News from the Edge

Business

Remote Control: Nike’s CEO John Donahoe claims that the company has been losing its edge because of remote work: “it’s really hard to do bold, disruptive innovation, to develop a boldly disruptive shoe on Zoom." Nike has been losing market share to emerging brands like On Running and Hoka, but as you’ll read below, the brand also has a tendency to be stuck in the male mindset. Nike isn’t the first company to blame remote work for a lack of innovation or profits (or cost of real estate). Both Jamie Dimon (CEO of JP Morgan) and Michael Bloomberg (former CEO of Bloomberg) have hinted that remote work has been “tragic” for the bottom line and for culture. In the end, we think it is actually about training workers how to be remote-first and communicate, but we could all use a little socializing as well.

Leggo my Lego: A sophisticated crime ring was dismantled in LA, after arresting suspects accused of stealing $300K worth of Legos. Yes, you read that right. The colorful bricks are a high value item on the black market. The crime syndicate targeted unique sets like the $500 Lord of the Rings Rivendell castle and the $170 Porsche 911 set, and then sold them to unsuspecting retail customers through legitimate looking online businesses. Maybe consider locking up your child’s toy box with your diamonds.

Tech Tug-of-War: The U.S.-China technology rivalry is heating up as China aims to cut American chip giants Intel and AMD out of its telecom networks by 2027. Beijing's push for local alternatives, driven by improved domestic chip quality and stability, will significantly impact the U.S. firms that have long dominated the global market. This move is just the latest in a series of tit-for-tat measures, with the U.S. restricting Chinese telecom equipment and limiting chip sales, while China encourages its government agencies and state-owned companies to favor homegrown CPUs. As the two nations continue to untangle their tech ecosystems, the global landscape is set for a major shake-up.

Technology

Second Brain Flop: Humane AI released its much anticipated AI Pin this month, and needless to say it didn’t go very well. The screenless AI device aims to replace smartphones, but its debut has been marred by bugs, slow performance, and inaccurate responses. During a promotional video, the AI Pin stumbled when asked about the solar eclipse and the protein content of almonds, raising doubts about its reliability. Critics have also questioned the practicality of the device's design, which projects text onto the user's hand and relies on gesture control, with some finding it uncomfortable and impractical. (We’d think a device pinned to our chest heating up to 104°F would be uncomfortable too.) The AI Pin's high price point (around $700) and additional costs for data plans and cloud storage have led experts to question whether AI hardware is a viable solution for the future, leaving many wondering if this ambitious wearable is truly a game-changer or just another overhyped gadget.

QA-ing AI: In the wild west of artificial intelligence, companies are unleashing their creations upon the unsuspecting public without any standardized testing or evaluation. The lack of reliable metrics has left consumers grappling with the daunting task of figuring out which AI system is the best fit for their needs, whether they're looking for the most realistic images or the snappiest computer code. As the AI arms race heats up, the consequences of this measurement problem are becoming increasingly clear: without reliable information, users are left to their own devices, struggling to effectively utilize these powerful tools, at least according to the New York Times. If you are willing to dig a little deeper, and experiment a little more, you can find the right tool for the right task (just ask us), and you can find the metrics. Yes, we don’t know how smart AI is, but we do know what they are good at; we think Kevin Roose was just asking the wrong questions.

Culture

Nike Cuts Deep: Nike unveiled its latest Olympic track and field uniforms for Team USA, and it seems to have forgotten that women’s bodies are front and center, and for all of the wrong reasons. The women’s uniform was a unique contrast to the men’s with its high-cut, 1980s-inspired leotard. It was slammed as sexist, drawing comparisons to the skimpy attire requirements in other sports like beach volleyball and gymnastics. Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix and other athletes have expressed their disappointment, fueling a broader conversation about the objectification of female athletes. Nike did have other choices for women athletes, but chose not to present them. Read them room, Nike.

Exclusion is the Art: If you are a woman, or a “handsome man under the age of 25,” we only have 28 days left to visit the Ladies Lounge at the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, Australia. The Lounge has been open since 2020 as performance art, “offering food and champagne amid an environment adorned with the most impressive artworks in the museum,” but admission is limited to women and young, male butlers. A male patron sued, and the court ruled it was discriminatory practices. The artist kept in character while presenting to the court, which we don’t think helped her case, but sure did up the entertainment factor. We’ll be interested to see if they close the exhibition or take it to the Supreme Court.

A Break from Reality: If you want to stumble upon a few minutes of delightful, educational content about the history of the Candy Land board game and the many incarnations of its boards, we’ve got you covered.

Death Comes Lifting: If on the other hand, you like a little macabre with your workouts, take a tour of a horror-themed gym, where you “enlist in an army of the undead,” and take classes like the Flexas Gainsaw Massacre.

Wine Revival: Ancient Romans were believed to have drunk “an inconsistent, poorly made and thoroughly unpleasant beverage,” but that long-held belief is now being challenged by a group of archeologists. By analyzing archaeological evidence, ancient texts, and winemaking procedures, researchers have discovered that Roman vintners employed sophisticated techniques such as oxidation to create wines with diverse colors, tastes, and aroma, which would have been most similar to today's orange wines.

Innovation or Lazy Upsell: We don’t know about you, but we love a good hardboiled egg as a quick snack after a workout or when we are just too lazy to cook anything else. And we’ve been buying the pre-packaged, pre-boiled eggs for years, as we hate the smell of sulfur (and yes, we are too lazy to cook our own). Apparently, this is an American innovation, as Germans can buy hardboiled eggs, but they have to peel them too. Who knew!

Wacky Wabbit for the Win: Guess we learned more than Opera from Bugs Bunny. Three sailors were actually rescued by the Coast Guard in the remote Pacific after spelling out “HELP” with palm leaves.

The New Boss: Because it is Coachella, and because we all need a little of Lenny Kravitz lifting weights in leather pants, just because.

@lennykravitz

Thank God for today! Grateful. Never been better. There are no shortcuts so seize your day. It is all possible. Love! #Human

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