If you though you could ignore Pokémon Go, think again. Pokémon Go may be losing its top spot in the tech news but it isn’t because it is losing popularity or value.
The past week has brought us several interesting tidbits related to the still-expanding craze.
- T-mobile has granted customers unlimited data so they can play Pokémon Go – T-mobile isn’t the biggest mobile carrier (by far) and Verizon won’t follow suit…but still. Lyft may be offering free rides too which is a good thing.
- Hot Topic is a hot place for Pokémon Go – but Home Depot isn’t – not surprising due to the demographics of shoppers…Home Depot doesn’t need (or want) a lot of rabid game players
- Windows 10 Mobile version of Pokémon Go may be in the works – You have to know that Windows mobile is always lagging behind but interestingly – iOS players aren’t having as good of an experience as those on Android since the game must be accessed through a Google account
- Bosnia Pokémon Go players may run into landmines (literally) – so the government has warned – but it isn’t the only official warning regarding “pay attention to your environment”
- A dating app has been launched for Pokémon Go users – got nothin’ to say about this
- Achieving high rankings in Pokémon Go could take an entire year – a speculation on Reddit which means it is in no way an “official” deal – but is probably also true due to the similarity of user profiles
- Pokémon Go might be good for your mind – some mental health experts have said that “escapism” may be good to tune out negativity, nostalgia for Pokémon may be helping Gen-Xers and older millennials experience warm-and-fuzzies, it may encourage intergenerational interaction when the grandkids teach the grandparents to play, Pokéstops at historic and cultural locations might encourage some learning if players linger
- Pokémon Go might be good for your health…or not – pediatricians and other health experts note that players are spending more time outside in physical activity and pets may even be getting more exercis in but….several car accidents have been reported – including one player who ran into some cops – and another player who got stuck in a tree, in a cemetary of all places
- Pokémon Go isn’t popular in the Middle East – some countries are chomping at the bit to get it – and the lack of a Japan launch has hit Nintendo stock a bit – but Saudi clerics have re-declared Fatwa on Pokémon
- Users can now request Pokémon Go Gyms and Pokéstops
Pokémon Go may not be on the top of the tech headlines – but only because major news outlets really have to talk about something else.
Just Google Pokémon Go and push “news” and see what you get
What’s the point?
Pokémon Go is still the biggest thing going and will be for a while we think. For the right kind of business – there is a pretty big opportunity. Players are attracted to certain locations when these little monsters show up – and businesses can purchase “lures” so more players show up nearby. One pizza joint reported a 75% increase in sales in just a week. The demographics may not fit your business, but if they do…
The new ability to request Gyms and Pokéstops is currently limited to players – but who says you can’t get a player to request one. It may not work – but it might, especially if your business is one to purchase lures.
The rest of it is just interesting.
Incidentally, did you notice which internet giant wasn’t mentioned here? We’ll see how long it takes “them” to capitalize on it.
AMP
Remember AMP? Well, it is still here and it has caused Firefox to finally kill Flash.
What does AMP have to do with Firefox? Face it, Google has something to do with everything.
AMP – Accelerated Mobile Processing – remember that thing? Well you should. It is Google’s plan to speed up the internet and in a round-about way, the latest victim is Adobe Flash.….but Google isn’t doing it, Mozilla is.
Mozilla’s Firefox is the fourth most popular browser overall (behind Chrome, Safari and Explorer/Edge) and the second most popular desktop browser. It has both some advantage and drawbacks. On the plus side, it is open-source freeware developed by the Mozilla “community” which means that anyone (at least those who are technically inclined) can help influence its development – and users have more control over the way it works. It also means that none of the big companies have a stake.
Reportedly, it has better security (debatable) and some cool thingies which are optional – like the ability to suspend tabs so it uses less memory, developer tools which let web designers look at active code, more ad-blockers and other thingies. The Firefox community develops these thingies (called “add-ons”, “extensions”, and “plug-ins”) that not everyone needs but they also allow users to install them from outside developers for the same reasons – or they can easily block them.
Add-ons are like apps – which can have their own little bugs, slow down performance, compromise security etc. One outside thingie is Adobe Flash. Flash was once the major video developer but is oldy-moldy and causes a lot of problems.
Flash is waaayyy cumbersome, as in – slow. Big problem with Google’s plan to AMP the internet. Actually more of a problem for websites that still use Flash – rather than the hipper (and faster) HTML5. Google blocked automatic play of Flash earlier this year. Apple was already down on it (since the Steve Jobs days) – that’s not down with it – down on it.
Firefox users could block Flash but it was a manual thing. Now Firefox has followed Google into automatically blocking “invisible” content – not just on ads, but on websites too.
This pretty much puts the last nail in the Flash coffin.
See the Mozilla meanness at TechCrunch
