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Photo via Redfin Redfin first quarter results : The Seattle real estate company saw a 40% surge in revenue in the first quarter, reporting $268 million in sales. Its gross profit soared 229% to $42 million, and its net loss was cut nearly in half to $36 million compared to the first quarter of 2020. Its net loss came out to 37 cents per share. The consensus analyst revenue estimate for the quarter was $253 million, while the earnings per share estimate was -34 cents per share. Full results here . What the execs are saying : “After scrambling in the second half of 2020 to hire enough agents and lenders to handle a pandemic-driven surge in demand, Redfin is just about hitting on all cylinders,” said Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman. Key numbers : RedfinNow, the company’s direct home buying and selling service, sold 171 homes in the first quarter. That was the same number as the first quarter of 2020, and was up from 83 in the fourth quarter of 2020. Redfin’s market share in the U.S. residential m

We’ve all been there. Everyone has asked themselves how long it might take to binge a TV show that friends of ours keep talking about. Do we really have time to make that commitment while still dealing with the realities of day-to-day life? One of the pandemic’s side effects is that people have been stuck indoors for more extended periods than ever, and binging more shows was suddenly possible. But even so, you can’t spend your time watching Netflix, HBO, or Disney+ continuously, no matter how much exciting content there is out there to watch. Not to mention that many regions around the world are slowly returning to some sense of normalcy, so the time you want to dedicate to binging shows will take a hit. That’s when this brilliant website will come in handy. Can I Binge? will tell you exactly how long it takes to binge a TV show and whether or not you can watch it in the number of days you want. Today’s Top Deal Amazon has real diamond stud earrings for under $60 — and the reviews

The news: Seattle travel giant Expedia announced Tuesday that it has agreed to sell its corporate business arm Egencia to American Express Global Business Travel. Both companies offer tools for business travel management. Travel trends:  It’s unclear how business travel will bounce back from the pandemic, with many executives citing cost savings from video meetings and a push to reduce carbon emissions. Expedia’s B2B unit, which includes Egencia, saw revenue sink 64% to $942 million in 2020 as the pandemic roiled the travel industry. B2B made up 18% of Expedia’s total revenue last year. Egencia background: Expedia acquired a French corporate travel firm called Egencia in 2004, changed its name to Expedia Corporate Travel, then rebranded it to Egencia again in 2008. “We are thrilled by the potential transaction and what GBT and Egencia could achieve together, as Expedia Group seeks to simplify our business and be a leader in all of our endeavours,” President of Expedia Business Se

The University of Washington campus in Seattle. (GeekWire File Photo / Kurt Schlosser) The University of Washington will require all students get vaccinated against COVID-19 before the start of the autumn quarter, UW President Ana Mari Cauce announced Monday . In a message to students, faculty, academic personnel and staff at UW, Cauce said “widespread vaccination is the only real way we can put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us and return to a more normal way of living, learning and working.” Unless claiming a medical, religious or philosophical exemption, student will need to verify that they have been vaccinated. If they are unable to get vaccinated where they currently live, UW says it will provide access to vaccinations once they arrive on campus. The COVID vaccine requirement is similar to UW’s  Tri-Campus Immunity Verification Requirement , which is aimed at protecting the university community from outbreaks of infectious diseases like measles, mumps and meningitis ACWY. As colleg

When the pandemic hit, many leaders responded to the unprecedented global uncertainty by cutting their investments. Dispensing company spend in research and development became the rule. While decreasing expenses is a viable response to a crisis, cutting innovation entirely can cripple your company’s success. Want to Become an Innovation-First Company? Technological innovation helps your business grow faster, perform better, and respond thoroughly to new problems (like a new competitor or a global pandemic). That’s why living in a “survival mindset” isn’t enough to save your business. You must dispense with the fear of failure and believe you can be the disruptor during difficult times. Stay ahead of the curve and know that you will pivot, quickly, when necessary. As a company leader, you have to make technological innovation a companywide objective. Only by  prioritizing transformation  can you truly weather the storm and emerge stronger on the other side. Which Industries Need Techn

Public cloud adoption was on the rise well before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020. The coronavirus proved to be a powerful driver of rapid digital transformation, across industries, outpacing previous expectations or goals. COVID-19 has pushed cloud usage slightly or significantly higher than initially planned for the vast majority of organizations (9 out of 10), according to the Flexera 2021 State of the Cloud Report . The report, based on a survey of 750 global respondents, is the 10th annual look at trends related to cloud adoption, usage, and challenges. To read this article in full, please click here

Nintendo continues its impeccable pandemic timing with its “New Pokémon Snap,” which I studied during a preview. Though many secrets are under wraps, one thing is clear: It’s pretty — enough so to get you outside yourself.

It turns out games are uniquely tailored to explore love, romance and heartbreak. Consider “Maquette,” “Genesis Noir” and “Journey of the Broken Circle,” interactive conversations that ask players to think about love.

Disneyland and other theme parks are reopening with pandemic safety protocols, many of which lean heavily on tech.

A former LAPD detective discovered that his car insurer had quadrupled his pandemic mileage estimate to justify a rate increase.

Market researcher Euromonitor predicts COVID will define 2021 consumer experiences. But their own report reveals a need for privacy safeguards.

Everyone’s stuck at home because of the pandemic. Our cable and internet connections are our lifelines. So of course fees are going up again.

Notify, California’s new COVID-19 contact tracing app, could help contain the pandemic — if authorities can persuade enough people to use it.

Globalization and technology make this pandemic different. Is it a cultural Singularity? COVID-19 unites us all, from villages to cities, and may permanently transform humankind.

Working from home will become the norm for many employees even after the pandemic ends. But prepare for a pay cut.