Hello and welcome to Tech Brief. Today we’re talking about Microsoft’s fresh take on the Start menu in Windows 11. This month the company is rolling out a wider design that finally lets you disable the recommended feed of files and apps. But the version you get isn’t the only one they considered. In a new blog post, Microsoft revealed five radical concepts, from a fully rounded, widget-style layout with a dedicated “For You” section of Teams meetings and YouTube videos, to a full-screen, vertically scrolling menu. “Whiteboards, Figma frames, floor-to-ceiling paper prototypes—nothing was too scrappy,” the Windows design team says. After testing with more than 300 Windows fans using eye-tracking heat maps and co-creation calls, they landed on an update that expands customizability and speed while “respecting three decades of muscle memory.” Early adopters in the Windows Insider program will see it first, with a wider rollout coming soon. That’s all for today’s Tech Brief—thanks for listening!
Link to Article

Hello and welcome to One-Minute Insights. Today we’re diving into a New York Times Magazine essay titled “How the Rubik’s Cube Taught Me to Be a Better Parent.” The author confesses that puzzles were never her hobby—until her five-year-old son handed her a scrambled cube and said, “Mommy, solve this.” With no clue but fierce determination, she turned to YouTube’s “The Easiest 10-Minute Rubik’s Cube Lesson,” replaying it fifty times as she twisted and clicked late into the night. Like parenting itself, she discovered, the process demands trial and error, patience, and the humility to “show up, try, fail and change course.” Two weeks later, she finally solved the cube—only to watch her son shout, “Let’s do it again!” His delight reminded her that parenting is not about perfection but about shifting your energy toward someone else. And just like a Rubik’s Cube, life’s challenges yield to practice, perseverance, and a willingness to keep turning the pieces. Thanks for listening.
Link to Article

Hello and welcome to The Future of Work Podcast. Today, we’re diving into McKinsey’s latest insight on the “upskilling imperative.” As AI reshapes roles—20 percent of US workers already use generative AI at work—McKinsey finds that occupational change is accelerating. Between 2016 and 2019, Americans switched occupations nearly three times as often as Europeans, and since March 2020, 17 percent have made a switch. Yet “45 percent say their need for more or different work experience, relevant skills, credentials, or education was the top barrier” to finding a new job. Workers willing to switch cite “more pay or hours” as key motivators, and 42 percent overall are eager for upskilling. The main hurdles? Time and cost. McKinsey suggests private employers, NGOs, and educational institutions partner to offer flexible, on-the-job training, staggered schedules, and financial support. Addressing these gaps could unleash a more adaptive, future-ready American workforce. Thanks for listening—see you next time as we explore solutions shaping tomorrow’s jobs.
Link to Article