It's Like a Millstone Round Your Neck |
Millstone is a hard, rough-coated sheep's milk cheese made by Wooton Organic Dairy in Somerset, England. It has a delicate flavor when young but becomes harder, dryer, and crumblier after about ten months on the shelf. Don't we all? Meanwhile today's news you Need2Know is full of burdens being lifted — or imposed, or lifted — depending on the story: Give me two double cheeseburgers for five bucks! —Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor P.S. we've got 'gram content live from CES in Las Vegas. |
| |
"This was about rationalizing non-core assets." — Ken Leon |
|
|
1. Nvidia Stock Reaches All-Time High Then Falls 6% |
Nvidia stock peaked Monday then dragged the stock market down Tuesday as it fell 6 percent. The descent followed CEO Jensen Huang's keynote at the eagerly anticipated CES trade show in Las Vegas. I'm betting it was probably to do with that terrible jacket he insisted on wearing; it makes me question his judgment.
Nvidia's shares enjoyed a significant rally, propelled by the anticipation of groundbreaking announcements from Huang. The company's partners also rose on news of new collaborations. Still, the markets were less convinced by Huang's speech than he might have personally been.
The stock slump is a bit odd because Nvidia's contributions to AI and emerging technologies at CES were all rather interesting. One of the standout unveilings was the GB10 AI superchip, a cornerstone of Nvidia's new desktop-sized client supercomputer. Slated for a May release with a price tag of $3,000, the technology is aimed at developers, researchers, and students. Nvidia also took the opportunity to announce substantial revisions to its robotics initiatives, particularly through its Cosmos platform, which is designed to enhance the development of humanoid robots and autonomous vehicles. Huang said he thinks autonomous driving tech could become the first multi-trillion-dollar robotics market.
However, their stock fell 6 percent. Analysts mostly say that means you should buy it because it's likely to continue going up, and they're probably right. But it just goes to show: Stock prices are odd things. #NotFinancialAdvice Read More |
|
|
2. Meta Goes MAGA? Zuck Will End Fact-Checking Program |
Meta has announced a substantial pivot from its longstanding fact-checking program. The tech giant, helmed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is set to replace its trusted partner-based fact-checking mechanism with a community-driven system, a bit like X's Community Notes.
The move signifies a broader overhaul in Meta's moderation policies amidst a changing socio-political landscape with a renewed emphasis on, ahem, "free speech." Another way of saying that is: Donald Trump is about to become president again.
According to Zuckerberg, the shift is not merely operational but philosophical, aiming at "reducing mistakes, simplifying policies, and restoring free expression." Will the shift pave the way for a more transparent, participative approach to truth in our digital commons, or could it incite further discord in our already polarized information landscapes? My money is on further discord but hey. What do you think? Read More |
|
|
| Sneak peak of @ces 2025 in Las Vegas! 🚀👀
Cheddar is on the ground this week, bringing you the latest tech innovations. Stay tuned for more! |
|
|
3. Puma Gets Their Head in the 'Squid Game' |
To commemorate a Netflix series critiquing capitalism as a fight to the death, there's nothing like doing a collaboration with a global sneaker brand, is there?
That's why Puma released some new fashion to die for! It's collaborating with Netflix's record-breaking series, "Squid Game," bringing out its classic T7 tracksuit with the "Squid Game" teal green color palette.
Limited-edition Suede and Easy Rider sneakers are embedded with easter eggs for die-hard fans. The Easy Rider sneaker embodies the tension of the "red light, green light" game, with scratch-off green panels revealing a menacing red beneath, and a Young-hee doll hangtag to complete the thematic feel. The "Squid Game" Suede sneaker nods to the series' sinister stair room, differentiated with bright pops of color and zig-zag overlays. A pair of such sneakers is a mere $100. There's also a matching backpack, cap, T-shirts, too.
Amazingly the Puma tie-up is just one such effort. You can now buy Jack Links "Squid Game" Beef Jerky. There's "Squid Game" Johnnie Walker Whisky. There are "Squid Game" Crocs. Read More |
|
|
4. What Disney's Hulu+ Live Fubo Merger Will Look Like |
The Walt Disney Company is buying 70 percent of Fubo, the video service that had sued to block the media giant's plan to create Venu, a sports streaming joint venture with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery.
The agreement puts an end to litigation. Instead, Fubo will merge with Disney's Hulu+ Live TV offering. For Disney this deal was about "rationalizing non-core assets," said Ken Leon, from CFRA Research. Hulu+ Live TV needed a new home, and Fubo was a good fit as a programming distributor, he said.
The move enables Fubo to "take on a mass of sports and news content, stream it, and certainly increase its subscribers and financial outlook," Leon said. The deal is also a big win for Fubo. With Disney as a 70-percent owner, they gain significant credibility and a brighter future. The company's stock jumped 250 percent on the news, a clear sign that investors see the merger as a positive move. Leon noted that Fubo's projected revenue by 2028 is $7.5 billion.
Ultimately Disney's goal is to cast a net over all potential subscribers to ESPN across various price tiers, analysts told the Hollywood Reporter. That mouse wants your eyeballs! Read More |
|
|
5. Miss the $5 Footlong? Subway and McDonald's Debut New Value Menus |
Subway has launched a new "Meal of the Day" promotion with a rotating selection of sandwiches, offering a six-inch sub for $6.99 or a footlong for $9.99. Each meal comes complete with a side of chips or cookies, plus a small drink.
The announcement comes shortly after McDonald's revealed its plan to launch a McValue menu that includes a $5 Meal Deal. The McValue menu introduces a novel "Buy One, Add One for $1" option on double cheeseburgers, McChicken, 6-piece chicken McNuggets and small fries. Sadly the McRib is excluded as well as the Big Mac.
In a flashy move to draw attention to the new menu, McDonald's has enlisted WWE wrestler-turned-actor, John Cena, for its marketing blitz. I'm not sure how well that will work, considering we can't see John Cena.
"The fact that fans can mix and match with the new McValue menu to get great deals on the food they love is going to be an absolute game-changer," Cena said in a statement, which isn't just something his agent wrote after cashing the check but something he deeply feels on a personal level. Read More |
|
|
| So, What Do You Think of Cheddar?
|
We want to hear from you! From shows to site to this very newsletter, we'd love some feedback. |
|
|
|
