What You Need to Know Today: January 12

Good afternoon, Early Risers!

Here’s what you need to know

TECH

Apple is changing the way you use your phone at night. 10-3-2-1-0 is a formula from Craig Ballantyne’s new book The Perfect Day Formula. I won’t tell you what the full formula means — you’ll have to read the book! But, I will give you a sneak peek at what the “1” in 10-3-2-1-0 corresponds with. “No more screen time [1 hour before bed] (turn off all phones, TVs, and computers),” says Craig. Research shows that electronic devices that emit blue light delay our body’s natural production of melatonin (the chemical telling your body to go to sleep). Craig advocates unplugging 1 hour before bed, or else you risk disrupting your sleep cycle…

Does Apple approve of the 10-3-2-1-0 formula? Yes and No. No, because Apple wants you on your device 24/7/365. But yes, because Apple realizes that in order to keep you loyal they need to appeal to public opinion. So what does Apple do? They take two steps forward and one step back. One step back is introducing a new feature to iOS 9.3, called Night Shift that changes the color of your iPhone’s screen depending on the time of day. Two steps forward, the public is happy and power users don’t feel guilty using their phones late at night. What Apple won’t advertise is that evidence to support screen dimming software is iffy at best. Until more conclusive evidence proves screen dimming does mitigate the effects of blue light, I recommend sticking to Craig’s tried-and-true 10-3-2-1-0 formula.

Uber’s big announcement sounds annoying. “Uber wants to feed you all kinds of content during your next trip,” says The Verge. Uber made a big announcement today, but before we get to that, do you remember the story about the Uber driver who made $252,000 last year? Gavin Escolar saw the opportunity his Uber car presented. While most Uber passengers stare at their smartphones in a daze, Escolar’s passengers’ attention is fixed on the expensive jewelery he has hanging from his dash and seats. Using a classic technique called a pattern interrupt, Escolar was able to sell jewelery from his car. What Uber announced today and plans to do in the near future is much different. Instead of shaking you out of smartphone boredom, Uber wants to deliver “Trip Experiences” (read: ads) in the form of playlists, news briefs, etc. during your trip.

Millennials ask and they shall receive. On Monday, the global investment bank, Morgan Stanley told its staff that they could use Airbnb Business Travel. “Morgan Stanley employees — particularly the younger ones — are huge fans of Airbnb, according to people at the firm, and had expressed interest in using its services for work travel,” says Business Insider. Should hotels be worried? Methinks…yes.

CAREER

“The morale at Yahoo is so low you can walk on it.” When Craig Ballantyne said this at the Toys for Tots private event in December, I almost choked on the gulp of water I had in my mouth. It was poignant. According to Business Insider, “Employee morale is so low that some people are now calling [Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer] ‘Evita,’ in reference to Eva Peron, the former wife of Argentinian dictator Juan Peron, known for her rise to power and desire for fame.” Ouch. While Mayer is beyond saving, you can find out what amazing bosses do differently here.

Is a college degree worth it in 2016? Answer this: What would you do with $100,000 and five years of your young adult life? Read this.

Knowing when to jump from a sinking ship. “Chris Hughes is throwing in the towel. The Facebook co-founder, who acquired The New Republic in 2012, announced on Monday that his attempts to turn the legendary political publication around have failed, and that he is putting it up for sale,” says Fortune. Hughes bought The New Republic for a cool $2 million and over the last 4 years sank $20 million into trying to make it profitable. Fortune predicts there are only 3 possible outcomes for the publication.

LIFESTYLE

When you have 8 million followers, this is how your push notifications will look.

Do you believe? Tonight is the LA premiere of The X Files. Here’s a 1-minute preview to get you pumped up.

Morbid meditation. “Years ago on a visit to Thailand, I was surprised to learn that Buddhist monks often contemplate the photos of corpses in various stages of decay. The Buddha himself recommended corpse meditation. ‘This body, too,’ students were taught to say about their own bodies, ‘such is its nature, such is its future, such its unavoidable fate.’ Paradoxically, this meditation on death is intended as a key to better living,” says Arthur Brooks. Enter the world of morbid meditation.

#NOWYOUKNOW

Streams were up 2700%!

NBC announced that streams to David Bowie songs jumped 2700% yesterday, following the death of the musical icon on Sunday. Not surprising. But you might be surprised to learn that Bowie was the first recording artist to sell bonds, known as ‘Bowie Bonds,’ against his intellectual property and backed by future earnings of his music… Read more.

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