Monday, 26 September 2022

Tech: Here's who’s at risk of layoffs

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10 THINGS IN TECH

Happy Monday, readers. Today marks the last week of September, so I have some critical news for you: You only have a few more days to watch some of your favorite shows before they disappear from Netflix. 

For me, this means I'll be binging "Schitt's Creek" before it vanishes and I inevitably slip into a deep sadness. Here's everything else you'll need to watch before it's gone.

I'm your host, Jordan Parker Erb. We've got a lot more to talk about today, so let's dive in.


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Layoffs

1. Who's most at risk during layoffs? Insider sat down with Chris Williams, Microsoft's former vice president of human resources, who shared the three types of workers who are most vulnerable during layoffs — and those who are safest.

  • Event planning or benefits employees: Activities that are considered luxuries, like generous benefits and perks, are some of the first things that companies cut when times get tight — and people who provide such services are at a higher risk of layoffs. 
  • Employees working on new initiatives: If the company recently decided to explore new lines of business or expand into new territories, these kinds of new initiatives are tenuous places to work, as they're often the first ones cut.
  • Contract workers: At the highest risk are contract employees, which companies use for this very contingency. They want to remain flexible in case of a downturn, and as such, contract employees are usually the first ones out.

Read Williams' advice and see who's safest here.


In other news:

Side-by-side image of Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk.

2. The man who tracks Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg's private jets said Facebook took down his page. 20-year-old Jack Sweeney, known for tracking Musk's jet, said Facebook removed his page because it violates the social media company's terms. Get the full rundown here.

3. Nike is racing to replicate Amazon's delivery speed. Amazon has gotten consumers accustomed to two-day deliveries — and now, Nike wants to catch up by connecting its complex network of stores, warehouses, and tech. Here's how Nike is working to compete on delivery speed.

4. Apple's "Dynamic Island" is now available for Android phones. Thanks to an Android developer, the iPhone 14 Pro's biggest new feature, the Dynamic Island, is now available for Android users through a copycat version on Google Play. What to know about the feature.

5. Hollywood streamers' typical fall "hiring boom" is much quieter this year. Recruiters and job-seeking execs said the job market has been uncharacteristically slow for streamers — but some positions, like data and tech jobs, are still hot. See where the jobs are now and when hiring will pick up again.

6. Scammers are using stolen credit card data to set up fake websites that charge a small monthly fee that you may never notice. For years, the scam has been charging victims for subscription fees for generic-sounding services. The fees are small enough to go undetected by victims — here's how to protect yourself.

7. Special interest groups representing Big Tech companies oppose possible crypto regulation in California. Cryptocurrency companies may soon be required to get a license to operate in the state, and industry groups representing Amazon, Apple, Meta, and other tech companies wrote to the state assembly opposing the law. A look at what that means.

8. Meet Netflix's head of accessibility. In an interview with Insider, Heather Dowdy described growing up with deaf parents, and how her experience shaped her job at Netflix, where she's tasked with making the platform more accessible to people with disabilities. Read more from our interview with Dowdy.


Odds and ends:

A Vivos shelter

9. Tech billionaires are buying luxury bunkers to prep for doomsday. According to a new book, some of the world's wealthiest people are buying bunkers — some of which have movie theaters, gardens, and wine vaults — in preparation for the collapse of society. See some of the shelters here.

10. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is the best foldable phone you can buy — but that doesn't mean you should. In a review of the phone, Insider's reporter found there's a lot to love about the new foldable phone, but there are a number of drawbacks, including its short battery life and usability challenges. Read the full review.


What we're watching today:


Keep updated with the latest tech news throughout your day by checking out The Refresh from Insider, a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. Listen here.


Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London.

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Friday, 23 September 2022

Tech: Amazon walks back raises after bug

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10 THINGS IN TECH

Summer is officially over. As we creep into fall, now's a good time to evaluate your time off: have you used your vacation days yet — or do you at least have plans to do so?

Our story on the efficacy of unlimited PTO is a good reminder to schedule the rest of your vacation days for the remainder of the year, and to take the time you need to avoid burning out.

We're looking at that and more today — but first, let's kick things off with the latest on Amazon compensation.

I'm your host, Jordan Parker Erb. Let's dive in.


If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.


Andy Jassy

1. Leaked email reveals that Amazon is walking back employees' raises. A software bug caused Amazon to overstate some corporate employees' raise packages, according to the email.

  • Many Amazon employees who just got promoted are finding out that their raise packages actually won't be as high as they thought, according to an email seen by Insider that was sent to managers on Thursday.
  • Per the email, the glitch caused Amazon to overstate bonuses for recently-promoted employees by relying on older, higher stock prices for Amazon shares. The glitch was fixed by the company on Tuesday.
  • The glitch comes amid an upswell of discontent over pay at Amazon. In response, Amazon nearly doubled its base pay cap and promised raises, but that wasn't enough to quell the gripes.

Read our exclusive report here.


In other news:

Messy work desk with an out of office message

2. Your company's offer of "unlimited" time off is basically a sham. In many cases, seemingly worker-friendly time-off policies don't help make work easier on employees. The result is a workforce that feels burnt out and unable to free themselves from their desks. What to know about unlimited PTO.

3. Former President Donald Trump's Facebook ban could be lifted as soon as January. Meta executive Nick Clegg said the company will be deciding whether or not to reinstate his account, and will base the decision on whether it poses a risk of "real world harm." More on that here.

4. Leaked documents show where Microsoft's new moonshot team is placing its bets. The team's first growth strategy plan, viewed by insider, reveals the group's desire to change Microsoft's image "from being viewed as a productivity vendor to a strategic cloud and mission-driven innovation provider." Everything we learned from the leaked documents.

5. Elon Musk says he and his brother have financially supported their father for years. In a tweet, Musk said he and his brother have bankrolled their 76-year-old father, Errol Musk, since he "ran out of money in the 90s." What we know about their relationship.

6. Netflix insiders reveal "contentious" debates over data and why some beloved shows don't get renewed.  Three former Netflix execs said the streamer's reliance on data is both a potent weapon and a "flawed science." How Netflix uses data to drive its creative decisions.

7. Twitter is looking for documents showing possible ties between Elon Musk and the whistleblower. Former Twitter exec turned whistleblower Peiter "Mudge" Zatko accused the company of lax security and other missteps during his time there. Now, Twitter wants to know if Zatko has had prior dealings with Musk. More on Twitter's search.

8. Tesla recalled more than a million cars over a fault with its automatic windows. According to a filing from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the automatic reversal system on some vehicles' windows might not work correctly if an obstruction gets in the way. Here's which Tesla models may be affected.


Odds and ends:

An astronaut inside ISS looking at Earth

9. An astronaut who spent a year in outer space describes what his days were like. After 355 days, Mark T. Vande Hei has returned from orbit aboard the International Space Station. In an interview with Insider, he said the experience still chokes him up. Read what it's like to live on the ISS. 

10. A YouTuber remotely crashed his car — to test out the iPhone 14's new crash-detection feature. YouTuber TechRax taped the phone to the back of the driver's seat. After a direct hit into junkyard vehicles, he found an alarm was going off from the phone, showing the feature works. More here.


The latest people moves in tech:


Keep updated with the latest tech news throughout your day by checking out The Refresh from Insider, a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. Listen here.


Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @jordanparkererb.) 

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Thursday, 22 September 2022

Tech: Amazon’s secret unit

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10 THINGS IN TECH

Happy Thursday, readers. Jordan Parker Erb here, reporting from New York and counting down the seconds until it's Friday.

Today, we're kicking things off with my colleague Eugene Kim's look at a (secret) new team at Amazon. Plus, to get us in the (luxury, extremely expensive, utterly unattainable) pre-weekend spirit: We're taking you inside late Microsoft founder Paul Allen's $90 million yacht.

Shall we?


If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.


Kara Swisher and Amazon President and CEO Andy Jassy speak onstage during Vox Media's 2022 Code Conference.

1. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is trying to fix the company's crumbling engineering culture. After internal complaints about a slowing engineering culture, Amazon has created a new unit that tackles "foundational pain points" raised by the company's frustrated developers.

  • According to leaked documents, Amazon formed the "Amazon Software Builder Experience" group to "focus on improving the experience of software builders across Amazon." To achieve that end, the team has six guiding principles.
  • Concern over Amazon losing its innovative "building" edge has come to a head in recent years, with many longtime executives responsible for the early growth of the company leaving for smaller startups or competitors. 
  • An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the existence of the ASBX team, saying it's part of an effort to maintain its speedy and entrepreneurial — or "Day 1"— culture. 
  • Some Amazon engineers have expressed that they're "overwhelmed" by mundane software upgrade work, manual testing and deployment, and hard-to-use developer tools.

Inside the new ASBX team. 


In other news:

Errol Musk, Elon's father.
2. Elon Musk's father, Errol, says the Tesla founder should have more children. During a recent call with Insider, Errol said his son "officially" has 10 children — and is supportive of Elon continuing to grow his family. If money's no object, Errol said, "why shouldn't you?" Read our exclusive interview here.

3. Speaking of children: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan are expecting their third child. The Meta CEO announced on Instagram: "Happy to share that Max and August are getting a new baby sister next year!" More here.

4. And speaking of Meta: The company is reportedly putting some workers onto a "30-day list" that gives them a month to find a new role within Meta — or leave. As per the Wall Street Journal, instead of terminating employees outright, Meta is giving some workers whose roles have been eliminated a month-long purgatory period to apply to different jobs. Check out the full report. 

5. The FTC rejected Amazon's bid to quash subpoenas ordering founder Jeff Bezos and CEO Andy Jassy to testify in a Prime investigation. The investigation centers around Amazon's allegedly misleading tactics around its sign-up and cancellation process for Prime and other subscription services. Read the full story here.

6. This commerce startup was born out of Apple's 2020 privacy changes — and raised a $12 million supergiant seed round. Fermat allows brands to embed shopping experiences directly in influencer content. Here's its 10-slide pitch deck. Plus, check out our searchable pitch deck database to see how other companies raised millions.

7. VCs share their picks for the most promising proptech startups of 2022. We asked top investors to name real-estate startups — both in their portfolios and companies they have no financial ties to — that they think are poised to succeed despite a housing market downturn. See their list of 21 nominees here. 

8. Tech companies are worried an aging Congress can't meet or even understand their demands. Making laws that affect tech can be complicated — and the sector has grown increasingly concerned about legislators who cling to their flip phones. Get the scoop here.


Odds and ends:

Fraser Yachts, Tatoosh

9. Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen's superyacht is on sale for $90 million. The boat, Tatoosh, will be featured at The Monaco Yacht show later this month. With two helicopter pads, a swimming pool, and a movie theater, the yacht can fit 19 guests in 11 rooms. See photos of Allen's ship — and others — here. 

10. These iOS 16 features can help you enhance your privacy and security. Using iOS 16, iPhone owners can now lock private photos and notes with Face ID biometric security, as well as implement a Safety Check to audit who has access to their data. Here are five other privacy settings in iOS 16. 


What we're watching today:


Keep updated with the latest tech news throughout your day by checking out The Refresh from Insider, a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. Listen here.


Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Lisa Ryan (tweet @lisarya) in New York and Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London.

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Wednesday, 21 September 2022

Tech: Why Twitter staff are fleeing

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10 THINGS IN TECH

It's Wednesday. I'm your host, Jordan Parker Erb. And you, reader, are in for lots of tech news. 

But first, with Climate Week underway here in New York City, I wanted to highlight a major project from Insider: Our inaugural Climate Action 30, a list of global leaders working toward climate solutions.

From social media influencers to startup execs, each honoree on the list shares the progress they're making to achieve their climate goals. It's a great mix of leaders — and well worth a read. Check it out here.

Now, let's get started.


If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.


Elon Musk.

1. Twitter is facing an exodus of hundreds of workers. Two months after Elon Musk declared his intent to acquire Twitter in a $44 billion deal, the billionaire spoke directly with employees at the company. During that meeting, Musk pitched his vision for the business. Since then, hundreds of staff have fled the social media giant. 

  • Musk's meeting with Twitter employees covered everything from aliens to layoffs, but did little to reassure workers, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Employees had already expressed frustration with the deal reached in April, and sources say around 100 workers left the company in the weeks that followed.
  • The trend of increased attrition only exacerbated as Musk and Twitter embarked on an ongoing legal battle. According to the Twitter workers, who asked not to be identified, the business saw a net loss of more than 700 full-time staff as of September. 
  • But the legal saga isn't over yet. Twitter is about to get its first chance to question Elon Musk under oath regarding his decision to back out of the deal. 

Why staff are leaving Twitter.


In other news:

An iPhone displaying the Audiobooks menu in the Spotify app, with a cartoon woman listening to music nearby.

2. Spotify is now offering audiobooks. As the company works to become a one-stop-shop for audio entertainment, Spotify has announced that it's launching a new audiobook feature, with over 300,000 titles already added. Here's everything you want to know. 

3. Pittsburgh tech workers on why they chose the lesser-known tech hub. Amid a market downturn, some tech workers in Pittsburgh told Insider they're happy to live in a low-cost area — and the sense of community there means they're not even tempted to move back to the major tech hubs. They describe life outside of Silicon Valley.

4. Starlink will request exemptions from Iran sanctions to provide internet services. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in a tweet that the company would "ask for an exemption to Iranian sanctions." His tweet comes on the heels of anti-government protests after a woman died in police custody. What we know so far.

5. A former VMware employee explains how they knew they had to leave. This former worker quit their dream job at VMware just 10 days after Broadcom announced its $61 billion plan to acquire the company. From uncertainty to sleepless nights, they explain why they left and what it taught them.

6. Mark Zuckerberg has lost $70 billion in net worth. The Meta CEO's net worth has plummeted 55% this year, bumping him down to 20th richest person in the world — far behind Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Why Zuckerberg's net worth is tanking.

7. How much are hot startups paying their employees? Insider analyzed data on Europe's biggest private tech firms with US operations to figure out how much startups like Revolut, Klarna, and Sorare offer their workers in the United States — and many are offering six-figure salaries. See how much some unicorns are paying top talent.

8. We got an early look at Chevrolet's electric Blazer. The Blazer EV SS, a sleek electric SUV, is packed with tech and promises to produce 557 horsepower, according to GM. Get a look at Chevy's $66,000 answer to the Ford Mustang Mach-E.


Odds and ends:

The Tesla Model Y.

9. Insider's reporter drove the Tesla Model Y — and found six reasons not to buy the EV. Impressive as it may be, the Model Y SUV isn't the perfect electric car for everyone, especially for anyone who is looking for uncomplicated physical controls. Why the Tesla may not be a perfect fit for everyone.

10. We tested the new iPhone 14 series. Here's what stood out. After a few days with the iPhone 14 models, Insider's reporter found that the Dynamic Island is a smart — albeit imperfect — addition, and that the always-on display is good, but it still needs work. Read the full review.


What we're watching today:


Keep updated with the latest tech news throughout your day by checking out The Refresh from Insider, a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. Listen here.


Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London.

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