This week, we’ll review the recently unveiled (but not yet launched) Windows 365, Netflix getting into video games, the pitfalls of time management and some really exciting updates to the You Need a Budget app.
I recently wrote about the challenges around having a smart home, and my business, Blue Copper Press, just published an article on all the different ways you can use your journal. Blue Copper Press features premium leather-bound handmade journals. Take a look at them here. Enjoy!
Technology
Earlier this week, Microsoft unveiled Windows 365, the “Cloud PC”–its Windows Operating system in the cloud, hosted on its Azure platform. This offering doesn’t seem available to consumers but is more geared to businesses. Microsoft’s blog post positions this offering to small or large businesses needing to manage a remote workforce. Remote workforces now use a variety of devices of their own–including Macs or iPads. This offering gives a centralized way for businesses to manage their infrastructure and security while giving employees the flexibility to work on the device they feel comfortable with. I find this concept of a “Cloud PC” fascinating, and I think we’ll only see more and more of this trend as cloud computing becomes more powerful and bandwidth speeds improve.
Speaking of cloud offerings, Netflix has announced they will start to offer Video Games. While this seems like a bold step for a media streaming company, consider the company got its start in DVD mail-in rentals when Blockbuster was the incumbent in the video rental space. Video Game streaming is a new concept but by no means a Netflix invention (consider Google Stadia as an earlier example). Still, with more companies cementing their cloud posture, we’re seeing more and more of our lives move to the cloud and off our hardware every day.
Amazon launched a new offering, Kindle Vella earlier this week, which features episodic stories. A new idea, different from the traditional model of reading a full book, an episodic story will release shorter episodes of stories periodically. An interesting idea that I’m curious to see will take off.
Miscellany
HBR has a great article describing the pitfalls of time management. It warns of trying to simply find different productivity techniques to get more tasks done. Instead, address the root cause of why you have all those tasks in the first place and make sure you are working on the right, most impactful things.
Personal Finance app, You Need a Budget (YNAB) recently shipped a major update to its app, with a cleaner user interface, more intuitive section names, and an easier onboarding process. The app takes on a different paradigm to budgeting and can be a bit of a learning curve to adopt. This update aims to fix a lot of those issues. I have been using YNAB for about two years now and absolutely love it. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Likewise, I’ll be writing a full guide on how to use the app very shortly.
In another post by HBR, the article discusses the benefits of writing and how it can allow one to process their thoughts and emotions and help one heal from trauma (something we’ve all faced this past year with the pandemic). I’ve written about the benefits of journaling before and couldn’t agree more.