The US is adding jobs. But the recovery could take years

Economists are worried that the tepid recovery in the US job market could run out of steam this fall should coronavirus cases surge again just as federal stimulus money runs out.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/30/investing/stocks-week-ahead/index.html?source=Snapzu

Tesla Introduced A Business Model The World Has Not Seen Before

You can save tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars with continuous improvements to a Tesla, which is a stark contrast to other automaker that do something else continuously: ask you to pay again!
Read more: https://cleantechnica.com/2020/08/29/tesla-introduced-a-business-model-the-world-has-not-seen-before/?source=Snapzu

U.S. economy plunged an annualized 31.7% in second quarter

The U.S. economy shrank at an alarming annual rate of 31.7% during the April-June quarter as it struggled under the weight of the viral pandemic, the government estimated Thursday. It was the sharpest quarterly drop on record.
Read more: https://apnews.com/a9ef11294c55f6fc8d130194dd507d0a?source=Snapzu

AT&T reportedly trying to sell DirecTV after massive customer losses

Sale could value DirecTV at much less than $49B AT&T paid in 2015, reports say.
Read more: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/08/att-reportedly-trying-to-sell-directv-after-massive-customer-losses/?source=Snapzu

'This isn't the 1990s': Apple under pressure from app developers

Facebook may be the home of international conspiracy theories, Amazon the bane of high streets everywhere and Google slowly tightening its grip on the entire web but it is Apple that is rapidly becoming the most friendless of the big tech companies.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/aug/30/this-isnt-the-1990s-apple-under-pressure-from-app-developers?source=Snapzu

MLMs Are A Nightmare For Women And Everyone They Know

As a stay-at-home mom of three, Angela was eager to find an excuse to get out of the house. Having no one to talk to except her kids all day was a lonely existence, and a Tupperware party hosted by a new neighbor in her Reno, Nevada, community seemed like a great way to socialize.
Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mlm-pyramid-scheme-target-women-financial-freedom_l_5d0bfd60e4b07ae90d9a6a9e?source=Snapzu

Iconic Portland bookstore Powell's says it won't sell directly on Amazon anymore: 'We must take a stand'

Selling through the Amazon marketplace was "hard to give up, sort of like smoking," said Powell's CEO Emily Powell. But when Amazon prioritized essential supplies over books in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, that sealed the deal.
Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/27/portland-bookstore-powells-wont-sell-on-amazon-we-must-take-a-stand.html?source=Snapzu

Almost 200 Uber employees are suing the company over its disappointing IPO last year

190 Uber employees have filed a lawsuit against the ride-hailing giant accusing it of indirectly raising their tax bills when it accelerated the issue date of their stock options ahead of its lackluster IPO last year.
Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lawsuit-employees-sue-over-ipo-stutter-accelerated-stock-payments-2020-8?source=Snapzu

Facebook isn’t happy about Apple’s upcoming ad tracking restrictions

Apple’s upcoming operating system iOS 14 (currently in public beta) could have a big impact on publishers who work with Facebook’s ad network — at least, according to Facebook. The company published a couple of blog posts yesterday outlining the potential impact of a major privacy change that Apple announced at WWDC — namely, the fact that Apple will explicitly ask users whether they want to opt-in before sharing the IDFA identifier with app developers, who can then use it to target ads.
Read more: https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/27/facebook-vs-apple-ad-tracking/?source=Snapzu

Climate Change Poses a Real and Imminent Threat to Agriculture

Climate change is not a future or hypothetical problem – year after year, farmers and ranchers across the country are enduring more frequent and extreme weather events and natural disasters.
Read more: https://nfu.org/2020/08/27/climate-change-poses-a-real-and-imminent-threat-to-agriculture/?source=Snapzu

Apple rejects Facebook app that tells users Apple takes 30% cut of in-app purchases

Apple rejected one of Facebook’s new app updates, according to Reuters. The app tried to inform users that Apple collects 30% of in-app purchases from a new online events feature. Earlier this month, Facebook launched the feature that lets businesses host paid online events in an effort to renew some of the business lost due to Covid-19. Facebook asked Apple to reduce its 30% App Store cut, since it wanted all of the money to go directly to the small businesses, but was rejected.
Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/28/apple-rejects-facebook-app-that-says-apple-takes-30percent-cut.html?source=Snapzu

TikTok's CEO Kevin Mayer quits as app battles with Trump administration

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer has abruptly stepped down as the ByteDance-owned video app faces mounting pressure from the Trump administration. On Wednesday, Mayer sent a memo to employees informing them of his decision, and he cited "structural changes" resulting from Trump's push for the company to sell off its U.S. business.
Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/08/27/tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-quit-trump-seeks-ban-app/5642169002/?ocid=uxbndlbing?source=Snapzu

Jobless claims: Another 1.006 million Americans filed new unemployment claims last week

Another 1 million Americans filed for first-time unemployment insurance benefits last week, as the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic continue to reverberate across the economy. The Labor Department released its report on weekly unemployment insurance claims Thursday at 8:30 a.m. ET. Here were the main metrics from the report...
Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jobless-claims-coronavirus-unemployment-week-ended-august-22-2020-181644541.html?source=Snapzu

KFC drops Finger Lickin' Good tag amid coronavirus

The fast food giant says the slogan will be paused as it "doesn't quite fit" during the pandemic.
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53901236?source=Snapzu

Book Publishers Warn Congress Amazon Is Too Powerful

In a letter to Congress, the Author’s Guild, American Association of Publishers, and the American Booksellers Association warned that Amazon has become too powerful.
Read more: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wxqkx5/book-publishers-warn-congress-amazon-is-too-powerful?source=Snapzu

The pandemic’s indirect hit on the Caribbean

The region has been spared the worst ravages of covid-19. That has not protected its economies
Read more: https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2020/08/22/the-pandemics-indirect-hit-on-the-caribbean?source=Snapzu

The Wildest Insurance Fraud Scheme Texas Has Ever Seen

Theodore Robert Wright III carried out one of the boldest insurance fraud schemes Texas has ever seen. That was only the half of it.
Read more: https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/it-was-never-enough/?source=Snapzu

Why Uber's business model is doomed

Like other ridesharing companies, it made a big bet on an automated future that has failed to materialise, says Aaron Benanav, a researcher at Humboldt University
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/24/gig-economy-uber-lyft-insecurity-crisis?source=Snapzu

The Lesson Americans Never Learn

Trying to replace the government with personal initiative requires an impossible amount of energy.
Read more: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/08/gofundme-economy-was-never-going-work/615457/?source=Snapzu

Tobacco Companies Use Targeted Marketing to Entice Teens to Vape

A new study is the first to show the ways e-cigarette companies persuade teens to vape, which may lead young people to develop a life-long nicotine habit.
Read more: https://psychcentral.com/news/2020/08/17/tobacco-companies-use-targeted-marketing-to-entice-teens-to-vape/158792.html?source=Snapzu

Palantir, Tech’s Next Big I.P.O., Lost $580 Million in 2019

The Silicon Valley company could be the next in a string of tech outfits to go public long before they have turned a profit.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/21/technology/palantir-ipo-580-million-loss.html?source=Snapzu

Hustlers make millions from goods they never handle

Dropshippers buy cheap products from China and then pay internet celebrities to promote them.
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53759932?source=Snapzu

Secret Gyms And The Economics Of Prohibition

COVID-19 safeguards have created a black market for gyms.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2020/08/11/900895704/secret-gyms-and-the-economics-of-prohibition?s=09?source=Snapzu

Evictions are expected to skyrocket as pandemic protections come to an end

The federal ban on evictions expired last month. Many states that paused their own proceedings have now allowed them to resume. The result: A record number of people could find themselves without a home during the pandemic.
Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/20/evictions-are-expected-to-skyrocket-as-protections-expire.html?source=Snapzu

What coronavirus? Apple becomes a $2 trillion company

Just two years ago, Wall Street investors pushed Apple to a trillion-dollar market capitalization, making it the most valuable tech company in the world. Now, even in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the market says Apple is worth twice as much.
Read more: https://www.cnet.com/news/what-coronavirus-apple-becomes-a-two-trillion-dollar-company/?source=Snapzu

One year later, the Apple Card is a huge but controversial success

On August 20, 2019, Apple officially launched Apple Card with any US citizen able to apply. Since then it's been a hit, but it's faced controversy over everything from low reward rates to alleged sex discrimination. In every sense bar one, Apple Card is a typical Apple product. It was rumored for years, it launched to fanfare and criticism, plus it was even thought of first by Steve Jobs. The difference is that apart from its titanium card, it's not hardware, and apart from its app, it's not really software either.
Read more: https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/08/20/one-year-later-the-apple-card-is-a-huge-but-controversial-success?source=Snapzu

Google Warns Australians That The Government's Plan To Tax Google To Give Money To Newspapers Will Harm Search & YouTube

Earlier this year we noted that the Australian government was setting up a you're-too-successful tax on Google and Facebook which it planned to hand over to media organizations. We should perhaps call it the "Welfare for Rupert Murdoch" bill.
Read more: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200817/22554345133/google-warns-australians-that-governments-plan-to-tax-google-to-give-money-to-newspapers-will-harm-search-youtube.shtml?source=Snapzu

The dual PhD problem of today’s startups

One of the upsides of this job is that you get to see everything going on out there in the startup world. One of the downsides of this job is seeing just how many ideas out there aren’t all that original. Every week in my inbox, there is another no-code startup.
Read more: https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/19/the-dual-phd-problem-of-todays-startups/?source=Snapzu

Uber and Lyft don’t want to make California drivers employees, so they’re on the verge of shutting down

A court ruling expected as soon as Wednesday could determine whether Uber and Lyft shut down across California later this week. The companies are threatening that they will be forced to shut down after a court in San Francisco last week ruled that drivers for their apps are employees, not independent contractors, under state law. The decision gave them 10 days to make their drivers employees. But the companies must retool their apps to support the employment model, corporate officials said, and cannot meet that deadline.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/08/19/uber-lyft-ab5/?source=Snapzu

Lifespan of electronics 2.3 years shorter than intended by design

Smartphones, televisions, washing machines and vacuum cleaners all are used on average for shorter periods than both their designed and desired lifetimes, according to a new European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing.
Read more: https://www.circularonline.co.uk/news/lifespan-of-electronics-2-3-years-shorter-than-intended-by-design/?source=Snapzu

Apple Says 'We Won't Make an Exception' for Epic Games in App Store Dispute

The battle royale continues between Epic Games and Apple. In a statement shared with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple said that "we won't make an exception for Epic because we don't think it's right to put their business interests ahead of the guidelines that protect our customers."
Read more: https://www.macrumors.com/2020/08/18/apple-wont-make-exception-for-epic-games/amp/#click=https://t.co/jLsphecw1F?source=Snapzu

Epic Games asks court to stop Apple pulling its developer tools next week

Epic Games has filed yet another lawsuit against Apple.
Read more: https://www.engadget.com/epic-fortnite-apple-lawsuit-developer-tools-190559744.html?source=Snapzu

Amazon investigated by German watchdog for abusing dominance during pandemic

Amazon is being investigated by the German Federal Cartel Office for allegedly abusing its market position during the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/17/amazon-germany-anticompetition.html?source=Snapzu

Epic’s Fortnite fight against Apple and Google is bigger than greed

It’s easy to roll your eyes at Epic Games’ “Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite” ad, which parodies a 1984 Apple commercial about the company’s fight against a monopoly. Can a gaming company valued at $17.3 billion really act like it’s an underdog sticking it to the man? Then again, the alternative — rooting for Apple — doesn’t seem much better. Apple is the most valuable company in the world; surely it can live with taking a smaller commission from products sold on its storefront.
Read more: https://www.polygon.com/2020/8/14/21368705/fortnite-lawsuit-apple-google-epic-games-tim-sweeney-indie?source=Snapzu

Scribd acquires SlideShare from LinkedIn

SlideShare has a new owner, with LinkedIn selling the presentation-sharing service to Scribd for an undisclosed price. According to LinkedIn, Scribd will take over operation of the SlideShare business on September 24.
Read more: https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/11/scribd-acquires-slideshare/?source=Snapzu

Amazon Liable For Defective Third-Party Products Rules CA Appellate Court

On Thursday, California’s 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana found that Amazon.com can now be held liable for injury for selling defective products from third party sellers in it’s online marketplace.
Read more: https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/amazon-liable-for-defective-third-party-products-rules-ca-appelate-court/?source=Snapzu

Amazon taking over empty J.C. Penney and Sears stores means the end of the mall: former retail CEO

Not so fast on thinking shiny new Amazon (AMZN) distribution centers plopped into vacant J.C. Penney and Sears stores across the country will save the Great American mall, says former long-time Sears Canada CEO Mark Cohen.
Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/amazon-taking-over-empty-jc-penney-stores-means-the-end-of-the-mall-former-retail-ceo-155616339.html?source=Snapzu

An endangered internet species: Firefox | ZDNet

Even with another infusion of cash from Google, you have to wonder just how long Firefox will survive as a viable, mainstream web browser.
Read more: https://www.zdnet.com/article/an-endangered-internet-species-firefox/?source=Snapzu

Trump orders ByteDance to divest from its U.S. TikTok business within 90 days

President Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday that will force China's ByteDance to sell or spin off its U.S. TikTok business within 90 days.
Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/14/president-trump-orders-bytedance-to-divest-from-its-us-tiktok-business-within-90-days.html?source=Snapzu

When Will Congress Act on Stimulus Payment?

After the failed talks of stimulus negotiators between the Republican and Democratic highest officials, Congress would reportedly act on the second round of the stimulus payment next month.
Read more: https://www.latinpost.com/articles/146872/20200814/when-will-congress-act-stimulus-payment.htm?source=Snapzu

Trillions in bad loans straining China’s banking system, regulator warns

Hidden bad loans threaten to wipe out bank profits and erode capital bases, especially at China’s small and regional banks that have come under fire for years of undisciplined balance sheet expansion and fraud.
Read more: https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3097229/chinas-top-bank-regulator-sees-surge-bad-loans-straining?source=Snapzu

Microsoft commits to three years of updates for the Surface Duo

Microsoft's Surface Duo will receive both security and OS updates for three years. Microsoft stated its commitment to updating the Surface Duo for three years to Android Authority. Microsoft had already committed to updating the Surface Duo regularly with both OS updates and security updates but hadn't specified how long the device would receive support.
Read more: https://www.windowscentral.com/surface-duo-will-receive-os-and-security-updates-three-years?source=Snapzu

How To Build An Enterprise App?

Large enterprises are bound to follow strict schedules to manage multiple tasks at one time. These enterprises are always on the lookout for saving time and extra expenses. The best way for enterprises to reach this goal is by developing a mobile enterprise app for their business.
Read more: https://www.rnftechnologies.com/blog/build-enterprise-mobile-app?source=Snapzu

Buying a House Without a Lot of Money

Are you interested in buying a home but don't have a significant income? Never fear with interest rates so attractive you could find yourself joining the ranks of homeownership to be easier than you originally thought.
Read more: https://snapzu.com/massrealty/buying-a-house-without-a-lot-of-money?source=Snapzu

Cord-Cutting Accelerates. Many Traditional Cable Networks Won’t Survive.

In the first quarter, subscriber counts for the cable, telco, and satellite-TV services fell at about an 8% annualized rate, accelerating from declines of 5.4% last year and 3.3% in 2018.
Read more: https://www.barrons.com/articles/cord-cutting-accelerates-many-traditional-cable-networks-wont-survive-51597249678?source=Snapzu

Homicides rise across US cities amid pandemic and economic crisis

As the United States struggles to contain the coronavirus pandemic and attendant economic disruption, another problem may be looming – murder rates have risen in many of America’s largest cities.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/12/us-stats-latest-pandemic-economic-crisis?source=Snapzu

Netflix Buys R.L. Stine’s ‘Fear Street’ Trilogy From Disney

Netflix has bought a trilogy of “Fear Street” movies, based on R.L. Stine’s teen horror series and directed by Leigh Janiak, from Disney. The three completed films were produced at Fox …
Read more: https://variety.com/2020/film/news/fear-street-netflix-r-l-stine-disney-1234732140/?source=Snapzu

Gene manipulation using algae could grow more crops with less water

Tobacco plants have been modified with a protein found in algae to improve their photosynthesis and increase growth, while using less water, in a new advance that could point the way to higher-yielding crops in a drought-afflicted future.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/10/gene-manipulation-using-algae-could-grow-more-crops-with-less-water?source=Snapzu

Mozilla is laying off 250 people and planning a ‘new focus’ on making money

"I desperately wish there was some other way."
Read more: https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/11/21363424/mozilla-layoffs-quarter-staff-250-people-new-revenue-focus?source=Snapzu

Disney has no Fox left to give as it renames TV studio to 20th Television

Disney is rebranding its TV studios
Read more: https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/10/21362271/disney-20th-century-fox-television-tv-studio-name-rebrand?source=Snapzu