Life Capture
Profits
Do you know what people are interested in more than anything else? Themselves! This simple fact
goes a long way to explain the popularity of what might be called ‘life capture’ products. They’re products that
enable the individual to record or document some aspect of their life, whether that be via the written word, audio,
video or something else.
The latest product we’ve spotted (yours for about £130 on Amazon) is the Looxcie - a Bluetooth style video
camera, which fits over the ear and points where the wearer is looking and therefore records everything he or she
sees. If something interesting happens, they simply press a button to save it, so that it can be later uploaded to
Mac or PC – and even emailed to a pre-set list of contacts. Otherwise, the Looxcie records in a continuous loop,
purging the earlier footage.
I mention this for three reasons:
- There seems no end to the life capture phenomenon at the moment.
Is there some aspect of your product or offering that would enable you to cash in on
it?
- If the device took off, just imagine the amount of footage that
would become available, and the potential creative opportunities that would bring. Could you make the
first Looxcie film?
- You might just want one, and if you do (and have a lot of female
friends with a penchant for low cut tops or short skirts) I’ll be happy to check out the quality of your
footage for free.
What's
Your Savings
Rate
It's a point we've made regularly here at Streetwise so it's good to
see that Which? have this week indicated that savers should regularly check the interest rates on their
savings. Too many savers are sucked in with promises of headline rates (which are then quietly cut away) and
bonuses (which soon disappear).
The worst-paying accounts - Ulster Bank's Easy Access Savings Account and Newcastle Building Society's Nova Plus
Issue 3 Account – pay just 0.01 per cent. So that's a less-than-shiny ten pence piece for your £1,000 savings. The
best - and even that is less than mouth-watering - is the Post Office's instant access account at 2.9 per cent.
Which? believes that some £12bn – or about £322 per person - is being lost each year because savers do not keep a
check on the rates being paid by savings accounts. Savers need to be on the ball, noting when high rates and
bonuses end and being ready to move.
Credit Card Checker
Credit cards can be useful if used sensibly, paying off balances to
avoid eye-popping interest rates etc. But what you don't want to do is to apply for a card from a provider
who cherry picks and get a rejection.
Now, say Confused.com, you don't need to. Their new tool allows you to check how likely you are to be approved for
a credit card. Here's what they say, 'The product is the first of its kind in the UK and will benefit people who
know which deal they are interested in. It is free to use and does not leave any footprints on a customer's credit
file following an administrative check.'
Chris Griffiths at Confused.com adds, "By using our tool, customers can get an idea on the right products for them,
without risking damaging their credit profile." Worth a look, for sure.
Hot Forex Tips
If you're interested in spread-betting foreign currencies for
profit, Money Week has three useful 'things to watch for'. 'GDP figures are an ongoing measure of a country's
wealth. Surprises on the upside for GDP tend to send a country's currency higher.'
They suggest watching for interest rate announcements too - 'Any hint that the Bank of England plans to raise its
rate will send sterling up.'
Don't forget the employment figures. As they say, 'An uptick in employment numbers…(is)… usually good news for the
country's currency.' We have an article coming soon that tells you more.
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