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Tests of ByHeart infant formula tied to a botulism outbreak that has sickened dozens of babies showed that all of the company’s products may have been contaminated. Laboratory tests of 36 samples of formula from three different lots showed that five samples contained the type of bacteria that can lead to the rare and potentially deadly illness, the company said Monday on its website. “Based on these results, we cannot rule out the risk that all ByHeart formula across all product lots may have been contaminated,” the company wrote. At least 31 babies in 15 states who consumed ByHeart formula have been sickened in the outbreak that began in August, according to federal and state health officials. In addition, other infants who drank ByHeart formula were treated for botulism in earlier months, as far back as November 2024, although they are not counted in the outbreak, officials said. Clostridium botulinum type A, the type of bacteria detected, can be unevenly distributed in powdered formula. Not all babies who ingest it will become ill, though all infants under age 1 are at risk, medical experts said. ByHeart recalled all of its formula nationwide on Nov. 11. However, some products have remained on store shelves despite the recall, according to state officials and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Parents and caregivers should stop feeding the formula to babies immediately and monitor the children for symptoms, which can take up to 30 days to appear. Infant botulism occurs when babies ingest spores that germinate in their intestine and produce a toxin. Symptoms include constipation, difficulty sucking or feeding, drooping eyelids, flat facial expression, and weakness in the arms, legs, and head. The illness is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment. At least 107 babies nationwide have been treated for botulism with an IV medication known as BabyBIG since Aug. 1, health officials said. In a typical year, less than 200 infants are treated for the illness. To report an illness tied to the outbreak, contact an FDA consumer complaint coordinator or fill out an online MedWatch form. Consumers who bought ByHeart on the company’s website on or after Aug. 1 can receive a full refund, an expansion of its previous policy, the company said. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. —Jonel Aleccia, AP health writer View the full article

Chancellor takes steps to cushion the cost of living but is set to extend a ‘stealth tax’ by freezing personal tax thresholdsView the full article

If everything feels expensive this year, you’re not alone. The high cost of living is on many Americans’ minds heading into the tail end of the year – a period defined by ceaseless shopping, whether it’s for the Thanksgiving menu or a last minute gift for under the tree. Americans need to buy stuff (perhaps not so much stuff), but they’re also feeling the pinch of persistent inflation, chaotic tariffs and a frozen job market in 2025. How those forces will play out this holiday shopping season remains to be seen. According to a recent survey from consulting firm Deloitte, more people will be shopping this Black Friday through Cyber Monday, but they plan to spend less. Consumers said they plan to spend an average of $622 during the stretched out shopping holiday, down 4% from last year – the first decline in five years. Unsurprisingly, shoppers who planned to cut their spending pointed to higher living costs and financial constraints in the decision. Some generational differences emerged. Gen X shoppers and boomers reported plans to reduce their spending during the shopping holiday, but Gen Z and millennial shoppers said they would stay the course and keep their spending levels the same this year. With the explosion of online shopping, lining up at the mall before sunrise for doorbuster sales might seem like a relic of the past, but 72% of Gen Z shoppers actually said they plan to shop in person this year. “While most shoppers are showing restraint this season, the spending power of Gen Z is growing—they are responsible for about $20 of every $100 holiday dollar spent, compared to just $4 five years ago,” Deloitte Retail Strategy Leader Brian McCarthy said. “And we expect they are headed back to the stores on Black Friday to take part in the excitement of the day.” People from both higher and lower-income households said they planned to cut back on spending this year, but those in the range between $100,000 and $200,000 actually reported plans to spend 5% more this year. The National Retail Federation estimates that a record 186.9 million people plan to shop between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday (the Monday following Black Friday) this year. That projection is up by 3 million shoppers compared to 2024. During that period, Black Friday is expected to reign supreme among deal-seekers, drawing an estimated 130.4 million people to shop the day after Thanksgiving. Saturday and Sunday aren’t full-blown shopping holidays of their own, but Cyber Monday – a relatively recent invention – will likely continue to gain ground, luring around half as many shoppers as Black Friday itself. Pushing back on Black Friday To draw attention to the cost of living crisis, a coalition of organizations is calling for shoppers to sit out this Black Friday. A grassroots movement known as the “Mass Blackout,” is urging Americans to boycott online and in-store shopping, including digital purchases, for one week, starting on Tuesday, November 25. While the Mass Blackout website calls out the The President administration’s coziness with corporations, it’s not explicitly a Democratic effort. “Big business is funding authoritarian candidates while walking back public commitments to civil rights, labor protections, diversity, and democracy,” the website states. “This isn’t about left vs. right. This is about people vs. power.” While the coalition wants Americans to spend less this holiday season, it still encourages participants to give their money to small businesses and local shops. Another major boycott is looking to hit the biggest names in retail where it hurts this holiday season. The “We Ain’t Buying It” movement, tied to progressive groups like Indivisible and the No Kings protests, is similarly calling for a shopping blackout over Thanksgiving weekend, specifically targeting Amazon, Target and Home Depot over their deference to the The President administration and their reversal of DEI policies. “We’ll send a clear message: until they cease collaborating with this administration’s harmful policies, our dollars will go elsewhere,” the campaign’s website states. View the full article

Sales at U.S. retailers and restaurants increased modestly in September as resilient consumers moderated their spending after splurging over the summer. Sales rose 0.2% in September from the previous month, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, in a report delayed more than a month because of the government shutdown. Sales jumped 0.6% in July and August and 1% in June. Numerous reports on inflation, employment, spending, and growth remain delayed and the government won’t likely be caught up until late December. The retail sales figures, which aren’t adjusted for inflation, suggest that Americans pulled back on spending in September as many households struggled with high prices for groceries, rent, and many imported goods hit by tariffs. The retail sales report covers about one-third of consumer spending, with the rest going to services such as travel, haircuts, and entertainment. Still, higher spending should lift the economy’s growth to a solid 3% annual rate in the July-September quarter, economists forecast, after a sluggish 1.6% expansion in the first half of the year. Much of the spending, however, was driven by rising prices at gas stations and grocery stores. Still, sales rose 0.7% in September at restaurants and bars, a healthy gain in discretionary spending. Sales at clothing, electronics, and sporting goods stores fell. Consumer spending could slow in the final three months of the year, economists warned. The government shutdown, weak hiring, and elevated inflation will likely cause more Americans to cut back. “The moribund labor market and ongoing drag on real incomes from tariff-induced price increases suggest that this slowdown is likely to be maintained,” Oliver Allen, an economist at Panthenon Macroeconomics, a consulting firm, said. Also on Tuesday, payroll processor ADP released its weekly measure of hiring, which found that companies cut an average of 13,500 jobs a week in the four weeks ending Nov. 8. The report is a sign hiring may have slowed since September, when the government said a solid 119,000 jobs were added. The disparity found in economic data shows how the economy remains in an uncertain state despite the solid growth in the third quarter. Hiring has generally been weak and the unemployment rate has ticked higher, which could drag down consumer spending and the broader economy if it worsens. Unemployment rose to 4.4% in September, the highest in nearly four years, from 4.3%, according to the delayed monthly jobs report released last week. Higher-income Americans are driving much of the gains, according to data from Bank of America and reports from retailers such as Walmart, as lower-income shoppers seek bargains and are more likely to spend more on necessities. Still, some retailers issued positive reports Tuesday, including electronics chair Best Buy and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Best Buy lifted its sales and profit forecasts for the year. Tuesday’s report comes before the crucial winter holiday season kicks off this weekend, when retailers earn as much as a fifth of their revenues. The National Retail Federation and other forecasters expect modest sales gains this year, compared with last year’s holiday, with the NRF projecting that sales will top $1 trillion for the first time. Separate figures from the Labor Department suggest that inflation remains elevated but isn’t accelerating, which could make it more likely that a closely-divided Federal Reserve cuts rates next month. Wholesale prices rose 0.3% in September from August, the Labor Department said Tuesday, and 2.7% compared with a year ago. The monthly gain in the producer price index was pushed higher by a sharp increase in gasoline costs. The yearly figure was unchanged from the previous month. Core prices, which exclude the volatile food and energy prices, rose just 0.1% in September and 2.6% from a year earlier. Those figures are less than expected and suggest inflation pressures are cooling, economists said. The retail sales figures land as many economic data are coming in mixed. Wage growth has slowed this year and is just modestly above inflation, a trend that is likely driving Americans’ concerns around affordability. Wages, on average, rose 3.8% in September from a year ago, the government said last week. That is only modestly above September’s annual inflation rate of 3%. But for many Americans, particularly those earning lower incomes or for older workers, wages are rising more slowly and are clearly trailing inflation. The Bank of America Institute estimates that for the poorest one-third of households, pay grew just 1% in October from a year earlier, while the highest one-third saw their wages rise 3.7%. The gap between higher- and lower-income households matches an August figure as the widest in nearly a decade, the bank said. Bank of America uses anonymous data from its customers to calculate the figures. And a separate report from JPMorganChase Institute showed that incomes for a typical household have retreated to levels last seen in the early 2010s, after the harsh 2008-2009 recession. “Households are going into the end of the year with weak income growth and bank balances that remain flat, after adjusting for inflation,” the report said. —Christopher Rugaber, AP economics writer AP Retail Writer Anne D’Innocenzio contributed to this report. 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. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. Unless you're planning to open a professional gym, there's no reason to drop thousands on a treadmill. The good news? You don't have to. Right now, the NordicTrack T Series 10 is on sale for $949 on Amazon—that's 27% off and a savings of $350 for Black Friday. My colleague Beth Skwarecki also recommends the T Series line as a top choice for home runners, and several models are discounted right now. If you're looking for something more compact or budget-friendly, the T Series 5 is 25% off at just $449. But with its 10" tilting HD touchscreen, the T10 offers the best value during this sale. NordicTrack T10 Treadmill $949.00 at Amazon $1,299.00 Save $350.00 Get Deal Get Deal $949.00 at Amazon $1,299.00 Save $350.00 Why the T Series 10 is a go-to optionWhat sets the T10 apart is its integration with the NordicTrack ecosystem. When you join, you get access to over 10,000 workouts through iFIT ($39/month or $396/year). This isn't just a library of on-demand classes—it's a full training experience with expert coaches guiding you through runs, hikes, strength sessions, yoga, and more. The other perk of iFIT is it should automatically adjust your treadmill's speed and incline to match whatever workout you're doing. No fumbling with buttons mid-stride or losing focus to manually change settings. The system handles it for you, so you can concentrate entirely on your form and effort. Perfect for data-driven runnersIf you're someone who tracks fitness across multiple platforms (guilty), iFIT syncs seamlessly with Strava, Garmin, and Apple Health. Your treadmill runs flow directly into your broader training data, making it easy to monitor progress and stay consistent with your goals. The foldable design is a must-have for anyone tight on space. When you're done, it tucks away without taking over your living room. If you've been waiting for the right moment to invest in a home treadmill, this is it. How long do Black Friday deals really last?Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. Are Black Friday deals worth it?In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $274.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $339.00 (List Price $399.00) WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $134.99 (List Price $179.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

As threat from ChatGPT recedes, users are searching more with the market leader and monetisation seems to be intactView the full article

Client satisfaction surveys are essential for comprehending your customers’ needs and improving your services. To maximize their effectiveness, you should consider five best practices. For instance, keeping your surveys concise with 5-7 focused questions can reduce fatigue and improve response rates. Furthermore, using clear language guarantees everyone interprets your questions correctly. These strategies set the foundation for meaningful feedback, but there’s more to explore regarding how to implement them effectively. Key Takeaways Keep surveys concise with 5-7 vital questions to enhance engagement and response rates. Use clear, unbiased language to ensure all respondents understand the questions easily. Incorporate open-ended questions at the end to gather detailed feedback and suggestions. Optimize surveys for mobile devices with responsive design and quick loading times. Follow up on feedback promptly to show customers their opinions are valued and to identify recurring issues. Keep Your Survey Concise To guarantee you gather meaningful insights from your client satisfaction surveys, it’s crucial to keep them concise. Aim for 5-7 vital questions, as this aligns with csat survey best practices and reduces survey fatigue. When surveys are brief, respondents are less overwhelmed and more inclined to provide thoughtful answers. Research shows that shorter surveys can boost response rates by 10-20%, so focusing on relevant questions is critical. Each question should have a clear purpose, eliminating unnecessary or redundant queries to maintain engagement. Furthermore, structuring your survey with a mix of question types during the process can improve the overall quality of feedback. Implementing these customer satisfaction survey best practices will lead to more actionable insights. Use Clear and Unbiased Language Using clear and unbiased language in client satisfaction surveys is essential for gathering accurate feedback. When you craft your questions, keep them straightforward to improve clarity. This guarantees respondents fully understand what you’re asking, reducing misinterpretation. Here are some best practices: Avoid jargon and technical terms; use commonly understood words to encourage engagement. Employ neutral wording to eliminate bias, allowing true feelings to shine through. Keep response options clear and distinct, using concrete phrases for each rating. Regularly review and update your survey questions to maintain this clarity and neutrality, adapting to evolving language and customer familiarity. Include Open-Ended Questions Strategically Including open-ended questions strategically in client satisfaction surveys can greatly boost the quality of feedback you receive. These questions allow customers to express detailed feedback in their own words, providing richer insights that numerical ratings often miss. By incorporating open-ended questions, you can uncover specific pain points and suggestions for improvement that structured questions may overlook. Moreover, surveys featuring these types of questions tend to yield higher engagement rates, as customers appreciate the chance to share their thoughts freely. It’s advisable to place open-ended questions toward the end of the survey, allowing respondents to reflect on their overall experience before offering detailed comments. Analyzing these responses can reveal common themes, helping you identify trends and prioritize areas for improvement. Optimize for Mobile Devices As more customers engage with businesses through their mobile devices, optimizing client satisfaction surveys for mobile use has become a priority. To guarantee higher participation rates, consider the following best practices: Use responsive design, so questions and response options are easily readable and clickable on smaller screens. Confirm surveys load quickly, as even a 1-second delay can reduce conversions by 7%, leading to higher abandonment rates. Incorporate larger touch targets for answer selections to improve user experience and prevent frustration. Additionally, keep surveys concise and limit open-ended questions, accommodating users who may be completing surveys on-the-go. Follow Up on Feedback Following up on customer feedback is essential for building strong relationships and nurturing loyalty. When you swiftly address negative feedback, you can appreciably boost customer retention; about 70% of consumers are more likely to return if their complaints are handled effectively. For those who share positive feedback, a personalized response or a handwritten note can strengthen your connection and promote loyalty. In addition, consistent follow-up helps identify recurring issues, enabling you to make informed improvements. Engaging with customers post-feedback shows you value their opinions, encouraging future participation in surveys. Moreover, informing them about actions taken based on their suggestions improves transparency and builds trust, in the end benefiting your brand and customer satisfaction. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 3 C’s of Customer Satisfaction? The 3 C’s of customer satisfaction are Consistency, Communication, and Connection. Consistency means providing reliable experiences across all interactions, ensuring customers feel valued. Communication involves keeping customers informed about products, services, and any changes; this can enrich their experience. Connection refers to building emotional bonds with customers, which nurtures loyalty. What Are the Best Practices for Customer Surveys? To conduct effective customer surveys, keep your questions concise, limiting them to 5-7 crucial items. Use a clear 1-5 rating scale to simplify responses, making it easy for customers to provide feedback. Include open-ended questions to gather detailed insights. Send surveys swiftly after customer interactions to capture fresh impressions, and guarantee they’re optimized for mobile devices, as many customers prefer using their phones for quick completion. This approach improves response rates and quality of feedback. What Is the 5 Point Scale for Customer Satisfaction Survey? The 5-point scale for customer satisfaction surveys ranges from 1 to 5, where 1 indicates “Highly Unsatisfied” and 5 signifies “Highly Satisfied.” This scale simplifies feedback by providing distinct options for respondents, making it easier for them to express their opinions. It allows you to quantify customer satisfaction effectively, track changes over time, and identify trends. Most respondents prefer this straightforward format, ensuring higher participation and more actionable insights for your organization. What Are the Four-Four Customer Satisfaction Survey Processes? The Four-Four Customer Satisfaction Survey Process includes four key stages: planning, execution, analysis, and action. First, you define your objectives and target audience to create focused questions. Next, you distribute the survey at ideal times, like right after customer interactions, to gather immediate feedback. In the analysis phase, you evaluate the responses for trends, and finally, you implement changes based on feedback, showing customers their opinions matter. Conclusion Incorporating these five best practices into your client satisfaction surveys can greatly improve their effectiveness. By keeping surveys concise, using clear language, including strategic open-ended questions, optimizing for mobile, and quickly following up on feedback, you not only enhance response rates but likewise gather more meaningful insights. This approach demonstrates that you value client opinions, nurturing stronger relationships and finally increasing customer satisfaction. Implementing these strategies can lead to actionable improvements in your services or products. Image via Google Gemini This article, "5 Best Practices for Essential Client Satisfaction Surveys" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Client satisfaction surveys are essential for comprehending your customers’ needs and improving your services. To maximize their effectiveness, you should consider five best practices. For instance, keeping your surveys concise with 5-7 focused questions can reduce fatigue and improve response rates. Furthermore, using clear language guarantees everyone interprets your questions correctly. These strategies set the foundation for meaningful feedback, but there’s more to explore regarding how to implement them effectively. Key Takeaways Keep surveys concise with 5-7 vital questions to enhance engagement and response rates. Use clear, unbiased language to ensure all respondents understand the questions easily. Incorporate open-ended questions at the end to gather detailed feedback and suggestions. Optimize surveys for mobile devices with responsive design and quick loading times. Follow up on feedback promptly to show customers their opinions are valued and to identify recurring issues. Keep Your Survey Concise To guarantee you gather meaningful insights from your client satisfaction surveys, it’s crucial to keep them concise. Aim for 5-7 vital questions, as this aligns with csat survey best practices and reduces survey fatigue. When surveys are brief, respondents are less overwhelmed and more inclined to provide thoughtful answers. Research shows that shorter surveys can boost response rates by 10-20%, so focusing on relevant questions is critical. Each question should have a clear purpose, eliminating unnecessary or redundant queries to maintain engagement. Furthermore, structuring your survey with a mix of question types during the process can improve the overall quality of feedback. Implementing these customer satisfaction survey best practices will lead to more actionable insights. Use Clear and Unbiased Language Using clear and unbiased language in client satisfaction surveys is essential for gathering accurate feedback. When you craft your questions, keep them straightforward to improve clarity. This guarantees respondents fully understand what you’re asking, reducing misinterpretation. Here are some best practices: Avoid jargon and technical terms; use commonly understood words to encourage engagement. Employ neutral wording to eliminate bias, allowing true feelings to shine through. Keep response options clear and distinct, using concrete phrases for each rating. Regularly review and update your survey questions to maintain this clarity and neutrality, adapting to evolving language and customer familiarity. Include Open-Ended Questions Strategically Including open-ended questions strategically in client satisfaction surveys can greatly boost the quality of feedback you receive. These questions allow customers to express detailed feedback in their own words, providing richer insights that numerical ratings often miss. By incorporating open-ended questions, you can uncover specific pain points and suggestions for improvement that structured questions may overlook. Moreover, surveys featuring these types of questions tend to yield higher engagement rates, as customers appreciate the chance to share their thoughts freely. It’s advisable to place open-ended questions toward the end of the survey, allowing respondents to reflect on their overall experience before offering detailed comments. Analyzing these responses can reveal common themes, helping you identify trends and prioritize areas for improvement. Optimize for Mobile Devices As more customers engage with businesses through their mobile devices, optimizing client satisfaction surveys for mobile use has become a priority. To guarantee higher participation rates, consider the following best practices: Use responsive design, so questions and response options are easily readable and clickable on smaller screens. Confirm surveys load quickly, as even a 1-second delay can reduce conversions by 7%, leading to higher abandonment rates. Incorporate larger touch targets for answer selections to improve user experience and prevent frustration. Additionally, keep surveys concise and limit open-ended questions, accommodating users who may be completing surveys on-the-go. Follow Up on Feedback Following up on customer feedback is essential for building strong relationships and nurturing loyalty. When you swiftly address negative feedback, you can appreciably boost customer retention; about 70% of consumers are more likely to return if their complaints are handled effectively. For those who share positive feedback, a personalized response or a handwritten note can strengthen your connection and promote loyalty. In addition, consistent follow-up helps identify recurring issues, enabling you to make informed improvements. Engaging with customers post-feedback shows you value their opinions, encouraging future participation in surveys. Moreover, informing them about actions taken based on their suggestions improves transparency and builds trust, in the end benefiting your brand and customer satisfaction. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the 3 C’s of Customer Satisfaction? The 3 C’s of customer satisfaction are Consistency, Communication, and Connection. Consistency means providing reliable experiences across all interactions, ensuring customers feel valued. Communication involves keeping customers informed about products, services, and any changes; this can enrich their experience. Connection refers to building emotional bonds with customers, which nurtures loyalty. What Are the Best Practices for Customer Surveys? To conduct effective customer surveys, keep your questions concise, limiting them to 5-7 crucial items. Use a clear 1-5 rating scale to simplify responses, making it easy for customers to provide feedback. Include open-ended questions to gather detailed insights. Send surveys swiftly after customer interactions to capture fresh impressions, and guarantee they’re optimized for mobile devices, as many customers prefer using their phones for quick completion. This approach improves response rates and quality of feedback. What Is the 5 Point Scale for Customer Satisfaction Survey? The 5-point scale for customer satisfaction surveys ranges from 1 to 5, where 1 indicates “Highly Unsatisfied” and 5 signifies “Highly Satisfied.” This scale simplifies feedback by providing distinct options for respondents, making it easier for them to express their opinions. It allows you to quantify customer satisfaction effectively, track changes over time, and identify trends. Most respondents prefer this straightforward format, ensuring higher participation and more actionable insights for your organization. What Are the Four-Four Customer Satisfaction Survey Processes? The Four-Four Customer Satisfaction Survey Process includes four key stages: planning, execution, analysis, and action. First, you define your objectives and target audience to create focused questions. Next, you distribute the survey at ideal times, like right after customer interactions, to gather immediate feedback. In the analysis phase, you evaluate the responses for trends, and finally, you implement changes based on feedback, showing customers their opinions matter. Conclusion Incorporating these five best practices into your client satisfaction surveys can greatly improve their effectiveness. By keeping surveys concise, using clear language, including strategic open-ended questions, optimizing for mobile, and quickly following up on feedback, you not only enhance response rates but likewise gather more meaningful insights. This approach demonstrates that you value client opinions, nurturing stronger relationships and finally increasing customer satisfaction. Implementing these strategies can lead to actionable improvements in your services or products. Image via Google Gemini This article, "5 Best Practices for Essential Client Satisfaction Surveys" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you ask New Yorkers on the street what they think about the giant, controversial print ad campaign in the NYC subway system, their initial response might be, “Which one?” In the past two months alone, not one, but two ad campaigns fitting that description have appeared on the subway. The first debuted in late September, when Friend, an AI company billed as a portable “companion,” ran a $1 million print campaign featuring a variety of servile messages like, “I’ll never leave dirty dishes in the sink.” The campaign received massive criticism, to the point that the MTA was forced to continuously remove Friend’s vandalized ads. In an interview with Fast Company, Friend CEO Avi Schiffman said he “expected that would happen,” and, in fact, he designed the ads with white space to invite graffiti. Now, another controversial print ad campaign has joined the fray. The new ads are paid for by Nucleus Genomics, a genetic health company specializing in genetic testing, IVF services, and embryo screening. The company’s ads include phrases like, “Height is 80% genetic,” “IQ is 50% genetic,” “Have your best baby,” and “These babies have great genes.” In emails to Fast Company, Nucleus said that its new campaign was inspired by yet another contentious ad from this year: Sydney Sweeney’s recent American Eagle partnership, which sparked backlash for what many people believed was a casual promotion of eugenics. Shock value marketing is as old as advertising itself. But Friend and Nucleus’s recent campaigns represent a novel kind of rage bait marketing that is primed for the current moment of political and technological divide. This new era of attention-seeking provocation, incubated on social media with companies like Cluely, has now made its way into the physical world where brands are looking to double down on turning backlash into opportunity. We spoke to leading experts about the rise of rage bait marketing and where it goes from here. Hear from: An NYU Stern School of Business professor on why the new crop of tech startups is perfectly primed for rage baiting. The head of strategy at The Martin Agency on the advantage provocative marketing campaigns give young companies—and what it might cost them. The cofounder of Joan Creative on what comes next after this initial wave of rage bait campaigns. What is Nucleus Genomics trying to do, exactly? Nucleus was launched in 2021 by the now-25-year-old Kian Sadeghi. According to Sadeghi, the company is dedicated to “helping parents have healthier children” through what he calls “genetic optimization.” In practice, Nucleus provides a few different services. Its first offering was a proprietary DNA testing kit that uses cheek swabs to, per its website, “uncover your genetic risk for 2000+ conditions.” This summer, Nucleus partnered with a company called Genomic Prediction to begin offering an embryo screening service that allows patients to look at their embryos’ statistically predicted traits—including the potential likelihood of developing conditions like autism or Alzheimer’s, alongside eye color, height, hair color, and IQ. Later, in August, the company bundled that service with a new full-service IVF program called IVF+. Nucleus isn’t the only company that’s started offering more advanced embryo screening services in recent years. Several others, like Orchid and Genomic Prediction, have emerged within the last decade. All of these companies are facing intense debate from the scientific community over the legitimacy of their prediction models, the morality of screening for certain traits, and the long-term repercussions of a future in which embryo optimization becomes commonplace. This discussion around the ethics of Nucleus’ core premise is actually what sets it up for a successful rage bait campaign, according to Joshua Lewis, an assistant professor of marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business. For companies like Friend and Nucleus, he says, some level of polarization is intrinsic to the product itself. AI companions, for example, will inevitably have detractors who find the premise objectionable, as well as champions who believe in it wholeheartedly; the same goes for embryo screening companies. By employing “rage bait” tactics, Lewis says, these companies can start broader cultural dialogues and build affinity with their target audiences without losing too many potential customers. “To polarize intentionally can make some sense, because ultimately what you want in marketing is to have your target segments be loyal. Polarizing can be quite good, as long as your non-target segments are experiencing the rage, and your target segments are appreciating what the brand is doing,” Lewis says. Regardless of Nucleus’ actual intentions, he adds, “it doesn’t cost them much to upset people who weren’t going to be using their products anyway.” For companies in nascent fields, there’s an added advantage to aiming for shock value in campaigns, says Elizabeth Paul, chief strategy officer at the advertising company The Martin Agency. “If you’re in the business of genetically engineered babies or AI companions, controversy is baked into the product,” Paul says. “It seems to me like Nucleus Genomics and Friend AI decided to lean into that reality and make their backlash bug a feature. If anyone’s wondering, Why would you do that? I think their tension-filled campaigns better amplified mass awareness for what are very nascent categories.” Inside Nucleus’ latest campaign In an email to Fast Company, Nucleus’ PR firm described the subway campaign—which includes a full takeover of the Broadway Lafayette station, more than 1,000 subway car ads, and another 1,000 street ads—as “the first mainstream campaign to openly champion advanced embryo selection for specific traits.” Several of the ads call out physical attributes and IQ, and most direct viewers to Nucleus’ landing page, pickyourbaby.com. The Nucleus team says it was inspired by “the controversial ‘Good Jeans’ campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney.” In that campaign, a denim-clad Sweeney narrates, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.” A male voice-over adds, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” It almost immediately entered the sphere of marketing infamy for (likely inadvertently) promoting genetic ideals, given Sweeney’s blue eyes, blond hair, and white skin. When Sadeghi saw the reaction to the Sweeney ad, he noticed a lot of what he calls “DNA dissonance”—or what he considers a widespread misunderstanding of what DNA actually is, why genetics matter, and how far along genetic testing has come in the scientific community. He claims that Nucleus’s products are “just another tool parents are going to use to help give their child the best start in life,” and that the ads can help parents better understand how to achieve that advantage. While Sadeghi benignly frames the campaign as an educational tool, it doesn’t exactly line up with the actual ads. Much of the copy feels designed to generate a reaction—good or bad—to what Sadeghi refers to as the “sci-fi narrative” surrounding embryo optimization. The internet reacts On Threads, one post of an ad reads, “Every single day there’s a new dystopian subway ad.” On TikTok, a video with nearly 200,000 views critiquing the campaign is captioned, “We need to have some very serious conversations about eugenics cuz we’re losing ground here.” Another TikTok with more than 2.4 million views shows a camera panning around the Broadway Lafayette station with the overlaid text, “Uhhh sorry but what in the eugenics is this?” More than 8,000 other users have sounded off about the campaign in the comments. On the surface, rage baiting might seem counterproductive—who wants people to hate their product? But for companies like Friend and Nucleus, the numbers may speak for themselves. Nucleus says that since the campaign debuted, the company has seen an over 1,700% increase in sales, primarily driven by sign-ups to its IVF+ services. Across organic responses, it’s achieved almost five million impressions. Similarly, Friend’s earlier campaign sparked dozens of stories in the media and commentary across social media, causing Schiffman to deem it an “overwhelming success.” The vast majority of marketers are not going to want to test the adage “all press is good press” by courting controversy, Paul says. Still, most can probably understand the desire to break through the noise in an environment where consumers are bombarded with content on a daily basis. On social media, one algorithmically-backed way to achieve those ends is by eliciting fear or anger. “The reality is, according to Kantar, 85% of ads right now fail to meet the minimum threshold of attention for comprehension,” Paul says. “In other words, they are so bland and boring and invisible, people did not pay enough attention to even process what they said. In an environment like that, brand invisibility is a bigger threat than brand rejection.” “Companies are choosing to say the quiet part out loud” Risk and provocation in marketing is a tale as old as time. Paul points out that such tactics trace back as far as P.T. Barnum’s shock-value stunts for his circus events. But Jaime Robinson, cofounder of the agency Joan Creative, believes there is something entirely unique about Friend and Nucleus’ recent campaigns: the willingness to openly address, and even emphasize—intrinsically controversial elements of their products. Robinson recalls a 1974 ad in which a brand called Beautymist featured football player Joe Namath pictured with his legs smoothed by a pair of nylons. Lewis remembers a 2018 ad featuring Colin Kaepernick after he refused to take a knee during the National Anthem. Each of these examples, they told me in separate interviews, were made with the knowledge that there would be some backlash from the public. The difference with Friend AI and Nucleus, Robinson explains, is that pantyhose and sneakers are not inherently controversial, while AI companions and embryo screening are—and instead of hiding the elements of these products that consumers are most wary of, both companies are bringing them to the fore. “[Nucleus’] product is something where you can not just look out for potential diseases your embryos might have, but also pick out features like eye color and hair color. They’ve made a really provocative choice in their product and their use-case,” Robinson says. Last year, she adds, a company like Nucleus might have shied away from talking about those features, and instead emphasized “the health aspects” of the marketing. Now, they’re “putting it front-and-center.” “It’s about saying things that go against some of the most deeply held convictions of most of us and the things that we find most uncomfortable in the world: being replaced by robots; having babies being picked by their physical features and IQ,” Robinson says. “These are the things that we find the most abhorrent, just as human beings.” Robinson believes that part of this marketing strategy might be attributable to “a political climate in which authority figures are constantly testing the boundaries of what is acceptable to say.” Lewis noted that, in a sense, President The President often uses similar rage bait techniques in order to communicate his own personal branding. Now, we might be seeing that political tenor bleed into the marketing sphere. Both Robinson and Paul predict that, in the wake of Friend and Nucleus’ campaigns, we’re likely to see an uptick in “rage bait” marketing in the months to come. “What’s interesting now is how companies are choosing to say the quiet part out loud, and doing it fearlessly,” Robinson says. “It’s almost as if they’ve thrown away the dog whistle and traded it for a foghorn.” View the full article

Generative AI is changing the way we live and work in a multitude of ways, and that includes coding. The best AI bots of today can debug, refine, and create code, from a simple text prompt. You can put together a small app or website in the same way you can generate an image or write an essay with these tools. Many professional programmers are now leaning heavily on AI to help get their work done, but the door has also been opened for those without any coding experience to get involved. This is something that's been termed "vibe coding"—where you're coding on vibes, basically—and all you need to get started is an idea. But is it really as simple as simply typing out what you want and letting an AI bot do the coding on your behalf? According to a lot of AI enthusiasts I see on X, vibe coding means "it's over" (whatever "it" is), and people are "one-shotting" all kinds of projects (as in, using a single prompt to create something). To investigate further, I tried to create a little project of my own using ChatGPT and Gemini. Here's how it went. What is vibe coding?There's no official, fixed definition of vibe coding, but in general it refers to using natural language prompts to get an AI to code apps and websites. In the same way as you might ask ChatGPT for an image of a cabin in a wood, you can also ask it for a landing page for your company, or a tool to log and analyze income and expenditure. Usually, despite all the talk of one-shotting, the idea is not to try and get everything included in your very first prompt, but to start small and then use follow-up prompts to refine. There are several variables involved when it comes to building websites and apps, and so you're going to have to specify layouts, images, interactions, colors, fonts, and plenty more. You can always get the AI to make some of these decisions for you, but to really get something close to what you originally imagined you're going to want to be specific. AI bots are also able to debug code and fix problems for you—again, you just describe what's not working. It's a bit like having a conversation with an actual programmer. ChatGPT can produce masses of code from a single prompt. Credit: Lifehacker A common way that people get started with vibe coding is to build simple games, and you'll find plenty of examples of this on the web. You describe what you want to happen, and the AI writes something to match—then you chat through how you'd like the gameplay to flow, and how the visuals should appear on screen. All of the major AI chatbot tools now have coding components included in them, and will present you with both the raw code (which you can edit manually, if you want), and a preview of how the executed code works—your app will run or your website will be displayed right inside the chatbot interface. The AI can even select a coding language for you, if needed. Vibe coding has its limitations, not least because of the unpredictability of AI, and for larger, professional software programs and games these AI bots will just be one tool among many that coders use—there is the potential for disaster if AI is not used carefully. However, for fun, small projects, this is something now available to anyone with access to an AI with coding capabilities. Trying out vibe codingI decided to build a simple HTML-based elevator sim I could run in my browser—I've always been slightly confused about how elevators work, and it seemed like a suitable project for testing vibe coding. ChatGPT was the first AI bot I tried to get to help me, and I quickly realized that quite a lot of prompting is needed—more than you might think at first. I couldn't just say "build me an elevator sim": I had to specify the screen layout, the number of floors, the speed of the elevator, how the passengers should be displayed, and how to determine the floors they're heading to, just for starters. After a few minutes of the AI thinking, I had my sim. And it worked, up to a point. However, it didn't all work, all at the same time. Some of the issues the app had were freezing at certain floors, not picking people up in the right order, forgetting how many passengers were actually in the elevator, and generally not following elevator logic—each time I would point out the mistake, ChatGPT would apologize and try again. ChatGPT's elevator sim—which never properly worked. Credit: Lifehacker Most bugs could be fixed within a prompt or two, but then new issues would appear. One problem that was particularly difficult to solve was getting the elevator code to go back and pick people up when the cab was full the first time. Because I didn't understand the code, I couldn't really see where the problem was. With each revision the AI was apologetic, but didn't seem to grasp what was going on. At one point the elevator would zoom around the floors picking everyone up who called for a ride, without dropping off the existing passengers first. Then a weird graphical glitch developed on the passenger sprites. By this stage, even vibe coding was starting to feel like hard work: After about 45 minutes, and still without a fully working elevator sim, I decided my time and effort would be better spent elsewhere. I gave Gemini a go with this task too, and to Google's credit, it did do better. There were fewer issues, but there were still issues: Passengers still got picked up in the wrong order, and it didn't follow my instructions entirely. I spent less time on this with Gemini, but it got closer to what I wanted, even if it still had glitches I wasn't happy with. Gemini was better at the task, but it still wasn't perfect. Credit: Lifehacker Overall, vibe coding was a frustrating experience. Perhaps the issue is with AI understanding how an elevator works, rather than with its actual coding capabilities, but I was disappointed not to be able to get something that worked properly. Maybe when I'm over the annoyances that I had this time around I'll go back and try something different—without the logical complexities of an elevator system. My experience did highlight some of the limitations of vibe coding: You're often going to need a lot of prompting to get the AI to understand what you want, and there will be bugs to fix along the way, even if the chatbots are very accommodating and polite when it comes to fixing those bugs. There are also two recognizable hallmarks of generative AI here, too: An air of confidence and authority in responses, even when those responses are wrong, and unpredictability in the results. These AI models are designed to give varied answers to the same prompts, which is fine when you're churning out 10 AI pictures of a waterfall but not so helpful when you're trying to wrangle some code into shape. View the full article

U.S. consumers were much less confident in the economy in November in the aftermath of the government shutdown, weak hiring, and stubborn inflation. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dropped to 88.7 in November from an upwardly revised October reading of 95.5, the lowest reading since April, when President Donald The President announced sweeping tariffs that caused the stock market to plunge. The figures suggest that Americans are increasingly wary of high costs and sluggish job gains, with perceptions of the labor market worsening, the survey found. Declining confidence could pose political problems for The President and Republicans in Congress, as the dimmer views of the economy were seen among all political affiliations and were particularly sharp among independents, the Conference Board said. Earlier Tuesday, a government report showed that retail sales slowed in September after healthy readings over the summer. While economists forecast healthy growth for the July-September quarter, many expect a much weaker showing in the final three months of the year, largely because of the shutdown. Less-confident consumers may spend less, though the connection isn’t always clear. In recent years, consumer spending has held up even when the available data suggests they’ve grown more anxious. “We do not think that consumer spending is about to hit a cliff, as spending has decoupled from confidence, but risks to the downside are increasing,” Thomas Simons, chief U.S. economist at Jefferies, an investment bank, said. The proportion of consumers that said jobs are “plentiful” dropped to 27.6% in November, down from 28.6% in the previous month. It is down sharply from 37% in December. At the same time, 17.9% said jobs are “hard to get,” slightly below the 18.3% who said so in October. That figure is up from 15.2% in September. The figures on job availability are seen by economists as reliable predictors of hiring and the unemployment rate. Americans continue to worry about elevated costs, fueling the “affordability” concerns that were a key issue in elections earlier this month. “Consumers’ write-in responses pertaining to factors affecting the economy continued to be led by references to prices and inflation, tariffs and trade, and politics, with increased mentions of the federal government shutdown,” said Dana Peterson, chief economist at the Conference Board. The shutdown ended Nov. 12. The economy likely grew at a solid annual rate of about 3% in the July-September quarter, economists estimate. But growth is likely to slow in the final three months of the year, largely because of the shutdown, which cut off pay for federal workers, disrupted contracts, and interrupted air travel. The Conference Board survey ran through Nov. 18, about five days after the shutdown ended. —Christopher Rugaber, AP economics writer View the full article

In an era where mid-market businesses face increasing complexities and competition, Intuit Inc. has stepped up with a powerful new offering alongside Rehmann, a professional advisory firm. Their collaboration introduces the Intuit Enterprise Suite, aimed at enhancing growth for mid-market companies by leveraging artificial intelligence within a streamlined enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform. This partnership promises to tackle the challenges small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) encounter with outdated ERP systems. Simon Williams, vice president of the accountant segment at Intuit, noted, “Like Intuit, Rehmann is obsessed with customer success. This partnership reflects our combined commitment to fuel business growth through innovative, adaptable, AI-native solutions that streamline workflows, help save time, and deliver data-driven insights that accelerate profitability.” For SMEs navigating through layers of accounting software and disparate applications, the introduction of Intuit Enterprise Suite may feel like a breath of fresh air. Many businesses today rely on up to 25 different applications, leading to fragmented tech stacks and data silos, which ultimately impair decision-making and growth strategies. Intuit aims to consolidate these functions into one intelligent platform, offering functionalities such as multi-entity financial management, business intelligence reporting, payroll, and marketing. The practical applications of this suite are expansive. For scaling businesses, it could mean automating routine accounting tasks and providing insights through advanced AI capabilities. The platform will also support clients transitioning from QuickBooks, enabling a seamless upgrade experience. This smooth migration might alleviate concerns about losing vital data or operational disruptions during the changeover. Sharon Berman, principal at Rehmann, expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We’re excited to partner with Intuit on this journey. This strategic move underscores our dedication to innovation and operational excellence. With Intuit Enterprise Suite, we’re positioning our firm to deliver enhanced financial clarity and agility, supporting smarter decision-making and long-term growth.” However, the integration of such advanced technology does not come without challenges. For small business owners, the initial investment in transitioning to a new ERP system could pose financial hurdles, especially if they are accustomed to more traditional systems. Additionally, the learning curve associated with adopting a more sophisticated platform may require staff training, which could temporarily divert resources from critical operations. Moreover, while Intuit’s AI-driven solutions promise automation and increased accuracy, small business owners must remain vigilant. Ensuring data integrity and adjusting to new workflows are essential for maximizing the benefits of the technology. A comprehensive implementation strategy will be critical in overcoming these hurdles, which entails not only financial investment but also time and personnel resources. Ultimately, Intuit’s partnership with Rehmann heralds a new era for mid-market businesses looking to streamline operations and harness the power of technology for better decision-making. The Intuit Enterprise Suite is tailored to meet the unique needs of these businesses, leveraging an extensive partner ecosystem to create a customized experience that fits industry-specific requirements. With the emphasis on agility and innovation, small business owners who adopt this platform may find themselves better positioned to navigate the complex landscape of today’s competitive market. As they seek tools that enable growth and efficiency, the offerings from Intuit and Rehmann could provide the comprehensive solutions they need. For more detailed information on this announcement, you can read the original press release here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Intuit Partners with Rehmann to Empower Mid-Market Businesses with AI ERP Solutions" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In an era where mid-market businesses face increasing complexities and competition, Intuit Inc. has stepped up with a powerful new offering alongside Rehmann, a professional advisory firm. Their collaboration introduces the Intuit Enterprise Suite, aimed at enhancing growth for mid-market companies by leveraging artificial intelligence within a streamlined enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform. This partnership promises to tackle the challenges small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) encounter with outdated ERP systems. Simon Williams, vice president of the accountant segment at Intuit, noted, “Like Intuit, Rehmann is obsessed with customer success. This partnership reflects our combined commitment to fuel business growth through innovative, adaptable, AI-native solutions that streamline workflows, help save time, and deliver data-driven insights that accelerate profitability.” For SMEs navigating through layers of accounting software and disparate applications, the introduction of Intuit Enterprise Suite may feel like a breath of fresh air. Many businesses today rely on up to 25 different applications, leading to fragmented tech stacks and data silos, which ultimately impair decision-making and growth strategies. Intuit aims to consolidate these functions into one intelligent platform, offering functionalities such as multi-entity financial management, business intelligence reporting, payroll, and marketing. The practical applications of this suite are expansive. For scaling businesses, it could mean automating routine accounting tasks and providing insights through advanced AI capabilities. The platform will also support clients transitioning from QuickBooks, enabling a seamless upgrade experience. This smooth migration might alleviate concerns about losing vital data or operational disruptions during the changeover. Sharon Berman, principal at Rehmann, expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We’re excited to partner with Intuit on this journey. This strategic move underscores our dedication to innovation and operational excellence. With Intuit Enterprise Suite, we’re positioning our firm to deliver enhanced financial clarity and agility, supporting smarter decision-making and long-term growth.” However, the integration of such advanced technology does not come without challenges. For small business owners, the initial investment in transitioning to a new ERP system could pose financial hurdles, especially if they are accustomed to more traditional systems. Additionally, the learning curve associated with adopting a more sophisticated platform may require staff training, which could temporarily divert resources from critical operations. Moreover, while Intuit’s AI-driven solutions promise automation and increased accuracy, small business owners must remain vigilant. Ensuring data integrity and adjusting to new workflows are essential for maximizing the benefits of the technology. A comprehensive implementation strategy will be critical in overcoming these hurdles, which entails not only financial investment but also time and personnel resources. Ultimately, Intuit’s partnership with Rehmann heralds a new era for mid-market businesses looking to streamline operations and harness the power of technology for better decision-making. The Intuit Enterprise Suite is tailored to meet the unique needs of these businesses, leveraging an extensive partner ecosystem to create a customized experience that fits industry-specific requirements. With the emphasis on agility and innovation, small business owners who adopt this platform may find themselves better positioned to navigate the complex landscape of today’s competitive market. As they seek tools that enable growth and efficiency, the offerings from Intuit and Rehmann could provide the comprehensive solutions they need. For more detailed information on this announcement, you can read the original press release here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Intuit Partners with Rehmann to Empower Mid-Market Businesses with AI ERP Solutions" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Chancellor needs a lot to go right if she is to somehow reconcile interests of Labour MPs, markets, business and the publicView the full article

The The President administration is hunting for ways to block the ability of states to regulate artificial intelligence. In response, dozens of state attorneys general have now sent a letter pressing Congressional leadership not to approve language that would preempt their governments’ freedom to propose their own legislation on the technology. “Broad preemption of state protections is particularly ill-advised because constantly evolving emerging technologies, like AI, require agile regulatory responses that can protect our citizens,” they write in a Tuesday memo. “This regulatory innovation is best left to the 50 states so we can all learn from what works and what does not. New applications for AI are regularly being found for healthcare, hiring, housing markets, customer service, law enforcement and public safety, transportation, banking, education, and social media.” The endeavor, which represents 36 states total, comes as Congress weighs language, packed in a new defense funding authorization bill, that would prevent states from enforcing their own rules about the technology. A previous measure, which failed, would have established a 10-year moratorium on states writing their own rules. A draft executive order leaked last week would, similarly, push the federal government to punish states for enacting or enforcing these rules. “If there were real cases to be brought up, they would have brought [them] already,” Alex Bores, the lawmaker who authored New York’s passed, but not-yet-signed AI legislation, the RAISE Act, told Fast Company last week. “The only reason you need an executive order to tell people to look for cases is when you just want to harass states into submission.” ​​“Every state should be able to enact and enforce its own AI regulations to protect its residents,” New York Attorney General Letitia James, the lead author of the letter, said in a statement. “Certain AI chatbots have been shown to harm our children’s mental health and AI-generated deepfakes are making it easier for people to fall victim to scams. State governments are the best equipped to address the dangers associated with AI.” The letter comes after state lawmakers wrote to their federal peers not to strip states of their ability to regulate artificial intelligence. Thus far, the federal government has passed major legislation on ensuring model transparency use, AI cybersecurity and safety, or energy use. For state officials, the concern is that states will be banned from taking their own action on these fronts. Arati Prabhakar, a top tech adviser under the Biden administration, recently called this effort “ludicrous,” since Congress has yet to establish any regulatory regime for AI. The attorneys general emphasized the importance of defending children from inappropriate relationships with chatbots, including discussions of self-harm, and defending against deepfake-enabled scams. A “moratorium would put us behind by tying states’ hands and failing to keep up with the technology,” they write, arguing that pre-emption prevents states from remaining agile in responding to an emerging technology. View the full article

In a packed room at a library in downtown Boston, Rep. Ayanna Pressley posed a blunt question: Why are Black women, who have some of the highest labor force participation rates in the country, now seeing their unemployment rise faster than most other groups? The replies Monday from policymakers, academics, business owners, and community organizers laid out how economic headwinds facing Black women may indicate a troubling shift for the economy at large. The unemployment rate for Black women increased from 6.7% to 7.5% between August and September this year, the most recent month for available data because of the federal government shutdown. That compares with a 3.2% to 3.4% increase for white women over the same period. And it extended a year-long trend of the Black women’s unemployment rate increasing at a time of broad economic uncertainty. Many roundtable attendees view those numbers as both an affront and a warning about the uneven pressures on Black women. “Everyone is missing out when we’re pushed out of the workforce,” said Pressley, a progressive Democrat. “That is something that I worry about now, that you have all these women with specific expertise and specializations that we’re being deprived of.” And when Black women do have work, she said they tend to be “woefully underemployed.” Black women had the highest labor force participation rate of any female demographic in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, yet their unemployment rate remains higher than other demographics of women. Historically, their unemployment rate has trended slightly above the national average, widening during periods of slowed economic growth or recession. Black Americans are overrepresented in industries like retail, health and social services, and government administration, according to a 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey. “Black women are at the center of the Venn diagram that is our society,” said Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, a PhD candidate in public policy and economics at the Harvard Kennedy School. She pointed to April as the month when Black women’s unemployment began to diverge more sharply from other groups. A policy agenda that ignores the causes, she said, could harm the broader economy. Roundtable participants cited many long-standing structural inequities but attributed most of the latest divergence to recent federal actions. They blamed the The President administration’s downsizing of the Minority Business Development Agency and the cancellation of some federal contracts with non-profits and small businesses, saying those actions disproportionately impacted Black women. Others said tariff policies and mass federal layoffs also contributed to the strain. The administration’s opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives was repeatedly mentioned by participants as a cause for a more hostile environment for Black women to find employment, customers, or government contracting. There is no concrete data on how many Black federal workers were laid off, fired, or otherwise dismissed as part of President Donald The President’s sweeping cuts through the federal government. The attendees discussed a wide range of potential solutions to the unemployment rate for Black women, including using state budgets to bolster business development for Black women, expanding microloans to different communities, increasing government resources for contracting, requiring greater transparency on corporate hiring practices and encouraging state and federal officials to enforce anti-discrimination policies. “I feel like I was just at church,” said Ruthzee Louijeune, the Boston City Council president, as the meeting wrapped up. She encouraged attendees to keep up their efforts, and she defended DEI policies as essential to a healthy workforce and political system. Without broad-based efforts, the Democrat said, the country’s business and political leadership would be “abnormal” and weakened. “Any space that does not look like our country and like our cities is not normal,” she said, “and not the city or country we are trying to build.” —Matt Brown, Associated Press 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. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. I have a confession. In the 10 years I've owned my current car, I've never used the cigarette lighter port. The car came with a single USB-A port, so I've happily just used that to charge my phone instead. About a year ago, though, I got rid of all my USB-A cables, so now I don't have a way to charge my phone when I'm in my car. That's why I've been looking at finally putting that cigarette lighter port to good use, which is when I came across this excellent Black Friday deal on a Ugreen 130W car charger, which is currently going at 44% off. Ugreen 130W Car Charger $22.55 $40.00 Save $17.45 Get Deal Get Deal $22.55 $40.00 Save $17.45 I've owned and used a multi-port wall adapter by Ugreen for a couple of years, and it's been working great in my house. The brand has earned my trust, and the car charger listed here also has great reviews on Amazon. It has two USB-C ports and one USB-A, and it supports up to 100W of output on one of those USB-C ports. That's good enough to charge laptops, iPads, and of course, your phones. In case you're wondering about the charger's other two ports, the USB-A port supports 22.5W output and the second USB-C port supports up to 30W. This charger also gives you the option to let multiple people charge their devices quickly when needed. Ugreen has bundled a 3.3-ft USB-C charging cable in the box, which makes it easy for rear seat passengers to charge their devices, too. When you plug it in, the charger's blue LED ring lights up, which also makes it easy to locate the ports at night. The charger has cooling vents on the back to help improve heat dissipation, too. It's a good product at a great price, which is why I'm about to click that buy button. Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales, but prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it. What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. Are Black Friday deals worth it?In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $274.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $339.00 (List Price $399.00) WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $134.99 (List Price $179.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team 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. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. As someone who takes post-workout recovery seriously, I've tested my fair share of massage guns and recovery gadgets over the years. It's no exaggeration to say these devices have genuinely changed my life as a runner. TheraBody is probably the most well-known name in massage guns, and right now, the TheraBody TheraGun Prime—normally priced at $319.99—is available for $199.99 on Amazon for Black Friday. If you've been thinking about investing in a quality massage gun, this is your moment. TheraGun Therabody Prime (5th Generation) $199.99 at Amazon $319.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal Get Deal $199.99 at Amazon $319.99 Save $120.00 Why the TheraGun Prime stands outWhat makes the Prime my go-to recovery tool? First, it's remarkably quiet. Anyone who's used a budget massage gun knows they often sound like you're drilling into drywall. Thanks to TheraGun's QuietForce Technology, the Prime operates at a low hum, so you can use it while watching TV without drowning out the dialogue or annoying everyone in your household. The triangular handle design is another favorite feature of mine. It gives you leverage to reach those stubborn knots in your back and shoulders without turning into a contortionist or begging someone for help. After a long run, being able to work out tension independently is invaluable. Features that actually matterThe battery lasts about two hours per charge, meaning you're not constantly scrambling for a charging cable. The Prime connects via Bluetooth to the Therabody app, which guides you through targeted routines and shows you exactly how to address specific sore spots—perfect if you're new to percussion therapy. With four speed settings ranging from 1,750 to 2,400 percussions per minute, you can customize intensity based on your needs. Use the lower settings for pre-run warmups or crank it up for deep tissue work after a tough training session. It's accessible enough for beginners while still delivering the power serious athletes need. If you've been on the fence about getting a massage gun, this Black Friday discount makes the TheraGun Prime an easy recommendation. Your muscles will thank you. How long do Black Friday deals really last?Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. Are Black Friday deals worth it?In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $274.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $339.00 (List Price $399.00) WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $134.99 (List Price $179.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

The Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. issued a final rule Tuesday that softens leverage demands for the biggest and most systemically risky banks and lowers the community bank leverage ratio to 8%. View the full article

In today’s fast-paced digital environment, collaborative video editing tools are crucial for enhancing teamwork and efficiency. These platforms enable real-time communication, streamline feedback, and guarantee smooth project management. You’ll want to identify key features like cloud storage, version control, and user-friendly interfaces. As you consider the best tools available, comprehending their unique capabilities can greatly impact your editing workflow. Let’s explore the top five tools that can transform your collaborative editing experience. Key Takeaways Frame.io: A cloud-based tool offering real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to edit simultaneously, starting at $15/user/month. Vimeo: Integrates collaboration tools and AI-driven editing features, making it user-friendly and efficient, with a rating of 4.2/5. WeVideo: Ideal for educational environments, this cloud-based platform supports multi-track editing and enhances collaborative video projects. Review Studio: Priced at $20/month, it accommodates various video formats, facilitating stakeholder collaboration and feedback. Dropbox Replay: Simplifies the video review process with real-time feedback, streamlining iterations for effective collaboration. Importance of Collaborative Video Editing Tools Collaborative video editing tools are essential for modern video production, especially when teams are distributed or working on tight deadlines. These tools improve efficiency by enabling multiple users to edit the same project simultaneously. Real-time commenting and annotation features in video review software allow you to provide direct feedback on specific frames, ensuring clear communication. Version control maintains a history of edits, so you can easily revert to previous versions if needed. Timestamped feedback links comments to precise moments in the video, enhancing the quality of revisions. By utilizing a video collaboration platform with cloud storage, all team members can access the latest files and resources from anywhere, facilitating seamless collaboration and streamlining the entire editing process. Key Features to Look For When considering video editing tools for collaborative projects, several key features can greatly improve your workflow and communication. Here are three vital aspects to look for: Real-time collaboration: This feature allows multiple users to access and edit the same project simultaneously, enhancing teamwork and efficiency. Commenting and annotation tools: These enable users to provide direct feedback on specific frames or sections, facilitating clear communication and ensuring everyone’s on the same page. Version control capabilities: This tracks all edits made, allowing users to revert to previous versions and maintain a history of changes, which is important for managing project evolution. Top Tools for Video Collaboration In today’s digital environment, choosing the right tools for video collaboration can greatly improve your project outcomes. Frame.io is a robust option, offering cloud-based real-time collaboration for production teams, with features like timestamped comments and version control, starting at $15 per user per month. Vimeo integrates collaboration tools and AI-powered editing features, earning a solid 4.2/5 rating, making it suitable for professionals. WeVideo stands out for educational use, providing a cloud-based environment with multi-track editing. Review Studio supports various video formats for stakeholder collaboration, priced at $20 monthly, even though onboarding can be tricky. Finally, Dropbox Replay simplifies the video review process by enabling real-time feedback, thereby streamlining project iterations and comments for teams. Tips for Enhancing Team Collaboration Enhancing team collaboration in video editing involves implementing strategies that streamline communication and workflow. To achieve this, consider the following tips: Utilize real-time collaboration features: Allow multiple team members to edit and provide feedback simultaneously, which boosts efficiency and shortens turnaround times. Adopt version control systems: Track changes easily, enabling your team to revert to previous edits and maintain a clear history of modifications. Establish clear roles and responsibilities: Define specific tasks and deadlines for each team member, reducing confusion and ensuring a smooth editing process. Future Trends in Video Editing Collaboration As video editing continues to evolve, the future of collaboration in this field is being shaped by several key trends. The rise of AI-driven tools will automate complex tasks, improving creativity and efficiency through real-time suggestions and intelligent workflows. Cloud-based platforms are becoming essential, allowing teams to collaborate seamlessly from anywhere, which aligns with the shift toward remote work. Real-time feedback and integrated approval workflows are becoming standard, streamlining communication and reducing reliance on external platforms. Furthermore, the demand for mobile-accessible tools is growing, enabling editing on-the-go. Finally, improved security measures, like end-to-end encryption and compliance with data protection regulations, are critical as teams increasingly share and edit sensitive video content across various platforms. Frequently Asked Questions Which Tool Is Commonly Used for Collaborative Document Editing? When you think of collaborative document editing, Google Docs is a tool that often comes to mind. It allows multiple users to edit documents simultaneously in real-time, offering features like commenting and suggesting edits. You can easily track changes through version history, making feedback efficient. Its integration with Google Workspace tools, such as Drive and Gmail, improves your workflow. Plus, being cloud-based means you can collaborate from any location, promoting flexibility in your work. What Are 321 Rules of Video Editing? The 321 rule in video editing states you should keep three copies of your work, store two on different devices, and have one off-site. This approach guarantees redundancy, protecting against data loss from technical failures or disasters. By following this rule, you streamline your workflow, allowing for quick project recovery without significant downtime. It’s especially vital in collaborative settings, where multiple team members need reliable access to backups and can confidently manage their work. What Is the Best Tool for Collaboration? In terms of collaboration, the best tool often depends on your specific needs and team dynamics. Look for platforms that allow real-time editing, so everyone can contribute simultaneously without conflicts. Features like timestamped comments improve feedback precision, as organized spaces clarify roles and permissions. Tools that streamline the review process and improve workflow efficiency can greatly enhance your project’s quality and speed, making collaboration smoother and more effective for your team. What Is the Editing Software Where Multiple People Can Edit at Once? You can use software like Frame.io, WeVideo, or Adobe Premiere Pro for simultaneous editing. These platforms allow multiple users to edit projects in real-time, enhancing collaboration. They often feature tools like timestamped comments and version control, which help you provide feedback directly on the video. Furthermore, cloud-based access guarantees that everyone can work with the latest media assets, streamlining the editing process and improving overall efficiency in your projects. Conclusion To conclude, utilizing the right collaborative video editing tools can greatly improve your team’s workflow and productivity. By focusing on key features like real-time collaboration, version control, and user-friendly interfaces, you can streamline the editing process. As you explore platforms sucha as Frame.io, Vimeo, WeVideo, Review Studio, and Dropbox Replay, consider how each tool can meet your specific needs. Embracing these solutions will prepare you for future trends in video collaboration, ensuring effective teamwork and communication. Image via Google Gemini This article, "5 Essential Tools for Collaborative Video Editing" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In today’s fast-paced digital environment, collaborative video editing tools are crucial for enhancing teamwork and efficiency. These platforms enable real-time communication, streamline feedback, and guarantee smooth project management. You’ll want to identify key features like cloud storage, version control, and user-friendly interfaces. As you consider the best tools available, comprehending their unique capabilities can greatly impact your editing workflow. Let’s explore the top five tools that can transform your collaborative editing experience. Key Takeaways Frame.io: A cloud-based tool offering real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to edit simultaneously, starting at $15/user/month. Vimeo: Integrates collaboration tools and AI-driven editing features, making it user-friendly and efficient, with a rating of 4.2/5. WeVideo: Ideal for educational environments, this cloud-based platform supports multi-track editing and enhances collaborative video projects. Review Studio: Priced at $20/month, it accommodates various video formats, facilitating stakeholder collaboration and feedback. Dropbox Replay: Simplifies the video review process with real-time feedback, streamlining iterations for effective collaboration. Importance of Collaborative Video Editing Tools Collaborative video editing tools are essential for modern video production, especially when teams are distributed or working on tight deadlines. These tools improve efficiency by enabling multiple users to edit the same project simultaneously. Real-time commenting and annotation features in video review software allow you to provide direct feedback on specific frames, ensuring clear communication. Version control maintains a history of edits, so you can easily revert to previous versions if needed. Timestamped feedback links comments to precise moments in the video, enhancing the quality of revisions. By utilizing a video collaboration platform with cloud storage, all team members can access the latest files and resources from anywhere, facilitating seamless collaboration and streamlining the entire editing process. Key Features to Look For When considering video editing tools for collaborative projects, several key features can greatly improve your workflow and communication. Here are three vital aspects to look for: Real-time collaboration: This feature allows multiple users to access and edit the same project simultaneously, enhancing teamwork and efficiency. Commenting and annotation tools: These enable users to provide direct feedback on specific frames or sections, facilitating clear communication and ensuring everyone’s on the same page. Version control capabilities: This tracks all edits made, allowing users to revert to previous versions and maintain a history of changes, which is important for managing project evolution. Top Tools for Video Collaboration In today’s digital environment, choosing the right tools for video collaboration can greatly improve your project outcomes. Frame.io is a robust option, offering cloud-based real-time collaboration for production teams, with features like timestamped comments and version control, starting at $15 per user per month. Vimeo integrates collaboration tools and AI-powered editing features, earning a solid 4.2/5 rating, making it suitable for professionals. WeVideo stands out for educational use, providing a cloud-based environment with multi-track editing. Review Studio supports various video formats for stakeholder collaboration, priced at $20 monthly, even though onboarding can be tricky. Finally, Dropbox Replay simplifies the video review process by enabling real-time feedback, thereby streamlining project iterations and comments for teams. Tips for Enhancing Team Collaboration Enhancing team collaboration in video editing involves implementing strategies that streamline communication and workflow. To achieve this, consider the following tips: Utilize real-time collaboration features: Allow multiple team members to edit and provide feedback simultaneously, which boosts efficiency and shortens turnaround times. Adopt version control systems: Track changes easily, enabling your team to revert to previous edits and maintain a clear history of modifications. Establish clear roles and responsibilities: Define specific tasks and deadlines for each team member, reducing confusion and ensuring a smooth editing process. Future Trends in Video Editing Collaboration As video editing continues to evolve, the future of collaboration in this field is being shaped by several key trends. The rise of AI-driven tools will automate complex tasks, improving creativity and efficiency through real-time suggestions and intelligent workflows. Cloud-based platforms are becoming essential, allowing teams to collaborate seamlessly from anywhere, which aligns with the shift toward remote work. Real-time feedback and integrated approval workflows are becoming standard, streamlining communication and reducing reliance on external platforms. Furthermore, the demand for mobile-accessible tools is growing, enabling editing on-the-go. Finally, improved security measures, like end-to-end encryption and compliance with data protection regulations, are critical as teams increasingly share and edit sensitive video content across various platforms. Frequently Asked Questions Which Tool Is Commonly Used for Collaborative Document Editing? When you think of collaborative document editing, Google Docs is a tool that often comes to mind. It allows multiple users to edit documents simultaneously in real-time, offering features like commenting and suggesting edits. You can easily track changes through version history, making feedback efficient. Its integration with Google Workspace tools, such as Drive and Gmail, improves your workflow. Plus, being cloud-based means you can collaborate from any location, promoting flexibility in your work. What Are 321 Rules of Video Editing? The 321 rule in video editing states you should keep three copies of your work, store two on different devices, and have one off-site. This approach guarantees redundancy, protecting against data loss from technical failures or disasters. By following this rule, you streamline your workflow, allowing for quick project recovery without significant downtime. It’s especially vital in collaborative settings, where multiple team members need reliable access to backups and can confidently manage their work. What Is the Best Tool for Collaboration? In terms of collaboration, the best tool often depends on your specific needs and team dynamics. Look for platforms that allow real-time editing, so everyone can contribute simultaneously without conflicts. Features like timestamped comments improve feedback precision, as organized spaces clarify roles and permissions. Tools that streamline the review process and improve workflow efficiency can greatly enhance your project’s quality and speed, making collaboration smoother and more effective for your team. What Is the Editing Software Where Multiple People Can Edit at Once? You can use software like Frame.io, WeVideo, or Adobe Premiere Pro for simultaneous editing. These platforms allow multiple users to edit projects in real-time, enhancing collaboration. They often feature tools like timestamped comments and version control, which help you provide feedback directly on the video. Furthermore, cloud-based access guarantees that everyone can work with the latest media assets, streamlining the editing process and improving overall efficiency in your projects. Conclusion To conclude, utilizing the right collaborative video editing tools can greatly improve your team’s workflow and productivity. By focusing on key features like real-time collaboration, version control, and user-friendly interfaces, you can streamline the editing process. As you explore platforms sucha as Frame.io, Vimeo, WeVideo, Review Studio, and Dropbox Replay, consider how each tool can meet your specific needs. Embracing these solutions will prepare you for future trends in video collaboration, ensuring effective teamwork and communication. Image via Google Gemini This article, "5 Essential Tools for Collaborative Video Editing" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. Finding the perfect gift for someone who lives and breathes fitness can be tricky. As a runner, I can't tell you how many times I've been gifted a handheld water bottle. It's a nice thought, but there's only so much space on my shelf. Likewise, I'm sure the lifters out there have more than enough lifting gloves by now. The thing is, with a little research, you could find a present that genuinely enhances someone's workouts and recovery. Here's a thoughtful guide to help you choose something they'll actually use. For the home gym builderAdjustable dumbbells are a game-changer for anyone with limited space. These designs let you switch between weights quickly, replacing an entire rack of traditional dumbbells. While they can be an investment, they're one that serious fitness enthusiasts truly appreciate. There are plenty of highly rated options as part of Amazon's Black Friday sale, like this set here for just $142.48 right now. Otherwise, a solid set of adjustable dumbbells could fall outside of most gift exchange budgets. After your gift, your loved one could upgrade to my favorite Nüobells for $795. Yoga mats with extra cushioning or non-slip surfaces benefit anyone who works out at home or focuses on recovery regularly. A good mat, like my go-to from Amazon Basics, can last for years and make a noticeable difference in comfort during floor work. A set of resistance bands offers incredible versatility without taking up much space. They're perfect for travel, warm-ups, or adding difficulty to bodyweight exercises. Look for sets with different resistance levels and door anchors. You could spring for a full suspension trainer system, like the TRX GO on sale for $102.95 right now. Otherwise, a set of resistance bands shouldn't cost more than $30. TRX GO Suspension Training $102.95 at Amazon $139.95 Save $37.00 Get Deal Get Deal $102.95 at Amazon $139.95 Save $37.00 Recovery essentialsThe world of recovery gadgets is so much bigger than just massage guns. Foam rollers remain one of the most practical gifts for muscle recovery. Consider textured versions that provide deeper tissue work, or vibrating models that add an extra dimension to self-massage routines. I recommend this 5-in-1 foam roller set for $39.95. All that said, a good massage gun has become nearly essential for anyone training regularly. They help with muscle soreness, improve circulation, and can be used both pre and post-workout. From my testing, I've found many mid-range options now offer professional-level features at reasonable prices. For Black Friday, Theragun massagers are on sale, including this Theragun Mini for $168, down from $219.99. This Theragun Pro is $349.99, down from $529.99. And the premium Theragun Pro Plus is $548.88, down from $649.99. Theragun Pro $349.99 at Amazon $529.99 Save $180.00 Get Deal Get Deal $349.99 at Amazon $529.99 Save $180.00 Wearable techFitness trackers are a must-have for even the most casual gym-goer. Even if someone already has one, newer models often provide significantly better insights that can genuinely improve training effectiveness. Lifehacker's senior health editor Beth Skwarecki has got you covered when it comes to all the best deals on fitness trackers and watches right now. While you might not know someone's preferences between an Apple Watch versus a Garmin versus a Pixel, I recommend introducing a Whoop band into your fitness enthusiast's life. Whoop is the iconic screenless wristband that tracks your workouts and recovery without looking like a watch. The Whoop Peak with a 5.0 device is an option that makes the most sense for most people, and is currently on sale for $199 (down from $239). Wireless earbuds designed for workouts make a huge difference. Look for sweat-resistant models with secure fit and good battery life. When it comes to eliminating the racket of the outside world, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra come out on top, and they're on sale for $199 (a full $100 off their list price). For running specifically, my absolute favorite headphones—the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2—are currently $124.95, a 31% discount off their list price of $179.95. Whoop Peak with a 5.0 device $199.00 at Amazon $239.00 Save $40.00 Get Deal Get Deal $199.00 at Amazon $239.00 Save $40.00 Practical additionsI joke about having enough water bottles, but if someone needs an upgrade, a high-quality water bottle still a great budget gift option. Insulated versions keep drinks cold through long training sessions, and many people like having multiple bottles for different purposes. This Owala is on sale for $27.97. Gym bags with specialized compartments for shoes, wet clothes, and electronics make getting to and from workouts more organized. Look for durable materials and thoughtful design features like ventilated shoe compartments. This Adidas duffel is on sale for $29.14. adidas Unisex Defender 4.0 Gym Duffel Bag for Men and Women $29.14 at Amazon $45.00 Save $15.86 Get Deal Get Deal $29.14 at Amazon $45.00 Save $15.86 The bottom line: Consider what type of training they do most, what might be wearing out in their current setup, and what could take their workouts to the next level. And as you're shopping around, don't forget to add a personal touch. Consider buying someone a sports massage, or maybe customize whatever gear you get. Their name, some motivational text, or their favorite fitness quote on quality athletic wear or accessories adds a personal element they won't find in stores. How long do Black Friday deals really last?Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. Are Black Friday deals worth it?In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $274.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $339.00 (List Price $399.00) WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $134.99 (List Price $179.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

During the pandemic, I was struggling. After graduating from college in 2019, I had an amazing job offer fall through because of the lockdown. I felt completely rudderless at a time when I thought I had it all figured out. Since we were all stuck inside together for months, there was no hiding my internal distress from my family. Fortunately, my parents recognized this even more than I did. That year, they gave me a gift that pulled me out of that pit, reignited my passion for creating, and set the journey in motion that led me to my career today as a professional creator and video producer. That gift was the Cricut Explore, and this device literally changed my life. What is the Cricut Explore?For those of you who don’t know, Cricut Explore machines let you design and cut tons of materials like vinyl, cardstock, iron-on, and even leather into custom patterns that you can use for shirts, hats, or any other DIY projects that you might have in mind. Able to work with over 100 materials, the Cricut Explore line allows you to create almost anything you want on demand in a user-friendly, inexpensive way. The cost-effective aspect was huge for me, as I had almost zero money to my name and all the time in the world to learn. Since the Cricut Explore works via Bluetooth or USB, I was able to create custom items on request for people, featuring specialized materials and designs that would normally take weeks or months to complete. The Cricut took on a pivotal role in my creative process. It led to the creation of XtarBoy Apparel, my custom apparel company, which would eventually support me throughout the entire pandemic. I made custom shirts for yoga studios, limited-run apparel and merch for micro-influencers, and even inked my first sponsorship deal for a motorsport racing team in San Diego. The Cricut also introduced me to an important business mentor in my life. As I was trying to get XtarBoy off the ground, I had quietly taken on a job at a local auto-tinting place in San Diego, and the owner took a liking to what I was working on. He would request custom shop merch and team gear, and was one of the biggest supporters of my side project when I had almost zero faith in myself. He even set aside a corner of the shop for the Cricut, so I could print things for customers whenever I had one, and let me use the shop as a storefront for all my designs. Later, the gifting came full circle when my mom released her first book series, as I was able to help her with promotion and marketing by making custom merch to pair with the book. Gifts can have lasting valueSometimes we take the gifts we receive for granted. There can be an expectation that they should be the newest device, the latest collab, or the most expensive item in order to be considered a “good gift.” But for me, the greatest gift I got wasn’t just the Cricut itself, but the opportunities and experiences it opened up for me to create, take risks, and challenge myself in a new and exciting way. And at the core, that’s what a holiday with heart truly represents. 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. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. The base Amazon Kindle is one of the cheapest ebook readers that you can buy right now. Even better, the 2024 version was updated with a new screen, and a trendy new "matcha" color option. Currently, you can get the base Kindle 16GB model with Lockscreen Ads for $79.99. That’s a $30 discount off the usual price of $109.99. The model without Lockscreen Ads is also discounted to $99.99 (down from $129.99). This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the base Kindle, ever. That makes this pretty tempting, since because the Kindle is already one of the cheapest e-readers out there, it doesn’t go on sale that often. Amazon Kindle 16GB (with ads) $80.00 at Amazon $110.00 Save $30.00 Get Deal Get Deal $80.00 at Amazon $110.00 Save $30.00 The 2024 Kindle comes with a 6-inch e-Ink display with 16GB storage and a screen with 94 nits of brightness (25% brighter than before). The new updated screen with 300 PPI pixel density is also now as bright as the Kindle Paperwhite, which retails for $159.99 (and is currently discounted to $124). There’s also an updated processor that promises faster page turns. It still offers the same 6-week long battery life, too. The Kindle measures 6.2 x 4.3 x 0.32 inches (HWD) and weighs 157 grams. The device has a USB-C port for charging and manually transferring books and files. The 16GB storage should be good for thousands of books. The Amazon Kindle comes with the standard Kindle software, where ebooks bought using Amazon will show up automatically on your device. You can also use Amazon’s Send to Kindle feature to wirelessly transfer your own books to the Kindle. There’s also Goodreads integration and a recommendation engine to help you discover more books to read. In PCMag's review, the Amazon Kindle (2024) received a 3.5-star “Good” rating. PCMag noted that “We like its small size and consistent lighting, and even though it isn't as fast as the Paperwhite, it works perfectly well.” If you have the extra $70 to spend, you can also consider the Kindle Paperwhite, which comes with a bigger screen, faster page turns, a waterproof body, a longer battery life, and the option for warm backlighting. Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales, but prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it. What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $274.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $339.00 (List Price $399.00) WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $134.99 (List Price $179.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team 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. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find. Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more. Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox. Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. The MacBook Air is the best laptop for most people, but not for everyone. While most of us will get more machine than we could possibly need out of a modern Air, the Pro offers both extra features and power that you simply can't get with Apple's cheaper computer. While I could certainly get by on an M1 MacBook Air, my daily driver is an M3 Pro MacBook Pro. If you're in the same boat, and you're in the market for a new pro-level MacBook, this deal on the M5 MacBook Pro is excellent. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better value in a pro laptop, especially one from Apple. M5 MacBook Pro $1,399.99 at Walmart $1,599.00 Save $199.01 Get Deal Get Deal $1,399.99 at Walmart $1,599.00 Save $199.01 Apple's M5 MacBook Pro is the company's latest laptop, and the first Mac with the M5 chip. Right off the bat, this chip offers some modest performance gains over M4, which is the chip you'll get in Apple's newest MacBook Airs. But that's to be expected from one Apple silicon generation to the next. Even if Apple's MacBook Air also shipped with M5, the Pro would have it beat in sustained performance, thanks to a crucial hardware component: the fan. MacBook Airs are fanless, which keep them particularly thin and light. That's great for aesthetics and portability, and, in many cases, you won't really miss the fans. But if you push these machines with demanding tasks—especially concurrent demanding tasks—M5 may heat up, to the point where the machine may need to slow down its processing speeds to keep the temperature in check. A built-in fan can move hot air out, and keep the chip cooler for longer, extending the peak performance of the computer. That's where the Pro shines. Aside from the extra power boost, Apple's modern MacBook Pro line sports some great features for enthusiasts and casual users alike. While the MacBook Air uses an LED display (a high quality one, no doubt), the Pro uses a mini-LED display. The latter offers a much greater contrast than LED, thanks to multiple "dimming zones," versus LED's one solid backlight. If you're watch a dark scene on a MacBook Air and a MacBook Pro side-by-side, you'll notice how the dark areas are really gray on the Air, while on the Pro, they're inky black. While I'd prefer an OLED display on the Pro, the mini-LED looks great, and is why I use my Pro for most of my streaming needs. Plus, the Pro adds an extra 0.6 inches of screen real estate, at least compared to the Air's 13.6-inch display. Apple also reserves the best port selection for the MacBook Pro. While the MacBook Air gets two USB-C ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a MagSafe connector, the MacBook Pro adds a third USB-C port, an HDMI port, and an SDXC card slot. It's a great I/O for professionals, but also for anyone who connects their computer to a TV or external monitor. Most of these perks are not necessary, of course. The display on the Air is great; many of us can live with just two USB-C ports; and M4 is more than enough for most day-to-day tasks. You might even find you like the form factor of the Air better than the Pro: The Pro is considerably chunkier than the Air, and weighs more as well. Anyone looking for a thin and light machine will be content with the dimensions of a MacBook Air. And when you can pick up an M4 Air for as little as $749, the Pro can seem like overkill. But if you're someone who wants those extra features, or needs some additional power that the Air can't quite provide, the current Black Friday deal on the Pro is amazing. $1,599 isn't a bad price for what you get with the M5, but at $1,399, it's a fantastic value. You'll just need to be the judge as to whether all these extra perks are worth the additional $650. How long do Black Friday deals really last?Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. Does Apple do Black Friday?Yes, Apple participates in Black Friday, though you may want to compare their sales with other retailers like Best Buy and Walmart. Apple is offering an exclusive $250 gift card for eligible purchases, but so far, the best Black Friday sale on an Apple product is the M4 MacBook on sale for cheaper than ever. Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales, but prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $274.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00) Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $339.00 (List Price $399.00) WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $134.99 (List Price $179.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article