9/6/2016, Helpful Stuff, September Issue --
Books:
The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur’s Vision of the Future by Steve Case
We’re on a roll with the tech revolution and already embarking on what can be called the third wave of the Internet. According to Steve Case, co-founder of AOL and an accomplished entrepreneur, it will be unlike anything we’ve seen to date transforming the economy and our daily lives. Paying homage to futurist Alvin Toffler (from whom Case got the book’s title), Case offers insights into some of the most important business decisions of our time and what will happen next. The first wave was AOL and other companies setting the scene for consumers to connect to the Internet. (Hard to believe, but back in 1985 when AOL came on the scene, just three percent of Americans were online). The second wave has been about apps and services on top of the Internet. This Third Wave will be centered on entrepreneurs transforming industries like health, transportation, energy, and food. Ultimately, Case predicts, tech companies today and of the future—many of which may no longer be based in Silicon Valley—will have to rethink their relationships. The new rules, he writes, are partnerships, policy and perseverance.
Apps/Software:
TaskRabbit
While you’re busy being productive at work, there are countless things that need to get done during any given day. Sometimes it's nice to have some extra help which is how errand app TaskRabbit comes in handy. The premise is simple: pick a task from the list of popular errands and chores at a set hourly rate. Get your house cleaned before out-of-town guests arrive, have shelves installed, get a prescription picked up. Within minutes of your request, you get connected with a skilled tasker. The tasker completes the job, and bills directly in the app. Taskers, by the way, undergo an extensive selection process and all jobs are insured for $1 million. Cancel or reschedule any task for free with at least 24 hours notice. So next time you’re overwhelmed with too long a to-do list, check out TaskRabbit as an easy way to offload some errands. Active in 19 cities and counting, TaskRabbit is available in San Francisco (Bay Area), New York City, Los Angeles and Orange County, London, Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, and Seattle.
Read the rest of the story HERE.
