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☆ These 11 Videogames Make Working Out Actually Fun
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Sam Sanders | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

GAME ON In ‘Beat Saber,’ your hands become lightsabers that you use to slash neon arrows as they fly towards you in rhythm with popular music. Photo: Beat GamesWE OFTEN ASSOCIATE videogames with lethargy—a group of snackers sitting around a screen. Enter: so-called “Exergames,” a portmanteau of “exercise games,” which make movement part of the play, so that even working out can be fun. Some titles of the genre can be played on your phone, great for novice gamers who aren’t ready to invest in a gaming console. The best, however, usually require controllers that can track motion—as with the Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation 5.

Persons: — Organizations: European, of Investigation, Health, Education, Nintendo, Sony PlayStation

☆ Dating apps can embrace gamification of hookups
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The dating app Tinder is shown on a mobile phone in this picture illustration taken September 1, 2020. The dating app owned by Match (MTCH.O) said last week it’s rolling out a subscription tier called “Tinder Select” that will cost $500 a month. The $12 billion company could make even more money if it approached hookups the way computer games hook users. By contrast, if a hefty 1% of Tinder’s current subscribers sign up for Tinder Select, they will pay an extra $600 million. Follow @thereallsl on XCONTEXT NEWSMatch’s dating app Tinder is launching a premium service named “Tinder Select” for $499 a month.

Persons: Akhtar Soomro, Bernard Kim, Tinder, Peter Thal Larsen, Sharon Lam, Aditya Sriwatsav Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Match, Apps, Tinder, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson Locations: Plenty

NEW YORK (AP) — The National 4-H Council is growing in a new direction – online – by launching its e-learning platform Clover with a collaboration with Netflix and its new movie “Spy Kids: Armageddon,” the organization announced Wednesday. The innovation, Bramble says, comes in the way the Clover platform engages with the students by using gamification and entertainment, which led to the collaboration with Netflix. “When you think of the intent behind ‘Spy Kids,’ those kids are tackling some of the world’s most pressing issues and they’re doing this through coding and gamification. “We feel that Clover can support a way to catch up, but it can’t do it alone. It’s so valuable to have an in-person program that goes along with it -- the mentoring aspect that comes with 4-H.

Persons: Jill Bramble, ” Bramble, ”, Bramble, Bob Hughes, Melinda Gates Foundation’s, ” Hughes, “, Clover Organizations: Netflix, H, Associated Press, Melinda Gates Foundation’s United States Program, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Manhattan , New York, Manhattan , Kansas

☆ I hate walking, so I tried to rewire my habits with a free app. It works — but I'm still torn about recommending it for 3 reasons.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Walkr is a Taiwanese gamification app that incentivizes users to walk by rewarding them with planets. In my experience though, the app motivates you to walk more through peer pressure than gamification. Much as I loved my experience of using it, I'm torn about recommending this app for three reasons. Basically, I'm driven by "extrinsic motivation," or motivation that is driven by external rewards — like planets, points, or game achievements. Fourdesire CEO Wei-Fan Chen told Insider they're still working on making the Walkr app more user-friendly and enjoyable to use, and are taking inspiration from user stories.

Persons: Kai Xiang Teo, you'll, I'm, blankly, Wei, Fan Chen, they're Organizations: Walkr Locations: Taiwanese

☆ Edtech startup Kinjo incentivizes kids to play educational mini-games in Roblox. Check out the pitch deck it used to raise $6.5 million in seed funding.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

With Kinjo, kids can earn virtual currency called Robux by playing higher-ranked learning games. To earn these Robux, kids can spend real-world money, or they can play simple mini games to "grind" for Robux rewards. Kids who use Kinjo are three times more likely to spend time on games that are more productive than kids without Kinjo, Malcolm said. Many edtech gaming platforms are already on the market, such as the social-emotional learning game Social Cipher or the STEM learning game Royelles. Check out the 16-slide pitch deck that Kinjo used to raise $6.5 million in seed funding:

Persons: Charles Thornburgh couldn't, Thornburgh, Jim Breyer's Breyer, Kinjo, Laura Malcolm, Kinjo's, Malcolm said, Krishna Srinivasan Organizations: Austin, LiveOak Venture Partners, Silverton Partners, Jim Breyer's Breyer Capital, Roble, Robux, Roblox Locations: Roblox, Silverton, Austin , Texas, Fortnite

An AI (Artificial Intelligence) sign is seen at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoBOSTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Massachusetts securities regulators have opened an investigation into the ways in which investment firms use artificial intelligence in their interactions with investors, citing concerns about the technology's potential unchecked use. Others who received letters included Tradier Brokerage, US Tiger Securities, E*Trade, Savvy Advisors and Hearsay Systems, according to a spokesperson for Galvin, a long-serving Democrat and prominent state securities regulator. "If deployed without the guardrails necessary to ensure proper disclosure and consideration of conflicts, I am concerned that this technology could result in harm to investors," Galvin said in a statement. The investigation came a week after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposed requiring broker-dealers to eliminate possible conflicts of interest from the use of artificial intelligence on trading platforms.

Persons: Aly, Bill Galvin, Morgan Stanley, Galvin, Nate Raymond, Chris Prentice, Mark Porter, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, REUTERS, BOSTON, JPMorgan Chase, US Tiger Securities, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Massachusetts, Boston, Washington

☆ Opinion | I Teach at an Elite College. Here’s a Look Inside the Racial Gaming of Admissions.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Tyler Austin Harper | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Seemingly everyone I interacted with as a tutor — white or brown, rich or poor, student or parent — believed that getting into an elite college required what I came to call racial gamification. Be it for an acceptance letter or a tenure-track professorship, the incentives at elite universities encourage and reward racial gamification. This will only get worse now that the Supreme Court has rejected affirmative action in college admissions. Let me be clear that I am not an opponent of affirmative action. Yet I also believe that affirmative action — though necessary — has inadvertently helped create a warped and race-obsessed American university culture.

Persons: — Organizations: Haverford College, New York University, Bates College

☆ Retailers are gamifying shopping with virtual storefronts to boost engagement, loyalty
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Crew virtual beach house. Crew virtual beach house. Crew virtual beach house. Crew virtual beach house. Crew virtual beach house.

Persons: Crew's, Derek Yarbrough, J, Yarbrough, Obsess, Neha Singh, Singh, Elizabeth Arden, Dior, Ralph Lauren, Corona, Johnson, metaverse, it's, Crew's Yarbrough Organizations: CNBC, American, Mattel, Maybelline, Amazon Locations: New York, Los Angeles, Laneige

☆ Changing your portfolio to beat the ‘looming recession boogeyman’ is a mistake, advisor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bryan Allen | Getty ImagesThe threat of a recession has weighed heavily on many investors' minds amid higher interest rates, banking turmoil and layoffs. Some two-thirds of Americans believe the country is approaching a recession or already in one. "Trying to constantly reorient your portfolio to beat a looming recession boogeyman or whatever crisis of the day is a mistake," said certified financial planner Amy Hubble, principal investment advisor at Radix Financial in Oklahoma City. "So by the time we have the data to prove a recession, the markets are looking beyond." "They're buying good companies at good values and they're investing for the long term."

Companies Robinhood Markets Inc FollowMay 3 (Reuters) - Massachusetts' highest court on Wednesday heard arguments on whether to revive a state fiduciary duty rule that was central to an enforcement action securities regulators filed against the online brokerage Robinhood. Lawyers for a Robinhood Markets Inc (HOOD.O) subsidiary and Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin argued before the state's Supreme Judicial Court over the legality of a 2020 state regulation, which Robinhood has said oversteps Galvin's authority. He argued that Robinhood violated the rule he adopted that raised the investment-advice standard for brokers and that its broker-dealer license in the state should be revoked. "Secretary Galvin feels strongly in the need to apply fiduciary duty standards to financial professionals," a spokesperson said. "The Robinhood case is the perfect example of the need for such a rule in Massachusetts."

☆ This organization built an app to boost financial literacy among older LGBTQ+ Americans
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Willie B. Thomas | DigitalVision | Getty ImagesFinancial stability is a concern for many older Americans, and challenges can be greater among marginalized groups such as elders in the LGBTQ+ community. But a free financial literacy app called SAGECents is looking to change that. What's worse, 1 in 5 older LGBTQ+ adults faced poverty during the Covid-19 pandemic, a 2023 study from the Williams Institute at UCLA's School of Law found. "They've faced a lifetime of discrimination and social stigma," said Christina DaCosta, chief experience officer at SAGE, a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of older LGBTQ+ people. Older LGBTQ+ Americans are more likely to be single and to live alone, making them less likely to benefit from a partner's health insurance or other "social welfare structures," he said.

☆ WSJ Opinion: Feeling Lucky, Democrats Back Non-Compos Presidential Politics
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Wsj Opinion | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

E126WSJ Opinion: Jack Teixeira and the Gamification of Accountability Wonder Land: When we began to devalue conscience, blurring a pragmatic understanding of right from wrong, we unleashed the whirlwind that engulfs us now. Images: Margaret Small/Reuter/Zuma Press Composite: Mark Kelly

☆ WSJ Opinion: Jack Teixeira and the Gamification of Accountability
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Wsj Opinion | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WSJ Opinion: Jack Teixeira and the Gamification of Accountability Henninger: "What intrigues me about this story—because I think it has implications beyond the intelligence breach itself—is how Jack Teixeira and his gamer pals seem to have made no distinction between their fantasy world of war and a real war in which Ukrainians are dying each day." By WSJ Opinion Apr 19, 2023 10:04 pm Wonder Land: When we began to devalue conscience, blurring a pragmatic understanding of right from wrong, we unleashed the whirlwind that engulfs us now. Images: Margaret Small/Reuter/Zuma Press Composite: Mark Kelly Read: Our Jack Teixeira Problem

☆ I got addicted to an app that helped me turn my most ambitious goals into daily routines
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Shubham Agarwal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Once I complete the task, I mark it on a calendar in the app and a colorful streak grows. Each time I logged a successful session on Everyday and the habit's streak grew, it felt like a microwin. Streaks reward repetition, Lindemans explained, but the reason they're so motivating is not the sense of accomplishment they imbue. After all, I was being motivated by the app instead of by my desire to meet my goals. The apps helped me focus on the action itself instead of on setting up my own structure for carrying them out.

Gamification and artificial intelligence are "a winning combination" for language-learning app maker Duolingo , according to Bank of America. Analyst Nat Schindler, who reiterated his buy rating on the company, boosted his price target on Duolingo shares to $160 from $105. The analyst highlighted a new AI-driven paid subscription, Duolingo Max, that could boost the company's growth prospects, according to a Wednesday research note. The service includes new AI features powered by GPT-4, including a role-play function to allow users to practice conversations. To be sure, the analyst noted potential risks to his valuation include competition from peers adopting new technology or formatting.

☆ Nike envisions a wild future with Olympics in outer space, clothing made of spider silk, and footballs make of stardust
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Nike recently published a fun and thought-provoking book about the company's next 50 years. The company playfully envisions athletic competitions in space and footballs made from stardust. The small 192-page book is mostly a fun, futuristic read about what Nike might be doing in 2073. Sam Grawe, who wrote the 2021 book Nike: Better is Temporary, is an editor and contributed essays. On a more terrestrial level, Nike foresees clothing made from spider silk and the emergence of volcanic glass compounds.

☆ Federal regulators tell Amazon that the 'gamification' of its warehouses contributes to a 'high risk of serious' injury
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Amazon was cited again by federal regulators alleging its warehouse workers face "high" injury risks. Regulators said a "gamification system" encouraged working at a fast pace that could pose injury. Amazon said it is cooperating with investigators and that it has worked to lower injury rates. In a letter targeting the warehouse in Idaho, OSHA said Amazon should change its "gamification system to eliminate incentives for excessively paced work." In recent months, Amazon has been hit by similar OSHA citations relating to injury risks facing workers, and to how it tracked and monitored those injuries.

☆ Amazon touts 'even faster' deliveries made to customers 'within hours'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon is pushing "even faster" deliveries to customers around cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix. Same-day delivery customers can now get orders "within hours," per Amazon's Q4 report. Amazon Prime members can get free shipping on the breakneck deliveries, if their orders qualify. In the report, Amazon said that customers in those areas "can now receive hundreds of thousands of items within hours." Amazon Prime customers can get free same-day deliveries based on where they're located and what they're ordering, according to Amazon's website.

☆ 8 rowing machines to consider in 2023 for home workouts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Justin Redman | Justin Redman Was Formerly A Reporter For Select On Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +12 min

This smart rower is highly adjustable. More affordable than other smart rowers, the Echelon Smart Rower is a good option for those who aren’t looking to splurge. Like other smart rowers, the Hydrow must be plugged into a wall to use. Yasmin Farooq is an American rowing cox and the head coach of the University of Washington women's rowing team. is an American rowing cox and the head coach of the University of Washington women's rowing team.

☆ Cramer: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Google will fuel the next rally — but not in the usual way
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Those who fought this trend abandoned Twitter, hired bodyguards and tried to hide from the angry mob that was attempting to will stocks higher by savaging the sellers. As a result, they overran their brains and outsourced them to others who claimed to know more than they did. My point is this: The crypto con and the Robinhood dollar conflagration can't produce enough money to buoy stocks. We will hold Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOGL) and Amazon , even as we've trimmed them higher. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

I find it simpler and more fun, to know exactly what I'm saving for and how much progress I've made. My current account is divided up into at least four different savings accounts. Some of my income is paid to me via an app and there's money there, too, in an account I named 'A Rainy Day.' Many of my individual savings accounts have names like 'Summer Travel - Goal €1000'. A lot of my savings accounts have silly names (the one for my rent is called 'La Vie Bohème' — hello Rent The Musical fans!)

☆ Antavo wants to help brands like KFC and BMW build brand loyalty during a period of soaring inflation. Here's the 14-slide pitch deck it used to raise $10 million.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Antavo has raised $10 million to help brands like BMW get a handle on customer loyalty. Its platform offers a no-code solution to brands as rising inflation hits customer retention. Check out the 14-slide pitch deck it used to raise the Series A round. Enterprise software startup Antavo has closed a €10 million ($10 million) Series A round to build out its no-code cloud platform used by the likes of KFC and BMW to boost brand loyalty. "In the post-pandemic world, loyalty programs are having a renaissance in providing this embedded brand love," he said.

☆ How the Reel app optimizes cashflow toward purchases in a fun way
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow the Reel app optimizes cashflow toward purchases in a fun wayDaniela Corrente, cofounder and CEO of Reel, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss the surge of young technology users, the use of consumer psychology to find opportunities for savings and the gamification of savings to help buyers make purchases.

☆ Walmart introduces virtual fitting room feature so customers can try on clothes from home — but it requires stripping down to your underwear or tight-fitting clothing to use
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-17 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"Be Your Own Model" is Walmart's next phase of personalizing the online clothes shopping experience. The retail giant acquired virtual try-on platform Zeekit in 2021. The new feature — which launched on Thursday to iOS users on the Walmart app — comes after the retail giant acquired virtual fitting room startup Zeekit in 2021. "Walmart is the first to offer a virtual try-on experience for apparel brands at scale, and it's the most realistic application I have seen," Incandela said. Walmart is the latest retailer to jump on the virtual try-on trend.

☆ Connected-fitness company Ergatta is bringing its rowers to the UK
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-16 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Connected-fitness company Ergatta is bringing its rowers to the UK and Ireland. Ergatta CEO and cofounder Tom Aulet told Insider that the company is instead targeting competitive people who would prefer a gamified approach to instructor sessions. Ergatta previously told Insider that business boomed so much during the pandemic that the company sold out of its luxury rowers multiple times. He said there was big demand for Ergatta's rowers, with the company fielding inbound calls every week. WaterRower CEO Peter King said in a press release that Ergatta's rower "quickly" became one of its best-selling products in the US.

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