Current Events in April 2024

When you think “Amazon,” you probably think Alexa, Prime, Prime Video, and the Kindle. But now, the king of everything online has cooked up something that’s a little QVC, a little TikTok and a little reality TV.

It’s adding something called Amazon Live – a new integrated way for consumers to browse, shop, and engage with content they’re watching on the TV screen just by using their mobile phone or tablet.

Amazon brings together celebrities like Lala Kent (Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules and Give Them Lala Beauty), Kandi Burruss (Real Housewives of Atlanta), and Paige DeSorbo (Summer House) to herd shopaholics to its interactive, shoppable, and free ad-supported FAST Channel on Prime Video and Freevee.

If all goes according to plan, Amazon’s “shop the show” technology will enable customers to seamlessly browse, shop, and engage with content they are watching on the TV screen just by using their mobile device.

Shop the show

The interactive component is what Amazon is banking on to make Amazon Live unique. It’s there that customers can add items to their shopping cart and wrap up their purchases in a click or two without ever leaving what they’re watching.

When someone is watching Amazon Live on their TV, all they have to do is open the Amazon Shopping app on their phone, type “shop the show” into the search bar, and they’ll be whisked off to a shopping carousel highlighting the featured products they see on TV in real-time or chat with others about what they’re seeing on-screen. 

"I love Amazon Live because it allows me to connect with my audience in a genuine and authentic way," said DeSorbo. “Watching Amazon Live is like shopping with a friend who is also a personal stylist. I get to share my honest opinions, demonstrate products, and help customers discover their next great find."

To see what the channel is like, just go to the “Live TV” tab on Prime Video, Fire TV, or through the Freevee app. The feature is also available at Amazon.com/live on desktop and mobile.

Starbucks is taking steps towards being more sustainable with a new line of cold cups that use less plastic. 

With the coffee chain’s plans to cut carbon, water, and waste footprints by 2030, these remodeled cups are another step in that direction. The cups use 10%-20% less plastic compared to the original designs, and will now all use the same size lids. 

A team of researchers led by Kyle Walker has been testing different methods to cut back on plastic use while keeping the integrity of the cups at Starbucks’ testing lab the Tryer Center. Over the last four years, Walker’s team has created a new cup that doesn’t compromise on sturdiness or keeping drinks cold. 

“We invented new ways to test the cup that we didn’t have before,” Walker said. “Like, what if we take this feature and we move it up or down? Or what if we change the shape or the radius in this very small way? We were making all these micro-adjustments, and when we found the optimal combination, it was a real Eureka moment!” 

Sustainability benefits

In taking a look at the cups from the outside, regular Starbucks-goers aren’t likely to notice much of a difference. Each of the cold cups – tall, grande, venti, and trenta – will still all be the same size. The major difference is in how they’re going to be made. 

Starbucks has projected some of the key sustainability benefits over one year, which include: 

• Save emissions equivalent to taking 5,200 cars off the road

• Conserve about 2,800 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water

• Keep more than 13.5 million pounds of plastic from landfills 

Accessibility benefits

The new cups will also include accessibility features that will make it easier for baristas in the midst of a busy rush. 

There will be two ways of identifying which cup is which: the new cups will be embossed with the letter indicating the size, and there will also be raised dots on each cup that will correspond to the different sizes. 

Starbucks cups also feature different measurement and fill lines. With these new cups, those lines will be black and white, so regardless of the drink customers order, baristas will be able to see the lines and accurately make the drink. 

Additionally, Starbucks has created one lid for all of the newly designed cold cups. This will make storage easier, as well as make things easier for baristas. 

The new cups are being rolled out at Starbucks stores across the country this month.