Apple Vision Pro reviews are in: Here are 8 key takeaways | Mashable

February 1, 2024January 31, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Apple’s Vision Pro could very well be the most important new product Apple will launch this decade. It’s a whole new product category for Apple, with a new, accompanying software platform called visionOS and an app ecosystem to match.

It’s no wonder, then, that Apple has been extremely careful about how it handles this launch. The company invited only a handful of journalists for in-person briefings, and handed out review units to an even smaller group of people, whose embargoes for the review lifted on Tuesday.

The resulting reviews paint a (very) cautiously optimistic picture of the Vision Pro’s future. All of the reviewers praise the tech – CNET’s Scott Stein calls it a “mind-blowing look at an unfinished future,” while The Verge’s Nilay Patel calls it “magic,” but warns that “the technology to build a true optical AR display that works well enough to replace an everyday computer just isn’t there yet.”

Judge strikes down Elon Musk’s massive, multi-billion-dollar pay package | CNN Business

January 31, 2024January 30, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A Delaware state court judge has thrown out the 2018 pay package that helped to make Tesla CEO Elon Musk one of the richest people in the world.

Delaware Chancery Court Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick, who oversaw the bench trial that concluded in November 2022, ruled Tuesday that Musk and the Tesla board “bore the burden of proving that the compensation plan was fair, and they failed to meet their burden.”

The 303 million split-adjusted stock options that Musk had received as part of the package are worth $51 billion today, when calculated using Tuesday’s closing price, less the modest exercise price of $23.34 a share.

The case was argued in Delaware, where Tesla and many other major US corporations are incorporated. While Musk did not have an immediate comment on the decision, he did tweet Tuesday, “Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware.”

NY AG sues Citibank for failing to protect customers from fraud | CNN Business

January 31, 2024January 30, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Citibank on Tuesday, alleging the big bank failed to do enough to protect and reimburse victims of fraud.

The lawsuit argues that New York customers lost millions of dollars — in some cases their entire life savings — to scammers and hackers because of Citi’s weak security and anti-fraud measures.

According to the NY AG, Citi does not do enough to prevent unauthorized account takeovers, illegally refuses to reimburse fraud victims, and “misleads” customers about their rights after their accounts are hacked.

90,000-year-old human footprints found on a Moroccan beach are some of the oldest and best preserved in the world | Live Science

January 30, 2024January 29, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Two trails of ancient human footprints pressed into a beach in Morocco form one of the largest and best-preserved trackways in the world.

Researchers happened upon the footprint site near the northern tip of North Africa in 2022 while studying boulders at a nearby pocket beach, according to a study published Jan. 23 in the journal Scientific Reports.

“Between tides, I said to my team that we should go north to explore another beach,” study lead author Mouncef Sedrati, an associate professor of coastal dynamics and geomorphology at the University of Southern Brittany in France, told Live Science. “We were surprised to find the first print. At first, we weren’t convinced it was a footprint, but then we found more of the trackway.”

The moon is shrinking, causing landslides and moonquakes exactly where NASA wants to build its 1st lunar colony | Live Science

January 30, 2024January 29, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

When plotting sites for crewed lunar landings — ranging from the forthcoming Artemis missions to eventual lasting moon settlements — mission planners must account for tons of lunar parameters. For instance, the shape of the terrain could make or break a mission and a possible high volume of buried water could make one spot much more tantalizing than its drier counterpart. But now, geologists suggest it’s also important to keep moonquakes and lunar landslides in mind.

As the scientists emphasize, this is no longer an academic question. Researchers examining the moon’s south polar region — which sits near the planned landing side of Artemis 3, set to touch down in 2026 — have identified fault lines whose slips triggered a major moonquake about 50 years ago.

Unhappy at Work? Quiet Quitting Costs US $1.9 Trillion in Productivity | Bloomberg

January 29, 2024January 28, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Disgruntled employees cost US companies an estimated $1.9 trillion in lost productivity last year, according to research from Gallup that puts a price tag on workplace unhappiness.

That eye-popping figure stems from more Americans feeling detached from their employers in the aftermath of the pandemic. A measure of engagement from Gallup’s surveys had been steadily rising for a decade, but peaked in 2020. The disruption of the past few years reduced satisfaction in the workplace, with more employees saying they don’t clearly know what’s expected of them — a symptom that reduces engagement.

IRS Issues Guidance on Emergency Savings Accounts for Employees |Small Biz Trends

January 26, 2024January 25, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released initial guidance to assist employers in implementing pension-linked emergency savings accounts (PLESAs). This development follows the authorization of PLESAs under the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022, aimed at encouraging employees to save for financial emergencies.

Key Features of PLESAs

Eligibility and Contributions: Employees eligible to participate in an employer’s defined contribution plan can contribute to a PLESA, even if they do not participate in the main plan. Employers may start offering PLESAs in plan years beginning after December 31, 2023.
Contribution Match: Employers can match PLESA contributions at the same rate as those made to the linked defined contribution plan, subject to certain restrictions.
Maximum Balance: The maximum balance in a PLESA is generally capped at $2,500, although employers have the discretion to set a lower limit

Treasury and IRS Delay Reporting Requirements for Digital Asset Transactions | Small Biz Trends

January 26, 2024January 25, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have announced a transitional phase in the implementation of new reporting rules for small businesses dealing with digital assets. This move grants temporary relief to businesses from the stringent reporting requirements for certain transactions involving digital assets.

The Treasury and IRS have issued Announcement 2024-4PDF, which specifies that businesses are not required to report the receipt of digital assets in the same manner as cash transactions exceeding $10,000. This guidance comes as part of the transitional measures while the Treasury and IRS work on implementing new provisions established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act revised existing rules, equating digital assets with cash for reporting purposes. However, this particular provision requires the Treasury and the IRS to issue specific regulations before it becomes effective.

What to Consider Before Starting a Restaurant | Business

January 25, 2024January 24, 2024 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The restaurant industry is vast, with plenty of profit to go around. However, if you own a restaurant, you must consider many factors, including its location, menu, and hours of operation. You also have to create a solid business plan that outlines how you plan to be successful and includes research on your potential competitors.

Here’s what to keep in mind before you launch your new restaurant business, along with the software and services that can help you achieve your goals.