#apple scruffs monthly

[harrisonstories]

Posted on the Apple Scruffs Facebook page today:

“In February 1971 we featured a ‘centre-fold’ in our magazine, wishing George a ‘happy birthday’ with drawings by our Lucy depicting the All Things Must Pass cover. Remembering George today, happy heavenly 80th birthday." [x]

#george harrison #ringo starr #apple scruffs #the beatles #george 80 #apple scruffs monthly #facebook #1971 #2023

[longforyesterday]

Paul McCartney and Linda Eastman wed on March 12, 1969. McCartney’s status as the last Beatle to marry, coupled with the supposed suddenness of the event, greatly upset Paul’s fans. As Apple Scruff Carol Bedford conveyed in her memoir, “Every McCartney fan felt he would never marry. Even if he were to do so, they all expected the bride to be Jane Asher, his girlfriend for many years.” If Beatlemania had been predicated on boundless joy and energy, then the mass of girls that greeted the new Mr. and Mrs. McCartney as they appeared at the doorway of London’s Marylebone Registry Office was marked by anguish and despair. The night before the wedding, Paul could hear girls crying just outside the gates of his home. Some fans, however, did far more than cry. The bad press that Linda McCartney would receive in the years following her marriage to Paul—especially when she joined him in his post-Beatles band Wings—seems to have some origins within this group of fans. Derek Taylor, who was an early publicist for the Beatles and later was the press officer for the Beatles’ enterprise Apple Corps, remembered that content within the Apple Scruffs Monthly Book fanzine—which some of these fans had started producing—was at times “particularly mean about Linda.” Unlike the reputation that Jane and Paul had enjoyed as a golden couple, journalist Paul Du Noyer rightly states that Linda was initially “welcomed” as much as had been another American divorcée, King Edward VIII’s beloved Wallis Simpson. Though Linda Eastman was Jewish, minimal attention was paid to this aspect of her identity. Erin Torkelson Weber has noted that there was some reference to her as a “Jewish Princess” in the press. However, this part of her background was not a focal point. And, though worldwide pockets of antisemitism have never fully disappeared, this particular prejudice was not something that publicly affected the McCartneys’ marriage in any distinct way.

#... #linda mccartney #paul mccartney #beatles fans #christine feldman barrett #a women's history of the beatles

[olafsings]

The Apple Scruffs: Take Three https://www.olafsings.com/2020/07/the-apple-scruffs-take-three.html 1. The Apple Scruffs were hardcore Beatles fans. They congregated outside the Apple Corps building and at the gates of Abbey Road Studios in London, hoping to see and interact with one of the band members. 2. The Beatles' song "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window" is about the day that Apple scruffs climbed into Paul McCartney's house through an upstairs bathroom window, raided his wardrobe, and took turns his trying on pants. 3. In 1970, they started a monthly Beatles publication called the "Apple Scruff Book Monthly."

#the beatles

[discovercreate]

12 Last Minute Subscription Christmas Presents for Procrastinators

Nobody means to procrastinate on purpose. You're busy at work! You're waiting to see what goes on sale! Your first option is now out of stock! You've been hunting for the PERFECT gift for weeks but nothing seems right and now it's too late! You're way past crunch time and now you're into full-time panic mode. Amazon can't even help you now, and that's saying something. But here's where you can think outside of gift cards and coupons for "quality time" and get you're loved ones a gift that will "keep on giving, the whole year round" (Eddy, from National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and if you haven't watched that yet go ahead and add it to the queue) Your saving grace: Subscriptions! Depending on what you get, it's like Christmas with every delivery throughout the year! And if you swing it right, you can pay for the whole year upfront and many times it'll save you money. Here are a few options to get you out of the dog-house:

Magazines

You can find a magazine subscription to fit pretty much anyone. From wine enthusiasts, home decor aficionados and sports fans you are sure to find something for even the toughest family member. Pro-tip, many times you can purchase subscription "bundles" that will save you even more money and flood your loved one's mailbox with oodles of inspiration every month.

Gift Boxes

There are SO many monthly subscription boxes that make every package feel like an extended Christmas. You've got: FitFabFun for your fitness/trend enthusiasts. Causebox is perfect for your ethically conscious cousin who always has the coolest, healthiest stuff Birchbox for your little sister who can contour better than you ever knew possible. Harry's for your brother as a helpful hint that maybe his scruff could use a little cleaning up from time to time. Trade Coffee or Atlas Coffee Club for your brother-in-law who knows *exactly* what region of the world he prefers his coffee to come from BarkBox for your aunt who's has a Westie that honestly and truly ~rules~ the house. Winc for your cool older sister who knows how to pick wine bottles out with a technique other than just looking at how pretty the brand is Vinyl Me, Please for your cousin who plays his weekly sets at the coolest coffee shop you've ever been to

Streaming services

Everyone and their mother share a Netflix account (literally) but new streaming services are popping up left and right with all kinds of original content and the world rejoices as our pocketbooks quiver. So, gifting a new option like Disney+ is actually a pretty affordable and thoughtful gift! Or, if you're shopping for someone who's more musically inclined — think of options like Apple Music or Spotify Premium! It's an added bonus that every time your recipient uses that service, they'll think of you and be grateful all year long.

Amazon Prime

If you're really, really looking to pack a gracious punch — a great last-minute gift option is the gift of free shipping. It's really hard to top that amongst all the other benefits of being a prime member, and your recipient will be very grateful. So now all you have to do is make a cute little card informing them that you didn't JUST get them a Christmas present, you got them a present every month of the year! You'll win some major brownie points. Continue reading on Style Me Pretty from Style Me Pretty https://ift.tt/37dYIsr

#weddings #stylemepretty

[emmamartinsblog]

Festivals, podcasts, and mindfulness!

This month has flown by! I’m working 2 days a week at the RNIB and still interviewing people about their sight loss stories. In return, they are helping me with my typing. Its more sorting out the voice activation so that it works with me and not against me! Yes it is still a problem! It is getting easier. During my first month at the RNIB I couldn’t even log on - but, I’ve now managed to master that! King’s Cross is incredibly mental even when it is not rush hour. 

I went up to spend some time with my friend Liz - who I met at university, Richie,  and their son Danny. We went to their family festival in Wincle (what an amazing name and a beautiful location). It was during the really hot weekend, but it was a bit cooler in the country side. It was a beer and gin festival - totally up my street! We sat by the river, we went up in Richie’s van, and I camped. The whole family came along. Richie has this amazing WWII wagon. Apologies if it was not WWII - I am not as up to date on my military memorabilia as I used to be. 

This is us and her sister ready for the party!

From one festival to another! This one was a bit more of a crazy festival which is up North, near Sawley, Lancashire, and called Beat Herder. It seemed like everyone who was there was 20 years old. I think it was just where we were camped. Nevertheless, we got involved. 40 years old and having a great time! It was great to hangout with Laura who I have known for years. I saw so many acts, my favourite being Groove Armada - great to see them and they played all the old classics. We also saw this act called Henge. They were quite out there and random, but it was fun nonetheless. On the Sunday afternoon, Mr. Scruff did this long set which lasted for hours. It was incredible and I was amazed that he was doing these long sets even though he must be in his 50s! But, I was exhausted after a 4 day festival and glad to get back to Sheffield and London. 

I have been doing my mindfulness practitioner training once a month. It’s good to do, but I am finding it pretty hard to memorise all of the different practices. It’s hard and I am blaming it on my brain injury. I’ll persevere for a while, but I am not hopeful. However, in a mindfulness way, it doesn’t really matter. I have been doing some practices with one of my classmates from the course. Some of the things we have to say make it quite hard to take it seriously. We are thinking of starting a sitcom about it! Maybe that will be a better outcome!

I went to SweetTree this month to help with training new support workers. It went really well! There was a full crowd - 25 in attendance which is a lot for me - and they were very chatty and quite inspired! This is a monthly talk that I go and do. I have been doing this for a while and it is building my confidence up all the time which is good!

Finally, my podcast! We have launched! We have no idea if anyone is actually listening. So, I am going to rely on my friends to feedback - but no one has yet! Can anyone let me know if they are listening?? I am very pleased with what I have achieved. We have 10 episodes in the podcast! This week is Trisha Goddard’s episode. 

If you want to give it a listen my podcast is called “The Longest Battle” and is available through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Acast. You can find all the information about my podcast, and hear more about my story, on my website. Please pass it on!

www.thelongestbattle.com 

Every listener counts :) 

Let me know what you think! Enjoy the heat wave!

Emma x

[bizmediaweb]

The History of Social Media: 29+ Key Moments

Here, we’ve compiled some of the most pivotal “moments” in social media’s history. From the very first social networking site (invented in the 1990s), to recent changes to networks with billions of users.

So sit back, relax, and join us while we look back at what once was the future.

The 29 most important moments in the history of social media

1. The first social media site is born (1997)

On one of the first true social media sites, SixDegrees.com, you could set up a profile page, create lists of connections, and send messages within networks.

The site amassed around one million users before it was bought out for $125 million …and shuttered in 2000, though it later made a modest comeback and still subsists today.

2. Are you? Hot or Not (2000)

Who can forget Hot or Not ( AmIHotorNot.com )—the site that invited users to submit photos of themselves so others could rate their attractiveness. The site is rumored to have influenced the creators of Facebook and YouTube—and nurtured millions of insecurities.

After being sold off a few times, its new owners tried to revive it as a “game” in 2014.

3. Friendster (2002)

Then along came everyone’s BFF: Friendster.

Launched in 2002, Friendster was originally going to be a dating site that would help set up people with friends in common. You could create a profile, include “status updates” and reveal your mood. Messaging “friends of friends of friends” was also a thing.

Unfortunately, the site’s spike in popularity in 2003 caught the company by surprise and took a toll on its servers, impacting users, who increasingly looked to connect elsewhere.

4. Myspace: “a place for friends” (2003)

In droves, frustrated Friendsters said “sorry it’s not me, it’s you” and pulled up stakes for Myspace , the Friendster rival that quickly became the go-to site for millions of hip teens. Its customizable public profiles (which often featured music, videos and badly shot, half-nude selfies) were visible to anyone, and were a welcome contrast to Friendster’s private profiles which were available only to registered users.

2005 marked the apex of Myspace. The site had 25 million users and was the fifth popular site in the United States when it sold to NewsCorp that year. And that was the start of its decline from ultra-trendy to ultra-tacky.

5. Gaining traction (2003-2005)

In 2003, Mark Zuckerberg launched Facemash, described as Harvard University’s answer to Hot or Not. “The Facebook” followed in 2004. Registering its one millionth user that same year, the site dropped the “the” to became just “Facebook” in 2005, after the “Facebook.com” domain was purchased for $200,000.

Around the same time, a tidal wave of other social media sites swept ashore:

LinkedIn emerged, targeting the business community. Photosharing sites like Photobucket and Flickr, social bookmarking site del.ici.ous and the now ubiquitous blogging platform, WordPress also came into existence.

YouTube also launched in 2005. Anyone remember “Me at the zoo”—the very first YouTube video of that man and the weirdly watchable elephants? It now has 56 million views.

News-aggregator-cum-snark factory, Reddit arrived that year too.

6. Twitter hatches (2006)

Despite its 2004 birth date, 2006 was arguably the year Facebook truly took flight: it opened registration to everyone and went from an exclusive Harvard-only club to a global network.

Twttr, the site that eventually became known as Twitter also took flight in 2006.

The first tweet ever, posted by co-founder @Jack Dorsey on March 21, 2006, read: “just setting up my twttr.” So glad they changed the name, because “twttr” scks!

Dorsey originally envisioned twttr as a text message-based tool for sending updates between friends. Apparently in the early stages of its development the twttr team racked up some steep SMS bills. TechCrunch reported twttr’s first users were sending breaking life updates like: “Cleaning my apartment” and “Hungry”. (My, how times have(n’t) changed!)

7. LinkedIn “in the Black” (2006)

In sharp contrast to other networks, LinkedIn—once known as “Myspace for adults”—was the first to offer users paid premium packages. Its Jobs and Subscriptions area, the site’s first premium business line, helped bring in revenue in the early days.

In 2006, just three years post-launch (and three years before Facebook!), LinkedIn turned a profit for the first time.

“As far as we’re concerned, a year of profitability is but a ‘taste’ of the success we aspire to achieve at LinkedIn,” said social media manager Mario Sundar, in a blog post lauding LinkedIn’s first year “in the black.”

The site’s profitability would be a recurring theme in the stampede towards IPO—both LinkedIn, and numerous copycats.

8. YouTube makes partners (2007)

Through YouTube’s elephantine beginnings, buzz grew: it gathered nearly eight million daily views between its May 2005 beta its official launch in December 2005. Then, things escalated quickly: ahead of its acquisition by Google in the fall of 2006, the site grew to 100 million videos being watched by 20 million dedicated users.

In May 2007, YouTube introduced its partnership program, which has been key for the site. The initiative is what it sounds like: a partnership between YouTube and its popular content creators. YouTube provides the platform and creators provide the content. Profits from advertising on creators’ channels are then shared between the two parties. And that’s how Lonelygirl15 and your favorite YouTubers got their start.

9. Tumblr and the age of the microblog (2007)

In 2007 the social network described as “Twitter meets YouTube and WordPress” came a-tumblin’ along. 17-year-old David Karp launched Tumblr from his bedroom in his mother’s New York apartment. The site allowed users to curate pictures, videos and text and “reblog” their friends on their “tumblelogs.”

Soon after, the term micro-blogging became widely used to describe both Twitter and Tumblr, which both allowed users to “exchange small elements of content such as short sentences, individual images, or video links.”

10. The hashtag arrives (2007)

The strict 140-character limit for tweets set Twitter apart from rivals, including Facebook and Tumblr. But Twitter’s significance in the digital age was really defined by the hashtag, a symbol that has helped political organizers and average citizens mobilize, promote, and create awareness for critical (and not so critical) social issues.

Hashtags have also helped plant the seeds that sprouted movements such as #Occupy, #BlackLivesMatter, and #MeToo.

Also, timesucks like #SundayFunday, #YOLO and #Susanalbumparty.

As the story goes, during the summer of 2007, one of Twitter’s early adopters, Chris Messina, proposed the hashtag (inspired from his early days on internet relay chats) for organizing tweets. It wasn’t until a couple of months later, that the #SanDiegoFire hashtag was sparked to aggregate tweets and updates about the California wildfires.

Still, Twitter didn’t fully embrace the hashtag until 2009, realizing that it was more than just a useful way to group content, but a unique vernacular for expressing ideas and emotions online too. It invigorated the platform, and brought new users.

11. Welcome Weibo (2009)

While we’re on the topic of micro-blogging, we would be remiss not to mention China’s Sina Weibo, or simply Weibo. A Facebook and Twitter hybrid, the site launched in 2009—the same year Facebook and Twitter were banned in the country. Along with Qzone and QQ, Weibo remains one of the most popular social networks in China, with 340 million active monthly users.

12. Back to the land with FarmVille (2009)

Back over on the other side of the ocean, 2009 was the year your mom, granddad and Aunt Jenny joined Facebook and couldn’t (or wouldn’t) stop inviting you to join the new family pastime, FarmVille. Like you didn’t have enough chores to do IRL, wiling the day away on virtual animal husbandry added to the list.

The addictive social game eventually made TIME magazine’s list of the world’s worst inventions. (Of course, that didn’t stop Zynga from creating spinoffs like PetVille, FishVille and FarmVille 2 among others. PassVille.)

13. When your FourSquare “check in” ousted your FarmVille update (2009)

2009 also showed users how to acquire important-sounding-yet-meaningless titles from their daily travels. Location-based app Foursquare was one of the first that allowed users to “check in,” while sharing recommendations all about their favourite neighbourhoods and cities with friends and family …and earn virtual mayorships while they were at it.

14. Grindr revolutionizes the hookup (2009)

Tinder comes to mind as the app that changed online dating culture when it appeared in 2012. But Grindr, on the scene in 2009, was the first geosocial networking app for dating geared towards gay and bisexual men, helping them meet other men nearby. For better or worse, it revolutionized hookup culture for gay men, and paved the way for many others like Scruff, Jack’d, Hornet, Chappy, and Growlr (for bears).

15. Unicode adopts the emoji (2010)

There can be little doubt that digital culture changed in 1999 when the emoji first appeared on Japanese mobile photos, thanks to Shigetaka Kurita. Their popularity quickly ???? (uh, took off).

By the mid-2000s, emoji started appearing internationally on Apple and Google platforms.

Realizing writing online without access to a thumbs up emoji was nearly impossible, Unicode adopted the emoji in 2010. The move was the beginning of emojis being legitimized as a language. So essential was the “Face with Tears” (a.k.a. the laugh-cry emoji) that it was actually adopted as a word by the Oxford Dictionary in 2015.

And each country has their own favorite: for Americans it’s skulls, Canadians love the smiling pile of poo (WTF, Canada?), and for the French? Of course it’s the heart.

16. Introducing Instagram (2010)

Can you remember the pre-filter days of photo-sharing—back when there wasn’t the option to add the Gingham filter to make everything look “vintage”?

We have Instagram’s founders to thank for our inability to go a day without posting a filtered pic with polaroid corners to our highly curated feeds. On July 16, 2010, one of the first Instagram photos to be published by co-founder Mike Krieger (@mikeyk) was an uncaptioned, heavily filtered shot of a marina.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mike Krieger (@mikeyk) on Jul 16, 2010 at 10:26am PDT

The shot definitely set the tone for the billion users around the globe the today post upwards of 95 million shots a day (according to 2016 figures).

17. Pinterest has us pining to pin (2010)

Though it first went live in closed beta in 2010, it wasn’t until 2011 that “pinning” would become a favourite new hobby (and verb) for domestic gods and goddesses. Social bookmarking site Pinterest was once called “digital crack for women” and gave women’s lifestyle magazines and blogs a new raison d’etre.

A 2012 report about the site found that home, arts and crafts, and fashion were the most popular categories on Pinterest. That’s still true in 2018.

Recent stats show two million people post pins every day, and there are one billion pins living on the site!

18. #Jan25 Tahrir Square uprising (2011)

Jan. 25, 2011 was a fateful day for hundreds of thousands of Egyptians who took to the streets, gathering in Cairo’s Tahrir Square to protest 30 years of dictatorship under Hosni Mubarak. The uprising eventually forced Mubarak to step down—just as similar protests had ousted Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali days earlier.

Similar actions, which came collectively to be known as the “Arab Spring,” swept countries across the Middle East and North Africa, and were credited with bringing down governments and bringing about positive change for local populations. Reports found that social media networks were critical tools for organizers in mobilizing, publicizing and shaping opinion.

Popular hashtags on Twitter (#Egypt, #Jan25, #Libya, #Bahrain and #protest) were tweeted millions of times during the first three months of 2011. Facebook usage grew across the region, doubling in some countries.

Government attempts to block access to Facebook and Twitter were briefly successful, but quickly spurred activists to find other creative ways to organize, inspiring onlookers the world over.

19. Snapchat’s disappearing act (2011)

Launching almost exactly a year after Instagram, soon-to-be rival “Picaboo” launched …and then quickly rebranded to Snapchat following a lawsuit by a photobook company with the same name. (Probably for the best.)

The app’s early success tapped into the ephemeral nature of life’s moments, allowing users to post content that would vanish after 24 hours. (Not to mention giving us all the ability to puke rainbows.)

The disappearing snaps appealed to the teen demographic the app first attracted. Snapchat was also the perfect alternative for teens to find their friends—and flee family on Facebook.

20. Google Plus wants in on the party (2011)

2011 was also the year Google attempted to roll out another answer to Facebook and Twitter—following previous failed attempts like Google Buzz and Orkut. Google+ or Google Plus began with an invitation-only system in 2011. That summer, new users got access to 150 invitations they could send out before the site’s official opening in September. Demand was so high that Google eventually had to suspend them.

Google Plus differentiated itself from Facebook with its “circles” for organizing friends and acquaintances that could be done easily without having to send a friend request.

By the end of 2011, Google Plus was fully integrated into related services like Gmail and Google Hangout. Unfortunately, timing of the social network’s launch following Facebook and Twitter meant that the social network struggled to accrue the staggering usage numbers its competitors had. (Clearly there are some parties you just don’t want to be late to.)

21. Facebook celebrates one billion (2012)

Just eight years after launching in Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard dorm room, Facebook announced its user base had reached a significant milestone—and now shared a population nearly the size of India.

“If you’re reading this: thank you for giving me and my little team the honor of serving you. Helping a billion people connect is amazing, humbling and by far the thing I am most proud of in my life,” Zuckerberg said.

Looking back, now that Facebook has two billion users and three other billion-user platforms—WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram—his quote sounds all the more quaint.

22. Year of the selfie (2014)

Twitter proclaimed 2014 as the “Year of the Selfie” following Ellen DeGeneres’s Oscar photo. You know the one. Or, you should. Because that selfie has been retweeted more than three million times—setting a Twitter record and winning Twitter’s award for “Golden tweet” of the year.

If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars pic.twitter.com/C9U5NOtGap

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 3, 2014

The debate about who invented the selfie has yet to be resolved. Paris Hilton said she did in 2006. Others say it was actually a guy named Robert Cornelius in 1839. (He wasn’t available for comment.)

23. Meerkat, Periscope: the streaming wars begin (2015)

Meerkat was the first app to start the live streaming craze (RIP). Then, Twitter developed Periscope and won the first streaming wars (there’s another one coming, I’m sure).

Periscope became everyone’s favorite, easy-to-use app for streaming and watching live events. Getting showered with “hearts” anytime you hit the record button was pretty much all the incentive anyone needed to try it out. It was so popular that Apple awarded the app the iOS app of the year in 2015.

Three years on, the video app is rumoured to be struggling. But it’s also integrated with the Twitter mobile app, so there are still ways to become a Periscope celeb.

24. Facebook LIVE (2016)

Facebook was slow to slide into the live stream game, first rolling out live streaming features on its platform in 2016. But the company has worked to ensure its success in the space with extra resources and partnerships with mainstream media like Buzzfeed, the Guardian and the New York Times.

Special attention from Zuckerberg and its massive user base have also ensured its dominance.

25. Instagram launches Stories (2016)

Taking a page from Snapchat’s playbook, Instagram introduced “Stories” allowing users to post photo and video sequences that disappear within 24 hours (although they can now be saved and archived). Filters, stickers, polls, hashtags, and highlights to enhance Stories have succeeded in making the app even more addictive, as if that was even possible.

26. The U.S. election and social media’s fake news crisis (2016)

You could argue that 2016 was a no good very bad year for social media—and by extension democracy.

It was the year a sophisticated information warfare was waged using “troll factories” on social media used to spread disinformation—including false claims and conspiracy theories—during the U.S. presidential election. Mainstream influencers like journalists, pundits and politicians—even Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump—were found to be spreading content that bots had shared online.

Facebook has since revealed that 126 million Americans were exposed to content by Russian agents during the election.

In 2018, Facebook, Twitter, and Google representatives appeared before the U.S. Congress to testify as part of ongoing investigations into Russia’s attempts to influence the elections.

27. Twitter doubles the character limit (2017)

In an effort to attract more users, Twitter doubled its signature character limit from 140 to 280 characters. The move was widely panned by more than a few users (and had critics hoping Trump wouldn’t find out).

Of course, it was @Jack who tweeted out the first super-sized tweet:

This is a small change, but a big move for us. 140 was an arbitrary choice based on the 160 character SMS limit. Proud of how thoughtful the team has been in solving a real problem people have when trying to tweet. And at the same time maintaining our brevity, speed, and essence! https://t.co/TuHj51MsTu

— jack (@jack) September 26, 2017

The major change along with the introduction of “threads” (aka Twitterstorms) now means tweets that will make you go WTF are increasingly unavoidable as everyone makes the most of their 280 characters.

28. Cambridge Analytica and #DeleteFacebook (2018)

In early 2018, it was revealed that Facebook allowed a researcher from Cambridge Analytica—who had worked on Donald Trump’s presidential campaign—to harvest data from 50 million users without their consent. A campaign to #DeleteFacebook swept the internet as users protested by deleting their profiles on the site en masse. Despite this, Facebook’s user numbers continue to climb.

Facing mounting pressure to address data privacy, Zuckerberg participated in five days of hearings before the U.S. Congress.

29. Instagram launches IGTV app (2018)

If you thought Boomerang was the only video app Instagram had up its sleeve you would be wrong. Instagram is now ready to compete with YouTube: the company increased its one-minute video limit to one-hour and launched a whole new app, IGTV, dedicated to long-form video.

Up next 2019

Hear our 2019 social media predictions in our data-pack Social Trends Webinar. Gain new insights from our survey of 3,255+ of social media professionals and leave with cutting-edge best practices from the world’s brightest social brands.

Save your spot now

The post The History of Social Media: 29+ Key Moments appeared first on Hootsuite Social Media Management.

The History of Social Media: 29+ Key Moments published first on https://themarketingheaven.tumblr.com/

[privateplates4u]

Abarth 124 Spider review

For  The best ‘MX-5’ you can buy, terrific performance, exhaust note Our Rating  5 Against  Cost, limited interior storage, gloomy cabin 2017 The Abarth 124 Spider is the best ‘MX-5’ you can buy, but it comes at a price With a price tag upwards of £27,000, the Abarth 124 Spider is far from cheap, but it’s a relatively small price to pay for what is the best ‘MX-5’ you can buy. The beefed-up looks and additional power play a part, but the Abarth’s party trick is the Record Monza exhaust system, which creates a symphony of noise. It’s also more practical than the MX-5, while the 1.4-litre MultiAir engine delivers surprisingly good fuel economy. 14 Sep, 2017 4.5 Fiat and Mazda should be applauded for managing to disguise the platform-sharing roots of their respective sports cars. To our eyes at least, the Abarth version is the best of the lot, oozing road presence and tipping the hat to its heritage without being overtly retro. The exterior panels are completely bespoke, while the Spider is 139mm longer and 10mm wider than the MX-5. It could be argued that the Fiat is less elegant than the Mazda, but the Abarth has no such issues. It helps that the 17-inch alloy wheels fill the arches, while the enlarged air intake, rear diffuser, bonnet bulge and side skirts complete the racing effect. Tick the box marked ‘Heritage Look’ for a matt-black bonnet and bootlid. Image 11 of 14 Image 11 of 14 There are five colours to choose from, with San Marino 1972 black the only no-cost hue. Costa Brava 1972 red and Turini 1975 white will set you back £400, while Isola d���Elba 1974 blue and Portogallo 1974 grey each cost £600. Inside, the Abarth is surprisingly gloomy, but the cabin can be lifted by the no-cost option of black and red leather seats. Further details to set the Abarth apart from the Fiat include a chunkier steering wheel and stubby gearlever, along with an Alcantara-trimmed dashboard and centre console inserts. Standard equipment is generous, with heated seats, keyless start, automatic air conditioning, cruise control, DAB digital radio, 7-inch touchscreen and Bluetooth fitted as standard. Options include sat-nav, a Bose sound system and a Visibility Pack comprising full LED headlights, automatic lights and wipers, plus rear parking sensors. All models get an Abarth numbered plaque, screwed on the bulkhead between the two seats. It’s a nice touch, which reminds you that you splashed the cash on the flagship 124. Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment As the flagship of the 124 Spider range, the Abarth comes pre-loaded with a full suite of audiovisual options, but you’ll pay extra for sat-nav. Four speakers are fitted as standard, with media controlled via a seven-inch touchscreen. Image 3 of 14 Image 3 of 14 There are two USB ports and one AUX port, with smartphone connectivity via Bluetooth or the Aha or Stitcher apps. You can spend £795 on a premium Bose audio system, complete with nine speakers and a subwoofer, but you’ll be hard pressed to top the evocative exhaust note. As yet, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available. 5 It’s almost impossible not to draw comparisons with the Mazda MX-5 when driving the Abarth, but it’s significant that the differences are noticeable. And this should be applauded; there’s no BRZ/GT86 identikit show here. Press the starter button and the engine roars into life, with the Record Monza exhaust acting like a highly-tuned musical instrument. You’ll never tire of the exhaust note and blipping the throttle becomes highly addictive, especially on downshifts. The Abarth immediately feels more rigid and beefier than the MX-5, helped by Bilstein dampers and stiffer springs and anti-roll bars. It’s also blessed with Brembo brakes and a mechanical limited-slip differential. Quite a package, then. It shows. Once on the move, the exhaust note threatens to steal the show, but you’ll soon discover that the Abarth is about more than just a symphony. It corners with a near absence of body roll, with the turbocharger on hand to catapult you out of the bend. The shortage of outright feel is a problem, but the steering is heavier than in the MX-5, albeit slightly less direct. But it doesn’t matter, because the Abarth has a playful side, with oversteer available should you want it, with the quick steering and limited-slip diff keeping you out of trouble. It’s tempting to keep it in Sport mode for maximum attack, but on the occasions when playing isn’t possible or appropriate, the Abarth switches into a more relaxed and comfortable roadster. The 250Nm of torque means you’re not forever changing gear, making cruising and overtaking a doddle. Engines The 1.4-litre MultiAir is borrowed from the Abarth 500 and is the same unit found in the Fiat version. But while the Fiat has to make do with 138bhp, the Abarth benefits from 168bhp, making it 10bhp more powerful than the 2.0-litre version of the Mazda MX-5. It’ll hit 62mph in just 6.8 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 144mph. Fire it up and your senses are stirred by the terrific soundtrack of the Record Monza exhaust system. Already the Abarth has the edge over the less well-endowed Fiat versions. Image 12 of 14 Image 12 of 14 Initially, the engine might feel a tad disappointing – you can blame the old-school turbo lag for that – but the magic starts once you hit 2,000rpm. This isn’t a car to take by the scruff of the neck to explore the redline. Peak torque comes in at 2,500rpm, making the performance remarkably accessible. While some might prefer the naturally aspirated MX-5 engines, the turbocharged MultiAir engine delivers some much needed theatre to the 124 Spider, especially in the Abarth, when it’s accompanied by that operatic exhaust note. A quick word about the optional six-speed automatic transmission. At £2,000, not only is it an expensive option, but it’s completely out of character with the roadster, with delayed shifts creating an infuriating driving experience. Avoid. 4 Image 4 of 14 Image 4 of 14 The Abarth 124 Spider is built alongside the regular 124 Spider at Mazda’s factory in Japan, so the build quality is better than you’d expect on other Italian cars. We’d also expect the Abarth to be dependable in the long term. Fiat’s 1.4-litre MultiAir engine is tried and tested in a number of Fiat and Alfa Romeo products, so we don’t expect it to provide too many problems. If something does go wrong, servicing and parts won’t be an issue. Standard safety equipment includes electronic brake force distribution (EBD), electric stability control (ESC), four airbags, tyre pressure monitoring and headlight levelling system. A Euro NCAP safety rating is unlikely, but the Mazda MX-5 was awarded a four-star rating, scoring 84 percent for adult occupants, 80 percent for child occupants and 93 percent for pedestrian safety. It was let down by a lack of cutting-edge technology, which is to be expected on an affordable roadster such as this. Warranty Like the standard Fiat 124 Spider, the Abarth benefits from a three-year unlimited mileage warranty, giving it an edge over the MX5’s 60,000-mile cover. The Abarth also comes with a three-year roadside assistance package and three-year paintwork warranty. Servicing  An Abarth 124 Spider will require a service every 12 months or 9,000 miles, whichever comes soonest, which is shorter than the MX5’s 12,000-mile intervals. But given the fact that these cars aren’t likely to rack up huge miles, this shouldn’t be an issue. Abarth offers so-called Easy Car servicing plans, available from one to five years and a maximum of 45,000 miles. The chosen plan can be included in a monthly contract hire plan.  4 You have to make one or two sacrifices when buying a two-seater sports car, but the Abarth 124 Spider is surprisingly practical. The fabric folding roof disappears quickly and easily in a few seconds, providing welcome relief for 6ft-plus drivers and passengers who might find the cabin to be a little too cosy. It’s far from cramped, and instead evokes memories of classic roadsters of the past, albeit with a few more creature comforts and, we suspect, fewer leaks. The driving position is low slung and easily the best of the MX-5/124 range, giving you a tremendous view down the long bonnet (bulge included). A decent sized lockable glovebox is situated between the two seats, along with small door pockets and a space for your smartphone to the front of the gearlever. This is where you’ll also find the two USB ports. A pair of removable cupholders are located between the seats, one of which can be relocated to a slot to right of the passenger side footwell. Wherever you put them, they’ll get in the way of either your elbow or your passenger’s knee. Image 9 of 14 Image 9 of 14 Size At 4,045mm in length and 1,740mm wide, the Abarth 124 Spider is 130mm longer and 5mm wider than the Mazda MX-5. At 1,233mm, it’s also fractionally taller than an MX-5 riding on 17-inch wheels. It means that the 124 Spider loses some of the compactness and perfect proportions of the MX-5, but the effect is less obvious on the Abarth version.   Leg room, head room & passenger space The additional length and width doesn’t equate to additional space in the cabin, which is lifted straight from the Mazda MX-5 and treated to a series of Abarth upgrades. Legroom is perfectly adequate, even for the tallest drivers and passengers, anyone over six feet tall might find the headroom a tad restrictive with the roof up. Boot With 140 litres of boot space, the Abarth offers 10 litres more than the MX-5, and the boot is shaped to allow the carrying of two cases. The fabric roof folds into the slot behind the seats, with no impact on the luggage capacity. 5 Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are rarely a key consideration when buying a sports car, but the 1.4-litre MultiAir engine delivers some reassuringly strong figures. A manual version could deliver as much as 44.1mpg on a combined cycle, with the automatic returning 42.8mpg. Image 6 of 14 Image 6 of 14 In both cases that’s more than the 40.9mpg offered by the 2.0-litre version of the Mazda MX-5, but not as much as the 47.1mpg possible in the 1.5-litre version. In all cases, you’ll need to show some restraint to achieve the figures, although steering clear of B-roads won’t be easy. If you’re still struggling to choose between the manual and automatic versions, the first-year tax rate might sway your decision. With CO2 emissions of 148g/km, an Abarth with a manual gearbox will cost £200 to tax, while the 153g/km of the automatic equates to a first-year rate of £500. Insurance groups All models fall into fall into the Group 29 insurance bracket, three higher than the Fiat 124 Spider. It’s the same as the 2.0-litre versions of the Mazda MX-5 which, given the potency of the Abarth, is a good result for the Italian. Depreciation It’s too early to assess the depreciation of the Abarth, but exclusivity and badge should ensure these models hold their value better than the Fiat versions. We expect the entire 124 Spider range to deliver similar returns to the Mazda MX-5, retaining 45-50 percent of their value after three years.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/abarth/124/100924/spider

#In-depth reviews