24 March 2020

Flexport, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and others launch a fund to get supplies to frontline responders


There’s a global shortage of available protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies for use by frontline responders working to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus, and the Frontline Responders Fund wants to channel donations to help address that shortage. The fund, which is seeking public donations via GoFundMe, will use all proceeds to cover the costs of transportation of these crucial supplies to the hospitals, clinics and public agencies that need them most.

Flexport is facilitating the deliveries via their supply chain management platform and services, and are receiving donations via their grant making partner Charities Add Foundation of America (CAF), which facilitates the acceptance of charitable donations for Flexport.org, Flexport’s NGO for social good projects.

Already, Flexport has been taking steps to get equipment where it’s needed most: last week, it got 60,000 surgical masks, 34,000 gloves, 2,000 surgical gowns and 50 thermometers from MedShare to San Francisco’s Department of Public Health. But the organization wants to do more, both for SF and for other cites in that are looking for ways to shore up their own supplies.

“My neighbor is on the board of supervisors and she told me the city really needed help,” Petersen said via email earlier this week. “Naturally our team stepped in and applied our knowledge of supply chains and logistics plus a long standing partnership with MedShare.org to get them PPE quickly. Now we’re scaling that effort to get more supplies for SF as well as other cities and hospitals that are also in desperate need.”

The funds made available through this fundraising effort will go to securing not only PPE, but also “testing kits, thermometers, ventilators and medicines,” according to the project’s GoFundMe page, based on what medical service providers deem to be highest priority in terms of need.

Petersen says that effectively all of his time now is focused on logistics to support these ongoing efforts, and it looks like it’ll remain that way for the foreseeable future.

Other organizations, including Apple, and now SoftBank, have been donating large volumes of N95 respirators, a key piece of frontline protective equipment. Flexport’s work could facilitate continued supply, leveraging their supply chain relationships, to ensure that equipment makes its way to frontline staff as fast as it’s able to be produced.

Donations can be made directly through the fund’s GoFundMe page, and the total raised is sitting at just under $3 million as of this writing – helped in large part by sizeable donations from Silicon Valley leaders including Paul Graham, Jack Dorsey and Ron Conway, as well as celebrities including Edward Norton and Arnold Schwarzenegger.


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Apple releases iOS and iPadOS 13.4 with trackpad support


Apple has released software updates for the iPhone, the iPad, the Apple Watch, the Apple TV and the Mac. The biggest changes are on the iPad. Starting today, you can pair a mouse or trackpad with your iPad and use it to move a cursor on the display.

Apple unveiled trackpad support for iPadOS when it announced the new iPad Pro last week. While the company plans to sell a new Magic Keyboard with a built-in trackpad, you don’t need to buy a new iPad or accessory to access the feature.

When you pair a trackpad and start using it, Apple displays a rounded cursor on the screen. The cursor changes depending on what you’re hovering over. The cursor disappears and highlights the button you’re about to activate. It looks a bit like moving from one icon to another on the Apple TV.

If you’re moving a text cursor for instance, it becomes a vertical bar. If you’re resizing a text zone in a Pages document, it becomes two arrows. If you’re using a trackpad, iPadOS supports gestures that let you switch between apps, open the app switcher and activate the Dock or Control Center.

In addition to trackpad support, iOS and iPadOS 13.4 add a handful of features. You can share an iCloud Drive folder with another iCloud user — it works pretty much like a shared Dropbox folder.

There are nine new Memoji stickers, such as smiling face with hearts, hands pressed together and party face. Apple has tweaked buttons to archive/delete, move, reply and compose and email in the Mail app.

Additionally, Apple added the ability to release a single app binary on all App Stores, including the iOS and Mac App Store. It means that developers can release a paid app on the Mac and the iPhone — and you only have to buy it once.

macOS 10.15.4 adds Screen Time Communication Limits, a feature that already exists on iOS. It lets you set limits on Messages and FaceTime calls.

When it comes to watchOS, version 6.2 adds ECG support for users in Chile, New Zealand and Turkey. Apple now lets developers provide in-app purchases for Apple Watch apps as well.

All updates also include bug fixes and security patches. Head over to the Settings app on your devices to download and update your devices if you haven’t enabled automatic software updates.


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Pinterest launches a ‘Today’ tab featuring daily recommendations and trending topics


The COVID-19 outbreak has led to record Pinterest usage as people stuck at home increased their searches for things like lesson plans, kids’ crafts, new recipes, and gardening ideas. Last weekend, for example, Pinterest saw more searches and saves globally than any other weekend in its history. And in the U.S., it saw record numbers of Pin sharing, as messages from the “Send a Pin” feature jumped 34%. In light of the increased demand, Pinterest has moved up the launch of its Today tab — a new feature designed to offer a source of daily inspiration.

The Today tab will feature curated topics and trending Pins, making it easier to explore timely ideas, Pinterest explains. That means, right now, you might find something like “Inspiring Work from Home Workspaces” rather than one focused on vacation ideas, for instance.

At launch, the Today section is pulling from trending searches — like kid-friendly baking ideas, self-care tips, family-favorite movies, and comfort food recipes, among other things. These recommendations will be curated by Pinterest’s team, but further down the road, some may come from guest editors.

The company will also soon use the Today tab to offer expert information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on topics like handwashing, mask usage, and other safety tips, during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Today tab will be found at the top of your Home Feed on the app on both iOS and Android in the U.S. and U.K. As it’s just now rolling out, you may not see it right away — but should soon. The plan is to bring it to more countries in time.

Some of the more active countries include France, Spain, and Germany, which all saw record rates of user engagement last weekend. France also saw a 30% month-over-month increase in saves, Pinterest says. While Pinterest didn’t offer a timeline for its next countries to get the new tab, these would be likely candidates.

In addition to the Today tab, Pinterest is also now rolling out what it’s calling “compassionate searches” on the web.

That means when you search for terms like “stress relief” or “calming quotes,” you’ll see options that point you to a collection of well-being activities designed to help you relax that come from expert sources.

Pinterest also says it’s prohibiting ads claiming to offer COVID-19 cures and treatments, or those looking to exploit the crisis. Instead, it has a banner across the site directing users to WHO facts and offers an easy way to report health misinformation on Pins. The company says all misinformation on COVID-19 is removed as it’s in violation of its health misinformation policy, established in 2017.

The Today tab on mobile apps and compassionate search on the web are rolling out today in the U.S. and U.K., with more countries to follow.


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Watchworthy’s personalized TV recommendation app will help you find your next binge


Ranker, an online publisher that turns crowdsourced lists and fan-rankings into a data business, is now turning its attention to the world of streaming services. The company this week launched a new app, Watchworthy, that helps you find something new to watch across TV networks and over 200 streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and many more.

Ranker, as you may already know, is the website that always pops up in search results when you’re looking for some sort of “best of” round-up — whether that’s in entertainment, music, sports, culture, history or across other topics. On the site, online visitors can vote on their favorites in categories as broad as the “best hip-hop artists” or as niche as the “best coconut oil brands.”

Ranker’s TV lists are among its more popular categories and one that makes the most sense for turning into an app. And right now, everyone is looking for something new to watch as we’re stuck indoors due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

While there are already a number of apps promising to offer TV recommendations — like Reelgood, TV Time, Yidio, and JustWatch, for example —  Watchworthy’s advantage is Ranker’s data powering its recommendations. Its machine-learning platform applies first-party correlation data it has amassed over a decade from one billion votes on Ranker.com. As the company explains, this makes its data more “statistically relevant.”

For example, its data indicates that “Better Call Saul” fans tend to like other gritty, dark dramas like “House of Cards,” “Ray Donovan,” and “True Detective” but also more cerebral comedies like “Nathan for You” and “High Maintenance.”

To figure out what sort of TV programs interest you, Watchworthy at first launch jumps you into a rating experience to provide it with your data. In 60 seconds, you fly through a ratings feature that uses a Tinder-like interface where a right swipe is a “like” and a left swipe is a “dislike” (and up is “not sure”). After you thumbs up and down a selection of shows, you can begin to browse your recommendations.

In my test, this initial set of recommendations was already above average compared with some of the other apps I’ve tried. Your mileage may vary, of course, as it’s a highly personalized experience. Watchworthy may not have offered dozens of precise matches to my tastes at first, but it did remind me of several shows I had seen in passing and thought at some point I might like to try, as well as a few new discoveries.

 

Its suggestions are ranked by a “worthy” score that indicates the likelihood that the show is worthy of your time. You can also filter the list of recommendations by service, genre, runtime, and MPAA ratings.

The app got a little better after spending a little more time to like and dislike more shows and to personalize it as to which streaming services I was using. This allowed me to integrate recommendations from more sources — like HBO, Apple TV+, Disney+, Showtime, and others.

However, I did get to the point where liking and disliking didn’t refine my recommendations further, so there is a limit to what Watchworthy can do. I also found the app to be a little lacking on the reality and nonfiction side of things. It tended to push recommendations of scripted shows, despite my having “liked” shows such as “The Great British Bake Off,” “Windy City Rehab,” and “Queer Eye,” among others.

As you find shows you like in the app’s recommendations, you can add them to the universal watchlist in the app for easy access.

 

You can also create an account to save your data. Watchworthy at launch supports Apple’s private sign-in option, as well as Google, Facebook, and email.

The homepage of the app also integrates Ranker’s existing TV lists. The website has over 50,000 of these, but the app isn’t an endless scroll. Instead, it updates the home page with relevant, timely content. For example, today’s lists include “Shows for Self Quarantine,” “Shows to Distract You,” “Funniest Shows on Netflix,” “Best Family Shows on Amazon Prime,” and other round-ups.

The new app serves not only as a discovery tool for TV viewers, cord-cutters, and binge-watchers, but also as fuel for Ranker’s data collection business. Ranker licenses its data and insights to third-parties, like marketers, advertisers, researchers, developers, and service providers. However, its data isn’t focused on demographics so much as it is on “psychographics” — meaning, your tastes. Ranker isn’t asking you for private information, only what you like.

In a way, Watchworthy serves as a demo app of what can be done with Ranker’s psychographic insights, in this case, for TV viewers. But the same sort of system could be built for other categories, like music, cooking, film, travel, and more.

The company says this year it will also make its Watchworthy app available to connected devices, like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. It also plans to add movie recommendations and shared watchlists.

Watchworthy is a free download on iOS with Android to come. On any mobile device, it works from watchworthy.app.

 


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Facebook in talks to acquire stake in top Indian telco Reliance Jio, report says


Reliance Jio, a three-and-a-half-year-old subsidiary of India’s most valued firm Reliance Industries, may have attracted the attention of an American giant: Facebook.

The social conglomerate is in talks to acquire a 10% stake in the Indian telecom operator, the Financial Times reported Tuesday. The size of the deal, the paper said, was in “multi-billion dollars.”

Analysts at Bernstein value Jio at more than $60 billion. Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest man who runs Reliance Industries, has poured over $25 billion into Reliance Jio over the years.

Reliance Jio, which began its commercial operation in the second half of 2016, upended the local telecom market by offering bulk of 4G data and free voice calls for six months.

The telco kickstarted a price war that saw local network providers Vodafone and Airtel quickly move to revise their data plans and mobile tariffs. But they struggled to match the offerings of Jio, which has amassed over 370 million subscribers to become the top telecom operator in the country.

Reaching those users might interest Facebook, which attempted and failed to expand its free internet initiative, Free Basics, in India. (The company has since expanded Express Wi-Fi to India — though its potential and scale remains comparatively small.)

Reliance Jio also owns a suite of services including music streaming service JioSaavn, on-demand live television service JioTV and payments service JioPay.

Earlier this year, Reliance Industries announced JioMart, a joint venture between Reliance Jio and Reliance Retail, the nation’s largest retail chain, to soft-launch an e-commerce business.

In recent quarters, Facebook, which is beginning to see competition from ByteDance’s TikTok in India, has started to take interest in local startups. Last year, the firm made an investment in social commerce Meesho; and last month, it wrote a check to edtech startup Unacademy.

Ajit Mohan, VP and managing director of Facebook India, told TechCrunch in an interview last year that the company was open to engaging with startups that are building solutions for the Indian market for more investing opportunities. “Wherever we believe there is opportunity beyond the work we do today, we are open to exploring further investment deals,” he said.

Facebook declined to comment, and Reliance Jio did not immediately respond.


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Google’s travel search now highlights travel advisories and airline cancellation policies


Google today announced a small but important addition to its travel search site on both mobile and desktop.

When you search for flights, hotels and activities, the site will now highlight active travel advisories for your destination. In addition, now that most airlines have changed their flight change and cancellation policies in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, Google has added a direct link to your airline’s policies to the flight results page, too.

These are obviously minor changes but sadly necessary ones. And while everybody is likely aware of the State Department’s current Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel‘ advisory, at some point in the next few months, we’ll get to a point where those advisories will change for some regions while they may still be in place for others.

As for the airlines, it’s worth noting how much their response to the coronavirus pandemic is still in flux. A number of companies have now extended their cancellation policies to cover all flights booked for May, for example. And while most airlines are still operating at least a limited flight schedule for the time being, that could easily change in the coming weeks as the industry tries to grapple with the fallout of this crisis.

To keep up with the policy changes across airlines, Google also published a new document on its help center with links to all of these policies for most major airlines, too.


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Survey shows growth in podcasts and voice assistants, little change in streaming


A new annual survey taken before the current COVID-19 crisis led to restrictions of movement in much of the U.S. suggests good news for Amazon, Facebook’s dominance unthreatened and continued growth in podcasting.

Edison Research and Triton Digital released their annual Infinite Dial survey last week, compiling data on consumers’ use of smart speakers, podcasts, music streaming and social media from 1,500 people (aged 12 and older) to compare year-over-year changes. Here are a few interesting findings:

Voice assistants and smart speakers

Sixty-two percent said they use a voice-based virtual assistant, most commonly via a phone or a computer. There has been a lot written about interactive voice as the next major medium for human-computer interaction after mobile phones, so it’s noteworthy to see that use of the technology is still associated with personal computing devices rather than hands-free smart speakers placed in the surrounding environment.

Smart speaker ownership did increase to 27% of respondents, up from 24% in 2019, even though respondents owned an average 2.2 speakers. In fact, the cohort that owned three or more speakers increased from one-quarter to one-third of owners in just a year, with Amazon Alexa continuing to dominate market share.


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A camera that can see around corners | David Lindell

A camera that can see around corners | David Lindell

To work safely, self-driving cars must avoid obstacles -- including those just out of sight. And for this to happen, we need technology that sees better than humans can, says electrical engineer David Lindell. Buckle up for a quick, groundbreaking tech demo as Lindell explains the significant and versatile potential of a high-speed camera that can detect objects hidden around corners.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

Instagram launches Co-Watching of posts during video chat


Now you can scroll Instagram together with friends, turning a typically isolating, passive experience into something more social and active. Today Instagram launched Co-Watching, which lets friends on a video chat or group video chat browse through feed posts one user has Liked or Saved, or that Instagram recommends.

Co-Watching could let people ooh, ahh, joke, and talk about Instagram’s content instead of just consuming it solo and maybe posting it to a chat thread so friends can do the same. That could lead to long usage sessions, incentivize users to collect a great depository of Saved posts to share, and spur more video calls that drag people into the app. TechCrunch first reported Instagram was testing Co-Watching a year ago, so we’ll see if it managed to work out the technical and privacy questions of operating the feature.

The launch comes alongside other COVID-19 responses from Instagram that include:

-Showing a shared Instagram Story featuring all the posts from you network that include the “Stay Home” sticker

-Adding Story stickers that remind people to wash their hands or keep their distance from others

-Adding coronavirus educational info to the top of results for related searches

-Removing unofficial COVID-19 accounts from recommendations, as well as virus related content from Explore if it doesn’t come from a credible health organization

-Expanding the donation sticker to more countries so people can search for and ask friends for contributions to relevant non-profits

These updates build on Instagram’s efforts from two weeks ago which included putting COVID-19 prevention tips atop the feed, listing official health organizations atop search results, and demoting the reach of coronavirus-related content rated false by fact checkers.

But Co-Watching will remain a powerful feature long after the quarantines and social distancing end. The ability to co-view content while browsing social networks has already made screensharing app Squad popular. When Squad launched in January 2019, I suggested that “With Facebook and Snap already sniffing around Squad, it’s quite possible they’ll try to copy it.” Facebook tested a Watch Together feature for viewing Facebook Watch videos inside Messenger back in April. And now here we are with Instagram.

The question is whether Squad’s first-mover advantage and option to screenshare from any app will let it hold its own, or if Instagram Co-Watching will just popularize the concept and send users searching for more flexible options like Squad. “Everyone knows that the content flooding our feeds is a filtered version of reality” Squad CEO Esther Crawford told me. “The real and interesting stuff goes down in DMs because people are more authentic when they’re 1:1 or in small group conversations.”

With Co-Watching Instagram users can spill the tea and gossip about posts live and unfiltered over video chat. When people launch a video chat from the Direct inbox or a chat thread, they’ll see a “Posts” button that launches Co-Watching. They’ll be able to pick from their Liked, Saved, or Explore feeds and then reveal it to the video chat, with everyone’s windows lined up beneath the post.

Up to six people can Co-Watch at once on Instagram, consuming feed photos and videos but not IGTV posts. You can share public posts, or private ones that everyone in the chat are allowed to see. If one participant is blocked from viewing a post, it’s inelligible for Co-Watching.

Co-Watching could finally provide an answer to Instagram’s Time Well Spent problem. Research shows how the real danger in social network overuse is passive content consumption like endless solo feed scrolling. It can inspire envy, poor self-esteem, and leave users deflated, especially if the highlights of everyone else’s lives look more interesting than their own day-to-day reality. But active sharing, commenting, and messaging can have a positive effect on well-being, making people feel like they have a stronger support network.

With Co-Watching, Instagram has found a way to turn the one-player experience into a multi-player game. Especially now with everyone stuck at home and unable to crowd around one person’s phone to gab about what they see, there’s a great need for this new feature. One concern is that it could be used for bullying, with people all making fun of someone’s posts.

But in general, the idea of sifting through cute animal photos, dance tutorials, or epic art could take the focus off of the individuals in a video chat. Not having one’s face as the center of attention could make video chat less performative and exhausting. Instead, Co-Watching could let us do apart what we love to do together: just hang out.


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Instagram launches Co-Watching of posts during video chat


Now you can scroll Instagram together with friends, turning a typically isolating, passive experience into something more social and active. Today Instagram launched Co-Watching, which lets friends on a video chat or group video chat browse through feed posts one user has Liked or Saved, or that Instagram recommends.

Co-Watching could let people ooh, ahh, joke, and talk about Instagram’s content instead of just consuming it solo and maybe posting it to a chat thread so friends can do the same. That could lead to long usage sessions, incentivize users to collect a great depository of Saved posts to share, and spur more video calls that drag people into the app. TechCrunch first reported Instagram was testing Co-Watching a year ago, so we’ll see if it managed to work out the technical and privacy questions of operating the feature.

The launch comes alongside other COVID-19 responses from Instagram that include:

-Showing a shared Instagram Story featuring all the posts from you network that include the “Stay Home” sticker

-Adding Story stickers that remind people to wash their hands or keep their distance from others

-Adding coronavirus educational info to the top of results for related searches

-Removing unofficial COVID-19 accounts from recommendations, as well as virus related content from Explore if it doesn’t come from a credible health organization

-Expanding the donation sticker to more countries so people can search for and ask friends for contributions to relevant non-profits

These updates build on Instagram’s efforts from two weeks ago which included putting COVID-19 prevention tips atop the feed, listing official health organizations atop search results, and demoting the reach of coronavirus-related content rated false by fact checkers.

But Co-Watching will remain a powerful feature long after the quarantines and social distancing end. The ability to co-view content while browsing social networks has already made screensharing app Squad popular. When Squad launched in January 2019, I suggested that “With Facebook and Snap already sniffing around Squad, it’s quite possible they’ll try to copy it.” Facebook tested a Watch Together feature for viewing Facebook Watch videos inside Messenger back in April. And now here we are with Instagram.

The question is whether Squad’s first-mover advantage and option to screenshare from any app will let it hold its own, or if Instagram Co-Watching will just popularize the concept and send users searching for more flexible options like Squad. “Everyone knows that the content flooding our feeds is a filtered version of reality” Squad CEO Esther Crawford told me. “The real and interesting stuff goes down in DMs because people are more authentic when they’re 1:1 or in small group conversations.”

With Co-Watching Instagram users can spill the tea and gossip about posts live and unfiltered over video chat. When people launch a video chat from the Direct inbox or a chat thread, they’ll see a “Posts” button that launches Co-Watching. They’ll be able to pick from their Liked, Saved, or Explore feeds and then reveal it to the video chat, with everyone’s windows lined up beneath the post.

Up to six people can Co-Watch at once on Instagram, consuming feed photos and videos but not IGTV posts. You can share public posts, or private ones that everyone in the chat are allowed to see. If one participant is blocked from viewing a post, it’s inelligible for Co-Watching.

Co-Watching could finally provide an answer to Instagram’s Time Well Spent problem. Research shows how the real danger in social network overuse is passive content consumption like endless solo feed scrolling. It can inspire envy, poor self-esteem, and leave users deflated, especially if the highlights of everyone else’s lives look more interesting than their own day-to-day reality. But active sharing, commenting, and messaging can have a positive effect on well-being, making people feel like they have a stronger support network.

With Co-Watching, Instagram has found a way to turn the one-player experience into a multi-player game. Especially now with everyone stuck at home and unable to crowd around one person’s phone to gab about what they see, there’s a great need for this new feature. One concern is that it could be used for bullying, with people all making fun of someone’s posts.

But in general, the idea of sifting through cute animal photos, dance tutorials, or epic art could take the focus off of the individuals in a video chat. Not having one’s face as the center of attention could make video chat less performative and exhausting. Instead, Co-Watching could let us do apart what we love to do together: just hang out.


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Where top VCs are investing in D2C


If you’re looking for toothbrushes, skin-care face masks, mattresses, glasses or even socks, there’s a digitally-native, direct-to-consumer (D2C) company or two that can help you out.

And thanks to smart digital marketing, the cult followings that ensue and the economics of e-commerce, D2C has changed how we relate to consumer goods (while attracting a waterfall of investment dollars).

Globally, D2C startups have raised between $8 billion to $10 billion in known venture capital across more than 600 deals since the start of 2019, according to Crunchbase data. The industry was catalyzed by a number of nine-figure deals for companies like Glossier, which sells makeup products, and Ro, which is a telehealth startup.

Indeed, when prepping this post for publication, our list of notable D2C rounds since the start of 2019 grew long enough that we abandoned the idea of including a digest. The sector has been active across a host of verticals, making it hard to sum up in terms other than rounds and dollars invested.

But those are trailing indicators of what is going on between D2C startups and their investors. TechCrunch was curious, especially in the wake of the troubled Casper IPO, how investor sentiment might have shifted and what venture capitalists are looking for in the category.

To get a grip on the matter, we caught up with Nicole Quinn from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Ben Lerer and Caitlin Strandberg from Lerer Hippeau, Gareth Jefferies from Northzone, Matthew Hartman of Betaworks Ventures, Alexis Ohanian of Initialized Capital and Luca Bocchio of Accel.

We got into advice for founders looking to raise, whether influencer marketing is worth it and which channel one investor says is an “all-but-closed door for most D2C companies.” We’ll start with a summary of the three trends that stood out the most from our collected answers and then share the full investor digests.

Three key themes for D2C in 2020

Wherever You’re Working From, Keep Your Meetings Organized With Pinstriped


organize-meetings

Ever find yourself wasting the day in meetings that seem to achieve absolutely nothing? You’re not alone. Part of the problem is that teams often start with no clear agenda, and the conversation strays off course. Now that most meetings are virtual, there is an even greater danger of mission creep. Pinstriped is an online tool that helps you schedule and plan for meetings, helping everyone stay on task. You can currently get lifetime access for just $29.99 at MakeUseOf Deals.

Making Plans

Featured on Product Hunt and The New Web, this platform is a must-have tool for managers. Through one simple interface, you can schedule, plan, and record every gathering.

To get started, you simply pick a meeting time and enter the topics you want to cover. With one click, Pinstriped will send invites to your colleagues that include your agenda. Once you have scheduled a meeting, you can also gather files and links that are related to the discussion.

During the meeting, you can use Pinstriped to take minutes and create items for action. You get multiple templates to choose from, and you can send a follow-up email to everyone with a click.

Lifetime Subscriptions Now $29.99

Normally priced at $800.40, lifetime access to Pinstriped is now $29.99. The price includes unlimited meetings, and it’s free for anyone you invite.

Read the full article: Wherever You’re Working From, Keep Your Meetings Organized With Pinstriped


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Bored at Home? 5 Fun Ways to Kill Boredom and Enjoy Yourself Indoors


bored-home

Stuck at home and have nothing to do? You can still have fun, alone or with family and roommates while staying indoors during the Coronavirus outbreak.

On most days, you should still be able to go about your routine. You can remotely work from home and be productive if your company supports that system. You should be exercising indoors, cooking your meals, and going about the day normally as much as possible.

But after a while, the clock seems to tick slower and boredom sets in. Here’s how you can keep things interesting even then.

1. Bored AF (Web) and Shuffle My Life (Android): Idea Generator of Things to Do

Bored AF generates ideas for random fun activities to do what you're bored

It’s not that there isn’t anything to do while at home. More often, our imagination limits our options to things that we think can and cannot be done. You could put on your favorite song and dance your heart out, but unless someone suggests it, you probably don’t think about it. Bored AF and Shuffle My Life generate ideas for things you can do when you are bored.

Bored AF suggests random fun activities, such as wear an eyepatch, dance to your favorite song, or have dinner with someone whose name starts with R. Tap Yes or No to keep getting more suggestions.

Shuffle My Life fleshes out the activities more. It will suggest things like learning morse code and give you a link for a website to learn it at. It also notes how long that activity is bound to take. You can even save tasks for later.

While there are plenty of indoor ideas, both apps don’t always suggest only stay-at-home activities. But most of the time, you can do that activity indoors too. For example, if the app suggests going out for a meal with a friend whose name starts from R, you can turn it into a video call with that friend, while you both eat.

Download: Shuffle My Life for Android (Free)

Download: Shuffle My Life for iOS ($0.99)

2. AirPano (Web): 360-Degree Virtual Journey From Your Browser

Take a 360-degree virtual journey of the world's hot spots through AirPano

Just because you’re stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t see the world. AirPano is a collection of 360-degree panorama photos and videos of some of the earth’s coolest spots, offering a virtual journey right from your browser.

In case you haven’t seen one before, 360-degree photos let you click and drag the camera to turn all sides, and up and down. It’s like you’re standing in one spot and able to see everything that the photographer would have been able to see by turning their head. AirPano collects such 360-degree photos as well as videos (usually hosted on YouTube).

You can sort photos and videos by date, country, or views, or check out collections like the best AirPano panoramas in 2019. Wait for the media to fully load before you try it. AirPano also boasts of a map that pins locations of all the 360-degree media, which is another cool way to browse.

3. Herding Cats (Web) and Monopoly (Web): Make Free DIY Board Games

Make a DIY Monopoly board game at home with this guide from The Craftables

One of the best ways to pass the time at home with family or roommates is to play a board game. But what if you don’t already have a game? Well, you can make your own with these free DIY board games.

The Craftables offers a step-by-step guide on how to make your own Monopoly board game. It’s the classic board, but you can customize the locations, houses, and colors as you like (they even made an Avengers version). You’ll need some arts and crafts at hand, and improvise where you need to. For example, if you don’t have a set of dice, type “roll dice” in Google (without the quotes) for a random roll.

If you don’t want to go through the DIY process of making the whole game, there’s a new free game you can download and print. Slinky Gibbon Games Herding Cats (With Goblins) is for 2-4 players, and each game lasts about 15 minutes. Multiple users online report that you can print it in black-and-white ink and it still looks great and is fun to play.

4. Future Me (Web): Write a Letter to Your Future Self

Write a letter to your future self at Future Me

When you’re sitting with nothing to do, your mind tends to wander. And you start thinking of how you could have done things differently, blaming your past self or making resolutions for the future. Well, how about writing a letter to your future self?

Future Me lets you send an email to yourself in the future. By default, you can send it a one, three, or five years into the future, or you can pick a custom date. Then simply start writing, talking to yourself about how things are right now and what you expect or hope it’s like later. It can be therapeutic, a bit of a release for a cluttered mind.

For example’s sake, have you observed how your attitude and thoughts about the outbreak and its response have changed with every passing day? Write a letter to yourself a week down the line, with your thoughts about today. Keep doing the exercise daily, and you might be surprised to see how much things change when you get the email in a week.

5. r/SideProject and r/TheSideHustle (Web): Finally Pursue Your Project

r/SideProject tells you how to pursue your passion project with a community that supports you and offers constructive feedback

Being stuck at home isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You are gaining time that you would otherwise waste in your daily commute, the watercooler conversations, and other routine activities. Use those extra minutes to pursue your passion with a side-project.

Reddit has a couple of communities dedicated to those who want to bring their side-projects alive. At r/SideProject, the idea is to have a supportive platform to showcase your ideas and your work. Plus, they give constructive feedback rather than be judgemental. It’s an encouraging forum of like-minded individuals who recognize how difficult it is to pursue your passion.

Meanwhile, r/TheSideHustle is clear that it’s not just your passion, but a second stream of income. Monetizing your project is more important than how strongly you feel about it, and there’s no shame in that. The community provides a clear focus and gives advice from people who have already set up such side-hustles. This way, you know how to make money and not just a fun product.

Just Waste Some Time

The internet is so vast and varied that you can always find some way to entertain yourself on it. For instance, look up anything you are curious about on Wikipedia. In no time, you’ll go down the rabbit hole of clicking on interesting link after link.

You could almost say that the web specializes in helping you waste time, usefully or not. After all, people build time-wasting websites to battle boredom, even with buttons that say “I’m Bored” to suggest things.

Read the full article: Bored at Home? 5 Fun Ways to Kill Boredom and Enjoy Yourself Indoors


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Mesa Biotech gains emergency FDA approval for rapid, point-of-care COVID-19 test


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is making use of its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) powers to expand the pool of available COVID-19 testing resources in the U.S., and now you can add another rapid test that delivers results in just 30 minutes to the list. Mesa’s test is also small enough to be able to be used right at the frontline of care, including in clinics and hospitals, with multiple tests able to be run in parallel.

Mesa’s rapid test follows one from Cepheid that was approved on Monday. Both are PCR-based molecular tests, which identify the presence of virus DNA in a sample of a patient’s mucus. Both these tests prevent an important expansion of the technologies available to those looking to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, since they can provide lab-quality results, but can do so much faster, and without requiring transportation of the samples from the point of collection to off-site testing facilities.

On-site testing not only has advantages in terms of convenience and speedy return of results, but also in limiting the potential exposure of medical personnel to the virus itself. Testing on-site means you don’t need to worry about possible exposure to the virus for more people in the chain, including logistics and delivery people, as well as lab technicians and dedicated diagnostics people.

These tests will require that facilities are equipped with Mesa’s Accula testing system, but its equipment is already in use for testing flu, as well as other less serious equipment, and it was originally designed specifically to address use on the frontlines of efforts to combat global pandemics, including SARS before this.


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Revolut launches its neobank in the US


European fintech startup Revolut is launching its app and service in the U.S. Starting today, anybody can sign up and get a Revolut debit card. In the U.S., Revolut has partnered with Metropolitan Commercial Bank for the banking infrastructure — deposits are FDIC insured up to $250,000.

In just a few years, Revolut has managed to attract over 10 million customers by building a financial hub that lets you spend, send, receive and manage money from a single app. The company recently raised a $500 million funding round, valuing the company at $5.5 billion.

But the U.S. has been watching from the sidelines. Tens of thousands of customers have signed up to the waiting list and they’ll now be able to access all of Revolut’s core features.

Like competing challenger banks, such as Chime and N26, Revolut lets you open an account from your phone. After downloading the app, you enter personal details and send a few official documents to comply with know-your-customer regulation.

After that, you get U.S. account details and you can instantly top up your account with a bank transfer or a card transfer. A few days later, you also receive a physical debit card. You can also generate a virtual debit card from the app.

Revolut lets you control your debit card from the app directly. You can receive notifications every time you make a transaction. You can freeze and unfreeze your card, set some limits and restrict some feature, such as online payments or ATM withdrawals.

One of Revolut’s key features is that you can convert from one currency to another at a low fee — sometimes without any markup for popular currencies and small transactions (more details on foreign exchange fees here). You can hold foreign currencies in your Revolut account or send money to another Revolut user or a bank account in another country. Revolut also gives you local banking details to receive EUR or GBP.

In the U.S., Revolut offers the ability to receive your salary two days in advance if you share your Revolut banking details with your employer.

Revolut offers a ton of additional features in Europe, but the company is starting with this basic feature set in the U.S. You can expect more features in the future, such as the ability to purchase cryptocurrencies and invest on the stock market.

In Europe, Revolut also offers insurance products through premium monthly subscriptions, mobile phone insurance, savings accounts, credit, rewards and more. Many of those features require partnerships with third-party companies. But it gives you an idea of Revolut’s roadmap in the U.S.


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Using 25% lower bandwidth, Disney+ launches in UK, Ireland, 5 other European countries, France to come online April 7


Disney+, the streaming service from the Walt Disney Company, has been rapidly ramping up in the last several weeks. But while some of that expansion has seen some hiccups, other regions are basically on track. Today, as expected, Disney announced that it is officially launching across 7 markets in Euopre — but doing so using reduced bandwidth given the strain on broadband networks as more people are staying home because of the coronavirus pandemic. From today, it will be live in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland; and Disney also reconfirmed the delayed debut in France will be coming online on April 7.

Seven is the operative number here, it seems: it’s the largest multi-country launch so far for the service.

“Launching in seven markets simultaneously marks a new milestone for Disney+,“ said Kevin Mayer, Chairman of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International, in a statement. “As the streaming home for Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and National Geographic, Disney+ delivers high-quality, optimistic storytelling that fans expect from our brands, now available broadly, conveniently, and permanently on Disney+. We humbly hope that this service can bring some much-needed moments of respite for families during these difficult times.”

Pricing is £5.99/€6.99 per month, or £59.99/€69.99 for an annual subscription. Belgium, the Nordics, and Portugal, will follow in summer 2020.

The service being rolled out will feature 26 Disney+ Originals plus an “extensive collection” of titles (some 500 films, 26 exclusive original movies and series and thousands of TV episodes to start with) from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and other content producers owned by the entertainment giant, in what has been one of the boldest moves yet from a content company to go head-to-head with OTT streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and Apple.

Caught in the crossfire of Covid-19

The expansion of Disney+ has been caught in the crossfire of world events.

The new service is launching at what has become an unprecedented time for streaming media. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of of the world is being told to stay home, and many people are turning to their televisions and other screens for diversion and information.

That means huge demand for new services to entertain or distract people who are now sheltering in place. And that has put a huge strain on broadband networks. So, to be a responsible streamer (and to make sure quality is not too impacted), Disney confirmed (as it previously said it would) that it would be launching the service with “lower overall bandwidth utilization by at least 25%.”

There are now dozens of places to get an online video fix, but Disney has a lot of valuable cards in its hand, specifically in the form of a gigantic catalog of famous, premium content, and the facilities to produce significantly more at scale, dwarfing the efforts (valiant or great as they are) from the likes of Netflix, Amazon and Apple.

Titles in the mix debuting today include “The Mandalorian” live-action Star Wars series; a live-action “Lady and the Tramp,” “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,”; “The World According to Jeff Goldblum” docuseries from National Geographic; “Marvel’s Hero Project,” which celebrates extraordinary kids making a difference in their communities; “Encore!,” executive produced by the multi-talented Kristen Bell; “The Imagineering Story” a 6-part documentary from Emmy and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks and animated short film collections “SparkShorts” and “Forky Asks A Question” from Pixar Animation Studios.

Some 600 episodes of “The Simpsons” is also included (with the latest season 31 coming later this year).

With entire households now being told to stay together and stay inside, we’re seeing a huge amount of pressure being put on to broadband networks and a true test of the multiscreen approach that streaming services have been building over the years.

In this case, you can use all the usuals: mobile phones, streaming media players, smart TVs and gaming consoles to watch the Disney+ service (including Amazon devices, Apple devices, Google devices, LG Smart TVs with webOS, Microsoft’s Xbox Ones, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs and Sony / Sony Interactive Entertainment, with the ability to use four concurrent streams per subscription, or up to 10 devices with unlimited downloads. As you would expect, there is also the ability to set up parental controls and individual profiles.

Carriers with paid-TV services that are also on board so far include Deutsche Telekom, O2 in the UK, Telefonica in Spain, TIM in Italy and Canal+ in France when the country comes online. No BT in the UK, which is too bad for me (sniff). Sky and NOW TV are also on board.


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The Ultimate Online Shopping Guide: 50+ Essential Tips, Tricks, and Secrets


Amazon Shopping

We have all the tips, tricks, tutorials, and guides you’ll need to become a master of shopping online. Find better deals, avoid tricky scams, and save money!

Online shopping has exploded so much in the past decade that brick-and-mortar stores are closing in response. And in America, over half of all online shopping is done through Amazon. With free two-day shipping via Amazon Prime, it’s no wonder that people are coming to rely on the e-commerce giant for nearly everything.

But online shopping can be a huge money sink if you aren’t careful. On the one hand, it’s incredibly easy to overspend if you’re careless; on the other hand, you can save a LOT of money if you’re patient and know how to snag deals and bargains as they come.

Here’s what you need to know about being a better, smarter, and faster online shopper.

The Best Sites for Online Shopping

Amazon is the king of all online retailers, and that won’t be changing anytime soon. But that doesn’t mean you always have to shop at Amazon. Indeed, you might want to shop elsewhere for any number of reasons:

Where to Shop Online for Specific Items

At the end of the day, there are dozens of excellent online retailers out there. Many of them are niche and specialized in a certain category of items, so don’t expect to find a full-blown replacement for Amazon. Rather, when you’re in the market for something specific, consider these sites instead:

Tips When Shopping on Amazon

amazon-prime-benefits

It’s hard not to shop on Amazon these days. The next time you find yourself browsing the available wares, make sure you employ these tips and tricks to make sure you’re always getting the best deals and making the most of what Amazon offers:

Every so often, you’ll run into issues when shopping on Amazon. Don’t get too hung up on it as that’s to be expected with an operation as monolithic as Amazon. Just take the necessary steps to avoid scams and rectify issues:

If you find yourself ordering from Amazon often, you may want to consider upgrading to Amazon Prime. It’s not too expensive and comes with all kinds of benefits beyond free two-day shipping:

Tips When Shopping on eBay

ebay-black-friday

Want to buy something used or unusual? You’ll probably find it on eBay. As one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, you’ll find all kinds of stuff that you won’t elsewhere. Just be careful and always triple-check listings before committing to a purchase:

Tips When Shopping on AliExpress

aliexpress-safety

AliExpress offers some of the cheapest prices you’ll find anywhere on the internet, but it comes at a price: slow shipping speeds and higher risk of fraudulent goods. Here’s what you need to know before ordering anything on AliExpress:

How to Effortlessly Find Bargains, Deals, and Coupons

Hunting deals and coupons can be mentally exhausting. Fortunately, there are all kinds of websites, apps, and tools out there that will handle it for you. For very little effort, you can save tons of money with every purchase:

When Online Shopping Goes Wrong

Have you been scammed by an online retailer? Is a company refusing to honor their refund policy? Want to put an online shop on blast for terrible customer service? Check out these handy sites that let you do just that:

More Online Shopping Tips

Read the full article: The Ultimate Online Shopping Guide: 50+ Essential Tips, Tricks, and Secrets


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