L’Oréal’s new electronic wearable tracks UV exposure, without batteries | New Atlas

November 22, 2018November 21, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

While we all appreciate the importance of limiting our exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, actually keeping track of the amount can be difficult. L’Oréal’s new My Skin Track UV is designed to help. It’s described as “the first battery-free wearable electronic to measure UV exposure.”

Developed by L’Oréal’s skincare brand La Roche-Posay (in collaboration with Northwest University materials scientist Prof. John Rogers), the waterproof device measures 12 by 6 mm, and is affixed to the user’s clothing via an integrated wire clip. A prototype version of the product was unveiled at this year’s CES show, under the name UV Sense.

I Took 9 Different Commercial DNA Tests and Got 6 Different Results | Live Science

November 20, 2018November 19, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The thing about me is that I’m Jewish. It’s not the only thing about me. I’m also 5 feet 11 inches tall, a glasses wearer and into bicycling. But most people who know me probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn that most of my ancestors lived in shtetls in Eastern Europe.

So, it wasn’t too surprising when I sent off nine DNA samples to three different DNA companies under a variety of fake names, and the results indicated that I’m super-duper Ashkenazi Jewish. (Ashkenazim are Jews who trace their ancestry back to Yiddish-speaking populations inhabiting the region between France and Russia.)

Here’s what was a bit surprising, though: None of the companies — AncestryDNA, 23andMe and National Geographic, which works with a testing company called Helix — could agree on just how Ashkenazi I am. [How Do DNA Ancestry Tests Really Work?]

The Importance of a CIO in Business | Business News Daily

November 19, 2018November 18, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As technology has evolved throughout the years, so have the roles and responsibilities of chief information officers. Today, CIOs lead organizations’ IT staffs and assets and also develop strategies and computer systems.

“[The] CIO role is essential for the business, because we cannot build a product without using technology,” said Michal Abram, head of engineering at Zety. “[A] CIO must be able to link the world of technology with product development, make crucial business decisions based on unique knowledge and experience.”

How to Improve Your Computer Skills to Get Ahead in Your Career | Life Hack

November 19, 2018November 18, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Technology has taken the business world by storm. People and businesses are progressively reliant on technology world these days. As a result, the people with impressive knowledge and experience with a computer are in demand.

Considering this growing market trend, if you too wish to bag a profitable job, this article is apt for you. Here, we will dig deeper into the business and technology world to look into what are the best computer skills one should invest in and what resources to get help from.

So, are you ready? Here we begin.

Gratitude Should Be a Year-Long Habit for Your Business | AllBusiness.com

November 15, 2018November 14, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Small business owners have plenty of reasons to be thankful. And the Thanksgiving season is a great opportunity to express gratitude to the people who help your business succeed and improve and enrich your daily work life.

That said, it’s important to make thankfulness a genuine, continual (even daily!) habit. As you decide how best to communicate your gratitude over the coming year, consider the many individuals who contribute to your success.

Asking These 3 Questions Will Improve Your Small Business Financial Management | Small Business Trends

November 15, 2018November 14, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

What does financial management at leading, growing businesses look like — right now? Today’s fast growth businesses often require CFOs to work closely with the controller to ensure that the organization gets the full benefit of the controller’s talents and knowledge and, the controller’s office is operating at the highest levels of efficiency and accuracy. As the office of the controller becomes ever more strategic — creating higher levels of financial visibility to help drive growth and profitability — the organization’s relationship to the controller role must evolve as well.

Energy Efficiency Ideas For Businesses | The Startup Magazine

November 13, 2018November 12, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Business people often say that it is necessary to spend money in order to make money. However, there are certainly some areas in which savings are especially appreciated and needed. In terms of the overall balance sheet, spending money on some green energy strategies can be hard to swallow in the short term, but beneficial in the long run.

It is not surprising that numerous business owners feel nervous out making major outlays in this realm and question whether the instant hit to capital funds are worth any savings generated down the road. Though it is likely that case that doing so will in fact produce financial gains in the future, knowing how to finance these upgrades often proves challenging.

Are Workers’ Perks Good for Productivity, or a Flashy Waste of Money? Two Experts Weigh in | Inc.com

November 12, 2018November 11, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Axe-throwing classes. Onsite barbershops. Free gym memberships and catered lunches. Do they bond workers to a company and boost productivity, or do they blow resources in a very colorful way? To find out, Inc. called on two noted thinkers on the topic, who espouse thought-provoking–and vastly different–answers to the question.

What explains the rise of perk culture?

Jody Thompson: We like to see people in the workplace, so we provide amenities and spend money on making the office nicer. But work isn’t somewhere you go. It’s something you do.

Phil Libin: There’s a tendency for tech companies and startups to look at all aspects of work-life balance, and create programs that increase productivity and retention.

My new Writing Room / Sanctuary. Features a monster desk! | IKEA Hackers

November 12, 2018November 11, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

I’ve recently taken up writing again, but I needed a nice quiet place to do that – and a place that makes me feel peaceful and happy. We decided to fit out a spare junk room into a writing room, a functional working space.

First, we painted it a lovely pale blue and then decided to make a monster desk out of METOD kitchen cabinets. It was put together over a few weekends – but really probably you should allow two solid days to do this properly (not counting the work to glue up the pinboard).

Here’s what Samsung’s wacky folding phone looks like in action | TechCrunch

November 9, 2018November 8, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As rumored, Samsung showed off a prototype of a folding display today. Folded, it’s a smartphone. Unfolded, it’s a tablet. Neat!

Less neat: The company sort of went out of its way to not really show very much. A prototype was onstage for about 45 seconds, and it was deliberately backlit to be intensely silhouetted. They “disguised the elements of the design” to keep secret whatever secret sauce they have.

Finding that clip of the prototype folding/unfolding means digging through Samsung’s two-hour developer keynote, so we went ahead and GIF’d it up for you.