LinkedIn Is Adding A Gaming Feature To Its Platform
Many people use LinkedIn to find the right job or internship, connect and build professional relationships, and get career tips. But now the professional networking site plans to add gaming to its platform.
TechCrunch reported that they learned and confirmed that LinkedIn is working on a new game experience. They said LinkedIn would be doing so by “tapping into the same wave of puzzle-mania that helped simple games like Wordle find viral success and millions of players.” They added that their three early efforts are games called “Queens,” “Inference.” and “Crossclimb.”
Nima Owiji, an app researcher said that one idea LinkedIn appears to be experimenting with involves player scores being organized by places of work, with companies getting “ranked” by those scores.
BREAKING: #LinkedIn is working on IN-APP GAMES!
— Nima Owji (@nima_owji) March 16, 2024
There are going to be a few different games and companies will be ranked in the games based on the scores of their employees!
Pretty cool and fun, in my opinion! pic.twitter.com/hLITqc8aqw
A spokesperson for LinkedIn has confirmed with TechCrunch that it is working on gaming but said there is no launch date yet.
“We’re playing with adding puzzle-based games within the LinkedIn experience to unlock a bit of fun, deepen relationships, and hopefully spark the opportunity for conversations,” the spokesperson said in a message to TechCrunch. “Stay tuned for more!”
What some people think about LinkedIn adding gaming to its platform.
After the news about the professional networking site adding gaming to its platform Real Research Media surveyed 5,000 people to get their thoughts on the change. The survey revealed that 45% of respondents find it somewhat likely that integrating gaming features into LinkedIn will increase the duration that users stay for, and 38.72% find it highly likely.
They also found that 43.04% of the respondents are interested in LinkedIn adding online games, and 32.96% are highly interested. 24% said they were not interested at all.
In addition, 66.36% of the respondents believe that the addition of games on LinkedIn aligns with its role as a professional networking platform.
Meanwhile, 67.12% believe gaming integration will alter LinkedIn’s professional image. Interestingly, 42.04% of the respondents said they were somewhat likely to actively play games on LinkedIn, and 35.2% said it was highly likely. 17.56% said it is somewhat unlikely that they play games on LinkedIn, and 5.2% said it is highly unlikely.
LinkedIn has both free and paid subscription options for its platform. The premium option for people looking for jobs costs $39.99 per month and comes with access to extra features.
In 2016, the software giant Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in a $26.2 billion cash deal according to a news release. The New York Times reported that this deal brought together the professional cloud and professional network. Though they operate in different businesses, Microsoft and LinkedIn make the most of their money by catering to professionals.
Vintage Gadgets: Outdated Tech That Still Sparks Joy
A Physical Calculator
You probably haven’t seen a calculator in ages, but a Reddit user chimed in to say that, for them, the old-school scientific calculator beats the one on your phone or any app. They simply put it like this, “Honestly, a standard scientific calculator is just easier to use than your phone’s built-in scientific calculator.” It could be the fun button-tapping sound or the nostalgic thrill of typing in cheeky words with numbers that makes this person prefer calculators.
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Watches That Only Tell The Time
Smartwatches may pack in loads of features, but there’s a catch – they need regular charging and maintenance, and their battery life is shorter. On the flip side, traditional watches are a low-maintenance choice with longer battery life. In fact, a Redditor mentioned they still rock a “a lovely, inexpensive, bombproof, analog, big face Casio.” They also pointed out that smartwatches aren’t allowed at their job, so their trusty Casio gets the job done.
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CD Player, MP3 Player, and Vinyl Albums
If you’ve put a ton of effort into collecting CDs and vinyl records, and creating some killer playlists, why ditch them, right? One person told their story about growing up in the ’90s, building a massive CD collection, and stashing them all in one of those Case Logic CD binders. They fondly shared, “I still keep it with me in my car and it’s a wonderful trip down memory lane every time I open it. I laughed and cried a little when my kids friend asked me what it was and I said, ‘CDs’ and they followed up with, ‘What’s that?'” But also: not everything is available on streaming services. That obscure soundtrack or tribute album from the ’80s? Licensing issues may have prevented it from hitting the streamers. Love Joni Mitchell? Well, Spotify doesn’t have her catalog. Sure, you can subscribe to another service, but if you kept your old vinyl and have a turntable, you can listen to it the old school way.
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"I Love Wires"
You have people who can’t stand a tangle of wires in their tech setup, and then there’s that Reddit user who’s all about the wired life. They firmly believe that wired networking is “not obsolete or outdated.” According to them, it’s superior in every aspect, except for the mobility it lacks compared to wireless. They put it simply, “Wired is the ideal, you only go wireless if running cable is unfeasible for the situation.
Diana Sand/ Getty Images
A Regular Doorbell
A regular doorbell does its job well. It lets you know someone’s at the door. On the other hand, a video doorbell does the same but with the perk of letting you see and hear the person at your door, even if you’re not home. Someone mentioned they’d be up for a smart doorbell if it kept the data local. They said, “I don’t want anything being sent online, so I might need to set up my own system… I’ll just stick with the traditional kind.”
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Physical Buttons
A Redditor shared their affection for good old physical buttons, arguing that not everything needs to go the touchscreen route. They stressed the importance of having car radios equipped with buttons rather than screens, believing it’s a safer choice. They explained, “It’s easier for me to push a button to change the music while keeping my eyes on the road/ I can’t do that if my car has a screen. It increases distracted driving incidents.”
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