vendredi 29 mars 2024

You Can Get Headway Premium on Sale for $60 Right Now

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You can get a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium on sale for $59.99 right now (reg. $300). Named App of the Day in the US App Store four times and the Apple Editors’ Choice, Headway breaks down nonfiction books into small chunks you can watch, read, or listen to in around 10 to 15 minutes, and it comes with access to over 1,500 of popular titles like How to Talk to Anyone, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and The 5AM Club. Summaries don’t replace actually reading a book, obviously, but they can offer useful insights in minutes, and up to 50 new summaries are added every month. Headway also offers daily insights, motivational widgets, personalized recommendations, and curated collections: It tailors your recommended content based on your goals and needs, so it becomes a more gamified learning experience that allows you to track your progress and collect achievements. This offer is only available to new users and can only be installed on one desktop or mobile device.

You can get a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium on sale for $59.99 right now (reg. $300), though prices can change at any time.



The Best TV Series to Stream This Week

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If you're looking for a new show to watch, there are some amazing series premiering this week. There's World War II historical drama We Were the Lucky Ones, and post-Communist Revolution series A Gentleman in Moscow. If you're in the mood for something lighter and action-centric, check out Renegade Nell, or you can dive deeply into the life of Moses with Testament: The Story of Moses, spend some time with Fraggle Rock, or get to know The Baxters. The world, as they say, is your oyster.

We Were the Lucky Ones

There are more than enough accounts of World War II from soldiers' perspectives, but We Were the Lucky Ones charts an ordinary family's nightmarish experience of the war. Based on a true story, this historical drama follows the Kurcs, a Jewish family in Poland that's torn apart by the rise of Third Reich. Split up by historical circumstances and personal choices, the Kurcs struggle to survive and reunite in a world gone mad.

Where to stream: Hulu

A Gentleman in Moscow

This prestige series from Showtime and Paramount+ is based on the critically lauded novel by Amor Towles. It stars Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Rostov, an aristocrat whose life is overtaken by the October Revolution. After being sentenced to house arrest by a Bolshevik tribunal, The Count spends decades living in an attic room at the Metropol Hotel in Moscow, and must find meaning in a life of gentlemanly captivity. A Gentleman in Moscow also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Leah Harvey.

Where to stream: Paramount+

Renegade Nell

Disney's original action series Renegade Nell promises rip-roaring adventure in a fantasy-historical setting. It tells the tale of Nell Jackson, a young woman who is accused of murder and unexpectedly becomes a notorious highwaywoman in 18th-century England. Impossible to kill, catch, or corner, Nell's secret is the supernatural help of a magical spirit Billy Blind and her give-to-the-poor ethos.

Where to stream: Disney+

Testament: The Story of Moses 

Over the course of its three episodes, this epic docudrama from Netflix tells the story of Moses, who was kind of a big deal. Told through interviews with scholars and theologians as well as historical re-enactments, Testament does more than tell the story of Moses leading the Jews out of bondage, receiving the ten commandments, and founding Judeo-Christianity; it puts his life and legend into context.

Where to stream: Netflix

The Baxters

If you're in the mood to have your heartstrings played by a good, old-fashioned TV family drama, The Baxters might be the series for you. Based on the best-selling book series by Karen Kingsbury, The Baxters follows the emotional ups and downs of Elizabeth and John Baxter and their five adult children. Season one centers on daughter Kari's disintegrating marriage. When her husband strays, Kari looks for comfort in family and faith (instead of the prescription drugs I might have chosen).

Where to stream: Prime

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock (Season 2) 

Apple and The Jim Henson Company have revived beloved muppet-centric kids show Fraggle Rock and brought it back for a second season. Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock is beautifully produced, thoughtful, funny, and whimsical—the kind of series that will enthrall children while not annoying their parents too much. Season one earned a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and AppleTV has made all of season two available to stream, so gather the kids and get binging. As an added bonus, look out for celebrity guest appearances from the likes of Ariana DeBose, Brett Goldstein, Adam Lambert, and Catherine O’Hara.

Where to stream: AppleTV+

Is it Cake? (Season 3)

Sometimes you want to watch a TV show about whether or not various things are cake, and Is it Cake? is by far the best series ever made based on that concept. Incredibly skilled bakers from around the country compete for cash prizes by creating realistic-but-edible versions of everyday objects in hopes of fooling a panel of guest judges. Saturday Night Live’s Mikey Day returns as host, and guest judges include Jay Pharoah, Lauren Lapkus, London Hughes, Oscar Nuñez, and many others. 

Where to stream: Netflix

Last week's picks

Quiet on the Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV

If you are a '90s kid, your childhood is about to be massacred. Quiet on the Set features the stars of kids' shows like All That and The Amanda Show recounting harrowing tales from inside the basic cable nightmare factory that was Nickelodeon in the '90s and 2000s, where kid actors like Ariana Grande, Amanda Bynes, and Drake Bell were subjected to everything from a toxic work environment on set, to sleazy, sexualized on-air stunts, to outright sexual assault. 

Where to stream: Max

Manhunt

We all know the story of Lincoln’s assassination, but this conspiracy thriller series follows the aftermath, when actor-turned killer John Wilkes Booth went on the lamb and the nation's fate hung in the balance. Based on executive producer James L. Swanson’s nonfiction book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer, Manhunt is an exhaustively researched series that examines the verified events of the day and delves into the possibility that Lincoln's assassination was the result of a larger conspiracy instead of the work of a single man.

Where to stream: Apple TV+

3 Body Problem 

Created by Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and based on the novels of Chinese writer Cixin Liu, the Netflix series 3 Body Problem is science fiction on a massive scale. Over its eight episodes, this series details an extraterrestrial invasion of Earth unfolding in slow motion. It begins with a spate of prominent scientists disappearing and continues through the upheaval the imminent occupation brings to Earth when humanity divides into people who want to stop the occupation and those who welcome humanity's new overlords.

Where to stream: Netflix

Palm Royale

Kristen Wiig stars in this comedy series set in California circa 1969. Based on Juliet McDaniel’s novel Mr. and Mrs. American Pie, and co-starring Laura Dern, Allison Janney, and Kaia Gerber, Palm Royale has been described as Gossip Girl meets White Lotus. It tells the story of Maxine Simmons, a divorcee trying to find her way in the catty, cutthroat world of Palm Springs’ high society. 

Where to stream: Apple TV+

Photographer

This National Geographic documentary series turns the lens around and tells the stories of the people who create iconic, powerful imagery. Photographer covers all aspects of modern photography; subjects include nature photographer Cristina Mittermeier, fashion photographer Campbell Addy, and photojournalist Muhammed Muheisen.

Where to stream: Hulu 

Homicide: New York 

Wolf Entertainment applies its patented Law & Order structure to real crimes in this documentary series set among the mean streets and gentrified brownstones of New York. In each of Homicide: New Yorks five episodes, a veteran detective or prosecutor takes us inside their most challenging case, offering an insider's view of how notorious New York crimes were investigated, solved, and prosecuted. Dun-DUUN.  

Where to stream: Netflix

In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon

Baby boomers and the boomer-adjacent will especially enjoy this two-part series that examines the life and career of iconic singer-songwriter Paul Simon. Captured while Simon was working on his 2023 album Seven Psalms, In Restless Dreams digs into Simon’s life and six-decade career, covering Simon's fame, his personal life, and the craft of writing and performing some of the most iconic songs ever recorded. 

Where to stream: MGM+



The Best Movies to Stream This Week

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Streaming platforms are closing out March with some prestigious movies, including Tár, in which Cate Blanchett turns in an all-time-great performance as a talented-but-troubled conductor; the excellent family drama Montana Story; and Disney original documentary Madu.

Tár (2022)

Written and directed by Todd Field (In the Bedroom, Little Children) and starring Cate Blanchett in the title role, Tár details the complicated, conflicted life of fictional composer and conductor Lydia Tár, who is both a musical genius and a sexual predator. Blanchett was nominated for an Oscar for her multifaceted and fearless portrayal of a woman who is brilliant, ambitious, pretentious, tormented, and cruel, and whose life is unraveling. Tár presents the issue of sexual exploitation in the arts in more nuanced, honest terms than is the norm, and is all the more powerful for looking deeper than the usual tropes about the subject. 

Where to stream: PeacockTV

Spermworld

With the recent legislation affecting IVF in Alabama, SPERMWORLD is a timely documentary about the world of underground sperm donation. Donors and would-be parents connect on message boards, meet at strip malls or coffee shops, and create life, all outside of the gaze of the medical establishment. Directed by Lance Oppenheim and produced by The New York Times and FX, SPERMWORLD details not just an underground medical movement, but a new kind of family relationship.

Where to stream: Hulu

Madu

Madu tells the story of Anthony Madu, a 12-year-old Nigerian boy who captured the world’s imagination when a video of him doing ballet went viral in 2020. Madu was granted a scholarship to a prestigious ballet school in England, and this documentary details the challenges and triumphs he faces as he leaves Lagos for the first time in his life to enter an entirely different world. 

Where to stream: Disney+

Wrath of Man (2021)

Director Guy Ritchie teams up with leading man Jason Statham in this stylish, hard-hitting action movie. Wrath of Man is packed with badass characters, guns, explosions and a touch of pure evil. Statham plays Patrick Hill, an enigmatic, menacing guy who takes a job as a guard for an armored truck company. It soon becomes clear that Hill is not who he says he is, but his real motivations and identity remain hidden behind his impenetrable facade. Is he a would-be thief planning an inside job, a law enforcement officer gone undercover, or something worse?

Where to stream: Prime

Montana Story (2021)

Montana Story is the kind of quiet, intimate family drama too rarely seen these days. Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague play siblings on a roadtrip from Montana to New York. Their cargo: Mr. T, an elderly horse that belongs to their estranged father who is on his deathbed at the family’s ranch. Along the way, secrets are revealed, intimacies exchanged, and uneasy resolutions achieved. Montana Story has a nearly 90% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes with critics praising the strong performances, well-crafted script, and incredible shots of breathtaking scenery.  

Where to stream: Hulu

Dave Attell: Hot Cross Buns

Any new material from hipster comedian Dave Attell is cause for celebration. Attell, best known for creating and starring in Comedy Central's Insomniac, is a comedian’s comedian, and Hot Cross Buns promises a full helping of the fast-paced, no-sacred-cows observations he’s known for. 

Where to stream: Netflix

The Beautiful Game

This Netflix original movie produced by Colin Farrell fictionalizes the drama surround a real event: The Homeless World Cup, an international soccer tournament for homeless men. Mal is the manager of England’s team, tasked with taking a rag-tag, troubled group of men to Rome to compete for the championships. He's banking on Vinny, a talented-but-troubled striker, but will he be able to hold it together to lead his team to victory? If you like uplifting sports dramas, give The Beautiful Game a spin. 

Where to stream: Netflix

Last week's picks

Road House

In the original Road House, Patrick Swayze played against type as the bouncer in rough Southern saloon. In the remake, it’s a jacked-up Jake Gyllenhaal doing the honors. He plays Elwood Dalton, a nice-seeming dude who used to be a UFC fighter. Down on his luck, Dalton takes a security gig at a rundown roadhouse in the Florida Keys, but his new gig quickly leads beyond bouncing drunks to confrontations with dangerous criminals. In his first acting job, MMA champion Conor McGregor plays the heavy, and finding out if he can act is enough reason to watch Road House by itself. 

Where to stream: Prime

Stormy

Adult film star Stormy Daniels is an unlikely historical figure and a fascinating person. Peacock’s documentary gives Daniels a chance to tell the complicated, batshit story of how she was paid for sex with a future president, then dragged into a cultural and legal nightmare that continues to the present. Daniels, a mother, artist, and advocate as well as a porn star, tells her own story in Stormy, a documentary that strives to present the person behind the salacious headlines and propaganda. 

Where to stream: Peacock

Shirley

This Netflix original biopic casts Oscar-winner Regina King as Shirley Chisholm, the first Black congresswoman, and details her groundbreaking run for president in 1972. Written and directed by John Ridley (12 Years a SlaveAmerican Crime, Needle in a Timestack) and based on extensive interviews with Chisholm’s family and friends, Shirley gives viewers a you-are-there look at Chisholm's courageous run. 

Where to stream: Netflix

Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told

This documentary tells the story of Freaknik, an iconic street party/festival that took over Atlanta every year in the '80s and '90s. More than just a good time, Freaknik became a celebration of Black life and culture. Told through archival footage, interviews with 21 Savage, Killer Mike, CeeLo Green, and many more who were there, Freaknik examines the growth of the festival and its eventual demise.

Where to stream: Hulu

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Justine Triet’s French drama won Oscars for best original screenplay and best non-English film at the Oscars this year. In a for-the-ages performance, Sandra Hüller play Sandra Voyter, a novelist accused of murdering her husband. The court case that follows dissects both the circumstances surrounding the death and the complex dynamics of a small family. 

Where to stream: Hulu

The Stones and Brian Jones (2023)

This critically lauded documentary from director Nick Broomfield examines the troubled personal life and career of The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones. After forming the band, Jones was gradually pushed from the spotlight by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, until he was sacked from the band and ended up dead in his swimming pool a few weeks later. If you're into rock and roll mythology, The Stones and Brian Jones offers a huge helping of a research, remembrances, and archival footage from the days when rock and roll actually mattered.

Where to stream: Hulu

Dream Scenario (2023)

The great Nicolas Cage stars in this surreal comedy that takes a darkly satirical look at fame in the always-connected age. Paul Matthews (Cage, playing against type) is a boring, schlubby college professor who secretly longs for academic notoriety. He gets famous, but instead of people talking about his research, everyone in the world suddenly starts dreaming about Matthews.

Where to stream: Max

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

Director Halina Reijn’s Gen-Z horror movie Bodies Bodies Bodies is like Euphoria with murder. A group of stylish, callow rich people travel to a remote mansion to party, but things go violently wrong. It’s a well-worn premise but it’s presented in an up-to-the-second style, with stars like Pete Davidson, Maria Bakalova, and Rachel Sennott playing the kinds of love-to-hate characters you don’t mind seeing get murdered.

Where to stream: Netflix

Freddy Got Fingered (2001) (and other “Razzie” winners)

To celebrate Oscar month, The Criterion Channel has released a 14 film collection of “Razzie” award-winning movies, movies purported to be the worst of their respective years. You could make the case that none of these films deserve their reputations (except Gigli), but the most surprising to me was Tom Green’s Freddy Got Fingered. Despite its 10% Rotten Tomatoes score, Freddy is a genius-level exercise in cinematic subversion and provocation. Not only does Green’s "comedy" style pre-date internet anti-comedy by about a decade, there’s something deeper here too. To tell the story of a guy who annoys everyone until he is given millions of dollars, only to waste the money annoying people, Tom Green actually annoyed his way into millions, then “wasted” it making Freddy Got Fingered, which annoyed everyone—genius!

Where to stream: The Criterion Channel



jeudi 28 mars 2024

Google Just Revealed When Apple Will Officially Adopt RCS

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Did Google just preempt a big announcement from Apple? The Android developer just published an updated landing page for Google Messages, showing off key features ranging from customization, privacy and security, and, of course, AI.

On this landing page, there are different sections for each feature set, including one for RCS. As spotted by 9to5Google, if you expand this list of RCS features and scroll to the bottom, you see a section on "Coming soon on iOS: Better messaging for all." That's no surprise: We've known Apple was adopting RCS since November. However, it's the next line that brings the news: "Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024."

Has it? Sure, the company has committed to bringing RCS to iPhones, but the last time it discussed the topic, it only said support would be coming later this year. The company never specifically said when during the year we'd be getting RCS, so Google's announcement here, however subtle, is big news.

Why is RCS on iPhone such a big deal?

Currently, Apple only supports the long outdated SMS and MMS protocols when texting non-Apple smartphones. (AKA green bubbles.) SMS/MMS results in low quality images, terrible quality videos, issues with group chats, and, worst of all, poor security, as it isn't end-to-end encrypted (E2EE). RCS, on the other hand, is a newer messaging protocol that comes with modern features like E2EE, typing indicators, high-quality images and videos, and streamlined group chats. Unlike iMessage, it's also not platform specific: So long as your texting app and carrier support RCS, you can message other numbers on the platform with ease.

Apple does not currently support RCS, however, so it's SMS/MMS until they do. This reluctance to drop SMS is the reason texting an Android from an iPhone is such a pain. It's not your friend's fault: It's Apple's. You can read more about RCS on iPhone and why it's such a big deal here.

RCS could be an iOS 18 feature

If Apple is indeed planning a fall 2024 launch for RCS, that strongly suggests the adopting will be a feature of iOS 18. Apple usually releases its major iOS update in September, so it's likely the company is planning on RCS support as part of that launch. Of course, it could always come with an update like iOS 18.1 or 18.2, but let a guy hope: If RCS is a part of iOS 18, that means it could be in the iOS 18 beta, which Apple will seed to developers (and anyone daring enough to install it) after they announce the software at WWDC 2024.

There is a chance—a chance—we could have RCS support on iPhone starting June 10. If that's true, you can be sure I'll be installing iOS 18 Developer Beta 1 as soon as it drops.



StackSkills Unlimited Courses Are $35 Right Now

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You can get lifetime access to StackSkills Unlimited courses on sale for $34.97 right now (normally $600) until April 2. StackSkills Unlimited is an online learning platform that offers thousands of training courses. They aren’t a replacement for college courses, degrees, or certifications—instead, think of them as a way to learn about a subject you didn’t take or pay enough attention to in school. StackSkills Unlimited has courses in IT, web design, coding, language learning, Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, business, marketing, and more. You’ll get instant access to over a thousand courses, with over 50 new courses added each month.

You can get lifetime access to StackSkills Unlimited courses on sale for $34.97 right now (normally $600) until April 2 at 11:59 p.m. PT, though prices can change at any time.



mercredi 27 mars 2024

Google Wants You to Use AI for Your Next Vacation

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Google hopes you'll trust its AI-powered search enough to use it to plan your next vacation. According to a blog post released this week, Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) can now help you plan an itinerary of destinations for your next trip, including highlighting must-visit locations, restaurants, and even an overview of possible flight and hotel options.

The new system builds heavily off of Google's AI search response system, which scours the internet for different responses to your queries. Google says that using SGE will provide you with all the details you need, including photos, reviews, and other info about businesses that you might visit. Of course, that isn't taking into account the problems that SGE is already experiencing, like the fact that it is pushing scam and malware sites in SGE results. Hopefully Google has resolved some of that, but be careful which links you click on in the meantime.

Aside from SGE, Google has also highlighted how recommended lists in Google Maps can help you plan your vacation better, including showcasing lists of recommendations from sites you trust as well as locals who know all the best spots. This doesn't really build off AI, but it's likely we'll see more AI features coming to Google Maps and other Google products in the future.

It isn't all that surprising to see Google pushing more AI features across its various projects. The company has made big strides to put its Gemini AI chatbot out there, and it is likely we'll even see these trip-planning features make their way to Maps at some point, though perhaps in a different fashion. However, it will probably be a while before you can fully trust the information these AI tools are spitting out at you.



Xbox Cloud Gaming Now Supports Mouse and Keyboard for Beta Users

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Mouse and keyboard fans, rejoice: Microsoft is finally rolling out support for these peripherals for Xbox Cloud Gaming, so long as you're a selected Xbox Insider.

The company is rolling out mouse and keyboard support as part of its latest Xbox Update Preview for Alpha Skip-Ahead testers. That means general Xbox Insiders will still need to wait, but for those in the "invite only" testing program, you should be able to hook up your favorite mouse and keyboard to play games that previously required a controller.

Microsoft says mouse and keyboard support works in cloud gaming on Microsoft Edge and Chrome, as well as the Xbox App on PCs (for those enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview). If you're playing in a browser, you'll need to enable Preview features first. You'll find the option on xbox.com/play by clicking your profile picture, choosing Settings, and enabling Preview features.

The program currently supports 14 titles at this time. Not a ton, but enough to get you started with experiencing mouse and keyboard controls on Xbox Cloud Gaming:

  • Fortnite (browsers only)

  • ARK Survival Evolved

  • Sea of Thieves

  • Grounded

  • Halo Infinite

  • Atomic Heart

  • Sniper Elite 5

  • Deep Rock Galactic

  • High on Life

  • Zombie Army 4 Dead War

  • Gears Tactics

  • Pentiment

  • Doom 64

  • Age of Empires 2

Microsoft has acknowledged a known issue with Atomic Heart, as there can be issues when swapping from your controller to mouse and keyboard while streaming the game.

You'll also notice that games display controller UI elements until you start to use your mouse and keyboard to interact with the game. If you see "press A to start," for example, trying clicking or moving with WASD to adjust the UI.

Browser users should take note that the stream needs to be in full screen for your mouse and keyboard to work. If you want to exit full screen, hit the Escape key. You also need to click on a game stream element in order for the game to recognize your mouse input. You can also press F9 to exit out of mouse and keyboard controls for the game.



How to Oust Your Condo Board or HOA

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Close to 30% of Americans live in a property governed by a condo board, homeowners association (HOA), or other community association—more than 70 million people. These associations are generally responsible for property upkeep, enforcement of community rules, and acting as a go-between for residents when disputes arise. Most people have a good or at least neutral experience with their condo board or HOA, but not everyone does.

If you find yourself in serious conflict with a condo board or HOA and get to the point where the normal channels (discussion, showing up at meetings, or even running for a position yourself) can’t solve the problem, you might contemplate a lawsuit. If common areas aren’t being maintained, or repairs aren’t being done, that might seem like your only option—but suing your condo board or HOA is often not your most effective option, and there might be better avenues to explore.

Why you should probably skip the suit

Thanks to pop culture depictions of attorneys and a constant stream of headlines, there’s a tendency to think you can (and should) solve every problem with a lawsuit. Lawsuits can certainly be an effective way to get relief of various kinds—but they're also an expensive, slow, and totally not guaranteed way to seek change or redress.

This is especially true when it comes to suing your HOA or condo board, because of something called the business judgment rule. This rule requires judges hearing a suit to favor the condo board or HOA as long as they believe they are acting in good faith and with a reasonable belief that their actions are for the good of the community—and proving otherwise can be tough. The specific laws governing your community association will vary, but in general this guideline makes winning a lawsuit against your community association very challenging.

Vote them out instead

Instead of spending a lot of time and money on a lawsuit you may very well lose, the better way to deal with a condo board or HOA that is either derelict in their duties or actively harming your property is to remove problematic board members—or replace the entire board altogether. This is usually a less challenging option because there will be language in the governing documents of the association (the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions or CC&Rs) that outline exactly how to do this. Most states require that these governing documents include mechanisms for calling a special meeting (usually via petition signed by a majority of property owners). This can be done even if your condo board is dodging accountability by claiming to lack a quorum every time a regular meeting is called, a tactic bad condo boards sometimes use to maintain their control.

Here’s the basic steps you’ll need to take:

  • Read bylaws. Review those governing documents so you know how your association is set up. Pay particular attention to two things: Automatic removal criteria and how to force a vote. Most bylaws include certain requirements for board members, including a minimum number of meetings they have to attend and their ownership status at the property. These can potentially provide a straightforward way to remove board members without the need for a lengthy process—but first you have to know what those criteria are.

  • Contact your neighbors. If you can’t see any easy way to push bad board members out the door, you’ll need to bone up on the removal procedures outlined in your bylaws. These will vary from state to state and association to association, but in general, removing a board member (or an entire board) requires a vote involving all the property owners. That means your first step is to meet with everyone and make sure you have the necessary support.

    Next, you’ll need to call a special meeting of the condo board or HOA to hold a vote. If your board is being cagey about calling meetings because they know the residents are up in arms, you can usually force a meeting by getting a majority of owners to sign a petition.

  • Be ready. If you’re planning to remove the entire board, it’s a very good idea to have candidates lined up to replace them. This will minimize the chaos and delays, as well as the chance that the board members you just worked hard to remove don’t simply resume their seat when no one runs against them.

Keep in mind that if your association overtly works to prevent organizing your fellow owners like this (by imposing fines on distributing flyers, for example, to try to stop owners from organizing), it’s pretty clear evidence of bad faith, which would probably negate the business judgment rule protections and make a lawsuit a slightly better risk.

Working to remove a community association takes a lot of time and effort no matter what route you take—but if your property is being adversely affected by mismanagement or malfeasance, you really don’t have a choice. If that’s where you are, break out those bylaws before you call an attorney.



mardi 26 mars 2024

Philips Hue Lights Can Now Sync With Your Samsung TV

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SmartThings, Samsung's brand for controlling smart home tech, has announced a new partnership with smart light brand Philips Hue. In essence, if you buy into the Hue line of smart lights, specifically color-capable lights, they will sync with Samsung televisions (models from 2022 and newer) via the Philips Hue Sync TV App, without the need for any kind of external hub.

Hue lights are exceptional, but they’re not the cheapest—the light strip you’d use behind your TV is $94.99. Govee’s and Nanoleaf’s are comparative, but Hue requires you also pay for the Sync app. Previously, this was only offered via a one-time $130 charge. Today it announced a monthly subscription for $2.99, but that still means you’re paying for a service on top of the cost of lights, which neither Govee or Nanoleaf require. 

Samsung and Philips have specifically called out that the television is the center of many homes—it is, in effect, the “hub,” whether you mean it to be or not, and this integration seems to double down on that narrative. I have and love a similar system by Nanoleaf called 4D, and Govee and other producers also have these systems. They give your TV an “aura” that backlights against the wall based on the colors on the TV at any time, and can react in real time to sound. From what I can tell, Philips is going to be able to do this without the camera that both Govee and Nanoleaf require, and will instead rely on cooperation from other apps present on the TV.

In addition to the Hue integration, the SmartThings app now has a 3D spatial mapping feature, which was first announced at CES 2024. I was already impressed with MapView (the whole home 2D layout of my home with all my devices) that appeared in my SmartThings app back in January. This morning, a 3D option appeared and it, too, is pretty impressive.

That said, it's not super accurate right out of the box: If you don’t have a Samsung mapping device like the Bespoke Jet AI Bot, the Samsung robot vacuum, it requires some input from you in the app to get the rooms and items lined up just right. This is not such a big deal, but given that I play with LiDAR mapping robots and motion sensing lights that can just figure this stuff out without my input, it’s not super exciting, either.

I’m also not entirely sure the benefit of taking the time to customize the map, unlike the benefits you might get from spending the time to nail down your robot vacuum map. But if you enjoy Minecraft, I expect you might enjoy laying out your smart home in the app. Samsung envisions benefits beyond the home to apartments and office spaces where real estate partners might create specific user experiences based on the space. 



This 3-Inch Body Camera Is on Sale for $38 Right Now

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You can get this mini body camera and video recorder on sale for $37.99 right now (reg. $45.99). It measures just over three inches long and has a clip for attachment to a shirt pocket or lanyard for hands-free recording. You can choose between recording video with 1080p resolution and a 180º wide-angle lens or just capture audio. There’s also a night-vision mode for high-definition images in low-light conditions. It can record up to 10 hours of audio or 3.5 hours of video at a time with a 400mAh USB-rechargeable battery, and all content will be saved to a TF card (not included, but up to 64GB is supported). 

You can get this mini body camera and video recorder on sale for $37.99 right now (reg. $45.99), though prices can change at any time.



The Four Tax Myths to Be Aware of in 2024

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As the April 15 tax filing deadline approaches, it's important to separate fact from fiction when it comes to preparing your returns. "Tax laws are often summarized for [the] sake of quickly explaining a potential benefit—or conflict," says Andy Phillips, Director of H&R Block’s Tax Institute. "When details are omitted, it’s easy to misinterpret law or consider the advice of a trusted friend versus taking time to do firsthand research." Blindly following someone else’s bad tax advice could cost you precious time and money. Here are some of the top tax myths to be aware of this season.

"I can file my tax return with the details from my last paycheck stub."  

The figures listed on your last paycheck stub may be close to what will be released on your W-2, but it’s not guaranteed that the numbers are always right. Plus, as Phillips explains, this is technically not allowed. "Your last pay stub is not considered an IRS-recognized document for filing. It’s common for calculations to be slightly off throughout the year and not be accounted for until end of year. Payments such as bonuses and commissions can easily be forgotten, and no one enjoys the process of filing an amended return."

Phillips' advice: Wait for your employer-prepared W-2. He adds that you should "be wary of return preparers who advertise paystub filing, which is against the rules." The employer should have issued your W-2 by Jan. 31st at the latest.

"Being unemployed means I don’t have to pay taxes."  

If you receive any form of unemployment benefits either from the city, state, or federal level, then that’s considered income. All income should be reported on your tax return. Unemployment benefits paid are typically reported with a Form 1099-G. This form functions similarly as a W-2, outlining how much you were paid and if taxes were withheld. 

"Any money that I give counts as a charitable contribution."  

Of course, giving without the expectation of repayment is an admirable gesture. However, Phillips notes that only charitable gifts and donations made to IRS-qualified tax-exempt institutions are tax-deductible. Typically, a receipt is provided when a tax-deductible gift is received. If you recently made a donation and are unsure if your donation was made to a qualifying organization, use the Tax Exempt Organization Search Tool located on the IRS website. 

"A tax filing extension gives me more time to pay my balance due."  

Unfortunately, an extension of time to file does not give you more time to pay. Phillips says that "you should try your best to pay your estimated balance due when you request an extension." If you can’t pay, filing a tax return is the first crucial step to determine your eligibility to enroll in an IRS-approved installment payment plan.

As Phillips explains, neglecting to file on time subjects you to a failure-to-pay penalty, which starts at 5% of your unpaid taxes per month, up to five months, or a minimum of $485 if the return is 60 days or more late. The failure to pay penalty is 0.5% of the unpaid taxes for each month or part of a month the tax remains unpaid. The penalty won’t exceed 25% of your unpaid taxes. 

By steering clear of these common tax myths, you can avoid costly mistakes and headaches this filing season. Consult a qualified tax professional if you have any doubts or complex tax situations.



lundi 25 mars 2024

You Can Get This Apple TV Remote With Raised Buttons for $40 Right Now

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You can get this Function101 Button Apple TV Remote for $39.99 right now. It's a button-based remote that lets you control your Apple TV or Apple TV 4K the simple way (instead of primarily using voice commands with the Siri remote). The buttons are silicon housed in a plastic case, and it's compatible with most TVs, including 4K TVs, and it has a range up to 12 meters. A manufacturer's one-year warranty comes included.

You can get the Function101 Button Remote for $39.99 right now, though prices can change at any time.



These Are Some of the Best Furniture and Decor Items With Hidden Storage

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If you live in a small space or simply have a lot of stuff, storage can be a nightmare. To stay organized and tidy, you absolutely must utilize storage boxes and spaces, but as someone who lives in a small apartment, I’ll be the first to admit it’s difficult to find places to keep bins, let alone keep all my stuff organized within them. That’s why I’m a big proponent of "storage as decoration"—items that double as both storage and furniture. 

Best hidden storage furniture and decor

We’re going to start off with my current favorite thing: A full-length storage mirror. I have this one from Vlsrka ($129.99), which is a lighted mirror that swings open to reveal another lighted mirror, plus earring, necklace, and bracelet hooks, bins for makeup brushes, pockets, shelves, and a ring holder. This one can be hung on the wall, but there are others that are free-standing, like this one from Songmics ($209.98) that hides not only internal storage, but a few external shelves in the back. I love mine because the inner and outer mirror are so handy and my jewelry and makeup are out of the way until I need them. 

Vlsrka 63" x 18" Silver Full Length Floor Mirror

By far one of the most convenient and inconspicuous hidden storage solutions is the faithful hollow ottoman. This one from Storagebud ($42.97) can fold flat when not in use, plus has smaller storage bins inside so you can keep everything you toss in there a little more organized. There are also small “foot rest” versions for much cheaper, like the Songmics cube ($19.40). 

If you have a green thumb and a small place, you don’t have to choose between plants and storage. Sdstone makes a flower pot with a hidden safe in the bottom ($13.99). It’s meant for valuables, but you can toss whatever small items you want in there. As a bonus, it comes with a fireproof pouch for money and extra-important items. 

The bench by your front door isn’t pulling its weight if you can’t stash stuff inside it. The Hoobro shoe storage bench ($75.95) hinges open at the top to allow you to store things under the seat, plus has exterior shelving that you can face toward the wall, so no one will ever know you have anything in there. 

Shelves are great for extra storage, but shelves with hidden compartments inside are double great—and stop the top part from getting too cluttered. The Ikoppoi hidden storage wall shelf ($33.99) allows you to display some decorations while hiding other items away within its secret drawer. For example, think about displaying candles on the visible shelf, then hiding matches or a lighter inside.

Store larger items right in your living room with the Cozy Castle coffee table ($119.99), which not only has LED lighting and a high-gloss finish, but two big storage drawers hidden on the sides. It’s great for big blankets, the kids’ toys, or whatever else is cluttering up your space. 

If you feel like doing a little DIY around the house, try the Fox Hollow Furnishings recessed medicine cabinet ($329.99), which looks like a regular picture frame on the outside, but contains four rows of shelving on the inside. You do have to install it inside your wall, so it’s not as convenient as the other options here, but if you have anything sensitive or valuable to store, an innocuous “picture frame” is the perfect thing to put it all behind. Check out this video demo to see how it looks.

Finally, go old-school with a two pack of decorative “book” boxes ($23.95). On the outside, these look like classic old books and will blend in on your bookshelf easily. Inside, you’ll find storage space big enough for small items. 

Other sneaky storage ideas

One hack I’ve developed over years of living in small apartments is to store my winter coats in my luggage. When I travel, I just take them out and lay them on the couch. It doesn’t matter; I’m not home to see the mess anyway. This saves a bunch of space in my closet, which is dominated by the suitcases as it is. 

I also have shelving units all along my walls to make up for a lack of closet space. (I do have closets, but I just really like clothes.) The clothes I put on these can look kind of sloppy, so I use fabric storage cubes to create “drawers” on the shelves. When not in use, they fold up flat, but when they’re popped open, they give the illusion that the shelves are much more organized than they really are. Try a six pack from Amazon Basics ($19.68). 

Finally, I swapped out my hamper for a rolling cart last year. The cart is still bulky and ugly, so I keep it in the closet, but it’s less cumbersome than the hamper I had and it makes laundry day much easier, as I can just wheel the dirty laundry straight out the door and into the laundromat. Unfortunately for me, I have some tacky, fruit-patterned abomination from the dollar store, but fortunately for you, there’s a much prettier version from Songmics on Amazon for $49.79.



Every Android 15 Feature We Know About so Far

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We’re expecting to finally hear more about Android 15 when Google I/O hits in May—but we already know a good bit about what the new operating system will entail, thanks to Google’s Android Developer Program, which has allowed developers to access Android 15 on select devices for the past couple of months.

Chief among the changes coming to Android 15 is the inclusion of some new improvements to the UI and UX. Each of the options noted below has either been highlighted by Google itself or showcased in a released build for Android 15.

New features coming with Android 15

Notification cooldown

Google will now let you control the amount of notifications that an app can send you. This should help cut down on spammy notifications from games and other social apps while also allowing you to still get your important notifications. Based on the settings seen in screenshots, you have a couple of different options you can use here, including applying the cooldown just to conversations or to all your notifications.

Partial screen sharing

Android 15 will also allow you to select specific windows that you want to record, allowing you more privacy when it comes to recording something to show off. This feature was first enabled on Pixel devices with Android 14 QPR 2, but it’ll become a widespread Android feature with Android 15.

Satellite connectivity

Google continues to lay the groundwork for better satellite connectivity, and Android 15 will allow you more options. Apps will now be able to use APIs that can detect when your device is connected to a satellite, which will help your phone tell which network you’re connected to more easily.

Universal toggle for keyboard vibrations

You’ll also now be able to toggle off all keyboard vibrations with a universal option in settings.

New camera controls

Google is changing how the camera controls look in Android 15. The look of the camera app is changing slightly, and new extensions will provide more control over low light enhancements as well as more precise control of the flash intensity.

High-quality webcam mode

Android 15 will now provide a higher quality mode for using your phone as a webcam. This feature was first made available in Android 14, but it provided low-quality footage. This new setting should hopefully alleviate those quality concerns. 

Better security for sensitive notifications

Many apps still rely on text messages to provide authentication codes. While it isn’t the safest option out there, Google is at least trying to make them a little safer by blocking third-party apps from being able to read your incoming text notifications when they may contain sensitive information like one-time passwords (OTP).

Better continuity on foldables

Android 15 will also provide more continuity features for foldable phones, allowing you to reopen apps more easily when you close your device.

Multi-accessory Bluetooth tile in Quick Settings

Using multiple Bluetooth accessories can be frustrating on Android devices, as you often need to go into the settings to work with them. In Android 15, though, you’ll soon be able to access all your Bluetooth devices from the Quick Settings tile, making it easier to work with multiple accessories.

Easier audio sharing with Auracast

Auracast is getting an update in Android 15, too. You’ll now be able to share and connect to nearby Auracast-supported devices without having to pair them up completely.

Toggleable taskbar for large-screen Android devices

Google is also updating its persistent taskbar on some larger-screen devices. It first introduced the taskbar in Android 12L, but it shrunk it down in Android 13. Now, you’ll be able to choose to make the taskbar permanent in Android 15, if you want it to be available all the time.

Updated cover screen support

Phones running Android 15 will also have better cover screen support, allowing apps to transfer data to the covers of flip phones like the Z Flip more consistently. 

Support for virtual MIDI 2.0

Google is also adding support for virtual MIDI 2.0 devices in Android 15. This is a huge improvement to the initial support for connecting MIDI 2.0 devices via USB, which Google introduced in Android 13. This will now allow users to control synthesizer apps as a virtual MIDI 2.0 device just as they would with a standard USB MIDI 2.0 device.

Health Connect updates

Android 15 will also get some new Health Connect updates, though Google hasn't specified exactly what will change or be improved just yet. All we know is it will support new data types across nutrition, fitness, and more.

Improved loudness control

With Android 15, Google is officially introducing support for the CTA-2075 loudness standard, which will help developers avoid having inconsistencies with loudness. This should help cut down on the amount of constant switching between volumes when moving between different types of content, both when using speakers and headphones.

New performance features

Google is revamping how the Android system provides access to the Android Dynamic Performance Framework (ADPF), which developers rely on for games and more intensive apps. This provides those apps with more direct access to the thermal and power systems on the device. With updated ADPF features, Android 15 will provide a new power efficiency mode, as well as reports for GPU and CPU work durations, and even the option to adjust the frequencies of the GPU and CPU to meet new workload demands. Google is also introducing new thermal headroom thresholds in Android 15, to help with possible thermal throttling.

Ability to archive apps in the Settings

A new archive option will be available in Android 15, providing more user control over how you handle archives for different apps. Google currently only lets you run archiving through the Google Play Store. However, this new setting will let you archive or unarchive apps within your phone’s settings directly.

Privacy changes

Google is also updating the privacy features in Android 15 by updating it to the latest version of the Privacy Sandbox, as well as adding in a new file integrity feature to help keep files working smoothly. Android 15 will also now detect when your screen is being recorded, to help cut down on malicious apps trying to capture your screens without your permission. You’ll also now have to authenticate your identity with biometrics or your passcode when changing the USB mode on your phone. This will help protect you from malicious computer commands.

Of course, there are likely to be more reveals of features that users haven’t spotted in Android 15 as we move closer to Google I/O and Android 15’s eventual release later this year.



9 Types of Outlets You Might Find in Your House (and What They’re Supposed to Power)

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Every time you plug something into a wall receptacle, you’re leveraging the awesome power of the electron to power your video games and chill your beverages—which makes knowing something about those outlets an important aspect of home ownership. Plugging an appliance into the wrong receptacle or replacing one with an incorrect choice is an easy way to destroy your property and injure yourself, after all—so here are 9 receptacles you might encounter in your house that you should know about.

Outlets, receptacles, amps, and volts

Everyone knows what you mean when you say you’re going to plug something into an outlet, but technically the outlet is a location where you have access to wiring. The spot where you install a light fixture is an outlet. A receptacle is where a plug is inserted. In practice, people use them pretty interchangeably.

Power receptacles are described in terms of amperage (amps) and voltage (volts). You don’t really need to know too much about this in your role as Person Who Wants Their Toaster to Stop Tripping the Circuit Breaker, but it matters because your appliances and devices all need specific amps and volts to operate correctly and safely. You can think of volts as the “strength” of the electricity, kind of like water pressure—the force that’s pushing the power along—and amps as the “speed” or volume of the electricity. Some appliances need a lot of electricity very fast, some need less at a slower rate. Plugging them into the wrong receptacle can be exciting! But also very dangerous.

Ungrounded

ungrounded, two-prong outlet
Credit: Adurable Creations / Shutterstock.com

If you have power outlets in your home with just two prongs, your home’s electric infrastructure is old and needs some attention. These plugs lack a grounding prong and they’re pretty dangerous because any kind of short circuit can send electricity flowing into you if you touch it, and can even cause fires if they spark. They stopped being standard in the 1960s and were prohibited outright in the early 1970s, so even if yours have been working perfectly for years, you should seriously consider replacing them.

15 amps, 110/120 volts

three-pronged receptacle
Credit: studio23 / Shutterstock.com

This three-pronged receptacle is the most common one you’ll find in your house, providing 110 or 120 volts of power with a maximum current of 15 amps to a long list of standard devices and small appliances like phone chargers, computers, toasters, and lamps. The bottom prong is the ground, which is what prevents electricity from leaping out of your power receptacle. And if you see a face here, it’s a phenomenon called pareidolia.

20 amps, 120/125 volts

receptacle for 20 amps, 120/125 volts
Credit: ZikG / Shutterstock.com

These outlets have a top left prong that looks like a letter “T” on its side. They provide slightly zippier amperage for appliances that draw more power than most, like your microwave oven. The amp and voltage ratings are top ends, though, so you can also plug in devices that need less power.

20 amps, 240/250 volts

receptacle for 20 amps, 240/250 volts
Credit: ZikG / Shutterstock.com

Larger appliances (like an electric stove) that need more power to operate will plug into one of these. You can tell a 250-volt 20-amp plug from a 125-volt plug by the right prong, which is sideways. That means you can’t plug smaller things into this receptacle because of the higher voltage.

30 amps, 240/250 volts

receptacle for 30 amps, 240/250 volts
Credit: gunawand3570 / Shutterstock.com

The 30-amp, 240/250-volt receptacle (third from the left on top in the image above) has two sideways prongs. It’s intended for appliances that need a lot of power. You’ll often find one installed near the windows in your home because they’re used for large window-mounted air conditioners.

30 amps, 125/250 volts

This receptacle (top line, far right in image above) has two slanted prongs and one prong that resembles a letter “L.” You’ll see these referred to as “appliance outlets” because they’re used by washers, driers, and other larger appliances in the home.

50 amps, 125/250 volts

receptacle for 50 amps, 125/250 volts
Credit: Corosis_Varanus / Shutterstock.com

This is an industrial-strength power receptacle rarely found in a residence—there’s just really no need for it in the house. You might find one in the garage, or if the house has a dedicated workshop of some sort, especially if a previous owner had some serious hobbies, like welding. Chances are if you have one you won’t have a use for it.

GFCI and AFCI

GFCI and AFCI receptacle
Credit: Lost_in_the_Midwest / Shutterstock.com

Available in a range of amperage and voltage, these receptacles look very similar and offer similar functionality, and can be identified by the reset buttons on the front of the receptacle. Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacles are designed to detect when the current has gone somewhere it shouldn’t (for example, into your body) and will shut down. They’re required in damp areas like kitchens and bathrooms to prevent water from shorting out the receptacle. Arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCI) don’t prevent electrical shocks, they prevent electrical fires by detecting power leaks and shutting down accordingly.

USB Outlet

USB Outlet
Credit: yakiniku / Shutterstock.com

If your house is fairly new or recently had the wiring updated, you might find a USB receptacle. This is pretty straightforward: It’s a 15- or 20-amp, 120- or 125-volt receptacle that has USB connections in addition to or instead of a three-prong plug. This can be handy if you have a lot of devices that need charging.



jeudi 21 mars 2024

How to Stay Sane at a Culty Tech Company

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Two years ago I was pushed out of a writing job at a software company. A couple weeks later I fired my therapist.

My job, it turns out, was causing the bulk of my mental health issues. Therapy sessions where I'd previously talk endlessly about how conflicted I felt, how insecure I felt, how unloved I felt—these sessions were suddenly awkward because couldn't think of anything to talk about. Life was suddenly just...good. It has been ever since.

But here's the thing: I agonized over leaving that job. I spent a weekend spiraling, trying to think of schemes to stay in (my sincere apologies to a particular group text). I was convinced I couldn't leave a job that was making me miserable, that did not align with my values, at a company where I had no long-term career goals. Alan Henry, who used to edit this very website, wrote an article that I think about every week: the company you work for is not your friend. A culty tech company can make you forget this. You shouldn't.

It's funny because it's true

It was fairly common among employees to joke that the company I'm talking about was a cult. Many jokes are funny because they're not true; this wasn't one of those. I don't mean to say that the leaders of the company literally set themselves up as Messianic figures—they didn't (exactly). But this was a company that spent a lot of time talking about how unique their "values" are, how different those values made them from other companies, and how important their mission was to society in general. The company also spent a lot of time—and money—blurring the line between co-workers and friendship.

That combination, at any company, makes it hard to leave a job even if you're actively miserable. And here's the thing: I knew this. I would be the first person to tell you that the company values were propaganda used by management to shame workers, and I knew the company wasn't actually all that important. I also literally wrote articles while working this job about the importance of separating work from the rest of your life. And yet, in spite of all that, I still felt like the job was important, and that my life would be worse if I left it, despite all the evidence to the contrary. I let a Slack instance and a paycheck become my world.

That's what a culty tech company can do. You might be working at such a company. You may also, unlike me, not have the luxury of being able to leave. With that in mind I thought I'd compile a list of survival tips for anyone struggling to maintain their humanity in a similar workplace.

Remember you are not alone

Culty tech companies thrive on the metaphorical Kool-Aid. They depend on members buying the hype, or at the least pretending like they are. That's why public communications—Slack, let's say, or all-hands meetings—are always uniformly positive. Everyone is SO EXCITED about how well things are going; everyone is reacting with way too many happy emojis. It's enough to make someone who is unhappy, or even just questioning the status quo, feel like they're absolutely insane. Everyone else is happy, after all—why aren't you?

You're not crazy, though. If the vibes feel off, you can be certain that you're not the only one who feels that way. It's important, if you're going to keep feeling like a person, that you find people who feel the same way as you, so that the cognitive dissonance doesn't completely destroy your sense of self.

Doing this can be tricky. I found it easiest during one-on-one conversations—meetings, for example, or Slack DMs. Start slow, making the occasional joke about how absurd the company is. You will be amazed how often people will laugh, and how relieved they will be that someone else sees what they're seeing. With any luck you'll have a work friend you can talk shit with, or even a group of friends. (Your Slack DMs, if you didn't know, aren't private—your company can read them at any time. Be careful here.)

Make sure, once you have these friends, to find places to chat with them that your work doesn't own. If you work in an actual office, that place might be a bar or coffee shop. If you work remotely, I recommend using the encrypted messaging app Signal. Install Signal on your personal phone and you've got a completely untraceable way to talk shit while everyone else is pretending things are great. This is particularly helpful during all-hands meetings, when the most ridiculously out-of-touch things tend to be said by company leadership.

If you're going to remain a person, you need to be able to laugh at the absurdity of what's happening—and to do it with others. Find those others.

Remember you are good at things

I've been writing for a living full time since 2008, most of that time as a freelance journalist. It's not an easy way to make a living but I've always pulled it off. Some of this is undoubtedly due to my connections, granted, but I also happen to think I'm pretty good at this.

I forgot that while working at a culty software company, though. I was convinced that my work wasn't going well and that I'd have trouble finding work if I left. To be clear, this wasn't true: strangers still reach out to tell me how much they appreciate my writing from that time and I haven't had any trouble finding work since I left.

I'm still not sure what it is about that environment that made me doubt my self worth. There's something about the environment at a culty tech company that can make you feel worthless. Part of this is that such companies tend to attract extremely qualified people—you might find yourself wanting by comparison. For me, a big part of this was the company's constant prompts for self improvement: the performance reviews, yes, but also the way the company pushed things like coaching. There was a constant push to become better, which made me feel like I wasn't doing well in the first place.

So I'd encourage you to remember that you're good at things. You got the job you have because you're qualified and other employers would be happy to have access to those same skills. Find ways to remind yourself of this. Maybe ask your like-minded co-workers to let you know how you're doing. Maybe reach out to colleagues from past jobs. Just find some way to ground yourself in the knowledge of your own skills, outside of how the company sees you. You're good at things.

Remember that it's not your problem

You might, if you're a well meaning person, think that any bad policies or situations at the company are your job to fix. And if your title includes the word "executive," "president," or "director," that's absolutely true. But if you are a low level employee, you need to know that it absolutely isn't your job to fix the company and that trying to do so is only going to break you.

It doesn't matter how often leadership talks about how they're different—a company is not a democracy and internal blog posts are not a free press. Criticize leadership enough and you will eventually be asked—or told—to shut up (believe me on this). More importantly, though, it's not your job to make the company better, and without actual power, trying to do so is only going to burn you out.

Improving and preserving the company culture is not your job. Focus instead on finding ways you can improve your own situation and the situation of those you're close with. Talk transparently about your salary—this can really empower you and the people you work with to ask for what you all deserve. And, if you really want to improve things for your co-workers, look into how unionization works.

Remember there is life outside of work

A culty tech company can very easily fill your entire brain. There's the work, of course, but there's also the drama that seems to be constantly happening. I cannot overstate the extent to which none of that shit matters.

There is a whole world outside of work. If you're going to stay sane, you need to be connected to it. Go for a walk every day. Join a softball league, or a church, or volunteer at a shelter. Go to coffee shops, and bars, and concerts. Read fiction. Try to learn a musical instrument. Host a monthly party, inviting people from different parts of your life to meet each other.

The specifics don't matter: just find some sort of thing in your life that has absolutely nothing to do with work. It's going to be hard to feel like a person if you don't. And that's what you are: a person. Not an employee, and not a part of a company. You are on this planet for a limited amount of time. By some miracle or coincidence, you are capable of not only thought, but also feeling. Don't waste all of that on a company that will never love you back.



mercredi 20 mars 2024

Trending Topics Are Coming to Threads, Starting With the US

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Threads has taken one more step toward becoming a replacement for what Twitter used to be. Meta-owned Threads is getting a feature that'll display trending topics in its apps, starting today. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said in a post on Threads that the feature is initially rolling out to users in the U.S. Presumably, this'll be made available to the rest of the world at a later date.

Mosseri's post reads, "We're rolling out the 'trending now' feature widely to people in the U.S. today—excited to offer an easy way to see what others are talking about on Threads. It’s available on the search page and in the For You Feed, so try it out and let us know what you think." 

Once you go to the Search tab in Threads, you should be able to see these trending topics. At the moment, Threads seems to be showing up to five trending topics at a time. This feature could help you discover popular topics and help Threads drive engagement, but at the same time, it has the potential to be controversial. Outrage drives engagement on social media sites, and trending topics is another feature that could fan controversial flames by driving more people to those topics. Threads has repeatedly tried to distance itself from news and political content, but features like trending topics are driven by those types of content.

Threads has been slowly gaining feature parity with X over the past year. The Meta-owned service recently added the ability to bookmark your favorite posts, edit your posts, use on the web, and save drafts in the app.



It's Not Safe to Click Links on X

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I think the kindest thing you can say about X (the social network formerly known as Twitter) in 2024 is that it's impressive the site is actually still up and running. Sure, spam bots take over popular threads, hate speech is on the rise (X is suing the company tracking it, by the way), and advertising is way down, but despite it all, twitter.com still manages to load.

But the reasons to bother loading the site at all continuing to dwindle, and fast—not just for the aforementioned reasons. Because now it seems like it's not even safe to click links on X anymore.

You don't know where that X link actually goes

As noted by security researcher Will Dormann, some posts on X purport to lead to a legitimate website, but actually redirect somewhere else. In Dormann's example, an advertisement posted by a verified X user claims to lead to forbes.com. When Dormann clicks the link, however, it takes him to a different link to open a Telegram channel that is, "helping individuals earn maximum profit in the crypto market," he said. In short, the "Forbes" link leads to crypto spam.

Bad actors can accomplish this thanks to the vulnerabilities in the way X handles URL previews. As BleepingComputer explains, X checks the final destination of the URL, rather than the initial link itself, before generating a preview link on the site. That wouldn't be a problem if users actually are led to the final link destination every time. Unfortunately, this policy gives bad actors an opportunity to trick people into following links they never would have otherwise clicked on.

All they have to do is set up two different URL destinations in their post. In the case outlined above, clicking the forbes.com link actually takes you to joinchannelnow.net. Once on this site, the server checks to see whether the request is coming from a typical browser (that's you). If so, it'll take you to the spam site, which for this situation is a crypto scam Telegram channel. However, if the server detects the request is coming from something else—like a X link-verifying bot—it'll assume the request is not being made by a human; in these cases it returns a legitimate URL. So, even though the first link is to joinchannelnow, X checks it and is taken to forbes.com, and so it places that URL preview on the post. You're experience will be different.

In short, this is a security nightmare. It means every link you see on X could potentially lead to a site trying to spam you at best, and scam you, install malware on your machine, or otherwise take advantage of you at worst, all because you trusted a social media platform to show the proper preview for a link.

How to stay safe clicking links on X

The best X to stay safe on X is to stop using X. Seriously, how many "final straws" are necessary before we all realize the place isn't worth visiting anymore? The spicy memes no longer justify the many, many flaws and risks.

Of course, many of us will keep using it anyway can't say I'm not still there), so having some actionable steps to take will help. So when using X on a computer, always hover your cursor over the link preview before clicking it. Because you're using a web browser, you'll be able to see the final link destination appear as a pop-up link preview, so you'll know whether a link is legit or not. If you see something other than the link the post claims it to be, don't click it.

Unfortunately, it isn't possible to do this on mobile, so, honestly, it's probably not worth opening links on X on your phone. I'd like to say you should only open links from accounts you trust, but since anyone who pays for X can now get a verification badge, it's way too easy to be tricked by an account claiming to have authority it doesn't. Remember: The account that posted the fake Forbes link was verified, too.



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