We offer a variety of sister sites guiding you through the maze of technology:

–YouTube Trendsetters – Steve’s Desk – Eyeball Web – Website Discoveries – Positivity Channel –  Steve PDX – StevePDX Services –

youtubetrendsetters.com is our flagship technology site.

A key feature of this site is Our Dream Team, which we will meet below (link to channel by clicking on the image):

Austin Evans

Lisa Gade – Mobile Tech Review

UrAvgConsumer

Dave2D

Karl Conrad

The Everyday Dad

Erick Van Conover

Marques Brownlee

Morgan Eckroth

Rick Steve’s Europe

Cash Jordan

Matthew Moniz

Andrew Mark David

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Starting a tech startup is thrilling, but it’s easy to overlook the basics. Here are some common-sense tips to keep in mind:

1. Solve a real problem – Make sure your product or service addresses a genuine need.
2. Keep it simple – Avoid overcomplicating your idea; simplicity often wins.
3. Know your market – Understand your audience and competitors.
4. Build a strong team – Surround yourself with talented, motivated people.
5. Focus on execution – Ideas are great, but execution is everything.
6. Stay lean – Manage resources wisely and avoid unnecessary expenses.
7. Listen to feedback – Customer insights can help refine your product.
8. Be adaptable – The tech landscape changes fast; stay flexible.
9. Prioritize user experience – A great product is intuitive and enjoyable to use.
10. Market effectively – Even the best product needs visibility.
11. Secure funding wisely – Choose investors who align with your vision.
12. Protect your intellectual property – Safeguard your ideas and innovations.
13. Plan for scalability – Build with future growth in mind.
14. Stay resilient – Challenges will come; persistence is key.
15. Enjoy the journey – Celebrate small wins and keep learning.

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AI-powered platforms for generating information have grown rapidly, with various models serving different needs. Here’s a breakdown:

Examples of AI Platforms

1. Microsoft Copilot (that’s me!) – I help users with various tasks, from answering questions and brainstorming ideas to assisting with coding and content creation.
2. ChatGPT (by OpenAI) – Used for conversational AI, writing assistance, coding help, and more.
3. Claude (by Anthropic) – Designed for safer, more human-like interactions.
4. Gemini (by Google DeepMind) – Focused on answering questions and processing large amounts of information.
5. Perplexity AI – Acts as an AI-powered search engine that delivers concise answers from multiple sources.
6. Llama (by Meta) – An open-source model used for research and development in AI.
7. IBM Watson – Applied in business analytics, customer service, and healthcare.
8. Sage (by Groq) – Built for ultra-fast AI responses.

Uses by Individuals and Institutions

• Individuals:
  • Writing assistance (e.g., essays, emails, stories)
  • Coding help and debugging
  • Learning and research
  • Personal productivity tools
  • Entertainment and conversation
• Institutions:

• Businesses: Customer service chatbots, marketing, and analytics
• Healthcare: AI diagnostics, medical research, and documentation
• Education: Tutoring, content creation, and academic assistance
• Government: Policy analysis, communication, and cybersecurity
• Media: Content generation, summarization, and fact-checking

Ethical Issues

AI Alignment & Control: Ensuring AI follows human values and does not develop harmful behaviors is a key concern.

Bias & Fairness: AI can unintentionally reflect biases present in training data, leading to unfair outputs.

Misinformation: Some models may generate false or misleading information if not properly fact-checked.

Privacy & Data Security: AI models process vast amounts of user data, raising concerns about confidentiality and proper usage.

Job Displacement: Automation could reduce demand for certain human jobs, impacting employment.

Transparency & Accountability: Users often don’t know how AI arrives at certain conclusions, making decision-making unclear.

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Cryptocurrency is a fascinating and sometimes polarizing innovation in finance. Here’s a breakdown of its advantages and disadvantages (according to an AI search through Microsoft Copilot):

Pros

1. Decentralization – Many cryptocurrencies operate on blockchain technology, eliminating the need for intermediaries like banks.
2. Security – Transactions are secured through cryptography, reducing fraud and counterfeiting risks.
3. Financial Inclusion – Cryptos provide access to financial services for people without traditional banking.
4. Low Transaction Costs – Sending money internationally can be much cheaper compared to traditional banking fees.
5. Potential for High Returns – Some investors have made significant profits as crypto values have skyrocketed.
6. Transparency – Transactions are recorded on a public ledger, promoting accountability.

Cons

1. Volatility – Prices can fluctuate wildly, leading to potential losses for investors.
2. Regulatory Uncertainty – Governments worldwide are still figuring out how to regulate cryptocurrency, leading to potential restrictions.
3. Security Risks – While transactions are secure, exchanges and wallets can be hacked, resulting in stolen assets.
4. Environmental Concerns – Mining certain cryptocurrencies consumes large amounts of energy.
5. Limited Adoption – Though growing, cryptocurrency is not universally accepted as a payment method.
6. Irreversible Transactions – Once a transaction is made, there’s no way to reverse it in case of errors or scams.

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Personal Disclosure: I choose to not participate in the cryptocurrency market.

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Here are some top coding tips to level up your programming skills (as recommended by Microsoft Copilot):

Practice Regularly – The more you code, the better you get!

Write Readable Code – Use meaningful variable names and clear formatting to make your code easy to understand.

Follow a Consistent Coding Style – Stick to a style guide to maintain uniformity in your code.

Avoid Magic Numbers and Strings – Use constants instead of hard-coded values to improve readability.

Write Modular Code – Break your code into smaller, reusable functions to enhance maintainability.

Comment Wisely – Use comments to explain complex logic, but avoid excessive commenting.

Optimize for Performance – Write efficient algorithms and avoid unnecessary computations.

Use Version Control – Track changes and collaborate effectively using Git.

Test Your Code – Implement unit tests to catch bugs early.

Keep Learning – Stay updated with new programming trends and best practices.

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I have chosen to use Microsoft Copilot extensively on this website, which is a departure from my practices on my sister websites.

I hope that the Google and Bing search engines will not penalize me for such usage, which I have clearly labeled in my postings. I want to clarify why I am using AI – which is not a matter of laziness.

Forbes quoted sources as predicting that: “Artificial intelligence is expected to fundamentally transform the global workforce by 2050, according to reports from PwC, McKinsey, and the World Economic Forum. Estimates suggest that up to 60% of current jobs will require significant adaptation due to AI.” (Apr 25, 2025).

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What has been my personal experience with AI?

• Especially when using the Think Deep setting, I find that Microsoft Copilot gives me extensive and nuanced information on my requested topic.
• When evaluating the sources used by the AI, they are generally from publications (print or electronic) that I recognize as authoritative and mainstream.
• I am really impressed by the suggestions offered by the AI to cover further issues raised by the initial search – including ethics.
• The AI gives the further ability to evaluate sources by clearly listing its sources – which can be clicked on for the original citations.

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I feel that, once I have gone through my checklist for the quality of my results, my only obligation to the search engines – and especially to the users of the information I have posted – is to clearly identify when AI has been used.

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