1. Are you getting started on Slack to increase your productivity, reduce your email, and fuel your dependence on animated GIFs? Here’s a helpful how-to explaining all the basics.
2. Technology has consequences, positive and negative. This week a new refereed online publication forum, Technology Science, launched as a place to share timely academic papers exploring the benefits and adverse consequences of social, political, organizational, and personal aspects of technology. They’ve already hit the headlines with a piece on discovery of a Facebook Messenger privacy flaw and price discrimination for travel to the U.S.
3. Nieman Lab’s Joseph Lichterman has a collection of articles on news alerts, those mobile notifications sent by major news organizations that let you know an earthquake has struck or that  Serena Williams has won again. Helpful for understanding the what when and how, but it can be surprising what rises to the level of an alert from the New York Times. What did I click or not click that has them notifying me when Sesame Street moves to HBO?
4. Peter Shankman pulled together four tips for how to send an email so that it’s actually read. He includes my main pet peeves: lack of descriptive subject lines and inclusion of attachments.
5. While everyone else is talking Snapchat, don’t lose sight of Vine which delivers an impressive 1.5 B video views (or “loops”) per day. Quartz explains why this mobile-friendly, snackable video service has taken hold.

Weekend fun: Now shorts on the internet can get you a real live Hollywood movie deal. This six-minute, apocalyptic short is the latest example of Vimeo-to-studio. Dystopia not your thing? Then check out this oddly gratifying video of a an eagle talon-punching a drone out of the sky or just turn off the damn computer and play Guess Wu.

Every Friday, find five, highly subjective pointers to compelling technologies, emerging trends, and interesting ideas that affect how we live and work digitally. Try out the Friday 5 archive, or sign up for a weekly email.