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Private sector employment in the United States grew by 155,000 jobs in March, while annual pay increased 4.6% year-over-year, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report produced in collaboration with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. The report offers a high-frequency, independent view of the labor market using anonymized payroll data from more than 25 million U.S. employees. “Despite policy uncertainty and downbeat consumers, the bottom line is this: The March topline number was a good one for the economy and employers of all sizes, if not necessarily all sectors,” said Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. Job Gains by Sector and Region March’s job growth was driven primarily by the service-providing sector, which added 132,000 jobs. The goods-producing sector contributed an additional 24,000 positions. Goods-producing industries: Manufacturing: +21,000 Construction: +6,000 Natural resources/mining: -3,000 Service-providing industries: Professional/business services: +57,000 Financial activities: +38,000 Leisure/hospitality: +17,000 Education/health services: +12,000 Other services: +11,000 Information: +3,000 Trade/transportation/utilities: -6,000 Regionally, the Northeast led with 89,000 new jobs, including 57,000 in New England and 32,000 in the Middle Atlantic. The Midwest followed with 81,000 jobs, most of which came from the East North Central division. Regional employment changes: Northeast: +89,000 Midwest: +81,000 South: +27,000 West: -41,000 In the West, employment declined by 12,000 in the Mountain region and by 29,000 in the Pacific region. Hiring by Establishment Size Job gains were spread across businesses of all sizes: Small establishments (1-49 employees): +52,000 Medium establishments (50-499 employees): +43,000 Large establishments (500+ employees): +59,000 Among small firms, those with 1–19 employees contributed the most, with 42,000 jobs added. Medium-sized businesses with 50–249 employees added 34,000 jobs. Pay Insights ADP’s pay data showed a slowdown in wage growth. Job-stayers saw a 4.6% increase in annual pay, while job-changers experienced a 6.5% increase. The 1.9 percentage point premium for job-changers matched a series low last seen in September. Pay gains for job-stayers by industry: Manufacturing: 4.8% Financial activities: 5.3% Construction, education/health services, leisure/hospitality: 4.7% Other services: 4.4% Professional/business services: 4.4% Trade/transportation/utilities: 4.3% Natural resources/mining: 4.3% Information: 4.0% Pay gains for job-stayers by firm size: Small firms (1–19 employees): 2.9% Small firms (20–49 employees): 4.2% Medium firms (50–249 employees): 4.8% Medium firms (250–499 employees): 5.0% Large firms (500+ employees): 4.9% As of January 2025, ADP’s Pay Insights measure captures nearly 14.8 million individual pay change observations each month, up from nearly 10 million when it launched. The data provides near real-time insights into the private sector labor market. This article, "ADP: Private Sector Adds 155,000 Jobs in March; Annual Pay Up 4.6%" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

There is some method to the madness — it’s just a nonsensical methodView the full article

Instacart has announced the launch of Will Call Delivery, a new solution designed to address urgent same-day supply needs for foodservice distributors and their business customers. The offering aims to mitigate common challenges such as delayed truck dispatches, warehouse fulfillment issues, and the growing expectation for rapid delivery in the hospitality and food retail sectors. Will Call Delivery is part of Instacart Business, which launched in 2022. The new service allows distributors to provide fast, same-day “fill-in” or “hot shot” deliveries using Instacart’s network of trained shoppers. By integrating directly into distributors’ existing communication workflows, Will Call Delivery enables sales representatives to initiate orders quickly—allowing them to request a shopper to pick up items from a warehouse and deliver them directly to customers. “For more than a decade, Instacart has built its reputation on delivering grocery orders to households nationwide in as fast as an hour,” the company stated. “With Will Call Delivery, we’re bringing that expertise to distributors and business operators in need of rapid fulfillment, offering a seamless, same-day solution for the most urgent supply needs.” The Will Call Delivery system is a white-label application that enables reps to order via text or call, maintaining the workflow they’re accustomed to. If an item is out of stock or the customer is located far from a warehouse, distributors can also place orders from retailers on the Instacart Marketplace to fulfill the need. Instacart emphasizes food safety as a core feature of the service. All shoppers are trained through educational modules covering food safety standards, including hygiene practices, cross-contamination prevention, and safe transportation of temperature-controlled foods. The company has been piloting Will Call Delivery with Gordon Food Service, one of the leading foodservice distributors in the U.S. Feedback from the pilot has been positive. “Our pilot with Instacart is allowing us to test ways to advance our customer-first approach and best-in-class service. We understand that our customers are changing, and this pilot is allowing us to find ways to address their urgent and varied needs, and augment our traditional models of serving our customers. To date, we’ve gained valuable insights from this model and it’s making us think differently,” said Joe Mott, Regional General Manager of Gordon Food Service. Chef Tucker of Blackfinn Ameripub also praised the service, saying, “It has been extremely helpful to me and my staff when needing product in a timing manner. We love the ease of having items delivered with the rush of day to day kitchen operations.” Instacart plans to expand Will Call Delivery to additional distributor partners throughout 2025, aiming to scale the solution nationwide. According to the company, the service allows distributors to reduce operational strain and deliver better customer service, while helping end businesses—from restaurants to healthcare facilities—remain fully stocked during critical moments. Distributors interested in integrating Will Call Delivery can reach out to Instacart at business@instacart.com for more information. Image: Instacart This article, "Instacart Launches Will Call Delivery to Solve Supply Chain Disruptions for Foodservice Industry" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Instacart has announced the launch of Will Call Delivery, a new solution designed to address urgent same-day supply needs for foodservice distributors and their business customers. The offering aims to mitigate common challenges such as delayed truck dispatches, warehouse fulfillment issues, and the growing expectation for rapid delivery in the hospitality and food retail sectors. Will Call Delivery is part of Instacart Business, which launched in 2022. The new service allows distributors to provide fast, same-day “fill-in” or “hot shot” deliveries using Instacart’s network of trained shoppers. By integrating directly into distributors’ existing communication workflows, Will Call Delivery enables sales representatives to initiate orders quickly—allowing them to request a shopper to pick up items from a warehouse and deliver them directly to customers. “For more than a decade, Instacart has built its reputation on delivering grocery orders to households nationwide in as fast as an hour,” the company stated. “With Will Call Delivery, we’re bringing that expertise to distributors and business operators in need of rapid fulfillment, offering a seamless, same-day solution for the most urgent supply needs.” The Will Call Delivery system is a white-label application that enables reps to order via text or call, maintaining the workflow they’re accustomed to. If an item is out of stock or the customer is located far from a warehouse, distributors can also place orders from retailers on the Instacart Marketplace to fulfill the need. Instacart emphasizes food safety as a core feature of the service. All shoppers are trained through educational modules covering food safety standards, including hygiene practices, cross-contamination prevention, and safe transportation of temperature-controlled foods. The company has been piloting Will Call Delivery with Gordon Food Service, one of the leading foodservice distributors in the U.S. Feedback from the pilot has been positive. “Our pilot with Instacart is allowing us to test ways to advance our customer-first approach and best-in-class service. We understand that our customers are changing, and this pilot is allowing us to find ways to address their urgent and varied needs, and augment our traditional models of serving our customers. To date, we’ve gained valuable insights from this model and it’s making us think differently,” said Joe Mott, Regional General Manager of Gordon Food Service. Chef Tucker of Blackfinn Ameripub also praised the service, saying, “It has been extremely helpful to me and my staff when needing product in a timing manner. We love the ease of having items delivered with the rush of day to day kitchen operations.” Instacart plans to expand Will Call Delivery to additional distributor partners throughout 2025, aiming to scale the solution nationwide. According to the company, the service allows distributors to reduce operational strain and deliver better customer service, while helping end businesses—from restaurants to healthcare facilities—remain fully stocked during critical moments. Distributors interested in integrating Will Call Delivery can reach out to Instacart at business@instacart.com for more information. Image: Instacart This article, "Instacart Launches Will Call Delivery to Solve Supply Chain Disruptions for Foodservice Industry" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Shares in tech groups and retailers hit as ties to China and other supplier nations face turmoilView the full article

US stock futures tumble as president reveals plans for 10% universal levies and higher ‘reciprocal’ dutiesView the full article

The diplomatic cost of the US president’s tariffs will be enduringView the full article

The new duties imposed by the US president will send shockwaves through global supply chains View the full article

Everybody wants sovereignty. Everybody wants wealth. Yet a fund is not, sadly, a reliable route to their creationView the full article

Prime minister hopes trade talks between London and Washington could further reduce the levyView the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. A beautiful object, expertly designed, can bring you joy throughout your busy day, unless you are unable to use it because of a permanent, temporary, or situational disability. How does design fail or succeed in creating an inclusive experience for all? As CEO of Michael Graves Design, I am deeply committed to advancing the functionality and accessibility of everyday products, with a special focus on enhancing the lives of those with disabilities. Our mission is to improve quality of life beyond aesthetics, addressing real-world challenges faced by individuals with temporary or permanent disabilities. What drives this commitment? A profound conviction in the transformative power of design to simplify daily tasks and infuse them with dignity and delight. Imagine if every aspect of your daily routine, from waking up to going to bed, was designed with your needs in mind. Activities of daily living (ADLs) such as eating, bathing, dressing, and moving around are foundational to our independence. Yet, for individuals facing temporary or permanent disabilities, these essential tasks can pose significant challenges. This also happens due to situational disabilities that we all experience as we go through our day: full hands, loud environments, low lighting, etc. Design can address these challenges head on, transforming everyday activities into seamless experiences, while enabling us to target the widest audience possible. Focus on consumer experiences over tasks This design philosophy empowers brands to tackle everyday challenges by transforming routine tasks into seamless experiences for consumers. We’re eager to share our approach, helping you broaden your reach and enhance how you connect with the widest audience possible. Take, for example, our latest collaboration with Pottery Barn. We introduced bedroom furniture that embodies our “design for all” ethos. At first glance, the furniture collections looks like any other Pottery Barn furniture in its catalogue, relaying an aspirational lifestyle that resonates so well with consumers. But a closer look reveals how dignity has been woven into each piece. Beds come with integrated armrests for easier mobility, and nightstands feature enhancements to store CPAP machines and prevent items from tumbling off—just a few of the many simple, yet profound modifications that make independence both accessible and delightful. The twist here is that while these novel functional enhancements were designed around the needs of those with various disabilities, they were designed to be attractive and useful to everybody. A true embodiment of universal design, equal measure is given to the emotional and functional desires of consumers, essential to design for all. This product development strategy is underpinned by decades of research into the needs and preferences of aging adults and those with disabilities. This is not just design—it’s empathy in action. You must be able to identify real-world problems that need solving, guided by a deep understanding of what people truly desire. Our roadmap is centered on the various ADLs, which are crucial for independent living. The future of design The future of design must be proactive, not reactive. The brands that take this approach will be the leaders of the future. What challenges lie ahead? How can design continue to evolve to meet the unmet needs of our society? To do this successfully, design must merge today’s common expertise in the emotionally driven aspects of a product’s personality and purpose with the less incorporated ability to include and translate various ability levels as creative constraints in the product development process. In short, new products must be alluring, but push their usefulness to a broader audience. We believe the future is in the merging of these two approaches. To have a pioneering brand today, you need to exceed customers’ expectations for enhanced independence, empowering them with the dignity we all deserve. This is the true power of thoughtful design. It goes beyond making daily tasks possible; it’s about transforming how they’re experienced. Anyone living with a disability knows that interruption, modification, and adaptation become part of the daily habits and rituals. Designing with dignity in mind means designing habits and rituals that can be enjoyed for the long term, through shifting conditions. As we look forward, we must ask ourselves how our work as designers and creators of experiences can continue to break barriers and open doors for all members of society. Challenge yourself to think beyond “human-centered design” and instead widen your aperture to focus on “society-centered design.” Let’s not just design for some; let’s design for every body, and make every interaction with our products a reaffirmation of our shared humanity. Ben Wintner is CEO of Michael Graves Design. View the full article

Some members of the Senate, where the GOP majority is thinner, also are asking the Federal Housing Finance Agency to reveal more about planned mortgage reforms. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I’ve always preferred to wear my Oura ring on my ring finger. The company says that “for optimal performance and accuracy,” it’s best to wear it on your index finger, but that any finger can work. And if you ask longtime Oura users, you’ll get a variety of opinions. Does it really matter which finger you use? I realized I have the perfect way to test this—I have two gen 3 rings that fit my index and my ring fingers. I wore both for nearly two weeks to compare their readings and answer the question once and for all. Oura Ring 4 $349.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Get Deal Get Deal $349.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg How I set up my experimentAs I explained in my four-year retrospective, I’ve worn quite a few Oura rings over the years. My current unit is a gen 3 ring (the slightly older model) that I wear on my ring finger. I also had a gen 3 that fit my index finger, so I could wear both to bed for a few days and compare their readings. I actually wore three rings, but left one of them off my results because it turned out to be redundant. This one was a duplicate of the one I had on my ring finger, so I wore it on the other hand’s ring finger. It was a nearly-dead one that I had replaced when its battery wore out. It still had just enough juice to make it through each night’s sleep so long as I charged it the next day. The readings were pretty much the same as my other ring finger, though, so I left this data off my results chart for clarity’s sake. For this experiment, I needed to pair each ring to a different account on a different phone. The things I do for you, dear readers. Since the accounts were all working from different (or nonexistent) baseline data, I avoided any scores that the app calculates based on your personal history. I stuck with readings like resting heart rate, heart rate variability, and sleep time. The one score I kept was sleep efficiency, since that combines multiple measurements from the same night. My results Credit: Beth Skwarecki I’ve always felt like my ring finger readings are as good as my index finger readings, but now I have data to prove it. Look at these charts! The readings are often identical, and always close. There was one day where the two readings differed—it's the very last day, with different respiratory rates and sleep efficiency. On that day, my second ring-finger ring (data not shown) matched the other ring-finger ring, suggesting that it's the index finger that was the outlier. Overall, the different fingers give readings that are much closer to each other than the different devices from this comparison (for that experiment, I wore Oura, Garmin, Whoop, Apple, and Fitbit devices at the same time). Any of the three placements I used would be perfectly good for daily wear. So why does Oura say your index finger is best? I reached out to the company for more information. What Oura says The gen 3 and 4 Oura rings work on any finger, an Oura spokesperson told me by email, so long as the ring fits “tightly and securely” around the base of the finger. So why the preference for the index finger? It turns out that’s the finger where most people have the easiest time getting a good fit. Specifically: “We suggest avoiding fingers with large knuckles where the base is significantly narrower, which can affect fit and sensor contact. This is why we generally recommend the index finger. If that’s not comfortable or preferred, the middle or ring finger are also good alternatives. All three fingers have larger blood vessels, which help optimize PPG pulse monitoring.” (PPG refers to photoplethysmography, the optical sensor system that picks up your pulse from your finger.) So if your ring finger has a big bony knuckle, you’ll need a larger size ring to get over the knuckle, and that ring won’t be able to sit snugly against the base of your finger. I have no problem getting a secure fit on my ring finger, but I can see that my thumb has a large enough knuckle it probably wouldn’t work well with the ring. Another issue with sizing is that the Oura ring doesn’t come in half sizes, so you may not be able to find the perfect size for your preferred finger. That said, the gen 3 rings feel about a half-size smaller than the gen 4 rings at the same numbered size, so playing around with both sizing kits may help you to find the perfect fit if you’re not picky about which version of the ring you end up with. View the full article

It’s no secret that raising kids in the U.S. has become grossly expensive. The price of childcare alone has ballooned over the past decade, with many families reporting that it costs them at least a quarter of their annual income. Across many states, families need to earn an average of $180,000 to comfortably afford infant care; the high cost of living in states like California and New York can require an income exceeding $250,000. An increasing burden on families A new analysis by the online lending marketplace LendingTree captures why so many families are struggling to manage the enormous cost of having children. The study found that since 2023, the annual cost of raising a young child has jumped by nearly 36%, coming to about $30,000 per year. Over the course of 18 years, that amounts to almost a whopping $300,000. In four states—Hawaii, North Dakota, Washington, and Maryland—that figure can be well over $300,000, even rising over $360,000. Overall, families report spending nearly 23% of their income on the annual expenses of raising children. Childcare comprises a significant portion of those expenses for families with young kids: According to LendingTree’s analysis, childcare costs spiked by more than 50% in just the past two years. Childcare centers have always struggled to make ends meet due to the steep cost of labor. As federal funding has dried up following the pandemic, however, that financial strain has only been exacerbated. Beyond childcare The cost of care is just one of the many additional expenses borne by families with children. There’s the cost of housing, as well as the attendant expenses associated with food, clothing, transportation, and healthcare. The LendingTree analysis found, for example, that food costs jumped by nearly 30% since 2023. That means even in states where childcare is less expensive—like North Dakota—the annual cost of raising children can remain high due to other expenses, like housing. (In fact, the average cost of raising children over 18 years is lower in Massachusetts than it is in North Dakota.) LendingTree’s findings also indicate that even as these costs rise precipitously, families are receiving less assistance from the government. Between 2023 and 2025, the value of federal tax credits decreased by over 44%, in part because the expanded child tax credit secured by the Biden administration expired. While it’s true that the cost of childcare continues to be one of the greatest challenges for many families, the financial burden doesn’t end there—and that’s unlikely to change without broader federal investment. View the full article

The housing regulator has been mum on details about its reshuffling, but Secretary Scott Turner has emphasized mission-critical functions would persist. View the full article

Regulators should approve the deal because post-merger, the servicing market remains fragmented and the mortgage origination business is even more dispersed. View the full article

Although home burglaries are trending downward overall, there are still more than 800,000 break-ins every year. Aside from the potential damage to your property and the loss of your belongings, there also the concern for your family’s safety—no one wants criminals wandering around your house. The obvious solution is to go with technology—alarm systems and security cameras. While these kinds of systems can definitely help defend against unwanted guests on your property (and give you peace of mind), there’s more you can do to keep your home secure. Your landscaping is a surprisingly key element of your home’s security—or it can be, if you plan it thoughtfully. Here are a few simple ways your home’s exterior design can help defend it against intruders. Keep your home's entrances visibleThe first thing to consider when it comes to security and landscaping is visibility. A lot of tall, lush plants can give you a feeling of cozy privacy—but it also offers a lot of places for people to conceal themselves. Trimming hedges, shrubs, and other plantings down to about 2 to 3 feet in height will ensure you have a good field of vision around your property, and can help eliminate those hiding spots and make it easier to actually use those security cameras you paid for. Having a lot of plants around windows and doors can give you a lot of privacy and shade, but it also means someone can get up close to your house to work on your door and window locks without being seen from the street. Your neighbors can’t help you if they can’t see what’s happening. And dense landscaping around your front door means someone can conceal themselves in order to wait for you to come home or open the door. To make your windows and entryway more secure, keep them clear. If you’re using defensive plants, keep them trimmed low and set them back from windows and doors. You should be able to see the area immediately around your apertures easily from a variety of angles. You can also increase visibility by avoiding opaque features like walls or fences, and instead going with see-through choices like picket or chain-link fences or lattices. Choose thorny plantsOne way to weaponize your landscaping against trespassers is to place “defensive” plants around access areas like first-floor windows. Thorny, prickly plants placed thickly around these areas create a natural barrier to anyone trying to creep around your house. It might not have the same visceral excitement as releasing a bunch of hounds, but it will definitely make a trespasser think twice as they nurse their wounds. Some examples of good defensive plants include cacti (including some mild-weather species like Prickly Pear), thorny rose bushes, Whale’s Tongue agave, or spiky plants like Barberry. Whatever climate or design you’re working with, there’s a plant that will make life uncomfortable for anyone trying to get close to your house. Trim back your treesIf you’ve got trees as part of your landscaping, you should keep them away from your house (about 8 to 20 feet, depending on the size of the tree) for a lot of very good reasons (root issues with your foundation or roof damage, for example). But if your trees are closer than that, or if they’re mature and their branches have crept closer to the house, you should hire an arborist to cut them back. Trim both horizontally (so no one can shimmy their way to a window or to get on your roof) and vertically (so there are no branches lower than seven feet or so off the ground) to prevent someone from climbing up. Untrimmed trees can provide hiding places or act as ladders for thieves and other intruders, so trimming them regularly is a very good idea. Skip the trellisYou might like the visual of a climbing plant snaking its way up your home’s walls, but if that includes a trellis or lattice you should reconsider. A trellis or lattice attached to an exterior wall (or leaned up against it) is essentially a ladder that someone can use to climb, gaining access to an upper floor window. Use gravel for ground coverOne way your landscaping can increase your home’s security is by making it more challenging for intruders to sneak around. Rough gravel used as a ground cover around access points like windows will be noisy when walked on, making it a lot more difficult for someone to get close without being noticed. It’s not going to be as effective as an alarm system, of course, but in the dead of night an unusual noise might alert you—or your dog—to the presence of an unwanted guest outside. Add lightingOne of the more obvious ways your landscaping plan can improve your home’s security is by adding a lot of lighting, especially motion-activated lights. Being able to see your outdoor spaces clearly makes it less likely someone can gain access to your property undetected, and a sudden flood of light will deter trespassers hoping for the cover of darkness. When planning your landscaping, make sure to include robust lighting to make it as safe and secure as possible. View the full article

Publicly traded lenders, including UWM, Rocket Mortgage and Guild Mortgage, saw personnel expenses increase significantly throughout last year. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you've never considered the Kindle Kids e-reader because of the label, you've been missing out on some sweet perks. The 16 GB Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids is $139.99 (originally $179.99), the lowest price it has ever been, according to price-tracking tools. Here's why this is a great deal for everyone—not just kids. (16 GB) – larger 7" glare-free display – Cyber Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids $139.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Get Deal $139.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $40.00 (16 GB) – larger 7" glare-free display – Starfish Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids $139.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Get Deal $139.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $179.99 Save $40.00 (16 GB) – Larger 7" glare-free display – Diary of a Wimpy Kid Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids $144.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $189.99 Save $45.00 Get Deal Get Deal $144.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $189.99 Save $45.00 SEE 0 MORE The kids' Kindle version includes a free case (about a $30 value), an ad-free experience ($20 value), six months of Amazon Kindle Kids + subscription ($36 value), and a two-year warranty (as opposed to the one-year warranty on the standard version). All that value for $20 less than the “adult” version is a no-brainer. The cases for these models are obviously tailored for kids, but it's hard to argue with free. The Amazon Kindle Kids + subscription will charge you automatically after the first six months, but you can cancel it beforehand. On these Kindle models, the kids’ mode feature is turned on by default. You can easily turn it off in the settings, but this will bring the ads back to the lock screen—the Kindle Kids also has some cool features even adults will appreciate, like the awards feature, as this video explains. With the six months of Amazon Kindle Kids + subscription, you can get unlimited access to thousands of kids' books, including all of the Harry Potter series. The Paperwhite Kindle hardware is the same as the adults, including that it's waterproof, has adjustable warm light, a 12-week battery, and Audible access through Bluetooth. You can read the full review of the 2024 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids from PCMag here. If you still don't know which Kindle is best for you, check out our complete breakdown. View the full article

Blackstone and Andreessen Horowitz among firms that would wrest control of social media site from China’s ByteDance View the full article

Nintendo has never been known for high-performance hardware, but that certainly hasn't hurt its bottom line—especially in the Switch age. The company's decision to use more basic components for the Switch back in 2017 helped keep the console cheaper than any of its competitors. It's tough to get too hung up on the lack of 4K 60fps support when you can play the latest Zelda on a handheld that can cost less than $200. But lo, a new Switch is here, and with it, a new price. The Switch 2 is, indeed, a more powerful version of the Switch, and comes with a number of advantages: a larger 1080p HDR display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a dock equipped with a fan to support 4K 60fps gameplay, magnetic Joy-Cons with a "mouse mode" for tabletop controls, among other neat perks. Of course, Nintendo isn't giving those perks away for free, nor is it offering the Switch 2 at the same price as the Switch 1. If you want to order Nintendo's latest console, you're going to have to pay more—for everything. How much does the Switch 2 cost? The Switch 2 retails for $449.99. If you want the bundle that comes with a digital copy of Mario Kart World, that costs $499.99. That isn't cheap, especially when you can pick up a Switch OLED right now for $250. The original Switch retailed for $299.99 too, though that's roughly equal to $390 when adjusting for inflation, so the difference isn't quite so dramatic. We'll likely never know exactly what went into the pricing decision for the new Switch, but it's certainly possible tariffs played a big role. The Switch 2 sold in Japan, for example, costs 49,980 yen, which is just over $333 today. The Mario Kart bundle is 53,980 yen, or roughly $360—still cheaper than the original Switch's MSRP in today's money. Ouch. How much are Switch 2 games?There's a $50 difference between the standalone Switch 2 and the Mario Kart World bundle, so you might imagine that's what the game costs. Unfortunately, no: Mario Kart World is actually $80. Not all games may cost this much, however. According to Geoff Keighley, Donkey Kong Bananza retails for $70. These are the only two games with retail prices, so we'll have to see how Nintendo handles MSRPs with future games. (While we don't know the exact prices, we do know a lot of the games launching for Switch 2.) However, physical games might actually cost more. Reports show that Nintendo's European versions of Mario Kart World cost €79.99 for a digital copy, but €89.99 for the physical cart. $90 for a physical game card seems astronomical. We'll need to wait and see if Nintendo rolls out any other pricing information. Switch 2 accessoriesNintendo's official Switch 2 accessories page is live, which means we can see all the MSRPs for the console's newly-announced add-ons. Here's what you can expect to pay for each: Switch 2 Pro Controller: $79.99 Left and Right Joy-Con 2 controllers: $89.99 Joy-Con 2 charging grip: $34.99 Joy-Con 2 strap: $12.99 Joy-Con 2 wheel (two-pack): $19.99 Switch 2 camera: $49.99 Switch 2 dock: $109.99 Switch 2 carrying case (with screen protector): $34.99 Switch 2 all-in-one case: $79.99 Switch 2 AC adapter: $29.99 View the full article

On Monday, Apple released iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4 for compatible devices. But Apple Watch owners might have noticed watchOS 11.4 curiously missing from the list. Apple pulled the update at the last minute, something of a rarity from the company that likes to release all software updates together. But now, the new watchOS update is finally available to everyone, and the slight delay was worth it. This update enables a feature that many Apple Watch users have wanted for a long time: the ability to break through Silent mode when an alarm goes off. The iPhone already does this really well. You're in Silent mode, or you have Do Not Disturb enabled, but your morning alarm still sounds. Apple Watch, on the other hand, had no such option. So if you like using a Silent mode to protect yourself from notifications and other dings, you had to make do with the vibration alarm. Starting with watchOS 11.4, you can keep your notifications at bay, while relying on an audio alarm to sound alongside the gentle vibrations. Which Apple Watches are supported?The feature is available only for users who have watchOS 11.4 or newer. That means it's only available for Apple Watch Series 6 and above, Apple Watch Ultra and above, and the Apple Watch SE 2. If you're rocking the original Apple Watch SE, or the older Series 5 Apple Watch, you're left out in the cold here. Credit: Khamosh Pathak If you have one of the supported Apple Watches, first update your iPhone to iOS 18.4, and then head over to the Watch app. In the My Watch tab, go to General > Software Update. Here, download and install the latest watchOS 11.4 update. How to enable Break Through Silent Mode for any alarm Credit: Khamosh Pathak The feature isn't necessarily ideal, since you need to enable it for every alarm that you set. The news is good if you rely on the same repeating alarm each day, since those settings are preserved, but if you frequently set new alarms, make sure this setting is enabled each time. Hopefully, Apple will create a system-wide toggle for this, or even make this a default option down the line. Go to the Alarms app on your Apple Watch, and choose the alarm that you want to customize. Here, in the Edit Alarm menu, scroll down and enable Break Through Silent Mode. How to enable Break Through Silent Mode for Sleep Mode Credit: Khamosh Pathak If you wear your Apple Watch in bed, chances are you use Sleep mode, and the alarm associated with your sleep schedule. If you want to break through Silent mode here, you'll need to enable the feature separately. On your watch, open the Sleep app and scroll all the way down to your alarm schedule. You'll see two alarms here—one for setting your Bedtime, and one for Wake Up. Choose one of the alarms, and in the Edit Schedule view, scroll down and choose Sound & Haptics. Here, enable Break Through Silent Mode. View the full article

An artificial intelligence watchdog is accusing OpenAI of training its default ChatGPT model on copyrighted book content without permission. In a new paper published this week, the AI Disclosures Project alleges that OpenAI likely trained its GPT-4o model using non-public material from O’Reilly Media. The researchers used a legally obtained dataset of 34 copyrighted O’Reilly books and found that GPT-4o showed “strong recognition” of the company’s paywalled content. By contrast, GPT-3.5 Turbo appeared more familiar with publicly accessible O’Reilly book samples. “These results highlight the urgent need for increased corporate transparency regarding pre-training data sources as a means to develop formal licensing frameworks for AI content training,” the authors wrote in the paper. One of the nonprofit’s founders and paper’s authors, Tim O’Reilly, is the CEO of O’Reilly Media. An OpenAI spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to Fast Company‘s request for comment. Training data lies at the heart of all artificial intelligence models. Large language models require an incredible amount of information that it uses to guide back on when it churns out text or images for users. OpenAI has struck up some licensing deals to be able to train their models on certain content. But the company, which recently fundraised and is worth $300 billion, has also come under fire for sourcing certain content. The New York Times, for example, is leading a charge against OpenAI and minority owner Microsoft over alleged copyright infringement. The researchers acknowledged limitations in their study but argued the issue is likely part of a broader systemic problem in how large language models are developed. “Sustainable ecosystems need to be designed so that both creators and developers can benefit from generative AI,” the authors said. “Otherwise, model developers are likely to rapidly plateau in their progress, especially as newer content becomes produced less and less by humans.” View the full article

Zelle, the digital payment platform that allows you to send money directly to friends and family, has shuttered its standalone app. But while the Zelle app is no longer, you can likely still send and receive money with Zelle through your bank or credit union—Zelle is already integrated into over 2,200 bank apps, and you can use this search tool to find out if yours is one of them. Otherwise, you'll have to send money using another tool. Here are four of the best Zelle alternatives for peer-to-peer payments. VenmoVenmo allows you to request money or pay other users and send up to $60,000 a week once you've verified your identity within the app. You can transfer funds in your Venmo account to your bank account for free if you're willing to wait 1–3 days, or instantly for a 1.75% fee. Funds sent from from your Venmo balance or linked bank account/debit card are fee-free, while money sent using your credit card incur a 3% charge. Note that you should update the default privacy settings on Venmo to ensure your transactions and account information aren't publicly viewable. Venmo is available for iOS, Android, and on the web. PayPalPayPal is a well-established digital payment service that is useful for sending and receiving money from friends and contacts as well as making purchases online. There's no fee to send money via the "Friends and Family" function from a linked bank account or using your PayPal balance, and standard withdrawals are also free (like Venmo, instant transfers incur a 1.75% fee). There are fees for international transactions and currency conversions, as well as personal transactions made with credit cards. PayPal is available for iOS, Android, and on the web. Cash AppCash App is a peer-to-peer platform similar to Venmo. You can send money from a linked bank account or debit card to other Cash App users—if the recipient's phone number or email isn't linked to an account, they'll be prompted to create one to claim the funds—for free. Standard transfers are also free, and instant transfers from Cash App to your bank incur a 0.5%–1.75% fee. Cash App can also be used to send and receive bitcoin. It's available for iOS, Android, and on the web. Apple CashApple Cash is a built-in payment function for sending money to other iPhone users via Messages, Wallet, or Tap to Cash. Apple Cash is a digital card held in your Apple Wallet, and you can transfer funds out to your linked bank account (standard timing and free) or debit card (instant for a 1.5% fee). Apple Cash allows you to send or receive a maximum of $10,000 per message, with the same limit in a 7-day period. If you have an iPhone, you can pay someone using Apple Cash from within other apps, including Messages. Apple Cash is integrated into iOS and available on the web. How to protect your privacy with digital paymentsThe apps we've listed here have various privacy and security protections, like encryption and secure authentication, but peer-to-peer payment platforms are still targets for scammers. Make sure you only send funds to trusted contacts, and enable settings that keep your money safe, like identity verification and limiting who can see your account and request funds from you. View the full article

US president set to shake global trading system with announcements from White HouseView the full article