David Lidsky's Blog, page 2942
July 15, 2015
Have Irregular Income? Use This App To Smooth Out The Highs And Lows
For $3 a week, a new company will help freelancers save money when times are flush. And when gigs aren't coming, it'll offer a no-interest loan.
These days, many Americans live in a perpetual state of financial insecurity, either because they don't have enough money or don't have the regular income to plan ahead. Roughly half the population doesn't have resources to cover an emergency (defined as having about $6,000 in spare income). And about one in three people now freelance in one form or another, which means dealing with the curse of "feast or famine." Some months, they make plenty to cover their needs; other times, they're barely scraping by.
Microsoft Has Hit The Ecosystem Wall
On the consumer front, the company's current efforts look less like a vibrant ecosystem and more like a hodgepodge.
Last week's announcement that Microsoft would scale back its smartphone efforts was a clarifying moment. The resulting smartphone segments that the company will play in—which it calls business, value, and flagship—mirror those of its Surface tablets. In an email to employees explaining the change, Satya Nadella noted: "We are moving from a strategy to grow a stand-alone phone business to a strategy to grow and create a vibrant Windows ecosystem that includes our first-party device family."
These Anti-Hunger Ads Ask People In Other Countries To Donate To Help Feed Americans
Flipping the script on the usual nonprofit appeals.
In a global survey released last year, more people said they struggled to afford food in American than in China. That fact was one of the inspirations behind a new ad campaign that flips the usual appeal for donations around: Thirty years ago, nonprofits might have asked American consumers to help solve Chinese hunger. These ads ask how China (and Slovenia, and Germany) can help the U.S.
The 10 Words You Should Never Use In Your LinkedIn Profile
Sure, you may be motivated, passionate, and creative, but these buzzwords just make you sound like everyone else.
When you're describing your experience and applying for a job do you let potential employers know that you're motivated? Nice word—but everyone else uses it, too. "Motivated," in fact, is the most overused buzzword on LinkedIn profiles, followed up by "passionate" and "creative."
July 14, 2015
Too Many Ex-CEOs On Twitter's Board? Evan Williams Says He Would Step Down
The Twitter cofounder would step down from Twitter's board if it helped put an incoming CEO at ease.
Evan Williams, Twitter's cofounder and former chief executive, said he would resign from the company's CEO-filled board if its next head was uncomfortable with the presence of multiple CEOs. Williams and two other former CEOs—cofounder Jack Dorsey and, most recently, Dick Costolo—are all on Twitter's board, an unusual turn of events for such a large company.
Report: 63% Of Users Consider Twitter And Facebook A Source Of News
The Pew Research Center says more people are increasingly turning to the social networks for their daily news intake.
Self-proclaimed social media gurus, listen up: A new study says that more Twitter and Facebook users are turning to the platforms primarily for news. The Pew Research Center released its findings on Tuesday, in a report titled "The Evolving Role of News on Twitter and Facebook,' and one number in particular sticks out: 63% of both Twitter and Facebook users claim the services are now sources of news for them—and not just a way to keep up with friends and family.
Google Accidentally Leaks "Right To Be Forgotten" Data
Less than 5% of the "right to be forgotten" requests by European users involve criminals, public figures, or politicians.
According to newly uncovered data, more than 95% of the "right to be forgotten" requests made to Google in Europe concern ordinary citizens. The Guardian found data traces in the source code of Google's transparency report and ran an analysis, which led them to conclude that barely 5% of the removal requests involved criminals, politicians, or public figures.
Lena Dunham Launches A Newsletter For Young Feminists
The actress and writer hopes to reach young women looking to sport a shade of modern feminism. Think "Goop meets Grantland."
Sounds like writing a book, running her own show, and getting published in the pages of The New Yorker is a snooze and a half for Lena Dunham. The cultural darling, working with Girls producer and showrunner Jenni Konner, has decided to launch a weekly newsletter targeted at young women.
Facebook Is Working On A Digital Assistant Called Moneypenny
The tech giant invests in its Messenger app yet again.
Facebook would like to be the Moneypenny to your M. The social network is planning to launch a virtual assistant for its standalone Messenger app, The Information reported Monday night.
A Comedian's Fake Customer Service Account On Facebook Serves Up Next-Level Trolling
Comedian Ben Palmer has been trolling the entitled by responding to ridiculous complaints on corporate Facebook pages as "Customer Service."
It can be difficult to hold onto your sense of humor when dealing with a customer service rep. The feeling of righteous indignation metastasizes with any hurdle this supposed guardian of your best interests presents, turning the entire exchange adversarial. We often forget how relatively petty our grievances are. One comedian, however, is keeping customer service-seeking malcontents in check on Facebook, and it's hilarious.
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