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The potential impacts of import tariffs cloud the outlook, though, and could lead mortgage rates to surge and fall throughout the coming year. View the full article

When Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, there was a lot of focus on the price tag ($599 is cheap for a new iPhone, but not that cheap), the lack of MagSafe support, and Apple's decision to finally kill off the Home button. But there's an interesting discussion surrounding the 16e's processor: the A18. At first glance, it seems like the same chip as the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. The phones also have the A18, which makes it sound like the iPhone 16e offers the same performance as its more expensive sibling devices, for at least $200 less. The thing is, these aren't the same chips: The A18 in the iPhone 16e is "binned." What is a "binned" chip?"Binned" chips don't just apply to Apple products. All computer chip makers can bin their chips. It has to do with the manufacturing process: Chips are extremely complicated products, and they don't all come out exactly the same. Samples are tested for quality assurance purposes, and the chips that aren't quite up to snuff are separated from the ones that perform to standard. The former are then "binned," and won't be used as high-end chips, since they aren't able to hit the performance levels manufacturers are looking for. That doesn't mean binned chips won't be used at all, however. On the contrary, binned chips are often used, especially as mid- and lower-tier options. Manufacturers will often disable different "cores" of these chips to keep their performance in check. They're still perfectly capable chips, especially when they have this ceiling in place. Intel does this with its line of chips, for example, which is why you have different performance variants, like i5, i7, and i9. Apple does this, too: For the iPad mini 7, the company used binned A17 Pro chips. Now, Apple is using binned A18s for the iPhone 16e. How the iPhone 16e uses binned A18sSo, Apple makes a batch of A18 chips, originally intended to ship with the iPhone 16 series. During testing, some of these A18 chips aren't totally up to snuff, so they're set aside and not used for iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus devices. However, Apple has a new iPhone they want to sell for less than its flagship line—one that strips out "premium" features to keep costs down, but also offers incentives for users to actually buy their new iPhone over other options. It does have some binned A18 chips lying around: Why not use those instead? The iPhone 16e, then, uses the "same" chip as you'd find in the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus—but we know it doesn't perform as well, and thus can't be pushed as far. Apple, then, disables one of the GPU cores to keep performance in check. The 16e's CPU has the same six cores as the 16 and 16 Plus' (two performance and four efficiency), and the NPU has the same 16 cores across all devices. But where the GPU in the 16 and 16 Plus has five cores, the GPU in the 16e only has four cores. That's because these chips are binned. We won't know exactly how the binned A18 compares to the A18 found in the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus until reviewers get their hands on the iPhone 16e. However, my guess is the differences will be minimal. The CPUs and NPUs are the same, and the 16e's GPU still has four cores, which means performance for most tasks on the iPhone is going to be high. However, where the difference might show is in graphically demanding apps, such as AAA games. Developers could push the iPhone 16 a bit further than the iPhone 16e, because it has that extra GPU core. That will likely extend to the longevity of these devices, too: As software advances and becomes more demanding, the extra GPU core on the iPhone 16 could help keep it running smoother for longer. That said, it's just one extra core. In all likelihood, it's not going to amount to that great a difference. We'll see the numbers once reviewers run their benchmarks, but I think Apple's choice here was more about saving the company money than offering users a noticeably worse experience. View the full article

The Senate on Thursday narrowly voted to confirm Kash Patel as director of the FBI, moving to place him atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency despite doubts from Democrats about his qualifications and concerns he will do Donald Trump‘s bidding and go after the Republican president’s adversaries. “I cannot imagine a worse choice,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told colleagues before the 51-49 vote by the GOP-controlled Senate. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were the lone Republican holdouts. A Trump loyalist who has fiercely criticized the agency, Patel will inherit an FBI gripped by turmoil as the Justice Department over the past month has forced out a group of senior bureau officials and made a highly unusual demand for the names of thousands of agents who participated in investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Patel has spoken of his desire to implement major changes at the FBI, including a reduced footprint at headquarters in Washington and a renewed emphasis on the bureau’s traditional crime-fighting duties rather than the intelligence-gathering and national security work that has come to define its mandate over the past two decades. But he also echoed Trump’s desire for retribution. Patel raised alarm among Democrats for saying before he was nominated that he would “come after” anti-Trump “conspirators” in the federal government and the media. Republicans angry over what they see as law enforcement bias against conservatives during the Democratic Biden administration, as well as criminal investigations into Trump, have rallied behind Patel as the right person for the job. “Mr. Patel wants to make the FBI accountable once again -– get back the reputation that the FBI has had historically for law enforcement,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said before Patel was confirmed. “He wants to hold the FBI accountable to Congress, to the president and, most importantly, to the people they serve — the American taxpayer.” Democrats complained about Patel’s lack of management experience compared with previous FBI directors and they highlighted incendiary past statements that they said called his judgment into question. “I am absolutely sure of this one thing: this vote will haunt anyone who votes for him. They will rue the day they did it,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat. He added: “To my Republican colleagues, think about what you will tell your constituents” and family “about why you became voted for this person who will so completely and utterly disgrace this office and do such grave damage to our nation’s justice system.” About a half-dozen Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee gathered outside FBI headquarters earlier Thursday in a last-ditch plea to derail his confirmation. “This is someone we cannot trust,” said Sen. Adam Schiff of California. “This is someone who lacks the character to do this job, someone who lacks the integrity to do this job. We know that, our Republican colleagues know that.” Patel’s eyebrow-raising remarks on hundreds of podcasts and in other interviews over the past four years include referring to law enforcement officials who investigated Trump as “criminal gangsters,” saying some Jan. 6 rioters were “political prisoners” and proposing to shut down the FBI headquarters and turning it into a museum for the so-called deep state. At his Senate hearing in January, Patel said Democrats were taking some of his comments out of context or misunderstanding the broader point that he was trying to make. Patel has also denied the idea that a list in book he authored of government officials who he said were part of a “deep state” amounted to an “enemies list,” calling that a “total mischaracterization.” FBI directors are given 10-year terms as a way to insulate them from political influence and keep them from becoming beholden to a particular president or administration. Patel was selected in November to replace Christopher Wray, who was picked by Trump in 2017 and served for more than seven years but who repeatedly angered the president and was seen by him as insufficiently loyal. He resigned before Trump took office. Since Wray’s resignation, the FBI has been led by interim leaders, who have clashed with the Justice Department over its demands for details about the agents who investigated the Capitol riot — a move seen as a possible prelude to broader firings. Patel denied having any knowledge of discussions about potential firings, but a letter from Durbin last week that cited information that he said had come from insiders suggested that Patel may have been covertly involved in that process. Trump has said that he expects some of those agents will be fired. Patel is a former federal defender and Justice Department counterterrorism prosecutor. He attracted Trump’s attention during the president’s first term when, as a staffer on the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee, Patel helped write a memo with pointed criticism of the FBI’s investigation into ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign. Patel later joined Trump’s administration, both as a counterterrorism official at the National Security Council and as chief of staff to the defense secretary. —Eric Tucker, Associated Press View the full article

Private equity firms Apollo Global Management and Sycamore Partners are among the bidders who are competing to acquire Family Dollar, a discount retail chain operated by Dollar Tree, according to people familiar with the matter. Investment firm Brigade Capital Management has also expressed interest in buying Family Dollar, the sources said, requesting anonymity as the discussions are confidential. A deal for Family Dollar, which could value the retailer at several billion dollars, is not imminent, the sources said, cautioning that Dollar Tree could choose not to sell the business. It is also possible that a different suitor for Family Dollar could emerge, the sources added. Shares of Dollar Tree, which has a market value of about $16.5 billion, jumped more than 5% on the news on Thursday, before paring some gains. Dollar Tree did not respond to a request for comment. Apollo, Brigade and Sycamore declined to comment. Chesapeake, Virginia-based Dollar Tree has been working with investment bankers at JPMorgan Chase to explore options, including a potential sale or spinoff, for Family Dollar since June last year. The move marked a reversal for Dollar Tree, which acquired Family Dollar in 2015 for about $9 billion after outbidding its biggest rival Dollar General. Since the takeover, Family Dollar has struggled with its performance and its growth has stalled as the discount retailer has been unable to attract new customers. Its performance has lagged larger retailers such as Walmart and Target, as consumers cut back on discretionary spending due to high inflation. As of November 2, Dollar Tree operated 16,590 stores across 48 states and five provinces in Canada under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree Canada. Family Dollar generated roughly $13.7 billion of net revenue in the last 12 months, according to Reuters calculations. Sycamore, which has raised about $10 billion in aggregate committed capital, is an experienced retail investor that owns retailers like Staples, Loft, Ann Taylor, Talbots and Belk. In recent months, Sycamore has also been attempting to pull off a takeover of pharmacy chain Walgreens Boots Alliance. Apollo Global Management, which had about $70 billion of assets under management under its private equity strategy as of December 31, has acquired and invested in retailers including Michaels and PetSmart. Brigade Capital manages around $27 billion of assets and is primarily known as a credit investor. Last year, Brigade partnered with investment firm Arkhouse Management in its failed attempt to acquire department store Macy’s. —Abigail Summerville, Reuters 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. Apple released the latest iMac in late 2024, using their all-powerful M4 chip with their all-in-one desktop. If you've been keeping tabs on the iMac, this is a good opportunity to pull the trigger. You can get the M4 iMac for $1,149 (originally $1,299) after a $150 discount, the lowest price since its recent release according to price tracking tools. Apple iMac (2024, M4) $1,149.00 at Amazon $1,299.00 Save $150.00 Get Deal Get Deal $1,149.00 at Amazon $1,299.00 Save $150.00 The latest iMac comes with the M4 chip, which is about 1.5 times faster than the M2, and of course, comes better prepared to handle AI than previous models. You'll get 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSD of storage, an 8-core CPU, and an 8-core GPU. If you want to double your Thunderbolt 4 ports to four and get a 10-core CPU and GPU, you can upgrade to this even more powerful M4 iMac, which is also at its lowest price of $1,374 (originally $1,499). Some other improvements include the 12MP Center Stage webcam and USB-C charging ports for the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad. The “nano-texture display" option makes the 4.5K Retina display a bit less prone to glare or reflections. The design is essentially the same since 2021, according to PCMag's "excellent" review. One cool new feature that might be useful to you is the ability to mirror your iPhone and your MacBook's display to the monitor. While it's not a true external monitor, it sure beats spending more money for the 2022 Studio Display. The M4 iMac can handle heavy workloads, making it a capable workhorse computer for those looking to work on demanding software for media editing or similar work. Like older iMacs, you can expect the M4 to last many years and get support for Apple well into the future (M1's still get major updates). View the full article

Letitia James and 22 other attorneys general have filed an amicus brief in a Maryland case challenging the dissolution of the consumer protection agency. View the full article

President Donald Trump issued an executive order Wednesday night disbanding of three bank and credit union advisory groups. View the full article

When Apple announced the iPhone 16E yesterday, it also confirmed that the new budget phone will get Apple Intelligence’s “Visual Intelligence” feature, marking the first time the AI trick will come to a phone without a “Camera Control” button. While the other iPhone 16 series phones use their Camera Control buttons to access Visual Intelligence, the iPhone 16E can instead map it to its Action Button, a simple change that raises the question: why not the iPhone 15 Pro, too? Personally, as an iPhone 15 Pro owner, I’ve been asking that question for months now, as I’ve long suspected my phone’s internals were definitely capable of it—it can run every other Apple Intelligence feature without issue. It instead seemed to me like Apple was arbitrarily holding the feature back because it wanted to tie it to a specific button press I didn't have. Well, with the iPhone 16E adopting the Action Button workaround, it seems like Apple’s finally listening. Apple representatives have now confirmed that Visual Intelligence will be coming to the iPhone 15 Pro as well, using the same strategy. Speaking to Daring Fireball’s Jeff Gruber, an Apple spokesperson said that the iPhone 15 Pro will indeed get Visual Intelligence “in a future software update,” and that users could map it to the Action Button. Sweet vindication. There’s no word on when exactly that software update will come, and to be honest, I’m not sure if I’ll use Visual Intelligence much, but it’s encouraging to see my phone’s software not get held back by an arbitrary push for hardware cohesion anymore. For the uninitiated, Visual Intelligence brings AI to your iPhone’s camera. You can point your camera at a foreign language menu, for instance, to get a translation, or point it at a book to get a summary of what’s on the page, or point it at a dog to try to find out what breed it is. It can also surface information about businesses simply by looking at their storefront or signage (in the United States only), and works with Google and ChatGPT for extended search queries. In other words, it's similar to Google Lens, but puts AI first and is built into your operating system. Again, I’ve been prevented from playing around with it much, but hey, at least I now have the option. View the full article

Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell announced on Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year, ending a decadeslong tenure as a power broker who championed conservative causes but ultimately ceded ground to the fierce GOP populism of President Donald Trump. McConnell, the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history, chose his 83rd birthday to share his decision not to run for another term in Kentucky and to retire when his current term ends. He informed The Associated Press of his decision before he addressed colleagues in a speech on the Senate floor. “Seven times, my fellow Kentuckians have sent me to the Senate,” McConnell said, as aides lined the back chamber and senators listened from seats. “Every day in between I’ve been humbled by the trust they’ve placed in me to do their business right here. Representing our commonwealth has been the honor of a lifetime. I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.” His announcement begins the epilogue of a storied career as a master strategist, one in which he helped forge a conservative Supreme Court and steered the Senate through tax cuts, presidential impeachment trials and fierce political fights. Yet with his powerful perch atop committees, and nearly two years remaining in his term, McConnell vowed to complete his work on several remaining fronts. “I have some unfinished business to attend to,” he said. McConnell walked gingerly to the podium, sporting a walking boot. Senators from both sides of the political aisle seemed to listen most intently as he told them that while there are any number of reasons for pessimism, the strength of the Senate is not one of them. “The Senate is still equipped for work of great consequence,” he told them. As he concluded, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., motioned for the audience of senators, staff and Capitol visitors be allowed to applaud, which is usually not allowed under Senate rules. Republican senators then lined up to greet McConnell, beginning with Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who hugged him, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who patted him on the back. He took out a tissue and made a joke, prompting the group to laugh. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota gave him a warm handshake, and a dozen others senators soon did so as well. Sen. Lindsey Graham said McConnell reshaped the American judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court. “He has a lot to be proud of, and I am sure he will work hard to the very end of his term,” Graham said. McConnell, first elected in 1984, intends to serve until his term ends in January 2027. The Kentuckian has dealt with a series of medical episodes in recent years, including injuries sustained from falls and times when his face briefly froze while he was speaking. The famously taciturn McConnell revered the Senate as a young intern long before joining its back benches as a freshman lawmaker in the mid-1980s. His dramatic announcement comes almost a year after his decision to relinquish his leadership post after the November 2024 election. McConnell’s looming departure reflects the changing dynamics of the Trump-led GOP. He’s seen his power diminish on a parallel track with both his health and his relationship with Trump, who once praised him as an ally but has taken to criticizing him in caustic terms. In Kentucky, McConnell’s departure will mark the loss of a powerful advocate and will set off a competitive GOP primary next year for what will now be an open Senate seat. Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, seen as a rising star in his party for winning statewide office in Republican territory, has said he has no interest in the Senate. Beshear’s chief political strategist, Eric Hyers, reiterated that stance Thursday, posting on X: “He is not running for the Senate.” Beshear is widely seen as a potential candidate for the White House in 2028. Kentucky Republicans considering the race for McConnell’s seat quickly weighed in with reaction. U.S. Rep. Andy Barr said he would make a decision soon about his future. Former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron seemed to tip his hand, posting on X: “Kentucky, it’s time for a new generation of leadership in the U.S. Senate. Let’s do this.” Another looming GOP candidate is businessman Nate Morris. One common denominator among them — their professed loyalty to Trump and his agenda. McConnell, a diehard adherent to Ronald Reagan’s brand of traditional conservatism and muscular foreign policy, increasingly found himself out of step with a GOP shifting toward the fiery, often isolationist populism espoused by Trump. McConnell still champions providing Ukraine with weapons and other aid to fend off Russia’s invasion, even as Trump ratchets up criticism of the country and its leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The senator made it clear Thursday that national defense remains at the forefront of his agenda. He and Trump were partners during Trump’s first term, but the relationship was severed after McConnell blamed Trump for “disgraceful” acts in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack by his supporters. A momentary thaw in 2024 when McConnell endorsed Trump didn’t last. Last week, Trump referred to McConnell as a “very bitter guy” after McConnell, who battled polio as a child, opposed vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as the nation’s top health official. McConnell referred to Trump as a “despicable human being” and a “narcissist” in a biography of the senator by The Associated Press’ deputy Washington bureau chief, Michael Tackett. Before their falling out, Trump and McConnell pushed through a tax overhaul largely focused on reductions for businesses and higher-earning taxpayers. They joined forces to reshape the Supreme Court when Trump nominated three justices and McConnell guided them to Senate confirmation, tilting the high court to the right. McConnell set a precedent for hardball partisan tactics in 2016 by refusing to even give a hearing to Democratic President Barack Obama’s pick of Merrick Garland to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Putting the brakes on the Senate’s “advise and consent” role for judicial nominees, McConnell said the vacancy should be filled by the next president so voters could have their say. Trump filled the vacancy once he took office, and McConnell later called the stonewalling of Garland’s nomination his “most consequential” achievement. Later, when liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died weeks before the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden, McConnell rushed Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation through the Senate, waving off allegations of hypocrisy. McConnell also guided the Senate — and Trump — through two impeachment trials that ended in acquittals. In the second impeachment, weeks after the deadly Capitol attack by a mob hoping to overturn Trump’s 2020 reelection defeat, McConnell joined all but seven Republicans in voting to acquit. McConnell said he believed Trump couldn’t be convicted because he’d already left office, but the senator also condemned Trump as “practically and morally responsible” for the insurrection. McConnell over the years swung back and forth from majority to minority leader, depending on which party held power. He defended President George W. Bush’s handling of the Iraq war and failed to block Obama’s health care overhaul. McConnell, the longest-serving senator ever from Kentucky, ensured that the Bluegrass State received plenty of federal funding. Back home he was a key architect in his party’s rise to power in a state long dominated by Democrats. He is married to Elaine Chao, and they have long been a power couple in Washington. The senator referred to her as his “ultimate teammate and confidante.” Chao was labor secretary for Bush and transportation secretary during Trump’s first term, though she resigned after the Capitol insurrection, saying it had “deeply troubled” her. —Bruce Schreiner and Kevin Freking, Associated Press View the full article

Another food recall is underway: “Berry Buddies, berries & pancakes” breakfast snack packs sold at Kroger and Meijer supermarkets in 13 states have been recalled after it was discovered that packaging failed to list wheat and eggs as ingredients on the label, according to an announcement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The item includes fresh blueberries and mini pancakes, and is generally found in the refrigerated section, produce aisle, or deli departments of the stores. Not including these ingredients on the label poses a risk of serious reactions to those allergic to either or both wheat and eggs. Here’s what you need to know about the recall. What’s happened? Naturipe Value Added Fresh LLC is recalling 694 of its bento box snack packs and is coordinating with regulatory agencies. According to the recall, which was first published on the FDA’s website on Wednesday, February 19, “people who have allergies to wheat and/or eggs run the risk of serious allergic reactions if they consume these products.” The FDA announcement also stated that no illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this recall. Which Berry Buddies, Berries & Pancakes products are part of the recall? The products included in the recall can be identified by the following details, which are printed on the back of the package, near the barcode: Size: 2.1 oz (60 grams) packages Lot Number: 1097901 Best By Date: 02/25/2025 Dates sold: Between early February 2025 and February 18, 2025 What states are affected by the recall? The affected products were distributed in the following states: Arkansas Michigan Ohio Tennessee Virginia Minnesota Kentucky Indiana Illinois Missouri Mississippi West Virginia Wisconsin What should I do if I bought the recalled snack pack? Consumers can return the products to their place of purchase for a full refund, according to Consumer Affairs. If it’s not possible to return the item, it is recommended to discard the snack pack. What should I do if I ate the recalled snack pack? Individuals who have wheat or egg allergies and have consumed the product should watch for signs of an allergic reaction, which may include difficulty breathing, hives, swelling, or gastrointestinal distress, according to the FDA recall notice. Seek medical attention if symptoms appear. How can I get a refund or replacement? Contact Naturipe by phone, 239-598-6045, or by email at info@naturipefarms.com. Customer service is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m ET. View the full article

Donald Trump’s return to the presidency has sharpened criticism of diversity, equity and inclusion goalsView the full article

When a project or product manager is in the planning stage, they’re scheduling tasks to meet a schedule and not exceed the budget. But if the customer needs aren’t met with the deliverables being created, the project is a failure. Equally or more important than meeting deadlines and avoiding cost overruns is acceptance criteria. Why are acceptance criteria important? We’ll explain by defining the term and detailing what should be included to help the development team produce successful deliverables. Then we’ll explain when this process occurs, who defines it and more. What Are Acceptance Criteria? Acceptance criteria in project management are the specific conditions, requirements or standards that a deliverable must meet before it is accepted by stakeholders, clients or end users. These criteria define what is considered a successful completion of a project, task, or product feature. For acceptance criteria to be useful it must follow certain characteristics. For example, it should be unambiguous, avoiding vague language to avoid misinterpretation. The criteria should also be measurable and testable, meaning that pass and fail conditions are defined and can be verified. Naturally, the deliverables must contribute to overall project objectives and align with business goals. Finally, they should be realistic and achievable given the resources and constraints of the project. Once criteria acceptance is set, the project must be managed in a way that deliverables meet those standards. The best way to do this is by employing project management software. However, not all project management tools are alike. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with multiple project views to manage, execute and track deliverables in real time. Product managers can fulfill the product owner’s needs by scheduling tasks, resources and costs on robust Gantt charts. But they do more than that. Our Gantt charts link all four types of task dependencies to avoid delays and cost overruns, filter for the critical path to identify essential tasks and set a baseline to track planned effort against actual effort in real time. Those plans are then shared across the software allowing teams to manage their backlog and do sprint planning on kanban boards or task lists, which product owners can stay updated on the calendar view. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/critical-path-light-mode-gantt-construction-CTA.pngProjectManager’s Gantt charts help projects meet acceptance criteria. Learn more What Should Be Included in Acceptance Criteria for Project Deliverables? Acceptance criteria define the specific conditions a project deliverable must meet to be considered complete and accepted by stakeholders. Clear, well-defined criteria help ensure quality, align expectations and provide a basis for testing and validation. Below are the key components that should be included. Deliverable Description: Provides a clear definition of the deliverable, including its purpose, scope and expected outcome to ensure it meets stakeholder expectations and business requirements. Functional Requirements: Specifies the core functions, features and capabilities the deliverable must include to meet user and business needs. Non-Functional Requirements: Covers additional attributes such as security, usability, scalability and reliability that impact performance but aren’t directly related to functionality. Performance Requirements: Defines how well the deliverable should operate, including speed, capacity, load handling and response times to ensure optimal efficiency. Quality Requirements: Establishes standards for accuracy, consistency and reliability to maintain high-quality output and user satisfaction. Compliance and Regulatory Requirements: Outlines industry-specific regulations, legal obligations and company policies that the deliverable must adhere to, ensuring legal and operational compliance. Constraints and Limitations: Identifies any restrictions such as budget, time, technology or resource constraints that could impact the deliverable’s development and implementation. Success Criteria and Testability: Defines measurable success indicators and outlines how the deliverable will be tested to confirm it meets acceptance criteria. Review and Approval Process: Specifies the steps for internal and external review, stakeholder validation and formal approval before final acceptance and project closure. When Should Acceptance Criteria Be Defined? Acceptance criteria should be defined during the project planning phase before development or execution begins. Establishing clear criteria early ensures that all stakeholders share a common understanding of what constitutes a successful deliverable. It also helps prevent misunderstandings, scope creep and costly revisions later in the project lifecycle. During requirement gathering and refinement, acceptance criteria should be developed alongside functional and non-functional requirements. In agile methodology, they are typically written as part of user stories in collaboration with product owners, developers and quality assurance (QA) teams. This approach ensures that criteria are realistic, testable and aligned with business objectives. Acceptance criteria should be finalized before work begins on any deliverable to serve as a clear benchmark for success. However, they may be refined throughout the project based on feedback, evolving business needs or regulatory changes. Ensuring criteria are well-documented and agreed upon before execution helps streamline validation, testing and final approval. Who Defines the Acceptance Criteria for Project Deliverables? Project stakeholders, including clients, product owners and business analysts typically define acceptance criteria. They ensure the deliverables align with business goals, regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations. Stakeholders provide input on what success looks like and specify essential features, functionality and quality standards. The project team, including developers, designers and quality assurance specialists, collaborates with stakeholders to refine the acceptance criteria. They ensure the criteria are realistic, measurable and testable within the given project constraints. Agile development teams often define acceptance criteria as part of user stories, ensuring clarity before development begins. In many cases, project managers facilitate the definition process, ensuring all parties agree on the acceptance criteria before execution. They help document and validate acceptance criteria, making sure they serve as a clear guideline for deliverable evaluation. Final approval typically involves key stakeholders who ultimately accept or reject the deliverable based on these predefined standards. How to Write Acceptance Criteria Writing clear and well-defined acceptance criteria is essential to ensuring that project deliverables meet stakeholder expectations and quality standards. The process involves identifying key stakeholders, gathering requirements, defining testing methods and ensuring traceability. Below are the key steps to follow. 1. Identify Key Project Stakeholders Start by determining who is responsible for defining and approving the acceptance criteria. This includes clients, product owners, end users and project team members. Engaging the right stakeholders ensures that the acceptance criteria reflect real business needs and expectations. 2. Gather Requirements for Project Deliverables Work closely with stakeholders to define the functional and non-functional requirements of the deliverables. This step involves documenting what the deliverable must accomplish, any constraints and specific success conditions that need to be met. 3. Establish Acceptance Testing Methods and KPIs Define how the deliverable will be tested and measured against the acceptance criteria. Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess functionality, performance and quality. Testing methods may include user acceptance testing (UAT), automated testing or performance evaluations. 4. Create a Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) A requirements traceability matrix (RTM) helps track acceptance criteria from definition to validation. It ensures that all project requirements are linked to their corresponding tests and deliverables, helping teams verify that each requirement is met before approval. Benefits of a Well-Defined Acceptance Criteria Well-defined acceptance criteria ensure clarity and alignment among all project stakeholders by setting clear expectations for deliverables. They help prevent misunderstandings between teams, clients and end users by providing a shared definition of success. This clarity reduces the risk of scope creep and ensures that development efforts stay focused on meeting specific business needs. Having detailed acceptance criteria improves quality and testing efficiency by providing measurable and testable conditions for evaluating deliverables. Quality assurance teams and developers can use these criteria to validate functionality, performance and compliance before submission. This structured approach minimizes defects, reduces rework and ensures the final product meets expected standards. Acceptance criteria also streamline the approval and acceptance process, making it easier for stakeholders to verify whether a deliverable meets requirements. With predefined success criteria, project teams can quickly address gaps or revisions before the final handover. This results in smoother project execution, faster decision-making and greater stakeholder satisfaction. Acceptance Criteria Examples Acceptance criteria vary across industries and project types, but they always serve the same purpose—defining the conditions a deliverable must meet to be considered complete. Below are two examples of acceptance criteria: one for a manufacturing project and another for a user story in software development. Manufacturing Project Acceptance Criteria For a manufacturing project, acceptance criteria ensure that the final product meets quality, safety and performance standards. That process can look like the following. The product must be manufactured using ISO 9001-compliant materials and processes Each unit must pass a quality inspection, ensuring no defects greater than 0.5mm in variance The final product must withstand temperatures of up to 200°C without deformation Packaging must meet industry-standard safety guidelines to prevent damage during transportation User Story Acceptance Criteria In software development, acceptance criteria define the expected behavior of a feature within a user story. User Story: “As a user, I want to reset my password so I can regain access to my account if I forget it.” A “Forgot Password” link must be displayed on the login page. The system must allow users to enter their registered email to receive a reset link. The reset link must expire after 24 hours for security reasons. The new password must meet minimum security requirements (e.g., at least eight characters, including one number and one special character). Users should receive a confirmation email after successfully resetting their password. How ProjectManager Helps Manage Projects and Meet Acceptance Criteria for Deliverables Having acceptance criteria is one of the many things project managers do to set their projects up for success. As we noted, it’s as vital to delivering projects as planning, budgeting, resource management, monitoring and controlling. But it is also only a small part of that big list of needs a project demands to reach a successful conclusion. That’s why project management software is so important. It has the features project managers and their teams need to meet acceptance criteria and more. ProjectManager has multiple project views that allow everyone to have the right tools for the right job, but that’s only the beginning of the benefits of our software. Robust Resource Management and Cost Tracking Features Resource planning starts on the Gantt chart, where human and nonhuman resources are scheduled. Then, when onboarding the team, project managers can set their availability, including PTO, vacation, global holidays and skill sets, which helps assign the right task to the right person. The color-coded workload chart shows resource allocation over a project or multiple projects. This makes it easy to see who is overallocated or underutilized and then balance the team’s workload to keep them working at capacity. There’s even a team page for a summary of the team’s daily or weekly activities, which can be filtered by priority, progress and more. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Real-Time Project Management Dashboards Monitoring progress and performance allows project managers to catch issues that can impact the acceptance criteria and resolve them. For a high-level overview, toggle to the real-time project or portfolio dashboards to view one or multiple projects. Easy-to-read graphs and charts show cost, time, workload and more. For more details, visit our customizable reports, which can be generated with a keystroke. There are reports on project or portfolio status, variance, timesheets, workload and more. Each can be filtered to focus on key data points or provide a summary of progress to share with stakeholders. Even our secure timesheets help. They streamline the payroll process but also track labor costs to help keep to the budget. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dashboard-light-mode.jpg Related Content Those who enjoyed learning about acceptance criteria in project management, know that our site is full of such informational content. We publish multiple blogs a week, eBooks, video tutorials, free templates and more. Below is a sample of some recently published related pieces. Understanding Project Management Success Criteria What Is the Definition of Done for Agile Teams? How to Write a Business Requirements Document (BRD) How to Make a Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) Project Requirements Management: A Quick Guide Requirements Gathering Template for Word (Free Download) ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Acceptance Criteria in Project Management: A Quick Guide appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Whenever I have a carb emergency I make one of two things: cookies or quick bread. Lately I’ve been leaning toward the latter—like banana bread, lemon poppy muffins, or biscuits—because they’re less sweet compared to cookies, and I enjoy the ritual smear of salted butter. I’ve been making this Irish soda bread on repeat and I think you’ll like it too. Quick-bread satisfactionThe quick breads category is pretty wide. They can be sweet and cake-y like banana bread, barely sweet like scones, or savory like cheddar cheese and thyme biscuits. Unlike yeast-raised breads, quick breads are raised with chemical leaveners (baking soda or baking powder), which means they require absolutely none of the long proof times. What’s more, something like Irish soda bread requires very few ingredients. The Dutch oven is my vehicle of choice for this lofty, tender Irish soda bread. Similar to baking a sourdough loaf, humidity is your soda bread’s friend. Encasing your soda bread in a small space allows humidity to build up as moisture evaporates from the dough. The moist air keeps the surface of the loaf flexible for longer than if you bake it open on a sheet tray. The extra flexibility means the loaf can rise taller, uninhibited by a hard crust. How to make Irish soda breadI slightly modified this simple recipe, which has only four ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk. It’s very similar to biscuit dough (minus butter or oil). While traditional soda bread is the simplest—no raisins—I choose to toss them in. You can substitute in other mix-ins if the mood strikes you: Try dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or chocolate chips. The dough is relatively plain so any flavor profile you choose will work just fine. I have two notes before you set out to make your loaf. Most importantly, don’t overwork your dough. You’ve heard it before, but with shaggy doughs like this it’s hard to resist kneading it until smooth. Don’t do it. Leave it a bit shaggy and you’ll have a more tender loaf. About preheating your Dutch oven: The conventional oven should be preheated no matter what, but I’ve made this recipe with a cold Dutch oven before. I actually made a whole Irish soda bread YouTube video using a cold pot. It comes out perfectly and well-risen. However, I've recently been preheating the Dutch oven as the conventional oven heats up, and the loaf comes out perfectly there too. In the recipe below, I preheat the pot. You can do either—the only difference I detect is a faster bake by 10 minutes if you choose to preheat. Any other Irish soda bread questions you have might be answered here. Otherwise, the dough takes mere minutes to put together. Irish Soda BreadIngredients: 12 ounces all-purpose flour ¾ teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon baking soda 10 ounces buttermilk 2 ounces raisins (optional) 1. Put the Dutch oven inside the oven and preheat to 425°F. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl. 2. Pour in the buttermilk all at once and combine the ingredients by pressing and stirring. I use a plastic bowl scraper to do this. 3. When the dough starts to become clumpy and shaggy, add the raisins (if using) and continue pressing and stirring. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann 4. When it’s mostly combined but there is still loose flour at the bottom of the bowl, pour the dough out onto an un-floured countertop. Pat and press the dough to pick up the dry bits. Use any sticky areas to target the loose flour. Once you’ve collected most of the loose parts, pat the dough into a (roughly) two-inch thick round. Use a serrated knife to score a half-inch deep plus sign into the dough. Place the loaf on a piece of parchment paper. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann 5. Carefully take the Dutch oven out and use the parchment to lift and lower the loaf into the pot. Put the lid back on and return the pot to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Cool the soda bread on a wire rack before noshing. View the full article

Android, unlike some phone operating systems, allows users to install software from outside the default app store (even if you don't live in Europe). And that's good, because there's all kinds of great software that you can't get on Google Play. The game Fortnite is a prominent example—that game's developer, Epic, doesn't want to pay Google a cut of sales and as such isn't available on Android's main app store. Other apps aren't available because of Google's interests—for example, there's an ad-free, privacy respecting YouTube client that you can't find on Google Play. If you've never installed Android software without using Google Play, however, you might not know where to start. The good news is that sideloading is not hard. Sideloading comes with security concernsBefore you go too wild, though, know that there are security implications—you should be careful about sideloading Android apps. While it's not always perfect, Google Play has a system to keep malware out of their app store. Installing apps from outside that ecosystem means that you, yourself, need to do that vetting. Only sideload applications if you trust where they're coming from. F-Droid, which I'm highlighting in this article, is maintained by a community of open source developers and I'm inclined to trust it. Don't install APK files unless you've done your due diligence and have a good reason to trust the source. Getting started with sideloadingFirst, you'll need to download the APK file for the app you want to install. I'm going to use F-Droid, an alternative app store that only carries free and open source applications, to demonstrate how this works. I downloaded the APK file from the website, then I tried to open it. I was told that I was not permitted to install unknown apps from my download manager—in your case the warning may name Chrome, or whatever browser you use. In any case you can tap Settings to adjust the setting to allow installing apps. Once you've enabled the setting, you can now go back to your browser and reopen the file. You will be asked if you want to install the app—tap Install. You'll see the installer for a few moments, after which the application will be installed. Credit: Justin Pot Note that you'll have to repeat these steps for any other sources of software. For example, if you try to install an APK using your phone's file browser, you'll need to enable the file browser as a source for software. The same goes for F-Droid and any other alternative app store—you need to give the application permission to install apps. The exact steps are going to vary depending on your specific model of phone and operating system—that's the norm for Android. And in some cases your phone might be locked down to prevent such software from being installed—a lot of company-issued phones, for example, are locked down by IT departments. All that aside, though, you should now be able to install APK files. Enjoy the freedom! View the full article

Potential policy changes, a growing product niche, new thinking about whether to outsource and technology innovations are transforming the industry. View the full article

When some 33,000 Boeing machinists walked out of their airplane assembly factories in Seattle in September 2024, it was one of the largest strikes of the year. But it was also just one labor action that contributed to more than 5 million strike days across the country. Though the labor movement’s wave of landmark strikes ebbed slightly compared to 2023, there was still a surge of action in 2024 that resulted in 359 work stoppages, involving more than 290,000 workers. Thoe numbers come from the ILR-LER Labor Action Tracker, a joint project involving labor researchers at both Cornell University and the University of Illinois. That project began tracking strikes in late 2020 and into 2021, cataloging how the labor movement has gained traction since the pandemic. Last year, the tracker’s report on 2023 highlighted a significant boom: 539,000 workers who went on strike that year—a 141% increase compared to 2022—and were involved in 470 work stoppages, totaling a whopping 24,874,522 days of strikes. [Image: courtesy Cornell University/University of Illinois] That high was buoyed by landmark actions like the United Auto Workers Stand up strikes, the Hollywood writers and actors strikes, and multiple strikes by Starbucks workers. The number of strikes, workers involved in strikes, and total strike days did drop in 2024 compared to 2023—but are still higher than in 2021, the year that kicked off a resurgence in labor action. The main reason for that decline, researchers say, is the drop in the number of strikes by Starbucks Workers United, which held multiple actions across hundreds of stores in both 2022 and 2023. There also weren’t as many large unions with contracts expiring in 2024 as in 2023, noted Johnnie Kallas, a labor professor who first launched the tracker. When a union’s contract expires and it bargains its next contract, that’s often when workers strike to win improvements like better pay and benefits. [Image: courtesy Cornell University/University of Illinois] But workers are still striking to improve their wages and working conditions, Kallas notes. In 2024, the top three demands from workers on strike were better pay, improved health and safety, and increased staffing. That’s held true over the last two years, per the report. But new in 2024 was the fact that the majority of striking workers, 32.7%, were from the education sector—thanks to large strikes by union members at California State University, University of California, and University of California Health. The manufacturing sector was responsible for the highest number of strike days, claiming 40%. How the labor movement will keep up momentum under President Trump is unclear. The Trump administration has already threatened workers rights by gutting the National Labor Relations Board—hobbling its ability to decide any cases. (This move also makes it harder for unionized workers to get a first contract.) It also outlined how it plans to roll back Biden-era protections, like by reversing the NLRB’s decision to ban captive audience meetings, which allow an employer to force workers to listen to arguments against joining a union. [Image: courtesy Cornell University/University of Illinois] Though Trump’s pick to head the Labor Department, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has some union support, it’s not clear if she’ll be able to uphold her reputation in an administration that has fired thousands of federal workers, closely aligned itself with anti-union Elon Musk, and is already planning to roll back worker protections. But Kallas says workers may not give in so easily. “It is certainly difficult to predict what the impact of the Trump administration will be with regards to strike rates,” he says, “but workers may increasingly resort to taking action into their own hands due to the further erosion of the NLRB and other legal institutions.” 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. I've been a fan of Ultimate Ears (UE) outdoor speakers since I first got the Megaboom 3 back in 2018, and I'm still using it as my personal go-to portable speaker. The Megaboom 4 is its newer version, which came out last year, but it's already 32% off, bringing its price down to $135.44 (originally $199.99). This is the lowest price it has reached according to price-tracking tools, and it's cheaper than the Megaboom 3. Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 Protection: Water and dustproof, Sound: 360-Degree, Battery Life: 20-Hour, Range: 147Ft. $135.44 at Amazon $199.99 Save $64.55 Get Deal Get Deal $135.44 at Amazon $199.99 Save $64.55 UE is well-known in the portable speaker market for making some of the best outdoor speakers. Its Megaboom series is the brand's flagship speaker, and the fourth reiteration of the speaker was long overdue. The upgrade brings USB-C fast charging, a longer battery life of up to 20 hours, a skip-back media control on its physical buttons, more sub-bass range, and a better sound with more balance. Because of the way UE designs its speakers, you get 360-degree sound, which is ideal for outdoor use (but it sounds great indoors as well). This speaker, and like many in its lineup, floats on water and has a water- and dust-proof IP67 rating. The companion app lets you fully customize the EQ and connect your speaker to other UE speakers to create a stereo sound. The speaker itself already offers stereo, but since it's a single speaker, it'll be hard to notice. Despite the upgrades, the Megaboom 4 doesn't get as loud as its predecessor, maxing out around 83 dBs, and the audio quality will sound a bit compressed at those levels, but unless you like to blast your music, this won't be much of an issue. If you're looking for a great portable speaker with modern tech, the Megaboom 4 will not disappoint, especially at this price. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: I recently had a recruiter reach out to me about a job. I’m not really looking right now, but I figured I’d see what they had to say. I had my first interview virtually, and progressed a few days later to an in-person interview. It went well, but towards the end, the hiring manager asked if there was anything that would prevent me from accepting an offer if it were extended. Am I wrong to hate this question? Side note: the recruiter had been very clear that I shouldn’t ask any questions about what the company can do for me in the interviews, as they would handle all negotiations for me. So while I did know the proposed salary, I knew nothing else about the benefits the company provided. I was therefore pretty uncomfortable answering this question, but basically said depending on the offer, I couldn’t think of any other reason not to accept. I’m not proud of this, but that’s not strictly true. I did have some reservations, but how do you bring that up in an interview without tanking your chances? I work for a good company right now. Some things that could be better of course, but it’s not horrible by any means. There is obviously an opportunity cost to leaving the benefits and environment I’m sure about for something unknown. And I wasn’t even actively looking! There are myriad reasons why someone might turn down a job offer and I felt almost cornered. It left a bad taste in my mouth. Ultimately, after receiving more information on the company benefits, which are almost all worse than where I’m at now, I withdrew my candidacy. I’m just wondering how interviewers expect people to answer that question. It feels like a gotcha. I’d love to know your thoughts. It’s not a gotcha. It’s an attempt to find out if you have any concerns that they can address for you, and to gauge your level of interest. It’s also an attempt to find out if there might be obstacles to you accepting that they’d rather know about now, like “I expect my employer will counter-offer” — which isn’t something you’re obligated to share, but they’re not wrong to be interested in knowing — or “I’m considering moving out of the country in May so I’ll need to figure that out first.” Perfectly fine answers include things like: * “I did want to know more about the balance of X work and Y work in the role. What portion of the person’s time do you expect will be spent on each?” * “I haven’t had an opportunity yet to talk with the person I’d be reporting to, and I’d want to do that before accepting an offer. Will there be an opportunity for that in the hiring process?” * “I know a lot of companies in the industry are struggling with X. How has the team been approaching that?” * “I’d need to see the specific details of the offer, of course, but based on what I know so far, I’m very interested in the role.” View the full article

HubSpot and Canva have announced a new partnership aimed at simplifying content creation for small and medium-sized businesses. The collaboration integrates Canva’s design tools directly into HubSpot’s platform, enabling users to create, edit, and publish on-brand content without leaving the HubSpot environment. The integration introduces a “Design with Canva” button within HubSpot, allowing users to access Canva’s full suite of design tools, including Magic Studio AI, without switching between platforms. Marketers can now create visuals for email templates, social media posts, and landing pages while maintaining brand consistency. “Visual storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to show, not tell, your story to customers—one image can do the work of a thousand words,” said Karen Ng, Senior Vice President of Product & Partnerships at HubSpot. “By bringing together Canva’s creative platform with HubSpot’s customer platform, we’re making it fast and easy for teams to create professional designs at scale. Whether you’re a team of one or hundreds, this integration empowers you to meet the growing content demands of today’s market.” How the Integration Works The partnership enhances both creativity and efficiency by enabling teams to: Add Canva Pro Elements directly into their HubSpot designs. Collaborate seamlessly by commenting and sharing designs within HubSpot. Access Canva projects created in HubSpot from their Canva homepage. Users can design content by selecting the “Design with Canva” option when uploading an image within HubSpot’s content editor. First-time users will be prompted to log into their Canva account before proceeding. Once a design is completed, it can be saved and immediately used in marketing campaigns. Global Availability The HubSpot-Canva integration is available worldwide at no additional cost for all HubSpot users, regardless of tier, with a Canva subscription. By embedding Canva’s creative tools directly into HubSpot’s marketing platform, the partnership aims to give businesses a competitive creative edge in an increasingly visual and fast-paced digital landscape. Image: Hubspot This article, "HubSpot and Canva Partner to Streamline Design and Marketing Integration" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

HubSpot and Canva have announced a new partnership aimed at simplifying content creation for small and medium-sized businesses. The collaboration integrates Canva’s design tools directly into HubSpot’s platform, enabling users to create, edit, and publish on-brand content without leaving the HubSpot environment. The integration introduces a “Design with Canva” button within HubSpot, allowing users to access Canva’s full suite of design tools, including Magic Studio AI, without switching between platforms. Marketers can now create visuals for email templates, social media posts, and landing pages while maintaining brand consistency. “Visual storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to show, not tell, your story to customers—one image can do the work of a thousand words,” said Karen Ng, Senior Vice President of Product & Partnerships at HubSpot. “By bringing together Canva’s creative platform with HubSpot’s customer platform, we’re making it fast and easy for teams to create professional designs at scale. Whether you’re a team of one or hundreds, this integration empowers you to meet the growing content demands of today’s market.” How the Integration Works The partnership enhances both creativity and efficiency by enabling teams to: Add Canva Pro Elements directly into their HubSpot designs. Collaborate seamlessly by commenting and sharing designs within HubSpot. Access Canva projects created in HubSpot from their Canva homepage. Users can design content by selecting the “Design with Canva” option when uploading an image within HubSpot’s content editor. First-time users will be prompted to log into their Canva account before proceeding. Once a design is completed, it can be saved and immediately used in marketing campaigns. Global Availability The HubSpot-Canva integration is available worldwide at no additional cost for all HubSpot users, regardless of tier, with a Canva subscription. By embedding Canva’s creative tools directly into HubSpot’s marketing platform, the partnership aims to give businesses a competitive creative edge in an increasingly visual and fast-paced digital landscape. Image: Hubspot This article, "HubSpot and Canva Partner to Streamline Design and Marketing Integration" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Walmart shares fell early trading on Thursday after it posted its fourth-quarter earnings results. Despite an increase in sales, the retail giant said it expected profit growth to slow during this fiscal year. E-commerce sales increased 20% in the United States while revenue for the fourth quarter was up around 4%, according to Walmart’s earnings release. Growth in store pickups and speed of home deliveries—as well as share gains primarily from upper-income households—drove sales growth for the quarter, Walmart said. But Walmart stock (NYSE: WMT) still decreased on Thursday after it reported 2026 fiscal-year revenue and profit targets that were below analysts’ expectations. The retailer projected adjusted earnings per share of $2.50 to $2.60, which is south of the $2.76 share analysts had predicted, according to a consensus estimate cited by CNBC. Walmart noted that it expects net sales to increase in the range of 3% to 4%. Operating income is set to grow 3.5% to 5.5%, including headwinds of 150 basis points from its acquisition of smart-TV maker Vizio and an extra day in 2024 from Leap Year. As of midday Thursday, Walmart stock was down over 6%. “Low Prices and Convenience” During an investors call on Thursday, John David Rainey, chief financial officer, said that faster, more frequent deliveries and low costs have helped Walmart’s e-commerce business grow over the years. “Our prices are low and we are becoming more convenient,” CEO Doug McMillon added on the call. “Customers and members are going to be looking for value. They’re going to be looking for convenience.” Uncertainty in the global environment, including shifting trade policies and tariffs, has led to concerns about rising costs for businesses and consumers alike. Walmart plans to navigate these challenges by finding ways to maintain affordability for their customers. A Walmart spokesperson told Fast Company that the retailer has operated in a tariff environment for the past eight years and is well prepared to continue doing so. The spokesperson emphasized that Walmart will work hard to keep prices as low as they have been. Walmart continues to remain confident in its ability to provide value to customers despite the economic uncertainties. View the full article

The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage of 6.85% is just five basis points lower than the same time last year, following wider swings in the past 12 months. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Many of us have stairs in our home that could use a bit of a makeover, either due to wear and tear over time or because they’re builder-grade basic and didn't have much style to begin with. If you don't want to spend a lot of money upgrading a space meant to simply get you from one floor to another, though, there are ways to jazz your existing stairs without spending a lot. If you’re suddenly thinking that your boring stairs need a glow-up, here are some ways to accomplish that without cleaning out your bank account. PaintPaint is always the easiest and cheapest upgrade you can do, and that applies to your stairs as well. You can easily paint the risers a bold contrasting color that will transform even the most basic stairs into a design element. You can also grab a gallon of floor paint and transform the treads. Doing both together allows you to create a classic black and white look or get creative with a palette that complements the rest of the home’s design. And don’t forget the railing, balustrades, and newel post—giving these a gleaming new coat of paint is an instant transformation that doesn’t break the bank. Wallpaper or tileYour risers offer an incredible design opportunity—they’re essentially tiny canvases that you can dress up in a variety of ways. Applying wallpaper to your risers can give your stairs a punch of color and pattern that will make them pop, and you can probably do the entire staircase with just one roll of paper—or buy some contact paper pieces designed just for this purpose. If you have some leftover tile from another project or a line on some cheap tile, you can also tile your risers just like you’d tile a backsplash, instantly giving them a finished, stylish look. You’re not limited to the risers, either. You can wallpaper the wall, either covering it completely or creating a “skirtboard” effect that outlines the rise of the steps along the wall. Just bringing color and design into the space will class up your stairs. TrimStair brackets are trim pieces that are attached to the exterior of the stairs, adding some dimension and design to the part of your stairs that people will be staring at when they’re not actively walking on them. They’re pretty easy to install (you can use construction glue if you’re not comfortable with a nail gun or hammering in trim nails) and instantly upgrade the look of the staircase. You can also add trim to the staircase wall without splashing out. If you’re a decent carpenter, you can create and install a skirtboard along the wall, adding dimension and depth to your stair design. Alternatively (and much more easily) you can grab some stick-on wall trim and create a design on the wall to accent the stairs. LightingLighting can be a dramatic element in any space, but it’s extra dramatic on stairs—especially at night. Adding some simple stick-on lights to the wall close to the treads not only increases safety, it adds an artistic element, and rechargeable led strips under the lip of the treads turn your boring stairs into a focal point. Key things to consider when choosing lights are the brightness and warmth of the lights—you want them to be bright enough to increase visibility, but not so bright that they’re distracting. The warmth level should be tailored as much as possible to the palette of your home’s other design features. This might require a bit of experimentation before you land on the perfect combination. RunnersIf your stairs are fine but could use a little nudge of style (and maybe a nudge of safety), adding a carpet runner down the center is an easy project that adds a pop of color and design while increasing the grip. Installing a runner is a pretty straightforward DIY job that shouldn’t take more than a few hours, but you can simplify the task by using stick-on carpet treads instead—not quite as dramatic, but they still add dimension and safety to your stairs. If you go with a full runner, you can add stair rods pretty easily for an extra pop of design. Stair rods are a classic touch that also helps hold your runner in place so it doesn’t slip and pull over time, which can be both a safety issue and ugly as heck. Tread capsYou can jazz up builder-basic treads without tearing them out or sanding and staining them by using tread caps. These are thin veneers that slip over your existing treads, instantly hiding defects and changing the whole look and feel of your stairs. This is a fairly easy DIY job, though you’ll need to cut the caps to fit your stairs. View the full article

Calabria left the free-market think tank Cato Institute and is said to be at the Office of Management and Budget, reviewing multiple agencies. View the full article

Trade body said it would work with Defra and other parties to ensure ‘robust’ standardsView the full article