Do you have "Zoom Face"? 💉
This is your weekly dose of short news about technology, digital media, and (un)popular opinions. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, subscribe here:
Is this picture reminding you of someone?
Yes, you and all of us plead guilty. 👮♀️ Say hello to "Zoom face"! Apparently, "Zoom fatigue" wasn't enough. Because of the neverending video calls, you are now constantly seeing yourself in the small box during online meetings and this can have serious impacts.
First of all, looking at yourself all day is simply not natural. Sometimes you might have bad lighting or strange angles thanks to your camera - other factors that can make your “screen face” look way more uglier than you actually are.
Usually, you are not in front of a mirror for several hours every day, so you can start questioning your appearance. Maybe you will notice more your facial features, wrinkles, or under-eye bags… For some people, it’s starting to be a problem with a quick solution. Is this an ideal time for a real-life face tune? A new trend on the rise! 📣
The data unveil the same thing. Dermatological doctors from the USA published interesting research this January in the International Journal of Women's Dermatology and the results are not surprising. 1
The key takeaways - 86% of doctors reported their patients are referencing video-conferencing as a reason for their new cosmetic concerns.
The most wanted procedure is Botox (injectable dermal fillers) for upper-face wrinkles (77%). The doctors themselves confirmed the aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery are now on the rise.
Sooo… if you are "zooming" all day and would like to avoid a visit to the plastic surgery clinic, try this trick: in video settings, you should be able to see the "Touch Up My Appearance" button. It's like an Instagram filter - makes your skin smoother and airbrushed. 🤳
Latest Digi Snacks 🍩
🍪 Monkey business
Everyone is freaking out about Elon Musk's monkey which is playing a video game only with his mind.
Musk's company Neuralink inserted a high-tech brain chip inside the monkey's brain and now it's trying to operate human trials within a year. 🙈
🍪 The end of pizza couriers?
Domino's Pizza is testing a self-driving car "Nuro" to deliver pizza in Houston, US. People will enter a PIN code and then retrieve their pizza from the car. 🍕
🍪 "Hey, Spotify!"
Spotify silently launched an in-app virtual voice assistant for some users. With "Hey, Spotify" voice command you'll be able to search and play a song and explore a fully hands-free experience. Here you can check whether you already have it. 🎶
🍪 Covid detection from your mobile
GE is working to develop miniature sensors small enough to embed in a mobile device that can detect COVID-19. The sensor smaller than a fingertip could be implemented as a sensor surface on your mobile phone. 📳
🍪 Tech-mask
Watch out, The Black Eyed Peas fans! The rapper will.i.am launched XUPERMASK - a face mask with Bluetooth, LED glow lights, microphone and seven-hour battery life. The price - $299, and the first drop is sold out. 😷
🍪 Payments on Clubhouse
Clubhouse figured out how the creators can earn some money. A small test group of creators and 60K users in the U.S. got a feature to accept payments from their fans through the social audio app. All the money goes 100% to the creators. 🎙
🍪 NFTs shortly
Tom Brady (yes, the Super Bowl winner) is launching an NFT company. 🏈 Remember that disaster called Fyre Festival? The famous tweet showing the unfamous dinner is now for sale. 🥪 A digital home sold for over $500,000. And yes, the buyer received 3D files. 🏠
One recommendation 👌
The New York Times podcast “The Daily” covered a story of how easily your life can be destroyed and affected by anybody - just simply putting lies and horrible false accusations online. This can happen to all of us and we should talk more about how our online life is affecting our real life.
One Fun Fact 😎
Is this the future of fashion? Be ready for sneakers filters. 👟
One Random Fact 🤓
In 2020, 64.82% of searches on Google ended in the search results without clicking to another web property.
That’s a wrap for week six! Did you like it? Feel free to share and your feedback is more than welcome.