In 2022, a Starbucks executive said the open door policy might end, owing to safety issues from people with mental health problems
Category: Consumer
Posted inConsumer
‘Take my data’: US ‘TikTok refugees’ flock to alternative Chinese app
Another Chinese app, Xiaohongshu, has surged to the top. The hashtag ‘tiktokrefugee’ had more than 100 million views on the app this week
Posted inTech
Smart glasses enter new era with sleeker designs, lower prices
Live translation, GPS, cameras: hi-tech glasses are quickly adopting new functionalities — and becoming a highly competitive market
Posted inConsumer
Global study on spending reveals keys to happiness
Study participants were each given $10,000 to spend as they chose. These are the spending decisions that made them happiest
Posted inTech
Beyond step counting: wearable tech promises medical-grade data
Some new cutting-edge features in wearable tech include a complete analysis of cardiac activity and continuously measuring blood sugar levels
Posted inConsumer
Top brands bought cotton grown by children in India: report
Indian law prohibits children under 14 from working in most cases. But lax enforcement and poverty means more than 10 million children work
Posted inConsumer
TVs get smarter as makers cater to AI lifestyles
TV titans are inching their new screens toward being digital assistants capable of chatting with users and other devices in homes
Posted inEnergy & Environment
‘Lost year’: Germany electric car sales go into reverse
After years of growth, demand for battery-powered cars lost momentum as the German economy has struggled and key subsidies were withdrawn
Posted inConsumer
NYC starts driver congestion charging despite opposition
New York City has set a precedent in a country where the car is king by enacting a congestion charge that has faced significant opposition
Posted inConsumer
World food prices dip 2% in 2024: FAO
Commodity prices declined in 2024 — but they remain considerable higher than before the pandemic