From: Fast Company Compass - Thursday Sep 17, 2020 01:42 pm
Fast Company Compass
Presented by
 
This November, Americans will be asked to choose. I’m not talking about the presidential election. I’m talking about the new generation of Playstation and Xbox game consoles arriving from Sony and Microsoft.

For Microsoft, the company won’t just be launching one new Xbox. It will actually be launching two new Xboxes that are dramatically different. One is optimized for power and performance. The other is built for affordability and accessibility. And both feature their own striking design that are, well, boxy, to say the least.

To understand Microsoft’s unconventional approach, I had a series of exclusive conversations with heads of the design team and the leader of the Xbox brand, Phil Spencer. They were earnest about Microsoft’s past mistakes, and even its occasional hubris. And they also outlined a compelling strategy to thrive in a video game industry that’s in flux, one in which expensive consoles connecting to televisions isn’t necessarily the future, but isn’t yet the past, either. Read my story here.

Mark Wilson
 
co.design
Exclusive: With the new Xbox, Microsoft unveils affordable design for the masses

We talk to Microsoft’s design team about crafting its upcoming generation of consoles.

 
tech
The top 7 iOS 14 privacy features: What you need to know

Apple’s new iPhone update gives you tighter control over what apps know about you—from your precise location to the contents of your camera roll.

 
impact
What does off-the-charts bad air from wildfire smoke do to our long-term health?

The West Coast is looking at a future where cities are enveloped with smoke every summer. The health effects could be serious.

 
 
a message from knoll
The Knoll Annual Sale September 17-29
Enjoy up to 15% off and free delivery on furniture and accessories for living, dining and working. Work from Home favorites ship in 1-3 days. Visit knoll.com/shop/sale
 
 
Are your kids having trouble staying at their desks? Maybe they need a better chair

Having a comfortable place to sit can help kids concentrate better, have better posture, and feel like they have a designated workspace. That’s why we made it simple and rounded up four affordable options that are in stock now.

 
 
 
If you’re ever going to...raise awareness about the problem of climate change, you have to talk about the things which matter to people.”
Andrew Simms, a longtime environmental researcher based in London
READ MORE
 
 
tech
Oculus’s new headset is the first real VR rival for Xbox and PlayStation

The newest VR headset from Facebook’s VR group is cheaper and better than its predecessor—and supported by a growing universe of games and other content.

 
news
As cities reopen and roads get busier, traffic reporters are back on their game

While other professions were able to shift to Zoom meetings and working from home, traffic reporters found they had nothing to say when COVID-19 came.

 
work life
6 types of bad bosses and how to deal with them

Should you look for a new job, or is there a way to build a productive working relationship?

 
tech
The day of reckoning for smartphone contact tracing is here

Despite the benefits of contact tracing, many Americans will opt out because the tech sector has become untrustworthy.

 
work life
I got laid off because of COVID-19. Here’s how I turned job loss into a career opportunity

Modern Health’s CMO was gobsmacked when she was let go at the beginning of the pandemic. “Next to death and public speaking, being jobless is my deepest fear,” she says.

 
innovation festival
Compass Newsletter Subscribers attend #FCFestival for free!

Claim your complimentary keynote pass for access to sessions with Janelle Monáe, Susan & Robert Downey Jr., and Chip & Joanna Gaines. Claim your free pass now.

 
NEWS
Poll: Why we share political memes
A new Harris Poll conducted exclusively for Fast Company reveals that 55% of Americans have shared a political meme in the past three months, and more people are sharing them this year than last. 
Why do we do it? 46% said they did so just to make sure people knew where they stood. Meanwhile, 32% percent of men and 22% of women said they did in an effort to change people’s minds. Over a third said they just find the memes funny. 
Memes can be a significant source of misinformation, and because they’re imaged-based, they can be hard for social media companies to detect. 
Facebook is the most popular place for sharing political memes, accord to the survey, followed by Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and TikTok.
 
 
FREE SPONSORED E-BOOK OF THE DAY
Values-Based Leadership For Dummies
($17.99 Value) FREE for a limited time. Click here to download your free e-book.
 
 
 
What do you think of this newsletter?
Tell us here.
 
You can update your details here.
If you don’t want to receive Compass anymore, unsubscribe here
If you were forwarded Compass and like it, subscribe here

View this newsletter online

7 World Trade Center, 29th Floor, New York, NY 10007-2195