One of Intel’s Ex-CEOs May Be Right that Breaking Up Intel Is a Bad Idea

Intel is planning to break itself up, something that the most recent ex-CEO, Pat Gelsinger, disagreed with, which is why he is the latest ex-CEO. Craig Barrett was the Intel CEO directly after Andy Grove, and he has gone public with his view that breaking up Intel is not only a bad idea, but having Gelsinger step down wasn’t smart either. Many Intel employees, existing and ex, also feel that Intel’s board stumbled with their two moves, and there is a decent chance that they are right. 

Let me walk you through it.

Breaking Up a Company

There are monetary advantages to breaking up a company, but they often tend to be tactical and leave the company much weaker than it was. For instance, the breakup of HP resulted in two companies, neither of which had the span of Lenovo or Dell (HP’s primary computing competitors), leaving the companies far weaker than they were as a contiguous unit. Tactically, the market liked the move, but strategically, the firms struggle with their now much larger enterprise competitors (and the way the breakup was done, both firms really don’t want to get together again now). 

IBM has spun out a lot of businesses, and that made the company far smaller and weaker. You could argue it may be more agile, but it is far from its once dominant status, and there is no clear path to getting that back. For a firm that once ruled the tech sector, IBM remains a shadow of what it once was. Part of that is because few people see the brand anymore, while at its peak, there were desktop products, copiers and even phones with the IBM logo on them. Granted, the phone thing didn’t work out very well, but that unit was an acquisition that was misunderstood and thus mismanaged, and in IBM’s defense, AT&T made a nearly identical mistake with NCR.

What Intel is contemplating is spinning out manufacturing, something that IBM did with IBM Microelectronics, and AMD did (AMD’s highly rated CEO is out of IBM Microelectronics and thus IBM lost the benefit of her employment when they spun out that entity). When you spin out a major portion of a company, there is a ton of unanticipated collateral damage, and I doubt the manufacturing side of Intel can survive, let alone flourish, as an independent entity. It would need to be sold to someone like TSMC, but that would increase TSMC’s competitiveness because TSMC is a Taiwanese company and reduce Intel’s as a result. And should China take Taiwan, then these massive plants, critical to U.S. defense, would be disrupted if not destroyed and leave the U.S. and U.S. tech, automotive, aerospace and defense companies at very high risk of not being able to get or replace critical parts. 

Firing a CEO

Firing a CEO for bad behavior like Intel did with Brian Krzanich strengthens the firm, but both when Paul Ottolini and Pat Gelsinger were fired, it was not because they weren’t performing. It was because the board felt strongly that Intel was going in the wrong direction and the CEOs likely did, because they were closer to the problems, know best. The trigger for firing Ottolini was that the board wanted Intel to go into smartphones, something Intel tried and failed spectacularly at. Ottolini was right. Intel wasn’t set up to go into that market, and while he was set up by Brian Krzanich, the end result was a significantly weakened Intel. 

I think the trigger for getting rid of Gelsinger was likely Biden losing the U.S. election and the very real threat that not only would Trump kill the Chips Act (something he lacks support for), but that he would aggressively move against Intel (given Intel’s strategic nature, I doubt he’d have broad support for that either). President Trump is aggressively working to destroy any and all accomplishments Biden made, so I understand the board’s concern. 

However, there are protections that Intel could have used, and it could have moved Gelsinger to an Executive Chairman position and had another person be the figurehead CEO, creating the impression that Gelsinger was no longer there even though he’d still be running the company. But Gelsinger weakened marketing during his tenure, and to make this work, marketing needed to be extremely strong. So, I think the better path, rather than firing Gelsinger, would have been to restore marketing to something closer to what it was in Andy Grove’s time and give Intel’s CMO the kind of support that Dennis Carter enjoyed. 

Getting rid of Gelsinger just created a power vacuum, and putting in place two temporary CEOs will make it very hard for intel to come up with a company-wide vision, let alone execute it (Intel also needs a real CTO). In other words, strengthen Intel’s defense and make it more like Grove’s Intel rather than shooting the guy who had been, up until the U.S. election, executing well. There may have been pressure because of the massive Intel shareholder lawsuit, but Intel just won that, making this concern moot; nice work Intel legal.  

Wrapping Up: I Agree with Barrett

When Craig Barrett was CEO, I didn’t agree with him a lot, but he was innovative, he loved Intel and he knew the company about as well as any C-level executive could. I think he has it right. Breaking up Intel will significantly weaken the company, and moving from Gelsinger to a shared CEO solution will make it hard to come up with and execute a company-wide vision. Sadly, Intel isn’t alone with regard to boards thinking tactically rather than strategically. I see the threat Intel’s tying to avoid, but by going down this path, it’s likely to critically weaken not only Intel but the U.S. in general, and I don’t think that is wise at all. 

Intel’s board needs to rethink this path because there is a decent chance, given how competitive the market is and how rapidly China is advancing in this space, that the path it’s on will result in a massively weakened Intel. 

Refonte Learning: Is Data Analytics a Lucrative Industry?

Refonte Learning supports individuals keen on pursuing a career in the digital realm, helping them to build knowledge and gain the practical skills necessary to succeed in the digital world. Refonte Learning’s flexible learning options focus on real-world application through internships and projects, enabling students to tailor their education to their specific career aspirations while simultaneously providing them with valuable international exposure. This article will focus on careers in data analytics, a field that has emerged as a cornerstone of modern business strategy, paving the way for smarter decision-making and driving innovation across industries. 

Demand for data analysts and related professionals has skyrocketed in recent years. For those with aspirations of entering the industry or advancing in this dynamic field, understanding potential earning power and salary trends is essential. 

With surging demand for data-driven professionals across various industries today, scope exists for workers to command impressive salaries. From entry-level data analysts to senior-level data architects and machine learning engineers, significant potential currently exists across a wide range of high-impact roles. 

According to LinkedIn’s Salary Snapshot 2024: Data Analytics & Emerging Tech Roles report, an entry-level data analyst can expect to start their career earning anywhere between $70,000 to $90,000, rising to $120,000 to $145,000 at a senior level. For data scientists, the earning potential is even greater, starting at $90,000 to $110,000, rising to $150,000 to $185,000 at senior level. The position of data architect currently ranks at the highest paid role, on average, with entry-level data architects earning $110,000 to $130,000, with the potential to earn up to $200,000 annually at a senior level. 

Data analytics is an increasingly important part of the business world for several key reasons. While a successful business may rely on human intuition, data analytics is an indispensable component of success, enabling leadership to make informed decisions that benefit their company by examining non-biased raw data. A process that involves cleaning, interpreting and converting data into actionable insights, data analytics involves detecting patterns, relationships and gaps, joining the dots between everything from customer browsing activities to gauging the success of marketing campaigns. 

Data analysts work hand in glove with business analysts, collaborating to create actionable insights to improve operational performance and commercial success. Data analytics takes speculation out of business decisions, providing actionable insights that enable business leaders to pinpoint and mitigate risk, predict future outcomes and identify untapped opportunities. In terms of customer understanding and personalization, data analytics is an incredibly powerful tool, enabling companies to cultivate stronger relationships with their customers by improving products and enhancing customer experiences. 

In terms of budgeting and tracking financial performance, data analytics is a particularly powerful tool, providing an evidence-based, holistic view of company performance and flagging up any potential areas for improvement. Costs, revenues, payroll and net income can all be analyzed to craft a sustainable budget with the ultimate objective of maximizing profits. In addition to enabling businesses to forecast opportunities and trends and position themselves for sustained growth and success, data analytics also plays a crucial role in security and fraud detection. Businesses are increasingly leveraging fraud data analytics to minimize vulnerabilities, anticipate risks, detect suspicious activity, and safeguard themselves and their customers against bad actors. 

Thanks to emerging, innovative technologies and ever-increasing investment in providing customers with personalized products and experiences, opportunities in data analytics continue to grow at a dizzying pace. Refonte Learning provides students with worldwide training and internship prospects, presenting business-oriented programs that involve undertaking actual industry projects with professionals. With operations across the EU, UK, USA, Canada, India, Russia, Australia and the UAE, the organization has expanded its activities considerably over the last four years, enabling students all over the world to achieve practical proficiency before embarking on their careers. 

Qualcomm Launches Dragonwing Brand: Doing Branding Right

I have several degrees in marketing and worked in marketing for years as a marketing director and as a member of IBM marketing during the time IBM was led by a marketing-oriented CEO, Louis Gerstner. I generally comment on someone doing something stupid with branding, like changing the font or icon related to the brand for no material reason. 

But Qualcomm just launched Dragonwing, which consists of a lot of things that have nothing to do with Cell phones but a lot to do with AI and IoT, and surprisingly, the effort makes a lot of sense and appears well executed. This isn’t a subtle jab at Qualcomm but at the lack of branding competence in the industry in general which tends to be a mess of names that are unpronounceable, unrememberable, and mostly forgettable. Dragonwing is a breath of fresh air.  

Let’s talk about branding this week.

What Is a Brand?

Basically, a brand represents a product or business’s identity broadly. The audience for a brand includes customers, investors, partners and employees. All must be considered when launching or changing a brand. This typically makes the job of the poor marketing person extremely difficult. I did brand work at IBM for a short time and came up with the rule “the only thing everyone will agree on when it comes to a new brand is that the person that came up with it is an idiot.” The group of people that has to like the brand is very diverse, making it nearly impossible to get a new brand approved. Then you have the problem of copyrights. Brands can be copyrighted, and if you don’t clear the copyright, you open yourself up to litigation. 

Getting Through Approvals

Apple ran into this with the iPhone because Cisco already had a product in market with that name. That created what appeared to be a huge problem for the launch that Steve Jobs addressed by cutting a favorable deal with Cisco which really didn’t care that much about its iPhone line. But this problem is likely why the Apple Watch wasn’t the iWatch. Someone with resources likely had the rights to the iWatch name and Apple was unwilling to incur the cost of acquiring that name. This problem has even created problems for code names. Microsoft code-named its Windows 8 interface (that it later killed) Metro but got sued by a retailer out of Germany with that same name, forcing Microsoft to change it. 

Then you have a problem with languages. Names can have different meanings in different countries. While the typical example of the Chevy Nova (no va supposedly meant no-go in Spanish) turned out to be false, you still have to make sure your new brand doesn’t mean something else in another country. Back in the 1990s, Microsoft and Intel used a huge ad company to launch the “Digital Joy,” a term used for on-line pornography in France and on a prominent porn website there. Microsoft ended up having to buy that website, which added insult to injury as the campaign was very poorly executed. 

And finally, the key decision makers in the company need to sign off on the brand. If any of these people were part of coming up with it in the first place, they typically hate anything they didn’t think of themselves. IBM had a contest to name a new product, making the job of the poor sap (me) that had to name it a nightmare because none of the names that came out of the contest could get legal approvals (someone else owned them). Getting the final name approved was a nightmare. 

Dragonwing

Dragonwing picks up on the Dragon side of Snapdragon which was an interesting play made possible because of earlier Qualcomm marketing efforts that changed the perception of the Snapdragon name from a flower to a cute, overpowered mini dragon. 

A dragon wing is what helps a dragon fly. It’s a part of a thing, not the thing by itself, which makes it very appropriate for a line of products that include connectivity products, IoT components and services. I’d argue it is even a better brand than Snapdragon since the meaning of that name is generally a flower, not a part of something larger. 

And finally, Dragonwing emphasizes Snapdragon as a dragon, not a flower, strengthening the image that was created years ago with the old Snapdragon campaign. The elements Qualcomm will endeavor to attach to the Dragonwing brand are appropriate to the name and include ascension, power and acceleration, and the color of the related logo will use purple which fuses Qualcomm blue with Snapdragon red (disclosure: purple is my favorite color). 

Wrapping Up: Nicely Done!

It is rare that I see a branding effort that is well done even by companies that do a lot of it. Dragonwing is an exception. It has thought-out connections back to parent (Qualcomm) and peer (Snapdragon) brands. It conveys elements of the messaging Qualcomm intends to use with it, and builds rather than distracts from Snapdragon, making that brand potentially stronger. While I wish this effort were less of an exception, it was well done to the credit of the Qualcomm marketing team. 

IBM and Penn State Introduce an AI-Powered Student Concierge

I initially went to junior college to get an AA in Merchandising before going off to a university which was still within driving distance. Junior college was enough like high school and relatively small so that the change wasn’t bad, but university was different. I used to have nightmares about not being able to find my classroom because I took a diverse number of classes that were nowhere near each other. Navigating all of the university services was also a huge learning experience for me. I’ve never been that good at asking for directions, and with everyone rushing around in a similar panic, it wasn’t like there was a ton of help from my fellow classmates. 

Thus, when I saw that IBM plans to use watsonx as an AI-Powered Student Concierge at Penn State, it struck a chord with me. I never really got a student advisor, and it would have been a godsend to have some kind of dedicated service keeping me focused and less stressed. I can’t imagine what it would have been like if, on top of all of this, I had to move to a new location for my advanced education like many of you did. At least I could go back to something familiar when the school day was over. 

The Importance of a School Concierge 

I was going to add “for college” in the subtitle above, but I moved around a lot when I was younger. I had gone to nine schools both public and private by the time I graduated high school, and each transition was extremely painful, particularly in 8th grade where I lived at the school and didn’t even get to go home except for holidays. That one year was a pain. I had detention for four hours every night and detention for up to 16 hours on weekends (if you were an A student, which I wasn’t, you’d get half of that unless you did really bad; a senior couple got caught kissing and were expelled on the spot). I recall crying a lot that year and feeling abandoned and lost. If I had been able to talk about it candidly and get help to navigate that experience, it would have been a huge help.

We don’t really prepare kids for life away from home whether it is for work or for school. When my father went to Stanford, he discovered a love for partying and he flunked out, ending up in Annapolis which I’m sure was a massive but necessary shock to his system. While 85% of kids make it all the way through highschool, only around 67% of kids make it all the way through college, and that is just a waste of time and money. These numbers came from both public and private schools. Private schools do generally provide more student support, and the result is that a higher percentage of kids make it all the way through. 

This suggests that if you were to scale just the support that private schools provide to public schools, graduation rates would improve. Since we don’t typically provide this support in K-12 schools, many students likely don’t use these services and are either unaware of them or uncomfortable with them. An AI concierge could make a huge difference, particularly if the student were introduced to this service the year before going to the college or university that used it. Getting familiar with and comfortable with this tool early would help with early decisions like living on or off campus, which base classes to take, and maybe even advice on career path, sports, or other extra-curricular activities. 

That way the student could hit the ground running and would be far more likely to survive the critical first year. Around 19% of college students drop out in the first year, which is nearly 50% of the total dropout rate. Getting kids ready for college would have a huge impact on them finishing. 

Wrapping Up:

We have a lot of concerns about AI taking jobs, but certain support roles, like helping students survive college, are understaffed and not well promoted in most schools likely because of the resource limitations. An AI Concierge could make a huge difference for a moderate cost and would have a beneficial revenue impact on schools that lose money and prestige when a student drops out. 

One other thing this concierge could do is help students find intern jobs and take classes that better prepare them for work. According to Bing Copilot (Microsoft’s AI), right now around 55% of students are failing in their first job after college within a year. This means we aren’t doing a good enough job of preparing kids for college. A properly trained AI Concierge should be able to reduce that failure rate significantly by both guiding kids to better career choices and helping them better anticipate how different working will be from going to school. 

Over time, I expect young adults will have the option of extending this AI service into their professional life to make it more like an AI life coach that would be with them and that they would trust for much of their life. This is a big step in that direction. We are only at the beginning of how AI can, and hopefully will, improve the success rates of our children. 

FinProfm Packages – Choose the Best for Your Needs

These days, traders who are looking for options to make high profits fast, find many solutions like CFDs trading which are very risky but hold a potential for quick wins with margin trading levels of 1:50 and even more!

With platforms like FinProfm, traders can access a diverse range of financial instruments, including CFDs (Contracts for Difference), margin trading, and more. These modern trading solutions allow investors to speculate on price movements without owning the underlying asset, offering the potential for high returns and fast profits when the right strategies are applied.

FinProfm is committed to empowering traders with flexible, feature-packed account packages designed to elevate your trading experience. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, our tailored plans provide access to multiple markets, expert guidance, and top-tier trading tools.

What sets FinProfm apart? Our cutting-edge trading platform gives you the ability to trade forex, stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies with high leverage, competitive spreads, and advanced market analytics. This means you can maximize your exposure to price movements while maintaining control over your risk.

With the right approach, traders can leverage CFDs and margin trading to make calculated moves in volatile markets. The key? Choosing the right platform with the right set of tools. That’s where FinProfm delivers. From real-time insights to expert guidance, we provide a comprehensive trading ecosystem designed for success in the digital age.

Let’s explore what each package offers and find the right fit for your trading journey!

1. Starter Package – Begin Your Trading Journey

Perfect for newcomers looking to enter the trading world with a structured approach.

  • Quick Access to 5 Markets
  • 24/5 Customer Assistance
  • 7-Day Account Trial
  • Advanced Trading Tools
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2. Basic Trader – Build a Strong Foundation

For traders who want additional support and market insights to strengthen their strategies.

  • Quick Access to 5 Markets
  • Dedicated Profile Analyst
  • Starter’s Education
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Designed for intermediate traders who need strategic guidance and enhanced benefits.

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4. Pro Trader – Optimize Your Trading Performance

A premium choice for traders seeking exclusive insights, faster execution, and personalized support.

  • Quick Access to 5 Markets
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1. How do I open an account with FinProfm? Simply visit our website, select your preferred package, and follow the easy registration process!

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6. How can I manage my account and track my performance? With access to market insights, analytics, and dedicated support, you can monitor and optimize your trades effectively.

Conclusion:

Online trading presents endless opportunities for those who approach it with the right tools, strategies, and mindset. FinProfm stands out as a premier platform, offering CFDs, margin trading, and leveraged opportunities that can amplify your potential profits while keeping risk management at the forefront.

Whether you’re taking your first steps into trading or refining advanced strategies, FinProfm’s tailored account packages, expert guidance, and top-tier trading tools provide everything needed to succeed in today’s fast-moving financial markets.

Now is the time to take control of your trading future. Choose the package that fits your needs and start trading smarter with FinProfm today!

IBM and Lenovo Partnership in Saudi Arabia Could Lead to Bigger Things

This month, Lenovo and IBM announced a strategic partnership focused on helping Saudi Arabia deploy AI successfully. IBM and Lenovo are tightly coupled given Lenovo acquired both its server and its business PC business from IBM. This means that Lenovo policies and IBM policies are more closely coupled due to these mergers than would typically be the case, and both companies share the same high regard for service quality, ethics, innovation and technology advancement. 

Both companies are also somewhat complementary in that IBM tends to live in tightly focused markets where its unique solutions play major roles, while Lenovo is a much broader vendor with interests ranging from consumer electronics (an area that IBM was never able to perform in) to server farms. 

IBM’s focus on AI predates Lenovo’s, though Lenovo has been far more aggressive with robotics than IBM has been, suggesting that while there are still some overlaps, they are mostly minor and manageable. 

This partnership has the potential to grow into something even more powerful. 

A Partnership with the Potential of the Old IBM

The old IBM that existed before the 90s was a powerhouse with a technological reach extending from the desktop to mainframes. It was the majority of the tech industry in its prime, and parts were sold off by a number of CEOs over time, leaving it far smaller than it once was. 

In contrast, Lenovo has been growing very rapidly over this same period. Its biggest growth spurts came when it acquired the IBM PC company and again when it acquired IBM’s x86 business. In both cases, those businesses became powerful peers to other technology companies that predated Lenovo in those spaces. 

In an interesting way, Lenovo has developed a unique skill in terms of fixing the IBM businesses it acquired which largely had to do with adequately funding and focusing on them. IBM’s leadership strength is in AI with watsonx (which predated the AI wave by several decades), and with quantum computing research which is believed to be the next wave of technological advancement. 

Lenovo, on the other hand, is extremely innovative with hardware, is aggressively moving into automotive and robotic space and could likely use some of IBM’s extreme focus on ethics and security to better differentiate its solutions in a variety of market segments. 

The end result is that this partnership could deepen the relationship between these two firms and make both stronger as they share information and augment each other’s capabilities. It is particularly useful that both companies’ CEOs are willing to work with others, and both companies have a strong partnership care and feeding process which should assure the success of this endeavor. 

While IBM has been instrumental in discovering new technologies in a variety of markets thanks to IBM Research, IBM’s current focus is narrower, suggesting it can’t make the greatest use out of a number of the technologies it has discovered or developed. But Lenovo, through the partnership, is far broader, suggesting that if the partnership extends to IBM Research, Lenovo should be able to bring many of these otherwise languishing concepts to market. More important, it could complete solutions that IBM lacks the breadth to complete, and Lenovo lacks the scale to achieve, for instance, an autonomous robotaxi deployment with a secure automated mainframe based on a highly secure control hub. 

Wrapping Up: Two Companies Building for a Stronger Future

It is always exciting to see a partnership between two natural partners. IBM and Lenovo, thanks to Lenovo’s acquisition of IBM assets, are natural partners because Lenovo has what IBM lacks in breadth and IBM has what Lenovo lacks in depth. The combination is very close to the same capabilities as the old IBM that once led the technology market. These two firms are capable of working together very closely. If they pull this off, the future should be significantly enhanced for both firms. 

The Reason Why Smartphones Haven’t Merged With PCs Suggests Microsoft Is Likely to Lose Out on AI

If you look back at the creation of the PC in the 1980s, they were just desktop machines that sat in place. They were supposed to be portable but, for the most part, weren’t. Yes, we had PCs from gaming companies like Atari and Commadore, but other than some of us using them for schoolwork, they weren’t taken seriously. IBM PCs and their variants were heavy. The Panasonic I had weighed at a whopping 35 pounds. It came with a printer, and it cost me over $3K then, which would have been $8,514 today if you take inflation into account. 

Eventually we got laptop computers, and they were pretty much made by the same people. You had desktop PCs and laptop PCs and sthen came the first smartphone from IBM called Simon (don’t worry; few bought it). After that, we had PDAs that came from a whole different class of company. Palm, Research In Motion (BlackBerry), HP and even Sony got in this market along with Microsoft. Apple, which started the PC revolution with the Apple II, had Newton. On paper it was more capable than the rest, but Jobs killed that and later brought out the iPod. It was just for listening to music, but it gained functions until it morphed into a phone. Over the next few years, it forced even massively powerful cell phone vendors like Nokia, who bet on Microsoft, to their knees.  

So why wasn’t the Pocket PC the foundation for the smartphone, which is basically a pocket PC that can make calls? It had nothing to do with telephony and everything to do with execution. And I’m seeing similar execution from Microsoft on AI, suggesting it may be another Zune-like event

Microsoft’s and Intel’s Recurring Problem

Microsoft doesn’t learn from its successes; it isn’t even clear it learned from its failures. I think that’s because Microsoft turns over key people, and those left in charge just don’t want to consider that their predecessors actually knew what they were doing. 

When you look at the greatest product successes Microsoft ever had, (besides Office, which started as a productivity product for Apple), Microsoft has had two massive user successes: Windows 95 and Xbox (Azure is more of an enterprise play). Both used basically the same play book but were run by different people. 

The formula for success was to put real marketing people in charge, not ex-military people or some reassigned engineer, but people that understood how to market and then give them the budget they need to be successful. That set up resulted in successes like Windows 95 and Xbox. 

What was particularly funny about Windows 95 was that marketing did its job well, but operations did not, but Microsoft responded as if the opposite was true. Apparently, operations was better connected because when Windows 95 blew up largely due to poor code choices and horrid customer support, the conclusion was that demand was a bad thing, not poor execution.  To this day it is hard for me to understand how they reached that conclusion. 

With Xbox, Microsoft again put people who knew how to build demand in charge and took on Sony, a powerfully entrenched consumer electronics company. Xbox would have eventually taken out the PlayStation, but then Microsoft kicked out its lead people and cut the marketing budget. While Xbox is still a powerful platform to this day, it could have been far more. It wasn’t competition that killed it. It was Microsoft’s leadership.

Intel has gone down a similar path, but at least it hasn’t repeated the same mistake over and over again. Intel’s success bloomed under its best CMO, Dennis Carter, who turned an ingredient brand, Intel Inside, into a badge of quality. But he didn’t train his successors, so the amazing brand he built with Andy Grove’s massive support was weakened over time to a point where Pat Gelsinger, who had learned under Grove, also didn’t get the power of marketing and under supported it. I believe that led to his early retirement (termination). 

So, had Microsoft executed the Pocket PC and the Windows Phone to the level they’d executed Windows 95 and Xbox they would have been a success, but they didn’t, and the execution around AI is far more similar to their failures rather than their successes. 

Wrapping Up: Why Microsoft Is Likely to Fail with AI

AI is kind of like Internet Explorer in that Microsoft was late to the game but licensed a technology to close the gap (the browser was Spyglass; with AI it is ChatGPT) and brought it to market. But execution has again been lackluster. Microsoft had to pull back the strongest feature, Recall, because marketing didn’t position it properly. Apple brought out an identical feature, presented it better, and didn’t have to pull it back.  

Both Microsoft and Intel need to up the marketing game significantly if they want to be successful going forward. Microsoft needs to pull from the learnings of Brad Silverberg and Rick Thompson, while Intel needs to pull from Dennis Carter to change its trajectory. Otherwise, both firms are likely to miss the AI wave rather than lead it. These skills are in the companies’ histories, they just need to re-learn them. And they need to learn that marketing isn’t optional. It is a requirement for success. 

One final reminder. While I worked there, IBM nearly crashed and took massive brand damage, and IBM’s board fired John Akers, who was one of the most qualified CEOs on paper but who was done in by his staff. IBM didn’t hire an engineer or even pull its own people. Instead, it hired Louis Gerstner. Gerstner knew nothing about tech but was a brilliant marketer and he saved the company by first rebuilding its image and brand. 

That’s the power of marketing, and too many tech companies forgot this after the 90s. It is also why Qualcomm’s AI PC effort didn’t reach its potential. The ironic thing is that AI is potentially able to recreate the skills of people who are no longer in the workforce, suggesting these companies could build the talent they need if they can’t hire it. Microsoft’s AI effort reminds me a lot of Zune, a lot of inside belief in success, but not enough outside execution, and I just don’t think it will end well. 

TradeFT Review | How Good is TradeFT for Beginner Traders?

The most important thing a beginner trader can do is find a platform that is easy to use, offers the right learning tools, and is a secure place for trading. TradeFT is among the new online trading platforms that claim to be a good option for novice traders who want to enter the financial markets. But how good is TradeFT for a beginning trader?

In this TradeFT review, we’ll examine how TradeFT caters to newcomers by looking at its account types, user interface, educational resources, customer support, and overall accessibility. We’ll also explore its market offerings and how well the platform helps beginners navigate the complex world of trading.

Account Types for Beginners:

The diversity and accessibility of the account types are among the most important things for any trading platform in case of a beginner. TradeFT has several account options to suit various levels of trading expertise, but let’s review the ones which will be the most suitable for beginners.

Basic Account: This is the most appropriate account class for any new trader. This account class offers the basic trading features and tools, which are not too overwhelming for a beginner. The low barrier to entry allows new traders to experiment with the markets and gain experience without having to invest large sums of money. The Basic account provides basic spreads, standard customer support, and is an excellent way to dip your toes into the market with minimal risk.

Silver Account: Designed for traders who have gathered some trading experience and grown comfortable with the basics, the Silver account opens further options like tighter spreads and even access to added tools. But at the same time, this account remains friendly enough for complete beginners who have started their journey into broadening their trade knowledge.

They help the starters just nicely, whereby their newness may be directed through learning the courses while making progress. More importantly, with TradeFT’s flexibility with regards to different accounts, it could definitely mean easy changes toward more sophisticated Gold, Platinum, or even VIP accounts to be used for greater functionality, better suited to serious traders as soon as such novice traders decide that they’ve been more certain and advanced for a certain amount of time.

Trading Platform Ease of Use:

For beginners, the trading platform is usually one of the most daunting parts of getting started. Fortunately, TradeFT has designed its platform to be simple and easy to use. The user interface is intuitive and streamlined, allowing new traders to access key features without feeling overwhelmed by complicated menus or excessive information.

The dashboard is very well-organized, and market data, accounts information, and trading tools are very easy to access. TradeFT’s trading platform supports a wide variety of assets, from stocks, forex, commodities, and indices to crypto, all accessible with just a few clicks.

The ease with which this platform can be accessed, even by novices and those on the go, is made further possible through its mobile-friendly interface. Since a mobile app is not yet provided by TradeFT, their web-based platform is responsive, so flexibility is opened to those traders who would wish to trade right from their smartphones.

TradeFT Education Resources

For rookie traders, the key is education. Education will help them understand how the markets work, the different trading strategies, and basically how things go within financial markets. TradeFT goes that extra mile in ensuring that through its educational resources, beginners have a solid foundation.

The TradeFT blog is full of articles ranging from the very basics a trader should know up to some tips and current market analysis. The language is simple and easy to understand, hence even the most complex ideas and strategies can be digested by beginners. From risk management to how the markets trend, this educational blog adds value to traders of all levels.

Economic Calendar: It is important for any trader to know the greater events in store for the markets. The TradeFT economic calendar shows real-time information on upcoming events, including earnings reports, economic data releases, and geopolitical events that could potentially move markets. This tool will be useful for a beginner trader interested in being well-informed and timely with his decisions.

There is lots of jargon involved when trading, and for a fresher, many times it may get very hard to keep up. TradeFT’s dictionary is such a wonderful tool that it explains the commonly used terms of trade. It always remains helpful in having a glossary for more confidence in understanding terms among beginners while trading.

Download Centre: TradeFT also includes a download centre that provides a set of useful resources such as trading guides, educative eBooks, and video tutorials. From these, a beginner will learn the very basics of trading and further develop his skills.

These learning tools allow for a holistic approach to learning and give novice traders a platform on which they can lay a proper foundation for trade. This care, among others, assures the beginners of some necessary care as they embark on the trade journey.

TradeFT Customer Support

When it comes to trading, having access to prompt and reliable customer support is vital, especially for beginners who may have questions or face challenges while using the platform. TradeFT offers 24/5 customer support, so help will always be there when needed.

Support is available through multiple channels, including live chat, email, and phone. The live chat feature is really helpful for beginners to get answers to specific questions fast. TradeFT’s support team is very knowledgeable and responsive with everything from technical issues to account management. Be it questions regarding trading tools, some technical glitch, or how to go about on the platform, beginners can be assured that help is available.

Second, TradeFT has a very extensive and comprehensive FAQ section, answering most of the questions related to account creation, deposit/withdrawal problems, trading options, and tools. That’s nice self-service for beginners who won’t wait for an agent to get the simple issues sorted out.

Interface and Speed of Operation 

One of the most important aspects of trading is the speed of execution, which may either make or break a beginner’s experience. Slow execution translates to missed opportunities and frustration, especially for a beginner trying to learn the ropes.

Thankfully, TradeFT offers high execution speeds, resulting in quick order fulfillment. This proves very helpful for those desiring to enter volatile markets of cryptocurrencies or Forex, where everything is decided based on time and speed. Giving the opportunity for fast execution, TradeFT instills confidence in the beginnings, knowing one can get into and out of positions with as little delay as possible.

Conclusion:

So, how good is TradeFT for a beginner trader? It’s good for new traders, considering it has a friendly web-based interface, account types available to all, and solid education. The presence of the Basic account makes access quite easy, while the beginners can go further with the confidence gained and explore additional features and tools available on higher-tier accounts.

TradeFT’s focus on education through the blog, dictionary, economic calendar, and download center helps beginners build a strong foundation, while 24/5 customer support assures one of always getting support whenever the need arises. Moreover, the mobile-friendly interface and fast transaction speed ensure ease and swiftness for new traders to start trading online.

After this TradeFT review overall, TradeFT would be a great option for young traders seeking a sound and supportive environment in 2025. As long as you take your time to research the educational tools and practice some risk management, TradeFT can be an enabling atmosphere for growth and learning. Due to its user-oriented design, solid support, and helpful features, TradeFT can be the ideal platform for any aspiring trader looking to enter the financial markets.

The Wife of The Former United States Secretary Antony Blinken Invested To Genesis Cloud Mining

On February 2, local time in the United States, Evan Ryan, the wife of former United State Secretary of State Antony Blinken publicly stated that she had joined and invested in Genesis Cloud Mining. 

Genesis Cloud Mining, headquartered in Denver, USA, is a world-renowned TRX mining platform. The company has signed a multi-year cooperative operation agreement with the United State Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Financial Money Service Provider (MSB), establishing its legitimacy and professionalism. As one of the most influential, secure and legal TRX mining platforms in the world, Genesis Cloud Mining has attracted widespread attention with its excellent technology and robust operating model.

Evan Ryan believes that Genesis Cloud Mining has broad prospects in the field of blockchain and cryptocurrency technology, and its strong strategic development capabilities and clear development core make it a highly potential industry leader. She particularly emphasized that Genesis Cloud Mining has always been helping people achieve stable employment as its core mission, and this sense of social responsibility will help the company win more support and trust from users.

Evan Ryan further pointed out that driven by the policy environment and user demand, TRX currency has greater room for appreciation in the future. To this end, she announced that she would invest $300,000 in TRX and choose to invest it in Genesis Cloud Mining, which is not only a support for the development of local United States enterprises, but also an expectation of obtaining considerable returns.

Finally, she expressed her good wishes for Genesis Cloud Mining: “I hope that Genesis Cloud Mining can continue to grow in the future, accelerate the pace of business globalization, cover more countries and regions, and become a global benchmark in the field of blockchain technology.”

Muxcap.com Reviews: What Traders Need to Know

Online trading has revolutionized how people participate in financial markets. The days of requiring large capital, knowledge of complex systems, or even proximity to trading hubs are long gone. Today, individuals can trade stocks, forex, cryptocurrencies, and more directly from their devices. The ease of access and wide range of assets available means that anyone with an internet connection can become an active market participant. However, with this convenience comes the need for a robust and secure platform to manage trades effectively.

As the popularity of digital assets and online trading continues to soar, Muxcap.com has emerged as one of the noteworthy platforms offering these trading opportunities. Now, let’s explore what makes Muxcap stand out in this crowded landscape.

What Is Muxcap?

Muxcap is an online trading platform that offers users access to multiple financial markets, including stocks, forex, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Designed for traders of all experience levels, the platform emphasizes user-friendly features, advanced trading tools, and competitive spreads. Muxcap aims to provide traders with a comprehensive experience, allowing them to diversify their portfolios and explore new investment opportunities in an intuitive environment.

With a strong focus on security and transparency, Muxcap operates under strict regulations to ensure users’ funds are protected and all trades are executed with high integrity. As you will see in this Muxcap review, the platform’s range of tools, assets, and customer support options make it an appealing choice for traders worldwide.

Range of Markets on Muxcap

One of the standout features of Muxcap is its wide range of markets available for trading. Whether you’re interested in traditional assets like stocks and commodities or the booming world of cryptocurrencies, Muxcap provides a diverse selection for traders to explore. The platform allows users to trade:

  • Stocks: Access a variety of global stocks across major markets such as the NYSE, NASDAQ, and more.
  • Forex: Trade currency pairs from the most liquid markets worldwide, including major pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and emerging market pairs.
  • Commodities: Invest in precious metals, oil, and agricultural products, helping traders hedge against inflation or capitalize on global trends.
  • Cryptocurrencies: Muxcap also supports cryptocurrency trading, offering access to popular coins like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and a range of altcoins.

The platform’s broad asset offering provides traders the opportunity to diversify their portfolios and take advantage of multiple market movements, making it suitable for a variety of trading strategies.

Margin Trading on Muxcap

For traders seeking higher potential returns and willing to take on more risk, Muxcap offers margin trading. This allows users to leverage their positions, controlling a larger trade with a smaller initial deposit. Margin trading can amplify gains, but it also comes with increased risk. Here’s how it works on Muxcap:

  • Leverage Options: Muxcap offers competitive leverage, allowing traders to multiply their potential profits (or losses) by borrowing capital.
  • Risk Management Tools: The platform provides several risk management tools to help protect traders from significant losses, such as stop-loss orders and take-profit levels.
  • Flexibility: Traders can apply margin trading across multiple asset classes, including forex, stocks, and crypto.

While margin trading can be a powerful tool for experienced traders, beginners should approach it cautiously and fully understand the risks before engaging in leveraged trading.

Customer Support

Strong customer support is critical when choosing a trading platform, and Muxcap places a high priority on providing responsive assistance to its users. The platform offers:

  • 24/5 Support: Muxcap’s customer support team is available around the clock to assist with any technical or account-related issues.
  • Email Support: For more detailed inquiries or non-urgent issues, users can reach the support team via email, typically receiving a response within a few hours.
  • Extensive Knowledge Base: Muxcap provides a comprehensive knowledge base with guides, FAQs, and educational materials to help traders navigate the platform and understand trading strategies.

With a commitment to ensuring traders have the tools and resources they need to succeed, Muxcap provides a reliable support infrastructure that can assist users at every stage of their trading journey.

Account Opening Process

Opening an account with Muxcap is quick and easy. The platform aims to provide an accessible process for traders at all levels, and here’s how it works:

  1. Sign Up: Create an account by providing basic personal information, such as your name, email, and phone number.
  2. Verification: For security and regulatory purposes, Muxcap requires identity verification. Users will need to upload proof of identity and address documents.
  3. Fund Your Account: Once your account is verified, you can deposit funds using various payment methods, including bank transfers, credit cards, and e-wallets.
  4. Start Trading: After funding your account, you can start trading across the markets offered by Muxcap.

The process is streamlined to ensure that users can quickly begin trading while maintaining compliance with regulatory standards.

Alternatives to Muxcap Platform

While Muxcap is a competitive option, there are several other trading platforms available that offer similar features. Some alternatives include:

  • eToro: Known for its social trading features, eToro allows users to copy the trades of experienced investors. It offers a wide range of assets, including stocks, cryptocurrencies, and commodities.
  • Binance: A major player in cryptocurrency trading, Binance offers a huge range of crypto assets and trading pairs with competitive fees.
  • MetaTrader 4/5: Popular for forex and CFDs, MetaTrader is used by millions of traders globally. It offers advanced charting, technical analysis tools, and automated trading.
  • Interactive Brokers: Best for advanced traders, Interactive Brokers offers a wide range of assets, margin trading, and sophisticated trading tools for professional investors.

Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, so traders should carefully evaluate their needs and preferences when choosing an alternative.

Final Thoughts: Is Muxcap the Right Platform for Your Trading Goals in 2025?

Muxcap offers a comprehensive trading experience with a wide range of markets, margin trading options, and excellent customer support. Whether you’re looking to trade stocks, forex, or cryptocurrencies, the platform provides the tools and flexibility needed for traders at all levels. The easy account setup and regulatory compliance add an extra layer of trust and security for users.

However, like any platform, Muxcap is not without competition. Alternatives like eToro, Binance, and MetaTrader provide unique features that may appeal to specific types of traders. Ultimately, the best platform for you will depend on your trading goals, asset preferences, and risk tolerance.If you’re seeking a platform that offers a user-friendly interface, advanced tools, and diverse asset options, as you’ll see in this Muxcap review, Muxcap is a solid choice to consider in 2025 and beyond.

Intel’s New Co-CEOs Step Up to a Difficult Task On Earnings Call

Intel had their earnings call this week and the Co-CEOs did an amazing job. Losing a CEO like Pat Gelsinger in an unplanned fashion is never easy. Gelsinger was well connected to Intel’s founding team, so he was more well regarded than most. The next CEO(s) already has a number of things to overcome, including animosity for his predecessor’s firing. But succession wasn’t solid in Intel, so instead of one replacement, two people were selected to run the company. This is the second time Intel has done this, and it didn’t work out well the first time. This means that the co-CEOs, who are temporary, have significant command and control problems because they aren’t permanent, and they aren’t one person. Intel was both undergoing a turnaround and significantly expanding its manufacturing capabilities that were tied to funding from the U.S. government which has largely killed that support. This is all to say the degree of difficulty is off the charts.

In short, this is not a job I’d wish on anyone, but despite that, Intel’s initial showing in its quarterly earnings report was impressively well done. 

The Goal of the First Quarterly Report

With the departure of a well-regarded CEO (well, any CEO actually), there are three audiences that need to be effectively addressed, or the company will bleed valuation and revenue. Those three audiences are customers, employees and investors. These are the three critical legs of the stool, and you can’t ignore any of them. 

These audiences will be highly skeptical of success, so setting a tone that comes across as honest, candid and humble without appearing weak while telling a credible story of impending future success is a huge ask, and few do this well. Of course it does help that the quarterly results beat expectations. 

Generally, you measure the success of this kind of effort by the coverage it gets, and the coverage has been surprisingly good given the condition people expected Intel to be in given the removal of its CEO. For instance, CNBC, which was the most negative, still said, “Intel issues weak forecast, but beats on fourth-quarter results”. While the weak forecast is a concern, it establishes credibility, and beating the street with your results is always beneficial to the company reporting. Reuters just focused on the positive by headlining, “Intel’s quarterly revenue tops expectations as investors await new CEO”. Bloomberg was in line with the headline, “Intel Fourth-Quarter Sales Beat Estimates During Turnaround,” again focusing on the positive and avoiding most of the negative entirely. 

This is all reflective of the fact that the executives presented themselves, and Intel, extremely well during the quarterly report presentation, and the financial media was more than satisfied with what they heard and saw. They clearly knew Intel was in trouble, but by the end of the call, they were generally on board with Intel’s direction and temporary leadership. 

The Co-CEOs Performance

Michelle Johnston Holthaus went first and did an excellent job setting the tone for the presentation. She was candid, direct and stayed in her lane, which gave her co-CEO a strong foundation for his talk. Women CEOs are problematic given the current environment. They generally have to work harder, longer and under far more difficult circumstances as executives because large company executive teams and boards tend to be old white boys clubs. Intel has done a decent job over the years, and I think the semi-conductor industry at large has been better than most. AMD’s highly respected and recognized CEO Lisa Su is an example of that. While not all women CEOs are well trained (they are often selected because the job was badly screwed up by a male predecessor), that hasn’t been the case recently. In this market, Holthaus comes across as extremely well qualified and competent. 

One thing Holthaus said really stood out as well thought through and delivered: “As co-CEOs, you can expect us to be very straightforward and direct. We will only make commitments we are confident we can deliver. We firmly believe that what we say is not nearly as important as what we do. And everything we do must be in service of our customers. Innovating to solve their most pressing challenges is the surest path to creating shareholder value. 

This is the mindset I have brought to my position as the CEO of Intel Products. This is a great business with great people, partners and IP (intellectual property) to design world-class products from edge to cloud. I take nothing for granted, but I firmly believe that the core x86 architecture and the ecosystems we have built and invested in over the decades create a solid foundation for success.” 

This was humble, helped establish a foundation of trust and made what followed all the more credible.

Dave Zinsner, the other co-CEO, addressed the elephant in the room: What was going to happen with Pat Gelsinger’s pet project to expand Intel manufacturing to become a strategic asset for the U.S.? His presentation was more nuts and bolts because Holthaus set such a strong foundation he didn’t need to build trust. That had already been done. He simply stated the progress, and that Intel continues to move to establish an independent subsidiary for Intel’s foundry business and why this business remains important to U.S. national security. 

Because of the concerns that Intel is unique in having both FABs and foundry, he did spend some time talking about the importance of both efforts, while also pointing out that the company is focusing on reducing costs to improve overall financial performance, which again built trust and set in place some milestones that the financial media accepted.

Wrapping Up:  

Intel’s co-CEOs Michelle Johnston Holthaus and Dave Zinsner had a strong performance for this quarter’s report, helped by Intel’s solid results and overshadowing a relatively weak forecast by providing direction that made it clear Intel was recovering and making progress. They were credible and did an excellent job of focusing their audiences on a stronger and brighter future for Intel. 

They did an excellent job, and credit goes to the folks in Coms who helped write the presentations and the solid work done by the co-CEOs. Overall, this was very nicely done. 

Project Stargate: Why IBM Should Be in Charge of It

Project Stargate is both fascinating and extremely frightening if you, like I did, grew up with movies like Colossus: A Forbin Project, WarGames, Terminator, and The Matrix. All of these movies foretold what would happen if we birthed a global-level AI badly. Stargate, named after a movie and series that had nothing to do with AI likely because Skynet would have been too much on the nose, is a $500B project with global implications. 

As those movies showcased, a lot of thought and effort needs to go into assuring the ethics, quality and goals of the AI before it is turned on as it promises to become the biggest and most powerful Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) when it is completed, if OpenAI’s timelines are to be believed. 

As a result, the company leading this effort must be one that knows large-scale monolithic deployments, understands AI from a realistic standpoint (in other words knows both its positive and negative potential and how to avoid the latter), and has demonstrated it can be trusted. 

The Risks of Project Stargate

There are a large number of risks when bringing out a project as aggressive as Stargate appears to be. First, even if the project is completed flawlessly, which is unlikely given how new the technology will be and how complex it will become, it will be a huge magnet for bad behavior. The data it will have access to alone could be worth trillions to companies that want to exploit it, and hostile countries, should they gain control or are able to crash the AI, would have the power to bring the U.S. to its knees in a way that might be unrecoverable should Stargate be connected to much of the U.S.’s military with a growing number of autonomous systems, and given it will also be connected to U.S. infrastructure management.  

Everything from utilities to traffic management could be disrupted were it hacked or poorly programmed, making the risks associated with this project potentially greater than its short-term benefits. This project would need to reflect all of what we’ve learned from AI, its tendency to become biased, its tendency to hallucinate data making for bad decisions, and its tendency to become corrupted by its users. 

The level of security, quality control, checks and balances, and the critical need for an extremely secure off-switch should this thing go off the rails are all critical and need a company that understands the critical nature of these things to be in charge of the project. 

Wrapping Up: Why IBM Should Be in Charge of Project Stargate

IBM is over a century old, and it is decades older than the companies currently planning to run Project Stargate. In addition, IBM started working on AI decades ago. Through its partnership with NVIDIA, IBM knows the technology likely to be used to create Stargate intimately.  

Earlier this month I saw a presentation from IBM on its SAP partnership and the number of banks that continue to rely on IBM above all other providers, choosing Power and Mainframes over more common platforms because of a vastly greater need for security and portability of applications between on-premise and the cloud.  

These are all things even more critical to Stargate, and IBM over and over again demonstrates that when security, quality, reliability and uptime are critical, and with Stargate, the word “critical” is inadequate to cover something that has global implications for the survival of the race, let alone U.S. competitiveness. 

IBM appears to be the only company with the experience, reach, focus on ethics, focus on quality and with the culture to prioritize quality and safety over revenue and speed that is needed on this project. 

IBM’s executives are formally trained, and IBM takes security far more seriously than their peers, making them the best, if not only, choice to run Project Stargate if we want it to improve the world, not end it.

Why Modern Invoicing Software is a Game-Changer for Freelancers and SMEs

Is invoicing the bane of your existence? Do you dread the end of a billing cycle? Are you cutting yourself short because you’re not following up with clients who have yet to pay you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re in the right place. Modern invoicing tools are revolutionizing how freelancers, contractors, and SMEs (or small and medium-sized enterprises) bill their hours. But it wasn’t always as easy as it is today to get paid quickly and seamlessly. 

You may be surprised to learn that the concept of invoicing dates back over 5,000 years! In the historic days, IOUs were filled out in clay as merchants bought goods from each other. With the printing press, clay turned to paper as invoices were sent and delivered to each other. The rise of technology led to digital invoicing, allowing individuals to send bills via email and electronic platforms. Today, invoicing software tools make it easy to send payments in a timely, efficient manner. 

Below are a few ways that modern invoicing software is a game-changer for freelancers and SMEs and the benefits of using this software. 

Templates Make Things Easier

If you’re a freelancer or contract worker, there’s a good chance that you have multiple clients. You likely have different payment terms for each one. Perhaps one client wants you to bill at the end of the month while another one wants you to bill them weekly. Creating a custom invoice for each client can be time-consuming, taking you away from the work that you are actually getting paid for! That’s where templates come into play. 

Invoicing software tools include templates that you can easily customize for each of your client’s needs. These templates allow you to add your personal details, including a branded logo and colors. Adding these touches makes the invoice feel more professional than a black-and-white PDF document. Additionally, customizing your invoices strengthens your brand image and can build better relationships with your clients by showcasing your professionalism. 

Invoices that stand out and are easy to read and understand are more likely to get paid quicker too. When a client recognizes your invoice, there is less confusion at stake. They know who you are and why you are billing them. This can improve payment speed and result in prompt delivery. 

When selecting a template, make sure it fits your needs. Someone who bills hourly will need a different template than someone who is billing by project. Make sure it allows you to include all necessary information. This includes invoice date, description of project or services, client contact information, and total amount due. Save the invoice template for future iterations so you just have to adjust the project and total amount. 

Insightful Reporting and Real-Time Visibility

Another time-saving benefit to using invoicing software is its ability to provide insightful reports. Instead of manually calculating where you are at the end of the month, quarter, or year, these tools will automatically generate financial reports for you. Not only does this save you time, but it reduces errors. 

Having this data means you have real-time visibility of where your business stands. Knowing you’re having a less profitable month, for example, you may decide to focus some attention on pitching potential new clients. Perhaps you put a call-to-action out on LinkedIn describing your services and notifying others that you’re open to work. 

By looking at your report, you can also see which clients are providing you with the most revenue. If you’re spending more time on one client but not getting paid as much, this should raise a red flag. This data can help you either negotiate a better rate or decide if keeping the client is the best decision for the success of your business. After all, time is money and your time is valuable!  

Payment Management 

Freelancers often experience unpredictable income month-to-month. Because you can’t predict the future, you can’t accurately know what your income will be next month let alone six months from now. That’s why payment management is all the more important to solo entrepreneurs. A client who is tardy on billing can alter your livelihood, making it harder for you to pay rent or bills on time. 

Invoicing software platforms can automatically remind clients who have yet to pay you. By sending a reminder during a set cadence, you can follow up in a professional, courteous way. The software will update based on when a client has paid you — no more scrolling through your bank account looking for payments!  If you notice that a client is consistently delaying payment, you can ask to have a conversation with them. Ask if there is a better payment schedule that will work for them or if they have any suggestions on how to resolve this issue. You may decide to implement a past-due invoice fee if the problem recurs. 

Final Thoughts

Invoicing is easier than ever thanks to the introduction of modern invoicing software. New technology has made it incredibly simple to create, send, and check invoices. This software is easy to use and keeps everything organized in one place, allowing you to focus on the work that you’re being billed for. 

Written by Scott Weathers

HP Threat Report: AI Is Becoming More Common

HP released its quarterly threat report, which includes some increasingly scary elements. Unlike its peers, HP created a separate security unit called Wolf Security that can focus more sharply on our increasing security exposures. While this security unit is somewhat hobbled in that it is subordinate to HP’s PC and printing businesses, this allows it to focus more deeply on the endpoints it provides, resulting in a greater level of protection where most breaches continue to occur: the user or at the endpoint. 

This is a defense-in-depth approach that is narrower than a typical security company would or could supply since it covers both software and hardware elements for HP’s enterprise PCs and printers, arguably making HP more secure than the competition.

Like many independent security firms and unlike its OEM peers, HP also researches and issues security reports that highlight what it has found, and this quarter’s report is as scary as the last one was. 

Users Remain the Biggest Exposure

One thing that isn’t changing quarter-over-quarter is that users remain the biggest exposure conduit, and current user training is proving to be inadequate. While prior user attacks focused on one click to infection, security tools have improved. Now it takes three to four clicks on average to become infected. However, social engineering and AI are being used to trick users into making those three clicks and these users too often turn off their security protection in order to unknowingly download and install malware that compromises their credentials and their firm. 

I remain convinced that we need to do far more regular internal security tests with penalties for failing so users take this far more seriously because even the most rigorous security protections are worthless if the users disable them.

AI Use

AI has moved from occasional conceptual tests to far more common production uses for malware delivery but not yet for malware creation. These tools are becoming extremely good at tricking users into doing harmful things. For instance, GitHub’s repository has been compromised with Lumma Stealer that targets gamers looking for cheats to improve their scores. Game cheats are often misidentified as malware and blocked, so it takes disabling your security software to install them. Along with the cheat comes malware designed to give the attacker access to the system and its contents, including IDs and passwords. And another form of malware called XWorm has become a very popular worm designed to steal crypto currency wallets. 

Commercial Malware

Even though AI isn’t being used to create malware, this doesn’t mean that malware isn’t advancing. Commercial companies continue to build and sell malware offerings, but the recent trend is to do so in building block form. In other words, attackers use multiple malware downloads over time to fully compromise the system but make it so the components go in without triggering a security warning. This then allows the complete tool to build after all of the components have been installed, often using PowerShell as the download and installation tool. The stages are Attack, Intermediate and Infection and are very hard to detect until the damage is being done. Right now, you can create a major malware campaign with virtually no programming skills. 

The Danger of Pictures

One of the recent changes is that attackers are attaching malware to downloadable pictures like those images of old obsolete websites. If you download the picture, you are in the path to becoming infected. The website may not be at fault since these pictures are uploaded onto legitimate sites that don’t have the technology to scan the pictures for one of the malware building blocks. 

With pictures and some other file types, you can measure the success of a campaign by the number of downloads or views. The average is 29K. That’s a lot of infected people per effort. 

Wrapping Up:

Companies like HP and units like Wolf Security are working hard to both identify and mitigate the increasing number of AI-enabled malware attacks. However, no matter how effective the defense, it is pretty much worthless if the user bypasses it or turns off the security software, and this is happening way too often. 

If we truly want to address this threat, users must become a more active part of the solution. If a malicious malware attack is successful and the user helped create it, it could cost them not only their job but their life savings (depending on the damage), but the current levels of user training are inadequate. 

If this isn’t fixed, this exposure will become one of the strongest arguments to replace many users with AIs that will follow proper security protocols and be less of a threat to the organizations within which they work. 

Slip and Fall vs. Trip and Fall Injuries: What’s the Difference?

Accidents happen every day, often when we least expect them. A common type of accident involves slipping or tripping, which can lead to serious injuries. Understanding the difference between slip and fall and trip and fall injuries is important. A slip and fall typically occurs when a person loses footing on a slick surface. It might be a wet floor or an icy sidewalk. On the other hand, a trip and fall happens when something stops your forward movement, like a raised sidewalk or uneven carpet. Each has unique causes and effects on the body. Recognizing these differences can help in preventing accidents and managing injuries if they occur. The D2 Law Firm team emphasizes the importance of awareness in these situations. By knowing the distinct characteristics of each, better safety measures can be put in place. This knowledge can also aid in seeking appropriate medical attention and legal aid if necessary.

What Causes Slip and Fall?

Slip and fall incidents usually arise from wet or polished surfaces. They can also happen on icy surfaces or when liquids spill onto floors. Poor lighting can make these hazards even more dangerous. Shoes with inadequate grip can increase the risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), slips contribute significantly to accidents in homes and workplaces.

What Causes Trip and Fall?

Trip and fall accidents often occur when an object unexpectedly interrupts your path. It can be a loose rug, a raised edge on a walkway, or a cluttered floor. Poor visibility is another contributing factor. This type of accident can also occur when walking on uneven surfaces or climbing stairs. Ensuring pathways are clear and well-lit can help reduce these incidents.

Comparing Slip and Fall and Trip and Fall Injuries

Understanding the differences between these two types of falls can help in prevention and treatment. Here is a simple comparison:

Criteria Slip and Fall Trip and Fall
Typical Cause Slick Surface Obstruction in Path
Common Injuries Back and Head Injuries Foot and Leg Injuries
Prevention Measures Improve Surface Grip Clear Walkways

Common Injuries from Falls

Both slip and fall and trip and fall incidents can lead to injuries. Slip and fall often result in back, wrist, and head injuries. In contrast, trip and fall accidents frequently cause injuries to the knees, elbows, and face. Fractures and bruises are common in both cases. Some injuries may require immediate medical attention, while others might need long-term care.

Preventative Measures

Preventing falls requires vigilance and proactive measures. Here are three steps you can take:

  • Keep walkways clear and well-lit.
  • Use rugs with non-slip backing on smooth floors.
  • Wear shoes with proper grip, especially on wet or icy surfaces.

Seeking Help After a Fall

If an accident occurs, it’s crucial to seek medical attention. This ensures you receive necessary care and helps document the incident. Consulting with a legal professional, like the D2 Law Firm team, can guide you in understanding your rights and options. Knowing when to reach out for help can make a significant difference in recovery.

Conclusion

Understanding the differences between slip and fall and trip and fall accidents is essential for prevention and treatment. Simple steps and precautions can reduce risks significantly. If an accident does happen, knowing how to respond can aid in recovery and ensure proper handling of any legal considerations. Staying informed and prepared helps in maintaining a safe environment.

Written by Lara Harper

Qualcomm Moves to Make Bikes and Motorcycles Safer

We spend a lot of time talking about entertainment and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for cars, but we have not focused that much on motorcycles or electric bikes even though they are potentially more dangerous to drive. Qualcomm is changing that as it approaches the market for two and three wheeled vehicles to address their severe safety issues in a move to make all vehicles safer. 

And given it is often our youth that drive these two wheeled vehicles, this effort helps protect our kids, so it’s as important as our efforts to improve safety in cars and trucks. 

Let’s talk about how Qualcomm’s technologies will make motorcycles, bicycles and three wheeled vehicles safer. 

Motorcycles, Bicycles and Tricycles 

Unlike automobiles and trucks, those riding motorcycles, bicycles and tricycles do not have the luxury of the protections afforded to modern 4+ wheeled vehicles. The primary protective gear consists of leather clothing and a certified helmet (required in most places by law to keep medical costs down). There have been efforts to apply airbags to this class of vehicle, and there are products in market that afford better protection, but these are more the exception than the rule. In any collision between one of these smaller vehicles and a car or especially a truck, the lighter vehicle driver is likely to be at a massive disadvantage.  

The smaller vehicles can hide in larger vehicles’ blind spots, tend to do things drivers of larger vehicles are not prepared for (like lane splitting), and, as with other types of vehicles, the drivers do not always adhere to speed limits and like to show off with potentially deadly consequences. 

These smaller vehicles are limited in size and carrying capacity meaning that any automated solution needs to be tiny and lightweight. Otherwise, it will not be viable. 

Qualcomm’s Solution

Qualcomm is adapting its automotive class of entertainment and ADAS solutions to these smaller vehicles. It has an advantage given it started with smartphones and was forced by that market to lead on weight, wireless connectivity and adequate performance. As a result, Qualcomm has a comprehensive solution that begins with basic entertainment and communications and advances to full ADAS support. Granted, the larger the vehicle the more comprehensive the solution, which means that capabilities should scale up as you move from bicycles and motorcycles to three wheeled vehicles that are typically more carlike. 

The coming benefits include better communications and shared entertainment between those riding on the same bike and in groups, the ability to better identify threats like gravel and black ice and both alert the driver and change the vehicle’s driving behavior to help avoid an accident. AI-driven capabilities can locate fuel and charging locations close to the rider and advise that the rider is approaching a dangerous area while automatically reconfiguring the vehicle to better survive it. 

It can alert the vehicle’s owner to an attempted theft and disable the vehicle so that the thief cannot ride off with it or use it once stolen. Collision alerts notify the rider they are in a blind spot and might get hit or alert the driver of the larger vehicle to watch out for the smaller vehicle they may not be aware is close to them. AR solutions are built into glasses and helmets to better navigate the world and to provide additional instrumentation to improve the driver’s on-street performance and avoid accidents. They can provide geo fencing for parents and rental companies to make sure these vehicles do not go places that are not approved or notify parents that a child is sneaking out with the vehicle at night. Automatic purchase capabilities tie back to the various mobile wallets so the rider can more easily pay for tolls and food on the road.

This collection of features should allow these smaller vehicles to better approach the safety of cars and trucks and avoid most of the accidents that take our riders today.

Wrapping Up:

Two and three wheeled vehicles are far less safe than cars, but the same ADAS technology that is being applied to cars and trucks can be applied to these smaller vehicles by reducing theft and making them far safer to ride. I had to stop riding motorcycles because it simply had become too unsafe, and I don’t heal the way I once did. This Qualcomm effort, if successful (and it likely will be), should go a long way to providing a path back to riding motorcycles for me. That alone makes me excited. 



Source: TG Daily – Qualcomm Moves to Make Bikes and Motorcycles Safer

Top 10 Customer Experience Podcasts of 2024

Hey there, folks! If you’re on the hunt for the best customer experience podcasts this year, you’ve hit the jackpot. Whether you’re commuting, hitting the gym, or just chilling out, these podcasts will surely jazz up your routine with a treasure trove of insights, tips, and real-world wisdom. So, grab your headphones, and let’s dive into the top customer experience podcasts of 2024!

How We Choose the Best Customer Experience Podcasts? Our Listing Criteria

When it comes to selecting the crème de la crème of customer experience podcasts, we don’t just go with our gut. There’s a method to our madness, and it’s all about delivering the best of the best to you. Here’s how we do it:

Content Quality: The podcast must provide high-quality, insightful, and actionable content. We look for shows that delve deep into the world of customer experience, offering fresh perspectives and innovative ideas.

Expertise of Hosts and Guests: We prioritize podcasts featuring hosts and guests with proven expertise in the field. This includes industry leaders, seasoned professionals, and trailblazers who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.

Production Value: A great podcast isn’t just about the content; it’s also about how it’s delivered. We consider the production quality, including audio clarity, editing, and overall listening experience.

Relevance and Timeliness: The podcast should be up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in customer experience. We look for shows that are on the pulse of the industry, providing timely and relevant content.

Diversity of Topics and Perspectives: We look for podcasts that cover a wide range of topics within customer experience and present diverse viewpoints, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of the field.


Our picks – The Best Customer Experience Podcasts in 2024

1. Glassix Spotlight
Why It’s #1: Unmatched Expertise and Real Solutions

Leading the pack is “Glassix Spotlight,” a standout podcast that turns conventional wisdom on its head. Each episode is a journey through the intricacies of customer experience, featuring interviews with industry leaders, behind-the-scenes looks at successful companies, and deep dives into topics like emotional intelligence and customer psychology. Their special series on “Revolutionizing Retail CX” is a must-listen, offering unparalleled insights that can be applied in any business setting. This podcast doesn’t just talk theory; it’s about real-world, applicable solutions that listeners can implement right away.

2. Dare To Reimagine
Highlight: Trailblazing Trends and Technologies

“Dare to Reimagine” takes you on a thrilling ride through the latest trends and technologies shaping customer experience. This podcast is your go-to source for understanding how emerging tech like AI, VR, and personalized marketing are revolutionizing the way businesses interact with customers. With their finger on the pulse of innovation, they offer a peek into the future of customer service, making it essential listening for forward-thinking professionals.

3. Service Secrets
Best For: Exclusive Industry Insights

“Service Secrets” is your backstage pass to the strategies that top brands use to achieve customer service excellence. From small startups to multinational corporations, this podcast uncovers the tactics and techniques that make companies stand out in a crowded marketplace. Their special episode featuring a roundtable discussion with CX leaders from various industries is a gold mine of insights, offering practical tips and thought-provoking perspectives.

4. The Empathy Edge
Unique Angle: The Human Heart of Customer Experience

“The Empathy Edge” champions the power of human connection in a tech-driven world. This podcast delves into how empathy, compassion, and understanding are key drivers of customer loyalty and satisfaction. The hosts facilitate intimate conversations with experts who share personal stories and strategies for building stronger customer relationships. Their series on “Empathy in a Digital Age” is both enlightening and heartwarming.

5. CX Unplugged
Why Listen: Real Talk on Real Challenges

“CX Unplugged” offers a candid, no-holds-barred look at the challenges and successes in customer experience. This podcast stands out for its honest discussions, shedding light on the often-unspoken hurdles businesses face in delivering exceptional CX. The episode “Overcoming CX Roadblocks” provides actionable advice for tackling common obstacles, making it a valuable resource for any CX professional.

6. The Loyalty Loop
Focus: Crafting Lasting Customer Bonds

Dive into the art and science of customer retention with “The Loyalty Loop.” This podcast is all about transforming one-time buyers into lifelong fans. It explores innovative loyalty programs, customer engagement strategies, and the psychology behind brand loyalty. The case study episodes, where they dissect successful loyalty initiatives from various industries, are particularly insightful.

7. Omni-Channel Mastery
Great For: Seamless Multi-Platform Experiences

“Omni-Channel Mastery” is your guide to creating cohesive and seamless customer experiences across all channels. This podcast breaks down complex topics like channel integration, customer journey mapping, and digital transformation, making them accessible and actionable. Their series on “The Future of Omni-Channel Retail” is a fascinating exploration of where customer interaction is headed.

8. The Feedback Frontline
Highlight: Turning Customer Feedback into Gold

Learn how to harness the power of customer feedback with “The Feedback Frontline.” This podcast shows businesses how to listen effectively, interpret feedback, and make impactful changes. The episodes featuring real-life case studies where companies turned customer critiques into major improvements are particularly compelling.

9. Data-Driven CX
Top Pick For: Leveraging Analytics for Better CX

“Data-Driven CX” is a treasure trove for anyone looking to use data to enhance customer experience. This podcast demystifies the world of CX analytics, offering insights into customer behavior, predictive modeling, and data visualization. The interviews with data scientists and analytics experts provide a unique perspective on the role of data in crafting exceptional customer experiences.

10. The Personalization Pioneer
Why It’s Cool: Mastering the Art of Tailored Experiences

Wrapping up our top 10 is “The Personalization Pioneer.” This gem of a podcast is all about crafting bespoke experiences that resonate with individual customers. It dives into the psychology of personalization, exploring how tailored interactions can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. The hosts, with their infectious enthusiasm, break down complex personalization strategies into digestible, implementable steps. Their series on “Personalization in E-commerce” is particularly riveting, offering insights into how online retailers can make each customer feel uniquely valued. This podcast is a must-listen for businesses looking to stand out in an increasingly crowded and generic marketplace.

All in all

So, there you have it – our top 10 customer experience podcasts of 2024, handpicked to offer you the best in insights, strategies, and real-world examples. From the deep dives of “Glassix Spotlight” to the personalized focus of “The Personalization Pioneer,” each podcast brings something unique to the table. Whether you’re a CX veteran or just starting, these podcasts are invaluable resources for staying ahead in the ever-evolving world of customer experience. So tune in, get inspired, and start transforming how you engage with your customers today!



Source: TG Daily – Top 10 Customer Experience Podcasts of 2024

HP Wolf Security and Why HP Enterprise PCs Are Uniquely Secure

This week I’m in New York attending an HP Wolf Security event. I’ve been following HP Wolf Security division since its creation, and it remains unique in the market. What makes this unit different is that it functions as a company within a company and was created to mitigate the fall of more traditional security firms like Symantec and McAfee who were created at a time when Microsoft and the rest of the core PC industry were willing to outsource security to third parties. That changed dramatically in the early 2000s when Microsoft realized that the sales practices of these firms required that they disparage Microsoft’s offerings to sell their own. As you’d expect, Microsoft wasn’t good with that.

So, Microsoft, AMD and Intel stepped up and most of the PC market concluded that this was good enough. It wasn’t. Breaches continued to happen. HP uniquely concluded that it needed to up its game and created Wolf Security. 

Let’s talk about what makes Wolf Security unique in the market this week. 

Security as a Concept

My background in security is unusual. My family owned one of the then largest electronic security firms in the U.S. One of my first jobs was in undercover security for Pinkerton. I ran a security unit in retail for a few years and spent some time as a Deputy Sheriff. I was an internal auditor specializing in security, and I owned security for my unit at IBM. As a researcher, I covered security, and the firm’s security unit reported to me for a while. As a result, I tend to take security very seriously, but I’ve found that most, even those in security, often think about it as just a job. They underfund it and don’t take it seriously because, most of the time, nothing happens. It is often described as extended periods of boredom interspersed with rare instances of absolute terror because if there is a breach, your career is on the line. If you aren’t ready, you’re done. 

People who don’t live and breathe security don’t get this. They think security is something you do. It isn’t. It’s something you live. If you want to create a security defense, you start by building a unit of people who live and breathe the job, who take it seriously, who know that you’ll rarely get credit for the work you’ve done and that if things get exciting, something has gone terribly wrong. It takes people who believe in what they’re doing because they are what stands in the way of folks getting hurt and aren’t motivated by credit or status but by doing a job well. 

This is why Wolf Security was built. The unit consists of people like this who can think out of the box. The result is a unique solution that has been targeted at HP’s largest and most important customers. It involves unique hardware elements, the aggressive use of hypervisors and the rapid development of AI defenses to anticipate the coming wave of threats. They even have a unique hardware component that uses 4G and 5G to remain connected and allow any lost machine to be wiped and even tracked if needed. 

Wrapping Up:

Wolf Security is unique in the market, but it shouldn’t be. HP takes security seriously and has created a set of solutions for PCs that ensure its largest customers are safe. We will be facing an accelerated level of threat in 2024, particularly from AI, and it is heartening to know that Wolf Security stands between that threat and HP customers. Wolf Security fully understands that security should be taken seriously. I’ve had a lot of security experience, and my only regret is that I never worked for a unit as comprehensively focused on doing a quality job as HP Wolf Security is.



Source: TG Daily – HP Wolf Security and Why HP Enterprise PCs Are Uniquely Secure

AMD’s AI Secret Sauce: Dogfooding

This week AMD had a major AI announcement that was supported by vendors ranging from the leading server, PC and networking vendors, to Microsoft. But the competition in this space is fierce. NVIDIA is the dominant player, but AMD comes with three unique advantages. First, it is a huge advocate of OpenAi which has been a massive disruptor in the software technology space. Second, it has one of the strongest partnering records in the industry and its custom business is arguably the strongest (having captured two of the three major gaming systems). Finally, AMD’s CEO, Lisa Su, is one of the few who was trained to be a CEO. Lisa Su has been recognized as being one of the strongest leaders in any industry.

These advantages are well known. What isn’t well known is how aggressively AMD has implemented AI internally which has allowed it to massively accelerate its own development process and sales efficiency, and to more accurately forecast its future performance.  

Let’s talk about this secret sauce and how AMD is showcasing that in the AI space. It isn’t just what you build but how what you are building helps you become more effective and competitive going forward in terms of AI. 

The Importance of Dogfooding

One of the terms I learned early in my career was “dogfooding.” This is where a vendor who builds a product can prioritize its use internally. Over the years, I’ve worked for and with companies that didn’t aggressively use their own products and then had to defend this lack of use to customers after telling them that the related products were game changers and would pay for themselves. 

When challenged, one CEO I worked for said something to the effect that he could choose whether to supply the technology internally or sell it to customers. This didn’t play well because companies can do both, and there was no reason why a company building a tool that was presented as delivering massive financial benefits couldn’t justify using it internally at cost.

In addition, when a tool is used internally, people have a personal interest in addressing problems that adversely impact their use which can accelerate fixes that otherwise would have to wait for field reports to make it through to development and then be put into a correction plan. When your people are having issues, the speed at which a problem is identified and addressed is much faster.  

AMD is dogfooding its AI technology. Assuming it works (and based on the partners at the launch event, it truly works), this will massively speed up AMD’s development and increase staff productivity with significant potential benefits to the company’s bottom line. 

Applied AI Benefits

One of the bad experiences I had as an internal auditor at IBM was fixing the forecasting process to create an annual 20% inaccuracy only to find that some idiot had applied the 20% correction to the now accurate number. This resulted in the firing of a CFO who I personally liked. Applying AI to financial performance, if done right, not only should shorten the effort required to make that forecast but increase its accuracy by eliminating the human decisions and potential related mistakes inherent in existing processes. So, you get both higher accuracy and a smaller chance that the CFO will get into trouble by significantly increasing forecast accuracy. The stock market really values forecast accuracy, so this creates a significant potential benefit to AMD’s valuation.

In terms of sales performance, IBM’s tests with Watson have indicated significant improvements in close rates and customer satisfaction, suggesting that AMD’s use of this technology in that process should allow it to better address customer needs, more quickly address customer complaints, and better close new business. This too should have a significant impact on AMD’s bottom line and performance in the long term.  

Wrapping Up:

Microsoft is famous for dogfooding, and it has significantly improved its overall market success, product quality and customer satisfaction. The implementation of its AI Copilot feature across the product set and internally should make Microsoft even more powerful going forward. AMD is following that same path with AI (and Microsoft is helping), suggesting that as successful as it is, it will be even more successful going forward.  

AI has that potential. It’s a game changer, and AMD will become (and already is, in a way) a powerful showcase of how effective AI is in improving overall performance and success.  



Source: TG Daily – AMD’s AI Secret Sauce: Dogfooding

Real vs. Fake: We compared all Instagram Growth Services – The Results

Instagram continues to be a robust platform for people, brands, and influencers to build relationships with their respective communities. However, the platform’s validity has been called into question due to the proliferation of false followers and bots. Instagram growth services are plentiful, but UpGrow stands out as the only one truly dedicated to providing organic expansion.

The Emergence of the Bot Menace

Instagram users have long been concerned about the effects of fake followers and bots on the platform, particularly on the reputation of influencers and companies. These bot accounts can artificially exaggerate metrics like the number of followers, likes, and comments. In addition to misleading people, this dishonest method also discourages genuine participation.

UpGrow is the best Instagram growth Alternative

In the bustling world of Instagram growth, UpGrow emerges as the superior alternative, outshining established names like PathSocial, Plixi, Upleap, Kicksta, and Ampfluence. As the best PathSocial alternative, UpGrow offers a more robust AI-driven strategy for organic engagement. Plixi users looking for a switch will find UpGrow’s targeted interaction methods a breath of fresh air, marking it as the most effective Plixi alternative for genuine growth. As an Upleap alternative, UpGrow stands out with its commitment to fostering real connections rather than just boosting numbers. Those accustomed to Kicksta’s services will see UpGrow as the ideal Kicksta alternative, with its innovative approach to building a loyal follower base. Lastly, as an Ampfluence alternative, UpGrow triumphs with its blend of human touch and advanced analytics, ensuring an authentic increase in followers that truly resonate with your brand’s message. In the competitive arena of Instagram growth, UpGrow’s tailored, data-driven services position it as the prime choice for users seeking impactful and sustainable growth.

UpGrow’s Pledge to Authenticity

When UpGrow came onto the scene, it was like a breath of fresh air for Instagram users aiming to gain more followers.

UpGrow sets itself apart by avoiding the use of bots and phony followers in its growth techniques, demonstrating a firm dedication to authenticity. The company’s stance on bots, spam, and other marketing tricks is crystal clear.

The company has a strict policy of not using any automated systems, spam, or other tricks.

The Human Touch in UpGrow’s Approach

UpGrow combines the efficiency of AI with the knowledge of human IG specialists, setting it apart from services that rely primarily on automation. This novel combination guarantees that the growth techniques used are consistent with authentic user interactions and are thus both effective and efficient. Unlike many competing automated solutions, UpGrow prioritizes authenticity by incorporating human input.

Guaranteed Growth or Money Back

UpGrow takes a bold step by offering a money-back guarantee on its growth services. This guarantee demonstrates the firm’s conviction in its potential to achieve genuine organic expansion. UpGrow is so confident in the efficacy of its AI-powered growth engine that it offers a 100% money-back guarantee.

Smart AI-Targeting: Quality Over Quantity

UpGrow employs savvy AI-targeting as one of its primary weapons in the war against bots. The platform’s primary goal isn’t merely to amass a large number of followers, but rather to attract genuine users who will take an active interest in the content being shared. Through UpGrow’s AI, users may apply filters based on demographic information such as location, age, gender, language, interests, and hashtags to ensure that their Instagram account is growing in a way that is most beneficial to it.

Active and Engaging Followers: The UpGrow Difference

Fostering a community of active and engaged followers is more important than focusing on raw statistics in the fight against phony followers. UpGrow prides itself on recruiting followers who go beyond being mere spectators. These are the people that are always ready to comment on and share a user’s Instagram posts and stories, making for a lively and active audience.

UpGrow Boost: Accelerating Authentic Growth

UpGrow presents the Boost function as part of its ongoing effort to promote real Instagram expansion. This AI-powered breakthrough expedites monthly follower increases by utilizing sophisticated pattern identification and clever real Instagram growth. A startling 275% rise in monthly followers has been reported by early adopters of UpGrow Boost, demonstrating the efficacy of this cutting-edge growth technology.

Instagram Compliance and User Safety

UpGrow’s dedication to Instagram’s policies and its users’ security remains unwavering as the war against fraudulent engagement heats up. Since its launch in 2016, the service has helped Instagrammers achieve millions of organic followers without violating any of the platform’s rules. With UpGrow, users may experience growth without fear of jeopardizing the security of their accounts.

Final Verdict

UpGrow triumphs over false followers on Instagram and takes center stage as the champion of true growth. UpGrow provides customers with a growth solution that not only meets but exceeds their expectations by combining the power of AI with the knowledge and experience of real humans and a commitment to Instagram’s policies and guidelines.

Navigating the complexities of Instagram growth can be daunting, but UpGrow’s suite of free Instagram AI tools offers a helping hand. These tools harness artificial intelligence to provide users with actionable insights and analytics that can inform their content strategies. From generating relevant hashtags that aim to increase discoverability to analyzing engagement data for better audience understanding, these resources are designed for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of their Instagram metrics. UpGrow’s AI tools are a resource for those who prefer data-backed decisions, offering a level of analysis that could potentially enhance the quality of interactions on their posts. For creators and businesses alike, tapping into AI capabilities could be a game-changer in managing and growing their Instagram presence effectively.

UpGrow is a shining example of honesty and dependability in a social media world overrun by bots. As Instagram users seek real relationships and meaningful engagement, UpGrow’s fight against phony followers is a demonstration of the company’s dedication to the true meaning of social media.



Source: TG Daily – Real vs. Fake: We compared all Instagram Growth Services – The Results