Amazon insists on putting Alexa where no one wants it | Mashable

September 21, 2018September 20, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In Jeff Bezos’s vision of the future, microwaving a potato is a multi-step, error-ridden, complicated affair.

This much was made clear at a press event in Seattle today, where Amazon unveiled a host of new household products that integrate with the company’s voice assistant, Alexa. In doing so, Amazon succeeded in more than just debuting a voice-controlled microwave. Indeed, in the course of today’s IRL informercial the company managed to do something much more remarkable: give life to the adage that just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.

Is Your Smartphone Making You Dumb? | Psychology Today

September 20, 2018September 20, 2018 ~ CBPS ~ Leave a comment

Imagine that after a routine medical exam your doctor delivers some devastating news: Since your last checkup, your cognitive performance has plummeted. Your ability to connect with others has eroded. And your memory for everyday events is no longer operating as it once did.

As it turns out, there is a cure and it won’t cost you a penny. The treatment is simple: All that’s required is that you put away your smartphone.

Few of us will have this conversation with our doctors. But perhaps we should. Over the last few years, scientists have begun studying the way cell phones affect the human experience. And the early results are alarming.

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Walmart is where the trade war comes home | Money CNN

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

Two weeks ago, Walmart asked the Trump administration to walk back its plan to put tariffs on Christmas lights, shampoo, dog food, luggage, mattresses, handbags, backpacks, vacuum cleaners, bicycles, cooking grills, cable cords and air conditioners.

In a letter to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the company said expanded tariffs on Chinese imports would hurt its customers, its suppliers and the US economy.

Why Does OJ Taste Bad After You Brush Your Teeth? | Live Science

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

There’s nothing like a fresh, tangy glass of orange juice to go with your morning oatmeal. But if you’ve just brushed your teeth, you may find that the beverage tastes … less than delicious.

So, why does toothpaste affect the taste of orange juice and other sweet breakfast (or midnight) snacks? It all boils down to what’s happening with the taste receptors on our taste buds, Guy Crosby, a nutrition professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Live Science.

What is Amazon Storefronts? | Business News Daily

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

Amazon Storefronts is a new way for small and medium-sized businesses to sell products directly through Amazon. Amazon has established a separate section where it will highlight small businesses, feature curated collections of unique products and provide a platform for an online small business experience. Instead of navigating thousands of online sellers, Amazon wants customers to interact with small businesses and have an intimate, mom-and-pop-shop experience through the online platform.

10 Most Productive Countries And What You Can Learn From Them | Life Hack

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

The satisfaction and benefit experienced when you’re productive gives you confidence and induces a desire to achieve more.

Productivity has several definitions; we shall define in relation to economies:

Productivity measures output per unit of input, considering factors such as capital, labor, land or any other resource in the production process. It calculates Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a ratio to hours worked.

In this article, we’ll look into the 10 most productive countries and lessons we can learn from them.

Facebook is learning how to boost online giving | Fast Company

September 18, 2018September 17, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In November 2017, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation joined forces with Facebook to conduct a unique psychological experiment. The nonprofit offered up to $2 million in matching contributions for people who donated to nonprofits through the social network on Giving Tuesday.

Then Facebook gave the whole thing a promotional nudge: The company shared the opportunity ahead of time through in-platform ads and its News Feed. It also coached charity page administrators on how to create their own fundraisers.

Meet the Entrepreneur Who Wants to Turn Factory Workers Into Internet Devices | Forbes

September 18, 2018September 17, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Chase Feiger didn’t attend a single class during his first year of medical school in 2012, a sure recipe for disaster for most aspiring doctors. It wasn’t because he was lazy; in fact, quite the opposite. Requiring just four hours of sleep a night, Feiger typically has energy to burn. So while most of his classmates were grinding through their studies at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, he’d wake up at 4 a.m., listen at double speed to the recorded lectures he’d missed, then go to work at First Round Capital, where he moonlighted as a portfolio consultant.

Boost Your Business’s Credibility to Increase Sales | AllBusiness.com

September 17, 2018September 16, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

You must have a trustworthy business; otherwise, you will drive away current and potential customers. Credibility encourages people to trust your business and your products or services. Credibility increases customer loyalty and sales.

But if you don’t know how to show off your credibility or are lacking credibility, you might be in trouble. People may not trust you enough to buy from you. Luckily, there are ways to increase your business’s credibility.

15 Email Signature Best Practices | Small Business Trends

September 17, 2018September 16, 2018 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

With an incredible 269 billion emails sent every day around the world, it stands to reason, emails are a vital form of communication for small businesses. Email signatures are an important part of a small business’s identity, helping nurture consistency and professionalism.

Email Signature Best Practices

If you want to improve what is likely to be one of your most prevailing forms of business communication, take a look at the following 15 best email signature practices.

Have an Email Signature Practice in Place

First and foremost, you should have an email signature practice in place. As Ivana Taylor, small business marketing expert, online publisher, influencer and publisher of DIYMarketers.com, told Small Business Trends:

“The most important email signature practice is to HAVE ONE. I’m astonished at how many people have NO email signature.