Passport’s Picks of the Week
What do you do when someone ‘steals’ your amazing idea?
Ideas are considered a valuable commodity, especially if you can monetize them. For this reason we tend to want to hold original thinking close to our chests, for fear that ever-elusive idea-thief. What you may not realize is 1) your idea is probably not as original as you think it is (thanks to the “multiple discovery theory”) and 2) it’s far better to share your idea with others in order to receive feedback that will help you actualize your thinking.
– Sara Wasserboehr, Graphic Designer
Uber wants to give its app a ‘Rogue One’ makeover
With Rogue One: A Star Wars Story premiering in theaters this week, Uber is teaming up with Disney to transform its app into a themed Star Wars experience. From December 12-18, Uber users can activate the special Rogue One: A Star Wars Story card to turn cars into Rebellion spaceships and see “never-before-seen curated video content”.
– Emily Wilson, Marketing Specialist
Coffee from a Chatbot: Starbucks Unveils Barista AI Technology Placing Mobile
Artificial intelligence and coffee – it’s a thing and it’s panning out thanks to Starbucks. The company unveiled voice activated AI that allows users to place their orders via voice command or messenger. Being able to speak to my mobile app and let it know I’m ready for my flat white is pretty great, especially on those mornings when I need all the caffeine I can get.
– Daniel Bliley, Director of Marketing
Apple’s Standalone Support App
Last week I was phoneless. In lieu of a phone, I made some necessary calls to the Apple support team to troubleshoot my iPhone issue. News flash, they didn’t fix it. I wasn’t too thrilled about handling the issue via a phone call, however, with the new Apple mobile support app – troubleshooting issues, scheduling appointments, and chatting with team members can ease your issues without actually having to spend all day on hold.
– Kimberly Kufel, Content Marketing Specialist
Data Breach at Quest Diagnostics
A data breach an internet application on Quest Diagnostics Inc.’s network by an unauthorized party has exposed personal health information of almost 34,000 people. The breach did not expose credit card or social security information, but did include data on names, dates of birth, telephone numbers, and lab results. Quest Is working with a cybersecurity firm and law enforcement to investigate. Breaches such as this show the importance of data security for any company.”
– Conor Buckley, Sales Associate