“Alex” is using design software to create 3D objects and play the first-person shooter game Counter-Strike, all controlled with his mind. The next frontier? Connecting the brain chip to the physical world. Think full-control robotic arms. Incredible stuff.
Looking for work? 5 mistakes that will hurt your chances of getting hired
Social media is a place where we can loosen up a little. You can post jokes, silly pictures, or whatever on Instagram, X, Facebook and more. Unlike most social media sites, our sponsor, LinkedIn, is pretty buttoned-up.
You always need to put your best foot forward. After all, it’s where you connect with coworkers and find new careers. That means you should avoid being too personal since that can damage your credibility.
But that’s just one of many common LinkedIn flubs. You may be guilty of a few more subtle errors without knowing it. Avoid these LinkedIn mistakes — they might hurt you in the long run.
Error No. 1: The net you’re casting is too wide
Filmmakers design blockbusters to appeal to a broad audience. They want as many warm bodies in the seats as possible, so they avoid plotlines that may alienate audience members. The plot is all very general: The good guy fights the bad guy, the bad guy loses, they all live happily ever after, and so on.
Your LinkedIn profile doesn’t have to follow general guidelines like that. You want to appeal to niche audiences.
Tailor your LinkedIn page to show people you’re a respectable professional in your industry. If you’re too vague and don’t include personal details, you may have general appeal … but lack individual distinction.
Bottom line: When job hunting, you want to stand out. Emphasize the experiences that make you different. Cast too wide a net, and the best fish will slip away.
Error No. 2: You say ‘yes’ to every friend request
You may get overly excited by the influx of friend invites when new to LinkedIn. You may think a surplus of connections shows recruiters you’re social and have a vast network. However, if they go through your contacts and find obvious scam accounts, that could be a strike against you.
Indiscriminate connections can be tempting, but inflating your numbers makes it more difficult for recruiters to understand who you are. They want to understand what drives you, which helps them determine if you’re a good fit for a role.
For example, if you’re a journalist and have 100 friends in the construction industry, they may wonder what’s going on. Are you considering a career shift? Are you more interested in carpentry than fact-checking?
Endangered emojis: What's in and what's out
How about something light and fun today? We’ve come a long way from :-) and :-( to express ourselves in texts, emails and other written forms of communication. And more than 10 years since we got lots of the emojis we still use today, some of your faves might be totally out of fashion.
Over 69% off!
- Rug grippers: Put these grippers on all your rugs, whether they’re on hardwood floors or tile, to help keep the rugs from moving or causing a fall. This pack of 16 grippers is on sale for $7.99, 69% off the regular price ($25.99).
- Outdoor solar lights: Light up the night with these waterproof lights for just $26.99 — 85% off (they’re normally $180!). Solar-powered for up to 12 hours, their elegant design is perfect for the patio or walkways.
- New pillows: Sleep like you’re in a luxury hotel with this cozy pillow set from Cozsinoor for $32.99, 72% off their original price of $120. Designed to perfectly balance and support your neck and back, these pillows come with a cooling cover that hot sleepers will love!
- Car vacuum: Get rid of all the dirt, grime, food and who-knows-what-else in your car. This bestselling vacuum is now $25.99 — that’s 80% off the regular price of $129.99.
- Bedroom update: Whether it’s for your room or the guest room, I really like this lightweight soft cotton quilt that includes two pillow shams for $43.10, a whopping 80% off (originally $219.99).
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
👕 For your next family reunion: Surprise everyone with custom T-shirts. It’s easy and inexpensive with iron-on transfer paper. Print it at home, iron on your design, and bam — shirts for the occasion.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
📚 A novel idea: Spines plans to pump out 8,000 AI-published books next year. The startup promises authors can keep 100% of their royalties and pay between $1,200 to $5,000 for editing, design and distribution. As you can imagine, many writers worry AI is taking the heart, soul and creativity out of the whole process. This is bound to get interesting.
Guide: How to use AI to create your own website in a few minutes
Does thinking of creating your own website conjure visions of tech jargon and coding mysteries? Well, fear not because the future of website building is here.
So many of you have called or emailed me asking for help getting your business, side hustle or hobby online. Let’s look at the AI website builder Hostinger so I can show you how easy it is these days. Seriously, the example site I whipped up took under 10 minutes.
4 tools to easily create and share memes
Memes and emojis express our thoughts and emotions in a way words just can’t. The perfect meme can elevate your mood or put a laugh on someone’s face when needed.
Millions of memes circulate on the internet, and you can grab quite a few good ones from social media. But you can’t always find the perfect one, even with so many choices.
Ford F-150 Lightning catches fire
Ford paused production on its $62,000 electric tricks for five weeks after three caught fire. Ford says whatever caused the fire is “rare” and not related to a design flaw in the F-150 Lightning.
📧 Use Gmail on your Android? If you pay for the Google Workspace plan (or your work does), you can now chat with Google’s AI, Gemini, about your emails. The bot has access to your entire inbox, so it can summarize your emails (“What did Mary want?”) or find specific info for you (“When’s the app design deadline?”). To use it, tap the black star logo in the top-right corner of the app. Coming soon to iPhone, I hope!
The second Neuralink brain chip patient is doing well: “Alex” is using design software to create 3D objects and play the first-person shooter game Counter-Strike, all with his mind. The next frontier? Connecting the brain chip to the physical world, such as fully controlled robotic arms. Incredible stuff.
Tech to the rescue: An experienced surfer swept away by rough seas used his Apple Watch to call emergency services. With the smartwatch’s built-in cellular connection, the surfer stayed on the line with a respondent for an hour until help arrived. He was wearing an Apple Watch Ultra, which has a more rugged design and is water resistant up to 100 meters.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
🚨 Shed light on this: The FTC says most subscription apps and websites use “dark patterns.” These manipulative design techniques push you to buy things and/or put your privacy at risk. Examples: Being forced to enter payment details for a free trial or upload your contacts to access features. Watch out for this.
Free 3D design app: Tinkercad lets you make 3D designs right in your browser. It’s easy enough to jump in, or you can take one of their free courses to learn how to use it. Fun link to hit when the kids or grandkids get bored this summer!
Try your hand at AI art: Describe the design you’re after in your prompt and watch your creations come to life. The more details you can give Microsoft Designer, the better. And it’s free. Nice.
Overnight success? Nope, but it was worth the work
Have a passion for homes and architecture? Rob Kallick did and ran with it. Now he runs a team of real estate agents that closed $200 million in deals last year. Whoa.
When I heard about Rob, I couldn’t wait to share it with you. If you know someone trying to make it in real estate, you need to share this story with them.
3 secrets about email marketing and sending your own newsletters
Email marketing is one of the best ways to reach your target audience. It helps send personalized messages straight to your ideal customer’s inbox. Don’t overlook it when planning cross-channel campaigns. If you’re new to email marketing, use these three strategies for success.
Best Android apps of 2022: Features and links to download
While your Android device can do amazing things right out of the box, the possibilities become endless when you add apps. Tap or click here for five apps that every Android user needs.
The list of amazing apps doesn’t end there. We’ve compiled some of the best Android apps of 2022 that you should check out. You’ll find innovation, excellent design and plenty of fun games.
Want to change careers or learn new skills? Try these courses from Google
There was a time when in-person education was the best path to success. You graduated high school and went on to college. With the rise of technology, online education has grown into a beast. Tap or click here to learn a new skill with these online classes.
Add a little ambiance to your home with these 13 upgrades
When you look around your home, does it make you feel relaxed? Comfortable? Maybe you’ve finally reached a point where you’re living in the lap of luxury.
No? Well, saddle up because all it takes is a new set of curtains here and an area rug there to make your home look radiant.