Black Friday, the ultimate American consumerist holiday, has in recent years been exported to the rest of the world. In the UK, department store John Lewis had the busiest single hour in online sales ever during last year’s shopping frenzy. Amazon France, meanwhile, is offering deals just like its US counterpart.But nowhere is the globalization of Black Friday more evident than on Instagram. A...

US banks are placing strategic bets across lending, payments, capital markets, data analytics, and blockchain.In 2018 (YTD 11/21), the top 11 US banks by assets participated in a total of 49 equity rounds to fintech startups. This compares to 19 in 2017 and 33 in 2016.Today, US banks are involved in more fintech rounds for two main reasons: high-upside returns and strategic partnerships.In some...

Around 50 percent of the material used in the upper comes from recycled coffee grinds, coffee beans and coffee plants.It's not just big names in footwear like Adidas, Reebok and Puma that have been making strides to attract eco-conscious consumers of late, a new company launched last year to market shoes made from algae and a UK startup Rothy knitted its shoes from yarn made from recycled bottl...

When Americans started celebrating Thanksgiving in the 19th century, it was about cherishing the blessings of the year, particularly the year’s harvest. These days however, it appears as if many people spend the holiday thinking about what they might need rather than what they already have. Over the past few years, Thanksgiving weekend has grown to become a huge shopping extravaganza both on-...

A clock serves as an indication of whether you’re on time, early, or running late. The clock practically guides you through your day, directing your life, but the Life Clock by Gyeonggido Company & SWNA design studio does much more. Designed as a disaster survival kit, this clock can practically save lives by allowing you to be prepared during a disaster. The clock comes with a hollow inte...

Google's idea would cancel out walking locomotion with motorized roller skates.If virtual reality is ever going to become the immersive, holodeck-style platform that we all dream of, someone is going to have to figure out locomotion. Today, you can strap on a Vive or Oculus headset and more or less be visually transported to a virtual world, but the reality of, well, reality, means you can usua...

Computers aren’t going to replace creative pros — but machine learning and artificial intelligence can be powerful tools in the storytelling process.That’s the takeaway from Lexus’ newest ad, which it’s billing as the advertising industry’s first commercial scripted by artificial intelligence. The 60-second spot was directed by Oscar-winner Kevin Macdonald, working from a script that was...

How do Americans spend their 24 hours each day? Data from the American Time Use Survey illuminates what Americans tend to do with their time, offering valuable insights to policymakers, economists, and businesses.HOW much sleep does the average American get each day? How much time do Americans typically spend at work and at play—and when at play, what do they do? Intrusive as these questions m...

Walmart has created an online Walmart Toy Lab, described as a "digital playground," where kids can use home computers or tablets to access and play with 20 of the toys on the retailer’s Top Rated by Kids list, according to a Walmart press release.To enable the online experience, Walmart has partnered with interactive video entertainment provider Eko. By using an online "Funtroller," kids can s...