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Instagram Reels’ biggest problem is replicating what TikTok does best
It’s easy to forget about Instagram Reels.
Instagram’s TikTok competitor rolled out last week, bringing with it a newly revamped Explore tab that attempts to replicate TikTok’s video feed. Alongside a new camera layout designed to make creating easier (spoiler alert: it only made things more complicated), Instagram’s goal was obvious: make Reels a new go-to experience on the app, much like it made Stories blow up in 2016.
But a week after its launch, Reels feels tacked on. It’s impossible not to notice the flood of reuploaded videos from TikTok, with TikTok watermarks still dotting the upper left-hand corner of reel after reel. The authentic reels mostly seem to come from featured Instagram creators, and they’re often based on popular TikTok trends.
The problem is, it’s easy to miss Reels entirely. I have to actively remind myself that I can make a reel (it’s on a second tab within the camera screen) or that I can navigate over to Explore to watch reels. Reels aren’t labeled as such in Stories, so they just play as regular videos, and I haven’t come across any videos labeled as reels on my direct feed. Nothing is being served to me.
That’s the key to TikTok’s not-so-secret recipe for success: it completely removes the paradox of choice, a term coined by psychologist Barry Schwartz that refers to how having more choices can lead to a sense of paralysis, unable to actually choose anything. TikTok never makes you leave its first screen, the For You Page, a never-ending sequence of videos that flip from one to the next at the flick of a finger. Everything is served in one spot, designed to bring videos to you instead of making you find them.
The paradox of choice is a recurring problem for video services. There’s a wealth of entertainment platforms designed to let people watch whatever they want (Netflix, YouTube, Twitch). But in reality, they often make the act of watching and consuming too overwhelming because you have to choose from an endless array of options. Over at Netflix, it’s a problem the team is aware of. Netflix research in 2016 discovered that if people don’t find something within 60-90 seconds, they’ll move on to something else. A Nielsen study last year found that most people spend around seven minutes trying to find something to watch on streaming services like Netflix.
TikTok gets around this problem in two simple (albeit extraordinarily difficult to devise) ways: a finely tuned personalization algorithm that seemingly no other app can compete with and a constant flow of videos all siphoned into one feed. TikTok doesn’t require you to go anywhere once you open the app; just start scrolling, and more videos appear. Very quickly, it will also figure out what you’re interested in (don’t care about witches and skateboarding, but love cats and dances) and surface more of those types of videos, without requiring any engagement on your part other than watching.
Mindless scrolling completely removes the paradox of choice. I don’t have to think about finding something to watch or worry about what I’m going to watch next. Everything is chosen for me, endlessly. Since TikTok is also more of an entertainment network than a social media platform, there’s no pressure to actively participate. The result is an app that requires no effort or knowledge to use, run by an algorithm that constantly surfaces hyper-targeted videos depending on individual interests, all on one page.
It’s the last part of that equation that’s most important. Unlike Reels, which Instagram makes people seek out to enjoy, TikTok just surfaces content. Eugene Wei, a former product officer at Amazon and Hulu, observed that Instagram is now “a Frankenstein of feeds and formats and functions spread across a somewhat confused constellation of apps.”
Instagram baked Stories into the app’s core experience — it’s built directly into the main feed and camera screen — but Reels feels like an afterthought. There might be a fun creator community on Instagram Reels, but unless it’s surfaced upon opening the app, how likely is it that I’m going to seek it out instead of just scrolling through my feed and Stories?
“There’s a reason that many people in the U.S. today describe social media as work,” Wei wrote in his blog post. “And why many, like me, have come to find TikTok a much more fun app to spend time in.”
It is a much more fun app to spend time in. I don’t have to question if I’ll find anything I’m interested in when I open TikTok or spend time trying to find something to watch. I don’t have to think at all. I just open the app and stare at a sea of funny videos until I’ve had my serotonin fix for the day. After spending hours engaging with people on Twitter or trying to find something new to watch on Netflix and YouTube, having an app that removes any thinking whatsoever and lets me mellow out completely by removing the paradox of choice is a welcome distraction.
Source : TheVergeRead More
Tech
Charge Your Phone Wirelessly With 50% off a Multifunctional LED Lamp

White Wireless Charge Lamp | $18 | Amazon | Clip coupon + code ABC88699
Black Wireless Charger Lamp | $20 | Amazon | Promo code ABC88699
When you’re ready to turn in for the night, you don’t want to forget to charge your phone— especially if your mobile device doubles as your alarm clock.
With this wireless charger lamp, you can make this crucial step of your nightly routine even easier by just setting your phone on the wireless charging pad and… well, that’s all there is to it!
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Other functions include multiple lighting modes as well as a sleep timer option for auto shut-off of the light after 30 or 60 minutes.
This lamp can be yours in white for $18 if you clip the coupon on Amazon (it’s below the original $40 price) and add promo code ABC88699 at checkout.
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You can snag the black version for $20 using the same code—no coupon though, sorry.
Don’t sleep on this deal! Who knows how long stock or the coupon code will last?
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Keep That Hotdish Hot With 65% Off a Luncia Casserole Carrier, Only $11 With Promo Code


Luncia Double-Decker Dish Carrier | $11 | Amazon | Promo code SDDU9S7F
It has been a long time since the days we could safely have a potluck or other gatherings, but we have a fantastic deal perfect for once those times return. These double-decker Luncia dish carriers can be had for 65% off when you add promo code SDDU9S7F at checkout and clip the coupon on the site (it’s just below the price). These holders fit 9″x 13″ sized baking dishes.
That means you can insulate and keep two dishes of food warm for only $11 instead of $30. What’s more, your Luncia carrier will arrive by Christmas if you order today as a Prime member.
Just add promo code SDDU9S7F and clip the 5% off coupon to bring the price down to $11 for the blue or the grey option.
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Grab this offer while it’s still around!
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Conquer Your Pup’s Dander and Fur With $700 Off a Cobalt or Charcoal Bobsweep PetHair Plus Robot Vacuum


Bobsweep PetHair Plus Robot Vacuum & Mop (Cobalt) | $200 | Best Buy
Bobsweep PetHair Plus Robot Vacuum & Mop (Charcoal) | $200 | Best Buy
Allergies can be bad enough as the seasons change. Don’t let pet hair and dander add to that by vacuuming it up early and often. That chore is easier said than done— unless you have a robot vacuum to do the work for you. This lovely bright cobalt Bobsweep PetHair Plus robot vacuum and mop, only $200 today at Best Buy seems like an ideal option. That’s a whopping $700 off, by the way.
You can get the same deal for the charcoal version of the robot vac, too. This model is not only specially made for picking up pet hair, it self docks and charges when it’s finished with the work.
It also comes with a mop attachment, so it can take care of those kitchen floors for you as well. Grab it while it’s still available for this fantastic price!
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