Social Smokers: Everything is getting the social treatment, even cigarettes. So if you didn’t have a reason to smoke before, here’s a new one: you can make friends by smoking! Blu, the electronic cigarette maker — yes, there is such a thing as an electronic cigarette apparently — has developed packs of e-cigarettes with sensors that will let e-smokers know when other e-smokers are nearby. How does this work? When two e-smokers get within 50 feet of one another, the packs vibrate and flash a blue light. Haha, what? E-cigarettes release a nicotine-laden vapor, so e-smokers could just look for that. Regardless, it would probably be a welcome surprise to a lonely e-smoker to suddenly feel his techy pack of “cigarettes” quiver and light up blue in his hand. I thought smoking was supposed to make you look cool, not like a total dork. NYT
Rich People Stuff: A recent survey from Affluence Collaborative — “a research partnership that offers marketers who focus on the affluent consumer a unique platform combining actionable insights, thought leadership, and community” — found that the rich use the Internet to connect with brands on social networks for significantly different reasons than the regular folks. They also have their own fancy-pants social networks. Why do rich people follow brands on social media sites? Not to get deals and discounts like us poors, but, according to the survey, to be kept informed about brands they already like. They probably have no idea about Groupon. eMarketer
“Her Royal ‘I’ness”: Looks like some of the olds can keep up with the times, like the Pope who has his YouTube channel and supports social media, and Martha Stewart with her tablet obsession. Joining the ranks of these tech savvy, powerful elders is the Queen herself who just ordered an iPad. Gawker
Website of the Day: NYT spoof site. The Final Edition
Stupid Twitter Account of the Day: Another Bronx Zoo animal escaped (someone is not doing their job over there), and yet another useless, annoying fake Twitter account is born: @BronxZooPeacock.
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