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Glitch comes as the iPhone maker is seeking to shore up its relationship with the US president View the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. As an amateur historian, I can say with certainty that technology has never embedded itself into society as rapidly as it has in the last decade. Today’s consumer relationship with technology is complicated and multifaceted—understanding that intersection is at the heart of everything we do as a company, and personally for me as Verizon’s Consumer CEO. Given our focus on the consumer, we publish an annual view of insights and trends that shed light on these relationships and the evolving role of technology in our lives, and this year’s Consumer Connections Report does just that. The report reflects our commitment to understanding and supporting the ways technology shapes our relationships, empowers our families, and enriches our daily experiences. It explores the interplay between digital and physical shopping experiences, and the growing reliance on home connectivity, as people use more and more smart home devices. And for the second year in a row, we look at how NFL fans showed up for their favorite teams, alongside the events and moments from the past year that connected us most as a society. What we learned: Limits reign: Parents and caregivers are using tech to monitor tech Parents are motivated to keep on top of their children’s use of technology. Our report reveals that they’re focused on social media apps like Tumblr, Whisper, and Snapchat the most. They’re also utilizing transitional options, like the Gizmo watch, which averages 3.3 million calls connecting parents and other caregivers with children each month. They can set content controls, block unwanted contacts, view text and call history, set usage limits, and more. That helps kids find their balance—learning to make smart, safe connectivity choices. Connectivity is where the heart is Home data use is on the rise. The average monthly data usage in 2024 across all Verizon Home Internet households was 656 GB, a 6% increase from 2023. People enjoy video and music streaming, gaming, videoconferencing, and smart home technologies that bring convenience, energy savings, and security. We know that to be true given that 18 is the average number of devices per Verizon Internet household. Customer experience is on demand Brick-and-mortar retail is returning to growth after pandemic-era slowdowns, indicating that in-store shopping provides a social and sensory experience that appeals to many consumers. We’re seeing the emergence of the “phygital economy,” which combines online and in-person in a single experience. Sixty-two percent of our customers’ purchases were made in a Verizon retail store. Most Verizon customers who use our in-store pickup service initiate their order online, and a growing number place the order over the phone. Go live from the game—it’s on 5G My company provides the 5G infrastructure for the NFL, which gives us insights into how fans are using their phones at games. Fans are increasingly creating and sharing their own game experience. They’re interacting with fellow fans via text, social media, and voice calls. They’re analyzing fantasy football matchups and checking scores. And they’re embracing AR and VR for on-site entertainment. In fact, average mobility (wireless) usage per game was 3.6 TB this season, a 37% increase over last season. The game with the most mobility usage? Giants at Cowboys. Video accounted for 25% of consumer data usage at NFL stadiums. That’s a lot of footage of the action. Other ways consumers use connectivity During the holidays, Americans are generating an enormous volume of calls, texts, and data to reach out. We studied data use at the airports over the winter holiday season, and found it rose to 17.7 million GB, and 28% of that was video. At the same time, many of us are also focusing more on connecting in person—and on balancing our access to the world around us with our attention to those in front of us. Indeed, on New Year’s Eve, the number of phone calls skyrocketed—it was the top holiday for phone calls—while on Christmas and Hanukkah, the number was muted. And that’s the point. Mobile devices connect us all to a world of opportunity, but don’t replace the world. Recognizing that truth is one of the keys to a healthier life. Sowmyanarayan Sampath is the CEO of Verizon Consumer. View the full article

Rapid spread of technology raises questions about how to assess undergraduate workView the full article

Government advisers call for an overhaul of domestic heating systems and suggest airfares could riseView the full article

The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. For the last decade, chief marketing officers (CMOs) haven’t felt as appreciated and necessary as they once were. But that may be changing—I should stress “may.” I’m thinking of the 2024 CMO Tenure Study by marketing consultancy Spencer Stuart. They’ve been issuing this study for two decades. Four years ago, the length of CMO tenure tightened to its smallest interval in more than a decade. In Spencer Stuart’s latest report, the average time spent by Fortune 500 CMOs in that job post in 2023 was 4.2 years, unchanged from 2022. While I wouldn’t say “flat is the new up,” stabilization after years of decline is somewhat positive. A bit more context: Conventional wisdom has suggested that CMOs turn over more often than other C-suite leaders. But Spencer Stuart’s analysis shows that CMO tenure is just under the 4.6-year average for all C-suite leaders such as chief operating officers, chief revenue officers, chief technology officers, etc. Still, CMOs are living in an “era of less,” according to a Gartner Marketing Practice study. Issued in May 2024, around the same time as the Spencer Stuart report, the GMP study notes that “in the four years preceding the pandemic, average marketing budgets were 11% of overall revenue. In the four years since, they’ve dropped to an anemic 8.2%.” The roles of marketing and advertising appear more diminished than ever before. Meanwhile, ad agencies and brand marketing departments are under greater pressure and scrutiny to prove effectiveness. The essential quality of the CMO’s job is akin to an orchestra conductor; but instead of musicians, the role is to make sure companies and individuals act seamlessly and complementary. But it’s not. There are reasons for that, good and bad. Short-sighted efficiency An ethos of efficiency has served as the defining, underlying feature of the advertising business for the last 25 years. The ’60s were about pushing the boundaries of creativity. Advertisers and agencies wanted to impress everybody with the ideas, images, and messages bursting from Madison Avenue. However, that shifted: The 21st century has been about personalization, speed—and above all—cost savings. But it takes a larger advertising team to expertly handle all parts of the marketing funnel from discovery to purchase while simultaneously instilling brand loyalty. The demands are, in fact, too complex for one agency, let alone one individual. As a result, specialists have divided the responsibilities associated with the multiple consumer touchpoints that need to be checked off. So much for efficiency. If only there were a single individual who could organize, synthesize, and prioritize all those crucial tasks. Oh, right. That’s what the CMO does. It’s what the CMO has always done. Marketing’s “ah-ha” moment Companies are increasingly recognizing this. There is solid value in developing marketing leadership from within. In 2023, 74% of CMOs of the top 100 advertisers were serving in their first corporate-level CMO role—the highest percentage since Spencer Stuart began tracking this data in 2016. Moreover, 59% of these CMOs were promoted from inside their companies. This move toward internal promotion signals an “ah-ha” moment as the CMO role is rediscovered as the truly efficient solution to advertising’s largest problems. Institutional knowledge and recognizable authority are virtues worth keeping. We might be witnessing a maturing perspective on marketing leadership. Organizations are investing in succession planning and management development specifically for the CMO role. There’s even a higher opinion for the general marketing and management acumen a CMO possesses, Spencer Stuart data indicates. When external hires are needed, companies are showing greater flexibility, with 43% of CMOs recruited for Fortune 500 companies in 2023 coming from different industries, up from 37% in 2022. Despite facing significant budget constraints—with 64% of CMOs reporting insufficient funds to execute their 2024 strategy per Gartner—there’s optimism about the potential of generative AI to expand marketing’s impact beyond traditional resource limitations. This technological evolution could help CMOs overcome the “era of less” while delivering more value. As companies focus on developing their marketing leadership pipeline, they have an opportunity to increase diversity at the top by identifying high-potential leaders early and creating smoother development paths. Not only would that strengthen the CMO role, it also ensures marketing leadership better reflects the diverse audiences they serve, which helps build brand affection. When consumers associate a brand with trust and other positive qualities, the path to performance and purchases is more immediate and direct. The intersecting lines of technology, branding, advertising, and sales all converge at the CMO’s desk. Perhaps it’s time agencies, platform companies, and the brands themselves showed more trust and value in the CMO role after all. Tim Ringel is global CEO of Meet The People. View the full article

Mullenweg questioned at WordCamp Asia about Automattic's scaled-back contributions to WordPress core The post Mullenweg Rebuffs Plea To Restore Automattic’s WordPress Core Contributions appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. We’ve all been there: You find the perfect product, the chair or skin cream that will solve all your problems through the liberal application of capitalism—but it doesn’t fit into your budget. You have three choices: You can spend the next few months (years?) saving diligently toward the glorious day when you can afford to pull the trigger; you can put that purchase on a credit card and deal with the interest charges—or you can find a dupe. Dupes—short for “duplicates”—are having their moment. While knockoffs are nothing new, as anyone who has ever bought a “designer” handbag on the streets of New York City can attest, dupes are a little different. Knockoffs are trying to fool people that they’re the name-brand product, but dupes are their own thing—they’re not pretending to be the expensive item, they just replicate its look and function at a lower price point. Finding dupes can be as easy as a Google image search or a quick trip to Target or Lidl—but it can sometimes be a challenge. Thankfully, there are a variety of apps you can use that make locating dupes a lot easier, and companies that make their own dupes for specific items. How to scour the web for dupesIf you’re looking for duplicate furniture and housewares, you could spend hours digging through subreddits and Facebook pages, but luckily there tools and sites that make it a lot easier. Some of the most useful include: TikTok. The social media behemoth is kind of dupe central these days. You can type the name of what you’re looking for with hashtags like #dupe or #dupefinder to see what’s out there. What’s good about using TikTok is that most of the results will show people actually using and discussing the dupes, which can help you figure out if they’re truly worth buying. Dupe.com has been getting a lot of press of late thanks to the love it gets from social media. Its interface is pretty simple: You paste in the URL of an item (furniture, housewares, or clothing) or drag an image into the search bar, and Dupe searches the internet for lookalikes. For example, if you want an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman from Herman Miller—which sells for anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000 new—Dupe.com quickly leads you to Walmart, where you can buy this leather lounge chair with a very similar look and vibe. (There’s also an app.) Spoken.io works very similarly: Paste in a URL or drag/upload a photo, and it will scan the web and point you to a list of discounted dupes. For example, it turned up this $1,899 Eames-like chair—not quite as cheap as the Walmart version, but still a significant savings over the original. Dupeshop focuses on skincare and makeup products, and it doesn’t just point you at purchase links—it pulls together detailed comparisons, reviews, videos, and other information so you can feel confident that the dupe product will perform as expected. SkinSkool distinguishes itself by offering a list of potential dupes organized by a similarity score and labeled with a dollar sign icon indicating how expensive the dupe is. This makes it easy to cross-reference your budget with the available options. The site explicitly states that it bases its choices solely on the publicly available ingredient lists of the products, so it doesn’t offer any kind of hands-on review. A few companies that make their own dupesSome companies have made a name for themselves because they make and sell their own high-quality dupes, so you don’t have to search the entire internet trying to find them. A few examples include: Brandefy was founded to exploit the fact that name-brand beauty and skincare products at every price point are largely manufactured in the same facilities using the same ingredients. It creates “inspired by” products that are often indistinguishable from the pricier versions. Brandefy is more oriented toward its app than the website, however, so it’s a good choice if you want to check something on your phone while you’re out shopping. The Essence Vault and Dossier both offer up perfume dupes. Perfumes are expensive to develop, to manufacture, and to package—but you can’t actually copyright a fragrance, so dupe perfumes tend to be uncannily like the expensive brand they’re copying. That being said, you may notice a quality difference between the good stuff and the dupes. But if your budget is dupe-sized, both The Essence Vault and Dossier offer scents explicitly inspired by designer fragrances (Dossier also sells their own original scents). Element Brooklyn offers soaps, lotions, and other products that dupe brands like Aesop or Le Labo with an environmentally friendly twist: Its products are refillable, so you aren’t dumping plastic bottles into landfills all the time. Quince takes the same approach as Brandefy, but for clothing, claiming to use the same factories and manufacturers as the high-end luxury brands it's replicating. Italic is a Los Angeles-based company that sells clothing, jewelry, and accessories that closely resemble luxury brands. Its prices aren’t as low as literal dupes, but you can still find fashion that looks just like the top-tier brands at a much lower cost. Some caveats to keep in mindKeep in mind that it can be difficult to judge whether a dupe is going to be worth buying even at a drastically lower price point. It can be very difficult to tell from a photo whether a piece of furniture or clothing is going to be anywhere near the quality of the real thing, for example. That’s where apps like TikTok that offer endorsements from folks who have actually used the dupes can be super valuable. Another option for doing your dupe due diligence on beauty and skincare products is SkinSort, which has a useful comparison tool. You can compare a dupe to the brand it’s replicating and SkinSort will show you a list of ingredients in each (along with explanations for what each does) and reviews from people who have actually used the dupe. Finally, if you want to save some money without risking a downgraded experience, you can also look for name-brand items at secondhand places like Poshmark, which sells clothes, skincare, perfume, and beauty products. A lot of sellers on these platforms have access to name-brand stuff (some work for retailers where they get deep discounts, giving them room for resell profits, for example—look for folks who have a lot of a specific product on hand and you’re probably looking at a hustling sales associate) and you can find some real bargains that way. This gives you the main benefit of a dupe (lower prices) without compromising in any way. View the full article

Unilever surprised investors on Tuesday by ousting chief executive Hein Schumacher and replacing him with finance chief Fernando Fernandez, who will focus on speeding up the execution of the consumer group’s turnaround strategy. Unilever’s board, which includes billionaire activist investor Nelson Peltz, was unified in its decision to oust CEO Schumacher, a source familiar with the board’s thinking told Reuters. Schumacher was surprised by the move, but the decision involved “nothing untoward”, the person said. In an email to associates, Schumacher defended his approach and record as CEO and said he regretted leaving the company earlier than anticipated. “The board is eager to step up the pace of our strategy execution and realise swift value creation underscored by a change in leadership,” he said in the email, which was shared with Reuters. The CEO’s sudden departure after less than two years in the job hit Unilever’s shares, which fell as much as 3.4% on Tuesday. They had gained more than 9% since Schumacher took the helm on July 1, 2023. The consumer goods industry has had a difficult time coping with a supply chain crunch triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, plus sky-high commodity prices and an energy crisis after Russia invaded Ukraine. Profit margins have been squeezed and sales volumes hit by consumers switching to cheaper options. Unilever, which gave no specific reason for the CEO change, is facing pressure from investors to revitalise its fortunes and the top management upheaval comes just weeks after Unilever announced underwhelming full-year earnings. Nestle CEO Mark Schneider was ousted last year after several quarters of weak sales volume growth. Unilever’s management change was made after a board meeting on Monday, another source familiar with the matter told Reuters. The board concluded that Fernandez, who has been with Unilever for nearly 40 years, was the right person to execute the company’s strategy, the source said. Schumacher’s appointment and strategic changes had been welcomed by Peltz, who built a stake in the company in 2022 and sits on Unilever’s board. “We are gobsmacked at the news that Unilever’s very highly regarded CEO Hein Schumacher is to step down,” RBC Capital analyst James Edwardes Jones said in a note. When Schumacher became CEO, analysts and investors had applauded the choice of an external candidate as CEO. Schumacher reset the group’s strategy to address years of underperformance and laid out cost cuts last year, including plans to separate its ice cream division and cut thousands of jobs. The company has tried to step up the pace of asset sales, although some categories, like plant-based meat, are proving hard to exit. Chairman Ian Meakins said the board was impressed by Fernandez’s “decisive and results-oriented approach”, and had given him the task of executing the growth strategy. “There is much further to go to deliver best-in-class results,” Meakins said in a statement. Execution Analysts and investors said the news was unexpected, but Fernandez was a good choice to lead Unilever’s turnaround strategy. “We agree with the board that Fernandez is best placed to accelerate the value unlock,” Barclays analyst Warren Ackerman said in a note. UBS analyst Guillaume Delmas said “execution is key” in the new phase of the company’s strategic journey. Fernandez, 58, has been with Unilever since 1988. Before he became CFO last year, he held a number of roles such as President Latin America and CEO Brazil and President of the Beauty & Wellbeing business. Harsharan Mann in the Global Equities team at Aviva Investors, a Unilever shareholder, said: “We were surprised by the announcement but have a positive view of the CFO … He is a 30-year veteran of the business who ran the Beauty and Wellbeing division very well.” In January, Fernandez took up extra responsibilities including overseeing supply chain and procurement. Unilever, which owns Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Dove soap and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, said there was no change to its 2025 outlook or medium-term forecast and the board was committed to “further accelerating” Schumacher’s growth plan. Schumacher, 53, will step down as CEO in March and leave the company on May 31. He is leaving by mutual agreement, the company said. He will be treated as a “good leaver” and will continue to get his 1.85 million euros ($1.94 million) fixed pay until he leaves the business, the company said. He will then get an undisclosed payment for the remainder of this notice period, it said. Srinivas Phatak, currently Unilever’s deputy chief financial officer and group controller, will become acting CFO, while the company looks for a permanent replacement. ($1 = 0.9549 euros) —Yadarisa Shabong and Josephine Mason, Reuters View the full article

"Red flags are emerging for the US economy," said Elias Haddad, senior market strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman. "Another month or two of poor US economic data would deliver a blow to the US exceptionalism narrative." 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 9 Pro is the latest, most premium model in the Pixel lineup. It was released in August 2024, and already the unlocked 128GB Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is discounted to $799 (down from $1,099). That's the lowest price it has yet reached on Amazon, according to price-tracking tools. Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Operating System: Android 14, Ram Memory: 16 GB, Memory Storage: 128 GB, Screen Size: 6.8 Inches. $799.00 at Amazon $1,099.00 Save $300.00 Get Deal Get Deal $799.00 at Amazon $1,099.00 Save $300.00 This Pixel 9 Pro XL comes with 16GB of RAM, 128GB of memory storage, a 120 HZ refresh rate, and the Android 14 operating system. As Michelle Ehrhardt explained in Lifehacker's review of the Pixel 9 Pro, the phone's hardware is the best Google has produced, but its AI features aren't quite there yet. The XL version is bigger than the regular Pro size, but smaller than previous XL versions at 6.4 by 3.0 by 0.3 inches. If you have the Pixel 8 Pro, you might not notice a huge difference. However, if you're upgrading from an older phone or switching from a non-Pixel phone, the 9 Pro XL has a lot to love, especially if you prioritize good cameras. One of the best aspects of Pixel phones is their future-proofing: They tend to receive ongoing support for many years. My Pixel 6A still gets all of the updates and tons of AI features that make the phone feel fresh many years later. With the Pixel 9 Pro XL, you'll be getting a quality phone that will receive software updates for some time (as long as seven years). View the full article

Denny’s is the latest restaurant chain to add a temporary egg surcharge due to the rising cost of eggs caused by a nationwide shortage and the current bird flu outbreak. Last month, Waffle House added an upcharge of 50 cents per egg. Meanwhile, many supermarket chains, including Trader Joe’s, Market Basket, and big-box retailers including Walmart, Costco, and Sam’s Club, have raised prices and limited the number of cartons shoppers can buy. “This pricing decision is market-by-market, and restaurant-by-restaurant due to the regional impacts of the egg shortage,” Denny’s told Fast Company in a statement. “We will continue to look for ways to provide options on our menu, including our $2 $4 $6 $8 Value Menu.” The restaurant said it would not specify which of its 1,500 locations would see the surcharge as the situation is “fluid.” Once an inexpensive food staple, eggs have soared in price in recent months. As of last week, a dozen white eggs was $8.07, according to CNBC. Bird flu, or avian influenza, has had a crippling effect on the nation’s egg supply, resulting in the death of 18.9 million birds in just the past 30 days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This is a double whammy for Denny’s, which announced more store closings earlier this month as part of the restaurant chain’s plan to jumpstart its waning growth. Like many fast-food and casual-dining chains, it has been struggling in recent years due to inflation, changing customer habits, and skyrocketing food prices. “We have taken a close look at every restaurant in our domestic portfolio; and as a result, at the end of last year, we announced the decision to close approximately 150 restaurants by the end of 2025,” Denny’s previously told Fast Company. “We began the closing process last year, and we are continuing to work through our plan. More than half of these locations have already closed.” Denny’s said the closures will enable its franchises to open “upwards of 20 new locations in 2025 . . . and remodel some current locations.” View the full article

Decision strips power from news organisations and upends decades-old precedent 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. As tech reviewers get their hands on the latest TVs and write their reviews, a picture starts to take shape on which are the best TVs for every category. For those looking for the best bang-for-your-buck a tier above "budget TVs," the jury is still out between TCL's QM7 and Hisense's U7N. Really, it comes down to preference or a good deal—and right now, Hisense's U7N lineup is seeing great discounts. The best one is the 75-inch U7N currently going for $859.99 (originally $1,499.98) after a 43% discount, its lowest price ever, according to price-tracking tools. Panel Type: QLED, Screen Size: 55 inches, Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160, Refresh Rate: 144Hz. 55-inch Hisense U7N $498.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $798.00 Save $300.00 Get Deal Get Deal $498.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $798.00 Save $300.00 Panel Type: QLED, Screen Size: 65 inches, Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160, Refresh Rate: 144Hz. 65-inch Hisense U7N $698.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Get Deal Get Deal $698.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Panel Type: QLED, Screen Size: 75 inches, Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160, Refresh Rate: 144Hz. 75-inch Hisense U7N $859.99 at Amazon $1,499.98 Save $639.99 Get Deal Get Deal $859.99 at Amazon $1,499.98 Save $639.99 Panel Type: QLED, Screen Size: 85 inches, Resolution: 3,840 by 2,160, Refresh Rate: 144Hz. 85-inch Hisense U7N $1,297.96 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $2,199.99 Save $902.03 Get Deal Get Deal $1,297.96 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $2,199.99 Save $902.03 SEE 1 MORE The U7N came out last summer and has been head-to-head with the QM7. The U7N is a QLED TV, which is the best technology for a TV before crossing over to OLED. The U7N is bright for a midrange QLED, reaching levels of over 1,500 nits, and the colors are accurate, according to PCMag's "excellent" review. I like Google TV's interface, since I get to cast my phone directly onto the screen, and all the free channels never hurt. Of course that also means you can use Google Assistant and Apple AirPlay to control your TV. If you're a gamer, you'll enjoy the U7N's 6.2 millisecond input lag when you switch to Game mode. The 144Hz variable refresh rate (VRR) with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro will make games look smooth (as well as sports). For those who like to know if you're getting what you're paying for in specs, the Google TV has a Game Bar feature that shows you specs like frame rate and resolution, as well as quick access to other settings gamers use. The main complaint on the U7N is that details on shadows can look a bit washed out, but this isn't something most people will notice. At the current price, this U7N is a better deal than the QM7 and the value QLED TV you can buy right now. View the full article

Keir Starmer’s government warns of further sanctions unless Kigali withdraws troops from its east African neighbourView the full article

Texas Capital is arguing against summary judgment, saying prior assertions about reverse mortgages' initial and subsequent draws need to be examined in court. View the full article

CAVA hopes to expand its physical footprint after a year of financial success, CEO Brett Schulman announced in the company’s fourth quarter earnings call Tuesday. Over the 2024 fiscal year—CAVA’s first full calendar year as a public company—the Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant chain saw a revenue growth of 28.3% and delivered four straight quarters of free cash flow. And after opening 58 new restaurants this past year, the company anticipates new market openings in Detroit, South Florida, Pittsburgh, and Indianapolis. “We’re very excited to continue to grow those markets and build upon the presence we have in existing regions,” Schulman tells Fast Company. The anticipated launches in these four new markets come after a successful launch in the greater Chicago metropolitan area, where three new CAVA locations opened in 2024. Schulman says that was “our best market opening ever.” The Maryland-based chain currently operates inside 25 states and Washington, D.C. as the demand for health-conscious dining continues to grow. ‘You can’t discount your way to prosperity’ In the last fiscal year, CAVA experienced 8.7% traffic growth, while many industry competitors saw negative traffic growth. Schulman says that around two in three customers enter CAVA’s physical spaces to place an order, speaking to the chain’s emphasis on “Mediterranean hospitality.” Much of this success, Schulman says, comes from an increased focus on providing value, rather than price discounting. “You can’t discount your way to prosperity with guests,” Schulman says. “We look at value as a combination of quality, relevance, convenience and experience.” He claims that all of his decisions are guided by CAVA’s mission of bringing “heart, health and humanity” into food, from importing olive oil from Greece to putting fresh dill in the tzatziki dip. In a difficult economy, especially for fast-casual restaurants, CAVA appears to be bucking industry norms. Roti, a different Mediterranean-style fast-casual chain, filed for bankruptcy in August. Buca di Beppo and Red Lobster also both filed for bankruptcy in the past year. According to Schulman, CAVA stands out from the fast-casual chains that may be struggling because it “looks at people as assets, not expenses.” “The demise of the dining room is greatly exaggerated,” he says. “People are feeling a void of human connection, and they’re craving it. And brands that are able to deliver that are the ones that are gaining market share and gaining brand affinity.” Cava’s success in a struggling industry After its “blockbuster” IPO in June 2023, the build-your-own-bowl chain has only seen success. Its stock price has soared 158% since the IPO, and Yelp named CAVA its fastest growing brand of 2024. And according to fast-casual competitor Chipotle’s most recent earnings report, sales growth in the past fiscal year for its set of comparable restaurants only increased by 7.4%—a little over a quarter of CAVA’s revenue growth. Another large factor in last year’s success is CAVA’s reimagined loyalty program—a system similar to Chipotle’s points-based program. Frequent customers can exchange points (ten are awarded for every dollar spent) for free drinks, cookies, and even entrees. Since the new loyalty system rolled out nationwide in October, CAVA has seen a 2.3% increase in revenue going through the pool, hitting a record high revenue from loyalty transactions last year. In the coming year, CAVA hopes to add rewards that are brand centric rather than food based. “We’ve expanded our audience,” Schulman says. “We’ve got our audience more highly engaged, which allows us to have much more personalized one-to-one communication.” View the full article

The eyes might be the window to the soul, but how their overall health impacts our own souls is rarely discussed. VSP Vision Care, an eye insurance company, partnered with Workplace Intelligence to survey 800 HR leaders and 800 full-time employees in the United States about the state of their eye health. Here are the key findings: We live on our screens: In a typical week, employees report spending 97 hours on screens, which translates to 210 days a year. Thirty-four of these hours are on a computer for work, 17 on a computer for personal use, 23 hours watching TV, and 23 hours on a cellphone. The majority of people have at least one eye problem: 63% of respondents reported at least one eye issue, an increase from last year’s 50%. Meanwhile, 73% reported wearing contacts or glasses, an increase from 67% last year. The most common issues were blurred vision (41%), dry or itchy eyes (24%), and eye strain or fatigue (23%). This is taking a toll on work and personal life: 69% of respondents said that eye problems are impacting their ability to be productive, 60% said eye problems impacted their ability to focus, and 46% said the problems took a toll on their mental health. The survey included a range of employees across generations and types of work arrangements, including on-site, hybrid, and remote work. All survey participants used a computer or laptop for work at least “sometimes,” according to the study’s methodology. As Kristi Cappelletti-Matthews, chief human resources officer at VSP Vision, noted in the report, “[When] you consider the importance of our vision and its link to our health and day-to-day work, it’s imperative that there’s a collective effort to support better workplace health through exceptional vision care.” View the full article

One of the annoying things about using PowerShell in Windows, if you're used to Linux, is having to run it as an admin in order to make system changes. The simplest way to do this is right-clicking the application in the start menu and clicking "Run as administrator," which isn't exactly elegant. It's particularly frustrating because most Linux distributions fixed this a long time ago: the sudo command. Basically, on Linux, if you need to run a single command as an administrator you can just put "sudo" at the beginning and run it—you're asked for an administrator password and the process runs. It's such a useful feature that it even inspired one of the most famous XKCD comics. Someone at Microsoft apparently noticed: sudo is now included in Windows. Sort of. A feature that allows you to run single commands as an administrator, called sudo, is now included in Windows, but this feature is not technically related to the sudo included on Linux systems (Microsoft, as always, is using a confusing name). Anyway: this pseudo-sudo feature is included with Windows 11 version 24H2, released in October 2024 and still rolling out to Windows users as of February 2025. You can check whether you have access to the feature by opening System Settings and heading to System > For developers. Scroll down and you'll see the option to enable sudo (if you don't see the option, you're not using 24H2). Credit: Justin Pot There are three options here regarding how sudo runs. By default, command will run in a new window. There are two more options: Inline, which will run the command in the same window; and Input closed, which runs the command in the same window but without input from other commands in the window. The official documentation heavily recommends leaving the default setting for security reasons, though Inline is much closer to the Linux-style sudo command. Using the feature is straightforward: when running a command that requires administrator privileges, start with sudo. You will see a pop-up asking to confirm. Credit: Justin Pot Click Yes and the command will run as administrator. That's really it: just put sudo at the beginning of your commands to run as administrator. Credit: Justin Pot Try it with your usual commands and see how you like it. If the answer is that you don't, that's fine: go back to opening Powershell as administrator. There are reasons Microsoft's sudo may not work for you. Maybe you're not yet using the 24H2 version of Windows. Maybe you can't get sudo working with the applications you're trying. Or maybe you just want to quickly change your current session into an elevated session. If so, gsudo might work better for you. This open source tool is recommended in Microsoft's documentation as offering features more similar to the Linux version of sudo and can quickly be installed using the winget package manager. View the full article

Scientists have finally given the all-clear to Earth from a newly discovered asteroid. After two months of observations, scientists have almost fully ruled out any threat from the asteroid 2024 YR4, NASA and the European Space Agency said Tuesday. At one point, the odds of a strike in 2032 were as high as about 3% and topped the world’s asteroid-risk lists. ESA has since lowered the odds to 0.001%. NASA has it down to 0.0017% — meaning the asteroid will safely pass Earth in 2032 and there’s no threat of impact for the next century. Paul Chodas, who heads NASA’s Center for Near Earth Objects Studies, said there is no chance the odds will rise at this point and that an impact in 2032 has been ruled out. “That’s the outcome we expected all along, although we couldn’t be 100% sure that it would happen,” he said in an email. But there’s still a 1.7% chance that asteroid could hit the moon on Dec. 22, 2032, according to NASA. Chodas expects the odds of a moon strike will also fade. The world’s telescopes will continue to track the asteroid as it heads away from us, with the Webb Space Telescope zooming in next month to pinpoint its size. It’s expected to vanish from view in another month or two. Discovered in December, the asteroid is an estimated 130 feet to 300 feet (40 meters to 90 meters) across, and swings our way every four years. “While this asteroid no longer poses a significant impact hazard to Earth, 2024 YR4 provided an invaluable opportunity” for study, NASA said in a statement. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. —Marcia Dunn, Associated Press aerospace writer View the full article

Recent housing trends more favorable to buyers will ease some of the pressure for higher down payments in order to secure a winning bid, Redfin finds. View the full article

It's not surprising at this point to find out that a company you entrusted your data to turned around and sold it without your knowledge or consent—as antivirus provider Avast did for years through its software and browser extensions. And while monetary compensation doesn't undo the potential damage, nearly 3.7 million Avast customers are eligible for a refund for the trouble. Last year, Avast reached a $16.5 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, which includes compensation for users who bought Avast software between August 2014 and January 2020. The FTC found that the company collected information on religious beliefs, health concerns, political leanings, financial status, and location without user consent and sold it through a subsidiary (also without consent). Now, customers can start to claim refunds from the settlement. According to the FTC, customers eligible for a refund from Avast will be notified via email between Feb. 24 and March 7. The notice will include a claim ID—you'll need this to complete the Avast settlement claim form online. If you want more information about the process or need help filling out the application, you can call the refund administrator at 866-290-0165. Your claim must be filed by June 5, 2025 to be eligible for a payment. The FTC expects to mail payments in 2026, and the amount will depend on how many people apply for refunds. View the full article

FedEx has released its 2025 E-Commerce Trends to Watch Report, detailing how shifting consumer expectations are shaping the competitive landscape for digital retailers. The report, produced in collaboration with C Space, underscores the growing importance of convenience, seamless returns, and social media-driven brand engagement as key factors for success. Consumer expectations in e-commerce are increasingly centered around a frictionless shopping journey. According to the report, more than 80% of shoppers prioritize convenience, with home delivery (81%), free shipping (76%), and real-time tracking (68%) cited as essential features. Returns also play a significant role in customer satisfaction, with 97% of shoppers having abandoned a purchase due to inconvenient shopping experiences. Retailers that simplify return policies and offer hassle-free post-purchase experiences are better positioned to secure repeat customers. “E-commerce success in 2025 isn’t just about having the right product selection—it’s about delivering a seamless end-to-end customer experience,” said Jason Brenner, senior vice president, digital portfolio at FedEx. “Retailers that prioritize convenience, including easy returns, fast and transparent shipping, and frictionless digital engagement will ultimately lead the market.” Generational Preferences Shaping Digital Engagement Brands must refine their marketing strategies to align with generational shopping behaviors. The report highlights distinct trends among different age groups: Gen Z consumers are heavily influenced by social media, with 70% of engagement occurring online and platforms like TikTok (51%) and Instagram (40%) serving as primary brand discovery tools. Millennials focus on brand values, with 81% considering a company’s treatment of employees before making a purchase. Additionally, 27% prefer direct-to-consumer purchases via brand websites or apps. Boomers continue to favor traditional shopping, with 53% still shopping in physical stores more than any other generation. To capture consumer attention, brands are increasingly turning to video-driven storytelling, nostalgia-based marketing, and personalized digital content. Holiday Shopping Extends Beyond the Traditional Season The report also identifies a shift in holiday shopping behavior, with consumers spreading their purchases throughout the year rather than relying on last-minute holiday sales: 22% of shoppers begin holiday shopping as early as August to manage expenses and avoid price hikes. 30% of consumers plan to shop for winter gifts year-round by 2026. 16% of shoppers already follow a year-round holiday shopping approach. This trend presents a strategic opportunity for retailers to engage customers outside of peak shopping seasons by offering early-bird discounts and exclusive promotions. This article, "FedEx Report Highlights Convenience and Digital Trends Driving E-Commerce in 2025" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

FedEx has released its 2025 E-Commerce Trends to Watch Report, detailing how shifting consumer expectations are shaping the competitive landscape for digital retailers. The report, produced in collaboration with C Space, underscores the growing importance of convenience, seamless returns, and social media-driven brand engagement as key factors for success. Consumer expectations in e-commerce are increasingly centered around a frictionless shopping journey. According to the report, more than 80% of shoppers prioritize convenience, with home delivery (81%), free shipping (76%), and real-time tracking (68%) cited as essential features. Returns also play a significant role in customer satisfaction, with 97% of shoppers having abandoned a purchase due to inconvenient shopping experiences. Retailers that simplify return policies and offer hassle-free post-purchase experiences are better positioned to secure repeat customers. “E-commerce success in 2025 isn’t just about having the right product selection—it’s about delivering a seamless end-to-end customer experience,” said Jason Brenner, senior vice president, digital portfolio at FedEx. “Retailers that prioritize convenience, including easy returns, fast and transparent shipping, and frictionless digital engagement will ultimately lead the market.” Generational Preferences Shaping Digital Engagement Brands must refine their marketing strategies to align with generational shopping behaviors. The report highlights distinct trends among different age groups: Gen Z consumers are heavily influenced by social media, with 70% of engagement occurring online and platforms like TikTok (51%) and Instagram (40%) serving as primary brand discovery tools. Millennials focus on brand values, with 81% considering a company’s treatment of employees before making a purchase. Additionally, 27% prefer direct-to-consumer purchases via brand websites or apps. Boomers continue to favor traditional shopping, with 53% still shopping in physical stores more than any other generation. To capture consumer attention, brands are increasingly turning to video-driven storytelling, nostalgia-based marketing, and personalized digital content. Holiday Shopping Extends Beyond the Traditional Season The report also identifies a shift in holiday shopping behavior, with consumers spreading their purchases throughout the year rather than relying on last-minute holiday sales: 22% of shoppers begin holiday shopping as early as August to manage expenses and avoid price hikes. 30% of consumers plan to shop for winter gifts year-round by 2026. 16% of shoppers already follow a year-round holiday shopping approach. This trend presents a strategic opportunity for retailers to engage customers outside of peak shopping seasons by offering early-bird discounts and exclusive promotions. This article, "FedEx Report Highlights Convenience and Digital Trends Driving E-Commerce in 2025" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Just as one wouldn’t drive a car without a dashboard as it provides valuable information on the vehicle’s speed, gas level and so on, no construction project manager should try to deliver construction projects without a construction project dashboard. A construction dashboard is one of the pillars of construction project management. Project management and program management both recommend using a construction project management dashboard and we’ll explain why. In the following blog, we break down what construction project managers should include in their construction management dashboard and even offer a free downloadable construction dashboard template to help get started. What Is a Construction Project Dashboard? A construction dashboard is a digital tool or interface that visually displays key data and metrics related to a construction project in real time. It helps project managers, contractors and stakeholders track the project’s progress, manage resources and make informed decisions. The goal of a construction project dashboard is to provide a quick, easily digestible overview that allows teams to identify potential issues early, optimize performance and keep the project on track. While there are construction project dashboards for Excel, which we’ll get to in a moment, they’re not as efficient as ones that are part of a larger project management software. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has real-time construction project dashboards that give a high-level overview of a project, program or portfolio of projects. Unlike other software products that make users build their dashboards, ours is up and ready to use instantly, with easy-to-read graphs and charts that show key performance indicators (KPIs) such as project health, budget, workload and more. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Light-mode-portfolio-dashboard-CTA.pngProjectManager has real-time project and portfolio dashboards to better monitor projects. Learn more What Should Be Included in a Construction Project Dashboard? A construction project management dashboard typically includes several key sections to provide a comprehensive overview of the project’s status. Here is a list of some of the most important metrics to look for when using a dashboard. Project Progress Overview This gives a snapshot of how the project is progressing relative to the original plan. It can include the percentage of work completed compared to the total project, key project milestones and whether they’ve been reached, an overview of the current status of critical tasks and a summary of current activity happening on-site, such as inspections, installations, etc. Project Cost Overview This section focuses on the financial aspects of the project. It includes a comparison between the initial budget and the actual costs incurred so far, a more granular view of costs, projected future costs and potential overages or savings and how money is flowing through the project and whether there are any concerns around cash flow management. Project Timeline Overview In this area of the construction project dashboard, insights into the scheduling and timeline of construction projects are provided. These can include a Gantt chart, which is a visual timeline showing the overall project and key activities. The critical path can also be illustrated, which identifies tasks essential to the overall project’s completion and whether they’re on schedule. There’s also deadline tracking, showing if milestones and deadlines are being met or at risk of delay, and highlighting any delays and their impact on the overall schedule. Workload Analysis Overview Here is where resources are assessed, managed and allocated. It gives insights into how workers are distributed across the project, including labor allocation to see any potential labor shortages or surpluses. Resource utilization monitors the use of equipment and materials to ensure that they’re being effectively deployed. Workload balance is observed to ensure that tasks are appropriately divided and that no part of the project is over- or under-resourced. Productivity metrics track worker efficiency and productivity, potentially comparing it to industry standards or past projects. Construction Project Dashboard Template for Excel The best way to understand a construction dashboard is to use one. While project management software has better dashboards that update in real time, those who aren’t ready to upgrade can download this free construction dashboard template for Excel. /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Construction-Dashboard-Template.png While not as robust as dashboard software, this free template gives users a chance to get a status report on construction projects. There are three charts, one providing an overview of the construction schedule, another the budget, comparing spent against project costs and a project timeline. Benefits of Using a Construction Project Dashboard Using a construction dashboard offers a variety of benefits that can significantly improve how a project is managed and executed. Here are some key advantages. Real-time insights when using software Improved decision-making by highlighting critical metrics and potential issues Better communication by sharing dashboards with stakeholders, teams, clients, contractors and subcontractors Enhanced project control by effectively allocating resources, managing timelines and keeping the project within budget Increased accountability through a transparent overview of who’s responsible for what and their performance metrics Risk identification and mitigation so project managers can take proactive steps to reduce and remove risks, which avoids the likelihood of costly setbacks Streamlined reporting saves time and effort by allowing stakeholders to access up-to-date reports at any time Cost savings by preventing cost overruns by managing resources more effectively. Improved team collaboration by sharing the same data and eliminating the need for multiple status updates Enhanced client satisfaction through sharing project progress improves trust /wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Construction-dashboard-template-featured-image.jpg Get your free Construction Dashboard Template Use this free Construction Dashboard Template for Excel to manage your projects better. Download Excel File How to Make a Construction Project Dashboard With ProjectManager We’ve been discussing how project management software is superior to using construction dashboard templates. While we offer a free template to try it and see how it works, we’ve not provided a way to use dashboard software. For anyone interested in giving real-time dashboards a try, simply take a free 30-day trial of ProjectManager, no credit card required, and follow these steps. 1. Open the Gantt Chart View Once in the software, users can create a project, including its budget. There are then multiple project views to choose from, such as kanban boards, task lists and a calendar view. Choose the Gantt chart. This is where the project schedule is created. /wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Gantt-chart-in-project-management-construction-project.png 2. List Tasks and Enter their Planned Due Dates In the Gantt chart, which is divided between a spreadsheet on the left and a timeline on the right, start to add all the project tasks. Users can add these tasks directly into the Gantt chart or import an existing task list from an Excel spreadsheet, CSV or Microsoft Project file. Once the tasks are listed, add the planned due dates for each. 3. Assign Tasks to Team Members Next, onboard the team. At this point, the project manager can add their availability, such as PTO, vacation and global holidays, including skill sets, which makes it easier to know who can do what and when. The project manager can also establish the hourly pay rate for each team member. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/assign-people-resource-allocation-light-mode-gantt-chart-workload-assignments.png 4. Estimate the Cost of Each Task This is done by adding the labor costs to any nonhuman resources needed for each task. By doing this, project managers will not only be able to compare planned costs against actual costs but more accurately estimate the budget for the project. /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/how-to-make-a-gantt-chart-estimated-cost.webp 5. Enter the Actual Start and End Dates of Tasks Now, again on the Gantt chart, add the actual start date for each task listed. Also, add the end dates for those tasks. This information will be used by the construction project dashboard to calculate costs as the project is being executed. /wp-content/uploads/2024/10/how-to-make-a-gantt-chart-tasks-start-and-end-dates.webp 6. Enter the Actual Cost of Tasks As team members update their status, enter the actual cost of the project. This will allow the software to calculate the variance in the budget and help capture cost overruns quickly, which allows project managers to reallocate resources as needed to get back on track. 7. Monitor Your Project With ProjectManager’s Real-Time Construction Dashboard Once a baseline is set on the Gantt chart, it will capture the schedule, budget and resource plans and be able to automatically compare that plan against what’s currently happening in the project. Users can then toggle over to the real-time construction dashboard where the data is displayed in easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and more. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dashboard-light-mode.jpg Why Use ProjectManager to Make a Construction Project Dashboard? Using ProjectManager’s dashboard is certainly better than a construction project dashboard template, but it also beats most dashboard software on the market. It’s robust and user-friendly with a comprehensive overview, real-time data and customizable views. This intuitive and visual construction project dashboard also integrates with time and resource tracking, task management and multiple project views. This helps forecast and analyze data. It’s mobile-friendly with an Android and iOS app and integrates with other tools, such as Microsoft Office, Google Drive and others. Balance Team Workload and Monitor Performance Monitoring progress and performance is important but, when an issue arises, project managers need the tools to adjust the project. One of those many tools in our software is the resource management features. Once teams have been assigned their tasks, project managers can get an overview of resource allocation by looking at the color-coded workload page. This makes it clear to see who’s overallocated or underutilized. The team’s workload can then be balanced from the chart to keep everyone working at capacity without risking burnout. There’s also a team page for a daily or weekly summary of team activities, which can be filtered by priority, progress and more to monitor performance. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/assign-people-resource-allocation-light-mode-gantt-chart-workload-assignments.png Control Labor Costs with Online Timesheets Another tool that can monitor labor costs and help to keep projects on budget is our timesheets. These secure timesheets can automatically log hours onto the Gantt chart, task lists and kanban boards. It’s easy to add hours worked to a timesheet, the team members need only select their tasks and use the built-in project time management tools. Project managers can track the hours team members are spending on their tasks and how much it’s costing. They receive a notification when timesheets are read, and only those authorized can open and approve the timesheets. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/timesheet-lightmode-good-version-lots-of-tasks.pngRelated Construction Project Management Content A construction project dashboard is an important tool in construction project management, but it’s only a small part of the larger whole. For those curious about learning more about construction documentation, scheduling software, Gantt charts and more, click on the links below to read our recent posts on these topics. 32 Construction Documents (Templates Included) Free Excel Construction Templates Best Construction Scheduling Software Construction Cost Management Why Use a Gantt Chart in Construction Project Management ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or on the job site. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay updated with email and in-app notifications. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Why Use a Construction Project Dashboard? (Template Included) appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

More social platforms are increasingly axing third-party fact checking as a control against misinformation in favor of user-generated notes on existing content. Last month, Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to cut fact-checking programs on Meta platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and Threads—and replace them with Community Notes, which add corrections and context to posts that are "confusing or potentially misleading." A similar feature launched on Twitter in January 2021 as the Birdwatch program, which was rebranded as Community Notes and expanded after Elon Musk acquired the platform in 2022. Community Notes exist in lieu of the ability to report misleading content on X. Musk has both praised the feature as "awesome" and said he is "working to fix" it. X users can still apply to contribute their own notes. YouTube has also tested a community notes feature that allows users to add context to videos on the platform. Those who meet eligibility criteria can sign up for the program's waitlist in the YouTube mobile app (under Profile > Settings > General > Help inform viewers). When Community Notes are submitted on Meta's platforms by approved contributors, other approved contributors have to agree that the context is helpful before the note is actually published on a post (though the threshold for what constitutes a "helpful" note isn't clear). According to Meta's FAQ, Community Notes will be phased in and visible to users across its apps "over the next few months." How to sign up to write Meta Community NotesAs of this writing, Meta has a waitlist for users to be notified once the Community Notes beta launches. You can join the waitlist via Facebook, Instagram, or Threads. Only U.S.-based users are eligible, and you must be over 18, have an account that is older than 6 months and in good standing, and have either a verified phone number or two-factor authentication set up on your account. View the full article