ResidentialBusiness

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Finally, AI is being put to good use, without taking anyone's job (I think?). The Soundcore Rave 3S uses a unique AI feature to turn any regular song you play over Bluetooth into a karaoke track by digitally removing the vocals. I praised it highly in my review, and I've had a lot of fun making it a centerpiece at my parties this year. Right now, the speaker has gotten its first significant discount—you can pick one up for $299.99, $50 of the usual price. Soundcore Rave 3S Power: 200W, Features: AI Vocal Removal, Battery: 12H Playtime, Includes: 2 Wireless Microphones. $349.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $349.99 at Amazon If you've ever experienced that feeling of disappointment when looking for a specific karaoke song on YouTube and coming up empty-handed, this speaker is for you. It has happened to me plenty, mainly because my taste in music is fairly niche. If the songs you're searching for are easily found on YouTube and you'd prefer a smaller, more portable speaker, I recommend getting the Ikarao Shell S1 portable speaker instead. Otherwise, the Soundcore Rave 3S is pretty sweet. The AI vocal remover works well. You can trigger it by pressing a button on one of the two Bluetooth microphones or through the companion app. You can also choose the degree to which you want the vocals to be removed. The companion app is intuitive and useful and includes fun Vocal Enhancer features that change the sound of the mic (with options for neutral, warm, presence, and bright). The EQ options are also very detailed and change in real time. The battery will give you up to 12 hours of juice, so you can take the party outdoors (it's splashproof, with an IPX4 rating). View the full article

I love movies and TV shows of all kinds, but I have to admit I have a soft spot for HBO. The channel is responsible for some of my favorite TV experiences of all time: Game of Thrones, Barry, Silicon Valley, and now The Last of Us all come to mind. I'll watch anything on any platform that looks intriguing enough, but when HBO is attached, I'm even more likely to watch. That's why it made absolutely no sense at all for Warner Bros. Discovery to remove the name of one of the most respected brands in show business, truncating HBO Max to just Max. HBO hasn't gone away: The channel is still a massive part of the streaming service, offering its past catalogue as well as producing new shows as it always has. But there are also "Max Originals," which are not HBO shows but available on the platform formerly known as HBO Max. Not confusing at all. It's been two years since the name change, and it seems like the decision has been a success. Oh, sorry, did I say success? I don't have access to Warner Bros. Discovery's internal data, but I imagine it hasn't been a success, seeing as the company is now bringing back HBO Max from the dead. Somehow, HBO Max returnedIt's true: Warner Bros. Discovery is returning HBO to its platforms' name this summer. No longer will you need to tell your friends to open Max to watch the latest episode of Hacks or The White Lotus (were there many of us still calling this anything but HBO anyway?) The company won't necessarily admit the name change was a bad idea, but it does offer a corporate explanation. JB Perrette, the company's President and CEO of Streaming, said that “This evolution has also been influenced by changing consumer needs...No consumer today is saying they want more content, but most consumers are saying they want better content.” Perrette also said they've been "iterating" on the idea for the past two years, which sounds to me like the company had immediate regrets after ditching the HBO brand. Perrette references Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav's, who reportedly championed the idea that the company should "go back to including HBO in the brand, because nothing stands for distinction and quality more than HBO.” Well, duh. At least the official HBO X account is having a fun time with the news: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. View the full article

The plaintiff is asking for a Seattle federal court to postpone the Redfin shareholder vote, scheduled for June 4, until the company disseminates supplemental information curing the alleged omissions in the proxy filing. View the full article

Read this buyer persona creation guide to take a step towards making better business, product, and marketing decisions and investments. View the full article

Google launches a generative AI certification with free training, focusing on Google's tools. Is this credential worth adding to your resume? The post Google Launches Generative AI Certification With Free Training appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Zoho Corporation has expanded its customer experience (CX) platform with deeper AI and workflow orchestration capabilities, powered by its proprietary AI engine, Zia. The enhancements aim to eliminate barriers to CRM adoption across business functions and make customer data more accessible and actionable for all departments. “Multiple people in an organization need access to customer information, yet historically, CRMs have been relegated to only sales teams,” said Mani Vembu, CEO, Zoho. “As we democratize CRM with the launch of CRM for Everyone, we also need to build in capabilities that make it easy for anyone to build and extend CRM with simple prompts, without having to be an expert in the system. This is where Zia’s advanced capabilities come in. Now, anyone can create capabilities, workflows, or reports in CRM with a simple prompt. They can also make their CRM look the way they want with Zia’s image to design capabilities.” CRM for Everyone is now generally available to businesses worldwide and includes two new features: Connected Records and Connected Workflows. These additions complement Zia’s expanded capabilities and position the platform as an accessible, AI-powered tool across entire organizations. Advanced AI Capabilities with Zia Zoho’s Zia engine now supports: Report Creation with Ask Zia: Users can prompt Zia to generate reports, which it builds according to their permissions. Zia allows real-time visualization of the report creation process, and users can interrupt and modify tasks before resuming. Custom Module Creation: A no-code experience for customizing CRM modules, field types, and permission settings using natural language commands. Workflow Creation with Ask Zia: Zia creates workflows in response to plain text prompts, enabling users to set up automated processes without technical expertise. Image to Canvas: Users can transform an image into a visual design element within the CRM, providing a more personalized and interactive interface. Improving Coordination Across Teams With Connected Records and Connected Workflows, Zoho aims to improve cross-departmental coordination and ensure consistent customer experiences. Connected Records automatically link activities across team modules, maintaining context throughout the customer journey. Connected Workflows serve as an orchestration engine that automates coordination among departments including sales, marketing, onboarding, account management, finance, and legal. “A lot of enterprises look at their CX progress and wonder why they have trouble coordinating multiple processes across isolated departments,” said Keith Dawson, Director of Research, Customer Experience, ISG Software Research. “The promise of generative AI was that it would be able to prune away many of the old barriers to progress. Happily, AI capabilities like Zoho’s are delivering on that promise.” Availability and Pricing CRM for Everyone is now available, and unless otherwise noted, AI capabilities are included in license costs. Team user licenses for non-sales CRM users start at $9 per user per month on all paid Zoho CRM editions. Zoho’s AI Approach Zoho emphasizes customer privacy and value in its AI design. Its contextual, assistive, and agentic AI models are not trained on consumer data and do not retain customer information. Zoho aims to deliver effective AI solutions without increasing the financial burden on users. With over 55 apps spanning nearly every business category, Zoho remains one of the most prolific global technology companies. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with international headquarters in Chennai, India, the privately held company employs more than 15,000 people. Images: Zoho This article, "Zoho Expands Customer Experience Platform with AI-Powered Workflow and CRM Enhancements" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Zoho Corporation has expanded its customer experience (CX) platform with deeper AI and workflow orchestration capabilities, powered by its proprietary AI engine, Zia. The enhancements aim to eliminate barriers to CRM adoption across business functions and make customer data more accessible and actionable for all departments. “Multiple people in an organization need access to customer information, yet historically, CRMs have been relegated to only sales teams,” said Mani Vembu, CEO, Zoho. “As we democratize CRM with the launch of CRM for Everyone, we also need to build in capabilities that make it easy for anyone to build and extend CRM with simple prompts, without having to be an expert in the system. This is where Zia’s advanced capabilities come in. Now, anyone can create capabilities, workflows, or reports in CRM with a simple prompt. They can also make their CRM look the way they want with Zia’s image to design capabilities.” CRM for Everyone is now generally available to businesses worldwide and includes two new features: Connected Records and Connected Workflows. These additions complement Zia’s expanded capabilities and position the platform as an accessible, AI-powered tool across entire organizations. Advanced AI Capabilities with Zia Zoho’s Zia engine now supports: Report Creation with Ask Zia: Users can prompt Zia to generate reports, which it builds according to their permissions. Zia allows real-time visualization of the report creation process, and users can interrupt and modify tasks before resuming. Custom Module Creation: A no-code experience for customizing CRM modules, field types, and permission settings using natural language commands. Workflow Creation with Ask Zia: Zia creates workflows in response to plain text prompts, enabling users to set up automated processes without technical expertise. Image to Canvas: Users can transform an image into a visual design element within the CRM, providing a more personalized and interactive interface. Improving Coordination Across Teams With Connected Records and Connected Workflows, Zoho aims to improve cross-departmental coordination and ensure consistent customer experiences. Connected Records automatically link activities across team modules, maintaining context throughout the customer journey. Connected Workflows serve as an orchestration engine that automates coordination among departments including sales, marketing, onboarding, account management, finance, and legal. “A lot of enterprises look at their CX progress and wonder why they have trouble coordinating multiple processes across isolated departments,” said Keith Dawson, Director of Research, Customer Experience, ISG Software Research. “The promise of generative AI was that it would be able to prune away many of the old barriers to progress. Happily, AI capabilities like Zoho’s are delivering on that promise.” Availability and Pricing CRM for Everyone is now available, and unless otherwise noted, AI capabilities are included in license costs. Team user licenses for non-sales CRM users start at $9 per user per month on all paid Zoho CRM editions. Zoho’s AI Approach Zoho emphasizes customer privacy and value in its AI design. Its contextual, assistive, and agentic AI models are not trained on consumer data and do not retain customer information. Zoho aims to deliver effective AI solutions without increasing the financial burden on users. With over 55 apps spanning nearly every business category, Zoho remains one of the most prolific global technology companies. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with international headquarters in Chennai, India, the privately held company employs more than 15,000 people. Images: Zoho This article, "Zoho Expands Customer Experience Platform with AI-Powered Workflow and CRM Enhancements" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Corporations make a lot of stuff they want to sell you, and invest a lot of money, effort, and time into convincing you to not only to buy a product, but to buy a specific version of it. While there’s nothing wrong with pointing out the advantages of one product over another, sometimes marketers use specifically vague or deceptive phrases in order to convince you to choose the one they're offering up. The problem with these phrases is that they exist in a kind of gray area—they’re not outright lies, but they’re also not particularly transparent. When you see one of these eight terms printed on a product’s label, it's a good reminder to engage in some critical thinking about what it's actually telling you. FDA-approvedSeeing the phrase “FDA Approved” on a medicine’s product label probably gives you a certain sense of confidence. After all, the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t just approve everything! Getting that FDA stamp of approval must mean it’s safe and high-quality, right? But that’s not actually what “FDA Approved” means at all. The phrase specifically means “the drug is determined to provide benefits that outweigh its known and potential risks for the intended population.” It has absolutely nothing to do with quality, and it doesn’t even mean it’s low-risk—just that the benefits outweigh the risks. That’s useful information, but in marketing, the phrase is used as an indicator that you’re getting a superior product that you can trust to be safe, when all it really means is that it works, and the downsides are (probably) worth it. Genuine leatherThe word “genuine” is doing a lot of work here. You probably think it must be some kind of industry term, with all kinds of meaningful grading and quality testing behind it. But in the words of Lifehacker editor Beth Skwarecki, “‘genuine leather’ just means it’s...leather." It literally just means the thing you’re holding in your hand is, in fact, made of leather. It says nothing about the quality of that leather—good or bad. PatentedIf you watch Shark Tank, you probably have a high opinion of the patent process, and assume that if a product is patented—and shouts that information everywhere in its advertising—it must be innovative and unique. You’d better buy this version, is the implication, because no one else can replicate its patented magic. Eh, not necessarily. Sure, some patents do, in fact, protect innovative ideas. But patents can be issued for a lot of reasons—sometimes minor technical improvements, or new ways of combining ingredients or components. The U.S. issues hundreds of thousands of patents every year, and not all of them are meaningful in the sense of describing amazing breakthroughs or even unique applications. But the term conveys a certain gravitas to a product’s other claims around effectiveness, utility, and value, so marketers use it any time they can. Maximum strengthThe “it goes to 11” of marketing copy. This phrase always looks convincing— it's usually written in all caps at the top of the label to let you know that the product is not messing around, and that it is the most product you can buy. The problem is, what does “maximum” mean? Maximum compared to what? If it means compared to the other versions of the product, that doesn’t necessarily mean competing brands won’t be stronger. If it refers to some sort of legal or physical limitation on how powerful a drug or other product can be, then that same restriction applies to competing products as well. It’s a relative term that doesn’t mean anything unless you put in some research to understand what the reference points actually are. All-naturalEvery now and then, someone falls for the classic “dihydrogen monoxide (DHMO)” prank, agreeing that a dangerous chemical like DHMO should be banned after hearing about all the potential hazards it causes, like death if accidentally inhaled. DHMO is, of course, water (H2O)—dangerous under the right conditions, but also necessary for life. The point being, many chemicals are all-natural, technically speaking, and there’s no clear guidance from the FDA on what the term means. Most products are processed to such a degree that it’s impossible to determine what “natural” even could mean, so labeling something as “all-natural” doesn’t mean much. Doctor-approvedWhen shopping for health-related products of any kind, it can be persuasive to see one is “doctor approved” in some way. You might think this means that a major medical association has come together to recommend that product, or at least conducted some sort of study and determined that this product did the job best. It probably doesn’t mean that, though. While it often means that at least one doctor tested or reviewed the product, that doctor may have been on the company payroll, and either way the phrase doesn’t mean a more formal or official approval process of any kind took place. Clinically provenSimilarly, the phrase “clinically proven” can be deceptive because the clinical studies being referenced are often paid for by the manufacturer itself. While that doesn’t necessarily mean these studies are fake, it does call into question how objective the study and its designers were, and whether any independent bodies corroborate its findings. Worse, sometimes the studies being cited for the “clinically proven” claim don’t actually prove that the product works. Sometimes fine print hidden somewhere on a label or website will clarify this, but not always. Even if a study was reasonably well-conducted and independently organized, you need more than one study to have confidence that an active ingredient or specific formulation of something actually works as advertised. RecyclableIf you’re worried about the future of the planet, you might be seeking out products that lower your carbon footprint. Seeing that a product’s packaging is recyclable makes you feel better about using it, because you know that when you toss it away you’re not adding to a landfill. Except, often, you are. Companies sometimes use materials in their packaging that are technically recyclable, but practically not recyclable. In other words, the specific plastic or other material can be recycled, but aspects of the packaging itself—shape, size, and the stuff it contains—mean that it will be separated out and tossed into a landfill regardless. And sometimes the specific material used isn’t recycled universally—for example, HDPE plastic can be recycled, but not all recycling facilities accept it. View the full article

Alt-Tab was among the first Windows keyboard shortcuts I learned when I first used a PC over two decades ago, right after Ctrl-C (copy) and Ctrl-V (paste). Alt-Tab opens the app switcher, which lets you quickly bring a different app to the foreground. You can use it to quickly swap between two open apps, or to cycle between all of your open apps. But what you might not know is that the app switcher can so a lot more than that. I'm here to walk you through the best tricks hidden in the commonly used Windows feature. Cycle through open appsHold down the Alt key and keep pressing Tab to open the app switcher and cycle through all your open apps. Once you release the shortcut, the selected app will come to the foreground. You can also cycle through this list in reverse order by holding Alt-Shift and pressing the Tab key repeatedly. Stop the app switcher from auto-hidingThe app switcher's temporary nature is a bit annoying sometimes. The moment you release Alt-Tab, the app switcher disappears. You can get around this by pressing Alt-Ctrl-Tab. Now, you're free to release the keyboard shortcut and keep the app switcher happily floating above all your open apps. Use arrow keys to cycle through your list of open apps, or use the mouse to directly pick the app you need. To dismiss the app switcher, simply click outside of it. If this shortcut is too difficult to press, try using the Alt key to the right of the spacebar along with Tab. So, press Right Alt-Tab and it'll also stop the app switcher from automatically hiding. Use the app switcher to quit appsOnce you have the app switcher open, you can use it to quit apps, too. Press Alt-Ctrl-Tab to open the app switcher, then move the cursor to any of the thumbnails on screen. You'll see a small X button in the top-right corner of each thumbnail. Click the X to quit that app. Alternatively, you can use the arrow keys to select any app and press the Delete key to quit the selected app. Enjoy a full-screen view Credit: Pranay Parab If a small floating window is not sufficient for you, you can make the app switcher full-screen as well. Press Windows-Tab to open the Task View, which shows a list of all open apps in full-screen. You can use this to switch to any app or to quit apps. Press Esc to leave this view. Try a third-party customization toolWhile Windows' defaults work well, you can also consider using third-party apps to customize the app switcher's theme. Both Winaero Tweaker and AltPlusTab let you change the look and feel of the app switcher. You can use these apps to change the switcher's opacity, fonts, appearance, and more. View the full article

Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin has said he wants the federal agency to accelerate scientific safety evaluations of various chemicals, including pesticides. The EPA reportedly has more than 500 pending reviews of proposed new pesticides and more than 12,000 overdue reevaluations of pesticides currently in use. The agency is under pressure from the chemical and agricultural industries to catch up, while health and environmental advocates demand it maintain high safety standards. The review process is careful for a reason – and perhaps the only real method of speeding it up is the one Zeldin has proposed: reassigning staff so there are more people to share the work. As a faculty member at a land-grant university who has studied the effectiveness of commercial and experimental pesticides in the southern U.S., I have seen how the federal pesticide regulatory process identifies risks to humans and the environment and mitigates them with specific use instructions. Here’s how the process works. First, what is a pesticide? The EPA, which regulates pesticides in the U.S., defines a pesticide as any substance or mixture of substances intended to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate any pest, such as weeds, insects and organisms, that attack plants. Pesticides are often referred to as toxins when found in food, water bodies or other places where they are not intended. But just because something is detected doesn’t mean it’s harmful to humans or wildlife. Toxicity depends on how much of the substance a person or animal is exposed to, how they are exposed to it – such as breathing it, or getting it on their skin – and for how long. The Department of Agriculture began regulating pesticides in 1947 with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. Most of the department’s interest was whether a particular pesticide was effective against the target pests. In 1970, the newly formed EPA took over responsibility for pesticides. It shifted its focus to the safety of consumers, farmworkers and the environment after the Federal Environmental Pesticide Control Act took effect in 1972. Risk-benefit analysis Federal law requires the EPA to evaluate both the risks and the benefits of each pesticide – and to revisit that analysis at least every 15 years for every pesticide used in the U.S. The EPA determines whether the risks to people, animals or the environment are too high for the benefits the pesticide provides and whether any of those risks can be reduced. Sometimes a chemical’s risk can be lessened by recommending mitigation strategies such as wearing protective clothing, reducing environmental spread by barring the use of pesticides near the edges of a property, or decreasing the amount of a pesticide that’s legal to use. In its analysis of any given pesticide, the EPA requires a massive amount of data from the manufacturer about what ingredients the pesticide contains and how they work. The agency also reviews scientific research on the pesticide and uses its own scientists and independent experts to evaluate any studies that were submitted by the manufacturer. The EPA uses all the available data on a pesticide to evaluate the dose that would be toxic to a range of organisms, as well as what residues the pesticide may leave on plants, in the soil and in water. The data is incorporated into computer models that estimate the potential amount of the chemical that may come in contact with humans, animals and the environment. Those models’ results are then combined with toxicity data to determine risk. The models used by EPA scientists are very conservative. They often use significant overestimates of exposure, which means that when the models determine the risk of a pesticide is below a particular level, they are evaluating the risk posed by far higher quantities of the chemical than will ever actually be used. The risk from the amount actually used, therefore, is even less likely to cause harm. The EPA also provides opportunities for public comment on a pesticide and uses that information in its evaluations as well. Additional scrutiny The Endangered Species Act also requires the EPA to evaluate the effects of pesticides on threatened and endangered species. If a pesticide is found to potentially be dangerous to a protected species or its habitat, the EPA will discuss those findings with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, which enforce the Endangered Species Act, and determine what to do to ensure the species aren’t harmed. The law’s requirement to reevaluate each pesticide every 15 years is based on the fact that science evolves and information becomes more precise. New data can shed light on potential risks and benefits, and even lead to pesticides being banned or more closely restricted. Until recently, for instance, pesticide residues on plants, food and in the environment were measured in parts per million. Newer equipment can measure even smaller amounts, determining parts per billion, which is as precise as identifying one single second in 32 years. Some chemicals can even be measured in parts per trillion, equivalent to one drop of water in 20 Olympic-size swimming pools. That means exposures can be more accurately measured. While some chemicals can be toxic in very small concentrations, most pesticides can be detected at levels that do not pose a biological risk. Allowing a pesticide to be used If the EPA determines that a pesticide’s risks outweigh its benefits, then its staff will conduct additional analyses to determine how to mitigate the risks enough to justify using it. If that’s not possible, the EPA will reject the application and not allow the pesticide to be used in the U.S. If the agency determines that the benefits outweigh the risks, the EPA approves the pesticide for sale and use in the U.S. The law requires the pesticide come with a label providing a strict set of guidelines for how, when and where to use the pesticide. The guidelines define amounts and timing for applying the pesticide safely, and specific restrictions or protection strategies to control the target pests while eliminating or minimizing harm to the environment, workers and the public. The EPA also makes information on pesticides available to the public, so anyone can find out how to use them safely. Using the pesticide without following those directions is a violation of federal law. Jeffrey Gore is a professor of agricultural science and plant protection at Mississippi State University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

A reader writes: The room I work in is an office with about 10 cubicles located in the middle of the building. We have windows to the hallway, but none to outside. Two summers ago, our AC broke and the temperature in the office was between 79 and 82 all summer. Management bought italian ices for the office once or twice (super helpful /s) and said if anyone wanted to work in a different room they could work anywhere that was available — not a ton of options, mostly conference rooms that were frequently in use. They eventually got that fixed, and I thought all would be well. Unfortunately, for the past 10 months, including all through the winter, the office was so, so, so HOT. The admin assistant in my office had some way of getting into the computer behind the system to override it and turn on the AC, but then it would become freezing — no in-between — so that didn’t last long. Management is aware of the problem and tried having some repair people down, but in a sort of lackluster way, like only every few months if there were a lot of complaints. The office is 78 degrees for most of the day, almost every day! I’m probably the hottest in the office, so I’d prefer it at something like 69, but at least at 72 or whatever we wouldn’t have everyones’ lunch and, um, other smells hanging heavy in the office. 74 would make me very uncomfortable, but 77-80 is just too much. It literally slows me down, impedes my thinking, and makes me cranky. We have a joke in the office that even Chrome slows down when the heat goes up. I have tried working in some empty desks in cooler rooms around the office, which can also disrupt my workflow (at least with others) but is still the better option of the two, but with many new hires recently, there are no more empty offices and I’m stuck in the furnace. Is there any way to communicate to management that this is really not working for me? I have mentioned it in the past, but I think they just look at me as the office kvetch. Occasionally, my manager will walk in and comment, “Gosh, it’s really hot in here!” like this is news to her, to which I’ll respond, “Yes, and it makes it very difficult to work.” Which to me is asking, “Can you just DO something about this?” but I guess it doesn’t mean that to her because she just moves on. (Well, yeah, she’s not the one sitting there all day.) Anyway, my question is if this is in any way an HR issue. I’m trying to figure out how to escalate this so it is taken seriously. Can I send HR an email explaining that this has been going on too long and I need a serious solution (along with the pictures of the thermostat that I’ve been taking daily)? If so, how exactly should I phrase my request so that it doesn’t come across as too complaining, but is also not ignored? If not, what other solutions would you suggest? I’m slowly melting and getting more desperate as we head into summer. Yeah, that is way too hot for a lot of people. OSHA doesn’t require specific temperatures, but they do recommend 68-76° F, and you’re outside of that range every day. Moreover, that OSHA range is about safety, not comfort. Day after day of 78° would be really difficult for a lot of people. It’s also one thing to ask you to deal with discomfort for a day or two while something is being fixed (although not ideal even then), but asking you to accept it as a long-term condition is not okay. It also sounds like your management is being deliberately oblivious. Your manager knows it’s too hot if she’s commenting on it when she walks in and you’re telling her it’s making it hard to work, and …. nothing? However, it’s worth checking that assumption. Is there any chance your manager doesn’t realize these are the conditions every day? If you’re replying “Yes, and it makes it very difficult to work” (as you wrote in your letter), that actually doesn’t tell her that it’s that way every day, so that’s the next step if it hasn’t already been done. Tell her very explicitly, “You know how you often comment on how hot it is when you come in our office? It’s like that every day, and it’s very difficult to work in the heat. I’ve raised this before but it hasn’t changed. How do we get the temperature addressed? These aren’t sustainable working conditions.” If that doesn’t work or you’re confident she already knows, then yes: HR. (And maybe HR regardless, since your manager seems pretty ineffectual.) The wording you want is: “For the past 10 months, including through the winter, the temperature in office has been uncomfortably hot. The repair work has not solved the problem, and most days the temperature in the office is 78°, which is two degrees over OSHA’s recommended maximum temperature. How can we get this fixed as soon as possible, so that we’re back within the OSHA-recommended range?” Those mentions of OSHA are intentional. While the OSHA “recommendation” doesn’t have real teeth, it’s likely to make them take the complaint more seriously. You also might check to see if your state OSHA regulations are any more stringent. Also: I’m guessing you have coworkers who are also fed up. This complaint should come from all of you; pushing as a group will make you much harder to dismiss. The post our office is swelteringly hot and no one will do anything appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

Life is full of bittersweet moments, such as when children leave a happy home to strike out on their own. Big Bear bald eaglets Sunny and Gizmo, the offspring of California’s internet-famous eagles Jackie and Shadow, are getting ready to do just that. And the eagle family’s one-million-plus social media followers can watch them fly from the nest for the first time. This act is known as fledging and can happen anytime between 10-14 weeks old. The official fledge window for the eaglets started on Tuesday, and fans who love watching the eagles on the live nest web camera operated by the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) hope the eaglets take their sweet time. At last check on Wednesday afternoon, the live YouTube stream had more than 43,000 viewers. Let’s take a look at how Sunny and Gizmo got here. A brief history of the Big Bear bald eaglets Back in January, Jackie laid a clutch of three eggs for the first time. This rare act was especially exciting because Jackie and Shadow’s eggs haven’t hatched for a couple of seasons. These three eggs went all the way, hatching on March 3, 4, and 8. Sadly, after a big winter storm, one of the chicks had passed away. FOBBV held a naming contest where anyone in the world could suggest a moniker. The names were then voted on by local third, fourth, and fifth graders. The names Sunny and Gizmo were chosen by the kids while the name Misty was given to the deceased chick by FOBBV to honor the late volunteer Kathi Misterly. Last month, the Sunny and Gizmo discovered how to flap their wings. Being the older sibling, Sunny even got some air before Gizmo. The mischievous youngster got Sunny back by winning a flapping battle in May. During the second week of May, Jackie and Shadow trusted Gizmo and Sunny enough to leave them “home alone” in the nest overnight. (They didn’t throw a party.) It is only a matter of time now before these two former fluff balls go all the way. If you are a gambler, you can enter FOBBV’s contest and take a guess on when that might be. Simply fill out a form on the nonprofit’s website with the time and date that you think each eaglet will take wing. There is no money at stake, but you could win bragging rights and a cool certificate from the organization, so it’s totally worth it. How can I stream the bald eagle cam live? You can watch the action at the nest cam’s live YouTube link or via the embedded video below. What’s next for the Big Bear bald eaglets? After Sunny and Gizmo take their first flight, they will hang out around Big Bear Lake for a couple of months. They still have much to learn from their parents about being an adult, including how to hunt and fish. They may even return to the nest, but it will take some time to get their wing strength up to par, as the nest is a high flight up a Jeffrey pine tree. After they are a bit more confident, the world is their oyster. Since they don’t have to worry about rent, bald eagles have a wide range, being seen in areas extending from British Columbia to Yellowstone to Baja California. View the full article

Zoho Corporation announced the release of Ulaa Enterprise on May 14, 2025, a new enterprise-focused version of its privacy-first web browser. Ulaa Enterprise is designed to meet the security and visibility needs of enterprise organizations by offering protection at the browser level without relying on third-party integrations or complex virtual environments. “The shift to cloud-based software has made the browser the largest attack surface inside an organization, yet no software vendor has been able to produce a secure browser that strikes the correct balance between depth of policy controls and straightforward usability,” said Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist at Zoho. “Ulaa Enterprise addresses the need for a proactive and comprehensive security solution for businesses to reduce their attack surface, keep users secure, and stay in control of their security.” Security-First Design for the Modern Workplace Ulaa Enterprise provides centralized policy management, enabling administrators to set access controls, manage extensions, restrict downloads, and define user behavior across user groups. The browser also features Data Loss Prevention (DLP) capabilities that block unauthorized uploads, screen captures, copy-paste actions, and downloads of sensitive data. IT teams can monitor risks through detailed audit logs and enforce precise security policies at the browser level. This reduces the need for reactive security responses and offers greater control over digital environments. AI Integration for Real-Time Protection and Efficiency Ulaa Enterprise integrates Zoho’s AI assistant, Zia, to enhance security and productivity. Zia-powered tools include: ZeroPhish: Detects phishing attempts by analyzing URLs and page behavior before users click. Smart Web Categorization: Automatically classifies websites and blocks unsafe content. Tab Organization: Optimizes tab layout based on user behavior to streamline productivity. Designed for Ease of Use and Deployment Ulaa Enterprise is built to be user-friendly for both IT administrators and employees. It does not require heavy virtualization or complex infrastructure. The browser supports ethical and targeted monitoring, aiming to build employee trust while maintaining security. It is built on Chromium, providing users with a familiar browsing experience, while local security enforcement ensures fast performance. Ulaa Enterprise supports all major platforms, including Android and iOS. “As a Ulaa user, I highly appreciate its responsiveness, compatibility, and built-in security features. With the release of Ulaa Enterprise as the front-end to business applications, Zoho now has a security stack that nearly no other tech vendor can compete with,” said Thomas Wieberneit, Founder and Principal Analyst, AheadCRM. “Zoho’s relentless commitment to security and privacy is part of its DNA and is unique in the industry.” Growth and Availability The launch of Ulaa Enterprise follows significant growth in Ulaa’s user base, with downloads and monthly active users increasing by 2.5 times since 2023. Ulaa Enterprise is available starting at $1 per month per device or $10 per year per device. More details on pricing are available at http://ulaa.com/enterprise/pricing, and demos can be requested at http://ulaa.com/enterprise/request-demo. Commitment to Privacy and Responsible AI Zoho emphasizes its ongoing commitment to user privacy, stating it does not use an ad-revenue model in any part of its business. All data centers are owned and operated by Zoho, ensuring direct oversight of customer data. Its AI tools are developed under strict privacy standards, with models not trained on consumer data and no retention of customer information. Zoho supports more than 125 million users globally across hundreds of thousands of businesses, including its own operations. For more on Zoho’s privacy commitment, visit https://www.zoho.com/privacy-commitment.html. For additional details about Zoho and its wide range of applications, visit zoho.com. Images: Zoho This article, "Zoho Launches Ulaa Enterprise Browser with Enhanced Security and Control" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Zoho Corporation announced the release of Ulaa Enterprise on May 14, 2025, a new enterprise-focused version of its privacy-first web browser. Ulaa Enterprise is designed to meet the security and visibility needs of enterprise organizations by offering protection at the browser level without relying on third-party integrations or complex virtual environments. “The shift to cloud-based software has made the browser the largest attack surface inside an organization, yet no software vendor has been able to produce a secure browser that strikes the correct balance between depth of policy controls and straightforward usability,” said Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist at Zoho. “Ulaa Enterprise addresses the need for a proactive and comprehensive security solution for businesses to reduce their attack surface, keep users secure, and stay in control of their security.” Security-First Design for the Modern Workplace Ulaa Enterprise provides centralized policy management, enabling administrators to set access controls, manage extensions, restrict downloads, and define user behavior across user groups. The browser also features Data Loss Prevention (DLP) capabilities that block unauthorized uploads, screen captures, copy-paste actions, and downloads of sensitive data. IT teams can monitor risks through detailed audit logs and enforce precise security policies at the browser level. This reduces the need for reactive security responses and offers greater control over digital environments. AI Integration for Real-Time Protection and Efficiency Ulaa Enterprise integrates Zoho’s AI assistant, Zia, to enhance security and productivity. Zia-powered tools include: ZeroPhish: Detects phishing attempts by analyzing URLs and page behavior before users click. Smart Web Categorization: Automatically classifies websites and blocks unsafe content. Tab Organization: Optimizes tab layout based on user behavior to streamline productivity. Designed for Ease of Use and Deployment Ulaa Enterprise is built to be user-friendly for both IT administrators and employees. It does not require heavy virtualization or complex infrastructure. The browser supports ethical and targeted monitoring, aiming to build employee trust while maintaining security. It is built on Chromium, providing users with a familiar browsing experience, while local security enforcement ensures fast performance. Ulaa Enterprise supports all major platforms, including Android and iOS. “As a Ulaa user, I highly appreciate its responsiveness, compatibility, and built-in security features. With the release of Ulaa Enterprise as the front-end to business applications, Zoho now has a security stack that nearly no other tech vendor can compete with,” said Thomas Wieberneit, Founder and Principal Analyst, AheadCRM. “Zoho’s relentless commitment to security and privacy is part of its DNA and is unique in the industry.” Growth and Availability The launch of Ulaa Enterprise follows significant growth in Ulaa’s user base, with downloads and monthly active users increasing by 2.5 times since 2023. Ulaa Enterprise is available starting at $1 per month per device or $10 per year per device. More details on pricing are available at http://ulaa.com/enterprise/pricing, and demos can be requested at http://ulaa.com/enterprise/request-demo. Commitment to Privacy and Responsible AI Zoho emphasizes its ongoing commitment to user privacy, stating it does not use an ad-revenue model in any part of its business. All data centers are owned and operated by Zoho, ensuring direct oversight of customer data. Its AI tools are developed under strict privacy standards, with models not trained on consumer data and no retention of customer information. Zoho supports more than 125 million users globally across hundreds of thousands of businesses, including its own operations. For more on Zoho’s privacy commitment, visit https://www.zoho.com/privacy-commitment.html. For additional details about Zoho and its wide range of applications, visit zoho.com. Images: Zoho This article, "Zoho Launches Ulaa Enterprise Browser with Enhanced Security and Control" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

US corporations with over a trillion in assets snapped up an unprecedented amount of short-term Treasuries when President Donald The President announced a 90-day delay for most of his "Liberation Day" tariffs, according to Clearwater Analytics. View the full article

Zoho Corporation has launched Zoho Payments, a unified payment solution designed to help businesses manage online payments seamlessly through native card and ACH capabilities. With support for over 135 currencies and integrations across Zoho’s ecosystem, the new product allows companies to centralize and streamline their financial workflows. “As digital payments become the default preference for everything from online purchases to subscription services, businesses need a payment solution that not only offers flexibility, but is also tightly connected to their financial operations,” said Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist at Zoho. “Zoho Payments closes this gap by natively connecting with our ecosystem, enabling seamless collections across different use cases. Our solution provides businesses with better authorization rates, strong risk management, automated reconciliation, and helps minimize losses from fraud and chargebacks, delivering real operational value as payment volumes grow.” With an estimated 87% of transactions now cashless and 81% of U.S. consumers preferring card payments, Zoho aims to reduce the inefficiencies caused by fragmented tools. Zoho Payments enables businesses to avoid delays and reconciliation errors common in disconnected systems by offering an integrated alternative within its finance and operations apps. “Our transportation company has used third-party payment portals before, but they came with extra logins and separate integrations that didn’t fit smoothly into our workflow. It made sense for us to try Zoho Payments since we were already using Zoho Books,” said James Martin, Founder and CEO of Keystone Transport Services. “The integration was seamless. Its automation capabilities ensured that there were minimal interventions by our teams, significantly reducing the required overhead for onboarding and managing new customers. Now, one person can easily accomplish over 100 times the work as before.” Core Features and Capabilities Zoho Payments allows businesses to accept card and ACH payments, either through Zoho’s apps or via API integrations with third-party systems. Companies can send invoices, generate payment links, create hosted payment pages, or collect payments via online stores. According to Zoho, this flexibility supports faster settlements and custom payout scheduling, while enabling a smooth customer payment experience. “The integration of embedded payment capabilities within finance applications represents a significant leap forward. Moving beyond basic invoicing, these features streamline the entire payment lifecycle, accelerating cash flow and reducing administrative burdens. This evolution transforms finance platforms into more agile and responsive financial management tools,” said Kevin Permenter, Research Director, Financial Applications at IDC. “Zoho has made a major investment in infusing their powerful finance platform with payment management capabilities and services. I expect the market will be extremely receptive of Zoho’s most recent payment additions.” Zoho Payments is PCI DSS Level 1 compliant and supports robust fraud protection to minimize chargebacks. With automated reconciliation features, finance teams can reduce time spent on manual processes and mitigate potential errors. The platform also provides detailed visibility into key metrics, including transaction history, refunds, payout schedules, failures, and overall account summaries. Zoho highlights these insights as tools to help businesses optimize cash flow, track trends, and identify bottlenecks in their payment operations. “Zoho Payments bridges the operational gap between financial transactions and financial workflows, embedding payment capabilities into Zoho’s ecosystem,” noted Robert Kugel, Executive Director of Information Services Group. “Users can reduce their use of external tools and have a more seamless experience from collections to payouts, simplifying the day-to-day operations of businesses.” Pricing and Availability Zoho Payments is now available for use. Domestic card transactions are priced at 2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction, including Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, JCB, UnionPay, and Diners Club. International card payments incur an additional 1.5% on top of the domestic fee. For more information, visit: https://www.zoho.com/us/payments/pricing/. Images: Zoho This article, "Zoho Enters U.S. Payments Market with Launch of Zoho Payments" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Zoho Corporation has launched Zoho Payments, a unified payment solution designed to help businesses manage online payments seamlessly through native card and ACH capabilities. With support for over 135 currencies and integrations across Zoho’s ecosystem, the new product allows companies to centralize and streamline their financial workflows. “As digital payments become the default preference for everything from online purchases to subscription services, businesses need a payment solution that not only offers flexibility, but is also tightly connected to their financial operations,” said Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist at Zoho. “Zoho Payments closes this gap by natively connecting with our ecosystem, enabling seamless collections across different use cases. Our solution provides businesses with better authorization rates, strong risk management, automated reconciliation, and helps minimize losses from fraud and chargebacks, delivering real operational value as payment volumes grow.” With an estimated 87% of transactions now cashless and 81% of U.S. consumers preferring card payments, Zoho aims to reduce the inefficiencies caused by fragmented tools. Zoho Payments enables businesses to avoid delays and reconciliation errors common in disconnected systems by offering an integrated alternative within its finance and operations apps. “Our transportation company has used third-party payment portals before, but they came with extra logins and separate integrations that didn’t fit smoothly into our workflow. It made sense for us to try Zoho Payments since we were already using Zoho Books,” said James Martin, Founder and CEO of Keystone Transport Services. “The integration was seamless. Its automation capabilities ensured that there were minimal interventions by our teams, significantly reducing the required overhead for onboarding and managing new customers. Now, one person can easily accomplish over 100 times the work as before.” Core Features and Capabilities Zoho Payments allows businesses to accept card and ACH payments, either through Zoho’s apps or via API integrations with third-party systems. Companies can send invoices, generate payment links, create hosted payment pages, or collect payments via online stores. According to Zoho, this flexibility supports faster settlements and custom payout scheduling, while enabling a smooth customer payment experience. “The integration of embedded payment capabilities within finance applications represents a significant leap forward. Moving beyond basic invoicing, these features streamline the entire payment lifecycle, accelerating cash flow and reducing administrative burdens. This evolution transforms finance platforms into more agile and responsive financial management tools,” said Kevin Permenter, Research Director, Financial Applications at IDC. “Zoho has made a major investment in infusing their powerful finance platform with payment management capabilities and services. I expect the market will be extremely receptive of Zoho’s most recent payment additions.” Zoho Payments is PCI DSS Level 1 compliant and supports robust fraud protection to minimize chargebacks. With automated reconciliation features, finance teams can reduce time spent on manual processes and mitigate potential errors. The platform also provides detailed visibility into key metrics, including transaction history, refunds, payout schedules, failures, and overall account summaries. Zoho highlights these insights as tools to help businesses optimize cash flow, track trends, and identify bottlenecks in their payment operations. “Zoho Payments bridges the operational gap between financial transactions and financial workflows, embedding payment capabilities into Zoho’s ecosystem,” noted Robert Kugel, Executive Director of Information Services Group. “Users can reduce their use of external tools and have a more seamless experience from collections to payouts, simplifying the day-to-day operations of businesses.” Pricing and Availability Zoho Payments is now available for use. Domestic card transactions are priced at 2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction, including Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover, JCB, UnionPay, and Diners Club. International card payments incur an additional 1.5% on top of the domestic fee. For more information, visit: https://www.zoho.com/us/payments/pricing/. Images: Zoho This article, "Zoho Enters U.S. Payments Market with Launch of Zoho Payments" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Location Matters: A restaurant’s proximity and accessibility significantly influence diners’ choices, emphasizing the need for optimal placement and visibility.Menu Variety and Quality: Diverse menu options and high-quality dishes enhance customer satisfaction and encourage repeat visits.Social Media Impact: Platforms like Instagram and Yelp shape dining preferences through user-generated content and reviews, making online reputation management crucial.Atmosphere Influences Experience: The ambiance, decor, noise levels, and comfort of a restaurant play a vital role in shaping diners’ experiences and satisfaction.Effective Marketing Strategies: Promotions, discounts, and loyalty programs serve as powerful tools for attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.Engagement Through Feedback: Actively responding to customer reviews and feedback on social media can strengthen relationships, boost reputation, and enhance overall service quality. When you’re hungry and craving a meal, the choice of where to eat can feel overwhelming. With countless options available, how do you decide which restaurant deserves your time and money? Understanding the factors that influence your decision can make the dining experience more enjoyable and satisfying. From the ambiance and menu variety to online reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations, several elements play a crucial role in shaping your preferences. Whether you’re in the mood for a cozy café or an upscale dining experience, knowing what drives your choices can enhance your culinary adventures. Let’s dive into the key factors that impact how diners like you choose their perfect restaurant. Factors Influencing Restaurant Choices Understanding the factors that influence restaurant selection enhances your ability to attract and retain customers. Several key elements contribute to diners’ decision-making processes. Location and Accessibility Location plays a critical role in diners’ choices. Restaurants situated in high-traffic areas or near popular attractions attract more foot traffic. Quick access, visible signage, and ample parking options improve accessibility. Your restaurant’s convenience factor can enhance customer retention, making it essential to evaluate the location regularly. Menu Variety and Quality Menu variety and quality significantly impact diners’ satisfaction. Offering diverse options caters to different dietary preferences and increases customer appeal. Quality ingredients and well-prepared dishes build a positive reputation. Conducting regular customer feedback sessions can pinpoint menu effectiveness and make informed adjustments. Price and Value Perception Price influences diners’ perceptions of value. Competitive pricing, aligned with the quality of food and service, creates a favorable impression. Implementing strategic pricing models can enhance affordability. Focus on delivering exceptional customer service to support your pricing strategy, as this can elevate perceived value and encourage repeat visits. The Role of Social Media Social media significantly influences how you choose restaurants. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Yelp create an engaging environment for discovering dining options through enticing visuals and user-generated content. Online Reviews and Ratings Online reviews and ratings shape your perceptions as a diner. More than 50% of consumers base their restaurant choices on social media feedback. Positive reviews improve your trust in a restaurant, while negative ones can deter you. Small businesses benefit from maintaining a strong online reputation. Engaging with customer feedback demonstrates commitment to quality control and customer service, encouraging repeat visits through effective relationship management. Influencers and Food Bloggers Influencers and food bloggers play a crucial role in directing your dining preferences. These individuals showcase restaurants through authentic experiences and compelling narratives. By leveraging their platforms, small businesses can expand their reach and enhance brand management. Collaborating with influencers creates marketing campaigns that attract new customers and drive sales. Maintaining a consistent online presence with high-quality content can set your restaurant apart, fostering customer retention and supporting business growth. The Impact of Atmosphere The atmosphere of your restaurant significantly shapes your customers’ dining experiences. It sets the tone for how patrons perceive your establishment, influencing their satisfaction and likelihood of return. Ambiance and Decor Ambiance blends sights, sounds, and smells, along with the decor. An inviting decor scheme can elevate the dining experience and encourage longer stays and higher spending. Focus on lighting design and furniture quality to enhance comfort. Cozy seating arrangements and visually appealing elements can create a warm environment that encourages diners to unwind. For small businesses, investing in your restaurant’s ambiance contributes to brand management by creating a memorable visual identity and increasing customer retention. Noise Levels and Comfort Noise levels heavily impact diners’ comfort. A bustling environment can generate excitement, but excessive noise might deter guests from enjoying their meals. Strive for a balance that allows for conversations without overwhelming distractions. Consider soundproofing enhancements, music selection, and layout adjustments to manage noise levels effectively. Prioritizing comfort through appropriate seating and maintaining a pleasant temperature can improve the overall dining experience. By addressing these elements, you foster a welcoming atmosphere that promotes repeat visits and builds customer loyalty. Marketing Strategies That Work Effective marketing strategies play a crucial role in attracting diners to your restaurant. Implementing well-planned initiatives can enhance visibility, improve customer engagement, and drive repeat visits. Promotions and Discounts Promotions and discounts serve as enticing incentives for potential customers. Offering limited-time deals, seasonal offers, or special discounts can attract new diners while encouraging existing customers to return. Highlighting these promotions through social media posts or email newsletters enhances customer acquisition and engagement. Utilize platforms like Instagram and Facebook to showcase your discounts visually, fostering excitement and increasing foot traffic. Create clear calls to action that drive immediate responses, positioning these promotions as must-have experiences for diners. Loyalty Programs Loyalty programs foster customer retention by rewarding repeat business. Implementing a straightforward loyalty program that offers points or discounts for frequent visits encourages diners to choose your establishment over competitors. Engaging your patrons with personalized rewards enhances their experience and promotes brand loyalty. Consider leveraging technology solutions, such as mobile apps, to track customer purchases and deliver targeted promotions. This approach streamlines data analysis, allowing you to assess the effectiveness of your loyalty programs and adapt them to meet your business goals. Focus on offering rewards that resonate with your audience, like exclusive experiences or limited-edition menu items, to strengthen their connection to your brand. Conclusion Choosing a restaurant can be a daunting task with so many options available. By understanding the key factors that influence your decision—like ambiance, menu variety, and online reviews—you can make choices that lead to more enjoyable dining experiences. Pay attention to location and accessibility as they play a significant role in your dining convenience. The atmosphere of a restaurant also impacts your satisfaction, so consider how elements like decor and noise levels affect your comfort. Finally, don’t underestimate the power of social media and word-of-mouth recommendations in shaping your restaurant choices. By being mindful of these aspects, you’ll enhance your dining adventures and find places that truly meet your needs. Frequently Asked Questions What factors should I consider when choosing a restaurant? When choosing a restaurant, consider factors like ambiance, menu variety, location, and online reviews. Assessing these elements can significantly enhance your dining experience and help you make satisfying decisions. How important is the restaurant’s location? Location is crucial for attracting customers. Restaurants in high-traffic areas with good visibility and parking options tend to perform better and ensure customer retention. How does menu variety affect dining choices? A diverse menu caters to different dietary preferences and enhances customer satisfaction. Quality ingredients also contribute to a restaurant’s reputation and influence dining decisions. Why are online reviews significant for restaurants? Over 50% of consumers base their dining choices on social media feedback. Positive reviews build trust, while negative ones can deter potential customers, making a strong online reputation essential for restaurants. How does atmosphere impact dining experiences? The restaurant’s ambiance plays a significant role in customer satisfaction. Elements like decor, lighting, and seating arrangements contribute to the overall experience and can encourage repeat visits. What marketing strategies can attract more diners? Effective strategies include promotions, discounts, and loyalty programs. Showcasing these offers on social media can drive engagement, while personalized rewards can strengthen customer connections. How can small businesses benefit from food bloggers and influencers? Collaborating with food bloggers and influencers can help small businesses expand their reach. By showcasing authentic dining experiences, they can attract new customers and enhance brand management. Image Via Envato This article, "Understanding How Diners Choose Restaurants for a Memorable Dining Experience" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Key Takeaways Location Matters: A restaurant’s proximity and accessibility significantly influence diners’ choices, emphasizing the need for optimal placement and visibility.Menu Variety and Quality: Diverse menu options and high-quality dishes enhance customer satisfaction and encourage repeat visits.Social Media Impact: Platforms like Instagram and Yelp shape dining preferences through user-generated content and reviews, making online reputation management crucial.Atmosphere Influences Experience: The ambiance, decor, noise levels, and comfort of a restaurant play a vital role in shaping diners’ experiences and satisfaction.Effective Marketing Strategies: Promotions, discounts, and loyalty programs serve as powerful tools for attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.Engagement Through Feedback: Actively responding to customer reviews and feedback on social media can strengthen relationships, boost reputation, and enhance overall service quality. When you’re hungry and craving a meal, the choice of where to eat can feel overwhelming. With countless options available, how do you decide which restaurant deserves your time and money? Understanding the factors that influence your decision can make the dining experience more enjoyable and satisfying. From the ambiance and menu variety to online reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations, several elements play a crucial role in shaping your preferences. Whether you’re in the mood for a cozy café or an upscale dining experience, knowing what drives your choices can enhance your culinary adventures. Let’s dive into the key factors that impact how diners like you choose their perfect restaurant. Factors Influencing Restaurant Choices Understanding the factors that influence restaurant selection enhances your ability to attract and retain customers. Several key elements contribute to diners’ decision-making processes. Location and Accessibility Location plays a critical role in diners’ choices. Restaurants situated in high-traffic areas or near popular attractions attract more foot traffic. Quick access, visible signage, and ample parking options improve accessibility. Your restaurant’s convenience factor can enhance customer retention, making it essential to evaluate the location regularly. Menu Variety and Quality Menu variety and quality significantly impact diners’ satisfaction. Offering diverse options caters to different dietary preferences and increases customer appeal. Quality ingredients and well-prepared dishes build a positive reputation. Conducting regular customer feedback sessions can pinpoint menu effectiveness and make informed adjustments. Price and Value Perception Price influences diners’ perceptions of value. Competitive pricing, aligned with the quality of food and service, creates a favorable impression. Implementing strategic pricing models can enhance affordability. Focus on delivering exceptional customer service to support your pricing strategy, as this can elevate perceived value and encourage repeat visits. The Role of Social Media Social media significantly influences how you choose restaurants. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Yelp create an engaging environment for discovering dining options through enticing visuals and user-generated content. Online Reviews and Ratings Online reviews and ratings shape your perceptions as a diner. More than 50% of consumers base their restaurant choices on social media feedback. Positive reviews improve your trust in a restaurant, while negative ones can deter you. Small businesses benefit from maintaining a strong online reputation. Engaging with customer feedback demonstrates commitment to quality control and customer service, encouraging repeat visits through effective relationship management. Influencers and Food Bloggers Influencers and food bloggers play a crucial role in directing your dining preferences. These individuals showcase restaurants through authentic experiences and compelling narratives. By leveraging their platforms, small businesses can expand their reach and enhance brand management. Collaborating with influencers creates marketing campaigns that attract new customers and drive sales. Maintaining a consistent online presence with high-quality content can set your restaurant apart, fostering customer retention and supporting business growth. The Impact of Atmosphere The atmosphere of your restaurant significantly shapes your customers’ dining experiences. It sets the tone for how patrons perceive your establishment, influencing their satisfaction and likelihood of return. Ambiance and Decor Ambiance blends sights, sounds, and smells, along with the decor. An inviting decor scheme can elevate the dining experience and encourage longer stays and higher spending. Focus on lighting design and furniture quality to enhance comfort. Cozy seating arrangements and visually appealing elements can create a warm environment that encourages diners to unwind. For small businesses, investing in your restaurant’s ambiance contributes to brand management by creating a memorable visual identity and increasing customer retention. Noise Levels and Comfort Noise levels heavily impact diners’ comfort. A bustling environment can generate excitement, but excessive noise might deter guests from enjoying their meals. Strive for a balance that allows for conversations without overwhelming distractions. Consider soundproofing enhancements, music selection, and layout adjustments to manage noise levels effectively. Prioritizing comfort through appropriate seating and maintaining a pleasant temperature can improve the overall dining experience. By addressing these elements, you foster a welcoming atmosphere that promotes repeat visits and builds customer loyalty. Marketing Strategies That Work Effective marketing strategies play a crucial role in attracting diners to your restaurant. Implementing well-planned initiatives can enhance visibility, improve customer engagement, and drive repeat visits. Promotions and Discounts Promotions and discounts serve as enticing incentives for potential customers. Offering limited-time deals, seasonal offers, or special discounts can attract new diners while encouraging existing customers to return. Highlighting these promotions through social media posts or email newsletters enhances customer acquisition and engagement. Utilize platforms like Instagram and Facebook to showcase your discounts visually, fostering excitement and increasing foot traffic. Create clear calls to action that drive immediate responses, positioning these promotions as must-have experiences for diners. Loyalty Programs Loyalty programs foster customer retention by rewarding repeat business. Implementing a straightforward loyalty program that offers points or discounts for frequent visits encourages diners to choose your establishment over competitors. Engaging your patrons with personalized rewards enhances their experience and promotes brand loyalty. Consider leveraging technology solutions, such as mobile apps, to track customer purchases and deliver targeted promotions. This approach streamlines data analysis, allowing you to assess the effectiveness of your loyalty programs and adapt them to meet your business goals. Focus on offering rewards that resonate with your audience, like exclusive experiences or limited-edition menu items, to strengthen their connection to your brand. Conclusion Choosing a restaurant can be a daunting task with so many options available. By understanding the key factors that influence your decision—like ambiance, menu variety, and online reviews—you can make choices that lead to more enjoyable dining experiences. Pay attention to location and accessibility as they play a significant role in your dining convenience. The atmosphere of a restaurant also impacts your satisfaction, so consider how elements like decor and noise levels affect your comfort. Finally, don’t underestimate the power of social media and word-of-mouth recommendations in shaping your restaurant choices. By being mindful of these aspects, you’ll enhance your dining adventures and find places that truly meet your needs. Frequently Asked Questions What factors should I consider when choosing a restaurant? When choosing a restaurant, consider factors like ambiance, menu variety, location, and online reviews. Assessing these elements can significantly enhance your dining experience and help you make satisfying decisions. How important is the restaurant’s location? Location is crucial for attracting customers. Restaurants in high-traffic areas with good visibility and parking options tend to perform better and ensure customer retention. How does menu variety affect dining choices? A diverse menu caters to different dietary preferences and enhances customer satisfaction. Quality ingredients also contribute to a restaurant’s reputation and influence dining decisions. Why are online reviews significant for restaurants? Over 50% of consumers base their dining choices on social media feedback. Positive reviews build trust, while negative ones can deter potential customers, making a strong online reputation essential for restaurants. How does atmosphere impact dining experiences? The restaurant’s ambiance plays a significant role in customer satisfaction. Elements like decor, lighting, and seating arrangements contribute to the overall experience and can encourage repeat visits. What marketing strategies can attract more diners? Effective strategies include promotions, discounts, and loyalty programs. Showcasing these offers on social media can drive engagement, while personalized rewards can strengthen customer connections. How can small businesses benefit from food bloggers and influencers? Collaborating with food bloggers and influencers can help small businesses expand their reach. By showcasing authentic dining experiences, they can attract new customers and enhance brand management. Image Via Envato This article, "Understanding How Diners Choose Restaurants for a Memorable Dining Experience" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you've seen news stories claiming that more than 89 million Steam user records leaked, don't panic. Social media posts currently circulating suggest that Steam credentials are up for sale on the dark web, but those claims appear to be untrue. Of course, even if your data hasn't actually been compromised, it's a good idea to have additional authentication set up on your Steam account. What happened with Steam? Short answer: Probably nothing. As XDA reported, X user MellowOnline1, a games journalist, called attention to a post on LinkedIn from Underdark.ai alleging that 89 million Steam user records were up for sale on a dark web forum for $5,000 via a threat actor known as Machine1337. MellowOnline1 suggested that the leak came not from Valve Corporation—Steam's owner—itself, but from Twilio, a platform that provides two-factor authentication (2FA) for apps like Steam via methods like SMS, voice, email, WhatsApp, passkeys, push notifications, and time-based one-time passwords. Upon further investigation, Bleeping Computer received a statement from Twilio denying involvement in any breach (and according to an update from MellowOnline1, Valve has indicated that it does not use Twilio anyway). The data allegedly included SMS messages with one-time Steam passcodes and user phone numbers, but Bleeping Computer could not verify the source, nor could it confirm the threat actor's claims. What Steam users need to doWhile this supposed threat doesn't actually necessitate alarm, it doesn't hurt to ensure you have additional security set up on your Steam account. You can change your Steam password (found under Settings or Preferences) and enable Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, Steam's 2FA feature. You should also be on the lookout for unauthorized login attempts and use caution when engaging with any messages about your account that appear to come from Steam support, as these may actually be phishing attempts capitalizing on user panic. View the full article

"I'm Feeling Lucky" has been a core feature of Google Search since the company launched in 1998. Most of us, of course, choose the typical Search experience, scrolling through the various links until we find the URL we're looking for. But when you're feeling confident that your search query has a clear destination, I'm Feeling Lucky can direct you straight there. I admit, I haven't used the button much through all my years of googling. Truth be told, I hardly ever go to google.com—once browsers integrated Google Search with the address bar, I began searching directly from there. But whenever I do find myself on Google's homepage, it's nice to see I always have the option—if I am, indeed, feeling lucky. That might not be the case for much longer, however. As reported by The Verge, some Google users are missing the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button. In its place is something else entirely: AI Mode. Google first introduced AI Mode back in March. Don't confuse this for AI Overviews, the AI-generated summary that appears at the top of some Google searches. Instead, AI Mode turns Google Search into a bit of a chatbot, allowing the user to ask multi-part questions in one go. The feature is meant to combine multiple searches into a single, complex query. For example, you could ask AI Mode something like, "when is the best time to book a flight to Hawaii, and what should I pack for the trip?" You then get breakdowns of each question in your query—"Best Time to Book Flights," "Tips for Booking Flights," "Packing Essentials for Hawaii," with links to sources you can check yourself. If you've ever used an AI chatbot like Gemini or ChatGPT for web search, it's remarkably similar—down to the warning that "AI responses may include mistakes." Credit: Lifehacker AI Mode is not rolling out in full yet (it seems to be available to Google Labs testers first) nor is it replacing I'm Feeling Lucky for all users who see it. On my personal Google Account, for example, I still see I'm Feeling Lucky. AI Mode just happens to be situated on the right-end of the search bar. But the fact that Google is experimenting with swapping the legacy button with yet another AI feature is disappointing. There is some irony in replacing an I'm Feeling Lucky button with AI Mode: If you're relying on AI to do your search, you probably are feeling lucky, as AI systems can either make mistakes or make up facts altogether—as Google's disastrous AI Overviews rollout proved. In fact, as AI models advance, they're "hallucinating" more than ever, and no one really knows why. Use AI to assist your web searches as you wish—just understand what you're getting yourself into. View the full article

The streaming service Max is officially reverting to its previous name, HBO Max, which is great news for people who never stopped calling it HBO Max in the first place. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced today that the streaming platform would be again called HBO Max this summer as part of a shift in strategy to focus on HBO programming and other premium content that distinguishes the streamer from its competitors. WBD first removed the name HBO Max in favor of the simplified Max in 2023, when it merged with Discovery+. After two years of testing it out, it seems viewers really just want more of the shows they like, not more of absolutely anything possible. Some viewers might’ve noticed the quiet rebrand of Max’s visual identity last month, with set its logo and UI in a neutral HBO-style black-and-white color scheme, and which turned out to be an Easter egg of where the platform was headed. The overhauled identity now has the addition a new “HBO Max” name and logo, which stacks the HBO and Max logos together into one. “We will continue to focus on what makes us unique—not everything for everyone in a household, but something distinct and great for adults and families,” WBD president and CEO of streaming JB Perrette said in a statement. The company said returning to the HBO brand will “amplify the uniqueness that subscribers can expect” and comes as the streaming landscape grows increasingly crowded. WBD is planning a CNN streaming service to launch this fall, and Disney on Tuesday announced its own all-access ESPN streaming service, expected to launch around the same time. Meanwhile, Netflix is piloting features that could allow its user interface to better compete with video content on social media platforms like TikTok. All this competition means a clearly defined value proposition is increasingly important to winning consumers and owning part of the market. So with more options than ever for what to watch, WBD is going back to betting its library is what keeps consumers subscribed. As Perrette said, “our programming just hits different.” That positioning marks a big shift from when the streaming service originally added a massive quantity of Discovery+ content, including guilty pleasure unscripted shows, to its catalogue two years ago. Now, WBD has made the decision to let other streaming platforms fulfill viewers’ basic needs with quantity, and position HBO Max as the quality choice, with prestige shows like Succession, Game of Thrones, and The White Lotus alongside box-office movies, docuseries, and other top-performing, top-tier content. There’s some recognition that the switch to Max a few years ago led to real brand dilution that company now wants to correct, if you read between the lines of WBD executive statements. “The powerful growth we have seen in our global streaming service is built around the quality of our programming,” WBD CEO David Zaslav said in a statement. “Today, we are bringing back HBO, the brand that represents the highest quality in media, to further accelerate that growth in the years ahead.” Indeed, branding experts were flummoxed by HBO Max changing its name to Max when it happened, reasoning the streaming service had gotten rid of a valuable piece of brand equity. Going back to the old HBO Max name is an admission that’s the case. Warner Bros. Discovery did not reply to a request for comment by time of publication. View the full article

High-performance computing, or HPC for short, might sound like something only scientists use in secret labs, but it’s actually one of the most important technologies in the world today. From predicting the weather to finding new medicines and even training artificial intelligence, high-performance computing systems help solve problems that are too hard or too big for regular computers. This technology has helped make huge discoveries in science and engineering over the past 40 years. But now, high-performance computing is at a turning point, and the choices the government, researchers and the technology industry make today could affect the future of innovation, national security and global leadership. High-performance computing systems are basically superpowerful computers made up of thousands or even millions of processors working together at the same time. They also use advanced memory and storage systems to move and save huge amounts of data quickly. With all this power, high-performance computing systems can run extremely detailed simulations and calculations. For example, they can simulate how a new drug interacts with the human body, or how a hurricane might move across the ocean. They’re also used in fields such as automotive design, energy production and space exploration. Lately, high-performance computing has become even more important because of artificial intelligence. AI models, especially the ones used for things such as voice recognition and self-driving cars, require enormous amounts of computing power to train. High-performance computing systems are well suited for this job. As a result, AI and high-performance computing are now working closely together, pushing each other forward. I’m a computer scientist with a long career working in high-performance computing. I’ve observed that high-performance computing systems are under more pressure than ever, with higher demands on the systems for speed, data and energy. At the same time, I see that high-performance computing faces some serious technical problems. Technical challenges One big challenge for high-performance computing is the gap between how fast processors are and how well memory systems can keep up with the processors’ output. Imagine having a superfast car but being stuck in traffic – it doesn’t help to have speed if the road can’t handle it. In the same way, high-performance computing processors often have to wait around because memory systems can’t send data quickly enough. This makes the whole system less efficient. Another problem is energy use. Today’s supercomputers use a huge amount of electricity, sometimes as much as a small town. That’s expensive and not very good for the environment. In the past, as computer parts got smaller, they also used less power. But that trend, called Dennard scaling, stopped in the mid-2000s. Now, making computers more powerful usually means they use more energy too. To fix this, researchers are looking for new ways to design both the hardware and the software of high-performance computing systems. There’s also a problem with the kinds of chips being made. The chip industry is mainly focused on AI, which works fine with lower-precision math like 16-bit or 8-bit numbers. But many scientific applications still need 64-bit precision to be accurate. The greater the bit count, the more digits to the right of the decimal point a chip can process, hence the greater precision. If chip companies stop making the parts that scientists need, then it could become harder to do important research. This report discusses how trends in semiconductor manufacturing and commercial priorities may diverge from the needs of the scientific computing community, and how a lack of tailored hardware could hinder progress in research. One solution might be to build custom chips for high-performance computing, but that’s expensive and complicated. Still, researchers are exploring new designs, including chiplets – small chips that can be combined like Lego bricks – to make high-precision processors more affordable. A global race Globally, many countries are investing heavily in high-performance computing. Europe has the EuroHPC program, which is building supercomputers in places such as Finland and Italy. Their goal is to reduce dependence on foreign technology and take the lead in areas such as climate modeling and personalized medicine. Japan built the Fugaku supercomputer, which supports both academic research and industrial work. China has also made major advances, using homegrown technology to build some of the world’s fastest computers. All of these countries’ governments understand that high-performance computing is key to their national security, economic strength and scientific leadership. The United States, which has been a leader in high-performance computing for decades, recently completed the Department of Energy’s Exascale Computing Project. This project created computers that can perform a billion billion operations per second. That’s an incredible achievement. But even with that success, the U.S. still doesn’t have a clear, long-term plan for what comes next. Other countries are moving quickly, and without a national strategy, the U.S. risks falling behind. I believe that a U.S. national strategy should include funding new machines and training for people to use them. It would also include partnerships with universities, national labs and private companies. Most importantly, the plan would focus not just on hardware but also on the software and algorithms that make high-performance computing useful. Hopeful signs One exciting area for the future is quantum computing. This is a completely new way of doing computation based on the laws of physics at the atomic level. Quantum computers could someday solve problems that are impossible for regular computers. But they are still in the early stages and are likely to complement rather than replace traditional high-performance computing systems. That’s why it’s important to keep investing in both kinds of computing. The good news is that some steps have already been taken. The CHIPS and Science Act, passed in 2022, provides funding to expand chip manufacturing in the U.S. It also created an office to help turn scientific research into real-world products. The task force Vision for American Science and Technology, launched on Feb. 25, 2025, and led by American Association for the Advancement of Science CEO Sudip Parikh, aims to marshal nonprofits, academia and industry to help guide the government’s decisions. Private companies are also spending billions of dollars on data centers and AI infrastructure. All of these are positive signs, but they don’t fully solve the problem of how to support high-performance computing in the long run. In addition to short-term funding and infrastructure investments, this means: Long-term federal investment in high-performance computing R&D, including advanced hardware, software and energy-efficient architectures. Procurement and deployment of leadership-class computing systems at national labs and universities. Workforce development, including training in parallel programming, numerical methods and AI-HPC integration. Hardware road map alignment, ensuring commercial chip development remains compatible with the needs of scientific and engineering applications. Sustainable funding models that prevent boom-and-bust cycles tied to one-off milestones or geopolitical urgency. Public-private collaboration to bridge gaps between academic research, industry innovation and national security needs. High-performance computing is more than just fast computers. It’s the foundation of scientific discovery, economic growth and national security. With other countries pushing forward, the U.S. is under pressure to come up with a clear, coordinated plan. That means investing in new hardware, developing smarter software, training a skilled workforce and building partnerships between government, industry and academia. If the U.S. does that, the country can make sure high-performance computing continues to power innovation for decades to come. Jack Dongarra is an emeritus professor of computer science at the University of Tennessee. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Shares of semiconductor manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) rose 6% Wednesday on news the company is issuing a $6 billion stock buyback, which represents about 3.3% of the company’s current market value, according to data from Bloomberg. The $6 billion stock buyback authorization comes in addition to a $4 billion existing buyback, for a total of $10 billion in share repurchases, CNBC reported. The news comes after AMD announced a multi-year $10 billion AI partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Humain, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, focused on developing advanced AI infrastructure and technology, in order to diversify the nation’s economy beyond just oil. Nvidia announced a similar, but separate, multi-year deal. “At AMD, we have a bold vision to enable the future of AI everywhere – bringing open, high-performance computing to every developer, AI start-up and enterprise around the world,” AMD’s CEO Lisa Su told Fast Company in a statement. “Our investment with HUMAIN is a significant milestone in advancing global AI infrastructure. Together, we are building a globally significant AI platform that delivers performance, openness and reach at unp recedented levels.” The announcement comes in conjunction with President The President’s visit this week to Saudi Arabia as part of his tour of the Gulf region. “This is not just another infrastructure play – it’s an open invitation to the world’s innovators,” Tareq Amin, CEO of Humain, said in a statement. “We are democratizing AI at the compute level, ensuring that access to advanced AI is limited only by imagination, not by infrastructure.” Analysts at Bank of America noted it marks the first time AMD is on a “similar”footing as rival Nvidia in terms of “engagement in large projects” and reiterated buy rating for both companies, as reported by Investing.com. View the full article

Project success is never a guarantee, but these 16 key project management principles get pretty close. Here's how to use them to give yourself the best chance of delivering your project on time, on budget, and within scope. The post 16 Key Project Management Principles Explained appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article