One of the topics that especially fascinates me is IoT — the Internet of Things. For better or worse, there has been a lot of hype around this area, especially as sensors get cheaper and wearables like the Fitbit become more popular. Recently, I spoke to a crowd of Middle Eastern executives about the future… Continue reading How Smart Cities and IoT Will Shape Our Future [VIDEO]
Category: Tech
Is Now the Best or Worst Time to Start Something? [VIDEO]
A lot of people are worried about China, Greece, and the markets in general. But should that stop you from starting a company or trying your hand at a new idea? I deliver the answer eight seconds into this interview with Behind the Brand, but I want to add this: there is never a “best”… Continue reading Is Now the Best or Worst Time to Start Something? [VIDEO]
How Can You Tell a Better Story With Your Data?
A few weeks ago, I sat down with Behind the Brand and Visage to discuss Captivology and provide advice for entrepreneurs. In this video, I discuss the science of storytelling, the Rokia effect, and how entrepreneurs can tell their brand’s story more effectively using data. Check it out and let me know what you think… Continue reading How Can You Tell a Better Story With Your Data?
Announcing “Captivology”, My Book on the Science of Attention (HarperCollins/2015)
Dear friends, family, colleagues, and supporters,
I’m thrilled to announce my first non-fiction book, working title “Captivology: The Science of Capturing People’s Attention“, due in early 2015 from HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins.
I hope you will sign up for updates on Captivology through my book’s website. You can follow @Captivology on Twitter or like Captivology on Facebook. You can also follow @BenParr for regular updates. And finally, here’s a link for sharing this announcement.
The Tech Community Must Invest More In San Francisco
Several years ago, when Square was just eight people, I was invited by Jack Dorsey to his loft in SOMA to meet the team and get a sneak peek at the Square device. After I interviewed Dorsey, he took me up to his roof and showed me his neighborhood. He specifically pointed out the outdoor… Continue reading The Tech Community Must Invest More In San Francisco
What Will It Take For Us to Get Angry?
Edward Snowden, The Guardian and The Washington Post know how to keep a story in the news. Instead of dumping all of their leaked documents to the public, they are slowly releasing information on PRISM, the NSA and more to the press in waves. Drip. Drip. Drip. Brilliant strategy by Snowden on these leaks: Drip,… Continue reading What Will It Take For Us to Get Angry?
Bay to Breakers, Through the Eyes of Google Glass
I decided to wear Google Glass to Bay to Breakers, San Francisco’s annual “What kind of ridiculous and/or slutty costume can I wear?” race/celebration. This is part of my month-long experiment to wear Google Glass as often and as long as possible to see A) how people react, B) how my habits change and C)… Continue reading Bay to Breakers, Through the Eyes of Google Glass
My Column Is Heading to CNET!
Dear friends, colleagues and supporters, I’m thrilled to announce that I’m joining CNET and CBS Interactive as a contributing columnist and commentator! Ever since my departure from Mashable, I’ve posted my personal take on the big technology news of the day on BenParr.com. The response to my work has been overwhelming, and traffic to this… Continue reading My Column Is Heading to CNET!
One OS to Rule Them All
Most people think that Apple has two operating systems — iOS and OS X — but the reality is that Apple is creating one OS right before our eyes, piece by piece. Apple unveiled OS X Mountain Lion on Thursday, dropping the “Mac” label from the name in the process. It’s not a rebirth of… Continue reading One OS to Rule Them All
The Rise of the Smart Assistant
Almost everybody wants to have an assistant, even if people won’t freely admit it. Who doesn’t want an extra set of hands to help out with chores, scheduling, reminders, meetings, reservations, and the myriad of other tasks that we need to complete every single day? Just a few years ago, the only way you could… Continue reading The Rise of the Smart Assistant