This past weekend, Wilson wrote wrote a piece on precisely this topic: why those in tech need to find a way to get themselves civically involved. Wilson argues that technology has become so deeply embedded across several aspects of our society, and with this increased role of tech on society comes a greater need for that technology to serve a positive impact. Whether it’s in the form of philanthropy or civic engagement, getting involved in larger societal issues like education reform, housing, and digital accessibility is something that the tech world needs to put more emphasis on....

Adamant has invented a small, low-power, durable sensor chip that is capable of imitating the workings of a human (or dog) nose and a lot more. It can detect dozens (and eventually thousands) of chemicals and smells from your breath and immediate surroundings – all at the same time. As the chip gets integrated into various phone accessories, its applications range from measuring your alcohol level, metabolic rate, and causes of bad breath, to the truly revolutionary ability to identify specific chemicals indicative of potential early stages of various diseases....

Google, leading the way with these diversity efforts, has released data following two years of their diversity initiative. However, the data hasn’t made as much headway as the company originally expected. While the data shows an increase of Black, Latino, and female candidates joining the company, overall, the increase of diverse employees were limited to the initial goal of having staff that “mirrored the population”. Google’s overall percentage of non-white, non-Asian employees in the US remained steady for all of 2015 and the year before....

For decades, principals, school superintendents, and educators have sought to improve education in one way or another. Whether it’s the advent of chalkboards or iPads, technology has been at the forefront of that push. The problem is that, while these technologies may make the learning process easier for kids, it’s not helping teachers teach. And that’s the best way to get kids back in the swing of things. Unfortunately, even if edtech finds a way to cater to teachers and students alike, it is not going to solve all the world’s education problems in the click of a button....

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Rubin in the dingy loft of a bar in downtown Austin (probably not where she is most accustomed to doing interviews), to ask her about her new book, what habits have to do with happiness, and some of the challenges she faced during the research and writing process. How do habits specifically tie into happiness? Rubin: One of the things that was really interesting for me, and that was a mystery I was able to solve, was that when I wrote The Happiness Project and Happier at Home, people kept saying to me, “But how did you get yourself to do all that stuff?...

With that being said, it didn’t seem like a lot of governments did, either. Regardless, coronavirus has left an indelible mark on the world of work, with more than two-thirds of businesses saying that the pandemic has “completely” changed the way they function now and will function in the long term. Business Security at Home According to a study released by Bitdefender, 81% of professionals working in information security (or infosec, if you’re keen on portmanteaus) believe that coronavirus will change the way their business operates in the long-term....

Each year, from June to the beginning of August, we have our summer. However, once you get about a third of the way into August, second summer kicks into full gear and it doesn’t let up until the end of October. This second summer can be convenient, but it’s also unbearable sometimes because of the high temperatures. The oppressive heat is compounded by the fact that most homes and apartments in San Diego don’t have air conditioning....

Blue Startups mainly attracts web, software, and mobile startups that focus on travel technology, gaming and B2B solutions. “It’s on us to show the world that we can create that quality, competitive company here. We have to create enough companies [in Hawaii] that a VC will see a pattern or trend,” said Farnsworth in a Blue Startup blog post. The Program Startups that join the program need one of the founders needs to reside in Honolulu for 13 weeks (not a bad thing) followed by 1 week in Silicon Valley....

Kino-mo, a London-based startup, is giving hope to tech fans that thought they might never see this innovative technology come to life with Hypervsn. And while other iterations of holographic technology have required expensive setups, elaborate configurations, and notably large dedicated spaces, Kino-mo promises a cost-effective and scalable alternative that could change the medium forever. While not technically considered holograms, these 3D visuals float in the air just like the real thing....

For five days, entrepreneurs, investors, founders and industry giant will attend conferences, fireside chats and networking events to further improve the local ecosystem in Detroit. Notable speakers include Bill Ford (Ford Motors), Jamie Dimon (JPMorgan Chase & Co.) and Mike Duggan (Mayor of Detroit). Plus, with the excitement of a full week of startup-focused engagement, there will entrepreneurialism in the air in the Motor City. We took a look at some of the Detroit startups that are garnering a lot of attention, as well as ones that have gained a significant amount of funding....

That’s right, Texas coworking spaces in Austin and Dallas have pledged to do everything they can to make the effects of Hurricane Harvey a little less devastating. With a lot of real estate, dozens of vast networks, and plenty of resources, these coworking spaces are the perfect companies to make a serious impact. So what are companies like Orange Coworking, WeWork, Galvanize, and Capital Factory doing to help those in need?...

Studies have shown that the practice of meditation positively affects the nervous system by lowering blood pressure, lessening symptoms of anxiety, fighting depression, and curbing insomnia. In a collaboration with Deepak Chopra, a world-renowned mind-body healer and advocate for alternative medicine, Wevr, a Los Angeles-based VR studio, and Chopra’s son Gotham Chopra joined forces to explore how virtual reality will play an important role in the future of one’s well-being and understanding of the true nature of reality....

So is the social media giant still charging ahead with VR? Definitely. Here’s how. They’re on a VR Hiring Spree Facebook is on the hunt for new VR hires. Of their 2,000 job openings, nine percent are for Oculus positions. The info comes from a recent CBSInsights report, which highlights the company’s push towards developing the next generation of consumer technology. Not only is Oculus a big bet; it’s Facebook’s fastest-expanding one, judging entirely from the number of new positions open at the unit....

In a recent study conducted by Pocket Gems, a mobile gaming company based in San Francisco, they set out to gain a better understanding of how Millennials and Generation Z consume mobile. More specifically, as an interactive game publisher and developer, Pocket Gems was able to find common trends about how the two largest generations in America interact with one another, consume content, and even meet a love interest. The study involved 36,000 people between the ages of 13 and 25 from across the US....

Google has announced that its staff will work from home until at least July 2021. The company is the first technology company to publicly commit to keeping its remote working policies in place into next year, in an attempt to give employees more clarity on how long they would be working from home. Other tech companies – including Facebook and Twitter – have suggested that most employees could work remotely indefinitely, even after coronavirus restrictions are lifted....

It’s time to face reality that you must begin to manage and monitor your personal brand- don’t worry, you’re not alone. In a recent survey by Domain .ME conducted by Wakefield Research, the report revealed that “60 percent of Americans have not searched for their name on a search engine – of those who do, nearly 47 percent only do so once or twice a year.” Experts say that before you begin branding yourself, first figure out what people are saying about you behind the keyboard....

Old School Discipline The traditional approach to employee discipline that many major companies use is the progressive approach. This approach follows a strict set of guidelines for punishment with the first action normally being a verbal warning. The verbal warning is often followed by some type of written warning with permanent documentation placed in the employee’s file. Think of a “rap sheet,” if you will, a detailed record of employee misbehavior and the punishing sentences delivered....

HTT revealed earlier this week that they will be producing a new material that will be used to line the exterior of their unique pods. The material is purportedly 8 times stronger than aluminum and 10 times stronger than steel alternatives. It is also considered to be 1.5 times lighter than aluminum and five times lighter than steel. So, what’s the name of this revolutionary new material? Vibranium. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is the name of the (very much fake) substance used to create the iconic shield in the Captain America movies....

Imagine my surprise when I opened PWC’s VC Q2 Money Tree report (okay, I’ll admit that I wasn’t surprised at all). Take a look at the chart from their report below. Not exactly the apocalypse everyone was predicting, right? To be fair, while dollars have increased again, the number of deals fell by about 5 percent (suggesting that larger dollars were going into some later stage companies). I wrote a post about all this in February and my advice to founders remains the same as it always is....

In its recent report on 2019’s first-quarter results, Apple revealed that iPhone revenue is down 15 percent. The trillion-dollar-company’s quarterly revenue totalled $84.3 billion overall, a 5 percent year-over-year drop from 2018 Q1. Sounds like a bad sign, right? Here’s why it’s not. Apple’s Q1 Report Hints At Its Future Don’t feel too sorry for Apple, of course. The company has $245 billion in cash on hand, up three percent from the last quarter....