ResidentialBusiness

The The President administration’s falsehoods over the war are doing profound damage to America’s global standingView the full article

Yes, Spotify is down. Spotify users are reporting service outages on the music streaming desktop and mobile app. As of 8:50 a.m., U.S. users started experiencing technical issues with the app, with around 323 reports. By 9:05 a.m., reports had risen to more than 20,000 outages, and are about 40,000 outage reports at the time of publishing. Technical issues are mainly reported in the U.S. and Europe, with some additional reports in Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Australia, United Arab Emirates, and Israel. “We are aware of the outage and working to resolve it as soon as possible,” a Spotify spokesperson told Fast Company in a statement. “The reports of this being a security hack are completely inaccurate. For ongoing updates regarding this issue, please reference our @SpotifyStatus X channel.” Spotify issued an acknowledgement of the situation earlier at 8:45 a.m. via social media saying, “We’re aware of some issues right now and are checking them out!” The technical issues appear to impact the search option on the mobile and desktop app, with a message saying “couldn’t load the page.” View the full article

Comcast announced Thursday that 100 small businesses in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and surrounding communities will receive comprehensive grant packages through the Comcast RISE program. The initiative is part of a broader $3 million national effort aimed at supporting 500 small businesses across five U.S. regions. The grant packages will include a $5,000 monetary grant, a full technology makeover, professionally produced marketing assets, media exposure, access to educational resources, and business coaching sessions. Applications will open May 1 and close May 31, with interested businesses directed to apply at www.ComcastRISE.com. “Small business owners in Grand Rapids and Muskegon serve as the economic and innovation engines of their communities,” said Sonya Callahan, Regional Vice President, Comcast Business, Heartland. “Comcast RISE is all about uplifting local entrepreneurs, supporting the growth of small businesses, and our continued commitment to their success.” Each selected business will receive a package that includes: Technology Makeover: Computer equipment and 12 months of Internet, Voice, and Cybersecurity services (applicable taxes and fees may apply). Creative Production & Media: A 30-second TV commercial professionally produced, a media strategy consultation, and a 180-day linear media schedule (applicable taxes and fees may apply). Education Resources: A yearlong subscription to online courses and learning modules designed for small business owners. Monetary Grant: A $5,000 direct financial award. Coaching Sessions: Business consultation and assessment sessions with tailored recommendations for growth. This year’s recipients from Grand Rapids and Muskegon will be announced in August, joining other businesses selected from Boston, Nashville, Seattle, and South Valley, Utah. Comcast will distribute 100 grants in each region. Comcast highlighted previous local recipients, including Delight in Designs (Grand Rapids), Body Builders Collision & Custom Cars (Kentwood), A Solution B (Wyoming), and Servicios De Esperanza (Muskegon). “The saying is, ‘business is never personal’ – but we take the opposite approach,” said Christian Boyd, owner of Body Builders Collision & Custom Cars. “We’re so grateful to provide a service to the community, and I’m very grateful we were chosen to participate in Comcast RISE. For any eligible business thinking about applying for Comcast RISE this year, just go for it. It’s an awesome opportunity you can’t afford to pass up.” Since its launch in 2020, Comcast RISE has supported 14,000 entrepreneurs across the country. The program is part of Project UP, Comcast’s broader initiative aimed at creating digital equity and expanding opportunity. Eligibility requirements and application details can be found at www.ComcastRISE.com. This article, "Comcast RISE to Award $3 Million in Support to Small Businesses in Grand Rapids and Muskegon" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Comcast announced Thursday that 100 small businesses in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and surrounding communities will receive comprehensive grant packages through the Comcast RISE program. The initiative is part of a broader $3 million national effort aimed at supporting 500 small businesses across five U.S. regions. The grant packages will include a $5,000 monetary grant, a full technology makeover, professionally produced marketing assets, media exposure, access to educational resources, and business coaching sessions. Applications will open May 1 and close May 31, with interested businesses directed to apply at www.ComcastRISE.com. “Small business owners in Grand Rapids and Muskegon serve as the economic and innovation engines of their communities,” said Sonya Callahan, Regional Vice President, Comcast Business, Heartland. “Comcast RISE is all about uplifting local entrepreneurs, supporting the growth of small businesses, and our continued commitment to their success.” Each selected business will receive a package that includes: Technology Makeover: Computer equipment and 12 months of Internet, Voice, and Cybersecurity services (applicable taxes and fees may apply). Creative Production & Media: A 30-second TV commercial professionally produced, a media strategy consultation, and a 180-day linear media schedule (applicable taxes and fees may apply). Education Resources: A yearlong subscription to online courses and learning modules designed for small business owners. Monetary Grant: A $5,000 direct financial award. Coaching Sessions: Business consultation and assessment sessions with tailored recommendations for growth. This year’s recipients from Grand Rapids and Muskegon will be announced in August, joining other businesses selected from Boston, Nashville, Seattle, and South Valley, Utah. Comcast will distribute 100 grants in each region. Comcast highlighted previous local recipients, including Delight in Designs (Grand Rapids), Body Builders Collision & Custom Cars (Kentwood), A Solution B (Wyoming), and Servicios De Esperanza (Muskegon). “The saying is, ‘business is never personal’ – but we take the opposite approach,” said Christian Boyd, owner of Body Builders Collision & Custom Cars. “We’re so grateful to provide a service to the community, and I’m very grateful we were chosen to participate in Comcast RISE. For any eligible business thinking about applying for Comcast RISE this year, just go for it. It’s an awesome opportunity you can’t afford to pass up.” Since its launch in 2020, Comcast RISE has supported 14,000 entrepreneurs across the country. The program is part of Project UP, Comcast’s broader initiative aimed at creating digital equity and expanding opportunity. Eligibility requirements and application details can be found at www.ComcastRISE.com. This article, "Comcast RISE to Award $3 Million in Support to Small Businesses in Grand Rapids and Muskegon" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As much as Apple keeps hyping them up, those 4K 60fps videos will chew through your iPhone's storage space like you wouldn't believe. When you get to the point where you have to choose between keeping videos of your kids and clips from that beloved once-in-a-lifetime vacation, you have a problem. But I've got a solution—not all videos need to be stored at full quality, at all times. There are many ways to go about compressing your iPhone videos, but like most things in life, the simplest option is often the best. Kompresso is a free to use, native iPhone app that uses the powerful processor on your smartphone to compress files. This means there's no need to upload or share your video files to online compression websites. Another plus? Most of the compression apps you'll see on the App Store are filled with popup ads, and are quite nickel-and-dimey. Kompresso is differen, while still being plenty robust. You can compress a video by 30% without even changing the resolution. And a drop in resolution can lead to 70% or higher file size savings. Why you might need to compress videosMost people think of video compression as the last tool in their belt, but it doesn't have to be that way. There are many reasons why you might want to compress videos, even if all you're thinking of is backup. The storage space issue: The biggest factor here comes down to storage space. Perhaps your iPhone is running out of storage space, and you've realized that there are 30 GBs of videos on it that you don't even remember taking. Data usage and upload issue: When it comes to uploading or sharing videos, file size really hurts. It takes longer to upload large files, and there are sites that won't even allow for videos above a certain size. Not to mention the bandwidth required, and the data charges when you try to upload a 5GB video straight from your iPhone, using 5G. The speed issue: The bigger the data size, the longer the transfer, and it doesn't matter if it's happening offline, when you're offloading a video from the iPhone to your computer, or if you're transferring the file using an online service. The playback issue: A large iPhone video plays great on your iPhone, and your Mac, but that might not be the case when you transfer it to your parents' Windows PC and they try to play it on their TV (true story, this happened to one of my wedding videos, which lagged and stuttered like crazy). The Cloud issue: Apple is already bad at giving us affordable storage space. And if you're on one of the cheaper tiers of its cloud plan, like 50GB or 200GB, a couple of videos can push you to upgrade to the 2TB plan that costs $9.99/month. Do you really want to give Apple $120 per year just to store some large video files? What does compressing your videos do?Good video compression is all about striking a balance between file size and visual quality. Compression algorithms try to reduce the file size while still keeping all the visual elements of the video intact, or at least at an acceptable quality. The software analyzes the video frame by frame, and then looks for redundancies and patterns across the video. This can be between a single frame, or between multiple consecutive frames. In a single frame, the algorithm might compress adjacent pixels with similar color and brightness. For example, it might store color details for a large part of a sky shot in one spot, instead of having data on every single blue pixel. When it comes to multiple frames, the algorithm might also save on details from a static background. Of course, once video is compressed, you might notice that the video quality is slightly reduced. You might see visible pixelation, or blockiness in some videos with fast motion. Although, with good programs, this isn't that common. If this does happen, you can try compressing again, just using less harsh parameters, or perhaps without dropping down the resolution. How to compress vidoes on iPhone using KompressoThe Kompresso app offers two options for compressing videos. By default, you'll see a simplified three tier option. Add any video and choose between High, Medium, and Low quality. As you change the option, you'll see the file size savings you'll get up top. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Keeping the highest quality will keep the same resolution but will reduce the bitrate and will use the compression tricks I talked about above. This will make the video take up around 30% less space. The Medium quality option will reduce the resolution to 720p, and the Low Quality option will take it all the way down to 480p. Personally, I wouldn't suggest going down that far. In fact, if you find you need to select the "Low" preset to make a dent in your storage space, it might be better to switch to the Advanced Options tab to customize your size savings manually. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Here, you can fine tune the Compression settings to focus on one of three presets: Less Space, Balanced, and Better Quality. Next, make sure to choose H.265 encoding, as it's highly efficient. Then, you can choose the resolution, frame rate, and even the format to export. Finally, tap the Compress button and wait a while as the video is compressed. Now, you can directly share the video, to save it to the Photos app. Once the new video is saved, make sure you go to the Photos app to delete the old video, and then again, to clear it from the Recently Deleted folder. Kompresso is free to use for up to three compressions a day, and you can unlock all limits by paying $1.99/month or $9.99 to fully unlock it for life. View the full article

Cloud-based designer platform Figma on Tuesday confidentially filed for an initial public offering in the United States, more than a year after a $20 billion deal to be acquired by Adobe was shelved due to regulatory roadblocks. Figma had been widely considered as a candidate to go public after antitrust regulators in Europe and Britain blocked Adobe’s deal in December 2023 in what would have been one of the biggest acquisitions of a software startup. Last year, Figma was valued at $12.5 billion after it closed a deal to allow its employees and early investors to sell their stake to new and existing investors. The U.S. IPO market, which made a strong comeback last year from a slew of high-profile listings, has been rattled by market volatility stemming from tariff-related uncertainty, with companies adopting a wait-and-see approach before proceeding with their stock market debuts. “Sentiment for the IPO market is relatively low and has been dampened by heightened market volatility stemming from a lack of policy clarity. Over the past few months, we saw a string of tech startups filing to go public, but many subsequently put their IPO plan on hold,” said Kaidi Gao, senior VC analyst at PitchBook. Figma, a design platform with both free and paid offerings, is used to create, share and test designs for websites, mobile apps and other digital products, boasts customers such as Adobe, Uber, Spotify, and Alphabet’s search-engine giant Google. The company, co-founded by tech executive Dylan Field in 2012, is cash flow positive and has expanded its offerings to include a broader platform for team collaborations with artificial intelligence features. —Jaiveer Shekhawat, Reuters View the full article

Navigating bedtime with a teenager is, in many homes, a nightly battle with a constant refrain: Get off your phone! Go to bed! Research shows that today’s teenagers are more sleep-deprived than ever before. Adolescents need between eight and 10 hours of sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But nearly 80% of American teenagers aren’t getting that, and experts say it’s affecting important areas like mental health and school attendance. Bedtime routines aren’t just for toddlers. Teenagers need them, too, says Denise Pope, an expert on child development and a senior lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. Experts in adolescent sleep say a few small changes to how parents and teens approach sleep can make a dramatic difference. Try a tech-free bedtime routine for teens The first step to setting up a better bedtime routine is dealing with technology. — Separate children from their devices at night. Phones, tablets, streaming services, and video games aren’t the only things keeping kids up at night, but experts agree they are a major factor in delaying sleep. “Get the temptation out of the bedroom,” Pope says. If the phone is within arm’s reach, it’s hard to ignore when notifications buzz. Many teens say they fall asleep while scrolling, or reach for their phone if they have trouble sleeping, and end up scrolling for hours. — Be prepared for excuses. “My phone is my alarm clock” is something a lot of parents hear. The solution: Buy an alarm clock. — Put screens away an hour before bedtime. Exposure to light prevents the release of melatonin, the hormone released by the brain that makes us feel drowsy. Then, replace screens with a new wind-down routine. — Try to get to bed around the same time each night and start winding down at least 30 minutes before. During that time, silence notifications, take a warm shower, read a book. To get an idea of what your teen’s bedtime should be, try an online ” bedtime calculator,” such as the one from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. — Avoid caffeine and energy drinks in the afternoon and evening. — The best sleep environment is a cool, dark, quiet room. In noisy households, earplugs and a sleep mask can help. If a bedroom is too warm, it can affect getting to sleep and staying asleep, says adolescent sleep expert Kyla Wahlstrom. Know the signs of sleep deprivation in teens Some of the telltale evidence of sleep deprivation: being irritable, grumpy, short-tempered, emotionally fragile, unmotivated, impulsive and more likely to see the world and oneself through a negative lens. A sleep-deprived teen also may fall asleep during the daytime, in the car or in class. “We often blame adolescents for being lazy or unruly or having bad behavior, much of which could be attributed to the fact that they are chronically sleep-deprived,” says Wendy Troxel, a clinical psychologist who has conducted numerous studies on adolescent sleep. How do you tell the difference between a sleepy teen and a cranky-but-well-rested one? — One key sign is what sleep expert Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse calls “zombie mornings.” “If your teen hits snooze five times, takes forever to get out of bed, asks you for a big cup of coffee first thing in the morning, most likely they are running on empty,” says Fong-Isariyawongse, a neurologist at the University of Pittsburgh. — Extreme mood swings are another sign. Sleep is critical for emotional processing, which is why sleep-deprived teens are more likely to be irritable, anxious or depressed. — A sleep-deprived teen may fall behind in school, because sleep is essential for learning and memory consolidation. — Teens who sleep less are more likely to make bad choices when it comes to drug or alcohol use, drowsy or reckless driving and risky sexual behavior. — Does your teen sleep until lunchtime on weekends? “Most likely they are not getting enough sleep during the week,” says Fong-Isariyawongse. It’s fine to sleep in a bit, but try to limit it to a couple hours. Otherwise, it throws off the body clock and makes it harder to wake up when the new school week begins. Why should teenagers care? Show them the science Explain to your teens why sleep matters, and that it’s not just nagging parents who say so. The data on mental health and sleep is vast. — Many studies show that depression, anxiety and the risk of suicidal thinking go up as sleep goes down. — Beyond mood, sleep deprivation affects physical and athletic ability. That’s why several NFL and NBA teams have hired sleep coaches. Teens who are sleep-deprived sustain more physical injuries, because they take more risks, their judgment is impaired, and reflexes and reaction times are not as fast. Teens who get more sleep perform better in sports, and when they do get injuries, they have a quicker recovery time. — More teenage car accidents come from drowsy driving than driving under the influence of alcohol, studies show. Teens who say they get less than eight hours of sleep a night are more likely to text while driving, not wear a seat belt, drink and drive—or get in a car with a driver who has been drinking. As any parent knows, telling their teenager to go to sleep does not always work. You need to get their buy-in. “Kids need to be educated about sleep, and their brain health and emotional health, and how it all ties together,” says Wahlstrom. “Tell your kids, ‘You’ll do better in school, better in sports, you’ll look better after a good night’s sleep.’ Because until they want to help themselves, they won’t do it.” The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Jocelyn Gecker, AP Education Writer View the full article

If you like the Kanban method but have grown tired of using bloated, online-only tools, Kanri is a free open-source alternative you can install on Linux, macOS, and Windows that works entirely offline. It even supports importing from Trello. We've recommended the Kanban method, and related tools, for tracking your work and visualizing projects. And there's nothing about Kanban that needs to be digital—it works well with sticky notes on a wall or even a notepad. Most people, however, depend on apps like Trello for the job—but Trello has a few limitations. There's no offline mode on the computer, for one thing, and the app has a habit of asking you to upgrade. If you'd prefer something simpler that works offline, Kanri might be what you're looking for. To get started, simply download the application and open it. There's no need to create an account—you can just start using the application. You can make new boards and start adding cards. Click a card to view more details. Credit: Justin Pot You can add a description, due date, tasks, and tags—that's it. There's no attachments or collaboration features, which is going to be a downside for some. There's also no cloud storage or syncing—everything lives on your local device. It is possible to export your board when it comes time to replace your computer; still, the lack of syncing means this application won't work for everyone. On the other hand, if all you want is a quick Kanban application you can use on your computer, Kanri is just about perfect. It's fast and works without an internet connection, and there are no limits to the number of boards or cards you can add. There are a few nice touches, too. You can set custom backgrounds for all of your boards, making it easy to tell them apart at a glance while also making things a bit more fun. And there's support in the settings for customizing the color scheme. And another big feature is the ability to grab existing boards from Trello. You can import all of your Trello boards at once or any individual board—whatever you prefer. All columns and cards are grabbed, including the description, due dates, and any sub-tasks. What doesn't come along are attachments and activities, mostly because Kanri doesn't support those features. Even so, I bet Kanri supports most of what people use more feature-rich (and expensive) Kanban applications for. Give it a shot if you're looking for something simpler. View the full article

If you grow vegetables in the summer, you probably grow tomatoes, and they’re often the first vegetable a budding gardener tries to grow. It's not a bad call—there’s nothing like eating a vine-ripened tomato you grew yourself. But not all tomatoes are created equally, and it can be confusing to decide which tomatoes to grow. There are countless varieties, and instead of choosing based on the color or a cute name, learning the characteristics of different tomato types can help ensure a more successful tomato growing (and tomato eating) season. Whether you are growing tomatoes from seeds or buying seedlings at the nursery, here's what to consider to help you choose the right tomato for you. Determinate versus indeterminate tomatoes An indeterminate slicer growing Credit: Amanda Blum Before you get into flavor, color, or anything else, you should know about the two types of tomatoes. All tomatoes are either determinate or indeterminate, and at the most basic level, the difference is about harvesting: Determinate tomatoes produce all their fruit in a few weeks' time, while indeterminate tomatoes produce over the course of a season. This seems like a simple choice, because who wouldn’t want a season full of tomatoes? And if you’re harvesting, say, slicing tomatoes for sandwiches, a season full of tomatoes would make sense. But if you’re harvesting paste tomatoes to make sauce, you more likely to want them all at once, so you can make a few big batches of sauce. These two kinds of tomatoes grow differently, too: Determinate tomatoes tend to be bushier, and grow to a set point and then stop. Indeterminate tomatoes grow taller like a vine, and never stop growing and setting flowers. You can prune indeterminate tomatoes to shape the plant, but should never prune determinate tomatoes, or you’ll limit the fruit you’re capable of growing. Every plant tag or catalog listing will tell you if a tomato is determinate or indeterminate, but ife in doubt, do some research. You can search for the name of a tomato online to find out, or ask someone at the nursery. Tomato type determines shape, size, and juiciness Slicers and paste tomatoes of ever shape Credit: Amanda Blum It takes nothing more than a trip to the grocery store to see the varieties of tomatoes on offer. There are cherry tomatoes (which aren’t just little baby tomatoes), paste or plum tomatoes, and globe tomatoes. Occasionally you’ll even see slicers. Each of these tomato types serves a specific purpose. Slicers are best for sandwiches Slicing tomatoes in different colors Credit: Amanda Blum When you picture the ideal tomato, you’re likely imagining a slicing tomato. Palm sized or bigger, slicers can top a pound in weight, and come in a few different shapes. There are heirloom type tomatoes like Purple Cherokee or Berkeley Tie Dye, which have big, defined lobes and shoulders. There are globe tomatoes, which are what you usually buy in the supermarket—tennis ball sized, and very round and smooth. There are heart shaped tomatoes, like Cuoer di Bue and Oxheart, that have a distinct point at one end and tall shoulders, which makes them resemble hearts. The thing that truly defines a slicer, though, is that they have a good amount of juiciness—more so than other tomatoes—but also enough meat for slices of tomato to hold together. This makes them ideal for sandwiches or a beautiful caprese salad. Paste or plum tomatoes make great sauce Paste tomatoes going into the oven to roast Credit: Amanda Blum While you could make tomato sauce from any tomato, the best tomato sauce tomato is a paste or plum. These elongated tomatoes tend to have more meat and less juiciness, making them ideal for cooking and canning. The shape makes them easy to peel and ideal for roasting. Classic paste tomatoes include Roma (a determinate) and San Marzano (an indeterminate), both of which have spectacular flavor. You can also consider varieties like Amish Paste, an indeterminate popular for its size and production, if not so much its taste. Growing multiple varieties (say, one great-tasting tomato and one well-producing tomato) and using both will yield more sauce, while maintaining the flavor. Cherry tomatoes are for snacking and salads Cherry tomatoes of all shapes and colors Credit: Amanda Blum Usually the size of a gum-ball, cherry tomatoes are popular at salad bars and make perfect snacks. it’s important to note cherry tomatoes are not baby tomatoes, but full grown and matured tomatoes that are meant to be that size. There are a few subtypes of cherries. While most are spherical, there are also pear shaped cherry tomatoes, the most famous of which is the Yellow Bell. There are also grape tomatoes, which are actually a small paste tomato, like Juliet, which is wildly prolific and a great compromise; they make fantastic sauce and are great for snacking. Tomato color really does influence taste A caprese of slicer tomatoes Credit: Amanda Blum One of the most delightful aspects of growing tomatoes is the range of colors you can achieve. Each year I grow a literal rainbow of cherry tomatoes, but the colors aren’t simply for looks. Tomato colors are created by pigment, and those pigmentation elements influence the amount of sugar and acid present in the fruit. Red and pink tomatoes, which have higher chlorophyll and lycopene levels, have higher acid levels than yellow and orange tomatoes, making them more tart. Blue, brown, and purple tomatoes have higher anthocyanin levels, which result in a more savory taste. Green Grape cherry tomatoes are a bit peppery, due to a lack of lycopene. Cherry tomatoes are a fantastic way to experiment with colors and tastes. Once you find out what what you like, you can try out slicers in those colors. But even among paste tomatoes, which are traditionally red, there have been some been amazing developments in recent years, resulting in yellow paste tomatoes like Sunrise Sauce, which I grow myself—this variety can produce a less acidic sauce or soup if the too much acid in tomatoes tends to overwhelm you. Know the tomato rules, but don't be afraid to break themWhile all tomatoes are somewhat interchangeable—you can make a sauce out of cherry tomatoes or use a paste tomato on a sandwich—you’ll notice a big difference when you use the right tomato for the right job. There is absolutely nothing like slicing a fresh-off-the-vine Yellow Brandywine tomato and slicing it up for a BLT. My canned whole tomatoes, grown as San Marzanos in my yard, taste better than any can of tomatoes from the market, and while you can snack on any tomato, the sweetness of a cherry tomato makes them the top tier choice. Understanding the type, color, and growing habit of different tomatoes can help you choose the right tomatoes for your home garden and make shopping for seeds or starts a more informed process. Here's to a tomato-filled summer! View the full article

The U.K. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a woman is someone born biologically female, excluding transgender people from the legal definition in a long-running dispute between a feminist group and the Scottish government. Several women’s groups that supported the appeal celebrated outside court and hailed it as a major victory in their effort to protect spaces designated for women. “Everyone knows what sex is and you can’t change it,” said Susan Smith, codirector of For Women Scotland, which brought the case. “It’s common sense, basic common sense and the fact that we have been down a rabbit hole where people have tried to deny science and to deny reality and hopefully this will now see us back to, back to reality.” The ruling brings some clarity in the U.K. to a controversial issue that has roiled politics as women, parents, LGBTQ+ groups, lawmakers, and athletes have debated gender identity rights. Five judges ruled unanimously that the U.K. Equality Act means trans women can be excluded from some single-sex spaces and groups, such as changing rooms, homeless shelters, swimming areas, and medical or counseling services provided only to women. The ruling means that a transgender person with a certificate that recognizes them as female should not be considered a woman for equality purposes. But Justice Patrick Hodge said its ruling “does not remove protection from trans people,” who are “protected from discrimination on the ground of gender reassignment.” Trans rights advocates condemn the judgment The case stems from a 2018 law passed by the Scottish Parliament stating there should be a 50% female representation on the boards of Scottish public bodies. Transgender women with gender recognition certificates were to be included in meeting the quota. “Interpreting ‘sex’ as certificated sex would cut across the definitions of ‘man’ and ‘woman’ . . . and, thus, the protected characteristic of sex in an incoherent way,” Hodge said. “It would create heterogeneous groupings.” Hannah Ford, an employment lawyer, said that while the judgment will provide clarity, it would be a setback for transgender rights and there would be “an uphill battle” to ensure workplaces are welcoming places for trans people. “This will be really wounding for the trans community,” Ford told Sky News. Groups that had challenged the Scottish government popped the cork on a bottle of champagne outside the court and sang, “women’s rights are human rights.” “The court has given us the right answer: the protected characteristic of sex—male and female—refers to reality, not to paperwork,” said Maya Forstater of the group Sex Matters. In 2022, an employment tribunal ruled that she had been the victim of discrimination when she lost out on a job after posting gender-critical views online. The British government welcomed the ruling, saying it would provide clarity and confidence for women. “Single-sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this government,” it said. Harry Potter author backed legal challenge For Women Scotland had argued that the Scottish officials’ redefinition of woman went beyond Parliament’s powers. But Scottish officials then issued new guidance stating that the definition of woman included someone with a gender recognition certificate. FWS successfully sought to overturn that. “Not tying the definition of sex to its ordinary meaning means that public boards could conceivably comprise of 50% men, and 50% men with certificates, yet still lawfully meet the targets for female representation,” the group’s director Trina Budge said previously. The challenge was rejected by a court in 2022, but the group was granted permission last year to take its case to the Supreme Court. Aidan O’Neill, a lawyer for FWS, told the Supreme Court judges—three men and two women—that under the Equality Act “sex” should refer to biological sex and as understood “in ordinary, everyday language.” “Our position is your sex, whether you are a man or a woman or a girl or a boy is determined from conception in utero, even before one’s birth, by one’s body,” he said. “It is an expression of one’s bodily reality. It is an immutable biological state.” The women’s right group counted among its supporters author J.K. Rowling, who reportedly donated tens of thousands of pounds to back its work. The Harry Potter writer has been vocal in arguing that the rights for trans women should not come at the expense of those who are born biologically female. Opponents, including Amnesty International, said excluding transgender people from sex discrimination protections conflicted with human rights laws. Amnesty submitted a brief in court saying it was concerned about the deterioration of the rights for trans people in the U.K. and abroad. “A blanket policy of barring trans women from single-sex services is not a proportionate means to achieve a legitimate aim,” the human rights group said. —Brian Melley, Jill Lawless and Sylvia Hui, Associated Press View the full article

President The President’s trade wars have officially landed on TikTok. U.S. TikTok users’ For You Pages are being flooded with videos from Chinese manufacturers urging Americans to bypass sweeping new tariffs by purchasing goods directly from China. “So China is doing us a solid over here in the US and allowing us to buy directly and avoid all of the ridiculous tariffs,” says one TikTok user in a video posted on Monday. Behind her is a laundry list of Chinese wholesale websites, featuring everything from beauty products to electronics. “I don’t know about you but that wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card.” In another video, which has racked up over 11.5 million views, a creator claims to sell the same leggings that retail for $100 at Lululemon for just $5 or $6. “The materials and the craftsmanship are basically the same because they all come from the same production line,” she explains. “How do we buy direct. I hate it here,” one TikTok user commented beneath the video. “Now this is how you do a trade war,” another added. But if it sounds too good to be true, that’s probably because it is. Lululemon has responded to the trend, stating it “does not work with the manufacturers identified in the online videos and we urge consumers to be aware of potentially counterfeit products and misinformation,” according to The Times. Claiming to manufacture for big-name brands while actually selling knock-offs is a common scam. Experts told The Independent that some of these TikTokers are likely paid by counterfeit operations seeking to exploit the chaos around tariffs and lure U.S. consumers with cheap “dupes.” Still, many TikTok users have welcomed the videos for revealing luxury fashion’s often opaque supply chains. “China TikTok is so messy rn,” one X user posted alongside a thread of these videos. “And YES I will be shopping at the Chinese markets for a 25 dollar Birkin Bag,” they added. The videos gained traction as President Donald The President announced a 145% levy on all goods imported from China. While the administration has since stated that smartphones and some electronics would be exempt, the fashion industry remains heavily affected. The U.S. manufactures only about 2% of its own clothing, while China produces roughly two-thirds of the world’s supply—and sent $49 billion in textiles to the U.S. last year alone. The trend has also spilled into real-world behavior. Chinese wholesale marketplace app DHgate soared to the No. 3 spot in the U.S. App Store as of Monday morning, TechCrunch reported. That’s a sharp climb from No. 352 on Friday, April 11, according to data from app intelligence provider Appfigures. While buying direct from China isn’t exactly a foolproof workaround—since imports are still subject to tariffs—one commenter summed up the mood: “The President said, We hold the cards. So China said, We make the cards.” View the full article

China’s economy expanded at a 5.4% annual pace in January-March, the government said Wednesday, supported by strong exports ahead of U.S. President Donald The President’s rapid increases in tariffs on Chinese products. With the trade war clouding the outlook, analysts are forecasting that the world’s second largest economy will slow significantly in coming months, however, as tariffs as high as 145% on U.S. imports from China take effect. Beijing has hit back at the U.S. with 125% tariffs on American exports, while also stressing its determination to keep its own markets open to trade and investment. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is visiting several other Asian countries this week as he makes a case for free trade, presenting China as a source of “stability and certainty” in uncertain times. Xi was visiting Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia, while the U.S. announced that a senior State Department official, Sean O’Neill, would be traveling this week to Vietnam’s capital Hanoi and to Ho Chi Minh City, to Cambodia’s Siem Reap, and to Tokyo. China also has been highlighting its focus on trade with countries other than the United States at various trade fairs that are showcasing its vast market and competitiveness as a manufacturing giant. At China’s Canton trade fair, in the southern city of Guangzhou, exporters were emphatic about the need to look beyond selling to Americans. “We need to diversify our market. When the West is dark, the East is bright. The global market is huge,” said Wallace Huang, the export business director of Guangdong Weking Group, which makes rice cookers. “In recent years, our exports to the U.S. have slowly been declining.” The trade factor Exports helped China’s economy expand at a 5% annual rate in 2024 and this year’s official target is about 5%. In the near term, the tariffs will put pressure on China’s economy, but they won’t derail long-run growth, Sheng Laiyun, a spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics, told reporters. He noted that China’s exports to the United States have fallen to less than 15% of total exports from more than 19% five years ago. “China’s economic foundation is stable, resilient and has great potential. We have the confidence, ability and confidence to cope with external challenges and achieve our established development goals,” Sheng said. In quarterly terms the economy grew 1.2% in January-March, slowing from 1.6% in the last quarter of 2024. Chinese exports surged more than 12% from a year earlier in March and nearly 6% in U.S. dollar terms in the first quarter, as companies rushed to beat The President’s tariffs. That has supported robust manufacturing activity in the past several months. China’s industrial production rose 6.5% from a year earlier in the last quarter, led by a nearly 11% increase in output of equipment manufacturing. The strongest growth was in advanced technologies, such as production of battery electric and hybrid vehicles, which jumped 45.4% year-on-year. Output of 3D printers soared almost 45% and of industrial robots surged 26%. Weaker property investment and consumer prices Despite relatively fast growth by global standards, the Chinese economy has struggled to regain momentum since the COVID-19 pandemic as downturn in the property market has pushed unemployment higher, leaving families wary about spending. Consumer prices fell 0.1% in the first quarter, suggesting that demand is not keeping up with supply for many industries. Investment in real estate also remained weak, falling nearly 10% from a year earlier despite government efforts to spur more lending for housing purchases. The tariffs crisis looms as another massive blow at a time when Beijing is striving to get businesses to invest and hire more workers and to persuade Chinese consumers to spend more. The outlook Both private and public sector economists have remained cautious about what to expect, given how The President has kept switching his stance on the details of his trade war. “Given the events over the past two weeks, it is extremely difficult to predict how the U.S. and China tariffs on each other might evolve,” Tao Wang and other UBS economists said in a report. The International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank have stuck with more optimistic forecasts of about 4.6% growth this year. After taking office, The President first ordered a 10% increase in tariffs on imports from China. He later raised that to 20%. Now, China is facing 145% tariffs on most of its exports to the United States. UBS estimates that the tariffs, if they remain roughly as they are, could cause China’s exports to the United States to fall by two-thirds in coming months and that its global exports could fall by 10% in dollar value. It cut its forecast for economic growth this year to 3.4% from an earlier 4%. It expects growth to slow to 3% in 2026. China has stepped up efforts to spur more consumer spending and private sector investment over the past seven months, doubling down on subsidies for auto and appliance trade-ins and channeling more funding for housing and other cash strapped industries. AP researchers Yu Bing and Shihuan Chen contributed. —Elaine Kurtenbach, AP Business Writer View the full article

Key Takeaways Product stories are essential narratives that capture the essence of a brand, turning ordinary items into memorable experiences for customers.Compelling storytelling engages customers, differentiates products, and builds a strong brand identity, essential for successful marketing strategies.Notable examples like MailChimp, Patagonia, and Warby Parker showcase how unique product narratives resonate deeply with target audiences and elevate brand perception.Key elements of an effective product story include identifying customer challenges, explaining the journey of product development, and demonstrating how the product provides solutions.Understanding your audience, utilizing digital channels, incorporating visuals, encouraging customer interaction, and maintaining consistency are crucial tips for effective storytelling in marketing. Every product has a story waiting to be told. These narratives not only capture the essence of a brand but also resonate with customers on a personal level. When you understand the power of storytelling in marketing, you unlock the potential to connect with your audience in a way that mere facts and figures can’t achieve. In this article, you’ll discover compelling product story examples that illustrate how brands effectively engage their customers. From the inspiration behind a product to the challenges faced during its creation, these stories can transform your marketing strategy and elevate your brand’s identity. Get ready to explore how storytelling can turn ordinary products into extraordinary experiences. Understanding Product Stories Product stories capture the essence of your brand and the journey behind your offerings. These narratives help connect with your target audience, turning ordinary items into memorable experiences that resonate with customers. What Is a Product Story? A product story is a narrative that explains the origin, development, and unique aspects of a product. It includes elements like the inspiration behind the creation, the challenges faced during development, and how it meets customer needs. Entrepreneurs should focus on authenticity, as genuine stories foster trust and loyalty among customers. Importance of Product Stories in Marketing Product stories play a crucial role in marketing strategies for small businesses. They: Engage Customers: Compelling narratives capture attention and keep customers interested in your brand. Differentiate Products: Unique stories set your offerings apart from competitors, highlighting your innovation and creativity. Build Brand Identity: Consistent storytelling reinforces your brand values and mission, creating a strong brand presence. Enhance Customer Experience: Engaging narratives create emotional connections, encouraging customers to share these stories, boosting word-of-mouth referrals. Crafting a powerful product story can significantly enhance your small business’s marketing effectiveness, fostering connections that drive customer acquisition and retention. Inspiring Product Story Examples Product stories can effectively engage your audience and enhance your brand’s identity. Here are some notable examples that showcase how storytelling elevates marketing strategies for small businesses. Example 1: The Narrative Behind a Successful Brand MailChimp illustrates the power of a creative brand narrative. This marketing automation platform emphasizes its versatility through playful campaigns. By integrating humor and creativity, MailChimp resonates with a diverse target audience. Their marketing strategies highlight the innovative tools available for email marketing, helping entrepreneurs communicate effectively with their customers. Example 2: Unique Product Development Stories Patagonia presents a compelling product development story centered around environmentalism. Their Worn Wear program exemplifies their commitment to sustainability, promoting the repair and reuse of gear. This initiative not only reduces waste but also aligns with their brand values, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers. Patagonia’s approach serves as an inspiration for small business owners looking to develop unique offerings that resonate deeply with their values and ethos. Example 3: Customer-Centric Product Stories Warby Parker focuses on customer-centric storytelling by offering an innovative online shopping experience. Their home try-on program allows customers to select five pairs of glasses to test before purchasing. This strategy enhances customer service, promotes engagement, and builds trust. Warby Parker’s narrative revolves around making stylish eyewear affordable, creating a loyal customer base and effectively differentiating them from competitors. Their story highlights the importance of understanding audience needs when crafting your product narratives. Crafting Your Own Product Story Creating your own product story strengthens your brand and enhances customer connections. A well-crafted narrative can transform your small business into a trusted source for your target audience. Key Elements of a Compelling Product Story A compelling product story features several key elements: The Hero: Your product, which communicates how it improves customers’ lives. Highlight features and benefits that emphasize how your offering meets their needs. The Problem: Identify the challenge your customers face. Clearly define this problem to resonate with your audience’s pain points. The Journey: Explain how your product came to life. Share the inspiration behind your business idea, the innovation process, and any obstacles you encountered. Authenticity fosters trust. The Success: Demonstrate how your product solves the problem. Include testimonials or data that showcase customer satisfaction, enhancing credibility. Tips for Effective Storytelling in Marketing Know Your Audience: Conduct market research to understand your target audience’s preferences, needs, and behaviors. Tailor your narrative to resonate with them. Utilize Digital Marketing: Incorporate storytelling across your website, social media, and email marketing campaigns. Consistent branding reinforces your message and engages customers. Leverage Visuals: Use imagery and videos to complement your story. Visual content captivates audiences and reinforces your brand identity. Encourage Interaction: Invite customers to share their own stories related to your product. User-generated content builds community and enhances engagement. Stay Consistent: Ensure your story aligns with your brand values and overall business goals. Consistency across all channels solidifies your message and fosters customer loyalty. Conclusion Embracing the power of product stories can truly transform your marketing approach. By weaving narratives that highlight your brand’s essence and values you can create lasting connections with your audience. The examples shared illustrate that authenticity and relatability are key in engaging customers and fostering loyalty. As you craft your own product story remember to focus on the journey and the unique aspects that set your offerings apart. This not only differentiates your brand but also enhances the overall customer experience. With the right storytelling strategies in place you can elevate your marketing efforts and turn ordinary products into extraordinary experiences that resonate deeply with your audience. Frequently Asked Questions What is the importance of storytelling in marketing? Storytelling in marketing is crucial because it creates emotional connections with customers. Compelling narratives help brands articulate their identity, engage audiences, and differentiate their products. Through storytelling, brands can share their inspiration, challenges, and authenticity, making products memorable and encouraging customer loyalty. How does a product story enhance a brand’s identity? A product story enhances a brand’s identity by capturing the essence of the product’s origin and development. It focuses on authenticity, which builds trust with customers. A well-crafted narrative can highlight a brand’s values and mission, making it more relatable and engaging to the audience. Can small businesses benefit from storytelling in marketing? Yes, small businesses can significantly benefit from storytelling in marketing. By crafting compelling product stories, they can engage customers, differentiate their offerings, and build a strong brand identity. Effective storytelling can foster connections that lead to improved customer acquisition and retention. What are key elements of a compelling product story? Key elements of a compelling product story include the hero (the product), the problem (customer challenges), the journey (the product’s development), and the success (how it solves the problem). These elements create a narrative that resonates with the audience and enhances the product’s appeal. How can I craft my own product story? To craft your own product story, start by identifying the key elements: who your product is for, what problem it solves, and how it’s been developed. Focus on authenticity, know your audience, and align your narrative with your brand values. Use visuals and encourage customer interaction to enhance engagement. What are some tips for effective storytelling in marketing? For effective storytelling in marketing, know your audience’s needs and preferences. Utilize digital marketing strategies, leverage visuals for impact, and encourage customer interaction. Additionally, maintain consistency with your brand values to foster trust and strengthen customer connections. Image Via Envato This article, "Inspiring Product Story Examples That Transform Brands and Engage Customers" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Product stories are essential narratives that capture the essence of a brand, turning ordinary items into memorable experiences for customers.Compelling storytelling engages customers, differentiates products, and builds a strong brand identity, essential for successful marketing strategies.Notable examples like MailChimp, Patagonia, and Warby Parker showcase how unique product narratives resonate deeply with target audiences and elevate brand perception.Key elements of an effective product story include identifying customer challenges, explaining the journey of product development, and demonstrating how the product provides solutions.Understanding your audience, utilizing digital channels, incorporating visuals, encouraging customer interaction, and maintaining consistency are crucial tips for effective storytelling in marketing. Every product has a story waiting to be told. These narratives not only capture the essence of a brand but also resonate with customers on a personal level. When you understand the power of storytelling in marketing, you unlock the potential to connect with your audience in a way that mere facts and figures can’t achieve. In this article, you’ll discover compelling product story examples that illustrate how brands effectively engage their customers. From the inspiration behind a product to the challenges faced during its creation, these stories can transform your marketing strategy and elevate your brand’s identity. Get ready to explore how storytelling can turn ordinary products into extraordinary experiences. Understanding Product Stories Product stories capture the essence of your brand and the journey behind your offerings. These narratives help connect with your target audience, turning ordinary items into memorable experiences that resonate with customers. What Is a Product Story? A product story is a narrative that explains the origin, development, and unique aspects of a product. It includes elements like the inspiration behind the creation, the challenges faced during development, and how it meets customer needs. Entrepreneurs should focus on authenticity, as genuine stories foster trust and loyalty among customers. Importance of Product Stories in Marketing Product stories play a crucial role in marketing strategies for small businesses. They: Engage Customers: Compelling narratives capture attention and keep customers interested in your brand. Differentiate Products: Unique stories set your offerings apart from competitors, highlighting your innovation and creativity. Build Brand Identity: Consistent storytelling reinforces your brand values and mission, creating a strong brand presence. Enhance Customer Experience: Engaging narratives create emotional connections, encouraging customers to share these stories, boosting word-of-mouth referrals. Crafting a powerful product story can significantly enhance your small business’s marketing effectiveness, fostering connections that drive customer acquisition and retention. Inspiring Product Story Examples Product stories can effectively engage your audience and enhance your brand’s identity. Here are some notable examples that showcase how storytelling elevates marketing strategies for small businesses. Example 1: The Narrative Behind a Successful Brand MailChimp illustrates the power of a creative brand narrative. This marketing automation platform emphasizes its versatility through playful campaigns. By integrating humor and creativity, MailChimp resonates with a diverse target audience. Their marketing strategies highlight the innovative tools available for email marketing, helping entrepreneurs communicate effectively with their customers. Example 2: Unique Product Development Stories Patagonia presents a compelling product development story centered around environmentalism. Their Worn Wear program exemplifies their commitment to sustainability, promoting the repair and reuse of gear. This initiative not only reduces waste but also aligns with their brand values, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers. Patagonia’s approach serves as an inspiration for small business owners looking to develop unique offerings that resonate deeply with their values and ethos. Example 3: Customer-Centric Product Stories Warby Parker focuses on customer-centric storytelling by offering an innovative online shopping experience. Their home try-on program allows customers to select five pairs of glasses to test before purchasing. This strategy enhances customer service, promotes engagement, and builds trust. Warby Parker’s narrative revolves around making stylish eyewear affordable, creating a loyal customer base and effectively differentiating them from competitors. Their story highlights the importance of understanding audience needs when crafting your product narratives. Crafting Your Own Product Story Creating your own product story strengthens your brand and enhances customer connections. A well-crafted narrative can transform your small business into a trusted source for your target audience. Key Elements of a Compelling Product Story A compelling product story features several key elements: The Hero: Your product, which communicates how it improves customers’ lives. Highlight features and benefits that emphasize how your offering meets their needs. The Problem: Identify the challenge your customers face. Clearly define this problem to resonate with your audience’s pain points. The Journey: Explain how your product came to life. Share the inspiration behind your business idea, the innovation process, and any obstacles you encountered. Authenticity fosters trust. The Success: Demonstrate how your product solves the problem. Include testimonials or data that showcase customer satisfaction, enhancing credibility. Tips for Effective Storytelling in Marketing Know Your Audience: Conduct market research to understand your target audience’s preferences, needs, and behaviors. Tailor your narrative to resonate with them. Utilize Digital Marketing: Incorporate storytelling across your website, social media, and email marketing campaigns. Consistent branding reinforces your message and engages customers. Leverage Visuals: Use imagery and videos to complement your story. Visual content captivates audiences and reinforces your brand identity. Encourage Interaction: Invite customers to share their own stories related to your product. User-generated content builds community and enhances engagement. Stay Consistent: Ensure your story aligns with your brand values and overall business goals. Consistency across all channels solidifies your message and fosters customer loyalty. Conclusion Embracing the power of product stories can truly transform your marketing approach. By weaving narratives that highlight your brand’s essence and values you can create lasting connections with your audience. The examples shared illustrate that authenticity and relatability are key in engaging customers and fostering loyalty. As you craft your own product story remember to focus on the journey and the unique aspects that set your offerings apart. This not only differentiates your brand but also enhances the overall customer experience. With the right storytelling strategies in place you can elevate your marketing efforts and turn ordinary products into extraordinary experiences that resonate deeply with your audience. Frequently Asked Questions What is the importance of storytelling in marketing? Storytelling in marketing is crucial because it creates emotional connections with customers. Compelling narratives help brands articulate their identity, engage audiences, and differentiate their products. Through storytelling, brands can share their inspiration, challenges, and authenticity, making products memorable and encouraging customer loyalty. How does a product story enhance a brand’s identity? A product story enhances a brand’s identity by capturing the essence of the product’s origin and development. It focuses on authenticity, which builds trust with customers. A well-crafted narrative can highlight a brand’s values and mission, making it more relatable and engaging to the audience. Can small businesses benefit from storytelling in marketing? Yes, small businesses can significantly benefit from storytelling in marketing. By crafting compelling product stories, they can engage customers, differentiate their offerings, and build a strong brand identity. Effective storytelling can foster connections that lead to improved customer acquisition and retention. What are key elements of a compelling product story? Key elements of a compelling product story include the hero (the product), the problem (customer challenges), the journey (the product’s development), and the success (how it solves the problem). These elements create a narrative that resonates with the audience and enhances the product’s appeal. How can I craft my own product story? To craft your own product story, start by identifying the key elements: who your product is for, what problem it solves, and how it’s been developed. Focus on authenticity, know your audience, and align your narrative with your brand values. Use visuals and encourage customer interaction to enhance engagement. What are some tips for effective storytelling in marketing? For effective storytelling in marketing, know your audience’s needs and preferences. Utilize digital marketing strategies, leverage visuals for impact, and encourage customer interaction. Additionally, maintain consistency with your brand values to foster trust and strengthen customer connections. Image Via Envato This article, "Inspiring Product Story Examples That Transform Brands and Engage Customers" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Even the most loyal Apple users will admit that the company is lagging behind when it comes to AI, with Siri's big Apple Intelligence upgrade now officially delayed (having been heavily promoted throughout last year). In a new blog post, Apple outlines some of the ways it's hoping to get back on track. One of the potential reasons for Apple's generative AI struggles may be that it prioritizes user privacy a lot more than the likes of OpenAI and Google. Apple doesn't gather any user data to train its large language models or LLMs (though it has trained its models on free text on the web), and relies heavily on synthetic data to produce AI text from prompts and from existing writing. The problem with synthetic data is, well, its artificiality. It lacks the nuance and variation of human writing as it changes over time, and without any text written by actual people for comparison, it's difficult to assess the quality of what the AI is outputting. As mentioned in the blog post, Apple is now planning improvements to text generation. In basic terms, the idea is that AI-generated, synthetic text will be compared to a selection of actual writing from users, stored on Apple devices—but with several layers of protection in place to prevent individual users from being identified, or any personal correspondence being sent to Apple. The approach essentially grades synthetic text by comparing it against real writing samples, but only the aggregated grades get back to Apple. What's actually happening doesn't involve actual words or sentences at all, in fact: Both the synthetic text and human writing get converted into "embeddings," which are essentially mathematical representations of the text. There's enough data to rank the quality of the AI text, without getting to the level of doing any real reading. All of this information is encrypted as it's transferred, and comparisons are only made on devices where users have opted into Device Analytics on their gadgets (the option can be found in Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements in Settings on iOS, for example). Apple never knows which AI text sample was picked by an individual device, only which samples have better rankings from all the devices pinged. Genmoji and other tools Apple will test its AI outputs against user data without looking too closely. Credit: Apple This anonymized grading system can be used to improve text made or rewritten by its generative AI models, Apple says, and should also mean more accurate, more intelligent summaries of text as well. Outputs that rank the highest could be tweaked with a different word or two, before being sent back for another round of assessments. A simpler version of the same approach is already being used by Apple to power its Genmoji AI feature, where you can magic up an octopus on a surfboard or a cowboy wearing headphones. Apple aggregates data from multiple devices to see which prompts are proving popular, while applying safeguards to ensure unique, individual requests aren't seen or tied to specific users or devices. Again, this only happens on iPhones, iPads, and Macs that have been opted into Device Analytics. By getting devices to report "noisy" signals without any specific user information in them, Apple can improve its AI models based on aggregate data and users don't have to worry about their Genmoji prompts being discovered. Similar techniques will soon be used in other Apple Intelligence features, Apple says. Those features will include Image Playground, Image Wand, Memories Creation, Writing Tools, and Visual Intelligence, which have all been among the first Apple AI capabilities to actually make it out to devices. According to Bloomberg, the new and improved systems will be tested in upcoming beta releases of iOS 18.5, iPadOS 18.5, and macOS 15.5. We may well hear more about them, and about Apple Intelligence in general, at this year's Apple Worldwide Developer Conference, which is scheduled to get underway on Monday, June 9. Meanwhile, Apple's rivals in the AI space aren't showing any signs of slowing down—and have fewer scruples about using text written by their users to train their AI models further. In recent days we've seen Microsoft push out a range of updates for Copilot (including Copilot Vision and file search), Google add video generation to Gemini, and OpenAI upgrade the memory capabilities of ChatGPT. View the full article

Starting April 22, mortgage brokers will be able to access Rocket Pro's loan pricing, interest rates and product eligibility, the company announced. View the full article

US mortgage rates jumped last week by the most since October on the back of heightened volatility in the Treasury market, causing a pullback in financing applications for home purchases and refinancing. View the full article

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says battle could ‘force countries to choose’ between the two trading partnersView the full article

Snagging an internship can help future employees enhance their skills and knowledge and, overall, make them more desirable employees. But when it comes to actually working as an intern, not every company is a desirable place to be. Fortunately, Glassdoor, a company that analyzes workplace trends, explored thousands of intern reviews to put together its thorough list of the Best Internships of 2025. This year’s list includes 13 technology companies and six finance companies, with various other industries represented. The top companies offered not just competitive pay, but also roles that had a real impact—that is, the internships helped employees land jobs in their desired industries. Glassdoor also combined review ratings and workplace-factor ratings to rank the companies. Danny Cao, who heads Glassdoor’s internship program, said in the report that it’s no longer just students seeking intern roles, meaning competition is heating up. “While the majority of our internship applicants are current students, I’ve noticed a slight increase this year in recent graduates applying for summer internships,” Cao explained. “This could potentially be a growing trend that showcases how internships are evolving into a stepping stone for not only students but also early-career professionals navigating a challenging job market.” Here are the top 10 best companies to intern with this year: 1. EY-Parthenon Median Base Monthly Salary: $7,500 Overall Rating: 4.4 2. Capital One Median Base Monthly Salary: $8,833 Overall Rating: 4.2 3. Nvidia Median Base Monthly Salary: $8,333 Overall Rating: 4.2 4. AMD Median Base Monthly Salary: $7,916 Overall Rating: 4.2 5. Uber Median Base Monthly Salary: $7,750 Overall Rating: 4.1 6. Genentech Median Base Monthly Salary: $7,500 Overall Rating: 4.1 7. McKinsey & Company Median Base Monthly Salary: $8,333 Overall Rating: 4.1 8. Microsoft Median Base Monthly Salary: $7,875 Overall Rating: 4.1 9. Synchrony Median Base Monthly Salary: $ 5,166 Overall Rating: 4.1 10. LinkedIn Median Base Monthly Salary: $8,333 Overall Rating: 4.1 With competition increasing in multiple industries, including data science and software engineering, the time to apply is now. According to the report, February through March is when many internship listings are posted, though listings for certain fields peak in the fall. Regardless of when you apply, workers say, overwhelmingly, that an internship is extremely important. According to the report, 63% of Glassdoor users said their internship led to a full-time role. But even when it didn’t, 54% said it helped prepare them for their future in other valuable ways. Check out the full list of the best internships of 2025 here. View the full article

It can be alarming to find an unknown folder or file on your computer, not least because malware can install temporary files without your knowledge that allow an infection to hide or spread. If you're a Windows 11 users, the empty "inetpub" that recently appeared on your computer isn't malicious—and it's actually critical to patching a security flaw in your system. The folder, spotted last week by Windows Latest, was created on users' devices during the most recent Window 11 Patch Tuesday update. It is part of a security fix for an elevation of privilege vulnerability (labeled CVE-2025-21204) in the Windows Update Stack that allows attackers access to modify system files or folders, though Windows Latest reports that Microsoft hasn't clarified exactly how the folder is related to the patch other than offering "increased protection." If you find the inetpub folder on your device, do not delete it. If you already have, do not despair—you can recover it to ensure the vulnerability is patched. How to recover a deleted "inetpub" folder on Windows 11If you accidentally deleted the empty inetpub folder on your computer running Windows 11, you need to restore it for the security patch to be effective. While you can normally recover deleted files and folders from the Recycle Bin, File History, or a backup (or using recovery software), there is a specific process to restore the inetpub folder as described by Windows Latest: Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Click Turn Windows features on or off to pull up a dialog box. Check the box next to Internet Information Services and click OK. This will recreate the deleted folder with the same security protections as the original. View the full article

Jingye makes first comments after ministers seized control of struggling companyView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. At $1,399 (down from $1,899), this deal on the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro (2023, M3 Pro chip) brings some high-end specs into a more accessible price range, especially considering it’s still $1,699 on Amazon. Apple MacBook Pro (2023, M3 Pro chip) $1,399.00 at Best Buy $1,899.00 Save $500.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,399.00 at Best Buy $1,899.00 Save $500.00 This base M3 MacBook Pro configuration gives you an 11-core CPU, a 14-core GPU, 18GB of unified memory, and a 512GB SSD, which is plenty for handling creative workloads like editing 4K video, code compiling, or juggling multiple apps and browser tabs without hitting thermal limits or draining battery in a couple of hours. It runs on macOS Sonoma, has a backlit keyboard, and supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth, though those were already around in the 2021 model. The display is a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR screen with a 3024 x 1964 resolution and up to 1000 nits of sustained brightness (which makes a difference if you work outdoors or with HDR content). Colors look vibrant, and Apple's ProMotion tech keeps things smooth with a 120Hz refresh rate that adjusts dynamically. This helps during video playback or fast-paced visuals, though it won’t make much of a difference for static office work. And while it’s not a touchscreen (something Windows users might miss), the display clarity more than makes up for it in sharpness and depth. Battery life is solid too, with up to 30 hours unplugged, according to this PCMag review. You’re also getting a more generous port selection than what you’d get on a MacBook Air (speaking of, read why Apple's newest MacBook Air is the one to buy) or most laptops in this class. There are three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI output, an SDXC card reader, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and MagSafe charging—so dongle life doesn’t have to be your default. If you don’t need a powerhouse for 3D rendering or machine-learning tasks, this M3 Pro version is more than capable. It’s a good fit for creative professionals, developers, gamers trying to get more mileage from the Mac ecosystem, and anyone who doesn’t want to compromise on screen quality or build, but also doesn’t need the fully loaded top-tier models. View the full article

Shares in Nvidia Corporation and other chip technology companies are down in premarket trading this morning after Nvidia confirmed that it would take a significant financial hit to cover costs associated with a newly required export license so it can ship some of its latest chips outside of the United States. Here’s what you need to know about the new requirement and its effect on tech stocks. What’s happened? Yesterday, AI chipmaking giant Nvidia revealed that it will record a $5.5 billion charge this year related to its H20 chips, sending the stock down in premarket trading this morning. Nvidia made the revelation about a week after the The President administration added new export license requirements to the H20. Nvidia initially revealed that information in a Form 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) dated April 9. In that filing, Nvidia revealed that the U.S. government now requires Nvidia to obtain an export license to export its H20 chips to China and select other countries. Due to this, Nvidia expects to incur about $5.5 billion in costs related to “inventory, purchase commitments, and related reserves” of the H20. The H20 chip is a chip Nvidia designed especially for the Chinese marketplace in order to comply with U.S. export restrictions, notes CNBC. In 2024, Nvidia made between $12 billion and $15 billion selling the H20. But now the associated $5.5 billion charge will take a significant chunk out of those revenues. The The President administration’s new export controls are also a sign that Nvidia could face an increasingly challenging environment when exporting its chips to countries that the U.S. believes could use them in ways that could disadvantage America. In Nvidia’s 8-K filing, the company said that the new export license requirement covers “the Company’s H20 integrated circuits and any other circuits achieving the H20’s memory bandwidth, interconnect bandwidth, or combination thereof” and that the United States government “indicated that the license requirement addresses the risk that the covered products may be used in, or diverted to, a supercomputer in China.” But China (including Hong Kong and Macau), isn’t the only country that the new export license requirement applies to. The license is also required for other so-called “D:5 countries.” According to a March 2024 publication by the United States Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, D:5 countries comprise over two dozen nations, including Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iran, Libya, Nicaragua, Russia, and Venezuela. On April 14, the United States government said the license requirement would “be in effect for the indefinite future,” according to Nvidia’s filing. Chip stocks fall The expected $5.5 billion charge related to Nvidia’s H20 chips has sent the stock tumbling nearly 6% in premarket trading this morning as of the time of this writing. Nvidia shares (Nasdaq: NVDA) are currently down around $6.45 to $105.75. However, it’s not just Nvidia shares that are down. The stock prices of chipmakers often move in unison—suggesting that most investors believe that what is good or bad for one company could be good or bad for the chip industry as a whole. The new export license requirement on Nvidia is a sign to many that U.S. chipmakers may see rougher waters ahead when it comes to exporting their products across the globe. Rougher export waters could lead to higher costs, reduced profits, or both. Other chipmakers this morning are currently seeing their stock price down, too, including: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE: TSM): down 3% Intel Corporation (Nasdaq: INTC): down 2.7% Broadcom Inc. (Nasdaq: AVGO): down 4% Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU): down 3.8% Arm Holdings plc (Nasdaq: ARM): down 4.8% QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM): down 2.2% Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMD): down 7% ASML warns about weaker orders However, the Nvidia news may not be the only thing dragging down these other chip companies. Currently, shares in the Dutch company ASML Holding N.V. (Nasdaq: ASML) are also down 4.7% in premarket trading as of the time of this writing. ASML isn’t a chip maker itself. It manufactures the critical machines that chipmakers need to produce their chips. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, ASML has now reported that orders for its machines that help make semiconductors totaled $4.45 billion in its first quarter. That was well below the $5.5 billion that analysts were expecting, suggesting a massive slowdown in once-expected production by chipmakers. ASML warned that President The President’s policies were creating uncertainty for the semiconductor industry. Not including today’s premarket falls, companies operating in the semiconductor space have had a rough 2025 so far—not helped by The President’s recent tariff policies and now, tightening export rules. As of market close yesterday, since the beginning of the year, NVDA shares were down 16.4%, TSM shares were down 21.4%, AVGO shares were down 22.8%, MU shares were down 15.5%, AMD shares were down 21.1%, and ARM shares were down 17.5%. Before today’s premarket drop, ASML shares were down 1.8% for the year. View the full article

For about 20 years, Docusign has been known as a tool for collecting digital signatures—helping businesses replace paper forms with electronic versions that are just as secure and legally binding. Just over a year ago, the company announced its development of an “intelligent agreement management,” or IAM, platform. This platform uses AI not only to gather signatures but also to assist with creating new agreements and organizing contracts after they’ve been signed. These features contributed to strong earnings in Docusign’s most recent quarter, beating analyst expectations and helping customers transform contracts from hard-to-manage text files and paper printouts into actionable data. “It’s literally a revolution in how agreements are managed inside of companies,” says Allan Thygesen, Docusign’s CEO. Traditionally, even digitally signed documents are still stored as word processing files or PDFs, often scattered across company servers and cloud systems. Although critical to company operations—from hiring to product sales—”Businesses really run on agreements,” says Docusign Chief Revenue Officer Paula Hansen. Yet these documents are often difficult to scan and analyze systematically. That makes it challenging to answer even basic questions, such as which agreements are up for renewal next month, without time-consuming human review. “It really should be structured data that’s managed by software,” says Dmitri Krakovsky, Docusign’s chief product officer. “But in fact, it usually sits in text somewhere—you cannot interrogate the contract.” Docusign’s IAM platform aims to solve that by giving customers a centralized space to store and track contracts—including those housed in other cloud systems—reducing the need to hunt down relevant files. Its AI tools can automatically ingest, analyze, and search contracts. Meanwhile, an automation platform called Maestro helps companies build workflows around agreements, such as collecting customer data via webforms, gathering signatures, and verifying signer identities. Once signed, contracts can be saved automatically, and Maestro can log relevant data to third-party systems like Salesforce. Now, Docusign is unveiling a suite of new features to make it easier for users to collaborate on contracts, track compliance, review them with AI, and verify the identity of signers. Launching at this week’s Docusign Momentum conference, a new AI engine called Docusign Iris will leverage the company’s deep contract experience to apply the most suitable AI models for various tasks. “We get to benefit from our deep understanding of how agreements are structured,” Thygesen says. “There’s sort of an inherent meta-structure to agreements, and therefore an ability to develop better models for extraction.” New virtual workspaces will enable collaboration on complex, multistep agreements. A feature called Obligation Management will automatically extract and highlight what each party is required to deliver and when—ensuring deadlines aren’t missed. This data can also be integrated into other software, like procurement management tools, eliminating the need for manual data entry, Krakovsky explains. By next month, Docusign plans to release a beta version of a new feature called Agreement Desk—a ticketing system that helps companies organize and manage contract-related tasks, similar to developer or help desk systems. It’s designed for use across departments—not just legal—supporting teams like sales, HR, and procurement. Agreement Desk offers visibility into task statuses and required actions. New contract prep tools will also make it easier to populate templates with data from across a company’s systems. Later this year, Docusign expects to roll out more advanced AI agents that can further automate contract processes. These tools will recommend next steps, highlight contracts up for renewal, flag potential issues, and even generate draft communications. Enhanced AI review features will identify contract terms that conflict with company policies, which can be written in natural language. Users can continue editing contracts in familiar tools like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, where AI-suggested redline changes will also appear, says Thygesen. That’s important for a solution meant to enhance—rather than replace—existing workflows. “Trying to get people to move out of the tools that they like to work in—email, Word—has not ended well for anyone,” he says. No matter the tools or workflows, Docusign’s management and AI features are designed to help customers avoid missed opportunities caused by delays or overlooked deadlines. Some customers are already seeing the benefits. Kelly Park Capital, which connects independent financial advisers and their clients with investment opportunities like hedge funds and private equity, uses Docusign’s systems to digitize and manage complex investment subscription documents. “These documents are hundreds of pages long, typically, and they are filled with dense, archaic, legalistic, regulatory-driven language,” says Dean Rubino, managing partner at Kelly Park Capital. “So if you’re not used to that, and you’re trying to do it in mass, it’s almost impossible.” Using Docusign technology, the company collects preliminary data—like client info and investment types—via web forms, which Maestro then automatically adds to the correct digital template. This saves around 70% of the time previously spent manually filling contracts and reduces the risk of transcription errors, Rubino says. Docusign’s upcoming workspace feature will also help Kelly Park Capital collaborate more effectively on documents. Meanwhile, AI tools may soon enable automatic updates to templates—useful for applying regulatory changes across similar agreements. While other tools exist for managing legal documents and using AI to analyze them, Docusign leaders believe their long history with contracts—and the trust of nearly 1.7 million customers—gives them an edge. “It’s still really early days,” says Hansen. “But the results are exceeding our expectations, and we’re fortunate to have a really large customer base and a customer base that trusts us.” View the full article

Design industry leaders trust artificial intelligence less than they did a year ago, and many see the world as an increasingly uncertain place. These are a few of the most striking takeaways from the 2025 State of Design & Make report from the design and engineering software maker Autodesk. This third annual design industry outlook is based on surveys and interviews with 5,594 industry leaders, futurists, and experts across industries including architecture, engineering, construction, and operations, design and manufacturing, and media and entertainment. Leaders from what Autodesk calls the “design and make” industries were asked to report on a wide range of topics, including adoption of digital technologies, sustainability efforts, supply chain challenges, and the growth of AI. AI is a recurring topic in the report, but one of the most striking results is just how skeptical industry leaders are becoming about AI and its use in their businesses. Only 65% of architecture, engineering, and construction professionals say they trust AI, down from 76% last year. That may not change its impact on the business, however, as 68% of firm leaders believe AI will ultimately enhance their industry, compared with 48% who think it will be a force of destabilization. But while AI is still an open question for many design industry leaders, there are some ways it has been largely embraced. According to the report, 39% of industry leaders say they are using AI to be more sustainable in their business practices, up from 34% in 2024 and 26% in 2023. The global economy is another overarching theme in the report, with many industries expressing concern and uncertainty. The architecture industry stands out, with leaders from the field predicting dark times ahead. Last year, 74% of architecture leaders reported that they were well prepared for unforeseen future changes in the global economy. This year that number has dropped to 46%, the steepest decline among all industries surveyed. The number of architecture leaders who see the global landscape as more uncertain than three years ago has risen from 35% to 57%. Just 55% of leaders in the architecture sector say they will increase investments in the next three years, a 28% decline from 2024. This design industry outlook may feel a bit like a knee-jerk reaction to the tumultuous economic conditions that have emerged in the early months of the The President administration, but industry leaders were seeing these clouds on the horizon long before. The quantitative data that the report is based on was collected between May and August of last year. View the full article