Every Monday morning at 7:10 am, I am a guest contributor on CHOM 97.7 FM radio broadcasting out of Montreal (home base). It’s not a long segment – about 5 to 10 minutes every week – about everything that is happening in the world of technology and digital media. The good folks at CHOM 97.7 FM are posting these segments weekly on iHeart Radio, if you’re interested in hearing more of me blathering away. I’m really excited about this opportunity, because this is the radio station that I grew up on listening to, and it really is a fun treat to be invited to the Mornings Rock with Terry and Heather B. morning show. The segment is called, CTRL ALT Delete with Mitch Joel.
This week we discussed:
- Netflix… you did it! Yes! We can now download movies and TV shows from Netflix to your mobile device. It’s not for all movies or shows, but it’s a start and it’s a huge move for Netflix to truly dominate the on-demand business. Here’s what you need to know…
- Last week we had Cyber Monday. This follows Black Friday, only it’s much more civilized. Some might argue that it’s more frustrating, as inventory moves faster and some sites crash, but still last Monday’s numbers are impressive. Adobe says that $3.45 billion was spent online, a 12.1 percent year-over-year spike. Mobile represented a 34 percent year-over-year increase. This means that one in three purchases were made using a smartphone.
- Facebook made $2.5 billion in 2015 on what? Would you believe me, if I told you games? That’s a surprisingly big number. Well, Facebook thinks this is just the beginning. They recently announced the launch of Instant Games. And, these games will be playable within the newsfeed and Messenger. This could turn Facebook into a destination for games as well. Big move. Games will include classics like Pac-Man, Galaga, Space Invaders and newer titles like Word With Friends and more.
- App of the week: StayConnect.
Take a listen right here.