CNN | Dutch inventor of the cassette tape, Lou Ottens, dies age 94

(CNN) – Lou Ottens, the Dutch inventor of the cassette tape, has died at the age of 94, his family has confirmed to CNN.

They said the inventor died at his home in Duizel, the Netherlands, on Saturday. His cause of death was not given.

An estimated 100 billion cassette tapes have been sold worldwide, according to Philips, the company he began working for in 1952. Ottens also supervised the team that developed the compact disc (CD).  —read more—  

CNN style Arts | How NFTs are fueling a digital art boom

When graphic designer Mike Winkelmann started producing a drawing a day in 2007, he was simply looking for a way to improve his art skills. At best, the resulting “Everydays” project would help him promote his freelance work, which includes creating concert visuals for the likes of Justin Bieber and Katy Perry. But selling the digital images was not on his mind.

This week, a compilation of over 13 years’ worth of the artworks, collectively titled “Everydays: The First 5000 days,” will sell for millions of dollars via Christie’s. With more than a day of the auction still to go, the highest bid sits at $9.75 million, putting Winkelmann’s name among some of the art market’s most valuable.  —read more— 

CNN BUSINESS | Here’s what we know so far about the massive Microsoft Exchange hack

New York (CNN Business) – Many security experts remain alarmed about the large, Chinese-linked hack of Microsoft’s Exchange email service a week after the attack was first reported.

The breach is believed to have targeted hundreds of thousands of Exchange users around the world. Microsoft (MSFT) said four vulnerabilities in its software allowed hackers to access servers for the popular email and calendar service, and the company urged customers to immediately update their on-premises systems with software fixes.

Even the White House quickly got involved, and now multiple US government agencies also are investigating the attack.  —read more—

CNN BUSINESS | Disney+ reaches a major milestone

New York (CNN) – Disney+, the focal point of Disney‘s media empire, has achieved a significant milestone.

The streaming service has surpassed 100 million global subscribers in just 16 months, Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, which was held virtually on Tuesday.

“The enormous success of Disney+… has inspired us to be even more ambitious, and to significantly increase our investment in the development of high-quality content,” Chapek said in a statement.  —read more—

CNN World | These are the pioneering women of photojournalism

War correspondent Dickey Chapelle.

Yunghi Kim takes a photo while working on a project about black farmers in 1998. Kim, an award-winning photojournalist who has covered stories all over the world, started the Trailblazers of Light, a website that celebrates women in her field and the contributions they’ve made. One of her most well-known projects was her story documenting South Korean “comfort women,” sex slaves used by the Japanese military during World War II.  –read more—

CNN entertainment | The role of an unexpected savior is not new to Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry offered his house in Southern California, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stayed for several months.

(CNN) – In an interview filled with one bombshell after another, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry revealed their fears and struggles with racism in the royal family. But one unlikely hero emerged in the saga: Tyler Perry.

Perry has built an entertainment empire as a writer, actor, producer and director.

But one of his biggest legacies involves swooping in to help the wealthy and those in need — from paying for Christmas layaways to providing a private jet for Whitney Houston’s funeral.  –read more—

CNN BUSINESS | Why Apple, Sephora and Nordstrom are jumping on this trend to pull in shoppers

New York (CNN Business) – As the pandemic drags on, big chains like Target and Nordstrom are looking for ways to keep consumers coming back to their stores.

One go-to strategy is the store-within-a-store concept. It’s a way for one retailer to join forces with another by setting up a pop-up shop within their stores.

Industry analysts say the approach has benefits for both parties. For instance, department store Kohl’s (KSS) is adding as many as 200 Sephora mini shops inside of its stores in 2021 as a way to expand its beauty and cosmetics category. For Sephora, the deal helps the retailer expand its market to Kohl’s shoppers.  –read more—