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Will Samsung Reclaim the Smartphone Throne with the S9?
It’s coming on March 16 – and after some early reviews, it appears Samsung’s latest offering – the Galaxy S9 – has its sights set on the Apple X. With a lot of serious bells and whistles including a leading-edge camera, intelligent scanning for locking and unlocking, AR avatars mapping the user’s face to create a 3D image, and a jack (lesson learned) for the headphones Samsung has given consumers just about every reason to com back into the fold. There’s also one more, it’s a premium device – but also substantially cheaper than Apple’s latest offering. And if you still can’t afford it – there’s monthly financing available. Will the S9 see Samsung return as the go-to provider for smartphones? How will Apple and others like Google react? Or, is the idea of a premium phone costing close to a thousand dollars a unit getting too expensive for limited marketplace? That’s where the experts from IDC Canada can help. Steve Yang analyzes the Canadian communications market, specifically focusing on mobility. He provides insights to Canadian wireless players around mobile phones and tablets. Simply click on Steve’s icon to arrange an interview to learn more. Source:
Misleading our children – is revisionist history harming the education of our nation’s students?
It’s astounding and almost as if it’s a scene from a movie – meddling, mid-level politicians trying to revise and alter curriculums to ensure children in classrooms are only getting certain points of few and perspectives when it comes to key moments in American history. It’s a level of petty-propaganda usually associated with paranoid regimes in far-away countries. But these days, it’s a homegrown problem. In Texas, the state Board of Education is being slammed for altering facts, twisting perspectives and intentionally omitting moments in history from it’s curriculum. According to USA Today, “The state is considering revisions to the 2010 standards, which a group of academics slammed in a report Thursday. Among their complaints: lessons downplaying slavery as the Civil War's cause, exaggerating the influence of Moses on U.S. democracy and applauding the National Rifle Association and Newt Gingrich's Contract with America. "The quibble over wording here could not be more misleading," said Emile Lester, a report co-author and political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia.” So how does this happen and how is it allowed in modern America? And how common is this throughput the country? Is it a matter of too much power in the hands of those with an agenda or a reflection on an education system in a sate of neglect by elected officials? There are a ton of questions that need to be asked. That’s where an expert from at the University of Mary Washington can help. Dr. Emile Lester, associate professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington, an expert in church and state issues is available to speak with media regarding this issue. Simply click on Emile’s icon to arrange an interview. Source:
Is there any room left in the crowded home assistant market?
The tech world is abuzz with rumours that Spotify is potentially wading into the ‘home assistant’ marketplace. It’s a billion dollar business and could be the future for consumers wanting ‘smarter’ houses – but it is already a crowded market. The rumours are based on speculation as job postings for a project manager and analyst for a new hardware project to be developed and released. For Spotify to enter this space – it makes sense. However, is Spotify just a little too late to the party? As well, when you are last on the field and your opponents are Amazon, Google and Apple – the task ahead is daunting if not dangerous for the hundreds of millions of dollars in development and marketing that will be required. Is this just speculation for attention or will Spotify jump in and try to stand out? It’s not easy to decipher or decide. But that’s where the experts from IDC Canada can help. Jean Philippe (JP) Bouchard is Vice-President, Mobility and Consumer Research and is an expert in the areas of modeling and market forecasting, mobile device and platforms, go to market strategies, strategic marketing and product management. Simply click on JP’s icon to arrange an interview. Source:
Oculus Go is coming – the market is about to evolve
Oculus Go is an all-in-one virtual reality (VR) headset that will offer 1,000s of games, 360-degree experiences without wires or even a PC to attach to. It’s coming – according to Facebook in early 2018 - but Canadian availability remains somewhat of a mystery. But the marketing has begun. There is a lot of hype when it comes to virtual reality – but will this technology be the gamechanger that shifts the market towards virtual reality experiences without wires and away from screenless viewers (headsets that require users to insert their smartphone)? Or will it take longer for VR to become mainstream, altering how we all consume games, media and virtually every experience that requires or incorporates technology? Is Oculus set to be the next Apple or Amazon? What will the future look like – and who will benefit most from VR? Which VR experiences are of most interest to Canadian consumers? These are early days, what will VR look like in a decade? As the market evolves, it seems VR's market potential has been diminished by the emergence of mobile AR as a rival platform. Even with the market pushing towards standalone headsets, premium VR might not accelerate until second-generation, standalone VR headsets break out starting over the next few years. There are a lot of questions about virtual reality and that’s where the experts from IDC Canada can help. Emily Taylor is a senior research analyst in the areas of consumer service and technology markets. She also can provide unique and intelligent insight into new landscape of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies for both consumers and businesses in Canada. Watch her video for more information on the VR/AR market in Canada, then simply click on her icon to arrange an interview. Source:
Seeing the light. What is photobiomodulation and how is it changing the way we treat the brain?
As prospects for pharmaceutical solutions to Alzheimer's decline with no solution in sight over the next five years - could this daunting challenge be a catalyst for acceleration of alternative therapies? Vielight, partnering with leading health research institutions in North America has now attracted worldwide attention for its unique light therapy (photobiomodulation) technology which is showing promise for a number neurological conditions. Photobiomodulation uses visible red and near infrared light energy stimulates cells to generate more energy and undergo self-repair. The concept is not new, but advanced technologies and applications have allowed this form of therapy to emerge as a new leader in treating brain trauma and afflictions and diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. The first large scale human clinical trial kicks off this year in Toronto - but patients and families have already seen astounding results. Health research institutions are making serious investments in light therapy research related to variety of neurological conditions and treatments such as Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's. Researchers at institutions such as Harvard, UCSF and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto are discovering profound neurological effects of Vielight technology to support treatment options for Alzheimer’s and Dementia, PTSD and Traumatic brain Injury. There are a lot of questions and there is still a lot to learn about this emerging technology as well as the advancements that are taking place as we learn more about the brain and how to treat it. That’s where the experts from Vielight can help. Simply click on the icons of one of the many experts from Vielight to arrange an interview or learn more about photobiomodulation and how light therapy is being used to treat patients around the world. Source:
School shootings traumatize more than those directly affected
David Schonfeld, Director, National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work: "Even students that have no direct connections with any of the communities where these shootings occurred may nonetheless be impacted by the media coverage. Just knowing that it could happen in another school in the country may make them feel vulnerable. The National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement has guidelines on how to talk to children about school shootings in the media at https://www.schoolcrisiscenter.org/resources/talking-kids-about-tragedies/." Marleen Wong, Stein/Goldberg Sachs Endowed Professor of Mental Health at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work: "There are now thousands of student and teacher survivors of school shootings across the country. Social workers should be aware that these survivors could have strong reactions, including serious distress, because the present shootings are reopening old wounds." Source:
The Dow Jones is booming! But who is really cashing in?
On Wall Street, it has already been a great start to the year for the Dow Jones. Just yesterday, the Dow Jones industrial average had a closing record of over 26,000. It seems like reason to celebrate, but who’s really winning at the end of the day? Is this a matter of brokers, firms and big banks reaping the benefits? Or are those more familiar with Main Street able to cash in and win as easily as those on Wall Street? Also, what does the upward trend mean for everyday investors? And is this trend one that should have people getting on board or exercising some serious caution? Reading the economic and financial tea leaves is never easy, but that’s where Missouri State University (MSU) experts can help. Dr. James Philpot is a CFP and an associate professor of finance and general business at MSU. He's an expert in this area and is available to speak to media. Click on his icon to connect with him. Source:
What will Donald Trump’s National Defense Strategy mean for Americans and its citizens?
The Department of Defense recently published an unclassified synopsis of the Trump administration’s first National Defense Strategy (NDS). The document, is missing the usual and sometimes expected Trump-like rhetoric of ‘America First’ and instead focuses on a balanced and cooperative approach among nations. At Augusta University, our experts have been examining the strategy, they have found that within the NDS the following stood out: • More money will be spent on military, private military contracting firms and cyber firms. This could benefit the local economy but does show that we’re worried. • Our military is growing more high-tech with artificial intelligence and robotics. The future of warfare could start to resemble something out of Hollywood. • For the last two decades, we were concerned with small-scale wars, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism. Now, we are preparing our military for a Great Power War. In other words, we are preparing for a WWII type engagement, versus Iraq or Afghanistan. • Trump’s policy is very assertive whereas Obama’s policy was more conciliatory and forgiving in nature. • We are clearly focused on reasserting ourselves as the superpower. But what will this mean for every-day Americans? Will it be a boost to our economy as we invest in our military or will it mean other programs suffer as a result? Are we on the verge of another cold war? There are a lot of questions to answer – and that’s where our experts can help. Dr. Craig Albert is an expert on American politics and political philosophy. He was recently appointed director of Augusta University’s new Masters of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies. Dr. Albert has experience with all forms of national and local news organizations and is available to speak to media regarding Donald Trump’s National Defense Strategy. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:
Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, studies consumer behavior, multicultural media, movies and entertainment. She is an expert on Hollywood and movies featuring actors of color. She said Tuesday's Oscar nominations reveal "positive strides" for recognition of minorities in the film industry, but she also noted missed opportunities for noteworthy films. “With today’s Oscar nominations, we see positive strides in the categories of Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Director regarding the nominations of persons of color. Even for not-so-well publicized categories like Best Screenplay, Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay and Best Cinematography, there are some wonderful artists of color and women that have been nominated. One that truly makes me happy is the nomination of ‘Coco’ for Best Animated Feature. It was an outstanding tribute to Mexican culture and was truly well done," Lindsey-Warren said. "However, I am saddened that Patty Jenkins, the director of ‘Wonder Woman’ did not get any acknowledgement from The Academy. She did an excellent job with ‘Wonder Woman,’ from both a cinematic perspective as well as from the worldwide box office revenues. I am also saddened that director Reginald Hudlin’s ‘Marshall’ is missing this awards season. The story of American hero Thurgood Marshall is one that should have been more celebrated.” Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., is a marketing scholar, business executive, artist and entrepreneur. As a consumer behavior scholar, her research is rooted in narrative transportation theory (i.e., storytelling) that exudes the emotion of empowerment and its impact on consumer attitudes, behaviors, purchase intention and message recall. She also studies health edutainment, multicultural media and advertising, as well as movies and entertainment. Lindsey-Warren is an expert in effective communications strategies for leaders, multicultural communications and marketing. For more information, or for an interview with Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, contact Baylor Media Communications. Source:
A whole lot of problems facing Whole Foods?
In August, Amazon went on a binge and acquired high-end grocer Whole Foods for 13.6 billion dollars. Many wondered what changes would come and how the high-tech and modernized Amazon approach to retail would impact the grocery chain. A few months late, a look inside some stores shows the results aren't good. Shelves that once showed off fresh fruit and vegetables at a premium price are bare. And customers aren't happy. A new food ordering system called Order-to-shelf, or OTS may be the leading culprit. OTS is a tightly controlled system designed to streamline and track product. It allows outlets to carry items that move almost literally from daily delivery trucks to store shelves. Its goal is to reduce storage costs, waste and provide a cheaper and more efficient system of managing products. But is this effort for an almost militaristic efficiency costing Whole Foods customers, demoralizing employees and hurting the store's brand? Is this a matter of a learning curve that will sort itself out? Or did Amazon make a mistake implementing OTS? And will these empty shelves leave a lasting and negative impression on customers? There are a lot of scenarios and questions - that's where the experts from can help. Ryan Hamilton is a is a consumer psychologist and an expert in marketing, branding and consumer decision making. Ryan is available to speak with media regarding Whole Foods and the OTS system. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:
