Some interesting stats:

• There were 12.8 BILLION Google searches in June 2013.
• Google owned 66 .7% of the US search market in June 2013.
• There are 10 million Google Drive users, and 425 million Gmail accounts.
• 343 million people actively use Google+ (surprising, no?).
• 6 billion hours of videos are watched each month on YouTube
• 100 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube each minute.

Check out the infographic below from wishpond.

There One Minute, Gone the Next

So what is exactly is SnapChat, and why does it have hipsters abandoning their collection of fun filters? Simply put, SnapChat is a way to share photos with your favourite people (on iPhone and Android) that will get to them 10x faster than a regular MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). Besides being faster, the ‘gimmick’ to Snap Chat is that the photos, or ‘snaps,’ are on a timer so you can control how long receiver of the photo actually has access to it before it disappears from their device. Perfect if you’re trying to organize a surprise for someone who has access to your phone! Of course the app does offer a save option on their preview screen or you can take a screenshot if you’re quick but the sender of the Snap will be notified!

Every App Has Its Dark Side

So you’ve downloaded this app to your phone where you can take ‘impermanent’ photos that will not (supposedly) be finding their way onto the greater World Wide Web, what’s the good in that? It seems the overwhelming answer is the ‘indecent exposure’ kind; which can be corroborated with a quick Google search. With a user demographic between the ages of 13-25 this news is more than a little shocking. SnapChat was recently featured on Good Morning America  with the warning that yes the app may say that the photo is gone after the viewing time is up, but there are other ways to save the photo. The reporter on GMA cautioned parents to monitor what their children were doing on their phones considering sexting is becoming a larger scale issue with teens and young adults. Additionally, the SnapChat developers have stated they cannot 100% guarantee the instantaneous deletion of photos off their servers.

So yes, SnapChat can be fun when people want to send those obnoxious self portraits to their friends: but remember, nothing is fool-proof!

On that note, have you ever had a mishap where a photo found its way onto the Internet when you didn’t want it to?

Yesterday I had the opportunity to try a new app called Uber. Uber allows for you to order your cab from the comfort of your mobile phone, and easily track your driver – without ever making a phone call. It’s super simple to use, just open up the app, register, and pinpoint where you’d like your driver to pick you up.

You’re able to call your driver at any time to check in, and all in all, it’s a fairly speedy process. Right now, Uber is offering up free cab rides for Torontonians if they register and use their app.

A few details about the free cab week:

Beginning Monday, September 24th at 6am and continuing through Friday, September 28, 2012 at 11:59pm, all Toronto Uber TAXI rides requested through the Uber app will be FREE! Simply tap the TAXI button at the top of the screen, watch your TAXI arrive in the app, then hop out for FREE at your destination!

A few important things to keep in mind:

• FREE TAXI Week is for local Uber TAXI rides only, so the first $20 of your trip will be FREE (automatically – no code necessary).
• This promotion does not apply to Uber Black cars or SUV. It’s just for Uber TAXIs. An Uber TAXI can be a Royal, Beck, Co-op or Ambassador cab!
• BlackBerry users must request via m.uber.com (no www.) as you *can not request a TAXI via SMS*
• If your first request for a TAXI goes unfulfilled, make sure you tap the TAXI button on the picker before ordering again!
• While Uber has hundreds of TAXIs on the system, the drivers do have other business too, so be patient if your first request isn’t fulfilled. TAXIs will be opening up every few minutes, so keep checking the app.
• Monday through Wednesday night, all Uber TAXI rides are FREE up to $20. All other days, the metered fare + 20% gratuity will be charged to your credit card on file.
• FREE  Uber TAXI rides require an Uber account and use of Uber’s iPhone/Android app, or can be ordered through the mobile browser on your BlackBerry or other smart phones at m.uber.com (no www.)
• Note: Your driver will still input the cost of the trip into the app (and run the meter), but YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED unless your trip is over $20. Refer to your emailed receipt to see the discount!

So take advantage while you can, and make sure that you’re selecting the TAXI option in the app! If you select BLACK or SUV – you won’t be receiving the free TAXI promotion.

Happy Cabbing!

One of the most important tools that I use in my daily work life is the Google Drive service (formerly Google Docs). For those of you not familiar with Google Drive, it’s a collaborative space to keep shared documents, pictures, etc – while seeing updates from the users you share these files with in real time!

Google recently released an app companion that brought together some of Drives’ best features for on the go usability.

Google Drive’s Opening Screen

As you can see below, I have a ton of collaborative documents that I access on a regular basis – this app makes it SUPER EASY to access them on my phone.

Here’s the preview shot of a document I was using earlier today. It’s super simple to navigate and edit, and beats trying to access it on the mobile web. The best part? You can choose to make certain documents available offline, so you can edit even without a WIFI or 3G connection.

And I love that I’m able to upload photo, video and create new documents to share right from my phone. Commuting, travelling, and even working at home in front of the TV just got a little bit easier.

Definitely check out the Google Drive App in the App Store - available for Android and iPhone!

Appcircus describes The Social Radio as: “Listen to your tweets while doing anything else? Now it’s possible! The Social Radio converts your Twitter stream into a human-friendly audio experience. Listen to your Twitter timeline, lists, trending topics, funny hashtags and searches; everything beautifully mixed with the music you love. The result? Your own perfect experience of online radio. The content you care, with the music you love.”

The reason I love this app? It uses all my music stored on my iPhone, and plays it in the background while a (suprisingly) human voice broadcasts my twitter stream. This has come in handy while working (I like to have a finger on the ‘twulse’ at all times), but it’s also great for the walk to and from work. I have a pretty severe fear of missing content, and this app helps me stay up to snuff on absolutely everyone I follow.

You can download The Social Radio on iPhone or Android – and for those without smart phones, relax! You can use the web version by requesting an invite here.

Tried this app or have an app you’re obsessed with? Tell me about it in the comments!