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Google’s AI Mode became available earlier this month as a Google Search Labs experiment. After researching dozens of keywords across transactional, navigational, commercial, and informational intents, here’s what SEOs and marketers need to know about Google’s AI Mode. It’s genuinely AI-powered The query [cheap flights] produced many different outputs, ranging from 370 to 449 words, with anywhere from 13 to 39 right-sidebar citations. Local intent is everywhere Even for queries where location makes zero sense, queries like [online courses], [subscribe newsletter], and [youtube login] included location context. Navigation patterns Searches for DuckDuckGo, Gmail, CNN, YouTube, Twitter, and Wikipedia all bypass AI Mode completely, reverting to traditional Google SERPs with 8-10 blue links. Commercial and Informational keywords have the longest AI Mode outputs These appear more like blog posts. For example, [Laptop brands] produced 576 words with 56 citations, while [Causes of the French Revolution] produced 512 words with 12 citations. Reminder: these will likely look different when/if you run these queries. Previously buried page 2 results now appear as citations Queries that produce no AI Mode output, just the blue links (like [Twittter]) surfaces URLs that were previously hidden beneath featured snippets and on Page 2. There’s also visibility for page 2 URLs with keywords that produce longer citations. Thumbnail insights Images get cropped to 82×82 px from the most prominent (or optimized for the keyword) image or on-page headers. Also, URLs without thumbnails stay thumbnail-less until Google finds a usable image. Check your URLs and add relevant images when appropriate. Local brand winners emerging Best Buy (if you have one semi-nearby) is crushing it in commercial searches (especially with local intent), while SmartAssist set the record for most blue links within an AI output result for [mortgage rates]. Note: You’ll likely have different locally referenced winners for your area. Blue link records [Lightweight hiking boots reviews] had 21 blue links (with anchor text) within one AI Mode output (and only three right-sidebar citations). This creates a massive opportunity for visibility if you can create supporting content for Google to cite within AI Outputs that have a propensity to produce higher in-text citations. Additional AI Mode insights Advanced citation mechanics: AI Output links frequently take you to pages with referenced text highlighted (just like featured snippets occasionally do). This is a huge clue about what Google values on the page! Mobile vs desktop divide: Mobile AI Mode consistently shows ~50% fewer citations than desktop. Definitely optimizing differently for smaller screens. Citation patterns by intent: Informational queries get minimal citation love – [why is the sky blue], [bitcoin explained], and [how to calculate compound interest] all had just three or four citations (the lowest observed). Mathematical oddities: Inconsistencies were found between the number of citations listed and the actual results shown. The system still has bugs/quirks worth exploring. Thumbnail insights: ~85% of citations display thumbnails – if you’re in the 15% without, you’re at a significant disadvantage for clicks. Traditional SEO disrupted: [Book flights] now surfaces competitive blue links that were previously buried beneath Google Flights. OTAs are getting unexpected visibility. Citation reputation matters: LinkedIn posts dominate citations for [best seo in the world] (Neil Patel’s older content heavily cited for [top seos] and [top seo agencies] queries) – historical authority still weighs heavily. UX quirk: You lose the full right-side citation list once you interact with any in-text link citations (the little circle links). Google’s positioning: AI Mode works hard to convey Google’s real-time + location relevance (their competitive edge) with oddly specific contextual statements like “relevant for someone in Mound, MN, interested in enhancing skills or exploring new subjects in March 2025 for [online courses]. Brand queries get hyperlocal: [Disney] and [NASA] triggered results about brand-related events near Minneapolis – suggesting high local intent weighting even for major brands. Infrastructure insights: Occasional “something went wrong with this response” errors suggest Google’s still figuring out the cost/infrastructure balance for running LLMs at scale. Working out bugs: Found entirely random citations (like “Used RVs For Sale in Rutland, MA” showing up for “laptop brands”) – suggests some noise in the system that G still has to work out. What this means The rules of SEO are being rewritten. There’s a massive opportunity to learn about how Google is integrating AI technology and optimizing for AI Mode citations like this before it’s mainstream. Sites that were previously buried on Page 2 of Google now have a fighting chance through evaluating AI output content, topics, and citations – and revamping their content to better compete. Also, add a relevant photo that helps entice a click. Remember, these will be cropped square at the center. View the full article

As a PM, quitting means more than just walking away—it means planning an exit that doesn’t leave projects in limbo. From creating transition docs to gathering career wins, here’s how to leave the right way. The post The Career-Boosting Way to Quit Your PM Job appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

The US president has to understand that economic warfare will hit his own people in their pocketbooksView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. You can add Walmart to the list of retail behemoths hosting spring-time sales, joining the likes of Amazon, Target, and Best Buy, who each have similar sales around the same time. Here is everything you need to know about Walmart's upcoming Super Savings Week sale. When is Walmart's Super Savings Week?Walmart will run its spring sale for a full week from March 25 to March 31. Do you need to be a member to shop for Walmart's Super Savings Week?Walmart has a Walmart+ membership that goes $12.95 per month or $98 per year (you can always get a free 30-day trial), but Walmart hasn't yet said if its sale is exclusively for members or not. Based on its previous sales though, you likely won't need to be, but members will likely get a head start on deals. What can you expect during Walmart's Super Savings Week?You can expect deals on virtually every category that Walmart sells, from tech to home decor. According to CNET, Walmart confirmed that it will include 30% off TVs, 30% off patio and garden, 50% off jewelry, and up to 55% off Crocs. Some early deals are already liveAs is usually the case, Walmart kicks off its sales with some early deals that lead up to the main event. Keep in mind these aren't technically Super Savings Week deals, though. You'll likely find better deals once the sale officially starts. Here are a few: Apple Watch Series 10: $329 (save $70) LG UltraGear 32-inch QHD monitor: $188 (save $161) Arlo Essential indoor camera: $20 (save $20) JBL Charge 5: $119 (save $60) Apple M2 iPad Air: $699 (save $100) Roku Express 4K Plus: $29 (save $11) Hisense 75-inch Class U6H QLED 4K TV: $488 (save $210) View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I work at a fairly large international company with several offices and remote workers all over the country. I manage a team of three graphic designers. My position and team are all new; previously all design work was outsourced. I was hired to put together a team and bring design in-house. I did all of the work in the beginning, and added additional designers one at a time. I am exempt, and my team are all non-exempt. Now that the team is running well, I’m finding myself without much to do. I meet with my boss biweekly to relay the status of our projects, new clients, vendor issues, etc. I have met all of his objectives, and he tells me I’m doing a great job. I do typical manager things like approve payroll and conduct employee evaluations, answer team member questions and offer assistance when needed, and review their work and offer feedback. They are all entry-level, so in the beginning I did a lot of training with them but now it’s only required if I introduce something new. This leaves me with a lot of extra time most weeks. I fill it with tutorials, reading management materials, and taking classes, but I am stressed about it because I know I wasn’t hired to do these things as my primary responsibility. I know that output is more important than hours worked, but I feel like the expectations are different for managers. My boss doesn’t assign my team’s work, and our workload depends on how many projects are coming in. I review the incoming requests and assign them to a designer, but I can’t create new projects that haven’t been requested by anyone. I have even stretched the definition of “graphic design” to get a few new projects sent our way. Is this common among managers? Or should I be able to figure out work to do without someone telling me? I could do more of my team’s work assignments, but I am afraid that could leave them without 40 hours of work, so I usually fill their plates first and just pitch in when things are really busy. My team is not likely to get any bigger, so I don’t anticipate the admin duties associated with being a manager to increase much. I would like to add that I am 60, female, and single, so leaving the position or company is not an option for me. I have been in the manager position for a little over a year, and with the company for three years. I’m of the school of thought that if your boss is happy and you’re helming a well-run, productive team that’s meeting their goals, you’re doing a good job as a manager. Of course, it’s important to define “well-run, productive team.” I’d define that as a team where: – when work is completed, it generally looks like you wanted it to (indicating some of combination of having trained people well, getting aligned on expectations at the start and otherwise setting clear expectations, and checking in appropriately as work progresses) – you know where work stands and would catch it early if something were significantly off-track – if your team is asked what their their goals and priorities are, their answers would line up with your answer – people feel comfortable giving input, suggesting ideas, and taking initiative, and feel they have a reasonable amount of room to figure out the best way to achieve a project’s goals (as opposed to you dictating every step in the process) – people know where they’re doing well and where they should work on improving, because you talk about it explicitly and give regular feedback – your employees seem reasonably enthusiastic about their work, put the team’s success ahead of personal agendas (most of the time), generally have good will toward one another and minimal drama, and feel they’re treated fairly and with respect – you retain your strongest performers for a good solid period of time – you address problems quickly, including removing people from the team if coaching and opportunities to improve don’t solve the problem, and you don’t have any concerns about team members that you haven’t talked with them about – when you’re on vacation, you’re confident that work is moving forward well in your absence, without you constantly checking in If you look at that list and spot things you don’t have in place, those are good places to focus some energy. If you’ve got all that checked off, is there room to do more strategic thinking and planning — maybe longer-term goals that aren’t just about processing projects as they come in? I know you said you don’t want to take more of your team’s assignments in case it leaves them without enough work, but it might be interesting to talk to them about whether they could use more breathing room, and whether there are things they’d like to work on if they ever had the time. Maybe the answer to both of those will be no, but those could be interesting conversations. You can also think about investing time in developing your staff: what are their goals professionally? Are there skills they want to build, and ways for you to work on building those with them? Particularly since these are entry-level employees, there’s likely a lot of room to go down that path if you and they want to. If none of the above changes things … well, congratulations, your boss is happy and you’ve built and lead a well-run, productive team that’s meeting its goals. One caveat to all this: It’s worth making sure that your skills are staying up-to-date and you have accomplishments to put on your resume. I know you said you don’t plan to job-search, but that’s not always fully in your control, and you don’t want to find yourself job-searching from a weak position if you ever need to. I have no particular reason to worry that would be the case for you — building and leading a well-functioning team that meets ambitious goals is a marketable skill — but it’s something to keep in the back of your head too. View the full article

Everyday Health Group, a division of Ziff Davis, announced on Wednesday that it has acquired theSkimm, the newsletter and media brand dedicated to giving women the information they need to make confident decisions. TheSkimm was cofounded by Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg in 2012. They met in college, and then reconnected years later while working as news producers for NBC. The company began as a daily newsletter that was an essential daily news digest for millennial women (and men). Today, it offers multiple newsletters, podcasts, and a mobile app. It also houses Skimm Studios, which creates video and audio content, as well as SKM Lab, which allows brands to engage with generations of women. According to a press release, the acquisition should allow Everyday Health Group to connect with theSkimm’s loyal audience, providing trusted, evidence-based information and services to deliver timely and valuable content in the rapidly expanding women’s health and wellness sector. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. “The creation of theSkimm marked a watershed moment in getting vital information to a highly engaged audience of female readers in an incredibly compelling format,” said Nan Forte, executive vice president and general manager of Everyday Health Consumer, in a statement. “Today, it is a multifaceted suite of products and services uniquely designed to help her solve issues and better thrive across her work, life and family goals while simultaneously connecting her to a savvy, supportive and optimistic community.” ‘You can expect the same commitment’ Everyday Health Group has an audience of over 67 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians. Its mission is to create better clinical and health outcomes by providing highly relevant information, data, and analytics. Everyday Health Group’s portfolio includes Everyday Health, and DailyOM, as well as medical professional brands such as MedPage Today and Health eCareers. TheSkimm will now be under Everyday Health Group’s consumer portfolio, operating as a stand-alone brand, while keeping its current branding and staff, reported Axios. “You can expect the same commitment to trusted, relevant information and even more Skimm experiences,” said Zakin and Weisberg in the Daily Skimm newsletter. They echoed this sentiment on social media, assuring followers that theSkimm’s evolution would bring fresh experiences without straying from its core values. “We will continue on with theSkimm—in a way that allows us to be closer to building the brand. Get ready for the next chapter and more of what you love,” the cofounders wrote in an Instagram post. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Home renovations are expensive—and exciting. It’s never cheap to rip out the old and install the brand-new, but a quality renovation can turn your house into a dream home, or at least solve some nagging problems that have bothered you for years. While not every renovation project gives you the results you’re looking for, there’s no doubt that putting some work into your home usually results in a happier, more valuable place to live. But renovation projects aren’t “set it and forget it.” You’ve hired people to come into your private space with tools and materials, to rip out old stuff (that sometimes doesn’t want to be ripped out and puts up quite a fight), and generally make an enormous mess of the place. Hiring reputable contractors will protect you from the worst-case scenarios in most renovations, but any time tools and big, heavy materials are involved there’s a chance of damage. If your contractors smash up the place, your homeowners insurance may cover the costs, but it’s best if you avoid the damage in the first place. Here are some straightforward precautions to take to protect your home during a renovation. Sequester the renovation zonesIf you’re only renovating part of your home, your first step should be encapsulating the area with plastic sheeting. This doesn’t have to be a complicated process: Apply painter’s tape around the doorway or opening that leads to the area where the renovation will occur. Cut a sheet of plastic sheeting so that it fits over the doorway or opening with margins of an inch or more all around. Tape the plastic into place with duct tape, making sure to adhere it to the painter’s tape so you don’t damage the walls or floors. Apply a tarp zipper to the plastic barrier, then slice it open to create an opening for you and your contractors to pass through. This will help contain dust and debris, preventing damage to your furniture or HVAC systems. Turn off the HVACIf your home has central heating and cooling, you should take some precautions to ensure that it isn’t affected by dust and debris, which can clog the filters and damage the unit itself: Cover vents. Use magnetic vent covers or tape down more plastic to completely cover vents within the work zone. Turn the system off. When mudding drywall or painting, some contractors want to run your HVAC system to assist with drying, but don’t let them. In fact, turn the HVAC system off (in just the affected zone, if you can) to ensure it isn’t sucking up heavy construction dust all day long. If your contractors want to speed up the drying or setting process they can bring in portable heaters or dehumidifiers to do the job without risking your home’s infrastructure. Protect important surfaces from damageNow that dust isn't going to coat your entire home in a fine layer, it's important to protect various parts of your home from scratches, dings, and dents. DoorsDoors are easy targets for damage during a renovation. Contractors carrying large, bulky items can smash into them, and tools can easily scrape and dent as they’re carried around a space. Adding some snap-on door jamb protectors and removing or covering the door with builder’s paper will protect it from these kinds of accidents. Tubs and sinksIf your workers will be anywhere near your kitchen and bathroom fixtures, you’ll want to protect them from dirt and dust as well as scratches and other damage. You can plug drains with some rags or tape them up, then cover the sinks and bathtubs with heavy-duty cardboard (or invest in an adjustable tub protector or temporary, peelable tub film). This way, when your contractor drops their hammer on your brand-new tub, you’ll be able to just shrug it off. FlooringFloors take a beating during any sort of construction. Dirt and grit can act like sandpaper on the finish, and there are endless opportunities for scrapes and scratches. Depending on the work being done, you might get away with a simple drop cloth or carpet film, but if the work is more involved, you should consider something a little tougher to protect your hardwood, tile, or laminate flooring. Floor surface protection sheets are relatively easy to install, and are very effective at protecting against damage from even the most careless contractors, and neoprene runners are a solid option for easier, more temporary protection because they can be rolled out and rolled up quickly. You could also use To protect your stairs, an easy and effective solution is a no-slip drop cloth like this that will stay in place, even on stairs. CountertopsIn kitchens and bathrooms, contractors usually can’t resist seeing countertops as extra workspace, a place to drop tools, store materials, and otherwise abuse. Covering your countertops with a dropcloth or protective film can spare them dust, dirt, and greasy spills, but won’t protect them from chips and gouges. Covering them with the same board material you use on the floors can give you that extra layer of protection that ensures you still have countertops when the work is done. View the full article

If users don’t interact with your page in Google’s search results, Google may remove that page from its results – or possibly even its index. That’s according to a recent short video Google’s Martin Splitt posted on the Google Search Central YouTube channel. This information confirms what Google said in their recent (since 2019) communication and once again with the Navboost details from the DOJ trails, and the data leak. What Google said. Here is a partial quote from the video, which I will embed below: “If they are not showing up so it’s either that the query is a bit weird or that the query hasn’t actually been asked that much or that we have other pages that we think will help the user more than yours. So that’s a performance problem that likely has to do something with around the content that you have on the pages. So you might want to check that out, especially if pages fall off the index again. That means that we thought they might be good but we found that users don’t really use them in search results. So we thought like, yeah, okay, we gave it a chance but, ehh, you know others are doing better here.” The video. He says this around the 2-minute mark in the video below: Interactions. What does Google mean by interactions? Well, Google won’t really say. But the data leak may get you thinking. Full quote: Here is the full quote, so you have the full context: Hello and welcome to the office hours again. We got a question from someone who didn’t leave us their name so it’s a mystery question, but the question was pretty good so I thought I’d pick it anyway. The question goes. My site has been indexed and the pages have been added to the sitemap but they are still not appearing in search. Well that can happen. So for something to show up in search it has to go through a bunch of different stages. I’ll try to link in the comments to the how search works to explain how that works in more detail. But fundamentally we need to know that the URL exists, that we call that Discovery. We need to actually visit the URL to see what’s there. Then we might put it into a database we call the index. And then when someone looks for something that we think the page covers, we might show it in search results that’s what people refer to as ranking, and we refer to it as serving as well. So a sitemap helps with a first stage of Discovery. A sitemap tells us there is a URL that exists on this website. The fact that we have indexed it means we have discovered it. So your sitemap seems to be working. We crawled it because otherwise we can’t really index it much, so we crawled it, we checked it out. There is caveats to that, we might actually index something without crawling but in this case we likely crawled it, we put it in the index so we think there’s something there, good. But then when someone asks a question, we look in the index for all the pages that we have that will probably be a good answer or good search result for that question, for the query. And then we’re not picking your pages apparently. If they are not showing up so it’s either that the query is a bit weird or that the query hasn’t actually been asked that much or that we have other pages that we think will help the user more than yours. So that’s a performance problem that likely has to do something with around the content that you have on the pages. So you might want to check that out, especially if pages fall off the index again. That means that we thought they might be good but we found that users don’t really use them in search results. So we thought like, yeah, okay, we gave it a chance but, ehh, you know others are doing better here. So you want to have a look at your content because it’s very likely that your content isn’t really serving much in terms of queries coming in and that’s why it’s not showing up in search results. Why we care. This is just one more reason, like you needed another reason, to make sure the content on your website is created in a way that your users want to interact with. Make your site pages are user-friendly and engaging, and your site is a place users will want to return to. It will help make your users happy, increase conversions, and could also help your pages remain in Google’s index. View the full article

Elon Musk’s electric-car maker says panel may fall off pick-up truck causing a ‘road hazard’View the full article

Gboard, the default keyboard on many Android phones, is finally getting a proper undo button. Up until now, you had to use a Japanese keyboard to access the undo button, but Google has finally addressed that gap. With Gboard 15 for Android, you'll be able to use the undo button that, thankfully, works with all languages. How to set up the undo and redo buttons in GboardFirst up, go to Google Play store and update Gboard to the latest version. After that, open any app where you can see the keyboard, such as Messages or Chrome. Fire up the keyboard and tap the four squares icon in the top-left corner of the keyboard. This will show you all the shortcuts that you can add to the suggestions row up top. Undo should be one of the shortcuts. You can drag it to the suggestions row at the top of the keyboard to make it easy to access. The redo button appears in the suggestions row, once you try to undo something using Gboard. How undo and redo work in GboardOnce you type something using Gboard, you can easily use undo and redo to, well, undo or redo things! The trick is to get the button to show up in the suggestions row, which may not happen immediately if you also have autocorrect enabled, since autocorrect suggestions populate here, too. So, to use Gboard's undo button, you can type something first, then tap the four squares button in the top-left corner. This will replace all the autocorrect suggestions with the undo button. Tap undo once, and you'll also see the redo button appear right next to it. Gboard's undo is the equivalent of hitting the delete button on the keyboard once. You can't press and hold undo to erase a bunch of words quickly, but you can press it to remove the previous thing you typed. If you regret pressing undo or if you pressed it one time too many, you can use the redo button to restore one character at a time. The good thing is that the undo/redo feature works even if you switch to another app and return to the original one. Unfortunately, if you end up force quitting an app, then your undo history is wiped and you have to start afresh. This means that after force quitting an app and opening it again, pressing undo won't do anything until you type some more words. View the full article

The NBA’s Boston Celtics are used to packing their arena with a sea of green. Now, the company’s owners, the Grousbeck family, are seeing green. That’s because the franchise has reportedly been sold for $6.1 billion, per ESPN, to a group led by Bill Chisholm, managing partner at private equity firm Symphony Technology Group. The sale would be the largest for a sports franchise in North American history, beating out the sale of the NFL’s Washington Commanders franchise two years ago, which tallied $6.05 billion. The sale would still need to be approved by the NBA Board of Governors. Fast Company has reached out to both the Celtics and Symphony Technology Group for comment. The sale comes on the heels of the Celtics winning the NBA championship last year, the 18th in franchise history. It was announced that the Grousbeck family, the franchise’s primary owner, would seek to sell the team last summer as well. It bought the team in 2002 for $360 million, and if the $6.1 billion sale does go through, the family would see a roughly 1,700% return on investment. The sale also shows that sports franchise values are steadily increasing. In 2023, both the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks were also sold, for $4 billion and $3.5 billion respectively. At the tail end of that year, the Dallas Mavericks were also sold for $3.5 billion. The $6.1 billion valuation would put the Celtics near the upper echelon of North American sports franchises. The most recent rankings from Forbes, which regularly publishes a list of the most valuable sports teams, ranks the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys at the top with an estimated value of more than $10 billion. Two other NBA franchises are among the top five: The Golden State Warriors are valued at $8.8 billion, and the New York Knicks are valued at $7.5 billion. View the full article

The Fed's wait-and-see approach on what will happen to the U.S. economy, while not directly impacting mortgages, will likely keep those rates elevated. View the full article

UK prime minister hosts meeting of senior armed forces figures from around 30 nationsView the full article

IDEAS shared have the power to expand perspectives, change thinking, and move lives. Here are two ideas for the curious mind to engage with: I. Writer and theologian C.S. Lewis on what why small choices matter: “Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible.” Source: Mere Christianity II. George Mallory, a British mountaineer on the joy of climbing: “People ask me, ‘What is the use of climbing Mount Everest?’ and my answer must at once be, ‘It is of no use.’ There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever. Oh, we may learn a little about the behavior of the human body at high altitudes, and possibly medical men may turn our observation to some account for the purposes of aviation. But otherwise nothing will come of it. We shall not bring back a single bit of gold or silver, not a gem, nor any coal or iron… If you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won’t see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to live. That is what life means and what life is for.” Source: Climbing Everest: The Complete Writings of George Mallory * * * Look for these ideas every Thursday on the Leading Blog. Find more ideas on the LeadingThoughts index. * * * Follow us on Instagram and X for additional leadership and personal development ideas. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Pixel Tablet didn't do too well for Google when it came out in 2023, costing more than the entry-level iPad but not offering a better experience. But with its current price of $279 (originally $399) for the 128GB storage and 8GB RAM version, it's matching its lowest Black Friday price, according to price tracking tools. This makes the tablet perhaps what it should've been in the beginning, a very well-priced Android tablet-smart display hybrid. Google Pixel Tablet 128 GB $279.00 at Amazon $399.00 Save $120.00 Get Deal Get Deal $279.00 at Amazon $399.00 Save $120.00 The ideal user for the Pixel Tablet is a person who wants a mid-range Android tablet that can also use a smart display for widgets or display photos when not in use. The smart display is meant to be used with the speaker dock, which you can get right now for $399 (originally $499). It charges the tablet, works as a stand, and packs a powerful sound. The 11-inch display has 2,560 by 1,600 pixels with a 60Hz refresh rate and a pixel density of 267ppi. It can also get bright with 500 nits of peak brightness, giving the best screen and video quality on any of the Pixel tablets or smart displays. Either version you get will come with 8GB of RAM, which for a tablet is acceptable. You can choose how much internal storage to get, starting with 128GB. As far as battery, PCMag found during their review the tablet reached five hours and 25 minutes at full brightness playing HD videos. The front and rear cameras are the same: Both capture 8MP pictures, have an 84-degree field of view, and record 1080p video at 30fps. The Pixel Tablet is a tablet first and a smart display second. Google optimized many popular apps to work well on it as a tablet. Like most Pixel devices, Google says it will provide a minimum of five years of security updates and the base. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. Remember the letter-writer whose coworkers had way more money than her but constantly expected her to shell out cash for meals and gifts? Here’s the update. Thanks for posting my letter and for your advice a while back. I have a somewhat unsatisfying update. The gift-giving has slowed down considerably, presumably because the federal workplace isn’t exactly festive at the moment. However, the original issue recently showed up in a different form. Our office admin offered to put together (what I understood to be) a no-host happy hour as a send-off event for a colleague who recently got DOGE’d. (Note: I understood it to be a no-host event because that is the norm for our field. In fact, when I first arrived they held a welcome happy hour for me, and everybody, including me, paid their own bill.) I truthfully mentioned that I had a schedule conflict that would have caused me to only be able to stay a few minutes and she told me how important it was that I show up for the laid-off coworker and at least come say goodbye. I saw her point and showed my face. I was the second person to arrive at the venue. The first person to arrive (the same colleague from my last letter who is always declaring “let’s just split it!” and “Jane doesn’t have to pay, we’ll all cover her”) had already ordered a spread of appetizers and a bottle of her own favorite spirit. I mentioned that I wouldn’t be ordering anything because I had to rush out right away. Once the rest of the group had arrived and the server took orders, I again announced, “Nothing for me, since I have to leave early.” Over the weekend, the same lady copied me to an email explaining that the bill had come to nearly $400 and assigning us all a portion that we’d need to send her. Apparently, she put the whole thing on her credit card and is looking to be reimbursed. I didn’t respond since I obviously racked up $0 of this outrageous bill. Seriously, how many $6 cocktails and $7 flatbreads could six humans possibly have ordered in 120 minutes?? Anyway, my husband told me that in times like these, it’s more important than ever to be viewed as a team player lest I be added to the “chopping block,” which is our name for the Elon-requested list of of individuals whose jobs can safely be cut. So, on Monday I reached out to her and reminded her that I didn’t order/consume anything but could still chip in a bit for team spirit. She responded with a fixed amount that she expected each attendee to pay — about twice the amount I had in mind — and followed up saying, “I know this feels unfair since you didn’t eat, but since we hosted Bob, you can think of it as your portion of the cost of his going-away party.” First of all, we as a team, absolutely did not agree to “host” a going-away party for Bob. And at any rate, that’s not how any of this works. I do not know why this one person gets to just invent this nonsense reimbursement system in which she pays what she wants and assigns the rest of us to cover the rest regardless of our actual consumption. She eventually followed up with a second email to me only saying, “Of course, if you prefer not to contribute, I understand,” to which I projected some snark that may or may not have been intended. I Venmo’d her the amount I was comfortable with and vowed to never spend any time with these folks outside the office ever, ever again. This may not be an issue much longer as I’m informed that my entire office is slated to get DOGE’d in the next couple of weeks. Some folks are being reassigned and some are being axed entirely. My takeaway from the happy hour experience is that my team’s earlier behavior had nothing to do with rich people being out of touch with most people’s spending-related norms and simply needing me to bring it to their attention. Since: (1) my colleague was fully aware that I didn’t eat or drink, but still spelled out that I need to pay 1/5 of the bill, and (2) remarked that it may “seem unfair” for me to subsidize everyone else’s excesses and encouraged me to view it a different way as though I am the one with a perception problem, it seems to me that it was always a matter of unreasonable people feeling entitled to my money. View the full article

Measures from the US Treasury department are latest salvo in a ‘maximum pressure’ campaign on TehranView the full article

But firms must prepare for it. By CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

But firms must prepare for it. By CPA Trendlines Research Go PRO for members-only access to more CPA Trendlines Research. View the full article

Gone are the days of blaming an entire generation's money problems on avocado toast. In fact, the stereotype of "millennial money problems" may not be quite what it seems in the first palce. Millennial wealth in the U.S. has nearly quadrupled since 2019, according to Federal Reserve data. And yet, time and time again, millennials report feeling financially insecure. This disconnect between numerical wealth and actual financial wellbeing has been termed "phantom wealth—money that exists in theory, but it doesn't translate to a sense of security or freedom in daily life. Here's why millennials might still be feeling financially vulnerable, and how you can regain a sense of control with your own finances. What is "phantom wealth"You might have a substantial 401(k) balance, equity in your home, or a six-figure salary, yet still experience anxiety about your finances. The typical markers of wealth—property, retirement accounts, investments—can create an illusion of financial security that quickly evaporates when faced with monthly budget realities, debt obligations, and lifestyle expectations. Several factors contribute to this phenomenon: Illiquid assets: Much of your net worth may be tied up in retirement accounts, home equity, or other investments that aren't readily accessible without penalties or major life changes. High fixed expenses: Mortgages, car payments, student loans, and other recurring obligations can consume a surprising portion of even substantial incomes. Lifestyle inflation: As income increases, spending habits often expand to match, creating a perpetual feeling of financial constraint regardless of salary. Regional cost-of-living: A $150,000 salary might provide abundant comfort in some areas while barely covering necessities in high-cost cities. Future uncertainty: Concerns about inflation, market volatility, and potential economic downturns can undermine confidence in even substantial financial resources. What it comes down to is that feeling financial secure is about the ability to spend less than you make (even if you make a lot). When your lifestyle requires less than your income produces, you gain breathing room in your monthly budget, the capacity to handle unexpected expenses, and freedom from the anxiety of living on the financial edge. So, even if millennials have made remarkable gains the past few years, the sensation of "phantom" wealth is pretty justified. How to feel real financial securityThe first step toward converting phantom wealth into genuine financial wellbeing is understanding your current reality. I highly recommend conducting an audit on yourself—you might be surprised to discover where your money actually flows. Track your cash flowStart by reviewing three months of spending across all accounts. Categorize expenses and identify patterns without judgment. This sort of baseline awareness is essential before you can make meaningful changes. Fixed recurring expenses create the most significant drain on cash flow. Examine your: Housing costs (mortgage/rent, property taxes, insurance) Vehicle expenses (payments, insurance, maintenance) Subscription services and memberships Insurance premiums Debt payments Even small reductions in these categories can substantially improve monthly cash flow and create more financial flexibility. Create deliberate spending prioritiesRather than attempting to budget every dollar, focus on intentionality. Ask yourself: Does this expense align with my core values? Will this purchase provide lasting satisfaction? Am I spending on this out of habit, social pressure, or genuine desire? The goal isn't necessarily minimalism but mindfulness about where your money goes. Bulk up your rainy day fundWhile retirement accounts and home equity are important, having accessible cash provides immediate financial security. Aim to build: An emergency fund covering around six months of essential expenses A separate opportunity fund for potential investments or major purchases Cash reserves for expected large expenses within the next 1-3 years These liquid assets transform theoretical wealth into practical financial freedom. Develop a long-term financial roadmapSo much insecurity comes from simply not understanding where your finances stand now or what your plan is for the future. Create a simple but specific plan addressing: Your target retirement age and lifestyle Major financial milestones (education funding, home purchases, etc.) Income diversification strategies Tax optimization approaches Estate planning considerations Revisit this plan annually and adjust as circumstances change. Perhaps the most important aspect of addressing phantom wealth isn't in chasing ever-higher income or investment returns, but in creating sustainable financial habits that allow you to consistently live well within your means while steadily building true wealth. By focusing on cash flow management, intentional spending, and building liquid reserves, you can ignore the headlines and regain a sense of practical financial wellbeing. View the full article

Twelve ways to tell. By Hitendra Patil Client Accounting Services: The Definitive Success Guide Go PRO for members-only access to more Hitendra Patil. View the full article

Twelve ways to tell. By Hitendra Patil Client Accounting Services: The Definitive Success Guide Go PRO for members-only access to more Hitendra Patil. View the full article

Google's Martin Splitt explains why indexed pages may not appear in search results, highlighting relevance and ranking competition. The post Google Explains Why Indexed Pages May Not Appear In Search appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

The chronicle of the polygonal failure known as the Cybertruck continues as Tesla issues a new physical recall that covers all 2024 and 2025 models built between November 13, 2023 and February 27, 2024. In the announcement, Elon Musk’s company says that “the stainless steel panel of the cantrail assembly may delaminate at the adhesive joint, which may cause the panel to separate from the vehicle.” The cantrail is the portion of the roof that joins the pillars that form the vehicle’s roof structure. Tesla adds that, “if the cantrail panel separates from the vehicle while in drive, it could create a road hazard for following motorists and increase the risk of injury or a collision.” The company claims that it will replace the cantrail assembly “with one that meets durability testing requirements.” Why the one now in place doesn’t meet durability testing requirements is anyone’s guess, but Tesla is well known for using components that don’t meet durability testing, like when it implemented touchscreens in its Model S in 2012. Tesla sourced screens and electronics that were not graded for cars, so they failed. We also know that the Cybertruck’s design is so bad that it has affected the company’s ability to manufacture it properly, as Musk himself has admitted. But this is just shoddy craftsmanship. The Cybertruck has been plagued with a seemingly endless litany of construction quality problems, which we have compiled here. And for those keeping tabs and watching Tesla’s stock sink into oblivion, this recall shows that Tesla has sold far fewer than Musk would like you to believe. A punch-on-the-face contrast to what Musk was selling in the company’s October 2023 investors call: “The demand is off the charts,” he gleefully told them. “We have over 1 million people who have reserved the car.” Here is the definitive and constantly updated timeline of all Musk’s Cybermucks. Or as complete as I could make it, because I’m sure I’m missing some specific problems from some owner in the Cybertruck Owner Club forum. I’ll continue to update the list as new issues appear. November 21, 2019 Elon Musk unveils the Cybertruck for the first time. He claims its windows are made of ‘Armor Glass’, a bulletproof material that won’t even dent when you hit it, even at close range with a steel ball. Seconds later, two windows break in a live demonstration. Musk claims it will reach customers in late 2021 starting at $39,900. August 8, 2021 Tesla announces it won’t be able to get the Cybertruck out in 2021 due to production problems. The company says it will be pushing the date to early 2022. January 31, 2022 Once again, Musk announces that Cybertruck production is delayed again to late 2022 due to various design and manufacturing challenges. November 1, 2022 Unsurprisingly, Tesla says it won’t be able to meet its late 2022 release window, pushing the release once again to the end of 2023, with “early production” in mid-2023. “We’re in the final lap for Cybertruck,” Musk says on a financial conference call. January 24, 2023 In an interview with Fast Company, industry experts say they doubt that the Cybertruck’s design will allow the company to produce it in any significant numbers. Adrian Clarke—a professional car designer who now writes design critiques for The Autopian—and others in the industry believe it’s having and will have lots of problems: “As soon as we saw [the Cybertruck], everyone I know in the industry started laughing. We just thought there is no way they’re gonna be able to get that into production,” he says. Clarke believes it’s going to be extremely hard to make “those dead straight panels.” July 20, 2023 The first production prototype of the Cybertruck rolls off the production line at the Giga Texas factory, and eagle-eyed auto industry experts immediately spot one major quality mishap: the front and back passenger doors don’t align. Misalignment like this is not new to Teslas, but Elon Musk vowed to eliminate the problem back in 2021. These problems will continue in models through the entire production run. Also, during a May 2023 shareholder meeting, Musk insisted that the Cybertruck would be built as an exoskeleton, a solid steel skin design that would act as the structure—like an arthropod have—making the car virtually indestructible. But car and manufacturing experts Cory Steuben pointed out on the famous automotive video blog Munro Live, that the Cybertruck clearly does not have an exoskeleton. According to him, the Cybertruck’s assembly line pictures clearly show a regular unibody chassis, just like the one you would find on “an old Honda Ridgeline or a Model Y,” with its flat panels just acting as your usual body. August 24, 2023 It’s official. The Cybertrucks coming out of Tesla’s Texas factory are not good enough, according to Musk. The CEO writes a leaked internal email to Tesla employees, revealing his concerns in categorical terms: “Due to the nature of Cybertruck, which is made of bright metal with mostly straight edges, any dimensional variation shows up like a sore thumb.” December 1, 2023 Remember the promised $39,900 starting price tag? It was wrong. The real starting point is officially announced: $60,990. January 25, 2024 Reports of the locking differential feature being inoperational appear, displaying a “Coming Soon” message during use​ according to The Drive. February 2, 2024 Tesla issues an over-the-air software update recall for 2.2 million vehicles, including the Cybertruck, due to the font size of the ABS, brake, and park indicators being too small, which could increase the risk of a collision. February 22, 2024 New Cybertruck owners report rust and corrosion on the allegedly stainless-steel body of the truck, especially in vehicles exposed to rain. This was one of the biggest selling points that Musk touted when he announced the truck. February 28, 2024 Multiple owners report seeing 25 critical system errors within a few days of using the truck, including warnings from the high-voltage system, “critical steering issue” system malfunctions​, and “loss of system redundancy” that alerted drivers that the “vehicle may suddenly lose electrical power, steering, and propulsion, and may be unable to apply the parking brake.” There were also alerts for degraded adaptive drive control plus automatically disabled traction, lane departure avoidance, and stability controls. Some users also report door latches that don’t work. March 12, 2024 Add another link to Elon Musk’s long chain of broken promises: He previously announced a futuristic optional camping tent that matched the polygonal shiny looks of the car but that sleek render of the future turned out to be a sad hodgepodge of flaccid fabric in real life. March 13, 2024 The Cybertruck Owners Club forum is now flowing with multitude of reported problems. Owner “cyberstank” reports how they took delivery on March 13, “made it one mile down road, started getting steering error, flashing red screen, pulled off the side of highway. Now the truck is dead and I’m waiting for a tow truck. Dealer couldn’t do anything for me. It was great for 5 minutes. I tried everything, restarting, screen is stuck black and keeps beeping”. Their message finishes with: “Tesla really rushed these trucks out, what a nightmare.” March 26, 2024 One owner reports problems with the Cybertruck’s autopilot system: “I encountered a truck on the other side of a two-lane highway. My Cybertruck suddenly made a hard brake stop when we both had a clear wide enough space between us. Luckily there is no vehicle at the back as it would have been a definite collision.” In the same thread, others report similar problems but, to be fair, users report this happens with other Tesla models. April 1, 2024 Owners all over the internet show the effects of the Cyberguillotine: Tesla didn’t include anti-pinch sensors for the Cybertruck’s frunk, which could cause severe injuries or amputations if fingers get caught. The truck will slice the hell out of your fingers—or any body appendage—that gets too near to its closing front hood. (It happens with its doors too.) April 9, 2024 Apparently, the Cybertruck’s allegedly bullet-proof and indestructible, so-called ‘Armor Glass’ can’t stand hail, as this Redditor shows. The cost for the repair, according to the owner? “Just got an estimate of $2,326.75 via app service request.” April 15, 2024 Tesla halts all Cybertruck deliveries after owners report a problem with the accelerator pedal, which could become stuck down, due to lubricant residue causing the pedal cover to shift and become lodged in place. April 19, 2024 Tesla physically recalls all its Cybertrucks. The recall notice states: “The accelerator pedal can become stuck, sending the truck accelerating beyond control, making it a danger to everyone on the road.” June 25, 2024 Tesla is forced to recall its Cybertruck for the fourth time in the US due to issues with trim pieces that can come loose and front windshield wipers that can fail. The problems announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration affect over 11,000 trucks. One issue involves the windshield wiper motor controller receiving too much electrical current. This can cause wipers to fail and reduce visibility, posing a crash risk. Tesla will replace the wiper motor for free and must notify all owners by letter by August 18. The other recall concerns a trim piece along the truck bed that may come loose and become a hazard for other drivers. Tesla will fix this issue by replacing or reworking the trim piece and will notify owners on the same date. March 20, 2025 Tesla issues a new physical recall that covers all 2024 and 2025 models built between November 13, 2023 and February 27, 2024: About 46,000 units, most of the Cybertrucks ever shipped. A stainless steel may fall because it doesn’t meet durability testing requirements,, causing a risk of injury or collision. View the full article

I'm always looking for Mac apps that speed up repetitive tasks, and Rapidmg is my latest find. It's a neat macOS utility that speeds up the app install process for many programs outside the Mac App Store. While you can download and install apps via Homebrew for the fastest possible experience, plenty of apps are unavailable for install via the package manager. Instead, they're available for download via your favorite developers' websites, where you can download a DMG (Disk Image) file to install the app. Rapidmg automates the process of installing apps from DMG files and executes a bunch of actions that will save you a fair bit of time. What's the deal with DMG files?The Mac's DMG format is similar to the ISO format on Windows, which can be used to mount virtual volumes, clone entire discs, and much more. It's a common way to distribute Mac apps online. To you, opening a DMG file appears as if you're launching the app itself, because it uses the app's icon and name. Once you open a DMG file, you'll see a small window containing the app's icon, which you drag into the Applications folder on your Mac. The DMG format allows developers the ability to customize the size and background of this window, creating some unique install layouts. This Aymeric on Software blog post does a great job documenting the history of the DMG file, in case you want to learn more about it. How Rapidmg speeds up the install workflow Credit: Pranay Parab Once you open a DMG file, it'll be mounted as a volume, and you'll see the installation pop-up. You drag the app's icon to the Application folder to complete the installation. This installs the app, but you still have two more things to do. You need to unmount the volume (right-click it on the desktop and click Eject), and delete the unwanted DMG file, which serves no purposes after an app is installed. Rapidmg can automate this entire process for you. Once Rapidmg opens a DMG file, it'll automatically move the app to your Mac's Applications folder, unmount the volume, and delete the DMG file (if you want it to). To use it, install Rapidmg, and then right-click any DMG file. Select Get Info and under Open with:, select Rapidmg. You may click Change All to make Rapidmg the default app for opening DMG files. With this done, just double-click any DMG file and Rapidmg will handle the rest for you. To streamline the process, launch Rapidmg, then click the gear icon in the top-right corner to configure it. Select the drop-down menu next to After Expanding, and choose Delete the disk image to get rid of the install file. That's all there is to it! Rapidmg is a free download via the Mac App Store and you can use it for free for one week. After that, you can pay $1 to unlock the app forever. As always, you should be cautious when you download Mac apps from unknown developers. While macOS has security protections to keep you from launching suspicious apps, you should still only download apps from reputed developers to avoid accidentally installing malware. Using Rapidmg is safe and it doesn't make you more vulnerable to security threats, but keep your guard up when downloading any apps from the internet. View the full article