Category: Latest News

In 2021, the eyewear market is a $115 billion industry.  This industry includes prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses, but also specialized eyewear for sports, workplace safety, and gaming.  Roughly 126 million Americans wear eyeglasses, and they pay an average of $576 a year for the privilege. New trends are popping up in the eyewear industry.  Consumers are purchasing eyeglasses more frequently than before.  COVID-19 has shifted customer needs to include blue-light filtering and light-adaptive contact lenses.  These innovations make it easier for people to take care of their eyes…

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Nat Friedman is stepping down as GitHub CEO with Thomas Dohmke replacing him. Friedman cofounded Xamarin and served as the company’s CEO before it was acquired by Microsoft. When Microsoft later acquired GitHub, Friedman moved over to helm the new acquisition. In a post Wednesday, Friedman said he is stepping down as CEO to go back to startup roots. He will retain the title of Chairman Emeritus. I’m moving on to my next adventure, and Thomas Dohmke (currently Chief Product Officer) will be GitHub’s next CEO. I will become Chairman Emeritus, which…

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Apple’s Craig Federighi has been selected as the keynote speaker for the Web Summit 2021 next week. Federighi is Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering, and a staple of the company’s WWDC and product-reveal events. Given his role overseeing Apple’s software, he’s a natural fit for the Web Summit 2021 keynote on user privacy and security. The conference’s website was updated with the announcement: Apple’s SVP of software engineering, Craig Federighi, delivers a keynote address on user privacy and product security.

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Bitcoin reached an all-time high Wednesday, crossing the $66,000 threshold and blowing past the previous high of $64,889 in April. Bitcoin is the most well-known and most-valuable cryptocurrency. Like the entire crypto market, it has had its ups and downs over the last few months. Threats of regulation, a ban in China and concerns over the environmental impact of mining have all taken a toll on the price. As CoinDesk points out, the latest rally is likely being driven by “the launch of the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF, the first exchange-traded fund approved by…

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General Motors plans to double its annual revenue by 2030, a far cry from the semiconductor woes the auto industry is currently dealing with. The semiconductor crisis has been taking a major toll on the auto industry. GM recently had to shut down the majority of its US plants, as a result of the shortage, and many other automakers have taken similar measures. Despite the current challenges, GM sees a rosy future ahead, with plans to double its annual revenue by 2030. Much of those plans revolve around the transition to electric…

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United Airlines is taking a zero-tolerance policy toward the unvaccinated, with plans to fire employees who refuse to get the jab. Companies around the world are rolling out mandates, requiring their employees to get vaccinated in order to return to work. Many companies are especially emphasizing mandates for employees that travel, given their increased risk of exposure. United Airlines told Reuters that some 593 of its employees are at risk of being fired over refusing to comply with the mandate. The company had set a deadline of September 27, and will start…

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Volkswagen’s truck unit, Traton Group, is taking chips from unfinished vehicles to finish others, a new indication of the impact of the semiconductor shortage. The semiconductor industry has been reeling as a result of the global pandemic. Early shutdowns and lockdowns interrupted production, while demand for laptops, tablets and gaming rigs skyrocketed. The auto industry has been particularly hard-hit, with multiple manufacturers slowing or halting production, or shipping vehicles without their full complement of fuel economy chips. In the case of the Traton Group, a Volkswagen subsidiary, the company is pulling…

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Microsoft has shared a number of insights about how remote work has become the “new normal,” and updated several apps to reflect that. Like many companies, Microsoft was working to bring employees back into the office starting in October. With the surge in Delta cases, however, the company is not only pushing back its return to the office date, but is no longer projecting a new target. Instead, according to Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President for Modern Work, the company recognizes “our ability to come together will ebb and flow,” and will…

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Google has pushed its return to the office date back again, just weeks after a previous delay. Several weeks ago Google pushed its return date from September to mid-October as a result of the Delta COVID variant. Delta has been a responsible for a surge in cases worldwide, and led to “breakthrough” cases in vaccinated individuals. The company has now informed employees they will not be required in the office till at least January 10, according to The New York Times. CEO Sundar Pichai let employees know in an email. He said that…

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Walmart is launching Walmart GoLocal, its delivery as a service aimed at helping businesses deliver to their customers. Walmart already has a delivery service for its own customers, but the company sees an opportunity to help other companies do the same. The company has launched Walmart GoLocal to address the delivery needs of a variety of companies. “In an era where customers have come to expect speed and reliability, it’s more important than ever for businesses to work with a service provider that understands a merchant’s needs,” said John Furner,…

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