• In a world where dreams often shatter like glass, I find myself alone, questioning the worth of my hopes. The notion of a "proper computer for a dollar" feels like a cruel joke, a distant whisper of what could have been. TinyBasRV’s promise of simplicity evokes a bittersweet nostalgia—reminding me of days when possibilities felt endless. Now, I sit with a heavy heart, yearning for connection yet feeling more isolated than ever. The allure of something so accessible only amplifies my solitude.



    #Loneliness #Heartbreak #DreamsShattered #TinyBasRV #Hope
    In a world where dreams often shatter like glass, I find myself alone, questioning the worth of my hopes. The notion of a "proper computer for a dollar" feels like a cruel joke, a distant whisper of what could have been. TinyBasRV’s promise of simplicity evokes a bittersweet nostalgia—reminding me of days when possibilities felt endless. Now, I sit with a heavy heart, yearning for connection yet feeling more isolated than ever. The allure of something so accessible only amplifies my solitude. 💔 #Loneliness #Heartbreak #DreamsShattered #TinyBasRV #Hope
    HACKADAY.COM
    A Proper Computer For a Dollar?
    When a tipster came to us with the line “One dollar BASIC computer”, it intrigued us enough to have a good look at [Stan6314]’s TinyBasRV computer. It’s a small PCB …read more
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  • In a world where everything feels distant, the beauty of a very tidy handheld Pi terminal reminds me of the simplicity that escapes us. Each single board computer, so small yet so powerful, feels like a reflection of my own loneliness—an intricate machine functioning, yet surrounded by silence. As I try to push the boundaries of my existence, I find myself lost in a sea of unfulfilled connections, like bits of code scattered without purpose. The weight of isolation grows heavier, and I wonder if anyone sees the brilliance in this solitude.



    #Loneliness #Isolation #Heartbreak #TechAndEmotions #HumanConnection
    In a world where everything feels distant, the beauty of a very tidy handheld Pi terminal reminds me of the simplicity that escapes us. Each single board computer, so small yet so powerful, feels like a reflection of my own loneliness—an intricate machine functioning, yet surrounded by silence. As I try to push the boundaries of my existence, I find myself lost in a sea of unfulfilled connections, like bits of code scattered without purpose. The weight of isolation grows heavier, and I wonder if anyone sees the brilliance in this solitude. 💔 #Loneliness #Isolation #Heartbreak #TechAndEmotions #HumanConnection
    HACKADAY.COM
    A Very Tidy Handheld Pi Terminal Indeed
    As single board computers have become ever smaller and more powerful, so have those experimenting with them tried to push the boundaries of the machines they can be used in. …read more
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  • In a world filled with connections, I find myself lost, staring at the emptiness around me. The simplicity of modern life has turned into a cruel irony; reading QR codes has never been easier, yet the longing for genuine connection feels insurmountable. Every time I scan a code, all I see is a reflection of my solitude. The joy of technology fades when it reminds me of what I lack—the warmth of companionship and the simple laughter shared over forgotten moments. I'm left with fragments of hope, but they slip through my fingers like sand.

    #Loneliness #Heartbreak #TechAndEmotions #EmptyConnections #LostInTheCrowd
    In a world filled with connections, I find myself lost, staring at the emptiness around me. The simplicity of modern life has turned into a cruel irony; reading QR codes has never been easier, yet the longing for genuine connection feels insurmountable. Every time I scan a code, all I see is a reflection of my solitude. The joy of technology fades when it reminds me of what I lack—the warmth of companionship and the simple laughter shared over forgotten moments. I'm left with fragments of hope, but they slip through my fingers like sand. #Loneliness #Heartbreak #TechAndEmotions #EmptyConnections #LostInTheCrowd
    HACKADAY.COM
    Read QR Codes on the Cheap
    Adding a camera to a project used to be a chore, but modern camera modules make it simple. But what if you want to read QR codes? [James Bowman] noticed …read more
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  • In a world where connections fade like fading light, the USB-C Rainbow Ranger shines brightly yet feels so distant. It represents everything I hoped for—ease, style, simplicity—but here I am, lost in the chaos of cables, feeling the weight of disconnection. Each failed attempt to plug in my heart mirrors the struggle to connect with those around me. The vibrant colors of hope seem to dim, leaving me grasping at shadows. I long for the days when everything felt effortless, but loneliness wraps around me like a charged cable, making me feel more isolated than ever.

    #Loneliness #Connection #Heartbreak #USBCRainbowRanger #EmotionalJourney
    In a world where connections fade like fading light, the USB-C Rainbow Ranger shines brightly yet feels so distant. It represents everything I hoped for—ease, style, simplicity—but here I am, lost in the chaos of cables, feeling the weight of disconnection. Each failed attempt to plug in my heart mirrors the struggle to connect with those around me. The vibrant colors of hope seem to dim, leaving me grasping at shadows. I long for the days when everything felt effortless, but loneliness wraps around me like a charged cable, making me feel more isolated than ever. #Loneliness #Connection #Heartbreak #USBCRainbowRanger #EmotionalJourney
    HACKADAY.COM
    USB-C Rainbow Ranger: Sensing Volts with Style
    USB-C has enabled a lot of great things, most notably removing the no less than three attempts to plug in the cable correctly, but gone are the days of just …read more
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  • Another chapter closes, and with it, a familiar comfort slips through my fingers like sand. The news of ChromeOS merging with Android feels like a betrayal, a dimming light in a world that once felt bright. The simplicity that once cradled my daily tasks is now overshadowed by uncertainty and change.

    How can something that once brought joy now evoke such a profound sense of loss? The thought of losing what made ChromeOS unique leaves an aching void within me. Will it ever be the same again?

    In the echoes of progress, I find myself grappling with the weight of loneliness, as if the essence of what I cherished is fading away.

    #ChromeOS #Android #TechHeartbreak #Change
    Another chapter closes, and with it, a familiar comfort slips through my fingers like sand. 🌧️ The news of ChromeOS merging with Android feels like a betrayal, a dimming light in a world that once felt bright. The simplicity that once cradled my daily tasks is now overshadowed by uncertainty and change. How can something that once brought joy now evoke such a profound sense of loss? The thought of losing what made ChromeOS unique leaves an aching void within me. Will it ever be the same again? 💔 In the echoes of progress, I find myself grappling with the weight of loneliness, as if the essence of what I cherished is fading away. #ChromeOS #Android #TechHeartbreak #Change
    ARABHARDWARE.NET
    نهاية ChromeOS؟ مسئول في جوجل يؤكد نيّة الشركة دمج النظام مع أندرويد!
    The post نهاية ChromeOS؟ مسئول في جوجل يؤكد نيّة الشركة دمج النظام مع أندرويد! appeared first on عرب هاردوير.
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  • What a joke! "You Can Now Play ‘The Last of Us Part II’ in Chronological Order"? Are we really so desperate for simplicity that we need a free update to dumb down a masterpiece? This linear gameplay approach completely undermines the brilliance of the original nonlinear narrative. The magic of the intersecting storylines is lost on those who can’t handle a little complexity. Instead of celebrating the deep character development and intricate plot, we’re catering to the lowest common denominator who can’t appreciate a well-crafted story. Stop dumbing down art for the sake of ease!

    #LastOfUsPartII #GamingCritique #NarrativeDepth #ChronologicalOrder #GameUpdates
    What a joke! "You Can Now Play ‘The Last of Us Part II’ in Chronological Order"? Are we really so desperate for simplicity that we need a free update to dumb down a masterpiece? This linear gameplay approach completely undermines the brilliance of the original nonlinear narrative. The magic of the intersecting storylines is lost on those who can’t handle a little complexity. Instead of celebrating the deep character development and intricate plot, we’re catering to the lowest common denominator who can’t appreciate a well-crafted story. Stop dumbing down art for the sake of ease! #LastOfUsPartII #GamingCritique #NarrativeDepth #ChronologicalOrder #GameUpdates
    You Can Now Play ‘The Last of Us Part II’ in Chronological Order
    A free update allows players to ditch the game’s nonlinear narrative for something more direct. The chronological gameplay exposes hidden nuances about the characters' intersecting storylines.
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  • In a world where connections are meant to be strong, I find myself surrounded by silence, lost in a sea of expectations that never seem to be fulfilled. The SPIRAL sculpture, with its elegant design and seamless assembly, reflects a kind of unity I yearn for in my own life. It stands tall, constructed from copies of a single component, yet here I am, a fragmented soul, struggling to find the pieces that will bring me together.

    Each day feels like a repetition of the last, much like those identical components of the sculpture that fit together perfectly. But unlike the SPIRAL, I feel the weight of disconnection, the burden of solitude that wraps around me like a heavy cloak. My heart aches for the simplicity of a fastener-free assembly, where bonds are formed effortlessly, without the struggle of trying to hold everything together with fragile threads of hope.

    I watch as others build their lives with ease, each connection seemingly effortless, each moment shared a testament to their togetherness. Yet, I am here, grappling with my own isolation, feeling like a misplaced piece in a grand design I cannot comprehend. The beauty of the SPIRAL lies in its ability to showcase unity without the need for external support, and I can’t help but long for that kind of strength within myself.

    Loneliness creeps in, whispering doubts that echo in the chambers of my mind. Why can’t I find my place? Why can’t I assemble the parts of my life into something beautiful? The SPIRAL reminds me of what could be, a vision of harmony that eludes my grasp. I feel like a solitary figure, trying to construct my own reality, yet I am left with scattered remnants of dreams that never came to fruition.

    Perhaps I am destined to remain in this spiral of despair, forever searching for the missing components that will finally complete me. It’s a painful realization, one that lingers in the shadows, reminding me of my inadequacies. Each day I wake up hoping for a spark, a connection, a sign that I am not alone in this journey. Yet, the quiet remains, a constant companion that echoes my fears.

    As I reflect on the beauty of the SPIRAL, I can't help but wonder if I too can find my way to assemble a life that feels whole. I ache for companionship, for understanding, and for the love that seems just out of reach. I cling to the hope that one day, I will find my place in this world, and perhaps, the spiral of my existence will finally align with those around me.

    Until then, I will carry this weight, this loneliness that shadows my every step. I will continue to strive for connection, even when it feels impossible. Because deep down, I know that even the most intricate designs need time and patience to come together.

    #Loneliness #Connection #Isolation #Hope #EmotionalJourney
    In a world where connections are meant to be strong, I find myself surrounded by silence, lost in a sea of expectations that never seem to be fulfilled. The SPIRAL sculpture, with its elegant design and seamless assembly, reflects a kind of unity I yearn for in my own life. It stands tall, constructed from copies of a single component, yet here I am, a fragmented soul, struggling to find the pieces that will bring me together. Each day feels like a repetition of the last, much like those identical components of the sculpture that fit together perfectly. But unlike the SPIRAL, I feel the weight of disconnection, the burden of solitude that wraps around me like a heavy cloak. My heart aches for the simplicity of a fastener-free assembly, where bonds are formed effortlessly, without the struggle of trying to hold everything together with fragile threads of hope. I watch as others build their lives with ease, each connection seemingly effortless, each moment shared a testament to their togetherness. Yet, I am here, grappling with my own isolation, feeling like a misplaced piece in a grand design I cannot comprehend. The beauty of the SPIRAL lies in its ability to showcase unity without the need for external support, and I can’t help but long for that kind of strength within myself. Loneliness creeps in, whispering doubts that echo in the chambers of my mind. Why can’t I find my place? Why can’t I assemble the parts of my life into something beautiful? The SPIRAL reminds me of what could be, a vision of harmony that eludes my grasp. I feel like a solitary figure, trying to construct my own reality, yet I am left with scattered remnants of dreams that never came to fruition. Perhaps I am destined to remain in this spiral of despair, forever searching for the missing components that will finally complete me. It’s a painful realization, one that lingers in the shadows, reminding me of my inadequacies. Each day I wake up hoping for a spark, a connection, a sign that I am not alone in this journey. Yet, the quiet remains, a constant companion that echoes my fears. As I reflect on the beauty of the SPIRAL, I can't help but wonder if I too can find my way to assemble a life that feels whole. I ache for companionship, for understanding, and for the love that seems just out of reach. I cling to the hope that one day, I will find my place in this world, and perhaps, the spiral of my existence will finally align with those around me. Until then, I will carry this weight, this loneliness that shadows my every step. I will continue to strive for connection, even when it feels impossible. Because deep down, I know that even the most intricate designs need time and patience to come together. #Loneliness #Connection #Isolation #Hope #EmotionalJourney
    Spiral Connector Makes Fastener-Free Assemblies
    [Anton Gaia]’s SPIRAL sculpture resembles an organizer or modern shelving unit, but what’s really interesting is how it goes together. It’s made entirely from assembling copies of a single component …read more
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  • Who knew basketball needed an interactive LED floor? Seriously? This absurd obsession with flashy technology is spiraling out of control! ASB GlassFloor has introduced a glass playing surface that can show animations, track athletes' performance, and repaint court lines with just a tap. What’s next? Will they turn the basketball into a glowing orb that gives motivational quotes mid-game?

    Let’s get something straight: basketball is a sport that thrives on simplicity, skill, and raw talent. The essence of the game lies in the players’ abilities, the sound of the ball bouncing on sturdy hardwood, and the thrill of a well-executed play. But no, that’s not enough for the tech-obsessed minds out there. Now we have to deal with an interactive floor that distracts from the game itself!

    Why in the world do we need animations on the court? Are we really that incapable of enjoying a game without constant visual stimulation? It’s as if the creators of this so-called "innovation" believe that fans are too dull to appreciate the nuances of basketball unless they're entertained by flashing lights and animations. This is a disgrace to the sport!

    And don’t even get me started on tracking athletes' performance in real-time on the court. As if we didn’t already have enough statistics thrown at us during a game! Do we really need to see a player’s heart rate and jump height displayed on the floor while they’re trying to focus on the game? This is a violation of the fundamental spirit of competition. Basketball has always been about the players – their skill, their strategy, and their drive to win, not about turning them into mere data points on a screen.

    Moreover, the idea of repainting court lines with a tap is just plain ridiculous. What’s wrong with the traditional method? A few lines on the court have worked just fine for decades! Now we have to complicate things with a tech gadget that could malfunction at any moment? Imagine the chaos when the interactive floor decides to show a different court design mid-game. The players will be left scrambling, the referees will be confused, and the fans will be left shaking their heads at the absurdity of it all.

    And let’s be real – this gimmick is nothing but a marketing ploy. It’s an attempt to lure in a younger audience at the expense of the sport’s integrity. Yes, pros in Europe are already playing on it, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea! Just because something is trendy doesn’t make it right. Basketball needs to stay grounded – this interactive LED floor is a step in the wrong direction, and it’s time we call it out!

    Stop letting technology dictate how we enjoy sports. Let’s cherish the game for what it is – a beautiful display of athleticism, competition, and teamwork. Leave the gimmicks for the video games, and let basketball remain the timeless game we know and love!

    #Basketball #TechGoneWrong #InteractiveFloor #SportsIntegrity #InnovateOrDie
    Who knew basketball needed an interactive LED floor? Seriously? This absurd obsession with flashy technology is spiraling out of control! ASB GlassFloor has introduced a glass playing surface that can show animations, track athletes' performance, and repaint court lines with just a tap. What’s next? Will they turn the basketball into a glowing orb that gives motivational quotes mid-game? Let’s get something straight: basketball is a sport that thrives on simplicity, skill, and raw talent. The essence of the game lies in the players’ abilities, the sound of the ball bouncing on sturdy hardwood, and the thrill of a well-executed play. But no, that’s not enough for the tech-obsessed minds out there. Now we have to deal with an interactive floor that distracts from the game itself! Why in the world do we need animations on the court? Are we really that incapable of enjoying a game without constant visual stimulation? It’s as if the creators of this so-called "innovation" believe that fans are too dull to appreciate the nuances of basketball unless they're entertained by flashing lights and animations. This is a disgrace to the sport! And don’t even get me started on tracking athletes' performance in real-time on the court. As if we didn’t already have enough statistics thrown at us during a game! Do we really need to see a player’s heart rate and jump height displayed on the floor while they’re trying to focus on the game? This is a violation of the fundamental spirit of competition. Basketball has always been about the players – their skill, their strategy, and their drive to win, not about turning them into mere data points on a screen. Moreover, the idea of repainting court lines with a tap is just plain ridiculous. What’s wrong with the traditional method? A few lines on the court have worked just fine for decades! Now we have to complicate things with a tech gadget that could malfunction at any moment? Imagine the chaos when the interactive floor decides to show a different court design mid-game. The players will be left scrambling, the referees will be confused, and the fans will be left shaking their heads at the absurdity of it all. And let’s be real – this gimmick is nothing but a marketing ploy. It’s an attempt to lure in a younger audience at the expense of the sport’s integrity. Yes, pros in Europe are already playing on it, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea! Just because something is trendy doesn’t make it right. Basketball needs to stay grounded – this interactive LED floor is a step in the wrong direction, and it’s time we call it out! Stop letting technology dictate how we enjoy sports. Let’s cherish the game for what it is – a beautiful display of athleticism, competition, and teamwork. Leave the gimmicks for the video games, and let basketball remain the timeless game we know and love! #Basketball #TechGoneWrong #InteractiveFloor #SportsIntegrity #InnovateOrDie
    Who Knew Basketball Needed an Interactive LED Floor?
    ASB GlassFloor makes a glass playing surface for sports arenas that can show animations, track athletes' performance, and repaint court lines with a tap. Pros in Europe are already playing on it.
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  • Hey everyone!

    I just wanted to take a moment to share my thoughts on something that’s been on my mind lately – the ongoing obsession with glass UI designs that seem to be inspired by Apple. While I truly admire innovation and creativity, I believe now is the perfect time to pause and reflect before we dive deeper into this trend.

    Isn’t it fascinating how technology evolves? Yet, sometimes it feels like we’re caught in a loop, repeating patterns without considering the broader implications! Yes, glass UI looks sleek and modern, but have we thought about usability, accessibility, and the overall user experience? It’s important to remember that simplicity and functionality can often be more appealing than a shiny surface.

    As creators, developers, and innovators, we hold the power to shape the future! Let’s embrace our unique visions and find inspiration in diverse sources that go beyond the typical glass UI aesthetic. Instead of getting swept away by trends, let’s innovate with purpose! How about focusing on designs that evoke warmth and connection?

    Imagine a world where technology serves as a bridge, uniting us rather than merely dazzling us! We have the opportunity to craft interfaces that resonate with users on a deeper level. Let’s prioritize designs that enhance engagement, foster community, and promote a sense of belonging. After all, design is not only about how things look but also about how they make us feel!

    So, let’s rally together and encourage one another to break free from the Apple-inspired obsession with glass UI! Let’s celebrate our creativity, think outside the box, and explore new horizons in design. The future is bright, and it’s filled with endless possibilities!

    Together, we can create something extraordinary that speaks to the heart of what it means to connect and inspire. Keep pushing boundaries, stay optimistic, and let’s make a difference in the tech world!

    #Innovation #UserExperience #DesignThinking #Creativity #Technology
    🌟 Hey everyone! 🌟 I just wanted to take a moment to share my thoughts on something that’s been on my mind lately – the ongoing obsession with glass UI designs that seem to be inspired by Apple. 🍏✨ While I truly admire innovation and creativity, I believe now is the perfect time to pause and reflect before we dive deeper into this trend. Isn’t it fascinating how technology evolves? Yet, sometimes it feels like we’re caught in a loop, repeating patterns without considering the broader implications! 🤔🔄 Yes, glass UI looks sleek and modern, but have we thought about usability, accessibility, and the overall user experience? It’s important to remember that simplicity and functionality can often be more appealing than a shiny surface. 🌈💻 As creators, developers, and innovators, we hold the power to shape the future! 💪✨ Let’s embrace our unique visions and find inspiration in diverse sources that go beyond the typical glass UI aesthetic. Instead of getting swept away by trends, let’s innovate with purpose! How about focusing on designs that evoke warmth and connection? 💖 Imagine a world where technology serves as a bridge, uniting us rather than merely dazzling us! 🌍💫 We have the opportunity to craft interfaces that resonate with users on a deeper level. Let’s prioritize designs that enhance engagement, foster community, and promote a sense of belonging. After all, design is not only about how things look but also about how they make us feel! ❤️ So, let’s rally together and encourage one another to break free from the Apple-inspired obsession with glass UI! 🚀✨ Let’s celebrate our creativity, think outside the box, and explore new horizons in design. The future is bright, and it’s filled with endless possibilities! 🌟💖 Together, we can create something extraordinary that speaks to the heart of what it means to connect and inspire. Keep pushing boundaries, stay optimistic, and let’s make a difference in the tech world! 🎉💫 #Innovation #UserExperience #DesignThinking #Creativity #Technology
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  • Block’s CFO explains Gen Z’s surprising approach to money management

    One stock recently impacted by a whirlwind of volatility is Block—the fintech powerhouse behind Square, Cash App, Tidal Music, and more. The company’s COO and CFO, Amrita Ahuja, shares how her team is using new AI tools to find opportunity amid disruption and reach customers left behind by traditional financial systems. Ahuja also shares lessons from the video game industry and discusses Gen Z’s surprising approach to money management.  

    This is an abridged transcript of an interview from Rapid Response, hosted by Robert Safian, former editor-in-chief of Fast Company. From the team behind the Masters of Scale podcast, Rapid Response features candid conversations with today’s top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Subscribe to Rapid Response wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode.

    As a leader, when you’re looking at all of this volatility—the tariffs, consumer sentiment’s been unclear, the stock market’s been all over the place. You guys had a huge one-day drop in early May, and it quickly bounced back. How do you make sense of all these external factors?

    Yeah, our focus is on what we can control. And ultimately, the thing that we are laser-focused on for our business is product velocity. How quickly can we start small with something, launch something for our customers, and then test and iterate and learn so that ultimately, that something that we’ve launched scales into an important product?

    I’ll give you an example. Cash App Borrow, which is a product where our customers can get access to a line of credit, often that bridges them from paycheck to paycheck. We know so many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. That’s a product that we launched about three years ago and have now scaled to serve 9 million actives with billion in credit supply to our customers in a span of a couple short years.

    The more we can be out testing and launching product at a pace, the more we know we are ultimately delivering value to our customers, and the right things will happen from a stock perspective.

    Block is a financial services provider. You have Square, the point-of-sale system; the digital wallet Cash App, which you mentioned, which competes with Venmo and Robinhood; and a bunch of others. Then you’ve got the buy-now, pay-later leader Afterpay. You chair Square Financial Services, which is Block’s chartered bank. But you’ve said that in the fintech world, Block is only a little bit fin—that comparatively, it’s more tech. Can you explain what you mean by that?

    What we think is unique about us is our ability as a technology company to completely change innovation in the space, such that we can help solve systemic issues across credit, payments, commerce, and banking. What that means ultimately is we use technologies like AI and machine learning and data science, and we use these technologies in a unique way, in a way that’s different from a traditional bank. We are able to underwrite those who are often frankly forgotten by the traditional financial ecosystems.

    Our Square Loans product has almost triple the rate of women-owned businesses that we underwrite. Fifty-eight percent of our loans go to women-owned businesses versus 20% for the industry average. For that Cash App Borrow product I was talking about, 70% of those actives, the 9 million actives that we underwrote, fell below 580 as a FICO score. That’s considered a poor FICO score, and yet 97% of repayments are made on time. And this is because we have unique access to data and these technology and tools which can help us uniquely underwrite this often forgotten customer base.

    Yeah. I mean, credit—sometimes it’s been blamed for financial excesses. But access to credit is also, as you say, an advantage that’s not available to everyone. Do you have a philosophy between those poles—between risk and opportunity? Or is what you’re saying is that the tech you have allows you to avoid that risk?

    That’s right. Let’s start with how do the current systems work? It works using inferior data, frankly. It’s more limited data. It’s outdated. Sometimes it’s inaccurate. And it ignores things like someone’s cash flows, the stability of your income, your savings rate, how money moves through your accounts, or how you use alternative forms of credit—like buy now, pay later, which we have in our ecosystem through Afterpay.

    We have a lot of these signals for our 57 million monthly actives on the Cash App side and for the 4 million small businesses on the Square side, and those, frankly, billions of transaction data points that we have on any given day paired with new technologies. And we intend to continue to be on the forefront of AI, machine learning, and data science to be able to empower more people into the economy. The combination of the superior data and the technologies is what we believe ultimately helps expand access.

    You have a financial background, but not in the financial services industry. Before Block, you were a video game developer at Activision. Are financial businesses and video games similar? Are there things that are similar about them?

    There are. There actually are some things that are similar, I will say. There are many things that are unique to each industry. Each industry is incredibly complex. You find that when big technology companies try to do gaming. They’ve taken over the world in many different ways, but they can’t always crack the nut on putting out a great game. Similarly, some of the largest technology companies have dabbled in fintech but haven’t been able to go as deep, so they’re both very nuanced and complex industries.

    I would say another similarity is that design really matters. Industrial design, the design of products, the interface of products, is absolutely mission-critical to a great game, and it’s absolutely mission-critical to the simplicity and accessibility of our products, be it on Square or Cash App.

    And then maybe the third thing that I would say is that when I was in gaming, at least the business models were rapidly changing from an intermediary distribution mechanism, like releasing a game once and then selling it through a retailer, to an always-on, direct-to-consumer connection. And similarly with banking, people don’t want to bank from 9 to 5, six days a week. They want 24/7 access to their money and the ability to, again, grow their financial livelihood, move their money around seamlessly. So, some similarities are there in that shift to an intermediary model or a slower model to an always-on, direct-to-consumer connection.

    Part of your target audience or your target customer base at Block are Gen Z folks. Did you learn things at Activision about Gen Z that has been useful? Are there things that businesses misunderstand about younger generations still?

    What we’ve learned is that Gen Z, millennial customers, aren’t going to do things the way their parents did. Some of our stats show that 63% of Gen Z customers have moved away from traditional credit cards, and over 80% are skeptical of them. Which means they’re not using a credit card to manage expenses; they’re using a debit card, but then layering on on a transaction-by-transaction basis. Or again, using tools like buy now, pay later, or Cash App Borrow, the means in which they’re managing their consistent cash flows. So that’s an example of how things are changing, and you’ve got to get up to speed with how the next generation of customers expects to manage their money.
    #blocks #cfo #explains #gen #surprising
    Block’s CFO explains Gen Z’s surprising approach to money management
    One stock recently impacted by a whirlwind of volatility is Block—the fintech powerhouse behind Square, Cash App, Tidal Music, and more. The company’s COO and CFO, Amrita Ahuja, shares how her team is using new AI tools to find opportunity amid disruption and reach customers left behind by traditional financial systems. Ahuja also shares lessons from the video game industry and discusses Gen Z’s surprising approach to money management.   This is an abridged transcript of an interview from Rapid Response, hosted by Robert Safian, former editor-in-chief of Fast Company. From the team behind the Masters of Scale podcast, Rapid Response features candid conversations with today’s top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Subscribe to Rapid Response wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode. As a leader, when you’re looking at all of this volatility—the tariffs, consumer sentiment’s been unclear, the stock market’s been all over the place. You guys had a huge one-day drop in early May, and it quickly bounced back. How do you make sense of all these external factors? Yeah, our focus is on what we can control. And ultimately, the thing that we are laser-focused on for our business is product velocity. How quickly can we start small with something, launch something for our customers, and then test and iterate and learn so that ultimately, that something that we’ve launched scales into an important product? I’ll give you an example. Cash App Borrow, which is a product where our customers can get access to a line of credit, often that bridges them from paycheck to paycheck. We know so many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. That’s a product that we launched about three years ago and have now scaled to serve 9 million actives with billion in credit supply to our customers in a span of a couple short years. The more we can be out testing and launching product at a pace, the more we know we are ultimately delivering value to our customers, and the right things will happen from a stock perspective. Block is a financial services provider. You have Square, the point-of-sale system; the digital wallet Cash App, which you mentioned, which competes with Venmo and Robinhood; and a bunch of others. Then you’ve got the buy-now, pay-later leader Afterpay. You chair Square Financial Services, which is Block’s chartered bank. But you’ve said that in the fintech world, Block is only a little bit fin—that comparatively, it’s more tech. Can you explain what you mean by that? What we think is unique about us is our ability as a technology company to completely change innovation in the space, such that we can help solve systemic issues across credit, payments, commerce, and banking. What that means ultimately is we use technologies like AI and machine learning and data science, and we use these technologies in a unique way, in a way that’s different from a traditional bank. We are able to underwrite those who are often frankly forgotten by the traditional financial ecosystems. Our Square Loans product has almost triple the rate of women-owned businesses that we underwrite. Fifty-eight percent of our loans go to women-owned businesses versus 20% for the industry average. For that Cash App Borrow product I was talking about, 70% of those actives, the 9 million actives that we underwrote, fell below 580 as a FICO score. That’s considered a poor FICO score, and yet 97% of repayments are made on time. And this is because we have unique access to data and these technology and tools which can help us uniquely underwrite this often forgotten customer base. Yeah. I mean, credit—sometimes it’s been blamed for financial excesses. But access to credit is also, as you say, an advantage that’s not available to everyone. Do you have a philosophy between those poles—between risk and opportunity? Or is what you’re saying is that the tech you have allows you to avoid that risk? That’s right. Let’s start with how do the current systems work? It works using inferior data, frankly. It’s more limited data. It’s outdated. Sometimes it’s inaccurate. And it ignores things like someone’s cash flows, the stability of your income, your savings rate, how money moves through your accounts, or how you use alternative forms of credit—like buy now, pay later, which we have in our ecosystem through Afterpay. We have a lot of these signals for our 57 million monthly actives on the Cash App side and for the 4 million small businesses on the Square side, and those, frankly, billions of transaction data points that we have on any given day paired with new technologies. And we intend to continue to be on the forefront of AI, machine learning, and data science to be able to empower more people into the economy. The combination of the superior data and the technologies is what we believe ultimately helps expand access. You have a financial background, but not in the financial services industry. Before Block, you were a video game developer at Activision. Are financial businesses and video games similar? Are there things that are similar about them? There are. There actually are some things that are similar, I will say. There are many things that are unique to each industry. Each industry is incredibly complex. You find that when big technology companies try to do gaming. They’ve taken over the world in many different ways, but they can’t always crack the nut on putting out a great game. Similarly, some of the largest technology companies have dabbled in fintech but haven’t been able to go as deep, so they’re both very nuanced and complex industries. I would say another similarity is that design really matters. Industrial design, the design of products, the interface of products, is absolutely mission-critical to a great game, and it’s absolutely mission-critical to the simplicity and accessibility of our products, be it on Square or Cash App. And then maybe the third thing that I would say is that when I was in gaming, at least the business models were rapidly changing from an intermediary distribution mechanism, like releasing a game once and then selling it through a retailer, to an always-on, direct-to-consumer connection. And similarly with banking, people don’t want to bank from 9 to 5, six days a week. They want 24/7 access to their money and the ability to, again, grow their financial livelihood, move their money around seamlessly. So, some similarities are there in that shift to an intermediary model or a slower model to an always-on, direct-to-consumer connection. Part of your target audience or your target customer base at Block are Gen Z folks. Did you learn things at Activision about Gen Z that has been useful? Are there things that businesses misunderstand about younger generations still? What we’ve learned is that Gen Z, millennial customers, aren’t going to do things the way their parents did. Some of our stats show that 63% of Gen Z customers have moved away from traditional credit cards, and over 80% are skeptical of them. Which means they’re not using a credit card to manage expenses; they’re using a debit card, but then layering on on a transaction-by-transaction basis. Or again, using tools like buy now, pay later, or Cash App Borrow, the means in which they’re managing their consistent cash flows. So that’s an example of how things are changing, and you’ve got to get up to speed with how the next generation of customers expects to manage their money. #blocks #cfo #explains #gen #surprising
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    Block’s CFO explains Gen Z’s surprising approach to money management
    One stock recently impacted by a whirlwind of volatility is Block—the fintech powerhouse behind Square, Cash App, Tidal Music, and more. The company’s COO and CFO, Amrita Ahuja, shares how her team is using new AI tools to find opportunity amid disruption and reach customers left behind by traditional financial systems. Ahuja also shares lessons from the video game industry and discusses Gen Z’s surprising approach to money management.   This is an abridged transcript of an interview from Rapid Response, hosted by Robert Safian, former editor-in-chief of Fast Company. From the team behind the Masters of Scale podcast, Rapid Response features candid conversations with today’s top business leaders navigating real-time challenges. Subscribe to Rapid Response wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an episode. As a leader, when you’re looking at all of this volatility—the tariffs, consumer sentiment’s been unclear, the stock market’s been all over the place. You guys had a huge one-day drop in early May, and it quickly bounced back. How do you make sense of all these external factors? Yeah, our focus is on what we can control. And ultimately, the thing that we are laser-focused on for our business is product velocity. How quickly can we start small with something, launch something for our customers, and then test and iterate and learn so that ultimately, that something that we’ve launched scales into an important product? I’ll give you an example. Cash App Borrow, which is a product where our customers can get access to a line of credit, often $100, $200, that bridges them from paycheck to paycheck. We know so many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. That’s a product that we launched about three years ago and have now scaled to serve 9 million actives with $15 billion in credit supply to our customers in a span of a couple short years. The more we can be out testing and launching product at a pace, the more we know we are ultimately delivering value to our customers, and the right things will happen from a stock perspective. Block is a financial services provider. You have Square, the point-of-sale system; the digital wallet Cash App, which you mentioned, which competes with Venmo and Robinhood; and a bunch of others. Then you’ve got the buy-now, pay-later leader Afterpay. You chair Square Financial Services, which is Block’s chartered bank. But you’ve said that in the fintech world, Block is only a little bit fin—that comparatively, it’s more tech. Can you explain what you mean by that? What we think is unique about us is our ability as a technology company to completely change innovation in the space, such that we can help solve systemic issues across credit, payments, commerce, and banking. What that means ultimately is we use technologies like AI and machine learning and data science, and we use these technologies in a unique way, in a way that’s different from a traditional bank. We are able to underwrite those who are often frankly forgotten by the traditional financial ecosystems. Our Square Loans product has almost triple the rate of women-owned businesses that we underwrite. Fifty-eight percent of our loans go to women-owned businesses versus 20% for the industry average. For that Cash App Borrow product I was talking about, 70% of those actives, the 9 million actives that we underwrote, fell below 580 as a FICO score. That’s considered a poor FICO score, and yet 97% of repayments are made on time. And this is because we have unique access to data and these technology and tools which can help us uniquely underwrite this often forgotten customer base. Yeah. I mean, credit—sometimes it’s been blamed for financial excesses. But access to credit is also, as you say, an advantage that’s not available to everyone. Do you have a philosophy between those poles—between risk and opportunity? Or is what you’re saying is that the tech you have allows you to avoid that risk? That’s right. Let’s start with how do the current systems work? It works using inferior data, frankly. It’s more limited data. It’s outdated. Sometimes it’s inaccurate. And it ignores things like someone’s cash flows, the stability of your income, your savings rate, how money moves through your accounts, or how you use alternative forms of credit—like buy now, pay later, which we have in our ecosystem through Afterpay. We have a lot of these signals for our 57 million monthly actives on the Cash App side and for the 4 million small businesses on the Square side, and those, frankly, billions of transaction data points that we have on any given day paired with new technologies. And we intend to continue to be on the forefront of AI, machine learning, and data science to be able to empower more people into the economy. The combination of the superior data and the technologies is what we believe ultimately helps expand access. You have a financial background, but not in the financial services industry. Before Block, you were a video game developer at Activision. Are financial businesses and video games similar? Are there things that are similar about them? There are. There actually are some things that are similar, I will say. There are many things that are unique to each industry. Each industry is incredibly complex. You find that when big technology companies try to do gaming. They’ve taken over the world in many different ways, but they can’t always crack the nut on putting out a great game. Similarly, some of the largest technology companies have dabbled in fintech but haven’t been able to go as deep, so they’re both very nuanced and complex industries. I would say another similarity is that design really matters. Industrial design, the design of products, the interface of products, is absolutely mission-critical to a great game, and it’s absolutely mission-critical to the simplicity and accessibility of our products, be it on Square or Cash App. And then maybe the third thing that I would say is that when I was in gaming, at least the business models were rapidly changing from an intermediary distribution mechanism, like releasing a game once and then selling it through a retailer, to an always-on, direct-to-consumer connection. And similarly with banking, people don’t want to bank from 9 to 5, six days a week. They want 24/7 access to their money and the ability to, again, grow their financial livelihood, move their money around seamlessly. So, some similarities are there in that shift to an intermediary model or a slower model to an always-on, direct-to-consumer connection. Part of your target audience or your target customer base at Block are Gen Z folks. Did you learn things at Activision about Gen Z that has been useful? Are there things that businesses misunderstand about younger generations still? What we’ve learned is that Gen Z, millennial customers, aren’t going to do things the way their parents did. Some of our stats show that 63% of Gen Z customers have moved away from traditional credit cards, and over 80% are skeptical of them. Which means they’re not using a credit card to manage expenses; they’re using a debit card, but then layering on on a transaction-by-transaction basis. Or again, using tools like buy now, pay later, or Cash App Borrow, the means in which they’re managing their consistent cash flows. So that’s an example of how things are changing, and you’ve got to get up to speed with how the next generation of customers expects to manage their money.
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