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6<link>https://readwrite.com</link>
7<description>The Blog of Things</description>
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17<title>ReadWrite</title>
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23<title>
24What Does the Repeal of Net Neutrality Mean for Your Data Security?
25</title>
26<link>
27https://readwrite.com/2018/07/20/what-does-the-repeal-of-net-neutrality-mean-for-your-data-security/
28</link>
29<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jul 2018 12:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
30<dc:creator>
31<![CDATA[ Brad Anderson ]]>
32</dc:creator>
33<category>
34<![CDATA[ Data and Security ]]>
35</category>
36<category>
37<![CDATA[ data ]]>
38</category>
39<category>
40<![CDATA[ security ]]>
41</category>
42<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139660</guid>
43<description>
44<![CDATA[
45<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="AI" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>Although FCC Chairman Ajit Pai stated, “I strongly support a free and open internet,” the FCC officially repealed net neutrality on June 11th. The original net neutrality laws protected the internet by referring to it as a common carrier. That meant it fairly provided a service like utilities to everyone. However, repealing net neutrality laws [&#8230;]
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47</description>
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49<![CDATA[
50<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="AI" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>Although FCC Chairman Ajit Pai stated, “I strongly support a free and open internet,” the FCC officially repealed net neutrality on June 11th. The original net neutrality laws protected the internet by referring to it as a common carrier. That meant it fairly provided a service like utilities to everyone.</p> <p>However, repealing net neutrality laws changed this status. Now, the internet is defined as an information provider, making it subject to market rules. The <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/">Federal Trade Commission</a> (FTC) will now oversee it, with the responsibility to protect consumers while simultaneously encouraging competition.</p> <h3><b>A Question of Rights and Freedom</b></h3> <p>Those in favor of the repeal believe it will create opportunities for internet service providers (ISPs) to provide more innovative products. Yet many are still concerned. If the internet now lies in the hands of ISPs, then they have more power to charge what they they like and determine who sees what content. This could leave many deprived of the content or connection speed they previously enjoyed.</p> <p>In an editorial published on the Forbes website, <a href="https://msu.edu/~bauerj/">Johannes Bauer</a>, a Michigan State University professor and researcher focused on the digital economy, noted, “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/washingtonbytes/2017/12/14/network-neutrality-repeal-how-not-to-restore-internet-freedom/#5f347add7075">Blocking, throttling, and differentiated pricing of access</a> and information bundles could be used in ways that harm free speech. The power of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to mitigate such undesirable effects and protect user interests is not fully tested and may be insufficient.” Depriving individuals of equal access make this move a human rights issue.</p> <h2><b>The Impact on Data Security</b></h2> <p>Another growing concern is that of third parties using and selling personal and business data. In an article for the Center For Internet and Society, Ryan E. Long provided insight on how the net neutrality repeal might be<a href="http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/blog/2017/12/net-neutrality-privacy-silver-bullet-or-can-worms"> problematic for data security</a>:</p> <p>“With less competition, ISPs likely need more regulation to ensure that they adequately protect consumer privacy. Deregulation would result in privacy becoming more of a luxury than a right. Consumers, for example, might need to pay a premium for a level of internet access that doesn&#8217;t throttle high-speed encrypted communications.”</p> <p>At the same time, new laws like the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) put control of data in the hands of those who own that data. Although so far there’s no equivalent legislation in the U.S., the GDPR may set a precedent in terms of what can be done here to ensure data security, despite the loss of net neutrality.</p> <h2><b>Taking Control </b></h2> <p>Until that happens, there must be other ways to address data security. According to David Gorodyanksy, CEO of AnchorFree, a technology company focused on providing free and open communication, explained that <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/anchorfrees-david-gorodyansky-explains-freedom-as_us_5a2490a8e4b0545e64bf948f">freedom should be viewed as a service</a>:</p> <p>“Without government regulation of the Internet, technology is the only option for people’s protection. People are now starting to understand the value of their online privacy and what corporations are doing with their information. They are realizing that companies like Google and Facebook want to use their data as currency, and that they need to take the protection of their online information into their own hands.”</p> <p>For example, AnchorFree offers the Hotspot Shield<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2.4/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> app as one potential solution for data security issues. It <a href="https://www.anchorfree.com/news/100m-people-worldwide-download-anchorfrees-hotspot-shield-in-2017/">encrypts all internet traffic</a> on the app user’s devices and sends all traffic through AnchorFree’s secure servers. Users can anonymously browse the internet while maintaining the security of any transmitted data. This is one approach to protecting personal data from the ongoing breaches.</p> <p>Also, the FTC provides multiple online guides offering tips on data security for both consumers and businesses. In its <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/business-blog/2017/07/start-security-stick-it">Stick with Security guide</a>, the focus is on how businesses can securely handle user data. The tips help users educate themselves about what to ask a business when deciding whether to share data. Readers also learn about ways to minimize the risks involved with sharing data.</p> <p>Finally, the <a href="https://www.dataprivacyandsecurityinsider.com/category/privacy-tips/">Data Privacy and Security Insider</a> offers numerous tips that cover the current scams and tactics hackers use to steal personal data. For example, it recently noted that cell phone locations were being leaked and sold. These tips also listed specific apps that were exposing parent and teen data. Staying on top of these data scams is another way to gain control over personal data.</p> <h3><b>Remain Vigilant</b></h3> <p>Repealing net neutrality is part of a larger ongoing shift that includes new technology and revolutionary ways to use the Internet. With this shift, decisions need to be made about data privacy, human rights and personal freedoms. For the time being, it is important to protect personal data by leveraging technology and knowledge, while simultaneously fighting to retain equal access to the internet.</p>
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53</item>
54<item>
55<title>5 Forecasts About the Future of Machine Learning</title>
56<link>
57https://readwrite.com/2018/07/19/5-forecasts-about-the-future-of-machine-learning/
58</link>
59<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2018 18:00:16 +0000</pubDate>
60<dc:creator>
61<![CDATA[ Damien Wolf ]]>
62</dc:creator>
63<category>
64<![CDATA[ AI ]]>
65</category>
66<category>
67<![CDATA[ Tech ]]>
68</category>
69<category>
70<![CDATA[ Future Tech ]]>
71</category>
72<category>
73<![CDATA[ Machine Learning ]]>
74</category>
75<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139336</guid>
76<description>
77<![CDATA[
78<div><img width="300" height="188" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fg1-300x188.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="5 Forecasts About the Future of Machine Learning" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fg1-300x188.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fg1.jpg 543w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>Machine learning is a revolutionary technology that currently forms a critical aspect of numerous burgeoning and established industries. This technology allows computers to access hidden insights and predict outcomes, leading to remarkable changes to businesses. Wei Lei,  who is the Vice President and General Manager at Intel, says that “machine learning is becoming more sophisticated [&#8230;]
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80</description>
81<content:encoded>
82<![CDATA[
83<div><img width="300" height="188" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fg1-300x188.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="5 Forecasts About the Future of Machine Learning" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fg1-300x188.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fg1.jpg 543w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Machine learning is a revolutionary technology that currently forms a critical aspect of numerous burgeoning and established industries. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This technology allows computers to access <a href="https://readwrite.com/2017/05/09/report-predicts-95-of-us-cars-will-be-autonomous-by-2030-tl4/">hidden insights and predict outcomes</a>, leading to remarkable changes to businesses. </span></p> <p><a href="https://www.liveedu.tv/intel_webinars/2Qoqm-accelerating-artificial-intelligence-from-the-cloud-to-the-edge/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wei Lei,  </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">who is the Vice President and General Manager at Intel, says that “machine learning is becoming more sophisticated with every passing year. And, we are yet to see its full potential—beyond self-driving cars, fraud detection devices, or retail trends analyses.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, what’s the future of machine learning? How will it impact our world in the future?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are five key forecasts about the future of machine learning.</span></p> <ol> <li> <h2><b> Improved unsupervised algorithms</b></h2> </li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In machine learning, unsupervised algorithms are employed to make predictions from datasets when only input data is available without corresponding output variables. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whereas in supervised learning the output of the algorithm is already known, its unsupervised counterpart is closely associated with true artificial intelligence—the concept that a machine can learn to identify complicated processes and patterns without any direct human intervention. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When algorithms are left alone to scour and present the interesting patterns in a dataset, hidden patterns or groupings can be discovered, which could have been difficult to get using supervised methods.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the coming years, we are likely to see improvements in unsupervised machine learning algorithms. The advancements in developing better algorithms will result in faster and more accurate machine learning predictions.</span></p> <ol start="2"> <li> <h2><b> Enhanced personalization</b></h2> </li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Machine learning personalization algorithms are used to offer recommendations to users and entice them to complete certain actions. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With such algorithms, you can synthesize the information in a data and make appropriate conclusions, such as a person’s interests.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For example, an algorithm can deduce from a person’s browsing activity on an online retail website and discover that he is interested in purchasing a mower for his garden. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Without that insight, the buyer could have left the website minus making a purchase. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Currently, some of such recommendations are inaccurate and annoying, which cripple users’ experiences. However, in the future, the personalization algorithms are likely to be fine-tuned, leading to far more beneficial and successful experiences. </span></p> <ol start="3"> <li> <h2><b> Increased adoption of quantum computing</b></h2> </li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Quantum machine learning algorithms have the potential of transforming the field of machine learning. For example, these algorithms can utilize the benefits of quantum computation to enhance the capabilities of classical techniques in machine learning. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6633/aab406">quantum computers</a> are integrated into machine learning, it could lead to faster processing of data, which could accelerate the ability to synthesize information and draw insights—and that’s is what the future holds for us. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Quantum-powered systems will provide a much faster and more heavy-duty computation to both supervised and unsupervised algorithms. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The increased performance will unlock amazing machine learning capabilities, which may not have been realized using classical computers. </span></p> <ol start="4"> <li> <h2><b> Improved cognitive services</b></h2> </li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cognitive services consist of a set of machine learning SDKs, APIs, and services, which allow developers to include intelligent capabilities into their applications. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With such services, developers can empower their applications to carry out various duties, such as vision recognition, speech detection, and speech understanding.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As this technology is continuing to evolve, we are likely to witness the development of highly intelligent applications that can increasingly speak, hear, see, and even reason with their surroundings.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Therefore, developers will be able to build more engaging and discoverable applications that can effectively interpret users’ needs based on natural communication techniques.</span></p> <ol start="5"> <li> <h2><b> Rise of robots</b></h2> </li> </ol> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As machine learning is becoming more sophisticated, we’ll see increased usage of <a href="https://readwrite.com/2015/08/07/robots-ai-artificial-intelligence-human/">robots</a>. Robotization depends on machine learning for accomplishing various purposes, including robot vision, self-supervised learning, and multi-agent learning. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Soon, we expect robots to become more intelligent at accomplishing tasks. Drones, robots in manufacturing places, and other types of robots are likely to be used increasingly to make our lives easier. </span></p> <h2><b>Conclusion</b></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Machine learning is one of the most disruptive technologies of the 21</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">st</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> century. Although this technology can still be considered to be nascent, its future is bright. The above five predictions have just scratched the surface of what could be possible with </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">machine learning.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the coming years, we are likely to see more advanced applications that stretch its capabilities to unimaginable levels. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Till then, see you!</span></p>
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86</item>
87<item>
88<title>4 Ways AI Is Reshaping the Future of Health Care</title>
89<link>
90https://readwrite.com/2018/07/19/4-ways-ai-is-reshaping-the-future-of-health-care/
91</link>
92<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jul 2018 12:56:12 +0000</pubDate>
93<dc:creator>
94<![CDATA[ Ryan Ayers ]]>
95</dc:creator>
96<category>
97<![CDATA[ AI ]]>
98</category>
99<category>
100<![CDATA[ Artifical intelligence ]]>
101</category>
102<category>
103<![CDATA[ Big Data ]]>
104</category>
105<category>
106<![CDATA[ health care ]]>
107</category>
108<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139293</guid>
109<description>
110<![CDATA[
111<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/artificial-intelligence-3382507_1280-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="artificial intelligence" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/artificial-intelligence-3382507_1280-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/artificial-intelligence-3382507_1280-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/artificial-intelligence-3382507_1280.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>While the number of individuals needing quality healthcare is increasing, the number of healthcare providers is decreasing. Resultingly, more care providers are considering artificial intelligence (AI) as a possible resource for delivering precise, efficient and effective treatments. In time, artificially intelligence could expand the reach and efficiency of care providers and make up for talent [&#8230;]
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113</description>
114<content:encoded>
115<![CDATA[
116<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/artificial-intelligence-3382507_1280-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="artificial intelligence" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/artificial-intelligence-3382507_1280-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/artificial-intelligence-3382507_1280-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/artificial-intelligence-3382507_1280.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>While the number of individuals needing quality healthcare is increasing, the number of healthcare providers is decreasing. Resultingly, more care providers are considering artificial intelligence (AI) as a possible resource for delivering precise, efficient and effective treatments. In time, <a href="https://readwrite.com/2017/03/08/what-should-be-the-requirements-in-iot-communication-dl1/">artificially intelligence</a> could expand the reach and efficiency of care providers and make up for talent shortages around the world.</p> <h2><strong>The Current State of Health Care </strong></h2> <p>Doctor Richard Biehl, instructor of <a href="https://www.ucf.edu/online/degree/healthcare-systems-engineering-masters/">Healthcare Systems Engineering at the University of Central Florida</a>, discussed the doctor shortage in a recent article published on <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/healthcare/331901-how-a-healthcare-repeal-could-exasperate-the-doctor-shortage">The Hill</a>, writing that, “As the battle on Capitol Hill to end the Affordable Care Act (ACA) continues, Americans are facing more than just a threat to their health care coverage.”</p> <p>Biehl goes on to explain that, “The current administration’s plan to repeal and replace the ACA could end health care coverage for millions of Americans, which would worsen the provider shortage crisis.”</p> <p>To help with this, healthcare providers will need to leverage artificial intelligence through a number of mediums to help bridge the gap between patients and health care providers. There are a wide array of ways AI can assist with the physician shortage, ranging from robotics to improved diagnostics. In this regard, the following passages highlight 4 ways that artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of health care.</p> <h2><strong>Transformation 1: Improved Diagnostic Procedures</strong></h2> <p>Many diagnostic procedures still require the collection of tissue samples and present the risks inherent to all invasive procedures. Medical experts forecast that AI technology might <a href="https://healthitanalytics.com/news/top-12-ways-artificial-intelligence-will-impact-healthcare">replace the need for biological tissue samples</a>. The technology may give physicians the ability to characterize the properties of tumors using image-based diagnostics.</p> <p>Ideally, AI technology will one day provide specialists with the same detailed information gathered from real tissue samples. With malignant tumors, for example, the technology could give specialists the ability to understand how an entire tumor affects a patient, rather than making decisions based on information discovered while evaluating only a small tissue sample.</p> <h2><strong>Transformation 2: The Introduction of Brain-Computer Interfaces</strong></h2> <p>The concept of using computers for communication is not new. However, scientists are trying to find ways to create direct interfaces between the human brain and computers, a breakthrough that would greatly benefit some patients. Accidents and neurological diseases can take away a patient’s ability to speak, move and interact with their environment. However, brain-computer interfaces could potentially restore these abilities in a meaningful way.</p> <p>Doctors are also intrigued by the possibility of quickly restoring functionality for patients who are injured or affected by illnesses. Artificial intelligence and brain-computer interfaces might allow researchers to decipher the neural activities associated with physical functions. As a result, afflicted patients would be able to communicate immediately. Furthermore, the technology could allow patients to reclaim the ability to use common devices, such as smartphones, tablets and computers.</p> <h2><strong>Transformation 3: Decreasing the Cost of Caregiving</strong></h2> <p>The management consulting firm Accenture forecasts that artificial intelligence could save health care organizations $150 billion annually by the year 2026. The technology can give health care organizations the power to leverage the information generated by progressively connected medical devices and information networks. As organizations search for ways to cut costs and improve treatment outcomes, AI could prove an invaluable asset for lowering operational expenses.</p> <p>The rapid growth of digital information and big data systems makes artificial intelligence a potentially important resource for extracting meaningful insights from increasingly smarter health care data networks. For instance, diagnostic technicians, virtual health aides and wellness and lifestyle consultants could one day leverage AI and wearable devices to optimize services and improve treatment outcomes. As the artificial intelligence field matures, treatment outcomes and the operational efficiency of care organizations will improve, furthering decreasing the cost to improve community health outcomes.</p> <h2><strong>Transformation 4: Automation of Repetitive Tasks</strong></h2> <p>As health care organizations seek ways to improve community health, such as implementing innovative care models as well as <a href="https://online.regiscollege.edu/blog/how-nurse-practitioners-can-close-the-gap-in-healthcare%3e">employing nurse practitioners to fulfill a forecast shortage of 100,000 physicians by the year 2026</a>, they’re also investigating the possibilities of AI implementation in exciting ways. Eventually, AI programs will help organizations find new correlations among massive amounts of data. By allowing health care organizations to automate repetitive tasks and streamline operations in previously unforeseen ways, artificial intelligence technology could deliver <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2018/01/30/how-ai-is-transforming-the-future-of-healthcare/3/#29c974931a36">a significantly positive disruption in the medical field</a>.</p> <p>Artificial intelligence will improve care providers’ ability deliver faster and more precise services. Hospitals and devices designed by medical manufacturers are generating an enormous amount of valuable and useful patient information. With AI, these enterprises will be able to harness the full potential of that data to promote better community health outcomes and improve the effectiveness of America’s health care network.</p>
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119</item>
120<item>
121<title>
122The Importance of Customer Feedback And 5 Ways To Obtain It
123</title>
124<link>
125https://readwrite.com/2018/07/18/the-importance-of-customer-feedback-and-5-ways-to-obtain-it/
126</link>
127<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jul 2018 18:00:44 +0000</pubDate>
128<dc:creator>
129<![CDATA[ Reuben Yonatan ]]>
130</dc:creator>
131<category>
132<![CDATA[ Customer Service ]]>
133</category>
134<category>
135<![CDATA[ b2c ]]>
136</category>
137<category>
138<![CDATA[ customer feedback ]]>
139</category>
140<category>
141<![CDATA[ Reviews ]]>
142</category>
143<category>
144<![CDATA[ social media ]]>
145</category>
146<category>
147<![CDATA[ surveys ]]>
148</category>
149<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139269</guid>
150<description>
151<![CDATA[
152<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/feedback-1825508_640-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="customer feedback" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/feedback-1825508_640-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/feedback-1825508_640.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>Customer feedback is one of the easiest ways for a business to learn more about what their customers want, don’t want, like, and don’t like. It’s easy to read articles online and listen to podcasts on the way to work that make educated guesses on what people want, but those guesses are often generalized and, [&#8230;]
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154</description>
155<content:encoded>
156<![CDATA[
157<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/feedback-1825508_640-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="customer feedback" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/feedback-1825508_640-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/feedback-1825508_640.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Customer feedback is one of the easiest ways for a business to learn more about what their customers want, don’t want, like, and don’t like. It’s easy to read articles online and listen to podcasts on the way to work that make educated guesses on what people want, but those guesses are often generalized and, to be frank, wrong. And why guess when you can simply speak to your customers directly?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The last thing you want to do if you’re a business trying to improve the customer experience is to act like you know what the customer wants without ever asking. That’s not the right kind of impression you want to leave on your customers who have plenty of time to go online and tell everyone about how a business doesn’t actually care about the people they sell to.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We’re not saying following business trends, reading articles, and acquiring information from outside sources is a bad idea &#8212; you should definitely use them as a starting point for your business strategy; however, you can’t only rely on them. Obtaining customer feedback requires careful planning. Not all feedback is useful, so we’re going to make sure what you’re getting is worth your time. Here, we’re going to break down the importance of customer feedback and X ways to obtain it. </span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">1. Community Forums</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The great &#8212; or scary &#8212; thing about offering customers a forum is that they can come together as a community to determine whether or not your products or services are good, to help each other with common issues instead of reaching out to support, and to help the business interact directly with customers regarding issues, updates, and anything else of interest to the customers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Forums offer businesses invaluable feedback simply by having a support agent monitor and take note of any issues that arise, any good comments that tell the company what’s working, and any comments that </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">offer constructive criticism</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on how to improve the product or service being offered. They can be monitored on your own website or you can set up an account on an already-existing forum in your business’ field. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The more you interact with your customers, and the more you let them interact with each other, the more feedback your business will be able to acquire. Remember to monitor the forums regularly, whether they’re your own or you’re looking through websites like Reddit, so you constantly know what needs to be worked on and how you </span><a href="https://readwrite.com/2018/06/15/4-ways-for-companies-to-remain-authentic-in-the-age-of-technology/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">can remain authentic</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">2. Social Media</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Social media is essentially a massive forum, but offers much more to businesses. It’s a more personalized channel because people don’t typically think about Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Tumblr, or Pinterest as a place to talk to businesses. However, businesses can look at their followers, search specific hashtags, and read through comments to determine what customers think about their products. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Social media should also be a business’ primary source for determining what the latest trends are. There’s an inconceivable amount of user-generated content, opinions, reviews, and sponsored content for businesses to comb through for inspiration. Reddit, as we’ve already mentioned, is a great source for content along with YouTube, Snapchat, and any other video app or messaging platform. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If your business doesn’t have any social media pages, we recommend you do so because you’re making it harder for your customers to connect with you for no reason. Have a dedicated agent monitor your pages to ensure your customers know you’re actively using them.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">3. Reviews</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reviews are another great way for businesses to obtain customer feedback. They can be found directly on a business’ website and social media. It should always be encouraged to leave reviews so businesses can determine if their products and services are good, need improvement, or could be better. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reviews are also a great opportunity for businesses to be transparent with their customers. Amazon makes a point of highlighting the top positive reviews alongside the top critical reviews so customers can get the complete picture before making a purchase. There’s nothing stopping a business from doing this as well. Creating this transparency often inspires other people to leave reviews. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When highlighting customer reviews, never delete the older or more critical reviews out of fear that they might bring too much negative attention to your company. If that’s the case, it’s not the customer’s fault for pointing it out. Remaining transparent is always more important than preserving a fake image of the company. That does nothing to keep customers from leaving for a more reputable business. </span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">4. Email and Contact Forms</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Email and contact forms are similar to surveys, but they only ask people to provide businesses with basic information like name, email, phone number, address, reason for contacting, and many more potential fields. These aren’t as complex as surveys, but they’re not useless by any means. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Email and contact forms, when combined with surveys, social media, and reviews, can help provide businesses with useful context. Names can tell a business a lot about who their customers are without asking for personal info. Asking for an email helps to establish a channel if an issue were to arise. Addresses also help determine how products are being used. Here’s a specific example: someone wants to buy a bike but they don’t know what kind to buy. Looking at their address can determine if they need a road bike or a mountain bike.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Names and addresses in conjunction with customer feedback can help businesses create customer profiles to help them better understand what customers want. The more feedback they get from their customers, the stronger the profile becomes. Starting with simple fields in an email form can lead to so much more when taken seriously. </span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">5. Surveys</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Surveys are another strategy </span><a href="https://getcrm.com/blog/customer-experience-survey/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">for businesses to implement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> after a customer orders a product or service. They can be sent via email or, if you have a brick-and-mortar store, be filled out electronically in person on a phone or tablet. When they’re kept short and sweet, customers are more open to actually filling them out, and then proceed to offer very useful feedback. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The trick, however, is to make sure they’re short, the question format is varied, and the questions you’re asking are actually relevant to what you’re looking for. You can also offer an incentive for filling out the survey so you encourage more people to fill out your survey. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When surveys are too long, customers react negatively to them. Most of the time, customers don’t really want to fill out a survey after buying a product, which is why incentivizing surveys is necessary. If the survey is too long, they’ll either stop halfway through or answer the questions carelessly, helping no one. </span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Final Word</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Customer feedback is absolutely essential for businesses looking to offer more personalized customer experiences. Without feedback, there’s no way of truly knowing what’s working for your customers and what needs improvement. Businesses should never assume what the customer wants based solely on trends and forecasts. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Trends and forecasts are a great starting point, which is where social media comes in, but your business isn’t off the hook when it comes to asking for, and responding to, feedback. Businesses need to keep track of where they can potentially get feedback from. They should be active on social media, responding to questions from customers; they should create surveys and give customers an incentive to fill them out.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The more transparent businesses are with their customers, the more likely their customers will respond positively to their efforts. Personalized customer experiences are a significant business trend for good reason. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The way we do business has changed significantly, going from businesses telling us why we need their products to us telling them what we need and how they can improve what they’re selling. Acquiring customer feedback is a necessary step to personalizing every customer experience regardless of the size of your business. </span></p>
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160</item>
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162<title>
1635 Real Life Blockchain Implementations Outside of Cryptocurrency
164</title>
165<link>
166https://readwrite.com/2018/07/18/5-real-life-blockchain-implementations-outside-of-cryptocurrency/
167</link>
168<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jul 2018 12:55:34 +0000</pubDate>
169<dc:creator>
170<![CDATA[ Bill Doerrfeld ]]>
171</dc:creator>
172<category>
173<![CDATA[ Blockchain ]]>
174</category>
175<category>
176<![CDATA[ Startups ]]>
177</category>
178<category>
179<![CDATA[ Tech ]]>
180</category>
181<category>
182<![CDATA[ apps ]]>
183</category>
184<category>
185<![CDATA[ Arcade City ]]>
186</category>
187<category>
188<![CDATA[ blockchain technology ]]>
189</category>
190<category>
191<![CDATA[ Boeing ]]>
192</category>
193<category>
194<![CDATA[ CargoConX ]]>
195</category>
196<category>
197<![CDATA[ Helperbit ]]>
198</category>
199<category>
200<![CDATA[ humanitarian ]]>
201</category>
202<category>
203<![CDATA[ Medicalchain ]]>
204</category>
205<category>
206<![CDATA[ ridesharing ]]>
207</category>
208<category>
209<![CDATA[ startups ]]>
210</category>
211<category>
212<![CDATA[ transport ]]>
213</category>
214<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139259</guid>
215<description>
216<![CDATA[
217<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blockchain1-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blockchain1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blockchain1-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>What do Pied Piper and blockchain tools have in common? Both are always “coming soon.” By now most of us are familiar with blockchain, the technology underpinning cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Outside of cryptocurrency, blockchain has many purported use cases in scenarios that require an immutable ledger. Rhetoric has elevated blockchain to godly status, [&#8230;]
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219</description>
220<content:encoded>
221<![CDATA[
222<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blockchain1-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blockchain1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blockchain1-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>What do Pied Piper and blockchain tools have in common? Both are always “coming soon.”</p> <p>By now most of us are familiar with blockchain, the technology underpinning cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Outside of cryptocurrency, blockchain has many purported use cases in scenarios that require an immutable ledger.</p> <p>Rhetoric has elevated blockchain to godly status, labeling it as a bleeding edge technology poised to disrupt all facets of life, from voting, to <a href="https://readwrite.com/2016/09/26/can-a-blockchain-iot-hybrid-be-the-key-to-the-success-of-smart-guns-dl1/">smart guns</a>, health data, <a href="https://readwrite.com/2018/03/17/ai-blockchain-tech-future-successful-trading/">stock trading</a>, <a href="https://readwrite.com/2016/06/10/blockchain-and-iot-can-solve-the-challenges-of-international-freight-pl1/">international shipping</a>, and beyond.</p> <p>We’ve seen a ton of other innovative blockchain ideas too, yet many are unproven or simply hypothetical. So, the question is, <strong>what projects are successfully implementing blockchain in practice</strong>?</p> <p>In this article we’ll strive to separate fact from fiction by showcasing 5 living projects that <strong>are actually</strong> using blockchain, with real world results. We’ll gauge the viability of such projects, and see how proven use may affect the global climate and attitude toward blockchain adoption.</p> <h2 id="1arcadecity">1. Arcade City</h2> <p><em>Peer-to-peer blockchain-based ridesharing</em></p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-139261" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/arcade-city-ridesharing.png" alt="" width="1999" height="1114" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/arcade-city-ridesharing.png 1999w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/arcade-city-ridesharing-300x167.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/arcade-city-ridesharing-1024x571.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px" /></p> <p><a href="https://arcade.city/">Arcade City</a> is a new peer-to-peer rideshare startup whose goal is to disrupt the disruptor. They&#8217;re taking on Uber and Lyft to cut out the middleman and protect driver rights, and they’re basing their platform on the Ethereum blockchain.</p> <p>Many drivers have had negative experiences using Uber, and Arcade City aims to alleviate those issues by giving them complete autonomy. Arcade City drivers set their own prices, accept their own form of payment, form guilds with other drivers, and can have open conversations with users within the app.</p> <p>Available only in select cities worldwide, you can download the Arcade City app on the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/arcade-city/id1082799882?mt=8">App Store</a>.</p> <h2 id="2helperbit">2. Helperbit</h2> <p><em>Humanitarian fundraising vetted with blockchain</em></p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-139262" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/helperbit-humanitarian-blockchain.png" alt="" width="1999" height="982" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/helperbit-humanitarian-blockchain.png 1999w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/helperbit-humanitarian-blockchain-300x147.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/helperbit-humanitarian-blockchain-1024x503.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px" /></p> <p><a href="https://app.helperbit.com/">Helperbit</a> is a fundraising site that emphasizes philanthropic global initiatives that increase well-being in foreign countries.</p> <p>Current projects range from natural disaster relief, clean water for African communities, helping educate children in Papua New Guinea, to even a North Pole exploration.</p> <p>Tying each donation to the blockchain helps increase economic transparency. As corruption in charity and insurance is an unfortunate reality, Helperbit aims to bring fundraising power straight to the people through decentralization.</p> <h2 id="3boeing">3. Boeing</h2> <p><em>IoT-driven blockchain unites assembly line operations</em></p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-139268" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Iot-blockchain-at-Boeing.png" alt="" width="1103" height="442" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Iot-blockchain-at-Boeing.png 1103w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Iot-blockchain-at-Boeing-300x120.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Iot-blockchain-at-Boeing-1024x410.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1103px) 100vw, 1103px" /></p> <p>It’s not just startups and nonprofits excited about blockchain. Aviation engineering behemoth Boeing is <a href="https://www.altoros.com/blog/boeing-improves-operations-with-blockchain-and-the-internet-of-things/">already integrating an IoT-driven blockchain</a> into their engineering operations.</p> <p>Building an airplane takes hundreds of thousands of components, and tracking them throughout the build lifecycle can be a nightmare. Using an IoT-centric blockchain, “Boeing holds complete provenance details of each component part.”</p> <p>This helps by increasing transparency between multiple groups in the production process: manufacturing teams, aircraft owners, maintainers, and government regulators. In addition to optimizing engineering efforts, their IoT blockchain benefits issue resolution by minimizing aircraft turnaround time.</p> <h2 id="4medicalchain">4. Medicalchain</h2> <p><em>Digitize health records and share access on the blockchain</em></p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-139267" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/healthcare-blockchain-medchain.png" alt="" width="1999" height="1112" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/healthcare-blockchain-medchain.png 1999w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/healthcare-blockchain-medchain-300x167.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/healthcare-blockchain-medchain-1024x570.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px" /></p> <p>Healthcare needs a kick in the butt. Not only is cost staggeringly high, but the industry suffers from improper diagnosis, terrible user experience, and continual patient safety concerns. Much of this can be fixed through improved data usage.</p> <p><a href="https://medicalchain.com/en/">Medicalchain</a> aims to use blockchain technology to securely store medical records. Using a distributed ledger for healthcare is a godsend as it allows doctors, hospitals, laboratories, pharmacists, and health insurers to have more immediate access to health records, which could help save lives. Medicalchain ingests <a href="https://medicalchain.com/en/medtokens/">MedTokens</a> and is working on a complementary telemedicine platform <a href="https://myclinic.com/">MyClinic.com</a>.</p> <p>Granted Medicalchain is in an early stage; it’s still taking on pilot patients and practitioners and must build credibility on both fronts. That being said, it’s a great case study on the power of blockchain to disrupt an inefficient industry.</p> <h2 id="5cargoconx">5. CargoConX</h2> <p><em>A blockchain for the logistics and transport industry</em></p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-139266" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chain-con-x.png" alt="" width="1999" height="1101" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chain-con-x.png 1999w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chain-con-x-300x165.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chain-con-x-1024x564.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px" /></p> <p><a href="https://cargoconx.net/">CargoConX</a>&#8216;s main selling point is allowing shipping logistics companies to “Uberize” their spare capacity in containers. For this to operate correctly, CargoConX uses smart contract technology based on blockchain to increase accountability amongst all partners.</p> <p>Their CSS Connect API backbone drives six main modules to improve the shipping industry. As their documentation states:</p> <blockquote><p>“Smart Contracts between network participants and can guarantee payment via an escrow facility to all parties involved in the shipping journey, this occurs through trigger points and milestones setup in the blockchain Smart Contract.”</p></blockquote> <p>In midst of an <a href="http://www.wistv.com/story/37991294/cargo-chain-solutions-launches-pre-sale-for-highly-anticipated-ico-backed-by-logistics-transport-platform-completely-built-on-the-blockchain">ICO</a>, CargoConX boasts 10 early adopters (significant for large B2B partnerships).</p> <h2 id="thepseudo-realityofblockchain">The Pseudo-Reality of Blockchain</h2> <p>Fortune says “blockchains will change the world,” and there is some truth to that. However, a lot is still untested — the Internet may not be as decentralized as Silicon Valley’s Pied Piper would like.</p> <p>Don’t believe the hype. Sierra Leone actually <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2018/03/sierra-leone-did-not-hold-the-worlds-first-blockchain-election.html">did not hold the world’s first blockchain election</a>. And regardless of how cool it sounds, we’re probably not a node in a <a href="https://medium.com/@mattcondon/bitcoin-was-given-to-us-by-aliens-and-were-a-node-in-a-universal-proof-of-stake-blockchain-e0f5b3ab0cc5">universal blockchain created by aliens</a>.</p> <p>No doubt the blockchain buzz is turning heads and there <em>is</em> legitimate action. We’ve seen how multiple industries are implementing it to increase transparency, disrupt competitors, and streamline internal operations. Other credible use cases include smart legal contracts, <a href="https://www.solarchange.co/#/">solar power networks</a>, distribution of government benefits, and <a href="https://payger.com/">digital payments</a>.</p> <p>Blockchain projects need time to receive funding, acquire users, and build out their platforms before they are evangelized. We’ll just have to wait and see which ones become a proven reality, and what stays as fiction.</p>
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225</item>
226<item>
227<title>Will AI Be Able to Predict Your Dreams?</title>
228<link>
229https://readwrite.com/2018/07/16/will-ai-be-able-to-predict-your-dreams/
230</link>
231<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jul 2018 08:00:41 +0000</pubDate>
232<dc:creator>
233<![CDATA[ Frank Landman ]]>
234</dc:creator>
235<category>
236<![CDATA[ AI ]]>
237</category>
238<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139601</guid>
239<description>
240<![CDATA[
241<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-and-Dreams-300x200.jpeg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Will AI Be Able to Predict Your Dreams?" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-and-Dreams-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-and-Dreams.jpeg 747w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>Have you ever had an unsettling dream about some random person you went to high school with? Or a dream that predicted the future in some idiosyncratic way, like foreseeing a traffic jam on your way to work? Or how about some nonsense dream with random creatures and characters, with no discernable plot, unfolding as [&#8230;]
242]]>
243</description>
244<content:encoded>
245<![CDATA[
246<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-and-Dreams-300x200.jpeg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Will AI Be Able to Predict Your Dreams?" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/u
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248<![CDATA[
249ploads/2018/07/AI-and-Dreams-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-and-Dreams.jpeg 747w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>Have you ever had an unsettling dream about some random person you went to high school with? Or a dream that predicted the future in some idiosyncratic way, like foreseeing a traffic jam on your way to work? Or how about some nonsense dream with random creatures and characters, with no discernable plot, unfolding as you sleep?</p> <p>Dreams are part of the human experience, and one that’s baffled mystics, scientists, and everyday people alike. On the surface, dreams can be profound and confusing, and underneath, their scientific basis continues to <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dream-analysis-psychology_us_59b6e640e4b0a50fd051fd03">elude dream psychologists</a> and biologists alike.</p> <p>So could dreams be a problem best solved by AI? Could we one day have a machine learning algorithm that could predict and process our dreams?</p> <h3>The Unique Challenges of Dreams</h3> <p>Dreams present a variety of unique challenges for AI researchers:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Scientific understanding. </strong>Despite years of biologists, psychologists, and other scientific professionals working together to better understand dreams, <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/cu/21stC/issue-3.4/breecher.html">there’s still a lot we don’t understand</a>. Some theories contend that dreams are random static in the brain, while others describe them as a kind of simulator to prepare us for waking life, and still others see them as a way to help us consolidate and store long-term memories. Without that baseline understanding, it’s hard to develop a solution that can probe and dissect them.</li> <li><strong>Individual variance. </strong>Not all people dream the same way. An algorithm that could predict one person’s dreams may not necessarily be able to predict another’s, depending on that person’s history, sleeping habits, and other variables.</li> <li><strong>Motivation. </strong>It’s fascinating to reflect on your weird dreams, wondering <a href="https://www.amerisleep.com/blog/5-reasons-why-youre-having-weird-dreams/">what prompts led you to come up with that imagery</a>, but beyond curiosity, there isn’t much motivation to learn why and how people dream. There’s no monetary or life-altering incentive, like there is in improving medical knowledge or developing consumer products. Accordingly, AI researchers have gone for more lucrative opportunities.</li> </ul> <p>Still, we’re already making progress on technology that helps us better understand, predict, and control dreams.</p> <h3>Dream Recording</h3> <p><a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2018/03/21/recording-dreams-scientists/#.WzKrrdVKiM8">Researchers from Gallant Lab in the University of California</a> already have an algorithm that can process brain activity to form a recognizable image. In their research, they had participants watch movie trailers, and think actively about what they were watching. Using only brain imagery, they were able to recreate vague images of the trailers they were watching. If the same technology is applied to dreams, it could enable us to witness visuals associated with a person’s dreams.</p> <p>The main problem here is resolution; while researchers were able to parse certain shapes and colors, they weren’t able to reconstruct high-resolution video of a person’s thoughts. AI could help take these algorithms to the next level, though it’s uncertain whether we dream in high resolution in the first place.</p> <h3>Sleep Pattern Analysis</h3> <p>Some companies are also emerging, offering AI-based solutions that help customers understand their sleeping habits, like <a href="https://sleep.ai/">Sleep.ai</a>. These consumer apps usually monitor things like snoring, teeth grinding, and tossing and turning either through wearable devices or smartphones, then provide data visuals and diagnostic tools to help consumers sleep better. If combined with some level of dream monitoring, it could be used to identify and predict future patterns.</p> <h3>Dream Prediction and Influence</h3> <p>The next logical step would be using AI first to recognize how people are dreaming, then use those data (combined with historical data) to project how a person might dream in the future. <a href="http://howtolucid.com/how-to-lucid-dream-tonight/">Lucid dreaming techniques</a> already acquaint consumers with strategies they can use to master awareness of their own dreams. The problem is bridging the gap between consumer instinct and objective data analysis.</p> <p>One of the biggest problems here is data availability; there are countless variables that affect how we sleep and dream, many of which are still poorly understood by scientists. While we might have the tools to collect these data, we don’t necessarily have the tools that can objectively measure their impact on dreams (i.e., recording dream visuals).</p> <p>The other problem is crunching those numbers, along with consumer inputs, to generate a reasonably accurate prediction. This problem would be solvable with sufficiently advanced AI, even with our current capabilities, but it would still take time to develop.</p> <h3>Is It Possible?</h3> <p>So is it possible for us to use machine learning to understand our dreams better? Almost certainly. We’re already on the precipice of fully understanding what dreams are and how they work, and soon may be able to project people’s dreams as if they were on a film projector. Still, it’s going to take a combination of technological innovation, scientific understanding, and a collective desire to see this tech through to development—and that could mean years, if not decades before we have a functioning algorithm or device.</p>
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252</item>
253<item>
254<title>
255Thinking About Borrowing Money? Here’s What You Need to Know
256</title>
257<link>
258https://readwrite.com/2018/07/15/thinking-about-borrowing-money-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
259</link>
260<pubDate>Mon, 16 Jul 2018 03:55:52 +0000</pubDate>
261<dc:creator>
262<![CDATA[ Frank Landman ]]>
263</dc:creator>
264<category>
265<![CDATA[ Fintech ]]>
266</category>
267<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139594</guid>
268<description>
269<![CDATA[
270<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Borrowing-Money-300x200.jpeg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Thinking About Borrowing Money? Here’s What You Need to Know" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Borrowing-Money-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Borrowing-Money.jpeg 747w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>Some people love debt, while others hate it. People in the former category tend to use loans for everything. Those in the latter category avoid it at all costs. Both extremes can create problems. If you’re thinking about borrowing money, the smart approach lies somewhere in between. The Do’s and Don’ts of Borrowing Money When [&#8230;]
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272</description>
273<content:encoded>
274<![CDATA[
275<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Borrowing-Money-300x200.jpeg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Thinking About Borrowing Money? Here’s What You Need to Know" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Borrowing-Money-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Borrowing-Money.jpeg 747w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>Some people love debt, while others hate it. People in the former category tend to use loans for everything. Those in the latter category avoid it at all costs. Both extremes can create problems. If you’re thinking about borrowing money, the smart approach lies somewhere in between.</p> <h3>The Do’s and Don’ts of Borrowing Money</h3> <p>When used correctly, debt can be a great tool for growing your money and improving your financial situation. When used incorrectly, it can be a nightmare. Here are some helpful do’s and don’ts regarding borrowing money.</p> <h3>1. DO: Know the Difference Between Secured and Unsecured</h3> <p>There are two basic types of loans: secured and unsecured. Knowing the differences between these loans can help you make smart choices.</p> <p>A secured loan is backed by an asset – such as a house, car, or another valuable item. A home mortgage or auto loan is an example of a secured loan.</p> <p>“Secured loan terms are typically based on the value of the collateral, making your financial history less of a factor,” <a href="https://blog.risecredit.com/whats-best-way-borrow-money/">RISE explains</a>. “If you stop making payments on the loan, the lender can seize the asset—known as repossession or foreclosure—and sell it to recoup some of their losses.”</p> <p>An unsecured loan is approved based on credit history and income, and there is no physical asset attached to the loan. Because of this, secured loans are harder to obtain and typically come with higher interest rates.</p> <h3>2. DON’T: Only Account for the Monthly Payment</h3> <p>When obtaining a loan, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to only account for the monthly payment. For example, when buying a car, you may tell the car dealer that you can pay up to $350 per month. And while this may be true, it does little to protect you from a bad loan product. The lender may get you a lower monthly payment, but they’re going to extend the terms of the loan so that you ultimately end up paying more in interest.</p> <p>In addition to making sure the monthly payment fits your budget, you need to look at the interest rate, length of the loan, payment terms, penalties, and fees.</p> <h3>3. DO: Read the Fine Print</h3> <p>The best way to do your due diligence on a loan product is to read the fine print. (After all, there’s a reason the company scales the text down to tiny, illegible font size.) If there’s something you don’t understand, ask for clarification.</p> <h3>4. DON’T: Carry Balances</h3> <p>Always make the minimum payment on your loans each month. And when it comes to bad debt – such as a credit card – make sure you’re not carrying balances from month to month. Making more than the minimum payment will allow you to unload this debt quicker.</p> <h3>5. DO: Develop a Budget</h3> <p>The only way to be smart with your finances is to develop a written budget that tells you exactly how much money is coming in and going out over a given month. If you’ve never developed a budget before, <a href="https://www.risecredit.com/financial-wellness/overview/">here are some tools</a> to get you started.</p> <h3>6. DON’T: Keep Debt a Secret</h3> <p>“On a last note, you need to avoid keeping your debt a secret – especially when you are married or in a serious relationship,” <a href="https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/dos-and-donts-of-borrowing-money/">National Debt Relief explains</a>. “Talk to someone about your debt because that can help increase your sense of responsibility about that debt. If someone knows about it, then they are bound to check if you are paying it off.”</p> <p>It’s easy to feel guilty about debt – like it’s a huge black eye on your life – but don’t hide it from people. Being transparent about your situation will keep you accountable and help you develop a plan of attack.</p> <h3>More Money, More Problems</h3> <p>They say more money creates more problems – which is especially true when it comes to debt. Keep this in mind and borrow responsibly. Money troubles will follow you for years – and they typically get worse before they get better. Always educate yourself before entering into a new contract or signing any financial papers.</p> <p>Due diligence is your friend.</p>
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278</item>
279<item>
280<title>
2814 Tips for Comparing and Evaluating Equipment Before Purchase
282</title>
283<link>
284https://readwrite.com/2018/07/13/4-tips-for-comparing-and-evaluating-equipment-before-purchase/
285</link>
286<pubDate>Sat, 14 Jul 2018 03:47:39 +0000</pubDate>
287<dc:creator>
288<![CDATA[ Frank Landman ]]>
289</dc:creator>
290<category>
291<![CDATA[ Operate ]]>
292</category>
293<category>
294<![CDATA[ Work ]]>
295</category>
296<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139586</guid>
297<description>
298<![CDATA[
299<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Evaluating-Equipment-Before-Purchase-300x200.jpeg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="4 Tips for Comparing and Evaluating Equipment Before Purchase" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Evaluating-Equipment-Before-Purchase-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Evaluating-Equipment-Before-Purchase.jpeg 747w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>Purchasing a new piece of equipment for your business can be a difficult process filled with lots of different steps and friction. However, this isn’t the time to sit back and let someone else take charge. A correct purchase will push your business forward, while an incorrect one could hold you back for years to [&#8230;]
300]]>
301</description>
302<content:encoded>
303<![CDATA[
304<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Evaluating-Equipment-Before-Purchase-300x200.jpeg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="4 Tips for Comparing and Evaluating Equipment Before Purchase" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Evaluating-Equipment-Before-Purchase-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Evaluating-Equipment-Before-Purchase.jpeg 747w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>Purchasing a new piece of equipment for your business can be a difficult process filled with lots of different steps and friction. However, this isn’t the time to sit back and let someone else take charge. A correct purchase will push your business forward, while an incorrect one could hold you back for years to come.</p> <h3>4 Equipment Buying Tips to Consider</h3> <p>Good execution is the difference between having a good idea and experiencing positive results. In business terms, the right piece of equipment — as well as the correct processes — typically plays a major role in good execution. The only problem is that most businesses don’t think about the significance equipment plays until it’s too late to make a change.</p> <p>If you’re currently considering buying a new piece of equipment — whether as an upgrade or replacement — it’s imperative that you understand the significance of your decision. A thorough buying process in which you meticulously vet every aspect and detail will reward you with better results on the back end.</p> <p>Here are a few specific tips and suggestions:</p> <h3>1. Compare Multiple Options</h3> <p>This first suggestion is sort of common sense, but it’s one many businesses fail to heed when they get thrown into situations where they need a new piece of equipment right away.</p> <p>At a very minimum, you should consider two different options. Preferably, your list should include at least three. When you compare three options, this gives you a better idea of what exists in the market, what the going rate is and what you can expect with your purchase.</p> <h3>2. Look at the Vendor</h3> <p>It’s vital that you carefully consider the vendor when purchasing a piece of equipment. Even if the equipment is the same from vendor to vendor, there are a number of pros and cons associated with working with different companies.</p> <p>Take industrial manipulators (the kind used in material handling) as an example. You can purchase industrial manipulators from a variety of vendors, but they don’t all have the same processes and requirements in place. Certain vendors — like <a href="https://www.dalmec-na.com">Dalmec</a> — must adhere to strict safety standards, while vendors from other nations lack regulations and standards. Working with a company in the former category could save you a lot of trouble and heartache.</p> <h3>3. Consider Financing Options</h3> <p><em>How</em> you purchase a piece of equipment for your business is sometimes just as important as <em>what</em> you buy. There are a <a href="http://www.hainesandlagerquist.com/4-keys-evaluating-equipment-lease-vs-purchase-small-business/">different financing options</a>, including:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Purchasing (cash). </strong>When you buy a piece of equipment outright, you don’t have to spend additional money on interest payments. Plus, you get to amortize the cost over the lifespan of the equipment.</li> <li><strong>Financing (loan). </strong>Financing is great because it allows you to own a piece of equipment without having to fork over all of the money at once. Certain packages even let you finance the cost of installation, training and transportation.</li> <li><strong>Leasing. </strong>Need the equipment, but don’t want to make a long-term investment? Leasing allows you to gain access to the equipment and then reconsider your options at the end of the agreement.</li> <li><strong>Renting. </strong>Only need a piece of equipment for an isolated period of time? Renting is a nice option for businesses that have a one-off project or short-term need.</li> </ul> <h3>4. Look at Long-Term Cost Analysis</h3> <p>An equipment purchase might make sense right now, but <a href="http://information.mcgsol.com/calculate-life-cycle-cost-of-equipment">what are the long-term effects</a>? Before making a significant investment or purchase, always conduct a long-term cost analysis. (You may need to hire a consultant to help with this.)</p> <h3>Adding It All Up</h3> <p>It’s important to point out that there isn’t always one piece of equipment that’s perfect for your company. In many cases, there are two or three different options that could potentially work. The key is to do your due diligence and avoid getting mixed up with the ones that are clearly wrong.</p> <p>In the end, a detailed vetting process will give you the best chance of succeeding in the execution phase of your business. It won’t guarantee results — but it will pave the way for opportunity.</p>
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306</content:encoded>
307</item>
308<item>
309<title>
310How Start-Up Chile Helps Entrepreneurs and Chile Alike
311</title>
312<link>
313https://readwrite.com/2018/07/13/how-start-up-chile-helps-entrepreneurs-and-chile-alike/
314</link>
315<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:21:01 +0000</pubDate>
316<dc:creator>
317<![CDATA[ Nathan Lustig ]]>
318</dc:creator>
319<category>
320<![CDATA[ Startups ]]>
321</category>
322<category>
323<![CDATA[ Tech ]]>
324</category>
325<category>
326<![CDATA[ accelerators ]]>
327</category>
328<category>
329<![CDATA[ Chile ]]>
330</category>
331<category>
332<![CDATA[ entrepreneurship ]]>
333</category>
334<category>
335<![CDATA[ global startups ]]>
336</category>
337<category>
338<![CDATA[ government programs ]]>
339</category>
340<category>
341<![CDATA[ Latin America ]]>
342</category>
343<category>
344<![CDATA[ local government ]]>
345</category>
346<category>
347<![CDATA[ Start-Up Chile ]]>
348</category>
349<category>
350<![CDATA[ startups ]]>
351</category>
352<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139499</guid>
353<description>
354<![CDATA[
355<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mauro-mora-85112-unsplash-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mauro-mora-85112-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mauro-mora-85112-unsplash-1024x682.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>The Start-Up Chile accelerator was arguably the spark that ignited Chile’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Chilean government, through the development agency CORFO, founded Start-Up Chile in 2010 as a way to bring in foreign entrepreneurs who would galvanize Chile’s transition into an economy built on technology and innovation. Since then, Start-Up Chile has accelerated over 1,500 [&#8230;]
356]]>
357</description>
358<content:encoded>
359<![CDATA[
360<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mauro-mora-85112-unsplash-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mauro-mora-85112-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mauro-mora-85112-unsplash-1024x682.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Start-Up Chile accelerator was arguably the spark that ignited Chile’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Chilean government, through the development agency CORFO, founded Start-Up Chile in 2010 as a way to bring in foreign entrepreneurs who would galvanize Chile’s transition into an economy built on technology and innovation. Since then, Start-Up Chile has accelerated over 1,500 startups, of which </span><a href="http://www.startupchile.org/economic-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">51.1%</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> were still operating in 2016. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When it was first founded, the program was meant to “change the nation’s culture towards entrepreneurship and to position Chile as the hub of innovation for Latin America,” but its impact has significantly surpassed that goal. While economic growth was not one of the goals CORFO originally planted in 2010, Start-Up Chile companies have collectively raised </span><a href="http://www.startupchile.org/economic-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">US$30.5M</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Chile and over </span><a href="http://www.startupchile.org/economic-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">US$420M</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> abroad. Meanwhile, these startups have created at least a total of </span><a href="http://www.startupchile.org/economic-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">5,162</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> jobs in Chile and across the globe as of 2016. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Start-Up Chile set out to enact social and cultural change and to place Chile at the center of the Latin American startup ecosystem. However, measuring its success requires going beyond the economic value of the accelerator. After all, Start-Up Chile emphasizes that they want startups to get more out of the program than just the money (US$40K equity free in the Seed program). These companies receive mentorship, entrepreneurship training, and opportunities to raise capital, while also becoming part of a global network of more than 3,000 entrepreneurs worldwide. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So what impact has Start-Up Chile had on a global scale? From Cabify to CargoX, the accelerator has supported some of the most successful companies that are operating in Latin America today. Many of these startups have expanded globally, raising hundreds of millions of dollars, and have dominated in their industries. One of the best ways to analyze the impact of Start-Up Chile is through their eyes, which allows us to understand how the accelerator boosted them to reach international success. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are some of the ways Start-Up Chile has prepared tech startups to tackle the global market.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Teaching founders to ignore the startup hype and create a valid MVP</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Statistics show that between 70%-90% of startups fail. Raising capital doesn’t seem to help, as </span><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443720204578004980476429190" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">75%</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of startups that do also fail. Experts and entrepreneurs tend to attribute failure to a lack of focus on building a product that solves an actual problem and Start-Up Chile is meant to provide entrepreneurs with the time and space they need to find product market fit.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thomas Allier, the CEO and Co-Founder of </span><a href="https://viajala.com.co/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Viajala</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, noticed that his most successful peers in Start-Up Chile in 2013 were those that were “working silently with a strong focus and without making much noise.” Few of the companies that had won unofficial ‘awards’ such as “Most-likely-to-IPO” are still operating today, said Allier. He is adamant that Start-Up Chile’s focus on building a viable MVP was the secret to their success. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Beyond giving him time to focus on developing his product, Start-Up Chile taught Allier to launch early, and with the right people on board from the start. The program also made it possible for him to do so. “Start-Up Chile gave Viajala early recognition that enabled me to get the right people on our bus. We are still out there and growing five years after starting the program because we had the discipline to launch extremely early on which gave us enough time for a few iterations and a growing line of revenue.” </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today, Viajala is the single largest travel metasearch company in Latin America. They process over 3.5 million travel searches each month and have already reached yearly revenues of over US$3M, all with having raised relatively little capital. Beyond the grant from Start-Up Chile, Viajala raised less than half a million dollars to date. They currently employ more than 20 people across four countries in Latin America, running Viajala out of their headquarters in Medellin, Colombia. </span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">The value of building a global network</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Start-Up Chile network includes over 3,000 entrepreneurs from 1,500 startups across the globe. Ranked by some as </span><a href="http://gust.com/accelerator_reports/2016/global/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fourth</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> best startup accelerator in the world, and the best in Latin America, Start-Up Chile carries with it a sense of community that follows startups throughout their lifetimes. </span><a href="https://www.theinterngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Intern Group</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a company that helps students access international internships, has maintained an office in Santiago since they participated in Start-Up Chile because the network and ecosystem are so strong and supportive. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While The Intern Group has headquarters in London, UK, CEO and Co-Founder, David Lloyd, considers the contacts he made during the program among his closest friends and mentors. “Meeting with as many other Start-Up Chile companies in my generation as possible was key. Some of these people turned into lifelong contacts,” he comments. The network provided by Start-Up Chile has helped The Intern Group maintain a strong presence in Latin America, where they have offices in Santiago and Medellin.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since participating in the accelerator, The Intern Group has grown from a yearly revenue of less than US$10K to almost US$15M in just six years. While their first program had only ten students, The Intern Group now hosts over 2,000 students per year. Lloyd emphasizes that the money, while helpful to an early-stage startup, was the least important part of the experience. “The US$40K was great but small fry in comparison to the environment, learnings, and the network we made.”</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Putting Chile on the global map as an entrepreneurship hub</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Start-Up Chile debuted in 2010, the small country gained significant publicity. Since then, the accelerator has been one of the leading factors in putting Chile at the center of the global conversation about Latin American entrepreneurship. Over 9,700 articles have been written about Start-Up Chile across 141 countries, and the program has inspired 50 government-funded accelerators worldwide, from Jamaica and Puerto Rico to Peru and South Korea. Numerous growing companies like </span><a href="https://cabify.com/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cabify</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://cargox.com.br/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CargoX</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://doist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Doist</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (creator of Todoist), </span><a href="https://www.datacampfire.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Datacampfire</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://slidebean.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Slidebean</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="https://keywordtool.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keyword Tool</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> owe at least part of their success to the network, funding, and training they received from Start-Up Chile. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most importantly, many of these companies continue to operate in Chile, or at least in Latin America. Some of Start-Up Chile’s critics often point to the fact that some companies take advantage of CORFO’s generosity and leave immediately after the program. However, more than one-third of the companies that have gone through Start-Up Chile maintain an office in Chile, and a more substantial proportion continue to operate and provide services in Chile and Latin America. Chile now ranks </span><a href="http://www.gemconsortium.org/country-profile/50" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">7th</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the world for total entrepreneurial activity and accounts for 50% of the entrepreneurial activity in Latin America. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Start-Up Chile has undeniably placed Chile on the map as a hub of innovation in Latin America and around the globe and has enabled the growth of many of the startups that are dominating the Latin American market today.</span></p>
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362</content:encoded>
363</item>
364<item>
365<title>
366Nick Yates Says Robotic Technology Is Poised to Disrupt Even Vending Machines
367</title>
368<link>
369https://readwrite.com/2018/07/13/nick-yates-says-robotic-technology-is-poised-to-disrupt-even-vending-machines/
370</link>
371<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
372<dc:creator>
373<![CDATA[ Brad Anderson ]]>
374</dc:creator>
375<category>
376<![CDATA[ Tech ]]>
377</category>
378<category>
379<![CDATA[ automation ]]>
380</category>
381<category>
382<![CDATA[ robots ]]>
383</category>
384<category>
385<![CDATA[ technology ]]>
386</category>
387<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139512</guid>
388<description>
389<![CDATA[
390<div><img width="300" height="222" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.10.31-PM-300x222.png" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="automated vending" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.10.31-PM-300x222.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.10.31-PM.png 959w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>In recent years, a lot of media coverage has been devoted to discussing how quickly robots will take our jobs away — and how many of us will be affected. With dire predictions about robots eating up 800 million jobs by 2030, even the most unassuming observers pin the robot job takeover as taking place [&#8230;]
391]]>
392</description>
393<content:encoded>
394<![CDATA[
395<div><img width="300" height="222" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.10.31-PM-300x222.png" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="automated vending" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.10.31-PM-300x222.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.10.31-PM.png 959w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In recent years, a lot of media coverage has been devoted to discussing how quickly robots will take our jobs away — and how many of us will be affected. With dire predictions about robots eating up</span> <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42170100"><span style="font-weight: 400;">800 million jobs by 2030</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, even the most unassuming observers pin the robot job takeover as taking place within the</span> <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/you-will-lose-your-job-to-a-robot-and-sooner-than-you-think/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">next four decades</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But that’s not the real story here: The real story is how much robots will</span> <a href="https://readwrite.com/2015/08/07/robots-ai-artificial-intelligence-human/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">automate and take on</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, freeing us up to do the things that require human input. While some jobs likely will disappear as robotic technology finds ways to streamline them and make them no-brainers, we’ll find new ways to allocate robot resources to manage the things we don’t want to handle.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An example of how robotic automation can make our industries more productive and less taxing can be found in vending machines. While these sales platforms may seem simple on the surface, they offer a glimpse into how robots can help us construct the future to be less taxing, but more purposeful, for human beings.</span></p> <p><b>Eliminating Mindlessness in Favor of Thoughtfulness</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nick Yates is the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">founder and CEO of</span> <a href="http://www.gennextbrands.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Generation NEXT Franchise Brands</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which builds the automatic machines that deliver frozen yogurt and ice cream in stores. With more than $130 million in franchise and licensing contracts across more than 230 locations, Yates has seen his company grow very quickly.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yates says his company’s experience is that most businesses are using robotics as a powerful tool to support their customer service strategies. “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">By having robots pack boxes quicker, or perhaps provide answers to simple questions for customers, a business owner can find more productive and efficient ways to use the actual human employee who has a better set of skills that should be taken advantage of,” he explains.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s important to make a distinction between work that requires insights and work that requires speed: Streamlining is incredibly helpful for the latter but stifling for the former. “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Things that enhance productivity, including robots, are what cause economies to grow and for us all to get wealthier on average,” Yates says, “but this is a world where the average may not mean what it used to because it’s a world in which there will be wider gaps between the skilled and unskilled, between those with and without jobs.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That means we need to carefully rethink how we can best make use of the resources we have: How can we eliminate work that </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">can</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> be automated? How can we position our companies to rely more heavily on human workers’ critical thinking skills than their manual labor?</span></p> <p><b>Automating Vending Through Robots</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yates’ company believes it’s found the solution for the manual vending machine industry: automated robots that deliver frozen yogurt and ice cream. Its robots dispense and serve frozen treats to customers in locations that already capture high levels of foot traffic, but the experience is unique in that customers can order from a digital user interface. That interface provides a selection of up to six flavors and up to six different toppings, preparing the desserts fresh in fewer than 60 seconds.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yates says that the ice cream-dispensing robots are de facto entertainers as well, dancing and playing music while displaying animation on their screens. This enhances the customer experience — especially for its under-18 audience — and creates engagement, despite the absence of a human ice cream slinger.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These unattended robots are disruptive agents in a heavily service-focused industry. “The industry has been dominated by retail franchises that require traditional brick-and-mortar infrastructures that, unfortunately, now struggle because the cost of labor has increased to a point where it doesn’t make much business sense for the owner/operator,” Yates says. “Vending ice cream that’s delivered fresh to order has never been done before. We saw an opportunity to disrupt and ran with it.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While many in the food and beverage industry may argue that the</span> <a href="https://therestaurantboss.com/everybody-is-on-the-restaurant-marketing-team/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">customer service experience is the entire marketing platform</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for restaurants and other food vendors, the growth of Yates’ model shows that humans aren’t put off by customer service presented by a robotic provider. And the model can enable scale that’s not currently</span> <a href="https://www.rewardsnetwork.com/blog/forecast-restaurant-labor-costs/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">cost-effective for most labor-intensive restaurants</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and food vendors. By repositioning human labor to focus on developing and testing products, food providers can gain flexibility in preparation and distribution, allowing them to even infiltrate</span> <a href="https://readwrite.com/2016/07/12/smart-stadium-new-dimension-of-entertainment-ct4/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">difficult-to-crack outlets like stadiums</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><b>What This Means for the Future</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While robotic technology was out of reach for many businesses, thanks to their prohibitive cost structures, that’s</span> <a href="http://fortune.com/2017/03/14/robots-automated-technology-workforce-jobs/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">no longer</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the case. Yates points out that the technology is getting more affordable as more players enter the space. “Reliability, however, is still questionable,” he says. “As the technology evolves, the cost will drop until we get to a point where buying robots to cook, clean, serve ice cream, or do any task on a consumer level is affordable for everyone.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yates acknowledges that incorporating robotic technology isn’t easy for any entrepreneur, but it’s worth the effort if the industry — and company — stands to benefit. “Every industry needs someone willing to be the disruptive force that moves the entire group forward,” he says. “A lot of people are wary of robots and not willing to trust them, but it’s important to remember that we control robotic technology and have a say over how it works for us.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That control, he admits, can sometimes seem elusive: “Robots can be sensitive and require the best software to operate them well,” he cautions. “Be sure to combine technologies to get the best result.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While society has long predicted that robots will take over jobs in a deflated, conciliatory tone, it might be time to look at this job loss as a celebration. As robots automate everything from</span> <a href="https://readwrite.com/2016/09/02/robots-replace-us-dangerous-jobs-pl4/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">security</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to vending, they enable humans to put their full effort into the things only they can do.    </span></p>
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397</content:encoded>
398</item>
399<item>
400<title>
401Consumerized Enterprise Software Is Poised to Make the Industry More Competitive
402</title>
403<link>
404https://readwrite.com/2018/07/11/consumerized-enterprise-software-is-poised-to-make-the-industry-more-competitive/
405</link>
406<pubDate>Wed, 11 Jul 2018 15:00:47 +0000</pubDate>
407<dc:creator>
408<![CDATA[ Brad Anderson ]]>
409</dc:creator>
410<category>
411<![CDATA[ Platforms ]]>
412</category>
413<category>
414<![CDATA[ consumerized enterprise software ]]>
415</category>
416<category>
417<![CDATA[ employee engagement ]]>
418</category>
419<category>
420<![CDATA[ Software ]]>
421</category>
422<category>
423<![CDATA[ workplace engagement ]]>
424</category>
425<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139515</guid>
426<description>
427<![CDATA[
428<div><img width="300" height="195" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.38.10-PM-300x195.png" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="tech engagement" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.38.10-PM-300x195.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.38.10-PM-1024x666.png 1024w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.38.10-PM.png 1093w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>Workplace engagement has become a widespread problem. Gallup’s ongoing employee engagement monitoring shows that, even today, less than 35 percent of Americans are engaged at work. In fact, a 2017 Aon Hewitt study showed that workplace engagement is declining, with some organizations experiencing “angst” amid the prediction that the decline will continue. With half-hearted effort [&#8230;]
429]]>
430</description>
431<content:encoded>
432<![CDATA[
433<div><img width="300" height="195" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.38.10-PM-300x195.png" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="tech engagement" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.38.10-PM-300x195.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.38.10-PM-1024x666.png 1024w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-12.38.10-PM.png 1093w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Workplace engagement has become a widespread problem. Gallup’s ongoing employee engagement monitoring shows that, even today,</span> <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/180404/gallup-daily-employee-engagement.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">less than 35 percent</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of Americans are engaged at work. In fact, a 2017 Aon Hewitt study showed that</span> <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/causeintegration/2017/06/01/employee-engagement-is-declining-worldwide/#2770aada34e2"><span style="font-weight: 400;">workplace engagement is declining</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, with some organizations experiencing “angst” amid the prediction that the decline will continue.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With half-hearted effort costing American businesses up to</span> <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/workinglife/state-of-american-workplace-too-much-ennui-hurts-us-productivity/2313397"><span style="font-weight: 400;">$605 billion</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> per year, Isa Watson set out to help companies undo the damage they were inflicting upon themselves. Watson, the founder of workplace engagement platform</span> <a href="https://www.envested.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Envested</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, noted two trends that companies are being forced to respond to: the competitive nature of the current work environment and the new way employees work within that ecosystem.</span></p> <p><b>Addressing the Deep-Rooted Problems</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re seeing an increasingly competitive environment, where people are expected to do more with less,” Watson says. “It’s great that people are able to accomplish so much with fewer resources, but that means they also burn out more quickly.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Watson says that her conversations with myriad organizations have revealed that most businesses struggle to strike a balance between producing affordable, high-quality work and maintaining high morale. How do you manage an increasingly competitive environment and make it productive?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the tide had been turning for a while, businesses didn’t sit up and take notice until the impact on employees started to have an impact on them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average employee now spends</span> <a href="https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-long-should-an-employee-stay-at-a-job-2059796"><span style="font-weight: 400;">4.6 years</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in a role. That figure, however, drops when we consider Millennials, the</span> <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/11/millennials-largest-generation-us-labor-force/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">biggest segment of the workforce</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, who average only 3.2 years per position. This combination of disengagement and turnover has hurt companies’ productivity, increased recruiting expenses, and served as a double whammy on their bottom line.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Watson says that workplace structures, too, play a role. “Companies are becoming more matrixed, or cross-collaborative,” she explains. “People used to specialize in just one area — my dad was a computer engineer his whole life and then went on to manage other computer engineers — but it’s now more common for people to jump around an organization.”  </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The opportunities afforded by this flexibility are good for employees’ career paths,</span> <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/millennialsurvey.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">especially Millennials’</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, but they create a gap that needs to be filled. Most organizations don’t enable employees to build relationships or make adjustments to these new roles, leaving people who may very well be successful in their new roles with no connections to build upon.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And connection is huge at work: Having a best friend at work makes a person</span> <a href="https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/225107/why-need-best-friends-work.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">twice as likely to engage</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. “That fundamental need for human connection is the key,” Watson explains. “We’ve been able to do this very well in a digital format personally — a decade ago, it seemed unusual to marry someone you met online, but it’s commonplace now. We asked ourselves, ‘How do we use a digital platform to tackle the deeper human need for connection professionally?’”</span></p> <p><b>Using Technology to Drive Connections</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Amazon Web Services and others enabled a democratization of resources, giving fledgling startups access to the cloud and more efficient developer tools on a tight budget. This lowered barrier to entry made it easier for startups to develop more impressive software and also increased the expectations placed on those raising money.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Like the startup world, the corporate world introduced a number of productivity tools and tech resources to meet its goal of doing more with less. This fast-paced tech has advanced people’s ability to do work while simultaneously accelerating expectations. The problem is that what buyers expected and what end users expected varied wildly.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While buyers were focused on efficiency and the breadth of tools (“necessary evil”), end users were more concerned about collaboration and the depth, or quality, of the tools (“delight”). Big, bulky enterprise software solutions offered a lot of the former but little of the latter as employees had to grapple with the bulky platforms’ reduced flexibility. In response, Watson said that her team decided to focus on consumerized enterprise software (CES).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A lot of enterprise software is designed to be one-size-fits-all,” she says, “but software that has dozens of use cases probably has two use cases making up 90 percent of its activity. As UX has improved exponentially over the past 10 years across social media and other platforms people use in their personal lives, user delight has become an expectation — and a big part of how that’s delivered is through personalization.”</span></p> <p><b>Why Consumerized Enterprise Software Points to the Future</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Platforms in the CES space are all driven by notifications and invitations. They’re designed to develop, and are driven by, users’ relationships. And this helps CES overcome a big problem plaguing many enterprise software packages: the time-to-value ratio. Facebook’s a master of time to value: It determined that if users made</span> <a href="https://blog.modeanalytics.com/facebook-aha-moment-simpler-than-you-think/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">seven friends within 10 days</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of joining the site, it had a much higher chance of retaining them. So Facebook created a tool to suggest or request friends once an account was created, establishing value right away and significantly decreasing its time-to-value ratio.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Functionality-driven enterprise tools often aren’t this personalized because they’re trying to serve broad audiences all at once; those that focus on analytics have even higher time-to-value ratios because they’re clunky. But users have to use those tools to complete their work, so the software designers aren’t worried about losing them. For experience-driven tools built to increase collaboration and engagement with the workplace itself, however, streamlining to facilitate connections is of the essence.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While businesses got away with choosing the software that looked best on paper, ignoring employees’ fundamental needs, employees are becoming increasingly impatient and finding ways to solve their own problems.</span> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/inside-the-video-game-roots-of-slack-2016-3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Slack’s Slackbot</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> serves as a good example of a workaround tool created to enable collaboration when a given solution — the company’s own — didn’t meet user needs. As employees feel increasing pressure to get more done, the chances of them going outside the normal protocol — and outside the given platforms — increase as well.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That means closer listening, a function of CES, serves an important purpose. Watching what people do, rather than asking them what they want, is a given best practice in consumer technology, but it’s never taken hold in the enterprise technology sector. CES has the ability to insert specific tools — user research, data tracking and analysis, experimentation, and communication tools like Intercom — to find out from users directly what they need. This gives CES companies an advantage to bypass endless market research and implement new features more quickly than enterprise firms can. We’ve seen CES companies like Trello, Airtable, Dropbox, and others do this repeatedly and successfully.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Personalization is a powerful tool because it builds emotional connections between the user and the technology: This tech really gets me,” Watson says. “The expectations we’ve developed and gathered as consumers have changed, and they end up being a big driver of why this CES software is appealing. It has an opportunity to disrupt the traditional enterprise software space.”</span></p> <p><b>What the Future Holds</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Watson believes the closer listening of CES will be a game changer, allowing companies to gather more authentic feedback. “By not focusing on the enterprise guard to the company, but the actual user of the platform, CES platforms will have many more data points about their product than they would normally. That makes the rate that the feedback comes in game-changing for the product,” she says.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With this focus, CES brands can shift from making the product better to keeping the user engaged. Their ability to endlessly experiment will build the best tools of the future, and Watson doesn’t think that fact will be lost on enterprises.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Many traditional players have become so large that they’ve lost their experimentation, their ability to evolve their experience,” she says, “so it will become more likely that they’ll want to acquire these CES platforms. I anticipate we’ll see a lot of M&amp;A activity between traditional players and CES firms to make the old guard more competitive.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Envested aims to make a change in workplace engagement through a consumerized approach to software, enabling digital engagement and collaboration to influence the physical collaboration and engagement happening within offices. If CES is able to address the deep-rooted problems impacting employee retention, what’s to stop it from solving other industries’ woes?</span></p>
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435</content:encoded>
436</item>
437<item>
438<title>Meet Meural, Fine Art on My Walls at Home</title>
439<link>
440https://readwrite.com/2018/07/10/meet-meural-fine-art-on-my-walls-at-home/
441</link>
442<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jul 2018 22:49:56 +0000</pubDate>
443<dc:creator>
444<![CDATA[ Brad Anderson ]]>
445</dc:creator>
446<category>
447<![CDATA[ Smart Home ]]>
448</category>
449<category>
450<![CDATA[ Startups ]]>
451</category>
452<category>
453<![CDATA[ Meural ]]>
454</category>
455<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139538</guid>
456<description>
457<![CDATA[
458<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-in-home-300x169.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Meural-in-home" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-in-home-300x169.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-in-home-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-in-home.jpg 1320w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>At first all I wanted was to be able to purchase something wonderful and uplifting for my bedroom wall. Then the goal was &#8212; if we could just find a piece that was inspirational above the desk in the den &#8212; that would be enough. Soon, we realized that we spent much more time in [&#8230;]
459]]>
460</description>
461<content:encoded>
462<![CDATA[
463<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-in-home-300x169.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Meural-in-home" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-in-
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465<![CDATA[
466home-300x169.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-in-home-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-in-home.jpg 1320w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>At first all I wanted was to be able to purchase some
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469thing wonderful and uplifting for my bedroom wall. Then the goal was &#8212; if we could just find a piece that was inspirational above the desk in the den &#8212; that would be enough.</p> <p>Soon, we realized that we spent much more time in the living-room and to be real &#8212; so did our friends. Was I trying to be inspired myself &#8212; or show what great taste I had &#8212; to the friends? Let’s get real &#8212; artwork fills all of these “needs.” I decided to tryout <a href="https://meural.com/">Meural</a>.</p> <h3><b>“Life Imitates Art”&#8211; But Do You Want It To?</b></h3> <p>Thomas Merton said, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” Well, I sure didn’t want the peeps at work losing themselves in art. “Lose yourself in the next tech project, please &#8212; this is a tech company.” If you’re a writer, “Lose yourself in getting that article written &#8212; or the editing done. Hey devs &#8212; get those complaints and fixes finished, and the updates logged &#8212; don’t look at the art.”</p> <p>There are many beloved statements <a href="https://mymodernmet.com">about art online</a> and about the huge benefits of including these pieces in our lives. They are wonderful. However, I decided to merely hang up a <a href="https://meural.com/pages/features">Meural</a><b>, </b>and see what happened.</p> <h3><b>The Baby Bum In The Bathtub.</b></h3> <p>If you were one of those kids who “became a person” in the age of the rotating family pictures inside a frame on an end table&#8211;you will relate to this feeling. Remember the real trick to these abominations was to come in the door from school and toss your bookbag in front of it quickly. “Please,” you halfway prayed, “don’t let the friends see my two-year-old-butt in the bathtub.”</p> <p>If you were unlucky, you were also terrorized by these frames in the parents room, family room and the pool-table room. It would be very difficult to study and graph the ptsd these little gems may have caused through the years. With the beautiful Meural &#8212; you are welcome to help your children become “tough” if you would like &#8212; baby-bum and all. But, we found the best place to hang our Meural was in our office setting.</p> <h3><b>A Way To Connect And Embrace Culture In The Office Setting</b></h3> <p>At the office we all became obsessed with the Meural &#8212; but everyone had a different idea of what they wanted to have come-up on the screen. Finally, we said each person could pick five items to add to the frame.</p> <p>Being in “charge” of the office atmosphere, the “correct” thing to have was to have inspiring entrepreneurial sayings, quotes, and pictures. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jack-ma/">Jack Ma</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/jeff-bezos/">Jeff Bezos</a>, <a href="https://drive.google.com/a/startupgrind.com/open?id=1BdVLogcb5DaQp8ovE-QAHzftxgU5s71KAXMlReU9ORA">Mary Grove,</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mtbarra?lang=en">Mary Barra</a>, <a href="https://bevylabs.com">Derek Andersen</a>, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2018/07/02/technology/business/elon-musk-tesla-model-3/index.html">Elon Musk</a>, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/05/05/dave-goldberg-death-the-result-of-head-trauma-while-exercising/26875183/">Dave Goldberg</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sheryl">Sheryl Sandberg.</a>  My mind went completely wild &#8212; I got the most impressive array of fantastically motivational and stimulating quotes. I can tell you there were more than five. But &#8212; I was the boss.<br /> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-MG1iO6FTUU" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <h3><b>The Team</b></h3> <p>One team in our co-working office space had uplifting quotes. One of the women added a canvas painting from some art museum she’d found online. Someone else had heard that you could add a selfie to the Meural from your phone &#8212; why, yes you can.</p> <h3><b>What About Offensive Pictures, Displays, Items</b></h3> <p>One person was offended by a painting &#8212; it was a Degas &#8212; some ballerinas, of course. Do ballerinas belong in a tech world? Come to find out &#8212; everything belongs in the tech world. Photos by Ansel Adams, Quotes from Shakespeare, Don Quixote, and Buddha. Pictures of fast cars, wrinkled men’s faces, code, computers, a kids soccer game, gamer trappings &#8212; especially if that is the game you are currently winning, wood carvings, modern art, not so modern art, sculptures, and I could go on and on.</p> <p>But if you don’t like a piece that is up there on the wall as you pass by &#8212; guess what? You can swoosh your hand in front of it and the pic will change, immediately. Soon the Meural will know which pics or painting <i>you</i> personally don’t like and it will change the pic as you are entering the room. Perfect.</p> <h3><b>You Can’t Please Everyone</b></h3> <p>The saying that says something about we can’t please everyone, is totally true &#8212; except in the case of the Meural. Every person in the office has added many more than five items. I’d say more like 25. I put in 50 quotes and and don’t care if that bothers someone. My quotes are exhilarating, heartening, modern &#8212; and some are exclusive to me.</p> <p><img class="aligncenter wp-image-139540 size-full" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-at-the-office.png" alt="Meural-at-the-office" width="788" height="434" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-at-the-office.png 788w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Meural-at-the-office-300x165.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 788px) 100vw, 788px" /></p> <p>It has been shocking and revealing to realize that I didn’t even really know these people I’ve worked with for years. Stories are told that we have never heard before. “Bro, what did you put a pic of a 1950’s toaster up on the Meural for?” “Well, that was sold in my grandfather’s small appliance store in Wyoming,” he said. Then <a href="https://wheelhousevp.com/team/john-occhipinti/">Occ</a> brought one of these beauties (a 1976 toaster with a flag on it, for the bicentennial that year) &#8212; into the office for us to use.</p> <h3><b>Let’s Add To This</b></h3> <p>The Meural has lots of software that you can get online to find pretty much anything you would ever want to look at or display. But,the magic is to see how employees have added to this collection of interesting thoughts, pics, and items. Our coworking space friends have added to the art pieces &#8212; now THAT is inspiring.</p> <p>Right now, I just looked over there &#8212; on a plain bright yellow background &#8212; there are the words GET &#8212; A POO EMOJI &#8212; DONE. Simple, maybe not cute, per se, but hey &#8212; that’s coolio. Love it. Russian dancers, fishing in Alaska, and yes, the Degas ballerinas. All of this art is speaking to someone in this room. Frankly, it really does help us get shit done.</p>
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471</content:encoded>
472</item>
473<item>
474<title>
475Data Lake vs. Data Warehouse: Which Is the Best Data Architecture?
476</title>
477<link>
478https://readwrite.com/2018/07/10/data-lake-vs-data-warehouse-which-is-the-best-data-architecture/
479</link>
480<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jul 2018 20:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
481<dc:creator>
482<![CDATA[ Asha Saxena ]]>
483</dc:creator>
484<category>
485<![CDATA[ Data and Security ]]>
486</category>
487<category>
488<![CDATA[ data lake ]]>
489</category>
490<category>
491<![CDATA[ data warehouse ]]>
492</category>
493<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139235</guid>
494<description>
495<![CDATA[
496<div><img width="300" height="105" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/architecture-business-cabinet-325229-300x105.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/architecture-business-cabinet-325229-300x105.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/architecture-business-cabinet-325229-1024x358.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>For a business in digital transition, data architecture is a big decision. Selecting the right model is one of the first and most important choices of any such initiative. But given the breadth of options and confusing terminology, choosing a solution that meets the company&#8217;s needs without blowing its budget is no easy task. Two [&#8230;]
497]]>
498</description>
499<content:encoded>
500<![CDATA[
501<div><img width="300" height="105" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/architecture-business-cabinet-325229-300x105.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/architecture-business-cabinet-325229-300x105.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/architecture-business-cabinet-325229-1024x358.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>For a business in digital transition, data architecture is a big decision. Selecting the right model is one of the first and most important choices of any such initiative. But given the breadth of options and confusing terminology, choosing a solution that meets the company&#8217;s needs without blowing its budget is no easy task.</p> <p>Two of the most popular options are often referred to as &#8220;data warehouses&#8221; and &#8220;data lakes.&#8221; Think of a data warehouse <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://readwrite.com/2014/04/07/hadoop-data-warehouse/">like a shopping mall</a>. It has discrete “shops” within it that store structured data — bits that are presorted into formats that database software can interact with.</p> <p>In contrast, <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://readwrite.com/2014/08/13/data-lake-hype-gartner-attack/">a data lake is like a disorganized flea market.</a> It has &#8220;stalls,&#8221; but where one stops and the next one begins is not so clear. Unlike data warehouses, data lakes can contain both structured and unstructured data. Unstructured data, as the name implies, refers to &#8220;messy&#8221; digital information, such as audio, images, and video.</p> <p>Complicating things further is the &#8220;data marketplace.&#8221; Unlike the first two concepts, this isn&#8217;t an architecture but rather an interface to a data lake that enables those outside of the IT team, such as business analysts, to its contents. Through a search function, it allows users to fish what they need out of the lake. Think of data marketplaces like personal tour guides for flea markets, showing shoppers where to find the best deals.</p> <p><b>Inside the Data Warehouse and Data Lake</b></p> <p>For a firm that&#8217;s looking to analyze large but structured data sets, a data warehouse is a good option. In fact, if the company is only interested in descriptive analytics — the process of merely summarizing the data one has — a data warehouse may be all it needs.</p> <p>Let&#8217;s say, for example, company leaders want to look at sales figures across a particular time period, the number of inquiries about a product, or the view counts on various marketing videos. A data warehouse would be perfect for those applications because all of the associated figures are stored in the form of structured data.</p> <p>But for most companies embarking on big data initiatives, structured data is only part of the story. Each year, businesses generate a staggering quantity of unstructured data. In fact, 451 Research in conjunction with Western Digital found that <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://blog.westerndigital.com/state-of-object-storage-digital-transformation/#_ftn1">63 percent</a> of enterprises and service providers are keeping at least 25 petabytes of unstructured data. For those firms, data lakes are attractive options because of their ability to store vast quantities of such data.</p> <p>What&#8217;s more, data lakes allow analysts to go beyond descriptive analytics and into the exciting — and highly rewarding — domain of <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://readwrite.com/2011/01/18/4-ways-predictive-analytics-ar/">predictive or prescriptive analytics</a>. Predictive analysis is the practice of using existing data to predict future trends relevant to one&#8217;s business, such as next year&#8217;s revenue.</p> <p>Prescriptive analytics goes a big step further, using artificial intelligence technologies to make recommendations in response to predictions. For both predictive and prescriptive analytics, a data lake is a must. Often, leaders manage data lakes using software like Apache Hadoop, a popular ecosystem of analytics tools.</p> <p>Before springing for either a data lake or a data warehouse, think about who&#8217;ll be conducting data analyses and what sort of data they&#8217;ll need. Data warehouses are often accessible only by IT teams, while data lakes can be configured for access by analysts and business personnel across the company.</p> <p>A healthcare organization my company worked with recently, for example, requested a data warehouse solution. Soon, though, it became apparent that the firm would instead require a data lake. Not only was it interested in predictive modeling, but it also sought to input all sort of unstructured data, such as handwritten doctor&#8217;s notes.</p> <div> <p>Analysts at a healthcare company might pull treatment data from a data lake to predict patient outcomes. They might add a prescriptive layer to then recommend the best course of treatment for each patient&#8217;s needs — one that minimizes cost and risk while providing the highest quality of care.</p> <p><b>Making the Most of the Data Lake</b></p> <p>Given their ability to store both types of data and their suitability for future analytics needs, it&#8217;s tempting to think that data lakes are the obvious answer. But due to their loose structure, they&#8217;re sometimes derided as more of a data &#8220;swamp&#8221; than a lake.</p> <p>In fact, Adam Wray, CEO and president of NoSQL database Basho, <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://channels.theinnovationenterprise.com/articles/say-goodbye-to-your-data-lake-in-2017">described</a> them as &#8220;evil because they’re unruly&#8221; and &#8220;incredibly costly.&#8221; In Basho&#8217;s experience, “the extraction of value [from data lakes] is infinitesimal compared to the value promised.&#8221;</p> <p>But one shouldn&#8217;t count data lakes out just yet. Data marketplaces can rescue the promise of data lakes by organizing them for the end user. Just as the internet was much more difficult to navigate before Google, data marketplaces unlock the powerful data lake architecture.In the analytics world, there&#8217;s no one-size-fits-all system. Data warehouses can give even smaller companies a taste of data analytics, while data lakes (when combined with data marketplaces) can enable enterprises to dive headfirst into big data. These systems aren&#8217;t mutually exclusive, either. If its analytics needs change, a company that chooses a warehouse can later add a lake and a marketplace.</p> <p>What&#8217;s most important is starting the journey to a more data-driven business. Many executives will remember that a decade ago, data wasn&#8217;t even discussed outside of IT teams. Now, with the range of analytics needs and tools available, it&#8217;s executives&#8217; turn to lead the conversation.</p> </div>
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503</content:encoded>
504</item>
505<item>
506<title>
5075 Alternatives to Silicon Valley for IT Internships
508</title>
509<link>
510https://readwrite.com/2018/07/10/5-alternatives-to-silicon-valley-for-it-internships/
511</link>
512<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jul 2018 17:53:38 +0000</pubDate>
513<dc:creator>
514<![CDATA[ David Lloyd ]]>
515</dc:creator>
516<category>
517<![CDATA[ ReadWrite ]]>
518</category>
519<category>
520<![CDATA[ Startups ]]>
521</category>
522<category>
523<![CDATA[ Tech ]]>
524</category>
525<category>
526<![CDATA[ business networking ]]>
527</category>
528<category>
529<![CDATA[ Internet technology ]]>
530</category>
531<category>
532<![CDATA[ internships ]]>
533</category>
534<category>
535<![CDATA[ IT professionals ]]>
536</category>
537<category>
538<![CDATA[ technology ]]>
539</category>
540<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139247</guid>
541<description>
542<![CDATA[
543<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chicago-690364_960_720-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chicago-690364_960_720-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chicago-690364_960_720.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>Numerous studies show that completing an internship during undergraduate helps students find a job upon graduation. For those interested in the field of Internet Technology (IT), the likely thought is to apply to the many opportunities in Silicon Valley. But San Francisco is not the only city with a thriving technology hub. There are places [&#8230;]
544]]>
545</description>
546<content:encoded>
547<![CDATA[
548<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chicago-690364_960_720-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chicago-690364_960_720-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chicago-690364_960_720.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Numerous </span><a href="http://www.naceweb.org/job-market/internships/the-positive-implications-of-internships-on-early-career-outcomes/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">studies</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> show that completing an internship during undergraduate helps students find a job upon graduation. For those interested in the field of Internet Technology (IT), the likely thought is to apply to the many opportunities in Silicon Valley. But San Francisco is not the only city with a thriving technology hub. There are places all over the world where students can gain insight, experience, and mentorship while learning all about the field of IT.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For students not entirely sure about interning in Silicon Valley, consider these five cities instead.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">1. Chicago, USA</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">From 2012-2016 alone, Chicago crated </span><a href="https://www.cbre.us/about/media-center/chicago-ranks-15-on-cbre-annual-tech-talent-scorecard"><span style="font-weight: 400;">37,370</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> tech jobs and still has even more job positions to fill with roughly 4,300 more tech jobs than graduates in the city. In 2016, Chicago startups received </span><a href="https://www.builtinchicago.org/2017/01/24/2016-chicago-startup-report"><span style="font-weight: 400;">$1.7B</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in funding and saw 55 exits, making it a record-breaking year. Plus, Chicago has </span><a href="http://chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2016/06/09/chicago-has-higher-vc-returns-though-fewer-deals/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">highest VC returns</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> through fewer deals than any other tech hub in the country. There are also many high-profile companies in the city such as Salesforce, CareerBuilder, Orbitz, and Groupon.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chicago has a strong culture, making it a unique city compared to Silicon Valley. Companies in Chicago that hire IT interns include </span><a href="https://www.ascentregtech.com/careers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ascent</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.signal.co/careers/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Signal</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="http://jobs.jobvite.com/4ccareers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">4C</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">2. Toronto, Canada</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Named the most </span><a href="https://media.utoronto.ca/u-of-t-in-the-news/toronto-the-diverse-bbc-study-declares-city-most-diverse-in-the-world/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">diverse city</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the world in 2016, Toronto has much to offer for interns. </span><a href="https://torontolife.com/tech/tech-package-2017-startup-founder-survey/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Toronto Life</span></i></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> surveyed startups and technology companies in the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor, and 55% said the city rivals Silicon Valley’s tech scene. Over 30% said they work 50-60 hours and the majority (more than 50%) of respondents said they slept for 40-50 hours per week. Many companies in San Francisco encourage longer hours in the office, making Toronto a city with an arguably better work-life balance for IT professionals. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Toronto-based companies have a strong global connection and can build and scale diverse teams, given the city’s population. There are over </span><a href="http://www.thenextsiliconvalley.com/2016/06/05/2648-discover-why-toronto-is-the-third-largest-tech-hub-in-north-america/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">15,000</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> technology companies, so interns looking for a position in IT should have no trouble finding one. Companies in the city that often hire IT interns include </span><a href="https://omers.njoyn.com/CL2/xweb/Xweb.asp?tbtoken=ZltYQBMXCBkCEQMHQSZRCCRJcRZEcFReA0gjJi4IExAqXjAcKjBudmBxdwkbUhdTSnIqWA%3D%3D&amp;chk=dFlbQBJe&amp;CLID=62132&amp;page=joblisting&amp;lang=1"><span style="font-weight: 400;">OMERS Ventures</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://kineticcafe.applytojob.com/apply"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kinetic</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="https://www.sapientrazorfish.com/careers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">SapientRazorfish</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">3. Medellin, Colombia</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This city of eternal spring has received a lot of attention lately as it becomes an up-and-coming technology hub in Latin America. </span><a href="https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21712136-which-country-improved-most-2016-our-country-year"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Economist</span></i></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">even</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">named Colombia its country of the year in 2016. The city has dedicated </span><a href="https://colombiareports.com/medellin-strives-latin-american-capital-innovation/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">$389 million</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> over ten years to improving innovation and technology in Medellin, and the results of this initiative are beginning to show. Smaller than the country’s capital Bogota, Medellin has a close-knit entrepreneurial community that is willing to help get businesses off the ground.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The cost-of-living in cheaper in Medellin than many US cities and interns can stretch their dollars far here. There are </span><a href="http://www.colombianlifestyle.com/why-medellin-is-the-favorite-tech-hub-of-south-america/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1,800</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> software development and IT service companies registered in Colombia, many of them located in Medellin. IT interns should check out companies such as  </span><a href="http://www.pygmalionrobotics.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pygmalion</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://ubidots.com/jobs/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ubidots</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="http://medeainteractiva.com/english/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Medea Interactiva</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Fluent Spanish is not always a requirement, especially for internships, as many locals speak English.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">4. Melbourne, Australia</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Melbourne is a massive technology hub and is close to beating out rival Sydney in tech scene popularity. The city was actually </span><a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/melbourne-crowned-australias-tech-capital/news-story/05d1206024755a692990bfd61ce3d08b"><span style="font-weight: 400;">crowned</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Australia’s “tech capital” in 2017 when the city released its four-year Startup Action Plan, which lays out a vision and practical steps to help Melbourne become the number one destination for startups to grow.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The city has a very creative culture, making it an ideal place to work. 99designs famously started here, which is no surprise as the local government often helps with rebates and research and development grants. The state in which Melbourne resides, Victoria, has a robust information and communications technology industry and through it, employs </span><a href="http://www.invest.vic.gov.au/opportunities/technology/melbourne-s-strengths-in-technology"><span style="font-weight: 400;">91,300</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> people directly. Interns looking for IT companies in the city should look at </span><a href="https://www.beyond19.com.au/contact-us.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Beyond 19</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="http://www.digltd.com.au/#contact"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Digital Investment Group</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="https://yourcreative.com.au/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your Creative</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">5. Barcelona, Spain</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Barcelona is home to startup success stories such as </span><a href="https://www.edreams.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">eDreams</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.wallapop.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wallapop</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and a </span><a href="http://www.barcinno.com/barcelona-startup-community-resources/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">wealth</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of VC firms, coworking spaces, accelerators, and incubators. </span><a href="http://www.eu-startups.com/2016/06/top-15-europes-biggest-startup-hubs-in-2016/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">EU Startups</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> named Barcelona as the fifth biggest startup and innovation hub in Europe. The city is more affordable than its other European counterparts and has a strong international culture. Organizations such as </span><a href="http://barcelonatechcity.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Barcelona tech city</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> help entrepreneurs and technology enthusiasts in the region find resources and get off the ground. The city hosts important events such as </span><a href="https://www.mobileworldcongress.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mobile World Congress</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="http://www.iotsworldcongress.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">IoT World Congress</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and is well located in terms of flight travel. IT intern seekers should check out </span><a href="http://jobs.letgo.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Letgo</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.travelperk.com/careers/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">TravelPerk</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="https://www.ubeeqo.com/en/carsharing-barcelona"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ubeeqo</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Those looking for IT internships should take a proactive approach and reach out to companies or internship organizations to find a spot in one of these five hubs. It can be difficult to land an internship in Silicon Valley, but these five cities offer culture, learning opportunities, and possible future career placements. </span></p>
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550</content:encoded>
551</item>
552<item>
553<title>
554What Business Leaders Can Learn from Professional Sports
555</title>
556<link>
557https://readwrite.com/2018/07/09/what-business-leaders-can-learn-from-professional-sports/
558</link>
559<pubDate>Mon, 09 Jul 2018 18:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
560<dc:creator>
561<![CDATA[ Curt Cronin ]]>
562</dc:creator>
563<category>
564<![CDATA[ Lead ]]>
565</category>
566<category>
567<![CDATA[ growth ]]>
568</category>
569<category>
570<![CDATA[ Leadership ]]>
571</category>
572<category>
573<![CDATA[ purpose ]]>
574</category>
575<category>
576<![CDATA[ Sports ]]>
577</category>
578<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139505</guid>
579<description>
580<![CDATA[
581<div><img width="300" height="196" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-9.39.01-AM-300x196.png" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="leadership lessons" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-9.39.01-AM-300x196.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-9.39.01-AM-1024x669.png 1024w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-9.39.01-AM.png 1043w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>While leading a business doesn’t indicate anything about one’s athleticism, both athletes and entrepreneurs draw from a similar set of skills in order to achieve the same end: a cohesive, peak-performance team. Much of what athletes accomplish on the field has more to do with their mindset than bodies. Over the years, I’ve worked with [&#8230;]
582]]>
583</description>
584<content:encoded>
585<![CDATA[
586<div><img width="300" height="196" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-9.39.01-AM-300x196.png" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="leadership lessons" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-9.39.01-AM-300x196.png 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-9.39.01-AM-1024x669.png 1024w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-09-at-9.39.01-AM.png 1043w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While leading a business doesn’t indicate anything about one’s athleticism, both athletes and entrepreneurs draw from a similar set of skills in order to achieve the same end: a cohesive, peak-performance team.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much of what athletes accomplish on the field has more to do with their mindset than bodies. Over the years, I’ve worked with a number of athletes — including members of the</span> <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article42749475.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miami Dolphins</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> — to help develop focus, mentally sharpen, and read the lightning-fast signals their bodies send to their brains. Peak performance coaching has become a popular way for pro sports teams to improve their team’s drive — both individually and within groups — before problems crop up.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As it turns out, businesses can do the same. There are several ways leaders can approach their teams so their teams are aligned, functioning at their best and accomplishing set goals.  </span></p> <p><b>1. Paint a picture that inspires unity.</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At a time when</span> <a href="https://assets.entrepreneur.com/static/1421455683-7-questions-consider-setting-goals-snail-team.jpg"><span style="font-weight: 400;">80 percent</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of businesses aren’t tracking their goals and — unsurprisingly — a nearly equal 77 percent haven’t achieved their company visions, it pays to articulate an organization’s goals and keep them at the top of everyone’s mind. Unifying a team around a common goal can be exceedingly difficult, but it’s paramount to success. Whether chasing a Super Bowl ring or a bigger share of the marketplace, it’s a leader’s responsibility to paint a picture of success that’s so compelling that everyone wants to burn rubber to make it happen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While some believe an entire company needs to come to a consensus before rallying behind a particular goal, those in the sports world would disagree. Coaches and players understand that they’re all there to win a championship, but the head coach determines the content of the playbook they follow in order to make that happen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Business leaders can adopt the same mentality, taking feedback when necessary and appropriate, but ultimately leading the team toward a unifying goal and, subsequently, supporting team members in their efforts to reach it. Painting a picture that provides context for why that goal matters goes a long way in helping others visualize their role within the larger team landscape and setting the tone for true collaboration.  </span></p> <p><b>2. Make sure every role on the team serves a purpose for the whole.</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the more interesting components to football is just how diverse the individual players are across the team, namely in terms of role and physicality. For example, a wide receiver has a vastly different skill set than a punter — one is relied upon for his agility and remarkably sticky fingers, while the other has a highly specialized ability to keep a ball suspended in air with a tap of his foot. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While they have different natural — and trained — abilities to fill that role and, in most cases, never play on the field at the same time, they’re nonetheless unified by the same guiding principles: train hard, play harder, winner takes all. When empowered to play to their strengths within their given role and under a larger unifying goal, magic starts to happen; we start to see a true team form.  </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Interestingly, Gallup’s “State of the American Workforce” report determined that playing up strengths, rather than trying to shore up weaknesses, made teams</span> <a href="https://www.liquidplanner.com/blog/11-ways-build-strengths-team-members/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">nearly 13 percent</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> more productive. Those who use their strengths on a daily basis are six times more likely to be engaged — and retained. It comes as no surprise that in order to gain those same benefits seen on the football field, business leaders must assess their team members’ strengths to determine how they can work in concert with others with the greater mission in view.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unlike in football, however, when it’s often obvious where a player’s strength lies, it’s not always obvious what a team member’s true strength is and how it can be leveraged in a business setting — sometimes, their strengths can actually be best utilized outside the scope of their designated role. For example, a graphic designer might have valuable insights in developing new product designs and packaging traditionally handled by the R&amp;D team, or a data entry specialist with a knack for processes may be able to find a way to streamline an existing process for another team. It’s important to remember that building a successful organization is dependent upon, among other things, a leader’s ability to recognize talent when and wherever she sees it.</span></p> <p><b>3. Cultivate a growth mindset among your teammates.</b></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m a big believer in the growth mindset. People with a fixed mindset believe their skills were given to them at birth, and they have a finite amount of talent: They’re either good at something or they’re not. Growth-oriented people, however, believe that they can hone the skills they already possess as well as acquire and develop new skills and abilities.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Similar to the student who never studies for tests because of the “I either know it or I don’t” mindset, many players who are natural-born athletes exhibit similar attitudes. If they’re not good at a certain skill on the first try, they default to their original, seemingly more successful tactics or give up trying the new skill altogether. But as Tom Brady of the New England Patriots has proven, that’s not how players become successful. Well-known for his</span> <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/02/how-new-england-patriots-tom-brady-mentally-prepares-for-success.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">will-over-skill mindset</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, he emphasizes his strengths and knows that practice transforms his adequate natural skills into honed, unbeatable  techniques — and, unsurprisingly, it’s brought him</span> <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tom-brady-super-bowl-quarterback_us_58948cede4b09bd304babed3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">more Super Bowl rings</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> than any other quarterback. He isn’t afraid to fail in a relatively safe environment if it means he increases his chances to succeed when and where it matters. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A growth mindset encourages people to try new things and risk failure when appropriate. Businesses that focus on perfection automatically inhibit their people from realizing their own, and ultimately the company’s, potential — they’ll never try because they’re afraid to fail. The end result of stifled efforts, of course, is a stagnant company. Rewarding new attempts, regardless of their outcome, develops outlets for innovative thinking and empowers people to take charge, moving their team past a fixed mindset.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By developing a strong unit that comes together under a common goal, even when things aren’t easy, leaders and organizations can accomplish just about anything — whether it’s winning a championship or becoming their industry’s top performer.</span></p>
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588</content:encoded>
589</item>
590<item>
591<title>How Latin America is Drawing in Global Tech Giants</title>
592<link>
593https://readwrite.com/2018/07/09/how-latin-america-is-drawing-in-global-tech-giants/
594</link>
595<pubDate>Mon, 09 Jul 2018 15:00:49 +0000</pubDate>
596<dc:creator>
597<![CDATA[ Nacho De Marco ]]>
598</dc:creator>
599<category>
600<![CDATA[ Smart Cities ]]>
601</category>
602<category>
603<![CDATA[ Startups ]]>
604</category>
605<category>
606<![CDATA[ Tech ]]>
607</category>
608<category>
609<![CDATA[ Amazon ]]>
610</category>
611<category>
612<![CDATA[ Argentina ]]>
613</category>
614<category>
615<![CDATA[ Brazil ]]>
616</category>
617<category>
618<![CDATA[ Google ]]>
619</category>
620<category>
621<![CDATA[ Latin America ]]>
622</category>
623<category>
624<![CDATA[ MercadoLibre ]]>
625</category>
626<category>
627<![CDATA[ Mexico ]]>
628</category>
629<category>
630<![CDATA[ Technology in Latin America ]]>
631</category>
632<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139250</guid>
633<description>
634<![CDATA[
635<div><img width="300" height="225" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/andrea-leopardi-694660-unsplash-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/andrea-leopardi-694660-unsplash-300x225.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/andrea-leopardi-694660-unsplash-1024x768.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>Latin America’s tech-savvy workforce has attracted international companies to maintain support offices in the region for years. However, the recent government commitment to develop innovation hubs, coupled with a growing middle class that lead in the adoption of mobile devices, has made Latin America prime territory for global tech companies to target local consumers. More [&#8230;]
636]]>
637</description>
638<content:encoded>
639<![CDATA[
640<div><img width="300" height="225" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/andrea-leopardi-694660-unsplash-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/andrea-leopardi-694660-unsplash-300x225.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/andrea-leopardi-694660-unsplash-1024x768.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Latin America’s tech-savvy workforce has attracted international companies to maintain support offices in the region for years. However, the recent government commitment to develop innovation hubs, coupled with a growing middle class that lead in </span><a href="https://www.idgconnect.com/blog-abstract/29307/a-look-mobile-ecosystem-latin-america" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the adoption of mobile devices,</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has made Latin America prime territory for global tech companies to target local consumers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">More and more foreign tech companies are entering the region with confidence, tapping into the numerous industries that remain largely underserved by technology. From Amazon to Alibaba, here’s a look at how Latin America is drawing in some of the world’s biggest tech companies.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Growing demand for cloud services</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Amazon has been expanding its operations globally for years – most notably its cloud computing operations and services. In Latin America, Amazon Web Services (AWS) recently set up a new data center in Argentina, adding to its list of existing offices in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The addition of an AWS center in Argentina signifies just how important Amazon’s cloud computing services have become for tech companies in the region, and that the demand for these services is growing. Having a data center nearby helps companies </span><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-02/amazon-prepares-to-hire-for-new-data-center-in-argentina" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">reduce costs</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and improve data speeds, eliminating the need to rely on services outside of their country or region. Not to mention, Argentina is home to one of Latin America’s largest and most successful tech companies, </span><a href="https://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/mercadolibre/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">MercadoLibre</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which uses AWS. With operations in 16 countries and over 3,200 employees, 800 of which work in the IT division, MercadoLibre uses several AWS products to develop its real-time solutions quickly and easily.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With a recent </span><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/27/global-tech-firms-and-investors-are-reshaping-latin-americas-startup-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">spike in investor interest</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Latin America from global venture capital firms, such as Sequoia Capital and Softbank, there is an increasing demand from growing tech companies for more support services like AWS. According to a Gartner report, the global market for public cloud services is expected to increase by </span><a href="https://www.nasdaq.com/article/amazon-focuses-on-latam-should-google-microsoft-worry-cm967014" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">21.4%</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in 2018 and generate revenues of </span><a href="https://www.nasdaq.com/article/amazon-focuses-on-latam-should-google-microsoft-worry-cm967014" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">$186.4 billion</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Amazon’s expansion in Latin America is likely a strategic move to capitalize on this market opportunity as well as to stay ahead of its competitors Google and Alibaba in the worldwide cloud services space.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">A new generation of tech workers in Brazil</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brazil is one of the </span><a href="https://www.blog.google/topics/next-billion-users/google-brazil-technology-serves-peoples-needs-wherever-they-may-be/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">top three countries</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in daily active users for Google, and Portuguese is the second most popular language for Assistant usage on smartphones. What’s more, São Paulo is home to more than </span><a href="https://www.code-n.org/blog/sao-paulo-brazil-startup-scene-upcoming-tech-startups-strenghts-weaknessesentrepreneurship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2,700</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> active tech companies and has been cited as the most mature startup ecosystem in South America. Therefore, it makes sense that the city is one of the latest additions to Google’s network of </span><a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-selects-first-cohort-of-launchpad-accelerator-sao-paulo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Launchpad Accelerators</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and Campus spaces. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition to mentoring and training local entrepreneurs, Google recently launched a community program called </span><a href="https://grow.google/intl/europe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Grow with Google</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> which offers free training sessions, tools, and events to help anyone grow their skills, career, or business. With a presence in four cities in Brazil, the program has already trained more than 17,000 people. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The tech giant continues to launch new initiatives in Brazil all of the time. For instance, </span><a href="https://brasil.googleblog.com/2018/03/programa-womenwill-chega-ao-brasil.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Womenwill</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is another Google program that has helped train more than 2,500 women in leadership, negotiation tactics, personal finance, and digital marketing. Google also announced a grant of $1 million to support the local nonprofit </span><a href="http://redemulherempreendedora.com.br/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instituto Rede Mulher Empreendedora</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> with training up to 135,000 women in Brazil over the next two years.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">E-commerce is still developing, and full of potential</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Almost </span><a href="https://www.portada-online.com/2018/02/28/top-latam-e-commerce-sites-mercadolibre-dominates-with-48-of-visits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">half</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of Latin Americans that go online to buy something visit MercadoLibre.com. The “eBay of Latin America” is the largest e-commerce marketplace in the region, with more than </span><a href="https://seekingalpha.com/article/4065007-mercadolibre-latin-america-e-commerce-giant" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">174.2 million users</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in 15 countries. While it has operated for years with few outside threats, there are still significant opportunities for more niche e-commerce sites and other global e-commerce giants to make a profit in this space. Over the years, global heavyweights like Amazon and Alibaba have remained distant; however, this is now starting to change. </span></p> <p><a href="https://venturebeat.com/2017/12/17/chinese-investors-target-latin-american-startups-as-u-s-vcs-shy-away/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alibaba</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has made a number of moves that signify its interest in the Latin American e-commerce space. The company not only signed three memorandums of understanding with governments in Latin America but also established partnerships with local postal services. Alibaba also launched various programs to help make cross-border transactions and trade easier in countries such as Mexico and Argentina. </span><a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/amazon-stock-price-notorious-disrupting-industries-now-eyeing-entire-countries-2018-5?IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Amazon</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is also strengthening its position in the region, launching a number of services in Brazil. Another e-commerce giant gaining a strong position in Mexico and throughout Central America is </span><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-15/amid-walmart-s-worldwide-rebuild-central-america-retains-allure" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Walmart</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Latin America’s e-commerce market is forecast to grow </span><a href="https://seekingalpha.com/article/4101761-alibaba-acquire-mercadolibre-expand-latin-america?page=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">18% annually</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> over the next five years, yet it still only represents </span><a href="https://seekingalpha.com/article/4101761-alibaba-acquire-mercadolibre-expand-latin-america?page=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2%</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of the world’s retail market, meaning there are still considerable gaps in the market to fill, and plenty of e-commerce companies up for the challenge. </span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tech adoption in Latin America is accelerating</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">From services for small business owners to greater retail options, many industries in Latin America remain underserved by technology, and Amazon, Google, and Alibaba certainly aren’t the only ones that have taken note. For instance, Latin America is currently a top growth market for </span><a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/7775030/ifpi-report-latin-america-music-revenue-2016" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spotify</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://exame.abril.com.br/estilo-de-vida/2a-serie-mais-devorada-na-netflix-e-brasileira/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Netflix</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as well. Mexico and Brazil are top markets for </span><a href="https://www.emarketer.com/Article/Internet-Users-Brazil-Favor-WhatsApp-Facebook-Mobile-Messaging/1013938" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp in terms of monthly users. In fact, almost 100% of connected Brazilians use WhatsApp. The global ride-hailing leader, </span><a href="https://lavca.org/2017/06/07/global-transport-wars-heating-latin-america/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Uber</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, has also noted that its top three cities by volume are all in Latin America.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As more and more substantial tech companies enter the region, not only are they bringing with them innovative solutions and hiring local tech talent, but they are also inspiring the latest generation of entrepreneurs and forming beneficial partnerships in Latin America, bringing a new wave of energy and excitement about the region’s potential.   </span></p>
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642</content:encoded>
643</item>
644<item>
645<title>
646How AI and Tech Personal Assistants Will Make Your Life Easier
647</title>
648<link>
649https://readwrite.com/2018/07/06/how-ai-and-tech-personal-assistants-will-make-your-life-easier/
650</link>
651<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jul 2018 19:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
652<dc:creator>
653<![CDATA[ Frank Landman ]]>
654</dc:creator>
655<category>
656<![CDATA[ AI ]]>
657</category>
658<category>
659<![CDATA[ personal assistant ]]>
660</category>
661<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139444</guid>
662<description>
663<![CDATA[
664<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-personal-assistant-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="AI-personal-assistant" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-personal-assistant-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-personal-assistant-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>When you picture a personal assistant, you probably envision a celebrity — or at least someone very wealthy — walking around with a “shadow” who takes her messages, makes her travel plans, helps her pick out the perfect outfit, and eliminates other daily tasks from her lengthy to-do list. If you’ve ever wished you could [&#8230;]
665]]>
666</description>
667<content:encoded>
668<![CDATA[
669<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-personal-assistant-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="AI-personal-assistant" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-personal-assistant-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AI-personal-assistant-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>When you picture a <a href="https://readwrite.com/2017/01/17/nokia-viki-ai-dl4/">personal assistant</a>, you probably envision a celebrity — or at least someone very wealthy — walking around with a “shadow” who takes her messages, makes her travel plans, helps her pick out the perfect outfit, and eliminates other daily tasks from her lengthy to-do list.</p> <p>If you’ve ever wished you could have a personal assistant of your own, then you’re in luck. Personal assistants are quickly becoming <a href="https://readwrite.com/2013/01/15/virtual-personal-assistants-the-future-of-your-smartphone-infographic/">accessible to the masses</a> — thanks to AI and other emerging tech. In fact, technology really has been an equalizer when it comes to providing everyday people access to personal concierge services.</p> <p>Besides Siri or Google on your smartphone, Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home may be some of the first digital “personal” assistants that come to mind. These devices do research for you by allowing you to ask for details about a topic; they play the music you want to hear and movies you want to watch; and you can even pull up the directions you need to navigate to your favorite places — all with a simple verbal request.</p> <p>AI can provide you with a digital assistant, and a slew of emerging tech options can also put you in touch with a real human personal assistant for specific needs. If you ever find yourself wishing you had someone to help you handle life’s routine and not-so-routine tasks, there may an accessible option out there.</p> <h2>Here are just a few ways you can leverage AI and tech to put a personal assistant within your reach:</h2> <ol> <li> <h3><b> Use a personal assistant to make moving hassle-free.</b></h3> </li> </ol> <p>Moving is typically one of life’s more stressful events. It’s a time when you likely crave the seeming luxury of a personal assistant who could coordinate your move so you can focus on pushing through everything you’re personally responsible for and rest assured that everything else that needs doing will get done.</p> <p>Fortunately, a personal assistant for your move is no longer a luxury, thanks to tech that allows this person to digitally manage everything he needs to do. <a href="https://moved.com/">Moved, for instance, is a free moving concierge service</a> that provides a personal assistant to manage the myriad tasks required to complete your move — meaning anything from hiring movers to buying insurance. If you’re not looking for a personal assistant to plan your move but just want one to do the dirty work of packing and unpacking, Amazon Home Services is one option.</p> <ol start="2"> <li> <h3><b> Find a personal shopper who lets you skip the grocery store.</b></h3> </li> </ol> <p>If you have a hectic work schedule or a large family at home, grocery shopping can seem like a part-time job all on its own. The well-to-do have long had hired help whose duties include keeping the kitchen well stocked. Now, you can reap the benefits of a personal assistant when you’re struggling to make it to the store — without paying someone to be on call 24/7.</p> <p>Simply type up your grocery list and use a personal shopper from a service like <a href="https://www.instacart.com/">Instacart, which does same-day delivery</a> from a long list of grocery stores. For a one-time fee, you can have someone else pick up all of your necessities, texting you for a Plan B if your favorite brand is sold out or the store’s produce selection is lacking. Then, she delivers everything right to your door.</p> <ol start="3"> <li> <h3><b> Sign up for a personal shopper who knows your style — and your budget.</b></h3> </li> </ol> <p>The idea of a personal shopper, even when a store offers the service for free, may seem a little daunting. If you’ve used a personal shopper at a higher-end department store, you probably know <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/11/style/trying-out-a-forgotten-and-free-service-personal-shoppers.html">it can be tempting to make expensive purchases</a>. The experience can also entail hours of trying on clothes and consulting your shopper’s opinion on your style.</p> <p>Instead of spending more money or time than you really want to, turn to tech for the modern personal shopper experience. <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/?ad=188129761143?theme=brand&amp;campname=3Q_Google_Brand_Misspellings_Fix:U_Alpha_Search&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIia2KuOmI3AIVWQ4rCh2aWA-sEAAYASAAEgKajfD_BwE">Stitch Fix, for example, is a personal style service</a> that hand-picks five items then sends them straight to your home. You simply fill out a profile describing your style, wish list, and price, and if you don’t like what shows up, you send it back. You can order things on demand or set up an automatic regular shipment. If you’d like to consult a personal shopper for fashion advice, something like Style Counsel, an iPhone app that provides fashion counseling, may be a better fit.</p> <ol start="4"> <li> <h3><b> Find a personal pharmacist who will never make you leave your house.</b></h3> </li> </ol> <p>Instead of routine trips to the drugstore to pick up your medications, there are now digital platforms that will deliver your prescriptions to your door.</p> <p>One such digital pharmacy is <a href="https://medlypharmacy.com/">Medly Pharmacy</a>, which delivers prescription medicine for no charge throughout New York City. The full-service digital pharmacy manages everything about your prescription, including refills and insurance. Plus, trained pharmacists are always available to answer your questions.</p> <ol start="5"> <li> <h3><b> Put your trust in an AI personalized travel agent.</b></h3> </li> </ol> <p>Coordinating travel plans is one task that a <a href="https://readwrite.com/2010/09/05/using-a-virtual-personal-assis/">human personal assistant</a> has traditionally filled. True, the internet has made planning a trip easier by vastly increasing the amount of information you have at your fingertips and giving you the ability to book flights and make reservations electronically. Yet even with all of those options available with one click, finding the best prices and most convenient flights can still be a major undertaking.</p> <p>AI has made personal service available to more than just passengers who only fly first class. Take the <a href="http://www.mezi.com/">Mezi app, for example, which essentially is a personal travel assistant</a>. You send Mezi a text with the general outlines of your trip (“Hey, Mezi: I need to go to San Francisco for business on October 5-8. Can you find me a morning flight and a hotel?), and the app responds with flight, hotel, and even restaurant recommendations and books the arrangements upon your request.</p> <p>While you may never reach the level of wealth or fame where you “have people for that,” with these tech-driven alternatives, you won’t need them. Check out these five options to get the helping hands you need.</p>
670]]>
671</content:encoded>
672</item>
673<item>
674<title>Navigating Big Data’s Fake News Problem</title>
675<link>
676https://readwrite.com/2018/07/06/navigating-big-datas-fake-news-problem/
677</link>
678<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jul 2018 16:40:13 +0000</pubDate>
679<dc:creator>
680<![CDATA[ Reuben Jackson ]]>
681</dc:creator>
682<category>
683<![CDATA[ Blockchain ]]>
684</category>
685<category>
686<![CDATA[ Data and Security ]]>
687</category>
688<category>
689<![CDATA[ ReadWrite ]]>
690</category>
691<category>
692<![CDATA[ Big Data ]]>
693</category>
694<category>
695<![CDATA[ blockchain development ]]>
696</category>
697<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139050</guid>
698<description>
699<![CDATA[
700<div><img width="300" height="192" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fake-1903823_1920-300x192.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fake-1903823_1920-300x192.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fake-1903823_1920-1024x656.jpg 1024w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fake-1903823_1920-160x102.jpg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>In 2013, hackers managed to access the AP twitter account and posted a fake tweet implying that there was an explosion in White House and the then President Obama had been injured. Following the Tweet, the stock market went into panic mode with the Dow plunging over 150 points and the S&#38;P 500 shedding $135.6 [&#8230;]
701]]>
702</description>
703<content:encoded>
704<![CDATA[
705<div><img width="300" height="192" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fake-1903823_1920-300x192.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fake-1903823_1920-300
706]]>
707<![CDATA[
708x192.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fake-1903823_1920-1024x656.jpg 1024w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/fake-1903823_1920-160x102.jpg 160w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>In 2013, hackers <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/04/23/syrian-hackers-claim-ap-hack-that-tipped-stock-market-by-136-billion-is-it-terrorism/?utm_term=.76e222c5b746">managed to access</a> the AP twitter account and posted a fake tweet implying that there was an explosion in White House and the then President Obama had been injured.</p> <p>Following the Tweet, the stock market went into panic mode with the Dow plunging over 150 points and the S&amp;P 500 shedding $135.6 billion in a matter of seconds. The flash crash was associated with high-frequency trading algorithms interpreting the tweet as true and executing huge sell orders.</p> <h2><strong>Fake News and Big Data</strong></h2> <p>Fast forward in 2018, and fake news is no longer limited to occasional incidents of hacking. Social media has seen explosive growth in the last few years and with it has come a massive influx of fake news, often used purposely as a tool for business and manipulation. Even worse, as media technology continues to get more sophisticated and available, fake news is becoming hard to detect.</p> <p>While fake news is a problem for those who seek information online, it is a bigger problem when viewed from a big data perspective. This is because in this age, big data is the core of decision making for governments and businesses alike and when elements of bad data can no longer be sieved from big data, poor decision making is inevitable because the decision is based on faulty facts.</p> <p>Even when not rampant, fake news has the power to make big data unreliable. Falsehoods and clickbait tend to spread faster than truth and a single piece of misinformation has the power spread like wildfire, hurting the integrity of big data.</p> <h2><strong>Possible Solutions</strong></h2> <p>If big data is to be trusted for decision making, a solution must be found to deal with the fake news menace conclusively. Following the exposure of the part social media played in alleged <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_the_2016_United_States_elections">Russian interference</a> in the 2016 US elections, Facebook and Twitter have introduced a mechanism that enables people to flag news they suspect to be fake. When a good number of users tag a story as fake, it appears less in people’s news feeds and carries a warning that it may contain false information.</p> <p>While this is a good start, there are many issues with this system, such as people flagging content because they don&#8217;t like it, limiting them from seeing news which will contradict their worldview and hurting publications needlessly. This solution also doesn&#8217;t address the big data problem because people are likely to identify fake news based on other people feedback not necessarily based on accurate fact checking. The approach of identifying fake news on the basis of users’ feedback may not be very reliable given that people can manipulate the feedback to punish those that they do not like.</p> <h2><strong>Blockchain Innovation </strong></h2> <p>With blockchain technology, it is possible to trace news directly from the original source and therefore determine if it can be trusted. The distributed ledger technology makes it possible for all parties in a network to identify the chain of an article&#8217;s distribution of information from its origin. Apart from exposing the original source, blockchain protects the information from manipulation by ensuring that each party in the network can follow the entire dissemination process.</p> <p>Another way that blockchain is helping tackle fake news is by incentivizing good content and punishing bad content. Social media platforms such as <a href="https://askfm.io/">Ask.fm</a> are leveraging the token economy to reward content publishers based on how their content is received by users. Content that is popular with readers is rewarded with tokens and shown to many readers while unpopular content is hidden.</p> <p>The more a publisher gets positive feedback on the Ask.fm platform, the higher they rank in earnings and discoverability. This gives them an opportunity to attract brands that need exposure and are paid to mention them in their posts. Given that the publishers’ earnings are dependent on the overall rating, they have to ensure that they only publish high quality and truthful content.</p> <p>However, while the incentive model may help eliminate fake news to some extent, it cannot be relied on fully either. As mentioned earlier, a well crafted fake story is likely to gain popularity more than the truth given the human innate tendency to share rumors. Also, just like the Facebook approach, the incentive model can be gamed to meet a certain group interest. The incentive model also doesn&#8217;t offer a solution for the big data issue given that it does not provide a way for the algorithms to determine the legitimacy of a piece of information.</p> <p>With the rate at which the blockchain is advancing with, there is hope that better solutions to fake news and big data issues are yet to come. The few available options have already set the roadmap and it is just a matter of time before lasting solutions are found, In the meantime, exercising healthy doses of skepticism and caution is a good idea.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>
709]]>
710</content:encoded>
711</item>
712<item>
713<title>
714AI Is Humanity’s Trojan Horse: Alluring at First, Dangerous Down the Road
715</title>
716<link>
717https://readwrite.com/2018/07/05/ai-is-humanitys-trojan-horse-alluring-at-first-dangerous-down-the-road/
718</link>
719<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jul 2018 18:00:38 +0000</pubDate>
720<dc:creator>
721<![CDATA[ Greg McBeth ]]>
722</dc:creator>
723<category>
724<![CDATA[ AI ]]>
725</category>
726<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139080</guid>
727<description>
728<![CDATA[
729<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/robot-3010309_1920-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/robot-3010309_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/robot-3010309_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>Technology that changes the way we live has always been met with suspicion — especially information technology. When new tech supplants less efficient ways to engage with the world, it usually attracts trumpets of doomsday proclamations about how tech will negatively impact humanity. Even the printing press was said to be a harbinger of our cultural demise. [&#8230;]
730]]>
731</description>
732<content:encoded>
733<![CDATA[
734<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/robot-3010309_1920-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/robot-3010309_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/robot-3010309_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>Technology that changes the way we live has always been met with suspicion — especially information technology. When new tech supplants less efficient ways to engage with the world, it usually attracts trumpets of doomsday proclamations about how tech will negatively impact humanity. Even the <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2010/02/dont_touch_that_dial.html">printing press</a> was said to be a harbinger of our cultural demise. In the long term, though, many information technologies have positively contributed to the modern world.</p> <p>Artificial intelligence is in its infancy, so in one sense, the distrust it’s received<i> </i>is no different than that of any other game-changing technology. In the next 25 to 50 years, AI is likely to mirror the trajectories of the printing press, early computers, or cars: Initial applications will become increasingly powerful. Pundits on both sides will warn of both incredible potential and potential catastrophe. Once the undulations smooth out, AI will likely contribute a net positive gain to society.</p> <p>To be clear, that’s the short-term view of narrow AI, which is good at specific tasks. Today’s AI is still rudimentary and is generally only good at performing one thing at a time. I believe narrow AI’s capacity has been overestimated in the next decade or so, but I do think we will see valuable benefits in the near future.</p> <p>General AI is where things become much more interesting — and potentially perilous. That’s when we’ll see machine learning that is truly human-level or beyond, a program that can perform a range of cognitive tasks as well as or better than a human. The advent of general AI is when the comparisons of production-enhancing previous technology is no longer relevant because we simply can’t predict what will come from it.</p> <p>Even though AI in the short term will be beneficial to society, it will quickly outgrow its obvious positive impact. We will face security, informational, and existential threats within our lifetime as AI becomes smarter unless we get serious about the risks as well as the benefits.</p> <p><b>On the Near Horizon</b></p> <p>To date, AI’s practical impact has primarily been felt in natural language and image processing, which are difficult for traditional computers to accomplish. Narrow AI has brought <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://readwrite.com/2018/04/06/7-ways-your-business-should-be-using-machine-learning-today/">efficiency to tasks</a> that would otherwise slow down processes or bore humans. When done correctly, this has an overall positive impact on business.</p> <p>More importantly, AI will bring two major advances in the near future that will save millions of lives: self-driving cars and AI-driven medicine.</p> <p>Every year, more than <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/09/self-driving-cars-could-save-300000-lives-per-decade-in-america/407956/">1 million people die in auto accidents</a> worldwide, the vast majority of which are due to human error, including intoxication. Self-driving cars could cut the mortality rate of driving by a factor of 10. We’ve seen companies like <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://readwrite.com/2017/03/19/uber-self-driving-miles-tl4/">Uber struggle</a> to get road-ready self-driving cars off the ground (despite billions invested), but even the most pessimistic projections put self-driving cars on the road for private use within the next 20 years.</p> <p>The potential upside for AI-driven medicine is even more incredible. <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://innovator.news/combining-artificial-intelligence-with-human-medical-expertise-1f1a97196421">AI’s proven utility in medical triage</a> aside, it will play a <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="http://blogs.royalsociety.org/in-verba/2016/10/05/machine-learning-in-the-pharmaceutical-industry/">revolutionary role</a> in the pharmaceutical industry. Currently, the cost to bring a drug to the U.S. market is well over a billion dollars. This forces drug companies to prioritize mass-market drugs and so-called drugs of desperation, which consumers will likely pay for by any means necessary. AI can predict which drugs are likely to be effective against a particular disease at much lower costs and risks to companies, and it could reduce the need for testing on humans and animals. Furthermore, <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://www.ibm.com/watson/health/oncology-and-genomics/oncology/">AI-led DNA analysis</a> might usher in an era of personalized drug treatments.</p> <p><b>Resentment and a Crisis of Misinformation</b></p> <p>As the technology develops, so will challenges. The first sticking point will be a growing resentment against AI for taking jobs currently performed by humans — driving trucks or intaking patients, for example. Robots taking jobs from humans is, again, not a new concern. The level of blowback will be determined by society’s ability to reallocate resources and <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://readwrite.com/2017/08/17/ai-potential-jobs-future-al1/">adjust for job shifts</a>.</p> <p>The second challenge is a misinformation ecosystem that will be impossible for humans to make qualified judgements against. As machines learn how to create better and more nuanced information, humans will want digital verification that the information is somehow real — or at least not false. But it’s almost certain that it’ll become a game of cat and mouse; as the verification gets better, so, too, will the fakery.</p> <p>I believe there’s potential for an <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/the-terrifying-future-of-fake-news?utm_term=.upO7l1814J#.ghrBvj5jLk">AI-driven misinformation crisis</a> in our lifetime. AI can already convincingly manipulate <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://qz.com/1115353/new-research-from-nvidia-shows-that-the-era-of-easily-faked-ai-generated-photos-is-quickly-emerging/">images</a> and <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=66&amp;v=MVBe6_o4cMI">video</a>. Actresses’ faces have been superimposed on pornographic photos and videos. World leaders are being made to say ridiculous or inflammatory statements.</p> <p>Fake news is just the half of it. Individuals will face risks to their reputations (fabricated naked photos sent to co-workers or fake revenge porn posted online), finances (forged bank documents that impact credit), and legal standing (phony audio, video, or other evidence of a crime). This is not a worst-case scenario; this will probably be the norm.</p> <p>If people don’t know what’s real or what’s fake, personal responsibility could go out the window. Even now, strategic people use AI-created media as a way to dodge the court of public opinion. If a person is caught on tape saying sexist comments, for example, he can argue that the tape is fake. When the AI is good enough, it will be hard to prove otherwise. At a certain point, the simple existence of advanced technology will be enough to cast doubt on nearly any information.</p> <p>Beyond the risks to individuals and their families, AI poses global security hazards. AI-created intelligence or media could be used to create a political firestorm, spark riots, or even start <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://readwrite.com/2017/09/05/ai-wwiii-elon-musk-ai1/">World War III</a>.</p> <p><b>Long-Term Look: Super AI</b></p> <p>By far the biggest threat is posed by general AI. There are questions as to whether human-level AI (or beyond) is even possible. But unless we find evidence that human intelligence is driven by processes that humans simply cannot tap into, it’s only a matter of time before a super AI is developed. However, despite what <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://futurism.com/kurzweil-claims-that-the-singularity-will-happen-by-2045/">Ray Kurzweil says</a>, I don’t believe superhuman AI will be created in our lifetime.</p> <p>A reasonable timeline for AI to achieve human-level or better performance in most tasks is about 250 years. Anything that historically required our intelligence — building machines, solving problems, making important decisions — will be handled more efficiently by machines. Perhaps there will be a few preeminent mathematicians working out the equations of the universe, but the rest of us will have little to offer society.</p> <p>In this world, most folks will probably live on universal basic income. It’s possible that we would have the freedom to simply learn and enjoy time with ourselves, our friends, and our families. But I think it’s more likely that we become lazy, unmotivated, and irrational people — a shell of society, much like in “Brave New World.” Ongoing <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="http://mitsloan.mit.edu/newsroom/articles/12-year-study-looks-at-effects-of-universal-basic-income/">long-term studies on UBI</a> might shed some light on how this would affect us.</p> <p>I agree with the late Stephen Hawking, who believed the birth of AI could be “<a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/11/07/hawking-ai-could-worst-event-history-our-civilization/839298001/">the worst event in the history of our civilization</a>.” Because we simply don’t know the outcome of creating a super AI, the possibilities demand an abundance of caution for what could be one of the best or worst events in human history.</p> <p>It remains to be seen whether the benefits will outweigh the ensuing negatives from AI and machine learning. Already, AI has opened the door to an era potentially ruled by misinformation. From forged bank statements to world leaders declaring false wars, AI-created media will cast doubt on what we read, see, and hear. Once we dig deeper into the possibilities of the technology, humans will become displaced by machines. These will be massive problems to solve, and the companies that solve them will be worth billions. I don’t see any other solution beyond a technical one.</p> <p>The most important thing we can do is start the conversation about how to deal with general AI now. We need to understand whether we can build effective safeguards — such as <a class="editor-link editor_tip" title="" href="http://www.singularitysymposium.com/laws-of-robotics.html">Asimov’s three laws of robotics</a> — that could control any conceivable superintelligence.</p> <p>I hope I’m wrong, but I’m skeptical.</p>
735]]>
736</content:encoded>
737</item>
738<item>
739<title>
7404 Fresh Technologies That Will Rescue You From Your Branding Rut
741</title>
742<link>
743https://readwrite.com/2018/07/05/4-fresh-technologies-that-will-rescue-you-from-your-branding-rut/
744</link>
745<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jul 2018 14:48:52 +0000</pubDate>
746<dc:creator>
747<![CDATA[ Frank Landman ]]>
748</dc:creator>
749<category>
750<![CDATA[ Branding ]]>
751</category>
752<guid isPermaLink="false">https://readwrite.com/?p=139418</guid>
753<description>
754<![CDATA[
755<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/adult-business-businessman-1061588-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/adult-business-businessman-1061588-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/adult-business-businessman-1061588-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div>There’s no denying that digital marketing is at its peak — the problem is, many of the platforms we use have plateaued. As we strive to find innovation in branding, it may be time to look past what’s already been established to make something new of our own. As consumers become savvy to how brands [&#8230;]
756]]>
757</description>
758<content:encoded>
759<![CDATA[
760<div><img width="300" height="200" src="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/adult-business-businessman-1061588-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin-bottom: 15px;" srcset="https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/adult-business-businessman-1061588-300x200.jpg 300w, https://images.readwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/adult-business-businessman-1061588-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></div><p>There’s no denying that digital marketing is at its peak — the problem is, many of the platforms we use have plateaued. As we strive to find innovation in branding, it may be time to look past what’s already been established to make something new of our own.</p> <p>As consumers become savvy to how brands operate, they’ve kept a tighter hold on their trust and loyalty. “Because consumers can easily search the web for product information and pricing, brands trying to sell themselves on those qualities won’t stand out,” <a href="http://www.adotas.com/2018/04/fiercely-individual-art-power-effective-marketing-increasingly-mechanized-world/">says Marco Scognamiglio</a>, global CEO of <a href="http://www.rapp.com/">RAPP</a>. “Instead, emotion and affinity are what drives today’s consumers. For brands and marketers, using new technology to create better individual experiences that create emotional attachment and drive consumer engagement is paramount.”</p> <p>Scognamiglio’s comments are borne out by recent studies. In its 2017 “Consumer Content Report: Influence in the Digital Age,” content platform vendor Stackla found that <a href="https://stackla.com/blog/why-ugc-is-key-to-authenticity-consumer-influence/">90 percent</a> of Millennials consider authenticity the driving force behind their support for a brand, and 30 percent have unfollowed a brand online because they felt the brand was no longer genuine.</p> <p>Thankfully, some savvy companies are finding a way to make authentic brand connections using a multiplatform approach — a tactic <a href="https://blog.autopilothq.com/multi-channel-marketing-statistics/">72 percent</a> of audience members say they would prefer. Here are four different technologies that are gaining traction as valuable marketing platforms in 2018:</p> <ol> <li><b> Branded Mobile Apps</b></li> </ol> <p>While CIOs and CTOs may be clamoring for their companies to start developing mobile apps for their businesses, the potential gains extend far beyond the screen. Mobile app downloads reached nearly <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/271644/worldwide-free-and-paid-mobile-app-store-downloads/">200 billion in 2017</a>, and that number is only estimated to climb as the years go on. The average consumer spends <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/03/u-s-consumers-now-spend-5-hours-per-day-on-mobile-devices/">five hours a day</a> on his or her phone and uses an average of <a href="http://www.businessofapps.com/data/app-statistics/">nine apps</a>, making a mobile platform an ideal way to reach your audience.</p> <p>Teaming with a skilled app development company that knows what it’s doing can help you break through to the masses. “The huge rewards to be had in mobile development have drawn hordes of potential startup success stories to the market, but only a select few break through to achieve financial success,” <a href="https://www.dogtownmedia.com/how-to-market-your-startup-for-maximum-discoverability/">explains</a> Marc Fischer, CEO and co-founder of Dogtown Media. “Partnering with a dedicated mobile app development company and planning your app for marketability from day one makes the difference between the success and failure.”</p> <ol start="2"> <li><b> In-Car Ads</b></li> </ol> <p>It may seem like something out of “Futurama,” but for those looking to reach luxury consumers, an entirely new marketing avenue is driving by. Between Waymo’s and Tesla’s <a href="https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/cars-that-are-almost-self-driving">self-driving cars</a> and Uber’s recent deal with Volvo to acquire <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/technology/uber-deal-volvo-self-driving-cars-.html">24,000 autonomous SUVs</a>, there is soon to be an entire audience of drivers who don’t need to focus on the road.</p> <p>According to <a href="http://www.adweek.com/agencies/the-next-great-media-channel-is-the-self-driving-car-will-brands-be-ready/">Thomas Bloch, formerly of media agency PHD</a>, these conversations have already begun. “In the near future, autonomous cars will process staggering amounts of data: current and past destinations, speed of travel, demographics and biometrics of the riders, present and future weather, traffic conditions, and nearby landmarks and commercial locations — all of which marketers could access to achieve an unprecedented level of precision in consumer messaging.”</p> <ol start="3"> <li><b> Chatbots</b></li> </ol> <p>As we switch from man to machine, chatbots have become a fantastic new way to engage your audience with your brand. Think of the bots as Apple’s Siri but personalized for your business. And as new as the technology may be, this marketing method is already a proven success.</p> <p>Brands like <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/2017/11/180293/asos-facebook-chatbot-shopping">ASOS</a> and <a href="https://www.topbots.com/project/national-geographic-einstein-genius-bot-review/">National Geographic</a> tested the waters with bots of their own for a limited time, and both were well received, due mostly to the bots’ sense of humor. Other companies, such as <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/brands-already-using-chatbots-in-their-marketing">Whole Foods and Starbucks</a>, have taken a more permanent approach but are moving forward slowly. As of right now, Starbucks’s bot will only help you order coffee — it can’t deliver it to you — but to be fair, your order can be as complicated as you’d like.</p> <ol start="4"> <li><b> Virtual Reality</b></li> </ol> <p>VR has seriously grown in popularity over the past few years, if the online buzz is any indication. While full saturation <a href="http://www.adweek.com/digital/what-needs-to-come-first-for-vr-to-take-off-mass-hardware-adoption-or-compelling-content/">may still be far away</a>, forward-thinking marketers are considering advertising options for VR platforms now.</p> <p>“Virtual reality is becoming increasingly commonplace as a marketing tool for brands big and small,” <a href="https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2018/02/14/12-marketing-trends-to-take-advantage-of-this-year/&amp;refURL=https://core.influenceandco.com/content/665262&amp;referrer=https://core.influenceandco.com/content/665262">says</a> Ashley Murphy of Stribling &amp; Associates. “The challenge is using VR in a way that makes sense for your overall brand messaging and target audience. VR marketing is still emerging, so it’s a great time to explore your options and get ahead of the curve.”</p> <p>In the end, when refreshing your branding strategy, be sure to deliver value first. Consumers know when they are being sold to, so creating an authentic feeling with any marketing tool you use is the key to gaining a lasting result.</p>
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