Monthly Archives: April 2023

AI-Powered Reels recommendations are keeping us on Instagram | Mashable

Unfortunately, it turns out we actually kind of like watching Instagram Reels.

When Instagram first launched Reels and promised to pivot the social media platform to video, users were livid. We threw fits. Kylie Jenner demanded that we “make Instagram Instagram again.” And, at first, Reels flopped as a lame version of TikTok.

But, at Meta’s earnings call on Wednesday, Mark Zuckerberg reported that time spent on Instagram had risen by 24 percent, an engagement increase he blames on Instagram Reels.

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GDP: The US economy grew at a much slower pace in the first quarter | CNN Business

US economic growth slowed to an annualized and seasonally adjusted rate of 1.1% in the first quarter of this year, as businesses rebalanced their inventories and pulled back on spending amid punishing rate hikes from the Federal Reserve.

The increase in the gross domestic product — the broadest measure of economic activity — was far below economists’ expectations of 2% and represents a more moderate pace compared to the previous two quarters, according to data released Thursday by the Department of Commerce.

The January-to-March period was also marked in its later weeks by mounting fears that a meltdown in the banking sector and a pending debt ceiling crisis could trigger a recession.

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How to Start a Food Truck Business | Business News Daily

The food truck business can be rewarding. If you’ve ever thought about making good meals on the go, this guide on launching a food truck business is for you.

  • Food trucks have been growing in popularity as new entrants to the industry consider how to bring an idea to life on a budget.
  • Creating a business plan to account for the unique challenges specific to the mobile food vending industry is important as those challenges can result in higher costs than expected.
  • Understanding where the demand is will be extremely important as day-to-day fluctuations impact the bottom line of a food truck.
  • This article is for entrepreneurs interested in starting a food truck business.

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Think Like Elon Musk With First Principles Thinking | LifeHack

First Principles Thinking or reasoning from first principles is one of the best strategies to use for breaking down complex problems and coming up with original solutions. It’s also one of the best ways to learn the art of thinking clearly.

Reasoning from first thinking has been used for years by many successful people such as John Boyd (military strategist), Johannes Gutenberg (inventor), and Aristotle (ancient philosopher). However, no one has demonstrated the benefits of First Principles Thinking in our modern world better than Elon Musk.

At 46, Elon Musk has built three multibillion-dollar organizations that have revolutionized our world – Tesla Motors (Automotive), PayPal (Financial Services), and SpaceX (Aerospace). His success is linked to his ability to solve complex problems and his incredible work ethic.

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Lightship’s sleek electric RV was designed by former Tesla engineers | Fast Company

Three years ago, stuck in a Bay Area apartment in the early months of the pandemic, Ben Parker quit his job as an engineer at Tesla, rented a Winnebago, and took off on a 6,000-mile road trip. He dove into research for what he saw as the next opportunity for a better electric vehicle: RVs.

When he got back from the trip, he started working on a new RV battery-power system, and convinced a former Tesla product manager, Toby Kraus, to join him as a cofounder of a startup called Lightship. The company’s first electric RV prototype, a travel trailer unveiled this spring, has solar panels on the roof and a battery large enough that it can propel itself, so a truck towing it can save gas (or, if it’s an electric truck, drive farther on a charge). The RV, called the L1, can also power all the appliances onboard without the need for gas or propane generators.

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How to Get Ahead in Business | AllBusiness.com

Let’s talk about your next raise and what it takes to be successful in business. There are actually a few things you can do to be a stand-out employee that will make it easier for you to get ahead in business.

3 ways to get ahead in business

1. Assume innocence as a long-term strategy

There will be times when your manager, a peer, or a customer make you angry. Some people respond immediately and go into attack mode. That’s a huge mistake! When someone attacks you, blames you, or does something that you perceive as a slight, your first response should be a thoughtful one. Do not write an immediate, hasty email! I can promise you that nothing good will come from that misguided response.

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Adobe Announces Updates to Its Popular Video Tools | Small Biz Trends

Adobe recently announced industry-first innovations for its range of video applications which are designed to address the workflow needs of today’s professional editors and motion designers.

The new innovations will automate time-intensive tasks including AI-powered text-based video editing and automated color tone-mapping capabilities in Premiere Pro. There will also be significant GPU acceleration as well as dozens of workflow enhancements to make the latest version of Premiere Pro the fastest ever released.

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How to Differentiate Your Product From the Competition | business.com

As a business owner, you need to know how to differentiate your business from your competitors.

What is product differentiation?

Product differentiation is what makes your items or services unique. This can be because of a particular technology or design you own, specialty support you offer, a stellar customer experience you create or anything else. The goal here is to identify and focus on the aspects of your product or service that make customers want to work with you.

Why is product differentiation important?

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New Kindle Scribe update adds a long-awaited feature | Digital Trends

The Kindle Scribe is the first in a new breed of Kindle: an e-book reader that also doubles as a note-taking device with an included stylus. It’s a surprisingly good device and is one of our favorite gadgets of 2022.

Now, a new update means it’s about to get even better. On April 24, an over-the-air update will make it easier to send documents to your Kindle Scribe while also adding the ability to see multiple pages of notes and e-books at once — as well as improvements to PDF readability.

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I’m obsessed with the S23 Ultra’s camera — these photos show why | Digital Trends

Samsung is the global smartphone market leader, but it’s also known for its tongue-in-cheek advertisements. The company recently ran an ad campaign where everyone constantly asks the main character to send them photos taken with the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Something similar happened when I attended a close friend’s wedding in India last month.

I carried the Galaxy S23 Ultra to the wedding, then on a vacation, leaving every other camera behind. Anyone who saw the images it took immediately inquired what model it was and blurted, “These are as good as a DSLR!” While that may sound exaggerated, I’m confident you will be flooded with similar opinions when you see the pictures below.

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