Kids birthday parties are pricey. UK parents spend more than £200 on cake, entertainment and party bags each year. Argos has launched a Birthday Club to aid party-stricken parents, offering ideas, tips and 20% off party essentials. Could it become the go-to brand for setting birthdays off with a bang?

New mums are older than they’ve ever been. They’re also better off. With the 2.4 kids standard fading, are today’s babies being born into a lap of luxury where only the best will do? If so, how can brands align with this quality-not-quantity approach to family life?

Reading is an emotional experience. Books can make you laugh, cry or feel scared - but can technology make them even more immersive? MIT's Media Lab has created a book that lets you really feel and experience first-hand the emotions and environments described in the text.

A study by Instituto Pró-Livro found that Brazilians read on average only 2.1 books per year. Not having the spare time or preference for other activities such as TV were the main reasons for this. Penguin Books is trying to keep reading on people’s mind by having unread books tweet at them.