• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

    On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a very disappointing session after inflation came in hotter than expected. The benchmark index sank 1.3% to 7,665.6 points.

    Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to fall again

    The Australian share market looks set for another tough session on Thursday after a poor night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 50 points or 0.65% lower this morning. In the United States, the Dow Jones was down 1.1%, the S&P 500 fell 0.75% and the Nasdaq tumbled 0.6%.

    Oil prices fall

    ASX 200 energy shares including Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a tough session after oil prices tumbled overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 1% to US$79.01 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 1.1% to US$83.30 a barrel. This decline was driven by concerns over US gasoline demand.

    BHP’s Anglo American takeover is off

    The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price will be on watch after Anglo American (LSE: AAL) refused to grant the miner an extension for its $75 billion takeover approach. In response to the news, BHP revealed that it “will not be making a firm offer for Anglo American.” BHP CEO, Mike Henry, commented: “While we believed that our proposal for Anglo American was a compelling opportunity to effectively grow the pie of value for both sets of shareholders, we were unable to reach agreement with Anglo American on our specific views in respect of South African regulatory risk and cost and, despite seeking to engage constructively and numerous requests, we were not able to access from Anglo American key information required to formulate measures to address the excess risk they perceive.”

    Gold price drops

    It looks set to be a poor session for ASX 200 gold miners such as Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) after the gold price dropped overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.9% to US$2,335.5 an ounce. The precious metal came under pressure after the US dollar and treasury yields strengthened.

    Buy Qantas shares

    Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) shares could be dirt cheap according to analysts at Goldman Sachs. This morning, the broker has reiterated its buy rating and $8.05 price target on the airline operator’s shares. It said: “The discounted valuation versus peers and its own history implies that the market is pricing in a trade off between investment (fleet and customer) and capital returns (dividends & buybacks), which we view as a buying opportunity.”

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bhp Group right now?

    Before you buy Bhp Group shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Bhp Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Do Wesfarmers shares pay a decent ASX dividend?

    Woman smiling with her hands behind her back on her couch, symbolising passive income.

    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares have excelled at delivering capital growth in the past year, boasting a 30% increase over the 12 months, as shown in the chart below.

    Capital growth is only one element of a shareholder’s ASX returns, though – dividends also play their part.

    While share prices move daily depending on what people are willing to pay, dividends are typically much more consistent. That’s because they are decided by a company’s board of directors and influenced by how much profit the business is generating.

    Many investors prefer to focus on dividend returns because they are a ‘real’ return without requiring share sales. Owning a solid, dividend-paying stock may also help investors sleep easier at night.

    With that in mind, can Wesfarmers shares tick the ASX dividend box?

    Generous dividend payout ratio

    A company needs to make a profit before it can pay a dividend. Wesfarmers has been making a profit for decades, so there is no problem there.

    Leadership must decide how much of the company’s profit it will pay out as a dividend. This metric is called the dividend payout ratio. Paying out 100% of the net profit after tax (NPAT) may not be sustainable if the business needs to reinvest in its operations to sustain/grow earnings in the future.

    Ideally, a business is able to balance rewarding shareholders in the short term with growing the business in the long term.

    In the FY24 first-half result, the business reported it generated earnings per share (EPS) of $1.258 (up 3.4% year over year). This enabled Wesfarmers to pay an interim dividend per share of 91 cents, an increase of 3.4% compared to the FY23 interim dividend.

    That HY24 dividend represented a dividend payout ratio of 72% of profit, which I believe strikes the right balance between dividend payments and funding growth.

    Wesfarmers is investing in its businesses, such as expanding the Kmart brand Anko to international markets, including Canada. The ASX share is also part of a lithium project at Mt Holland, which is utilising capital to get the mine operational.

    The last two dividends declared by Wesfarmers total $1.94 per share, which equates to a fully franked dividend yield of around 3% and a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.4%. That’s not bad, but it’s not the biggest yield around.

    What are the chances of owners of Wesfarmers shares getting larger ASX dividends in the future?

    Intention to grow the dividend

    Wesfarmers says it wants to deliver long-term shareholder returns, with part of that being the dividend payout. As part of its capital management, the company said:

    With a focus on generating strong cash flows and maintaining balance sheet strength, the Group aims to deliver satisfactory returns to shareholders through improving returns on invested capital.

    As well as share price appreciation, Wesfarmers seeks to grow dividends over time commensurate with performance in earnings and cash flow.

    The estimate on Commsec suggests the Wesfarmers dividend can grow to $2.12 per share in FY25 and $2.36 per share in FY26. If that happens, the Wesfarmers grossed-up dividend yield could be 5.3%.

    With a decent starting dividend yield, potential dividend growth in the next two years and a portfolio of solid businesses like Bunnings, Kmart, and Officeworks, I’d rate Wesfarmers shares as a solid option for ASX dividends.

    The post Do Wesfarmers shares pay a decent ASX dividend? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Wesfarmers Limited right now?

    Before you buy Wesfarmers Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Wesfarmers Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Nelson Peltz met for breakfast, where they criticized Joe Biden and brought along their sons Barron, X, and Diesel

    Elon Musk on a red carpet.
    Elon Musk brought his son X to a meeting with Donald Trump and Nelson Peltz.

    • Elon Musk had breakfast with Donald Trump and Nelson Peltz in March, The Wall Street Journal reported.
    • The men shared gripes about Joe Biden's performance as president and talked about voter fraud, .
    • It's one example of how much relations between Musk and Trump have warmed up.

    You can trace the warming relationship between former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk to some eggs, bacon, and fruit on a Sunday morning.

    The two men met with Nelson Peltz in March at Montsorrel, Peltz's estate in Palm Beach, Florida, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The three talked about this fall's presidential election and took similarly critical stances on President Joe Biden's administration, according to the Journal.

    The meeting was first reported by the New York Times in March. Trump sought major donations to his campaign from multiple GOP donors who were there, the Times reported.

    Also on the agenda was a "data-driven" project to combat voter fraud that Peltz and Musk have been discussing. They first mentioned the project to Trump at the breakfast meeting, the Journal reported. Voter fraud in the US is rare. However, it has become an interest of Trump since he falsely claimed that he won the 2020 presidential election.

    The three billionaires also brought their sons with them to the breakfast. Diesel Peltz, Nelson's son, was at the event, as were Barron Trump, the former president's 18-year-old, and X, Musk's toddler, the Journal reported.

    The meeting is one example of an apparent turnaround in the relationship between Musk and Trump. As recently as a few years ago, Musk called Trump a "bullshitter."

    Now, Musk is under consideration for a role advising Trump if he is re-elected this November, the Journal reported.

    "President Trump will be the only voice of what role an individual plays in his presidency," Brian Hughes, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, told the Journal in response to the report about the breakfast meeting and a potential role for Musk at the White House.

    Representatives for the Trump campaign and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Own Liontown Resources shares? Here’s when it will start producing lithium

    A female miner wearing a high vis vest and hard hard smiles and holds a clipboard while inspecting a mine site with a colleague.

    If you own Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) shares then you may be aware that a major milestone is on the horizon.

    That milestone is the commencement of lithium production at the Kathleen Valley Lithium Project in Western Australia.

    In fact, the company has started to describe itself as the “world’s next major lithium producer.”

    But when will that actually happen? Let’s now see what stage Liontown is at in respect to the development of the Kathleen Valley project.

    When will Liontown start producing lithium?

    Earlier this month, Liontown announced that it had executed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with GR Engineering Services Ltd (ASX: GNG).

    This $71 million contract is for the delivery and commissioning of the paste plant facility to support the underground mining operations at Kathleen Valley.

    Management notes that the Paste Plant will include two trains capable of producing up to 160m3 of paste per hour. It has been designed to accommodate future expansion of mining operations to 4Mtpa.

    Commenting on the contract, Liontown’s CEO, Tony Ottaviano, said:

    We are pleased to award the contract for the design and construction of the Paste Plant which will support and further de-risk the planned underground production rates at Kathleen Valley. GRES has designed and constructed multiple paste plant facilities throughout Western Australia and the GRES team has mobilised and commenced initial works at Kathleen Valley.

    This important contract means that Liontown is potentially now just a matter of weeks away from producing lithium at Kathleen Valley.

    A presentation this week confirms that the project is more than 90% complete on an earned value basis and its process plant is 94% complete. In light of this, Kathleen Valley is on track for its first production in mid-2024. And given that we are rapidly approaching the middle of the year, this means that production won’t be far off.

    Liontown is now working on its Dry Plant, including primary crushing through to fine ore bin. Its Wet Plant commissioning has also commenced with SAG mill, air/water service, and floatation.

    Should you buy Liontown shares?

    Bell Potter thinks investors should be taking advantage on recent share price weakness.

    It currently has a speculative buy rating and $1.85 price target on Liontown’s shares. Based on its current share price, this implies potential upside of 36% for investors over the next 12 months.

    The broker is very positive on the potential of Kathleen Valley Lithium Project. It said:

    LTR’s 100% owned KV lithium project remains highly strategic in terms of its stage of development, long mine life and location. LTR has offtake contracts with top tier EV and battery OEMs (Ford, LG Energy Solution and Tesla). Hancock Prospecting has a 19.9% interest in LTR. LTR is an asset development company; our Speculative risk rating recognises this higher level of risk.

    The post Own Liontown Resources shares? Here’s when it will start producing lithium appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Liontown Resources right now?

    Before you buy Liontown Resources shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Liontown Resources wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Why invest? Here’s what’s motivating baby boomers and young Australians

    A kid and his grandad high five after a fun game of basketball.

    New research shows 85% of Australians are investing money outside their superannuation funds.

    This makes sense given the one big drawback of superannuation is that you cannot access your money until you reach your preservation age. For Gen Xers, Millennials and Gen Zs, that means 60 years.

    Saving for retirement is obviously the key goal of superannuation investment. However, new research shows that most Australians who invest outside their super do so for the same reason.

    Let’s investigate.

    Why invest outside superannuation?

    An investor survey by financial advisory firm Findex shows Australians are investing outside their superannuation for many reasons.

    The top reasons relate to long-term goals, such as planning for retirement (54%) and building wealth (53%).

    Saving for emergencies is the third most common reason (43%) and a key recommendation of The Fool.

    Findex also found that 35% of investors were saving for a property purchase, comprising 16% saving for their first home and 19% saving for a real estate investment.

    Other motivations for investing outside super include supporting children or other family members (29%), reflecting the rising role of the Bank of Mum and Dad in helping young people buy their first homes.

    Amid today’s high interest rates and inflation, paying off a mortgage or other debt is a motivator for 28% of respondents, as is preserving their wealth from the impacts of inflation (26%).

    And then there’s the fun stuff.

    About 27% of respondents said they were saving for a major purchase outside property, like a car or a holiday. About 22% said they were investing for the simple enjoyment of it.

    Another 14% are gathering funds to pay for a milestone occasion in their lives, such as their wedding.

    But when the data is broken down by generation, we see different motivations at play.

    Generational differences in the motivation to invest

    Baby Boomers (born 1945-1964)

    By far, the primary motivation to invest outside superannuation is planning for retirement (80%). No other generation is more concerned with retirement planning than the baby boomers. The next biggest motivations are building wealth (51%) and supporting their children or other family members (25%).

    Gen Xers (born 1965-1980)

    Gen Xers are also investing mainly to plan for their retirement (66%) and build wealth (50%). This age cohort is also the most concerned with supporting their children or other family members (33%).

    Millennials (born 1981-1996)

    More than any other generation, Millennials are motivated to invest outside superannuation to build wealth (55%), save for emergencies (50%), and pay off their mortgage or other debt (32%). They’re also targeting real estate investment more than any other generational group (28%).

    Gen Zs (born 1997-2009)

    The youngest cohort of Aussies is primarily motivated to invest to build wealth (52%) and save for emergencies (46%). They are the generation most likely to be saving for a major purchase outside property, like a car or holiday (41%). They’re also the biggest age group saving for their first home (42%) or a milestone occasion (24%).

    Gen Zs are also the most concerned with preserving their wealth against inflation (29%).

    This follows new data from CommBank showing young people aged 25-29 years have cut their spending more than any other age group. They spent 3.5% less over the past year compared to Australians aged over 75 who spent 6.5% more. Gen Zs also invest for enjoyment more than any other age group (26%).

    The post Why invest? Here’s what’s motivating baby boomers and young Australians appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Maximise Your Super before June 30: Uncover 5 Strategies Most Aussies Overlook!

    With the end of the financial year almost upon us, there are some strategies that you may be able to take advantage of right now to save some tax and boost your savings…

    Download our latest free report discover 5 super strategies that most Aussies miss today!

    Download Free Report
    *Returns 28 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • I spent thousands renovating my kitchen and went over budget — but there are still 3 things I wish I’d done differently

    Renovated kitchen with blue cabinets and no backsplash, walls not finished painted
    Has anyone had a good experience renovating their kitchen?

    • I had my kitchen renovated last year. It cost thousands of dollars, and we still went over budget.
    • I wish we had added handles to our cabinets and installed more outlets.
    • Next time, I'm also double-checking measurements to make sure we're making the most of our space.

    My partner and I decided to renovate our kitchen last January. We had a baby due in June, so we needed to get it done fairly quickly.

    And with the average kitchen remodel costing about $45,000, we also wanted to make sure we were getting our money's worth by creating a space we were really happy with.

    After picking a company to work with and going through a design consultation, we were all hands on deck and ready.

    However, during the renovation, we eventually went over budget and realized we should have done a few things differently.

    Skipping cabinet handles hasn't been worth it

    Fingerprints on dark blue cabinets
    Our cabinets seem to always have fingerprints and smudges on them.

    We weren't blown away by any of the handle designs offered by the company doing our renovation. Many were either too traditional or too modern — we wanted a blend of both without wandering too far in either direction.

    We eventually opted for a handleless, matte design with integrated grooves on the doors and drawers. This was a big mistake.

    The panels are handprint magnets, and the matte finish means they're perpetually stained with greasy finger smears that are tricky and bothersome to remove.

    We should've installed more outlets

    Toaster, microwave, kettle, and other appliances. crowded on counter
    A lot of our appliances are crowded in one space.

    First-world problems, I know, but eight power outlets don't quite cut it for a medium-sized kitchen these days, especially when we have so many appliances that must be plugged in.

    After the air fryer, rice cooker, microwave, kettle, wine chiller, and coffee machine are plugged in, there's not much room for anything else, especially because our outlets are in the corners of our kitchen and not spread out.

    It's difficult to move our bulkier appliances to plug in other items, too. If we'd planned ahead and added another pair of outlets in the middle of our work surface, we'd have a nice space for our stand mixer or food processor.

    However, the unexpected cost of installing a new circuit board and wiring for the range cooker made us reluctant to add anything else to our tab.

    Now, we're having to juggle groups of appliances in either corner of our kitchen.

    Some cabinets were smaller than we expected, which led to wasted space

    View of
    We weren't able to optimize our space as well as we'd hoped.

    We utilized a few smart storage solutions for the kitchen, including a LeMans shelf that hides in the hard-to-access corner cabinet and pulls out for better accessibility.

    However, one error we made was not comparing the depth of the new cupboards with our old units.

    Some of the new cupboards are actually not as deep as our old ones, and with the range cooker taking up so much real estate, it feels like we've gained space in some areas of the kitchen but lost it in others.

    Ideally, we should've double-checked the measurements before committing to the plan. If we had, we might've been able to utilize some space that's wasted now.

    Overall, we learned a lot that we can take into our next renovation

    Wood kitchen with range in wall next to image of black range next ot midnight-blue cabinets in renovated kitchen
    Our kitchen before (left) had some issues, and our kitchen now (right) isn't quite perfect.

    I wished we had the time and space to shop around more, as we didn't feel the consultant we worked with provided the ideas to really make smarter use of our kitchen space.

    We weren't even asked how we wanted the walls, which were left bare. So when the kitchen was finished, it wasn't actually done. We still needed to add paint or a backsplash of tile.

    With all that said, we still adore our kitchen, not least our excellent range cooker and new flooring — our old slate tiles were hard, uncomfortable, and horrible to clean.

    We also love the color scheme (midnight blue is popular these days), and our kitchen looks so much lighter and modern now.

    Since it was our first kitchen renovation, we're a little more armed with experience and the pitfalls should we ever need to do a second. Let's just hope that's not for quite some time.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Do yesterday’s inflation numbers mean interest rates are set to rise?

    A man leans forward propped on his elbows as he holds his clasped hands to his mouth in a worried pose as he gazes at his computer screen in a home setting.

    Yesterday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and most ASX 200 shares were rocked by the latest inflation figures out of the Australian economy, and consequential fears of another hike in interest rates.

    As we covered at the time, these figures showed Australian inflation coming at a hot 3.6% for the 12 months to 30 April 2024, well above expectations of a 3.4% rise.

    When excluding volatile items like fuel and travel, the number was even higher at 4.1%. That’s well above the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)’s official 2-3% target band of where it wants to see inflation.

    Thanks to these sobering numbers, ASX shares had a horrid day yesterday, tanking 1.3%. The market consensus over the past few months has arguably been that slowing inflation will eventually result in the RBA lowering interest rates from the current decade-high 4.35% sometime later this year, or perhaps in early 2025.

    With inflation coming in hotter than expected, this conventional wisdom could now be in doubt. So it was no real surprise to see the share market react so negatively yesterday.

    Remember, ASX shares are directly impacted by interest rates, given higher rates attract money away from the stock market into ‘safer’ investments like term deposits and government bonds.

    Australian mortgage holders have already endured one of the steepest interest rate rises in history over the past two years or so. After all, interest rates were still at a record low of 0.1% as recently as April 2022.

    So does yesterday’s inflation figures really mean interest rates might actually rise again, rather than fall, as the markets were expecting?

    Are interest rates going up following the latest inflation numbers?

    Well, unfortunately for anyone with a mortgage or a large loan, one prominent Australian economist thinks that the chances of at least one interest rate hike in 2024 just got stronger.

    Speaking to the Australian Financial Review (AFR) this week, Judo Bank economist Warren Hogan reckons the unexpectedly high numbers we’ve just got a look at could “tip” the RBA’s hand when it comes to raising rates. Here’s what he said:

    These results will test the RBA’s patience… Inflation is not falling back to target with signs that inflation’s underlying ‘pulse’ might be picking up in 2024.

    The RBA was very close to hiking the rate earlier this month. This number could tip them over to raising rates at their next meeting on 18 June.

    As we covered earlier, the cash rate is currently still sitting at 4.35%. But Hogan argues that the RBA might need to set it as high as 5% before it can break the back of inflation.

    Hogan stated that 5% would be “in line with other similar economies’ interest rates… [Yesterday’s] data and ongoing increases in employment suggest this is still the right view”.

    As with most economic projections, anticipating where inflation or interest rates might head to next is no easy task. Plenty of economists have been wrong on rates before (including the former head of the RBA). However, that probably won’t be too reassuring for any mortgage holders today. Let’s see what happens.

    The post Do yesterday’s inflation numbers mean interest rates are set to rise? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in S&P/ASX 200 right now?

    Before you buy S&P/ASX 200 shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and S&P/ASX 200 wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 5 May 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Google announced a smartwatch for kids — and it looks pretty good

    a smartwatch for kids
    The Fitbit Ace LTE for kids looks pretty good to me.

    • Google's Fitbit Ace LTE is a smartwatch for kids who aren't quite ready for a phone.
    • It allows kids to call and text their parents and has GPS tracking.
    • It will sell for $229 with a monthly data plan.

    Google just announced a new smartwatch aimed at kids ages 7 and up — the Fitbit Ace LTE. The watch can call and text parents over LTE service (with a data plan), and parents can track their kids through GPS. There's also some gamified activity tracking for the kids. (It is a Fitbit, after all.)

    Business Insider first reported in 2022 that Google was working on a wearable device for preteens.

    If the idea of a kid having a smartwatch sounds ridiculous to you, you probably don't have a kid between the ages of 6 and 13. Lots of parents are looking for a way to be able to call or track their kids — without giving them an actual phone. Smartwatches have become a popular way to hold off on giving kids a full phone until they're older while allowing them some independence to roam freely.

    The Fitbit Ace LTE works over LTE and requires a data plan, but not an extra phone line. It can call and text up to 20 people entered as contacts into the device — but only to people who have the Fitbit Ace app installed on their phones. This means that kids don't have free range to call or text just anyone through the device (no calling for pizza delivery, for example). Only parents can access the GPS tracking, according to the specs.

    It is a Fitbit, so there's some activity tracking and gamification of movement and some video games that can be played with points for achieving fitness goals. (The video game can be deactivated during "School Time" mode.)

    There are other smartwatches out there aimed at the not-ready-for-a-phone age demographic: Verizon Gizmo 3, Garmin Bounce, and the Gabb Watch 3. Gabb is a company that only makes devices for kids — it also has a smartphone that is far more locked down in terms of privacy and safety for kids than the average phone (i.e., no social media apps can be downloaded; no open internet browsing).

    The Apple Watch is slightly more fraught as a kid device since models with a cellular plan are more expensive, and parental controls that block social apps or internet use are more complicated to set up.

    The Fitbit Ace LTE is $229, which is more expensive than some of its competitors. We haven't tested this yet, but based on the features and the images of the sleek, rounded design, and the screen images of the apps — it looks really good.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • Over a dozen GOP states seeking to block student-loan forgiveness through Biden’s SAVE repayment plan may have been set back by a separate court ruling

    College graduation photo
    • President Joe Biden has been using one-time account adjustments to give student-debt relief to targeted groups of borrowers.
    • The Sixth Circuit rejected a lawsuit to block these account adjustments, saying it doesn't have standing.
    • A separate ongoing lawsuit to block Biden's latest relief plan used the same argument.

    Lawsuits to block some of President Joe Biden's targeted student-debt relief efforts are simmering — and a court ruling might have signaled how one case will fare.

    In October, the New Civil Liberties Alliance filed a lawsuit on behalf of conservative groups the Cato Institute and Mackinac Center for Public Policy to block student-debt relief through the Education Department's one-time account adjustments.

    The adjustments allow borrowers on income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness an additional opportunity to have their payment counts evaluated, potentially giving them more credit toward loan forgiveness.

    The conservative groups argued that the adjustments were unconstitutional and, as nonprofits, undermined their recruiting efforts toward PSLF, which forgives student debt for government and nonprofit workers after 10 years of qualifying payments.

    "When an agency arbitrarily reduces the financial incentive for student-loan debtors to seek and remain in jobs with public service employers, at any given wage, the supply of workers willing to take and keep jobs with such employers inevitably falls," the groups wrote in an appeal to the Sixth Circuit.

    But the Sixth Circuit wasn't convinced. On May 17, it rejected the groups' appeal, writing in its decision that the idea that the account adjustment will reduce the appeal of PSLF is "unconvincing and illogical."

    "Plaintiffs have not alleged that any of their employees have stopped seeking PSLF forgiveness because of the adjustment," the court's decision said. "And without supporting facts, the claim is pure conjecture, not enough to show a competitive injury."

    An ongoing separate lawsuit had the same argument — for a different program. In March, 11 GOP state attorneys general filed a lawsuit to block the SAVE income-driven repayment plan, which the Education Department implemented last summer to give borrowers more affordable monthly payments.

    Seven additional GOP attorneys general filed a lawsuit to block SAVE in April, arguing that the new repayment plan diminishes the value of PSLF and harms the states' efforts to recruit people to the public sector.

    Biden's Education Department filed a response to the lawsuit on Friday, citing the Sixth Circuit's decision to reject the New Civil Lebrties Alliances's argument that the account adjustments would hurt the nonprofits' PSLF recruitment efforts.

    "Plaintiffs offer the examples of hypothetical current and prospective employees and predict, based on 'the concept of economic incentives,' how they might act. Economic assumptions alone were not enough for the Sixth Circuit, nor, for that matter, for the Supreme Court," the Education Department wrote in its legal filing.

    "At base, career-related decisions are complicated, and PSLF is not the sole incentive in this economic picture," the department added. "Plaintiffs would have Defendants and the Court sort out this complexity on their behalf. But standing is their burden alone, and they have not carried it here."

    It's unclear when the court will rule on the lawsuits to block SAVE, but given the Sixth Circuit's ruling on the prior lawsuit to block Biden's account adjustments, it could signal how judges are considering opponents' arguments to block targeted student-debt relief efforts.

    Read the original article on Business Insider
  • How to use Google Street View on Google Maps: Tour unfamiliar areas and use Live View for real time directions

    A blue Google Street View car, featuring a multi-lens camera affixed to the top, drives down a street in Germany. The car features an image of a coral reef, and the words "Explore the world at maps.google.de."
    Using millions of images collected from its fleet of cars, Google Street View gives you an immersive, 360-degree view of what your destination looks like.

    • Google Street View lets you see a 360-degree view of your destination before you get there.
    • Google Street View is accessible through Google Maps on both desktop and mobile.
    • You can also use Live View in Google Maps for a live view of your route and directions in real time.

    Knowing the names of streets and general directions when you're going somewhere new is extremely helpful. But being able to see your destination in advance, and know what the area around it looks like, is even better. 

    Using the iconic Google Street View cars, which feature cameras mounted on the roofs, Google regularly collects millions of images of streets worldwide to provide users with 360-degree views of locations.

    Google officially discontinued its standalone Street View app in 2023, but the Street View feature itself is still accessible via Google Maps.

    You can use Street View for a variety of purposes: You can look up exactly what a location looks like before you get there, scout out the layout of entire blocks at a time, or even see your own house.

    Here's everything you need to know about how to use Street View:

    What is the difference between Google Earth, Google Maps, and Google Street View?

    Street View is just one of several navigation tools and mapping softwares by Google — all of which can assist you in finding or viewing locations in different ways.

    Google Maps is your standard navigation software, created to provide detailed directions and various routes between locations. Google Street View is a component of Google Maps.

    Google Earth, however, uses satellite images and topographical data to help you explore locations from above. Google Earth operates on a larger scale than Google Maps and takes you on an immersive virtual tour.

    You can use all three tools to get three vastly different perspectives on a location. For instance, if you're planning a trip to see Ireland's Cliffs of Moher, you might want to use Google Earth to get a preview of the iconic, rugged sea cliffs and check out the surrounding landscape. You might then use Google Maps to plot a route from your bed and breakfast to the Cliffs of Moher car park, and you could then use Street View to do a virtual walk-through of the cliffside paths.

    But maybe all these maps still aren't quite visual enough for you. In that case, search up the cliffs on Google Images to see stunning photographs of the area.

    Google's mapping tools also don't end with Google Maps and Google Earth. Google also owns Waze, a navigation and traffic app geared specifically to drivers, which offers realtime updates on traffic conditions and route hazards.

    Like Google Maps, Waze is a GPS tool that can get you from A to B and offer multiple routes. But unlike Google Maps, Waze has a community-based component, allowing drivers to report things like bad weather, accidents, and other traffic conditions to alert other drivers.

    How to use Google Street View on desktop

    Google Maps works on both your desktop, and mobile device. Here's how to get to Street View on your computer:

    1. Go to maps.google.com.
    2. Tap the search bar in the top-left corner of the screen and enter the name or address of the place that you want to view.
    3. Click and hold the person icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen and drag it to the spot you want to view (as you move the cursor over the map, the streets will be highlighted in blue — make sure that you place the icon onto one of those, otherwise you won't be able to see the street view).

      A screenshot of Central Park on Google Maps shows a red box and red arrow emphasizing the icon of a yellow figure, representing Google Street View.
      To see what a location looks like on Google Street View, click and drag the yellow icon.

    4. Release the cursor.
    5. To navigate in street view, click and drag to change the camera angle or tap a location down the street to move closer to it.
    6. You can also use the curved arrows around the compass icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen to change the direction of the camera.

    The images on Google Street View are updated once every one to three years, but well-known places are updated more frequently. You can check the date of a Street View image by looking for the date in the black box at the top left-hand side of the screen, or on the bar on the bottom right-hand side of the screen. 

    A screenshot of 248 Central Park W on Google Street View shows red boxes and red arrows emphasizing the date the image was taken: September 2023.
    Check the black box or bottom bar to see when a Google Street View image was taken.

    How to get street view on Google Maps on your phone

    If you're on the go and need to use your mobile device to check out your destination, here's what you'll need to do:

    1. Open the Google Maps app on your iPhone or Android.
    2. Tap the search bar and enter the name or address of the place you want to view.
    3. Tap the small photo box on the left side of the screen.
    Two side-by-side iPhone screenshots show Google Street View: One image emphasizes the Street View button with a red box and red arrow, and the second shows a Street View image of Battery Park in New York City.
    To use Google Street View on mobile, simply search the address in Google Maps and tap the Street View box in the left corner.

    To navigate on the mobile version of Google Street View, drag one finger across the screen, starting on the side you want to go toward and ending on the opposite side of the screen.

    Can I blur my house on Google Maps?

    Google Street View may potentially reveal more than you'd like — maybe your house has distinctive features, or there's a large window with a view directly into your home.

    If you have concerns about privacy or safety, there is a solution. You can request Google to blur your house permanently, leaving behind only a vague outline of the building.

    Here's how to do it: 

    1. Go to Google Maps and enter your home address.
    2. Enter into Street View mode by dragging the small yellow human-shaped icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen onto the map in front of your house.
    3. With your house in view, click "Report a problem" in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
    4. Center the red box on your home, and select "My home" in the "Request blurring" field.
    A screenshot shows Google Maps' page to report an inappropriate street view, with the "My home" option selected and emphasized with a red box and red arrow.
    If you're the homeowner or tenant, you can request that Google Maps blur your residence on Street View.

    Once someone has requested to blur your house, it is important to note it is blurred permanently. Google does not offer to reverse this request. 

    How can I see a live Street View in real time?

    Live View in Google Maps is a unique tool that uses augmented reality to provide directions. Live View uses your phone's camera to display your current surroundings in the viewfinder, then projects directions, arrows, and other navigation cues onto the screen to show you where to go.

    Live View is still a fairly limited feature — it isn't available in every country or on every type of mobile device, and it only works in areas that are already well-mapped by Street View.

    Here's how to use it on Android or Apple devices:

    1. On your phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app.
    2. In the search bar, enter a destination and select Walking
    3. Once your destination is located on the map, tap the Live View icon.
    A screenshot of Google Maps shows the "Live View" button emphasized with a red box and red arrow.
    Select the Live View icon located on the bottom of the Google Maps screen.

    1. Once the Live View is on, point your phone's camera around to determine your exact location.
    2. Follow the arrows, and once Google Maps has recognized your location you can start your journey.
    A screenshot of Live View on Google Maps shows large blue and white arrows directing the user to physically turn left.
    Live View will superimpose directions on your viewfinder to tell you where to go.

    Google also offers a similar augmented-reality feature called Lens in Maps, which uses Google Lens technology to suggest helpful locations nearby, like coffee shops, ATM machines, parks, transit hubs, and more.

    Here's how to use Lens in Maps:

    1. Open the Google Maps app
    2. Tap the Lens icon in the search bar, and lift your phone
    A side-by-side image shows a Google Maps screenshot of the Lens in Maps icon, and a screenshot of the Google Maps viewfinder with suggestions for nearby Brooklyn locations and neighborhoods.
    As you move your phone in different directions, Lens in Maps will suggest nearby locations.

    Read the original article on Business Insider