The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• Nothing says luxury quite like caviar. It's the perfect food for celebrations of all kinds, including ringing in the New Year.
• We've rounded up the best caviar you can buy online to get the party started, including caviar from Marshallberg Farms, Olma, Tsar Nicoulai, and Marky's.

There's no better way to lavish everyone around you with love than a jar of prehistoric roe. If Poseidon ever came up with a more delectable ambrosia, he was surely selfish and chose not to grace the rest of us with it.

Flagrant status symbol though it may be, caviar, in all its decadence, has indeed been humbled throughout certain points in history.

Despite being the epitome of wealth and power for Kings and Caliphs alike, during the 1800s in the United States, it was served with free lunch in saloons, where we're lucky to get peanuts or pretzels these days. Though the doling out of such a regality wasn't completely tactless. Because it was so salty, it would enhance thirst, and, hopefully, encourage patrons to drink more.

Although you may not be able to get your hands on quite that much caviar, given the high price tag of the good stuff, at the very least, a judicious spoonful of the pearly little morsels of black gold is in high order.

Sterlet and Beluga, the crème de la crème de la mer, are no longer available in the United States due to an alarming decline of those particular sturgeon, but Ossetra, Sevruga, Paddlefish, and others will still more than suffice.

Just don't forget the blinis, the creme fraiche, and, of course, the champagne. 

Here is the best caviar you can buy online:

• Best Osetra caviar: Marshallberg Farms
• Best Kaluga caviar: Olma
• Best Californian caviar: Tsar Nicoulai
• Best Paddlefish caviar: Marky's Wild-Caught Paddlefish Caviar
• Best blinis: Marky's Russian Blinis for Caviar
• Best creme fraiche: Ronnybrook Creme Fraiche
• Best champagne: Shop all ReserveBar Champagne

Read on in the slides below to learn more about our top picks.

The best American-made Russian caviar

Why you'll love it: Marshallberg Farms' caviar is the only Ossetra Russian sturgeon caviar produced in the United States, and it's delicious.

Ossetra is a medium-grain caviar often associated with a clean but nutty taste. It's usually not as salty as other caviar, though that depends on the brine and how long they sit in it.

Marshallberg Farms is based in North Carolina, and the company guarantees that it does not mix roe from different fish to compose your tin of caviar. This might sound snooty, but the flavor of a given caviar, and the consistency, will get a little lost if it's sourced from multiple fish, and blending roe is not preferred.

You can read more about Marshallberg Farms on its website and Roads and Kingdoms.

Shop Marshallberg Farms caviar on Amazon, starting at $142/30g

The best Kaluga caviar

Why you'll love it: Olma's Kaluga caviar is as close as you'll get to Beluga caviar with its firm, juicy, creamy taste.

Kaluga, or river caviar, is as close as we can get to the illustrious Beluga, the king of caviar, but also the most endangered sturgeon.

The United States has had a ban in place on the import of Beluga caviar in an attempt to stem overharvesting. Kaluga, however, still comes pretty darn close.

Olma has been serving up caviar in New York City since 2001, and offers a direct line on the best of the best. You can even buy it on Amazon and get fast shipping straight to your door.

Shop Olma Caviar on Amazon, starting at $110/oz

The best Californian white sturgeon caviar

Why you'll love it: Tsar Nicoulai uses buttery, smooth, clean, single-source eggs from California's central valley to make its caviar.

Tsar Nicoulai has been supplying the United States with white sturgeon caviar from California for more than 30 years.

The company pushes sustainability while still maintaining high standards, making Tsar Nicoulai a boutique caviar house that sits at the intersection of decadence and morality. The company also puts out a marvelous, much more affordable salmon roe.

Shop Tsar Nicoulai at Williams-Sonoma, starting at $199.95/2 oz

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

An increasing number of wealth managers are using new technologies to make their operations more efficient and to increase customer satisfaction.

The technologies they are implementing include robotic process automation (RPA), chatbots, machine learning, application programming interfaces (APIs), and explainable AI.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence analyzes how emerging technologies like RPA and AI are transforming the wealth management industry, on both the front and back end, by increasing efficiency and opening up the space to new demographics. We explain how both incumbents and startups are applying these technologies to different business areas, and how successful they've been at implementation. Additionally, we take a look at the challenges wealth managers are facing as they look to revamp their businesses for the digital age.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• Startup wealth managers and digitally savvy technology suppliers are bringing emerging technologies to the fore to make wealth management more time- and cost-efficient. These include RPA, machine learning, and AI. Big players in the space are also beginning to wake up to those opportunities.
• The technologies can improve consumer-facing elements of wealth management, like onboarding and customer service, to increase customer satisfaction.
• Machine learning and APIs can help wealth managers improve functions like portfolio management and compliance, and help them better stay on top of regulations, and increase customer satisfaction by offering improved and additional services.
• However, there are some challenges wealth managers are facing when implementing these tools, ranging from a lack of customer trust in emerging technologies to difficulty finding appropriate talent.

 In full, the report:

• Outlines how the wealth management industry is implementing emerging technologies.
• Details which technologies they are using, and what their specific benefits are. 
• Discusses the potential challenges wealth managers are facing when implementing new technologies.
• Highlights what wealth managers need to do to stay relevant in the field.

Subscribe to an All-Access pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to:

	This report and more than 250 other expertly researched reports
	Access to all future reports and daily newsletters
	Forecasts of new and emerging technologies in your industry
	And more!

Learn More

Purchase & download the full report from our research store

Join the conversation about this story »

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here. Current subscribers can read the report here.

Fintech hubs — cities where startups, talent, and funding congregate — are proliferating globally in tandem with ongoing disruption in financial services. 

These hubs are all vying to become established fintech centers in their own right, and want to contribute to the broader financial services ecosystem of the future. Their success depends on a variety of factors, including access to funding and talent, as well as the approach of relevant regulators.

This report compiles various fintech snapshots, which together highlight the global spread of fintech, and show where governments and regulatory bodies are shaping the development of national fintech industries. Each provides an overview of the fintech industry in a particular country or state in Asia or Europe, and details what is contributing to, or hindering its further development. We also include notable fintechs in each geography, and discuss what the opportunities or challenges are for that particular domestic industry.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Most countries in Europe have made some formal attempt to foster the development of domestic fintech industries, with Germany and Ireland seeing the best results so far. France, meanwhile, got off to a slow start, but that's starting to change. 
• The Asian fintech scene took off later than in the US or Europe, but it's seen rapid growth lately, particularly in India, China, and Singapore.
• The increasing importance of technology-enabled products and services within the financial services ecosystem means the global fintech industry isn't going anywhere. 
• Fintech hubs will continue to proliferate, with leaders emerging in each region.
• The future fintech landscape will be molded by regulatory bodies — national and international — as they seek to mitigate the risks, and leverage the opportunities, presented by fintech. 

 In full, the report:

• Explores the fintech industry in six countries or states, and identifies individual fintech hubs.
• Highlights successful fintechs in each region.
• Outlines the challenges and opportunities each country or state faces. 
• Gives insight into the future of the global fintech industry. 

Subscribe to an All-Access pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to:

	This report and more than 250 other expertly researched reports
	Access to all future reports and daily newsletters
	Forecasts of new and emerging technologies in your industry
	And more!

Learn More

Purchase & download the full report from our research store

Join the conversation about this story »

• President Donald Trump once boasted that his administration was staffed by notable members of the US armed forces.
• Those service members will soon be leaving his administration.
• The latest former Marine Corps general who is voluntarily leaving the administration is Defense Secretary James Mattis.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis' upcoming departure from the Trump administration was largely expected in the near term, but his official resignation letter on Thursday still shook Washington, DC, and caught defense officials and lawmakers off guard.

The news follows the departures of a series of high-profile military generals in the White House, namely Marines who have served with distinction throughout the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many of these Marines have now left the Trump White House amid numerous reports of disagreements or criticisms of Trump.

The photo above, taken in 2013, marked the first time six four-star Marines Corps generals were actively serving in the Marines.

• Jim Mattis, the Secretary of Defense, announced his resignation on Thursday and was expected to leave by February. On Sunday, his departure was accelerated to January 1 after Trump announced his acting replacement, Patrick Shanahan, was set to take over. Mattis was a four-star general who led the US Central Command and was celebrated as a top choice to lead the world's most powerful military. He cited disagreements with Trump's policies as the reason for his decision to resign from the Defense Department.

• John Kelly, the former White House chief of staff, was a four-star Marine Corps general who once led the US Southern Command. He served as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security before being selected by Trump as his chief of staff. Kelly had been expected to bring order to a chaotic West Wing. But he faced headwinds and sometimes clashed with Trump on a number of issues.
• Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, served as the commandant of the Marine Corps and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. His term as the top commander of the US military ends in September 2019. Trump announced US Army chief of staff Gen. Mark Milley as his replacement, despite some reported concerns from Mattis.
• John Allen, the former commander of the US-led coalition in Afghanistan, did not serve in the Trump administration. Instead, he was an outspoken critic of Trump throughout his campaign and presidency. During a speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2016, Allen endorsed Hillary Clinton and likened Trump's presidency to a "business transaction" that conducts "illegal activities." Trump fired back at Allen through a tweet and said his fight against ISIS "failed badly."

The circumstances of the officers' various exits may vary, but Trump's generals — service members he spoke of highly throughout his campaign and the early days of his presidency — have now left an apparent void in the White House.

In addition to the Marines who will have left the Trump administration, H.R. McMaster, a three-star Army general, was fired as Trump's national security adviser in March. His tenure was marked by numerous reports of disagreements with Trump, who once described him as "a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience."

McMaster replaced another US Army three-star general as national security adviser, Gen. Michael Flynn, who was fired after it was discovered he lied to the FBI and senior White House officials about his communications with Russian officials.

SEE ALSO: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis quits, says his views aren't 'aligned' with Trump as the president upends major US policies

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The reason some men can't grow full beards, according to a dermatologist

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

Emerging markets are going to be essential for e-commerce growth, as retailers in developed markets may soon reach saturation in terms of consumer growth.

For example, almost half of US households now have a Prime membership, diminishing Amazon's growth potential in the country. Meanwhile, in China, the world's largest e-commerce market, nearly half of the population is actively making online purchases, leaving little room for growth. 

However, India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America are worth keeping an eye on. E-commerce penetration rates in these areas hover between 2-6%, presenting a huge opportunity for future growth as online sales gain traction. Moreover, these regions are expected to grow at compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 31%, 32%, and 16%, respectively, through 2021.

This report compiles several e-commerce snapshots, which together highlight the most notable emerging markets in various regions. Each provides an overview of the e-commerce industry in a particular country, discusses influential retailers, and provides insights into the opportunities and challenges for that specific domestic industry.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Emerging markets are going to be essential for e-commerce growth, as retailers in developed markets may soon reach saturation in terms of consumer growth.
• India is the clear overall leader in e-commerce potential, but countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America are also worth keeping an eye on. Within Southeast Asia, Indonesia shows the most promise for retailers, as the government is loosening restrictions on foreign investments, and its massive population is gaining spending power and more access to internet. Meanwhile, Mexico is a retailer's best bet for expansion in Latin America, due to its stable economy and rising middle class, but Brazil may be gearing up to steal the top spot.
• However, doing business in these regions can be difficult. In most of these emerging markets, infrastructure is underdeveloped and the population is largely unbanked, making digital payments a challenge.
• If retailers can build a brand presence in these markets while online shopping is still in its nascent stages, they may become market leaders as e-commerce takes off in the regions. Moreover, these markets could provide new sources of growth for companies that would otherwise stagnate in more mature e-commerce markets.

 In full, the report:

• Explores the e-commerce industry in India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
• Highlights the leading country in each region, as well as key e-commerce players there. 
• Outlines the challenges and opportunities each region faces.
• Gives insight into how these emerging markets may shape the future of e-commerce.

Join the conversation about this story »

• The Internet of Things is fueling the data-based economy and bridging the divide between physical and digital worlds.
• Consumers, companies, and governments will install more than 40 billion IoT devices worldwide through 2023.
• The next five years will mark a pivotal transformation in how companies and jurisdictions operate, and how consumers live.

Being successful in the digital age doesn’t just require knowing the latest buzzwords; it means identifying the transformational trends – and where they’re heading – before they ever heat up.

Take the Internet of Things (IoT), for example, which now receives not only daily tech news coverage with each new device launch, but also hefty investments from global organizations ushering in worldwide adoption. By 2023, consumers, companies, and governments will install more than 40 billion IoT devices globally. And it’s not just the ones you hear about all the time, like smart speakers and connected cars.

To successfully navigate this changing landscape, individuals and organizations must understand the full extent and functionality of the “Things” included in this network, the key drivers of each market segment, and how it all relates to the work they do every day.

Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, has forecasted the start of the IoT’s global proliferation in The IoT Forecast Book 2018— and the next five years will be transformational for consumers, enterprises, and governments.

• Consumer IoT: In the US alone, the number of smart home devices is estimated to surpass 1 billion by 2023, with consumers dishing out about $725 per household — a total of over $90 billion in spending on IoT solutions.
• Enterprise IoT: Comprising the most mature segment of the IoT, companies will continue pouring billions of dollars into connected devices and automation. By 2023, the total industrial robotic system installed base will approach 6 million worldwide, while annual spending on manufacturing IoT solutions will reach about $450 billion.
• Government IoT: Governments globally are ushering in IoT devices to spur the development of smart cities, which would be equipped with innovations like connected cameras, smart street lights, and connected meters to provide a real-time view of traffic, utilities usage, crime, and environmental factors. Annual investment in this area is expected to reach nearly $900 billion by 2023.

Want to Learn More?

People, companies, and organizations all over the world are racing to adopt the latest IoT solutions and prevent growing pains amidst a technological transformation. The IoT Forecast Book 2018 from Business Insider Intelligence is a detailed three-part slide deck outlining the most important trends impacting consumer, enterprise, and government IoT — and the key drivers propelling each segment forward.

Representing thousands of hours of exhaustive research, our multipart forecast books are considered must-reads by thousands of highly successful business professionals. These informative slide decks are packed with charts and statistics outlining the most influential trends on the leading edge of your industry. Keep them for reference or drop the most valuable data into your own presentations to share with your teams.

Whether you’re newly interested in a topic or you already consider yourself a subject matter expert, The IoT Forecast Book 2018 can provide you with the actionable insights you need to make better decisions.

Join the conversation about this story »

• There may be no better-looking smartphone than the Find X smartphone.
• The Find X was made by the Chinese electronics maker Oppo, one of the most popular phone makers in the world — it was China's top brand in 2016, according to IDC.
• Oppo came up with a clever system to give its phone a true edge-to-edge display, by hiding the camera when it's not in use. It's certainly one of the most futuristic phones we've ever seen.

Oppo unveiled the Find X in June, and it made a lot of waves online thanks to its stunning design.

The Find X looks similar to Apple's iPhone XS but features thinner bezels, or borders around the display, and most notably doesn't include a "notch," like the iPhone has.

The photos below come courtesy of Lewis Hilsenteger with the Unbox Therapy channel on YouTube, who managed to get his hands on the Find X and filmed it for all to see.

SEE ALSO: 9 reasons you should buy an iPhone XR instead of an iPhone XS or XS Max

First, take a look at this thing. It is gorgeous.

The Find X features a 6.4-inch OLED display made by Samsung, which makes the best smartphone displays in the world — they're featured on iPhones and Samsung's own Galaxy S and Note phones.

While the front of the phone looks like an iPhone X, the back is sloped and rounded like a Galaxy S9.

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence. Current subscribers can read the report here.

As streaming becomes an increasingly mainstream behavior among consumers, the video industry has produced new combinations of streaming video programming services to prepare for the progressive overhaul in how media is distributed.

These streaming bundles have emerged in response to the problems of media fragmentation, cord-cutting, and high consumer costs. Declining usage of traditional TV across every demographic, particularly among young viewers, has also demanded new solutions to the traditional distribution model that is pay-TV.

Although streaming media bundles are still evolving, four distinct models have emerged:

• Skinny bundles — Cheaper, streaming versions of the traditional pay-TV bundle, but with fewer channels.
• SVOD aggregators — Facilitate a la carte sign-ups to third-party streaming services through a central user portal. The primary example so far is Amazon Channels, Amazon's SVOD partner program. 
• SVOD integrations — SVOD services like Netflix that bring their offerings to a traditional operator's service.
• Streaming service partnerships — Combine one or more streaming services under a single offering, at a lower cost than the total price separately.

In the SVOD Bundling Report, Business Insider Intelligence examines the state of the US video ecosystem and how media companies are refining their distribution strategies to meet the changing needs of consumers. The report situates each of the four bundle model types within the overall SVOD market, and investigates the overarching advantages and challenges each faces. Finally, we predict how player dynamics might transform and adapt, outlining best practices for providers to succeed within the new TV landscape.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• SVOD bundles partake in a growing SVOD market in the US. Business Insider Intelligence estimates that the SVOD market totals $13.6 billion in 2018, primarily driven by uptake on services from SVOD giants Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. 
• Streaming video accessed on over-the-top (OTT) platforms is going mainstream, while consumers — particularly younger viewers — are reducing usage on live, linear TV. Traditional TV usage among viewers ages 18-24 has dropped 48% since 2011, 35% among 25-34 year olds, and 18% in the 35-49 demographic. 
• Skinny bundle services are growing in popularity, with 7.2 million subscribers in the US, but they suffer fundamental financial sustainability problems. 
• Distributors with at-scale platforms and powerful back-end tech can capitalize on the growing consumer demand for content consolidation among consumers. Faced with a fragmented and expanding universe of content options, more than two-thirds of consumers say they would prefer to get all their services from a single source, per Hub Entertainment Research. 
• Winners in the bundling shakeout will have prioritized internet-connected tech, an effective user experience, reasonable pricing, and content diversity. 

In full, the report:

• Identifies the four SVOD model types that have emerged as alternatives or supplements to traditional distribution.
• Investigates the top advantages and challenges of each model type.
• Outlines strategies that players across media and distribution companies can use to address business or market challenges.
• Explores how the dynamics of each model type will evolve as services converge under new bundled offerings.

Join the conversation about this story »

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

By now, the idea of a subscription box service is far from new. It remains, however, an excellent gift choice because there's one for pretty much every interest and hobby you can think of. It's also easy to purchase online and send — no pesky gift-wrapping necessary. 

The best subscription services provide unique discovery opportunities, curate high-quality brands, and automate everyday routines to make life easier. We think the following subscriptions fit the bill and should be on your gifting list this year.

With some, you can buy a gift card to apply toward a plan of their choice, while with others you can designate the subscription duration and details yourself.

If you need a thoughtful last-minute gift that doesn't reveal you procrastinated (again) this year, a subscription service gift is the way to go. Many of the boxes won't actually ship or arrive on Christmas, but there's usually an option to inform your recipient of their incoming gift when you place your order. 

Find a subscription service gift they'll love, below. 

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2018 here.

Birchbox: beauty and grooming samples tailored to their style and needs

Gift a Birchbox subscription for her, $30/3 months

Gift a Birchbox subscription for him, $30/3 months

The grooming, skincare, and beauty industries couldn't be more packed with products for all types of needs and concerns. Birchbox digs through the clutter for them and picks out five samples each month that they should use. At $10 a month, the value of the service is unparalleled. 

Harry's: the razors and accessories needed for a close and comfortable shave

Gift a Harry's custom shave plan here

The gift of a clean, smooth shave is more cherished than you might think. Harry's full line of shaving products work together seamlessly, and you can customize this combination of blades, creams, foaming gels, and post-shave balms to send to your recipient. 

Scentbird: generous perfume and cologne samples from designer brands

Gift a Scentbird subscription, $44/3 months

Scentbird essentially offers 30-day perfume and cologne trial runs through its subscription. It holds over 450 perfumes and 100 colognes in its collection, and your recipient has the power to try whichever one they want. Instead of being stuck with a full bottle of a fragrance they hate, they can figure out which one they really love. 

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

The gig economy is becoming a core element of the labor market, pushed to the fore by platforms like Uber and Airbnb. Gig economy workers are freelancers, such as journalists who don’t work for one publication directly, freelance developers, drivers on platforms like Uber and Grab, and consumers who rent out their apartments via Airbnb or other home-sharing sites.

Gig economy workers are not employed by these platforms, and therefore typically don't receive conventional employee perks, such as insurance or retirement options. This has created a lucrative opportunity to provide tailored insurance policies for the gig economy. 

A number of insurtech startups — including UK-based Dinghy, which focuses on liability insurance, and US-based Slice, which provides on-demand insurance for a range of areas — have moved to capitalize on this new segment of the labor market. These companies have been busy finding new ways to personalize insurance products by incorporating emerging technologies, including AI and chatbots, to target the gig economy.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence examines how insurtechs have begun addressing the gig economy, the kinds of policies they are offering, and how incumbents can tap the market themselves. We have opted to focus on three areas of insurance particularly relevant to the gig economy: vehicle insurance, home insurance, and equipment and liability insurance.

While every consumer needs health insurance, there are already a number of insurtechs and incumbent insurers that offer policies for individuals. However, when it comes to insuring work equipment or other utilities for freelancers, it's much more difficult to find suitable coverage. As such, this is the gap in the market where we see the most opportunity to deploy new products.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Airbnb, Deliveroo, Dinghy, Grab, Progressive, Slice, Uber, Urban Jungle, and Zego.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• By 2027, the majority of the US workforce will work as freelancers, per Upwork and Freelancer Union, though not all of these workers will take part in the gig economy full time.
• By personalizing policies for gig economy workers, insurtechs have been able to tap this opportunity early. 
• A number of other insurtechs, including Slice and UK-based Zego, offer temporary vehicle insurance, which users can switch on and off, depending on when they are working.
• Slice has also developed a new insurance model that combines traditional home insurance with business coverage for temporary use.
• Other freelancers like photojournalists need insurance for their camera, for example, a coverage area that Dinghy has tackled.
• Incumbent insurers have a huge opportunity to leverage their reach and well-known brands to pull in the gig economy and secure a share of this growing segment — and partnering with startups might be the best approach.

 In full, the report:

• Details what the gig economy landscape looks like in different markets.
• Explains how different insurtechs are tackling the gig economy with new personalized policies.
• Highlights possible pain points for incumbents when trying to enter this market.
• Discusses how incumbents can get a piece of the pie by partnering with startups.

SEE ALSO: These were the biggest developments in the global fintech ecosystem over the last 12 months

Join the conversation about this story »

• The Steelers lost to the Saints on Sunday in a game with major playoff ramifications for both teams.
• The key play of the game came from the Steelers, with head coach Mike Tomlin opting for a gutsy fake punt call late in the fourth quarter that ultimately backfired.
• While the Steelers' chances of making the postseason were 75% heading into Sunday, after the loss and wins by other teams in the AFC playoff race, they enter Week 17 with just a 16% chance of playing into January.

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the New Orleans Saints 31-28 on Sunday in a game that carried major implications for both teams' playoff prospects.

Possibly the most crucial decision of the night came from Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. After a second-half surge, the Steelers held a 28-24 lead with four minutes left in the game.

Facing fourth-and-5 close to midfield, Tomlin called a fake punt — a move that if successful, could give the Steelers a chance to seal the game without giving the ball back to Drew Brees.

It was a gutsy call, but unfortunately for the Steelers, it was unsuccessful.

The Saints snuffed out the direct snap and tackled fullback Roosevelt Nix short of the line to gain. Embarrassingly, Nix got up from the scrum believing he had gained enough for a first down, leading him to awkwardly celebrate the play.

The Saints would take the ball over from midfield and drive to score the go-ahead touchdown, with Brees connecting with Michael Thomas with fewer than 90 seconds left in the game.

Still, Pittsburgh would have one last chance to come back.

Ben Roethlisberger pushed the hurry-up offense well, leading the Steelers into New Orleans territory with 40 seconds remaining. Already in range for an admittedly long attempt, Roethlisberger likely needed just a few more yards to give the Steelers a shot at overtime.

He found wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who got the ball well within range, but fumbled the ball away before hitting the ground, turning the ball and the game over to the Saints.

Read more: The 40 most dominant athletes of 2018

The ramifications of the game were huge for both teams.

For the Saints, the win means the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC goes through New Orleans, with Drew Brees and company securing homefield advantage throughout the postseason — a recipe that led the team to lift the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XLIV just nine years ago.

Meanwhile, the Steelers are now on the outside looking in for the AFC playoffs. Entering the game, FiveThirtyEight gave Pittsburgh a 75% chance of making the postseason. But after their loss and wins by Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Tennessee, they're left with just a 16% chance of playing meaningful football into January.

The Steelers are now eliminated from contention for a wild-card spot, and can only make the playoffs by winning the AFC North — needing a win and a Ravens loss in Week 17 in order to do so.

Pittsburgh's decision to attempt the fake punt was an aggressive one, and likely would have been seen as a great call had it succeeded.

But now needing something of a miracle to keep their season going beyond next week, there's a good chance it's a decision they'd like back.

SEE ALSO: The 54 best sports photos of 2018

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I'm a diehard iPhone user who switched to Android for a week — here's what I loved and hated about the Google Pixel 3 XL

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

The mobile augmented reality (AR) market is quickly becoming primed for the retail space. By blending the online and in-store shopping journeys, mobile AR promises to provide an immersive digital shopping experience unlike anything shoppers have seen before.

Mobile AR is one of the most coveted technologies for improving the digital shopping experience among consumers. That’s because mobile AR can be used to bring the in-store experience to consumers’ homes by recreating the try-on experience. It allows online shoppers to test out multiple sizes and variations of products, or just see what a product looks like overlaid into their home — without making a true commitment to the purchase or a trip to the store. It can also be used in-store to quickly provide product information or guide users to the right item using location-based services.

Retailers that meet this need for mobile AR stand to pull ahead of the competition. Mobile AR can help build brand loyalty, heighten engagement, increase geographical customer reach, shorten conversion times, boost purchases of larger items, and cut down on returns.

In a new report, Business Insider Intelligence examines the importance of mobile AR to businesses in the retail space, explores the various ways brands are utilizing mobile AR to enhance the customer experience as well as their own, and determines the factors retailers should consider when devising a mobile AR strategy.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

• Nearly 75% of consumers already expect retailers to offer an AR experience. Mobile AR retail experiences are more likely to come to fruition as Apple and Google continue to build out their AR developer platforms, ARKit and ARCore, respectively, which will expand the addressable market exponentially.
• Retailers in certain segments, including furniture and home improvement, as well as beauty and fashion, have been the first to jump on the mobile AR bandwagon through their own apps. These sectors appear to have the most immediate need for mobile AR strategies, as trying out furniture and clothes are two of the most coveted AR use cases by consumers.
• Social media is emerging as a prominent channel for retailers to reach consumers through mobile AR experiences. Platforms like Facebook and Snapchat continue to build out tools that businesses and developers can utilize to enhance their advertising strategies with immersive experiences.
• But retailers will have to consider several factors before implementing their mobile AR strategies. These include the cost of building AR experiences, the availability of AR-compatible smartphones, consumer awareness of mobile AR apps, and the quality of mobile AR content.

In full, the report:

• Explores the ways mobile AR brings value to the customer shopping experience. 
• Highlights how the consumer benefits of mobile AR can be transformed into valuable outcomes for retailers.
• Discusses how major retail brands are leveraging mobile AR to enhance the customer journey, and what goals they are striving to achieve.
• Outlines the several factors retailers and brands will have to consider before implementing their mobile AR strategies.

Subscribe to an All-Access pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to:

	This report and more than 250 other expertly researched reports
	Access to all future reports and daily newsletters
	Forecasts of new and emerging technologies in your industry
	And more!

Learn More

Purchase & download the full report from our research store

Join the conversation about this story »

• Kevin Spacey tweeted for the first time since October 2017 on Monday.
• His tweet contained a video inspired by his former Netflix show, "House of Cards," titled "Let Me Be Frank."
• It was posted just as news broke that he has been charged with sexual assault of an 18-year-old male in Massachusetts.

Kevin Spacey broke his social media silence on Monday by tweeting a video clip inspired by his former Netflix series, "House of Cards." The tweet posted just as news broke that he's being charged for felony sexual assault of a teenage boy in Massachusetts.

In the tweeted YouTube video, titled "Let Me Be Frank," Spacey's Frank Underwood is breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to the camera as his character was known to do on the show. Standing at a kitchen counter with an apron with Santas printed on it, the character appeals to the viewers' desire to have him back and their feelings of missing him.

"I know what you want," he begins. "Oh sure, they may have tried to separate us, but what we have is too strong, it’s too powerful. After all, we shared everything, you and I. I told you my deepest, darkest secrets. I showed you exactly what people are capable of. I shocked you with my honesty, but mostly I challenged you and made you think. And you trusted me, even though you knew you shouldn’t. So we’re not done, no matter what anyone says."

He continues, "And besides, I know what you want: You want me back."

As mentioned above, the tweet coincidentally posted just as news broke that Spacey will be arraigned next month in a Massachusetts court, according to the Boston Globe, in connection to an allegation that he sexually assaulted a teenager.

The charge stems from an alleged July 2016 incident in which former Boston TV news journalist Heather Unruh said that Spacey sexually assaulted her 18-year-old son, who she described as "starstruck" by Spacey and "straight,"  at a Nantucket restaurant. Unruh said she filed a police report in late 2017.

Previously, Spacey had been accused of sexual assault in October 2017 by Anthony Rapp, when the "Star Trek: Discovery" actor was 14 and met Spacey, then in his 20s, at a party. There were at least 15 sexual misconduct accusations against Spacey by the end of 2017.

Spacey would later be fired from "House of Cards" and replaced in the movie "All the Money in the World" by Christopher Plummer.

A legal representative for Spacey didn't immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment on the charges and the tweeted video.

Read the full transcript of the video Spacey tweeted below:

"I know what you want. Oh sure, they may have tried to separate us, but what we have is too strong, it’s too powerful. After all, we shared everything, you and I. I told you my deepest, darkest secrets. I showed you exactly what people are capable of. I shocked you with my honesty, but mostly I challenged you and made you think. And you trusted me, even though you knew you shouldn’t. So we’re not done, no matter what anyone says.

And besides, I know what you want: You want me back. Of course, some believed everything and have just been waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all. They’re just dying to have me declare that everything said is true and I got what I deserved. Wouldn’t that be easy, if it was all so simple? Only you and I both know it’s never that simple, not in politics and not in life.

But you wouldn’t believe the worst without evidence, would you? You wouldn’t rush to judgement without facts, would you? Did you? No, not you. You’re smarter than that.

Anyway, all this presumption made for such an unsatisfying ending, and to think it could have been such a memorable send off. I mean, if you and I have learned nothing else these past years it’s that in life and art nothing should be off the table. We weren’t afraid, not of what we said and not of what we did, and we’re still not afraid. Because I can promise you this: If I didn’t pay the price for the things we both know I did do, I’m certainly not going to pay the price for the things I didn’t do.

Of course they’re going to say I’m being disrespectful not playing by the rules. Like I ever played by anyone’s rules before. I never did and you loved it.

Anyhow, despite all the poppycock, the animosity, the headlines, the impeachment without a trial, despite everything, despite even my own death, I feel surprisingly good. And my confidence grows each day that soon enough you will know the full tru—

Wait a minute. Now that I think of it, you never actually saw me die, did you? Conclusions can be so deceiving. Miss me?"

If you are a victim of sexual assault, you can visit RAINN or call its hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to receive confidential support from a trained staff member.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The reason some men can't grow full beards, according to a dermatologist

• Model Anok Yai is on the cover of Elle Magazine's January 2019 issue. 
• The 21-year-old went viral in October 2017 when photos taken of her during a Howard University homecoming event caught the attention of several modeling agencies.
• She has since appeared in campaigns for labels like Alexander Wang and Prada.

Anok Yai made a huge splash back in October 2017 when the then-19-year-old's photos went viral on Instagram and caught the attention of several model agencies.

A year and two months later, Yai has turned her viral success into a full-fledged modeling career, complete with a photo on the cover of Elle magazine. 

Yai was photographed by Max Papendieck for the magazine's January 2019 issue, and it marks one of the first major covers Yai has landed since going viral. 

Read more:A 19-year-old college student's Instagram photos went viral — and now modeling agencies are lining up to work with her

Most of the internet was introduced to Yai when Instagram account theSUNK posted photos of her from one of Howard University's homecoming events. The stunning photos caught the attention of several modeling agencies, which initially caught Yai by surprise. 

"My phone just started vibrating rapidly for a long, long time," she told The Boston Globe at the time. "At first, I honestly thought someone made a meme of me or something."

The photos certainly spread as quickly as a meme, though the intent was much more positive.

"It was a dream that I always wanted, but I wasn't sure if it was going to happen," she said. 

Before her career took off, Yai was studying biochemistry at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. In an interview for Elle's January 2019 Issue, Yai said that her parents — who are from Sudan and raised Yai and her five siblings in both Egypt and the United States — were initially skeptical of her decision to put her studies on the back burner to pursue modeling. 

"You're telling me that someone wants to pay for your flight to LA, pay for your hotel, and then pay you to take photos? It’s a scam!" she said her father told her when the job offers started pouring in. 

Yai has since proven that her career path is the real deal.  The 21-year-old is currently signed to Next Management and has been featured in campaigns for major brands such as Prada and Alexander Wang. 

She's also has been on the covers of magazines like i-D and Dazed. 

See more of Yai's photo shoot over on Elle.

Anok Yai and Max Papendieck did not immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This Victoria's Secret model could knock you out

• Dollar stores had a big year in 2018. 
• Dollar Tree currently has 14,000 locations, with plans to open hundreds more by the end of 2018. Comparable sales were up 2.3% at Dollar Tree in the third quarter.
• Dollar General currently has about 15,000 locations, with plans to open 975 more in 2019. Comparable sales were up 2.8% at Dollar General in the third quarter.
• While not a traditional dollar store in that its products are priced up to $5, Five Below opened 53 stores in the third quarter, bringing its store total to 745. Five Below's comparable sales grew by 4.8% in the quarter.
• We shopped at all three dollar stores this year and found that one of them offered a much better experience than the other two.

Dollar stores have been growing like crazy recently, with Dollar General, Dollar Tree, and Five Below all opening tons of new stores in 2018. From 2010 to 2015, dollar-store sales grew from $30.4 billion to $45.3 billion in the United States. 

Dollar Tree, which recently acquired the Family Dollar chain, currently has around 14,000 locations. In the third quarter of 2018, Dollar Tree reported comparable sales were up 2.3%. Dollar Tree said that in 2019, it plans to open 350 more namesake locations, 200 new Family Dollar locations, and rebrand 200 Family Dollar locations as Dollar Tree stores.

Dollar General currently has around 15,000 locations. It is on track to open 900 new stores in 2018. During a call with investors on Tuesday, the company said it plans to open 975 more stores in 2019.

While not a traditional dollar store in that its products are priced up to $5, Five Below announced its own plans to grow earlier this year. In the third quarter of 2018, Five Below reported comparable sales grew by 4.8%. It opened 53 new stores this quarter, bringing its store count to 745.

One of those stores that opened was a flagship location on New York's Fifth Avenue, one of the most expensive shopping destinations in the US.

We compared what it's like to shop at the three rapidly growing stores and found that one offered a far better experience. Here's the verdict:

SEE ALSO: Five Below, the discount-store chain that's growing across America, just opened a store in one of the most glamorous parts of New York City. Here's what it's like to shop there.

We visited Five Below in Queens, New York.

Everything in the store cost $5 or less, and there were a few sales being advertised on top of the already low prices.

There were wheelbarrows filled with school supplies for $5 or less at the front of the store ...

• All around the country, federal workers impacted by the current government shutdown took to Twitter to share their #shutdownstories.
• Many federal workers said they're concerned about how they will cover bills and Christmas expenses with no paychecks. 
• Others, including a DACA recipient, said they are worried the lack of services might affect their day-to-day lives. 

The day after the government shut down, Taylor Futch, a stay-at-home mother of two in Tennessee, took to Twitter to vent: 

"My husband is a Park Ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and he had to sign his furlough papers," she wrote. "We don't know when his next check will come. Mortgage is due, Christmas 2 days away." 

In follow up tweets, Futch thanked those offering advice and support. She and her husband, she tweeted, didn't vote for Trump. But now, like nearly 800,000 federal workers and their families around the country, they're facing the consequences of a Trump administration shut down. 

Many federal workers and their family members used the hashtag #shutdownstories on Twitter to share how the government shutdown is hurting them this holiday season. Though many of those participating were federal workers, regular Americans also pitched in, saying the lack of federal services is also impacting their lives. 

A DACA recipient shared that he was worried he wouldn't be able to renew his permit. 

A user whose city was ravaged by the Carr Fire said the area where the fire started is now unattended due to the shutdown.

Another user said the shutdown will also affect new government hires waiting for their background checks to clear. 

Some shared stories of the good deeds they're doing to help out government employees.   

Another user pointed out that, even though employees deemed essential will get retroactively paid after the shutdown, the government won't be able to cover many of the related costs workers are incurring. 

Read more: 

• The National Christmas Tree is dark because of the government shutdown
• Government enters shutdown after Trump border-wall demands leave Congress in gridlock
• Here's what happens to Social Security and disability benefits during a government shutdown

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Anthony Scaramucci claims Trump isn't a nationalist: 'He likes saying that because it irks these intellectual elitists'

• Google launched a ton of exciting new technologies this year.
• The company was also the center of several different controversies in 2018.
• With 2019 right around the corner, we looked back at the highlights — and the lowlights — from another full year of Google.

SEE ALSO: Apple's price hikes went way too far in 2018

DON'T MISS: These were the top YouTube videos of 2018, according to Google

Google introduced a ton of new hardware in 2018.

Google unveiled a $130 gadget called Google Home Hub, which controls all of your smart-home devices (no need to open a million different apps), and shows you information at a glance.

Read our review of Google's Home Hub.

Google also released its Pixel Slate tablet, which has a brilliant display, dual front-facing speakers, two 8-megapixel cameras, and a fingerprint sensor.

Like Apple and its iPad Pro, Google also made a special keyboard and stylus that work specifically with the Pixel Slate.

The Pixel Slate starts at $600, the Pixel Slate Keyboard costs $200, and the Pixelbook Pen costs $100.

• There are lots of ways to add flavors to your favorite vegan meals.
• Don't rely on steamed veggies.
• Don't rely on vegan meat substitutes.
• Splurge on the good stuff.

Making delicious vegan meals may seem challenging at first glance. However, expert chefs suggest that there are tons of ingenious (and not to mention easy) ways in which vegans can get creative in the kitchen.

To provide you with some major food inspiration, we spoke to a handful of expert chefs about some of the best vegan cooking tips possible. Below are some of the helpful hacks they recommend keeping in mind next time you want to treat yourself to a delicious home-cooked meal.

Get creative with your ingredients.

"Add natural fats from avocados, use nut butter, and add some nuts and seeds to your dishes if you are looking for a pop of texture and flavor," suggested chef and culinary educator Jill Nussinow, MS, RDN.

Don't rely on steamed veggies.

"Don't rely on steamed vegetables as a go-to," said Nussinow. They tend to be boring, but cooking your veggies a different way, such as stir-frying, sauteing, or roasting can give you some much-needed variety. 

Use substitutes for cream and milk.

"There are many substitutes for cream and milk," suggested vegan chef Carolyn Scott-Hamilton. These kinds of ingredients help make any dish creamy and delicious, she explained.

Try out almond milk, coconut cream, and more to give your dishes a creamy kick. 

• Sex toy brands are releasing special products that are marketed as both vibrators and pelvic floor-strengthening devices.
• The majority of people do kegels — a pelvic floor strengthing exercise — incorrectly, so a special device could teach people the right way to exercise their pelvic floor muscles.
• The testing of these products, however, has been limited and the ways they are advertised can confuse consumers, gynecologist Lauren Streicher told INSIDER.

As a person ages, their vagina does too. One common age-related change is decreased muscle tone of the pelvic floor, or the muscles that support a person's bladder, anus, and uterus. But certain measures can be taken to keep those important muscles strong and healthy.

A common way to keep your pelvic floor strong is to do kegels, an exercise where you clench and release the pelvic floor muscles, according to the Mayo Clinic. To help with this, Bustle reports that more sex toy brands are releasing special products that are marketed as both vibrators and pelvic floor-strengthening devices.

While these devices have the potential to help a person both masturbate and keep their vagina muscles strong, the testing of these products has been limited and the way they are advertised can confuse consumers, gynecologist Lauren Streicher told INSIDER.

"Most doctors have no idea about these [devices] typically and can't offer advice on them usually," she explained.

Most people are doing kegels incorrectly, so a special device could help

Although there is no concrete evidence that these special sex toys can strengthen a person's vaginal muscles, they might be useful for teaching people how to correctly perform kegels, Streicher said.

"Studies have shown the overwhelming majority of people who do [kegels] don't get the benefits because they don't do them right or consistently," she explained.

These types of devices, which use app-based games or small electric pulses, can teach a person what effective kegels should feel like so they can eventually learn to do them on their own, Streicher said.

Though the ideal pelvic floor strengthening regimen involves seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist (yes, they exist), Streicher explained that most people don't have the time or money to find one and at-home devices might be the next best solution.

These sex toys mimic medical-grade devices used for strengthening the pelvic floor, but most haven't been properly tested

The majority of these sex toys have not been tested, however, so their true benefits are unknown. According to Streicher, medical-grade devices are the best bet since they have been more thoroughly tested than pelvic floor-strengthening sex toys.

Read more:7 surprising ways that you could be damaging your vagina

Certain devices like the Apex, for example, use "electrical muscle stimulation" to help the muscles properly contract and improve pelvic floor strength. Apex is a medical-grade device made for helping with urinary incontinence, but the company that created it also sells Intensity, a similar but non-medical grade product that doubles as a vibrator. According to the company's website, both Apex and Intensity are made from 100% medical grade silicone and stainless steel.

As people realize the importance of their vaginal health and its direct relationship to their sex lives, these devices will continue to pop up, Streicher said, but unfortunately, "it's not something a woman can figure out on her own." The lack of both research and professionals who specialize in pelvic floor conditions make getting the right answers a frustrating and seemingly impossible experience.

Still, Streicher said there is a potentially lucrative market behind these special sex toys, so more research and helpful consumer information could be on the horizon.

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

• Read more:
• A Harvard doctor says these are the best exercises for your body
• How your vagina changes in your 20s, 30s, and beyond
• Having sex after giving birth can be painful — here are 6 ways to help

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A Harvard psychologist reveals the secret to curbing your appetite

The evolution of red and green as Christmas colors is a convoluted story. According to Arielle Eckstut, the coauthor of "The Secret Language of Color," both nature and Coca-Cola had a hand in shaping that history.

Following is a transcript of the video.

Arielle Eckstut: So there is no definitive history of the colors of Christmas. It's not like one day red and green were declared the colors. There's a long history, and a kind of convoluted one, behind it.

I'm Arielle Eckstut, and I am the co-author of "The Secret Language of Color."

What's most interesting about the red and green color combination of Christmas is that it's a combination of the beauty of nature and the crassness of commerce that come together to solidify the image of these two colors in our collective mind.

So first, let's talk about nature. And when we think about Christmas and colder climates, we think about holly trees and those beautiful bright-red berries against the green foliage of the tree. And there's a long history of holly and its associations with humans, including it being the crown of thorns for Jesus. So around the holiday time, because holly is the one bright thing in the environment in colder climates, nature has given us it as a symbol, and pagans used it, and to this day we still think of holly as associated with Christmas.

The Victorians are often associated with the red and green of Christmas. But if you go back and look, for example, atVictorian Christmas cards, you're not just going to see red and green — you're gonna see red and blue, blue and green, blue and white, all different palettes. Yes, some red and green, but not dominating the landscape.

If you look at Santa Claus during Victorian times, you're also not going to see him depicted in red robes that we associate now.  Then Santa sort of takes a leap in the early part of the 20th century, and we see lots of different artists depicting him in red robes. And he becomes a jollier, fatter figure than he ever was before. Then we get to about 1931, I believe, and Coca-Cola hires an artist named Haddon Sundblom to depict Santa Claus. And we see this incredibly fat, jolly, red-cheeked fellow with these big red-and-white robes. Again, he's not the first person to do it, but Coca-Cola uses this ad as its big Christmas campaign, and it's seen all around the United States. And this is when we really start to see the colors of red and green defined as the colors of Christmas.

So it's kind of a combination of nature, with those red berries and green foliage, and commerce, Coca-Cola with the bright red robes and the green foliage in the background of the ads, that solidifies in our imagination these colors.

This video was originally published on December 20, 2017.

Join the conversation about this story »