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CK Daily Updates

CK Daily – 4.21.2021

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In This Issue: Inline Coupler Keystone Jacks | #TechTips | News to Start Your Day

Happy Wednesday! Happy hump day! No matter how you declare it, Wednesday is the halfway mark to the weekend and that alone is a reason to celebrate! 

The CK Daily – Everything is Figure-Out-Able

Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is having a great week so far!

I was shopping at Hobby Lobby the other day and came across a tiny wooden sign that had “Everything is Figure-Out-Able” painted on it. It’s not something I was necessarily looking for and it was definitely overpriced at $4.99, but I had to have it. That phrase is one that I have lived by most of my life (but I had never seen it on my décor!) It’s definitely a phrase that pops into my mind any time I get “stuck” in life, whether personal or professional! I think it’s a great perspective to remember that most problems DO have a solution, we just have to stop and figure out what it is! Do you have any fun phrases that you love? 

I’d love to know!

Rebecca

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Today we’ll be highlighting an Inline Coupler for Cat6 ethernet cables. The KEYILC-6-BK is a feed-thru style keystone jack and coupler that snaps into wallplates and patch panels without the need for punch-down tools! If you need a quick way to connect two cables together this is your best bet. 

Designed for Cat6 cables, this inline coupler can also work with Cat5e cables as well as has standard RJ45 female to RJ45 female connectors. 

#TechTips

Do you find yourself taking notes during an email and having to email them out after the meeting is over? Microsoft Teams lets you write notes during a meeting making them easy to find afterward. You can access them from the meeting appointment at any time in the future.

Not every meeting requires notes, but if you’re making decisions, assigning tasks, or working on something particularly important, taking meeting notes is overall good practice. Want to learn how to turn this function on, this article from How To Geek will show walk you through each step! 

Happy note taking! 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,848,479 active COVID cases, 25,105,535 have recovered and there have been 582,456 deaths. 
  • Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd. A jury convicted the former Minneapolis police officer on three charges of murder and manslaughter, nearly a year after a viral video of his crime sparked global protests and a national reckoning over police brutality. 
  • Apple held its first product launch event of the year, where it announced a colorful new iMac and an updated iPad Pro with 5G and the M1 chip that’s also used in the company’s desktop computers. They also announced an AirTag lost-device tracking gadget and a refreshed Apple TV 4k with a brand-new remote. Check out more details here!
  • Domino’s Pizza, Papa John’s, and Pizza Hut are under pressure to hold onto their new customers as economies reopen. 
  • Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced Facebook is launching a suite of new tools and features designed to help users better connect with each other and their favorite creators through audio. 
  • In the first quarter, Netflix has reported that they’ve seen a dramatic slowdown in subscribers. Much of this fall has been claimed to be due to Netflix having to delay some of its big-name shows and films due to the pandemic. 

CK Daily – 4.20.2021

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In This Issue: C3KX-NM-10G | Tech News | News to Start Your Day

Today we pay our respects to the bean that we either have a love or hate relationship with. That’s right, today is National Lima Bean Respect Day! There’s truly a holiday for everything! Are you a lima bean fan? Here are some recipes you can try! Southern Lima Beans | Lemon-Garlic Lima Beans | Lima Bean Soup

The CK Daily – Avoid White Caps!

Happy Tuesday! Can you believe it’s already April? Am I the only one feeling like this year is going fast? 

Today, I wanted to share a fun little story since the weather is getting warmer. Being raised in New York, rowing was a big sport in our town. I was able to be part of my town’s rowing club for 2 years during high school. We had our first meeting comping up and barely had any time to practice in the after because of white caps (white tips of the waves). If there is one thing you should avoid while rowing or doing any water-related activity is white caps! At this point of the season, all we did was run and practice on the rowing machines. It was a new season and new team, we really wanted to show everyone that we were not the girls to mess with this year! So what did we do? We begged our coach to let us take the eight boat out while the white caps were low. Hesitantly he agreed. We made it probably half a mile out before we all regretted it. The white caps increased and none of us were prepared for what was going to happen next. I can still remember my coach with his mega horn screaming “HOLD STARBOARD! HOLD STARBOARD! ROW PORT! ROW PORT!” I was on the starboard side and holding onto my oar for dear life. We tried to do a U-turn but it did not work. We ended up all flipping over and capsizing. Luckily no one got hurt and a small boat was passing by and witnessed the whole thing. They offered to tugged our boat back to the dock. We were all able to fit into their boat and the coach’s boat and returned back to the dock. The worst thing about this was not capsizing, it was the walk of shame we had to make back to the boathouse. In rowing, everyone is responsible for their own boat. That means you have to bring your boat in and out of the dock. Our whole team was able to help us drain and lift the boat out of the river. As we lifted the boat above our shoulders, all the cold, dirty river water and regret poured all over us. It was a harsh lesson to never go out during white caps again. We were soaked and embarrassed walking back to our boathouse. This boathouse was shared with four other teams. Looking back at it, it was hilarious and I wished I was able to witness everything haha! I don’t even remember if we won that race or even placed in the top 3. Somewhere floating in the Hudson river is the missing pair of my neon bright Reebok sneaker. Anyways the lesson is to avoid white caps if you plan on rowing!

Here’s a video of how it kinda went down. Just imagine rain and white caps in the water haha!

Product Spotlight & Updates:

Happy Tuesday! Today’s product spotlight is the C3KX-NM-10G! These Cisco C3KZ-NM-10G 10 Gigabit network modules are compatible with Cisco 3650-X and 3750-X switches. These modules include 4 total slots. The ports on the module are set up in pairs and can be set up to support four 1 Gb SFP modules, two 10Gb SFP+ modules, or a combination of two 1 GB SFP modules and one 10Gb SFP+ module. 

To top this product off, enjoy this great review from Keith! “This expansion sled allows us to use either 4 1gig or 2 10gig SFP / SFP+ modules in our Cisco 3750×2 switches. For some reason, these simple sleds without optics cost upwards of $2000 a piece from other retailers. Cables and Kits allow us to purchase these modules for a fraction of that cost and best yet they work! We are linking up a blade chassis at 10gps using fiber optic sfp+ modules in these and I’m not seeing any issues on the interface counters. Great job!”

Tech News: IT & Security Operations Teams Must Be Ready for 2021 and Beyond

Due to COVID-19, 2020 will be widely regarded as the year that work moved home. In reality, it was the year work moved to the cloud and everywhere in between. As a result, endpoint management and endpoint security are now the cornerstones of effective protection and the foundation for the next generation of security.

As the world moves beyond the pandemic, some people will return to the office and begin traveling again. Here are some stats: 80% of companies will offer more flexible workplaces post-pandemic and 70% of employees will take advantage of the flexibility offered. 

In the end, 2021 will be the year of the hybrid workforce and effective cybersecurity will require a combination of technology, processes, and people. With the reported 250% increase in cybercrime targeting towards work-from-home employees, it is key to implement/consider a few things: 

–The perimeter is dead – secure the data and the device: Phishing scams and botnets pose the most significant threats to organizations. 

–Foster cyber hygiene: It is essential that you proactively educate and foster better cyber hygiene behaviors for remote workers. There must be a collective effort toward adopting platforms, tools, and services where everyone within the organization participates. 

–Data Risk and Privacy Management: Most successful cyberattacks exploit: failures to patch known vulnerabilities, misconfigured firewalls or network infrastructure, unsecured databases, or social engineering malware. Organizations can close the gaps and seals the cracks from a compliance, patching and deployment perspective, when taking a holistic approach. 

Want to read more? Check out this Forbes article and learn more about what Moore Insights and Strategy reveals about their research. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,850,038 active COVID cases, 25,043,463 have recovered and there have been 581,542 deaths. 
  • Wall Street banks view central bank digital currencies as the next big financial disruptor. Counties as large as China and as small as the Bahamas have instituted these digital currencies. The U.S. Federal Reserve is taking a cautious approach – launching a project with MIT. 
  • Amazon signed a contract for nine launches of its Project Kuiper internet satellites on United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rockets. 
  • PayPal plans to set up a local wallet in China focused on cross-border payments. 
  • Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service, previously known as xCloud, will begin rolling out in beta to iPhones, iPads, and PCs this week. The service will be invite-only to start. Xbox Cloud Gaming is similar to Netflix for games, letting you stream games to your device instead of using a video game console. 

CK Daily – 4.19.2021

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In This Issue: SFP-10G-LR | #TechTips | News to Start Your Day

Well hello, Monday! We hope the agenda for the weekend called for plenty of relaxation and time with friends/family. What did you do this weekend? Do you have any upcoming weekend plans you’re looking forward to? 

The CK Daily – At One with Nature

Happy Monday All!

As I’ve mentioned before, I really enjoy the outdoors. Something we did in my high school course, Environmental Management, was go out in nature and sit silently and observe. 

I’ve continued this throughout my years after high school because of the serenity, and the beauty of taking this in on a slower and smaller scale. This last weekend, I spend quite a few hours in the woods. I saw various birds from Spotted Towhee to wild Turkey, bees buzzing, and fish jumping in a near pond. 

It’s so easy to let our lives go by with routine and time, forgetting our Missions. There are many Missions in their life. Dedication to our family, our God, our work, our community. Easily we forego them with distractions in the comfort of our 21st-century lives. This is why I’m thankful for being One with Nature this weekend. Prayer. Reflection. Recalibrating on my Missions. 

As we start this week anew, let’s turn our focus to the Missions in front of us, and be thankful for what we have. 

Thanks for tuning in, 

Corey

Product Spotlights & Updates:

The Cisco 10GBase-LR SFP+ transceiver module was designed for long-range data transmission and supports data transfer over a distance of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) using single-mode fiber. This transceiver module transfers data at a rate of 10 Gigabits per second and is an ideal option for connectivity needs in large data centers, enterprise wiring closets, large campuses, and Metro Area Networks.

While this SFP+ module is capable of transmitting data over long distances, there is no minimum distance required. As such, this module is also suitable for short-range data transmission as well.

Check out the incredible features:

– Long-Range Transmission – The SFP+ module is capable of data transfer over a distance of up to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

– Hot-Swappable – No need to power down your device when plugging in or removing these modules.

– Small Form Factor – This module is the smallest form factor available for data transmission at speeds of 10Gbps.

– Digital Optical Monitoring (DOM) Capability – Allows for strong diagnostic capabilities. 

Want to learn more about SFPs and why you need one? Check out this video!

#TechTips

It’s always important to know how to protect yourself and your organization against spam and malware. Today, tech+wise(group) offer tips/tricks on ways to do this. 

Know Your Acronyms to Protect Against SPAM

We recommend that everyone deploy DKIM, SPF, and DMARC. These three protocols add another layer of spam filtering that allows you to quarantine suspicious emails and review reports on specific emails within your organization. 

Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM): A method for ensuring that your emails are properly “electronically signed” by Microsoft when they are sent. Typically, DKIM is enabled by adding DNS records. This helps to prevent spoofing. 

Sender Policy Framework (SPF): An email-authentication technique that is used to prevent spammers from sending messages on behalf of your domain. SPF records are used for spam filtering and to prevent your email from being flagged as spam. 

Domain-Bassed Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance: This is an email authentication, policy, and reporting protocol. DMARC builds on the widely deployed SPF and DKIM protocols, adding features like the “from” author widget. It allows administrators to link emails from a specific author or domain name, handle authentication failures, and monitor email traffic. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,862,173 active COVID cases, 24,961,229 have recovered and there have been 581,061 deaths. 
  • NASA successfully conducted the first controlled flight on another planet. The Mars helicopter Ingenuity flew a short flight above the red planet. This flight is being described as “a Wright Brother moment” on another planet. 
  • The U.K. Treasury and Bank of England have launched a joint task force to explore a potential central bank digital currency. 
  • China’s CanSino Biologics will start clinical trials for a Covid-19 vaccine administered through inhalation next week. Such a vaccine could be more effective than those injected given the virus enters the human body through the airway. 
  • Hester Ford, a North Carolina woman who was recognized as the oldest living American, died peacefully on Saturday in her home with family. Ford was 115 years and 245 days only at the time of death. Ford was often described not just as an ordinary woman, but an extra-ordinary one!

CK Daily – 4.16.2021

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In This Issue: OM5 Fiber | Friday Encouragement | News to Start Your Day

It’s National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day! Today was created originally to allow us to have a reprieve after meeting a late-night deadline shuffling receipts and adding columns to file our taxes. For some of us that are working from home, pajamas might just be an everyday thing, and some of us sure are jealous of that!! 

The CK Daily – That New House Smell

Hey everyone! Happy Friday…we made it!

Figured I would take the opportunity to update everyone on the house journey. It has been a crazy rollercoaster ride with its ups and downs (and scary upside-down twists and turns) over the last few months. At the time you are reading this, I will be meeting with the home inspector to begin walking through the final inspection of the new house. To say I am excited is an understatement! 

I started on this wild adventure 4 months ago, everything from finding the lot, getting my house ready to sell, packing, moving, moving in with the parents, and then waiting…and waiting…and waiting. I think the waiting part has been the hardest but, strange enough to say, the most rewarding. The lessons I have learned during this time will stick with me – man about the process, many more about myself. I figured I would be a bit vulnerable and share a few of those with you that have been on my mind: 

– The building process is MESSY! (As are most processes.) Seeing the “behind the scenes” process and issues with building a house is not for the faint of heart. It is awesome and exciting, but knowing and seeing every little detail, mess up, issue, and problem is a lot to process. When you see the finished product though it is worth it.

– Sometimes our routines need to be blown up. Change is scary but change can be good too. I cling to my routines out of a feeling of safety. Routines, for me, are places I can retreat from problems and just work through the motions. I have learned that sometimes those routines need to be blown up so I can grow, change, and see things differently. Sometimes we need to break away and blow up the routines to just do something different and gain a fresh perspective.

– Our “community” around us is always important…no matter what is going on. We all need support whether it is family, friends, co-workers, etc. The people we choose to “do life” with help us to stay sane, make decisions, lift burdens, and help stabilize us when those routines are being blown up. They are also a big help when you need movers too. haha! 

Gosh, there are so many more and we all have different lessons we have learned through good and bad times/changes in our lives. I think our perspective has a huge effect on the eventual outcome of those changes in the process. While there have been many (ok, a LOT) of times that I have been frustrated, worried, mad, and bothered by the process of building a house (and there will probably be a few more while moving in), I have tried to keep my perspective right and stay focused on the good instead of the bad. That’s not always easy. Of course, all of you know that too.

Anyway, I hope you all have an amazing weekend and have fun plans. For me, it is exactly one week till I close on the new place, so I will probably be moving containers and buying stuff for the new place. 

Below is a comparison of the house on January 9th compared to April 13th. That is just crazy, isn’t it?!?!

Jason

Product Spotlight & Updates:

Happy Friday! Today we’re taking some time to focus in on OM5 Fiber! This is a newer generation of fiber and you may or may not be super familiar with it, so we wanted to take some time to tell you a little about it! OM5 became an industry-recognized standard in 2016 and it can easily be identified by its lime green jacket. OM5 is also known as Wideband Multimode Fiber (WBMMF) and it was designed to operate over a wide range of wavelengths between 850nm – 950nm. OM5 is perfect for high-speed data center applications and it can transmit data at speeds of 40G – 100G! Even better, these cables are backward compatible with OM3 and OM4, meaning that you can use it in your network without updating all of your existing infrastructures.

Check out our brand new OM5 Fiber page to learn even more about these awesome cables!

Friday Encouragement

Dealing with the Ups and Downs of Life

Once the ride starts, there’s no turning back. You are along for the ride and how you handle it determines whether it’s an enjoyable or miserable experience.

If you have ever been on a roller coaster you know it’s filled with twists and turns, highs and lows, excitement, anticipation, fear, and relief.

When I talk to people who are struggling in life and wanting to escape, I explain to them that if they were on a roller coaster for the first time and didn’t know the roller coaster continued on an upward trajectory after racing towards the ground they would want to jump off and escape to avoid a crash.

Unfortunately, that’s how a lot of people feel when they are experiencing fear, anxiety, and stress and riding an emotional roller coaster. They try to escape because they feel like they are about to crash.

The key, however, is not to escape but to keep going, knowing that even though you feel like you are going to crash, you won’t, and if you hold on, you’ll ride back to the top.

When you remind yourself that ups and downs are a part of life and your current emotional state is just a temporary part of the journey, you won’t resist the tough part of the ride. Instead, you will flow with it, your emotional state will rise and you’ll be on the upswing before you know it.

You can enjoy the rest of this blog post from John Gordon here. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,876,445 active COVID cases, 24,770,986 have recovered and there have been 578,996 deaths. 
  • Amazon reported they spent $11 billion on video and music content in 2020, up from $7.8 billion a year earlier. The company ramped up spending on video and music content as consumers spent more time indoors and looking at screens amind the pandemic. 
  • Google Earth received its first big update since 2017. A new time-lapse feature lets you see how much the planet has changed in the past 37 years, and it’s pretty stunning what you can find. 
  • More than 700,000 Americans will receive a supplemental stimulus payment this week as the IRS continues to process 2020 tax returns. These “plus-up” payments, will be sent to taxpayers who received a third stimulus check based on 2019 income but qualify for more money based on their 2020 returns. 
  • Dogecoin has spiked 300% in the last seven days and is currently worth $34 billion. The skyrocketing price has led to worries of a potential bubble in the cryptocurrency market. 

CK Daily – 4.15.2021

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In This Issue: RJ45 Ethernet Extender Adapter | New Facebook Features | News to Start Your Day

We all know April 15th is a big day – it’s Tax Day! Due to Covid-19, the IRS has extended the filing season until May 17th for federal income tax returns, so if you were stressed about getting your taxes done today, you’ve still got some time! 

The CK Daily – Learning the Art of Patience

Happy Thursday!

Over the last few years, I have been working on the art of having patience. My family and I are planning to go on a long-awaited trip to Orlando, Florida on Memorial Weekend. Believe it or not, this trip was planned in 2019 and has been rescheduled 3 times due to threats of hurricanes and the pandemic but the time has finally come! We are headed to Orlando regardless of what Mother Nature of the Pandemic Says! 

Since it is a short trip, I figured it would be best to fly to Orlando instead of driving. We are talking about a 5-hour difference between flying and driving from Atlanta. I’ve set my price alert to be notified when the price of the flight decreases, and I have been watching it like a hawk. According to the “Cheap Flight Gods,” I am supposed to find a flight for $65 ROUNDTRIP! That is SUPER CHEAP!!! Now, it may be on a crappy airline but hey, as long as we get to our destination safely, right? 

As I wait for the flight prices to lower this week, I’ve begun to think about the art of having patience. Why am I so stressed n finding this low ticket price, if the company already confirmed with me that they will notify me when the price drops? That the hard part of having patience, believing whatever is said will be done. 

What are some techniques you use to make sure you don’t unnecessarily stress out? Teach me your ways!

Shanyce

Product Spotlights & Updates:

The RJ45 Ethernet Extender Adapter helps you check difficult or hard-to-reach Ethernet ports. Use this in conjunction with an ethernet tester to check for bad ports! This useful adapter has a full range of motion up to 180 degrees which is especially handy for ports located at the rear of a piece of equipment. This unassuming device is a perfect addition to the network engineer’s toolkit!

Facebook Lets You take the Wheel on Two Big Features

The social media giant has added new settings to help you customize your feed and community. Facebook is making it easier to control what you see when you browse their platform. The changes give you more options for who and what you see if your news feed, and who can interact with the things you post. 

The updates let you customize your Facebook news feed, and give you the ability to choose friends whose posts you want to prioritize. You can also swap between the usual feed, determined by an algorithm, and one that is sorted chronologically, with the newest posts first. Finally, you’ll be able to control who can comment on any public post from a menu of options. 

Want to know how to set these features up to fine-tune the way the site works for you? Check it out here!

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,875,822 active COVID cases, 24,696,161 have recovered and there have been 578,098 deaths. 
  • NASA’s $800 million Mars lander is in an energy crisis. The lander is going into hibernation to save power since its solar panels are covered in dust. InSight will shut down science instruments to keep its electronics warm through the Martian winter but a dust storm could tip the scales and drain its batteries, possibly killing it for good. 
  • Amazon announced the second-generation version of its Echo Buds headphones. The new ones are smaller and start at $99 while offering some of the features found in Apple’s $249 AirPods Pro. The version with the wireless charging case costs $119.99.
  • Target is testing a new way to deliver online orders with a special facility that sorts packages and contract workers from Shipt that help drop them off at customers’ homes. This strategy could make their e-commerce sales more profitable and fend off larger and sometimes speedier rivals.
  • Richard Garcia and Dominique Horton bonded over a love of coffee and the culture surrounding it. Seven years later, the Lawrenceville couple will start roasting and serving up their own cups of joe. Reyna’s Espresso and Sweets will open on West Crogan Street in the heart of downtown Lawrenceville. They will begin with serving coffee, espresso-based drinks, smoothies, tea, and desserts!

CK Daily – 4.14.2021

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In This Issue: Cisco 2960S 48 Port PoE+ Switch | #TechTips | News to Start Your Day

April 14th is National Gardening Day! Grab your shovel and favorite seeds, and kick-off a beautiful year of homegrown bounty! Happy gardening! 

The CK Daily – The Great Outdoors

Happy Wednesday! It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the week! I took some time off last week and got to spend it in the north Georgia mountains. The weather was absolutely incredible which means I got to spend a lot of time outside (which is kind of my thing!). I’m an avid hiker and it always amazes me how spending time in nature always results in such a mood boost. I’m noticeably happier and more relaxed after a hike, and sometimes it seems like that mood boost can last for days!

The topic of how spending time in nature can affect us has interested me for a while which has led to reading up a bit on it over the years. Some of the research that has been done is fascinating. Here’s a fun fact: A study out of Japan found that people who spent 40 minutes walking in a cedar forest had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol (think blood pressure and immune system) when compared to those who spent 40 minutes walking in a lab. Isn’t that interesting!? And that’s just one of the physiological effects that have been discovered. Obviously, I’m not a doctor or a scientist, so don’t take my word for it, but if it interests you, do some digging and you might be inspired to spend a little more time outside!

Rebecca

Product Spotlights and Updates:

Today we’re spotlighting the Cisco Catalyst 2960-S Series, 48 port PoE+ switch – WS-C2960S-48LPS-L. This powerhouse of a switch provides Layer 2 connectivity with a 370 watt PoE budget. With 48-gigabit ethernet ports and additional 4 SFP ports, this switch will work perfectly for growing businesses and offers flexible setup options. This unit also comes with an array of Cisco SmartOperations features which include Smart Install, Auto Smartports, and Smart Troubleshooting that help you set up and manage your switch efficiently without a lot of headache. If you need to stack these switches to create a unified switch with a single IP address, you can do so by adding an optional FlexStack module, giving you, even more, power and flexibility. 

#TechTips

Minimizing Blue Light

Have you ever felt your eyes strain or had a headache from staring at your computer for too long? Blue light may be to blame.

The sun naturally emits blue light during the day to help keep us awake. But too much artificial blue light from our computers, laptops, phones, and other devices can cause sleep trouble and eye strain. Not only that but the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock, can fall out of whack. Here are a few ways to restore your sleep and reduce discomfort.

To adjust the color temperature and reduce blue light on your Windows devices, select Start > Settings > System > Display > Night Light Settings. Under Schedule, set Schedule Night Light to On. You can select your own custom times or click the Sunset to Sunrise option. Please note that night light isn’t available for devices using DisplayLink or Basic Display drivers.

To adjust these settings in your Mac, you can utilize Night Shift. Simply go to System Preferences > Displays > Night Shift. You can then select your hue and set a custom schedule.

Since blue light comes from the sun, too much of it in the evening will tell your body it’s still daytime. You can turn on Dark Mode, Night Light, or Night Shift on your tablet or mobile device by visiting the display settings. Adjusting your device to a warmer color hue a few hours before bed will help your body wind down and prepare for sleep.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,868,958 active COVID cases, 24,626,413 have recovered and there have been 577,191 deaths. 
  • Apple has officially announced its press event on April 20th. New products are expected, including new versions of the iPad Pro and AirTags. 
  • Astrobotic has signed a contract with SpaceX for the launch of its Griffin lunar lander, carrying a NASA lunar rover, on a Falcon Heavy in 2023. 
  • The IRS plans to begin sending monthly payments from the new $3,000 child tax credit in July. The new significantly expanded child tax credit was included in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. Under the law, families will receive an annual benefit per child ages 6 to 17 for the 2021 tax year. 
  • Moderna has stated its Covid-19 vaccine was more than 90% effective at protecting against Covid and more than 95% effective against severe disease up to six months after the second dose.