Raw Water, Airlines Testing Live Translation and 7 CES 2018 Trends To Watch

Why "Raw" Untreated Ground Water Is The Hot New Health Beverage

This piece about the "off-grid" water movement from the NY Times takes a deep look at why "raw water" has become the must-have new health beverage of choice for cultural influencers and the next well funded fad for bubble-chasing Silicon Valley investors. It is a fascinating story that has it's fair share of conspiracy theorists, junk science, fear-based marketing and justified skepticism of government provided water. If you made any health-related new year's resolutions - it might be time to add one: deciding what type of water you and your family will drink in 2018.

Video Game Addiction Is Officially A Mental Health Disorder

The fact that "Gaming Disorder" made the list for the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases means it is now on the radar of doctors around the world. Considering the continued popularity of platforms like Twitch which allows people to binge-watch others gaming, the potential afflicted population could be much higher than just hardcore gamers. The real question is whether this mental illness, unlike others, can be cured? And if so, who will develop the program to help those affected?

European Retailer Yoox Uses Expiring Promo Offers Online To Create Urgency

At least one digital expert thinks that the so-called "Countdown Ads" could be the hottest new format in digital advertising. The ads are 15 second pieces of creative that promote a single limited edition product and entice a consumer to click immediately or lose their chance at that particular deal forever. The format perfectly taps into that latent sense of FOMO online shoppers have and are a great reminder that sometimes the combination of scarcity and perfect timing are really all you need to convert browsers to buyers.

Free Vending Machines For The Homeless Are Coming In 2018

A charity in the UK is testing a concept for a vending machine with necessities like water, toothbrushes or socks for people with nowhere else to go. The concept is that those in need can register themselves for a special card which can be used at the vending machines to receive a maximum of three items a day. The solution is elegant, and even thinks through how to use a product limit to ensure the homeless don't become dependent on these supplies.

7 Trends To Watch from the Upcoming 2018 Consumer Electronics Show

Next week the largest trade show in the world will take over Vegas and I'll be speaking and reporting from there for the fifth year in a row. To offer a sneak preview of the show and spotlight some interesting examples that connect with the new 2018 trends we released last month, I just published my official preview of the show.

Read the full CES preview here >>