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Forbearance or refinancing may help some, workarounds can keep many mainstream loans moving and one type of uncertainty does have an upside for rates. View the full article

Roles of board leader and CEO will be reunited in move to underscore her leadership amid radical overhaul View the full article

Loss of emissions credit revenue, tariffs and big investments in AI hit Elon Musk’s carmakerView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. If you've been waiting to get your hands on a Samsung Galaxy XR virtual reality headset, now's your moment: The device is available to order now on Samsung's or Google's website for $1,799 and orders are scheduled to arrive Nov. 4. To offset the price, the Galaxy XR comes with a free year of Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, and Google Play Pass. Built in partnership with Google and Qualcomm, the Galaxy XR features dual, 4K micro-OLED screens delivering 27 million pixels total and 100-degree horizontal field of view, all powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip and packed into a lightweight (1.2 pounds) form factor. The birth of Android XRThe headset will be powered by the new Android XR platform, which will allow users to run standard Android apps as 2D windows. The new ecosystem is designed around system-level integration of Gemini AI and is planned as an infrastructure for future AR and VR devices, including smart glasses. A couple highlights from the operating system: the ability to circle things in the real world and search for them online, and the AI conversion of 2D photos and videos into immersive 3D presentations. Samsung's aiming for the space between Apple and MetaSamsung's Galaxy XR is stepping into a fairly crowded marketplace, given the public's relatively tepid reaction to virtual reality. Its main competitors are Meta's Quest line of headsets and the Apple Vision Pro, although both Meta and Apple are putting much of their AR/VR resources into smart glasses instead of headsets. The Galaxy XR's $1,799 price tag is almost exactly half the cost of an Apple Vision Pro and more than three times as expensive as a Meta Quest 3. Samsung seems to be aiming at a tech middle ground: Not prohibitively expense to nearly everyone, but well above the Quest's "game console" price. The target seems to be pro-level consumers interested in a headset with better hardware than a Quest, but who balk at a $3,500 device. In other words: Samsung is chasing Apple’s polish and Meta’s accessibility, hoping to find a sweet spot between them. In terms of specs, the Apple Vision Pro's M5 chip and dedicated R1 spatial processor put it in the lead in terms of raw processing power, though the Galaxy displays 27 million pixels compared to Apple's 24 million. The Quest 3 displays around 9 million pixels. The Galaxy has a slower top refresh rate compared with Apple, too: 90Hz vs. 12Hz. Ultimately the more expensive headsets are roughly comparable, assuming everything works the way it should; I haven't tried the Galaxy XR yet, so I can't say. As for the Quest 3, its very low price isn't the only advantage to the cheaper system: The Quest's software library is orders of magnitude larger than the competition. If Samsung can back up its impressive specs with software and comfort, the XR could give both Apple and Meta something to worry about, but whether any VR headset could generate the kind of enthusiasm the public has for smart glasses remains to be seen. View the full article

Social media platform Reddit sued the artificial intelligence company Perplexity AI and three other entities on Wednesday, alleging their involvement in an “industrial-scale, unlawful” economy to “scrape” the comments of millions of Reddit users for commercial gain. Reddit’s lawsuit in a New York federal court takes aim at San Francisco-based Perplexity, maker of an AI chatbot and “answer engine” that competes with Google, ChatGPT, and others in online search. Also named in the lawsuit are Lithuanian data-scraping company Oxylabs UAB, a web domain called AWMProxy that Reddit describes as a “former Russian botnet,” and Texas-based startup SerpApi, which lists Perplexity as a customer on its website. It’s the second such lawsuit from Reddit since it sued another major AI company, Anthropic, in June. But the lawsuit filed Wednesday is different in the way that it confronts not just an AI company but the lesser-known services the AI industry relies on to acquire online writings needed to train AI chatbots. “Scrapers bypass technological protections to steal data, then sell it to clients hungry for training material. Reddit is a prime target because it’s one of the largest and most dynamic collections of human conversation ever created,” said Ben Lee, Reddit’s chief legal officer, in a statement Wednesday. Perplexity said it has not yet received the lawsuit but “will always fight vigorously for users’ rights to freely and fairly access public knowledge. Our approach remains principled and responsible as we provide factual answers with accurate AI, and we will not tolerate threats against openness and the public interest.” SerpApi’s customer success director, Ryan Schafer, said in an email: “We strongly disagree with Reddit’s allegations and intend to vigorously defend ourselves in court.” Oxylabs didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. AWMProxy could not immediately be reached for comment. Reddit compares the companies it is suing to “would-be bank robbers” who can’t get into the bank vault, so they break into the armored truck instead. The lawsuit alleges they are evading Reddit’s own anti-scraping measures while also ”circumventing Google’s controls and scraping Reddit content directly from Google’s search engine results.” Lee said that because they’re unable to scrape Reddit directly, “they mask their identities, hide their locations, and disguise their web scrapers to steal Reddit content from Google Search. Perplexity is a willing customer of at least one of these scrapers, choosing to buy stolen data rather than enter into a lawful agreement with Reddit itself.” Reddit made a similar argument in its lawsuit against Anthropic, alleging that the company ignored Reddit’s appeals to cease using its content. That case was initially filed in California Superior Court but was later moved to federal court and has a hearing scheduled for January. Along with digitized books and news articles, websites such as Wikipedia and Reddit are deep troves of written materials that can help teach an AI assistant the patterns of human language. Reddit has previously entered licensing agreements with Google, OpenAI, and other companies that are paying to be able to train their AI systems on the public commentary of Reddit’s more than 100 million daily users. The licensing deals helped the 20-year-old online platform raise money ahead of its Wall Street debut as a publicly traded company last year. —Matt O’Brien, AP technology writer View the full article

While the Federal Open Market Committee has yet to meet this month, investor pricing of longer-term bonds helped mortgages by 11 basis points, Wallethub said. View the full article

Social media group claims the start-up harvested user conversation to train its modelsView the full article

What is Smartsheet? It’s a popular project management software that takes the familiarity of a spreadsheet and tries to super-size it. This is a smart move. Most businesses use spreadsheets but complain about their complexity and limitations when it comes to work management. But when asking, “What is Smartsheet?” do users get the answers they want if they’re looking for project management software? That’s the question we’re posing and will explore in depth to find the answer. What Is Smartsheet? Smartsheet is cloud-based work and project management software designed for small and large teams. It uses the familiarity of the spreadsheet-like interface of its software to organize work. But, unlike Excel spreadsheets or Google Sheets, Smartsheet has more tools that work together so teams can track projects. What is Smartsheet? It’s a tool that helps projects plan more effectively, making teams more productive, which delivers projects faster. It can take a project from inception to completion, assigning tasks, organizing calendars, collaborating with team members on documents and monitoring progress. That is, if users can clear the steep learning curve. For those looking for a project management software tool that has Smartsheet’s features and more, plus doesn’t take forever to figure out how to use, there’s ProjectManager. Our award-winning software has more comprehensive project and portfolio management tools, at a better price point with integrated resource and risk management features. It’s a lot more value for the money. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/07/smartsheet-pm-import-integration.pngLearn more Smartsheet Pricing Plans When it comes down to the bottom line, most will focus on the price. What is Smartsheet pricing? It comes in several different plans, with different features. The features that are more essential for project management will end up sending users to the most expensive subscriptions. Here’s a quick overview of Smartsheet plans and pricing. Pro Plan: $9 per user/month, billed annually Business Plan: $19 per user/month, billed annually Enterprise: Contact sales While those prices might seem competitive, remember that Smartsheet isn’t built for project management. It lacks the features of a robust project portfolio management system and for resource management and capacity planning, users are going to have to purchase add-ons for hundreds of dollars over the basic plan pricing. What is Smartsheet? It’s not ideal project management software for the price, but there are Smartsheet alternatives that deliver what project managers and their teams want. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with all the features Smartsheet does, but better. For example, Smartsheet has dashboards, but users have to build them, which is cumbersome and time-consuming. Our real-time project and portfolio dashboards automatically collect live data and display it in easy-to-read graphs and charts that capture key performance indicators (KPIs) such as time, cost, workload and more. There are dashboards to monitor a single project or, unlike Smartsheet, a program or portfolio of projects, which provide an instant status report. Plus, customizable reports can be filtered and shared to focus on what’s important in greater detail. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Portfolio-Dashboard-CTA.pngLearn more Smartsheet Views Before we showed how ProjectManager beats Smartsheet at its own game, it’s only fair to give it a chance to defend itself. What is Smartsheet in terms of project views? Just like ProjectManager, Smartsheet has multiple project views, but they’re not as dynamic. Here’s a simple rundown of those project views. Table View: Displays information in a familiar, spreadsheet-style grid that allows users to enter, organize, and manage project data. It’s the foundation of Smartsheet where most project details, dependencies, and updates are maintained for collaboration and reporting. Timeline View: Provides a chronological visualization of tasks and milestones across time. It helps teams understand sequencing, deadlines, and overall project flow, giving a high-level overview similar to a roadmap for tracking progress and dependencies. Grid View: Shows rows and columns of structured data where users can input task details, assign owners, set dates, and track status. It’s ideal for managing projects that rely heavily on tabular data and task lists. Gantt View: Combines a grid on the left with a timeline on the right, allowing users to view task durations, dependencies, and milestones. This view is perfect for project scheduling, progress tracking, and critical path visualization. Card View: Organizes tasks into visual cards displayed in vertical lanes, making it ideal for agile or kanban-style workflows. Teams can drag and drop cards between lanes to reflect status changes and streamline process management. Calendar View: Displays tasks and milestones on a calendar organized by week or month. It’s designed for teams who prefer visual scheduling and date-based planning, making it easy to monitor upcoming deadlines and time-sensitive deliverables. Smartsheet Project Features What is Smartsheet feature-wise? Let’s look at the tools it has to help project managers and their teams do their work more efficiently. The following are the key features that Smartsheet offers. Task & Progress Management: Track project status with progress bars, labels, and due dates. Manage recurring tasks, set milestones, create dependencies, and visualize the critical path to ensure schedules stay on target. Collaboration & Communication: Add comments, share files, mention teammates, and hold discussions directly on tasks. External contributors can participate through guest access, while built-in email notifications keep everyone informed. Views, Grouping & Filtering: Filter tasks by priority, owner, or due date and group them for better visibility. Access “My Tasks” to see personal assignments and switch among grid, Gantt, card, and calendar views for flexible visualization. Integration & Automation: Connect seamlessly with Microsoft 365 apps including Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Sync deadlines to calendars, automate workflows, and integrate with external tools for smooth data flow. Customization & Organization: Add custom fields, attachments, color-coded labels, and templates to adapt Smartsheet to different project types. Export and copy plans easily for reuse across teams and departments. Reporting & Portfolio Management: Generate dashboards and detailed reports to analyze performance across multiple projects. Use portfolio features for cross-project visibility and enterprise resource management to balance workloads effectively. Agile & Goal Tracking: Manage agile workflows using backlog and sprint boards, and align deliverables with organizational goals. Review task history to ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle. What Is Smartsheet Used For? Smartsheet is a cloud-based work management and collaboration platform designed to help teams plan, execute, and track projects of any size. It combines the familiarity of a spreadsheet with the flexibility of modern project management tools, allowing users to manage tasks, timelines, and resources in one centralized workspace. Organizations use Smartsheet to streamline workflows, automate repetitive processes, and maintain real-time visibility across multiple projects. Its customizable sheets, templates, and dashboards support everything from simple task tracking to complex portfolio management. Widely adopted by businesses in industries such as construction, marketing, IT, and operations, Smartsheet enhances productivity, accountability, and cross-departmental collaboration while keeping projects aligned with organizational goals. Pros and Cons of Using Smartsheet Let’s give Smartsheet a fair shake. It’s not perfect, but there are advantages and disadvantages to using the software. Here are some pros and cons of using Smartsheet for project management. Pros of Smartsheet Spreadsheet-like interface is one that most customers are familiar with Collaborative work management features for sharing information with coworkers Highly customizable for users to create their solutions or use templates Multiple project views, including kanban, Gantt chart and calendar Supports automation, scalable for various team sizes Efficient task management tools set deadlines and track progress Automation for features, such as workflow and formulas to streamline processes Cons of Smartsheet Difficult to learn with an interface that is difficult for those unfamiliar with spreadsheets, also focuses too much on spreadsheets No backup files and version control doesn’t work if multiple people are editing the same file at once Limited features, especially the advanced ones project managers and their teams need, and relying heavily on complex formulas. Lacks real-time time tracking Project views, such as the Gantt chart, spreadsheets and kanban boards, lack customizable features Limited integration with only a small number of third-party applications Resource management and capacity planning add-ons are very expensive Reporting tools are limited, which makes insightful analysis difficult Dashboard is difficult to build and doesn’t support views filtered by group Too simple for those seeking an enterprise solution Sheet views with too many rows and collaborators are too large and frustrating to use /wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Gantt-Chart-Template-Excel-image.png Get your free Gantt Chart Template Use this free Gantt Chart Template to manage your projects better. Get the Template ProjectManager Is the Best Smartsheet Alternative What is Smartsheet? Maybe not the project management software it claims to be. It can manage work and collaboration, but then so can a whole lot of other software products. What differentiates it from the rest? Spreadsheets. Wasn’t project management software created as a tool that can plan, manage and track projects more efficiently than Excel spreadsheets? For those who are running projects, big and small, regardless of whether they’re traditional waterfall or done in an agile environment, ProjectManager is the choice of project managers and their teams across industries as diverse as construction, manufacturing, IT, professional services and many others. Our mobile app for Android and iOS makes it simple to log hours wherever the team is working. And there’s more. Plan and Manage Projects With Multiple Views Smartsheet has multiple project views, but users will find them lacking. Our software has powerful tools, such as Gantt charts that can link all four types of task dependencies, filter for the critical path and then set a baseline to track the planned effort against the actual effort in real time. This avoids costly delays, identifies essential tasks and keeps projects on schedule and budget. Then those plans can be shared with teams, who can use robust task lists or kanban boards to manage their work. Stakeholders can view the calendar for an overview of progress to keep them informed and manage their expectations. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/critical-path-light-mode-gantt-construction-1.png Manage Resources, Track Time and Labor Costs Don’t pay an arm and a leg for Smartsheet’s resource management add-ons, this feature comes with the plan. First, managers can set team availability when they’re onboarded. That makes it easy to see who has PTO, vacation time or if it’s a global holiday when making assignments. Then view the team page or the color-coded workload chart to view resource allocation. From those pages, balance the team’s workload and keep everyone working at capacity, which makes them more productive without risking burnout. Unlike Smartsheet, we have time tracking with secure timesheets that show how far each team member has gone in completing their tasks. It also offers visibility into labor costs to stay on budget. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/workload-page-resource-management-lightmode.png Smartsheet FAQ For the final section, let’s look at some frequently asked questions about Smartsheet. Is Smartsheet free? Yes and no. There are two types of Smartsheet users: a licensed and a free one. The licensed user pays a subscription fee and can create sheets, reports and dashboards to share with teams. The free user can view and edit the items that have been shared but can’t create their own without a license. Does Smartsheet have a free trial? Yes, there is a free 30-day trial where users can see if the software is a good fit. The free 30-day trial gives users access to the business plan’s suite of features. Does Smartsheet work on Mac? Yes, Smartsheet works on Macs and PCs. Smartsheet is software as a service (SaaS) and is an online application that works on any browser for Mac or PC. Does Smartsheet have a mobile app? Yes, Smartsheet has a mobile app for Android and iOS, though it has less functionality than the online version. Related Content For those still on the fence, we’ve published other pieces on Smartsheet. We’ve compared it to ProjectManager, looked at Smartsheet alternatives and even took a look at Microsoft Project to see how it measures up. To read about that and more, follow the links below. Smartsheet vs. ProjectManager: Whis Is the Better Project Management Software? Best Smartsheet Alternatives: Free & Paid Options Ranked (2023) What Is Microsoft Project? Uses, Features and Pricing ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams in the office, out in the field 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 ProjecfManager today for free. The post What Is Smartsheet? Uses, Features and Pricing appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Family of teen who took his own life after ChatGPT use alleges chatbot maker intentionally weakened protections View the full article

If you've ever had to drink an extra cup of coffee the next day to make up for a scrolling spiral watching TikTok videos or YouTube Shorts, we have something in common. As a safeguard to keep us from scrolling on and on (and on) into the wee hours of the morning, YouTube's adding a system to limit the amount of Shorts a user watches in a day—but it's a little less strict than what exists on other apps. Still, it's better than nothing. Once you have the update, you'll be able to set your limit under Settings, although YouTube hasn't specified the specific steps yet. I assume it'll be under the General tab (I don't have the feature yet), but I've reached out to YouTube for clarification and will update once I hear back. The new limit settings are rolling out to iOS and Android today; it's similar to a system that already exists on TikTok and Instagram, although TikTok is the only platform of the three to allow web users to set limits as well. As for how the new limits will work, YouTube says it's based on time spent scrolling, rather than a specific amount of Shorts watched. Once you hit the limit you've set for yourself, you'll see a notification telling you that scrolling is paused for the rest of the day, although if you're feeling cheeky, you can dismiss it to keep going. Meanwhile, TikTok at least makes you enter a passcode to dismiss your time limit, while Instagram requires you to hop into your settings. In that way, it's a bit similar to the existing "Take a Break" feature, which will send you a reminder to hop off YouTube in custom intervals. I guess the hope is that shame is enough to stop you from following your dark urges? I'll be honest, if the Nintendo Wii's "Take a Break" reminders weren't enough for me back in the day, I'm not sure these will work on me now. For younger scrollers, though, there is another way. Google also says it's planning to add the feature to parental controls in the future, which will allow parents to set a Shorts limit for their kids and make it non-dismissable, so that once scrolling is paused for the day, a kid won't be able to override it. Personally, I think Google maybe should have started with parental controls. It's unclear to me why a delay is necessary for us to get a Shorts limit prompt that isn't dismissable, but I suppose I don't work in app development. Some sort of second step to dismissing the prompt, like on TikTok, might also have been handy. At any rate, though, the Shorts time limit could prove to be a useful arsenal in your self-control toolbox, if you're the type of person to take those kinds of notifications seriously. Now if only the site could do something about those three-hour video essays I keep binging. View the full article

Reddit is taking four data-scraping companies to court – including AI search engine Perplexity and SEO data firm SerpApi – accusing them of illegally using its content via Google search results. The lawsuit. SerpApi, Oxylabs, AWMProxy, and Perplexity “devised a scheme” to scrape Reddit data indirectly from Google, then resell or reuse it to train AI models. That’s according to Reddit’s lawsuit, filied today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Reddit alleged the companies hid their identities to bypass technical restrictions and scraped its data “at an industrial scale.” Reddit is seeking financial damages, a permanent injunction, and a ban on using or selling previously scraped data. SerpAPI was or is a customer of OpenAI, which explained how Google search results sometimes appeared in ChatGPT. Why Reddit sued. Reddit already licenses its data to OpenAI and Google – but said others have tried to sidestep those deals. The complaint claims Reddit even “set a trap” for Perplexity, creating a test post only visible to Google’s crawler. Within hours, that post appeared in Perplexity search results – evidence that the company relied on scraped Google data, Reddit said. Why we care. It’s harder than ever for SEOs and site owners to access reliable search data. Google is cracking down on scraping and tightening APIs just as websites are seeing traffic drop from AI overviews and zero-click results. The result: less visibility, fewer insights, and a tougher environment to understand — or influence — AI search. Meanwhile. Reddit and Google are reportedly discussing a new partnership that would weave Reddit content more directly into Google’s AI products. If those talks advance, more Reddit discussions could surface in AI Overviews and other Google experiences – potentially further reshaping how Reddit and Google influence your brand visibility and traffic. The big picture. AI is scraping continues to rise, but it still isn’t sending meaningful visitors back. Google sends 831x more visitors than AI systems, according to TollBit. Cloudflare shared data in July highlighting the skewed ratio of crawls compared to the number of visitors sent to a website: Google: 18:1 OpenAI: 1,500:1 Anthropic: 60,000:1 Google and content creators used to work symbiotically – but that relationship has turned adversarial since the emergence of generative AI due to the rise of zero clicks and decline of organic traffic. The New York Times report. Reddit Accuses ‘Data Scraper’ Companies of Stealing Its Information (subscription required) View the full article

GM just offered a glimpse into an AI-powered future in which drivers read a book or answer texts while their car whisks them to their destination. The company announced its plans to introduce a suite of advanced software systems into its vehicles on Wednesday, bringing the traditional auto maker up to speed on in-vehicle tech. At its GM Forward media event in New York, GM outlined its near-term plans for reimagining cars as “intelligent assistants” that drive their owners around. The company announced a major update to its driving assistance system that would bring hands-free, “eyes-off” highway driving to vehicles, starting with the Cadillac Escalade IQ in 2028. The technology will rely on integrated lidar, radar and cameras and a new internal and external turquoise lighting system to signal that the self-driving tech is active. The new eyes-off driving technology will push beyond the limits of GM’s existing “Super Cruise,” system, which offers hands-free highway driving but requires a driver’s attention. Next year, GM also plans to add Google’s Gemini AI into its vehicles, “making it possible to talk to your car as naturally as you would to a fellow passenger.” Down the road, GM plans to introduce its own AI assistant tied into OnStar, its subscription service that offers safety, security and navigation features. The company says its future custom AI could be useful for “explaining one-pedal driving in your new vehicle, spotting a maintenance issue early, or finding the perfect place for dinner.” Controversially, GM apparently plans to abandon support for connecting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto through a smartphone in all of its vehicles, pushing an in-house custom infotainment system instead. For potential car buyers already accustomed to phone projection systems, the decision sounds like a non-starter. On The Verge’s Decoder podcast, GM Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson likened the decision to Apple removing the disk drive from its laptops – a strange analogy and a risky bet, considering CarPlay’s popularity and ease of use. GM also announced plans to debut its own “centralized computing platform” that will run under the hood in both its gas and electric vehicles. The platform will weave together disparate systems like propulsion, steering, safety and infotainment, uniting them on “a single, high-speed computing core” and is set to debut in the 2028 Escalade IQ. In other high tech investments, GM will expand its program for home energy capture and storage and integrate more collaborative robots to supplement its human workforce. GM’s outlook brightens “Looking forward, we believe our investments in advanced technologies, manufacturing, and talent will build on our solid foundation, and make GM even more innovative, resilient and capable of leading through change,” GM CEO Mary Barra said in the company’s earnings call this week. GM’s stock popped on Tuesday, jumping the largest amount in almost six years after the company adjusted its expected annual profits upward. The auto maker attributed the positive outlook to new policies meant to lighten the impact of tariffs on U.S. car makers and its own plan to reduce its losses on electric vehicles, which have taken a hit under The President. “… With the evolving regulatory framework and the end of federal consumer incentives, it is now clear that near-term EV adoption will be lower than planned,” Barra said. “That is why we are reassessing our EV capacity and manufacturing footprint… By acting swiftly and decisively to address overcapacity, we expect to reduce EV losses in 2026 and beyond. In spite of lapsing EV tax credits and an administration steering in the opposite direction, GM still calls electric vehicles its “North Star.” View the full article

In today’s world, where success is often tied to financial accomplishments, status, and impressive job titles, Warren Buffett offers a refreshing perspective: True success is about the love we share. Yes, love. Buffett once said, “Basically, when you get to my age, you’ll really measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you.” Buffett’s wisdom gets to the core of what matters, reminding us that, ultimately, life’s real currency is the relationships we nurture that lead to two-way love. Who do you want to have love you? Are you a leader, manager, founder, or CEO with scores of people looking at you for guidance, support, motivation, and leadership? I have news for you: Love, in the right business context, does indeed matter for leadership. That’s the premise for my book, which will be released in March of 2025. The big idea behind the chapters I wrote may challenge your belief system. Let’s do a quick thought exercise. When we loosely throw the word “love” around in casual conversation, it’s perfectly natural to express it regarding certain people, places, and things. Think about it. It’s acceptable to profess love for a favorite sports team. I have no problems sharing with others that I love my Los Angeles Dodgers and “bleed Dodger blue.” Professing love for the college or university we attended is acceptable. It’s even perfectly acceptable to proclaim our love for a special pair of jeans we might wear only a few times a year. In the workplace, we may go home and proudly tell our loved ones, “I love my job,” or “I love my coworkers.” But leaders aren’t always comfortable expressing love for a team of people they oversee. They may spend nearly half their waking hours with their employees doing good work to the satisfaction of customers, yet they find it hard to infuse the word love into the business lexicon. To me, that type of thinking is bizarre. For every leader ashamed of or fearful of mixing love with work, I point to 10 others whose leadership behaviors unabashedly demonstrate love for their team, company, customers, culture, and everything they contribute to the world. While I’m certainly an idealist, I’m far from depicting the workplace in some Utopian, Norman Rockwell-portrait of the perfect corporate life. You must do your part by stretching your thinking to reimagine the possibilities for a more loving, human-centered, and humane workplace that results in profitable outcomes. As a leader, you have the power to create a workplace where love and care are not just words but guiding principles. Let me ask you: What if you saw your colleague, coworker, or direct report as a real person with real hopes, dreams, and fears as crucial as your own? And what if, one day, you decided to connect to the heart of people at work as you would a good friend, as one human being caring for another? This is the power and responsibility of leadership in creating a loving workplace. As you imagine being in this frame of mind, let me ask you another question: How would the dynamics change in the workplace as you encountered new challenges and solved complex business problems with the very folks you are kind to and care about? I believe the workplace and how we conduct business as usual would radically differ. This is especially true if you’re in a leadership role, whether you’re the shift lead supervisor of five people on the manufacturing floor, the founder of a 50-person startup, or a Fortune 500 company CEO. People also want to experience purpose, growth, and success in their jobs and feel their leaders are doing their best to care for them. That’s the bottom line: People want to feel cared for. But I call it for what it really is. In this age of toxic polarization, finger-pointing, and “looking after No. 1,” that, right there, is the new measure for your success. As Buffett said, when it’s all said and done and you reflect on your achievements in life, it would be great if you could confidently say to yourself, “Because of my willingness to care for and serve others, and because I put people first, I am loved.” Like this column? Sign up to subscribe to email alerts and you’ll never miss a post. —Marcel Schwantes This article originally appeared on Fast Company‘s sister publication, Inc. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy. View the full article

If you're looking to buy a new iPhone 17 this year, not only do you have a number of models to consider, you also have a number of colors to choose from. But some users who opted for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are claiming that the color they picked isn't the color they see today. According to these users, their iPhones have changed color over the short period of time they've owned them. Obviously, the internet has dubbed the issue "colorgate." Apple is no stranger to "gates," of course, especially when it comes to the iPhone: There was "antennagate," when the iPhone 4's redesigned antennas reported caused cellular connection issues; "bendgate," when the iPhone 6 Plus was prone to physically bending; and most recently, "scratchgate," where the aluminum on the iPhone 17 Pro Max appeared susceptible to scratching easily. Now, colorgate is here to further draw criticism to the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. Customers such as DakAttack316 on Reddit are claiming their Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pros are turning pink—or, if you want to give it an "Apple label," rose gold. It's tough not to see the reason this would bother people: Apple's advertisements for the Cosmic Orange iPhones highlight a vibrant and striking orange. The iPhone in the photos from DakAttack316 looks more sunburnt than anything else. The wireless charging pad remains a somewhat bright orange, but the aluminum has taken on a salmon hue. The orange accents throughout the phone also seem to have been affected, with some looking faded or dirty. Maybe if the entire iPhone was all one pinkish hue, it wouldn't look so bad, but the variety of colors visible in the photo make it look damaged. DakAttack316's might be among the most viral accounts of the issue, but they aren't alone. Take this post for instance: The issue isn't quite as pronounced, but you can clearly see how faded the orange metal is, especially when directly compared to another Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro Max. Meanwhile, this viral TikTok shows some more selective discoloration on different elements of an iPhone 17 Pro. It's not clear what is causing these issues, or how many Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pros are affected. Some theories suggest that using the wrong type of solvent to clean your iPhone, such as bleach or hydrogen peroxide, could be causing or contributing to the discoloration, since Apple says these chemicals shouldn't be used on iPhones. (Even if that isn't the case, it's always good practice to abstain from treating your devices with cleaning solutions unless the manufacturer has officially approved those chemicals.) Should people stop buying the iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange?No. We don't know why this is happening yet, or how widespread the issue is, but if a statistically significant number of Cosmic Orange iPhones were having this issue, you'd likely be seeing a lot more complaints than you are at the moment—especially considering the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are selling better than expected. Maybe these users were treating their iPhones with harsh chemical cleaners; perhaps a small number of Cosmic Orange iPhones have a manufacturing defect. Whatever the cause turns out to be, it doesn't appear to be something afflicting the majority of the devices. Compare these two Reddit posts showing off pink Cosmic Orange iPhones, with this thread of users who are happy with their color choice. It's all anecdotal evidence, of course, but for the moment, I'm just not seeing very many users complaining about sunburnt iPhones. If you do buy a Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro, and it does turn pink, take it to Apple or your carrier. So long as you didn't clean it with bleach, the company will almost assuredly swap it out for you—hopefully for a device that won't fade with age. View the full article

This year has not been a great one for grocery stores, with chains like Kroger and Safeway closing locations in recent months. Now, the Southeastern grocery chain Winn-Dixie appears to be following in their footsteps, with its parent company planning to sell or possibly shutter 32 Winn-Dixie stores by the end of 2025 as its focus shifts to its home state of Florida. It will also transition or close eight Harveys Supermarket locations. The 40 stores impacted span Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Southeastern Grocers (SEG), the Jacksonville, Florida-based company that owns both chains, posted a list of stores that it will transition, with some identifying new operators such as Piggly Wiggly and Super 1 Foods, and others marked “pending.” It’s unclear which if any of the pending stores will close versus transition to new ownership. Reached for comment by Fast Company, SEG reiterated that it has “reached agreements or is advancing plans with multiple grocers.” It said store closures are expected by the end of the year, but did not elaborate. The company further noted that southern Georgia will maintain stores in Brunswick, Folkston, Lake Park, St. Simons Island, and Valdosta. SEG expects the full transitions will be completed by early 2026. A new name for a new era SEG announced the transition and closures alongside news that it will rebrand as the Winn-Dixie Company. The new name will roll out by early 2026. “The change honors Winn-Dixie’s century-long legacy while positioning the grocer for growth through investments designed to modernize stores, enrich the customer experience and reimagine the neighborhood grocer for the next 100 years,” the soon to be Winn-Dixie Company stated in the release. The company is also expanding, despite the divestitures. It’s acquiring Hitchcock’s Markets in three Florida cities: Alachua, Keystone Heights, and Williston. Each will become a Winn-Dixie, with the Williston location expected to open by the end of the year and the former two grocers slated for summer 2026. These new stores and transitions will leave the company with about 130 grocery stores and 140 freestanding liquor stores. Southeastern Grocers is also moving forward with “dozens” of remodels, while growing its liquor store portfolio and own product offerings. Plus, it will be piloting tools such as third-party delivery and return kiosks. 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. Beats' Studio series has been around for years—their over-the-ear design, ANC, and more premium build and features set them apart from other Beats earphones. The Beats Studio3 are not the newest model (they came out in 2017) but they are still plenty good headphones in 2025, especially at their current price of $89 (originally $349.99). Beats Studio3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones $89.00 at Walmart $299.99 Save $210.99 Get Deal Get Deal $89.00 at Walmart $299.99 Save $210.99 I've had these headphones for a couple of years and I love them. The fit is snug, so you can wear them at the gym without worrying that they'll slip off. They have active noise cancellation that you can turn on and off from the Beats companion app. They're not going to be as good as the ANC you can find from the best headphones that came out this year, but for $89, they're great. Like all Beats headphones, you're going to get a rich, crisp sound signature with a focus on high-mid definition, according to PCMag's review. Of course, you can adjust the playback in the EQ settings, too. You get about 22 hours of audio playback with ANC on and 40 hours with it off, but you also have an AUX port (included in the box) in case you want to listen to music without Bluetooth and not depend on the battery. The Apple W1 chip means iOS users can connect to the headphones seamlessly. Keep in mind that since these are older headphones, they use a microUSB connection to charge, but a cord is included. View the full article

Softer than expected September inflation reading could affect OBR readings and lift chancellor ahead of Budget View the full article

Project management professionals know the good, bad and ugly of Microsoft Project Server. On the one hand, it has powerful project management capabilities, but on the other hand, Microsoft Server can be expensive, difficult to use and not collaborative. However, MS Project Server integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products, such as Microsoft Office, SharePoint Online and Microsoft Project. But is Microsoft Project Server the best project management software? Let’s put it to the test. We’ll explore its benefits and features, list where it falls short and review some of the best Microsoft Project Server alternatives on the market. After reading this thorough rundown of MS Project Server, potential users will have the information they need to decide whether Microsoft Project Server or one of the MS Project Server alternatives is the best fit for their projects. What Is Microsoft Project Server? Microsoft Project Server is an enterprise project management (EPM) solution that integrates with Microsoft SharePoint Server. It gives users a comprehensive suite of features for managing and delivering projects and programs across organizations. It’s ideally suited for businesses that need advanced project management capability, such as project scheduling, resource management and portfolio management in a collaborative environment. However, organizations looking for a more flexible project and portfolio management software at a competitive price point that doesn’t require the investment in infrastructure will find themselves in the market for a Microsoft Project Server alternative. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that won’t break the bank and still provides the powerful project management features needed to deliver on time, and within budget while prioritizing quality. Our software has robust Gantt charts that link all four task dependencies, filter for the critical path and set a baseline to track project variance in real time. That’s one of multiple project views, including task lists, kanban boards and calendars. Real-time dashboards provide a high-level overview of project metrics, while customizable reports offer valuable insight and can be shared with stakeholders to keep them updated. There are resource management features to set availability, balance workload and more, while automated workflows with approval settings maintain quality control. Roadmaps manage multiple projects in one place for portfolio and program management. There’s a mobile app for iOS and Android, plus our software is compatible with Apple products. Add to that a more collaborative platform and our Microsoft Project Server alternative is the way to go. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/critical-path-light-mode-gantt-construction-CTA.pngLearn more Microsoft Project Server Pricing Plans Pricing for Microsoft Project Server is governed by the on-premises licensing model and depends on your organization’s infrastructure and agreement. You’ll need to purchase a server license plus Client Access Licenses (CALs) for each user or device that will access the system. The solution is typically licensed through a Microsoft Volume Licensing Agreement, where costs vary based on the number of users, agreement tier, and regional factors. Since the software runs on top of SharePoint Server (Enterprise edition), that underlying infrastructure must also be properly licensed. Microsoft does not publish fixed public list prices for Project Server. As a rough ballpark, you should expect a one-time server license fee in the several thousand USD range, plus per-user or per-device CALs — actual pricing varies widely depending on your licensing contract, terms, and added services. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Project-Plan-Template-Word-image.png Get your free Project Plan Template Use this free Project Plan Template to manage your projects better. Get the Template Microsoft Project Server Views Microsoft Project Server Subscription Edition offers multiple built-in views within Project Web App (PWA) to help project managers, team members, and executives visualize, analyze, and manage work effectively. Each view provides focused insight into projects, resources, and performance, supporting better planning, reporting, and collaboration across the entire portfolio. Project Center view: Displays all enterprise projects in one place, allowing users to filter, group, and sort by key fields like owner, department, or status. It helps stakeholders monitor portfolio performance and project health efficiently. Tasks view: Shows each team member’s assigned tasks across all projects. Users can update progress, add notes, and mark tasks completed directly within the view, supporting transparency and real-time status tracking. Resource Center view: Presents all enterprise resources, including human and material assets. Managers can analyze availability, workloads, and assignments across projects, making it easier to plan capacity and resolve overallocation issues. Timesheet view: Lets team members record actual work hours and non-project time. It provides a centralized place for submitting timesheets for approval, ensuring accurate tracking of effort and resource utilization. Approvals view: Allows project or resource managers to review and approve submitted task updates and timesheets. This ensures controlled data flow and validates time and progress entries before updates affect project schedules. Portfolio Analysis view: Enables comparison and prioritization of proposed projects against business drivers and constraints. Managers can perform “what-if” scenarios to select the optimal mix of projects within available budgets and resources. Resource Analysis view: Provides detailed insights into resource demand versus capacity. It supports allocation adjustments, scenario planning, and identification of bottlenecks to maintain balanced workloads across multiple projects. Schedule view: Displays the detailed task breakdown, dependencies, and milestones of an individual project. It’s the core planning interface used to edit schedules, adjust dates, and manage critical paths. Gantt Chart view: Visualizes project timelines using bars to represent tasks, durations, and dependencies. It offers a clear overview of progress, helping managers track milestones and identify potential delays quickly. Dashboard view: Summarizes key performance indicators (KPIs), project metrics, and trends in visual widgets or reports. It’s designed for executives and PMOs to assess portfolio performance at a glance. Issues and Risks views: Lists and tracks project-related issues and risks across the organization. It helps teams log, categorize, and mitigate potential problems early through structured management and visibility. Custom views (user-defined in PWA): Allows organizations to create personalized views tailored to specific needs. Users can select fields, filters, and layouts to focus on relevant project, task, or resource data. Microsoft Project Server Features Microsoft Project Server Subscription Edition delivers a comprehensive suite of project and portfolio management capabilities. It combines advanced scheduling, resource management, and reporting with enterprise-grade security, integration, and customization options—all built on SharePoint Server Subscription Edition for powerful, centralized on-premises deployment and full control over your data environment. Centralized project and portfolio management Resource management and capacity planning Portfolio analysis and prioritization Task and timesheet tracking Workflow and approval processes Reporting and business intelligence integration Integration with Project Professional desktop client Role-based security and permissions Custom fields and lookup tables Enterprise calendars and templates Baselines and progress tracking On-premises SharePoint integration REST/CSOM APIs for customization Modern Lifecycle support and cumulative updates What Is Microsoft Project Server Used For? Microsoft Project Server is an on-premises enterprise project and portfolio management (PPM) solution designed for organizations that need centralized control over multiple projects, resources, and schedules. Built on SharePoint Server, it enables project managers, executives, and teams to collaborate efficiently, track progress, and align initiatives with strategic goals. With tools for scheduling, resource allocation, timesheet management, and reporting, Project Server helps standardize project management practices across departments. It’s widely used by medium to large enterprises in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and IT to ensure consistent governance, visibility, and performance across their entire project portfolio. Pros and Cons of Using Microsoft Microsoft Project Server offers powerful project management capabilities for organizations that need full control over data and workflows. However, its on-premises nature and setup requirements mean it’s best suited for enterprises with established IT infrastructure and governance processes. Pros of Microsoft Project Server Microsoft Project Server delivers advanced scheduling, resource management, and reporting features within a secure, customizable environment. Its deep integration with SharePoint and Microsoft ecosystem tools makes it ideal for organizations that prioritize centralized data control, compliance, and enterprise-grade project portfolio management. Centralized project, resource, and portfolio management Strong data security and on-premises control Advanced reporting and business intelligence features Deep integration with Microsoft ecosystem (SharePoint, SQL, Power BI) Highly customizable workflows and permissions Cons of Microsoft Project Server Now that we’ve given Microsoft Project Server its due, let’s take a more critical look at what it does and doesn’t do. The following is a list of where MS Project Server falls short. High cost of licensing and implementation, especially for large organizations Complex features and configuration options mean a steep learning curve, not ideal for small projects or teams Requires substantial IT resources for deployment, configuration and maintenance Customizing and integrating with other enterprise systems is complex and time-consuming Larger data sets or complex projects can produce performance issues, such as slow response times Interface isn’t user-friendly or intuitive compared to modern project management tools Limited mobile functionality compared to Microsoft Project alternatives Integration with non-Microsoft tools is challenging and may require additional customization Dependant on SharePoint integration for collaboration, which adds expense Limited customization might not meet all organization requirements Implementing updates and modifications is complex and can disrupt ongoing projects Best Microsoft Project Server Alternatives Considering the price and limitations of Microsoft Project Server, interested users will understandably seek out Microsoft Project Server alternatives. Let’s look at a couple of the best and see why users have chosen them over MS Project Server. 1. ProjectManager ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that has several advantages over Microsoft Project Server. It’s a more flexible tool and user-friendly solution. It features an intuitive and modern user interface that’s easy to learn, unlike the steep learning curve associated with most Microsoft project management software. The online software gives users a fully collaborative platform without having to subscribe to other tools. Plus, it delivers real-time data for dashboards, customizable reports, resource management and other features. Users can share files, comment at the task level and stay up to date with email and in-app notifications. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dashboard-light-mode.jpg The subscription-based model is more straightforward, with predictable monthly costs, which makes it easier to budget and scale, unlike MS Project Server with its higher upfront costs and investment in setup, customization and maintenance. ProjectManager is a more flexible tool that can serve all project management methodologies and even users who work on Apple products. There are multiple project views including robust Gantt charts, sheet view, task lists, kanban boards and calendars. Plus, time-tracking features to help projects stay on schedule. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Kanban-task-card-moving-manufacturing-order-management-light-mode.png What users find most appealing outside of the better price, fuller collaborative features and ease of use is the straightforward implementation and minimal setup required. ProjectManager is ready to manage projects immediately, while Microsoft Project Server has a long and intensive deployment, which involves significant effort. 2. Microsoft Project Server Viewer For those looking for a Microsoft project, there is Microsoft Project Server Viewer, which provides specific functionalities for viewing and interacting with project data from Microsoft Project Server. While not a full Microsoft Project Server alternative, it is designed to complement the software. It does this by allowing users to view project data from Microsoft Project Server without having the full suite of Microsoft Project Server’s complex functionalities. It can view MPP files, generate reports and access data. This makes the Microsoft Project Server a more cost-effective solution compared to Microsoft Project Server for users that only need viewing capabilities. It’s also simpler to use and provides access to project data from Microsoft Project Server in a format that can be viewed and interacted with through a web-based interface. However, it doesn’t provide full project management capabilities and requires Microsoft Project Server to function. Therefore, it’s great for users who just want to view project data but can be a problem for those who need more functionality. How to Import MS Project Server Files Into ProjectManager If the organization is wedded to Microsoft Project Server, but users want to get the flexibility and ease of use offered by ProjectManager, there’s a solution. That’s because ProjectManager can import MS Project Server files, where they can be edited and then exported back to Microsoft. First, start a free 30-day trial and then follow these steps. /wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ms-project-pm-integration.png 1. Import MPP File Launch the Gantt chart and click on the import button, which can be found on the top right of the screen. It looks like a box with an arrow pointing down from the top of the box. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Gantt-import-light-mode.png 2. Select MPP File A window will ask which file to import. Navigate to the MPP file to be imported. It will have an MPP file extension. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/import-light-mode-pop-up-600x280.png 3. Make Import Options Choose whether to import the MS Project Server file to an existing project or open it as a new project. There’s also an option to either replace the data or keep it. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/MPP-file-import-Gantt-chart-lightmode-e1726518305943-600x291.png 4. Import Everything or Just a Task List At this point, choose how to import the file. One option is to import all the data, another is to just import the task list. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/project-import-data-selection-mpp-gantt-light-mode-600x254.png 5. Finish Up & See Microsoft Project File Online When a window that says, Success appears, users can now share the file, edit it and then export the file back to MS Project Server. It’s that easy. /wp-content/uploads/2022/10/import-success-prompt-600x294.png More Microsoft Project Server Alternatives There are more than a couple of Microsoft Project Server alternatives that users can choose from. Here are a few more Microsoft project management software options that can help run projects without the pitfalls of Microsoft Project Server. 1. Microsoft Project Standard 2024 Microsoft Project Standard 2024 offers a simplified replacement for Microsoft Project Server when organizations don’t require enterprise-level portfolio management. It provides the core essentials—task scheduling, dependencies, milestones, and Gantt chart planning—within a standalone desktop application. While it lacks centralized databases and resource sharing, it works well for individuals or small teams needing structured project oversight without complex infrastructure. For companies phasing out Project Server and looking for a cost-effective, easy-to-use solution, Project Standard 2024 delivers familiar functionality to keep projects organized locally. 2. Microsoft Project Professional 2024 Microsoft Project Professional 2024 is a more direct alternative to Microsoft Project Server, offering advanced scheduling, resource pooling, and portfolio coordination. It integrates with Project Server and other Microsoft 365 tools, giving organizations flexibility to manage multiple projects without fully relying on a server-based setup. Professional provides enterprise-level controls, robust reporting, and collaborative features that mimic much of what Project Server offered, but with simpler deployment. For organizations transitioning from Project Server, Project Professional 2024 ensures continuity while supporting hybrid or on-premises workflows. 3. Microsoft Planner Microsoft Planner can act as a lightweight replacement for Microsoft Project Server in organizations that prioritize simplicity and collaboration over advanced portfolio management. Its kanban-style boards enable teams to assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress visually, removing the complexity of server-based tools. Integrated with Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint, Planner streamlines communication and keeps everyone aligned. While it doesn’t include enterprise resource planning, its ease of use, accessibility, and real-time collaboration make it a practical option for teams moving away from Project Server. 4. Microsoft Project for the Web Microsoft retired Microsoft Project for the Web on August 1, 2025. If you need to collaborate on MPP files in the cloud, sign up for ProjectManager to flawlessly import and export these files in an online platform. We have nearly all of the features that Microsoft Project does with none of the hassle, confusing plans or expensive price tag. If you want to stay in the Microsoft universe, you can explore their other available tools, including Planner for the Web. Microsoft Project for the Web is a cloud-based Microsoft Project Server alternative and part of the Microsoft 365 suite. It has a modern and intuitive design that helps users plan, manage and collaborate on projects. It has Gantt charts, task management features and a board view to accommodate different project management methodologies. 5. Microsoft Project Online Microsoft Project Online will not be available to new users after October 1, 2025 and will be officially retired for legacy users on September 30, 2026. If you need to collaborate on MPP files in the cloud, sign up for ProjectManager to flawlessly import and export these files in an online platform. We have nearly all of the features that Microsoft Project does with none of the hassle, confusing plans or expensive price tag. If you want to stay in the Microsoft universe, you can explore their other available tools, including Microsoft Planner, Project Standard and Project Professional. Microsoft Project Online is another cloud-based Microsoft Project Server alternative that can handle both project and portfolio management. It’s also part of MS 365 and has Gantt charts, resource management and collaboration tools. There are reporting and dashboards that allow project and portfolio managers to analyze data as well as customized templates to help users get started. Microsoft Project Server FAQs To end the article, let’s collect some frequently asked questions about Microsoft Project Server to help readers choose whether this project and portfolio management somewhere is a good fit for their organization. Is Microsoft Project Server Free? No, Microsoft Project Server is not free. It’s a paid product that requires licensing fees. Is Microsoft Project Server the Same as Microsoft Project for the Web? No, Microsoft Project Server is not the same as Microsoft Project for the Web. They serve different purposes and offer different functionalities. Is Microsoft Project Server Included in Microsoft 365? No, Microsoft Project Server is not included in Microsoft 365. It is a separate, enterprise-level solution that requires a distinct licensing agreement. Related Microsoft Content For those who are still on the fence and want to dig a little deeper into Microsoft products and how they compare to other project management tools, here are a bunch of links to free articles that can help one decide the best tool for them. Microsoft Project: Plans, Training and How to Download Top Microsoft Project Management Software Microsoft Project vs. ProjectManager Microsoft Project Online: Pros, Cons and Best Alternatives Microsoft Project for Mac: How to Run MS Project Files on Mac Best Microsoft Project Alternatives: Free & Paid Options What Is Microsoft Lists? Uses, Features and Pricing Microsoft Lists vs. Planner: In-Depth Software Comparison Microsoft Project Gantt Chart: A How-to Guide Microsoft Planner vs. Project: In-Depth Software Comparison Best Microsoft Planner Alternatives of 2024 (Free & Paid) ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office, out in the field or anywhere else in the world. 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 are using our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post Microsoft Project Server: Pros, Cons and Best Alternatives appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

As the holiday season approaches, small business owners find themselves on the cusp of significant revenue opportunities. According to the recently released Intuit QuickBooks Holiday Shopping Report, U.S. consumers are projected to spend $263 billion this holiday season, marking a remarkable 25% increase from the previous year. This heightened spending presents a $109 billion chance for small businesses, as consumers increasingly lean towards local shops, with 41% of their holiday spending designated for small business purchases. In this annual survey conducted by Intuit, involving 6,000 consumers and 1,000 small business owners, participants expressed that the desire to give gifts to loved ones overshadows concerns about economic pressures like tariffs and inflation. Nearly half of the surveyed consumers reported a willingness to cut back on other expenditures—such as dining out and even essentials like groceries— to ensure they can provide gifts for their family and friends. This year’s festive spirit is fundamentally about prioritizing joy over economic anxiety, with 42% of respondents stating that giving gifts is more important than ever. This optimistic sentiment among consumers plays a pivotal role for small businesses that often rely on the holiday rush for a significant chunk of their annual revenue. In fact, 93% of small business owners indicated that the holiday season is crucial for their overall success. Many anticipate that holiday sales will contribute nearly half of their yearly revenue, an increase from 33% the prior year. Furthermore, 65% of owners expect an upswing in revenue compared to last year, buoyed by a general confidence among 89% of surveyed small business owners that customers will spend enough to meet revenue goals. Liz Pham, owner of Bows Arts, emphasizes this sentiment, stating, “For small businesses like ours, the holiday season is when everything comes together. It’s not just our busiest time of year, it’s when we see the impact of our community’s support the most.” Pham highlights that tools such as QuickBooks and Mailchimp help streamline operations, allowing her focus to remain on crafting exceptional customer experiences. While the outlook is positive, this holiday season does not come without its challenges. Economic factors still loom large. For instance, 86% of consumers expressed concern about tariffs and inflation affecting their holiday shopping behavior, with more than half expecting to face higher prices. Small business owners share similar anxieties; 68% acknowledged that tariffs have substantially impacted their operations. In response, many small businesses have adjusted their strategies—32% have raised their prices, while 44% plan to offer special deals to attract customers. Simon Worsfold, Head of Data Communications at Intuit QuickBooks, emphasizes the need for small businesses to adopt strategic approaches in a precarious economic environment. “With almost half of U.S. consumers prioritizing shopping small this season, small business owners can capitalize on this over the next few months by leveraging digital and AI-powered tools,” he indicates. These tools can assist in marketing efforts, inventory management, and operational efficiency. To navigate this bustling shopping capital, small business owners may consider implementing several actionable strategies: Embrace AI Tools: The survey indicates a soaring interest in AI, with nearly three-quarters of small business owners planning to utilize AI technologies this holiday season. Tools that automate tasks such as inventory management and customer outreach can save time and money. Optimize for Mobile and In-Store Sales: While online shopping dominates, particularly on mobile platforms, over half of consumers also plan to shop in physical stores. An omnichannel approach helps cater to diverse consumer shopping preferences. Effective Marketing Communication: More than half of respondents revealed coupon codes as a primary incentive for purchases. Small businesses are encouraged to adopt personalized marketing strategies using email and SMS to alert customers about special promotions. Focus on Early Holiday Shopping: With many shoppers starting their gift buying as early as October, it’s essential for small businesses to track inventory and align their marketing efforts with peak shopping times. The report outlines a clear path for small businesses to thrive during this holiday season, leveraging both digital tools and consumer trends that prioritize support for local establishments. By remaining adaptable and resourceful, small business owners can significantly enhance their holiday sales and secure a prosperous end to the year. For more details on this report, you can visit the original post from Intuit at Investor Relations. Image via Envato This article, "Consumers Plan 25% More Holiday Spending, Boosting Small Business Revenue" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As the holiday season approaches, small business owners find themselves on the cusp of significant revenue opportunities. According to the recently released Intuit QuickBooks Holiday Shopping Report, U.S. consumers are projected to spend $263 billion this holiday season, marking a remarkable 25% increase from the previous year. This heightened spending presents a $109 billion chance for small businesses, as consumers increasingly lean towards local shops, with 41% of their holiday spending designated for small business purchases. In this annual survey conducted by Intuit, involving 6,000 consumers and 1,000 small business owners, participants expressed that the desire to give gifts to loved ones overshadows concerns about economic pressures like tariffs and inflation. Nearly half of the surveyed consumers reported a willingness to cut back on other expenditures—such as dining out and even essentials like groceries— to ensure they can provide gifts for their family and friends. This year’s festive spirit is fundamentally about prioritizing joy over economic anxiety, with 42% of respondents stating that giving gifts is more important than ever. This optimistic sentiment among consumers plays a pivotal role for small businesses that often rely on the holiday rush for a significant chunk of their annual revenue. In fact, 93% of small business owners indicated that the holiday season is crucial for their overall success. Many anticipate that holiday sales will contribute nearly half of their yearly revenue, an increase from 33% the prior year. Furthermore, 65% of owners expect an upswing in revenue compared to last year, buoyed by a general confidence among 89% of surveyed small business owners that customers will spend enough to meet revenue goals. Liz Pham, owner of Bows Arts, emphasizes this sentiment, stating, “For small businesses like ours, the holiday season is when everything comes together. It’s not just our busiest time of year, it’s when we see the impact of our community’s support the most.” Pham highlights that tools such as QuickBooks and Mailchimp help streamline operations, allowing her focus to remain on crafting exceptional customer experiences. While the outlook is positive, this holiday season does not come without its challenges. Economic factors still loom large. For instance, 86% of consumers expressed concern about tariffs and inflation affecting their holiday shopping behavior, with more than half expecting to face higher prices. Small business owners share similar anxieties; 68% acknowledged that tariffs have substantially impacted their operations. In response, many small businesses have adjusted their strategies—32% have raised their prices, while 44% plan to offer special deals to attract customers. Simon Worsfold, Head of Data Communications at Intuit QuickBooks, emphasizes the need for small businesses to adopt strategic approaches in a precarious economic environment. “With almost half of U.S. consumers prioritizing shopping small this season, small business owners can capitalize on this over the next few months by leveraging digital and AI-powered tools,” he indicates. These tools can assist in marketing efforts, inventory management, and operational efficiency. To navigate this bustling shopping capital, small business owners may consider implementing several actionable strategies: Embrace AI Tools: The survey indicates a soaring interest in AI, with nearly three-quarters of small business owners planning to utilize AI technologies this holiday season. Tools that automate tasks such as inventory management and customer outreach can save time and money. Optimize for Mobile and In-Store Sales: While online shopping dominates, particularly on mobile platforms, over half of consumers also plan to shop in physical stores. An omnichannel approach helps cater to diverse consumer shopping preferences. Effective Marketing Communication: More than half of respondents revealed coupon codes as a primary incentive for purchases. Small businesses are encouraged to adopt personalized marketing strategies using email and SMS to alert customers about special promotions. Focus on Early Holiday Shopping: With many shoppers starting their gift buying as early as October, it’s essential for small businesses to track inventory and align their marketing efforts with peak shopping times. The report outlines a clear path for small businesses to thrive during this holiday season, leveraging both digital tools and consumer trends that prioritize support for local establishments. By remaining adaptable and resourceful, small business owners can significantly enhance their holiday sales and secure a prosperous end to the year. For more details on this report, you can visit the original post from Intuit at Investor Relations. Image via Envato This article, "Consumers Plan 25% More Holiday Spending, Boosting Small Business Revenue" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Populist party leader tries to emulate Donald The President’s success in attracting backing from digital asset investorsView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Do you love the idea of running—getting outdoors, burning calories, building cardio fitness—but you wish you could do it without, you know, running? Try walking with a weighted pack instead, an activity that’s become known as "rucking." Some fitness watches even support tracking your pack weight alongside your mileage. What is rucking?Rucking means walking or hiking with a weighted pack. It’s the fitness version of what they do in the military: marching long distances while carrying supplies in a rucksack. (Rucksack, rucking, get it?) When you ruck as part of a fitness routine, you probably won’t carry hiking or military supplies—especially if you’re just going for a short ruck around your neighborhood. Instead, your pack will hold weights, or you might just use a weighted vest. What are the benefits of rucking? Like running or other cardio, rucking is a form of steady-state cardio. It gets your heart rate up for an extended period of time, so it’s great for your cardio fitness. It also burns plenty of calories, so it can be useful in maintaining or managing your weight. Why not just walk, without the weight? Once you’ve achieved a basic level of fitness, walking is a very low-intensity exercise. If you already walk, and you’re ready for more of a challenge, your next best options are walking faster, walking uphill, or walking with added weight. Rucking is that last one—but you can combine all of these factors when you ruck. Can I use a regular backpack for rucking? Yes, but people who really get into rucking will often buy special packs or use a weighted vest. If you already have a backpack you can use, do your first few rucks with that, just to see if you actually like rucking. You’ll notice pretty quickly that a loose dumbbell in a backpack is uncomfortable. The quickest way to get started is to buy a bag of play sand (typically under $10 for 50 pounds) and use a portion of that, in a bag that’s taped shut, as your first rucking weight. It won’t have any hard edges to poke you, and you can add more sand to the pack as you get stronger. If you do choose to use weights from your home gym, consider wrapping them in a towel for cushioning. Weight plates are likely to be easier to work with than dumbbells or kettlebells. Whatever you use, try to keep it as high as possible on your back, and snugged up against your body. Straps or bungee cords can help to keep your pack from flopping around. What equipment should I get for rucking? First, before we talk about packs or vests, make sure you’re wearing appropriate shoes. You may want sturdy boots, like hiking boots, instead of running shoes. The exact model and fit are up to you. When it comes to the pack, consider whether you want a pack that can carry useful items (great if you are hiking or backpacking, or going on very long rucks) or if you just want to add some weight in the simplest way possible. If you’ll mainly be rucking with light to medium weights for short distances, consider a weighted vest. (These are also great if you like to do weighted pushups or other exercises. Your CrossFit friends all have one for Murph.) There are fitness-focused weighted vests that have pockets for small pouches of weight. This one from CAP is available in a 20-pound version, but there are also options that go up to 80 pounds. You can add or remove weights as needed, so buy the heaviest vest you think you’ll actually use. Another option for weighted vests is the type that loads with a thin rectangular(ish) plate, like this from Wolf Tactical. These are more expensive, but tend to be more customizable for heavy weights, and they bill themselves as being higher quality. CAP Barbell (HHWV-CB020C) Adjustable Weighted Vest, 20-Pound,20 Pound, Black $39.97 at Walmart $44.99 Save $5.02 Shop Now Shop Now $39.97 at Walmart $44.99 Save $5.02 If you’ll be rucking long distances and carrying supplies, go for an actual pack. There’s an older style of military pack called the ALICE, which you can sometimes find sold cheaply as surplus. They’re not particularly comfortable, or so I’ve heard. Molle style packs are the more modern equivalent. There’s no need to stick to the military aesthetic, though. If you plan to do a lot of backpacking and camping, head to your local outdoors store and try on hikers’ packs. When you’re carrying a real pack, you can fill it with snacks and water, plus your first aid kit and survival essentials. Just about every good pack is set up to take a hydration bladder, which lets you keep several liters of water on your back and sip from it through a flexible straw without having to stop and unzip your pack. Military Tactical Backpack Army 3 Day Assault Pack Molle Bag Rucksack $29.99 at Amazon $39.99 Save $10.00 Shop Now Shop Now $29.99 at Amazon $39.99 Save $10.00 When it comes to tracking your rucking sessions, any watch that can track walking or hiking will do the basics. (You also don't need to track anything digitally—this is purely optional.) That said, these watches have some features that are handy. Something like the Garmin Instinct 3 Solar is pretty much a rucker's dream. Not only can it log your pack weight in addition to distance and speed, it also has a flashlight and solar charging. Those will come in handy on the hiking and camping trips you'll probably do once you realize how much fun you have walking around with a pack on your back. How much weight should I use for rucking? As a beginner, 10 pounds may be plenty. See if you can keep up a strong pace with that weight, and if so, consider adding weight. Most people will use between 10 and 50 pounds for rucking, depending on body size and fitness. There is a rule of thumb in the military that soldiers shouldn’t be asked to routinely carry more than about ⅓ of their bodyweight. This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, and you certainly don’t have to follow military rules in your personal fitness journey, but it may be helpful as a guideline for knowing how much is too much. As with anything else in exercise, you’ll want to start easy, make sure your body can handle what you’re asking of it, and increase gradually. Every couple of weeks, consider whether your rucking weight is still appropriate and adjust it if not. This may mean going heavier as you get stronger, but it could also mean lowering the weight if you had a hard time keeping up when carrying heavier loads. How fast should I walk when I’m rucking?In the military, a 15-minute mile is considered a good pace. Most people walk at about a 20-minute mile pace, so a 15-minute mile is a good bit faster. And you’re doing it with a weighted pack! Again, see this as a goal, and work up to it over time if you aren’t ready to work at this pace just yet. How often and how far should I ruck? You can approach this like any cardio exercise, starting with whatever amount you can comfortably do right now, and increasing as long as you feel good and have the time to do it. If you don’t currently do any cardio, two to three times per week for 20 to 30 minutes is a good place to start (or to work up to, if that is more than you’re ready for at first). If you already run, bike, or use the cardio machines at the gym, swap one or two of your weekly sessions for a ruck. Once you’re in the habit of it, you can ruck pretty much any amount you want. Rucking counts as vigorous cardio, meaning 75 minutes per week meets the bare minimum exercise guidelines, 150 minutes is a good amount for an active person, and more is great if you’re up for it. Consider rucking three to five times per week, for 30 minutes or more each time, with one of those sessions being a longer one, an hour or more. That last one is perhaps best done as a weekend hike with friends. Tell them you’ll bring the snacks—you have plenty of room in your pack. View the full article

A reader writes: This year, several people in my reporting line have asked for last-minute vacation days because a partner or friend “surprised” them with a trip or event – already booked and, of course, non-refundable. Each time we’ve bent policy so they don’t lose out, but it’s starting to feel like we’re rewarding poor planning (or very confident gift-givers). One person has even done it twice! Everyone making these requests is in their early 20s, while I’m over 40 and feeling more curmudgeonly every day. Is this a generational thing – maybe inspired by TikTok surprise reveal culture – or just pure luck that I’d never encountered it before? What really gets me is that they treat these situations as if they’re out of their control – “I didn’t book it, so what can I do?” It feels like they’re outsourcing responsibility for their choices to me. Of course anyone would rather skip work and do something fun, but isn’t part of being a professional recognizing that you still have obligations to your job? Should I start saying no to these last-minute requests, or would that make me a heartless boss? I don’t think it’s a generational thing, although I think it might be a young, inexperienced person thing — meaning that the reason you’re only seeing it from employees in their early 20s is because they’re still learning work norms and don’t realize this won’t usually fly. And of course, every time you do let it fly, you’re inadvertently teaching anyone watching that it’s maybe a reasonable thing! Which doesn’t mean you should deny the requests on principle. If you can accommodate a last-minute request like this without significant hardship, you shouldn’t refuse it just because of how it unfolded. But it’s also okay if you can’t! If you can’t say yes because of the impact it would have on your team’s work, you can say, “I’d love to be able to approve it, but you committed to the client to do X on those days and we can’t back out of that” or “I’d love to say yes to this, but two other people already booked that week off and we’re counting on you for coverage” (or whatever the case may be). That said, it doesn’t feel great to tell someone, “Sorry, you have to say no to an already paid and non-refundable trip someone just gave you.” You have the standing to say that — and in some cases it will be the only reasonable response — but of course you’d rather avoid it if you can. Ideally, after the first time this happened, you’d take it as an opportunity to clarify with your whole team what can and can’t be accommodated, and remind them of how much notice you need to be able to reliably grant time off. And if you do say yes to a last-minute surprise vacation, it’s smart to say something to that person like, “I’m going to find a way to make this work, but it’s got to be a one-time thing. Normally we’d need more notice because of ___.” (Filling in that blank is important. You should be clear that it’s an issue because of coverage needs, or a looming and important deadline, or you were relying on them to fulfill a commitment they’d made, or whatever it is, so that it’s clear this isn’t about rules for rules’ sake, but something with an actual impact on your team and their work.) It’s not too late to do that now! You could let your team know there’s been an increase in last-minute requests for time off and so you want to make sure that people know that you need X amount of notice to be able to reliably approve time off. Don’t say no on principle but, since you’re seeing misaligned expectations, do proactively educate people about how it doesn’t and doesn’t work. The post my young employees keep asking to take last-minute time off for surprise vacations appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Breakfast has started to get a little riskier. More than six million eggs have been recalled since Sept. 29 over salmonella concerns. This week those concerns grew when the FDA expanded its earlier recall from Arkansas-based Black Sheep Egg Company and elevated the recall to Class I, which describes the highest possible risk to public health. The move follows a string of other recent egg recalls. In August, the FDA announced the recall of large brown cage-free Sunshine Yolks produced by Country Eggs, LLC of Lucerne Valley, California, and sold under the Nagatoshi Produce, Mizuho, and Nijiya Markets brands. Those products reportedly sickened at least 95 people across 14 states. Other recent recalls have also affected Costco’s Kirkland brand eggs. Why the uptick in food recalls? If it seems like there has been an uptick in recalls recently, that’s not entirely unfounded. Food recalls have increased by around 20% from 2020 to 2023, according to a Trace One report. However, experts say that much of the reason for a greater number of recalls is because tests are more sensitive to picking up contamination. “This heightened sensitivity leads to more recalls, as contamination is identified earlier and more accurately,” says Darin Detwiler, LP. D., author of Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions and a professor at Northeastern University. Likewise, food safety regulations have gotten more stringent since the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011, which means recalls are triggered more easily. Since the passing of the act, “there’s been a huge improvement in food supply regulation,” Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN and author of Health Shots said last year. “Regulations such as all facilities are required to have a preventative control plan, enhanced produce safety rules, and more frequent FDA facility inspections have helped with improvement.” Amidor added, “In addition, facilities must give the FDA access to food safety records, greater authority over imported food, and comply with the agency to issue mandatory recalls.” The growing list of recalled eggs Per the Oct. 20 recall notice, the recall now includes Black Sheep Egg Company brand 12- and 18-count cartons of Free Range Large Grade A Brown Eggs with Best By dates of 8/22/2025 through 10/31/2025. Likewise, Kenz Henz of Santa Fe, Texas recalled its 12-count containers of “Grade AA Large Pasture Raised eggs”, which came from Black Sheep Egg Company over possible contamination. The affected cartons are marked with UPC code 86949400030, Julian dates 241–244 and 246–247, with best-by dates of October 11th through the 14th and October 16th and 17th. The FDA also said that the eggs have been distributed to other companies in Arkansas and Missouri from July 9 through Sept. 17, and said some of the products may have been repackaged. The notice explained that the list will be updated as the FDA receives new information with the potential for more products to be added to the recall list. The updated recall comes after salmonella was found at the company’s processing facility in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas in late September. During the inspection, 40 environmental samples tested positive for salmonella, including seven different strains of the bacteria. Per the announcement, the “FDA does not have information available at this time to suggest that this firm is the source of an ongoing outbreak. “ Black Sheep Egg Company said in a Facebook post that while the FDA’s tested “non-food contact surfaces” which found salmonella, however, the eggs “tested negative for salmonella and showed no signs of contamination.” The post continued, “Out of an abundance of caution and with the safety of our consumers in mind, we made the proactive decision to initiate a voluntary recall on certain lots of eggs.” The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that Salmonella causes “about 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths” per year in the U.S. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. When you track a strength training workout on a fitness watch, that watch will happily tell you what heart rate zones you were in during the workout. In fact, they'll do that for any workout, whether it makes sense or not. So you might be tempted to interpret this data in terms of the benefits of zone 2 training. If my heart rate is in zone 2 when I’m lifting weights, that means I just did an hour of zone 2 training, right? Unfortunately, no. Heart rate zones only apply to cardioZones are meaningless for strength training, but to understand why, we have to go back to the reason zones were invented in the first place: to give athletes an objective rating of how hard their cardio workouts are. In fact, the whole idea of monitoring your heart rate for athletic (rather than medical) purposes originated with a Finnish ski team, and then spread to other athletes. Your heart rate can tell you how hard you are working, and you can use that information to gauge whether you should go harder or ease up. Or, as Finnish triathlete Pauli Kiuri is quoted saying in this article at Polar, “At some point during your run, you get the feeling that you can’t push any further. But if your rate is still only 160 bpm, you just have to believe that yes, you can!” (Polar was the maker of those early heart rate monitors.) Heart rate training makes sense for endurance sports, because the harder you work, the faster your heart beats. So you can use that relationship in reverse: the bigger the number on your heart rate monitor, the harder you must be working. Your heart rate is a good gauge of the work you're doing. But that relationship with heart rate doesn’t hold for other types of exercise. Your heart rate during a yoga session doesn’t tell you how deep into a stretch you are getting. Your heart rate during a strength training session doesn’t tell you whether you are lifting light or heavy. That’s why your heart rate during a strength training session does not matter. Cardio is defined by what your whole body is doing, not just what your heart is doing.Heart rate, properly used, is what’s called a proxy metric. We don’t track heart rate because heart rate matters; we track heart rate because it tells us about something else that matters—in this case, the intensity of cardio exercise. For an exercise to be cardio, it needs to be a rhythmic contraction of large muscles for minutes on end. Because our muscles are contracting repeatedly, they require our mitochondria to work harder to power them. Those mitochondria need more fuel, so our cells become more responsive to insulin so they can pull in blood sugar more effectively. To do all of this, we need more nutrients and oxygen to reach our muscle cells, so we grow more capillaries to supply them, and to take away metabolic byproducts. The health benefits of cardio relate to those body processes above. The speed of our heartbeat is a side effect. Those whole-body processes are what give us the benefits of zone 2 cardio: low-fatigue calorie burn, increased mitochondrial and capillary density, and improved VO2max, to name just a few. These benefits come from the fact that our entire body is doing exercise. Just increasing our heart rate, without doing all of that other stuff, isn’t going to get all those good zone 2 adaptations. That’s why sitting in a stressful meeting at work for 30 minutes is not the same thing as going for a jog. Nor is watching a scary movie the same thing as doing a HIIT workout. And, sorry to sauna enjoyers, but a sauna is not a replacement for exercise. (Sauna sessions do seem to improve the health of your blood vessels somewhat, but they don’t do all the other stuff.) When you think about it, zone 2 cardio has a lot more in common with zone 3 (or even zone 5) cardio than it does with “zone 2” lifting. What zone should strength training be in? Trick question! Zones don’t matter for strength training. The point of strength training is to build strength. To tell whether you're working hard enough to build strength, here are some common ways to judge your effort: How the weight on the bar compares to the most you’ve ever lifted: for example, you might do squats at 80% of your max. How many reps you are doing at a given weight: five reps at 80% is harder than one rep at 80%. How fast you move as you complete the rep: the harder it is, the slower it will move; there are even gadgets to measure this. Sometimes this property is called “bar speed,” as in, how fast the barbell is moving. How many more reps you think you could have done: if you had three reps "in the tank," that's an easier set than if the last rep you did was the last rep you could possibly have done. How sore, fatigued, or “pumped” a muscle feels: within some styles of training, this can help you to figure out how much work a muscle group has gotten during the day’s training. Some things that do not correlate with how much strength you are building include how out-of-breath you feel after a set of exercises, or how fast your heart beats during or after the exercises. The truth about heart rate when lifting is that your heart rate may be higher, your breathing harder, and your rest times longer, if your cardio fitness kinda sucks. This is a sign that you may want to improve your fitness by doing actual cardio (zone 2 or otherwise), so that you gain those adaptations and don’t have to sit around as long sucking wind between sets. But your cardio fitness is only playing a supporting role here; it’s not the point of the strength session, and it’s not a useful metric for gauging your effort. Or to put it another way: when you do five sets of five squats at 80% of your max, you get the same strength benefit whether you do it with three-minute rests and a smile on your face, or eight-minute rests and a sky-high heart rate. OK, but what zones are normal for strength training? Realistically, you’ll see your heart rate jump up and down throughout your strength training session. During rests, your heart rate may be in zone 1 or 2; during short sets of an exercise, you may see your heart rate spike into zone 3 or higher. You’ll likely see a higher heart rate during sets of many reps (sets of 10 reps may result in a higher heart rate than sets of three reps). It doesn’t really matter what heart rate zone you find yourself in. The only thing that really matters, if you’re checking your heart rate chart afterward, is that your strength session has big spikes and dips. If it looks relatively even, you’re probably not resting enough. For comparison, here are my charts for a recent jog (at the upper end of zone 2/lower zone 3) and for a strength training workout that included snatches, deadlifts, and squats. Note the longer rests and higher spikes toward the end of the workout, when I squatted heavy for six reps at a time. Left: running. Right: lifting weights. Credit: Beth Skwarecki/Garmin If zones don’t matter, why does my app tell me what zone my strength training was in?The short answer is: because they can, not because they should. When endurance athletes first adopted heart rate training, it was a replacement for running by timed paces or just by feel. They understood that it was a measure of how hard their whole body was working during a run or a ski session. It’s different in the modern era, when every watch measures heart rate. The truth is that heart rate zones are on all your result screens because heart rate is easy for your watch to measure, zones are easy for your app to calculate, and because the company that makes the app and watch wants to please you with a bunch of cool looking charts after every workout. Heart rate zone charts make your workout feel more important, and getting to see them is like a little reward sticker to keep you in the habit (and, from the company’s point of view, using its product). Enjoy the charts if you think they’re pretty, but keep your eyes on the metrics that matter—which, for strength workouts, includes pretty much everything except your heart rate. View the full article