From CNBC. Focals are the best smart glasses to hit the market so far. They’re from a company called North, which received venture backing from Amazon and Intel, among others. CNBC’s Adam Isaak tried them out for a couple weeks. Watch the video to see his take on Focals’ smart features and shortcomings. » Subscribe…

From CNBC. Venmo has revolutionized the way pay each other back. From sending roommates the rent check to reimbursing friends for dinner, people ‘Venmo’ each other all the time. But have you ever wondered how this fun, emoji laden payments app actually makes money? Well, for years, it hasn’t. But now Venmo is on the…

From CNBC. Paul Krugman says Universal Basic Income would cost more than what is politically possible at the moment, or the amount of money people would receive would be inadequate. The Nobel Prize winning economist says the U.S. should focus more on targeted programs as an alternative, like universal healthcare and child care support. He…

From CNBC. A deadly fungus is spreading from Southeast Asia and wiping out whole plantations of America’s favorite fruit: the banana. The tropical fruit’s popularity is thanks to a few pioneering entrepreneurs, who founded Chiquita under a different name over a century ago. Now, the business they built is at risk of decimation if the…

From CNBC. For many people who struggle with anxiety and depression, it’s a huge challenge to find a therapist that they can afford. So now, a growing group of apps, including Talkspace and The Difference, are looking to solve the problem by using technology to improve access. » Subscribe to CNBC: http://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC » Subscribe to…

From CNBC. Taco Bell is huge in the United States. It has been ranked as one of the top five fast-food chains in the country, based on sales. Despite the brand’s popularity, Taco Bell has been dealing with upheaval in its C-suite. With more than 6,500 locations across the country, Taco Bell is one of…

From CNBC. China’s economy might get more attention, but India’s is outpacing its neighbor in economic growth. In fact, India came in as the world’s fastest growing large economy during 2018, according to the IMF. India’s prime minister faces criticism for a lack of job creation and the workforce remains largely in the informal sector.…

From CNBC. CNBC’s Todd Haselton offers a look at the new $2,000 Samsung Galaxy Fold, which is the talk of this year’s Mobil World Congress. Samsung’s $1,980 Galaxy Fold phone is breaking for some users after a day or two of use. A review unit given to CNBC by Samsung is also completely unusable after…

From CNBC. Pinterest has 265 million monthly users who bookmark images they find online by “pinning” them to themed inspirations “boards.” Pinterest makes money by targeting ads at these users, selling “promoted pins” and click-to-buy shopping ads to businesses and hundreds of retail partners. A note on Pinterest’s $10B valuation: This represents the company’s market…

From CNBC. Some of the top-selling car brands in the United States are Japanese — Toyota, Honda, and Nissan especially. But the reverse isn’t true – General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler combined make up only .3% of the Japanese auto market. With strict regulations, strong local manufacturing, and a particularly Japanese way of retailing…

From CNBC. Brazil, Russia, India and China were coined the BRICs in 2001 by Jim O’Neill, then chief economist at Goldman Sachs. For a while, everybody wanted a piece of the fast-growing emerging markets. But a few years after the financial crisis, the economies started diverging. » Subscribe to CNBC: http://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC » Subscribe to CNBC…

From CNBC. Impossible Aerospace founder and CEO Spencer Gore hopes to make self-flying electric planes that would make jet fuel — and the pollution from burning it — obsolete. But he’s starting small by building battery-powered electric drones. The company’s flagship product, dubbed the US-1, can fly for about two hours on a single charge,…

From CNBC. The trucking industry needs more drivers to meet rising demand, especially from retailers who are under pressure to deliver to customers as fast as Amazon. A trucker’s lifestyle — which requires long hours on the road, heavy lifting and weeks away from home on long hauls — hasn’t appealed to younger workers. Self-driving…

From CNBC. Taxes are a big political issue the United States. Progressive Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have proposed higher taxes on wealthy Americans to help fund generous state welfare programs. Sweden, and other Nordic countries, are often now used as successful examples of nations that collect high taxes without hurting employment or their economies. Here’s…

From CNBC. Discord, a free chat app designed for gamers, has been rapidly growing since it launched in 2015. According to the company, it has 250 million user accounts, about the same as Fortnite, plus 14 million daily active users, which is more than business chat-app Slack. It allows users to chat privately in groups…