DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Alphabet's VC arm backs little-known SAP rival Odoo, boosting valuation to $5.3 billion
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Fabien Pinckaers, CEO of Belgian-based enterprise software startup Odoo. OdooOdoo, a startup taking on SAP in the realm of enterprise software, boosted its valuation to 5 billion euros ($5.3 billion) in a secondary share round led by Alphabet 's venture fund and Sequoia Capital. "The reason everybody [has] failed [in this market] is that it's quite complex," Pinckaers told CNBC. The last time Odoo secured primary funding was in 2014, when it raised $10 million in a Series B round. Prior to the latest secondary round, Odoo was most recently valued by investors at 3.2 billion euros.

Persons: Fabien Pinckaers, Odoo, Pinckaers, Andrew Reed, Reed, He's, Billings, aren't, Alex Nichols, CapitalG, he's, bootstrapping, Odoo hasn't, Wallonie Organizations: Belgian, SAP, Sequoia Capital, CNBC, Enterprise, Sequoia, Summit Partners Locations: Belgium, India, billings, Sequoia

☆ Uber has a new ride option for people traveling to the airport with a lot of luggage
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

AdvertisementJust in time for the busy holiday travel season, Uber has come out with a new ride option. For those who don't travel light, the new XXL Uber option comes with "larger trunk space" for more luggage. For those who don't like to travel light during the holiday season, Uber's new XXL option might be for you. The existing UberXL option gets riders a van or SUV that seats up to 6 people. AdvertisementAs part of the holiday travel season updates, Uber said that eligible Uber One members can get $20 Uber Cash back on an XXL ride until December 1.

Persons: Uber, UberXL, Cash Organizations: XXL, It's, TSA Locations: Canada

Limited benefits Insider’s Take The VentureOne Rewards Card is a slimmed-down version of the popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Bank of America Travel Rewards Card ReviewCapital One VentureOne Credit Card Pros and ConsAdvantages of the Capital One VentureOne Credit CardThe VentureOne Rewards Card comes with several significant advantages, making it an attractive choice for those seeking a straightforward rewards program. Capital One VentureOne Card Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat makes Capital One VentureOne Credit Card stand out? No, unlike the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is not metal. Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed the Capital One VentureOne Credit CardOur credit cards team reviewed the VentureOne Rewards Card in comparison to similar no-annual-fee travel credit cards.

Persons: Miles, LifeMiles, Smiles, Red, Wyndham, Chase, rideshares, cardholders, you've, haven't, It's, Gabriel Vito Gabriel Vito, Gabriel, Education Gabriel, ExperienceExpertiseEducation Read, Angela Fung, Read Organizations: Business, Capital, PayPal, Capital One Entertainment, Aeromexico Club, Air Canada, Air France, KLM, Blue, British Airways Executive Club, Cathay, Emirates, Etihad, Qantas Frequent, TAP Air Portugal Miles, Turkish Airlines Miles, Wyndham Rewards, Star Alliance, U.S, Chase, Unlimited, Card, Bank of America, The Bank of America, Social, Forbes, CNN, University of California, Banking, Education, The University of California, Finance Locations: Cathay Pacific Asia, Singapore, Europe, Asia, Riverside

☆ I dropped 80 pounds by changing my diet, walking my dog, and competing with friends over our step count
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Jane Ridley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The flight attendant took action by improving her diet and taking her little dog for long walks. She lost 80 pounds in less than a year and is able to keep up with her energetic, 6-year-old child. I did it by changing my diet and walking my dog more. I only put on 20 pounds during my first pregnancy with my son, Andy, in 2000 and lost it pretty quickly. I no longer took the elevator in the New York subway and went for the stairs.

Persons: Diana Coello, You've, I'd, Andy, Milania, COVID, Kenny, fryer, Dianne, Angie, Bruno, I've Organizations: Netflix, New York, Business Locations: New York City, chihuahua

☆ Jaguar debuts its new branding in a video — and it's missing one thing: cars. It's getting roasted by some online.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

And some conservative personalities are calling out the company's new video ad for being too "woke." But that "exuberant modernism," particularly in the company's video ad, is being mocked by some people online. AdvertisementJaguar's new video ad features models in colorful, modern clothing, and doesn't show any cars. (Current Jaguar models left in their inventories will be sold as pre-owned, a company spokesperson previously told Business Insider.) Jaguar's new brand strategy was created by its own in-house design team, not an external agency, according to the UK's Creative Review.

Persons: Tesla's Elon, Tesla's Elon Musk, Gerry McGovern, Elon Musk, Musk, India's Tata, Ian Miles Cheong, Nick Freitas, Bud Light, Bud, Kevin Dahlstrom, it's, Martin Brundle, who's, they're Organizations: Jaguar, Rover, India's, India's Tata Motors, Conservative, Republican, Delegates Locations: Miami, EVs, Virginia

☆ DOJ pushes for Google to break off Chrome browser after antitrust case
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Ken CedenoThe Department of Justice is calling for Google to divest its Chrome browser, following a ruling in August that the company holds a monopoly in the search market. Chrome, which Google launched in 2008, provides the search giant with data it then uses for targeting ads. Additionally, the DOJ said that Google be prevented from entering into exclusionary agreements with third parties like Apple and Samsung. The DOJ also said that remedies should prevent Google from eliminating "emerging competitive threats through acquisitions, minority investments, or partnerships." In August, a federal judge ruled that Google holds a monopoly in the search market.

Persons: Jonathan Kanter, General Merrick Garland, Lisa O, Ken Cedeno, Sherman Organizations: Live Nation Entertainment, Monaco, Department of Justice, REUTERS, Department, Justice, Google, Chrome, DOJ, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Android Locations: Washington , U.S

But one thing is missing from the storied British carmaker Jaguar's new rebrand: cars. In a press release accompanying its rebrand, Jaguar's chief creative officer, Sir Gerry McGovern, explained the thinking behind the rollout. Jaguar sold fewer than 67,000 cars in the entire world last year, approximately half the number it sold in the fiscal year incorporating the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. In response to other X users asking why the ad didn’t feature any cars, Jaguar’s X account responded, “The story is unfolding. That ethos is seen in our new brand identity today and will be further revealed over the coming months.

Persons: Bud Light's, Lulu Cheng Meservey, grads, Sir Gerry McGovern, Adrian Mardell, ”, Rawdon Glober Organizations: Rostra, Jaguar, Art, Rover, Tata Motors Locations: U.S, Art Basel, India

Instagram users will soon be able to manually reset the recommendation algorithm that determines what they see in their feeds. “We want to make sure everyone on Instagram — especially teens — has safe, positive, age-appropriate experiences and feels the time they’re spending on Instagram is valuable,” the company said. A mock-up from Meta showing a new feature that allows people to reset their content recommendations. This summer, Instagram announced it would automatically put teens into separate private accounts with increased controls and restrictions. Instagram users can already partially control their recommendation algorithm through a widget that allows them to market content as “interested” or “not interested.” In February, said it had stopped recommending political content altogether.

Persons: Instagram, —, “, personalize, ” Instagram, Meta, ” Organizations: Facebook, Meta

☆ Bluesky has 'the juice' — but it still doesn't have the normies
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

There's a hero we need: Pop Crave. Bluesky has seen explosive growth in the last few weeks — hitting 20 million users. What Bluesky has right now is a ton of new users, mostly of a certain type — the brainiac set. However, there is a Pop Base account — a competitor to Pop Crave. Pop Base confirmed to me that they're on Bluesky — they said they joined in 2022 but only started posting regularly in the last few weeks.

Persons: it's, Bluesky, Elon Musk's, Donald Trump, — brainiacs, Max Read, Sabrina Carpenter stan, —, Olivia Rodrigo Organizations: Twitter, Pop Base Locations: Bushwick, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Forest Hills, Queens

☆ 2 cut undersea internet cables — a suspected Russian sabotage — highlight a fragile global network
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementTwo subsea data cables in the Baltic Sea were damaged this week. Two subsea telecoms cables in the Baltic Sea have been damaged in a suspected act of Russian sabotage, highlighting the fragility of the world's data networks. AdvertisementThe impactAs the world has become more dependent on the internet, subsea cables have become increasingly vital. The cables carry vital internet data between countries, including streaming services and financial information. "The writing has been on the wall for a while now relating to subsea cable disruption.

Persons: Boris Pistorius, Telia, Cinia, Carl, Oskar Bohlin, Gregory Falco Organizations: Cables, Telia, NATO, International Union of Marine Insurance, TRT, General Staff, Directorate, West, Cornell University, BI, CSIS, Analysts, Atlantic Council Locations: Baltic, Germany, Finland, Lithuania, Sweden's Gotland, Russia, Ukraine, Lofoten, Norway

☆ H&R Block, Intuit stocks fall on news of a potential free tax-filing app by Trump transition team
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Cj Haddad | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The stock prices for H&R Block and Intuit fell after a Tuesday report saying the Trump transition team is considering creating a free tax-filing app. President-elect Donald Trump's "Department of Government Efficiency" has held "highly preliminary" discussions about creating the free tax-filing app, The Washington Post reported. A DOGE tax-filing app would represent a competitor for both H&R Block and TurboTax. It's unclear where a new DOGE tax app would bridge with newer policies the Biden administration already implemented. The IRS also offers free filing services through its Free File program for taxpayers who make an adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less.

Persons: Trump, Donald Trump's, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Biden, Letitia James Organizations: Intuit, Department of Government, Washington Post, Republican, IRS, Federal Trade Commission, New York

☆ Women prefer to play mobile games. China's Tencent sees an opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Tencent's Honor of Kings mobile game drew a record 33,000 fans to watch a final competition in Beijing on Nov. 16, 2024. Surprisingly, many in the crowd were young women, reflecting how interest in mobile games has broadened out from the stereotypical male player in the days of console and PC gaming. Honor of Kings, which claims 100 million players a day, uses a similar format with two teams of five players each. His analysis found that 95% of women prefer mobile games. A newly branded Honor of Kings global championship was held last month in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, with Malaysian team Black Shrew Esports winning the $300,000 first prize.

Persons: Evelyn Cheng, Kings, Gao, of, Jackie Huang, Huang, Xiaofeng Zeng, Niko Partners, Zeng Organizations: Kings, CNBC, of Valor, of Kings, global, Tencent, Gaming, Riot, Malaysian Locations: Beijing, Evelyn Cheng BEIJING, China, Shanghai, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Chinese, North America, Europe, Japan, U.S, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Jakarta

☆ Nvidia must show Blackwell chip can drive growth in earnings report
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Future growth will have to come from Blackwell, its next-generation chip that has just started shipping to end-users such as Microsoft , Google and OpenAI. More important than Nvidia's third-quarter results will be what the company says about demand for the Blackwell chip. In August, Nvidia said it expected about "several billion" in Blackwell sales during the January quarter. Nvidia reported 122% growth in sales in the most-recent quarter. That was lower than the 262% year-over-year growth it reported in the April quarter and the 265% growth in the January quarter.

Persons: Jensen Huang, Frank Lee, Lee, Blackwell, Raymond James, Srini Pajjuri, ChatGPT, LSEG, Huang Organizations: Nvidia, HSBC, Microsoft, Google, Blackwell, Nintendo Locations: Vilhelm, Kastrup, Denmark, NVDA

The best Walmart Black Friday deals are often available the week of Thanksgiving, but some enticing savings opportunities are available now. We've rounded up some of the best deals currently available at Walmart across home, kitchen, tech, and more. Make sure to check out our guide to the best early Black Friday deals. Best early Walmart Black Friday home and kitchen dealsThe best early Black Friday home and kitchen deals at Walmart feature products from Ninja, Dyson, Keurig, and more. View at WalmartBest early Walmart Black Friday tech dealsWalmart's best early Black Friday tech deals include everything from TVs to headphones to smartwatches to gaming consoles.

Persons: We're, Apple AirPods, Dyson, Keurig, it's Organizations: Business, Walmart, Dyson, LG, Best, Walmart Best, Apple, Samsung, iPad, Walmart Samsung Galaxy Watch, Galaxy, Walmart Apple

However, there are consequences for failing to file a tax return that you should be aware of. Why filing taxes is importantLegal obligationsFirst things first: Do you even need to file a tax return? However, you are required to file a tax return if you have $400 or more in net self-employment income. FAQs on what happens if you don't file taxesHow long can I go without filing taxes? If you don't file a tax return and don't owe any taxes, you have up to three years to claim any refund that might be due.

Persons: David Beck, Beck, filers, TurboTax, you'll, It's, it'll, there's, There's, haven't, Morgan, Tanza, Read Organizations: Free, NEC, TurboTax, Budget, Social Security, State, IRS, Levy, Railroad, Board, Military, garnishment, Chevron, Finance, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Fidelity, BI, Elon University Locations: U.S, Dix Hills, NY, TheStreet

☆ Student loan servicers are pulling incorrect payments from borrowers' bank accounts
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Lenders often encourage federal student loan borrowers to enroll in automatic payments. "Unfortunately, autopay errors were one of the most widespread, basic and consequential servicer errors we saw this year," CFPB Student Loan Ombudsman Julia Barnard told CNBC. In some cases, borrowers had money pulled from their bank accounts despite never consenting to autopay, Barnard said. Other autopay users saw incorrect amounts taken or were charged multiple times in the same month. In March, one borrower told the CFPB that their student loan servicer took $6,897 from their account when they only owed $1,048.

Persons: Julia Barnard, Barnard, aren't, wouldn't, servicer Organizations: Consumer Financial, Bureau, CNBC, autopay, Finance, Black

☆ I tried Snap's AR glasses, Spectacles. They're a good start to get Gen Z users interested in smart eyewear.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementSnap's new Spectacles offer AR features like piano lessons and video calls. While the Vision Pro is a heavier corded headset, Meta's smart glasses are more like sunglasses with a camera and an AI assistant. AdvertisementSome features were clunky but impressiveOne of the Spectacles Lenses offered virtual piano lessons. AdvertisementGoogle tried and failed to break open the smart glasses market in the past, but that hasn't stopped CEO Mark Zuckerberg from showing off another pair of smart specs, Orion, at Meta Connect in September. AdvertisementI was impressed by the Spectacles demo, but I'm still waiting for a feature that makes them feel like a must-have.

Persons: Meta's Ray, Jordan Hart, They're, Evan Spiegel, I've, It's, hasn't, Mark Zuckerberg, haven't, Peter Kafka, Orion, they're, I'm Organizations: Apple's Vision, Apple Vision, Google, Meta Connect

☆ Microsoft introduces PC that has one job: connect users to their computers in the cloud
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella watches from the audience during a press briefing at Microsoft's campus in Redmond, Washington, on May 20, 2024. Microsoft is previewing a new PC that's designed to connect corporate workers to their programs and files in the cloud. The Windows 365 Cloud Link is available in limited use in the U.S., Canada and a handful of other countries. After years spent failing to crack the list of top PC manufacturers with its Surface product line, Microsoft is trying something new in an established category of hardware. It runs a stripped-down operating system called Windows CPC, with no local applications or local users, and has a strict application control policy that can't be disabled.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Jalleen Ringer Organizations: Microsoft, CNBC, Windows Locations: Redmond , Washington, U.S, Canada

☆ Tired of your Instagram algorithm? You'll be able to reset it soon for a 'fresh start'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementMeta has good news for Instagram users unhappy with their recommendations algorithm. The company is testing giving users the ability to wipe the slate clean and get new recommended content. Meta is gearing the feature toward teens but it'll soon roll out globally to all users. Sick of the recommended content in your Instagram feed? AdvertisementMeta positioned the feature toward its teen users in its blog post, though it isn't age-specific.

Persons: it'll, Meta, you'll, Instagram, –, Adam Mosseri, TikTok Organizations: Meta, Piper

☆ Inside Amazon's agonizing attempt to save Alexa with AI
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

AdvertisementCustomer-friction concerns, partnership hiccups, compatibility questions, latency problems, and accuracy issues have snarled progress, according to internal Amazon documents and multiple people involved in the project. AdvertisementA product of this scale is "unprecedented, and takes time," an Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider. Related storiesFor example, without more clearly defined responsibilities with third-party partners, Amazon expected further delays in the launch. AdvertisementLatency has been a particularly tough problem for the AI Alexa service. Related storiesNew risksIn late August, Amazon discovered several new risk factors for the AI Alexa service.

Persons: Alexa, that's, Amazon, Taylor Swift, they're, ChatGPT, Andy Jassy, Andy Jassy Mike Blake, Claude Haiku, Rohit Prasad, Claude, AGI NurPhoto, —, Fortune, Amazon's Organizations: Uber, Ticketmaster, Alexa, Echo, Amazon, Business, Bloomberg, TV, Reuters, General Intelligence, AGI, Companies

☆ OpenAI head of product shares 5 tips for using ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Jaures Yip | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementOpenAI Head of Product Nick Turley said users should experiment with ChatGPT's voice mode. Turley offered chatbot users tips on how to upload documents or make their own GPTs. Many people use ChatGPT to create recipes or write work emails, but OpenAI's Head of Product Nick Turley has some handy tips users might want to try. ChatGPT's voice feature comes in nine human-like voices developed with professional voice actors, which can be changed in the website's settings, according to the company. "It is a completely different way of using ChatGPT," Turley said.

Persons: Nick Turley, Turley, OpenAI, It's, they've, ChatGPT, you've Organizations: Twitter, Pixar, Enterprise

☆ A New Way to Leave Twitter for Bluesky Without Losing Your Tweets
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"We know lots of people are importing their old posts, and we're excited about that," Liu says. To be honest, I've found it a bit weird to see my old tweets in my new home. To fix that — and to minimize the potential for tampering with old tweets — Bluesky is planning to label posts that are moved over from other platforms. "We're about to ship an update to show old posts that are imported with an archival tag," Liu says. Once I've got all my old tweets unpacked on Bluesky, I'm going to head back over to X and torch my entire archive.

Persons: Elon Musk, Trump, We've, Emily Liu, Nicolas Castellani, Amos da Silva Bezerra, They've, X, Bezerra, Musk, Mastodon, Bluesky, it's, Castellani, Donald Trump, David Shiffman, Liu, backdating, I've, Joe Bak, Coleman, Adam Rogers Organizations: Elon, Bluesky, Twitter, Business Locations: decamp, Canada, Europe, Brazil, Bluesky

☆ Roblox CEO on new safety updates following October Hindenburg report
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | 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 EmailRoblox CEO on new safety updates following October Hindenburg reportDavid Baszucki, Roblox CEO, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the list of new safety products available for users, the chief executive's first reactions to the short report, and much more.

Persons: Hindenburg, David Baszucki

☆ Trump's picks are giving Big Tech plenty of reasons to be nervous
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementDonald Trump has selected several Big Tech critics for top roles in his second administration. A number of his picks have been harsh critics of the Big Tech industry. Tom Williams/CQ Roll CallTrump's pick for attorney general, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, has for years criticized Big Tech companies. Anna MoneymakerVice President-elect JD Vance cut his teeth in venture capital, and has long been a proponent for breaking up Big Tech. AdvertisementVance said that his experience in Silicon Valley taught him to be weary of Big Tech.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, JD Vance, Elon Musk, Brendan Carr, Trump's, Trump, Brendan Carr Trump, Tom Williams, Carr, Elon, Musk's, Matt Gaetz Trump, Gaetz, Lina Khan, Jonathan Kanter, Elon Musk Elon, Marc Piasecki, Musk, donald, Biden, Tim Cook, X, Anna Moneymaker, Vance, we're Organizations: Big Tech, Trump, GOP, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Federal Communications Commission, Inc, Getty, Heritage, FCC, TikTok, United, Florida Rep, Federal Trade, Elon, Government, of Government, SpaceX, OpenAI, Bloomberg News Locations: Starlink, Florida, Silicon Valley, Trump

☆ Bluesky's 'acceleration is tremendous' as users flock to the new 'old Twitter'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Many new Bluesky users are praising the feeling on the site as being similar to "old Twitter." This week, the app shot to the top of Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store, and a Bluesky spokesperson told Business Insider it hit 18.3 million registered users. Advertisement"Consumers, time and time again, show us that they will put a brand in jeopardy if the leadership is associated with ideology the consumers don't care for," Lind told Business Insider. A spokesperson for Bluesky told Business Insider that the platform aims to give users more choice and offer creators independence from being locked into specific platforms. A few weeks ago, Bluesky had less than 1 million daily users in the US, "so the acceleration is tremendous," said David Carr, an editor at Similarweb.

Persons: Bluesky, Elon Musk's, Jonathan Bellack, Mark Cuban, he'd, That's, Stephen Lind, Lind, We've, Jack Dorsey, Twitter, Dorsey, David Carr Organizations: Social, Business, Applied Social Media, Cuban, Meta, USC Marshall School of Business, Bluesky, Twitter Locations: Similarweb

Search resuls for: "Users"

25 mentions found