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Passport’s Picks of the Week

From parklets to Starbuck’s newest virtual barista, get the latest technology trends of the week from the Passport team:

mobile-technology-trends

What Apple, Google, and Tesla Get Wrong

Don’t be fooled by all the buzz surrounding these three brands – they’re not perfect and have their fare share of work to do. Apple is getting complacent, Google has a penchant for abandoning projects in Beta mode, and Tesla’s autopilot needs way more tinkering before it’s considered safe. In the meantime keep your eye on Microsoft; they may surprise you!

– Sara Wasserboehr, Graphic Designer

 

mobile-technology-trends

 

Dear City, Let’s Get Serious About Parklets

What exactly is a parklet, you ask? During the summer, the City of Charlotte debuted “parklets” in a neighborhood, which is basically an “extension of the sidewalk over an on-street parking space that serves as a small public park”. For the City of Charlotte, parklets will serve as a way to further promote the meaning of public space, while increasing seats for residents and visitors, alike.

– Chris Watt, Client Success Manager

 

mobile-technology-trends

Starbucks Unveils A Virtual Assistant

We all know and love Starbucks, but when we think they can’t think of another drink to add to their menu (hi, Starbucks IPA) — they add a virtual assistant to their brand. Yes, you heard that right — a virtual assistant. Starbuck’s mobile app now allows users to order through a voice app. The newest feature, My Starbucks barista gives customers the ability to “modify their order as they would in person”.

– Kimberly Kufel, Content Marketing Specialist

 

mobile-technology-trends

Perfecting Public Transportation: 10 U.S. Cities With Progressive Plans

Of all the big transit moves being made throughout the United States, I believe the MBTA’s new performance dashboard is one of the biggest steps forward. Rather than becoming defensive, MBTA has opened up their financials, ridership, and reliability numbers for everyone to see. This will go a long way towards informing the average citizen what it truly takes to run a major transit system.

– Tom Wiese, Sales Associate