Technology

Holiday gatherings with family and friends are a great time to catch up by sharing pictures or videos. But no one wants to see photos on a smartphone’s tiny screen. An easy solution: Use the mirroring function on your smartphone; all of them have the feature, regardless of the make or model. ...

AI, artificial intelligence, has been getting a lot of buzz lately, but whether you know it or not, you've probably been using it for a long time. Thrive magazine's tech columnist Tak Sato unravels AI for us: the good, the bad and the tricky parts. ...

Education, like the world, is continually evolving, and strategies that were effective even a decade ago can feel obsolete in today’s climate. As such, schools need to continually update and expand their strategies to meet the needs and expectations held by today’s parents.

Ultimately, parents want to send their children to schools that don’t just adhere to the latest standards but also that they can trust will continue to evolve. That gives parents confidence that their children’s future is in safe hands. 

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at some of the things that parents want from schools in 2025. Take them on board, and you should find that both parent and student satisfaction rates begin to rise. 

A Welcoming Environment

More than ever, parents want to trust that they’re sending their children to a safe, welcoming environment. With an increased emphasis on mental well-being, plus the fact that schoolchildren are increasingly likely to have mental health difficulties, parents want to ensure that the school they choose values inclusivity, has anti-bullying programs, and just more broadly has a happy atmosphere. 

Education With Real World Application

Parents want their children to explore their interests and passions while they’re at school, but those are bonuses. Fundamentally, parents want their children to receive an education that prepares them for success in their careers. They’re particularly interested in seeing that the subjects that’ll have the most practical use in the future — such as STEM — are well-represented. Emphasizing competency in these subjects, or even getting STEM school certification, can demonstrate that schools understand the practical skills that the professionals of tomorrow need. Plus, aside from winning over parents, focusing on education that has real-world applications can also help boost student engagement, since they’re more likely to see the direct benefits of this type of learning. 

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Everyone has thought what it would look like if they had the means and resources to direct their own movie. Perhaps you want to create a neo-noir with a rainswept detective looking through his or her latest case and have fun with that. Or, maybe your intentions are a little more modest, and you just want to create a short promotional film for your local town, or a business you run.

Either way, flexing some of your creative muscles, covering events, and having fun with moving image production can be a great time. Up until now though, it’s often seemed as though this craft requires a massive upfront investment, and you’re not to bother unless you have a major team at your beck and call.

Now, we’re not going to dismiss the work involved, but there’s also a great deal of progress you can make if you’re careful about it. Creating a short film is more possible than ever, and here’s how:

Smartphones & Drones

You might be holding off on starting your film project because you think the gear is too expensive, but you already have one of the best cameras ever made right in your pocket, and you should start there. The video quality on the latest phones is stunning, and they’re so easy to use that you can film well and some filmmakers have even won awards doing so.

If you want to expand this with footage that helps to open up the scene, bring in a capable little flying camera like a Mini 5 Pro. A small drone like that can capture aerial shots and tracking movements that make your finished video look a little more like a high-budget production, but you’ll still keep your equipment lightweight and easy to manage. You can click here to find out more.

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Did you know that recent surveys repeatedly show that many Gen Z, or Zoomers, don’t own TVs and instead stream on the devices they already own? Compare that to people 55 and older who have multiple TVs around the house. ...

The AI technology is linked to an app on the participant’s cellphone and tracks in real time their blood sugar, body weight, blood pressure and physical activity.  ...

While many organizations and institutions have had a tough time with technology, there's a notable exception that's thrived: public libraries. With their elaborate craft rooms, guest speakers, seminars and more, our libraries have become dynamic community centers with events and services that didn't exist 10 or 20 years ago. ...

I don't need a Cleveland Clinic doctor to tell me that social media impacts my mental (and sometimes physical) health. But it's nice to have backup. Currently, I'm sporting a nasty burn on my knuckle from a Pinterest-inspired power drill project. ...