Category: Lifestyle Page 18 of 20

Stories about food, fashion, travel, and other topics relevant to our readers’ interests.

new skills 2019

4 New Skills You Should Learn This 2019

Learning shouldn’t stop the moment you get your diploma. It’s a lifelong process, and there are many ways to improve your skill set outside the classroom. Whether your goal is a promotion, a career change, or simply self-improvement, these four invaluable skills should serve you well in your professional life.

UX Design

UX (User Experience) Design is a tricky undertaking that seeks to find the perfect balance between aesthetics and function. It entails mapping out a customer’s journey through a website, app, or product in order to achieve everyone’s goals in the most efficient and enjoyable way possible. As the world rushes at the speed of light into the digital age, the demand for effective UX Design for apps, websites, and operating systems will only increase.

Photography and video production

People’s attention spans are getting shorter and shorter, and we all need to adjust accordingly. This goes hand in hand with the ever-increasing usage of social media, as well as the never-ending shift to mobile devices for media consumption. As the boundaries of photo and video are kept being pushed, content creators—a term that encompasses anyone who puts something out on the ‘net—should strive to enhance their skills as well.

This year, take your content creation skills to the next level by improving your photography and video skills. Dig our your camera, shoot videos daily with your phone, try a photo challenge, attend a seminar—whatever works for you! Don’t forget to display your hard work on a Nixplay Frame!

Machine Learning

Data is the backbone of the world we live in, affecting almost every aspect of our lives. If you’re fascinated by the process of analyzing and interpreting data, machine learning—the process of training a machine to learn—is a field you should definitely get into.

Machine learning makes use of algorithms to make sense of big data (that’s what you call all the data received by a business), adapting from previous computations to churn out more reliable results. Because of machine learning, Netflix is able to recommend which shows you should watch next, and Amazon can show you stuff you might be interested to purchase. It’s not new science—machine learning has been around for quite a while—but it’s never been more relevant and necessary.

Language Translation

While English is the universal language, knowing another tongue will always be an invaluable asset. People who know more than one language are usually seen as a bigger asset to their companies, as they can communicate with foreigners, making more sales and securing more contracts. If you want to study or be assigned abroad, knowing another language should increase your chances.

If you’re traveling, even a rudimentary grasp of your destination’s language can make your trip easier. And if you want to impress someone, speaking in another tongue should do the trick! Sure, it takes a lot of time and willpower, but the additional knowledge (and the inevitable self-esteem boost) worth the sacrifice, don’t you think?

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5 Great Smart Home Additions For 2019

Our home appliances and gadgets are becoming more and more high-tech. While there’s no harm in doing your household chores manually, being able to reallocate the time you’ll spend doing these tasks into more meaningful pursuits make the purchase of smart appliances worth it. These gadgets and gizmos will make an excellent addition to your smart home.

Lutron Serena Smart Shades (starts at $350)

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Window shades aren’t really something you pay a lot of attention to, but when your bedroom is outfitted with blinds that listen to Siri and automatically roll up or down, you’ll be very grateful for this simple luxury. That’s the promise of Serena Shades, which you can integrate with other smart home gadgets like lights and thermostats for an overall experience. It’s especially useful for windows in tricky, hard-to-reach places, as well as homes with elderly or disabled residents. Setup can be a little tricky, but worth enduring for the comfort you’ll get.

Husqvarna Automower 315X ($1999.95)

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Remember when you’d mow your neighbor’s lawn as a kid to augment your allowance? Well, we’re sorry to say that your former job can now be done by a robot. The Husqvarna Automower 315X is perfect for folks with medium to large lawns. It features GPS navigation, a patented weather timer, LED headlights, theft tracking, and Amazon Alexa connectivity, and it has no problem mowing in the rain. If you hate your noisy old lawnmower and have an extra $2000 lying around, this would make a nice addition to your home.

Nixplay Seed Wave 13 inch Widescreen Digital Smart Frame ($249.99)

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The Nixplay Seed Wave takes your usual digital frame to a newer, smarter level. Its high-definition screen is paired with two powerful five-watt speakers for a unique auditory experience. Just link the Seed Wave to your phone, tablet, or laptop via Bluetooth, and start streaming music on your smart frame. Your favorite memories will now be accompanied by the soundtrack of your life.

Toto Aquia IV Washlet ($2154)

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Much has been said about Japanese smart toilets: They’re not just perfunctory objects intended for the relief of your excretory system. Boasting multitudes of buttons for heated seats, built-in bidets, air-purifying functions, and noisemakers to cover up the squelchy sound of your pooping, they’re definitely worthy of the moniker “porcelain throne” (they do a splendid job of flushing, too). And while America still has a long way to go before welcoming smart toilets into their homes as easily as they embraced the invention of automatic litter boxes, Japanese toilet company Toto aims to change this with their Washlets: Water-efficient, high-tech toilets you can have installed in your house. If you’re thinking of investing in one of these, consider the Aquia IV Washlet, a remote-controlled toilet guaranteed to revolutionize your bathroom breaks. Trust us, you’ll never want to use an ordinary toilet again.

SimpliSafe Home Security System (starts at around $230)

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One of the worst things about going on a vacation with your family is that niggling fear of your subsequently empty house getting broken into. SimpliSafe’s revolutionary home security system should help assuage your fears, giving homeowners the chance to monitor their homes remotely in an easy and affordable way. Their range of proprietary wireless equipment includes smoke detectors, sirens, panic buttons, and sensors for everything you can think of—entry sensors, water sensors, glass break sensors. Use the equipment with SimpliSafe’s 24/7 monitoring plans, which will alert the authorities in case of accidents or emergencies.

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5 Destinations You Should Visit In 2019

Even the most well-traveled among us will agree: There will never be a shortage of interesting places to discover. If you haven’t booked your vacation leaves yet for the year, we’ve lined up some picturesque locales to suit every kind of traveler. Whether you’re on the lookout for a cosmopolitan hotspot or an idyllic tropical paradise, there should be a destination here that’s perfect for you. Don’t forget to display your travel photos on your Nixplay frame!

1. Singapore

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Still feeling the Crazy Rich Asians fever? Same here—we can’t wait for the sequel, China Rich Girlfriend! And if we had our way, we’d be jetting off to Singapore, the movie’s spectacular location, to live out our crazy rich dreams. And if you’re flying there in 2019, you’re in luck: The small nation-state has a lot to celebrate this year, starting from the bicentennial of its founding to the completion of the iconic Raffles Singapore’s renovation. There’s never been a better time to hunt for your own Nick Young or Astrid Leong!

2. The Peloponnese, Greece

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Need a break from the crowds at Mykonos and Santorini? Head to the Peloponnese, a laidback region in the south of Greece known for having more wineries and grape varieties than any other place in the country. Its west coast is lined with beautiful beaches, and its spas and retreats promise a tranquil time. If relaxation is your utmost priority, this is the place to be.

3. Matera, Italy

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There’s more to Italy than the history of Rome, the fashion of Milan, the art of Florence, the gondolas of Venice, and the food of, well, the whole country. The prehistoric city of Matera, located in the southern region of Basilicata, is known for its sassi: clusters of cave dwellings thought to be among the first human settlements in Italy. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, slowly transforming into a cultural hotspot with charming hotels, galleries, and restaurants. Matera was declared the European Capital of Culture in 2019, kicking off the year on January 19 with a music-filled street celebration.

4. Siargao, Philippines

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White sand beaches and pastel sunsets. Crystal-clear turquoise waters teeming with vivid corals. Waves for surfers of all levels, and unspoiled islands located a short boat ride away. The teardrop-shaped island of Siargao, located in the south of the Philippines, offers all these, and more. This island, perfectly situated to embrace the Pacific Ocean, is a legendary surf spot, and beginners can try the sport at one of the many surf schools lining the shore. Siargao was voted the world’s top island in 2018 by Conde Nast Traveler despite its lack of international flights: A testament to its sheer beauty.

5. Vevey, Switzerland

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Every 20 years, the lakeside town of Vevey holds the Fête des Vignerons, a UNESCO-recognized festival that pays homage to the region’s vineyard traditions. First held in 1797, what was formerly a grape harvest celebration has since turned into a three-week spectacle punctuated by lavish performances. Interested in going? Mark your calendars: This year’s Fête des Vignerons will be held from July 18 to August 11.

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Different Ways To Connect With Family This Holiday Season

Wrap up this year with the most meaningful gift and share joy with the people who matter most to you. For today’s blog, we’ve invited Nick and Krista Baum, founders of StoryWorth.com, a service that helps people record their family stories and print them in beautiful hardcover books.

What do you think is the value behind preserving people’s memories?

A lot of people think the value of preserving memories is in passing them on to future generations, and that’s certainly true. But in our experience, it’s just as important as a way for family members to connect and get closer. These days, we are all so busy and preoccupied with everyday life. Sharing a family story or remembering a moment captured in a photo can help us slow down and feel grateful for the ones who love us.

Where do organizations like Nixplay and StoryWorth come in?

It’s easy to think of technology as something that gets in the way of real relationships, but Nixplay and StoryWorth both use technology to help bring families closer together. Because StoryWorth makes it easy to share family stories, it inspires all sorts of fun conversations when family members meet in person–conversations that otherwise might never have happened. Similarly, the latest family photos shared through a Nixplay frame are sure to be a talking point for the next phone call!

What inspired you to start StoryWorth?

We started StoryWorth because we wanted to record Nick’s parents’ stories. They live thousands of miles away from us, so we don’t often get the chance to sit down with them in person. We knew that if we asked them to write their biographies, they would never have gotten started. So instead, we asked them to write one story a week, and now we have several hundred pages of their stories to share with our children when they’re older.

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How does StoryWorth work?

It’s incredibly simple. You invite a loved one, for example, a parent or grandparent. Each week, we email them a question about their life. All they have to do is reply with a story. At the end of the year, we take all the stories and print them in a beautiful hardcover book.

What are StoryWorth’s plans moving forward to enrich customers’ storytelling experience?

I think one of the things that have made StoryWorth so successful is that we haven’t added a ton of features. Instead, we’ve stayed focused on making the experience as simple as possible, so people of all ages can enjoy it–we even have a couple of storytellers who are over 100 years old!

One of the great joys of working on this product is that we get lovely emails from our customers every single week, but the most touching [messages we get] come from customers whose parents have passed away. One customer recently told us he would be quoting from his grandmother’s stories in her eulogy.

“Just wanted to let you know that the work you all do is so important and touches the lives of both grandparents, children and their grandchildren. My memories of my grandma are forever held because of her writing. Thank you.“

We encourage you to make it more meaningful for your family this holiday season. StoryWorth is offering $20 off for all Nixplay followers through December 31, 2018!

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5 Ways To Score The Best Online Deals This Black Friday

Everyone loves a good Black Friday sale. That’s why we’re giving you some tips so you can get the best deals of the season. Flex your shopping muscles and read on!

1. Know what you’re going to buy.

It’s easy to fall into the panic buying trap when everything’s on sale. Avoid this by making a shopping list of the things you’d like to purchase. If you’re shopping online, fill up your shopping carts and wishlists a few days before Black Friday. This way, you’ll just have to hit “Checkout!”

2. Set your alarms.

Some online stores hold major flash sales that only last for a few hours. Score big in these sales by setting your alarm a few minutes before the promo begins so you won’t miss it!

3. Start shopping early.

Look out for stores that start their Black Friday sales before the actual day. Case in point: Nixplay’s FlashBlack Friday Sale, which starts on November 16! Get up to 25% off all Nixplay Seed Frames, only until November 25!

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4. Browse around.

Don’t limit yourself to just one or two stores. Trawl the web to see if the item you’re eyeing is also available at other websites at a cheaper price, and buy it there.

5. Know the online store’s shipping and return policies.

Don’t forget to read the fine print! Some stores, like the Nixplay online shop, offer free shipping for a minimum purchase, letting you save a few precious dollars. You should also check if it’s possible to return an item you purchased during Black Friday as some retailers don’t allow refunds or exchanges for products on sale.

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

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