Nothing Phone 3aMSRP$379.00 Score Details The Nothing Phone 3a is Nothings best phone yet and it offers excellent battery life, a unique experience and an abundance of style. There are a few misses, but while it isn't perfect, the Nothing Phone 3a is really good.ProsUnique design that stands outFast chargingGreat Battery LifeNothing OS is a joy to use120Hz displayConsOlder chipset struggles to keep upLimited water resistanceCamera isnt consistentEssential key placement is oddTable of ContentsTable of ContentsNothing Phone 3a SpecsNothing Phone 3a DesignNothing Phone 3a DisplayNothing Phone 3a Hardware and PerformanceNothing Phone 3a Battery and ChargingNothing Phone 3a Software, and Essential SpaceNothing Phone 3a CameraNothing Phone 3a price and availabilityNothing Phone 3a Verdict: the mid-range championHow do you stand out from a lot of competition when building a new smartphone brand, especially when one of them is the previous company you co-founded? This was the challenge facing Nothing when it was formed, and four years on, the journey has been familiar yet unique, just like Nothing itself.Recommended VideosNothing has followed the playbook used by many of the team in the early days of OnePlus, by prioritizing a great experience at an affordable price. The Phone 3a follows in this vein in abundance and the resulting phone has blown me away. The Nothing Phone 3a costs just $379, yet it offers an experience thats far above this price.RelatedUnique features like the Glyphs and striking design are a joy, whilst even the AI-powered Essential Space is an interesting idea, despite its wayward execution. The Nothing Phone 3a isnt perfect and you cant expect perfection at this price but you quickly forgive the faults when you realize how much it does offer at such a low price.Nothing Phone 3aDimensions163.5 x 77.5 x 8.4 mmWeight201 gramsScreen6.77-inch AMOLED, 30-120Hz, 1080 x 2392 pixels, 3,000nits peak brightness, 2160Hz PWMDurabilityIP64Panda Glass for displayCameras50MP main f/1.9 camera with OIS and EIS.50MP f/2.0 telephoto camera, 2x optical zoom.8MP f/2.2 wide-angle.32MP front cameraProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3RAM and storage12GB RAM, 256GB storageBattery5,000mAhSoftwareAndroid 15 with Nothing OS 3.1ColorsBlack, white or bluePrice379 USD / 379 GBPNirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsThe puns write themselves but theres something truly special about Nothing phones. In the same way that folding phones stand out for their unique form factor, the Nothing Phone 3a stands out for its iconic design.Its been a core ethos of Nothing and its easy to see why. In a world where smartphones are mostly boring in design, the Nothing Phone 3a helps you stand out with its see-through back, unique colors and camera layout. I love the blue Nothing Phone 3a, but the white version Ive been sent looks far more premium than its price.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsUnlike Nothings flagship devices without the a branding like the rumoured Nothing Phone 3 the A-series devices get far fewer glyph stripes. Despite having fewer LEDs and commands, glyphs on the Phone 3a never fail to stand out. Ive had numerous people ask me what phone is that, in the same way as when Im using a folding phone or the Clicks Keyboard.At 8.4mm thick and 201 grams, its not the most svelte phone to use at first, but you quickly get used to it. Its only IP64 dust and water resistant, which means it will withstand some light splashes and getting caught in a rainshower, but lacks the full waterproofing of rivals such as the Pixel 8a.Power Key (top), Essential Key (bottom) Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsFor the most part, the Nothing Phone 3a design is enjoyable, but theres one design choice that still confuses me a week later. Nothing chose the 3a to debut the new Essential Key, which adds a new AI-powered way to save and recall the things that matter most to you, but it rearranged a lot of keys to do so.The Essential Key is placed right beneath the power key and both are located lower than on other phones. The same applies to the volume keys, and when youre used to the key layouts on most phones, the transition to the Nothing Phone 3a is considerably jarring. I would expect it to become second-nature eventually, but theres a considerable learning curve, and even simple tasks like taking a screenshot feel much more awkward.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsThe ideal phone would feature every spec imaginable and cost under $500, but from my personal experience with building a phone, I know thats not feasible. When building a phone that costs less than $400, phone makers inevitably have to make a series of compromises, but the Phone 3a shows that Nothing truly understands this market.Nothing approached this challenge in the right way, focusing on the key specs that matter to its target market. An older mid-range processor, but a vibrant and fantastic display? Check. Great for casual gaming and average usage, but less focus on premium materials like titanium? Check.The Phone 3a has a flagship display without a flagship priceThe Phone 3a and Nothing Phone 3a Pro both feature the same 6.77-inch AMOLED display with 1,300 nits high brightness and 3,000 nits peak brightness. Its clearly designed with gaming and video playback in mind, with a dynamic refresh rate ranging from 30Hz to 120Hz, and full HDR10+ support. I expected compromises in the display, but I would be happy with this on most phones; its a flagship display without the flagship price.The Phone 3a screen has the specs needed on paper, and delivers in person. Its legible even in bright sunlight, the 120Hz dynamic refresh rate is great especially considering the iPhone 16e costs $600 and is limited to 60Hz and the screen is bright, colorful and smooth. This is an experience that would befit a smartphone twice this price.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsNothings compromises to focus on display, battery and design mean that you wont find the absolute best processor inside. Yet, the year-old Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 is only a step down from last years flagship processor, and its plenty powerful for many of your day-to-day tasks.Theres a considerable difference between this processor and the one used in flagship devices, but while there are stutters and moments of sluggishness, they are fewer than I would have expected at this price. Some of this is down to the amount of RAM, with Nothing packing most variants like the one available in the US with 12GB of RAM.Smart App Drawer on the Nothing Phone 3a Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsIf youre interested in gaming, its worth noting that the Phone 3a lacks Vulcan 1.1 support, which meant we couldnt run the 3DMark Solay Bay benchmark test. Essentially, this means that the best AAA games will struggle to run as well on the Phone 3a as they do on more expensive devices especially those with hardware-based ray tracing and this isnt a phone for hardcore gamers.Processor aside, the Nothing Phone 3a is more of a flagship than youd expect at this price. Theres a large battery, faster charging than the Galaxy S25 Ultra which costs three times as much, and an under-display optical fingerprint reader thats surprisingly good. It has all the connectivity you need including dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.4 and quad-band GPS but theres no Wi-Fi 6e or 7 for the fastest Wi-Fi speeds.The Nothing Phone 3a is more of a flagship than youd expect at this priceIve been using the Phone 3a on my travels in Europe during this review period, and it supports all the necessary bands for major European carriers in the countries that Ive visited. However, one of the reasons for the lower price is that it doesnt support all the necessary bands for all three major US carriers, so its worth keeping this in mind.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsRemember those compromises I mentioned above? Alongside an excellent display, Nothing decided to prioritize battery life and charging. The 5,000 mAh battery is bigger than many phones that cost $1,000, and 50W wired charging is faster too.For comparison, this is the same sized battery as the Galaxy S25 Plus which costs $1,000 but the Phone 3a charges 5W faster. Samsungs middle flagship takes about an hour to charge to full, mainly as it doesnt charge at the full 45W for the entire time, while the Nothing Phone 3a takes just over 52 minutes to charge to full. The Phone 3a proves that a low price doesnt have to mean bad battery life.The Phone 3a proves that a low price doesnt have to mean bad battery lifeThe battery life is outstanding, with the Phone 3a regularly lasting a full day with battery to spare with moderate usage. On days when I taxed it much harder with a lot of camera usage, it still lasted a full day. Yes, there was a noticeable drain under heavy gaming, but this is to be expected given the processor. Sadly, theres no wireless charging or ability to add it, but its something I can forgive given the price tag.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsThe Phone 3a runs Nothing OS 3.1 on top of Android 15 out of the box. Unlike many companies, Nothing doesnt heavily modify the core OS and instead focuses on visual elements that add a splash of style and customization. The result is that itll feel very familiar to anyone whos used a Google Pixel phone in the past.If you like minimalist or simplistic styles, youll love Nothing OS 3.1. It removes colors and shapes, instead focusing on a dot matrix theme that reduces graphics to iconography. The core NothingOS theme is mostly black and white, while theres also a full monochrome mode you can enable.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsI found the homescreen to be a little confusing to get used to at first, but thankfully, theres also a regular Android homescreen interface if you prefer that. This is not your average Android interface, and that means it is polarizing. I like the look of NothingOS 3.1, but theres still a small learning curve after a week of using the Phone 3a.The Phone 3a is the launch of Nothings new Essential Space. Press the Essential Key and it takes a screenshot of anything youre looking at and pulls up an interface that lets you scribble or type a note. If you long-press the Key, you can do the same except its saved with a voice note. Once done, double press the Essential Key to enter the Essential Space.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsOnly the screenshots you capture via the Essential Key end up here, which can be confusing, especially if you havent gotten used to the positioning of the Essential Key yet. You can still take a screenshot the old fashioned way if you can locate the power button and volume down keys but this goes into your Gallery as normal. Its confusing, but I wish Nothing had either moved this key, or we had the ability to reprogram it.The Essential Space isnt perfect, but it is a great ideaI like Essential Space, or at least, I like the idea of Essential Space. Like any first-generation feature, its rough around the edges, but the idea of using AI to decipher everything you save and make it searchable has a lot of promise. Nothing is using AI in a smart and useful way, as it can provide summaries of content you capture along with the date-bound to-do list items that it recommends, but the latter cant be edited which makes them significantly less useful.When Nothing first told me about the Essential Space, I remember being extremely excited. Its the type of AI-feature that I think could be the future, and being able to find anything youve needed to save sounds like a great feature. It doesnt quite deliver, but Im excited for the possibilities here and this feature idea has a lot of potential. The Essential Space isnt perfect, but it is a great idea.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsThere was a time not too long ago that companies compromised the camera in affordable flagship phones. 2025 is not that time, and the Phone 3a promises to push the affordable segment forward in a big way thanks to a triple-camera setup.Yes, this sub-$400 phone has three cameras, and they all feature decent specs. The 50MP main camera features f/1.9 aperture, has OIS and uses phase detection autofocus, while the 8MP ultrawide features f/2.2 aperture and has a 120 field-of-view. The third camera is the 50MP telephoto which offers 2x optical zoom, a 25cm minimum focusing distance and 50mm effective focal length.How do these cameras fare in the real-world? Lets find out, starting with the good: the Nothing Phone 3a can take great photos. They say the best camera is the one you have on you, and the Phone 3a is a great companion, even in somewhat challenging conditions like restaurants, low-light and bright flashing lights.Restaurants can be notoriously varied in the quality of their lighting, ambiance and even crockery when taking photos to post on social media, but I was quite impressed with how the Phone 3a handled this. Some photos can be blurry more on this later but otherwise, it takes photos that would be easy to post on social media, albeit perhaps with some editing.Under the dull street lights of Barcelona, the Phone 3a does fairly well but like many of its photos, it lacks a little contrast. This is the current trend, but it does make the photos feel a little flat. However, in other low-light conditions, it delivers an excellent photo, even handling the harsh red lighting in a nightclub well.The Nothing Phone 3a also stands out for its third-lens, the 50MP telephoto that offers 2x optical zoom. Let that sink in: for under $400, you have a flagship feature. Its not the 3x periscope (or more) used by other flagships, but the Nothing Phone 3a Pro has you covered if thats what youre looking for.1 of 80.5x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 1x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 0.5x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 1x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 1x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 2x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 1x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 2x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends The 2x telephoto is a great addition to this price point, as the two lenses work in tandem and aim to offer parity between the lenses. However, there are times when one lens takes more or less exposed photos than the other, so theres a lack of consistency.Of course, any zoom lens needs to be tested thoroughly, and I put the Phone 3a through my favorite test: the airport departures board. Weve all been there where youre sitting too far from a departure board, and cant see it clearly. Can your phone get you out of this pinch?1 of 51x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 2x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 4x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 5x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 10x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends Even at 10x, which is five times the zoom offered by the hardware, the Phone 3a can probably help you decipher. Its not completely legible, but it is still usable and I can see more than I could with my eyes at that distance.1 of 50.5x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 1x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 2x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 4x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends 10x Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends The zoom is also pretty capable in different lighting conditions, and its a feature that is more often usable than not. Photos will sometimes have motion blur, as the camera does take longer than other phones to finish capturing a photo, but its a frustration you learn to live with given the affordable price.One of the other big camera differences between the Phone 3a and 3a Pro is the front facing camera, with the latter featuring an upgraded 50MP sensor. How does the 32MP sensor in the Phone 3a fare? The answer is surprisingly well, in most lighting conditions.Across a range of scenarios, the front facing camera has proven to be very capable. Like the rest of the camera, there are some photos where theres motion blur, is completely blown out or lacks detail, but there are a lot of photos where the Phone 3a just delivers. This camera wouldnt be out of place in a more expensive phone, and thats testament to how great the Phone 3a is overall.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsThe Nothing Phone 3a is available in Black, White and Blue, with different variants available in different configurations. In the US, you can buy the version with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $379 directly from Nothing as part of its Beta program.Its only officially sold via Nothings website, but if you choose to buy it via Amazon, the pricing is higher. The top version now costs $459, but you can also snag the 8GB and 256GB version which isnt otherwise available in the US.Nirave Gondhia / Digital TrendsIf you judge the Nothing Phone 3a by flagship standards, it falls short in some areas. However, look at the price and you quickly realize just how good this phone is. Weve used Pixel a series devices in the past, and it always felt like a lot of compromises, but the Phone 3a feels more like a flagship thats almost double the price than a typical mid-range phone.NothingOS is refreshingly different, the glyphs help you stand out and even the Essential Space has some good ideas. The camera is capable, yet inconsistent, but the battery life is outstanding. Achieving a low price point requires making many compromises, and Nothing has made the best combination of compromises at this price point.It would be easy to dismiss the Phone 3a as much ado about Nothing, but the Phone 3a has taught me that there is something special about Nothing. The Phone 3a can compete against the best affordable phones, and many of the best overall phones, so I cant wait for the next flagship, the Nothing Phone 3.Editors Recommendations

Apples 2025 devices might be paired with completely refreshed software to combat waning opinions about the brand. With the new iPhone series, the iPad, and the Mac series slated to launch later in the year, Apple may roll out fresh software designs for the devices as one of its major features of the year.Sources close to the matter told Bloomberg editor, Mark Gurman that the coming software will have fundamental changes to the look of their respective systems, to be more uniform across platforms. The changes will be apparent in icons, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons, which will take inspiration from designs found in Apples Vision Pro software.Recommended VideosThe updates are set to be a part of iOS 19 and iPadOS 19, codenamed Luck, and macOS 16, codenamed Cheer, which Gurman indicated will go beyond a typical design language refresh. Apple should discuss its plans for the upcoming software updates at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Apple is not expected to make any moves toward merging operating systems. The brand is well-known for making it easy for users to move from device to device. In this case, its main effort is toward making software design practical and consistent across platforms. Sources note that the lessons Apple has learned from its lackluster VisionOS experiment, it would like to implement into other, more popular ecosystems with greater reach. From VisionOS, the brand plans to adopt circular app icons, simplified windows, translucent navigation panels, and more intent use of 3D depth and shadows. These features will of course be modified for the 2D point-of-view of iPhone, iPad, and Mac.Apple is gingerly navigating sales in the years after the pandemic and consumers bombardment with artificial intelligence. The brand is particularly looking to appeal to younger consumers with new designs, to boost sales of upcoming devices.The devices that will likely run the software codenamed Luck and Cheer out of the box include the iPhone 17 series, the M5 MacBook Pro, and the M5 iPad Pro. Many rumors circulate about the hardware at this time. Theres a particular focus on the iPhone 17 Air. Analysts suggest that the M5 MacBook Pro may not be a major update due to the lack of an OLED display. Meanwhile, the M5 iPad Pro is expected to launch with an OLED display. It would be interesting to see if a fresh new ecosystem can be a power play for the devices and the brand.Editors Recommendations

2025-03-11T08:08:01Z Read in app A Ukrainian soldier looks at the thermal imaging display on the M2 Browning gun. AP Photo/Marko Ivkov This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Business Insider visited a Ukrainian mobile air defense unit near Kyiv last week.The soldiers use truck-mounted machine guns to shoot down Russian drones packed with explosives.The Ukrainians said they are fueled by anger at Russia and a desire to protect their country.KYIV, Ukraine The moment the air raid warning sounds, signaling a new Russian bombardment, the countdown starts. There are just 15 minutes on the clock.As quickly as they can, Oleksiy and his team of air defenders scramble out to their firing point, set up their heavy American-made machine guns, and get ready to start shooting down the Russian drones that have caused fear in Ukrainian cities and brought substantial destruction throughout the war.Once in position, they may be there for only an hour. On other occasions, they may be out for as many as 14 hours, sometimes through the night, waiting to gun down exploding drones. Only when the last one is down do they pack up and call it a night.Oleksiy is the deputy commander of a mobile air defense unit with Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces. It is tasked with protecting critical infrastructure and civilians in a city on the outskirts of Kyiv, the country's capital city and a frequent target for Russian missile and drone strikes.Business Insider met with the unit last week and observed how it conducts operations. The soldiers, who asked to be identified by their first names only for security reasons, said their missions are fueled by a fury at Russia and a desire to protect their homeland."We have ordinary people, not professional soldiers, who are united by the defense of their city and the defense of the state," said Oleksiy, who, like others in this story, spoke to BI through a translator. Ukrainian soldiers take the camouflage wrapping off an M2 Browning machine gun. Jake Epstein/Business Insider This air defense unit was set up by Oleksandr Markushyn, the mayor of Irpin, a city near Kyiv that saw intense fighting in the early days of the Russian invasion.The unit's seven members are on and off, reporting for duty early in the morning when their two-day shifts start. Their base has everything they need to rest and train for the missions.If the Russians launch an attack, an alarm goes off, sending the soldiers rushing to their trucks. They've got just minutes to get ready for the coming battle.The soldiers drive pickup trucks equipped with flashing lights to speed through traffic. However, they usually work at night, when there are fewer cars on the road.At their firing location, which could be in an open field, they remove the camouflage net from the .50 caliber M2 Browning machine gun mounted in the bed of the truck. The net helps conceal the heavy, American-made weapon and allows the soldiers to transport it safely around the city. The M2 Browning is a heavy machine gun designed near the end of the First World War that fires .50 caliber bullets. It's been in service since the 1930s and fires hundreds of rounds a minute. Jake Epstein/Business Insider A Ukrainian soldier looks at the thermal imaging display on the M2 Browning gun. Jake Epstein/Business Insider The soldiers carry assault rifles, pistols, body armor, radios, and other gear with them. They don't take much else. Sometimes, they drink coffee to stay alert through the long nights or eat a sandwich if they get hungry, but the mission is at the front of their minds, not the food or drink."We are more angry than hungry," said one of the unit's soldiers, whose name is also Oleksiy.The soldiers use a spotlight that shines a bright and powerful beam of light into the night sky to help them spot the Russian drones, specifically the notorious Shahed-136, which can fly at speeds of over 115 mph and carry an explosive warhead that weighs nearly 90 pounds. They can also observe the drones through a thermal imaging device.The Russians often launch their Shaheds at low altitudes to avoid radar detection. This forces the Ukrainian soldiers to rely on visual or acoustic detection; they listen for the drone's engine noise, which sounds like a lawnmower."They fly very low, and so we need to watch very carefully," Oleksiy said. "It may be that we can stay in position all night. This happens very often." Ukrainian air defenders set up their firing position. Jake Epstein/Business Insider Shaheds are not easy aircraft to shoot down. A bullet can pierce the drone, but unless a critical part is struck, it may keep flying. However, hitting the drone could slow it down and make it easier for another air defense unit in another location to destroy.Oleksiy said it's frustrating to hit one but not kill it. He said he understands that knocking one down could create debris, but "if the drone reaches where it is aimed, there will probably be even more damage."He said that scoring a kill against a Shahed will often cause an explosion overhead that they can feel on the ground. "We will feel the shock wave, which can be very dangerous."Svitlana, who works the spotlight and monitors enemy targets on a tablet, said that the soldiers train with a simulator to use the Browning. In it, they can hone their skills and be ready to engage the drones in real scenarios.Every night is different. One night, the unit could battle dozens of Shaheds for hours. Other nights might be much quieter. It's tough to know what it'll be like. A Ukrainian officer shows a thermobaric charge of a downed Shahed drone at an undisclosed location in Ukraine in November. AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky Ukrainian air defenses intercept a Shahed drone during a Russian attack on Kyiv in September. AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka "When we are just waiting here in the field, we usually discuss some everyday topics, watch, and wait," Svitlana said. "For me, this is my contribution to our safety and our victory."When the air raid is finally over, the unit returns to base. There, they can replenish ammunition, refuel their trucks with gas, eat, and rest before the inevitable next mission.And there's always another. Britain's defense ministry said last month that Russia's drone launch rate of at least 2,000 a month will likely remain the case through the year. But the Ukrainian defenders believe they are up for the task.Oleksiy, the deputy commander, said half of his group had no prior combat experience before Russia's full-scale invasion. During their two days off, the soldiers go to their regular jobs; the other Oleksiy is a teacher at a high school, and Svitlana is a teacher's assistant."The best part of the job is when there is a result when air targets are shot down," Oleksiy said. "It means that they did not reach their target and we were able to protect our citizens. They have light, heat, and, most importantly, they are alive."

There are few activities more delightful than getting a little wine drunk and hitting up the local Target to go treasure hunting. Sure, you pretend you're there for a legitimate reason to pick up toilet paper or trash bags. But whatever the plan was going in, you wind up with a basket full of random goodies: a bikini for a vacation you're not taking and party favors for a gathering you're not having. A yoga mat! Hot Cheetos! Five packs of gum! At Target, the world is your oyster in terms of stocking up on stuff you absolutely do not need. Even if you're doing Target sober, you wind up drunk on stuff.But lately, that Target trip has been a little less joyful, if you're even going at all. The Minneapolis-based retailer has been going through a rough patch as price-conscious consumers cut down on just-for-funsies buys that fuel Target's sales. And in terms of politics, it seems like Target can't get anything right. For the past two years, it's found itself at the center of America's culture wars, drawing the ire of conservatives and progressives alike. For some consumers, popping into Target (or refusing to) has turned into a political statement, though it's not clear what statement it even makes.Target can't decide what it stands for, ideologically. For many businesses, that's fine, but in Target's case, cultural relevancy is baked into the business model, and it keeps waffling on how it wants to be relevant. What Target stands for economically isn't working right now, either it's operating from a place of weakness. The result: a Target that can't keep a, well, target off its back.If you want to get a sense of how things have been going for Target lately, just take a look at its stock price. Target shares are down by more than 30% over the past year and by over 50% since their 2021 peak. While its most recent quarterly earnings were generally in line with Wall Street's expectations, it hasn't reported strong financial results since the pandemic. The retailer also said sales were off in February because of the weather and "declining consumer confidence," and it has anticipated tariff-related price increases in a matter of days. Things are not working in Target's favor, in part, because it relies on discretionary spending basically, the nonessentials. As people pull back on that kind of spending amid inflation and worries about the economy, that hits Target where it hurts."People expect prices to rise, and that's causing people to spend more conservatively, and that's causing them to think twice about throwing this or that other thing into their cart," said Zak Stambor, a senior retail and e-commerce analyst at EMARKETER. "Target's business relies on people throwing this or that into their cart." (EMARKETER is owned by Axel Springer, the parent company of Business Insider.)Target is struggling to differentiate itself and compete against Walmart, Amazon, and Costco, said Michael Baker, a managing director and senior research analyst at D.A. Davidson. If a consumer's focus is product selection and wowing customers with compelling offers, Costco's the answer (or at least as good as Target). If it's convenience, it's Amazon. If it's price, Walmart wins. "That doesn't mean that Target can't find their niche," Baker said, but the niche it does have wants and not needs is one that doesn't work great in this environment. "With the wind at their back and people spending a lot on discretionary items, we think Target can compete reasonably well, but in a more difficult environment, the increased competition over the past decade or so, I think, makes it that much more difficult for them," he said.Target is a place to find that cool other thing that you didn't expect to throw into your cart.Target is also struggling to catch up in some booming areas that are working for its competitors, like groceries and e-commerce. Both efforts have been undertaken "halfheartedly," said Zhihan Ma, a senior research analyst at Bernstein. Target largely relies on its stores to fulfill online orders, which may be cheaper in terms of the up-front cost to implement, but it's very labor intensive, as associates are expected to deal with in-person shoppers and e-commerce customers in tandem.Beyond the slow-walked investments, one of the key differentiators for Target a relatively enjoyable shopping experience has been undercut in recent years. Target's attempts to fight retail theft mean more merchandise winds up locked up. Like with other retailers, some locations have problems with inventory shortages or crowded aisles. The result is a shopping experience that isn't a bang-up time, which is especially damaging for Target, where a bit of fun is part of the point."The business is what the business is to a large extent," Stambor said. "Target is a place to find that cool other thing that you didn't expect to throw into your cart."While Target has been having a tough time financially over the past couple of years, it may be even worse when it comes to the news. Yes, there are some positive headlines about Stanley's "Wicked"-themed cups and everything it's doing with Taylor Swift. But there are a lot more negative headlines Target would rather not see.One of the ways Target has sought to differentiate itself from competitors is by embracing a rather cosmopolitan identity. It does collaborations and deals with designers, big-name brands, and celebrities. It tries to get higher-end consumers in the door. It's a bit fancy there's a reason people use a little French accent to call it "Tar-jay." That means some of its consumers, particularly those who are more progressive leaning, expect more from it, and in some cases, Target has been happy to oblige."In some ways, they're victims of their own success," Baker said. "Target has come to stand for fashion and fun and it is really a very culturally relevant retailer," he said, which puts it more in the crosshairs than Walmart and Amazon.As recently as 2020, Target was leaning into this identity. The Minneapolis-based retailer had positioned itself as a leader on racial justice in response to George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. The moves seemed to go over well until 2023, when it stumbled into a series of culture-war woes. That year, many businesses faced a backlash after a Bud Light marketing campaign featuring the transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney sparked outrage among some consumers in the spring. Heading into the summer, Target's Pride month collection something it's been doing for years became the subject of right-ring focus. Some of the hullabaloo was completely made up, such as false social media reports that Target was selling "tuck-friendly" bathing suits for children. But the dust-up also moved from social media to the real world: Some angry shoppers were actually attacking associates and destroying store displays. Target scaled back its Pride collection, moving items to the back of the store in some locations and pulling some items altogether. It later said the backlash hurt sales.Since then, Target's been stuck in a loop of corporate identity indecision that it seems unable to get out of. The decision to scale back on Pride made no one happy some consumers were already upset about the merchandise's existence in the first place, and others were upset because Target backed down. Target declined to comment for this story, but with regard to its diversity strategy and business outlook, a spokesperson pointed to links to its "Belonging at the Bullseye Strategy" and its fourth-quarter results.Target has taken a similar please-no-one approach when it comes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. In January, the company said it was axing multiple DEI initiatives, including ending its three-year DEI goals, wrapping up a program to invest in Black-owned businesses, and stopping participation in external diversity-focused surveys. Target's DEI efforts and reversals have been met by resistance on several fronts. On the right, the retailer has been hit by a lawsuit brought by the state of Florida, among others, saying investors weren't made aware of the risks of Target's DEI initiatives and potential backlash. On the left, the Atlanta pastor Jamal Bryant has called for a 40-day boycott of Target over its DEI rollback."Any time a company is visible, it's a target for activists who have one agenda or another," said Brayden King, a management professor at Northwestern.At a moment when much of corporate America is anxious about the political environment, Target, in particular, seems to be bearing the brunt of all these swirling emotions. Many people feel powerless when it comes to actual politics, so pouring their frustrations into things they can control where and how they shop turns into an outlet for some sort of action.That kind of seesawing back and forth and saying one thing and doing another, that's what gets brands like Target in trouble.The big issue, however, isn't that Target sold Pride merchandise or undertook DEI initiatives, it's that it so openly waffled on all of it. Again, it's similar to Bud Light: The near-ubiquitous beer brand did a tiny marketing campaign with a transgender influencer, and when that caught fire online among right-wing personalities, the company panicked and backed down instead of keeping calm and staying the course. When a company capitulates to backlash and cowers, it suggests what it initially did was incorrect and ultimately pleases nobody.Wavering draws more attention to the issue. It signifies weakness which, in the case of Target's business, is part of the problem. It also degrades trust with consumers and turns the company into a more obvious target for activists down the line."That kind of seesawing back and forth and saying one thing and doing another, that's what gets brands like Target in trouble," said David Albert, the chief insights officer at Collage Group, a consumer research firm that focuses on multicultural audiences. "We've seen here, especially with Target, is that they've eroded that trust because they're not doing what they say and they don't say what they do."It's not clear how much the political noise will impact Target's bottom line. The 2023 Pride backlash did ding sales, but that was a temporary problem. As a general rule, the vast majority of boycotts don't work. Consumers are set in their ways and often prioritize convenience. If there's a Target down the street or a Walmart 30 minutes away, most people will stick with Target. Also, if you really start to worry about whether each and every business you interact with aligns exactly with your values, you will likely find there is nowhere on Earth you can shop."Boycotts, of course, are very effective tactics for drawing attention to a cause," King said. "It will have this effect of making Target look bad. But do I think that it will affect what Target does? Probably not."Just because boycotts rarely work doesn't mean they never work. Bud Light, for one, really did see a decline in sales. The evidence is mixed on whether February's single-day "economic blackout" was effective, but there are at least some signs it may have moved the needle. Ma, from Bernstein, said it's too early to tell if the DEI-related backlash will hurt Target's long-term financials, but she acknowledged that it may introduce more "volatility" into its shorter-term results if it continues to find itself embroiled in cultural backlashes. "It doesn't help, for sure," she said.In terms of the business basics, Target has plans to get back some of that Tarjay sheen. It's amping up its private-label offering, creating more in-house brands that resonate with consumers and give them a reason to go to Target, specifically, rather than somewhere else. It's seeking out more flashy collaborations and partnerships, like with Warby Parker. It's scaling Target Plus, its third-party marketplace. It's still hoping consumers will do a spin around the store for those glorious little splurge buys on top of the basics.Still, in the retail landscape, Target isn't in a highly enviable position. Between price-sensitive consumers and tariff whiplash, the macroeconomic landscape is not stacked in its favor. And its soft business outlook means that in terms of the culture war, it's operating from a place of weakness, which raises the chances of making a misstep. Instead of companies worrying they're going to be the next Bud Light, they're likely starting to worry they'll be the next Target.Emily Stewart is a senior correspondent at Business Insider, writing about business and the economy.

School of Public Health / Allies and MorrisonSave this picture! Jack HobhouseArchitects: Allies and MorrisonAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:7940 mPhotographsPhotographs:Jack HobhouseManufacturersBrands with products used in this architecture project Manufacturers: Addingtons Formwork, BPC, Environmental Fabrications, FP McCann, Flood Precast, Kone, Lazenby, NA Curtain Walling, ParagonMore SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The new School of Public Health at Imperial occupies a key site on the university's White City campus. Designed for academics, researchers, students and public health professionals, the building provides a mixture of teaching, research and community outreach space for the school's multidisciplinary work in healthcare, health policy and epidemiology. Advances in medical understanding derive from working partnerships, when practitioners and researchers can compare and validate data, test research findings and develop resources together. At the heart of the School of Public Health's design therefore is a drive to facilitate sharing and collaboration with spaces that can be shaped and reorganised to suit a range of functions, working practices and research groups.Save this picture!The School is organized over ten floors (plus roof plant). The current configuration provides 3230 sqm of office, research and community engagement space over floors 3-7, with teaching space on floors 1 and 2. A basement accommodates cycle storage and plant. Floor plates are designed around a standard bay size for simple internal rearrangement. Each bay is 7.8m x 7.8m and can be arranged to provide everything from large open space to small cellular offices. By pushing the building's core to the south, large flexible spaces with good daylight and minimal glare have been created on each typical floor. There are also areas on each floor providing staff and student amenity and informal social space. For privacy, the south facade is stepped, with east-facing windows concealed to turn away from the residential building opposite. The north-facing facade by contrast is open and transparent. On the ground floor, views through from the reception area to the generous daylit stairwell aid wayfinding and, in line with public health aspirations, encourage active circulation. Also on the ground floor, a flexible and divisible 85 sqm space for community uses and outreach puts this important strand of the School's work on public display, clearly visible from and addressing the busy Wood Lane street.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Location and Campus Role - The School of Public Health is only an eight minute walk from Hammersmith Hospital Campus, and the building plays an important urban role, addressing visitors approaching from the north and marking arrival at the Imperial White City North Campus. The building entrance is located at the centre of a colonnade spanning the north elevation, while on its eastern side it addresses the small square at the heart of the campus. At 10-storeys, the School's height mediates between the scale of Victorian terraces on Wood Lane and the high-rise residential tower of 88 Wood Lane to the south.Save this picture!Material Palette - The architecture employs robust exposed finishes and a family of colours. Pale terracotta-coloured metal cladding with a sand-textured finish is used on the building's exterior alongside white pre-cast concrete facade panels. Inside, fair-faced concrete, cast in-situ, and Douglas fir, characterise the reception area and main circulation stair. Deep red acoustic panels and painted doors, as well as tiling and other finishes in kitchenettes and circulation spaces, WCs, and shower rooms pick up the colour theme.Save this picture!Working with Imperial at White City Campus - The School of Public Health is the second new building that Allies and Morrison has completed for Imperial at White City Campus. The Sir Michael Uren Hub was completed in 2019. Immediately to the south of these two buildings is the next phase of Imperial's White City Campus development. It will deliver new teaching, research and innovation space for academics and businesses. This will support Imperial's continued expansion in mathematics, data and computer sciences, AI and machine learning and business. Our masterplan for this site gained planning consent in 2021.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:London W12, United KingdomLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeAllies and MorrisonOfficePublished on March 11, 2025Cite: "School of Public Health / Allies and Morrison" 11 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027711/school-of-public-health-allies-and-morrison&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Origami House / DA VNG studioSave this picture! Minq BuiArchitects: DA VNG studioAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:80 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2025 PhotographsPhotographs:Minq Bui Lead Architect: Nguyn c Anh Qun More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The house's faade is inspired by the folds of origami, creating a visually intriguing structure. The angular, folded design combined with heat-resistant stone tiles makes it well-suited for Vietnam's hot climate, ensuring a cool and comfortable indoor environment.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Designed in a rustic and minimalist style, the house incorporates raw materials that bring a sense of warmth and relaxation to the homeowner. A uniquely crafted skylight allows natural light to filter through while enhancing ventilationan ideal solution for narrow tube houses in tropical climates.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The natural stone-clad entrance gate resembles a fortress nestled in the heart of Saigon. Origami House embodies a perfect fusion of stone-tiled faades, folded elements, natural lighting and ventilation, and raw-textured interiorsan ideal architectural approach for tropical homes.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officeDA VNG studioOfficePublished on March 11, 2025Cite: "Origami House / DA VNG studio" 11 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027750/origami-house-da-vang-studio&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Project Files: https://www.patreon.com/posts/124027940 . This is the 161st episode of the new tutorial series on Action RPG game using Gameplay Ability System. In the last episode, we started working on a skill tree system where a skill tree is generated using data defined in a data table. In this episode, we are going to work on a method to show dependencies between skills in the widget by drawing a line between dependent/connected skills. Dependencies will be determined from the data table and will be drawn on UI by overriding OnPaint function on widget. Animations are sponsored by: https://www.ramsterzanimations.com/ https://www2.unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/greatsword-anims Full Playlist : Action RPG series with gameplay ability system: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNTm9yU0zou7XnRx5MfBbZnfMZJqC6ixz // ! https://www.patreon.com/codelikeme Patrons will have access to project files of all the stuff I do in the channel and other extra benefitsJoin this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClb6Jh9EBV7a_Nm52Ipll_Q/join Like my facebook page for more content : https://www.facebook.com/gamedevelopersclub/ Follow me on twitter : https://twitter.com/CodeLikeMe2 Follow me on reddit : https://www.reddit.com/user/codelikeme #CodeLikeMe #unrealengine #ue5 #ue4 #indiegamedev

A 2022 satellite photo shows a large plume of discolored water rising from the undersea Kavachi volcano, during an eruption that likely scattered the sharks that normally dwell there.

Urban Jungle, a vibrant and cozy gardening simulation game created by a team of three, will be released in ten days.Download the demo and enjoy a wholesome and meditative gaming experience: https://80.lv/articles/this-cozy-relaxing-plant-placing-simulator-will-be-released-soon/@Kylyk_Games

AI-Powered Aloy from Horizon Forbidden West Fails to Impress ViewersVideo game companies keep experimenting with artificial intelligence, and it can be hit or miss. Unfortunately for Sony, its venture into the field with AI-powered Aloy from Horizon Forbidden West did not amaze viewers. @verge got its hands on a leaked video, which is now taken down due to copyright, showing Sharwin Raghoebardajal, a director of software engineering at Sony Interactive Entertainment, talking to Aloy, who reacted to his words in a monotone text-to-speech voice.In the video, Raghoebardajal first asked her some questions about her life and then started playing the game with the character describing the surroundings when prompted. She could say whether she saw any enemies and offer ideas on how to deal with them.The model uses OpenAIs Whisper for speech-to-text as well as GPT-4 and Llama 3 for thinking. Also, the audio-to-face animation is powered by Sony's own Mockingbird. Raghoebardajal pointed out that this was just a prototype, but that didn't appease players.Honestly, it's just like any other such technology: Aloy is stiff, and her reactions are robotic and delayed. Viewers called the demo "creepy," "ghastly," "rancid," and "cursed" and asked Sony to "please work on literally anything else." The Bloodborne remaster, for example.This experiment might potentially set a dangerous precedent by replacing voice actors if it ever gets polished enough to do so something the industry is worried about. What gives the fears more weight is the fact companies like NVIDIA and Ubisoft have already presented their versions of AI-powered NPCs.Now, I wouldn't be against characters who can talk freely about anything, but this tech needs to be refined, and the problem of actors losing their jobs must be resolved. Moreover, I think we should fix more important game issues first before introducing talking heads.