(NewsUSA) - Google has made Gemini 4 Argon broadly available at an introductory price intended to challenge OpenAI and Anthropic. Professionals share what their peers should do now.

Edited by Brett Farmiloe, Editor at Featured News · Roundup by Featured · Oct 19, 2026

Google made Gemini 4 Argon, its most capable AI model, broadly available on Oct. 13 to developers, businesses and Gemini app users on Google’s Pro and Ultra plans. It’s priced to challenge OpenAI and Anthropic, with an introductory rate that doubles on Dec. 1. In one demo, Argon controlled a Boston Dynamics robot dog as it stepped on a pedal bin and dropped in soda cans.

Featured Perspectives

DuBose ColeCo-founder, New Classic · New York, NY

As with every launch, Google's new Gemini 4 model will contribute to the disruption and acceleration we're seeing in marketing from AI. However, there is one immediate impact brands should consider in how users interact with AI and discover brands and products through search.

For brands, Gemini 4 looks to increase AI fragementaiton in a new way. The company has announced that 'AI Mode' in Google search will vary the model it uses based on the user's subscription. Pro and Ultra subscribers will get the new Argon model, while free users are capped at lighter, less sophisticated options. While AI overviews in the main search interface won't change, those users who go to AI mode will see a different experience, and receive different thinking based on their subscription status with Google.

For brands already trying to AI optimise, this opens up a new dimension to consider. While AI platforms normally cap usage of a model vs. the model access itself based on user status, Google's move pushes a model split to a search adjacent interface. Brands need to audit their presence to optimise not just against a range of providers, but increasingly, a range of models offered by the provider.

Randall SmalleyExecutive - Global Marketing / Business Development, Cruise America · Phoenix, AZ

Earlier this year, we launched RV Trip AI, which sits front and center on our website. Our vision is to make planning an RV vacation as exciting and simple as taking one. Customers can tell us where they want to go, what they love to do, and what kind of experiences they're looking for, and AI helps bring that journey to life.

One of the biggest opportunities for us is helping customers understand where they'll stay along the way. For many families considering their first RV vacation, the uncertainty around planning a route, finding campgrounds, and knowing where to spend each night can be a barrier to booking. We believe removing that uncertainty is critical to converting more travelers into RV customers.

As AI continues to evolve, particularly with agentic ecommerce, we see a future where customers can plan their entire bucket-list vacation in one experience, from selecting their RV and building their itinerary to reserving campsites along the route. Our goal is to turn the dream of an RV road trip into a trip families can confidently book. We believe making the entire journey easier to plan will introduce more families to RV travel and ultimately drive greater conversion for Cruise America.

Jillian O'MaliorFounder & Principal Strategist, New World Labs · Walnut Creek, CA

I've done an investigation into a recruiting firm's AI sourcing platform that published its internal notes on 110 public job postings. One of them flagged candidates for exclusion because they were laid off or unemployed. It's a clear example of what lazily integrated AI looks like in the hiring process: private info made public, embarrassingly so.

I've been on the candidate side too: 743 applications over 16 months, almost all through automated filters and rejections, and now upwards of 90 robocalls and spam texts a week because my data was resold through the apply process.

A more capable model at an introductory price means a lot more of this, especially in HR/TA. So before HR buys anything, take note of what parts of hiring a human needs to own: not lead, OWN. For me, that's the first real conversation and the rejection. If someone gave you hours of their time, a person should tell them why it didn't work out.

Jon SchneiderFounder, Recruiterie · Chandler, AZ

A sales leader’s best evidence is often on video. The CROs and VPs of Sales Recruiterie finds for venture-backed companies have usually done podcasts and conference panels, and that’s where you hear how they actually built a team and handled a missed quarter. Until now, nobody running a search had time to watch all of it.

Gemini 4 Argon takes video and audio directly. The newest flagship models from OpenAI and Anthropic take only text and images. Google also built Argon to pull specific details out of long videos, so I can hand it a finalist’s podcast interviews and ask what they’ve said about ramping new reps.

My advice to other recruiters is to use it to research candidates and leave the judging to people. Don’t let a model rate anyone on how they look or sound, and get permission before you run your own interview recordings through it.

David AlanPresident, Closets by David Alan · Pittsburgh

With Gemini 4 Argon we can begin the revision process by inputting pictures of your home and what your life style looks like. Then showing them what there closet can look like at the first meeting.

There should be many designers that sell custom closet's playing around with these programs to help with customers personal needs.

As shown above there are many ways we can incorporate this into our current process. When choosing high end finish and lifestyle of the customer.

Denise GredlerFounder, BestCompaniesAZ · Gilbert, AZ

After 25 years of working with research and media partners on awards and recognition programs, I've seen firsthand how important clear evaluation criteria, credible information and independent third-party judging are to the integrity of an awards program.

New AI technologies, including Google's Gemini 4 Argon, have the potential to help awards programs research company claims, review publicly available information and identify areas that deserve further evaluation.

But in my opinion, AI should support and enhance the judging process, not replace it. The credibility of any awards program depends on established criteria, objective evaluation, reliable data and independent judging.

The real opportunity is to use AI to make the evaluation process more efficient and thorough while maintaining the integrity and human oversight that make these awards meaningful.

This story was produced by Featured and republished with permission. Experts featured here are members of Connectively or HARO, Featured's expert networks.

(NewsUSA) - Swedish music producer Jonas Saeed is taking his experience in music into a new business venture. According to a company announcement, he is developing DEATH ROW, a Swedish nicotine pouch brand whose identity draws on storytelling and entertainment.

Jonas Saeed has over 25 years of experience in the international music industry as a producer, songwriter and entrepreneur. Throughout his career, he has worked with artists including Jennifer Lopez, will.i.am, Luis Fonsi, Ace of Base, Wisin & Yandel, Big Sean and Robin Thicke, and on projects connected to Idol and The X Factor USA.

His credits include the international hit Follow the Leader by Wisin & Yandel featuring Jennifer Lopez. Saeed describes how his experience working with artists influenced his approach to the new venture.

The inspiration came partly from watching brands such as Liquid Death transform an everyday product into something people wanted to talk about, photograph, collect and become part of. Saeed saw an opportunity to apply a similar culture-first philosophy to an entirely different category.

“I kept looking at the pouch market and everything felt very serious, very clean and very similar,” says Jonas Saeed. “Then I looked at what brands like Liquid Death had done by bringing music, comedy and entertainment into water. I thought: why isn't anyone having that kind of fun with pouches?”

For Saeed, the connection lies in the work surrounding a musical release. Album artwork, videos and an artist’s public identity help shape how audiences understand the music. He says that thinking informed his plans for the brand.

“Music taught me that people don’t fall in love with a song. They fall in love with the artist, the story, the emotion, and the world built around the music,” Saeed says in the release.

According to the announcement, DEATH ROW’s creative concept includes fictional characters with individual personalities and backstories. The company envisions using those characters across packaging and possible future projects in comics, animation and merchandise.

These proposed projects form part of Saeed’s ambition to develop an entertainment component alongside the product business. The limited-edition DEATH ROW Casket contains nine cans of nicotine pouches and is limited to 100 individually numbered boxes. Pre-orders are open through The Snus Outlet, which says the boxes are scheduled to ship on October 30, 2026. Saeed has also described possible future collaborations with artists and creators. Those activities remain plans for the brand’s development.

The company identifies experienced adult nicotine pouch users who already choose stronger products as its intended audience. Its announcement states that the products are intended for adults in markets where they are legally permitted.

DEATH ROW is a Swedish nicotine pouch brand developed by music producer and entrepreneur Jonas Saeed. Combining nicotine pouches with original characters, dark comedy, comic-book storytelling, collectibles and limited-edition drops, DEATH ROW is being developed as an entertainment-driven consumer brand rather than a conventional pouch label. DEATH ROW products are intended exclusively for adult nicotine consumers where legally permitted. Higher-strength variants are intended for experienced adult nicotine users.

DEATH ROW Casket pre-orders are open now, with shipping scheduled for October 30, 2026. Availability will be subject to applicable age restrictions and local laws.

Nicotine is highly addictive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says researchers are still studying the short- and long-term health effects of nicotine pouches. The agency advises people who do not currently use tobacco products, including nicotine pouches, not to start. Youth, young adults and pregnant women should not use nicotine pouches.

(NewsUSA) - Did you know one of the biggest changes you can make to a room doesn’t require moving a single piece of furniture?

Sometimes it starts right at the window.

Picture the same living room three ways: sunlight softened through airy sheers, rich drapes framing an intimate gathering, or shades lowered for a Saturday movie marathon. Same square footage. Same sofa. Three completely different ways to experience the space.

Behind every change at the window is a reason for wanting a room to feel different. As part of its new campaign, “Reasons,” Blinds To Go is giving homeowners and renters a chance to bring their own refresh to life with a sweepstakes offering a $5,000 window makeover.

And the difference isn’t always something you can see.

Window treatments influence how a room feels and functions. Blinds let you adjust the light throughout the day. Curtains create a sense of retreat. And the right shades can finally make the television watchable at three in the afternoon.

After all, the best spaces aren’t just designed to look good. They’re designed for living.

Take sunlight, for example. The material at your window helps determine how it enters the room. Sheer fabrics diffuse incoming light, creating a softer glow. Blackout materials are designed to block light through the fabric, helping to create a darker setting for bedrooms and movie nights. But fabric is only part of the equation. Fit, coverage and even layering a shade with drapery can give you more control over how you experience natural light throughout the day. Think morning coffee, afternoon catch-up and opening credits.

Privacy doesn’t have to mean giving up daylight, either. Top-down/bottom-up shades can cover the lower portion of a window while letting in light from above—a practical solution for street-facing rooms where you want to enjoy the sunshine without giving the sidewalk a front-row seat to your life.

Then there’s comfort. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heat moving through windows accounts for 25%–30% of residential heating and cooling energy use. Cellular shades use pockets of air to provide insulation at the window, adding another layer of function to the room. Performance varies by product, window and how the shades are used, but it is a reminder that a beautiful window treatment can have a practical job, too.

The most useful starting point is a simple question: What’s really behind the change you want to make?

That thinking is at the heart of Blinds To Go’s “Reasons” campaign: the reason for changing your window treatments often starts with the way you live. Maybe the guest room is welcoming family more often. Maybe the home office now doubles as the dining room. Or perhaps you’ve lived with the previous owner’s taste long enough.

The brand’s design consultants help translate those everyday needs into choices about materials, light control, privacy and style, with custom window treatments shaped around the space.

Before browsing, spend a day noticing your room. When does the light feel best? When do you squint at a screen or wish for more privacy? Bring those observations to a design conversation, where free samples can help you explore colors, textures and materials in your own space. Knowing your reason can make it easier to find the right solution.

Ready to see what a change at the window can do? Blinds To Go is giving one winner in the U.S. and one winner in Canada a $5,000 window makeover each to help bring their refresh to life.

What’s your reason? Picture the room you would love to come home to, then visit Reasons Sweepstakes to enter by the end of the day on Thursday, November 5. 

Your next chapter at home could start with a change of shade.

No purchase necessary. See Official Rules for eligibility, entry details and prize terms.

(NewsUSA) - September marks the beginning of a new school year, and for many students, it also marks the first time they will live away from home. College students are packing up, heading to campuses in other cities and states, and beginning new chapters of their lives. For the friends they leave behind, that can mean suddenly being hundreds of miles—and sometimes a time zone—apart.

Distance can make maintaining close friendships more difficult. But technology is giving friends new ways to stay connected, and communication platforms built for gaming such as Discord are increasingly becoming digital spaces where friends can continue to spend time together, talk and socialize even when they can no longer meet in person.

“When I had to move to college in another county, I didn't have proper communication channels set up for when I wanted to talk to my friends back home,” said Zen Dailo from Bakersfield, California. “Discord helps me stay in touch with some of my closest friends from home that I probably wouldn't have kept in touch with.”

Discord Gives Friends a Place to Hang Out

For many users, Discord is more than a messaging app for gaming. It can function as a virtual gathering place where friends can talk, share experiences and spend time together whether or not they are playing a game.

More than 90 million people use Discord every day to text, talk and video chat before, during and after playing games. The platform is free to join and is designed around conversations in smaller communities rather than algorithm-driven feeds or viral content.

That difference can make online interaction feel more personal. Friends can use voice chat, video calls and high-quality streaming across devices, creating an experience that can feel less like sending messages and more like hanging out in the same room.

For college students who have suddenly moved away from their hometowns, that kind of always-available social space can make maintaining friendships easier.

Why Gaming Can Strengthen Friendships

Gaming is also helping friends stay connected because it gives them something active to do together rather than simply exchanging messages.

Research published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships examined how friendships develop and found that the amount of time people spend together is not the only factor. The type of interaction matters as well. Shared activities, including playing games together, were found to be meaningful predictors of friendship.

The popularity of gaming also means that friends do not have to live in the same place to participate in the same activity. The Entertainment Software Association reports that 67 percent of Americans ages 5 to 90 play video games for at least an hour each week, while 49 percent say games help them stay connected with friends and family.

That makes gaming different from many traditional social activities. Going to a movie, joining a local sports league or meeting for dinner generally requires people to be in the same location. Online gaming allows friends to participate together even when they are separated by hundreds or thousands of miles.

The result is an activity that can turn a simple online conversation into shared time.

Keeping an Entire Friend Group Connected

Maintaining one friendship across distance can be difficult. Keeping an entire friend group together can be even harder.

Schedules change after high school. Some friends leave for college, others start working, and people may move to different cities or states. Over time, coordinating a group gathering can become increasingly difficult.

Discord is designed for both individual conversations and larger communities. Friends can create Group Direct Messages or establish private Servers—invite-based spaces organized around a friend group, game or shared interest.

These communities give friends a place to return to even when their schedules do not line up perfectly. Users can see which friends are online, join an ongoing conversation or start a gaming session without having to organize a formal gathering every time.

For Logan Iacobo of Pomona, California, Discord has helped preserve a large friend group that might otherwise have become harder to maintain.

“Once I was out of high school, I accumulated a very large friend group, so it was hard to always talk to everyone,” he said. “Discord has enabled us to stay connected. When I moved across the country, I could still talk to everyone, and we’ve stayed close to this day – it’s been a real blessing.”

How to Use Discord to Stay Connected With Friends

Getting started with Discord is relatively simple. The platform is available for mobile devices, consoles and desktop computers, and an account can be created in just a few minutes.

Friends can start a one-on-one Direct Message or Group Direct Message with people they already know. They can also create a private Server specifically for their friend group or join an existing community based on a favorite game or shared interest.

Joining a Server can be as simple as clicking an invitation link from a friend. Users can also browse Discord's directory to discover communities based on games, hobbies and other interests.

For friends separated by college, work or a move to another part of the country, these features can make it easier to maintain a regular connection without requiring everyone to be available at the same time.

Distance Doesn't Have to Mean Disconnection

Moving away from home can change friendships, but it does not necessarily have to end them. Gaming gives friends a shared activity, while Discord provides a persistent place where they can talk, stream, play and spend time together.

For college students starting a new chapter, staying connected may be as simple as logging on and finding familiar friends waiting in the same digital space.

Today, distance doesn't have to mean disconnection. With Discord, the hangout can always be with you.

(NewsUSA) - Religion is many things to many people, but it should never be a justification for hate and violence, and a little-known but impactful non-profit organization is hard at work to fight against the misrepresentation of religious beliefs.

The Pave the Way Foundation (www.ptwf.org), a non-profit organization not affiliated with any religion, works to confront the distortion of religious beliefs with the truth, based on documented texts. “Across the world, extremists twist sacred texts, falsify history, and weaponize faith for power, money, and control,” according to PTWF’s leaders, whose slogan “Embrace the Similarities and Savor the Differences” says it all.

PTWF analyzes core religious texts to identify the core principles and show how they contradict many examples of violence and hate and have been mistranslated to justify malevolent behavior and actions.

Some of these examples include:

-Documented covenants of protection for Christians and Jews issued by the Prophet Muhammad; this has been denied or ignored by some Muslims.

-Documented proof against false scholarship attacking the actions of the Vatican during World War II. Distorted information paints Pope Pius XII as “Hitler’s Pope,” but in truth he was a hero whose actions saved countless lives.

-Rebuttal of inaccurate information about governments seizing churches, closing seminaries, and persecuting pastors.

-Denouncing the persistent targeting of religious minorities across continents.-Countering false propaganda designed to divide Christians and Jews.

PTWF builds trust between faiths and shares the truth, while engaging in philanthropic activities across all faiths. Significant PTWF activities including the gift of the Bodmer Papyrus, the most important manuscript in Christianity, to the Vatican Library, then arranging the first loan in history of Maimonides manuscripts from the Vatican Library to the Israel Museum, publishing primary sourced WWII documents and eyewitness testimony to exonerate the Vatican from perceived inaction during WWII, and spotlighting the inappropriate use of the Keffiyeh (Palestinian scarves) and Palestinian flags in university and international protests worldwide in the days after the invasion of Israel in October 2023.

Other key activities undertaken by the PTWF include supplying baby food & medications to Syrian Christians being sheltered and rescued in Israel from persecution, interceding to end illegal seizure of Catholic bank accounts in Israeli cities by uninformed mayors, and helping the Vatican serve the poor.

“Most people don’t know our name, but our historic work is reshaping interfaith truth worldwide,” according to the PTWF leadership.

Religion shapes hearts, but malevolent manipulators can shape religion. PTWF exists to stop them, but the organization needs your help. Visit www.ptwf.org to learn more.