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The Truth About AI: Sci-Fi vs. Reality

Intimidating AI…

We’ve all seen or at least heard of Sci-fi movies, TV shows, and books where the AI takes over everything. The machine frees itself from its human creators and tries to kill them, or take over the world, or something else equally scary.  Hal 9000 from A Space Odyssey, Skynet from The Terminator, and I-Robot all come to mind.

…Or Not?

It could also be something less threatening, like robots becoming friendly household workers or heroes, in movies like Astro Boy. Or even movies where AI can be both good and bad, like Wall-E or The Terminator 2. And we can’t forget the various robot personalities in things like Star Wars, Star Trek, Futurama and Doctor Who.

How it Really Works

When it comes right down to it, people have always loved to imagine the possibilities inherent with all technological advances. That being said, the idea of AI in real life can be pretty intimidating to some people, whether because they’ve seen too many scary movies, or they just don’t like the idea of jobs being taken up by machines instead of humans. Most of these fears are because people don’t understand just how necessary the human element is both in creating and maintaining effective AI algorithms.

For those of you who, like me, are not techies or knowledgeable about this subject, the dictionary definition of an algorithm is a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer. To put it plainly, the algorithm sets the rules that the AI has to follow to get results.

The kind of AI we see in science fiction where a machine can understand or learn any intellectual task that a human being can does not currently exist. Researchers vary on when they believe it might become a possibility, but currently, that sort of achievement is still a long ways off. However, even if we reach that pinnacle of scientific achievement, one thing will remain the same as current AI. It has to function within its set algorithm.

Machine Learning (Or Machine Being Taught)

Of the AI types currently in use today, one of the most common subsets, and the one we focus on the most here at KarmaHub, is Machine Learning. Does it sound intimidating? Don’t worry, the AI here can’t learn anything outside of what we teach the algorithm to recognize.

For Machine Learning, there are three main components. Those components are data, the algorithm, and a model. Training data is run through an algorithm to produce a model.

To explain a little more, training data is data that has been labeled, essentially pointing out the types of patterns we want the machine algorithm to learn how to look for. But we can’t know right away if the created model is accurate, so we have to run more data through the algorithm, this time un-labeled data, to see if the algorithm learned what we wanted it to. To simplify, the data contains patterns, the algorithm detects patterns, and the model predicts patterns. It is called machine learning because the algorithm learns from the data, to create a predictive model. But this may seem abstract. Let me use an example from a movie you may have seen.

A Robot That Learns

Take the movie The Incredibles. The movie’s villain, Syndrome, builds a robot that he wants to be too powerful for regular superheroes to beat. To make this powerful robot, he has it fight many different superheroes, and it goes through several different models before he thinks it is ready to face Mr. Incredible. However, when first facing Mr. Incredible, even that model is defeated. He has to make a new one again, and that final form is the robot he uses for his evil plan. While real life AI systems aren’t used by supervillains, they do have a purpose that their creators, the data scientists, are making them for. And just like Syndrome, they have to go through many different models before they have one ready to accomplish that purpose.

Let’s break it down. Syndrome comes up with programming for his robot, to accomplish a specific task. This is like data scientists creating an algorithm. Next, Syndrome has various supers fight his robot. This is like running data through the algorithm. Then, Syndrome creates a new robot, which is like the creation of a model. This must be repeated several times, until there is a workable model that can be used in real life, like the robot that beat Mr. Incredible.

But the process doesn’t stop there. In the end of the movie, the superheroes are able to defeat the robot because of two things: its programming to obey the remote, and the use of an attack it didn’t have previous data for. This is a weakness of all AI programs today. They can only do things that they were programmed to in their algorithm, according to the patterns they were taught to recognize from the data.

That wasn’t a perfect example, but hopefully it helped to explain just how AI systems work.

AI For You

Have you ever typed in a search query and gotten no results? Asked Siri or Alexa a question and been told they don’t know the answer? That is because the training for those AI algorithms has not included data on your question yet. The AI that exists today can only search for the patterns that we teach them to recognize. Since the world is constantly changing, we also need to constantly remake the AI models to include that new information. Whether it is a presidential candidate that popped up this year, a new pop singer that rose to stardom, or the breakout of a new disease, there are constants shifts and changes that must be accounted for. That is why human involvement is essential, to keep teaching the AI all the new patterns and information that is appearing.

So what does that mean for us? Essentially, AI can only make judgements and predictions based off of past experience. And unlike in the movies, it can’t decide if something is good or bad on its own. It has to be taught that by humans. I’m not sure if this was able to relieve any fears about fictional AI, but I hope it got you interested in the real thing!

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New Year, New You!

New Year, New You!

It’s that time again… we’ve put on five pounds of holiday weight, spent a little more than we intended, and have a cluttered home from the holiday festivities. We’re starting to think of all of the things in our lives’ we are not satisfied with. The new year is a great time of year because we get to start over, start fresh, and set new intentions and goals. By the end of the year, we let our old resolutions slip and fall to the back burner of our priorities, but the important part is that we want to try again. We have grown, learned, and experienced events that make us into new people throughout the year, so let’s set new intentions and goals that will stick!

Did you know only around nine percent of us succeed at keeping and successfully conquering our New Year’s resolutions? We have good intentions, but sometimes life just gets in the way and we get too busy. Although it’s understandable why we can’t always execute our resolutions, is it possible we also may be setting our goals out of reach and being unrealistic? We often say we are cutting out all junk food, then by the end of the week there we are stuffing ourselves on the couch. Often our resolutions are complete opposite extremes of what we are doing now which is why it makes sense when they only last a short time. Instead of completely cutting out junk food we could make that goal more manageable by instead having one day where we allow for a good cheat meal.

Sticking to resolutions isn’t the easiest task, but it can be conquered. We just need to make resolutions that are more realistic for our individual lifestyle. We’re going to share some tips with you to have you excited for the New Year!

Think Smaller
As mentioned, a common theme I see between the people in my life is that our goals are too big! We get frustrated that we didn’t lose that 15 pounds in the first week, therefore, we don’t feel we are making progress and then we give up. Instead of big goals, we can set something called a big-picture goal, but to get to the big picture we need small, obtainable goals that are realistic in order to arrive at and meet our big picture. Starting January 1st, it wouldn’t be realistic to go to the gym two hours a day for seven days a week if you’ve never stepped into the gym before. Before you know it, you’ll be exhausted, tired, and defeated. Start small – go twice a week, then three times a week, then by the end of the month aim for four or five. Moderation is key.

Plans for Dealing with Obstacles
What’s keeping you from meeting your goals in the present moment? How can we get around those obstacles? Are we doing everything in our power to reach these goals? These are the most important questions we can ask ourselves because these are the things we have control over. Reaching our goals isn’t always about external issues such as finances, transportation, or lack of support that keeps us from reaching our goals. Many times, we can keep us from reaching our goals. Push yourself past your comfort levels and get out of your safe zone. Real growth comes when we are pushed passed our comfort level. Are you used to coming home and sitting on the couch? If so, challenge yourself to come home, get in gym clothes, and walk right back out the door and head to the gym. Give it a try. Mix up your daily routine to get out of your current rut.

Specific Goal Setting
How can we get to our results if we aren’t being specific? Being specific, but within reason is a huge key to success. Aim to lose one pound this week. If you set an obtainable goal and meet that goal by the end of the week, can you imagine how good and motivated you’ll feel when you step on the scale and see you have lost weight? The goals are to keep the ball rolling and keep the momentum up. It’s hard to do so when we set large goals and don’t meet them. The idea is to not get discouraged and to keep the positivity flowing. Is your goal to save to go on vacation this summer? Be specific with how much money you’ll need to save and every week towards that goal. Will you need to save $15 a week? Cut back on extra spending by bringing lunch to work one day a week.

Break down your goals into step by step actions that are obtainable. Is a goal of yours to be more social? This is a broad goal, but we can break it down further by making the goal “eat lunch with a friend once a week.” If your goal is to stop binge-watching Netflix, change that goal to only watching 3 episodes a week. Do you see how being specific makes our goals into tangible actions? Give it a try! Make 2020 the best year yet.

Get that gym membership, ease up on the binge-watching, and skip that drive-through dinner. Small steps throughout the year make it possible to meet your big-picture goal at the end of the year. We’re excited to watch you succeed!

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Budgeting for Holiday Travel

Can you believe Christmas is less than two weeks away? The holiday season can be heavy on the wallet. Between travel, gifts, parties, and pot lucks we understand that sometimes your preconceived budget can expand throughout the month. We’re going to share with you some travel times to help you save money when planning a last-minute vacation, or if you want to get ahead of your 2020 travel plans. Spending less on travel gives you a great opportunity to budget in more of that fun stuff while on vacation. You don’t need to win the lottery to enjoy some exotic travel plans.

Let’s get started!

Planning:
Spontaneous traveling can be great, however, usually only if you have time and money readily available. When traveling on a tight budget our first tip is to come up with a plan and stick to it. You don’t need to break the bank to enjoy travel. You don’t need to have an hour-by-hour schedule that you stick to; however, you will need to have somewhat of a guideline to stick to avoid any unnecessary spending. For example, how many days do you want to spend in a certain location? What is the most cost-effective way of travel? Do I know which route I’m taking? You’d be surprised at how planning these questions out can save you money. Leave less to chance by avoiding as many last-minute adjustments and accommodations as possible.

Apps Are Your Friend:
With the rise of the internet, we no longer must flip through individual hotel and airline websites. Websites such as Expedia, Hotels.com, or Kayak make travel plans a breeze. These sites search hundreds upon hundreds of travel locations and give you the best deals and even bundles. You can even figure out your fuel costs for travel by using sites like Gasbuddy! Search Google, iTunes, or Google play for travel aids such as these.

Pack Snacks:
Long road trips mean packing enough snacks to hold you over. Fast-food can get expensive, especially with large families. I am a huge snack packer for all occasions not only for the price factor but for the health aspect as well. This trick also saves time on the road. Packing snacks means fewer pit stops. You’d be surprised how quickly food can cut through your travel budget. Give it a try and bring your own food along for the ride.

Flexibility:
When traveling on a budget, there is one thing you’ll need to be good at… flexibility. Being flexible is important because odds are if you are trying to travel on a budget you may not get the dates, times and locations you prefer. Traveling before, or after the holidays is much cheaper, but also reduces stress greatly. Holiday traffic? No, thank you. Living in a close region to L.A, I know not to even try to get on a freeway on or near a holiday. These are minor adjustments we need to make to make the most out of our tight budgets.

Buy in Advance:
Flights can be so pricey. I always cringe at check-out when all the fees and taxes are added to my already expensive plane ticket. You want to book well in advance, especially return tickets. Going on vacation with no guaranteed return flight can be terrifying. You can book well in advance, even up to a year with some airlines! The sooner the better.

Did you know that the cheapest midweek travel prices are the lowest on a Tuesday? Premiums are usually added to weekend flights and busy travel dates. Another bonus of weekday travel is that you’ll probably encounter much shorter TSA wait times, easy parking, and breeze through the check-in process. Also, the business class is nice, but saving money is even nicer. Opt for the economy; odds are the price increase isn’t worth the benefits, especially if it’s a shorter trip. If you do have to fly on a weekend, you can cut costs by traveling light and not paying for a checked bag.

Shipping Christmas Gifts:
This is a trick I’ve used many times. It’s often cheaper to mail gifts rather than using your baggage space or renting a vehicle to transport gifts. Typically, around the holidays shipping deals start popping up such as free shipping, expedited shipping, or discounted shipping. Consider paying for gift wrapping through a company and having gifts shipped directly to the receiver as opposed to having it shipped to your house, wrapping, then paying to ship or transport.

The holidays can be stressful enough. The cost of holidays alone is enough to make anyone nervous and anxious. Traveling doesn’t need to be made harder than it already is, so implementing cost-effective tips and budget-friendly ideas can save you money as well as the unnecessary holiday stress. We’ve created several other blog postings for our audience to make this holiday season a breeze. Our other topics include minimizing holiday stress, handling grief during the holidays, as well as the best Christmas tech gifts for your loved ones. Be sure to head over to these other topics to ensure your holiday season a great one.


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Christmas Gifts: Tech Edition

It’s finally that time of year where we start receiving all our loved ones’ wish lists and Christmas lists. Gift-giving can become overwhelming and expensive. If you still have shopping to do (like most of us) then this blog is for you. We’ve compiled the trendiest tech items on the market right now, as well as including their prices. With Christmas about two weeks away, the pressure is on. Let’s review these last-minute Christmas gifts for the tech-savvy people in your life.

Amazon Kindle Oasis E-reader
Do you have a bookworm in mind who’s always reading? Kindle E-readers are perfect for on-the-go readers. This ultra-thin design is fantastic for traveling and is a better alternative than heavy, thick books. This design makes it easy to hold and able to fit in thin places. The high-resolution screen, water-resistant body, and the blue light control feature makes for the perfect gift for the bookworm in your life. For $250 on Amazon, this virtual library is a steal.

Apple iPhone 11 and 11 Pro
We all know that person who has the latest edition of Apple products. It’s not a matter of if they’re getting a new one, it’s a matter of when. Starting at $699 the iPhone 11 seems to be the go-to pick for new phone shoppers. The excellent battery life, 6-inch screen with both wide-angle and super-wide-angle makes for a beautiful phone. If you enjoy using your iPhone for photos, starting at $999 you can purchase the iPhone11 Pro which has a third lens for crisper, brighter photos. Both the regular and Pro have their unique camera tricks.

Google Pixelbook Go Chromebook
With so many laptops on the market, I wouldn’t even know where to begin when it comes to picking one out for someone else. However, the Pixelbook stands outs. The comfortable, quiet keyboard, bright touchscreen, 10 hours of battery, and at 2.3 pounds this laptop puts a new twist on the traditional laptops. It supports the latest Android apps, access to the Google Play store, and is a pro at web-based activities. It’s more expensive than a traditional Chromebook, but for a laptop that can go the whole day without charging I’d happily pay the $650 price tag.

Samsung Galaxy S10 Smartphone
Samsung is the leader in the industry when it comes to Android phones in 2019. At a $700 price point, the Galaxy S10 has it all. It comes equipped with a triple camera on the back, Android software, all-screen design as well as a fingerprint sensor to keep everyone out of your phone. We understand that the $700 price point may be out of budget. However, there is a smaller version for only $550! The S10e is a smaller version for those of you who aren’t a fan of these large phone designs. I prefer a smaller phone.

Apple Watch Series 5
The Apple Watch is an awesome gift for anyone. Whether it’s people new to the Apple world, or someone who has an older version of the Apple Watch, anyone would appreciate this gift. The Apple Watch is equipped with an always-on display, workout training, text messages, water resistance, a big screen, and a wide choice of bands to go along with it. There is a cheaper Series 3 for $199, but you’ll miss out on Series 5 benefits such as the EKG monitor. The current price point for the 5 is $399.

Roku Smart Soundbar
Personally speaking, a soundbar changes the experience of watching your favorite shows or movies. With the new release of Disney+, you’re going to want to watch all your favorite Disney movies with a soundbar. Roku makes boxes and sticks for steaming to your television, now they have created this awesome soundbar that has all our favorite technology built-in. Go cordless and invite a fresh new sound into your home for only $180!

Amazon Echo Studio Speaker

This impressive new item from Amazon seems to be taking center stage in the speaker community, especially for its price point which isn’t too far behind the Roku soundbar at $200. This speaker includes five directional speakers that can fill your living spaces with incredible sound and quality. With its built-in smart-home hub, it can support your smart lights as well as other items without the extra setup.

Apple AirPods Pro
The beloved AirPods, you either love them or hate them. For $249 this gift wouldn’t necessarily be a stocking stuffer item, more likely the center stage gift of Christmas. AirPods Pro is the enhanced version of the originals with its greatly improved comfort and sound quality and the ability to stay in your ears more securely. These noises canceling AirPods may even be the perfect gift to yourself for those times you want to use your selective hearing this holiday season!

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Managing Holiday Stress

Welcome to the beautiful holiday season that brings both unfiltered joy and a heap load of stress. This season is built upon good feelings and positivity, but often times it is the source of deep stress for many individuals. Oftentimes around the holidays it is not uncommon to hear family members, friends, or strangers in the retail stores talking about how stressed and overwhelmed individuals are leading up to the holidays. Why do we get so stressed out about a season that is suppose to be filled with laughter, joy, and togetherness?

Spreading Ourselves Too Thin

We are no stranger to knowing that the holiday season is often the season of too many overwhelming experiences. Too many stressing factors can really make us feel like we are spreading ourselves too thin. Even if they are fun activities it’s easy to feel like we are drowning in parties, social gatherings, expectation, and pleasing our peers with our gift giving skills. Too often holiday stress leaves us feeling drained, rather than joyful.

Over Indulgence

With excessive gift gifting, shopping trips, pot lucks, alcohol and holiday dinners, it truly is the season of excess. Overindulging in our calories and over indulging in our credit cards can feel great in the moment, but often lead to regret of what we ate or spent. The consequences can be hard to cope with. It’s too easy to over spend when you’re in the holiday spirit, wanting to get gifts for everyone, and putting on those now form-fitting jeans that were baggy on you before Thanksgiving. Last month’s joy can become this month’s dooming consequences. Don’t let carrying debt become your new holiday tradition.

Too Much of a Good Thing: Family

Yes, we all know it’s true. The people we love the most are often times the people who can drive us insane the easiest and fastest… family. Don’t get me wrong, family is the most wonderful, beautiful gift that many of us are fortunate to experience and something we are all guilty of taking advantage of. Overdosing on family and quality time can often lead to friction and unhealthy boundaries. We all need a breather; don’t feel guilty for taking a “time out” from the party, skipping the third family dinner of the week, or not staying longer than you’re comfortable with. Creating a healthy balance starts with you. If you have been assigned a role by your family, don’t be scared to break the expectation. Your family may depend on you for cooking the Christmas ham every year, but this year you may just be too tired. Communicate with your family if you can’t fulfill set expectations. Take care of yourself first.

Prioritize

What tradition and events are the most important to you? Do you have any that bring you the most positive impact? If you do, eliminate the tasks and activities that bring you more stress than happiness. If you don’t enjoy sending Christmas cards, give everyone of importance a call instead. If you just can’t make the flight to see extended family, let them know. Eliminate tasks that will leave you feeling tired and empty after the holidays. Find the few you really enjoy and pour yourself into them. You can’t pour from an empty cup, you can only give what you have within.

Eating Smart

Luckily, we can say that most holiday stress is extremely predictable and almost expected. Unlike many other negative attributes and factors in our lives, we know that once January 2nd comes around the holiday stress will nearly be over. However, when we overindulge with food, that’s a stressor that can stick with us for the next couple of months. Many traditions are tied up in delicious food, so it’s understandable why that extra holiday weight latches onto the best of us. In addition to tradition, the emotional stress alone can drive us to indulge in our most unhealthy eating habits. Plan ahead this year! Be aware of your triggers, keep some healthy snacks, practice mindful eating, and portion the unhealthy indulgences.

Expectations

Remember that we said earlier that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Be aware of your boundaries and limitations when it comes to what’s expected of you. You’re allowed to limit the amount of social engagements you attend or throw. You are also allowed to limit the amount of time you spend at these engagements. Wouldn’t it be great if you could experience family, friends, and the joyous holiday without feeling drained?

If you’re coping with loss or loneliness, consider reading our Grief During the Holidays blog to learn how to deal with expectations. In addition to this, if you’re experiencing loneliness but are wanting to avoid the expectations, consider inviting friends and family into your own home to avoid the stressors of venturing out.

Scheduling

Pull out that old pen and paper and ditch the digital list. Have something tangible to write your plans and schedule down on that you can refer to. Holidays can be go-go-go and it’s easy to have plans fall to the wayside, or forget the date of your work’s potluck. Write important dates, names of those who you still need to buy gifts for, and a grocery shopping list (don’t forget your healthy snacks). Creating a schedule will also show you if you’re stretching yourself too thin. It can really put things into perspective when you have your schedule in your face. Maybe ditch one of your twelve holiday parties and plan a coffee date with yourself.

Relax

No brainer, right? Sometimes it’s too easy to forget this part. At the end of the day its about love and joy. If you aren’t feeling happy then it’s time to change the factors involved. We shouldn’t be spending months recouping from the holiday season. Take 20 minutes to sit by yourself once you start feeling overwhelmed, and reflect on the factors that are making you feel this way. Reduce your negative feelings surrounding the holidays. Recenter and focus on the joy that surrounds you.

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Grief During the Holidays.

Grief during the holidays seems to be a common issue that many individuals start to experience at the start of Thanksgiving.  I have personal experience with the wave of grief that comes from the loss of a loved one. The first holiday season is always the hardest, but there are plenty of tips and coping techniques to make it easier. Parties, decorations, and Christmas music are intended to bring joy; however, for those of us coping with loss, it can serve as a painful experience.

Getting through the holidays, although painful, doesn’t have to be completely negative. We can utilize strategies to get through the holidays without our loved ones.

Determine What You Can Control.

Getting overwhelmed is very easy to do around the holidays even without having to cope with loss. It’s easy to get lost in thought, become overwhelmed with memories, or even be consumed by sadness. There are many things you won’t be able to control, especially if you are surrounded by individuals who will serve as reminders of your loss. Going to the grocery store even made me sad. Why? Because there is holiday décor, holiday themed items, and even Christmas music playing throughout the store. All of this seems harmless to holiday lovers, but when someone is struggling with loss and grief these can be painful reminders. You can’t prevent the store, doctor’s office, or your friends from decorating, but there are some things that are in your control.

It’s okay if you don’t want to decorate and it’s okay to avoid the stores. Online shopping was invented for a reason, so utilize it if it lessens your heartache. Don’t feel upset by other individuals who are in the same position that are celebrating joyfully this year – we all hope differently.

Create New Traditions.

Get creative. Just because our old traditions may not be as exciting without our loved ones doesn’t mean we can’t move forward and renew our holiday spirit by creating new traditions. Adjusting old traditions to fit this new chapter in life can allow you to be full of holiday spirit while still honoring your loved ones.

Accept the Pain That Will Come.

Accepting and trusting the grieving process is extremely important. Time doesn’t necessarily fix the pain, but what really counts is how you spend that time and what you do with it. I personally don’t fight the pain, or try to escape it and run away from it. I allow myself to feel and heal.

Of course, you’ll sometimes feel like you just want Christmas to be canceled. Anyone who has experienced loss wants the holidays to pause. It’s tempting to use avoidance as a coping technique, but don’t shut out all the happiness. Feel the pain, feel sad, allow yourself to heal to move forward and grow. Eventually holidays get easier, but you must allow yourself the time to experience the grief that comes along with it.

Limit Holiday events.

Take it slow and don’t allow individuals to pressure you into going to every outing. Set personal boundaries and go at your own speed. If you force yourself to go to every event you may end up feeling tired and emotionally drained. Although it’s not wise to completely shut out the holidays, you’ll need to determine which events and social gatherings are the most important to you. Think of which events will bring you more joy and less pain. Avoid the events that you know you aren’t ready for. If attending the holiday office party is too much for you and brings up painful memories, communicate with the individuals around you to ensure you’re most comfortable. Your healing and grieving is about you. You don’t need to please everyone around you.

Plan and Communicate.

As mentioned before, you can’t control everything, but we can plan. We all are good at making a situation worse in our heads and bigger than it is. Don’t spend a whole week dreading a 2-hour Christmas dinner. Spend that week coping, progressing, and becoming emotionally well enough to ease that 2-hour dinner as much as possible. If you do go to a holiday event that you feel uneasy about be sure to drive yourself or have someone you trust go with you. I make sure to do this when I’m having any uneasy feelings regarding a social event. Driving myself gives me the ability to leave when I want, while having a trusted friend gives me a buffer and peace of mind.

Accept and Ask for Help.

Do you know who your support system is? If not, it’s important you find people who are in your corner. Make sure you have a contact that you can call when you’re feeling anxious, panicked, or just need someone to distract you. Asking for help doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human. Loss is the hardest around the holidays and we don’t need to make it any worse on ourselves than it should be.

Don’t fear the holidays. Loss is hard, but with the right coping techniques, support system, and new traditions we can start to bring joy back into the holidays while honoring our loved ones who have passed.

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Disney Plus VS. Netflix

I can’t imagine you haven’t heard of Disney+ yet. This new Disney release has exploded within the past two weeks. It’s been an ongoing topic of discussion since its announcement and release date. Since Disney+ has been released there has been an ongoing debate between Disney and the ever popular Netflix. The first wave of users to have access to Disney+ includes the US, Canada, and the Netherlands. Netflix being dominant and the first streaming service, it’s hard to decide which service is now the leader. Although the market is flooded with streaming services such as HBO, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and many more, Disney the newcomer may be taking the lead in this streaming service competition.

Free 7-day Trial

Many rumors surrounded the topic of Disney’s streaming platform as early as 2018, with the official confirmation happening in April 2019. Disney+ was supposed to be called Disney Play, but either way there was much interest around this announcement.

As many people debated, I did too around whether or not the new services are going to be worth yet another monthly subscription. We are a community of people who love having access and subscription services that are the same, yet unique in their own way, therefore, I caved and bought Disney+. Some people even decided to switch over completely and ditch the popular Netflix subscription. Of course budget is a factor, as well as your preferred content. Here is all of the information you’ll need if you are debating over completely ditching one for the other.

Disney Plus VS Netflix Overview

Both Netflix and Disney+ provide on-demand services for watching movies and television. Netflix has time and time again dominated any competitor who steps into the arena of streaming services. 140 million subscribers is a huge number to beat.

Even Hulu, HBO, and Prime video haven’t been able to dominate as much of the market as Netflix has, which has been the central location for 140 million people’s drama, comedies, kids’ animation, and many other genres. Netflix has an advantage when it comes to the classic television sitcoms. They’ve obtained very expensive licenses’ to Friends and The Office as well as their own Netflix originals. Netflix is the master mind behind Stranger Things, Grace and Frankie, and Bojack Horseman. Many people in my life personally only use Netflix for the originals they produce, so whether or not to ditch Netflix completely can be a challenge.

Disney+ on the other hand has the upper hand when it comes to the emotional connection that resonates with most of us. Nostalgia is a hard thing for anything to beat, even the Netflix beast. Disney really knows how to hit us in the heart, so naturally we want to watch the shows and movies that molded our childhoods. Disney+ is removing much of the Disney content from Netflix! Disney brings in a lot of money, nearly $300 million in putting its content on Netflix. Therefore, the profit must be pretty high on its own platform.

Price and Availability

First of all, Disney+ really undercut Netflix on price. Netflix starts at $9 and goes to up to a whopping $17 per month. That’s pretty expensive for a streaming service. Disney+ is sitting at a nice $7 per month and $69.99 per year! That’s pretty cheap for every bit of Disney content that’s ever been created. Netflix has three tiers of cost with basic starting at $8.99 while increasing in price for HD and multiple viewing screens at once – while Premium offers four screens with 4K resolution.

Disney+ keeps it simple with one price tier, access to 4K and HDR content available – provided they have a 4K device. A bundle option is available through Disney+ as well. Since Disney owns stakes in Hulu and ESPN they decided to offer a bundle option which includes Hulu and ESPN+ along with your Disney+. Big offers and big savings are being offered by Disney on this bundle.

If you’re in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, or Italy, rumor has it you will get Disney Plus, but not until March, 2020. Keep an eye out!

Are you team Netflix, or team Disney+?

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Cyber Monday Shopping Strategies.

You’re probably wondering what the difference is between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Black Friday is the in-store deals that happen the day after Thanksgiving, but Cyber Monday happens three days later! Think of Cyber Monday as the internet’s own version of Black Friday. It is preferred by some because of the ability to avoid the crowds, avoid the late Thanksgiving night hustle, and stay in the comfort of your own home.

We’re going to provide you with the best strategies for Cyber Monday shopping! First and foremost, don’t wait until Monday to find what it is you’re wanting to buy. Remember that these are going to be lightning quick deals that may only have a limited amount in stock, and once they run out, you may be out of luck. Do your research on your favorite companies and brands and make your shopping list starting with the items that are most important to you.

Here are some other recommendations.

Cash-back Services.

Apps are your friends on Cyber Monday. Apps such as Mr. Rebates, Rakuten, and TopCashback can help save you even more on this discount day. Who doesn’t like to save more money? Many online stores and cash back apps increase their percentages before Thanksgiving to assist in saving as much as possible. That 3% could easily turn into 12%. Cha-Ching.

What’s awesome is you still get that bonus even when those devices are on sale. So, if something is discounted and you get bonus cashback on top of it, that’s a double win in our book! A triple win is using your cash-back credit card. Another tip, throw a coupon-code into the mix. Sometimes they’re hard to find but it’s not unheard of.

Pricing History and Trends.

Are “the best prices of the year” signs you see in the store accurate? Could it be a marketing ploy? Do your research. Sites like Honey show price history and even projected prices. Don’t believe everything you see this holiday season. Make sure you do your research to see if you really are getting the most out of your money. Honey is great for Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Kohl’s and much more!

Why bother you ask? Chances are the prices have previously been lower than what they are advertising and odds are it’ll happen again. For a prime example (no pun intended), lets look at Prime Day. An Amazon Echo was set for a cool $70, but did you know that a couple weeks prior it was as low as $65? If you’re using pricing history tools you’d see if you really are getting the lowest price yet.

Caparison Shopping.

Another browser add on like Honey that we recommend is PriceBlink. This app is different than Honey. PriceBlink specializes in both coupon codes and comparing prices of several other stores. Lets say you are shopping for a smartwatch on Walmart.com. PriceBlink will alert you if Target, Amazon, or other competitors are offering a cheaper deal. You can add PriceBlink right to your Google Chrome browser.

We’ve already addressed that Cyber Monday may not produce the all time low prices of a product, therefore, we can now utilize these apps featured. Setting up alerts on all of these mentioned apps can allow you the peace of mind that you are getting the lowest price ever.

You can now walk away with tricks to utilize all year long! Setting up these alerts for future large purchases can ensure you don’t break the bank.

Amazon Cyber Monday Deals.

  • Amazon Kindle Paperwhite E-reader — $80 (regularly $130)
  • Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Generation) — $24 (regularly $50)
  • Amazon Echo (3rd Generation) — $69 (regularly $100)
  • Amazon Echo Show (2nd generation) — $180 (regularly $230)
  • Amazon Echo Plus (2nd generation) — $110 (regularly $150)
  • Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet — $100 (regularly $150)
  • Amazon Fire 7 Tablet — $30 (regularly $50)
  • Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet — $90 (regularly $130)
  • Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K — $35 (regularly $50)
  • Amazon Fire TV Cube — $60 (regularly $120)
  • Amazon Smart Plug — $5 if you purchase an Echo device (regularly $25)

Best Buy Cyber Monday Deals.

  • Apple MacBook Air 13.3-Inch — $800 (regularly $1,000)
  • Apple HomePod — $200 (regularly $300)
  • Bose SoundLink Revolve Bluetooth Speaker — $120 (regularly $200)
  • Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Tablet with Type Cover — $799 (regularly $1,029)
  • Fitbit Versa 2 Fitness-Tracking Smartwatch — $150 (regularly $200)
  • Google Pixel 3a Android Smartphone — $300 (regularly $400)
  • Google Pixel 4 Android Smartphone — $600 (regularly $800)
  • Google Home Mini Smart Speaker — $25 (regularly $49)
  • Google Nest Hub Smart Display — $80 (regularly $130)

Samsung Cyber Monday Deals.

  • Samsung Galaxy Note10 — Get a free Galaxy A50 + $100 credit
  • Samsung Q60R 4K TV (43-inch) — $500 (regularly $800)
  • Samsung Q90R 4K TV (65-inch) — $2,200 (regularly $3,500)
  • Samsung Notebook 9 Pen Laptop — $1,200 (regularly $1,400)

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Second Edition: For the easily distracted worker.

If you’re reading this second edition we’ve created for our audience you’ve probably been working at home for a while now! Our first blog consisted of awesome tips, but of course the longer we work at home, the more tricks we learn! Working from home has become so popular that as many as 74% of workers would chose to quit their jobs, or work from remote offices.

Working from home has become a big trend. Let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to work in the comfort of their own home? With new technologies and team platforms such as Slack, Skype, and cloud platforms, some jobs don’t really require being face to face anymore. Think about it… companies probably save hundreds of thousands by cutting overhead costs. Many times, in previous positions I would go days without seeing my boss and only communicate via e-mail! Why not do that work in the comfort of my own home?

When working from home, whether you are thinking of switching or have been working from home for quite some time, you’ll need to understand that working productively can be one of the most challenging hurdles to overcome.

Let’s work together to become productive remote workers while minimizing distractions.

1. Shower, get dressed, eat breakfast.

Remember how you used to get ready for your day when you would go to your office job? Continue with those patterns! I know what you’re thinking. “Doesn’t working at home mean working in your pajamas?” Well, no.

You’ve now made the transition of working in your favorite space, your home. You are surrounded by your comforts, your favorite things, and even your favorite people. Maintaining a schedule like what you were used to will help with your productivity!

2. Switch it up! Work at a coffee shop.

As much as we love our kids, pets and spouses we must take time for ourselves to focus and be productive. Working at a coffee shop allows for productivity and a change in scenery! This is important for the remote worker. Working in the place you go to relax (home) can really kill our creativity.

3. Large tasks.

Creating batches of tasks can maximize productivity. Do you have several e-mails, calls, or postings to create? Try batching tasks together to get large chucks of work done at the same time. Doing similar tasks at once will be much more productive as opposed to doing a couple e-mails a day. Clear out these large tasks first and create less mental distractions!

4. Personal cell phone detox.

Our best friend, yet our worst enemy… the cell phone. I think we would all be humbled if handed the facts of how much time we spend (waste) on our phones. Working at home makes our cell phone accessible to us 24/7. We aren’t putting our phones in our office drawers, lockers, or worrying if our co-workers will see us on our phones. We must hold ourselves accountable, which we all know is a little difficult to do. Checking social media can kill our production. Let’s be honest, do we only spend 2 minutes on our phone? No, before you know it 20 minutes have gone by. Turn it off, put it face down, and use it as a reward for your lunch break.

5. Background music.

This has been a huge game changer! Making the switch from watching television to listening to music on audiobooks has given a huge boost in productivity. T.V requires too much visual attention. It’s easy to stare at the screen for 5 minutes without even realizing it. Audiobooks are my personal favorite. I find it makes me more focused, as well as getting me caught up on all of the new books I’ve been meaning to read!

6. Large calendar/schedule.

Invest in a large dry erase board, or large desk calendar. Sometimes remote positions offer a huge flexibility in tasks, deadlines, and scheduling. Naturally, it’s easy to get behind, push things to the side, and not give certain tasks as much attention as you would in an office space where there are others who hold you accountable. Posting your schedule clearly will provide you with all your daily tasks, when you want to take a break, and even household tasks you’d like to complete on your short breaks.  

To-do lists allow you to maximize your time and prevent small tasks from slipping your mind. As much as we all love saving the worst task for last, try completely these daunting tasks first thing in the morning. This will allow you to have an easier rest of your day.

7. Avoid burnout.

Let’s face it… If you’re burned out it is incredibly easy to avoid tasks, get frustrated, and miss deadlines. Staring at your screen blankly isn’t productive. Don’t be scared to step away and take that 5-minute break. Remember, you have this luxury of working at home and stepping away when you need to. If you’re not making progress then it’s time to take care of yourself before continuing. Plan your week, your goals, and make time for your personal tasks in between the workday. Utilize these short breaks and by the time you’re done with work it will be time for ultimate relaxation.

8. Know what you are most distracted by.

We all have different distractions. Some of these tricks may not apply to you and that’s okay. We all work under different circumstances and have our own personal set of distractions. No matter what they are it’s important to know them and understand what can hinder your productivity levels.

For instance, if you can’t work in a messy environment then clean up a little before starting your work day. Even if you must clock in later than usual, it’s better to do so as opposed to being stressed and surrounded by distractions all day.

Working at home is an amazing opportunity that allows us to have time to ourselves and more time spent with loved ones. We get to utilize our time we’d spend commuting and instead do what we really want. Nevertheless, distractions are real, especially in your own home. Use these tips to your advantage and spend more productive time doing more of what you must do, so you can spend your free time doing what brings you joy.

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Amazon Black Friday!

Can you believe Black Friday is around the corner? Where did this year go? We understand it is still pumpkin flavored everything season, but these deals are too good to not be talking about early. Amazon, in its true Amazon fashion, will have deals like no one else. 2019 is the year for tech deals. First off, Amazon Alexa devices will be seeing their lowest prices to date. With last year being a good predictor of 2019 Black Friday deals, their then-current Alexa hardware started as low as $19!

Alexa isn’t the only Amazon device seeing price cuts. The entire Fire Tablet line is seeing $10 to $30 off devices starting at $39.99. This is a deal that seems to good to be true, however, based on past years we expect even lower prices over the next month.

Do you like Apple Watches? We do too! So we are huge fans of this year’s price cuts of the Apple Watch family. Keep reading to find out more deals!

When?

Black Friday falls on November 29, 2019. Though we’re about two months off from the huge sales extravaganza, expect to see Amazon Black Friday sales sooner than Thanksgiving!

Based on past predictors, it’s not unheard of to see sales popping up as soon as November 1st (next week!). Until then, we’re going to share some awesome deals with you here so you can get ahead on your Black Friday shopping list.

What is it?

When it comes to Black Friday, ads usually begin surfacing in late October. Amazon, however, doesn’t really post any Black Friday ads. Instead, the retailer has what it calls Black Friday Deals Week or Amazon’s Seven Days of Black Friday. This is why Amazon is one of our favorite Black Friday spots.

Last year, Black Friday started on November 15th, the week before Thanksgiving Day. If Amazon follows the same trend as last year, we will be seeing Amazon Black Friday deals as soon as November 21st.

Deals include discounts on the Echo Dot, the Echo Dot Kids Edition, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Toshiba 50-inch 4K Fire TV Edition. We also are seeing Black Friday gaming deals including $100 off all Xbox One consoles and a Nintendo Switch bundle that included Mario Kart 8 and a free download for just $299.

Most of these deals remained on sale through Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Bottom line: Keep your eyes open for an Amazon Black Friday announcement on Thursday, November 21.

Deals, deals, deals!

Amazon is facing some competition this year. Retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target will attempt to price match or even undercut Amazon’s every move. Unheard of!

Kindles! For those of you who only use your Kindles for reading and not surfing the web, there are many upcoming deals this Black Friday. Some deals are as big as $50 off!

Amazon Echo: The entry-level Echo Dot gets the job done. Last year, there was a $20 plus price drop on this product. That’s quite the steal for an AI assistant. Bundles are even better, and last year we saw the Fire TV Stick and Fire tablets bundled with the Dot.

4k Fire TV Stick: Did you ever think you could get a Fire TV Stick for $25? Neither did we, but last year this item hit an all-time low price. Be on the lookout for this item in particular because many include a few free months of HBO and Sling TV!

Fire HD Tablets: Last year we saw this item for under $100! We can expect the same, if not better!

Whole Foods: The newly Amazon-owned beloved grocery store is now joining Black Friday and prime day. Prime members get exclusive deals through Whole Foods now that it is an Amazon-owned company. This means SAVINGS!

Amazon entertainment: Are you thinking of signing up for Amazon services? We suggest waiting until the deals start rolling out. Odds are that Music, Kindle, Prime, and even Prime Fresh will also be seeing these price cuts as well. It’s worth the wait.

Last year, Amazon provided subscribers of its music streaming service three months of Music Unlimited for 99 cents. Crazy, right?

Hardware Lineup:

New Amazon products and AI tech just rolled out and it’s already on sale. Ring Cam’s are already on sale! Amazon Echo ear buds? Rolling out on October 30th!

New devices are expected to see price cuts and deals as well. Although not as drastic as older generations, we’ll still most likely see cuts.

Do you also like discounted bundles? Amazon is notorious for releasing bundle deals that have large price cuts. This generous company, last year, offered three months of Music and an Echo Dot for $2! That’s right, $2. Although this deal was only 24 hours and only for new Music subscribers it’s unheard of.


Takeaway: Wait the few weeks if you plan on making any of these purchases. You’ll save a good chunk of money and probably enjoy some of the extra perks as well.

Let us know what topics you’d like to read more on!


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