The Daily Valet. - 11/30/21, Tuesday
✔️ The Future of Our Phones
Tuesday, November 30th Edition
Have we officially entered into “let’s circle back after the holidays” season?
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s edition is presented by
Today’s Big Story
The Future of Our Phones
Will smartphones be obsolte in the coming metaverse?
I have been told, on several occasions, that I’m addicted to my phone. But consider my job ... isn’t it absolutely vital that I respond to every ping, text, DM and alert that causes my phone to light up and vibrate?
My phone is often my wallet, my plane ticket and my vaxx ID, not to mention my way of staying connected to loved ones. And I’m not alone. Earlier this year, Apple released its iPhone 13, which saw 14% higher sales than its predecessor, the iPhone 12.
And while Samsung’s latest foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is extremely popular (and making iPhone loyalists like myself question everything we know about ourselves), analysts say that these new clamshell phones aren’t the future either.
Will we even be using smartphones in the years to come? Some people are now saying no. Even Apple is gearing up to bring a new device to the market that could replace the all-too-popular iPhone in less than a decade.
Seen by 9to5 Mac, an investors note suggested Apple’s first augmented reality (AR) headset would be coming in 2022. Of course, there’s a possibility that the first head-mounted AR device from the company will require an iPhone for processing and accessing the internet, much like the Apple Watch and AirPods did at first.
Not surprisingly, Apple isn’t be the only company looking to “kill” the smartphone either. Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg said recently that he envisions a future where AR glasses will make us reconsider all other screens.
↦ Dig Deeper: Small improvements can go in surprising and strange directions when it comes to the devices we’ll be relying on in the future.
Twitter’s Next Act
Jack Dorsey steps down and names a replacement
You likely heard yesterday that Jack Dorsey is stepping down as CEO of Twitter. Perhaps you saw a tweet.
He shared a screenshot of the email that he sent to staff about his departure. “There's a lot of talk about the importance of a company being ‘founder-led.’ Ultimately I believe that's severely limiting and a single point of failure.” Dorsey (who is also the CEO of the digital payments company Square) will remain on the board until his term expires next year.
His replacement will be Parag Agrawal, who has been the CTO of Twitter for over a decade. According to The Verge, there are a few cues from Agrawal's history as CTO that could indicate where Twitter might go next under his leadership—including the company's decentralized Bluesky platform. Intended as an “open and decentralized standard for social media” that Twitter itself could eventually transition to.
Why was there so much chatter about this transition? The person who controls Twitter controls the de facto public square—and that has some serious implications for politics, social media and free speech as whole.
↦ FYI: In recent months, Twitter has launched a slew of products catered to long-form content, including live audio and newsletters.
Partner
Stumped for a gift to send? This is a gentlemanly option that's guaranteed to please.
CDC Encourages Boosters for All
The move reflects potential risks posed by new variant
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday recommended that everyone 18 and older get an additional shot after completing a first course of COVID-19 vaccination. The move reflects the potential threat the new Omicron variant poses to the pandemic response in the U.S. and worldwide.
President Biden, speaking from the White House yesterday, told Americans that the variant is “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic,” and that his administration was working with vaccine manufacturers to modify vaccines and booster shots should that prove necessary.
According to CNN, it will take a few weeks of testing to know for sure whether the Omicron variant is more transmissible than Delta, and whether it evades the protection offered by natural infection or vaccines.
In the meantime, the CDC is watching for Omicron to appear in the U.S. That requires an extra step of testing as the tests used to diagnose COVID won't tell you which variant you've been infected with.
↦ Meanwhile: Merriam-Webster has chosen “vaccine” as the 2021 word of the year.
A New Republic Is Born
Barbadians celebrate the birth of a republic and bid farewell to the Queen
With the stroke of midnight, Barbados cut its last remaining bonds to the British monarchy after nearly 400 years. In a ceremony on Monday evening, Prince Charles acknowledged the “appalling atrocity of slavery” as the nation removed Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and inaugurated its first-ever President.
Official festivities marking the island's historic transition from realm to republic took place in National Heroes Square in the heart of the capital of Bridgetown. Dame Sandra Mason was sworn in as the Caribbean nation's first president.
In 1966, Barbados became an independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth, a political association of former territories of the British Empire and current U.K. dependencies that retain the monarch as head of state. Queen Elizabeth released a message extending her “warmest good wishes” to Barbadians for their “happiness, peace and prosperity in the future.”
The easternmost island of the Caribbean, Barbados is known for cricket, rum and ... well, Rihanna, will remain a republic within the Commonwealth.
↦ FYI: The country also officially declared Rihanna a national hero.
In Other News
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Partner
The Gift That Always Impresses
Flowers are a gentlemanly way to make someone’s holiday
Fresh flowers are a great way to send a gift that's guaranteed to please—especially when you can't be there. When the person on your list has expressed the desire not to have any more “things,” you now have the perfect option. It's a gift that always delights and this one can keep on giving for as long as you'd like. We're talking about sending flowers. But not just any bouquet. UrbanStems is known for sourcing on-trend blooms and creating stunning arrangements that fit a wide range of styles. They prioritize working directly with Rainforest Alliance Certified farms in order to cut out unnecessary middlemen and deliver the freshest bouquets.
With their subscription service, you choose the duration of the gift and the frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly) along with the style and price point that suits your tastes and budget. Or you could surprise a host over the holiday season, with a bouquet that'll make a beautiful centerpiece for their table. You could also arrange them as a “thank you,” for something special you've been given. After all, what's more gentlemanly than that?
Choose the style that suits you—from timeless best-sellers to seasonal blooms. The first delivery comes with a versatile glass vase that the following bouquets can be arranged in.
The Verona bouquet of lush roses and hypericum berries, $68
The Catalina bouquet of eye-catching queen protea stems, $58
The Nutcracker bouquet of red and gold pops, $110
Double The Paxton bouquet of white novelty parrot tulips, $90
The Matcha bouquet, $65
The Rockette bouquet of anemone, $75
The Briar bouquet of roses, scabies and astilbe, $110
↦ Want more gifts? Check out UrbanStems’ gift guide
Great Gifts for the Cocktail Lover
The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year for many reasons, but chief among them is celebrating with the ones we love. And let's be honest, more often than not, celebrating means a license for liberal imbibing, and if you're not already adept at crafting a cocktail for yourself and friends, then hopefully you know someone who takes on that responsibility with great care and pride. That VIP is to whom this gift guide is aimed, and I can assure you—speaking as an enthusiastic (albeit amateur) cocktail hobbyist who revels in the minutiae of the well-prepared libation—these gifts are 100% winners. Have fun browsing, and add to cart with confidence.
↦ Check It Out: Gifts for cocktail lovers
Morning Motto
Gratitude pays off ...
↦ Follow: @quotesbychristie
That’s all for today...
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