In an era in which technology is touching everything around us, bad software can now even affect your shoes. A few weeks ago, sneaker titan Nike released a pair of self-lacing sneakers called Adapt BB that were so popular that they sold out in less than an hour after they were launched. The $350 shoes, though, have since hit a big glitch, which relates to the smartphone app that pairs with the sneakers and controls how tightly laced they are. The Android version of the app reportedly bricks the shoes when communicating with shoe firmware Nike updated a few days after releasing the shoes. FitAdpapt Technology The technology behind the self-lacing shoes is called FitAdapt, which users can theoretically access through either the app or manually by using a set of buttons on the side of the shoes. FitAdapt is based on something called HyperAdapt, which the company first released...

The annual SXSW festival in Austin brings together the best in the arts from various media, including music, TV, and film. There are few finales as anticipated as that of "Game of Thrones", which will come to an end for HBO in the coming months with anticipation already building for the return of the show on April 14, 2019, in the U.S. To continue the buzz around the world's biggest TV show, HBO has been developing a number of brand partnerships including a continuation of the partnership with Snapchat. In the past, Snapchat has developed various augmented reality options usually using its AR Marker Tool to bring images to life. The development of the partnership with Snapchat has given HBO the opportunity to bring its marketing for "GoT" to life on many levels at SXSW. The City of Austin has been submerged in "Game of Thrones" marketing materials including a...

Microsoft's Marketing Chief Has Spoken Out Against April Fools' Day Pranks-and He's Not Joking If you're a fan of Microsoft's products and/or intellectual property—think Xbox, top-notch PCs, and Minecraft, specifically—you're probably assuming that the company's employees and software developers, because their work is so difficult and centers on helping others to relax and have fun, will pull a prank or two during April Fools' Day, which, as always, is scheduled for the first day of April. Unfortunately, you couldn't be more wrong. As a matter of fact, Microsoft's corporate division has taken a decidedly anti-April Fools' Day stance. Chris Caposella, Microsoft's chief marketing executive, stated via memo (and in more words) that April Fools' Day pranks—particularly those that aim to entertain customers and the public generally—should be abstained from, as he believes that they can create negative news and unwanted media attention. An employee or group of employees recently leaked...

This week, Apple temporarily blocked Facebook and Google from creating and running Enterprise iOS apps meant for internal use. Apple has since restored both of the iOS enterprise certificates. Facebook found itself in the crosshairs of Apple because of an app called Facebook Research, which tracked the phone usage of the company's users in a manner Apple said violated its policies. The app was able to do this because it was created through the Apple Developer Enterprise Program. A program that lets certain approved developers distribute apps within their own organizations. Unlike with normal iOS apps, which Apple individually tests and approves prior to their release on the App Store, Apple does not test or approve apps created through its Enterprise program. This is because companies officially cannot distribute these apps outside of employees, contractors and partners, who in turn are meant to use the apps only internally or for...