Odd news: The 10 weirdest digital stories of 2019
From deep fakes to mind-reading wristbands, technology took us in some strange directions during 2019. In this special article, we celebrate the 10 weirdest news stories of the year.
China
Virtual and augmented reality market ‘volatile but promising’
The market for extended reality devices shows the typical signs of early volatility, but the long-term outlook for the technology remains positive, with lower prices and 5G connectivity will stimulate demand, according to new research.
Top Reddit trends of 2019: Bill Gates and Cookie Monster host most popular Q&As
Politics, technology and gaming were the most popular trends on the online community Reddit this year, with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ Reddit AMA (ask me anything) post the most upvoted in 2019.
China ecommerce case study: How L’Oreal became the top selling beauty brand on Tmall
L’Oreal became the top-selling beauty brand on Tmall this year, beating out peers Estee Lauder and SK-II to become one of just fifteen brands to crack one billion RMB in sales on Singles Day.
Instagram takes on TikTok with Reels
Instagram has launched a new short 15-second video tool, as the social media app looks to emulate the growing popularity of China’s TikTok.
Alibaba breaks records with $30bn sales on Singles Day
Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba has set a new sales record on Singles Day, the world’s largest 24-hour shopping event.
UK brands soar in popularity among international holiday shoppers
Almost half (45%) of international gift shoppers are looking to the purchase from the UK this year, according to new research.
Marvel versus classic Disney: the battle for Halloween costume supremacy
Which Halloween costumes are the most popular around the world: Disney or Marvel? New research indicates that Snow White is the go-to garb for fancy dress in the UK.
Black Friday: What do consumers really want? [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Black Friday: What do consumers really want? [INFOGRAPHIC]](https://www.netimperative.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/taboola-black-friday-main.png)
Technology-related items are the most popular products for customers looking for Black Friday deals worldwide, but ad copy and images are key to getting conversions, according to new research.