I know you’ve seen it all over the news: Elon Musk recently took to the stage at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank to spotlight what he says is the future of transportation — and show off his army of cowboy hat-wearing robots. Will any of this make it to production and into our driveways? Well, we’ll see.
The lucrative world of gambling livestreams
Losing it all at the casino isn’t something to brag about … unless you do it for a living!
Gambling guru Brian Christopher lost a staggering $300,000 on slot machines last year but somehow came out on top. How did he do it? Through building an empire out of livestreaming his gambling adventures.
Thousands of fans tune in to YouTube daily to see how much Christopher will win (or lose). Regardless of how much the house takes from him, he’s still a winner.
Teach me your ways
How in the world does one build a lucrative business out of playing a game of chance? Christopher recently spilled the secrets of his success to the Wall Street Journal.
Throughout the week, Christopher heads to the casino and hops on slot machines, bringing his YouTube and Facebook audiences along for the ride. He livestreams himself playing games and walking through the process, which includes the good, bad and sometimes ugly reality of losing.
In the past, casinos banned people from filming while they visited. However, they’ve recently changed their minds, especially with influencers. Christopher and other gambling livestreamers often get special permission to shoot footage. Casinos also offer promotional deals to gambling influencers — cha-ching!
The business of betting
Christopher’s business currently consists of 10 employees who do everything from packaging and shipping merchandise to running his busy social media accounts. The team also helps secure sponsorship deals and partnerships to fund the venture.
He also has an assistant and a videographer on staff who help with filming and video production. Christopher games online from his home in Palm Springs when he’s not at a casino.
Plus, Christopher offers cruise voyages through a partnership with Carnival. Upwards of 650 fans join him aboard and try their hand at the cruise ship slot machines. He’s got even bigger plans next year, with trips departing in multiple U.S. locations and Australia.
Although he didn’t disclose an exact number, Christopher says he makes enough dough to pay his staff and turn a profit, even after claiming $300,000 in gambling losses. Not too shabby!
Make your next video meeting more fun with a cartoon version of yourself
For many of us, video meetings are an occasional novelty we indulge in with friends and family. That was the case until the pandemic made these visual chats a part of our social, educational and professional lives.
Thanks to advancing smart device tech, remote meetings are convenient and easy to do. All you need is a phone, and you’re good to go. As people look for work, in-person interviews have been replaced with video. This may take some getting used to, but we’re here to help. Tap or click here for tips on acing a remote job interview.
There’s no fun in these funerals: Scammers are creating 24/7 fake funeral livestreams on Facebook and tricking people into handing over their credit card info. They use real photos and details about a person who’s passed, then they ask for a card “to verify your location” and secretly set you up for recurring payments.
65 million
Peak viewership for the Mike Tyson and Jake Paul boxing match on Netflix last Friday. Despite being the company’s biggest-ever livestreamed event, there were so many connection problems. Jake, who won the fight, admitted they crashed Netflix.
This shocking flaw could allow your phone to watch you
When it comes to web browsers, it always pays to be picky. Not all browsers are the same in terms of privacy and security, and choosing one that works to protect your data will benefit you greatly in the long run.
But which browser is the right one to choose? Well, it depends on whether you want more options like extensions, better security or more robust privacy options. Tap or click here to see our top favorite web browsers.
10 ways the coronavirus has changed your daily life
Life has changed significantly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Our routines have changed, our ways of interacting have changed and our pastimes have gone from having drinks at bars and dinners at restaurants to watching videos on how to make bread with the ingredients you have in your pantry.
🥊 What a sh*tshow: It wasn’t just you. Netflix crashed throughout the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul livestream. From the start of the undercard, anyone watching around the world lost sound, while the feeds buffered and image quality dropped to pixelated mush. Netflix slapped up a message to “check your internet connection.” I have serious doubts the internet would hold up in an emergency.
Really like a livestreamer? On the YouTube app, you’ll soon be able to buy “jewels” for your favorite creators. Think of jewels as a virtual tip for the person making the videos you love. As far as tips go, the one profession that should get them is teaching: “Thanks, and here’s $25 for teaching my bratty kid algebra.”
Security camera warning: Hackers found two security flaws in PTZOptics’ livestreaming cameras, used primarily in business, industrial and health care settings. Once inside, hackers can fully control the cameras, install malware, interrupt the feeds or use a camera as a gateway to other devices on the network. Have one? Contact your vendor to confirm its firmware is up to date.
Look how some livestreamers in China who sell clothes do their work.
😟 Anything for clout: YouTuber “Norme” is livestreaming himself in solitary confinement for a month to see if he goes insane. He’s locked in a pitch-black storage container with just a mattress, and after 150 hours, he’s already rambling about aliens and making weird noises. He’s making money doing challenges, like $5 for a handstand or $50 to tape his mouth shut for an hour.