Author: Bloomberg
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Amazon workers are listening to what you tell Alexa
Tens of millions of people use smart speakers and their voice software to play games, find music or trawl for trivia. Millions more are reluctant to invite the devices and their powerful microphones into their homes out of concern that someone might be listening. Sometimes, someone is. Amazon.com Inc. employs thousands of people around the…
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Tiffany’s $35,000 Watering Can Could Be Under Your Tree This Christmas
For the same price Tesla Inc. has long promised for its base Model 3 sedan, holiday shoppers this year can purchase a sterling silver and copper watering can from the luxury jeweler. Tiffany has also added to its Everyday Objects collection in recent months a limited-edition lantern ($20,000), a functional tape measure ($1,250) or a…
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Elon Musk: To avoid becoming like monkeys, humans must merge with machines
Elon Musk thinks it will be necessary for survival to upgrade human intelligence with an “electron to neuron interface.” In recent years, Elon Musk has become one of the most vocal critics of artificial intelligence, issuing numerous warnings about the threat that powerful machines pose to the future of mankind. Now the 47-year-old billionaire inventor…
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It’s time to consider SoftBank’s future without Saudi money
With the growing backlash against Saudi Arabia over the murder of government critic Jamal Khashoggi, SoftBank Group faces tough decisions in its relationship with the kingdom. Founder Masayoshi Son has had particularly close ties to Saudi Arabia ever since now-Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed to make Saudi’s Public Investment Fund the largest investor in…
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L3 and Harris agree to merge, creating $33.5 billion military technology giant
L3 Communications and Harris Corporation have agreed to merge in an all-stock deal, the two companies said Sunday, creating a $33.5 billion military technology company. The combined company will be called L3 Harris Technologies and will be based in Melbourne, Fla., the home of Harris Corp. Its 12-member board of directors will consist of six…
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U.S. retail sales top forecasts, bolstering economic pickup
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save U.S. retail sales rose in May by the most in six months, exceeding forecasts and bolstering expectations for an acceleration in economic growth this quarter. The value of overall sales advanced 0.8 percent from the…
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Germany scrambles to contain cyber attack on government systems
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Germany has yet to fully contain a cyber attack on the government’s computer networks, indicating the threat is more serious than initially thought. “The federal government is trying to get the situation under control,” Armin…
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With expectations low, retailers see victory on Black Friday
Brick-and-mortar retailers did enough things right on Black Friday to consider the event a success, even if the crowds of past years haven’t returned. Chains simplified promotions this year and took a keener eye to managing their inventory. At Wal-Mart , color-coded maps helped shoppers navigate the aisles. Retailers also made headway with their e-commerce…
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Wind and solar’s future hangs on taxes, not clean power plan
The Trump administration’s decision to end the Clean Power Plan may be deeply symbolic, but the battle that matters most for renewable energy will be over taxes. Wind and solar have been the fastest growing sources of electricity in the U.S. since 2014 as utilities closed a record number of aging coal-fired generators. That’s largely…
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Some of TV’s greatest hits headed to Hulu
The auction for reruns of “This is Us” began with the usual suspects. Streaming pioneer Netflix bid millions to offer NBC’s year-old hit, a multigenerational family drama. So did Amazon.com, the e-commerce giant with growing ambitions in online media. Yet the domestic streaming rights went to a newer buyer: Hulu, the rival service owned by…