and marketing professionals to create that consumer buzz and demand to get these cars off the lots and into the garages of people around the world.
• Along with being one of the largest industries in the world comes a lot of money. We need accountants to keep it all straight.
• And to accurately meet the demands of the future, we need futurists to help us keep one step ahead.

We nerd out the details. -@RalphGilles, @Chrysler on automotive design. #IgniteAuto
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) February 10, 2015

Overall, we need the nerds. Not nerds in the stereotypical sense, but people who are so deeply passionate about what they do. We are a very passionate bunch of people.

But what it's all about is being able to see something born that is part of the world's largest global tech industry.

What motivates @RalphGilles? Seeing something take shape. Giving birth to a car. #IgniteAuto
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) February 10, 2015

And lastly, it's important to enjoy your time in automotive. It's a fun and innovative place to be.

This is the time to enjoy the ride in automotive. It's fun and it's innovative. #IgniteAuto
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) February 10, 2015

And it's important to note that the automotive industry isn't a scary place to have your career. It is alive and well! But like with any rapidly changing and evolving industry, there will always be obstacles ahead and we need creative and innovative people to help us move forward.

The automotive industry is alive and well but there are some tough things ahead. We need you. -@RalphGilles, @Chrysler #IgniteAuto
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) February 10, 2015

I know I push the automotive industry a lot (what can I say, I'm passionate) but in reality, just make sure you're doing what you love!

Drive your career. Enjoy your own ride. -Elaina Farnsworth, @mobilecomply #IgniteAuto
— Katelyn Davis (@katelynshelby) February 10, 2015

How long should my tweet be? Or my blog post? Or my headline? What about my podcast? Or video?

This is probably one of the most common questions among content producers who are just trying to find that sweet spot among their audiences.

Along with all the best tips on optimal lengths for tweets, blogposts, and headlines, Buffer added a few additional lengths to the list including SlideShare length, Pinterest length, and more.

This guide should be very helpful in helping you to decide on what is too long or what might not be long enough the next time you're producing online content!

Do you ever dream of owning the season's most popular tech item but find yourself with empty pockets? Or do you ever wish you could try out a new piece of technology before making the financial commitment? Or maybe you just want to borrow the flashy new piece of tech to show it off?

Well now there is Lumoid, your own personal technology genie, to make this all possible!

Lumoid is a "try before you buy" online based service which allows users to rent various techs to try, borrow, or eventually buy.


Now Lumoid isn't a new company, as they have specialized in photography and videography gear for quite some time, but they recently unveiled their new wearables program.

Through their program Lumoid will send you—for an entire week—any five wearable devices that you've always wanted to try out. If you find the perfect thing that works for you, great! You can buy it through Lumoid. If you don't find that match made in heaven? You can send them all back, paying only the $20 rental fee for all five devices.

Through Lumoid you can rent all the popular wearable fitness and sleep trackers as well as connectedness wearables including Fitbit, Nike+, Jawbone UP, Gear Fit, LifeTrak and more!
There is even a rumor that Lumoid will offer Apple Watch rentals! Starting soon Lumoid will roll out a waiting list on its website for consumers looking to take the device for a spin when it begins shipping in April. So if you're curious about the wearable industry's next big thing, keep an eye out!

You can also rent drones through Lumoid, which has me very intrigued. Too bad I can't think of a good reason to use one... but does one really need a reason to take a drone for a spin?
What would you like to rent from Lumoid and how would you use it?