Beacon Links & Apps – March 2018
Online video support groups Connecting with others who share similar diseases or challenges as yourself can help you feel less alone and offer coping tips. The new website, aGroupForME, makes it easier to join a wide range of support groups, including ones that address addiction, depression, cancer, divorce and PTSD. There is currently no charge to use the service Using group video... READ MORE
Secure passwords with less headache
Security experts have warned for years that to protect our online accounts we need to change passwords frequently and make sure that those passwords are “complex” — meaning, filled with letters, numbers and random characters. But that advice may have done more harm than good. Such passwords are nearly impossible to remember (try recalling something like “Tri3cer&top$”). So, ... READ MORE
Stores’ floors may track your every move
The next phase in data collection is right under your feet. Ads you click on online give retailers valuable insight into consumer behavior, but what can they learn from your footsteps? It’s a question Milwaukee-based startup Scanalytics is helping businesses explore, with floor sensors that track people’s movements. The sensors can also be used in office buildings to reduce energy ... READ MORE
Beacon Links & Apps – February 2018
How the world works Can alcohol cause anxiety? Is Seattle the rainiest U.S. city? Why are rodents such popular lab test animals? You’ve got questions, and the website HowStuffWorks has answers to thousands of them. The site got its start in 1998 at a college professor’s kitchen table. From there, it grew into a source of unbiased, reliable, easy-to-understand answers and... READ MORE
Pros and cons of buying products online
Have you ever thought about buying a pair of pants online without trying them in real life? Or a pair of glasses? Or even a mattress? While using Facebook or Instagram, listening to podcasts or just browsing the web, you may have come across ads from brands like Betabrand, Warby Parker, Casper or Harry’s. These companies represent a growing niche in the retail marketplace: direct to ... READ MORE
Constant phone access may not be so smart
Imagine you were asked to complete a series of math problems, ones just hard enough to require your attention and focus, but nothing you couldn't handle. Now, imagine you were intermittently interrupted from these math problems and asked to remember a random list of letters. This might be even tougher. It's reasonable to assume your performance on these tasks might be impaired by... READ MORE
Technology 2018
