October
1, 2020

6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

• A small piece of a large cake can be very filling.
• Fortune favors the brave.
• Technology has made things easier.

Bob Dylan sang: “For times that are changing.” That’s what I thought when I read that Google announced that they were going to start offering six-month courses to give people the skills to acquire jobs that are in demand. The cost? A staggering $ 300. All I can say is “It was about time.”

Like Alibaba CEO Jack Ma , I started my career as an English teacher. In 2008, I saw the writing on the wall with the change in the market and I reinvented myself. I read, listened, watched, attended, and absorbed every book, CD, and seminar that I could get my hands on to prepare for the second half of my career.

What frustrated me about the educational process was how slow it was to adjust to our rapidly changing world. Outside the walls of school, the Internet, smartphones, and social media have reshaped every aspect of our society. However, in the classroom, it was the same as always.

Then COVID-19 hit us like a ton of bricks and our gloves fell off.

Apple competed by revolutionizing the music industry, the mobile phone industry, the headphone industry and is now looking to take on the eyewear industry in 2021. Not to be left behind, Google has decided to take on a monopoly on higher education.

This is big. It is a 1.9 trillion dollar industry. If Google can cut just 1%, we are talking about $ 10 billion. I have no doubt that if they were successful in doing so, other companies would take notice. In fact, I’m sure that in boardrooms across the United States and abroad at the largest corporations, people are watching and waiting to see if they should develop their own courses.

^{Photo: Dan Dimmock via Unsplash}

Makes sense. Until now, a high school graduate was heading to college, earning a degree, and then applying for a position at various companies. Afterwards, they would get some interviews and eventually they would get a job if they were lucky.

Just one problem: we live in a world of change that moves at breakneck speed. According to Acting NASA Administrator Robert M. Lightfoot Jr., “By the time you’re a junior in college, what you learned as a freshman is already out of date.”

Google aims to kill two birds with one stone. First stone: they develop people they consider necessary for their industry in the coming years. Second stone: open higher education wide. While universities used to be able to differentiate themselves from upstart education companies like Udemy, with classes online through 2021, they have waved the white flag and admitted that many classes can be taught online.

Entrepreneurs should be excited about this. Remember, we are talking about a 1.9 trillion dollar industry that for more than a century was controlled by colleges and universities that required spacious grounds, attractive facilities, dormitories, administration and teachers. That is about to change.

Here are five lessons that entrepreneurs should learn from this:

1. A small piece of a large cake can be very filling

Gary Halbert, the late great copywriter once said that if he could have a competitive advantage over anything else, it would be “a hungry crowd.” Parents and students are hungry in 2020. Due to the closure, students have had more free time and started asking questions. The crowd is there.

^{Photo: Glenn Carstens-Peters via Unsplash}

Niches are where the money is for most entrepreneurs. Education is a huge field consisting of hundreds of subjects, online training, tutoring, and more. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Google will focus on computer ratings. That still leaves a lot of cake left over.

2. Fortune favors the brave

Courage is what it takes to succeed. Entrepreneurship is not for the weak and lukewarm. You have to be willing to take calculated risks without a guaranteed result. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg knew the risk when they dropped out of college and it worked for them.

Universities are not going to give up without a fight, but for those entrepreneurs who are willing to strike while the iron is hot, rewards await.

3. Enter the ground floor

While there is something to be said for being patient and watching things unfold, entering the ground floor allows a select few individuals and organizations to enjoy the advantage of being the first to move.

4. Technology has made things easier

Technology has advanced to the point where an entrepreneur, from the comfort of his own home, can run a million dollar business. Upwork, Fiverr, and the like have made it easy to find and hire virtual assistants. Outsourcing work to people on the other side of the world has never been easier.

5. Companies are hungry for talent

^{Photo: John Schnobrich via Unsplash}

Liberal arts degrees or degrees in history, English literature, or philosophy have long allowed people to get corporate jobs because they were the best candidates available. Google plans to create people who adapt to your needs right away and who benefit from getting paid. It’s a win-win for both sides. Google gets better qualified people and receives tuition, students spend less, spend less time and acquire a better paying job.

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September
20, 2020

4 min read

Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

It seems like working from home may be the new normal for a while, or even permanently. As such, it may be time to make sure you’re getting the absolute most out of your home office. Fortunately, we’ve rounded up some great products to help you do just that, and they’re all an extra 20 percent off during Entrepreneur’s Three-Day Annual VIP Sale. Check them out before the sale ends on 9/20.

Aluminum Portable Foldable Laptop Stand

Prefer to work at an angle? This foldable laptop stand is fully customizable so you can work at any angle you want, wherever you are. It packs up into your bag easily and lets you set it up in seconds, whether you want to stand, sit, or lie down.

Get the Aluminum Portable Foldable Laptop Stand for $24 (73 percent off) with promo code: VIPSALE20. 

Naztech Wireless Power Hub 5: Qi-Enabled + 4 USB Ports

Charge everything you need right in front of you. This power hub fits comfortably on your desk and has four USB ports as well as a Qi wireless charging pad.

Get the Naztech Wireless Power Hub 5: Qi-Enabled + 4 USB Ports for $45 (16 percent off) with promo code: VIPSALE20. 

STACK 6-Port Modular Surge Protector + USB Charging Module

Make sure you have all the outlets you need with this clever surge protector. It comes with six US AC outlets, built-in surge protection, and a circuit breaker, but it also has a USB charging block. Power your computer, charge your devices, and more.

Get the STACK 6-Port Modular Surge Protector + USB Charging Module for $37.50 (23 percent off) with promo code: VIPSALE20. 

5-in-1 Air Purifier with HEPA Filter & Negative Ion Generator

Help improve the air quality in your space and breathe easier while you’re working. With a HEPA filter to remove harmful particles from the air and a negative ion generator to promote cleaner air, this purifier can improve your (home) office’s air quality. Better air quality, be more productive.

Get the 5-in-1 Air Purifier with HEPA Filter & Negative Ion Generator for $87.20 (41 percent off) with promo code: VIPSALE20. 

CHANGEdesk MINI Standing Desk Converter

Want a standing desk but don’t want to pay for it? The CHANGEdesk is a smart, affordable way to get a standing desk setup. This expandable desktop fits seamlessly on your desk and raises up in just a moment.

Get the CHANGEdesk MINI Standing Desk Converter for $62.40 (36 percent off) with promo code: VIPSALE20. 

HYPHEN Wireless Earbuds

These wireless earbuds were created with convenience in mind. With Bluetooth 5.0, integrated wireless charging, advanced touch controls to let you take calls and change the track, and even IPX5 water resistance, they have all the features to support an active, busy lifestyle.

Get the HYPHEN Wireless Earbuds for $71.20 (20 percent off) with promo code: VIPSALE20. 

Pictar Home-Office Kit

Get the most out of your Zoom calls with the Pictar Home-Office Kit. It includes an 18mm wide-angle lens, 3-in-1 tripod, smart light, and everything else you need for picture-perfect calls.

Get the Pictar Home-Office Kit for $72 (48 percent off) with promo code: VIPSALE20.

CASA Hub Pro 11-in-1 Full-Function Charging Transmission Hub

Expand your home office’s capabilities tenfold with this one hub. With 11 different ports, you can charge all of your devices at once. Plus, the integrated HDMI port allows you to extend your screen to other monitors, smart TVs, and more.

Get the CASA Hub Pro 11-in-1 Full-Function Charging Transmission Hub for $112.79 (36 percent off) with promo code: VIPSALE20. 

Mobile Pixels TRIO: Portable Triple Screen Laptop Monitor

Miss your dual monitor setup at the office? Why not take a triple monitor setup everywhere? The Mobile Pixels TRIO comes with two additional monitors that easily connect to your laptop so you can have mobile workstation that’s more powerful than anything you’ve ever seen.

Get the Mobile Pixels TRIO: Portable Triple Screen Laptop Monitor for $400 (20 percent off) with promo code: VIPSALE20. 

SitTight Active Sitting Chair

Improve your focus and stimulate your core while you’re working with the SitTight Active Sitting Chair. This ingeniously engineered stool supports active sitting so you can get all that excess energy out while you’re trying to focus on the task at hand. It’s perfect for those who need a little help to be productive.

Get the SitTight Active Sitting Chair for $476 (20 percent off) with promo code: VIPSALE20. 

Free Book Preview Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing

This book takes readers through a 360-degree perspective of social media marketing in businesses.

Free Book Preview Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing

This book takes readers through a 360-degree perspective of social media marketing in businesses.

September
15, 2020

5 min read

This story originally appeared on PC Mag

Apple today unveiled two new wearables: the Watch Series 6 and lower-cost Watch SE alongside a new Fitness+ workout service. 

The new Apple Watch models are available for pre-order today and slated to arrive on Friday. The Series 6, which features a new blood oxygen sensor and app, starts at $399 for the GPS-only model and $100 more for the GPS and cellular version. The Watch SE, which boasts design elements of the Series 6 with key health and safety features like fall detection, starts at $279 for the GPS-only model or $329 for the GPS and cellular version. 

The Series 6 and SE will not come with a USB power adapter. Apple says it made that decision to help the environment, and it will have the same impact as eliminating 50,000 cars from the roads per year. 

Meanwhile, the new Fitness+ service will be available to Apple Watch users before the end of the year for $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year. 

Apple also today announced a new Family Setup service that lets you use your own iPhone to set up an Apple Watch for your child or older family member. 

Let’s take a closer look at each of these new products and services below. 

Apple Watch Series 6

The Series 6’s standout feature is a new sensor that can measure the oxygen saturation of your blood, also known as SpO2. The sensor essentially shines light into your skin and measures the color of your blood, which indicates the amount of oxygen present. The watch can calculate your SpO2 level in 15 seconds, any time you want. The sensor also captures periodic background measurements when you’re sleeping and inactive. 

The new Samsung Galaxy Watch3 and Fitbit Sense can also measure your blood oxygen level.

The Series 6 also features an always-on altimeter, so on hikes you can see the elevation change in real time on your watch face. It also boasts an improved always-on display, which compared to the Series 5 is 2.5 times brighter outdoors when your wrist is down, so it should be easier to see in the sunlight. Other improvements include a new dual-core processor based on the A13 Bionic in iPhone 11, which promises a 20 percent speed improvement. 

When Apple announced watchOS 7 with sleep tracking, we hoped it was an indication that it would beef up the battery life on its latest wearable, but that didn’t happen. The Series 6 offers the same 18-hour battery life as the Series 5, though Apple says it should drain less battery when tracking certain workouts like indoor and outdoor runs. 

The Series 6 comes in some fresh colors, including blue aluminum, a grayish-black stainless steel model called graphite, an updated classic yellow gold stainless steel model, and a (PRODUCT)RED model. Apple is also introducing new band styles, including a lightweight, stretchy Solo Loop that does not feature a clasp or buckle and a Leather Link band that attaches with magnets. 

Apple Watch SE

The affordable Watch SE features what Apple is calling its largest and most advanced Retina display on a wearable yet. Compared to the Series 3, which will remain on sale for $199, the SE’s display is 30 percent larger and its processor is two times faster. 

It features the same accelerometer, gyroscope, and always-on altimeter as Apple Watch Series 6, along with a compass and microphone to measure ambient sound levels in your environment. It supports fall detection, Emergency SOS so you can easily call for help,  international emergency calling, and the Noise app, which can send you an alert when the decibel level of the surrounding area could cause hearing damage. 

It’s available in three case finishes made of 10 percent recycled aluminum, and is compatible with all Apple Watch bands. 

Apple Fitness+

The new Apple Watch-powered Fitness+ service will offer instructor-led workouts you can play on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. When you start a workout, metrics and Activity Rings from your Apple Watch will appear on the screen. The service will launch with a range of workouts, including yoga, cycling, dance, treadmill walking and running, strength, core, HIIT, rowing, and mindful cooldown. Apple said it plans to update the service with new workouts each week. 

The service will be integrated with Apple Music, and trainers will curate the tunes for each session. Apple Music subscribers will be able to save tracks they discover during workouts. You can use any brand of fitness gear with Fitness+, though most of the workouts will require just a set of dumbbells or no equipment, Apple said. 

Starting today for a limited time, those who purchase an Apple Watch Series 3 or later will get three months of Fitness+ for free. It will also be available as part of the new Apple One subscription bundle.

Family Setup

Finally, Apple’s new Family Setup feature will let you use your own iPhone to set up an Apple Watch for your child or older family member. This should come in handy if you want to connect someone who doesn’t have their own iPhone. 

Parents can use Family Setup to approve the contacts with whom their child can communicate. The service also offers automatic location notifications, so you can, for instance, receive an alert when your child gets home from school. 

Family Setup will be available starting tomorrow on cellular models of the Series 4 and later. The user you’re setting it up for will have their own account and phone number through a separate cellular plan. 

September
11, 2020

4 min read

This story originally appeared on Business Insider

Is it COVID-19 or simply a cold?

It’s a question many Americans will likely be asking themselves come fall and winter, as coronavirus infections overlap with cases of the common cold and seasonal flu. The symptoms may be hard to distinguish, given that all three conditions can result in a cough.

But there are hallmarks of each illness.

A recent study from the University of Southern California identified a distinct order of symptoms among COVID-19 patients: Most symptomatic patients start with a fever, followed by a cough. For seasonal influenza, it’s typically the opposite — people generally develop a cough before a fever.

If you get a common cold, meanwhile, that’s more likely to start with a sore throat as the first symptom, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Here’s how to distinguish the novel coronavirus from the seasonal flu, allergies, and common cold.

Image Credit: Yuqing Liu | Insider via Business Insider

These symptom lists for each illness and the order in which they arrive aren’t foolproof, though: Some COVID-19 patients don’t develop a fever and some flu patients never come down with a cough.

That’s why it’s also helpful to consider how quickly symptoms appear and how long they last.

How COVID-19, flu, cold, and allergies manifest and progress

Coronavirus cases tend to develop gradually compared to the flu. While some people develop COVID-19 symptoms within two days of being infected, the disease’s symptoms can take up to two weeks to manifest. On average, people start to feel sick five days after they were infected.

People with the flu, on the other hand, usually feel sick one to four days after exposure. Most patients then fully recover within less than two weeks, often as quickly as a few days.

Some coronavirus patients may recover within two weeks as well, but a growing share of patients have reported symptoms that last for several months. 

Common cold symptoms, by contrast, usually reach their peak within within two to three days of infection — but, like the coronavirus, they often develop gradually. And some symptoms last longer than others: Patients with a typical cold may have a sore throat for eight days, a headache for nine to 10 days, and congestion, a runny nose, or cough for more than two weeks.

Allergies tend to last longer — about two to three weeks per allergen — and won’t resolve until the allergen leaves the air. Seasonal allergies also tend to be more severe in the spring.

The most common symptoms of each illness

Coronavirus cases run the gamut from asymptomatic to mild to severe.

“I’ve never seen an infection with this broad range of manifestations,” Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in July.

Some patients have even reported conditions that don’t appear on the official CDC list, like hair loss, hiccups, and purple, swollen toes. 

Coronavirus testing in Jericho, New York on April 22, 2020.

Image Credit: J. Conrad Williams, Jr. | Newsday RM | Getty Images via Business Insider

Many COVID-19 patients lose their sense of taste or smell — that may be the strongest predictor of a COVID-19 infection, according to a June study from scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital and King’s College London. A Spanish case study found that nearly 40% of patients with COVID-19 developed smell and/or taste disorders, compared to just 12% of patients with the flu.

Symptoms like a fever or headache could help rule out allergies or the common cold as well.

People with colds, meanwhile, are more likely to develop a runny or stuffy nose than COVID-19 patients. And cold symptoms are milder overall.

But one of the hallmarks of allergies — itchy eyes — isn’t associated with any of the other three illnesses.

Ultimately, the best way to know if you have COVID-19 is to get a diagnostic test. People who haven’t been tested should stay home if they’re feeling sick or if they were exposed to someone with the virus. 

Everyone should also get a flu shot this fall in order to minimize the chance of overcrowding at hospitals as they treat both flu and COVID-19 patients.

“This will be, in my opinion, the most important flu season of our lifetimes,” US Surgeon General Jerome Adams said at a Senate hearing on Wednesday. “Less flu and fewer hospitalizations will help conserve precious healthcare resources.”

September
9, 2020

6 min read

This story originally appeared on PCMag

Social media app TikTok has turned short, shareable videos into an art form. Now Instagram is getting in on the craze with Instagram Reels, which allows you to add music and fun visual effects over looping video. 

Once your 15-second clip has been recorded, it can be shared with your Instagram followers. If you have a public account, you can also distribute your video to the greater Instagram community. Let’s see how it works.

Open Reels

Open the Instagram app and tap the camera icon in the upper-left corner, or simply swipe the main screen to the right. At the camera screen, you should see three options at the bottom: Live, Story, and Reels. Tap the one for Reels.

By default, the app uses the front-facing camera, but you can also tap the camera icon in the lower-right corner to change to the rear camera. Tap the flash icon at the top to set whether the flash is on, off, or automatic. 

Add music and effects

You can either use the audio from your video or add music from Instagram’s library. If you add music over the video, the video’s audio will not be included in the recording. To add music, tap the Audio icon on the left. From here, it will work like it does when you add music to a Story.

Scour Instagram’s library for songs in the For You and Browse sections. Under Browse, choose a specific genre, mood, or theme to see songs in that area. To search for music, type the name of a song or artist in the Search field at the top. If you spot a song you like, tap the Play button to hear a short clip.

To add the song to your video, just tap its name. You’re then returned to the video screen where Instagram picks and plays a certain 15-second section of the song to include. You can change to a different section of the song by moving your finger along the slider bar at the bottom. At the same time, the lyrics to the song appear on the screen so you can choose your section that way. When you’ve found a section you want, tap Done at the top.

If you want to change the speed of the video, tap the Speed icon on the left-hand side under the Audio icon. This option lets you set the speed at which your video is recorded and played. Choose .3x or .5x to play the video in slow motion, or speed it up with 2x or 3x. Your chosen song still plays at the correct speed.

Next, tap the Effects icon. You can scroll through the different effects and preview each one. Swipe all the way to the right and tap the Browse Effects button to see all of the effects available in Instagram. Find an effect you like and leave it in place.

You can manually set the length of your video by tapping the Timer icon. Drag the right edge of the slider bar to the right to lengthen the video and to the left to shorten the video. 

If you have added music, the song will play so you can time your video to certain lyrics or a melody in your music. After you’ve chosen your preferred length, tap the button to Set Timer.

Record video

Tap the shutter button to record your video. A three-second countdown goes off, and then your recording starts. If you want to pause the video, tap the shutter button again. After you’ve paused it, you can then change certain attributes, including the AR effects and speed. 

If you see an Align icon pop up on the screen, you can tap the option to straighten your video. Tap the shutter button again to resume the recording. Your video recording ends at 15 seconds. After the video is finished, it automatically plays so you can view it.

If you wish to change the music, tap the left arrow at the top. Make your change, and then tap the right arrow at the bottom to replay the video with the music change you made.

Add text, stickers and emojis 

After your video is recorded, you can spruce it up further by adding text, stickers and emojis, or by drawing something. Tap the smiley icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen to add stickers or emoji. Some stickers display the location or time; tapping them may change the color or style. 

Select the sticker or emoji you want and place it on the screen. You can move the item around by dragging it, or make it bigger or smaller by pinching with two fingers. Tap the Pin option to pin the item to the screen so it moves around when your video plays. If you don’t want to keep the sticker or emoji, press it and drag it to the trash can icon.

You can draw on the video by tapping the pen icon in the toolbar on the top of the screen. The drawing toolbar allows you to choose the type of pen you want to use, the thickness, and the color. If you don’t like what you’ve drawn, you can remove it with the Eraser tool or tap the Undo button to remove your last drawing.

Tap the letters icon in the top toolbar to set the font and color of the text. As you type, the font size shrinks to accommodate the text. You can move the text around by dragging it and change the size even further by pinching it.

Share video

When your video is finished, tap the right arrow at the bottom to share it. By default, your video is shared through Reels. If you also wish to share it in your feed, make sure the switch is on for Also Share to Feed. You can also share it to your Story, or selectively with any of your friends. 

If you have a public account, your video will be shared to the Explore section, so any Instagram user can see it. Tap share to finalize.

View the Reels other people have created from the app’s Explore page. Tap the Search icon at the main feed page and scroll down the search results. Certain videos will be marked as Reels.