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11 things we learned about cheating in 2018

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cheating couple hand holding

  • There doesn't seem to be much chance of cheating disappearing.
  • Thousands of people still sign up to infidelity dating site Ashley Madison every day.
  • Here's everything new we learned about cheating in 2018.
  • Hopefully some of the information can help you recognise suspicious behaviour earlier.

Nobody wants to feel the pain and humiliation of being cheated on. But the sad reality is some people just can't help themselves, and the infidelity dating site Ashley Madison still gets thousands of new sign ups a day.

So, chances are you'll probably have to deal with the temptation of straying, or face the aftermath of being cheated on.

INSIDER has compiled a list of all the new information about cheating we've written about this year, including what people count as cheating and the most likely time of year it could happen to you.

Here's 11 things you should know.

1. Only half of men think kissing someone else counts as cheating

In November, the BBC conducted a survey that found half of young men don't consider kissing someone else to be cheating, compared to 73% of women who think it is. The same survey found that 91% of people would consider sleeping with someone other than their partner as cheating, so that's something.



2. People have different lines for what they consider cheating

Users of Ashley Madison took part in a survey this year which found that 13% of people think fantasising about someone else counts as cheating, and 16% thought it was unfaithful to communicate with your ex. Others had a higher bar, with 29% thinking maintaining an online dating profile was cheating, and 46% saying it was infidelity to send naked pictures to someone else. Read the full results here.



3. More people cheat during the holidays than any other time of year

Data from IllicitEncounters found that Christmas is the most popular time of year for cheating. In a survey of 1,000 users, 57% said they cheated with a coworker at the office holiday party, while 85% said they experienced more feelings of passion and excitement during the holidays, which led to them cheating.



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Fraud is expected to cost the ad industry $44B in 2022 — here’s how blockchain could help stop it

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Ad blockchain diagram

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

Blockchain technology promises to transform how nearly all industries manage data. Since roaring onto the scene as the engine behind Bitcoin in 2009, it's become applicable to a diverse array of industries beyond financial services, including industrial manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics.

The common thread between these industries is that they all feature complex supply chains, large numbers of interconnected players, and vast amounts of data. The digital advertising industry shares those characteristics as well. These characteristics, combined with the industry's transparency issues, make advertising a prime candidate for blockchain solutions.

Blockchain can help solve one of the advertising industry’s biggest challenges: opaque advertising practices.  Publishers, advertisers, and ad tech vendors are exploring blockchain as a tool to boost transparency around ad practices, with the end goal of reducing fraud. Ad fraud is expected to cost the industry $44 billion by 2022, up from $19 billion this year, according to Juniper Research estimates. Through its function as a public database, blockchain can store information about a digital advertisement, like who has created it, while sharing it with everyone else on the network in a verifiable and immutable way. For digital advertising, that means ad impressions can be tracked along the supply chain, and advertisers can record where an ad is delivered. 

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence will explain what blockchain technology is and how it can inject transparency into the advertising supply chain. We will then highlight the significant hurdles to adoption, and propose different ways the industry could navigate those challenges. Finally, the report will profile companies that are at the forefront of the blockchain advertising space to give advertisers an idea of what blockchain looks like in practice today.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Basic Attention Token (BAT), IBM, Kochava, and MetaX

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report: 

  • Blockchain promises to mitigate ad fraud through its function as an immutable public database, which allows it to store and validate previously murky information about digital ads.
  • Despite this promise, just 11% of advertisers and agency executives have completed an ad buy using blockchain technology, according to an Advertiser Perceptions survey.
  • Limited adoption is the result of several significant hurdles — like ad executives' skepticism around the technology's usefulness — which must be overcome before blockchain is widely accepted.
  • Blockchain is heralded as a transformative technology, and while it has that potential, it's not quite there yet for advertisers.
  • Still, it shouldn't be dismissed as "pie in the sky"— blockchain presents several short-term use cases for advertisers, and those who take advantage will be set up for long-term success as the technology matures.

In full, the report: 

  • Highlights how blockchain technology works, and how it can be integrated into the advertising supply chain to improve transparency. 
  • Outlines practical, low-risk ways marketers can prepare themselves to benefit from blockchain including using smart contracts, registering domain names, and exploring tokens that reward consumers for use of their data. 
  • Profiles several companies at the forefront of the blockchain advertising space, gaining industry-wide recognition as thought leaders.

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The Stories Slide Deck: How Stories stack up across social platforms (FB, SNAP)

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In the last few years, there’s been a major shift as to how consumers interact with social media.

Rather than posting content that lives on the platform in perpetuity, users are now posting and viewing more “Stories,” video or images that live for only 24 hours.The Stories Slide Deck

Many platforms have introduced some form of Stories format — whether it be Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or WhatsApp. Snapchat was the company to introduce it to the world, but Instagram has surpassed it in terms of volume and perhaps usability.

Business Insider Intelligence has compiled a slide deck that looks into how Stories work on Instagram and Snapchat, and how brands and publishers should be using the Stories feature to reach their audiences.

This exclusive deck can be yours for FREE today. As an added bonus, you will gain immediate access to our exclusive BI Intelligence Daily newsletter.

To get your copy of the FREE slide deck, simply click here.

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Which banking and payment applications are ready for AI?

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maturity of AI solutions

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

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most commonly referenced terms by financial institutions (FIs) and payments firms when describing their vision for the future of financial services. 

AI can be applied in almost every area of financial services, but the combination of its potential and complexity has made AI a buzzword, and led to its inclusion in many descriptions of new software, solutions, and systems.

This report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, cuts through the hype to offer an overview of different types of AI, and where they have potential applications within banking and payments. It also emphasizes which applications are most mature, provides recommendations of how FIs should approach using the technology, and offers examples of where FIs and payments firms are already leveraging AI. The report draws on executive interviews Business Insider Intelligence conducted with leading financial services providers, such as Bank of America, Capital One, and Mastercard, as well as top AI vendors like Feedzai, Expert System, and Kasisto.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

  • AI, or technologies that simulate human intelligence, is a trending topic in banking and payments circles. It comes in many different forms, and is lauded by many CEOs, CTOs, and strategy teams as their saving grace in a rapidly changing financial ecosystem.
  • Banks are using AI on the front end to secure customer identities, mimic bank employees, deepen digital interactions, and engage customers across channels.
  • Banks are also using AI on the back end to aid employees, automate processes, and preempt problems.
  • In payments, AI is being used in fraud prevention and detection, anti-money laundering (AML), and to grow conversational payments volume.

 In full, the report:

  • Offers an overview of different types of AI and their applications in payments and banking. 
  • Highlights which of these applications are most mature.
  • Offers examples where FIs and payments firms are already using the technology. 
  • Provides descriptions of vendors of different AI-based solutions that FIs may want to consider using.
  • Gives recommendations of how FIs and payments firms should approach using the technology.

Subscribe to an All-Access membership 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

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These were the 25 most popular Alexa Skills of 2018, according to Amazon

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Amazon Echo family dot plus show

  • Smart home devices saw record sales during the 2018 holiday season, with Amazon's Alexa-enabled devices leading the charge.
  • Alexa is Amazon's virtual assistant, capable of controlling an array of smart devices and executing unique tasks called "skills." 
  • Since Alexa launched in November 2014, developers have created more than 70,000 skills for Alexa. Skills can range from games and trivia to meditation routines.

It's been a big year for smart home technology, as more people adopt smart speakers, appliances, and other connected devices for everyday use. Amazon said the 2018 holiday season delivered record sales for smart home devices, and their own Alexa-enabled Echo smart speakers were among the most popular items. 

Amazon's Alexa is one of the few virtual assistants capable of managing a wide range of smart home devices, and after four years of development, users can now ask Alexa to perform more than 70,000 programmed tasks, which Amazon refers to as skills.

Alexa skills are basically apps you can control with your voice, and they help customers enhance and personalize their experience. Skills can help users learn something new, enjoying a new game, or be more productive at home.

As 2018 draws to a close, Amazon announced the top Alexa skills used in the U.S. during the last year. The list is comprised of the most popular, engaging, and innovative skills and spans across several categories, including games,  wellness, daily habits, family-oriented, and more.

You can check out the list of the top skills below and find them on Amazon's Skills of the Year page. You can also ask Alexa, "What are the skills of the year?"

SEE ALSO: Amazon's Alexa suffered outages on Christmas Day as people around the world started using their new Echos

SEE ALSO: Amazon won Christmas again this year

Beat the Intro (Musicplode Media Ltd.)

Beat the Intro is a straight-forward music game. The goal? Simply guess the song title and artist as fast as possible.



Heads Up! (The Ellen DeGeneres Show)

Pick a category and Alexa will provide up to three fun facts and clues to help you guess the word — you'll have 90 seconds to see how many you can get right.



National Geographic Geo Quiz (National Geographic Society)

Inspired by the legendary magazine, the National Geographic Geo Quiz puts your geography knowledge to the test.

 



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Floyd Mayweather just said people 'need to see him' knocked out, as it would be 'entertainment'

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Floyd Mayweather, Tenshin Nasukawa

  • Floyd Mayweather has said that people "need to see him" get knocked out.
  • People may get the chance to see just that on December 31, when he takes on the promising Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in a three round exhibition.
  • The two fighters will take part in an unofficial bout in Saitama, Japan.
  • Though the bout is seen as an exhibition, Nasukawa has previously said he does not intend on fighting a regular fight — Nasukawa wants to "ruin" Mayweather.

Floyd Mayweather has just said that people "need to see him" get knocked down, or out completely, as it would be great "entertainment."

The American boxer retired undefeated after 50 professional fights in 2017 but returns to the ring on December 31 when he takes part in a three round exhibition against the Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa.

The exhibition takes place at the Saitama Arena in Saitama, Japan, but will be fought using boxing rules, one referee, and no judges.

"We will see what he brings to the table but as far as me getting knocked out or knocked down, I don't worry about it at all," Mayweather said at a weigh-in ceremony for the Saitama show on Sunday, as recorded by Fight Hub TV.

"If that does happen, that's entertainment," he added. "That's what we need to see."

A knockout is something Nasukawa will likely be planning as the 20-year-old said earlier in the month that he plans on "ruining" Mayweather's New Year's Eve trip to Japan.

Read more: Meet 20-year-old Tenshin Nasukawa, Floyd Mayweather's next opponent who loves anime, aliens, and Harry Potter

"I do not want to fight a regular fight,"he said on Instagram. "I just want to make sure that I ruin his first New Year's Eve experience.

"This fight won't be kept in the books, but it will be kept in everybody's memory."

SEE ALSO: Conor McGregor says Floyd Mayweather's Tenshin Nasukawa matchup is like 'something out of Rush Hour 5'

DON'T MISS: Meet 20-year-old Tenshin Nasukawa, Floyd Mayweather's next opponent who loves anime, aliens, and Harry Potter

UP NEXT: Floyd Mayweather says the Tenshin Nasukawa bout is on, but admits it's not even a real fight

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Bernie Madoff was arrested 10 years ago today — here's what his life is like in prison

A 7-bedroom Swiss cabin has been named the world's best ski chalet for 2 years in a row — and an inside tour quickly proves why

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Les Anges 51

  • The Chalet Les Anges has been named the world's best skichalet.
  • This is the second year in a row that the three-story chalet in Zermatt, Switzerland has been given the title by The World Ski Awards
  • The cabin has seven bedrooms and sweeping views of the iconic Matterhorn.

For the second year in a row, Chalet Les Anges has been named the world's best ski chalet by the World Ski Awards.

The chalet is located in Zermatt, a ski town in the southern, German-speaking part of Switzerland, just north of the Italian border.

According to its website, it's available for rent in week-long increments. While the chalet is already booked up for many of the remaining winter 2018/2019 weekends, it's still available for some at a cool starting price point of $45,000 a week.

The World Ski Awards looks at the best ski chalet — amongst other categories, like Best Ski Resort — in each of the world's top 25 ski tourism countries. Votes are then cast by professionals working in the ski industry. Chalet Les Anges, with its 2017 and 2018 wins, unseated the 2016 winner, Canada's Bighorn Revelstoke.

Here's a look at the Swiss chalet:

SEE ALSO: Inside 10 of the most luxurious ski chalets you can rent on Airbnb, ranked by price

READ MORE: 50 of the best ski resorts to visit this winter in the US and Canada, ranked from most expensive to least

The Chalet Les Anges is located in Zermatt, a famous ski resort town in the Swiss Alps.

Source: Elysian Collection



It offers spectacular views of one of Europe's most iconic peaks, the Matterhorn ...

Source: Elysian Collection



... but the three-story chalet is also pretty noteworthy in its own right.

Source: Elysian Collection



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

9 of the coolest tiny homes around the world to rent on your next vacation

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Tiny Home Jackson Hole Homeaway

  • Tiny houses are becoming increasingly popular around the world; their novelty makes for a unique vacation stay.
  • We teamed up with HomeAway to find some of the coolest tiny-home rentals around the world.
  • From a circus car in Germany to a cabin in Wyoming, one of these tiny homes could be your next getaway.

Looking for something a little more novel than a traditional hotel or the tried-and-true Airbnb for your next vacation? Consider a tiny home.

Living miniature, defined as residing in a space less than 600 square feet, has turned into a worldwide movement. The global tiny homes market is expected to increase by 7% over the next four years. 

But you don't need to live in a tiny home to see what all the fuss is about. 

We teamed up with HomeAway to find some of the coolest tiny home rentals on HomeAway and VRBO around the world, from a charming circus car in Germany to a luxury cabin in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and ranked them by cost per night.

Which one will be home to your future getaway?

SEE ALSO: Here's what living in a tiny house is really like, according to people who traded their homes for minimalism

DON'T MISS: See inside the 15 most expensive penthouses for sale in America

Somerset, California — $72 per night



An eco-friendly, off-the-grid tiny home that runs completely on solar power, this award-winning tiny home has a private deck and prime proximity to 50 vineyards.

See the listing »



Homer, Alaska — $76 per night



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

If we're living through a “retail apocalypse,” why are e-commerce leaders like Amazon, Alibaba, and JD.com so focused on building brick-and-mortar stores? (AMZN, BABA, JD)

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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

If we're living through a “retail apocalypse” that spells doom for brick-and-mortar retail, as many have suggested, why are e-commerce leaders like Amazon, Alibaba, and JD.com so focused on building their own brick-and-mortar networks?

US Consumers Who Made an Impulse Buy Due to Personalization in the Past 90 Days

It's because they want to revitalize physical stores by introducing features associated with online shopping like personalization — and a whopping 65% of consumers said personalization and promotions are most important to their shopping experiences, according to a report from Oracle cited by Chain Store Age.

Brick-and-mortar retailers have the opportunity to reap the same benefits of personalization that e-tailers do, like repeat visits and impulse purchases, but they need to invest in the right technologies and techniques to do so because they currently don’t meet shoppers’ expectations. For example, 41% of consumers expect sales associates to know about their previous purchases, but just 19% have experienced this, according to a report from Segment.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence analyzes how physical retail’s personalization is being outperformed by e-commerce’s, and examines the value personalization holds for brick-and-mortar in particular. We also look at what techniques and technologies are available to help retailers identify and track consumers in-store, and how they can be used to bolster their personalization capabilities. Finally, we examine the different channels through which retailers can reach consumers with their personalized offerings in-store.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Amazon, Alibaba, JD.com, Intel, Mastercard, Target, Velocity Worldwide, RetailMeNot, b8ta, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sitecore, Oak Labs, Calabrio, and Alegion.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

  • Consumers say that a personalized shopping experience can inspire loyalty and increases in spending.
  • But brick-and-mortar retailers aren't meeting consumers’ in-store personalization expectations.
  • The nature of online shopping gives e-commerce the upper hand when it comes to personalization.
  • Physical retailers can close the gap in personalization by identifying consumers when they enter, tracking them throughout their journey, and then using that information to inform individualized offerings.
  • To make the most of personalized offerings, retailers must consider how content is being presented to consumers in-store, and what the strengths of each channel are.
  • If physical retailers fail to improve their in-store personalization, they risk losing sales and market share to e-commerce companies, both online and in-store.

In full, the report:

  • Identifies the values of personalization to physical retailers.
  • Details the reasons e-tailers currently offer better personalization than brick-and-mortar stores.
  • Outlines the technologies and processes that can bolster in-store personalization.
  • Discusses how retailers can best present personalized offerings in-store.

Join the conversation about this story »

What it's like to stay at Golden Door, a $10,000 exclusive spa retreat where celebrities, CEOs, and the elite go to detox and take lessons with Olympic champions

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golden door spa

  • Golden Door is an exclusive spa retreat in California unlike any other — it focuses on inner reflection and self-discovery through activities like predawn hikes and fencing lessons.
  • Celebrities, Hollywood elite, CEOs, and the rich flock to Golden Door to re-evaluate their life and de-stress.
  • A seven-night stay at Golden Door costs nearly $10,000.

If you want to be pampered like the rich, look no further than Golden Door.

Tucked away in the hills of San Marcos, California, this luxury spa retreat is like no other of its kind: Not only did it help kick-start start the wellness industry, according to the Hollywood Reporter, it also offers much more than the momentary bliss guaranteed in most spa retreats.

Instead, it allows guests to indulge in their entire stay by helping them focus on inner reflection and self-discovery through mindfulness, healthy eating, spa treatments, fitness, and meditation. Attendees have gone to Golden Door to re-evaluate their life, de-stress, and expand their horizons.

Because of its exclusivity, Golden Door was named the number one destination spa in the world by Travel + Leisure in 2015 and has been listed as one of the top 1,000 places to see before you die by The New York Times, according to its website.

It's no wonder Golden Door, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2018, has been a favorite among celebrities and other Hollywood elite, as well as CEOs and real estate agents.

With such accolades and clientele, Golden Door's steep cost shouldn't be shocking, but it's still enough to make your eyes pop. A seven-day stay will run you up nearly $10,000, according to Condé Nast Traveler.

Here's what it's like to stay there, from its 1,200-calorie per day menus and Bollywood dancing classes to its predawn hikes and men's-only retreat.

SEE ALSO: What it's like to vacation in St. Moritz, the hidden gem in the Swiss Alps where celebrities, billionaires, and royalty go to ski

DON'T MISS: Inside the Molsheim Experience, the exclusive Bugatti-buying process that takes customers to France to create their own $3 million sports car

Golden Door is located in San Marcos, California, between Los Angeles and San Diego. Travel + Leisure once named it the number one spa destination in the world.

Source: Golden Door



Situated on 600 acres, the spa has been around for 60 years and helped spur today's $4.2 trillion wellness industry.

Source: Hollywood Reporter



Before it was the spa it is today, Golden Door began as a motel with themed suites and was later reopened as a Japanese Inn.

Source: Hollywood Reporter



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Photos of the playful sleepy life on Japan's 'Cat Island,' where cats outnumber humans 8 to 1

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23798535144_2be7c78b10_k

Just off the coast of Japan there is an island called Aoshima, which is also known as "Cat Island." The tiny fishing village is home to more than 140 cats, which roam around napping, playing, and snagging snacks from residents and tourists. They outnumber humans 8 to 1.

The cats were originally brought to the island to kill mice that hung around fishing boats. But as the human population dwindled from over 1,000 to 16, the cats stayed on and multiplied, as they continued to be fed by the remaining locals. 

The island has become a bit of a tourist destination, though the residents don't seem to mind, as long as it remains peaceful. And people donate cat food from all over Japan.

"If people coming to the island find the cats healing, then I think it's a good thing," 65-year-old fisherman Hidenori Kamimoto told Reuters in 2015"I just hope that it's done in a way that doesn't become a burden on the people who live here."

This is what life on Cat Island is like: 

SEE ALSO: The 45 original shows and movies Netflix will release by the end of 2016

Aoshima is a 30-minute ferry ride from the coast, and only has a handful of residents now.



There are, however, over 140 cats, which outnumber humans by more than 8 to 1, according to AFP.



Tourists have also begun to come to the island to gawk at the cats.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Prepaid card transactions will hit $396 billion by 2022 — and new players like Apple, Amazon, and Venmo are trying to gain share

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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.

image

The US prepaid card ecosystem is huge, with 10.7 billion prepaid card transactions made in 2016 reaching $290 billion. And it’s shifting focus from low-income, un- and underbanked consumers toward millennials and higher-income adults.

But as the market evolves, legacy prepaid issuers, like Green Dot, are under threat. The market is becoming more competitive as tech companies like Apple, Square, and Venmo develop their own prepaid offerings, likely as part of a push to drive customers to engage with their core peer-to-peer (P2P) transfer or digital wallet apps. These players’ robust digital offerings and ability to offer prepaid services for lower, or no fees are undercutting legacy businesses. And on top of crowding, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is implementing regulations next year that could impact some issuers’ monetization strategies.

As a result, the US prepaid card market is becoming an increasingly complicated space for issuers to navigate, so prepaid issuers need to rethink their strategies to best attract consumers. Companies can attract a bigger user base if they target younger users from both low-income and high-income segments. They should also provide convenient offerings, that integrate digital features to make account information accessible, to cater to young consumers’ preferences.

Business Insider Intelligence has put together a detailed report that explores the evolving prepaid card industry, identifies how issuers can maintain profitability in a market that’s being challenged by new players and impending government regulations, and evaluates various paths to success.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

  • There were 10.7 billion prepaid card transactions worth $290 billion in 2016, according to The Federal Reserve. Business Insider Intelligence expects that to grow to $396 billion by 2022. 
  • The prepaid space has historically been filled with incumbents like Green Dot. But new players, like Apple, Amazon, and Venmo, are trying to gain share, which is pushing large prepaid firms to merge or acquire one another to grow.
  • Issuers can adapt to the change in the space, and grow their share of the market, by providing convenient, multichannel access, and doing so in a way that facilitates profitability. Targeting younger consumers, both from the underbanked and high-income segments, as well as accessing users from physical as well as digital channels, can help facilitate this growth.

In full, the report:

  • Sizes the US prepaid card market and estimates its future trajectory.
  • Identifies industry leaders and the newcomers to prepaid that are threatening their market share.
  • Evaluates growth factors and inhibitors that are increasing competition in the space.
  • Issues recommendations and strategies that issuers can implement to stay ahead in such a rapidly shifting space.

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 »

The 29 tech companies with the best company culture in 2018

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LinkedIn

  • Comparably, a website that rates companies across a number of different areas, released its 2018 Best Company Culture list.
  • Of the 50 businesses on that list, 29 were tech companies.
  • Below, we've compiled the list of 29 companies in tech with the best company culture below. 

Good company culture is one of the most important aspects of any job. 

Sure, beer in the fridge and holiday parties are nice. But having company culture runs deeper than the perks — no matter how over-the-top that holiday party may have been. 

On Monday, Comparably — a website that rates companies across a number of different areas — released its 2018 Best Company Culture list. Of the 50 businesses on that list, 29 were tech companies. 

Here are the 29 big companies in tech with the best company culture: 

SEE ALSO: The 18 biggest tech scandals of 2018

29. Akvelon

Headquarters: Bellevue, Washington

What it does: Business and technology consulting firm

What employees say:"Akvelon is one of the best companies that I have worked for. The overall approach and the focus on having a good work-life balance and proactive engagement with their employees make them an extremely good and efficient organization to work with." 



28. Indeed.com

Headquarters: Austin, Texas

What it does: Job search platform 

What employees say:"The office encourages collaboration and teamwork, to ensure everyone is sharing ideas and working together towards the same mission. I've always felt like I can speak up and my thoughts/ideas are heard and addressed."



27. Adobe

Headquarters: San Jose, California

What it does:Software development company best known for its design and photo-editing solutions

What employees say:"Everybody generally works together and is united." 



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Tourists are flooding Asian cities, and 15 of their favorite hotspots now rank among the most-visited in the world

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Tokyo

  • Fifteen of the 20 most popular cities in the world for tourists are in Asia.
  • That's according to Euromonitor International's annual list of the biggest cities for international tourism released last week.
  • The cities were spread out over several countries, including China, India, Thailand, Japan, and Turkey.

Asian cities are dominating the global tourism scene.

Euromonitor International released its annual list of the most popular cities for international tourists last week, and Asian cities took an impressive 15 of the top 20 spots.

The market-research firm looked at 600 total cities and ranked them based on the number of foreign tourists they saw, using travel data from 2017 and partial-year data for 2018.

Topping the list for the eighth consecutive year was Hong Kong, which received nearly 30 million tourists this year. The top Asian cities were spread out over several countries, including China, India, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, and Turkey. 

Read more: The 31 most popular cities in the world for travelers

The only non-Asian cities to make the top 20 were London, Paris, New York City, Rome, and Prague.

Read on to see the Asian cities that proved to be the biggest tourism hotspots of the year. You can also check out the list of the 31 best cities for tourism worldwide and the top tourism draws in North America.

Here are the cities that made the cut:

SEE ALSO: The 31 most popular cities in the world for travelers

DON'T MISS: France has been the most-visited country in the world for more than 20 years in a row — but experts think it's about to lose its crown

15. Mumbai, India

Overall rank: 19

Projected arrivals in 2018: 10,670,100



14. Guangzhou, China

Overall rank: 18

Projected arrivals in 2018: 9,392,000



13. Taipei, Taiwan

Overall rank: 17

Projected arrivals in 2018: 9,783,300



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

The 21 scariest data breaches of 2018

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Mark Zuckerberg

  • Data breaches in 2018 compromised the personal information of millions of people around the world.
  • Some of the biggest victims in 2018 include T-Mobile, Quora, Google, and Orbitz. Facebook dealt with a slew of major breaches and incidents that affected more than 100 million users of the popular social network.
  • Here are 21 of the biggest data breaches that companies faced this year.

It seems like every week, a new company has to notify its customers that their data may have been compromised, and personal information may have been affected.

Data breaches can happen for a variety of reasons. Some companies are hacked. Data can be mishandled or sold to third parties. Holes in a website's security system can leave information unprotected.

One of the latest victims was Marriott hotels, which recently revealed that hackers had accessed the information of an estimated 500 million customers.

Some of the biggest victims in 2018 include T-Mobile, Quora, Google, and Orbitz. Facebook dealt with a slew of major breaches and incidents that affected more than 100 million users of the popular social network.

Here are the biggest data breaches that were revealed this year, ranked by the number of users affected:

SEE ALSO: The 18 biggest tech scandals of 2018

21. British Airways — 380,000

What was affected: Card payments

When it happened: August 21, 2018 — September 5, 2018

How it happened: A "criminal" hack affecting bookings made on the airline's website and app.

Source: Business Insider

 



20. Orbitz — 880,000

What was affected: Payment card information and personal data such as billing addresses, phone numbers, and emails.

When it happened: January 1, 2016 — December 22, 2017

How it happened: Hackers accessed travel bookings in the website's system.

Source: Reuters



19. SingHealth — 1.5 million

What was affected: Names and addresses in the Singapore government's health database, and some patients' history of dispensed medicines. Information on the prime minister of Singapore was specifically targeted.

When it happened: May 1, 2015 — July 4, 2018

How it happened: Hackers orchestrated a "deliberate, targeted, and well-planned" attack, according to a statement.

Source: BBC



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Trust is the main barrier to smart speaker adoption – here's what companies can do about that

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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.

trust smart speaker makersSmart speakers comprise one of the fastest-growing device segments in the consumer technology market today. Ownership levels have nearly doubled from early 2017 to summer 2018. 

With this rapid growth, there are a few pivotal questions that both companies looking to develop and sell smart speakers as well as those looking to sell products, deliver media, and offer access to services like banking over these devices need answers to in order to craft successful strategies. In particular, they need to know who is and isn’t buying smart speakers, and what consumers who own smart speakers are actually doing with them. 

To offer these stakeholders insight, Business Insider Intelligence asked more than 500 US consumers about their knowledge of smart speakers, the devices they do or don’t own and what led them to their purchase decisions, as well as the tasks they’re using their smart speakers for.

In this report, Business Insider Intelligence will look at the state of the smart speaker market and outline how each of the major device providers approaches the space. We will then focus on the key factors that affect whether or not someone owns one of these devices. Next, we will use our survey data to outline the reasons why people don’t own devices in order to offer guidance for who to target and how. Finally, we will discuss what consumers are actually doing with their smart speakers — specifically looking at how the devices are used and perceived in e-commerce, digital media, and banking — which can help companies determine how well they’re publicizing their smart speaker services and capabilities.

The companies mentioned in this report are: Amazon, Google, Apple, Samsung, Facebook, Sonos, LG, Anker, Spotify, Pandora, Grubhub, Netflix, Hulu, Instagram, Snap.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

  • Despite their growing popularity, nearly half of respondents still don't own a device — which presents a long runway for adoption. Our survey data reveals a number of key factors that impact whether or not someone owns one of these devices, including income, gender, and age.
  • Smart speakers are establishing themselves as a key platform for e-commerce, media, and the smart home.
  • The introduction of a screen to some smart speakers will expand the possibilities for companies developing for the device — but developers will need to resist the compulsion to use speakers to accomplish too much.

In full, the report:

  • Provides an overview of the key players and products in the smart speaker market.
  • Highlights critical adoption rates broken out by key factors that define the segment.
  • Identifies how consumers are using devices in important areas where companies in various industries are trying foster greater use of the voice interface.

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US military says it's responsible for killing 1,139 civilians in its fight against ISIS — but others estimate much higher numbers

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Children watch as soldier stands guard outside of Damascus, Syria.

  • The US military says it is responsible for inadvertently killing 1,139 civilians in its fight against ISIS since August 2014, but many argue they're underestimating.
  • The report also states that 12 were killed in a May 2017 strike on Mosul.
  • Other estimates are significantly higher, placing the civilian death toll in the US' fight against ISIS closer to at least 7,000.

 

The US military says it is responsible for inadvertently killing 1,139 civilians in its fight against ISIS since August 2014, but many argue they're underestimating, according to a report from Defense One's Kevin Baron.

The US Central Command announced internally Sunday that 1,139 civilians have been inadvertently killed in its fight against the Islamic State since August 2014, in 31,406 airstrikes. 

The report also states 12 were killed in a May 2017 strike on a Mosul bomb-making facility from a secondary explosion. When the Mosul strike happened in May 2017, BBC reported that 105 civilians were killed.

Estimates from other organizations place the civilian death toll in the Middle East exponentially higher than CentCom estimates.

Airwars, a non-profit organization that tracks civilian deaths in Syria, Libya, and Iraq, estimated that between 7,316–11,637 civilians have been killed in Syria and Iraq by US-led actions.

Read more:Civilian deaths in Afghanistan hit record as suicide attacks surge

Other reports show similar estimates. The Syrian Network for Human Rights estimated in October that 6,395 civilians have been killed in Syria in 2018 alone.

In June, U.S. Army Col. Thomas Veale, a spokesman for the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, said no one will ever truly know the number of civilian deaths that have occurred.

“As far as how do we know how many civilians were killed, I am just being honest, no one will ever know,” Veale said in a briefing at the Pentagon by video link from Baghdad. “Anyone who claims they will know is lying, and there’s no possible way.” 

US Central Command did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. 

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'Aquaman' has already made more money worldwide than 'Justice League' and 'Suicide Squad'

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aquaman 2 warner bros

  • "Aquaman" won the domestic box office for a second-straight weekend with $51.5 million.
  • The movie's worldwide total of $748.8 million has surpassed the lifetime gross of "Justice League" and "Suicide Squad."
  • "Mary Poppins Returns" stays in second place with $28 million, and now has a domestic total of $98.9 million, which will best the domestic take of Disney's "Christopher Robin" by New Year's Day.

"Aquaman" continues to dominate the box office in its second week in US theaters. 

Warner Bros.'s latest release from its DC Comics Extended Universe is number one for a second-straight weekend with an estimated $51.5 million, which is a stronger week-two figure than some of the big comic book movie releases of the past. 

Its $51.5 million bests "Doctor Strange" ($42.9 million), "Guardians of the Galaxy" ($42.1 million), and "Justice League" ($41 million).

Read more: 5 trends that could shake up the movie business in 2019

In fact, the worldwide total of $748.8 million for "Aquaman" as of this weekend is more than the lifetime gross of "Justice League" ($657.9 million) and "Suicide Squad" ($746.8 million). The success of "Aquaman" for Warner Bros. stands in stark contrast with "Justice League's" deflating release for the DCEU last year. 

Now, the watch begins to see if James Wan's underwater thrill ride can break the $1 billion worldwide box office milestone. With the movie going into January, which is always a soft time of year when it comes to new releases, Warner Bros. won't have to worry about much competition. But having already opened in China (and dominating there) in early December, the movie can't expect a boost from a late international release.

mary poppins returnsMeanwhile, Disney is in the unfamiliar position of being in the silver position during the holiday season. "Mary Poppins Returns" has been doing well, but has been stuck behind "Aquaman" since it opened before Christmas. 

This weekend it took in another second place finish with $28 million, its domestic total is now at $98.9 million. By New Year's Day it will top the domestic total of the studio's "Christopher Robin" release earlier this year of $99.2 million.

But don't feel sorry for Disney. A big reason for the record-breaking box office business in 2018 is because of the 26% market share of Disney at the domestic ticket counter.

SEE ALSO: Director Jason Reitman made 2 of the year's best movies. But you probably didn't see them.

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AI 101: How learning computers are becoming smarter

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artificial intelligence social network eter9

Many companies use the term artificial intelligence, or AI, as a way to generate excitement for their products and to present themselves as on the cutting edge of tech development.

But what exactly is artificial intelligence? What does it involve? And how will it help the development of future generations?

Find out the answers to these questions and more in AI 101, a brand new FREE report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, that describes how AI works and looks at its present and potential future applications.

To get your copy of the FREE slide deck, simply click here.

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I stayed at 'the most luxurious hotel in the world,' but the most luxurious thing about it isn't the walls of gold or the Hermès soap

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Dubai Burj Al Arab Most Luxurious Hotel (37 of 74)

  • One of the most decorated luxury hotels in the world, the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, was recently named the "best hotel in the world" by the Ultratravel Awards. The Burj has frequently been called "the world's first seven-star hotel" and "the most luxurious hotel in the world" by travel writers and critics.
  • I recently stayed at the hotel on a trip to Dubai to see if the Burj Al Arab could possibly live up to the hype.
  • While the hotel is full of extravagances, it's the service that puts it over the top.

When someone tells you a place is "the most luxurious hotel in the world," the natural response might be to ask incredulously, "What makes it so luxurious?"

That's how I felt before visiting the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, which was named the Best Hotel in the World by The Telegraph's ULTRA Awards this year and has often been called "the most luxurious hotel in the world" by travel writers and critics.

After spending a night at the Burj this past November, I think I have the answer. While the $1 billion hotel is full of extravagances, like a Rolls-Royce chauffeur, a 14-piece set of Hermès toiletries, and interiors decorated with nearly 20,000 square feet of 24-karat gold, it's the service that puts it over the top.

Dubai Burj Al Arab Most Luxurious Hotel (4 of 4)

The Burj Al Arab has a staff-to-suite ratio of 6:1. That means there are 1,300 employees for the hotel's 202 suites, everything from chefs and mixologists to florists, locker room attendants, and hosts. 

The ratio leads to a level of attention that I imagine most people have never experienced. Someone is always available to take care of your every whim or answer every question. Look around in the hotel with a puzzled look for more than a few seconds and someone comes over to ask what you need. That's assuming they don't already know what you are looking for.

The service reaches another level when it comes to your actual suite. Every floor has a team of personal butlers (I'm not kidding) who are there waiting to attend to your every desire. Whoever is on duty will stand up as you approach and greet you by name.

If you need anything — a dinner reservation, an Earl Grey tea brewed at 9 p.m. sharp, or, say, a bubble bath — they'll take care of it with gusto.

Dubai Burj Al Arab Most Luxurious Hotel (63 of 74)

Beyond that, the staff take their expertise and hospitality seriously.

I stayed at the hotel on Thanksgiving night. Knowing that I was American, my personal butler dropped off a tray of Thanksgiving-themed sandwiches and miniature pies so that I wouldn't completely miss out on the holiday.

Just before going to bed during my stay, I decided to make an impromptu stop to the 27th floor of the hotel for a nightcap at the Burj's lounge, Gold On 27. As I walked up to the host to ask for a table, he greeted me by name. 

As I sipped my $31 cocktail, I puzzled over how he knew who I was. I hadn't made any reservation and I was one of hundreds in the hotel that night. I theorized that the butler had tipped him off that I was heading to the bar.

When I asked him later by what magic he knew who I was, he told me that each night he researches all of the guests staying in the hotel and attempts to memorize the name and face of every single one. He confessed with a smile that he doesn't always get it right. 

That level of dedication is hard to fake. He was far from the only one among the staff that seemed to take the hotel's reputation as "the most luxurious hotel in the world" very seriously.

It showed.

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