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☆ The AI war set off by ChatGPT is ramping up and Google stock is poised to spike 21% as it joins the fray, Bank of America says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Google is ready for 'battle' in the AI-services space, and the stock could rise by another 21%, says Bank of America. Microsoft and Baidu have joined the race to capitalize off the growing hunt for AI tools set off by ChatGPT. Google introduced its Bard AI service on Monday. Google introduced Bard on Monday, with CEO Sundar Pichai describing it as "an experimental conversational AI service" - which sounds much like ChatGPT, which launched in November. "Per industry experts … Google may have more data to access than ChatGPT, Google has extensive computing infrastructure to build on and, of course, Google search has a large distribution advantage with iOS and Android," said Post.

☆ The biggest risks in procrastinating on iPhone, Android software updates
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Kaitlin Balasaygun | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

watch nowNot all software updates offer an array of new features, but when they do it can feel like you are getting a new phone without added cost. Yet, many users still do whatever they can to put off the 30 minutes that a software update can take. Discomfort often stems from the perception that software updates will require users to relearn how to use certain features on their device and threatens their current habits. When 30 days have passed, the system then prompts the user to install the system update. When a major security update comes out, everyone should act relatively fast.

Click on Settings > Labels > Create New Label > Save. Gmail uses labels instead of folders to organize emails, but labels function similarly to folders. Abigail Abesamis Demarest/InsiderQuick tip: You can also create a label from an email by clicking the Labels icon, then Create new. How to create a folder in Gmail on iPhoneUnfortunately, folders cannot be created on the Android app for Gmail. In your Gmail inbox on desktop,click the gear-shaped Settings icon at the top-right of the screen, then select See all settings.

☆ New AI tool lets you replace pictures of your ex with images of red flags and snakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Picsart debuted a new AI tool that allows user to replace photos of their ex. The tool can swap images of former flames with anything, including snakes, red flags, and baguettes. Picsart, a photo and video editing company, debuted a new artificial intelligence-powered feature that allows users to replace images of former flames with everything from red flags to snakes. Called "AI Replace My Ex," the tool lets users swap images "with virtually anything" and "in just a few seconds with no design skills required," per Picsart. To make the swap, Picsart users can upload a photo, select the ex in question, hit "AI Replace," and then describe a replacement image.

☆ Best Online Stock Trading Platforms of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +20 min

Luckily, the past few years has seen a profusion of online stock trading platforms. We spent hours comparing more than a dozen stock trading platforms looking for the most intuitive tools, in-depth research and access to guidance and other educational content. We considered all of this when making our picks for the Best Stock Trading Platforms of 2023. How we pickedTo pick Buy Side from WSJ’s best stock trading platforms, we reviewed offerings from more than a dozen companies. Morgan Stanley is the corporate parent of E*Trade, one of the stock trading platforms considered for this story.

☆ Amazon's advertising business grew 19%, while Google and Meta both deal with slowdowns
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon's advertising business continues to grow despite a general slowdown in digital advertising, which has hurt companies like Google parent Alphabet, Facebook parent Meta and Snap. Indeed, while investors were pleased that Meta is cutting costs, sales in the company's fourth quarter dropped 4% year-over-year to $32.17 billion. Meta executives explained on Wednesday during a call with analysts that they don't see an immediate rebound in the digital advertising market coming anytime soon. Meanwhile, Alphabet on Thursday reported fourth quarter advertising revenues of $59.04 billion, a slowdown from $61.24 billion in the year-ago quarter. Alphabet's YouTube advertising unit, which faces competition from TikTok, brought in $7.96 billion in the fourth quarter, representing an 8% drop from a year ago.

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☆ Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra hands-on and how to preorder
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Mike Andronico | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The S23 Ultra seems like a conservative upgrade on the surface, cramming a faster processor and some quality-of-life updates into a familiar design. Here’s what we think about the Galaxy S23 Ultra after getting our hands on one for a few hours. Galaxy S23 Ultra price and preordersThe Galaxy S23 Ultra is available for preorder now starting at $1,200 with 256GB of storage and in your choice of Phantom Black, Cream, Green or Lavender, with units set to ship on Feb. 17. Same slick design with a wild new cameraMike Andronico/CNNWe wouldn’t blame you for mistaking the Galaxy S23 Ultra for last year’s model at a quick glance. Just like its predecessor, the S23 Ultra feels great to hold, with flat edges that give it some extra grip over the curvier S23 and S23+.

☆ Snap was once the hottest app. Now it's getting crushed.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Snap's ads business is cratering, partly because of privacy changes by Apple. Apple has made it easier for users to opt out of ad-tracking, hurting revenue for firms like Snap. It isn't just the deteriorating economy, but the lasting effects of Apple's privacy changes in 2021. In the months running up to Apple's ad changes, Snap's stock hit a high of $83. Meta, of course, has been hurt significantly by Apple's changes (Mark Zuckerberg said the changes could cost his company around $10 billion in 2022).

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☆ Snap shares tumble 13% following disappointing fourth quarter report
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Snap tumbled 15% in premarket trading Wednesday, a day after the company released a disappointing quarterly report for the third quarter in a row. In a letter to investors, Snap called it a "challenging year" that was marked by "macroeconomic headwinds, platform policy changes, and increased competition. Revenue in the company's fourth quarter was up slightly from a year earlier. UBS analyst Lloyd Walmsley downgraded Snap from buy to neutral, citing increased competition from other social media companies like Meta , TikTok and YouTube . Jeffries analysts said Snap's fourth quarter was disappointing, and they lowered their fiscal year 2023 estimate by 2%.

☆ Apple and Google’s app stores wield ‘gatekeeper’ power and should be reined in, Commerce Department says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —The Biden administration on Wednesday took its biggest swipe yet at app stores run by Apple and Google, with a new report accusing the two tech giants of exercising “gatekeeper” power that has led to “suboptimal” levels of competition in digital markets. In a statement, Apple said its app store has benefited developers and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs. In the past, Apple has argued that its control over iOS app distribution helps promote users’ privacy and security. Many of the report’s recommendations echo provisions in federal legislation that received bipartisan support last Congress, but that failed to become law. The findings had been informed by public comments submitted to the Department in the months leading up to the report.

☆ UBS downgrades Snap after earnings, says rising competition will keep pressure on stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Snap may have trouble keeping up with ever-rising competition going forward, according to UBS. He also reiterated a price target of $10, which implies downside of 13.5% from Tuesday's close, and trimmed his 2023 revenue outlook on Snap. "We see increasing competition everywhere," analyst Lloyd Walmsley wrote in a client note on Wednesday. Given the magnitude of competition and Snap's relatively subscale nature, we see risk to revenue acceleration. Other analysts also grew more cautious on the stock after Snap's latest quarterly report.

☆ Meta set to report fourth-quarter earnings after the bell
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., left, arrives at federal court in San Jose, California, US, on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. Meta reports fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday as the company tries to reverse a slide that pushed the stock down by 64% last year. The company also said its "internal forecast" assumes a revenue drop in the first quarter of between 2% and 10%. Alphabet and Amazon will wrap up earnings reports from the major online ad platforms on Thursday, followed by Pinterest next week. Meta said last quarter that "Reality Labs operating losses in 2023 will grow significantly year-over-year."

☆ Snap shares plunge on weak revenue as digital ad struggles continue
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

It's the third disappointing earnings report in a row for Snap investors. The day after the company's Q3 earnings report in October, shares fell 28% on disappointing revenue. Snap shares slid more than 14% in extended trading on Tuesday after the social media company reported fourth-quarter revenue that trailed analysts' estimates. In a letter to investors, Snap called it a "challenging year" that was marked by "macroeconomic headwinds, platform policy changes, and increased competition. It's an ominous start to fourth-quarter earnings season for ad-supported internet companies.

☆ How Google’s long period of online dominance could end
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

This week, the Justice Department accused Google of running an illegal monopoly in its online advertising business and called for parts of it to be broken up. In the meantime, two other thorny issues are poised to determine Google’s future on a potentially shorter timeframe: The rise of generative artificial intelligence and what appears to be an accelerating decline in Google’s online ad marketshare. An ad sales machine under pressureAll this has taken place against the backdrop of what seems to be an extended, multi-year decline in Google’s online advertising marketshare. One-off factors like the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as well as fears of a looming recession, have broadly affected the online advertising industry. Whatever the cause, Google’s advertising business, which is still massive, seems to face growing headwinds.

☆ Elon Musk says Twitter will roll out ad-free subscriptions for a higher fee in coming weeks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk said a paid ad-free model for Twitter users will soon be available. The subscription would join the platform's other paid model, Twitter Blue. The billionaire Twitter owner wrote in a tweet Saturday that the company will launch a "higher priced subscription that allows zero ads" in the coming weeks. The paid subscription would join Twitter Blue, a model in which users pay a fee to receive a verified blue checkmark, as well as access to features like an edit button. Twitter Blue currently costs $11 a month for mobile iOS and Android access, and $8 for desktop users.

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☆ 4 women execs at Meta, Pinterest, Hyundai and Heineken share the early morning routines that helped them climb the corporate ladder.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Lola Christina Alao | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Insider talked to four female senior executives about their morning work routines. They all start work no later than 7:30 a.m.Two of the execs — Christine Trodella and Olabisi Boyle — prefer to take walking meetings. Insider spoke with four women who've climbed to the corporate ladder — up to senior executive roles at companies including Hyundai and Pinterest — about theirs. Christine TrodellaChristine Trodella, the director of B2B-commercial sales for Reality Labs at Meta, typically starts work between 6 and 7 a.m. "I start work between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m. but wake up at 5 a.m. to give myself time to breathe," she said.

☆ Ad mogul sees Meta rebounding 'extremely strongly,' Amazon ad revenue hitting $100 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Advertising titan Martin Sorrell believes Meta will rebound "extremely strongly this year" and sees a promising outlook for U.S. tech giants, despite a bruising 2022 and mass layoffs. Facebook parent Meta in November announced plans to eliminate 13% of its staff, amounting to more than 11,000 employees. It also issued bleak fourth-quarter guidance that wiped out around a quarter of its market cap, pushing the stock to its lowest since 2016. The company has also taken a substantial hit from its massive investment in building its augmented reality world known as the metaverse — a strategy that has proven divisive among analysts and investors. Sorrell, executive chairman of U.K. advertising agency S4 Capital , expects Meta to address most of its business challenges in 2023, while benefiting from China's reopening.

It came after Amazon said in November it was looking to cut staff, including in its devices and recruiting organizations. The company had 2,450 employees, according to PitchBook data, suggesting around 490 employees were laid off. In a letter to employees, CEO Logan Green and President John Zimmer pointed to "a probable recession sometime in the next year" and rising ride-share insurance costs. Shopify: 1,000 jobs cutIn July, Shopify announced it laid off 1,000 employees, which equals 10% of its global workforce. Tesla: 6,000 jobs cut

☆ Elon Musk says Twitter has changed its 'For You' algorithm again after it included too many tweets from people users didn't follow
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The tab was showing too many tweets from accounts that users didn't follow, he said. Musk's comments were in reply to a Twitter user who tweeted that people were reporting "massive drops" in engagement with their posts. "An update to the For You algorithm included too many tweets from people users didn't follow," Musk tweeted. It said that tab, along with a "Following" tab, would be pinned to the top of the timeline. Twitter didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside of normal US working hours.

You can retrieve deleted text messages on your iPhone with iOS 16 within one month of deletion. But if you've accidentally deleted some text messages that you meant to keep, don't panic — there are a few different ways to recover lost text messages on your iPhone. Recover your messages with iOS 16With iOS 16, you can recover all text messages within one month of deletion. Use iCloudIf your iPhone is set to backup to iCloud, you might be able to recover deleted text messages using a recent backup. How to recover deleted text messages on AndroidiPhones are not the only devices capable of retrieving deleted text messages.

The new HomePod is $50 cheaper than the original, and packs in more smart home features. It's Apple's first new smart speaker since the release of the $99 HomePod Mini in November 2020. The launch price of the new HomePod is actually $50 cheaper than the original model, which was discontinued in 2021. Should you preorder the new Apple HomePod? Apple's smart speakers have struggled to win over customers compared to Amazon's Echo brand and Google's Nest, and remain more expensive than the competition.

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