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The top 7 shows on Netflix and other streaming services this week

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  • Every week, Parrot Analytics provides Business Insider the most in-demand original TV shows on streaming services.
  • This week sees the addition of Netflix's "The Umbrella Academy" and DC Universe's "Doom Patrol."

Two bizarre superhero shows premiered last week to stream, and both are heavily in demand for audiences: Netflix's "The Umbrella Academy," and DC Universe's "Doom Patrol."

Every week, Parrot Analytics provides Business Insider with a list of the seven most "in-demand" TV shows on streaming services. The data is based on "demand expressions," the globally standardized TV demand measurement unit from Parrot Analytics. Audience demand reflects the desire, engagement, and viewership weighted by importance, so a stream or download is a higher expression of demand than a "like" or comment on social media.

Below are this week's seven most popular original shows on Netflix and other streaming services:

SEE ALSO: How 'Doom Patrol' turned an outlandish superhero team into DC Universe's latest hit TV series

7. "Star Trek: Discovery" (CBS All Access)

Average demand expressions: 23,603,887

Description: "After answering a distress signal from the U.S.S. Enterprise, season two of Star Trek: Discovery finds the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery joining forces with Captain Christopher Pike on a new mission to investigate seven mysterious red signals and the appearance of an unknown being called the Red Angel. While the crew must work together to unravel their meaning and origin, Michael Burnham is forced to face her past with the return of her estranged brother, Spock."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 2): 83%

What critics said: "This is a promising start to the season, and I can only hope we get to see more of young, emo Spock as soon as possible."— Ben Kuchera, Polygon

Season 2 premiered on CBS All Access January 17.



6. "Doom Patrol" (DC Universe)

Average demand expressions: 23,739,181 

Description:"DOOM PATROL reimagines one of DC’s most beloved groups of Super Heroes: Robotman aka Cliff Steele (BRENDAN FRASER), Negative Man aka Larry Trainor (MATT BOMER), Elasti-Woman aka Rita Farr (APRIL BOWLBY) and Crazy Jane (DIANE GUERRERO), led by modern-day mad scientist Niles Caulder aka The Chief (TIMOTHY DALTON). Each member of the Doom Patrol suffered a horrible accident that gave them superhuman abilities, but also left them scarred and disfigured. Traumatized and downtrodden, the team found their purpose through The Chief, coming together to investigate the weirdest phenomena in existence. Following the mysterious disappearance of The Chief these reluctant heroes will find themselves in a place they never expected to be, called to action by none other than Cyborg (JOIVAN WADE), who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse. Part support group, part Super Hero team, the Doom Patrol is a band of superpowered freaks who fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 1): 93%

What critics said: "The show is absurdly watchable. Bananas, yes, but enjoyably bananas."— Alex McLevy, AV Club

Season 2 premiered on DC Universe February 15.



5. "Marvel's Daredevil" (Netflix)

Average demand expressions: 24,852,419

Description: "Blinded as a young boy, Matt Murdock fights injustice by day as a lawyer and by night as the Super Hero Daredevil in Hell's Kitchen, New York City."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score (Season 3): 96%

What critics said: "The new baddie's arrival on the scene is perhaps one of the new season's best achievements -- not simply because of the character's popularity in the comics, but due to the careful manner by which the writers and Bethel breathe life into him."— Andrew Husband, Uproxx

Season 3 premiered on Netflix October 19. The show was canceled last year.



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British MPs will only get a meaningful vote 2 weeks before the UK is due to exit the EU, Theresa May says

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Theresa May

  • British MPs will not be able to have a say on Theresa May's Brexit deal until March 12.
  • This leaves little more than two weeks until Britain is due to exit the EU for good, on March 29.
  • In the meantime, MPs will vote on Wednesday for alternative Brexit plans.
  • Labour's Yvette Cooper and Conservative politician Oliver Letwin want to push for a delay to Brexit entirely.
  • Other Labour MPs want a second referendum.

British MPs will not be able to have a say on Theresa May's Brexit deal until March 12, the Prime Minister has said.

Speaking to reporters in transit to Sharm el Sheikh, where she will have further Brexit talks according to The Independent, May said no meaningful vote on the country's withdrawal from the European Union would take place in the House of Commons this week.

This is because between the meetings between the EU and Arab league leaders, together with a visit to Brussels on Tuesday, there is simply no time to hold a vote, May said.

This means that any meaningful vote by March 12 would take place just two weeks before Britain is due to exit the EU for good, on March 29.

"I was in Brussels last week," May said, according to The Independent. "Ministers were in Brussels last week. My team will be back in Brussels again this coming week. They will be returning to Brussels on Tuesday.

"As a result of that we won’t bring a meaningful vote to Parliament this week. But we will ensure that that happens by March 12. But it is still within our grasp to leave the European Union with a deal on March 29."

In the meantime, MPs will vote on Wednesday for alternative Brexit plans. Labour's Yvette Cooper and Conservative politician Oliver Letwin want to push for a delay to Brexit entirely, The Independent reports.

Other Labour MPs are "moving closer" to a second referendum, the BBC said.

The shadow chancellor John McDonnell said: "There's increasingly large numbers of people who will consider now moving towards a public vote situation to block a no deal, and to block a bad deal, that Theresa May's deal is – that will be the vote of this coming week."

Speaking on BBC's Andrew Marr programme on Sunday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson added that they are "heading in that direction" of a second referendum, but "there is still more play in the days ahead."

SEE ALSO: Polls show Brexit regret is so strong that 'Remain' would win a second referendum by 9 points

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Trump announces July 4 mega-celebration called 'A Salute To America,' but leaves out military parade

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  • President Trump announced a major celebration called "A Salute To America," scheduled for July 4 at the Lincoln Memorial.
  • Trump notably left out any mention of a military parade, which he previously enthusiastically promoted. 
  • A military parade was in the works in 2018, but was reportedly canceled because of financial concerns. 

President Donald Trump announced a major July 4 celebration on Twitter Sunday morning, but notably absent from the plan was his long-desired military parade.

The celebration, to be held at the Lincoln Memorial, will be called "A Salute To America," according to Trump's tweet, and will include a "Major fireworks display, entertainment, and an address by your favorite President, me [Trump]!"

Trump has openly spoken about his desire to hold a major patriotic celebration in the US after he attended France's Bastille Day military parade in July 2017. "It was one of the greatest parades I’ve ever seen," Trump told reporters at the United Nations General Assembly, months after witnessing it. Trump reportedly told French president Emmanuel Macron "We’re going to have to try to top it."

He reportedly wanted a military parade, in particular.

According to The Washington Post, in January 2018, Trump directed military officials to begin planning such a spectacle, reportedly saying in a meeting, "I want a parade like the one in France." A month later, The White House and Pentagon confirmed that the plans were underway. 

The Washington Post reported that sources claimed that President Trump preferred July 4 or Memorial Day for the parade.

CNN reported that an administration official estimated that it would cost $92 million.

In August 2018, however, the Department of Defense announced that the parade would be postponed until a later date, potentially in 2019. 

Read more: Trump canceled his big military parade, and it looks like most Americans really couldn't care less

Trump took to Twitter to blame unspecified local Washington DC politicians for inflating the price, writing, "The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it. When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it."

The Lincoln Memorial is under the purvue and administration of the National Park Service, so it would seemingly avoid logistical disputes with local authorities. 

As some pointed out on Twitter, there has traditionally been a celebration on the National Mall that includes fireworks, a community parade, and entertainment at the Capitol.

Neither the White House nor the National Park Service immediately returned request for comment.

SEE ALSO: 12 times Trump provoked a backlash with the US military and veterans in 2018

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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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The latest 'How to Train Your Dragon' movie opened with a franchise best of $55.5 million

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  • DreamWorks Animation/Universal's "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" opened with an estimated $55.5 million at the domestic box office over the weekend.
  • That's the biggest opening for the franchise in its history.
  • STXfilms' "The Upside" crossed the $100 million mark worldwide, making it a big success story during a weak start to the 2019 box office.

"How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" has been touted as the final movie in the DreamWorks Animation franchise, but that's hard to believe after the opening it just had, which topped the previous films in the franchise.

The first movie, released by Paramount in 2010, introduced us to the young Viking Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and his dragon. It had a number one opening weekend of $43.7 million and went on to make over $494 million worldwide. That was followed in 2014 with "How to Train Your Dragon 2," which opened with $49.4 million and had a global take of over $621 million.

Five years later, with the help of video games and a TV series upping the IP's profile, the third movie, "The Hidden World" (released by Universal), topped the previous two with an estimated $55.5 million opening over the weekend (it has a worldwide total of over $275 million).

An impressive take for the third movie in a franchise, which typically performs the worst and indicates why a franchise is ending.

Read more: Former Oscars producers say the Academy should move the telecast to January — before the 14 other award shows make everyone exhausted

"The Hidden World" had the advantage of opening when there was very little competition in theaters, and it also probably helped that the movie was being marketed as the close of the franchise. But with all three movies doing better than the previous release, it will be hard for DreamWorks/Universal to not at least consider the possibility of adding to the franchise down the road.

The 2019 domestic box office hasn't had the start that 2018 did (no "Black Panther"-like release this year) but there has been one success story.

STXfilms' "The Upside," the $37.5 million-budgeted dramedy starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart, has grossed over $100 million at the worldwide box office (with the movie crossing the $100 million mark domestically in the coming days).

That's an incredible feat for a movie that STX rescued (and recut to make it PG-13 rated) after it was originally intended to be released by The Weinstein Company before sexual misconduct allegations brought its leader, Harvey Weinstein, and the company down. 

SEE ALSO: Who has the best chance to win at the 2019 Oscars on Sunday night, which could hold the most surprises in years

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12 health and fitness startups that will boom in 2019, according to VCs

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  • Health and fitness are two very personal areas that many people cannot manage on their own.
  • It's become a big focus of tech companies with apps and devices that can be your workout buddy, calm your mind, and help you manage an illness.
  • Here's a list of health tech startups on track to boom in 2019 according to the startup experts — the venture capitalists that watch, advise, and invest in them.

As part of our comprehensive coverage of the startups that will boom in 2019, we asked the startup experts — venture capitalists — to name the startups they think are going to be hot this year.

We asked them to tell us about companies within their portfolio as well as ones they haven't invested in but are hearing good things about.

One group of startups came up over and over again: health and fitness tech. Their picks ranged from companies that are defeating diabetes to those that are improving mental health.

Alma: Coworking for therapists

Company Name: Alma

Funding: $4.5 million

What it does: Alma is a coworking office space specifically for mental health providers that includes access to the tech they need to power their practices. It opened its first facility in New York.

VC: Hayley Barna, First Round

Relationship: Investor

Why it's hot in 2019:"60 million people suffer from mental illness," Barna says and Alma offers therapists a "beautifully designed space, friendly digital tools and a supported community of therapists."



Arterys: AI for medical imaging

Startup: Arterys

Total raised: $44 million

What it does: Arterys offers AI-enabled medical imaging software as a cloud service.

VC: Alfred Lin, Sequoia Capital

Relationship: Investor

Why it's hot in 2019:"It shows the power of technology to help humanity. The company brings the convergence of cloud computing, big data, image processing, and AI applied to healthcare," says Lin.



Benchling: Collaboration for life science professionals

Startup: Benchling

Total raised: $27 million

What it does: Benchling is a data management and collaboration tool for life science, pharma and biological researchers.

VC: Eric Vishria, Benchmark

Relationship: Investor

Why it's hot in 2019: "Benchling provides a platform to accelerate the pace of biotech research, helping researchers track candidates, design experiments, and share results. They're working with over 100,000 scientists and larger organizations like the FDA," says Vishria.



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Googling your interviewers' job history before meeting them isn't creepy — it can be impressive if you do it right

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  • Research company employees and ask interview questions about their careers.
  • According to Lillian Landrum, head of talent acquisition at The Muse, you'll seem dedicated and prepared.
  • You might also want to look specifically for things you have in common with your interviewers.

It's pretty standard practice for job candidates to scour the website of the organization they're interviewing with, looking for clues to the company's culture, mission, and current projects.

In fact, if you show up at an interview without having done your research, you're probably in trouble.

But some interviewers are looking for candidates who have gone one step further. Lillian Landrum, head of talent acquisition at job-search and career-advice platform The Muse, said she's impressed when candidates research the careers of other company employees, including their interviewers.

Landrum recommended asking about someone's work history, and how they got to their current role.

But don't worry about coming off as creepy, Landrum said. "It just shows that they're interested, they're dedicated, and they're going beyond what is expected of them to make sure they're fully set up properly for the interview," she said about the extra research.

Read more: An organizational psychologist has a sneaky job-interview question to figure out what it's really like to work somewhere

Another HR expert at The Muse, Toni Thompson, previously told Business Insider something similar. 

Thompson said she once interviewed someone who "had done their homework on me," and knew she'd started at The Muse a few months earlier.

"They asked me about some of the things I was most proud of since starting at my company and some of the challenges I faced."

"It was a memorable question," she said, "because it showed that they did their research and were genuinely listening to the answer and were curious about the response."

You can also do some sleuthing to figure out what you and your interviewers have in common: Maybe you worked for the same company or graduated from the same school.

"When you can discuss your commonalities, the hiring manager also has a better perspective about how you would 'fit' into the organization," career coach Anita S. Attridge told The Washington Post.

If there's a question you want to ask the interviewer but aren't sure about, Landrum recommended running it by the recruiter first (if there is one). "We're your safe space," she said.

SEE ALSO: An HR exec says she gets excited every time a job candidate asks her a simple question about learning on the job

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NOW WATCH: Understanding this one cognitive bias may help you better negotiate a pay raise

AI 101: How learning computers are becoming smarter

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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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Tony Hawk shared a really sweet video of his young daughter overcoming fear and nailing her first drop-in on the skateboard

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Tony Hawk helps daughter overcome fear in on the skateboard

  • Tony Hawk has shared a really sweet video of his young daughter overcoming fear in the skating park.
  • In the clip, the 10-year-old Kadence Hawk can be seen attempting a drop-in.
  • And, just like her famous father, she completely nails the move.
  • You can watch the clip right here.

Tony Hawk has shared a really sweet video of his young daughter overcoming fear and taking on her first drop-in on the skateboard.

And, just like her famous skateboarding father, she completely nailed the move.

Hawk is one of the most famous, successful, and influential skateboarders of all-time. He is renowned for his licensed video games on PlayStation and Xbox, for his mid-air tricks on the board, and for his 10 gold medals at the Summer X Games.

Though the 50-year-old Hawk has 40 years extra experience than his daughter Kadence Hawk, 10, skateboarding clearly runs in the family.

Read more: A hockey coach in Canada mic'd up his 4-year-old son to 'understand what he was doing out there,' and the results are adorable

But in a post tweeted on Sunday, he said he may well have been more nervous than she was when she first attempted the move.

"My daughter overcoming her fear in real time (wait for it)," he said. "I might have been more nervous than she was."

Watch the clip right here:

The clip has proved a viral hit with Hawk's fans because in less than one day, it amassed more than 5 million views.

SEE ALSO: A hockey coach in Canada mic'd up his 4-year-old son to 'understand what he was doing out there' and the results are adorable

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The three types of Amazon buyers — and how other e-tailers can lure them away (AMZN)

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Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. That’s the strategy e-tailers will have to adopt if they want to compete with Amazon. To fight back against the e-commerce giant’s expanding dominance, other online retailers must understand exactly why and how customers are buying on Amazon — and which aspects of the Amazon shopping experience they can incorporate into their own strategic frameworks to win back customers.

Why Amazon First

Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, has obtained exclusive survey data to give e-tailers the tools to figure out how to do just that with its latest Enterprise Edge Report: The Amazon Commerce Competitive Edge Report.

Enterprise Edge Reports are the very best research Business Insider Intelligence has to offer in terms of actionable recommendations and proprietary data, and they are only available to Enterprise clients.

Business Insider Intelligence fielded the Amazon study to members of its proprietary panel in March 2018, reaching over 1,000 US consumers – primarily hand-picked digital professionals and early-adopters – to gather their insights on Amazon’s role in the online shopping experience.

In full, the study:

  • Uses exclusive survey data to analyze the factors behind Amazon’s success with consumers.
  • Segments three types of Amazon customers that e-tailers should be targeting.
  • Shares strategies on how e-tailers can attract shoppers at key moments.

First, why is Amazon so popular?

Amazon is ubiquitous. In fact, a whopping 94% of those surveyed said they’d made a purchase on the site in the last twelve months. And of those who did, the vast majority believed Amazon’s customer experience was simply better than its leading competitors’ — specifically eBay, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target.

The biggest contributor to Amazon’s superior experience? Free shipping, of course. According to Amazon’s 2017 annual report, the company actually spent $21.7 billion last year covering customers’ shipping costs, a number that’s been compounding over the past few years.

Not only is free shipping included for all Prime members as part of their subscriptions but, of all e-tailers listed in the survey, Amazon also offers the lowest minimum order value for non-subscription members to qualify for the perk (just $25). The pervasiveness of free (and fast) shipping is steadily heightening customer expectations for the online shopping experience — and forcing competitors to offer similar programs and benefits.

Who exactly is shopping on Amazon?

The survey results showed that across generations for a large minority of respondents, Amazon is a standard part of their typical shopping process. Nearly a third (32%) of respondents said they begin their online shopping process on Amazon. Of those who do start their journeys elsewhere, 100% ended up purchasing something from Amazon at some point over the last 12 months.

Based on the trends in responses, Business Insider Intelligence segmented out three different types of Amazon shoppers, each with unique implications for how competitors could evolve their strategies:

  • Amazon loyalists: This group of consumers is most committed to shopping on Amazon. E-tailers must understand what has made Amazon their default experience — and how they could be pried away.
  • Comparison shoppers: This consumer segment looks at other sites before ultimately completing a purchase with Amazon, which could allow e-tailers to find success at the bottom of the purchase funnel. E-tailers should focus on what they can do more of to steal sales away at the end of the purchasing process.
  • Open-search shoppers: These consumers start their online product search away from Amazon, often with specific reasons including what they’re looking for and why they’re not looking on Amazon. Other e-tailers have the opportunity to attract these shoppers from the beginning of the purchase funnel — keeping them from ever venturing to Amazon.

Want to learn more?

Business Insider Intelligence has compiled the complete survey findings into the four-part Amazon Commerce Competitive Edge Report, which dives deeper into each of these consumer segments to give e-tailers an intricate understanding of Amazon’s role in their purchasing processes.

The report presents actionable strategies for retail strategists and executives to zero in on three individual consumer segments at critical shopping moments, and empower them to win sales in an Amazon-dominated world.

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Microsoft reveals the HoloLens 2, its new $3,500 holographic headset that seems to improve on the original in every way (MSFT)

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  • It's official: This is the Microsoft HoloLens 2, the new version of 2016's groundbreaking holographic headset. 
  • This new version will cost $3,500 when it's released later this year, but it'll only be available to businesses (at least, at first). 
  • It fixes many of the biggest problems with the first — namely, it doubles the field-of-view, so there's a wider window in which you can see holograms. 
  • We went hands-on with HoloLens 2 back in January, and found it to be futuristic and promising, but also a little glitchy in the early form in which we tried it. 

The rumors are true: Microsoft officially announced the HoloLens 2, its next-generation holographic headset, at a keynote session at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Sunday. Microsoft says it'll cost $3,500, and be available to business customers later this year. 

Like 2016's original HoloLens, this new iteration is a pair of goggles that projects digital imagery over the real world — a technology that Microsoft calls mixed reality, and others like Facebook call augmented reality. Whatever you call it, Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and many others have made big bets that this will be the next big thing. 

What's new with the HoloLens 2 is a comprehensive redesign, fixing several frustrations with the original. First and foremost, the HoloLens 2 doubles the viewing area, alleviating one of the major problems with the first generation of these sorts of headsets. That said, it's still not close to totally filling your field of vision with holograms.

Microsoft also boasts that the HoloLens 2 comes with a brand-new interface: Rather than wave your fingers around to tap on virtual icons, Microsoft says that you can use "intuitive" movements to manipulate the holograms as you would a physical object. It also comes with eye-tracking technology, Microsoft says, that offers more ways to interact. 

The device has gotten a physical redesign, as well, with Microsoft boasting that it's more comfortable and easier to adjust. That's another plus from the original model, which required users to fiddle with knobs to get the fit of the headset just right. The visor section also flips up, if you need to switch between mixed reality and actual reality.

Check out the HoloLens 2 in action here:

 

Read more: Microsoft releases new apps that make augmented reality way more helpful to businesses

Business Insider’s Alyson Shontell got to be one of the first to try the new hardware at an event on the Microsoft campus in January, before many employees got their own shot. The software felt futuristic, but this early version wasn’t quite ready for prime time — though Microsoft has had ample time to fix things since. The holograms that appeared were colorful and interactive, though at times, glitchy. The hardware was comfortable enough, almost like wearing a bike helmet or ski goggles.

Beyond the hardware, Microsoft is working to expand on the HoloLens ecosystem, and announced a partnership with Mozilla to bring Firefox Reality, a web browser designed specifically for augmented reality, to HoloLens. Epic Games, the proprietor of "Fortnite," also says that it will bring support for its popular Unreal Engine 4 game development tool to HoloLens. Microsoft announced new services for the Azure cloud to build mixed reality apps as well. 

Microsoft also hammered on the value of HoloLens to businesses, which is the primary market for the device — just last week, Microsoft announced the availability of HoloLens-friendly tools including Dynamics 365 Remote Assist, which allows a remote technician to see what the headset wearer sees and lend their expertise. App bundles including Dynamics 365 Remote Assist start at $125/month, says Microsoft. 

Here's a video showing how some of those enterprise-tailored apps will work:

 

The HoloLens 2 will be going up against Magic Leap, the Google-backed startup that released its inaugural Magic Leap One headset late last year. Google is working on a second version of its infamous Glass headset, too, as is Facebook.

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These are the top five trends shaping the future of digital health

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Digital Health

The healthcare industry is in a state of disruption. Digital solutions are becoming a necessary part of the new global standard of care for patients and regulation is being fast-tracked to catch up to digital health innovation.

These rapid changes will have ripple effects across the entire healthcare system, impacting incumbents and new entrants alike.

Based on our ongoing analysis, understanding of industry trends, and conversations with industry executives, Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, has put together The Top Five Trends Shaping The Future of Digital Health.

To get your copy of this free report, click here.

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Three ways brands can benefit from adopting voice technology (AAPL, AMZN, GOOGL, MSFT)

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  • Voice assistants like Amazon's Alexa, Google's Assistant, Apple's Siri, and Microsoft's Cortana, are pegged to trigger a widespread transformation across the retail industry in the years to come.
  • The current interest in, and adoption of, voice assistants for commerce is being driven by recent technological breakthroughs, advantages of the tech over existing channels, and the development of voice apps.
  • As consumer demand for voice technology mounts, brands offering this functionality throughout the entire customer journey stand to gain in three key ways.

Not too long ago, if your friend had a smart speaker like Amazon’s Alexa or Google's Assistant in their living room, it seemed like a rare novelty. Within a matter of months, however, smart speakers have started becominghousehold staples — and they’re still only at a fraction of their growth potential.

US Consumers Use Voice Assistants Throughout the Entire Shopping Journey

One of the biggest drivers of adoption has been increased functionality. Smart speakers aren’t just changing the music and turning on the lights; they’re helping consumers find new products and make purchases — and they’re quickly becoming a preferred method of shopping.

In fact, nearly a quarter of consumers globally already prefer using a voice assistant over going to a company website or mobile app to shop. This share will jump to 40% by 2021, according to Capgemini.

Consumers are on board with the prompt, convenient nature of shopping with smart speakers — and brands who join them stand to reap massive rewards. The Voice in Retail Report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, highlights the value voice brings to the shopping funnel and how retailers can implement it throughout the customer journey.

Here are three ways brands can capture consumers with voice technology:

  • Driving product purchases: Voice assistants make spending faster and easier when consumers are unable to use their hands. The ability to make a purchase on any channel and the addition of personalized, intelligent elements to the shopping experience are simplifying the transition from product discovery to product purchase.
  • Heightening customer loyalty: Brands can leverage voice assistants in the post-purchase phase to track delivery status, automate part of the return process, interact with customer service, offer feedback, and collect consumer behavioral and transactional data.
  • Shifting consumers’ spending behaviors: Smart device ownership has a snowball effect, so as the smart device ecosystem reaches the mainstream, consumers will flock to connected cars, smart home devices and appliances, and connected virtual reality and augmented reality (VR/AR) headsets.

Want to Learn More?

Shoppers are interested in using voice assistants for every stage of the customer journey, from initial product search and discovery to post-purchase customer service and delivery status. And retailers that take advantage of consumers’ desire to leverage voice will be in a stronger position to heighten customer engagement, increase conversion times, drive sales, and boost operational efficiency.

The Voice in Retail Report from Business Insider Intelligence examines the trends driving the adoption of voice commerce, details the role of voice throughout the customer shopping journey, outlines how brands can benefit from implementing voice in their strategies, and explores what's ahead for the technology in retail.

 

 

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Bitcoin 101: Your essential guide to cryptocurrency

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A collection of Bitcoin (virtual currency) tokens are displayed in this picture illustration taken December 8, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Illustration

Bitcoin is everywhere.

The cryptocurrency is seemingly in the news every day as investors and businesses try to understand the future of this digital finance.

But what is Bitcoin all about?

Why is it suddenly on every financial news program?

And what does it mean to you?

Find out the answers to these questions and more in Bitcoin 101, a brand new FREE report from Business Insider Intelligence.

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

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Early adopters of AI in transportation and logistics already enjoy profit margins greater than 5% — while non-adopters are in the red

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AI Drive Revenue

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

Major logistics providers have long relied on analytics and research teams to make sense of the data they generate from their operations.

But with volumes of data growing, and the insights that can be gleaned becoming increasingly varied and granular, these companies are starting to turn to artificial intelligence (AI) computing techniques, like machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing, to streamline and automate various processes. These techniques teach computers to parse data in a contextual manner to provide requested information, supply analysis, or trigger an event based on their findings. They are also uniquely well suited to rapidly analyzing huge data sets, and have a wide array of applications in different aspects of supply chain and logistics operations.

AI’s ability to streamline so many supply chain and logistics functions is already delivering a competitive advantage for early adopters by cutting shipping times and costs. A cross-industry study on AI adoption conducted in early 2017 by McKinsey found that early adopters with a proactive AI strategy in the transportation and logistics sector enjoyed profit margins greater than 5%. Meanwhile, respondents in the sector that had not adopted AI were in the red.

However, these crucial benefits have yet to drive widespread adoption. Only 21% of the transportation and logistics firms in McKinsey’s survey had moved beyond the initial testing phase to deploy AI solutions at scale or in a core part of their business. The challenges to AI adoption in the field of supply chain and logistics are numerous and require major capital investments and organizational changes to overcome.

In a new report, BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, explores the vast impact that AI techniques like machine learning will have on the supply chain and logistics space. We detail the myriad applications for these computational techniques in the industry, and the adoption of those different applications. We also share some examples of companies that have demonstrated success with AI in their supply chain and logistics operations. Lastly, we break down the many factors that are holding organizations back from implementing AI projects and gaining the full benefits of this disruptive technology.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

  • The current interest in and early adoption of AI systems is being driven by several key factors, including increased demands from shippers, recent technological breakthroughs, and significant investments in data visibility by the industry’s largest players.
  • AI can deliver enormous benefits to supply chain and logistics operations, including cost reductions through reduced redundancies and risk mitigation, improved forecasting, faster deliveries through more optimized routes, improved customer service, and more.
  • Legacy players face many substantial obstacles to deploying and reaping the benefits of AI systems, though, including data accessibility and workforce challenges.
  • AI adoption in the logistics industry is strongly skewed toward the biggest players, because overcoming these major challenges requires costly investments in updating IT systems and breaking down data silos, as well as hiring expensive teams of data scientists.
  • Although AI implementations are unlikely to result in large-scale workforce reductions in the near term, companies still need to develop strategies to address how workers' roles will change as AI systems automate specific functions.

 In full, the report:

  • Details the factors driving adoption of AI systems in the supply chain and logistics field.
  • Examines the benefits that AI can deliver in reducing costs and shipping times for supply chain and logistics operations.
  • Explains the many challenges companies face in implementing AI in their supply chain and logistics operations to reap the benefits of this transformational technology.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

  1. Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >>Learn More Now
  2. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> Purchase & Download Now

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As Venezuela descends into chaos, Marco Rubio posts bloody tweet and highlights alleged poisoning of opposition lawmaker

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Marco Rubio Venezuela Protests 2014

  • Senator Marco Rubio (R) has continued to advocate for Venezuelan opposition amid a deepening crisis, amplifying reports of protests and alleged human rights abuses, and posting aggressive tweets. 
  • Rubio has been a longtime supporter of the Venezuelan opposition because of President Maduro's association with the Cuban government. 
  • On Sunday, he tweeted about an alleged poisoning of an opposition lawmaker, and posted bloody photos of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi, seemingly a reference to Maduro. 

Amid a deepening political and economic crisis in Venezuela, Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) has gotten involved in bringing attention to the situation, implying Saturday evening that an opposition lawmaker in the country was politically poisoned, and posting bloody images of the former leader of Libya Muammar Gaddafi, seemingly as a sort of warning to Venezuela's embattled president Nicolás Maduro.

"Grave situation developing right now inside of #Colombia." Rubio tweeted. "[Freddy Superlano] a member of the National Assembly of #Venezuela was poisoned this morning at breakfast inside of Colombia & is in serious condition at the hospital. His assistant Carlos Salinas has died from poisoning."

According to BNO News, Voluntad Popular, the opposition party of Juan Guaidó, says that the Venezuelan lawmaker was poisoned in the city of Cúcuta near the Colombia-Venezuela border, along with his cousin who died.

BNO News reports that it's believed that the poison used was Burundanga, known as "devil's breath," a drug that is often used for motion sickness, but that has also reportedly been used in Latin America for robberies and sexual assaults. The drug has also been the subject of viral urban legends in the US.

Neither the party nor Rubio directly called the alleged poisoning a political attack. In a statement, the party said, "We wait for the results of the investigation by the Colombian authorities to establish the facts."

In another tweet, directly following one about the "#MaduroCrimeFamily," Rubio posted uncaptioned before and after picture of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafiwith the before showing a photo of him in power, and the after showing him beaten to a bloody pulp. The tweet, in the context of his series of recent tweets on Venezuela and Maduro, seems to be a veiled warning for Maduro, who is considered to be a leader that's overdue for recall.

 

A deepening crisis

Over the weekend, the border between Colombia and Venezuela has exploded in conflict.

Two died and 300 were injured Saturday near the border as troops loyal to President Nicolas Maduro, who believes the aid is part of a potential coup, clashed with demonstrators who were protesting the blockage of US aid coming through Colombia. 

The shipments included much-needed food and medicine for the country that has been starved by economic crisis.

Read more: Photos show chaos in Venezuela as protesters and soldiers clash over humanitarian aid shipments

Protesters told the Associated Press that Maduro's troops set 2 aid shipments on fire, and fired tear gas at protesters. 

After the protests, opposition leader Guaido, who much of the international community recognize as Venezuela's rightful leader, did not call for more protests

Marco Rubio's long battle with Maduro

marco rubio venezuela trip 2019

Senator Rubio has been a longtime opponent of Maduro's, and has recently ramped up his statements against the Venezuelan leader.

In January, Rubio suggested that Maduro's ouster was a given, saying, "It’s just a matter of time. The only thing we don’t know is how long it will take — and whether it will be peaceful or bloody."

Rubio is said to have been key in President Trump's decision to back opposition leader Guaidó and send aid.

Rubio, a Cuban-American, stands with other Cuban-American leaders in his opposition to Maduro, who's variant of socialism has been associated with the Cuban government.

Last week, Rubio visited the Colombian-Venezuelan border, where he asked the Venezuelan military to let aid shipments through, and spoke alongside delegates of Guaido's team.

"Soon, Mr. President, we will be standing together in a free Venezuela," he said.

Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to meet with Guaido on Monday.

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People are criticizing Bill Maher for being 'elitist' after he said he said people in Republican states are jealous of the 'prosperity party' in Blue states

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  • Bill Maher addressed Amazon's decision to cancel plans to build part of HQ2 in New York City on Friday night's episode of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher."
  • During the show, Maher criticized Amazon for choosing Long Island City, Queens, and Crystal City, Virginia, as the sites for HQ2 in the first place — two already prosperous places, according to the comedian. 
  • Maher went on to claim that the "most affluent and educated" Americans live in "just a few cities" in the country, a problem he called "spatial geographic inequality."
  • Maher also claimed that Americans living in red states "want to be" those in "blue parts" of the country, where people are "having a big prosperity party."
  • On Twitter, some said Maher's comments were "elitist" while others agreed with some of his points.

Some people are criticizing Bill Maher after the comedian said the "most affluent and educated" Americans live in "just a few cities" in the country.

On Friday night's episode of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," the TV host addressed Amazon's recent decision to cancel plans to build part of its second headquarters, or HQ2, in New York City.

During the show's closing segment, Maher criticized Jeff Bezos and Amazon for choosing Long Island City, Queens, and Crystal City, Virginia, as the sites for HQ2 — two already prosperous places, according to the comedian.

But now, Maher said, the company has a chance to "actually do good" and "help a dying [city] come back to life."

Read more:Amazon has canceled its New York City HQ2 plans. Here’s why many New Yorkers opposed the project.

"We have a problem in America called spatial geographic inequality which means that the most affluent and educated people are clustered in just a few cities," the comedian continued.

While Americans living in "blue parts" of the country "are having a big prosperity party," those living in red states feel like "their invitation got lost in the mail," Maher said.

"The flyover states have become the passed-over states," the TV host claimed. "That's why red-state voters are so pissed off. They don't hate us. They want to be us. They want to go to the party."

Maher went on to compare the ostensible differences between living in blue and red states.

"There are two Americas," the comedian claimed. "And it seems like one is where all the cool jobs are, where people drive Teslas and eat artisanal ice cream."

He continued: "We have orchestras and theater districts and world-class shopping. We have Chef Wolfgang Puck. They have Chef Boyardee. Our roofs have solar panels. Theirs have last year's Christmas lights. We've got legal bud. They've got Bud[weiser]."

On Twitter, some people were quick to slam the comedian for what they said were "elitist" comments.

 

Others, however, agreed with some of the comments Maher made about investing more in less prosperous parts of the country.

 

Maher concluded his "Real Time" segment by claiming that liberals "have to start recolonizing the parts of the country they've abandoned."

Amazon, for example, could buy the whole state of Mississippi and rename it "Amazippi," the TV host joked.

"If we keep leaving the red states behind, they're going to keep getting angrier and crazier," Maher continued. "Because if you're not invited to the party, [the] next best thing is to throw a turd in the punch bowl."

Watch the full clip from Friday's episode of "Real Time with Bill Maher" below.

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The future of artificial intelligence in retail

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Hype around artificial intelligence has never been higher — and one industry where it has a chance to make a major impact on profits is retail.The Future of Retail 2018: Artificial Intelligence

Business Insider Intelligence projects that AI will boost profitability in retail and wholesale by nearly 60% by 2035, setting off a wave of excitement and investment among companies.

The areas where AI will have its biggest impact are personalization, search and chatbots.

But as hype and misunderstanding continue to build, it’s become harder than ever to keep sight of the true disruptive potential of AI.

Find out how AI is being implemented in these three areas and how each one can impact revenue in this new FREE slide deck from Business Insider Intelligence.

In this third and final installment of the three-part Future of Retail 2018 series, Business Insider Intelligence takes a hard look at the retail use cases where AI can make an impact, explores noteworthy examples of retailers implementing the technology, and weighs the benefits of investing in AI today.

As an added bonus, you will gain immediate access to our exclusive Business Insider Intelligence Daily newsletter.

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

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Rejections for standard work-visas have shot up under the Trump administration, but some companies have avoided the trend

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donald trump border wall prototypes

  • The Trump administration has ramped up scrutiny of the H-1B visa program.
  • US Citizenship and Immigration Services data released Friday show the agency is rejecting more H-1B applications.
  • Over the last two years, the agency has more than doubled the instances in which it asks for additional supporting information.
  • Some companies are seeing a substantial portion of their applicants rejected, while tech giants like Facebook and Apple have a near-perfect approval rate. 

President Donald Trump's administration has ramped up scrutiny of visas for foreign skilled workers, rejecting more H-1B requests and requiring extra evidence to process thousands of applications, according to government data released Friday.

In the fourth-quarter of 2018, US Citizenship and Immigration Services issued requests for evidence in 60% of H-1B applications submitted by companies on behalf of their employees, up from 46% in 2017 and 28% in 2016, according to a report from the agency.  

The agency has more than doubled the instances in which it asks for additional supporting information over the last two years – it made 26,799 such requests in the last quarter of 2016, compared with more than 60,000 in last quarter of 2018. 

The application-approval rate for H-1B visas has also plummeted, declining to 76% in the fourth quarter of 2018, compared with 83% in 2017 and 92% in 2016.

The H-1B program, which allots temporary visas to foreign workers with specialized skills, has frequently come under fire from the Trump administration, which has criticized companies of abusing it to hire cheap, foreign workers at the expense of Americans.

The agency hasn't hidden its intentions of overhauling the program and applying more thorough scrutiny in an effort to ensure US workers aren't getting short-shrift from employers. 

“As part of our efforts to fulfill President Trump’s ‘Buy American and Hire American’ executive order, USCIS has made a series of reforms designed to protect U.S. workers, increase our confidence in the eligibility of those who receive benefits, cut down on frivolous petitions and improve the integrity and efficiency of the immigration-petition process,” USCIS spokeswoman Jessica Collins told The Wall Street Journal

The agency says the top reasons it requests additional evidence for applications are:

  • The application didn't establish the job qualifies as a "specialty occupation."
  • The employer didn't establish a valid relationship with the employee they'd applied on behalf of. 
  • The application failed to show the employer had specific assignments for the specialty role for the employee that would last the duration of their tenure. 

Tech companies tend to be the most voracious consumers of H-1B visas, and that trend hasn't changed, according to USCIS data.

But some companies are having more success navigating the administration's reforms and enhanced vetting than others. 

IT-services companies Capgemini, Cognizant Technologies, and Infosys – three of the five most-active applicants – saw the lowest success rates, earning approvals on 60%, 68%, and 74% of their petitions during USCIS' 2018 fiscal year.

Some companies had near-perfect approval rates: Microsoft, Apple, Google, Intel, and Facebook each scored 99% success rates.

Michelle Mark contributed to this report.

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AI in Marketing: How brands can improve personalization, enhance ad targeting, and make their marketing teams more agile

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fastest growing tech AI

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), often used as an umbrella term to describe types of technology that can simulate human intelligence, is one of today’s hottest topics across a number of business sectors. AI techniques teach computers to parse data in a contextual manner to provide requested information, supply analysis, or trigger an event based on their findings.

Marketers are already leveraging the power of AI to glean valuable insights about their customers, automate tasks, and improve workflows. Just over half (51%) of marketers currently use AI, and an additional 27% are expected to incorporate the technology by 2019, according to Salesforce. This represents the highest anticipated year-over-year (YoY) growth of any leading technology that marketers expect to adopt in the next year, beating out the Internet of Things and marketing automation. And, as the volume of consumer-generated data grows, AI computing techniques — like machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing (NLP) — will become increasingly important to data-driven decision-making.

In a new report, Business Insider Intelligence examines the current and potential applications of AI within marketing. We dive into how AI enhances personalization, and identify the best practices for marketers looking to integrate the nascent tech into their strategies. We also look at how marketers cam implement AI to better target audiences, gain a competitive edge, and analyze data from social platforms. Finally, we evaluate how these applications will transform — and enhance — the way marketers analyze data, conduct burdensome tasks, and create content. 

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report:

  • AI is advancing beyond data analysis and moving rapidly into data generation, as machines get better at automating two basic human senses: sight and hearing. Gleaning insights from data-rich media like voice and video is now possible, and humans no longer have to manually categorize or describe various types of media.
  • AI will transform marketers from reactive to proactive planners. The enhanced analytics that AI provides will help marketers more efficiently plan and execute campaigns in three main areas: segmentation, tracking, and keyword tagging.
  • However, the rapid pace of innovation is contributing to marketers’ sense of unpreparedness for AI implementation and future use cases. When asked to choose which trending technology they felt most unprepared for, 34% of global marketing executives chose AI, the most of any option, according to Conductor.
  • AI will aid in content creation, but human marketers are still necessary. It’s still early days for marketers to use AI to automatically create editorial content or stitch together the right image with the right messaging for display ads. Machines will help cut down on production time, but humans are needed for their creative juices.

In full, the report:

  • Discusses the top use cases for AI in marketing and examines those with the greatest potential in the next few years. 
  • Breaks down how the role of marketers will evolve once AI automates remedial tasks. 
  • Explores how the customer experience is becoming more personalized, relevant, and timely. 
  • Provides potential roadmaps for companies that are beginning to invest in AI and machine learning.

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
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