#the ai is too darn smart | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mythgirlimagines · 4 years

Note

DR2 characters with the DR1 casts talents!

I put these in a random generator and may I just say I love the idea of Biker Gang Leader Sonia

Ultimate Imposter (Idol):

He always worked really hard towards his goal, and he made it!

He doesn’t worry about his image too much; it’s part of him, but it’s great as is.

His music is one of a kind, and is really good. He got a good-sized following early on.

Teruteru Hanamura (Gambler):

Teruteru knew which bets were smart to place, both in gambling and real life.

His actions were always strategic; he hardly did anything without thinking about it first.

Of course, that did not include flirting with many people.

Mahiru Koizumi (Fanfic Creator):

Since she started posting, she was one of the biggest names in fanfiction.

While she loves what she does, she hates that fanfiction has the stereotype of being just NSFW things.

But when she’s writing her fanfics, she can’t help but fall in love with the source material again.

Peko Pekoyama (Fashionista):

It started as a sort of hobby of hers, but soon her fashion blog gained a pretty big following.

Mostly she stayed on the more comfortable trends, but she’s been known to invent some of her own.

It’s not a huge deal to her; street fashion especially was just something that she loved.

Ibuki Mioda (Detective):

She’s the kind of detective that finds the humor in that one detective vine.

In all seriousness, she has a tremendous eye for detail, and has great hearing as well.

She’s solved a lot of cases that may not have been solved otherwise, and she’s proud of it!

Hiyoko Saionji (Moral Compass):

Nobody would guess that she was the Ultimate Moral Compass.

Her attitude was a bit sour, but she always made sure everyone followed the rules.

She also made sure that the unfair rules were broken, though, because otherwise it wouldn’t be just.

Mikan Tsumiki (Lucky Student):

A lot of the time, she doesn’t feel very lucky, given her clumsiness.

It’s more like she’s a bad luck magnet, since she doesn’t have much good luck.

Maybe it’s there, but if it is, it’s very few and far between instances.

Nekomaru Nidai (Soldier):

Nekomaru was one of the most loyal people you could meet.

He’s wonderful at following directions from higher-ups, and always delivers.

While he seems serious a lot of the time, he can let loose when he wants to when he’s not on active duty.

Gundham Tanaka (Swimmer):

Swimming was something that Gundham was always a natural at.

He was an Olympic hopeful, and that was the goal he always trained towards.

Of course, some of it he believed was hydrokinesis, but who was to say?

Nagito Komaeda (Baseball Star):

He didn’t really think he was that good. Baseball was just something he enjoyed.

There was nothing like the rush of stepping up to bat, or pitching for someone he knew would likely hit it.

Winning was a whole other amazing feeling, one he was glad to share with his team.

Chiaki Nanami (Clairvoyant):

A lot of her clairvoyance is being able to predict the endings of stories or certain events in people’s lives.

Her predictions are nearly always trustworthy, though to her they seem shaky at best.

She’s surprised herself a lot with her accuracy.

Hajime Hinata (Literary Prodigy):

Hajime had been writing for as long as he could remember.

Sci-fi and dystopian novels were his forte, something he liked worldbuilding.

His characters all had a small piece of him in them. They were just enjoyable to write.

Akane Owari (Affluent Progeny):

Her family was big and she was supposed to act like a lady, but that didn’t mean she liked to.

She knows how to sneak away from situations she doesn’t want to be in.

However, she’s also a lot more intelligent than people give her credit for.

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu (Martial Artist):

Martial arts had always given him something to focus his energy on, something productive he could do.

Not to mention, the feeling of working out by practicing felt pretty darn good.

Working his way up in the world in strength helped him forget about his short stature.

Sonia Nevermind (Biker Gang Leader):

She started her gang as a way to keep the streets of Novoselic safe.

They seem intimidating- her especially, in a beauty-that-kills way- but they’re a bunch of sweethearts if you’re a good person.

She doesn’t tolerate anyone treating any of her friends or innocent bystanders horribly.

Kazuichi Souda (Programmer):

He started reprogramming some of his toys when he was little, and his interest grew from there.

One of his secrets, though, is that he can’t often read his own code. He just has to trust that it’s right.

But his projects are still really big, impressive ones. AI development is something he’s always dreamed of.

87 notes · View notes

uncaaj · 4 years

Text

Fanfic: Loose as a Goose (PKNA X Untitled Goose Game)

READ NOW ON AO3!

The doorbell rang, which Donald would never get used to, given he was 151 floors above ground. But One had implemented it as a more homey way to alert Donald of guests. “Who could that be?” Donald wondered to himself as the elevator flew him to the ground floor to greet whoever came to call.

Which was either thin air or no one.

Donald put his hands on his hips and sighed. “Darn kids…” he muttered, walking back to the elevator. The doors closed and the whirring began again.

“Who was it?” asked One over the intercom.

“Probably some ding-dong-ditcher havin’ a laugh. Right in the middle of Anxieties, too.”

“No worries, Donald. I paused the recording for your return.”

“Gee, thanks...One…” Donald trailed off as the elevator opened on Channel 00’s headquarters. Donald was taken aback as each and every reporter stared at him. He flashed a smile and closed the doors again. “One, why’d you drop me at Channel 00?”

“What? I instructed the lift to land on the secret floor, like always.” One’s tone was puzzled.

“Well, that didn’t happen. I’m just glad Angus Fangus wasn’t behind door number one,” said Donald, leaning against the doors.

“Strange. Anyhow, you should be coming to the secret floor...now.”

The doors parted in a flash and Donald yelped as he tumbled backwards into nothing. He grasped the edge of the elevator car as cold sweat immediately formed on his brow.

“OOOOOOOONE!” he yelled out into a steel-lined shaft full of wiring, his voice echoing.

“What’s going on?!” the AI said, panicked.

“I was nearly a duck splatter, that’s what!” Donald spat back, scurrying up to safety and closing the doors again. He slumped against the corner furthest from them, panting and trying to calm his racing heart.

“Confound it, something’s overriding my subroutines! Let me check the security cameras.”

“Sometimes I wonder if you really do control the Tower like you say,” said Donald, massaging away his developing headache.

“I do! I don’t control unforeseen variables like this, though- Bingo! Found the culprit!”

“Thank goodness,” Donald sighed. The elevator doors parted for the last time, Donald sighing again in relief upon seeing One’s familiar green mug. “That was enough excitement for one day,” he said, walking over to his pal. “So who’s Mr. Funny Britches?”

“I found this creature inside a duct pecking at a hidden control panel.” One’s many mechanical arms shot out of the floor and toward Donald. He quacked in surprise and jumped back.

Held by its neck by the hand and looking around the joint curiously, was a wild goose.

“A goose?!” Donald balked. The goose honked in Donald’s face. Donald raised his fists in response.

“Hey!” One chided, “Don’t hurt him! I think he’s rather cute. We could keep him as a pet, eh?”

Donald stuck his finger directly against One’s globe. “Not a snowball’s chance in the Sahara! After it almost killed me? Plus, I have one thorn-in-my-side goose to deal with, and that’s plenty!”

One raised an eyebrow. “Well, then, smart boy, what do you suggest we do with it?”

+++

“Why, thank you, nephew. I’m sure the little feller will make an excellent guard for me Money Bin,” said uncle Scrooge, shaking Donald’s hand.

Donald gave his uncle an innocent smile and a devious chuckle, as the goose honked proudly.

#ducktales #pkna #duck avenger #disney comics #disney ducks #untitled goose game #fanfiction #aj tries to write #commission #donald duck #one #uno #goose #scrooge mcduck #ducklair tower #gladstone gander #indirectly mentioned

45 notes · View notes

imagine-loki · 4 years

Text

The Slutty Webs one Weaves

Title : The Slutty Webs one Weaves

Chapter NO. 5 of 10?

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki’s Asgardian wife learns women write fanfiction about him on a trip to Midgard. She’s edgy for the duration and lets him have it when they get back.

Author: lokilover9

Rating: M

Thor agreed Brianna going to Asgard a good idea as Loki presumed and shielded her from Heimdall's sight as a precautionary measure. Before leaving, the brother's sat observing Little Warrior lead Tony and Pepper to the couch and hand him a usb stick.

"What's this?" He asked.

"A computer virus. My revenge plan was to disembowel Jarvis if you hadn't kept your promise."

Stark eyed Loki who shrugged a shoulder. "Don't look at me. I only learned of it this morning."

"It's my creation, pretty nasty and should be destroyed." Said Brianna.

"How nasty?"

"It bears the potential to wipe out most of New York's power grids."

Tony was momentarily speechless. "I'll do that and am overjoyed you two became friends."

"Me too and sorry for being so rude when you touched my stuff."

"It's alright." Said Pepper.

"No it wasn't. You deserve to know why. Loki mentioned the homeless people right?"

"Yes."

"Dory was the first one I met. Taught me handy street smarts and helped shop for my boy clothes. Ran away from home because her moms boyfriend was a jerk. I encouraged her to call one day and when she learned they split up, convinced her to go home. Really smart person. Dreams of becoming an Astronaut. Anyway, she had a big crush on Captain America and gave me her favorite hat as a gift. Then I met Muriel. A mean looking older lady who was actually super sweet and protected me something fierce. Beat this guy up one night for trying to steal my blanket while cursing him sideways. She loved Chinese food and taught me self defence techniques, like how to poke a hole in someone's brain by shoving a chopstick up their nose."

Everyone's ears and attention piqued as Tony wondered if Muriel was a distant cousin of Sasquatch's. "Hopefully not on live subjects."

"No, silly. On a plastic skull she molded a face onto with clay. I paid for the supplies. Helping police identify people used to be her job in Arizona. Great way to kill zombies though. Best to behead them like with vampires and guarantee they've bit the bullet." Brianna then pulled a gold bracelet with a four leaf clover charm from her pocket. "Muriel was Irish and gave me this for good luck. It's too big so I carry it in my pocket. Before meeting you guys, they were the first people who were super nice to me. I fretted their gifts ruined in the wash."

"I'm sorry." Said Pepper.

"It's okay. I was just a little freaked."

'And nearly built a cave for the abominable snowman.' Thought Stark. "We were more worried about you after the fact."

"I could tell by your happy dance when I woke."

"Hey, badass did one too. In the hall. You didn't see."

Brianna giggled. "Thanks to you both for everything and I'm sorry for lying."

"Meh, we understand."

"I meant about not having a favorite Avenger. It's you uncle Cootyoodles. That's why I sought your help first. The Black Widow was my next stop."

Tony pictured Nat teaching her how to yank teeth out with pliers and felt twice as relieved for keeping that promise. "Nat's eccentric and hates zombies. I'm way more fun." Brianna suddenly hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "Awe, Little Warrior. Friends forever?"

"Damn straight!" Then she did the same to Pepper. "I forgot to explain why you're a badass role model. Working so hard to become CEO of a massive company like Stark Industries and executing all that embodies? You rock! I hope to grow up as astute, diligent and athoritative. Maybe I'll run a company one day."

"You already possess those traits and will exceed my achievements."

No one knew that better than Loki who cleared his throat. "Grandmother and Grandfather go to bed early, Min Lille."

"One more minute, please?"

"Alright."

She studied Stark, pondering the best way to implement her request. "You don't have to do this, but… Not all homeless people are bad or crazy like others seem to believe. Many hit hard times and the world is so expensive, they couldn't keep up. No one I met lived on the streets because they wanted to. There just aren't enough shelters or resources available. You're rich Tony and could help them. Will you try?"

As Loki had succeeded with Frigga, those beautiful pleading eyes won her case. "You really know how to pull a guys heart strings, kid. I promise."

Loki wasn't aware she'd intended to ask this, yet was so proud of her. "Min Lille?"

"I know." She politely replied.

"You have to go." Tony suddenly stood and darted for the hall. "Be back in a jiffy."

"Meet him by the elevator, or you'll never leave." Suggested Pepper.

He returned and handed Loki a loaded Iron Man backpack. "More things? Shall I conjure a crate for the bifrost?"

They'd already given her an overstuffed suitcase of clothes and toys and Stark held a gift bag in hand. "Be quiet, you. It's a peanut butter stash. Does Asgard have bananas?"

"Yes." 'Thank the Norn's.'

Tony knelt before Brianna. "I would've packed some tater tots, but you ate them all again."

She smirked. "My goof."

"Rascal. Try to ignore a wee, bitty smidgen, you aren't into girly stuff? We couldn't help ourselves with you off to Asgard."

Brianna pulled from the bag a pink baseball cap that said Warrior Princess in tiny diamond gems and proudly adorned it. "You sure know how to pull a girls heart strings."

"I put some Motown CD's in there too. Teach Dad to moonwalk." Loki sighed, pushed the elevator button and Tony playfully whispered. "From a distance. In case he trips over his own big feet." He hugged her again and summoned Jarvis.

"Yes, sir?"

"Our friend is leaving."

"Goodbye, Little Warrior." Said the AI.

"Bye. Sending you a virtual hug."

She joined Thor inside while Loki shook hands with Tony, his expression saying everything. "Any time. Now get the 'bleep' out of my Tower before I thieve your Daughter."

Brianna shouted as it closed. "There's presents on your bed! I'll miss you!"

Peppers was a black t shirt with gold letters that read Badass Role Model and Tony's was a monsterous box filled with tater tots.

"Don't do it, Butch. If you cry, I'm gonna cry." ***** Loki had purposely slowed the elevator allowing her time to give Thor a drawing.

"Mjolnir in a field of flowers? Thank you fair maiden."

"It's a scratch n' sniff."

"A what?"

Loki picked up Brianna. "You scratch the flowers, then sniff them. The effect is most appealing the stronger you inhale."

Thor took a whiff and wriggled his nose. "Quite the nostril tickler. What should they smell like?"

"Try harder." 'Doofus.'

He took another, looked cross eyed at Loki and began swaying. "...Brother..you…" Then down he went striking the floor with a thud the tip of his nose covered in sparkly dust.

"Sorry, uncle Thor."

Loki chuckled at her wince. "The spell is mild and shall soon wear off."

"Is he hurt?"

Loki let her down to hurle the hefty Thor over his shoulder. "Us God's are resilient. Your uncle once endured a skirmish with the Hulk." After escorting them through a portal and delivering Brother oaf to his bed, he lead Brianna through a second into some woods.

"That was awesome! Will you teach me how to do it?"

"Not in the near future. It's very complicated, darling and I'd hate to think you lost in another dimension." 'Or vanishing one day as an angry teen with a troublesome suitor I dream of throttling.'

"Okay." Brianna nervously scanned the area. "Now what? Carnivores hunt these woods."

"Northern Alberta is home to many. Never go outside without me and none will harm you."

"But wolves hunt in packs and grizzlies are bigger than you."

He booped her little nose. "I'll smell them before they smell us and neither possess deadly weapons in interdimensional pockets."

"Where our luggage is? I tried hiding bigger items in them and the darn things wouldn't come back. Hannah was furious, but I didn't care."

"What did you hide?"

"The back wheels of her Lamborghini, Gallardo. I overheard my Mother tell Claudia she got it from her rich boyfriend."

Loki recalled from spending time with Stark this wasn't a billionaire's vehicle, yet financially unattainable to the average Midgardian. "I see. Did she mention his occupation?"

"Plastic surgeon."

Brianna deserved that minor victory and although he wouldn't encourage it, one cannot preach vengeance a negative path when mapping their own. 'Perhaps he'll be useful to the sluts after I'm done.' "Ah. Care to see what I did while you slept last night?"

"You left me?" She confusedly asked.

He picked her up again. "It was necessary and I returned, yes? I won't abandon you, Og Min Lille."

"Never?"

"Never, darling. "Loki headed for a shack nearby nestled amidst some bushes. With its crooked roof, faded wood and door minus a hinge the structure looked ready to collapse.

"We're staying there?"

"Why not? I'll conjure an outdoor toilet." He teased. "Sheltered of course."

"Ewww."

"Come now. At night we'll have heated beds and during the day, roast squirrels on an open fire."

She scrunched her face in disgust. "Blech! I'd rather eat tree bark."

"You'll get an awful tummy ache."

They entered the dingy space and Brianna instantly focused on the filthy floor covered in forest debris. So intently, she didn't notice the sturdier frames of the structure only visible from within. "How will we keep the door closed and is that poop?"

Loki rolled his eyes at some turds in a corner. "The cabin is made of Brazilian Ebony."

"One of the strongest woods on earth." She commented.

He arched an intrugued brow. "Stained to appear aged, it's also bulletproof in light of human hunters. Consider the other materials deceiving movie props. The 'raccoon' poop is genuine." It vanished with a wave of his hand. "Now, did you mean that door?" It closed and he conjured a deadbolt onto the surface with a panel directly above. "Place your hand in the center?" Brianna did and it glowed green, spreading magic from the center throughout every surface like glowing, emerald fireflies. As they dimmed, Loki turned around. "Or this one?" The floor, suddenly cleared of debris had a sliding glass door in the center.

Brianna gasped in wonder, glancing between him and the mystery beneath. "Where does it go?"

"Did you think a sorcerer Prince would allow his Princess daughter to dwell in a shabby old shack?"

"Ancestry aside, I sincerely hoped not. Even an RV would've been better."

He chuckled at her frankness. "And you worried of uncle Thor bumping his head? The shacks purpose was added safety should a need arise and to keep our secret entrance hidden. "Once the outer door locks, only the interior alters. To outsiders, nothing changes." It opened and he carried her down a mutedly lit spiral staircase, each step progressively illuminating the space below.

At the bottom, she slid from his arm in awe. "Shut the front door! You 'definitely' have to teach me how to do this."

Min Lille was referencing conjuring. Another ability Loki thanked the Norns she didn't yet possess, having confessed so before requesting Tony and Pepper's gifts. "In time. Beyond that archway, another surprise awaits." Loki followed and suddenly pondered Brianna conjuring a future dwelling for herself and that troublesome suitor. 'Lessons commence when your forty.' ***** Thor woke to find two notes in his shirt pocket. One for himself the other, Astrid; 'Sleep well, Brother? We won't be returning to Asgard just yet. Please give this to my wife? I recommend waiting several days, discreet delivery and a hasty exit. A visit will follow and when interrogated, lie. Tell her Brianna came to you and don't mention her ice concoction. Unless you enjoy Father's company when several fries short of a happy meal. As I planned our escape without Tony's knowledge, do avoid his unnecessary panic and Pepper seeking our demise, by not telling our dear friend? Min Lille is safe.'

"That shyster." He grumbled. Jane returned in six days as would Astrid to a missing Loki. Waiting risked a molotov cocktail interrogation. His beloved and coronary inducing sister-in-law, banging down their locked bathroom door while the mighty Thor coward behind a shower curtain. Plus Maxi Waxis training schedule ended in two days. Bribery assured those lips zippered, but Heimdall would think his hastiness suspicious. He called to the trainee in the middle of the night, snuck into the palace and raced back to the observatory like the looney tunes road runner. "Spend it well nincompoo..eh he, Max. Asgard is lucky to have you."

Guilt ridden over her outburst and already missing Loki, Astrid returned in the morning to find the note.

Frigga was preparing to join her belly dancing instructor when she barged into the foyer and flung herself at the Allmother.

"Bwaaahahaa! I want a divorce!"

"Hells bells and bilgesnipe testicles. What has my shameless son done this time?"

"Frigga, your language." Scolded Odin.

She patted Astrid's back. "Oh shush. As if your cursing hasn't scarred the servants ears."

#Loki #others #submission #Submitted fic #The Slutty Webs one Weaves #lokilover9 #chapter 5

26 notes · View notes

jjonassevilla · 4 years

Text

4 Lessons We Learned in 2019 (and How Marketers Can Apply Them in 2020)

It’s been a heck of a year, hasn’t it? And it’s not over yet.

Even if you’re still knee-deep in holiday and end-of-year promotions, it makes sense to take time to pause. Now’s the time to reflect on the challenges, opportunities, and accomplishments of 2019—before the crazy starts up again.

With that in mind, we’re revisiting the big lessons drawn from our most popular pieces on digital marketing and landing pages. For each, we’ll talk about how you can best apply these lessons in 2020 and beyond.

Lesson 1: Slow page speed is killing your conversions.

Unbounce predicted that 2019 would be “the year when the difference between fast and slow content becomes the difference between showing up in the search results (whether paid or organic) or disappearing completely.”

In January, we also published Think Fast: The 2019 Page Speed Report to shed some light on how slow loading times are impacting conversion rates.

We wanted to know where improving page speed was falling in the marketers’ yearly priority lists—as well as what their customers experience (and how they behave) when a website is slow to load.

This research stirred up all kinds of reasons why you definitely need to keep speed in mind when creating landing pages. For instance, Google says 53% of visitors will bounce after three seconds of waiting. But our check-in at the Call to Action Conference in late 2018 revealed that 85% of participants’ pages came in slower than 5 seconds at a 3G connection. (We’re not naming names, but some took more than 20 seconds.)

The survey results also revealed that consumers are pretty frank about the impact that slow ecomm sites can have on their willingness to buy:

Source: Think Fast: The 2019 Page Speed Report (Stats and Trends For Marketers)

What surprised us most, however, is that improving load times remains an overlooked way of optimizing the visitor experience. Very few marketers we surveyed identified it as a priority for the year, even though those who did have likely seen the benefits.

What Marketers Can Do in 2020

The thing is, these page speed concerns aren’t going away.

The average time for a web page to load is actually slower at the end of 2019 than it was a year ago. Some marketers have resisted making big improvements to loading times in the hopes that technology will save them (“5G is coming any day now!”). But speed remains a competitive differentiator.

Google hasn’t backed away from forcing the issue, either. They’ve always said that speed matters, but in November, they outlined plans to indicate when a site has been historically slow to load using badges in Chrome: “We think the web can do better and want to help users understand when a site may load slowly, while rewarding sites delivering fast experiences.”

Source: Google Chromium Blog

All of this adds up to a continued need to boost speed on your landing pages and website. To help, Unbounce’s Garrett Hughes put together a shortlist of page speed fixes (plus a downloadable checklist). And if you want to achieve blazing speeds on mobile devices, you’ll also want to investigate using Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) as well.

Marketers need to get faster and stay that way.

Let’s make speeding up a habit in 2020.

More Reading About SaaS Branding

Here’s How the Illustration Design Trend Caught Fire and Why Every SaaS Is Rebranding

[Brand Reveal] Celebrating You with a New Look

Get Ready for 2020…

The lessons you’ve learned from 2019 don’t stop being relevant at 11:59pm on December 31st. It turns out that the earth orbits the sun all the time, and we’re just marking the time.

So how will what you learned in 2019 transform how you do your job in 2020? What are your own marketing lessons going into the new year? What are your marketing resolutions? Now’s the time to start thinking…

We’d love to hear your answers in the comments below.

from Marketing https://unbounce.com/landing-pages/lessons-we-learned-in-2019/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

#SEO

1 note · View note

secretagentspydetectiveninja · 6 years

Text

The Misadventures of Prince Kim - chapter 61

Hey hey hey all you new followers! Do you happen to have like 10 years of free time? Do you like royalty? Do you love geography and history lessons? Do you laugh at reading about Kim being a total idiot? Do you thrive off timey-wimey nonsense? Do you ship Kimax? Do you irrationally love the minor classmates? Well if so, then do I have the fic for you! This piece of trash is currently about 230,000 words and still going, so check it out!

Here on AO3 too where you can read it from the beginning so that it actually makes sense lol

Once Max and Kim were well again, Markov was able to spend more time practising his new skateboarding tricks. Max also spent plenty of time upgrading him over the next few weeks, fixing bugs, enhancing his AI, and even giving him a little arm so that he could pick things up with it – and most importantly, give fist bumps.

For a while things seemed to really be looking up, especially compared with the dreary and dangerous previous several months. Everything was a little brighter, everyone a little happier. The atmosphere in the school in general was at a higher level than it had been in a long while. Sure, things weren’t perfect, but they were better. Was it because of Markov’s existence? Or was life just at a high point right now?

Whatever it was, by the time the oracle sessions rolled around, Kim was cheerful enough that he decided this time he would not change his mind at the last second – he was going to ask the question he really needed the answer to. Even if the answer would be bad, he could take it. At this point in time he was in a much better state of mind than he had been last year. It would be alright. And anyway, now that his kingdom was part of the International Alliance, surely it would be safe enough to return home soon.

It was Max’s turn first out of the trio, as usual. Markov had decided to wait outside, not wanting to interfere. It was sweet of him. He really did seem to act like a real human on the surface these days, even though he was far from it.

“So,” Master Fu said as Max sat down in front of him for the third and final time, “what is your question?”

Max had spent a long time thinking about it. There were plenty of questions he wanted answers to – how is it possible for a snake to learn Morse code? Why is schoolwork not so easy anymore? Will I marry Kim? But he couldn’t ask questions about others, and there was nothing particularly eating away at him that he wanted to know about. He had also considered asking a “stupid” question, like Kim had a tradition of doing, but couldn’t even think of one of those.

He sighed and simply went for one of the most obvious questions possible. “Will I die from old age?”

Fu put his hands on his turtle for a few seconds, then looked up at Max and smiled. “Yes. So there is no need to fear over poisoned chocolates anymore.”

He knew about that?! Well… he was an oracle, and though Max was not entirely sure how Fu’s powers worked, he did certainly know more about everyone than he let on…

But still, it was a relief to know that he wasn’t going to die off anytime soon. He had an entire lifetime ahead of him. Hopefully a good lifetime, filled with happy events.

“Thank you,” he said, starting to get up.

“How is your robot?” Fu asked.

“Oh, you know about him? Markov’s fine, thanks, he’s waiting just outside.”

“From what I hear, he has made good friends with everyone.”

“He really has! Bringing him to school was the best idea ever, he’s really thriving here.” Max tried not to sound too full of himself, but he really was proud of having created such a smart little robot.

“What an incredible feat you have achieved, to program someone so intelligent at such a young age, and in such a short span of time,” Fu said, stroking that little beard of his.

“Well, others have created sophisticated robots too, so it’s not that big a deal…”

“Would you say your robot is more or less intelligent than Alix’s pet snake?”

Max paused to think. What kind of question was that?

“I’m not sure,” he said finally. “Maybe around the same.”

“And would you say Alix’s snake has a near-human level of intelligence?”

Well, it could understand everything that was going on, and could win Monopoly games and partake in lacrosse matches, and kind of even speak. It was a pretty darn smart snake.

“Yes,” he said.

“So then it follows that Markov, too, is near a human’s level of intelligence. You have programmed a robot that is more sophisticated than any other in the world.”

Max looked down, his face feeling warm. “No, I’m sure there’s other – I mean, Markov is intelligent, but a lot of that is down to him learning things, and – I’m not–”

“You created Markov, a being that is somewhat more than just a robot.” Fu was smiling at him. “You have a latent gift that you never even knew about.”

A latent gift? He didn’t mean like… superpowers, did he?

“I just happen to be good at robotics and programming,” Max said. “Markov has the ability to act human and learn from his experiences, because I programmed him that way. Not because he’s inherently… alive…”

He trailed off. True, Markov wasn’t alive, but it somehow hurt to say.

Fu just continued smiling. “Perhaps once you leave this room, you should ask him why he skateboards a lot these days.”

Fu knew about that too? He really knew everything. But anyway, what did that have to do with anything? Max had programmed Markov to be curious and want to learn new things, so it would make sense that he wanted to learn how to skateboard too.

“Alright, I’ll ask him.” Max stood up. “Thank you for your answers.”

“You are very welcome. I wish you all the best for the rest of your life. And…” Fu held out a bowl. “Would you like a complimentary mint on your way out?”

“Thanks.” Max took one, then left the room.

Sure enough, Markov was waiting outside with the others, and whizzed over to meet Max as Alix was called into the room next.

“Max, my friend! How was your oracle session? Did you get the answer you wanted?”

“Yes, I did,” Max replied. “Master Fu says I’ll die of old age, so I don’t need to worry.”

“That’s wonderful news! I still don’t understand, though – how is Master Fu able to predict the future with 100% accuracy? Humans should be unable to do so, or at least not without a large degree of error.”

“It’s magic.” Max hated saying it – why couldn’t magic make sense, like science did?

“Oh, so like how Alix is able to have knowledge of the events of parallel universes without accessing a wormhole to visit them herself? Or those two members of nobility remotely controlling local weather?”

“Yes, like that.”

“Hmm. Magic is something that I cannot make sense of.”

Markov was silent for a few seconds, probably looking up everything about magic that he could from his internal database. There wouldn’t be a lot in there, though. No one knew much about magic. Max decided to use the time to ask about what Fu had suggested.

“Markov, why do you skateboard a lot these days?”

“Max, you programmed me to learn about new things whenever I am able to. Skateboarding is something I very much wanted to learn about.”

Exactly. It wasn’t anything special – it was just his programming.

“But also…” Markov’s volume had decreased ever so slightly, and he spoke a little slower. “I have already learnt a sufficient amount about skateboarding. Yet I continue to do the activity. There does not appear to be a logical reason why.”

He bobbed up and down on the spot, blinking every few seconds, the sound of his internal parts whirring so loudly it could be heard over the propeller. Clearly he was thinking hard.

“Skateboarding causes my CPU to work at a faster rate. I return to that activity over and over as if I am compelled to by my programming, even though that is not the case. I just… want to do it.”

That couldn’t be true. Markov spoke like a human, but it couldn’t mean anything. Robots didn’t want things. It was impossible.

“Oh!” Markov’s eyes lit up into exclamation marks. “I understand now! My behaviour correlates with what is typically seen in humans and other living organisms. I participate in this activity for the same reason that Alix and her snake do. It is fun. I… enjoy it. What I am experiencing is happiness.”

Max didn’t say anything. He simply stood there, staring at his little creation, hardly daring to believe what he was hearing.

“Max! Max! This makes sense! I experience happiness when I skateboard, and that is why I want to do it again. Oh – it’s happening again right now! Can you hear the CPU whirring? My system seems to be functioning slightly differently from normal at this moment. It is a very odd sensation. It is possible that my logic pathways are malfunctioning a little. However, this is preferable to my normal state. Now I understand better why humans do activities that make them happy – I also would like to continue being happy. I understand it now! Max, I understand happiness! I am experiencing an emotion!”

By this point everyone else in the room had turned to watch Markov, who was now zipping around erratically, his volume much higher than normal. Max was sure his own logic pathways were malfunctioning too – could this really be happening?

Could a robot really be feeling emotion?

Could the robot that Max himself created really be feeling happiness, right now? Just like a real human person?

“Max?” Markov floated up in front of him, question marks in his eyes. “Are you being affected by surprise? Is that why you are silent?”

Max just grabbed Markov out of the air and hugged him. “I’m so proud of you…”

It didn’t feel real. Markov was actually experiencing emotions. It was a fundamental fact that robots could not feel emotions, one that Max had never thought to doubt, and yet here it was.

“This is a hug, correct?” Markov asked. “My CPU speeds have increased again. You are making me happy, Max!”

Max blinked tears out of his eyes, aware that everyone else was still watching. He didn’t really want to cry right now.

“You’re making me happy too,” he said.

“I am? Good! I want to make you happy. Now that I know what happiness feels like, I want everyone to feel this way all the time. I will do my best to always make people happy.”

Oh, thank goodness. People were often telling horror stories of machines gone wrong, evil robots that ended up trying to take over the world, sci-fi stories set in the future where artificial intelligence became malevolent once gaining emotions.

But Markov was not like that. If he had a heart, that heart was good. He said he was going to make people happy, and Max believed it. Markov had already made a lot of people happy. Now it was just up to him to continue, and he surely would.

“Thank you, Markov,” Max said. “You’re the greatest robot in the world.”

Alix didn’t have any particular question to ask this year either. And plus, thanks to the whole timeline thing, she was very wary of asking a question that might get a bad answer. Maybe it was just best to get this thing over with by asking something inconsequential, and letting her life be the chaotic mystery it was supposed to be.

“So, what is your question?” Fu asked.

“Is anyone ever gonna correctly guess what happened with me and Kim in that lift that one time?”

Fu frowned. “Are you s–”

“Yes, I’m sure that’s what I want to ask, no I don’t want to ask something important. I already got my fair share of that last year, thanks.”

“Well, alright, that’s understandable…” Fu put his hands on Wayzz for a few seconds. “No, it doesn’t seem like anyone will ever guess… in fact, this is quite strange, but I can’t seem to be able to tell what happened either…”

“Yes, so the blood pact worked!”

“The what?!”

“Sorry, I can’t tell you.” She stood up to leave, taking a handful of the complimentary mints from the bowl without even being prompted. “If I break the blood pact, I will die horribly. That’s just how blood pacts work.”

Fu shook his head and smiled. “You are going to be one of the most interesting pharaohs to ever rule, you know.”

“Yeah, I hope so. Thanks for the answers.” She headed towards the door, then stopped just before she opened it, remembering something. “Hey, uh, can I quickly ask you something? Not an oracle question, just something about what you told me last year.”

“Of course.”

“Well you said last year that when someone’s guardian animal dies, the person will die too not very long afterwards. And that the stronger the person’s fighting spirit is, the longer they’ll last. So I wanted to know, how long exactly are we talking here? What’s a rough estimate?”

“There isn’t much research into it, but it seems to be two to three weeks at most. Why?”

Alix grinned. “I lasted a whole eight weeks without my snake in one timeline before kicking the bucket. Guess I must be awesome, then.”

Fu smiled, bowing his head. “Yes, you certainly are.”

“Cool. Thanks, and see you later.”

Well, there was a possibility she wouldn’t see Fu later. After all, this was her last year at school! But no… she’d surely meet him again, some day. She opened the door and walked back into the waiting room to see Max standing in the middle hugging Markov, and everyone else watching with expressions that seemed close to tears.

“Uh… what did I miss?”

Markov flew out of Max’s arms and over to Alix, little stars in his eyes. “I’m experiencing happiness! A real emotion! And I like it!”

She gave him a fist bump. “Nice, dude. I knew you could do it.”

“And did you get a good answer to your question?”

“Hell yeah, I did.”

“Yay! I am even more happy now!”

Jeez, Markov was so adorable. Alix had already guessed that the little robot felt emotions, considering the way he acted half the time, but it was nice to know that it was true now. He was just as much of a friend to her as any human was.

When Kim went into the oracle room, he had made his mind up properly this time. No more overthinking. For once, he just needed to be reckless and speak without any care for the consequences. Just like how he used to be.

“So, what is your question?” Fu asked.

Kim didn’t hesitate this time. “Will I be able to go home by the end of the school year?”

“Ah, I suspected you would ask that…” Fu put his hands on his turtle for a few seconds, then sat back. “Well, the answer is both yes and no.”

“Um… what does that mean?”

“You know about the timeline splits, don’t you? Well, another one is going to happen at some point in the future. In one timeline you will be able to go home this summer, and in the other you won’t. At present it is impossible for me to tell you which one you will end up in.”

His heart was sinking faster than a stone in water – all the timeline splits he knew about so far had been bad. He was lucky to be living in a good timeline right now, because on the other side were deaths, exiles, confinements…

“It’s strange,” Fu mused. “Timeline splits that so strongly affect people are rare, and yet they have been happening with frequency. Of course, there is a superpower that I know of that allows people to have some level of control over the splitting of timelines, and can therefore affect the fates of others, but such a power is extremely rare and I do not know anyone who has it…”

Kim sat silently, listening. Was it possible that there really was someone out there messing with timelines? But why? All it did was cause suffering.

“Anyway! On that topic, I have some good news for you too.”

Good news? Oh, thank goodness, he really needed that right now…

“You have much more control over your destiny than you would think,” Fu said. “Never let my words dictate your choices or give you a sense of hopelessness. The power of friendship can always help you out when you’re in a tough spot.”

The power of friendship? Kim had to hold back a laugh. That was so cheesy.

“I mean it. Being able to think better and more rationally around someone smart, or channel all your energy into action around someone reckless? It is not merely some quirk to be overlooked. It is a sign that friendship will play a bigger role in your life than in many other people’s. Perhaps it might even change your fate. Who knows?”

Okay wait, how did Fu know all that? That Kim always felt really smart around Max for no apparent reason? Or that being around Alix made him full of energy? So, was that actually to do with superpowers after all?

“Would you like a complimentary mint on your way out?”

Oh, right. Fu was holding that bowl out at him. Kim took a few, wondering if the answer he got this year counted as good or not. All three of his oracle sessions had been somewhat bittersweet.

“Thank you,” he said, getting up to leave.

“You are very welcome. I wish you all the best for the rest of your life.”

And how long was that life going to be? He had been optimistic about things, but now he wasn’t sure anymore. Those stupid timelines seemed to still have it in for him, and who knew what was going to happen?

Well, never mind. He would just have to make the most of things.

He had barely even left the oracle room before Marinette was standing in front of him, hands on her hips, an odd smirk on her face.

“Prince Kim! I challenge you to a game of Monopoly!”

“Uh, what?”

“Sorry, that was a bit random.” Marinette giggled a little. “I just want to test out a certain new strategy of mine, and I know you like Monopoly. Is that okay?”

Kim grinned. “Of course! But no matter what strategy you’ve got, you’re gonna lose, because I’m awesome at Monopoly.”

“Is that why you lost against a snake that one time?”

“Pffff, I totally let the snake win. But I’m not gonna go so easy on you!”

“Great, that’s just what I wanted to hear! Let’s go, then!”

A Monopoly game against Marinette sounded fun – more fun than against an annoyingly smart snake, anyway. They went back to his room together and then began to play.

Usually Monopoly games were long, taking several hours, sometimes even stretching for days against particularly tough opponents. And usually you could only get so far being lucky, before running out of luck alone and having to rely on wits and actual tactics. So when Marinette managed to worm her way into getting both dark blue cards within the first five minutes, Kim chalked it up to luck and assumed that she would start failing soon, like everyone always did.

But she didn’t.

Within a few more rounds she had all three greens too. Then the oranges. Kim hoped that the chance cards would save him, but all he got was a “get out of jail free” card while Marinette ended up with bank errors in her favour giving her extra money, cards telling her to go to the next train station and buy it for herself, and to go to Go and pick up her salary.

How was she so endlessly lucky?!

By the time Kim lost, which was not very much later, his mood was very sour indeed. He tossed his remaining money at her and folded his arms.

“Congratulations, I guess… but you got lucky, so don’t take this as me being bad at Monopoly or anything…”

“You’re right, I did get lucky,” Marinette said, before stifling a yawn. “Phew, I’m exhausted…”

“Really? From what? Building so many hotels?”

“Kim, I should probably tell you something.” She looked down at the ground. “I was cheating.”

“What? But how? I was the banker and I didn’t see you stealing any money, and the dice isn’t loaded or anything–”

“Let me explain. At my oracle session just now, Fu said I can control luck. So I was using this Monopoly game to test it out. Every time I rolled the dice, I wished for luck to be in my favour, and it was. But it cost me energy every time. I think I could fall asleep in two seconds…”

Wait, Marinette had superpowers?! All Kim’s annoyance left him instantly.

“That is so cool, Mari! You can control luck? That’s the awesomest thing ever!”

She grinned, looking back up at him again. Sure enough she was much paler than she had been at the start of the game, with grey bags under her eyes now. “I’m glad you think so! But please don’t tell anyone.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep it a secret.”

“Thank you. And I’m sorry for tricking you into losing, I just really wanted to see if it worked.”

“Hey, it’s no problem. But next time you are forbidden from using your powers when we play.”

“Fair enough!”

“Are you going to tell anyone else about this?”

Marinette shrugged. “Alya, definitely. Maybe Nino. And… well, I would tell my pet cat, but I’m not sure if I’ll be seeing him these upcoming holidays…”

“What? Why not?”

She lowered her voice. “I’m not going back to Cheng again this time. It’s getting suspicious. I always used to split my time pretty evenly between Cheng and Dupain, and yet I haven’t been to Dupain in so long! I should go back there, at least this time, and make sure to keep the cat safe and beyond suspicion…”

It must have been hurting her so much to have to stay away from Adrien when he was in all that danger. Kim remembered how grateful he was to have all his friends around to support him when under threat of assassination, and how much scarier things had been at the start of summer when he was alone for once. It must be like that for poor Adrien all the time.

“It’s alright though, he’s got my parents,” Marinette said. “They’re taking good care of him. I’ll get to see him again – I just have to wait a little longer this time, that’s all.” She stood up, but quickly sat back down with her hand to her head.

“You okay?”

“Just a little dizzy, that’s all…”

“Is this because you used your powers?”

She nodded, her already pale face going slightly green. “Next time I’ll save it for emergencies…”

Kim leaned over and grabbed a pack of cookies from the draw behind him, handing them to Marinette. “I know you made these for me, but you should probably eat them now. Get your strength back up.”

She took one and took a small bite out of it. “Oh, that’s a bit better. Thank you Kim.”

“Shush, no speaking. Just keep eating.”

He made sure she had finished at least two of the cookies before allowing her to try standing up again. This time she stayed on her feet, though swaying slightly.

“I’m fine now,” she insisted.

“Are you sure? You should probably take a nap or something, you still look really tired. If you want I’ll take you to your room, or you can just nap in here if you really want, I’ll go do something else for a while and leave you some peace…”

“Yes please.” She staggered over to the bed and flopped down on it. “Sorry. I’m never using my powers that much ever again.”

Kim put the covers over her, turned off the lights, and closed the curtains. “This reminds me of that one time you dared me to eat a worm and then I got sick and you had to look after me because we were too scared to tell the servants.”

Despite almost being asleep, Marinette chuckled. “I didn’t dare you to eat a worm! I said ‘Kim, don’t eat a worm’ and then you said ‘don’t tell me what to do’ and ate a worm!”

“Well whatever, I was like 6, I was an idiot! Anyway, have a good nap. I’ll be back in a few hours. I hope you feel better soon.”

“Thanks. You’re an awesome friend.”

He smiled, then left the room and closed the door behind him. An awesome friend? Of course he was. He and Marinette had been friends since, like, forever. And now, here at school, he had plenty of other friends too. According to Fu, friendship was going to be more important in his life than for others, even enough to affect his fate – whatever that meant. How did that even work? Was it superpowers, or was it mundane? Did it matter?

#wow marinette is actually in this chapter for once #royalty au #miraculous ladybug #le chien kim #max kante #markov #alix kubdel #marinette dupain cheng #random stuff #aish writes #the misadventures of prince kim #maybe it's magic maybe it's maybelline...

11 notes · View notes

andreacaskey · 4 years

Text

A Curated List of Interesting and Curious CES 2020 Highlights

The Consumer Electronics Showcase in Las Vegas is a spectacle I’ve experienced (in some cases, endured) for over 20 years. But this year was different. Why? It’s not just about consumer electronics anymore. We’re finally witnessing the convergence of physical and digital “things” and spaces in everything…and I mean everything.

Following are some of the more promising, curious and also interesting takeaways from CES…

TVs: There were OLED and 8k TVs that are better than what we can actually see, with sizes hitting a whopping 292 inches (“dubbed The Wall.”)

Plant-based Pork at CES?: Impossible Foods debuted its “Impossible Pork” and the texture was realistic and the flavor was pretty darn close.

youtube

From Smart Fridge to Smart Microwave: GE introduced a “Kitchen Hub,” a microwave/range hood featuring a 27-inch screen, food monitoring camera, Google Assistant, SideChef guided recipes, outward camera for video calling and more.

youtube

eMobility: Segway is bringing “Wall-E” to life with its self-balancing Floating Chair to help you get around town in comfort. I mean, why stand or walk?

youtube

Toilet-Paper Innovation: When you’re really in a pinch, Charmin introduced Rollbot, a cute little robot that can deliver toilet paper on-demand with other curious features.

youtube

My Personal CES Favorites

Flying Ubers: Hyundai showed a full-scale flying car designed for “Uber Elevate,” its flying taxi service launching in 2023.

youtube

Sony’s Concept Car: Yes, you read that right. Sony surprised with a debut of an electric concept car featuring an entirely new take on what the interior of a car could be (featuring Sony products of course.)

youtube

Delta: Delta became the first major airline to exhibit at CES, promising to make travel “magical.” A futuristic billboard (Parallel Reality) at the airport that delivers personalized information to each passenger (in their language) based on a boarding pass scan. One board can accommodate up to 100 travelers at a time! Or how about boarding with biometrics or virtual queuing? They also promised free inflight wi-fi, inflight movies you can start before the flight and “binge watching” buttons. I say bring it on!

Beauty 2.0: L’Oreal introduced Perso, an AI-powered device, about the size/shape of a small thermos, to create personalized skincare, lipstick and foundation on demand. It’s like having your own Sephora!

youtube

Intelligent Prosthetics: BrainCo demonstrated an AI-powered prosthetic arm that detects muscle signals that tell the arm what you’re trying to do. Over time, the built-in algorithm learns and starts to emulate natural movement. #bionic

2020 Industry Trends for Businesses

Oftentimes, executives attending CES are focused on trends without understanding how they really impact their business (internally and externally). Personally, I like to take a human-centered perspective (customers and employees) and work backward toward strategy.

At CES, I shared my latest research to help humanize important trends for executives, “11 Digital Trends Shaping Customer Experience and Brand Innovation in 2020.”

The conversation focused on how digital disruptions such as 5G, AR/VR, AI, personalization/privacy, digital ethics, future TV, and location intelligence, are reshaping customer behaviors and expectations. The crux of my talk was to not only spotlight trends, but also entertain and inspire the audience to see how THEY too can use disruptive technologies to better understand people as they evolve, innovate, and ultimately make products and customer experiences more meaningful.

These are just 11 of the 30 trends keeping your clients up at night. To help, please feel free to share my slides or let me know if you or your clients have any questions.

That’s a wrap on my CES coverage. Thank you for your attention.

There were way too many technologies to see let alone cover. But one thing is clear, convergence between digital and humanity, in every facet of our work and personal lives, is only accelerating. There are incredible applications ahead. There are also potentially troubling trends that are inevitable. Either way, we need to understand the impact of disruptive technologies beyond technical capabilities and advancements to make positive, productive and innovative decisions about the future of work, society and humanity.

The post A Curated List of Interesting and Curious CES 2020 Highlights appeared first on Brian Solis.

A Curated List of Interesting and Curious CES 2020 Highlights published first on https://likesandfollowersclub.weebly.com/

0 notes

malika-carnelian · 7 years

Note

“💭”

Send “💭” For A Thought My Muse Had of Yours!

@icharibaxchode

Blare: {{I wish to be so strong like him, I don’t even know how he can deal with all of us and be always so kind and disponible. Always teaching something new to everyone. He is really like a dad.. and for me it is that for sure. I hope to make you proud, one day.. just wait.}}

Saburo:{{ This guy.. one day he will make me worried as hell. I don’t understand if he is really this childish or just playing all along, but… I can’t help but looking over him if something really bad will happen. He is like a little bro–… my my, now I understand how Roadbuster felt with me! }}

Yokai:{{ It is so hard to talk with him.. not because he is bad or whatever, but, I don’t know.. I always have the feeling to bothering him from work too much, even though probably it’s only just me. Ehh.. I should really get a hold to my bad thoughts.. specially when I perfectly know they all care about me.. }}

Bishop:{{ This AI is such a mama, so caring and calm, always trying to calm everyone’s tones when something bad or just too much is going on. Like all the time Ace and Sid ends pestering each other. But I feel you.. you have no idea how much, when they don’t stop even after your continuos calls. All the hot teas for you, sweety. }}

Ace:{{ I’m really asking to myself how you were able to deal with Tessa, I mean... she is way more sassy than Sid, that’s something will bug my entire life but heeey, I don’t mind it at all. I only hope the best for you two my friend, really, you deserve everything that can bring happiness to you two.... but please, for the love of god, stop arguing with the doc all the time! Both of you are hopeless.. }}

Tal:{{ I’m always curious of why you can’t talk like everyone else. In the beginning I thought it was because of the mask, but then I realized that that’s impossible.... because it is, right? But even if, reading your writing is also very relaxing when talking with you~, specially when you write little things in korean. It can confuse the hell out of me, but that’s cool dude! Maybe who knows, if I’m really that smart, one day I will learn that language! }}

Saito:{{ I love how mature he looks like, and yes, also so serious, I mean… he has his own fashion, ok? Even though sometimes it is like.. too much serious. But I like him the way he is, and I’ll always be grateful to the samurai for all the times he defended me from those fraggers of greyfaces, jesus… }}

Kintaro:{{ I felt so stuped when I fell against him.. what did he ever thought? For sure that I’m clumsy as hell. I should be more careful next time.. and try to have a normal conversation without bumping against others. Aside this, the shogun is so big, so tall, so bossy but at the same time, so friendly! I love his style and how bright his smile look like! }}

Jinn:{{ You have to explain me HOW can you deal with Jar.. really. Everytime I have to work with her, it’s like receiving a kick or a bullet right in the stomach, if not really an object against my head or face, because yes.. she tend to throw things at me whenever she gets mad! Even if not directly at me! I mean.. that’s not fair! And for this I sorta admire you Jinn, it looks like you have more patience and devotion than me–, or even kindness. Yeah, I can see this too. }}

Reginald:{{ Darn it! The one that has the ability to piss me off with the most supid things alongside Andrews! Lucky me that they don’t know each other or it could be the very end for my poor brain.. but even if, I can’t say to not care for this troll of an AI. Sometimes I even think he is clumsy and crazy like me, somehow…. no, definitely not. I’m more clumsy and he is definitely More crazy than me. }}

Sid:Sighs deeply {{ Sometimes I really wish to read your mind.. but at the same time I wish not. Weeks are passed since the day I confessed to you, and still, I’m here.. hanging all alone, more or less. What are you thinking, Sid? Probably I’m only a burden.. or just someone that’s able to distract you from work even a bit too much, mostly right now. I don’t know what to think, I just… there are days which I wished to have never let you know that.. but then I realize that is better like this. I will only wait and hold on. Loving you from the distant, like I always did. }}

#icharibaxchode #always forgetting someone #my brain is fucked #xD

1 note · View note

pogueman · 7 years

Text

David Pogue's CES roundup: All you have to remember is one word

The Consumer Electronics Show is the biggest trade show in the Western Hemisphere. If you somehow missed the show this past week—you’re so lucky!

CES a staggeringly huge, crowded, noisy, sensory-overload sort of show. About 3,900 booths fill enough floor space for 35 football fields. Trying to take it all in gets exhausting and expensive.

(It’s even worse if you work for one of the exhibitors; because CES falls at the beginning of January every year, your holidays are neatly ruined every single year.)

Everybody always asks: “What’d you see at CES this year?”

To which I now have a handy answer: an acronym. ARCHIVE.

That stands for Alexa, Robotics, Cars, Health wearables, Internet of Things, VR—and Everything Else.

Alexa Everywhere

A person holds an Echo Dot, the smaller version of the Amazon Echo. Bloomberg via Getty Images.

The Amazon (AMZN) Echo is that black cylinder that sits in your house and responds to voice commands, kind of like Siri for the home. (Here’s my review.) But as though its invention weren’t brilliant enough, Amazon has now persuaded the world that its technology (and its voice character, named Alexa) should be the standard voice-response technology for every appliance on earth.

At CES, we saw Amazon’s Alexa built into refrigerators (LG and Samsung), light switches (Incipio), power strips (Incipio, iDevices, Belkin), lamps (GE), speakers (Omaker), robotic vacuums (Samsung), satellite boxes (Dish), robots (Ubtech, Hubble), TVs (Seiki, Westinghouse, Element), headphones (Sensory), security cameras (Somfy), door locks (ADT), air purifiers (Coway), washers and dryers (Whirlpool), showerheads (Hydrao), cars (Ford), and on and on.

It’s an overwhelming list. It leaves Amazon’s rivals in the dust, staring at their feet and wondering what went wrong.

You know what? Alexa is going to be what saves the Internet of Things.

That, of course, is the annoying name for devices that we can control by pulling out our phones, unlocking them, and opening an app. (Yes, that’s what you have to do just to turn on an IoT lightbulb.) It’s too much hassle, and there are too many complicated, competing apps, for that approach ever to work.

But just talking to your room? “Alexa, is the dryer done yet?” “Alexa, make it two degrees warmer in here.” “Alexa, lock the doors.” “Alexa, I want to watch ‘Rambo.’”… Now that, the masses will love. And master easily.

Sorry, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Samsung. This time, Amazon wins.

Robotics

The LG Hub Robot & Mini are unveiled during an LG news conference before CES International, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/John Locher

There were home robots on display at CES—like the Amazon Echo with faces and bodies. There were vacuum robots and lawn-mowing robots. LG displayed a human-height robot designed for airports: You show it your boarding pass, and it offers to “walk” with you to the gate.

But robotics is the key to far more than actual robotics. Robotics and AI are what’s inside self-driving cars and collision-avoiding drones, plus products as unexpected as smart mouthguards, smart canes, smart toothbrushes, smart pet-food dispensers, and even smart hair brushes. (Finally, a hair brush that can tell you if you’re yanking your hair too hard!)

Cars

Hyundai’s Ioniq self-driving car. Photo: Yahoo Video

Self-driving cars. Everywhere. Toyota, Nissan, Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Volvo, Ford, Faraday.

For 10 years, people have been saying these cars would hit the roads in 2020—and guess what? Unlike most heavily hyped new technologies, this horizon isn’t receding. People are still saying 2020. That means it’s probably real.

Can you imagine? Autonomous cars will mean be the end not just of accidents, but also driver’s ed, driver’s licenses, and speeding tickets.

Even in their beta-test versions, today’s self-driving cars are drastically safer than the alternative: human drivers.

Health Wearables

A Fitbit device is pictured. Lisa Werner/Getty Images

Let’s face it: Smartwatches have pretty much bombed. They’re too big, they have to be charged every darned night, and they don’t really address an itch that our phones don’t already scratch.

But wearable health gadgets—that’s another story. Gartner predicted last year that 274.6 million wearable devices would be sold worldwide in 2016. That’s not just Fitbits (FIT) and other step/sleep trackers, but devices that measure your sunlight and noise exposure, or beep at you when you’re slouching. Intel’s (INTC) demos included a pair of Oakley sunglasses whose earpieces contain speakers and microphone, so that a virtual coach guides you through your workouts. And you can speak back.

Internet of Things

Man how I hate that stupid term. It’s not even accurate; the things do not create an Internet; they don’t do email or watch Netflix.

Anyway, “Internet of Things” means networkability (and smartphone apps) for household gadgets like dishwashers, refrigerators, lights, door locks, doorbells, security cameras, thermostats, showers, bikes, clothes, sports equipment, and so on. So far, the masses just aren’t buying. Probably because there’s no particular need for most things to be networkable.

And because it’s a hassle to unlock your phone and find an app just to turn the lights on.

Of course, that part got a lot better, thanks to Alexa (see above).

Virtual Reality

Heinrich Hiesinger, CEO of German steel-to-elevators group ThyssenKrupp AG, wears Microsoft HoloLens mixed reality headset REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

You know. Oculus, Vive, Playstation VR—all those expensive, sweaty, isolating goggles. They were here, of course, along with five new headsets that connect to plain-vanilla Windows 10 PCs (as opposed to the high-end gaming PCs required by Oculus, Vive, and so on).

I’ve always maintained, though, that augmented reality is underhyped. That’s where you see computer graphics overlaid on the real world around you; it’s not isolating.

“Pokémon Go” is augmented reality. Snapchat (the mode that makes you vomit rainbows) is, too. And so is Microsoft (MSFT) Hololens, which lets you view computer screens on your walls or your desk, or lets medical students examine virtual living bodies, or displays aliens emerging from holes they’ve blasted in your ceiling.

I doubt any of this will become standard household equipment. But I’m confident that VR is getting hailed as revolutionary more often than AR—and I think they’ve got it backwards.

Everything Else

CES is also what it’s always been: full of other stuff. Lots of TVs, pushing the same promises as last year (high dynamic range, 4K, super thin). Drones. Laptops. Phones. Tablets. Baby monitors. Washer-dryers. Bluetooth speakers by the shipload. Enough phone cases to pave the moon.

But for what was new at CES, all you have to remember is one word: ARCHIVE.

You’re welcome!

David Pogue, tech columnist for Yahoo Finance, welcomes non-toxic comments in the Comments below. On the Web, he’s davidpogue.com. On Twitter, he’s @pogue. On email, he’s [email protected]. You can read all his articles here (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/david-pogue/), or you can sign up to get his columns by email (http://j.mp/P4Qgnh).

#_uuid:e802a5bd-5eaf-3faa-8c88-ecb39a1e3475 #$F #$GE #Pogue #_revsp:yahoofinance.com #$MSFT #$WHR #David Pogue #_lmsid:a077000000BAh3wAAD #$intc #$FIT #_author:David Pogue #$AMZN

5 notes · View notes

samanthasmeyers · 4 years

Text

[Experiment] How AI is Changing the Way We Optimize at Unbounce

When I first encountered A/B testing, I immediately wanted to become the type of marketer who tested everything. The idea sounded fun to me. Like being a mad scientist running experiments to prove when my work was actually “working.”

Turns out though, there’s always a long list of other things to do first… blog posts to write, campaigns to launch, and don’t get me started on the meetings! I’m not alone in this, either. A lot of marketers are just too darned busy to follow up and optimize the stuff they’ve already shipped. According to HubSpot, only 17% of marketers use landing page A/B tests to improve conversion rates.

A small glimpse of my ever-growing to-do list. Ain’t nobody got time for A/B tests.

Sure, running a split test with one or two variants always sounds easy enough. But once you take a closer look at the process, you realize just how complex it can actually be. You need to make sure you have…

The right duration and sample size.

Taken into account any external factors or validity threats.

Learned how to interpret the results correctly, too.

But—while there will always be a time and place for A/B testing—there’s also now an easier and faster way for marketers to optimize. Smart Traffic is a new Unbounce tool that uses the power of AI and machine learning to get you more conversions. Every day, more marketers are using Smart Traffic to “automagically” optimize their landing pages. But whenever we launch anything new, we like to test it out for ourselves to learn alongside you (and keep you up to speed on what to try next).

Here’s what I learned after taking Smart Traffic for a test drive myself…

Shifting Your Mindset to Optimize with AI

I know many marketers are (perhaps) skeptical when it comes to promises of machine learning, artificial intelligence, or magical “easy” buttons that get them better results. But AI is all around us and it’s already changing the way we do marketing. Landing page optimization is just one more area of the job where you no longer need to do everything yourself manually.

Smart Traffic augments your marketing skills and automatically sends visitors to the landing page variant where they’re most likely to convert (based on how similar page visitors have converted before). It makes routing decisions faster than any human ever could (thank you, AI magic), and “learns” which page variant is a perfect match for each different visitor. This ultimately means no more “champion” variants. Instead, you’re free to create multiple different pages to appeal to different groups of visitors and run ‘em all at once.

This is very different from A/B testing and honestly—it can feel kinda weird at first. You’ve got to trust in the machine learning to figure out what works best and what doesn’t. Data scientists call this the “black box” problem: data goes in, decisions come out, but you never really get the full understanding of what happened in between.

Smart Traffic is fundamentally different from A/B Testing. You can learn more about how it works here.

For marketers using Smart Traffic, this means shifting your mindset and starting to think about optimization differently. Unlike A/B testing, you’re not looking for those “aha” moments to apply to your next campaign, or a one-size-fits-all “winning” variant. Instead, you’re looking to discover what works best for different subsets of your audience. This gives you unlimited creativity to try out new marketing ideas, makes it easier and less risky for you to optimize, and gives you an average conversion lift of 30% compared to splitting the traffic evenly across multiple variants. (Woah.)

My Experiment with Smart Traffic

I know all this because I recently experimented with variant creation myself to better understand this new AI optimization mindset. I created 15 variants across two separate landing pages using Smart Traffic to discover…

How easy is it to optimize with an AI-powered optimization tool?

Could I quickly set up the tests in Unbounce while still getting those other to-do’s done?

What kind of conversion lift would I see from just a few hours invested?

I took a little bit of my inspiration from Ms. Frizzle on the Magic School Bus. No, not her haircut, her catchphrase: “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”

Oh, so that’s where she got all her good ideas.

Creating 15 Variants in Under Two Hours

The beauty of Smart Traffic is there are no limits to how many variants you can create and it automatically starts optimizing in as few as 50 visits. Just hit the “optimize” button and you’re off to the races. Could it really be that simple?

My guinea pigs for this experiment would be two recent campaigns our marketing team had worked on: the ecommerce lookbook and the SaaS optimization guide. The team had created both of these ebook download pages in Unbounce, but we hadn’t been able to return to them and optimize very much in the months since we published.

The original landing pages would serve as my control variants. (Click to see the full pages.)

Before starting, I consulted with Anna Roginska, Growth Marketer at Unbounce, to get her input on how I should create my variants. She advised:

You can take the ‘spaghetti at the wall’ approach, where you create a bunch of variants and just leave them to Smart Traffic to see what happens. It’s that ‘set it and forget it’ mentality. That’s interesting, but when you look at a bowl of spaghetti… There’s a lot of noodles in there. You won’t necessarily get to explain why something is working or not working.

The other approach is to be more strategic and focused. I think there’s a huge benefit to going in with a plan. Create maybe only five variants and give them each a specific purpose. Then, you can see how they perform and create new iterations for different portions of the audience.

I had two landing pages to work with, so I thought I’d give both approaches a try. But with only a few hours scheduled in my calendar to complete all these variants, I needed to move fast.

The “Spaghetti at the Wall” Approach to Variant Creation

On the ecommerce lookbook page, I wanted to spend less time planning and more time creating. Whereas in A/B testing you need a proper test hypothesis and a careful plan for each variant, Smart Traffic lets you get creative and try out new ideas on the fly. Your variants don’t have to be perfect—they just need to be different enough to appeal to new audience segments.

This meant I didn’t have to make any hard or fast choices about which one element to “test” on the landing page. I could create 15 different variants that varied wildly from one another. Some used different colors, some had different headlines, some completely changed up the layout of the page.

This is something you just can’t do in a traditional A/B test where you’re looking to find a “winner” and understand why it “wins.” I had to remind myself I wasn’t looking for that one variant to rule them all (or for that one variant to bring them all and in the darkness bind them). I was looking to increase the chance of conversion for every single visitor. Certain pages were going to work better for certain audiences, and that was totally fine.

I wondered, though: how many variants would be too many? Would the machine learning recognize that some of these were not anything special and just stop sending traffic to them? And how long would it take to get results? With these questions in mind, I checked back on my first set of tests one month later…

Changing up the background color

Usually, color A/B tests are pretty much a waste of time. You need a lot of data to get accurate results, and most marketers don’t actually end up learning anything useful in the end. (Because color by itself means nothing, it always depends on the context of the page.)

That being said, we know there is some legitimate color theory and certain audience segments respond better to certain colors than others. So I thought it might be interesting to switch up the background on this landing page to see what would happen. And color me surprised—these variants are seeing some pretty dramatically different conversion rates:

Pink background – 12.82%

Green background – 21.43%

White background – 21.74%

Black background – 31.71%

One might start to speculate from these conversion rates that darker backgrounds perform better than the lighter backgrounds. But hold your horses, that’s thinking about this as an A/B test again. Here’s why Jordan Dawe, Senior Data Science Developer at Unbounce, says you should be cautious about drawing any conclusions from the conversion rates…

Smart Traffic is not sending visitors randomly—it’s trying to get the best traffic to the best variant. So in this case, it doesn’t mean that a black background will always convert higher than a pink background. There are likely portions of the audience going to each color that would be doing worse on others. Here’s what you can conclude: the color black is preferred by a portion of the traffic that converts highly.

It’s hard to shake that mindset of looking for a “winner” and trying to figure out “why” something is working. But I was starting to accept that different portions of the audience would always respond better to different variants—this was just the first time I’d been able to use AI to automatically serve up the best version.

Making big (and small) changes to the headline

For the next group of variants, I switched up the H1 in both small and big ways to see what effect that would have on the conversion rate. In some cases, this meant just swapping a single adjective (e.g., “jaw-dropping” for “drool-worthy”). In other cases, I went with a completely new line of copy altogether.

Here’s how the variants stacked up against each other:

See 27 Sales-Ready Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 25.81%

See 27 Stunning Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 25.93%

Get Ready to See 27 Jaw-Dropping Ecommerce Landing Page Examples – 28.13%

Get Serious Inspo for Supercharging Your Ecomm Sales – 35%

See 27 Drool-Worthy Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 40%

Again, each variant yielded a different conversion rate. I wondered if I kept testing different variations of the headlines and found one that performed best, could I deactivate all the other headline variants and just go with the “best” one?

Here’s how Floss Taylor, Data Analyst at Unbounce, responded…

Smart Traffic doesn’t have champion variants. You don’t pick one at the end like you would in an A/B test. Although one variant may appear to be performing poorly, there could be a subset of traffic that it’s ideal for. You’re better off leaving it on long-term so it can work its magic.

Trying out different page layouts and hierarchies

The last set of variants I created messed with the actual structure and hierarchy of the page. I wanted to see if moving things around (or removing sections entirely) would influence the conversion rate. Here’s a sample of some of the experiments…

Removing the Headline – 16.67%

Adding a Double CTA – 21.95%

Moving the Testimonial Up the Page – 27.27%

Nothing too surprising here. And because I had created so many variants, Smart Traffic was taking longer than usual in “Learning Mode” to start giving me a conversion lift. Here’s how Floss Taylor explains it…

Smart Traffic needs approximately 50 visitors to understand which traffic would perform well for each new variant. If you have 15 variants and ~100 visitors per month, you’re going to have a long learning period where Smart Traffic cannot make accurate recommendations. I’d suggest starting off with a lower number of variants, and only adding more once once you have sufficient traffic.

The “Strategic Marketer” Approach

So throwing spaghetti at the wall turned out to be… messy. (New parents beware.) For the SaaS optimization guide page, I wanted to be a bit more strategic. And I actually had a leg up for this one, because Anna Roginska, Growth Marketer at Unbounce, had already started with a Smart Traffic experiment on this page four months ago.

Anna had set up a test between two different variants. One had an image of the ecommerce lookbook as the hero graphic on the page, while the other used the image of conversion expert and author Talia Wolf. Anna says she decided on this second variant because of research she had seen on how photographs of people tend to convert better than products.

I put Talia up front because I knew from other tests I’ve run and research I’ve done. [Photographs of] people tend to convert better. I didn’t know if it would work better in this particular case, but I was able to set up a variant and use Smart Traffic to find out. And it just so happens that the algorithm started sending way more traffic to this variant.

Anna seemed to be onto something, too: her variant was converting at nearly double the rate for a large traffic subset. And while I now know we can’t consider this a “champion” variant like in an A/B test and learn from the results, we could iterate based on her design to target new audience segments.

I created a simple spreadsheet to develop my gameplan. The goal was to create five new versions of the page that would appeal to different visitors based on their attributes:

Reducing the word count to target mobile and “ready to download” visitors

For inspiration on my first variant, I consulted the 2020 Conversion Benchmark Report. The machine learning insights here suggested that SaaS landing pages with lower word counts and easier-to-read copy tend to perform better than their long-winded counterparts.

And while the original version of our download page was easy enough to read, it did have a long, wordy intro with a lot of extra detail. Could I increase our conversion rate for a portion of our audience if just focused on the bare essentials? I was ready to kill some darlings to find out…

Original Long-Form Version – 10%

Low Word Count Version – 21.43%

It seems there’s a segment of our traffic coming to this page who didn’t need to see all that extra info before they decided to fill out the form. I speculated that this variant might also perform better on mobile devices since it would be faster-loading and easier to scroll through. Interesting!

Switching the headline to target different audience segments

Next, I created an additional four page variants to speak to the different pain points and reasons our audience might want to download the guide. (Actually, this is something Talia herself recommends you do in the SaaS optimization guide.) I switched up the headline copy here, as well as some of the supporting text underneath to match. After a month, here’s what the conversion rates look like:

Get Talia’s Guide to Optimize – 19.05%

You Can’t Just Build – 23.08%

Optimization is a Lot of Work – 24%

Not Sure How to Optimize? – 33.33%

Each variant is serving a different segment of the audience, by speaking to the particular reason they want to download the guide most (e.g., maybe they don’t have the time to optimize, or maybe they don’t know how to get started). As Smart Traffic learns more about which variants perform best for which audience segments, we become that much more likely to score a conversion.

What I Learned Running These Smart Traffic Experiments

Smart Traffic absolutely makes optimization easier and faster for marketers who previously never had the time (or experience) to run A/B tests. It took me under two hours to set up and launch these experiments, and we’re already seeing some pretty impressive results just over a month later.

While the ecommerce lookbook page is still optimizing, the SaaS ebook page is showing a 12% lift in conversions compared to evenly splitting traffic among all these variants. And this is after only a month—the algorithm will keep improving to get us even better results over time. (Like a fine wine, or that suspiciously old cheese in my fridge.)

At the same time, I did walk away with a few important lessons learned. If you’re planning to use Smart Traffic to optimize your landing pages, here are some things to keep in mind before you get started:

There are no champion variants – Unlike traditional A/B testing, you won’t be able to point to one landing page variant at the end of your test and call it a winner. The machine learning algorithm automatically routes audiences differently based on their individual attributes, which means you have to be cautious when you’re analyzing the results.

The more variants you create, the longer you’ll wait – While it can be tempting to throw spaghetti at the wall and create dozens of variants for your landing page, this means you’ll also have to wait longer to see what sticks. Try starting out with three to five variations and take a more strategic approach based on research in your industry. (The 2020 Conversion Benchmark Report is a great place to start for some ideas.)

It’s (usually) better to leave low-converting variants active – Because Smart Traffic learns over time and continually improves, you’re typically better off leaving your variants active—even if their conversion rates aren’t all that impressive. The AI takes the risk out of optimization by automatically sending visitors to the page that suits them best. If you turn off variants, you may lose out on some of those conversions altogether.

It can be a lot of fun to get creative with the different page elements and try out new ideas. You just might want to come up with a bit of a plan first and be strategic with your approach. Still, it’s better to experiment and optimize with Smart Traffic (even if you make some mistakes along the way) than to never optimize at all.

(And in case you were worried, yep—I managed to get my to-do list done, too. )

from Marketing https://unbounce.com/marketing-ai/smart-traffic-experiments/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

#Digital Marketing

0 notes

roypstickney · 4 years

Text

[Experiment] How AI is Changing the Way We Optimize at Unbounce

A small glimpse of my ever-growing to-do list. Ain’t nobody got time for A/B tests.

The right duration and sample size.

Taken into account any external factors or validity threats.

Learned how to interpret the results correctly, too.

Here’s what I learned after taking Smart Traffic for a test drive myself…

Shifting Your Mindset to Optimize with AI

Smart Traffic is fundamentally different from A/B Testing. You can learn more about how it works here.

My Experiment with Smart Traffic

How easy is it to optimize with an AI-powered optimization tool?

Could I quickly set up the tests in Unbounce while still getting those other to-do’s done?

What kind of conversion lift would I see from just a few hours invested?

I took a little bit of my inspiration from Ms. Frizzle on the Magic School Bus. No, not her haircut, her catchphrase: “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”

Oh, so that’s where she got all her good ideas.

Creating 15 Variants in Under Two Hours

The original landing pages would serve as my control variants. (Click to see the full pages.)

Before starting, I consulted with Anna Roginska, Growth Marketer at Unbounce, to get her input on how I should create my variants. She advised:

I had two landing pages to work with, so I thought I’d give both approaches a try. But with only a few hours scheduled in my calendar to complete all these variants, I needed to move fast.

The “Spaghetti at the Wall” Approach to Variant Creation

Changing up the background color

Pink background – 12.82%

Green background – 21.43%

White background – 21.74%

Black background – 31.71%

Making big (and small) changes to the headline

Here’s how the variants stacked up against each other:

See 27 Sales-Ready Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 25.81%

See 27 Stunning Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 25.93%

Get Ready to See 27 Jaw-Dropping Ecommerce Landing Page Examples – 28.13%

Get Serious Inspo for Supercharging Your Ecomm Sales – 35%

See 27 Drool-Worthy Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 40%

Here’s how Floss Taylor, Data Analyst at Unbounce, responded…

Trying out different page layouts and hierarchies

Removing the Headline – 16.67%

Adding a Double CTA – 21.95%

Moving the Testimonial Up the Page – 27.27%

The “Strategic Marketer” Approach

I created a simple spreadsheet to develop my gameplan. The goal was to create five new versions of the page that would appeal to different visitors based on their attributes:

Reducing the word count to target mobile and “ready to download” visitors

Original Long-Form Version – 10%

Low Word Count Version – 21.43%

Switching the headline to target different audience segments

Get Talia’s Guide to Optimize – 19.05%

You Can’t Just Build – 23.08%

Optimization is a Lot of Work – 24%

Not Sure How to Optimize? – 33.33%

What I Learned Running These Smart Traffic Experiments

(And in case you were worried, yep—I managed to get my to-do list done, too. )

0 notes

jjonassevilla · 4 years

Text

[Experiment] How AI is Changing the Way We Optimize at Unbounce

A small glimpse of my ever-growing to-do list. Ain’t nobody got time for A/B tests.

The right duration and sample size.

Taken into account any external factors or validity threats.

Learned how to interpret the results correctly, too.

Here’s what I learned after taking Smart Traffic for a test drive myself…

Shifting Your Mindset to Optimize with AI

Smart Traffic is fundamentally different from A/B Testing. You can learn more about how it works here.

My Experiment with Smart Traffic

How easy is it to optimize with an AI-powered optimization tool?

Could I quickly set up the tests in Unbounce while still getting those other to-do’s done?

What kind of conversion lift would I see from just a few hours invested?

I took a little bit of my inspiration from Ms. Frizzle on the Magic School Bus. No, not her haircut, her catchphrase: “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”

Oh, so that’s where she got all her good ideas.

Creating 15 Variants in Under Two Hours

The original landing pages would serve as my control variants. (Click to see the full pages.)

Before starting, I consulted with Anna Roginska, Growth Marketer at Unbounce, to get her input on how I should create my variants. She advised:

I had two landing pages to work with, so I thought I’d give both approaches a try. But with only a few hours scheduled in my calendar to complete all these variants, I needed to move fast.

The “Spaghetti at the Wall” Approach to Variant Creation

Changing up the background color

Pink background – 12.82%

Green background – 21.43%

White background – 21.74%

Black background – 31.71%

Making big (and small) changes to the headline

Here’s how the variants stacked up against each other:

See 27 Sales-Ready Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 25.81%

See 27 Stunning Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 25.93%

Get Ready to See 27 Jaw-Dropping Ecommerce Landing Page Examples – 28.13%

Get Serious Inspo for Supercharging Your Ecomm Sales – 35%

See 27 Drool-Worthy Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 40%

Here’s how Floss Taylor, Data Analyst at Unbounce, responded…

Trying out different page layouts and hierarchies

Removing the Headline – 16.67%

Adding a Double CTA – 21.95%

Moving the Testimonial Up the Page – 27.27%

The “Strategic Marketer” Approach

I created a simple spreadsheet to develop my gameplan. The goal was to create five new versions of the page that would appeal to different visitors based on their attributes:

Reducing the word count to target mobile and “ready to download” visitors

Original Long-Form Version – 10%

Low Word Count Version – 21.43%

Switching the headline to target different audience segments

Get Talia’s Guide to Optimize – 19.05%

You Can’t Just Build – 23.08%

Optimization is a Lot of Work – 24%

Not Sure How to Optimize? – 33.33%

What I Learned Running These Smart Traffic Experiments

(And in case you were worried, yep—I managed to get my to-do list done, too. )

from Marketing https://unbounce.com/marketing-ai/smart-traffic-experiments/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

#SEO

0 notes

kennethmontiveros · 4 years

Text

[Experiment] How AI is Changing the Way We Optimize at Unbounce

A small glimpse of my ever-growing to-do list. Ain’t nobody got time for A/B tests.

The right duration and sample size.

Taken into account any external factors or validity threats.

Learned how to interpret the results correctly, too.

Here’s what I learned after taking Smart Traffic for a test drive myself…

Shifting Your Mindset to Optimize with AI

Smart Traffic is fundamentally different from A/B Testing. You can learn more about how it works here.

My Experiment with Smart Traffic

How easy is it to optimize with an AI-powered optimization tool?

Could I quickly set up the tests in Unbounce while still getting those other to-do’s done?

What kind of conversion lift would I see from just a few hours invested?

I took a little bit of my inspiration from Ms. Frizzle on the Magic School Bus. No, not her haircut, her catchphrase: “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”

Oh, so that’s where she got all her good ideas.

Creating 15 Variants in Under Two Hours

The original landing pages would serve as my control variants. (Click to see the full pages.)

Before starting, I consulted with Anna Roginska, Growth Marketer at Unbounce, to get her input on how I should create my variants. She advised:

I had two landing pages to work with, so I thought I’d give both approaches a try. But with only a few hours scheduled in my calendar to complete all these variants, I needed to move fast.

The “Spaghetti at the Wall” Approach to Variant Creation

Changing up the background color

Pink background – 12.82%

Green background – 21.43%

White background – 21.74%

Black background – 31.71%

Making big (and small) changes to the headline

Here’s how the variants stacked up against each other:

See 27 Sales-Ready Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 25.81%

See 27 Stunning Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 25.93%

Get Ready to See 27 Jaw-Dropping Ecommerce Landing Page Examples – 28.13%

Get Serious Inspo for Supercharging Your Ecomm Sales – 35%

See 27 Drool-Worthy Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 40%

Here’s how Floss Taylor, Data Analyst at Unbounce, responded…

Trying out different page layouts and hierarchies

Removing the Headline – 16.67%

Adding a Double CTA – 21.95%

Moving the Testimonial Up the Page – 27.27%

The “Strategic Marketer” Approach

I created a simple spreadsheet to develop my gameplan. The goal was to create five new versions of the page that would appeal to different visitors based on their attributes:

Reducing the word count to target mobile and “ready to download” visitors

Original Long-Form Version – 10%

Low Word Count Version – 21.43%

Switching the headline to target different audience segments

Get Talia’s Guide to Optimize – 19.05%

You Can’t Just Build – 23.08%

Optimization is a Lot of Work – 24%

Not Sure How to Optimize? – 33.33%

What I Learned Running These Smart Traffic Experiments

(And in case you were worried, yep—I managed to get my to-do list done, too. )

[Experiment] How AI is Changing the Way We Optimize at Unbounce published first on http://nickpontemktg.blogspot.com/

0 notes

itsjessicaisreal · 4 years

Text

[Experiment] How AI is Changing the Way We Optimize at Unbounce

A small glimpse of my ever-growing to-do list. Ain’t nobody got time for A/B tests.

The right duration and sample size.

Taken into account any external factors or validity threats.

Learned how to interpret the results correctly, too.

Here’s what I learned after taking Smart Traffic for a test drive myself…

Shifting Your Mindset to Optimize with AI

Smart Traffic is fundamentally different from A/B Testing. You can learn more about how it works here.

My Experiment with Smart Traffic

How easy is it to optimize with an AI-powered optimization tool?

Could I quickly set up the tests in Unbounce while still getting those other to-do’s done?

What kind of conversion lift would I see from just a few hours invested?

I took a little bit of my inspiration from Ms. Frizzle on the Magic School Bus. No, not her haircut, her catchphrase: “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”

Oh, so that’s where she got all her good ideas.

Creating 15 Variants in Under Two Hours

The original landing pages would serve as my control variants. (Click to see the full pages.)

Before starting, I consulted with Anna Roginska, Growth Marketer at Unbounce, to get her input on how I should create my variants. She advised:

I had two landing pages to work with, so I thought I’d give both approaches a try. But with only a few hours scheduled in my calendar to complete all these variants, I needed to move fast.

The “Spaghetti at the Wall” Approach to Variant Creation

Changing up the background color

Pink background – 12.82%

Green background – 21.43%

White background – 21.74%

Black background – 31.71%

Making big (and small) changes to the headline

Here’s how the variants stacked up against each other:

See 27 Sales-Ready Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 25.81%

See 27 Stunning Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 25.93%

Get Ready to See 27 Jaw-Dropping Ecommerce Landing Page Examples – 28.13%

Get Serious Inspo for Supercharging Your Ecomm Sales – 35%

See 27 Drool-Worthy Ecommerce Landing Pages in Our Ultimate Lookbook – 40%

Here’s how Floss Taylor, Data Analyst at Unbounce, responded…

Trying out different page layouts and hierarchies

Removing the Headline – 16.67%

Adding a Double CTA – 21.95%

Moving the Testimonial Up the Page – 27.27%

The “Strategic Marketer” Approach

I created a simple spreadsheet to develop my gameplan. The goal was to create five new versions of the page that would appeal to different visitors based on their attributes:

Reducing the word count to target mobile and “ready to download” visitors

Original Long-Form Version – 10%

Low Word Count Version – 21.43%

Switching the headline to target different audience segments

Get Talia’s Guide to Optimize – 19.05%

You Can’t Just Build – 23.08%

Optimization is a Lot of Work – 24%

Not Sure How to Optimize? – 33.33%

What I Learned Running These Smart Traffic Experiments

(And in case you were worried, yep—I managed to get my to-do list done, too. )

from Marketing https://unbounce.com/marketing-ai/smart-traffic-experiments/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

0 notes