this week in social, pr & tech

Social Media, PR and Tech are constantly changing which means everyday there is something new to report. I'm here to try to make it easy for you.

Here's the skinny from this week, Snapchat is trying to get in on the wearable tech game with their new Spectacles. Google celebrated their 18th birthday, kinda. Google Maps finally went handsfree. AOL's Alto wants to organize your inbox a lot like Gmail already does. Wondering who's going to buy Twitter? So am I. Spotify makes a bid for Soundcloud, which could be the best thing ever. Facebook/Instagram stay as salty as ever with Insta Stories still relevant, while simultaneously testing 'My Day' through FB Messenger app, and also developing a Slack wannabe. Meanwhile Slack integrates with Salesforce. Salesforce is causing a ruckus about the Microsoft Linkedin merger, where Microsoft says, 'game on.' Note7 replacements are just as crappy which makes Apple very happy. Speaking of Apple, one iPhone 7 arrived smoldering to a very disappointed customer (but it probably had some help... looking at you Samsung). Meanwhile, some ex-Apple engineers are making the coolest car accessories ever. And lastly your car may start noticing your patterns and try to sell you stuff, so something to look forward to.

In case that wasn't enough or you feel like you missed something, here is everything that happened this week:

Social Media:

1. Facebook can't run away the realities of video advertising anymore

2. Snapchat is just 'Snap' now

3. Just like 'Pokemon Go,' the game's $35 Plus wearable needs some work

4. Snapchat's glasses 'Spectacles' will go on sale this fall

5. Snapchat's 'Spectacles' Put Company's Vision of Itself in Sharper Focus

6. Google, Disney, or Salesforce? Twitter could take many forms depending on new owner

7. Disney Considers Offer for Twitter

8. How Youtube Reinvented Itself for the Next Billion Users

9. Snapchat reveals its $130 Spectacles and rebrands as Snap Inc.

10. Youtube Just Got More Social With Its New 'Community' Tab

11. Tech giants dominate the app charts, and Snapchat is a rare exception

12. 4 Ways to Engage the World on Instagram

13. Who won 2016's first presidential debate—Facebook or Twitter?

14. Facebook's Slack rival is coming next month and will charger per employee

15. Slack integrates with Salesforce in a bid to win over suits

16. Waze offers marketers location-based ads, targeting

17. Twitter's new feature makes it dead simple to register to vote

18. Instagram trademark filing shows it's serious about crushing brand-abusive third parties

19. Anyone can make a Twitter moment

20. Facebook announces dates and a new venue for its huge F8 conference

21. Mark Zuckerberg reveals how Facebook literally stays cool

22. Snapchat Spectacles Are The Pinnacle of Millennial Hipster Facial Accessories

23. Meerkat's new app is surprisingly popular with teens

24. Anchor brings its 2-minute podcasting app to Android

25. Facebook is testing its own version of Snapchat in the Messenger app

26. Facebook tests 'Messenger Day' in another swipe at Snapchat Stories

Public Relations:

1. 3 Fashion Brands to Follow for Snapchat Inspiration
2. A Taste of Dunkin' Brands' 'Carrot and Cake' Snapchat Strategy
3. How 4 Brands Are Using Instagram Stories Today
4. Could ads be coming to national parks?
5. 10 Brands Who Have Snapchat Figured Out
6. The Value of Instagram Story Takeovers

Tech:

1. Uber follows Lyft into the gift-card game
2. Exchanged Samsung Note7 phones are overheating and draining power quickly
3. These former Apple engineers are building a whole bunch of cool car tech—here's their first product
4. There's no confusion: Today's Google's birthday
5. How Garmin Mapped Out A New Direction With Fitness Wearables
6. An infusion of AI makes google translate more powerful than ever
7. The end of an era: Blackberry will no longer make its own phones
8. Report: Playlist Listening Overtakes Albums on Streaming Sites
9. Report: Spotify in 'advanced' talks to buy SoundCloud

10. Skype update uses Siri to complete calls without opening the app

11. How To Improve Apple Watch Battery Life Running watchOS 3

12. Danny Meyer Just Single-Handedly Made the Apple Watch Relevant to the Hospitality Industry

13. Google's Search app for iOS now has an Incognito mode

14. Apple's Messages app isn't as private as you think

15. Apple is building a huge new London HQ at Battersea Power Station

16. Fuze Case is bringing the headphone jack back to the iPhone 7

17. Apple's App Store is about to be filled with ads

18. Google Maps gets hands-free navigation at last

19. Next time you get an emergency phone alert, it won't be so vague

20. Your car is watching you—And wants to sell you stuff

21. The real reason Salesforce is complaining to regulators about the Microsoft-Linkedin deal

22. Google, Facebook and Microsoft team up to clear the air about AI

23. Google Analytics Announces New Tools and Metrics

24. AOL's 'Alto' aims to tame your unruly inbox, but completely misses the mark

25. The iPal will look after your children for you

26. Microsoft to Salesforce: Game on

27. ServiceWhale offers an app-based solution to home improvement

28. In-flight WiFi is about to suck less... in 2018

29. Shazam Has Now Been Downloaded One Billion Times

30. Google is jamming an app store into your Android Wear smartwatch

31. The Vinyl Resurgence Ends, While On-Demand Music Reigns Supreme

32. An iPhone hack can now be cashed in for $1.5 million

33. The Blink smartwatch takes the fight to Google and Pebble with a custom OS

34. Google has a new central blog called Keyword

35. No, this iPhone 7 probably didn't just explode on its own

36. CareKit is helping Apple gain a bigger presence in hospitals

37. iPhone 7 owners are reporting some really annoying Bluetooth issues

38. When will Apple unveil the new MacBook Pro?


Anything to add?

socially yours,

Chelsea

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