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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Soundcore Boom 3i is clearly built with water-first trips in mind. It has an IP68 rating, so it’s fully resistant to dust and water, and it’s also designed to handle saltwater, which in itself is pretty rare even for outdoor speakers. That’s the kind of detail that matters if your idea of “outside” means beaches, boats, or time near the ocean. It also floats, and it does so with the speakers facing upward, which keeps the sound usable instead of muffled when it’s bobbing around. In practice, that makes it less annoying to live with than other floating speakers that constantly flip or drift sideways. The Boom 3i normally sits at $129.99, but it’s currently down to $74.99, which is the lowest price it has reached so far, according to price-trackers. Soundcore Boom 3i by Anker, Rugged Outdoor Speakers, IP68 Waterproof, Floating Playback, Saltwater-Resistant, BassUp 2.0, 50W Portable Speaker, Bluetooth 5.3, 16H, TWS, Kayak/Fishing/Camping-Brown $74.99 at Amazon $129.99 Save $55.00 Get Deal Get Deal $74.99 at Amazon $129.99 Save $55.00 At just over three pounds, this speaker is portable enough to sling across your shoulder with the included strap, but sturdy enough not to feel cheap. It pushes out up to 50 watts of sound, which is more than enough for a beach hang or a camping trip with a small group. You won’t get floor-shaking bass, but the mid-bass hits nicely, and the overall tone stays warm. That said, there’s a BassUp button if you want to dial things up, and the companion Soundcore app has a nine-band EQ, if you want more control. Battery life hovers around 15–16 hours at moderate volume, and it keeps playing while charging over USB-C, which is useful if you’re running it off a power bank. The Boom 3i also has a Buzz Clean mode that uses a low-frequency vibration to loosen sand and grit stuck inside the speaker. It’s surprisingly effective, though it doesn’t replace a quick rinse after a full day at the beach. You also get an emergency alarm and a voice amplifier, which won’t matter much in everyday use but could come in handy on the water or during group activities. If what you want is a speaker that shrugs off salt, sand, and splashes without interrupting playback, this one makes sense at its current price. The Soundcore Boom 3i is a rugged Bluetooth speaker built for beach days, boating, and other water-heavy trips. It has an IP68 rating, saltwater resistance, and a float-and-play design that keeps audio clear on the water. With 50 watts of output and 15–16 hours of battery life, it’s made for durability over deep bass. It’s currently available for $74.99, down from $129.99. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $148.99 (List Price $179.00) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $407.47 (List Price $429.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — (List Price $24.99 With Code "FTV4K25") Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 64GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet (Silver) — $159.99 (List Price $219.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

M&A BONUS: A 22-point due diligence kit. By Domenick J. Esposito 8 Steps to Great Go PRO for members-only access to more Dom Esposito. View the full article

M&A BONUS: A 22-point due diligence kit. By Domenick J. Esposito 8 Steps to Great Go PRO for members-only access to more Dom Esposito. View the full article

Your watch says you had three hours of deep sleep. Should you believe it? Millions of people rely on phone apps and wearable devices like rings, smartwatches and sensors to monitor how well they’re sleeping, but these trackers don’t necessarily measure sleep directly. Instead, they infer states of slumber from signals like heart rate and movement, raising questions about how reliable the information is and how seriously it should be taken. The U.S. sleep-tracking devices market generated about $5 billion in 2023 and is expected to double in revenue by 2030, according to market research firm Grand View Research. As the devices continue to gain popularity, experts say it is important to understand what they can and cannot tell you, and how their data should be used. Here’s a look at the technology — and why one expert thinks its full potential has yet to be realized. What your sleep tracker actually measures Whether it’s an Apple Watch, a Fitbit, an Oura Ring or one of innumerable other competitors, health and fitness trackers largely take the same basic approach by recording the wearer’s movements and heart rate while at rest, according to Daniel Forger, a University of Michigan math professor who researches the science behind sleep wearables. The algorithms used by major brands have become highly accurate for determining when someone is asleep, Forger said. The devices are also somewhat helpful for estimating sleep stages, though an in-lab study would be more precise, he said. “If you really want to know definitively how much non-REM sleep you’re having versus REM sleep, that’s where the in-lab studies really excel,” Forger said. The sleep numbers that matter most Dr. Chantale Branson, a neurologist and professor at the Morehouse School of Medicine, said she frequently has patients showing up with sleep scores from fitness trackers in hand, sometimes fixated on granular details such as how much REM sleep they got on a certain night. Branson says those patients are taking the wrong approach: the devices help highlight trends over time but should not be viewed as a definitive measure of one’s sleep health. Nor should any single night’s data be seen as significant. “We would have believed them with or without the device and worked on trying to figure out why they can’t sleep — and that is what the wearables do not do,” she said. Branson said she thinks people who check their sleep statistics every morning would be better served by spending their efforts on “sleep hygiene” such as creating a relaxing bedtime routine, avoiding screens before bed and making sure their sleep environment is comfortable. She advises those concerned about their sleep to consult a clinician before spending money on a wearable. Forger takes a more favorable view toward the devices, which he says help keep the overlooked importance of sleep front of mind. He recommends them even for people without significant sleep issues, saying they can offer insights that help users fine-tune their routines and feel more alert during the day. “Seeing if your biological clock is in sync is a huge benefit because even if you’re giving yourself the right amount of time, if you’re sleeping at the wrong times, the sleep won’t be as efficient,” Forger said. How sleep data can drive better habits Kate Stoye, an Atlanta-area middle school teacher, bought an Oura Ring last summer, having heard positive things from friends who used it as a fertility tracker: “It’s so accurate,” she said. Stoye found the ring to be just as helpful with tracking her sleep. After noticing that the few nights she drank alcohol coincided with poorer sleep quality, she decided to give up alcohol. “I don’t see much reason to drink if I know that it’s going to affect how I feel,” said Stoye, who always wears her device except when she is playing tennis or needs to charge it. Another trend she says she detected in the ring’s data: the importance of not eating too late if she wants to get good rest. “I always struggle with going to bed, and it’s often because I eat late at night,” Stoye said. “I know that about myself, and it knows it too.” When sleep tracking becomes a problem Mai Barreneche, who works in advertising in New York City, used to wear her Oura Ring constantly. She said it helped her develop good sleep habits and encouraged her to maintain a daily morning exercise regimen. But as a metric-driven person, she became “obsessed” enough with her nightly sleep scores that it began to cause her anxiety — a modern condition that researchers have dubbed “orthosomnia.” “I remember I would go to bed thinking about the score I was going to get in the morning,” Barreneche said. Barreneche decided not to wear her ring on a beach vacation a few years ago, and when she returned home, she never put it back on. She said she has maintained the good habits the device pointed her toward, but no longer wants the stress of monitoring her nightly scores. Branson, of the Morehouse School of Medicine, said she’s observed similar score-induced anxiety as a recurring issue for some patients, particularly those who set goals to achieve a certain amount of REM sleep or who shared their nightly scores with friends using the same device. Comparing sleep types and stages is ill-advised since individual needs vary by age, genetics and other factors, she said. “These devices are supposed to help you,” Branson said. “And if you feel anxious or worried or frustrated about it, then it’s not helpful, and you should really talk to a professional.” The future of wearables Forger thinks the promise of wearables has been underestimated, with emerging research suggesting the devices could one day be designed to help detect infections before symptoms appear and to flag sleep pattern changes that may signal the onset of depression or an increased risk of relapse. “The body is making these really interesting and really important decisions that we’re not aware of to keep us healthy and active and alert at the right times of day,” he said. “If you have an infection, that rhythm very quickly starts to disappear because the body goes into overdrive to start fighting the infection. Those are the kind of things we can pick up.” The technology could be particularly useful in low-resource communities, where wearables could help health issues to be identified more quickly and monitored remotely without requiring access to doctors or specialized clinics, according to Forger. “There’s this really important story that’s about to come out: About just how understanding sleep rhythms and sleep architecture is going to generally improve our lives,” he said. —R.J. Rico and Emilie Megnien, Associated Press View the full article

Google is working toward a future where it understands what you want before you ever type a search. Now Google is pushing that thinking onto the device itself, using small AI models that perform nearly as well as much larger ones. What’s happening. In a research paper presented at EMNLP 2025, Google researchers show that a simple shift makes this possible: break “intent understanding” into smaller steps. When they do, small multimodal LLMs (MLLMs) become powerful enough to match systems like Gemini 1.5 Pro — while running faster, costing less, and keeping data on the device. The paper, “Small Models, Big Results: Achieving Superior Intent Extraction through Decomposition,” explains how Google infers what someone is trying to do based on how they use apps and websites. That includes taps, clicks, scrolling, and screen changes over time. The future is intent extraction. Large AI models can already infer intent from user behavior, but they usually run in the cloud. That creates three problems. They’re slower. They’re more expensive. And they raise privacy concerns, because user actions can be sensitive. Google’s solution is to split the task into two simple steps that small, on-device models can handle well. Step one: Each screen interaction is summarized separately. The system records what was on the screen, what the user did, and a tentative guess about why they did it. Step two: Another small model reviews only the factual parts of those summaries. It ignores the guesses and produces one short statement that explains the user’s overall goal for the session. By keeping each step focused, the system avoids a common failure mode of small models: breaking down when asked to reason over long, messy histories all at once. How the researchers measure success. Instead of asking whether an intent summary “looks similar” to the right answer, they use a method called Bi-Fact. Using its main quality metric, an F1 score, small models with the step-by-step approach consistently outperform other small-model methods: Gemini 1.5 Flash, an 8B model, matches the performance of Gemini 1.5 Pro on mobile behavior data. Hallucinations drop because speculative guesses are stripped out before the final intent is written. Even with extra steps, the system runs faster and cheaper than cloud-based large models. How it works. Intent is broken into small pieces of information, or facts. Then they measure which facts are missing and which ones were invented. This: Shows how intent understanding fails, not just that it fails. Reveals where systems tend to hallucinate meaning versus where they drop important details. The paper also shows that messy training data hurts large, end-to-end models more than it hurts this step-by-step approach. When labels are noisy — which is common with real user behavior — the decomposed system holds up better. Why we care. If Google wants agents that suggest actions or answers before people search, it needs to understand intent from user behavior (how people move through apps, browsers, and screens). This research moves this idea closer to reality. Keywords will still matter, but the query will be just one signal. In this future, you’ll have to optimize for clear, logical user journeys — not just the words typed at the end. The Google Research blog post. Small models, big results: Achieving superior intent extraction through decomposition View the full article

Shortly after Meta (then Facebook) bought WhatsApp in 2014, it promised to implement a surprisingly un-Facebooky feature: End-to-end encryption. The move was supposed to be a boon for privacy, ensuring nobody could see your messages aside from the recipient and yourself. Even now, WhatsApp's website claims, "No one outside of the chat, not even WhatsApp, can read, listen to, or share [your messages]." However, a new lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco is now claiming that's not the case. According to reporting from Bloomberg, an international group of plaintiffs has sued Meta, saying that the app's claims of end-to-end encryption are a lie. The lawsuit alleges that Meta and WhatsApp "store, analyze, and can access virtually all of WhatsApp user's purportedly 'private' communications." The plaintiffs include users from Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico, and South Africa, who are being represented by attorneys from several firms. The allegations cite "whistleblowers" who helped bring this information to light, but no more is known as of yet. In an email to Bloomberg, Meta strongly denied the allegations. The company called the lawsuit "frivolous," assuring users that WhatsApp uses the open-source Signal protocol for encryption and adding that "[a]ny claim that people's WhatsApp messages are not encrypted is categorically false and absurd." If the lawsuit succeeds, it could affect billions of users around the world. That's because the plaintiffs' lawyers are asking the court to certify a class-action lawsuit. In the meantime, WhatApp is far from the only option for encrypted messaging apps. While it's unclear how the lawsuit will proceed, those looking to jump ship might want to look at alternatives like Signal or Viber instead. Note that some apps, like Telegram, do offer end-to-end encryption, but don't enable it by default. (Personally I use Line, because of the anime stickers.) I've reached out to Meta for further comment, and will update this story once I hear back. View the full article

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis says Google doesn't have any current plans for ads in Gemini, as OpenAI moves toward ChatGPT advertising. The post Why Google Gemini Has No Ads Yet: ‘Trust In Your Assistant’ appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. It's been nearly five years since Apple released the first—and only—AirTag, but that's not necessarily a surprise: These trackers aren't really the kind of product you expect to update every year or two. Unlike an iPhone, which gets new processors, cameras, and other hardware features every year, AirTags just ... track your stuff. The only thing that needs replacing annually are their batteries; otherwise, they do exactly what you expect them to. That said, Apple has made changes over the years. In response to initial criticism, the company made it much more difficult for someone to slip one of these AirTags in your bag or car and track you without your knowledge. Plus, there's plenty you can do with the current AirTag that wouldn't make you think you needed an upgraded one. Nonetheless, I suppose the original AirTag wasn't going to be the AirTag for all time. As such, Apple just announced a brand-new AirTag. It likely won't get you out to replace your existing Apple trackers, but these new features will come in handy if you decide to expand your AirTag collection. What's new with the latest AirTagApple isn't really calling this new AirTag anything in particular: It's still just AirTag. I'm a bit surprised, since, even if Apple replaces the existing AirTag with this one, they'll have a difficult time distinguishing between the first and second gen models. But that's a problem for Apple Store Geniuses, not us. The new AirTag comes with Apple's second-gen Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip. This is the UWB chip Apple uses with the iPhone 17 Line, as well as the iPhone Air, the Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch Series 11. That new chip, plus the new Bluetooth chip, boosts Precision Finding's range by 50%. Precision Finding uses your iPhone to guide you to your AirTag, using haptics and visual and audio feedback to tell you when you're getting closer or further away. To be clear, the original AirTag also has a UWB chip that is compatible with Precision Finding, but this new UWB chip will make it easier to find an AirTag that isn't as close by. If you have an Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2, the new AirTag marks the first time you'll be able to use Precision Finding. I'm not sure that's worth the upgrade, since you can always use Precision Finding with your iPhone, but it's certainly a nice perk if you happen to own one of these watches. Precision Finding is helpful for finding your AirTag's whereabouts, but it might not help you locate it if it's hiding, like if it's stuck under a cushion. That's what the speaker is for: You can make your AirTag chirp, so you can find it easier when you're within listening range. The new AirTag's speaker is 50% louder than the original, which should help when you really can't find your AirTag in your couch. What isn't new with the latest AirTagThat's about all the updates Apple added to this newest AirTag—though you wouldn't know it from the press release. Apple sprinkles in existing AirTag features that might make you think they're fresh, but, really, these are just core features of all AirTags, both new and old. This AirTag, like all AirTags, works within the Find My network: There's no inherent internet connection to enable tracking. Instead, the AirTag passively connects to any and all internet-connected Apple devices that are also connected to Find My—often, that means iPhones, but it can mean other devices like iPads and Macs. That enables features like Share Item Location, which lets you share your AirTags location with a third-party, like an airline. In that example, the airline can use that info to help find your luggage. The new AirTag also carries over the same privacy and security features as the previous model. No data is stored on device, and all Find My communications are end-to-end encrypted. Whether you have this AirTag or the first, Apple can't see your AirTag, or any devices that connected it to the Find My network. How much does the latest AirTag cost?Apple also didn't change the price of the second-gen AirTag. One of these trackers runs you $29, while a four pack costs $99—a small savings if you want to buy that many. Unless you really need the newest ones, however, you might want to consider the previous gen, since you can pick up a four-pack for $69.99 on Amazon right now. View the full article

A reader writes: I hold a leadership role and report to the co-founders of a small company, which has both an office hub and a remote workforce. The co-founders work in the office, and my team and I work remotely. Lately, a fitness tracking device that also monitors sleep and stress levels became popular in the office. It seems like nearly everyone in the office got one, and they started a global group that compares performance and it became a friendly competition. My boss, one of the co-founders, asked me to buy one so I can be part of the competition. When I refused to pay $240 for something I didn’t intend on buying, they offered to pay for it. I feel pressured to say yes, but I really don’t want to wear it or share my stress / sleep levels with the team. This is being brought up every time we talk, and my boss states I should be part of it to encourage the team and set an example. Neither our company nor my role are related to fitness, health, or mental health. That said, the vibe in the company is very health and fitness conscious, and the employees in the office tend to work out together. Should I agree to let them buy it and participate or should I stand my ground on this one? Keep declining. There are lots of job-appropriate ways for you to encourage the team and set an example: having a good work ethic, being warm and approachable, doing what you say you’re going to do, acting with integrity, mentoring others, being inclusive, offering public praise, taking responsibility for mistakes, and on and on. Buying a fitness tracking device and sharing your stress and sleep levels? Not a necessary component. In fact, if your boss wants you to “set an example,” why can’t that example be that’s it’s okay to have boundaries and enforce them respectfully? I’d bet there’s at least one person in that office who feels pressured to participate in the fitness tracking and would appreciate someone in leadership reinforcing that it’s okay not to. Of course, this is all about the principle and not the practicality of actually dealing with a boss who’s pressuring you. Since she’s bringing it up every time you talk and not taking no for an answer, you’re going to need to be pretty direct: “You’ve brought this up a few times, and I really don’t want to use a device like that. I know you’ve mentioned setting an example for the team, but I actually think it’s important that people know they don’t have to participate if they don’t want to, especially since this risks getting into health and privacy issues.” If she’s confused by what you mean by that, you could say, “At some point we’re going to have an employee with medical issues that will make it rough for them to be pressured to participate in this — if we don’t already, which we might! It’s great that people who want the group bonding element of this can participate if they want to, but when we’re dealing with something health-related, we’re asking for trouble if we don’t make it easy for people to opt out without pressure.” (Alternately, you can let them buy the tracking device for you and just put it on your dog.) The post my boss wants me to buy a fitness tracking device appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Easily discredited propaganda is undermining The President’s assault on the constitutionView the full article

Treasury yields are diverging, charts are breaking down and trading looks two-sided into the FOMC, according to the CEO of IF Securities. View the full article

The brothers operated in the glitz and glamour of the Hamptons and South Beach. Two were high-end real estate brokers dubbed “The A Team.” The third went to law school and ran their family’s private security firm, which caters to heads of state and the rich and famous. They frequented nightclubs, cruised on yachts and flew on private jets. One lived alongside celebrities and corporate titans on Manhattan’s Billionaires’ Row. The others had multimillion-dollar waterfront mansions in Miami. But behind their posh, peripatetic facade, prosecutors say, Tal, Oren and Alon Alexander — known collectively as the Alexander Brothers — were predators who sexually assaulted, trafficked and raped dozens of women from 2008 to 2021, often after incapacitating them with drugs and sometimes recording their crimes on video. The brothers met victims at nightclubs, parties and on dating apps, and recruited others for trips to ritzy locales, paying for their flights and lodging at high-end hotels or luxe vacation rentals before drugging and raping them, prosecutors said. In all, dozens of women have accused them of wrongdoing. Now, the brothers — Tal, 39, and twins Alon and Oren, 38 — face a reckoning that prosecutors say was more than a decade in the making: a sex-trafficking trial that could put them in prison for the rest of their lives. Opening statements are slated for Tuesday in the brothers’ trial in federal court in Manhattan, after they were delayed a day because of heavy snowfall over the weekend in New York. Oren and Tal Alexander, the real estate dealers who specialized in high-end properties in Miami, New York and Los Angeles, have pleaded not guilty, along with their brother Alon, who graduated from New York Law School before taking his position with the security firm. All three have been held without bail since their December 2024 arrests. They were indicted months after several women filed lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct. A spokesperson for the Alexander Brothers said they “categorically deny that anyone was drugged, assaulted, or coerced, and the government has presented no physical evidence, medical records, contemporaneous complaints, or objective proof to establish those claims.” “This case highlights a broader concern about how the federal sex-trafficking statute is being applied,” said the spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer. “Congress enacted that law to address force, coercion, and exploitation; not to retroactively criminalize consensual adult relationships through inference or narrative.” “As the defense has consistently said, allegations are not evidence,” Engelmayer added. The brothers’ attorneys have promised to show the jury of six men and six women that prosecutors have taken innocent romantic and sexual encounters and converted them into criminal activity through clever lawyering. Oren Alexander’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, has said the defense plans to prove that witnesses have lied to the government and that their testimony can’t be trusted. Judge Valerie E. Caproni, who will preside over the trial, has rejected defense requests to toss out the charges or send the case to state court. The Alexanders’ lawyers have said the allegations against them resemble “date rape” crimes more commonly prosecuted in state courts, but Caproni disagreed. “That badly misrepresents the nature of the charges,” the judge wrote. Agnifilo has said the jury will hear evidence of group sex, threesomes and promiscuity. During jury selection last week, prospective jurors were asked questions related to sexual activity and sex crimes. “The case is about sex and sexuality,” said Agnifilo, who represented Sean “Diddy” Combs last year as the hip-hop mogul was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges but convicted on lesser prostitution-related counts. In court papers, the Alexander Brothers’ lawyers wrote that among the accusers they expect to testify at trial, they had located evidence “that undermines nearly every aspect of the alleged victims’ narratives.” Prosecutors have said their evidence will show that the brothers “have acted with apparent impunity — forcibly raping women whenever they wanted to do so.” —Michael R. Sisak and Larry Neumeister, Associated Press View the full article

Managing bookkeeping for your small business might seem intimidating, but with a clear approach, it becomes manageable. Start by organizing your financial documents, like receipts and invoices, which form the foundation of your records. Next, categorize your transactions into key areas such as assets and expenses. By reconciling these with your bank statements, you can guarantee accuracy. Comprehending the step-by-step process is crucial, especially when you encounter common issues. What comes next can considerably impact your business’s financial health. Key Takeaways Gather all financial documents, including receipts, invoices, and bank statements for accurate bookkeeping. Categorize transactions into assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses for organized records. Reconcile transactions by matching your records with bank statements to ensure accuracy. Prepare essential financial statements like balance sheets and income statements for insights into business performance. Regularly review and analyze financial reports to inform decision-making and maintain financial health. What Is Bookkeeping? Bookkeeping is the backbone of financial management for small businesses, as it involves the systematic process of recording, organizing, and tracking all financial transactions. When you understand how to do bookkeeping for a small business, you can maintain accurate records that reflect your financial health. Through DIY bookkeeping, you’ll gain insights into income, expenses, and cash flow, which are vital for informed decision-making. This process not just helps with tax compliance but prepares you for audits and filings as well. By identifying spending patterns and profitability, effective finance and bookkeeping practices enable you to plan for the long term and secure funding. Different Bookkeeping Methods Selecting the right bookkeeping method is crucial for accurately tracking your small business’s financial activities. Here are three common methods you can consider: Single-entry bookkeeping: This method records each transaction only once, making it ideal for small businesses with simple financial transactions. It’s easier to manage but less thorough. Double-entry bookkeeping: Here, each transaction is recorded in two accounts (debit and credit). This method is recommended for growing businesses, as it improves reporting and accountability. Cash-based vs. Accrual-based accounting: Cash-based accounting recognizes income and expenses only when money changes hands, providing real-time cash flow insights. Conversely, accrual-based accounting tracks transactions when they’re earned or incurred, allowing for better long-term financial planning. Choose wisely based on your business size and financial goals. Step-by-Step Bookkeeping Process Establishing a clear step-by-step bookkeeping process is vital for managing your small business finances effectively. Start by gathering all financial documents, such as receipts, invoices, and bank statements, to guarantee every transaction is recorded. Next, categorize these transactions into key financial categories: assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses. Then, reconcile your transactions by matching your business’s opening balance with your bank account records to identify discrepancies. After that, prepare important financial statements, including the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. Finally, review these statements regularly to analyze performance and make informed decisions. Step Description Gather Documents Collect receipts, invoices, bank statements Categorize Transactions Organize into assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, expenses Reconcile Transactions Match opening balance with bank records Prepare Financial Statements Create balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement Common Bookkeeping Issues During managing your small business finances, you may encounter several common bookkeeping issues that can hinder your operations. Addressing these problems swiftly is crucial for maintaining financial health. Here are three common issues: Messy Records: Disorganized records often result in misclassified expenses, complicating tax preparations and impacting financial reporting accuracy. Data Entry Backlogs: Falling behind on data entry can create a stressful backlog as tax deadlines approach, making it harder to manage your finances. Ignored Financial Reports: Neglecting to review financial reports can obscure your financial health, preventing you from spotting areas for improvement. Utilizing small business software like Wave can help streamline your bookkeeping tasks, reducing errors and keeping your records organized. Business-Specific Bookkeeping Needs Comprehending your business-specific bookkeeping needs is essential for effective financial management. For freelancers, implementing receipt tracking tools helps guarantee accurate billing and organization, whereas e-commerce businesses must keep a close eye on inventory levels to prevent costly stock issues. Similarly, consultants should scrupulously monitor project details to maintain cash flow and provide transparent invoicing for their clients. Freelancers’ Receipt Tracking Effective receipt tracking is essential for freelancers looking to maintain accurate financial records and maximize their earnings. Here are some key strategies to improve your receipt management: Organize receipts by project or client: This helps streamline expense reporting and simplifies tax preparation, reducing the risk of lost documentation. Utilize cloud-based tools: Apps allow you to capture and categorize expenses directly from your mobile device, making it easier to keep everything in one place. Maintain a separate business bank account: This distinction between personal and business expenses facilitates better financial management and clearer budgeting. Regularly reviewing your financial records can help you identify spending trends, enabling more informed planning for future projects. E-commerce Inventory Monitoring When running an e-commerce business, monitoring your inventory isn’t just a good practice—it’s essential for maintaining a healthy bottom line. You need to keep a close eye on inventory levels to meet customer demand without incurring overstock costs. Implementing inventory management software can automate stock tracking, sales trends, and reorder points, improving your bookkeeping efficiency. Regularly reconciling your inventory records with financial statements helps identify discrepancies and offers a clearer view of your business’s financial health. Categorizing inventory into groups, like raw materials and finished goods, can pinpoint profitable products and those needing marketing boosts. Finally, choosing between FIFO or LIFO accounting methods is critical, as it directly impacts your cost of goods sold and overall profitability. Consultant Project Cash Flow Accurate cash flow management is vital for consultants, as it directly impacts your ability to sustain and grow your business. To effectively manage cash flow, consider these strategies: Track Billable Hours and Expenses: Carefully record your billable hours and any project-related expenses to guarantee accurate client invoicing and maintain profitability. Use Project Management Tools: Implement a project management tool to monitor cash flow across multiple projects, providing better financial insights and planning. Establish a Clear Invoicing Schedule: Align your invoicing with project milestones to improve cash flow predictability and guarantee timely payments, which are critical for maintaining financial stability. When to Seek Professional Help As you manage your small business, you might notice signs that indicate it’s time to seek professional help with your bookkeeping. If sorting transactions takes away from serving your clients or if tax deadlines feel overwhelming, it’s wise to contemplate hiring a bookkeeper. Professional assistance can streamline your financial processes, clarify complex statements, and in the end allow you to focus on growing your business. Signs You Need Help Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your bookkeeping tasks, wondering if it’s time to seek professional help? Here are three clear signs that indicate you might need assistance: Time Consumption: If sorting through transactions takes more time than serving clients, a professional bookkeeper could streamline your operations and free up your schedule. Frequent Errors: Missing tax deadlines or making regular mistakes in your records suggests that expert assistance is necessary for ensuring compliance and accuracy. Rapid Growth: If your business is growing quickly and cash flow management feels complicated, a bookkeeper can provide strategies for sustainable financial health, allowing you to focus on your core business activities. Benefits of Professional Assistance When managing a small business, guaranteeing accurate and timely financial records is crucial for success. Hiring a professional bookkeeper can streamline your bookkeeping tasks, allowing you to focus on core operations and client service instead of juggling financial records. If sorting transactions and entering data takes up too much of your time, it’s wise to seek professional help to maintain efficiency and accuracy. Missing tax deadlines is another strong indicator that you need assistance; a bookkeeper guarantees timely filing and compliance with tax regulations. Furthermore, if you’re uncertain about cash flow or financial reports, consulting a professional can provide expertise in analyzing your financial health. Quickly growing businesses can likewise benefit from a bookkeeper to manage increasing transaction volumes effectively. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Easiest Way to Do Bookkeeping for a Small Business? The easiest way to do bookkeeping for a small business is to use cloud-based accounting software like QuickBooks or Wave. These tools automate data entry and transaction categorization, saving you time and reducing errors. Set a regular monthly schedule to review and reconcile your accounts for accuracy. Furthermore, using mobile apps for capturing receipts can streamline documentation, whereas a simple chart of accounts helps track income and expenses effectively. How to Do Bookkeeping Manually Step by Step? To do bookkeeping manually step by step, start by gathering all your financial documents, like receipts and invoices. Next, create a chart of accounts to categorize transactions into assets and expenses. Record each transaction in a ledger, noting the date, amount, and purpose. Regularly reconcile your accounts with bank statements to catch discrepancies. Finally, prepare financial statements, such as balance sheets, to assess your business’s financial health and inform your decisions. What Are the Three Golden Rules of Bookkeeping? The three golden rules of bookkeeping are crucial for maintaining accurate financial records. First, you debit the receiver and credit the giver, meaning you record the account receiving value as a debit and the one giving value as a credit. Second, debit all expenses and losses to reflect outflows accurately. Finally, credit all income and gains to guarantee all profits are included. Following these rules helps you maintain a clear financial picture. What Are the 5 Stages of Bookkeeping? The five stages of bookkeeping are crucial for maintaining accurate financial records. First, you gather financial documents like receipts and bank statements. Next, categorize transactions into assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses for clarity. Then, reconcile accounts by matching your records with bank statements to catch discrepancies. After that, prepare financial statements such as balance sheets and income statements. Finally, review these statements to gain insights into your business’s financial health and inform decision-making. Conclusion In summary, effective bookkeeping is crucial for your small business’s financial health. By gathering documents, categorizing transactions, and regularly reconciling accounts, you can maintain accurate records. Preparing key financial statements like the balance sheet and income statement provides valuable insights into your business’s performance. Address common bookkeeping issues quickly, and recognize when to seek professional assistance. By following this step-by-step guide, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions and guarantee compliance with tax regulations. Image via Google Gemini This article, "How to Do Bookkeeping for Small Business €“ a Step-By-Step Guide" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Managing bookkeeping for your small business might seem intimidating, but with a clear approach, it becomes manageable. Start by organizing your financial documents, like receipts and invoices, which form the foundation of your records. Next, categorize your transactions into key areas such as assets and expenses. By reconciling these with your bank statements, you can guarantee accuracy. Comprehending the step-by-step process is crucial, especially when you encounter common issues. What comes next can considerably impact your business’s financial health. Key Takeaways Gather all financial documents, including receipts, invoices, and bank statements for accurate bookkeeping. Categorize transactions into assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses for organized records. Reconcile transactions by matching your records with bank statements to ensure accuracy. Prepare essential financial statements like balance sheets and income statements for insights into business performance. Regularly review and analyze financial reports to inform decision-making and maintain financial health. What Is Bookkeeping? Bookkeeping is the backbone of financial management for small businesses, as it involves the systematic process of recording, organizing, and tracking all financial transactions. When you understand how to do bookkeeping for a small business, you can maintain accurate records that reflect your financial health. Through DIY bookkeeping, you’ll gain insights into income, expenses, and cash flow, which are vital for informed decision-making. This process not just helps with tax compliance but prepares you for audits and filings as well. By identifying spending patterns and profitability, effective finance and bookkeeping practices enable you to plan for the long term and secure funding. Different Bookkeeping Methods Selecting the right bookkeeping method is crucial for accurately tracking your small business’s financial activities. Here are three common methods you can consider: Single-entry bookkeeping: This method records each transaction only once, making it ideal for small businesses with simple financial transactions. It’s easier to manage but less thorough. Double-entry bookkeeping: Here, each transaction is recorded in two accounts (debit and credit). This method is recommended for growing businesses, as it improves reporting and accountability. Cash-based vs. Accrual-based accounting: Cash-based accounting recognizes income and expenses only when money changes hands, providing real-time cash flow insights. Conversely, accrual-based accounting tracks transactions when they’re earned or incurred, allowing for better long-term financial planning. Choose wisely based on your business size and financial goals. Step-by-Step Bookkeeping Process Establishing a clear step-by-step bookkeeping process is vital for managing your small business finances effectively. Start by gathering all financial documents, such as receipts, invoices, and bank statements, to guarantee every transaction is recorded. Next, categorize these transactions into key financial categories: assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses. Then, reconcile your transactions by matching your business’s opening balance with your bank account records to identify discrepancies. After that, prepare important financial statements, including the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. Finally, review these statements regularly to analyze performance and make informed decisions. Step Description Gather Documents Collect receipts, invoices, bank statements Categorize Transactions Organize into assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, expenses Reconcile Transactions Match opening balance with bank records Prepare Financial Statements Create balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement Common Bookkeeping Issues During managing your small business finances, you may encounter several common bookkeeping issues that can hinder your operations. Addressing these problems swiftly is crucial for maintaining financial health. Here are three common issues: Messy Records: Disorganized records often result in misclassified expenses, complicating tax preparations and impacting financial reporting accuracy. Data Entry Backlogs: Falling behind on data entry can create a stressful backlog as tax deadlines approach, making it harder to manage your finances. Ignored Financial Reports: Neglecting to review financial reports can obscure your financial health, preventing you from spotting areas for improvement. Utilizing small business software like Wave can help streamline your bookkeeping tasks, reducing errors and keeping your records organized. Business-Specific Bookkeeping Needs Comprehending your business-specific bookkeeping needs is essential for effective financial management. For freelancers, implementing receipt tracking tools helps guarantee accurate billing and organization, whereas e-commerce businesses must keep a close eye on inventory levels to prevent costly stock issues. Similarly, consultants should scrupulously monitor project details to maintain cash flow and provide transparent invoicing for their clients. Freelancers’ Receipt Tracking Effective receipt tracking is essential for freelancers looking to maintain accurate financial records and maximize their earnings. Here are some key strategies to improve your receipt management: Organize receipts by project or client: This helps streamline expense reporting and simplifies tax preparation, reducing the risk of lost documentation. Utilize cloud-based tools: Apps allow you to capture and categorize expenses directly from your mobile device, making it easier to keep everything in one place. Maintain a separate business bank account: This distinction between personal and business expenses facilitates better financial management and clearer budgeting. Regularly reviewing your financial records can help you identify spending trends, enabling more informed planning for future projects. E-commerce Inventory Monitoring When running an e-commerce business, monitoring your inventory isn’t just a good practice—it’s essential for maintaining a healthy bottom line. You need to keep a close eye on inventory levels to meet customer demand without incurring overstock costs. Implementing inventory management software can automate stock tracking, sales trends, and reorder points, improving your bookkeeping efficiency. Regularly reconciling your inventory records with financial statements helps identify discrepancies and offers a clearer view of your business’s financial health. Categorizing inventory into groups, like raw materials and finished goods, can pinpoint profitable products and those needing marketing boosts. Finally, choosing between FIFO or LIFO accounting methods is critical, as it directly impacts your cost of goods sold and overall profitability. Consultant Project Cash Flow Accurate cash flow management is vital for consultants, as it directly impacts your ability to sustain and grow your business. To effectively manage cash flow, consider these strategies: Track Billable Hours and Expenses: Carefully record your billable hours and any project-related expenses to guarantee accurate client invoicing and maintain profitability. Use Project Management Tools: Implement a project management tool to monitor cash flow across multiple projects, providing better financial insights and planning. Establish a Clear Invoicing Schedule: Align your invoicing with project milestones to improve cash flow predictability and guarantee timely payments, which are critical for maintaining financial stability. When to Seek Professional Help As you manage your small business, you might notice signs that indicate it’s time to seek professional help with your bookkeeping. If sorting transactions takes away from serving your clients or if tax deadlines feel overwhelming, it’s wise to contemplate hiring a bookkeeper. Professional assistance can streamline your financial processes, clarify complex statements, and in the end allow you to focus on growing your business. Signs You Need Help Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your bookkeeping tasks, wondering if it’s time to seek professional help? Here are three clear signs that indicate you might need assistance: Time Consumption: If sorting through transactions takes more time than serving clients, a professional bookkeeper could streamline your operations and free up your schedule. Frequent Errors: Missing tax deadlines or making regular mistakes in your records suggests that expert assistance is necessary for ensuring compliance and accuracy. Rapid Growth: If your business is growing quickly and cash flow management feels complicated, a bookkeeper can provide strategies for sustainable financial health, allowing you to focus on your core business activities. Benefits of Professional Assistance When managing a small business, guaranteeing accurate and timely financial records is crucial for success. Hiring a professional bookkeeper can streamline your bookkeeping tasks, allowing you to focus on core operations and client service instead of juggling financial records. If sorting transactions and entering data takes up too much of your time, it’s wise to seek professional help to maintain efficiency and accuracy. Missing tax deadlines is another strong indicator that you need assistance; a bookkeeper guarantees timely filing and compliance with tax regulations. Furthermore, if you’re uncertain about cash flow or financial reports, consulting a professional can provide expertise in analyzing your financial health. Quickly growing businesses can likewise benefit from a bookkeeper to manage increasing transaction volumes effectively. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Easiest Way to Do Bookkeeping for a Small Business? The easiest way to do bookkeeping for a small business is to use cloud-based accounting software like QuickBooks or Wave. These tools automate data entry and transaction categorization, saving you time and reducing errors. Set a regular monthly schedule to review and reconcile your accounts for accuracy. Furthermore, using mobile apps for capturing receipts can streamline documentation, whereas a simple chart of accounts helps track income and expenses effectively. How to Do Bookkeeping Manually Step by Step? To do bookkeeping manually step by step, start by gathering all your financial documents, like receipts and invoices. Next, create a chart of accounts to categorize transactions into assets and expenses. Record each transaction in a ledger, noting the date, amount, and purpose. Regularly reconcile your accounts with bank statements to catch discrepancies. Finally, prepare financial statements, such as balance sheets, to assess your business’s financial health and inform your decisions. What Are the Three Golden Rules of Bookkeeping? The three golden rules of bookkeeping are crucial for maintaining accurate financial records. First, you debit the receiver and credit the giver, meaning you record the account receiving value as a debit and the one giving value as a credit. Second, debit all expenses and losses to reflect outflows accurately. Finally, credit all income and gains to guarantee all profits are included. Following these rules helps you maintain a clear financial picture. What Are the 5 Stages of Bookkeeping? The five stages of bookkeeping are crucial for maintaining accurate financial records. First, you gather financial documents like receipts and bank statements. Next, categorize transactions into assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses for clarity. Then, reconcile accounts by matching your records with bank statements to catch discrepancies. After that, prepare financial statements such as balance sheets and income statements. Finally, review these statements to gain insights into your business’s financial health and inform decision-making. Conclusion In summary, effective bookkeeping is crucial for your small business’s financial health. By gathering documents, categorizing transactions, and regularly reconciling accounts, you can maintain accurate records. Preparing key financial statements like the balance sheet and income statement provides valuable insights into your business’s performance. Address common bookkeeping issues quickly, and recognize when to seek professional assistance. By following this step-by-step guide, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions and guarantee compliance with tax regulations. Image via Google Gemini This article, "How to Do Bookkeeping for Small Business €“ a Step-By-Step Guide" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Tom Homan’s deployment to state comes amid public outrage over shooting of second protester View the full article

In a landmark case that underscores the importance of integrity in small business financing, an Illinois businessman has been sentenced to six years in prison for defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other financial institutions out of more than $55 million. This case serves as a cautionary tale for small business owners as they navigate the complexities of federal funding and loan applications. Rahul Shah, 56, the owner of several IT companies in the Chicago area, orchestrated a scheme that involved submitting falsified loan applications and fraudulent financial documents. The consequences of his actions not only led to his imprisonment but also a hefty restitution order of over $23 million. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva noted, “The defendant orchestrated a massive scheme to fraudulently obtain over $55 million… The Criminal Division remains dedicated to prosecuting fraudsters who steal from our important institutions and taxpayer-assistance programs.” For small business owners, this case highlights critical lessons about ethical business practices and compliance with financial regulations. As the U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros stated, “The duration, brazenness, and magnitude of this fraud scheme speaks to the defendant’s determination and greed.” The message here is clear: fraudulent applications can have severe repercussions, both legally and financially. Shah’s fraudulent activities included submitting inflated financial statements, falsified payroll documents, and fabricated IRS forms that misrepresented business income. He even used stolen identities to support his PPP loan application, which underscores the level of sophistication some fraudsters may employ. This meticulous approach not only endangered Shah’s freedom but also compromised the integrity of the federal relief programs designed to support genuine small business owners during the pandemic. While many small businesses have successfully leveraged the PPP and other federal programs, those navigating these waters must be diligent. It’s essential to maintain transparency in financial documentation and ensure that all claims made to banks or federal institutions are accurate. Legal repercussions can extend beyond imprisonment; the strain of dealing with fraudulent claims can also damage a business’s reputation and future funding opportunities. The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) and the FBI investigated the case, demonstrating the robust oversight in place to monitor financial misconduct. The Fraud Section of the Criminal Division has been proactive in prosecuting over 200 defendants for exploiting the PPP, securing more than $78 million in cash and assets linked to these fraudulent schemes. The federal government is clearly committed to maintaining the integrity of relief programs designed for the genuine aid of small businesses. Small business owners should also be aware of ongoing monitoring and enforcement. As noted in the press release, any information regarding attempted fraud related to COVID-19 can be reported through the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF). This resource is invaluable for those who suspect fraudulent activity and want to protect the integrity of the programs meant to assist them. Ultimately, the case of Rahul Shah serves as a sobering reminder of the delicate balance between seeking financial aid for recovery and the need for ethical compliance. The temptation to manipulate figures for quick gains is far outweighed by the long-term consequences of engaging in fraud, which can result in severe legal penalties and lasting damage to one’s business. For small businesses looking to grow within a legitimate framework, this case reinforces the necessity of adhering to regulations, ensuring accurate reporting, and fostering a culture of integrity. As the federal government continues to crack down on fraudulent activities, staying compliant and ethical is not merely prudent—it’s essential for the sustainability of every business. For further details on this case, refer to the original press release from the SBA here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Illinois Businessman Sentenced to Six Years for $55M Fraud Scheme" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

In a landmark case that underscores the importance of integrity in small business financing, an Illinois businessman has been sentenced to six years in prison for defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other financial institutions out of more than $55 million. This case serves as a cautionary tale for small business owners as they navigate the complexities of federal funding and loan applications. Rahul Shah, 56, the owner of several IT companies in the Chicago area, orchestrated a scheme that involved submitting falsified loan applications and fraudulent financial documents. The consequences of his actions not only led to his imprisonment but also a hefty restitution order of over $23 million. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva noted, “The defendant orchestrated a massive scheme to fraudulently obtain over $55 million… The Criminal Division remains dedicated to prosecuting fraudsters who steal from our important institutions and taxpayer-assistance programs.” For small business owners, this case highlights critical lessons about ethical business practices and compliance with financial regulations. As the U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros stated, “The duration, brazenness, and magnitude of this fraud scheme speaks to the defendant’s determination and greed.” The message here is clear: fraudulent applications can have severe repercussions, both legally and financially. Shah’s fraudulent activities included submitting inflated financial statements, falsified payroll documents, and fabricated IRS forms that misrepresented business income. He even used stolen identities to support his PPP loan application, which underscores the level of sophistication some fraudsters may employ. This meticulous approach not only endangered Shah’s freedom but also compromised the integrity of the federal relief programs designed to support genuine small business owners during the pandemic. While many small businesses have successfully leveraged the PPP and other federal programs, those navigating these waters must be diligent. It’s essential to maintain transparency in financial documentation and ensure that all claims made to banks or federal institutions are accurate. Legal repercussions can extend beyond imprisonment; the strain of dealing with fraudulent claims can also damage a business’s reputation and future funding opportunities. The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) and the FBI investigated the case, demonstrating the robust oversight in place to monitor financial misconduct. The Fraud Section of the Criminal Division has been proactive in prosecuting over 200 defendants for exploiting the PPP, securing more than $78 million in cash and assets linked to these fraudulent schemes. The federal government is clearly committed to maintaining the integrity of relief programs designed for the genuine aid of small businesses. Small business owners should also be aware of ongoing monitoring and enforcement. As noted in the press release, any information regarding attempted fraud related to COVID-19 can be reported through the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF). This resource is invaluable for those who suspect fraudulent activity and want to protect the integrity of the programs meant to assist them. Ultimately, the case of Rahul Shah serves as a sobering reminder of the delicate balance between seeking financial aid for recovery and the need for ethical compliance. The temptation to manipulate figures for quick gains is far outweighed by the long-term consequences of engaging in fraud, which can result in severe legal penalties and lasting damage to one’s business. For small businesses looking to grow within a legitimate framework, this case reinforces the necessity of adhering to regulations, ensuring accurate reporting, and fostering a culture of integrity. As the federal government continues to crack down on fraudulent activities, staying compliant and ethical is not merely prudent—it’s essential for the sustainability of every business. For further details on this case, refer to the original press release from the SBA here. Image via Google Gemini This article, "Illinois Businessman Sentenced to Six Years for $55M Fraud Scheme" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

The European Union opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X on Monday after his artificial intelligence chatbot Grok spewed nonconsensual sexualized deepfake images on the platform. European regulators also widened a separate, ongoing investigation into X’s recommendation systems after the platform said it would switch to Grok’s AI system to choose which posts users see. The scrutiny from Brussels comes after Grok sparked a global backlash by allowing users through its AI image generation and editing capabilities to undress people, putting females in transparent bikinis or revealing clothing. Researchers said some images appeared to include children. Some governments banned the service or issued warnings. The 27-nation EU’s executive said it was looking into whether X has done enough as required by the bloc’s digital regulations to contain the risks of spreading illegal content such as “manipulated sexually explicit images.” That includes content that “may amount to child sexual abuse material,” the European Commission said. These risks have now “materialized,” the commission said, exposing the bloc’s citizens to “serious harm.” Regulators will examine whether Grok is living up to its obligations under the Digital Services Act, the bloc’s wide-ranging rule book for keeping internet users safe from harmful content and products. In response to a request for comment, an X spokeswoman directed The Associated Press to an earlier statement that the company remains “committed to making X a safe platform for everyone” and that it has “zero tolerance” for child sexual exploitation, nonconsensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content. The X statement from Jan. 14 also said it would stop allowing users to depict people in “bikinis, underwear or other revealing attire,” but only in places where it has been deemed illegal. “Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation,” Henna Virkkunen, an executive vice president at the commission, said in a statement. “With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens — including those of women and children – as collateral damage of its service,” said Virkkunen, who oversees tech sovereignty, security and democracy. Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI launched Grok’s image tool last summer. But the problem began snowballing only late last month when Grok seemingly granted a large number of user requests to modify images posted by others. The problem was amplified both because Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative with fewer safeguards than rivals, and because Grok’s responses on X are publicly visible, and can therefore be easily spread. The EU investigation covers only Grok’s service on X, and not Grok’s website and standalone app. That’s because the DSA applies only to the biggest online platforms. There’s no deadline for the bloc to resolve the case, which could end in either X pledging to change its behavior or a hefty fine. In December Brussels issued X with a 120-million euro (then-$140 million) fine as part of the earlier ongoing DSA investigation, for shortcomings including blue checkmarks that broke the rules on “deceptive design practices” that risked exposing users to scams and manipulation. The bloc has also been scrutinizing X over allegations that Grok generated antisemitic material and has asked the site for more information. Malaysia and Indonesia blocked access to Grok earlier this month in response to the controversy, becoming the first countries to do so. On Friday, Malaysian authorities said they lifted the temporary restriction after the company implemented additional security and preventive measures, without giving further details. Malaysian regulators said they met last week with X’s representatives and would continue to monitor the situation. __ AP writer Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report —Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer View the full article

Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...View the full article

AI Overviews, which place generated answers directly at the top of search results, are improving the search experience for users. For businesses that rely on content to drive traffic from search engines, the impact is far less positive. Google has been moving toward more “helpful” results for years, and zero-click searches are nothing new. AI Overviews accelerate that shift, absorbing much of the traffic opportunity that search has historically provided. How AI changes the work of search For years, search followed a familiar pattern: A user entered a short query, such as “team building companies.” Google returned a page of paid and organic results. The user did the work of reviewing and refining. Most of the effort happened at the end of the process. Google organized results based on intent and behavioral signals, but users still had to click through listings, conduct follow-up searches, and piece together an answer. AI reverses that flow: The user asks a more detailed question. AI runs multiple searches and processes the results. AI delivers a summarized response. Traditional search allows for refinement, but each new query effectively resets the experience. AI, by contrast, is conversational. Each interaction builds on the last, narrowing in on what the user actually wants. The result is a faster, cleaner path to an answer – with far less effort required from the user. The path of least resistance This shift matters because it aligns with a basic human tendency. People generally choose the easiest available option. If something is easier and produces a better result, adoption follows quickly. This is how search replaced older marketing channels such as the Yellow Pages. Seeking the path of least resistance is an evolutionary trait that likely served humans well in earlier eras. Today, however, it often shapes behavior in less intentional ways, including how people interact with ads and information. AI is not perfect, but it is typically faster, easier, and more effective than digging through traditional search results. That advantage makes widespread adoption inevitable, especially as AI continues to be integrated into the websites, apps, and devices people already use. What does this mean for search marketing? Recent studies have shown that more users are beginning their research with AI tools rather than search engines. These studies always have their critics, but the broader point is something of a moot one: AI is everywhere. AI is now so integrated into the tools people already use that it is becoming the default. Search engines, messaging platforms like WhatsApp, and mobile devices are all moving in this direction, and this is just the beginning. With Google having signed a multiyear deal with Apple, Google AI will power a significant share of mobile devices, accelerating the shift toward AI-first experiences. It’s easy to envision an AI-first future, much like the shift from desktop to mobile and then mobile-first. Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. What this change actually looks like Generative answers are shifting where users enter the funnel, with engagement increasingly starting mid-funnel around content that demonstrates experience and expertise. This is the type of content users historically would only engage with on a company’s website, or through other owned channels such as YouTube. This does not mean top-of-the-funnel content is no longer important. Blogs, guides, and videos still matter, videos in particular. However, it may be worth reconsidering how that content is distributed rather than relying solely on traditional organic search. With the rise of AI tools such as Gemini and ChatGPT, users can now handle much of this comparison work through AI, saving significant time. For example, the shift looks like this: From “Mid market ERP platforms.” Where the user must sift through results, compare options, build spreadsheets, and conduct extensive manual review. To “Which mid-market ERP platforms work best for manufacturing firms, integrate with our existing stack of X, Y, and Z, and won’t collapse during implementation?” This changes where the user must exert effort. A more detailed question or input produces a far stronger response or output. You could argue that traditional search had degraded into a form of garbage in, garbage out (GIGO), where short, generic queries produced ad-heavy, blended results that were time-consuming to mine for real answers. The result is user fatigue. Endless clicking, avoiding ads, and sorting through widely varying content has become a chore. And the experience often does not improve once users reach the destination. Traffic-starved, ad-heavy websites can be just as difficult to navigate and extract useful information from. AI offers a cleaner, faster, and less cluttered experience, delivering summarized pros, cons, and supporting evidence at each stage of the decision-making process. All of this can happen inside an AI tool, without the user ever needing to visit the site where the content originated. AI is increasingly becoming the default interface for information. These are still early days, and the experience will continue to improve, becoming faster, smoother, and more effective over time. The crux of the SEO vs. GEO/AEO/AIO conversation is often that, despite a changing landscape, SEO and GEO are largely the same. This is broadly true and, if anything, feels similar to the early days of SEO, when long-tail opportunities were real. You can now go much deeper with mid-funnel content because it no longer requires humans to read it all. Instead, AI can consume it and summarize the relevant parts. The tactics are largely the same. Much of AI still sits on top of traditional search, but SEO strategies and execution may need adjustment to ensure all bases are covered. It’s also important not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. SEO, PPC, and related channels all retain value in the age of AI. Dig deeper: SEO, GEO, or ASO? What to call the new era of brand visibility in AI [Research] How to adapt in an AI-first search environment The game has changed. Planning for 2026 and beyond requires accepting that change and making practical adjustments to thrive in the age of AI search. Website In traditional SEO and PPC models, users often land on the most relevant page for their query. That may be upper-funnel marketing content that leads deeper into the journey or directly to product or service pages. This still happens, but there is now a noticeable increase in homepage visits driven by brand searches after AI-based research. As a result, website navigation and messaging must be exceptionally clear. You need to understand user needs and make the path to relevant content as simple as possible. The ALCHEMY website planning framework can help restructure sites around the expectations of an AI-savvy user. Content In the age of AI, the devil is in the details. If you want AI to recommend your brand or include it in increasingly nuanced research, your most important content must be visible and accessible so it can be retrieved and used to generate AI answers through retrieval-augmented generation, or RAG. Frameworks such as “They Ask, You Answer” (TAYA) by Marcus Sheridan are particularly effective here. The premise is simple: If customers ask the question, you should answer it. The framework focuses on five core areas, identified through extensive research, that address customer needs, drive engagement, and provide AI with the detailed information it needs to map to real user questions. This approach works because it makes sense. It benefits users, improves visibility, drives leads, and supports sales. It is not an abstract AI strategy. It is good marketing. These are the five key areas that TAYA focuses on: Pricing and cost: If users search for pricing and cannot find it, they do not assume they should call for details. They often assume the product is too expensive or that information is being withheld, and they move on, or ask AI for a competitor’s pricing. Even when pricing is custom, you should explain the factors that influence cost. Problems: Address the obvious issues. This includes problems with your product, your industry, and the drawbacks of specific solutions. Being transparent about limitations builds trust more effectively than excessive positivity. Versus and comparisons: Buyers are choosing between alternatives. If you do not create comparison content, someone else will. Be objective. If a competitor is better for a specific use case, say so and focus on your ideal customer profile. Reviews and ratings: People look for the best options and trust peer opinions more than brand claims. Create honest reviews of products and services in your space, including competitors. This process is informative for both users and brands. Best in class: Users frequently search for “best” solutions. Lists such as “Top AI marketing agencies in [city]” are effective, even when they include competitors. Including alternatives demonstrates that customer fit matters more than self-promotion. From an AI and SEO perspective in 2026, these five topics represent some of the highest-value data points for RAG systems. Tools such as the Value Proposition Canvas and SCAMPER can support ideation and content variation, helping AI better understand your offerings. Checklist: RAG-friendly formatting tips Do not break content into meaningless fragments. Instead, use formatting that helps RAG systems navigate comprehensive resources: Use question-based headers: Mirror real user questions in H2s and H3s, such as “How much does X cost?” Lead with the answer: Apply the inverted pyramid. Start with the direct response, then add context. Use bulleted lists for attributes: Bullets help RAG systems extract structured information. Define key terms: Provide clear, one-sentence definitions for industry jargon. Link to evidence: Cite sources for statistics and results to support credibility. Treat blog posts as a knowledge base for AI. The clearer and more specific the information, the more retrievable your brand becomes. Write for humans, not for bots It bears repeating: Content should not be simplified solely for AI. Google Search Liaison Danny Sullivan has clarified that Google does not want content rewritten into bite-sized chunks for AI consumption. Modern search systems and RAG pipelines can extract relevant information from well-structured, long-form content. There is no need to dilute expertise or create multiple versions of the same page. A familiar example is being deep-linked to a specific section of a page from search results. This is established behavior, not new technology. Some formats, such as FAQs, naturally benefit from concise structure. Use judgment based on the question being answered. SEO v2026.0 These are positive changes. SEO is becoming more closely aligned with marketing and less of a fringe discipline. The environment is shifting, and new tools are changing how people find information and make decisions. Yet many fundamentals remain. SEO tactics still apply, but AI now acts as a superconsumer and summarizer of the information that influences choice. The task is to identify, create, and structure that information so that when users ask a question, you have already answered it and are part of the conversation. 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On Sunday, the price of gold hit a major milestone: it surpassed the $5,000-per-ounce mark for the first time in history. But while gold’s price rise is a good thing for investors in the precious metal, it may also signal broader investor anxiety about the markets—and the world. Here’s what you need to know about gold’s surge. Gold trades above $5,000 for the first time ever On Sunday, gold surpassed $5,000 per troy ounce—the first time it has ever done so. The precious yellow metal climbed to $5,107 on Monday morning before paring back slightly to its current price of $5,082 per ounce, as of this writing. Gold’s most recent milestone is just the latest example of the good run the precious metal has had since 2025. During that calendar year, gold’s price surged 64%—its highest single-year gain since 1979. And 2026 is, so far, shaping up to be another stellar year for gold. Already this month, the precious metal has hit milestone after milestone, surpassing its 2025 all-time high on January 6, 2026, when it reached $4,497.20 per ounce. Less than a week later, gold crossed the $4,600 mark. And on January 20, gold crossed the $4,800 barrier for the first time. It then took gold just five days to cross the $5,000 threshold for the first time in history. What’s behind gold’s recent rise? The short answer is The President. But the more nuanced answer is uncertainty. Gold is a safe-haven asset—an asset that offers relative stability in times of economic uncertainty or geopolitical upheaval. During these times, traditional assets like stocks and digital assets like cryptocurrencies can be, and often are, highly volatile. When investors are uncertain about the world or the economy, they tend to pull their money out of these types of assets to lock in any gains they have made, and then put the proceeds of those sales into a more stable asset like gold. 2026 has begun with massive geopolitical and economic uncertainty, primarily due to the decisions of President Donald The President. The year kicked off with the U.S. attack on Venezuela, which The President ordered to capture the country’s president. Almost immediately after that, The President set his sights on acquiring Greenland. At the same time, The President also threatened tariffs on eight European countries that publicly spoke against the president’s desire to acquire Greenland, which would potentially trigger a trade war. It was only last week that The President finally backed down from his threats to acquire Greenland. Domestically, things have been just as chaotic in America. This month alone, ICE officers have shot and killed two American citizens in Minnesota, igniting fierce protests and condemnation from Americans across the country. But in news that has investors specifically worried, The President’s Justice Department has also opened a criminal investigation into Fed chair Jerome Powell, which many believe is politically motivated due to Powell not lowering interest rates as fast as the president wants him to. All these events have created significant uncertainty about the world and the economy, prompting investors to seek assets they can park their money in that are historically less volatile than stocks. Silver rising, too The price of gold isn’t the only precious metal rising due to all this uncertainty. Silver is also up significantly since 2026 began. As of the time of this writing, the price of silver is currently trading at around $108.50 per ounce after hitting an earlier all-time high of above $109. It was only last Tuesday that silver hit a then all-time high price of $95 per ounce. Over the past 12 months, silver has surged nearly 250%, and since 2026 began, the precious metal has risen a staggering 40% in the first 26 days of the year. View the full article

Prosper UK aims to pull Conservative party back to middle ground and counter rise of Reform UKView the full article

Google Ads is rolling out a new Experiment Center, giving advertisers a single place to test, measure, and compare campaign performance. What’s new. Google has launched a new help page introducing the Experiment Center, a unified dashboard that brings together traditional Experiments and Lift Studies under one roof. Advertisers can now manage tests around bidding, targeting, and creatives alongside studies measuring brand, search, or conversion lift. Why we care. Experimentation in Google Ads has historically been fragmented, with A/B tests and lift studies living in different places. A centralized hub lowers friction and makes it easier for advertisers to validate strategy before scaling spend. How it works: The new layout streamlines setup and reporting, surfacing key insights from tests in one place instead of across multiple tools. This makes it easier to compare outcomes, understand impact, and move from testing to action faster. Between the lines. The Experiment Center builds on Google’s recent push toward experimentation, following updates like expanded A/B testing in Shopping and Performance Max campaigns and more recently their Campaign Mix Experiments beta. As automation takes on more decision-making, advertisers will need these new ways to test changes, prove impact, and regain confidence in an increasingly opaque system. Bottom line: Advertisers should start using the Experiment Center to formalize testing around bidding, targeting, and creative, using lift studies and experiments to validate changes before rolling them out at scale. View the full article

Drake Maye vs. Sam Darnold. Two stingy defenses. A second-year head coach vs. a veteran coach in his second act. Super Bowl 60 is set and it’s a rematch: The New England Patriots vs. the Seattle Seahawks. The Patriots will seek their NFL-record seventh Super Bowl victory when they face the Seahawks on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Led by Maye, coach Mike Vrabel and a stifling defense, the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl for the first time since Tom Brady and Bill Belichick won their sixth ring together seven years ago. The Patriots (17-3) beat the Denver Broncos 10-7 on Sunday in the AFC championship game to advance to their 12th Super Bowl. Darnold, Mike Macdonald and a suffocating defense have led the Seahawks to the big stage for the fourth time in franchise history. They’re seeking their second Lombardi. Darnold, a No. 3 overall pick in 2018 now with his fifth team, played one of his best games to lead the Seahawks to a 31-27 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC title game. He threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers. “That doesn’t matter to me,” Darnold said about the doubters he’s proven wrong. “I just come to work every single day with these guys. These guys in the locker room, that’s what it’s about to me, man. The way we’ve come to work ever since April in OTAs, training camp, one day at a time and we’re here. We did it.” It was a wacky finish when Brady and the Patriots beat Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll’s Seahawks 11 years ago. Brady threw four TD passes and rallied New England from a 10-point deficit to win the fourth of his seven rings when Malcolm Butler intercepted Wilson’s pass from the 1-yard line to secure a 28-24 victory on Feb. 1, 2015. Seattle fans still lament why Marshawn Lynch didn’t get the ball on a handoff at the 1. “We did not care,” Macdonald said about coming into the season as underdogs in the NFC West behind the Rams and 49ers. “It’s about us. It’s always been about us and what we do and now we’re going to the Super Bowl.” Maye scored on a 6-yard touchdown run in the second quarter in Denver after a critical turnover by Jarrett Stidham, who made his fifth career start filling in for injured Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. “The Pats are back, baby,” Maye said. “Now, gotta win one.” Playing through a snowstorm in the second half, Maye only threw for 86 yards and ran for 65. Stidham had 133 yards passing and one TD, one interception and one costly fumble. The 23-year-old Maye, a finalist for AP NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, will become the second-youngest QB to start a Super Bowl behind Dan Marino. He’s the fourth second-year QB in the past seven years to lead his team to the NFL title game. Patrick Mahomes (2018) won it while Joe Burrow (2021) and Brock Purdy (2023) lost. Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a linebacker for the Patriots in the 2000s, turned the team around in his first season as coach. New England went from 4-13 last year under Jerod Mayo to 14-3. Vrabel is trying to become the first person to win a Super Bowl as a head coach and player for the same team. Tom Flores, Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy and Doug Pederson won Super Bowls playing for one team and coaching another. “I can’t tell you how proud I am to be associated with these guys and this organization,” said Vrabel, who is a finalist for AP NFL Coach of the Year. “I won’t win it. It’ll be the players that’ll win the game, I promise you. It won’t be me that’ll win it and I promise you I’ll do everything that I can and our staff to have them ready for the game.” No team has played in the Super Bowl more than the Patriots, who are 6-5. They’re tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most wins. It’s been a long road back to the top for New England, which came off consecutive four-win seasons and only had one winning season after Brady’s departure in 2020. The Patriots have averaged just 18 points per game in the playoffs, the fewest by any team to make the Super Bowl since the 1979 Rams, who averaged 15. New England’s defense has allowed just 26 points in the three games, an average of just 8.7 per game. The only team to allow fewer points in three playoff games before a Super Bowl appearance was the 2000 Ravens, who gave up 16. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL —Rob Maaddi, AP Pro Football Writer View the full article

The most expensive bottle of American whiskey ever sold at auction is no longer a dusty pre-Prohibition relic or a museum-grade antique. It’s a 1982 bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle. This weekend at Sotheby’s New York, a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 20-Year-Old Single Barrel “Sam’s” (1982) sold for $162,500, setting a new record for the most valuable bottle of American whiskey ever sold at auction. Only 60 hand-numbered bottles of the legendary “Sam’s” release were ever produced, bottled at a staggering 133.4 proof, the highest proof Van Winkle expression ever released. The bottle hadn’t appeared at auction in more than a decade. And it wasn’t alone. That record-setting bottle headlined the Great American Whiskey Collection Saturday, which brought in $2.5 million, making it the most valuable single-owner American whiskey collection ever sold and the most valuable single-owner spirits auction ever held in New York. The total more than doubled Sotheby’s low pre-sale estimate of $1.17 million, and every single lot sold. For a category that, until recently, lagged far behind Scotch in the auction world, the sale marked a watershed moment. This wasn’t just a good night for Van Winkle. It was a signal that American whiskey has fully arrived as a serious, global collectible. A first for Sotheby’s and for bourbon The auction, held live at Sotheby’s new global headquarters in the Breuer Building on Madison Avenue, was the first live, single-owner American whiskey sale in history. Sotheby’s leaned into the moment, installing a pop-up bar inside the space so visitors could experience the 360-bottle collection up close before bidding began. The bottles read like a greatest-hits list of Kentucky and rye history: Old Rip Van Winkle, Old Fitzgerald, private bottlings for historic retailers, and ultra-rare single barrels that were never meant to leave a small circle of friends and insiders. And the buyers reflected how the market is shifting. Sotheby’s says 96% of the lots were purchased by North American collectors. Nearly a third of the buyers were new to Sotheby’s, and more than half were under 40. That last number matters. American whiskey collecting is no longer being driven by the same older Scotch-focused crowd that traditionally dominates auction houses. A younger generation of bourbon and rye obsessives is entering the secondary market with serious money and a deep knowledge of the category’s lore. Why private labels and store picks dominated the night What propelled the sale beyond expectations wasn’t just age statements or old glass. It was something uniquely American: private label bottlings and single barrels made for liquor stores, families, and insiders decades ago. These bottles were never widely distributed. Many were likely consumed long ago. Their survival is almost accidental. A few standouts: Van Winkle 18-Year-Old “Binny’s” (1985, 121.6 proof) sold for $106,250. Distilled at Stitzel-Weller and bottled at full cask strength for Chicago retailer Binny’s, fewer than 100 bottles were made. Very Very Old Fitzgerald “Blackhawk” 18-Year-Old (1950, 121 proof) realized $112,500, more than double its low estimate. This was a private bottling for the Wirtz family, owners of the Chicago Blackhawks, and was never available to the public. A companion Blackhawk 12-Year-Old from the same series sold for $60,000. Van Winkle 18-Year-Old Family Reserve “Park Avenue Liquor Shop” fetched $62,500. Originally retailing for $75, it is one of only three known 18-Year-Old Van Winkle bottlings ever produced. All three were in this auction. A 1909 O.F.C. Bourbon 115 Proof drove competitive bidding to $47,500, far above estimate. Time and again, bottles tied to specific retailers, families, or one-off selections outperformed expectations. These weren’t mass-market releases. They were whiskey folklore in liquid form. A night of records for Van Winkle and beyond Numerous lots set new records, especially for obscure Van Winkle private labels and long-forgotten rye bottlings: Old Rip Van Winkle “Blue Smoke” 18-Year-Old: $37,500 Twisted Spoke 16-Year-Old: $32,500 Old Rip Van Winkle “Delilah’s 10th Anniversary”: $30,000 Van Winkle 19-Year-Old Corti Brothers bottlings: $35,000 each J.W. Gottlieb Private Stock Rye 13-Year-Old (1984): $56,250 Old Rip Van Winkle Bottled in Bond 1917: $47,500 Pappy Van Winkle 20-Year-Old “City Grocery 20th Anniversary”: $30,000 Many of these bottles had never appeared at auction before. Others hadn’t surfaced in decades. What this says about the American whiskey market Zev Glesta, Sotheby’s Whiskey Specialist, called the sale “a defining moment for American whiskey at auction,” pointing to the “continued maturation of the global market for the rarest American whiskeys.” He’s right. These weren’t aristocratic estate bottles. They were store picks, family gifts, anniversary barrels, and retailer exclusives that accidentally became legends. A bottle meant for a Chicago liquor store. A gift for the owners of a hockey team. A Manhattan shop pick that sold for $75. Forty years later, they’re museum pieces. And at least one of them just became the most expensive American whiskey ever sold. View the full article