Google Daily Listen Generates a Personalized News Podcast | Entrepreneur

January 9, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Google wants you to press play on an AI-created podcast instead of scrolling for your daily news.

The tech giant can now take what it knows of your interests through your Search and Discover histories and create a 5-minute podcast tailored just for you that summarizes news stories of the day that you might be interested in.

Google began testing the personalized, AI-created podcasts, called “Daily Listen,” through Search Labs, the program that allows users to experience early-stage experiments, reports 9to5Google. The new experiment began rolling out on Wednesday to Android and iOS users in the U.S.

Highest-Paying Jobs for Associate Degree Holders: Report | Entrepreneur

January 9, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A new report by the online career resources platform Resume Genius found that now is a great time to hold an associate’s degree (or begin the path to get one).

The median salary for an associate degree holder ($62,180) is higher than the U.S. median salary ($48,060) and career opportunities for associate degree holders, or those with a two-year degree, are expected to grow by 6.3% over the next 10 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Using the most recent BLS data, Resume Genius compiled a list, the 2025 High-Pay Associate Degree Jobs Report, that showcases the 10 highest-paying jobs that ask for an associate degree.

Skylight Calendar Review: Is it worth it? | Mashable

January 8, 2025January 7, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Skylight Calendar was one of the hottest gifts of the year, and for good reason. If you’re determined to stay more organized in 2025, the Skylight Calendar is a practical (and fun) way to keep track of your calendar, to-do list, grocery list, and chores.

Yes, you could get an Echo Show device, but if you’re not an Amazon Echo household, you might not need all the features that come with an Echo Show. Think of the Skylight Calendar as the Kindle of digital home displays: It gives you everything you need, and nothing extra. There’s no access to browsers, no additional apps, and no smart home control. It’s just a straightforward digital calendar that syncs up with your existing Google, iCloud, Microsoft, Yahoo, or Cozi calendars and gives you organizational tools to stay on top of all your to-do lists.

CES 2025 highlights: 5 new gadgets you can buy already | Mashable

January 8, 2025January 7, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As the Mashable team scampers around the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week, there’s one question that’s top of mind every time we visit a booth or attend a demo: “That’s cool, but when can I buy it?”

A lot of times, the answer is never. Many gadgets exhibited at the annual tech industry trade show are just concepts and prototypes that don’t make it to market. (That Withings OMNIA smart mirror for at-home health screenings, for instance? Yeah, there’s a good chance it’ll never see the light of day.)

But sometimes the answer to that question is soon — or even now. Below, we’ve rounded up a list of five new products from CES 2025 that consumers can buy or preorder immediately, from an AI-powered planter to a smart bird bath. We’ll update it weekly as more announcements go live, so check back often.

Medical debt soon will be banned on credit reports under Biden administration rule | CNN Business

January 7, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Americans won’t have to worry about unpaid medical bills damaging their credit reports and scores much longer.

The Biden administration is finalizing a rule Tuesday that will end the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports and ban lenders from using certain medical information in loan decisions.

The rule will also remove an estimated $49 billion in medical bills from the credit reports of about 15 million people, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) said in a press release

Here’s the latest sign the job market is cooling | CNN Business

January 7, 2025January 7, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The “Great Stay” deepened in November as the number of people who quit their jobs that month dropped to under 3.1 million, a level not seen since the height of the pandemic.

The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey report, which was released Tuesday, also showed that hiring activity remained at a decade-low, a further indication that a much cooler labor market is at hand.

Despite continued signs of a broader slowdown, Tuesday’s report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that layoff activity held fairly steady in November. Additionally, the number of job openings increased to 8.1 million, its highest level since May.

Quantum computers that are actually useful 1 step closer thanks to new silicon processor that could pack millions of qubits | Live Science

January 6, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Scientists say they have reached “a critical inflection point” after developing a technology that makes silicon-based quantum processors more viable.

Quantum computing company Equal1 has created a quantum processing unit (QPU) that can be built using conventional semiconductor manufacturing processes. This negates the complexity and expense typically involved with producing quantum processors using exotic materials or complicated techniques.

The company has also developed what representatives called “the most complex quantum controller chip developed to date.” This can operate at ultra-low temperatures and paves the way for millions of qubits on a single chip — meaning it can handle a huge number of quantum bits of information simultaneously while keeping them stable and accurate for calculations.

Viral disease HMPV is on the rise among kids in China — what is it? | Live Science

January 6, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A viral infection called human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is on the rise among children in China, according to Chinese state media.

The virus can cause upper respiratory tract infections — like colds — as well as serious lung infections and, according to state media, it’s now one of the top four most common viral infections among hospital visitors in China.

“HMPV has been recognized as a significant problem in the at-risk population across the world since the turn of the century when it was first discovered,” Andrew Easton, a virology professor at the University of Warwick in the U.K. who studies pneumoviruses, told Live Science in an email. “That risk has not changed significantly over the last almost 25 years.”

How Do You Create a Content Calendar? | Business News Daily

December 20, 2024December 19, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Creating and publishing content regularly requires organization. That’s where a content calendar comes into play.

While some are more detailed than others, a content calendar helps you plan content weeks or months in advance. Creating a content calendar from scratch might seem intimidating or overwhelming, but it’s doable. We’ll explain why a content calendar is essential to your content marketing efforts and customer communications and how to create one.

What is a content calendar?

A content calendar, sometimes called an editorial calendar, is a schedule of the content you plan to write, produce and publish. You can create one using a spreadsheet, an actual calendar, or various business organization apps and tools.

How to Use Google Business Profile | businessnewsdaily.com

December 20, 2024December 19, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Half the battle of building a successful business is getting your company in front of the people who need your products and services. For many businesses, this means turning up on search engines and providing an easy way for users to visit their websites, get their contact information, read customer reviews and find directions to their locations. Google Business Profile is an essential tool that can help businesses accomplish all this and more and it’s as easy to set up as following the advice in this guide.

What is a Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile is a free service that every small business owner should know about and use. Through your Google Business Profile, you can control the information displayed for your business across all of Google’s services, including Google Reviews and Google Maps. If you change a piece of info in your Google Business Profile, such as your hours or location, it will update everywhere automatically.