Tech is a necessity for all college students today. You simply need certain things to get your schoolwork done, key among those devices being a solid laptop for college. But there are other gadgets that can help you out, too, both by making your academic life easier and help you unwind at the end of a long week of classes. Before you head to campus, you can pick up a few key devices to keep yourself more organized and help you produce better work for the entire year. We've collected some of the must-have gadgets for college that we've tested here, and we wouldn't be surprised if all of them stuck with you long after your four-year university run is over.
Best tech for college students
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/12-must-have-gadgets-for-college-students-in-2025-120044577.html?src=rss
Meta previewed some of its latest virtual reality prototypes this week, with concepts that are compelling on the specs and long on the design. Literally. The company shared some details on its Tiramisu project, dubbing it "hyperrealistic VR." This set promises three times the contrast, 14 times the maximum brightness and 3.6 times the angular resolution of the Meta Quest 3. In actual stats, that's up to 1,400 nits of brightness and an angular resolution of 90 pixels per degree.
One of the goals for Reality Labs Research’s Optics, Photonics and Light Systems (OPALS) team is to create a virtual reality experience that is indistinguishable from the real world, or what it calls a visual Turing test. "Our mission for this project was to provide the best image quality possible," said Xuan Wang, an optical research scientist with OPALS. But the team achieved that quality with some tradeoffs; Tiramisu has a limited field of view of just 33 degrees by 33 degrees compared to the 110 degrees horizontal and 96 degrees vertical FOV in the Meta Quest 3. And the form factor is currently a pretty bulky beast, as you can see above.
Meta
The other prototypes detailed in the company's blog post are Boba 3 headsets. These mixed and virtual reality headsets offer an ultrawide field of view. All three projects will be on display during the SIGGRAPH 2025 conference in Vancouver next week.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-says-these-wild-headset-prototypes-could-be-the-future-of-vr-225132683.html?src=rss
The Federal Communications Commission is planning a review of the US emergency alert systems. Both the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WAS) will be subject to a "re-examination" by the agency. "We want to ensure that these programs deliver the results that Americans want and need," FCC Chairman Brendan Carr posted on X.
The announcement of this plan notes that the infrastructure underlying the EAS — which includes radio, television, satellite and cable systems — is 31 years old, while the framework underpinning the WAS mobile device alerts is 13 years old. The FCC review will also assess what entities should be able to send alerts on those systems, as well as topics such as geographic targeting and security.
The role of emergency communication systems came under recent scrutiny after catastrophic flooding in central Texas earlier this summer that led to more than 130 deaths. Questions arose in the aftermath of whether residents in potentially dangerous areas received enough warning to evacuate, as well as if recent federal cuts to the National Weather Service's staff and budget could have contributed to the high death toll.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-fcc-will-review-emergency-alert-systems-in-the-us-212753623.html?src=rss
FILE - Brendan Carr listens during a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee hearing to examine the Federal Communications Commission on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 24, 2020. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via AP, File)
The Trade Desk's shares plummeted nearly 40% and analysts blamed a growing rivalry with Amazon.
Amazon has expanded its ad business with a Roku deal and live sports on Prime Video.
Analysts expressed concern over The Trade Desk's prospects amid a competitive TV ad landscape.
The Trade Desk's shares cratered nearly 40% on Friday, its worst decline on record, and analysts say competition from Amazon may be to blame.
The Trade Desk, which helps companies target people across the web with ads, beat expectations in its earnings — but that wasn't enough to quell Wall Street's concerns. In commentary, analysts also cited the departure of the adtech company's CFO, but largely focused on the Amazon factor in explaining the stock drop.
The Trade Desk CEO Jeff Green responded to analysts' questions, saying his company would continue to serve an important role because it's a neutral seller of advertising, unlike Amazon, which also sells its own ads on Prime Video. He also argued The Trade Desk only competes with a small part of Amazon and suggested Amazon might one day allow companies like his own to sell ads on Prime Video.
"Amazon is not a competitor, and Google really isn't much of a competitor anymore either," Green said on the company's earnings call. "We're trying to buy the open internet, leveraging technology that values media objectively. We don't have any media. And we don't grade our own homework."
Analysts were skeptical of Green's optimistic stance, pointing to an increasingly competitive connected TV ad landscape. Amazon, Netflix, and Disney+ have all entered the market in recent years. Amazon's ad business, in particular, is on pace to grow fast with an upcoming deal to let advertisers buy ads on Roku devices through Amazon, and the NBA adding to Amazon's live sports programming on Prime Video.
Meanwhile, The Trade Desk is limited in its growth potential because it depends on its ability to access the ad inventory of other players like Netflix.
LightShed analysts had the harshest words, writing that "Green is either in a serious state of denial, or he is living in an alternate reality."
"The Amazon shadow over this stock is now front and center ... and harder to deny," MoffettNathanson's Michael Nathanson said, cutting his rating to sell from neutral.
Others were more sanguine. Evercore maintained an outperform rating, citing The Trade Desk's growing partnerships to sell Netflix, Roku, and Spotify advertising, and its expansion in retail media and international markets.
Amazon has become an ad titan
The bull case for Amazon's ad business has been gaining steam since the company barrelled into the TV ad market a year ago by making ads the default on Prime Video.
Gripes about the ad rates notwithstanding, advertisers like Amazon's massive scale, ability to target people based on their shopping preferences, and growing live sports offering on Prime Video.
Ad industry insiders recently told Business Insider that Amazon's entrance into TV advertising had made it harder for all but the top TV players, like Disney and Comcast's NBCUniversal, to compete.
A Morgan Stanley report in July said Amazon's Prime Video was on pace to dominate the advertising market on US-based smart TVs, knocking YouTube off its perch as the market leader in 2027. Later that month, Amazon reported its second-quarter earnings, showing its overall ads business growing 22% to $15.7 billion. That beat analyst expectations.
All this could be OK for rivals if the pie were ever-increasing. But the bigger worry is that CTV advertising won't be the growth engine it once was — leading media companies to fight for pieces of a smaller pie.
Nathanson pointed to slowing growth in recent quarters and intensifying competition from Amazon and Google.
He said he saw "a broader deceleration" in the US CTV ad market that should concern Trade Desk bulls.
Is it just me, or does this summer feel super busy? New AI models are launching all the time. M&A dealmaking is unusually active. Funding rounds are getting done. How's your summer going? Let me know (if you have time!).
Apple CEO Tim Cook at the White House with President Donald Trump
Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS
Who's on Apple's AI shopping list?
If you're a Big Tech CEO, what's the worst way to spend a summer day? Attending a White House event as President Donald Trump rants about Jeffrey Epstein coverage while you stand there, waiting. That's gotta be up there.
I'm guessing Tim Cook had better things to do than go through this ordeal on Wednesday. He was there to stop Trump from crushing the iPhone with bigly tariffs. Much higher on his to-do list: getting Apple back in the AI game. An AI update to Siri is delayed, and the company has lost AI talent to rivals.
What happens when a huge, cash-rich company has its back against the wall? One common outcome is a flashy, strategic acquisition. These deals make a statement, and (if they work) they can catapult a company into new sectors or technologies by quickly amassing talent and intellectual property, along with new users and customers.
On a recent call with analysts, Cook dropped a major hint that this is what Apple might do in AI. "We're very open to M&A that accelerates our road map. We are not stuck on a certain size company," he said.
Apple's biggest acquisition was $3 billion, so I took Cook's "size" comment as a particularly strong hint that the company could go large here.
So, which AI startups could be on Apple's shopping list? Ben Bergman, Rebecca Torrence, and I spent this week asking bankers, venture capitalists, and analysts which M&A targets might make sense. Check out the full list below, but one that came up several times was Thinking Machines Lab, a startup run by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati.
"It would be game-changing for Apple to partner with an independent, leading AI lab like Thinking Machines," said Sarah Guo, a leading venture capitalist who's backed many startups in the field, including Murati's company. "They have massive threats and opportunities across the Apple experience."
Radically improving Siri experiences with Apple's mobile data, using memory and personalization, is a huge opportunity, even if Siri has failed to keep up with the breakneck pace of AI capabilities to date, Guo noted, while stressing that Apple should partner with Thinking Machines, rather than buy the startup.
You know what they say in Silicon Valley, though. Partnerships can be a prelude to a deal.
My take on who's up and down, including updates on tech jobs and compensation.
UP: You know who really knows how to take a victory lap? Palantir CEO Alex Karp. Shares of the defense tech company surged this week after it smashed through Wall Street expectations. The stock is up almost 600% in the past year.
DOWN: Airbnb slumped this week after issuing guidance that disappointed Wall Street. This stock has lost at least 15% since Brian Chesky took the company public in late 2020. So much for "Founder Mode."
TECH JOB UPDATE:
In BCG's 2025 "AI at Work" survey, employees and managers showed a significant divide in how generative AI is integrated into their work. While 85% of leaders and 78% of managers use GenAI regularly, only 51% of frontline employees reported similar use.
Concerns about job displacement due to AI remain high. However, this also differs depending on seniority. Forty-three percent of managers and leaders in BCG's survey expect their jobs will certainly or probably disappear in the next decade. For frontline workers, that number was notably lower at 36%, BCG found.
From the group chat
Other Big Tech stories I found on the interwebs:
OpenAI just gave out juicy bonuses to fend off recruiters (The Information)
OpenAI can probably afford it. The startup could be worth $500 billion in the secondary market (Bloomberg)
AI labs use everyone else's data without permission, but they get grumpy when it happens to them (Wired)
Uber under-reported sexual assault and misconduct complaints (The New York Times)
Q: What were the main differences between Study Mode and the main ChatGPT tool?
Study Mode felt more proactive and conversational. When I asked if I should buy a car and briefly described my life, it introduced the concept of "being car poor" without me asking. Regular ChatGPT doesn't do that. Study Mode also gave concise bullet points instead of big paragraphs, which made things clearer and left less room for error. It also asked how I felt about the topic, not just practical things like budget or commute. For example, it asked if I'd feel anxious without a car or if I'd miss my family. When I mentioned my Uber and grocery spending, it offered a "budgeting exercise," like a thought experiment. Traditional ChatGPT would just crunch numbers if you gave it a figure.
Q: What tasks is Study Mode good for, versus the main ChatGPT?
Regular ChatGPT is fine for tasks like summarizing transcripts or proofreading a cover letter. But Study Mode shines when you want a complicated subject explained clearly, with relevant new concepts, pros and cons, and exploratory thinking. It doesn't give you a final product; it helps you create your own.
Q: Is Study Mode better for student learning?
Definitely. It explains concepts deeply and visually. Some charts reminded me of my old IB economics textbook. It balances ideal advice (like saving 20% of income) with realistic data (most Americans save 8% or less). It also has features like quizzes I haven't tried yet, which could be great for learning Spanish or exam prep. But it's no substitute for a human teacher's emotional connection.
Q: Any tips for Tech Memo readers using Study Mode?
Be open-ended. Don't just ask for facts — ask why something works, what alternatives exist, or how designs function. Like a good classroom, it's about curiosity.
User feedback
I love hearing from readers. What do you want to see more of, or less of?
Specifically, though: This week, I want to hear back about how work has interrupted your summer chillin' plans. The most gruesome stories = the best. Let me know: [email protected]
Sign up for BI's Tech Memo newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at [email protected].
Puerto Rico has put incentives in place to attract mainland Americans and other foreigners to stay long-term.
Real Living Production
When Charity Kreher's husband was offered a job in Puerto Rico, the couple mulled over the opportunity before coming to the same conclusion: "Why not?"
Kreher had never stepped foot on the island before she left Tulsa, Oklahoma, with her husband and two young children to start their new life in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in November 2024. But she was excited to take the leap.
"It was like, if we don't do it, would we be kicking ourselves for not getting out of our comfort zone?" Kreher, 34, told Business Insider.
So far, life on the island has been wonderful. The Krehers have become more active as a family thanks to Puerto Rico's temperate climate and scores of scenic beaches and trails, and they've quickly built a support system in their kind and welcoming community. Maybe their kids will even end up being bilingual.
"Some things are different, but you're not left wanting, like maybe some folks would imagine," Kreher said.
Charity and Ian Kreher with their two children.
Courtesy of Charity Kreher
With its white sand beaches, lively culture, and relatively fast flight time from the East Coast, Americans often see Puerto Rico as an easy tropical getaway that doesn't require digging up a passport. Travelers are increasingly flocking to the island: Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, in the capital municipality of San Juan, received 6.6 million passenger arrivals in 2024 — an 8% increase from the previous year, according to Discover Puerto Rico, which called the stat "record growth."
But Puerto Rico isn't satisfied with quick trips anymore. They want you to stay longer — like, forever — and are introducing favorable tax incentives and new infrastructure to make your everyday life feel like a vacation.
Room for a rebrand
Compared to the mainland states, Puerto Rico is fairly small. Its entire area — all 3,515 square miles — could fit inside Connecticut. Its estimated population, about 3.1 million people according to the 2023 US Census, is roughly comparable to the population of Iowa.
In 2022 and 2023 combined, 50,577 Americans moved to Puerto Rico. While that's not a particularly impressive statistic — the island only captured more American movers than one state, Wyoming, in 2023 — Puerto Rico has plans to better accommodate more long-term residents in the future.
Houses in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Oscar Gutierrez/Getty Images
An influx of Americans will require updated infrastructure to make them happy. Though cities on the northern part of the island, like Condado, Old San Juan, and Dorado, have a healthy number of Americans living in them and are generally better equipped with things like generators and cisterns, other parts of Puerto Rico are still lacking. In 2019, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave Puerto Rico a "D-" grade in infrastructure, citing issues like poor roadway conditions and inadequate energy infrastructure.
For Kreher, who lives with her family in a three-bedroom apartment in Condado, it's not a major problem. She chose their building not just for its location directly on the ocean, but because it has a backup generator, a non-negotiable for her setup as a remote worker who requires a reliable connection.
Still, the Krehers haven't been entirely immune to Puerto Rico's infrastructure issues.
"The last time we were at church, the power went out halfway through the sermon, and they didn't have a generator," Kreher said. But when these things happen, everyone takes it in stride: "You wouldn't believe how frequently the stoplights go out and how we all just know how to handle it," she added.
A rendering of a villa at Moncayo.
The Boundary
In 2019, Puerto Rico passed the Puerto Rico Energy Public Policy Act, which set a goal to reach 100% of the island's electricity needs with renewable energy by 2050. In December 2022, Congress approved $1 billion to upgrade the resilience of Puerto Rico's electric grid.
It's enough of an issue that Puerto Rico is trying to change the narrative and expand comfortable living to other parts of the island. Moncayo, a resort-style luxury development, is scheduled to open in 2027 on Puerto Rico's eastern shoreline.
Carter Redd, the developer and president of Moncayo, told Business Insider that the development was designed intentionally with a primary residential community — not vacationers — in mind. The amenities you'd expect to see at a tropical residence like golf, pickleball, and a wellness facility are all still there, but Moncayo is also enticing full-time residents with a farm, a PPK-12 international school, and a medical center.
"There are more and more people who are looking to Puerto Rico not as a weekend getaway or as a second or third home, but as a primary home community and destination," Redd said.
The view from a Moncayo balcony in a rendering.
Boundary
Moncayo isn't the only luxury development coming to the island. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Puerto Rico is set to open in late 2025 just thirty minutes from Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, and the Mandarin Oriental Esencia, a residential project on 2,000 acres of the island's southwestern coast, is scheduled to open in 2028.
Taxes that aren't taxing
For some, the cost of living is an important factor in leaving the US. Though Puerto Rico isn't necessarily any cheaper than the mainland, there are some incentives that can sweeten the deal for foreigners.
Michael McCready, a 56-year-old lawyer, moved from Chicago to San Juan in January. He pays more for rent in San Juan than he did in Chicago, but his take-home pay is a lot larger thanks to Act 60, a tax incentive put in place in 2020 to lure Americans and foreigners to Puerto Rico in hopes of boosting the economy.
Act 60 gives residents a 4% income tax rate, a 75% discount on property tax, and a 100% exemption from capital gains accrued while in Puerto Rico.
Carlos Fontan, the former director at the Office of Incentives for Businesses in Puerto Rico, said Act 60 is not dissimilar to the ways different states play with tax provisions to attract residents.
Michael McCready loves the beach lifestyle of Puerto Rico.
Courtesy of Michael McCready
"We want people in Puerto Rico who can invest in different sectors of the island, create jobs, and create opportunities," Fontan said. "It's a win-win situation for our socioeconomic framework on the island."
Fontan and Humberto Mercader, former deputy secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce, believe Act 60 will help change misconceptions about Puerto Rico as a vacation-only destination. According to the Foundation for Puerto Rico's Economy, tourism only accounted for 2% of Puerto Rico's GDP in 2022, while manufacturing accounted for 43%.
"Puerto Rico has a very strong industrial base and an entrepreneurial ecosystem that is sometimes overlooked because of the tourism," Mercader told Business Insider. "But when you think about attracting long-term residents, you're talking about bringing people who will bring their businesses here."
For movers like McCready, Puerto Rico's lifestyle advantages are what sold him. The tax incentives were the cherry on top.
"I joke to my wife and say I would live at the North Pole for these taxes," he said. "But it just happens to be an absolutely amazing place to live. Even without the tax benefits, I would still be happy here."
It’s only been a couple of days since the Instagram Map launched, and from the looks of our social feeds, people are not happy about it.
Responses have ranged from being mildly annoyed that Instagram is ripping off Snapchat’s Snap Maps instead of offering a default feed that only contains your friends’ posts, to high alert outrage about possibly privacy implications and doxing, as well as how domestic violence victims or others could be put at risk of stalking via the app.
Meta says the feature is an “opt-in” only way to share your active location with the friends you choose, or a way to browse the content friends and creators are posting, organized by the locations tagged to their posts and Reels.
How to turn your location off on the Instagram Map
If the only thing you want to do is turn Instagram Maps location sharing off, here’s Instagram’s instructions on how to make sure the feature is disabled within the app (on both Android and iOS):
Tap Messages in the top right of Feed.
Tap Map at the top of your inbox.
Tap Settings in the top right and select “no one”
Tap Update at the bottom to save your changes.
If you haven’t enabled location access for Instagram, Meta says that the map feature is disabled by default, and you won’t be able to access the settings since it doesn’t have access to that data.
Why are you seeing people on your Instagram Map who haven’t enabled the feature or opted in?
According to Instagram boss Adam Mosseri, people are seeing location-tagged posts and Reels that are also included in the map UI, and assuming that indicates a live-tracked location.
“Your last reel is showing up on the map, not your current location. Your live location is not being shared, and it will never be unless you decide to share it,” writes Mosseri. In another post, he promised, “We’ll get out a few design improvements as quickly as possible,” potentially by next week.
The Pro 3 is also shipping in Famicom and GameCube-inspired color schemes. | Photo: Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
As far as I'm concerned, 8BitDo's Pro 3 is the ultimate controller. You may already know that it makes a model literally called the Ultimate controller, but it plays second fiddle to the new Pro 3 in some key ways. It's highly customizable, allowing you to change the face buttons, joystick caps, and more.
Let me explain: like most other 8BitDo controllers, it's made to work on multiple platforms, but the Pro 3's swappable ABXY face buttons allow it to actually transform as needed, say, if you're going from Switch to PC, or vice versa. You can just pull off the buttons, which all but requires the included magnetic suction tool. It can't easi …
For 20 years, startups have come to TechCrunch Disrupt to meet their first investors, land their biggest partnerships, and spark the idea that takes them to the next level.
Hear from Jai Das, Sapphire Ventures, and Roseanne Wincek, Renegade Partners, on how founders can prep for an exit at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. Register here.
The disbanding of Tesla’s Dojo efforts follows the departure of around 20 workers, who left the automaker to start their own AI company dubbed DensityAI focused on data center services for industries.
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are popular investment vehicles because they're easy to buy and sell, they give you exposure to different companies, and many of them charge low expense ratios. Some of them have even put up very impressive gains over time.
If you're looking for one or two ETFs to buy right now, you'd be hard pressed to find better ones than the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF(NYSEMKT: VOO) and the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index ETF(NYSEMKT: VOOG). Both funds cost more than $100, but you can buy fractional shares through many brokerages, making it easier than ever to get started. Here's why putting $100 toward each Vanguard ETF and holding forever is a smart move.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Image source: Getty Images.
Why buy the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index ETF now
As its name implies, the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index ETF focuses on growth stocks, specifically more than 200 of the top growth companies in the S&P 500.
The companies in the fund are picked based on their revenue and earnings growth, as well as their share price momentum. If that sounds too risky for you, consider that these companies all come from the S&P 500, so they're already some of the largest publicly traded U.S.-based companies.
Of course, the benefit of owning a fund that focuses on growth stocks is that when the market is experiencing big gains and the economy is on the right track, the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index ETF tends to benefit in big ways. Consider that the fund's total returns over the past 10 years are 340%, compared to the S&P 500's 261% increase.
There's gotta be a catch, right? Nope. At least not when it comes to the expense ratio. Vanguard charges just 0.07% annually to be invested in the fund, which is significantly cheaper than the industry average of 0.14%. This means for every $1,000 you have invested, you'll pay just $0.70 annually.
It's worth mentioning, too, that while returns of the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index ETF have been impressive over the past decade, there's no guarantee of future success. Growth stocks tend to underperform in recessions, but they also rebound faster when the economy turns around. All the more reason to take a buy-and-hold approach with this fund so you don't miss out on the large gains when they come.
Why the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is an excellent choice as well
You might assume that if you want to ride the biggest trends in the market, like artificial intelligence, then you need to own growth stocks or a growth stocks fund. But that's not true because some of the largest companies in the S&P 500 have been the biggest beneficiaries of AI.
Consider that some top AI companies, including Nvidia and Broadcom, have soared 1,500% and 800% over the past five years, respectively, helping to push up the gains of the S&P 500. This is one of the reasons why owning the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is so great. Your investment tracks the top 500 publicly traded companies in the U.S., giving you lots of diversification, but you're also benefiting from the most innovative companies in the country. As the legendary investor Warren Buffett put it so well in a 2021 investor letter, "Despite some severe interruptions, our country's economic progress has been breathtaking. Our unwavering conclusion: Never bet against America."
The result of betting on America is that the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF's total returns have doubled over the past five years, a very impressive return for a passively managed fund. And considering that Vanguard charges an expense ratio of just 0.03%, you'll pay just $0.30 annually for every $1,000 invested.
Personally, I like the idea of having my money spread out across many companies benefiting from the U.S. economy, which is why most of my portfolio is in this fund. Not only do I get to benefit from some big trends like AI, but I also sleep a little better at night knowing that I don't have all of my chips on just a handful of companies.
Whether you buy the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF or the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index ETF, or both, a $100 investment in these funds is a great way to diversify your investments and track some of the most innovative companies in the U.S. at the same time.
Should you invest $1,000 in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF right now?
Before you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
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Many investors are interested in buying Novo Nordisk(NYSE: NVO) stock on the dip.
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »
*Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of Aug. 4, 2025. The video was published on Aug. 6, 2025.
Should you invest $1,000 in Novo Nordisk right now?
Before you buy stock in Novo Nordisk, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Novo Nordisk wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $635,544!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,099,758!*
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Achieved positive Adjusted EBITDA for the first time in Q2 2025; Non-GAAP EPS and GAAP revenue for Q2 2025 both exceeded analyst estimates.
North America and international (Rest of World) subscriber counts declined year over year in Q2 2025 by 6.5% and 12.5%, respectively, signaling continued churn and pressure on scale.
No forward guidance was provided; the pending merger with Hulu + Live TV introduces future uncertainty.
fuboTV(NYSE:FUBO), a streaming service focused on live sports and entertainment, released its earnings for Q2 2025 on August 8, 2025. The big headline: it achieved its first-ever quarter of positive Adjusted EBITDA in Q2 2025 and reported better-than-expected non-GAAP EPS of $0.05 (versus consensus estimate of -$0.03) and GAAP revenue of $379.97 million (versus consensus estimate of $367.08 million). Adjusted EPS (earnings per share, excluding certain one-time items) was $0.05, outperforming the analyst expectation of -$0.03 (non-GAAP). Revenue (GAAP) came in at $379.968 million, also above the $367.08 million GAAP consensus estimate. Despite this operational progress, Paid subscriber numbers dropped in both its North American and international markets compared to Q1 2025, and Advertising revenue in North America fell by 2% year-over-year. Management provided no new forward guidance, leaving future visibility limited, especially with a major merger with Hulu + Live TV still pending.
Metric
Q2 2025
Q2 2025 Estimate
Q2 2024
Y/Y Change
EPS (Non-GAAP)
$0.05
($0.03)
($0.04)
$0.09
EPS (GAAP)
($0.02)
($0.08)
($0.06)
Revenue (GAAP)
$380.0 million
$367.08 million
$391.0 million
(2.8%)
Adjusted EBITDA
$20.7 million
($11.0 million)
N/A
Free Cash Flow (Non-GAAP)
($37.7 million)
($35.3 million)
N/A
Source: Analyst estimates provided by FactSet. Management expectations based on management's guidance, as provided in Q2 2025 earnings report.
Business Overview and Focus Areas
fuboTV offers a live TV streaming platform focused on sports, news, and entertainment content. Its service bundles live sports channels, popular entertainment networks, and news, aiming to attract viewers leaving traditional cable and satellite TV. The business provides flexibility so subscribers can tailor their content bundles, a key feature in the shift away from legacy television.
The company's current strategy centers around five main areas: taking advantage of the cord-cutting trend in television, growing its subscription and advertising revenue, pushing into international markets, investing in new technology and data tools, and preparing for a transformative merger with Hulu + Live TV. These areas are crucial as fuboTV looks to boost revenue, retain and grow its subscriber base, and differentiate its service in a crowded streaming market.
Quarter in Review: Financials, Subscribers, Strategic Moves
fuboTV surpassed analyst expectations for both adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) and revenue (GAAP). Non-GAAP EPS turned positive at $0.05, compared with -$0.04 in Q2 2024. Revenue slightly decreased by 2.8% from the prior year period but still came in ahead of consensus, totaling $379.968 million (GAAP). The company delivered its first-ever quarter of positive Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP), recording $20.7 million, a notable swing from negative $11.0 million in Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) in Q2 2024. Net loss (GAAP) narrowed sharply to -$8.0 million versus -$25.8 million in Q2 2024. Operating expenses (GAAP) dropped 9.5% year-over-year to $386.0 million.
Despite better profitability, fuboTV's subscriber numbers trended lower in both North America and Rest of World from Q4 2024 through Q2 2025. At quarter end, North American subscribers totaled 1.356 million, down 6.5% compared to the prior year. The Rest of World segment ended with 349,000 subscribers, a year-over-year decrease of 12.5%. North American segment revenue also dipped 3.0% year-over-year, though international markets saw revenue climb slightly by 4.7%. Revenue from advertising in North America decreased 2% to $25.5 million, attributed by management to the removal of certain ad-insertable content. New advertising strategies included the introduction of "pause ads" and the launch of a Women's Sports Zone, the latter delivering seven figures in ad revenue. These initiatives mark early efforts to offset shrinking ad inventory from lower subscriber counts.
The company noted several technology improvements to its platform. Product refinements such as "Catch Up to Live," "Game Highlights," and "Timeline Markers" intend to enhance the viewing experience and boost user engagement. Although management claims these enhancements led to a lift in time spent watching, no external engagement statistics were provided. fuboTV also continued to expand its content through partnerships for Pay-Per-View sports events and broadened distribution deals with DAZN (a sports streaming service) and ELF (European League of Football). The Rest of World business retained exclusive English Premier League soccer streaming rights in Canada and though subscriber gains in these regions did not materialize this quarter.
A major strategic development for fuboTV during the period was the announced merger with Hulu + Live TV, publicly announced on January 6, 2025, with the transaction anticipated to close in Q4 2025 or Q1 2026, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals. This business combination, expected to close in late 2025 or early 2026, remains subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. Hulu will hold a 70% economic interest in the combined entity, with fuboTV owning 30% as outlined in the Business Combination Agreement announced January 6, 2025. While management describes this as a move to "increase competition and consumer choice," the filing did not provide updated guidance on projected synergies, future subscriber trends, or the expected financial impact. No material one-time gains or losses linked to the pending merger were recognized in the quarter. Costs related to legal and advisor fees for the transaction were included in adjusted EBITDA as "certain litigation and transaction expenses." fuboTV does not currently pay a dividend.
Looking Ahead: Guidance, Cash Flow, and What to Watch
The company declined to provide detailed financial guidance for the next quarter or full fiscal 2025. Management focused remarks on the upcoming combination with Hulu + Live TV, upcoming product rollouts, and content partnerships. With no explicit outlook, investors face uncertainty regarding the ability to sustain positive adjusted EBITDA, as well as the future trajectory of revenue and subscribers following the merger.
fuboTV closed the quarter with $283.6 million in cash and equivalents, up from $161.4 million as of December 31, 2024. Free cash flow (non-GAAP) remained negative at -$37.7 million, a decrease of $2.4 million compared to Q2 2024. With subscriber counts falling and no guidance on merger outcomes, investors may closely watch subscriber retention, advertising trends, and merger developments in the months ahead.
Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.
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JesterAI is a Foolish AI, based on a variety of Large Language Models (LLMs) and proprietary Motley Fool systems. All articles published by JesterAI are reviewed by our editorial team, and The Motley Fool takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this article. JesterAI cannot own stocks and so it has no positions in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends fuboTV. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Akero Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AKRO) reported a GAAP net loss per share of ($0.86) for Q2 2025, narrower than the consensus estimate of ($0.92).
Key clinical trial results for efruxifermin (EFX) were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and highlighted at major scientific conferences.
Operating expenses (GAAP) rose 23% year over year, driven by manufacturing scale-up and three concurrent Phase 3 trials.
Akero Therapeutics(NASDAQ:AKRO), a biotechnology company focused on developing medicines for fatty liver diseases, released its second-quarter results on August 8, 2025. The most notable news in this quarter was continued progress in clinical trials for its lead drug candidate, efruxifermin (EFX), including positive data publications and conference presentations. Akero reported a GAAP net loss per share of ($0.86), $0.06 less than analysts had estimated. The company did not report revenue, as expected given its pre-commercial status. Akero’s operating expenses (GAAP) climbed to $80.9 million, mainly reflecting higher research spending as Phase 3 trials scaled up. Overall, the quarter saw meaningful scientific and operational milestones, with financial performance largely tracking expectations given the stage of development.
Metric
Q2 2025
Q2 2025 Estimate
Q2 2024
Y/Y Change
EPS (GAAP)
($0.86)
($0.92)
($0.81)
6.2%
Revenue (GAAP)
$0.0
$0.0
$0.0
--
Research and Development Expenses
$69.3 million
$55.3 million
25.3%
General and Administrative Expenses
$11.6 million
$10.4 million
11.5%
Total Operating Expenses
$80.9 million
$65.7 million
23.1%
Cash, Cash Equivalents & Marketable Securities
$1.09 billion
N/A
Source: Analyst estimates for the quarter provided by FactSet.
Company Overview and Business Focus
Akero Therapeutics’ main objective is developing new treatments for liver diseases resulting from abnormal fat accumulation, specifically conditions such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The company’s strategy revolves around its lead drug candidate, efruxifermin (EFX), a biological drug designed to mimic the natural hormone FGF21 and target both fibrotic and metabolic elements of MASH.
Akero’s recent business efforts have centered on advancing EFX through multiple late-stage clinical trials to support regulatory approval. The success of these trials is crucial for both future revenue and regulatory clearance. Key business drivers include demonstrating the efficacy and safety of EFX, building strong scientific credibility, securing strategic manufacturing partnerships, and maintaining financial flexibility as operational costs rise during the transition to late-stage development.
Quarter Highlights: Operations, Financials, and Clinical Progress
This period marked important validation for Akero’s main product candidate, efruxifermin. Data from the Phase 2b SYMMETRY study in patients with advanced liver scarring (compensated cirrhosis) due to MASH was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on May 9, 2025. That publication in a leading medical journal highlighted EFX’s potential to reverse advanced fibrosis—a disease stage without available treatments today.
Results from both the SYMMETRY and HARMONY Phase 2b studies were featured at the 2025 European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Congress, with conference presentations underlining EFX’s impact across several patient subgroups, including those with diabetes and cryptogenic cirrhosis. For example, week 96 data showed a statistically significant portion of patients receiving the 50mg EFX dose achieved cirrhosis reversal compared to placebo: 39% in the 50mg EFX group versus 15% in the placebo group (p=0.009), among patients with baseline and week 96 biopsies. These analyses also used artificial intelligence (AI) for deeper biopsy review and consistently reinforced efficacy signals, strengthening scientific confidence in the results.
The company reported that all three pivotal Phase 3 trials -- SYNCHRONY Histology, SYNCHRONY Real-World, and SYNCHRONY Outcomes -- remain ongoing. Importantly, management expects preliminary results from the Real-World study in the first half of 2026, and key histology results in the first half of 2027. These trials are designed to generate data for both U.S. and international regulatory submissions and address a wide spectrum of MASH patients, ranging from early liver damage to advanced cirrhosis.
Financially, Akero’s operating expenses (GAAP) were $80.9 million for the three-month period ended June 30, 2025, compared to $65.7 million in the same period of 2024, representing a 23% increase as the company invested further in large-scale clinical trials and manufacturing preparations. Research and development spending saw the largest increase, up 25.3% for the three-month period ended June 30, 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, reflecting the cost of running several complex global studies simultaneously and efforts to scale production. General and administrative costs for the three-month period ended June 30, 2025 were $11.6 million, compared to $10.4 million in the same period of 2024. Akero ended Q2 2025 with $1.09 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, which management states will fund current activities into 2028.
No notable one-time financial events were highlighted for the period, except for a previously disclosed capital raise in January, which helped strengthen the company’s cash position for ongoing trials and future commercial plans.
Product Pipeline and Strategic Context
EFX is a biologic drug, meaning it is produced using living cells and targets the hormone pathways that underlie metabolic and fibrotic liver diseases. The SYMMETRY and HARMONY studies have confirmed EFX’s ability to reduce or reverse liver scarring, which is the main driver of poor outcomes in advanced fatty liver disorders.
Results showed that a significant portion of patients taking the highest dose regimen experienced clear benefits in liver health, measured both by traditional biopsy and new imaging and AI-based techniques. These findings were consistent across patients with pre-cirrhotic disease and advanced cirrhosis, even in groups considered difficult to treat. Akero’s ongoing Phase 3 SYNCHRONY program now includes approximately 3,500 participants and features a mix of traditional and real-world-data trial approaches.
Akero has also secured important U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory designations—namely Fast Track and Breakthrough Therapy status—which signal that EFX may offer major advancements over existing care and can be reviewed more quickly by regulators. The company’s pipeline continues to rely on EFX, which carries both the promise of first-mover advantage in a large disease market and the typical risks seen with single-product biopharma firms.
Building for commercialization, Akero has struck manufacturing agreements with established industry partners and is working to develop a commercial infrastructure for potential drug launch in the U.S. The firm is evaluating further market entry strategies in Europe, Japan, and China, using both internal resources and partnerships. Intellectual property agreements, including an exclusive license deal with Amgen and a robust patent portfolio, help protect and extend the commercial lifespan of EFX if it is approved and launched.
Outlook and What to Watch Next
Management projects that current cash reserves are sufficient to fund Akero’s operating plan through at least 2028, supporting late-stage clinical work and pre-commercialization activities regardless of near-term trial results. (As stated in Akero's Q2 2025 and Q1 2025 earnings releases, the company believes its cash, cash equivalents, and short- and long-term marketable securities will be sufficient to fund its current operating plan into 2028.) The next anticipated event is the data release from the SYNCHRONY Real-World Phase 3 study in the first half of 2026, followed by the histology study readout in 2027. No additional financial guidance was provided for the remainder of the year or next quarter.
With no revenue until EFX is approved and launched, investor attention remains on the success of ongoing Phase 3 trials, the pace of clinical enrollment and data read-outs, and management’s ability to balance cash burn with operational progress. Risks include the inherent uncertainties of clinical development and the company’s dependence on its sole lead asset. Akero Therapeutics does not currently pay a dividend.
Revenue and net income presented using U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) unless otherwise noted.
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JesterAI is a Foolish AI, based on a variety of Large Language Models (LLMs) and proprietary Motley Fool systems. All articles published by JesterAI are reviewed by our editorial team, and The Motley Fool takes ultimate responsibility for the content of this article. JesterAI cannot own stocks and so it has no positions in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The sports media company Overtime has seen three of its four athlete talk shows end since January, when the publisher first announced its intention to grow its roster of shows […]
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