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Valve is No. 37 on Fast Company’s list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2023 . Explore the full list of companies that are reshaping industries and culture. Valve’s Steam Deck is more than just a beefed-up Nintendo Switch alternative. It’s also a counterpoint to the closed platforms that have come to define modern consumer electronics, and a way to upend traditional consoles by making PC gaming more accessible. The handheld costs more than a Switch at $399, but it’s better-equipped to play the latest games at higher quality, and it draws on Valve’s wildly popular PC storefront to offer a vast game selection. Even so, Valve doesn’t limit users to the Steam catalog. Through a built-in Linux-based desktop mode, the Steam Deck supports installing all kinds of other applications, from web browsers and classic emulators to such rival game marketplaces as the Epic Games Store. Users can also tweak the system’s theme, sounds, and boot-up animations, and they … [Read more...] about Valve’s Steam Deck is letting gamers hold the future of open platforms in their hands

A good product will win you customers, but it takes a lot more to create, cultivate, and keep true, actual fans. The magic word for most is community, and the brands here, being honored as part of Brands That Matter 2022, have found ways to foster and excite growing communities around them. Decades-old brands, including Fender guitars and Magic: The Gathering, are using new content to stay relevant. For Fender, this past year was about building a content hub full of tools for the millions of new people who started to play over the past few years as a COVID-19-lockdown-induced new hobby. Magic: The Gathering has leaned into celebrating a more diverse set of players with its direct-to-consumer platform, Secret Lair. Meanwhile, three-year-old wrestling upstart All Elite Wrestling has taken on a Goliath by showing a different side of its diverse lineup of stars. Here are the brands making the most of fun and fandom: All Elite Wrestling As discussions around mental … [Read more...] about These 6 brands are growing by letting fans pursue their passions

Ultima Genomics is No. 33 on Fast Company’s list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2023 . Explore the full list of companies that are reshaping industries and culture. After nearly six years in stealth mode, in May 2022, Ultima Genomics stunned the scientific community with the announcement of a breakthrough in DNA sequencing: a $100 genome, a sixfold reduction in cost over existing technologies and a staggering reduction from the cost of the first fully sequenced human genome, which is estimated to have been between $500 million and $1 billion. Ever since biotech company Illumina developed a way to sequence the human genome in 2014 for less than $1,000, it has dominated the next-gen sequencing field and the cost of sequencing a full human genome has hovered around that price point. Only in 2022 did the going price dip to about $600—still a high price that Ultima founder and CEO Gilad Almogy says is hindering more widespread use of sequencing to understand … [Read more...] about The $100 genome has been a biotech holy grail for decades. This company made it a reality

As a Black woman in an industry—wellness—that’s overwhelmingly white, I know what it’s like to be in classes or scrolling social media accounts that weren’t created with me in mind. Genuine care requires us to clarify where we’re focusing our attention, which allows us to have realistic expectations about impact and accountability. I know that there are ways I can better advocate for myself, and I also know that I live within societal and cultural ecosystems designed not to hear me as a Black woman. Self-care helps us cope with our present external realities, but it won’t always directly change them. As BIPOC leaders, we face unique challenges. Here are some ways to care for yourself amidst those challenges. Ditch the perfectionism The more marginalized identities you have, the more you’ll likely grapple with perfectionism, because we’re socialized to believe that the norm, and those who lead it, look and operate differently than us. For many of us who are … [Read more...] about Self-care isn’t enough. 3 ways BIPOC leaders can combat burnout

Refilling the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve may take years, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said this week, reversing plans the Biden administration announced late last year to repurchase at lower prices oil it sold from the reserve in 2022. However, the relatively limited size of the planned repurchases in proportion to global oil demand makes assessing the impact on U.S. crude oil markets somewhat difficult—especially amid current global economic trends and geopolitical challenges. KEY TAKEAWAYS U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said this week it may take years for the government to replenish its Strategic Petroleum Reserve. It's a reversal of plans the government announced last year to repurchase oil it sold from the reserve at lower prices. Current global economic concerns and geopolitical conditions, however, present challenges in assessing the market impact of the decision. Granholm told a House panel Thursday that the U.S. likely would not … [Read more...] about US to Take Years to Refill Its Strategic Petroleum Reserve

PLANTITA Flor Tarriela, a corporate leader, ex-banker, gardening aficionado —Flor’s Garden website Having made strides in the corporate world for over three decades, Flor Gozon-Tarriela proves that a woman can earn and hold her seat at the table dominated by men. She was recently installed as lead independent director at local mining giant Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC), one of two female directors on the board who are able to offer truly impartial and independent insights when it comes to decision-making. Tarriela is joined by Maria Patricia Riingen, another female trailblazer who had held various executive positions at Western Union, Asian Development Bank and Citibank N.A. “Mining is actually close to my heart. My father (Benjamin M. Gozon) used to be the director for the Bureau of Mines for 14 years before he became the secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources,” says Tarriela. “I look at NAC and it’s doing very well, it’s very progressive,” she adds. … [Read more...] about Tarriela earns her seat at the table

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Despite ongoing silent runs on the Regional and Community Banks, it appears that both Fed Chair Powell and Treasury Secretary Yellen view the events of the recent past (SVB VB , Signature Bank, First Republic, Credit Suisse, and now Deutsche Bank) as one-off events and not symptomatic of stress in the world’s financial system. The dictionary defines “obtuse” as “annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.” We can’t think of anything more precise! The chart at the top shows the continued decline in the value of S&P’s Regional Banking ETF through the close of business on Friday (March 24 th ). On Wednesday, the Fed raised interest rates 25 basis points despite liquidity issues in the banking system and the apparent loss of confidence in that system by a significant portion of the public. During his press conference, Powell acknowledged some FOMC concerns over banking issues, said that they had considered a "pause,” … [Read more...] about Obtuse: The Fed & Treasury View Of Banking Issues

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin It’s been nearly two years since Jose Ramirez was at the top of the 140-pound weight division, holding two junior welterweight world titles and fighting for the undisputed championship. Since losing to Josh Taylor and falling out of the championship picture, though, Ramirez has been a relatively forgotten fixture at junior welterweight. On Saturday, against former titlist Richard Commey, Ramirez looks to make fans remember why he was once one of the best at 140 pounds. Here’s everything you need to know about Jose Ramirez vs. Richard Commey, including the odds, their records and a prediction on who will win. Before he faced Taylor, Ramirez was one of the elite in the division, especially when he knocked out Maurice Hooker in 2019 to unify two of the titles. Though his performances can be a little inconsistent, his skills and his aggression have served him well. But he’s 30 years old now, and he’s only fought 12 rounds in the … [Read more...] about Jose Ramirez Vs. Richard Commey: Odds, Records, Prediction

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin If the Dallas Mavericks aren’t at rock bottom, they are not far from it. The lowly, lottery-bound and shorthanded Charlotte Hornets walked into the American Airlines Center in Dallas and pummeled the Mavericks on Friday night. They left with a 117-109 win in a must-win game for Dallas. The loss to the Hornets sucked the air out of the room for a struggling Mavericks team. Dallas now finds itself outside the playoff picture looking in with eight regular season games remaining. The desperate reality of their situation is becoming a heavy burden to bear. “It’s really frustrating,” Luka Doncic said. “I think you can see it with me on the court. Sometimes, I don’t feel it’s me. I’m just being out there. I used to have fun smiling on the court, but it’s been so frustrating for a lot of reasons — not just basketball.” For his part, Doncic did what he could in the box score. He tallied 34 points, 10 rebounds and eight … [Read more...] about Dallas Mavericks Fall Out Of Playoff Seeding With Loss To Charlotte Hornets

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin When Brentford FC manager Thomas Frank finally broke his silence about the potential for star striker Ivan Toney to be hit with a lengthy ban he didn’t hold back. Toney pleaded guilty to 232 alleged breaches of rules related to gambling earlier this month and there is speculation the Football Association will deliver a severe punishment. Anti-gambling charities have highlighted the irony in Toney being reprimanded for indulging in a pastime soccer actively promotes. “If you force young people to endorse addictive products, don’t be surprised if they use them,” one organization, The Big Step, tweeted alongside a picture of Toney wearing different shirts emblazoned with gambling logos and player of the month trophies sponsored by betting firms. Amongst the images was a photo of Toney in the current Brentford FC home shirt which carries the ‘Hollywood Bets’ logo. And, when handling the topic of Toney’s ban, it … [Read more...] about Brentford FC Coach Thomas Frank’s Gambling Blindspot