Samsung’s Sleek S8 Has Curved Screen, Facial Recognition | Bloomberg

March 29, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Samsung Electronics Co. knows it needs to get its new flagship smartphone right. Apart from making sure the gadget won’t cause bodily harm, the company packed it with a plethora of new features: taller, curved screens, encrypted facial recognition, deeper display colors, system-wide voice control and the ability to turn into a desktop computer.

The Galaxy S8 comes in two sizes, a standard 5.8-inch display model and a Plus version with a 6.2-inch screen. Both are larger than the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the lineup’s main competition until Apple Inc. rolls out its 10th-anniversary iPhone later this year. In line with smartphone trends, Samsung’s new devices feature slimmer bezels alongside the display and are curved on all four corners. Pre-orders will begin soon after the unveiling, ahead of the S8’s April 21 release. It comes in five colors: midnight black, maple gold, coral blue, arctic silver and orchid gray.

Pandora Just Released Its Spotify Killer, And It’s Surprisingly Impressive | Fast Company

March 29, 2017March 29, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In a way, opening the new Pandora app feels like running into an old friend. For one thing, I haven’t been using Pandora much for the last few years, opting instead to binge on music via Spotify, SoundCloud, and vinyl, dipping into Pandora only rarely. But just like someone from an earlier phase of life, Pandora seems to know me and we pick up right where we apparently left off: listening to Slowdive, the dreamy English shoegaze band from the 1990s. I didn’t ask Pandora to take me down this road, but it suits my mood just fine on this chilly March afternoon.

Of course, Pandora has always been able to dive into a personalized radio station like this. But now the app has a new trick: Its brand-new on-demand music subscription tier, built to rival Spotify and Apple Music, is layered seamlessly on top of its famous people-and-data-powered playlisting engine. Pandora Premium is here. So far it sounds pretty good, but I can’t help but wonder whether or not it’s too late.

Feeling Stuck in a Rut? Here’s How to Burst Out and Thrive | Entrepreneur

March 28, 2017March 27, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Anyone who has ever started a business has faced fear. A little bit actually can be a very positive catalyst. But when fear overwhelms your ability to make decisions, it can become paralyzing and leave you feeling stuck. That’s a sign you need to take action and restore the sense of confidence you once had.

When we’re young, we think we’re invincible. We can do anything (just ask my teenagers!). Yet for many of us, that confidence and self-assurance erodes over time as we get older. We wake up one day confronted by thoughts we can’t shake: “I can’t. I shouldn’t. I couldn’t possibly.” We start to question our choices and ourselves. We second-guess our gut instincts and overthink things.

Experimental Luminaries | CoolBusinessIdeas.com

March 28, 2017March 27, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

You might have been able to tell that we weren’t completely sure what to call these. Viride is so unique and interesting that we haven’t even gotten a name for them yet. Goula / Figuera Studio, which designed Viride, calls it a collection of “experimental luminaries”, which brings together two common objects found in homes—artificial lighting and flora. Knowing that oftentimes flora needs natural light to thrive, which is not always available in homes, Goula / Figuera Studio decided to solve that need with a specific design object that not only highlights home plants, but also ensures that it gets the lighting it needs.

Scientists Have Some Wild Ideas for Solving Our Big Bee Problem | NBC News

March 28, 2017March 27, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The world’s bees are in big trouble — even more than you might have realized.

Last year the U.S. lost a mind-boggling 44 percent of its honeybee colonies. Certain bee species — including the rusty-patched bumblebee and Hawaiian yellow-faced bees — are on the brink of extinction. Even “Buzz the Bee” disappeared from Honey Nut Cheerios boxes earlier this month because General Mills decided removing the familiar mascot could help spotlight the problem.

A world without bees wouldn’t be pretty, and not just because we’d miss their buzzing on lazy summer afternoons. Bees play an indispensable role in pollination. About 75 percent of our major crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, reproduce only with the help of bees and other pollinators.

Uber Self-Driving Cars Back on San Francisco Roads After Arizona Crash | Fortune.com

March 27, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Driverless vehicles operated by Uber Technologies were back on the road in San Francisco on Monday after one of its self-driving cars crashed in Arizona, the ride-hailing company said.

Uber’s autonomous vehicles in Arizona and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, remained grounded but were expected to be operating again soon, according to a spokeswoman for the company, who refused to be identified.

“We are resuming our development operations in San Francisco this morning,” she said in an email.

10 Best TED Talks To Help You Make Hard Decisions | Life Hack

March 27, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

From the moment we get out of bed, we have to constantly make decisions. Some decisions are smaller and some are bigger. The main reason why we sometimes have trouble making decisions is that we worry about the consequences. We are afraid of making bad decisions—and perhaps we should be.

While choosing a less-than-healthy lunch option may not do much damage, picking the wrong major at university or the wrong career path may have a disastrous impact on our lives.

We have put together a list of the most viewed TED Talks about decision-making, where professionals and successful people share their insights about the topic. These talks will help you understand some of the important factors contributing to a good decision, the thinking process behind decision-making, and a lot more.

Why Do Songs Get Stuck in Your Head? | Live Science

March 24, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

There are some songs that just beg to become embedded in your brain. “It’s a Small World.” “My Sharona.” “YMCA.”

Even a die-hard Village People fan is bound to get a little annoyed the 70-millionth time “It’s fun to stay at the Y, M, C, A!” screeches through their skull. But why are sticky songs — earworms, as they’re known — so hard to dislodge? And what kinds of songs are likely to get stuck in our brains, anyway?

Brands and Media Agencies Send Google an Ultimatum: Evolve or Else | Adweek

March 24, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

“Google’s next step is simple: they must acknowledge that they cannot grade their own homework.”

That’s one top media agency executive’s take on the scandal that has threatened to engulf the search and video giant over the past few days after AT&T, Verizon, J&J and pharma giant GSK became the latest big brands to pull all advertising from YouTube over disagreements on controversial content—including videos supporting terrorist groups like ISIS.

3 signs you’re hiring the wrong person | Business Insider

March 24, 2017 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Bad hiring decisions tend to be expensive mistakes.

According to a study from the Society for Human Resource Management, 41% of hiring managers estimate that hiring the wrong person costs the company thousands for dollars.

The problem is, it’s not always easy to figure out who’s a bad fit— especially if they look good on paper.

“Some people really excel in the interview setting,” says Joe Weinlick, SVP at Beyond, a career network. “They’re personable, charismatic, and able to provide specific examples of past experiences that make them qualified for the job. But just because it’s printed on their résumé doesn’t mean it’s the absolute truth.”

So, how can you spot a disastrous prospective hire before you actually make them a job offer?