January 2009

January 2009

• Google currently has a patent pending on a technology that will rank the most influential people on social networking sites. Users will be given a rating based on how many people visit their profile, how many friends they have, how active they are, which groups they are a member of, etc. The most popular users in a community, dubbed "influencers" by Google, would then be singled out to have advertisements displayed on their profile. If adopted, the technology would give Google an edge over rival Microsoft in controlling advertising on social networking sites.
• University of Utah researchers have created a car ignition key that prevents the driver from talking on a cell phone or sending text messages while behind the wheel. Key2SafeDriving should hit the market within six months at a cost of less than $50 per key, plus a yet undetermined monthly service fee. The new device is a key fob that encases the car's ignition key. When the key is slid from the fob, it communicates by either Bluetooth or RFID that the user's cell phone is in "driving mode." In that mode, the phone can't send or receive calls or text messages (emergency 911 calls can still be placed). Once the ignition is turned off and the key is slid back into the fob, a "car stopped" signal is sent to the phone and it returns to its normal mode.

• Designer e-commerce site ELuxury.com, launched in June 2000 by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, will close the retail portion of its site over the next six months. ELuxury will transition into an online magazine focusing on luxury markets. A spokesperson says the reason for the closure of the retail operation is not based on the site's financial performance, but rather because many of the brands it sells have developed their own online retail presences. ELuxury.com was a pioneer in online luxury retailing, offering designer apparel and accessories from such brands as Christian Dior, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi and an exclusive Louis Vuitton boutique.
• Dots Gloves make it possible to keep gloves on while operating the touch screens and keypads of PDAs, cell phones, ATMs, etc., with dots of metal on the finger pads. Made of nickel and brass, the smooth "dots" won't scratch delicate screens and are therefore safe for iPhones. Dots Gloves are sold exclusively online.
• Betsey Johnson is collaborating with an as-yet-unnamed retailer for a limited-time only line that will launch in the fall. Speculation surrounding the line is focused on two possible retailers - H&M or Target.

• Combining a long-standing literary tradition with one of today's hottest gadgets, the Algonquin Hotel in New York is offering free loans of Amazon's Kindle, pre-loaded with a book of the guest's choice. The digital book service ties in with the hotel's literary roots, reminding guests that it used to be frequented by such noted writers as William Faulkner, Gertrude Stein and Dorothy Parker. Guests are free to use the devices anywhere within the hotel.
• A new Web site aims to help weary travelers find hidden airport hideaways where a rare moment of peace and tranquility can be found. Airport Havens lets users search from a list of airports across the United States to find recommendations on where to head for a break or to get some work done during a layover. Suggestions are derived from tips submitted by fellow road warriors, such as one from James of Brookfield, Wisconsin, for example, recommending "a hidden lounge which no one seems to know about" at LAX.

• New York City pharmacy KidsRx customizes medications to make them more appealing to kids. The pharmacy, which caters to all members of the family (pets too), can tailor the color, flavor (cherry, vanilla, etc.) and form (gummy bears, lol­lipops, pudding) of any medication, from ibuprofen to codeine.

• To promote its new Stove Top Quick Cups, Kraft Foods last month offered warmth and samples at select Chicago area bus stops. The company posted ads featuring the tagline "Cold provided by winter. Warmth, provided by us. It's a good night for Stove Top," at select bus shelters throughout the city. Ten of those shelters were heated and offered "Quick Cup" sampling stations to bus riders waiting in the cold. The month-long campaign represents the first time that heat has been used in bus shelter advertising.

• Oat Milk, often referred to as "oatmeal in a glass," is the newest rage in non-dairy milk, replacing almond and hemp milks. Boasting all the benefits of oatmeal, but in liquid form, oat milk is packed with nutrients, including fiber, vitamin E, folic acid and phytochemicals, which are naturally occurring compounds that help fight cancer, heart disease and strokes.
• New juice brand Embodi was designed specifically to mimic the healthful properties of red wine. It bills itself as the only alcohol-free beverage that provides the full spectrum of antioxidants and polyphenols found in red wine. Its line of three juice blends (Tropical Revival, Berry Renewal and Citrus Resurgence) are specially formulated with an extract made from the seeds, skins and stems of red wine grapes to deliver more than 400 of the polyphenols associated with red wine's health benefits. One 8 oz. bottle of Embodi delivers the health benefits of two glasses of wine, the company says. Embodi is available at Whole Foods stores for $2.49.

• Teen fashion magazines have been hit hard during the recent upheavals in the media world, so two former ElleGirl editors decided to take matters into their own hands. Anne Ichikawa and Melissa Walker recently launched I Heart Daily, an email newsletter and Web site that delivers one item each day from the world of entertainment, fashion, beauty or news. It's been called a newer, fresher version of Daily Candy aimed at teenage girls.
• With advertisers slashing spending, Wenner Media's Us Weekly said it would delay until fall the planned spring launch of a fashion/beauty spin-off, Us Style. The previously announced spin-off is slated to publish quarterly with a possible extension to eight issues in 2010.
• Country Home has folded, and its Web site, CountryHome.com, will go dark after the last print edition hits newsstands in March. The magazine began as a special-interest publication, evolving into a regular subscription title in 1984.
• The spring issue of Men's Vogue will appear as a reverse-bound issue attached to the April issue of Vogue. It will mark the first time Vogue has ever published a reverse cover. Condé Nast announced in October that Men's Vogue would shrink to a twice-a-year publication, down from ten.
• Plenty, the consumer magazine about the modern environmental movement, is shutting down. The print and online editions of the magazine are both being discontinued.