Putting AI towork.Miro Vs Figjam credit: BrutallyhonestOver the past year, the battle between Miro and FigJam has gotten a new layer of intrigue: AI. Both platforms have introduced AI assistants designed to make workshopping faster, easier, and more creative.But as someone who spends half their week running workshops and brainstorming sessions, I had one burning question: are these AI features actually useful, or are they just shiny distractions?So, I did what any good product manager would doI spent way too much time testing them. Heres the breakdown of what Ilearned.The setup: what these AI assistants claim todoMiro AI: Miros assistant promises to help with summarizing sticky notes, generating ideas, and even automatically organizing content. Its like the digital equivalent of that one colleague who loves turning chaos intoorder.FigJam AI: FigJam leans into being your brainstorming buddy. Think ideation prompts, group clustering suggestions, and contextual tips to help you keep momentum during yoursession.On paper, they sound like theyll save time and make workshops feel seamless. But how do they work in real scenarios?The Tests: Putting AI toworkI ran three tests with each platform to compare their AI assistants inaction.1. Generating ideas:I used the prompt: Suggest ideas for a new team-building activity.Miro delivered 15 sticky notes with team-building activity suggestions. While the breadth was decent (think art workshop, charity volunteer day, and escape rooms), it felt like a brainstorming session you could get from a quick Googlesearch.Miro gave me 15 sticky notes with what felt like randomideasCurious to test the depth, I gave it a follow-up prompt:Deep dive into the escape room challenge.The response? Miro provided a generic list of things to consider, like theme, venue options, and team size. While somewhat useful, it didnt add much value beyond surface-level suggestions.When nudged to give me more details about a specific one, Miro gave me another 15 sticky notes with themes to explore the escape room challengeFigJams TakeFigJam took a slightly different route. Instead of listing a variety of activities, it structured a potential workshop, including an ice-breaker, collaborative challenges, and a reflection session. While this approach felt more actionable, it leaned heavily on process rather than creative ideation.Figjam game a workshop structure with three sections, an icebreaker, a challenge and a feedbacksectionTo match Miros test, I gave FigJam the same follow-up prompt:Focus on the escape room challenge.FigJam responded with a mind map that broke down the activity into key elements: Theme ideas (e.g., haunted house, pirate adventure) Puzzles (e.g., logic games, physical challenges) Team dynamics (e.g., roles, communication tips) Time constraints (e.g., countdown, pressure) Room elements (e.g., props, lighting)This additional layer of detail made FigJams response feel more tailored and creative, with practical suggestions that extended beyond just the initialidea.Figjam when prompted to give me more details on the escape room challenge broke things down into atreeKey takeaways Miro excels in generating a variety of ideas but struggles to go deeper without additional input. FigJam shines in creating a structured framework and offers more detailed follow-ups, particularly for planning activities like the escape room challenge.In this round, FigJams ability to add meaningful depth and organise the information gave it the edgeespecially for teams that want to move quickly from ideas to execution.2. Organizing content:I tested both Miro and FigJam by dropping 20 sticky notes into each board and asking their AI to organize them into clusters.Miro easily clustered the words intogroupsMiro handled this effortlessly, grouping the words into meaningful categories with ease. The user experience was straightforwardsimple to navigateand the results were spoton.Miro clustered the words in an accuratewayFigJam, on the other hand, struggled. While the UX was equally intuitive (you select items and use a dropdown to cluster), the output was far less reliable. For instance, it categorized my cat as furniture and my breakfast banana as acolor!Figjam AI did not manage to cluster simple words under meaningful categories when Miro did iteasilyAs a bonus, I decided to push Miro further by testing it with a more challenging list of words. Once again, it performed impressively, grouping the words into accurate and meaningful clusters without muchtrouble.Miros output when given a harder list of words was pretty accurate.For comparison, I fed the same list of words to ChatGPT to see how it would cluster them. Here's theresult:Heres a possible grouping for the challenging list:Natural Elements: Quartz, Ash, Seaweed, Lichen, Maple, Dandelion, ThornAnimals: Wolf, Penguin, Salmon, Scorpion, BatTools: Shovel, Wheelbarrow, Pulley, Wrench,GrinderGuidance/Reflection: Compass, Mirror,LanternThese groupings reflect different overarching themes like nature, animals, tools, and abstract or symbolic items. However, some words like Ash or Lantern could fit multiple groups depending on context, making it less straightforward.Overall, Miro clearly outshines FigJam in clustering accuracy and reliability.3. Summarizing key takeaways:Finally, I created a deliberately chaotic mock brainstorming session to simulate the typical messiness of workshop outputsfragmented ideas, incomplete thoughts, and scattered priorities. The session was split into two sections: one for ideation (10 sticky notes) and another for next steps (10 sticky notes). I then asked each AI assistant to summarize the workshop.Miro did a pretty good job at transtorming the chaos of the workshop into a cleardocumentMiro excelled at making sense of the chaos, transforming the output into a clear and structured document. It effectively grouped the ideation section into relevant sub-themes and organized the next steps, making the summary practical and easy touse.FigJam, on the other hand, struggled to separate ideation from next steps, which made the summary harder to follow. While the addition of emojis was a fun touch, the lack of clear differentiation made the output lesshelpful.The output from Figjam was not very helpful as it didnt differentiate ideation from nextstepsOnce again, Miro came out ahead, providing a well-organized and actionable summary that effectively categorized the workshops keypoints.4. Approaches to AI: pragmatic vs.playfulThe contrast between Miro and FigJams AI assistants ultimately reflects their different problem-solving philosophies:Miro: Pragmatic and utilitarian. Miros AI is built for teams that value order and efficiency. Its a dependable assistant for summarizing, organizing, and handling chaotic inputs with precision. Perfect for corporate workshops, project managers, or structured strategy sessions where clarity is non-negotiable.FigJam: Playful and creative. FigJams AI brings a more dynamic, brainstorming-friendly vibe to the table. Its strength lies in generating ideas, structuring frameworks, and offering fun, collaborative momentsideal for design teams, startups, or anyone looking to inject personality into their workshops.5. The verdict: which one should youUse?It all comes down to the type of workshops you run and the outcomes youneed.Choose Miro AI ifYou need structured outputs and actionable insights. Its your go-to for managing messy ideas, summarizing key takeaways, and delivering clarity in a fast-paced environment.Choose FigJam AI ifYou prioritize creativity and enjoy a more interactive experience. FigJams AI thrives in ideation sessions and adds a touch of playfulness to your workflow, even if it occasionally stumbles with structure.Final thoughts: AI in whiteboardsgame-changer or justhype?Both Miro and FigJam are integrating AI in ways that speed up mundane tasks and enhance collaboration, but theyre far from perfect. A notable limitation I found is the inability to refine outputs or give specific feedback to the AI assistant. Without the flexibility to go back and forth, their potential is sometimes undercut by rigidity.Still, these tools push the boundaries of how we collaborate, and its exciting to imagine how theyll evolve to better anticipate userneeds.For now, I find myself using bothMiro when I need precision and FigJam when I want creativity. What about you? Have you tried their AI assistants yet? Which one do you think works best for yourteam?.Here are some topics/websites I recommend goingthroughIf you want to go further, I cant recommend enoughreading:How UX can be a key differentiator forAIDesign as Thought: AI and the Future ofDesignAny more? Whatve I missed. Let me know in thecommentsFollow on LinkedIn & Medium for more deep divesMiro vs. FigJam: how their AI assistants stack up was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

How Mondrian can save your wallet. And save you,too.Black Friday. Do you need anything? You (probably) dont.What if we could hack Amazon's homepage for a day and transform it into a place of harmony and spirituality instead of a loud market square youll throw your moneyat?A few years ago, an artist named Piet Mondrian proposed that underneath the texture of nature, there is a foundational structure of rectangles, lines, and primary colorsa place of beauty whose rhythm brings us closer to thetruth.Thats something, right?Piet Mondrian, Tableau I, 1921, oil on canvas, 96,5 x 60,5 cm, 2013 Mondrian. Ludwig Museum, Cologne. Picture taken byme.What is that other thing that is built with lines and rectangles? Theweb.Rectangles filled with text and images, rectangles with rounded corners we want people to click on (aka buttons).What if the truth has always been lying underneath all our interfaces?I was in front of a Mondrian in Cologne last week. I finally got it. The truth lies underneath all web pages, including Amazons homepage.Lets see if I can redesign Amazons homepage to demonstrate mypoint.First, get a home page screenshot and draw the basic structure.BTW Amazon, Pump up the joy?Second, lets start adding color, bringing in some grey (very present in Mondrians artworks), and rotating the UI in portrait (vertical) mode to move away from the usual browser view for asec.It's pretty ugly still, but well getthere.Now, Im merging the rectangles and starting to add some rhythm. The lines and the rectangles must open up to extend our UI to a potentially unlimited, infinitespace.How well will the Amazon homepage overlap with the underlying structure we identify? I got something likethis:Only some adjustments are left to ensure the content gently fits our spiritual grid. There itis:Of course, some functionalities will be missing. The search bar will not have space, so itll have to go, and most noticeably, all the Shop now calls to action will begone.With a browser frame, you can now enjoy the beauty of a shop where nothing can be shopped. This is the underlying foundation beneath all ourUIs.That was Mondrians Black Fridaymiracle.If Friday is blackadd red, yellow, and blue was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Black Friday isn't officially until Nov. 29, but early Black Friday deals are already here, with retailers like Home Depot and Amazon officially starting their sales. Target is no exception: I scoured all of the best tech deals from Target's sale and made a list for you to make your life a bit easier. You can find deals on iPads, Garmins, TCL TVs, Bose and Beats headphones, and other products all at their lowest prices ever (at Target), according to the price tracking tools I use. Dimensions (Overall): 6.53 Inches (L), .35 Inches (W) Weight: .68 Ounces Electronics Battery: No Apple Pencil Pro $99.00 at Target $129.99 Save $30.99 Get Deal Get Deal $99.00 at Target $129.99 Save $30.99 10.2-inch Retina display with True Tone A13 Bionic chip with Neural Engine 8MP Wide back camera. Apple iPad 10.2-inch Wi-Fi (2021, 9th Generation) $199.99 at Target $329.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal Get Deal $199.99 at Target $329.99 Save $130.00 Battery life: up to 28 days in smartwatch mode; up to 30 hours in GPS mode Built-in sports apps. Garmin Instinct 2 Smartwatch $199.99 at Target $299.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $199.99 at Target $299.99 Save $100.00 Water Resistance: Sweat-Resistant, Water-Resistant Ear Cushion Material: ABS Beats Studio Buds True Wireless Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Earbuds $79.99 at Target $149.99 Save $70.00 Get Deal Get Deal $79.99 at Target $149.99 Save $70.00 Water Resistance: Water-Resistant Ear Cushion Material: Silicone Estimated Charge Time: 1 Hour Bose Ultra Open-Ear True Wireless Bluetooth Open Earbuds $249.99 at Target $299.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $249.99 at Target $299.99 Save $50.00 Dimensions (Overall): 2.4 Inches (H) x 26.4 Inches (W) x 4.1 Inches (D) Weight: 5.3 Pounds Electroni Samsung 3.0Ch Soundbar with Built-in Woofer - Gray (HW-S50B) $149.99 at Target $249.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $149.99 at Target $249.99 Save $100.00 Screen Resolution: 4K Native screen refresh rate: 60 Hz Screen Size: 55 Inches Stand Depth: 2.7 Inch TCL 55" Class S5-Series 4K UHD HDR LED Smart Google TV $239.99 at Target $349.99 Save $110.00 Get Deal Get Deal $239.99 at Target $349.99 Save $110.00 SEE 4 MORE The Apple Pencil Pro and 9th Gen. iPad are up to 39% offI covered the Apple Pencil Pro last month when it dropped to a record-low price on Amazon before quickly selling out. You still can't find one on Amazon, but Target is selling them for $99 (originally $129). You can use the Pencil Pro with the 64GB wifi-only ninth-generation iPad, currently going for $199 (originally $329), matching the lowest price it first hit in August. This iPad was considered the best iPad for most people by PCMag and received its Editors' Choice award in an "excellent" review. While it is three years old, it's not yet on the list of Apple products no longer getting software updates, so you'll likely still get a few more years of support.The Garmin Instinct 2 is $100 offThe Garmin Instinct 2 is an outdoor smartwatch with a design and features geared towards people with active lifestyles. It has a strong battery life of up to 65 days in the battery saver mode, and 28 days in the regular mode (using features like GPS and SpO2 monitoring will drain the battery much quicker). You can get the Instinct 2 for $199.99 (originally $299.99).Beats and Bose headphones up to 47% offBose Ultra Open Earbuds clip on your ear and shoot sound into your ear, leaving your ears open to outside noise. You can get them for $249 (originally $299). If you're looking for the opposite approach, Beats Studio Buds are noise-canceling earbuds that go in your ear and are $79.99 (originally $149.99).This Samsung soundbar with a built-in woofer is 40% offThe Samsung HW-S50B is a budget-friendly "all-in-one" (to the extent it can be) soundbar with a built-in woofer. These kinds of soundbars are great for setups where a woofer won't fit or for people who just don't want the clutter. It has Bluetooth Multi Connection, so you can connect two smart devices at the same time and switch between them, and if you have a Samsung phone, you can use the tap feature to play your media directly to it. Get it for $149.99 (originally $249.99).The 55-inch TCL S551G Google TV is $110 offThe TCL S551G is an LED Smart Google TV with 4K resolution, UHD, and HDR currently going for $239.99 (originally $349.99). This is TCL's new entry-level 4K TV of 2024. The Best Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 64GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) $21.99 (List Price $49.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Security Camera (3-Pack) $99.99 (List Price $259.99) Dell Inspiron 15 3535 Ryzen 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Laptop $449.99 (List Price $699.99) Seagate Portable 4TB External USB 3.0 Hard Drive $99.90 (List Price $124.99) Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones $199.00 (List Price $349.00) Deals are selected by our commerce team

I am a Pixel loyalist, and have been since day one. As my colleagues Michelle Ehrhardt and David Nield have confirmed, the Pixel 9 in all its iterations (the Pixel 9, The Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold) are all exceptional. I opted for the Pixel 9 Pro, which is down to $799 from $999 during Black Fridayif you are in the market for a new phone, I say this is the one to get. Google Pixel 9 128GB Unlocked Phone (Obsidian) $649.00 at Best Buy $799.00 Save $150.00 Get Deal Get Deal $649.00 at Best Buy $799.00 Save $150.00 Google - Pixel 9 Pro 128GB (Unlocked) - Obsidian $799.00 at Best Buy $999.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Get Deal $799.00 at Best Buy $999.00 Save $200.00 Google Pixel 9 Pro XL 128GB Unlocked Phone (Obsidian) $934.13 at Amazon $1,099.00 Save $164.87 Get Deal Get Deal $934.13 at Amazon $1,099.00 Save $164.87 Google Pixel 9 Fold 256GB Unlocked Phone (Obsidian) $1,499.00 at Best Buy $1,799.00 Save $300.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,499.00 at Best Buy $1,799.00 Save $300.00 SEE 1 MORE The Pixel 9 Pro is the first model in many years to be smaller than its predecessor, for which I am endlessly grateful. My thumb actually reaches comfortably across the Pixel 9 Pro, it fits comfortably in my hand, and it weighs only 7 ounces. I dont know why phones kept getting bigger for a while, but Im thrilled that were moving away from the trend. If youre a masochist, you can pick up the Pixel 9 Pro XL.The Pixel 9 Pro is also a very pretty phone, but lets be honestmost of us swaddle our pricey smartphones in a protective case. I'm particularly loyal to the ones from RhinoShield, which are also on sale.If youre already a Pixel fan, the interface is a continuation of what you know, and the migration process from my previous Pixel to this one was smoother than it has ever been before. I didnt have to set up any of my screen preferences againeven my screensaver transferred over. Using the Pixel means youre seeing Android the way it was meant to be seen: operating system by Google on a phone by Google. Everything is smooth, with settings in the same place universally, and common swiping behavior. Most apps unlock with a fingerprint or face recognition.My main complaint about the Pixel has always been that the camera feels inferior to those on iPhones, but thats not true in the Pixel 9 Proboth cameras are awesome. The resolution, the image stability, the lighting its all great.Each time I upgrade my phone, I get anxious about whether this model will be the one I regret. Im a few months in with the Pixel 9 Pro, and I feel great about it. The Best Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 64GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) $21.99 (List Price $49.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Security Camera (3-Pack) $99.99 (List Price $259.99) Dell Inspiron 15 3535 Ryzen 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Laptop $449.99 (List Price $699.99) Seagate Portable 4TB External USB 3.0 Hard Drive $99.90 (List Price $124.99) Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones $199.00 (List Price $349.00) Deals are selected by our commerce team

Remember when it was nearly impossible to get your hands on a PS5? Those days are basically over now, which is only a good thing for gamers and those looking to get the console for the first time. Black Friday deals have even discounted the PS5 this year: PS5 Slim is available for $75 off at Amazon, Walmart, Target, Sony and other retailers. You can get the digital edition for $375, or the disc-based model for $425. While we wouldnt call this a budget console, these deals make it just a bit more affordable and an ideal time to see what all the PS5 fuss is about if you dont have one yet. Despite the moniker, theres nothing slim about the specs. This is a regular PS5, with the same horsepower as the original unit. However, the PS5 Slim is 30 percent smaller and around 25 percent lighter. When it comes to tech, smaller is typically a good thing. Both versions ship with a DualSense controller and a 1TB SSD. These consoles also come with Astros Playroom pre-installed, which is the precursor to the incredible Astro Bot. They dont, however, come with a vertical stand. Thatll cost extra. The digital-only model, obviously, doesnt ship with a disc drive, though theres a standalone drive available for those who would rather make that decision later. Otherwise, this is a PS5. Theres no other way (right now) to play games like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered. It also runs cross-platform hits like Star Wars Outlaws and Elden Ring, in addition to pseudo-exclusives that made their way to PC like God of War Ragnark. This sale is not for the recently-released PS5 Pro, so you wont get all of those graphical upscaling bells and whistles. However, that new console is a whopping $700, whereas these PS5 Slim consoles are just over half that. And we'd be remiss if we didn't also mention the sale happening on DualSense Wireless Controllers that work with PS5 consoles; you can pick them up starting at just $54 a piece at Amazon and Sony. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-ps5-deals-grab-the-slim-console-for-75-off-080645152.html?src=rss

If you're looking to treat yourself or a loved one to a new laptop without breaking the bank, there are plenty of early Black Friday deals worth considering. Even better, there's a discount on what we reckon is the best laptop for most people and the best laptop for college students. Apple's M3 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM has dropped to its lowest price to date. The laptop is available for $849, which is $250 off the list price (some color options are even down to $844). Apple just released its first M4-powered Macs, but it has yet to slot the latest chip into the MacBook Air. The 13-inch MBA's blend of power and portability makes it a potent choice and we gave it a score of 90 in our review. It delivers fast performance and has a killer display. The design is sleek and sturdy and it sounds great thanks to a quad-speaker array. We like the trackpad and keyboard as well, while the upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E connectivity is a definite plus. Our main quibble is that the USB-C ports are on the same side of the unit as the one for the charger having even one USB-C on the right side would be handy. But that's a minor complaint about an otherwise terrific laptop. If you're willing to go with a slightly older (but no less capable) processor, the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage has dropped to $749 another record-low price. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-deals-include-the-m3-mackbook-air-with-16gb-of-ram-for-an-all-time-low-price-180617468.html?src=rss

Looking for NYT Connections answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, plus my commentary on the puzzles.

Huawei is pairing its supercharged SSD with tape storage in response to US export restrictions.

The Department of Justice is pushing a federal judge to make Google divest its Chrome internet browser as a remedy following the antitrust case.

Despite nearly doubling sales year on year, Nvidia's third-quarter results show a slowdown from previous quarters.