Current Events in April 2021

Boeing has found its way back into the news cycle. Only a few months after the Federal Aviation Administration gave the company permission to restart production of its 737 MAX aircraft and allowed airlines to use them, hopes for a successful return have been dashed again.

The company recommended grounding a specific group of 737 MAX planes because of an electrical issue. Officials said they asked 16 airlines to verify “that a sufficient ground path exists for a component of the electrical power system” on certain MAX planes. 

Boeing said it has also made the FAA aware of this “production issue” and that it will provide “appropriate corrective actions” to the airlines that own the planes it’s identified as possibly having the electrical issue.

However, this is not the only issue relating to the 737 MAX that has recently come to light. Just last week, the FAA proposed an airworthiness directive concerning reported failures of the automatic shutoff system during refueling. 

Airlines make shifts to accommodate schedules

The largest domestic carriers that own MAX models -- American, United, and Southwest -- have removed more than 60 of the planes from service. Southwest confirmed that 30 of its 58 MAX jets were affected by Boeing’s notification. However, the carrier noted that 15 or fewer MAX jets are scheduled to fly each day. 

“Southwest anticipates minimal disruption to our operation, and we appreciate the understanding of our customers and employees as safety is always our uncompromising priority,” it said in a statement.

ConsumerAffairs asked Boeing if there was a way for travelers to make sure that the plane they’re scheduled on is not one of the ones identified as having potential issues. The company has not yet given a response.

A global semiconductor chip shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to take a toll on automakers. Both General Motors and Ford have announced they will be shutting down even more of their factories in North America because of supply issues.

GM announced that it is halting production in Spring Hill, Tenn., Delta Township, Mich., and in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, for up to two weeks. Ford will be doing the same in factories located in Flat Rock, Mich., Kansas City, Mo., and Chicago. It will also slow down production in Avon Lake, Ohio.

“We continue to work closely with our supply base to find solutions for our suppliers’ semiconductor requirements and to mitigate impact on GM,” said GM spokesperson David Barnas in a statement given to The Washington Post. “Our intent is to make up as much production lost at these plants as possible.”

Workers displaced by temporary shutdowns

The shutdowns will likely have a big impact on employees, with around 10,000 of GM’s workers being affected. Barnas said affected GM employees will receive around 75% of their normal compensation through supplemental benefits and unemployment. While Ford did not give an estimate for how many workers would be affected, a company spokesperson said they will also receive around 75% of their gross pay during the shutdown period.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first round of shutdowns that Ford and GM employees have had to weather. GM extended plant shutdowns at the beginning of March due to the chip shortage. At the time, the company said it was leveraging “every available semiconductor to build and ship our most popular and in-demand products, including full-size trucks and SUVs for our customers.” 

Ford also made additional cuts to car and truck production at the beginning of April. The automaker reported at the time that its available supply of cars and trucks at dealerships across the U.S. was 21% lower than a year earlier. 

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the way consumers shop and purchase fast-food. As a result of those two trends, McDonald’s and Subway are reportedly closing hundreds of their stores located within Walmarts.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the closings mark the final stages of what has been a relationship spanning three decades. It was brought on by two trends that emerged over the last 12 months.

First, fewer people visited brick-and-mortar locations, moving a larger portion of purchases to online channels. Others came to store locations but never made it inside because they took advantage of curbside pickup.

Restaurants, meanwhile, closed or limited dining rooms and shifted a greater portion of their business to takeout and delivery. Fast-food restaurants within Walmart stores are not exactly set up for drive-thru service.

Plunging profits

With fewer people in stores and in-store restaurants lacking drive-thru windows, these fast-food locations saw profits plunge. McDonald’s, which at one time operated more than 1,000 locations inside Walmart stores, is trimming that number to about 150, according to The Journal.

Subway executives also said they plan to close some of their locations within Walmart stores, a result of sharply declining foot traffic. Even at stores where shoppers are still numerous, people were less likely to purchase or consume food on the premises because of the pandemic. 

“The Walmart locations have been our toughest challenge,” Jim Miller, a Subway franchisee, told The Journal. He said he expects to shutter four of his five store locations within three months.

In-store restaurants have a long history

In the year before the pandemic began, The Washington Post reported that the concept of restaurants located within department stores had become trendy again. Beginning in the 1950s, stores offered restaurants where shoppers could have a meal while taking a break, increasing the chances they would shop longer and spend more money.

In its 2019 article, The Post noted that the revival of in-store restaurants proved profitable because they didn’t carry the same risks as stand-alone restaurants. “They have a guaranteed space, a steady stream of customers, and an ulterior motive: to get you to buy stuff,” The Post noted.

What a difference a year makes. There are now fewer shoppers in stores and, until the pandemic is completely behind us, there may be a reluctance to consume food in the midst of thousands of shoppers.

However, shoppers do get hungry, and the concept of in-store restaurants probably won’t disappear completely. Walmart is reportedly tinkering with its in-store concept and considering restaurant service that can offer take-out and delivery.

Several studies have highlighted the differences that men and women experience when seeking health care for the same ailment. Recently, researchers from the University of Miami looked specifically at how pain is analyzed and treated between the genders. 

According to their findings, bystanders were more likely to believe that men needed serious medical treatment when men and women described the same level of pain intensity. The researchers also found that women were often dismissed and were recommended to receive mental health treatments. 

“If the stereotype is to think women are more expressive than men, perhaps ‘overly’ expressive, then the tendency will be to discount women’s pain behaviors,” said researcher Elizabeth Losin. “The flip side of this stereotype is that men are perceived to be stoic, so when a man makes an intense pain facial expression, you think, “Oh my, he must be dying!’ The result of this gender stereotype about pain expression is that each unit of increased pain expression from a man is thought to represent a higher increase in his pain experience than that same increase in pain expression by a woman.” 

Highlighting the gender disparities in pain expression

The researchers conducted two studies to analyze how consumers perceive men’s and women’s expressions of pain. Both studies were based on videos taken of men and women doing strength exercises after shoulder surgery. The patients in the videos ranked their own pain, and the researchers utilized the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) to record objective pain scores based on the patients’ facial expressions. 

At the end of both experiments, the participants determined how much physical pain they believed the patients to be in. The second study had participants dive even deeper and report on what kind of mental health services and medications they’d recommend for the patients. 

In both experiments, participants were more likely to believe that male participants’ pain was more severe than female participants’ pain, despite identical expressions of pain intensity. The researchers believe gender stereotypes played into these findings a great deal. Interestingly, the gender of the participants making the judgment call on the patients in pain didn’t yield different results; both male and female participants took men’s pain reports more seriously than women’s. 

“There’s a pretty wide literature showing demographic differences in pain report, the prevalence of critical pain conditions, and then also a demographic difference in pain treatments,” Losin said. “These differences manifest as disparities because it seems that some people are getting undertreated for their pain based on their demographics.

“I think one critical piece of information that could be conveyed in medical curricula is that people, even those with medical training in other studies, have been found to have consistent demographic biases in how they assess the pain of male and female patients and that these biases impact treatment decisions. Critically, our results demonstrate that these gender biases are not necessarily accurate. Women are not necessarily more expressive than men, and thus their pain expression should not be discounted.” 

Despite a steady increase in demand for gasoline, prices at the pump remained just as steady this week.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows that the national average price of regular is $2.87 a gallon, the same as it has been for the last two weeks. It’s only 10 cents a gallon more than a month ago. The average price of premium is $3.47 a gallon, also matching last Friday’s price. The price of diesel fuel is a penny cheaper than last week at $3.08 a gallon.

Rising oil prices helped push up gas prices faster than expected last month, but now the price of crude is on the decline. That’s helping keep gas prices in check as consumers increasingly return to the roadways and push demand. 

At midweek, Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, reported via Twitter that gasoline demand was up more than 82 percent. Because of the increase in demand, AAA  reports that gasoline supplies tightened to 230.5 million barrels early this week, the lowest level this year. 

“We anticipate demand will continue to increase throughout the month as vaccinations become more widely available and weather turns warmer,” said Jeanette McGee, AAA’s spokesperson. “This will lead to fluctuation at the pump throughout the spring season.”

Despite the stability this week, prices fluctuated in various states. Price changes ranged from an increase of 15 cents a gallon to a decline of three cents.

The states with the most expensive gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Survey:

• California ($3.93)

• Hawaii ($3.71)

• Nevada ($3.34)

• Washington ($3.33)

• Oregon ($3.19)

• Utah ($3.17)

• Alaska ($3.14)

• Arizona ($3.08)

• Illinois ($3.07)

• Idaho ($3.06)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

The survey found these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Mississippi ($2.58)

• Texas ($2.58)

• South Carolina ($2.59)

• Louisiana ($2.62)

• North Carolina ($2.63)

• Missouri ($2.64)

• Oklahoma ($2.64)

• Alabama ($2.64)

• Arkansas ($2.68)

• Kansas ($2.69)

Verizon is recalling about 2.5 million Ellipsis Jetpack mobile hotspots.

The lithium ion battery in the hotspots can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards.

The firm has received 15 reports of devices overheating, including six reports of fire damage to bedding or flooring and two reports of minor burn injuries.

This recall involves Ellipsis Jetpack mobile hotspots imported by Franklin Wireless Corp.

The recalled Jetpacks are dark navy plastic oval devices that are about 3.5 inches wide and 2.25 inches tall. “verizon” is printed below the digital display window on the front of the device.

The charger provided with the recalled Jetpacks has a sticker on the wire that states: Compatible: FWC MHS900L, Model: FWCR900TVL, DC151030.

The Jetpacks, manufactured in Vietnam and Taiwan, were sold at Verizon stores nationwide, and other stores and to school districts nationwide and online at www.verizon.com from April 2017, through March 2021, for between $50 to $150.

What to do

Consumers can reduce the risk of hazard by powering the unit off, unplugging it from its power source and storing in a place away from children, on top a hard surface with adequate ventilation around the unit and away from combustibles until it can be properly returned to Verizon.

If consumers must use the product for internet access, then they should take the following steps:

Turn the recalled hotspot “on” and plug it in to allow the hotspot to receive two over-the-air automatic software updates that:

(a) enable the device’s identifying number to be viewed on its scrolling screen and

(b) prevent the device from charging while the device is plugged in and powered on.

After the software update is applied, users should:

(a) Leave the device powered on while it is plugged in.

(b) When not in use, the device should be turned off, unplugged from its power source, and securely stored.

Consumers should use the contact information below to receive a replacement hotspot free of charge and a return envelope to return the Ellipsis to Verizon for safe disposal.

Schools that provided the recalled Ellipsis Jetpack to students have been contacted by Verizon with instructions on receiving replacement hotspots free of charge and mailing packages to return the recalled Ellipsis Jetpacks to Verizon for safe disposal.

Parents whose children received the recalled Ellipsis Jetpack from their schools should contact their school for instructions on how to receive a free replacement device and return their recalled Ellipsis Jetpacks.

Consumers may contact Verizon toll-free at (855) 205-2627 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (ET) or online at www.verizon.com and click on “Recall” on the bottom of the page for more information.

Kareem Mart of Garden City, Mich., is recalling Kareem Chef brand Halva, Halva with Pistachio, and Halva with Chocolate food treats.

The products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The single lot of the recalled product, which comes in 1-lb and- 2lb plastic tubs with a “Best Before” date of 07-01-2022, was sold through Mediterranean food stores and wholesalers in Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania between March 2020 and February 2021.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them, but discard or return them to the place of purchase, or 32816 Manor Park, Garden City, Mich., 48135.

Consumers seeking a full refund may contact the company by email at recalls@kareemmart.com and send the return receipt and product purchase date.

Allergy season is upon us, and there’s little doubt that many consumers will be refreshing their stock of antihistamines to help tackle it head-on. But researchers from McMaster University say these drugs could be fatal if the user isn’t careful. 

In a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the team states that antihistamines are the most commonly and incorrectly used medicines in the world. They say taking too many can lead to death, and they’re especially dangerous to younger and older people.

“People need to rethink what they stock in their home cabinets as allergy medicines, what hospitals keep on formulary, and what policymakers recommend,” said allergy expert and clinical scholar Derek Chu. “The message needs to get out. This publication is on time for the spring allergy season and as COVID vaccines roll out, for which rashes are common and antihistamines can be helpful.”

Opt for second-generation antihistamines whenever possible

The researchers say antihistamines are commonly used for several conditions like asthma, eczema, coughs, and insomnia, but they note that these medicines are best suited for symptoms of hay fever and outbreaks of hives. If consumers need to use an antihistamine, the team says they should opt for one that belongs to the “second generation” of medicines because they are more effective, tend to last longer, and are safer. Consumers who want to learn more about this class of antihistamines should talk to their pharmacist for more information.

“There are new modern second generation antihistamines that are potent, specific, fast acting and of proven safety which everyone should be using to treat allergic rhinitis and hives,” said study co-author Gordon Sussman.

The researchers want to remind consumers that antihistamines should not be used in place of epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis, although they can be used together. They also say these medicines are safe for pregnant women and children as long as recommended dosing recommendations are followed. 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 30,931,178 (30,851,290)

Total U.S. deaths: 559,219 (556,578)

Total global cases: 133,311,664 (132,605,091)

Total global deaths: 2,891,206 (2,876,691)

Increase in cases focused in just five states

New coronavirus (COVID-19) infections have been on the rise recently, and health officials now say it appears that nearly half the new cases are occurring in just five states.

An analysis of data collected by The COVID-19 Tracking Project at Johns Hopkins University shows that New York, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey accounted for 44 percent of all new infections between March 29 and April 4. They reported a combined 197,500 cases out of around 452,000 reported nationwide.

New York leads the nation in new infections. The state logged 52,922 cases last week, or an average of about 7,560 a day. That makes up about 12 percent of U.S. cases of the virus.

Clinical trial to examine vaccine reactions

The Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines were tested in clinical trials before they were approved for use. Now, a new clinical trial will examine the reason why some patients have severe allergic reactions when given the shots.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is running the trial, which will involve 3,400 adults. Most of the subjects have histories of severe allergic reactions. Researchers say they will look for a genetic pattern or other factors that can help predict who has a higher risk of a reaction.

While some people have experienced anaphylaxis when given the mRNA vaccines, they are not common. Scientists at two Boston hospitals monitored nearly 65,000 people who received the shots and found only 0.025 percent experienced the most severe type of allergic reaction.

Carnival reports record bookings

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may be keeping U.S. cruise ships in port but many consumers are eager to get back on the high seas. Carnival Cruise Line is reporting record bookings during the first quarter, which are 90 percent higher than in the fourth quarter of last year. Bookings for 2022 are said to be higher than 2019 levels.

“Everybody wants to go away,” David Bernstein, Carnival’s chief financial officer, said in a conference call with analysts. “And I will tell you, the next best thing to actually going away is planning a vacation. And that’s what a lot of people seem to be doing right now.” 

Carnival is also eager to get sailing again. The company said that if the CDC doesn’t lift its “no sail” order soon, it could shift its home ports to those outside of the U.S. 

New jobless benefits claims increased last week

After a big improvement the previous week, layoffs apparently have increased again. The Labor Department reports that initial claims for unemployment benefits rose to 744,000 last week, an increase of 16,000 from the previous week.

The previous week's level was revised up by 9,000, from 719,000 to 728,000. The four-week moving average was 723,750, an increase of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average. 

The total number of Americans still receiving unemployment benefits continued to go down last week, suggesting more people are finding jobs. Continuing claims totaled 18,164,588, a decrease of 50,862 from the previous week. 

Schwab: Pandemic created millions of new stock traders

One of the biggest stories on Wall Street so far in 2021 has been the rise of the individual investor and the so-called “Reddit revolution,” in which social media fueled the stocks of struggling companies like Gamestop and AMC.

A new survey from brokerage firm Charles Schwab has now linked that phenomenon directly to the pandemic. It found that 15 percent of all current U.S. stock market investors say they first began investing in 2020.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth and engagement among individual investors over the past year as a result of lower trading costs, new products and services aimed at greater ease and accessibility, and the investing opportunities presented by market volatility,” said Jonathan Craig, Schwab’s senior executive vice president and head of Investor Services. “A big part of this growth is Generation Investor – the large number of people who are bound together not by their birth years but by when they got started in their investing journey.”

Around the nation

• Vermont: Health officials are concerned about the emergence of COVID-19 variants. Gov. Phil Scott says the state has now recorded three different variations of the virus. Like two other variants found in the state recently, scientists believe the newly detected P.1 variant may be up to twice as transmissible as the original strain of the virus. 

• New Mexico: While many states have begun loosening COVID-19 restrictions, it’s still business as usual in New Mexico. A WalletHub survey shows that the state is the most restrictive in the nation even though it has one of the lowest positivity rates in the nation -- 2.5 percent.

• Illinois: The state’s vaccination efforts got a big boost this week when Kane County's mass COVID-19 vaccination site in Aurora opened thousands of new appointments. Specifically, the site is administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which has been in short supply in other states.

The cruising industry’s return rolls on, and Carnival Cruise Line is certainly feeling the love from wanderlusters who have been forced to stay at home during the pandemic. 

While the company lost $2 billion in the first quarter of 2021, it said on Wednesday that pent-up demand has booking volumes for all future cruises running close to 90 percent higher than booking volumes during the fourth quarter of 2020.

"We are focused on resuming operations as quickly as practical, while at the same time demonstrating prudent stewardship of capital and doing so in a way that serves the best interests of public health,” noted Carnival Corporation President and CEO Arnold Donald.

Shuffling destinations and tours

Donald added that six of the company’s nine brands are expected to resume limited guest cruise operations by this summer -- although the company will have to do some shuffling of routes because of restrictions certain countries have put on cruising. Canada is a prime example of that. The country has banned all cruise ships, putting Alaska’s 2021 cruise season at great risk.

So, what’s a cruise line do in one of its more prosperous markets? In Carnival’s situation, it’s taking its act off-shore. To bring in some revenue, Carnival’s Holland America Line and Princess Cruises are setting up shop to offer land-based vacation options for travelers to experience Alaska through a combination of tours, lodging, and sightseeing.

Here is the current plan for some of Carnival’s other brands:

Canary Islands: AIDA Cruises has already resumed guest cruise operations in late March for sailing in the Canary Islands. On Thursday, the company announced it is extending its Canary Island season into June.

Italy: Costa Cruises expects to resume operations in May for sailing to Italian ports.

United Kingdom: Cunard and Princess Cruises will each offer a series of cruises this summer sailing around U.K. coastal waters. P&O Cruises (UK) will kick off the season in June, followed by Cunard and Princess Cruises in July. 

Greece: Seabourn also expects to resume guest cruise operations this summer for sailing from Greece. 

Still trying to dance around U.S. restrictions

The biggest hurdle the cruise industry still has to overcome is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the industry has tried to make its case for resuming operations, the CDC has yet to budge.

Donald says the CDC obstacle is forcing Carnival to adapt how it operates a cruise to meet guidelines that seem to be in a constant state of flux. He said the company has no other option but to make 2021 a “transition year.”

“Of course, the thing on everyone's mind is when are we going to resume sailing here in the U.S.?” Arnold said in an investor conference call. “Now, while we're very disappointed with the April 2nd additional guidance issued under the conditional sail order, all 30 of our ships in U.S. waters and that fall under the conditional sail order have achieved green status and we are continuing to work with the CDC and the administration to find practical approaches to resuming cruising in a way that serves the best interest of public health.”

But what will happen if the CDC continues to stand pat? Donald says Carnival may have to consider sailing or home porting out of the Caribbean. “Carnival, it's really America's original cruise line … we sail more people than anybody else from America and more kids and all that,” Donald said.

“I have 14 home ports here in the U.S., nobody else has anything like that … We prefer to get the people who are working in the ports, all the people who depend on the cruise industry for their livelihood, obviously we prefer and I'm sure the other companies would too, we prefer to have those jobs and all that stuff be here. But if we're unable to sail, then obviously we will consider home porting elsewhere,” he concluded.

After some people suffered from allergic reactions after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, the National Institutes of Health has launched a study to find out why. Public health officials say the leading indicators to the vaccines show that people with a history of allergies have been the most prone so far.

The NIH study will last 17 weeks at 35 sites across the country, testing 3,400 adults between the ages of 18 and 69. Approximately two-thirds of participants enrolled will be female. This is because the vast majority of allergic reaction cases have occurred in women. 

“The public understandably has been concerned about reports of rare, severe allergic reactions to the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a statement.

“The information gathered during this trial will help doctors advise people who are highly allergic or have a mast cell disorder about the risks and benefits of receiving these two vaccines. However, for most people, the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination far outweigh the risks.”

The effects of the vaccine allergies

The first thing to keep in mind is that these allergies are -- like Dr. Fauci said -- rare. Nonetheless, the NIH wants to get ahead of the situation as soon as it can. 

To date, instances of an allergic reaction usually show up within 4 hours of getting vaccinated. The symptoms have included swelling, hives, and wheezing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

However, there have been a handful of reported cases involving the Pfizer vaccine that resulted in anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Just last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Palforzia, a drug intended to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis and other severe allergic reactions linked to accidental peanut exposure in children and teens.

Do your homework before getting vaccinated

The CDC warns people that if they had a severe allergic reaction after getting the first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, they should not get a second shot of that same vaccine. 

It’s also important to know which allergic reactions and side effects to look out for when getting vaccinated. The CDC has a complete list detailing those, and it also provides a list of the ingredients in each vaccine so people can avoid them if they are allergic. Consumers can find information on the Pfizer vaccine ingredients here, the Moderna ingredients here, and the Johnson & Johnson ingredients here.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way many consumers go to work each day; rather than a long commute on public transportation, remote working has turned many kitchen tables and spare bedrooms into home offices. While working from home is more convenient for many people, it doesn’t come without its own set of challenges. Now, researchers are explaining how to get the most out of remote work. 

According to researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, having boundaries between work life and personal life is vital to maintaining workplace success while at home. Their study highlighted the best tips that have been collected from more than twenty years of data about remote working. 

“A key challenge most people face when they work from home is how to effectively navigate the boundaries between their work life and home life, all while continuing to be efficient and productive in their job,” said researcher Timothy D. Golden. “The need to be able to adeptly manage the boundaries between work and family is absolutely critical today.” 

Getting organized at home

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced more consumers than ever before to work from home, and many have now been home for over a year. Finding success at work, while also still being able to relax at home, can be difficult. 

For consumers to make the most of their time working at home, the researchers recommend having an organizational system. Sticking to a consistent routine each day is likely to yield the best work-from-home outcomes. It’s also important to identify things that could be the biggest distractions at home. What things are likely to make the most noise? What things could pull your attention from time-sensitive tasks? For a good roundup of remote work equipment and collaboration tools, checkout B2B Reviews' remote work toolkit. 

Working from home, especially in the last year, often means having several family members in close proximity. Golden explained that setting boundaries with other people in the home, especially where noise and distractions are concerned, can help consumers focus on their work. 

“You’re in a different physical and mental space when you’re working remotely or in the home domain,” said Golden. “Communication becomes particularly crucial when you’re immersed in the home environment to balance everything successfully.” 

Earlier this week, LG Electronics announced that it will stop making smartphones by the end of July. While it’s getting out of the smartphone game, the company is reassuring customers that support for its phones won’t cease immediately. 

In a press release posted Thursday, LG said it will provide customers with three iterations of Android operating system updates from the year the device was purchased.

“The three OS update guarantee applies to LG premium phones released in 2019 and later (G series, V series, VELVET, Wing) while certain 2020 models such as LG Stylo and K series will receive two OS updates,” the company stated.

Losing market share

LG’s decision to exit the mobile business was driven by a loss of market share that it experienced over the last several years. A Statista report found that the company’s smartphone shares declined from 15.4 million units in early 2015 to 11.4 million by early 2018.

If you’re wondering why LG is waiting until July to jettison its smartphone division, the answer is that it simply can’t cut ties quite yet. The company said it still has to fulfill contractual obligations with carriers and partners, so consumers will still be able to buy LG smartphones for a little while longer.

T-Mobile is making a push to entice more consumers to sign up for its service. On Wednesday, the carrier announced a slew of new offerings and initiatives focused on improving access to 5G services.

One of the promotions could capture many people who are looking for a smartphone upgrade. Dubbing the event the “Great Free 5G Phone Upgrade” in a press release, T-Mobile said it will allow all new and existing postpaid customers to trade in any mobile phone and get a free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G smartphone “for free.”

“This offer applies to new and existing customers, and ANY old phone in working condition -- flip phone, Sidekick, whatever that suitcase phone was called. T-Mobile will take it,” the company said. “And in exchange, you get a free 5G smartphone after 24 monthly bill credits and pay only the sales tax.”

Free upgraded data plans

Of course, getting a phone that’s 5G capable is only part of the battle. Another sizable portion is having a data plan that allows you to take advantage of it. To that end, T-Mobile is also promoting the “Great Unlimited Trade-Up,” an initiative aimed at replacing limited data plans with unlimited data plans.

This free upgrade offer applies to all existing T-Mobile postpaid customers, including those who were formerly Sprint customers. The company is also targeting customers from other services by extending the same deal to Verizon and AT&T subscribers.

“Today, 60 million Americans are stuck on limited data plans from Verizon or AT&T … most with limited or no 5G access,” T-Mobile stated. “With the Great Unlimited Trade-Up, those people can trade up to BOTH unlimited data AND full access to T-Mobile’s expansive 5G network — including Ultra Capacity and Extended Range — all at the same or better price than the Carriers’ offer for limited data plans today.”

Although many carriers are going all-in to promote 5G services, the road to that rollout hasn’t been completely smooth so far. Last month, T-Mobile advised customers to turn off 5G capabilities on their devices to help conserve battery life. 

The company’s free unlimited data plan and 5G smartphone offers will go into effect on April 18 and will last throughout 2021.

One year ago, offices and schools closed because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Authorities ordered an economic lockdown and asked Americans to shelter in place to limit the spread of the virus. All of a sudden, office workers had to use the internet for communication with colleagues, and children were using it to complete school assignments. That caused traffic on home broadband networks to jump by 30 percent, according to a new industry report.

Despite that sudden increase in demand, researchers at the Broadband Internet Technicdal Advisory Group found that the internet held up reasonably well.

“Overall, the available data suggests that the Internet has performed well during the pandemic, and continues to do so, despite unparalleled and rapid changes in traffic demands,” the authors wrote. “Although individual end-users may have experienced isolated issues, we found no data or reports that suggest that the Internet did not perform to meet the needs of the end-users.”

Future concerns

But the researchers caution that the network might be vulnerable in the future, especially as its use continues to grow. During 2020, there was a spike in downstream data as consumers watched more streaming videos.

There was an even larger increase in upstream data -- things like Zoom meetings and virtual weddings. Some networks reported as much as a 300 percent increase in video conferencing traffic last year.

The report points out that ISPs typically provide a lot more downstream capability than upstream.

Performance exceptions

Even though the internet as a whole held up during the pandemic, the report notes there were exceptions. Rural areas served by less robust systems struggled with spotty service at times. Households using older equipment also reported excessive buffering.

"It is apparent that performance issues inside of home networks related to inadequate customer supplied user devices and Wi-Fi have become real problems," the researchers wrote.

Consumers may need to consider upgrading their home network equipment to keep up. This could include establishing a reliable ethernet connection instead of using Wi-Fi, upgrading to faster devices, and switching to a service that can provide a faster internet connection.

Many successful businesses take the step of co-branding their own credit cards by partnering with a credit card lender. Two delivery firms that thrived during the pandemic -- DoorDash and Instacart -- are apparently ready to take that step.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Instacart, which delivers groceries, is linking up with JPMorgan Chase to issue a co-branded credit card packed with rewards and incentives. DoorDash, one of the leaders in restaurant order delivery, is also said to be poised to launch its own credit card and is in negotiations with major banks and fintech companies.

With the pandemic potentially drawing to a close, both companies are hoping consumers continue the ordering habits they formed during the last year. According to The Journal, the companies believe that having a rewards credit card will keep their newly won customers engaged once restrictions are lifted.

Banks always like it when successful merchants brand a credit card, seeing it as a way to make inroads with consumers who like and support a particular brand. The more credit cards get used for purchases, the more profitable it is for banks.

No comment

Neither company has commented on the report, but The Journal says it has spoken to people with knowledge of the deals who have provided some of the details. For example, the Instacart card is expected to offer 5 percent cash back on Instacart purchases.

DoorDash is reportedly reviewing bids and plans to make a selection in the coming weeks. JPMorgan Chase is also said to be pursuing a deal with DoorDash.

Is there room for more co-branded credit cards? The average consumer has about four credit cards in their wallet, so the field could expand. JPMorgan is already a partner in Amazon’s co-branded credit card, but major banks tend to link up with hotel and airline cards since those purchases tend to be larger. 

Some of the most widely used co-branded credit cards include the Southwest Rapid Rewards  Priority Credit Card, the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, and the Costco Anywhere Visa Card issued by Citi.

Is a co-branded credit card right for you? Check out ConsumerAffairs’ verified reviews of the top credit cards here. 

Everyone is susceptible to a midnight snack every so often. However, a new study conducted by researchers from North Carolina State University found that eating late into the night might impact consumers in unexpected ways the following day. 

According to their findings, consumers who snack late at night could see a dip in their workplace performance. The study showed that late-night eaters are more likely to be distracted the next day and experience more physical symptoms, like headaches and nausea, that impact their ability to perform to their fullest potential. 

“For the first time, we have shown that healthy eating immediately affects our workplace behavior and performance,” said researcher Seonghee “Sophia” Cho. “It is relatively well established that other health-related behaviors, such as sleep and exercise, affect our work. But nobody had looked at the short-term effects of unhealthy eating.” 

When we’re eating matters

For the study, the researchers had nearly 100 full-time employees answer a questionnaire several times per day for 10 workdays. The questions asked about participants’ overall well-being, their food and drink intake, and what they did at work each day. 

The researchers identified a relationship between unhealthy eating and physical and emotional wellness. Those who were eating junk food late at night reported higher levels of guilt and shame, and they were also more likely to experience stomachaches and headaches the next day at work. However, unhealthy eating habits also led participants to behave differently at work; they were less likely to go out of their way to help coworkers and were more likely to avoid workplace tasks after late-night snacking. 

Mental health and emotional wellness also played a role in how the participants responded physically to late-night eating. The study found that those who were emotionally stronger were less likely to feel the physical side effects of eating late at night, which also meant that they were performing better at work. 

“The big takeaway here is that we now know unhealthy eating can have almost immediate effects on workplace performance,” said Cho. “However, we can also say that there is no single ‘healthy’ diet, and healthy eating isn’t just about nutritional content. It may be influenced by an individual’s dietary needs, or even by when and how they’re eating, instead of what they’re eating.”