The next time you ask Siri a question or look for something using Apple’s Spotlight feature, the web results you see will be from Google search, instead of Bing. [More]
ch-ch-ch-changes
J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler Fires Himself, Will Remain Board Chairman
By 6.6.17
Two months after J. Crew sent its creative director packing, the struggling retailer has announced yet another shakeup in its efforts to turn things around: After 14 years on the job, Mickey Drexler will be stepping down from his position as CEO while remaining chairman of J. Crew’s board. [More]
AMC Theaters Retiring Carmike Name, Launching New Cinema Brands
By 3.1.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Seven months after buying Carmike Cinemas, AMC Entertainment Holdings — itself controlled by China’s Wanda Group — says it has a lot going on: It will be retiring the Carmike name and introducing a few new theater brands, including a “dine-in” themed chain. The company’s top boss also says AMC is considering proposals from Hollywood studios that would allow movie lovers to watch new releases at home sooner. [More]
Citibank ATMs Will Replace Chase At Many Walgreens Locations In NYC, Chicago
By 1.17.17
If you’re a Chase bank customer in Chicago or New York City who relies on the ATM at your local Walgreens/Duane Reade to avoid withdrawal fees, we’ve got some bad news for you. But if you’re a Citibank customer, well, we’ve got some great news for you: more than a thousand ATMs will be transitioning from Chase to Citibank. [More]
Instagram Adds Mentions, Links, And Boomerang Tool To Stories Feature
By 11.10.16
Well, well, well, what do we have here? A photo-sharing app adding features that Snapchat doesn’t have? Yes, that’s actually happening: Instagram is updating its Stories feature to allow users to tag their friends, add links, and apply its Boomerang effect to photos. [More]
It’s About To Get More Difficult To Earn AAdvantage Miles On American Airlines’ Partner Carriers
By 7.18.16
A month before American Airlines is set to join the likes of rivals United and Delta by rewarding AAdvantage loyalty members with miles based on how much they pay for their ticket, the carrier made additional changes to the way passengers rack up miles when flying with partner airlines. [More]
Uber Switching To Upfront Pricing Model, Ditching Surge Icon (While Keeping Surge Prices)
By 6.24.16
While Uber is changing its app to make it easier for customers to see what they’ll pay for a ride upfront, the new version will make it harder to know when “surge pricing” has taken hold. [More]
American Airlines’ Rewards Will Be Based On Ticket Price, Not Miles
By 6.6.16
American Airlines loyalty members looking to rack up points based on the length of their trip have two months left to do so. Starting in August, the carrier will be joining the likes of rivals United and Delta by rewarding loyalty members with miles based on how much they pay for their ticket. [More]
Starbucks’ New Rewards Program Starts Today
By 4.12.16
Today is the day. The day that Starbucks rolls out its new rewards program which bases loyalty points on how much customers spend, not on the frequency of purchases. [More]
Starbucks Confirms: Loyalty Rewards Members Will Now Earn Points For Every Dollar Spent
By 2.22.16
Confirming what we reported last week, Starbucks announced this morning that it’s changing how its members earn loyalty rewards points in its My Starbucks rewards program: instead of earning a star per every transaction on anything you buy — food, coffee, mugs, etc. — starting in April, members will earn two stars for each dollar they spend. [More]
Subway Is Really Excited About Raising The Price Of Its Footlong Promo From $5 To $6
By 2.4.16
There’s nothing like a little breathless excitement to try to convince your customers that raising the price of something popular is a fantastic idea, which is perhaps why Subway was so pleased to let customers know that “ALL” its classic footlong sandwiches will cost $6 from now on. That’s right, the same menu item that Subway used to push for just $5 during its typical promotion. [More]
American Airlines Admits Crew Shouldn’t Have Refused To Allow Safety Harness, Will Modify Pre-Flight Manual
By 1.13.16
Remember John and his family, who wanted to use a child safety harness approved by the Federal Aviation Administration on a recent American Airlines flight, but were told they couldn’t? American has now admitted the pilot and crew were wrong for telling the family the device couldn’t be used during taxi and takeoff, and told John the airline will update its pre-flight manuals. [More]
Advocate: Additional IRS Funding Should Be “Extremely Helpful” In Actually Helping Taxpayers
By 12.28.15
As we approach 2016, taxpayers might be wary of dealing with the Internal Revenue Service after last year’s identity theft problems. But according to the IRS’ national taxpayer advocate, the agency is going to be much better at dealing with taxpayers than it was last year. [More]
If Your Passport Is Full, Request Those Extra Pages Now: State Dept. Eliminating Page Inserts Jan. 1
By 11.19.15
Are you one of those jetsetters who revels in the feel of your overstuffed passport, brimming with extra pages you’ve added that are stamped with all the far-flung destinations you’ve visited? If you’re a U.S. citizen and and don’t have any more room in that thing, you’ll have to get a new passport, because the government isn’t going to sell extra page inserts anymore in the new year. [More]
American Airlines Jumps On Industry Bandwagon, Will Now Award Frequent Flier Miles Based On Ticket Price
By 11.17.15
Frequent fliers who are part of American Airlines loyalty rewards program will soon have to spend money to accrue points, instead of receiving miles based on how far they’ve flown. [More]
Guinness Tweaking Its 256-Year-Old Brewing Process So Vegans Can Enjoy A Pint, Too
By 11.3.15
It must be tough out there sometimes for a vegan or a vegetarian — your meat-eating friends can’t talk about anything but bacon, and waiters never know if there’s cream in the soup or if the potatoes are fried in lard, etc. — so when it’s time to relax with an alcoholic beverage, it’s got to be nice to have options. Guinness is giving vegans one more option, with a tweak to its 256-year-old brewing method. [More]
Facebook Tweaking “Real Name” Policy To Make It Easier For Users To Verify That They Are Who They Claim To Be
By 10.30.15
If you’ve ever tried to insist to Facebook that you really do go by the name Her Magnificence The Empress Of Catland and been frustrated at your efforts, things are about to change: the company announced it’s tweaking its so-called “real name” policy to make it easier for users to verify that they really do answer to a name other than their legal one. [More]
Nestle Announces Another Change To Supply Chain: All KitKat Chocolate Will Be Sustainably Sourced
By 8.31.15
After saying that “forced labor has no place in [their] supply chain” for Fancy Feast cat food, Swiss conglomerate Nestle SA is now addressing another supply chain area, saying KitKat will be the first global chocolate brand to make all its products with sustainably sourced cocoa. This, as the chocolate industry has come under fire for allegations of child labor. [More]
