Wednesday 18 December 2019

Editor's Pick: Just Wait Till Next Year

Denis Pombriant Dec 18, 2019 11:13 AM PT
	For the last 15 years I've written year end articles on where we've been and where we're going in CRM and more broadly in tech. This year it struck me that the major topics that were important in 2019 would be equally important in 2020. In my mind there are several clusters of things that have sticking power. For starters, platform will be a bigger story than it already is. [More...]

More Picks:

Amazon Gives FedEx the Boot for Christmas
Amazon third-party sellers will not be able to ship Prime customers' orders using FedEx Ground and FedEx Home, as of Wednesday. "We have seen a drop in the delivery performance of FedEx Ground and FedEx Home ship methods for Seller Fulfilled Prime shipments," Amazon said. The restriction is temporary, although no exact date has been set for resuming FedEx Ground and FedEx Home for Prime orders. [More...]

Providers Game System to Boost Broadband Speeds
A 10-year-old FCC program to ensure that ISPs deliver on their connection speed promises to consumers, has become unreliable. Companies including AT&T, Cox, Comcast and Verizon reportedly have been employing tactics to make their performance numbers look better than they actually are. "The FCC is friendly to operators currently," observed Parks Associates' Brett L. Sappington. [More...]

Data-Munching Bug Throws Chrome 79 Android Rollout Into Chaos
Google has stalled the rollout of its Chrome 79 Web browser for Android devices until it can find a way to neutralize a data-destroying bug. Affected users have been vilifying Google and app developers for failing to head off the problem. The latest Chrome version contains two highly anticipated new features: phishing protection, and the ability to reorder bookmarks. [More...]

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E-Commerce Minute

E-Commerce Minute: Wednesday -- December 18, 2019

The E-Commerce Times -- E-Business Means Business
https://www.ecommercetimes.com
Part of the ECT News Network

Headline Scan
Amazon Gives FedEx the Boot for Christmas
Just Wait Till Next Year
3 Steps to a Winning Google Shopping Strategy
The Ever-Changing Face of E-Commerce: 1995-2020
6 Customer Service Trends to Watch in 2020
Apple Feature Forces Change in Online Ad Industry
How to Turn First-Time Holiday Shoppers Into Repeat Buyers

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Today's Story Highlights

Amazon Gives FedEx the Boot for Christmas

Amazon third-party sellers will not be able to ship Prime customers'
orders using FedEx Ground and FedEx Home, as of Wednesday. "We have seen
a drop in the delivery performance of FedEx Ground and FedEx Home ship
methods for Seller Fulfilled Prime shipments," Amazon said. The
restriction is temporary, although no exact date has been set for
resuming FedEx Ground and FedEx Home for Prime orders.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86421.html

Just Wait Till Next Year

For the last 15 years I've written year end articles on where we've been
and where we're going in CRM and more broadly in tech. This year it
struck me that the major topics that were important in 2019 would be
equally important in 2020. In my mind there are several clusters of
things that have sticking power. For starters, platform will be a bigger
story than it already is.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86422.html

3 Steps to a Winning Google Shopping Strategy

The world of paid digital advertising is changing fast. Over the last
year alone, marketers have had to adapt to big changes on Facebook's
platform. They now have to reckon with the continued growth of Amazon,
which is taking an ever-larger bite out of online advertising budgets.
Even Google, long the alpha dog in digital marketing, is altering its
approach with the changing times.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86417.html

The Ever-Changing Face of E-Commerce: 1995-2020

E-commerce doesn't look the same today as it did in 1995. A company
called "eBay" burst onto the scene that year, and Jeff Bezos shipped
Amazon's first book order. That unleashed a flood of online shopping,
and businesses and consumers never looked back. In the past two and a
half decades, e-commerce revolutionized industries such as retail and
supply chain.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86413.html

6 Customer Service Trends to Watch in 2020

The era of messaging and automation is upon us! The fundamentals of
delivering a good customer service experience in 2020 will be much the
same as in 2019: Customers will expect convenient in-channel resolutions
that take little effort on their behalf. With the rise of friction-free,
asynchronous and personalized private messaging channels, contact
centers must adapt.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86415.html

Apple Feature Forces Change in Online Ad Industry

Apple's Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature has made it difficult
for online advertisers to use cookies to target Safari users. Third-
party cookies "serve as the foundation for almost all advertising use
cases," noted Jordan Mitchell, head of consumer privacy, identity and
data at the IAB Tech Lab. The blocking "negatively affects the ability
for brands to target audiences."
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86410.html

How to Turn First-Time Holiday Shoppers Into Repeat Buyers

More shoppers. Increased sales. Larger orders. This year's five-day
stretch between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday left echoing "cha-chings"
ringing through the retail atmosphere. A record 190 million Americans
shopped during Thanksgiving weekend, and they're not done yet. This will
be the first year that every day in November and December will surpass
$1 billion in online sales.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86408.html

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ECT News Network Weekly Newsletter

ECT News Network Weekly Newsletter: Wednesday -- December 18, 2019

ECT News Network -- Where Business Meets Technology
https://www.ectnews.com
E-Commerce Times | TechNewsWorld
CRM Buyer | LinuxInsider

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This Week's Top News Headlines From the E-Commerce Times

Amazon Gives FedEx the Boot for Christmas
(Posted 18-Dec-19)
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86421.html

3 Steps to a Winning Google Shopping Strategy
(Posted 14-Dec-19)
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86417.html

The Ever-Changing Face of E-Commerce: 1995-2020
(Posted 12-Dec-19)
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/86413.html

This Week's Top News Headlines From TechNewsWorld

Providers Game System to Boost Broadband Speeds
(Posted 17-Dec-19)
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86419.html

The Human Problems Underlying Intel's Diversity Report
(Posted 16-Dec-19)
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86414.html

China's Tech Ban Could Have Grave Long-Term Consequences
(Posted 13-Dec-19)
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86416.html

Google's Chrome 79 Puts Heavy Emphasis on Security
(Posted 12-Dec-19)
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/86411.html

This Week's Top News Headlines From CRM Buyer

Paving the Way for the Next Generation of CX Services
(Posted 16-Dec-19)
http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/86418.html

6 Customer Service Trends to Watch in 2020
(Posted 12-Dec-19)
http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/86415.html

This Week's Top News Headlines From LinuxInsider

Data-Munching Bug Throws Chrome 79 Android Rollout Into Chaos
(Posted 17-Dec-19)
http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/86420.html

Plenty of Linux Power Is Built Into Linux Lite 4.6
(Posted 13-Dec-19)
http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/86412.html

News Alerts From ECT News Network
Get the day's top business and technology news delivered
to your inbox as stories break. Sign up today -- it's free!
https://www.ectnews.com/adsys/link/?creative=2202/News_Alerts

How to Advertise in This Newsletter
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please call our sales department toll-free at (877) 328-5500, or view
our online media kit at
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iFixit peeks inside the Mac Pro

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It's Wednesday, December 18, 2019.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

At last, we’ve reached the end of the third Star Wars trilogy. I don’t know what that earns us, but there should be an Xbox Achievement or something. If you’re preparing to see The Rise of Skywalker over the next few days then, first, good luck avoiding any spoilers, and second, don’t forget there’s an exclusive sneak peek to go along with this week’s episode of The Mandalorian, which arrived last night.

For me, the big event of a new thing arriving is only enhanced by iFixit pulling it apart to see what’s inside. Sure, repairability matters, but as I prefer PCs, it’s unlikely I’ll ever need to replace the $400 wheels on a Mac Pro. After you're done with this morning's roundup, keep an eye on the site to see our review of the new Razer Blade Stealth 13.
-- Richard Lawler

(View in browser.)

It should be.

Apple's new Mac Pro is unsurprisingly easy to repair

iFixit has torn down the Mac Pro, and it's now clear that many components beyond the memory and PCIe cards are trivial to remove and (if you can track down parts) replace. The SSD is an exception given its ties to the T2 security chip Apple built-in, but nearly everything else is swappable, down to the fans. That’s something worth knowing if you’re willing to void the warranty on your pricey new workstation.

Faster-than-sound speed without the boom?

NASA’s X-59 supersonic jet is cleared for final assembly

This X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft, designed by Lockheed Martin, could take its first flight as soon as 2021.

There’s a lot of math supporting your strategically blurred selfie.

Google explains the science behind the Pixel 4's Portrait Mode

Ready for an explainer on the Pixel 4’s auto-focus system and how it makes the phone’s Portrait Mode possible? We knew you were, and Google’s AI blog has coughed up the details. In order to estimate depth, the Pixel 4 captures an image using two cameras, the wide and telephoto cameras, which are 13 mm apart. For even more accurate estimation, the cameras also use a dual pixel technique in which every pixel is split in half and captured by a different half of the lens.

This portable massage gun is over 75 percent off today.

Updated for the end of 2019.

The best Xbox One games

With the Xbox One X having a clear advantage over Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro when it comes to gaming on a 4K TV, there's never been a better time to jump in. If you’re sticking with Microsoft’s console ahead of the Xbox Series X’s arrival next year, these are some of the games that will play and look best on your system. We’ll explain why you can’t miss games like Control and Gears 5.

This $30 add-on ships January 23rd.

DualShock 4 attachment adds customizable buttons around back

Sony has unveiled a DualShock 4 Back Button Attachment that, as the name implies, lets you map two of the gamepad's buttons to easier-to-reach locations on the back. If you'd rather not lift your fingers to reload or perform a special attack, you don't have to. You can specify up to three profiles, and an OLED screen on the back illustrates your current button setup. That’s one more accessory to grab before the PS5 ships next year, and it’s certainly cheaper than buying the Xbox’s Elite Wireless Controller 2 for a few similar paddles.

But wait, there's more...

1. Mercedes EQA teaser reveals an electric SUV counterpart to the GLA

2. Google accused of firing another worker in union-busting drive

3. Google resumes Chrome 79 update for Android after fixing data loss bug

4. Google AI tool helps conservationists (and the public) track wildlife

5. YouTube's personalized music playlists are available to all users

6. This is how Hyperloop TT wants to sell Chicago and Pittsburgh on high-speed travel

7. Daimler is bringing electric school buses to Virginia

8. 'Pokémon Go' will let you play with your monster pals in a buddy adventure next year

9. The 1997 'Blade Runner' PC game is now on GOG

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