Someone’s appy and life’s a beach
The big news this week is that Facebook has bought Whatsapp for a whopping £11bn. While we only paid a mere 69p for the instant messaging app, we think Facebook may have overspent.
British Airways has released another emotional video in its ‘Go further to get closer to someone’ series. The new video, another tear-jerker, features a couple, Sumeet and Chetna, and shows how the airline helps them escape the demands of everyday life to spend quality time together.
The campaign webpage also links to a Facebook quiz, which in ‘Mr & Mrs’ style, allows couples to see just how close they are and offers the chance to win a flight for two.
Technology is encroaching on our holidays. What used to be a relaxing time away from work and frantic everyday life, has now been inundated with social media, unsolicited emails, and multiple apps – including one that helps you pack.
The Italians are fighting back however and Italy’s Academy of Silence is working to produce the ultimate list of quietest hotels, towns and other places in Italy. CNN has joined the search for these silent sanctuaries with its list of top 10 idyllic spots in Italy for those looking to enjoy the calm, contemplative enjoyment of travel and life in general.
Over recent months, it’s clear that there’s been a crackdown on inappropriate and offensive tweets – the news is full of stories of people in trouble with the police for breaking the law via social media.
But now, a study by UK researchers, is taking social media monitoring to a new level with an aim of ridding Twitter of false posts.
During 2011, Twitter was buzzing with news that animals from London Zoo had been released during the summer riots – sending many people into panic. It was completely untrue.
"It’s currently not possible to automatically analyse, in real time, whether a piece of information is true or false…social networks provide useful information – the problem is that it all happens so fast…this makes it difficult to respond to rumours" comments Dr Kalina Bontcheva, team leader of the study.
It’s an interesting concept and potentially a useful piece of research in a bid to eradicate rumours and lies from social media. With so much data available, will this new tool really be able to spot real from fake?
Flappy bird has taken the world of apps and gaming by storm. Since its creator, Dong Nguyen, decided to remove the app, after claiming via twitter that the game was ruining his ‘simple life’, fans have been outraged.
Flappy Bird fanatics have become somewhat creative in getting their hands on the game. The latest homage to Flappy Bird is a real life version!
Slightly bigger than your average iPhone, this version has been made with more of an old-school game in mind. Flappy Bird has been saved – and this time it won’t eat your battery!
#BeachHop is currently in Thailand, and reaching its final few weeks. Don’t forget to get your towel out and onto the traveljunction.com beach in their online game.
Participants have the chance to win big, with weekly and daily prizes. The game is simple to play, so you really have no excuse, click through for some fun, right now.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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