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As we enter spring, the days may be getting longer, but the average workday seems to be contracting. Corporate employees in the U.S. now seem to be ending their day at 4:39 p.m., according to a new report by the workforce analytics platform ActivTrak. That’s more than 40 minutes earlier than when workers clocked out just two years prior. While employees still start their day on average just before 8 a.m., the average length of the workday has dropped to about eight hours and 44 minutes. The report, which looked at data from nearly 220,000 workers at 777 companies, indicates that productivity has actually increased by 2% despite the slight reduction in time worked. Some employees seem to be embracing tactics like the Pomodoro technique and working in short bursts of time: ActivTrak found that the average “productive session” had jumped by 20%, from 20 to 24 minutes. (A productive session is defined as the time spent working without disruption.) There’s also some seasonal variability in working hours, according to ActivTrak. People tend to work more during the months of August and December, when they might be playing catchup after a vacation or hustling to meet end-of-year deadlines. Given the productivity figures and the prevalence of hybrid work, however, it’s possible that the workday has actually shifted more than shortened. People may be logging off earlier but then finishing up their work later or during weekends. (Since the workday timings are an average, some people could be working longer hours than what the report captures.) The report’s findings seem to support this idea: Employees are logging nearly 12 hours of work during the weekend, up from about 10 hours and 35 minutes. On average, about 5% of employees worked on the weekend in 2024, a 9% increase from the year prior. This was most common at larger companies with between 1,000 and 5,000 employees, where 12% of people worked on weekends. While U.S. employees may appear to be working less, it seems more likely that they’re leaning into the flexibility enabled by hybrid work. Long before the pandemic, many parents and others with caregiving responsibilities said they logged back on after hours to stay on top of their work. With more people now working remotely at least part of the week, it’s possible their days are truncated by doctors’ appointments and bedtime routines, leaving them to play catchup on weekends—or earlier in the morning. The report also found that on average, hybrid employees actually had longer workdays than people who were entirely remote or worked in the office full-time, which could be explained by greater variability in their schedules. The promise of a more flexible workday has driven much of the pushback to return-to-office mandates—and for good reason, if this report is any indicator. Employees seem to want the flexibility to set their own schedule, even if that means working during off-hours, and the variability in the average workday has not caused a dip in productivity. (In other surveys, workers repeatedly list a “flexible schedule” and the “ability to work remotely” as the top perks they seek in a job.) The ActivTrak report suggests that RTO policies don’t necessarily have a clear impact on output: In a case study of five companies, some saw an increase in productivity after implementing strict in-office mandates, while others saw a decline. While CEOs continue to extol the benefits of in-person collaboration, there’s little evidence that employees need to be in the office—or clock longer hours—to be effective in the workplace. 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’re tired of websites bombarding you with intrusive banners, pop-ups, trackers, and ads, this AdGuard family plan is worth a look: It's a lifetime subscription that is currently $39.99 on StackSocial (down from $169.99), but it gets even better—applying the coupon FAMPLAN drops the price further to $15.97. That’s a lifetime of ad-blocking for less than what some services charge per month. That said, this plan is only for new users, and you’ll need to redeem your code within 30 days of purchase. You can access and utilize this plan across nine devices, making it a solid pick for families or anyone juggling multiple gadgets. It works on Windows (7 and newer), macOS (10.15 and newer), iOS (12 and newer), and Android (7 and newer), covering most modern setups. AdGuard goes beyond standard ad-blocking by filtering out annoying pop-ups, stopping autoplay videos, and blocking phishing attempts. It also cuts down on trackers that follow you around the internet, which means less targeted advertising and a little more privacy. Unlike browser-based ad blockers, AdGuard works at the network level, meaning it can block ads in apps and games, too. Setup is straightforward—you’ll get your redemption code via email immediately after buying, so you can start using it right away. If you’re already an AdGuard user, this deal won’t apply to you, but for new users looking for a one-time payment solution to dodge ads and boost privacy across multiple devices, this might be one of the best deals out there right now. View the full article

Splashtop has launched a new autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solution designed to enhance remote support for small and midsize businesses. The solution provides IT teams with real-time asset discovery, vulnerability detection, and automated patch management, allowing them to improve efficiency and security while maintaining cost-effectiveness. According to Splashtop, the AEM solution offers “critical automation features to lean IT teams, including vulnerability scanning and real-time patch updates for combatting zero-day threats.” It serves as a powerful complement to Microsoft Intune while also providing a cost-friendly alternative to traditional remote monitoring and management (RMM) solutions. Addressing the Cybersecurity Challenge The cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, with increasing threats from AI-powered cybercriminals. “Midmarket organizations are under constant threats from AI-powered cybercriminals, facing challenges in addressing security vulnerabilities at a reasonable cost, while maintaining employee productivity and avoiding downtime,” said Mark Lee, Splashtop CEO and co-founder. “Splashtop addresses this challenge by giving IT asset visibility, known exploited vulnerability insights, and policy-driven real-time patch automation. We are rapidly innovating to bring AI- and automation-powered solutions to support IT and MSPs in reducing the mean time to detect, remediate, and contain cyber risks.” Per the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), over 50% of the most exploited vulnerabilities in 2023 were zero-days, and more than 48,000 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) are projected for 2025. Additionally, over 90% of attacks that reach the ransom stage involve unmanaged devices, according to the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2024. Splashtop AEM aims to mitigate these risks by accelerating patch deployment and providing IT teams with greater control over their security posture. Key Features of Splashtop AEM Splashtop AEM is designed to simplify IT management and enhance security with the following capabilities: Real-time Asset Discovery and Management: Provides full visibility of IT assets to reduce security risks and maintain compliance. Vulnerability Scanning: Detects vulnerabilities using Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) and Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEVs), enabling IT teams to prioritize critical patches. Real-time Patch Automation: Works alongside Microsoft Intune to ensure systems remain secure with automated OS and third-party application updates. Ring-based Policy Management: Allows IT teams to stage updates and customize security policies across different endpoint groups. Configurable Alerts and Automated Remediation: Enables real-time alerts and automated fixes via Smart Actions for continuous uptime and performance optimization. One-to-Many Actions: Facilitates simultaneous execution of tasks such as mass deployments, remote commands, system reboots, and PowerShell scripts across multiple endpoints. Scalability and Customization Splashtop AEM supports scalability up to 200,000 endpoints while maintaining performance efficiency. IT teams can customize their solutions with additional security and remote management capabilities, including Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), Endpoint Protection (EPP), Splashtop Connector for secure remote connections, and Splashtop AR for augmented reality-assisted troubleshooting. Splashtop’s remote support and endpoint management solutions are available now at www.splashtop.com. Image: Splashtop This article, "Splashtop Introduces Autonomous Endpoint Management Solution for Remote Support" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Splashtop has launched a new autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solution designed to enhance remote support for small and midsize businesses. The solution provides IT teams with real-time asset discovery, vulnerability detection, and automated patch management, allowing them to improve efficiency and security while maintaining cost-effectiveness. According to Splashtop, the AEM solution offers “critical automation features to lean IT teams, including vulnerability scanning and real-time patch updates for combatting zero-day threats.” It serves as a powerful complement to Microsoft Intune while also providing a cost-friendly alternative to traditional remote monitoring and management (RMM) solutions. Addressing the Cybersecurity Challenge The cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, with increasing threats from AI-powered cybercriminals. “Midmarket organizations are under constant threats from AI-powered cybercriminals, facing challenges in addressing security vulnerabilities at a reasonable cost, while maintaining employee productivity and avoiding downtime,” said Mark Lee, Splashtop CEO and co-founder. “Splashtop addresses this challenge by giving IT asset visibility, known exploited vulnerability insights, and policy-driven real-time patch automation. We are rapidly innovating to bring AI- and automation-powered solutions to support IT and MSPs in reducing the mean time to detect, remediate, and contain cyber risks.” Per the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), over 50% of the most exploited vulnerabilities in 2023 were zero-days, and more than 48,000 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) are projected for 2025. Additionally, over 90% of attacks that reach the ransom stage involve unmanaged devices, according to the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2024. Splashtop AEM aims to mitigate these risks by accelerating patch deployment and providing IT teams with greater control over their security posture. Key Features of Splashtop AEM Splashtop AEM is designed to simplify IT management and enhance security with the following capabilities: Real-time Asset Discovery and Management: Provides full visibility of IT assets to reduce security risks and maintain compliance. Vulnerability Scanning: Detects vulnerabilities using Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) and Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEVs), enabling IT teams to prioritize critical patches. Real-time Patch Automation: Works alongside Microsoft Intune to ensure systems remain secure with automated OS and third-party application updates. Ring-based Policy Management: Allows IT teams to stage updates and customize security policies across different endpoint groups. Configurable Alerts and Automated Remediation: Enables real-time alerts and automated fixes via Smart Actions for continuous uptime and performance optimization. One-to-Many Actions: Facilitates simultaneous execution of tasks such as mass deployments, remote commands, system reboots, and PowerShell scripts across multiple endpoints. Scalability and Customization Splashtop AEM supports scalability up to 200,000 endpoints while maintaining performance efficiency. IT teams can customize their solutions with additional security and remote management capabilities, including Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), Endpoint Protection (EPP), Splashtop Connector for secure remote connections, and Splashtop AR for augmented reality-assisted troubleshooting. Splashtop’s remote support and endpoint management solutions are available now at www.splashtop.com. Image: Splashtop This article, "Splashtop Introduces Autonomous Endpoint Management Solution for Remote Support" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The provisionally approved rate hike would provide financial relief to State Farm's California subsidiary, which has said it needs to shore up confidence with solvency regulators and ratings agencies. View the full article

It's been about six months now since Apple's big iOS 18 update introduced RCS support to the iPhone. In many ways, it's been a game changer: Ditching SMS for RCS has meant group chats function better, and videos are sent in higher quality. But there's still one big drawback to RCS on iPhone that has yet to be fixed: Your messages aren't encrypted. What is RCS?To fully understand the issue, it's important to know what RCS actually is. RCS stands for Rich Communication Services, and is basically a souped up version of SMS: The platform supports modern messaging features, like typing bubbles, high-quality image and video sharing, functioning group chats, and end-to-end encryption. SMS doesn't support these features, so using it—especially in group settings—can be a pain. RCS isn't available on all Android messaging services, but if your partner's Android setup supports it and you have it enabled on your iPhone, your conversations should feel very similar to iMessaging between other iPhones (minus the green bubbles, of course). Now, most of these features are currently working: You should be able to see when they're typing; you should be able to send photos and videos in high resolution; and group chats should function much as they do between iPhones. There's just one big issue. RCS on iOS isn't encryptedAt this time, messages sent and received via RCS between iPhones and Androids are not end-to-end encrypted. That means any conversations you have with Android friends are vulnerable, since these messages are sent without modern security protections. That's not a deviation from the norm for those of us on iOS: If you're used to texting over SMS with Android users, those chats weren't encrypted either. But the promise of RCS on iOS includes encrypted messaging. When you see that RCS tag in your green bubble chat, you should be safe in the knowledge that no one other than the parties involved in the chat can read these messages. That said, RCS isn't end-to-end encrypted everywhere, either. Google Messages is the biggest platform that supports default end-to-end encryption through RCS, but unless the other user is also using Google Messages and also has RCS enabled, your messages may not be encrypted after all. Other popular platforms, like Samsung Messages or Textra, do not support end-to-end encryption at all. RCS will soon be encrypted on iOSBut things are changing for the better. The GSMA, the association that works with mobile operators to set unified standards, announced new specifications for RCS that enable end-to-end encryption based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. In simplified terms, these new specifications mean that, no matter which platforms you're using, all RCS messages will be end-to-end encrypted. This isn't necessarily a surprise: The GSMA publicly said it was working on end-to-end encryption for RCS on iPhone. There's no timeline for this new standard, but Apple and Google both support adopting it as fast as possible. That's good news, and the standard can't get here soon enough. However, it doesn't change the fact that some may be using RCS with misunderstood assumptions about their security: Until this future update hits, RCS messages on iPhone are never end-to-end encrypted. If you want all of your conversations with non-iPhone friends to be protected, you'll need to stick to encrypted messaging platforms, like Signal or WhatsApp. Again, iMessage is end-to-end encrypted by default, so no worries there. Android users: Everyone can see your group chat namesIf you're an Android user who is used to how things work on Google Messages, listen up: Group chat names are not private when messaging with iPhones. On Google Messages, you can rename a group whatever you want, and only you will see it. That's helpful for keeping tabs on specific groups, without worrying that other people in the group will know how you've designated the chat. That's not how things work when iOS is involved, however. iPhones users will know that group chat names are controllable by everyone in the group, and are very much public: When one person changes the group name, it changes for everyone. If you're new to messaging iPhones on RCS and you happen to have one in your group chat, don't change the name to anything you wouldn't be happy with everyone in the group seeing as well. View the full article

A U.S. influencer has united Australia—and much of the world—in outrage after filming and filming herself snatching a baby wombat from its mother and posting the clip online. The Montana-based content creator, known as “Sam Jones”, calls herself a “wildlife biologist and environmental scientist” on her now-private Instagram account. In a since-deleted video, shot in Australia, Jones is seen grabbing a baby wombat from its mother near a remote road at night. She runs back to her vehicle, holding the animal up to the camera, as the mother wombat runs after them. “I caught a baby wombat,” Jones exclaimed in the video. The animal appeared to be distressed in the clip, wriggling and hissing. A man behind the camera can be heard laughing: “Look at the mother,” he said, “it’s chasing after her!” The baby appears to be a common wombat, which is a protected marsupial found only in Australia. According to BBC news, the caption of the now-deleted post read: “My dream of holding a wombat has been realised! Baby and mom slowly waddled back off together into the bush.” Responding to early criticism, Jones defended her actions in the video’s comments. “The baby was carefully held for one minute in total and then released back to mom,” she wrote. “They wandered back off into the bush together completely unharmed. I don’t ever capture wildlife that will be harmed by my doing so.” That didn’t stop the user backlash and Jones, who has more than 92,000 followers on Instagram, made her account private. But the video—and other posts allegedly from her account, including images of her holding an echidna and a “little shark”—continue to circulate online. On Friday morning, ABC Australia sent out a news alert saying the influencer had left Australia voluntarily, as a petition calling for her deportation amassed over 39,000 signatures. “There’s never been a better day to be a baby wombat in Australia,” Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke responded to news of her departure, according to the Associated Press. Earlier that day, Burke confirmed that authorities were reviewing Jones’s visa conditions for potential breaches of immigration law. “I can’t wait for Australia to see the back of this individual, I don’t expect she will return,” he said in the statement received by the Associated Press. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also weighed in. “I suggest to this so-called influencer, maybe she might try some other Australian animals, take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there,” he said. “Take another animal that can actually fight back, rather than stealing a baby wombat from its mother. See how you go there.” View the full article

Shares of Docusign Inc. (NASDAQ: DOCU) surged nearly 18% on Friday, after the electronic signature service reported strong fourth-quarter earnings that beat expectations, partially driven by its new artificial intelligence-enabled platform, which it introduced last year. The e-signature company reported earnings of 86 cents per share, beating forecasts of 85 cents, with revenue coming in at $776 million, $15 million over forecasts for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, ending January 31. “Fiscal 2025 was a transformative year for Docusign,” CEO Allan Thygesen said in an earnings statement. “We launched Docusign IAM, our AI-powered agreement management platform, which is driving rapid traction with customers . . . We’re well positioned to pursue the significant opportunity ahead.” Docusign’s Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) is an AI-powered platform that enables businesses to create, manage, and gain insights from their agreements in a full-suite, end-to-end platform, resulting in faster workflows and minimized risks. DocuSign AI uses both traditional AI to analyze existing data and content, and generative AI to create new content, such as text, based on patterns learned from existing data. In his earnings remarks, Thygesen said IAM has quickly become the fastest-growing new product in Docusign’s history, and the company expects IAM to account for low double-digits of the company’s total growth by Q4. “It’s tremendously valuable,” he told CNBC on Friday. “It’s opening a treasure trove of data . . . We’re seeing excellent pickup.” Another good sign for the company: Docusign is collaborating with Microsoft and Google, which are two of its biggest partners. Both integrate Docusign deeply into their office suites. Docusign’s customers number 1.6 million, and 1 billion people have used the service in over 180 countries, including 95% of Fortune 500 companies. The service is available in 44 languages for document signers and 14 languages for those sending documents, according to the company’s website. View the full article

A Maryland judge temporarily halted mass layoffs of probationary employees at multiple agencies, citing legal violations and harm to states' ability to respond to unemployment needs. View the full article

Issuances fell in January for residential and multifamily segments, as concerns over available workers and future tariffs came to the fore. View the full article

Tariffs and cuts to the federal workforce are raising uncertainty and sapping confidence, while investor exuberance has fadedView the full article

Appearance by hedge fund founder comes as ex-Barclays boss tries to overturn FCA ban and fineView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. It's a good time to be shopping for TVs, with many options available right now. The TCL QM7 is a great budget TV currently on sale and its main competitor, Hisense's U7, is also down to its lowest price. If you want a better-quality TV, though, LG's 75-inch QNED80T is $896.99 (originally $1,399.99), is also at the lowest price it has ever been, according to price-tracking tools. Screen Size: 55 Inches, Brand: LG, Display Technology: LED, Resolution: 4K, Refresh Rate: 60 Hz LG 55-Inch Class QNED80T $546.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $799.99 Save $253.00 Get Deal Get Deal $546.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $799.99 Save $253.00 Screen Size: 75 Inches, Brand: LG, Display Technology: LED, Resolution: 4K, Refresh Rate: 60 Hz LG 75-Inch Class QNED80T $896.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,399.99 Save $503.00 Get Deal Get Deal $896.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $1,399.99 Save $503.00 SEE -1 MORE The QNED80T's operating system, WebOS 24, comes with five years of guaranteed updates, which will keep your TV up-to-date until you're ready to upgrade again. WebOS 24 is great for cloud gaming, with GeForce NOW and Amazon Luna (among other services) easily accessible on the TV menu. If you're into sports, you can also customize the sports card to show your team's schedules and scores. Because this is an LG, you also get LG Channels, which consists of over 300 free live channels. The picture is an edge-lit 60Hz panel, which isn't great compared to the QM7 or U7, but because it is a QNED instead of a QLED, you get better colors and black levels than the QM7 and U7. So really, it comes down to what you value. The QNED80T has a wider viewing angle, which is great if you plan to use it in a living room and watch TV with many people sitting around. On the LG, games will look smooth with FreeSync and VRR. It also has a game optimizer setting so you can set the picture depending on the type of game easily to your liking. You also get four HDMI 2.1 ports if you like to have multiple consoles at once. View the full article

New York-based group in talks for up to 500,000 sq ft of City spaceView the full article

From the Three Graces in ancient Greek and Roman mythology to the Three Wise Men in the Bible, the number three has been revered throughout history as a symbol of balance and harmony. Jackie and Shadow, the internet-famous bald eagles of Big Bear, California, would probably agree—their last egg has officially hatched, bringing their final chick count this season to three. These little fluffs might not have names yet but that hasn’t stopped 1.73 million people and counting from following their journey. Let’s break down the numbers and timeline of Chick 3’s arrival in the nest. The webcam that captured the attention of the world The bald eagle live streams are run by a nonprofit called Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV). Little did this small-but-mighty group of staff and volunteers know how many people their efforts would reach. According to Jenny Voisard, FOBBV’s media and website manager, a record-breaking 100,000 people concurrently tuned into the camera’s live stream at one point this year to cheer on the expecting parents. FOBBV’s website received 950,000 unique visitors in a week, causing it to crash a couple of times. It now has a dedicated server to handle all the love. Meanwhile, all this attention also translates to social media followers. Across all channels, the organization has a whopping 1.73 million followers. Its Instagram just launched and already has more than 46,000 fans. The public Facebook page has close to one million followers, with some posts being shared 15,000 times. And let’s not forget the YouTube channel, with almost 500,000 subscribers. It’s fair to say if you love these bald eagles, you are in good company. The hatching journey of chick No. 3 The third and final egg was laid on January 28. The average incubation period for a bald eagle is around 35 days, so fans had to be patient. On March 6 at 10:21 a.m., a snowy cold morning in Big Bear, the first pip, or crack, was spotted. By 10:53 a.m. it had grown. It’s normal for the hatching process to take a couple of days and this was no exception. Additionally, the snowy conditions forced Jackie to stay firmly on the nest to keep her babies warm and out of sight. At 2:11 a.m. on March 8, the chick was visible, dry, but not quite of the shell. By 6:13 a.m. Chick 3 completed its journey into the world and was present for the early morning feeding. Since its birth, Chick 3 has received multiple feedings from its parents. Its eyesight is still developing, so sometimes it takes a moment to get situated. It has also experienced some danger: Ravens have attempted to infiltrate the nest, but Jackie called out to Shadow, and the parents worked together to scare the intruders away. The neighborhood flying squirrel Fiona also tried to visit, but Jackie’s wing slaps got her to mind her own business. Chick 3 will have to learn to get along with its siblings. It is normal to see some jostling around as one chick emerges as the dominant sibling. They will also bonk each other on the head but soon find their rhythm and pecking order. At around 10 to 12 weeks, these eaglets will fledge or leave the nest for the first time. They typically hang out close to home for a couple months before they completely strike out on their own. To catch them before then, watch the webcam embedded below. View the full article

2025 has not been a good year for retail store closures so far. High-profile chains, including Joann fabrics, Walgreens, and Big Lots, have shuttered locations across the country. And now Dollar General is joining them. Here’s what you need to know. Dollar General Corporation to close 141 stores Dollar General Corporation is the owner of the popular chain of Dollar General discount stores and the PopShelf retail chain. The company has now announced it will shutter 141 stores across both brands. Dollar General Corporation made the store closure announcement yesterday in its fourth-quarter and fiscal-year 2024 earnings report. As part of that report, the company said it has chosen to close a number of locations after evaluating the individual stores’ performance, operating conditions, and expected future performance. That review has led Dollar General Corporation to decide to close the following: 96 Dollar General stores 45 Popshelf stores “As a result of this review, the Company plans to close 96 Dollar General stores and 45 pOpshelf stores, and convert an additional six pOpshelf stores to Dollar General stores in the first quarter of the 52-week fiscal year ending January 30, 2026 (‘fiscal 2025’),” the company stated. Which Dollar General and Popshelf locations are closing? While Dollar General Corporation announced the closure of 141 locations across the two brands, the company did not immediately provide a list of which locations would close. Fast Company has reached out to Dollar General Corporation for a list of locations that will be closing. Currently, Popshelf’s store locator shows the company has over 220 stores spread across 20 states. A closure of 45 of those stores means Dollar General Corporation will be reducing Popshelf’s store count by roughly 20%. In its earnings release, Dollar General Corporation also noted that it will “convert an additional six pOpshelf stores to Dollar General stores in the first quarter of the 52-week fiscal year ending January 30, 2026 (‘fiscal 2025’).” As for the Dollar General closures, Dollar General Corporation says it currently has more than 20,000 Dollar General stores across 48 states. A closure of 96 locations is roughly around a minuscule 0.5% of all Dollar General stores. “While the number of closings represents less than one percent of our overall store base, we believe this decision better positions us to serve our customers and communities,” Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO, said. Dollar General Corporation did not address what would happen to the employees at the closing locations—whether they would be let go or given the opportunity to move to other stores. The company says it currently employs more than 194,000 employees. Thousands of retail stores expected to close in 2025 Dollar General Corporation made the store closure announcement while reporting that its fiscal year 2024 saw a net income of $1.1 billion—a decrease of 32.3% from fiscal year 2023. However, net sales for fiscal 2024 increased to $40.6 billion—5% higher than in 2023. Still, regarding the announced closures, Vasos said, “we believe this review was appropriate to further strengthen the foundation of our business.” As Fast Company previously reported, Coresight Research released a report earlier this year in which it says it expects to see up to 15,000 retail locations close across the United States in 2025. The closures, in part, are the result of decreasing foot traffic to many retailers as consumers look to rein in discretionary spending among inflationary pressures. Those same consumers are also increasingly turning to online shopping instead of making the journey to brick-and-mortar stores—and that online competition isn’t just coming from U.S. online retail giant Amazon. “We expect general-merchandise retailers across a wide range of categories, from automotive to home and pet, to be threatened by the further growth of Temu and the scaling of Shein’s non-clothing offering,” the report stated. View the full article

Rubio joins other foreign ministers in seeking to ratchet up pressure on Vladimir PutinView the full article

You don’t need tickets to see Metallica in concert anymore—just a $3,499 Apple Vision Pro headset. Starting today, Apple Vision Pro users can experience Metallica’s 2024 Mexico City concert as an immersive, ultra-high resolution experience complete with 180-degree video and Spatial Audio. The concert, filmed on September 29 as part of the sold-out finale of Metallica’s M72 World Tour, includes fan-favorites like “One” and “Enter Sandman.” “With Metallica on Apple Vision Pro, you feel like you’re right there: front row, backstage, and even on stage with one of the biggest bands of all time,” Tor Myhren, Apple’s vice president of Marketing Communications, said in a statement. The Vision Pro launched at the beginning of 2024 to lukewarm sales and has, generally speaking, failed to find success on the level of its phone and laptop counterparts. Some of that was to be expected, though. When the Vision Pro first released, Apple mainly courted developers, hoping they’d be impressed enough to build apps for the product. Apple engaged these developers in a series of “test labs” leading up to the product’s release. But recently, Apple has begun to roll out consumer-oriented features that make the hardware more appealing to everyday consumers—and has been using its best technology to do so. When it comes to the Metallica concert, Apple utilized high-end video technology in order to capture multiple perspectives and a view of over 65,000 enthusiastic concertgoers. This custom-made filming setup included 14 Apple Immersive Video cameras using a mix of stabilized cameras, cable-suspended cameras, and remote-controlled camera dolly systems that moved around the stage. At South by Southwest in Austin, Metallica drummer and founder Lars Ulrich discussed the experience of having his own show turned into an augmented reality experience, calling it “pretty overwhelming, sort of surreal.” If metalheads—or any interested customer—wants to see the immersive experience for themselves, Apple Stores are offering Vision Pro demos complete with an excerpt from the concert including a full performance of the song “Whiplash.” And if you prefer pop to rock, Alicia Keys and Raye both also have performances that have been exclusively shown on the Vision Pro. The Weeknd also has a similar immersive concert experience called “The Weeknd: Open Hearts.” View the full article

Wall Street ending bruising week on front foot, but worries about economic impact of tariffs lingerView the full article

Chancellor wins plaudits from Tories for tough spending decisions but cabinet colleagues grow uneasyView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. We lose time in small increments. Simple, everyday tasks and chores might only take a few minutes, but those minutes add up and can have a serious impact on your stress levels. But take heart: We’re living in the future, and you can easily automate a wide range of many everyday tasks, gaining back precious minutes and even hours. Automate grocery shopping If your grocery list is pretty stable—you buy the same things in the same quantities every time you stock the pantry—you can automate it to a large extent. Amazon Fresh allows you to set up repeat items that get added to your shopping cart and automatically delivered during your selected window. You can put together a standard weekly list and Amazon will deliver your groceries to you on the selected day, without you having to think about it. You can make adjustments at any time, so if you’re not eating those cornflakes as fast as you thought you can change the quantity or the frequency of the delivery. If you don’t want to give Amazon any more of your money, most grocery chains offer similar services through their web sites and apps. Acme Markets, for example, offers a Schedule and Save feature that operates the same way: You set up a “subscription” for items with a regular schedule and the items are delivered to you automatically until you make changes. Start automatically savingIt can be a struggle to save money—most people couldn’t scrape together $1,000 if they had to, which is not an ideal place to be. If you’ve tried to save money and repeatedly failed to reach your savings goals, try automating it by simply adjusting your direct deposit or scheduling automatic transfers from one account to another. Changing your direct deposit is usually a matter of filling out a form (you may even be able to do it online through a portal, if your employer has one), and you can set up automatic transfers through your banking app at any time. Even a relatively small transfer will add up, and you won’t have to remind yourself to do it. Put your bills on an automatic payment scheduleIf you’re currently spending some time every week keeping up with your bills, it’s time to set up automatic payments for most things. Most companies and vendors these days offer the option of setting up automatic payments, so setting this up for just about every bill that comes your way should be relatively easy. Of course, you will still need to track those payments and make sure you’re being billed correctly, and you should make sure the vendor offers an easy way to stop automatic payments if you ever change your mind. You can always revoke their access to your bank account if this proves difficult, but it’s best to check their policies before you dive in. Use pharmacy services to automate prescriptionsIf you have any regular prescriptions, you know that managing refills can be a real time-suck. Many pharmacy chains like CVS and online pharmacies like Express Scripts let you easily set up automatic refills—when your medications run low, they’ll process the next refill and deliver a fresh supply to you automatically (and even contact your doctor if you’re out of refills). Have a robot clean the floors If you hate cleaning your place you might have already hired professional cleaners to come in on a regular basis and make it look like a civilized human being lives there. If not, you can automate some of the cleaning by setting up not just a robot vacuum, but a robot vacuum and mop (like this one, or this one). It will patrol the floors, sucking up grit and dust, and when it encounters a spill or a stain it spritzes the area with a cleaning solution and mops up—while you do other things with your time. Automate your pool maintenanceIf you have a pool, you know that keeping it clean can take up several hours of your week. You can automate a lot of that by investing in a pool-cleaning robot that will do all that dirty work for you, leaving you more time to actually enjoy your pool. But wait! There’s more: You can automate just about every aspect of pool maintenance, from monitoring (and adjusting) chemical and water levels to surface skimming. Once you have everything set up, you can just, you know, enjoy your pool. Let a robot mow your lawnIf you have a lawn, you probably spend about eight hours a year mowing it. That might not sound like a lot, but imagine what you could do with an extra eight hours—that’s about half an hour each week you get back. Setting up a robotic lawn mower along with a sprinkler system on a timer will automate the bulk of your lawn maintenance, giving you a chance to finally break in that hammock. Use AI-powered tools to job searchLooking for a new job is probably the biggest time sink known to man. Sifting through hundreds of listings, tweaking your resume, filling out applications, writing mission statements and cover letters—it’s an exhausting grind. And that’s before you even get an interview. Using AI-powered tools like Sonara, Massive, LazyApply, and LoopCV all work similarly: You load up your resume and set some parameters, then they scour the internet looking for job descriptions that match. Then they automatically fill out applications and send in your resume while you’re busy doing other things. While your job search still won’t be quite “set it and forget it,” you can automate the tedious parts to gain back some free time (and reduce your job search-related stress). Install smart window treatmentsCarve out little bits of time every day by installing smart window treatments (like these automatic shades) that can be programmed to rise and fall on a set schedule, so you won’t have to think about maximizing your light situation anymore. Set up a meal serviceCooking can take a fair amount of time out of your day, even if you don’t include the grocery shopping. Setting up an automated, oven-ready meal service like Home Chef means that prepared meals are delivered to your house, in their own oven-safe tin. All you do is pop them into the oven, pop them out, and eat. Use a laundry serviceIf you spend a lot of your time doing (and folding) laundry, you can automate this by finding a laundry service in your area that will pick up, clean, and deliver—a lot of dry cleaners and laundromats offer the service. If you can’t find a local place to do it, you can check if a national service like Poplin works in your area. Most will pick up your dirty clothes and return them to you—washed and folded—within a day. What you do with the time you’re not doing laundry is entirely up to you. View the full article

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Prior to September 2024, any Apple user interested in active noise-canceling (ANC) AirPods would've had to shell out $250 for the AirPods Pro. With the release of the ANC AirPods 4, the tech is much more affordable—and you can currently grab a pair of these $179 earbuds for $148.99. Apple also has a more budget-friendly version of the AirPods 4 without ANC; that model is currently for $99.99, down from $129. Both of these prices mark record lows, according to price-tracking tools. While the discounts aren't mind-blowing, the fact we're seeing any price reductions on newly released AirPods makes them a good deal, relatively speaking—especially outside of the typical Prime Day/Black Friday sales window. Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, with Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Transparency Apple AirPods 4 (With ANC) $148.99 at Walmart $179.00 Save $30.01 Get Deal Get Deal $148.99 at Walmart $179.00 Save $30.01 Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth Headphones, Personalized Spatial Audio, Sweat and Water Resistant, USB-C Apple AirPods 4 (Without ANC) $99.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $129.00 Save $29.01 Get Deal Get Deal $99.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $129.00 Save $29.01 SEE -1 MORE The AirPods 4 have updated USB-C charging. Both models are powered by Apple's H2 chip, so you'll get Personalized Spatial Audio (so you can hear sounds seemingly coming from different directions as you move your head) and the ability to use head gestures to tell Siri "yes" or "no" (this also works for answering or denying calls). It's also likely Apple will add a live translation feature to both models when iOS 19 rolls out later this year. If you spring for the ANC AirPods 4, you'll get a charging case with a built-in speaker, which you can use with Find My to locate it if you lose them. You'll also get features like Conversation Awareness, which lowers your music volume when your AirPods detect that you're talking to someone; Transparency Mode, which lets you better hear your surroundings while your earbuds are in; and Adaptive Audio (combines ANC and Transparency mode to adjust ANC levels based on the noise around you). Keep in mind that since these are open style earbuds, lacking a silicone tip to better block out noise, the ANC will not be as good as what you can get from AirPods Pro or Beats Fit Pro. Both versions are rated IP54 for dust and water resistance, offer up to five hours of listening per charge (up to 30 hours with the charging case), and can handle automatic switching with your other Apple devices. You can read more about the non-ANC AirPods in PCMag's "excellent" review, and more about the ANC AirPods in PCMag's "outstanding" review. View the full article