Amazon, Google's parent Alphabet, and UPS all hope to one day deliver large amounts of goods by drone. New US government rules have cleared some hurdles to make that dream a reality.

The Federal Aviation Administration finalized new rules for small, unmanned drones that could pave the way for expanded commercial uses of the vehicles, including delivery services.

For the first time, the FAA will allow small commercial drones to fly short distances over people and at night without a waiver. Small drones will also be permitted to fly over moving vehicles under limited conditions.

In a change from a previously proposed draft of the rules, drone operators must also have their remote pilot certificates on their persons and ready to be displayed if challenged by the authorities.

The rules apply to drone operators who use their unmanned aircraft for work or business under the FAA's Part 107 regulations. As many as 1.7 million drones have been registered with the FAA, as well as more than 203,000 drone pilots, the agency said. 

"The new rules make way for the further integration of drones into our airspace by addressing safety and security concerns," said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. "They get us closer to the day when we will more routinely see drone operations such as the delivery of packages."

The agency said it submitted the rule changes to the Federal Register and expects them to be published in January. The new regulations will take effect 60 days after publication.

The new rules mark a significant step forward by the US government toward a future of commercial drone deliveries, a vision outlined by Amazon as far back as 2013. Since then, the FAA's development of drone regulations has progressed in fits and starts, prompting critics to worry that other countries could pull ahead and gain a critical first-mover advantage in drone-based commerce. 

Industry advocates said there are still many steps ahead before that drone delivery can go mainstream in the US – such as opening up the rules to allow routine drone flights beyond an operator's visual line of sight. 
Those types of expanded operations "are critical to fully realizing the promise of [drone] technology to deliver innumerable economic and societal benefits," said the Small UAV Coalition, an industry advocacy group.
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Last year, UPS and Wing — a sister company to Google — became the first companies to gain FAA approval to operate a drone airline. In August, Amazon received the same approval certificate. Amazon has set a goal of completing drone deliveries within 30 minutes or less of an order being placed. 

Many Americans are very frustrated that they have to pay a mandatory router rental charge every month as part of their ISP bill. It gets added even if you purchase and use your own router in many cases. But as of Dec. 20, the practice is now illegal, and you can demand your ISP stop the charge.

As The Verge reports, your ISP can still charge for a router sent to a customer, but that customer should be able to return the router, have the fee canceled, and supply their own router instead. The charge is typically $10 a month, so the cost of buying a router is soon recouped. A good budget router can cost less than $50, meaning you'll start seeing the benefit of money saved in less than six months.
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Don't expect ISPs to take the initiative here and cancel the fee automatically. If you are already using your own equipment, contact your ISP and demand that the fee is stopped. Send them a link to the bill if they protest. Alternatively, if you are using the equipment supplied by your ISP, do some research, see if there's a good alternative available and check the process for returning the ISP-provided equipment before attempting to cancel the fee. You want to avoid any internet downtime, especially as we are all so reliant on the internet for communication right now.

In the near future, your phone may take its 5G signal from the sky instead of a nearby mast on the ground. It's an innovative way to solve the problem of increasing connectivity without relying on thousands of terrestrial cell towers. The concept is known as a High-Altitude Platform Station (HAPS), and it essentially takes the cell tower from the ground and puts it in the sky.

The latest HAPS project to be unveiled is from Great Britain – Stratospheric Platforms and Cambridge Consultants. Recently, the pair revealed the core of its efforts, a special antenna and crewless aircraft, which it has been working on confidentially for the last four years.

How will it work? Instead of talking to a nearby tower to get its signal, your phone talks to a three-square-meter antenna attached to hydrogen-powered aircraft with a 60-meter wingspan, flying at an altitude of 12 miles (20 kilometers). The aircraft, or HAP, is expected to stay aloft for at least a week, all the while providing 4G LTE and 5G network coverage over an area of about 86 miles (140 kilometers).

Phones don't give off a powerful signal, hence the antenna array's size on the aircraft, which has 4,000 radios working together inside it. The processing power is similarly immense, helping to steer and direct the beams toward the ground even when the aircraft is shifting around. The cooling system has to work at high altitudes, minimize drag, and keep the weight manageable. It's an exciting piece of technology in itself.

The aircraft itself, which is made of a composite material, has already been certified for use, so it's deemed safe and ready for flight in civil airspace. There's no pilot, and ground-based operators will only be involved during takeoff and landing. The hydrogen power cell is not only environmentally friendly, as it only produces water vapor and emits very little noise, but it also gives off a lot of power — it has been tested to 50KW in labs already — for a long duration. That's a lot more than the low-power solar power systems used on other HAP vehicles.

HAPS systems are also expected to be cheaper to implement. Building each aircraft reportedly saves 70% over the costs of building and installing a traditional mast. Then there's the space-saving and logistical benefits. According to research quoted by the team, it's estimated that an impractical sum of 400,000 5G masts will be needed to cover the U.K., for example, and each aircraft could replace around 200 of those masts.

What can you expect from the connection? The aircraft should return a smooth Sub-6 5G beamed signal offering speeds of 100Mbits per second and 1m/s latency to devices connected to it, which don't need any special software or hardware modifications. While a fleet of HAPS aircraft could provide enough coverage for an entire country, what's very interesting is that the unique modular design of the antenna enables targeted coverage.

This means a signal from a part of the antenna could be focused on an individual area like a motorway or even a single vehicle driving on it. The team said a fleet of 60 aircraft could cover the U.K. in its entirety, and the idea is for networks to partner with dedicated "airlines" that operate the planes.

Potential problems. This new technology forces networks to rethink how they currently work. Network operators are already installing a 5G network using traditional masts. Convincing them to bypass this and adopt a sky-bound service will take a lot of work. However, the team calls its stratospheric network complementary to a traditional terrestrial network and says the costs involved will be temptingly less than creating a widespread 5G network using only ground-based masts.
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When will it arrive? When can we expect to see Stratospheric Platforms HAPS system in operation? Deutsche Telekom is the project's initial investor and launch partner, and it has already tested an early version to show the system works. Stratospheric Platforms' aircraft is in preproduction now, with plans for the first prototype flight in 2022, while the antenna exists as a proof of concept and works with 3G, 4G, and 5G. It's anticipated the service will go live in 2024.

One of my ‘go-to’ technology research firms is Forrester Research. Recently, the firm said 2021 would be the year that edge computing graduates from experiment to practically applicable technology, primarily driven by AI and 5G. Edge computing is a technology that places the processing close to the data source rather than concentrated processing at a distant central location.

Forrester has released a bundle of tech predictions for 2021, and part of it is a firm claim about edge computing: 2021 is the year it will finally become a real value. 

“Until now, edge computing was promising but still developing. In 2021, new business models will emerge that facilitate the deployment of edge in production,” Forrester said in a summary of its predictions. 

The new business models that will push edge computing “from science project to real value” in 2021 are based mainly on two factors. Forrester said: Cloud platforms having to compete with artificial intelligence and the widespread proliferation of 5G will make edge use cases more practical.

With those two drivers in mind, Forrester made five predictions about how the tech world will evolve in 2021 that will directly impact edge computing.

Edge Hosting Will Evolve into a Full-Fledged Marketplace. Content delivery networks (CDNs) like Akamai and Fastly, Forrester said, are starting to target edge computing demands, leading to them reaching out to colocation companies to find small, widely distributed data centers where applications can be hosted closer to the populations they serve. 

Even large colocation firms lack the localized presence needed to meet edge computing demands, Forrester said. Those same large companies often obscure the small local players required to complete their edge services.

“In 2021, colocation marketplace aggregators like Edgevana and Inflect will emerge as attractive options for the CDNs and global colocation leaders serving enterprise needs, even in rural locales,” Forrester predicts.

Kubernetes Will Dominate, but There Won’t Be an Orchestration Winner. Forrester predicts that lightweight Kubernetes deployments will end up accounting for 20% of edge orchestration in 2021, but that doesn’t mean the battle for edge orchestration will end. Canonical, Huawei, OpenStack, Rancher, and other companies are also trying to expand their lightweight, edge-optimized platforms, and competition will be fierce in the year to come.

AI Will Leave the Data Center for the Edge. Forrester predicts that the use of AI in edge computing will undergo a significant shift in 2021: Instead of machine learning models being trained in the data center, learning will start to happen at the edge. 

That shift will be possible thanks to new chips from Intel and Nvidia and new machine learning techniques like reinforcement and federated learning. “Edge application intelligence will blossom in 2021 to accelerate digital transformation, especially in industries that must bridge the physical and digital worlds in real-time,” Forrester said.

Private 5G Networks Will Spread. Nationwide 5G from major telecom networks won’t be sufficient to meet edge computing needs, Forrester said. In its place will be private 5G networks deployed by companies and developed by manufacturers like Ericsson, Huawei, and Nokia. 

In 2021, Forrester predicts, private 5G networks will be used in cases like factory floor automation, AR/VR for remote inspection, surveillance, quality assurance, remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and employee safety.

Public Cloud Growth Will Slow While Edge Spending Will Grow. Forrester predicts the public cloud market will experience a growth decline from 42% in 2018 to 24% in 2022 due to market maturation. In its place will be an explosion of growth in edge computing, meaning more growth for companies that have invested in cloud-like solutions for edge computing and content delivery, not centralized data centers.
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Public cloud entities won’t disappear, but they won’t dominate the future of distributed computing, Forrester predicts. “Their culture is based on massive data centers and tight control of the architecture; the exact opposite of what firms need to serve customers locally. Vendors with a winning edge strategy will do better.” 

The electric vehicle (EV) market's demand for ultra-fast charging has never been higher, as automotive batteries aim to replicate the convenience of filling up a tank at a gas station in minutes.

According to the US Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), more than 80% of EV charging takes place at the driver's residence via basic wall outlets (100V/120V) or dryer outlets (220/240V). This makes sense as residential charging is convenient and inexpensive.

Problems arise when the EV is driven far enough away from the residence to warrant a recharge to get back home or continue the journey. This scenario is why fast-charging stations are growing in demand. Fast charging aims to recharge EV batteries within a short period of time, similar to refueling conventional gasoline vehicles. Today's fast charging typically takes about 20 minutes to charge up to 80% capacity.

The growth of fast-charging stations will help address the common driver concern of the limited range of their EV. The increase of fast-charging stations will mean drivers can easily refuel and significantly extend their vehicles' driving range.

But fast charging comes at a price. Until recently, many EV battery systems were not compatible with the fastest charging system. Fortunately, the major EV car manufacturers are investing in high-speed chargers with capacities of 150kW or higher and even faster, ultra-fast recharging technology.

Companies are working to address the issues between fast charging systems and battery capacity and safety. For example, Peter Kelly-Detwiler, Principal at NorthBridge Energy Partners, LLC, has been tracking the developments from SK Innovations.

"Why carry a huge canteen (or battery) on your hike if you know you can fill quickly at a stream every two or three hours on your journey," asked Kelly-Detwiler?  "Of course, the charging infrastructure will need to be there, with liquid-cooled cables, etc., but I do think a portion of the industry will end up at 350-400 kW capability to support the Hummers or SK Innovations supported EVs."

The need for liquid-cooled energy cables hints at another challenge for fast-charging EV stations, namely, their adverse impact on the electrical power system. Common effects include harmonic contamination in the transmission lines and high current, adding to peak-hour consumption concerns. The high power and current ratings of the recharging facilities require supervised operation at specially designed stations.

Types of Rechargers. There are two types of recharging "fuels," namely, alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). A standard cord set is provided with each new vehicle that typically enables 3.6kW of charging via a conventional wall socket. Using this approach, the impact on the electricity grid is limited as the charging rate is so low.

There are three major categories of chargers, based on the maximum amount of power the charger provides to the battery from the grid, according to the EERE):

• Level 1: Provides charging through a 120 V AC plug and does not require additional charging equipment.  This level can deliver 2 to 5 miles of range per hour of charging. Most often used in homes, but sometimes used at workplaces.
• Level 2: Provides charging through a 240 V DC (for residential) or 208 V (for commercial) plug and requires the installation of additional charging equipment. It can deliver 10 to 20 miles of range per hour of charging. Used in homes, workplaces, and public charging.
• DC Fast Charge: Provides charging through 480 V AC input and requires highly specialized, high-powered equipment and special equipment in the vehicle itself.  (Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles typically do not have fast charging capabilities.) It can deliver 60 to 80 miles of range in 20 minutes of charging. This service is used most often in public charging stations, especially along heavy traffic corridors.

Depending upon the type of EV battery, how depleted it is, and its capacity, the charging rate amongst these three categories can be anywhere from less than 30 minutes to 20 hours.

Another type of charging, currently being researched by the Department of Energy (DoE) and provided to specific vehicle models Qualcomm and others, is cord-free wireless battery charging. For example, Qualcomm's Halo tech is currently fitted to the Formula E Safety Car and Medical car. The main advantage of wireless charging is convenience and not necessarily a faster charging rate.

A common concern with EV owners is the effect of faster-charging systems on the vehicle's battery life. The issue is that the chemical processes involved in rapidly charging a battery can lead to greater thermal loads that may degrade the battery faster than regular charges. The result could be reduced battery life and a decrease in driving range.

According to Jim Francfort, project manager in INL's Advanced Transportation Group and quoted from an INL article, "The value of building infrastructure is a difficult thing to measure. To put DC fast-charging stations along interstate corridors could encourage people to take longer trips even if they don't stop to charge."
The fact that fast charging is available gives EV drivers the confidence they might otherwise lack. This new breed of drivers will know that fast charging is available, like gas stations for traditional vehicles, if they need it.

Microsoft is urging users to abandon telephone-based multi-factor authentication (MFA) solutions like one-time codes sent via Short Message Service (SMS) and voice calls and instead replace them with newer MFA technologies, like app-based authenticators and security keys.

The warning comes from Alex Weinert, Director of Identity Security at Microsoft. For the past year, Weinert has been advocating on Microsoft's behalf, urging users to embrace and enable MFA for their online accounts.

In a blog post last year, citing internal Microsoft statistics, Weinert said that users who enabled multi-factor authentication (MFA) ended up blocking around 99.9% of automated attacks against their Microsoft accounts.

But in a follow-up blog post, Weinert says that if users have to choose between multiple MFA solutions, they should stay away from telephone-based MFA.

The Microsoft exec cites several known security issues, not with MFA, but with today's state of the telephone networks.

Weinert says that both SMS and voice calls are transmitted in cleartext and can be easily intercepted by determined attackers, using techniques and tools like software-defined-radios, FEMTO cells, or SS7 intercept services.

SMS-based one-time codes are also phishable via open source and readily-available phishing tools like Modlishka, CredSniper, or Evilginx.

Further, phone network employees can be tricked into transferring phone numbers to a threat actor's SIM card – in attacks known as SIM swapping – allowing attackers to receive MFA one-time codes on behalf of their victims.

On top of these, phone networks are also exposed to changing regulations, downtimes, and performance issues, all of which impact the availability of the MFA mechanism overall, which, in turn, prevents users from authenticating on their account in moments of urgency.

SMS and voice calls are the least secure MFA method today.

All of these make SMS and call-based MFA "the least secure of the MFA methods available today," according to Weinert.

The Microsoft exec believes that this gap between SMS & voice-based MFA "will only widen" in the future.
As MFA adoption increases overall, with more users adopting MFA for their accounts, attackers will also become more interested in breaking MFA methods, with SMS and voice-based MFA naturally becoming their primary target due to its extensive adoption.

Weinert says that users should enable a more robust MFA mechanism for their accounts, if available, recommending Microsoft's Authenticator MFA app as a good starting point.

But if users want the best, they should go with hardware security keys, which Weinert ranked as the best MFA solution in a blog post he published last year.
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This preference for app or security key alternatives for MFA shouldn't mean that users should disable SMS or voice-based MFA for their accounts without substituting another MFA approach. SMS MFA is still way better than no MFA at all.

There are a lot of encrypted USB flash drives out there. You plug them in, and either there's an on-screen popup that asks for your passcode, or some sort of physical keypad that is used to gain access.

But what about transferring the unlocking mechanism to a mobile device – such as a smartphone or your Apple Watch?

This is precisely what the iStorage datAshur BT hardware-encrypted USB flash drive does.

Visually, the iStorage datAshur BT looks like any other USB flash drive. It has a tough epoxy-like exterior that gives the drive a water- and dust-resistant rating of IP57 (protected against damage from dust ingress, and water resistant to 1 meter).

The datAshur BT comes in capacities from 16GB to 128GB.

Data on the datAshur BT is fully encrypted using AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption, which is FIPS 140-2 Level 3 compliant design and technology. Brute force is defended against by a built-in data wipe if there are too many wrong attempts made.

Everything is protected by a 7-15-character password or a biometric unlock such as Face ID/Facial recognition, Touch ID/Fingerprint, or IRIS scanning from a smartphone or tablet. The drive communicates using Bluetooth to any smartphone/tablet (iOS/Android) or Apple Watch. The Bluetooth channel is secured by a FIPS validated encryption layer and is only used for connection purposes. There is also support for 2FA using SMS.

The drive itself is completely host independent, so it will work with Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome, and so on, VDIs such as Citrix and VMWare, and also with embedded systems such as medical devices, TVs, drones, printers, scanners, or pretty much anything with a USB port.
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Prices for the iStorage datAshur BT range from $103 to $181, depending on the capacity.

Amazon has become a ubiquitous part of the modern world, but now it may even make its way into rental properties. Recently, Amazon unveiled its Alexa for Residential program. This program will make it easy for landlords to include Amazon and Alexa-powered devices in rental units across the country, including the Echo Dot and other products.

The idea is that Alexa’s smart speakers will be available from day one in rental properties. Even before renters move in, Alexa will be able to help with self-guided tours by providing information about square footage, monthly rent, and more. Renters can link their Amazon accounts to the speaker to access all of Alexa’s features. Once a renter moves out, property managers can reset the speakers without removing their connections to existing smart-home devices.

Amazon has taken numerous steps to ensure its position as the default smart home platform, viewing itself as a utility like lights and plumbing. In 2018, the homebuilding company Lennar began including Alexa and smart locks in its new builds. Amazon has also created partnerships with hotels and college dorms to bring its devices into these spaces. By doing this, Amazon places itself at the front of the pack and makes it more difficult for its competitors – Google Assistant and Siri – to claim their part of the spotlight.

On the other hand, re-using smart assistants that other people have used creates privacy concerns. Amazon addressed these concerns by saying that property managers cannot access customer data. Renters do not have to worry about their landlords listening in on them. By default, voice recordings are deleted daily and are inaccessible to human reviewers. If a renter links their Amazon account to a rental Alexa, they will have access to the platform’s full suite of privacy features.
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The moves by Amazon to bring it into more spaces as a service will likely help grow the already-impressive market lead that Alexa has over the competition, especially given the partnerships Amazon has formed with companies like Iotas, Stratis IoT, and Sentient Property Services. Amazon will also be opening up the potential for partnerships with more companies.

                                      A world where contactless and socially distant solutions
                              are preferred has set the stage for robots to rise to the occasion.
 
The COVID-19 outbreak has given way to an era of innovation as entrepreneurs develop tools and services to meet new needs. Though there might have been concerns about automation and the future of work before the current health crisis, the pandemic has shown how robots are benefiting us while the world grapples with the novel coronavirus.

Post-contagion, the global industrial robotics market is expected to grow from $44.6 billion in 2020 to $73 billion by 2025, according to ResearchAndMarkets.com.

The safety provided by robots, as well as the fact that robotic solutions are helping businesses stay open, are making them popular companions in the current climate.

Here are three opportunities for robotics that have arisen from the COVID-19 outbreak.

Keeping Supply Chains Going. Shipping and delivery have seen challenges since the onset of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Robotics and automation can help U.S. manufacturers increase in-house manufacturing to mitigate global supply chain risks. Instead of outsourcing, companies can then rely on robotic material handling and delivery to keep businesses running.

Further down the chain, robots are also able to drop off packages and groceries to consumers safely. As contactless and online shopping experiences are on the rise, robotic and sterile delivery options are now desirable.

Automating Service. Social distancing rules are being kept in place with robot waiters and robot concierges. From greeting customers to serving food, robots can enable restaurants and hospitality businesses to stay open safely.

Robots can help reduce the number of staff that need to be at work physically. As human counterparts try to reduce their exposure to risks, robots can efficiently obtain registration and check-in information and return used cutlery.

Cleaning and Sanitizing. Robots can also safely sanitize workspaces and common areas. In health services, semi-autonomous or remotely monitored robots can disinfect large surfaces quickly, removing the need for cleaners to be exposed to the risk of contagion.
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Robotic solutions can also disinfect areas more efficiently and more frequently than manual cleaning.

The fitness industry is in the midst of a digital transformation. Fitness, like just about every industry from transportation to leisure, has witnessed the emergence of digital as a force for change, and brick and mortar gyms are having a tough time keeping pace. Entire companies have been successfully launched to capitalize on the rise in digital fitness, as evidenced by the popularity of companies such as MIRROR Home Fitness, Peloton, FiiT, and SWEAT. These are just a few fitness providers that have leveraged digital technology to engage audiences that are looking for customized fitness experiences that meet their individual schedules and routines.

We have Jane Fonda to thank for bringing fitness into the home back in the ’80s with her Original Workout video on VHS that went on to become the biggest selling video of all time. Fast forward 40 years, and we can thank technological innovation for taking home fitness to a new level.

But there is another factor at play which speaks to the preferences of Generation Y/millennials and Generation Z, who account for almost 50% of all health club members: These consumers have a preference for on-demand services and are less attracted to locking in annual membership fees. Remember, it was the recurring annuity stream of yearly membership fees that attracted private equity to brick and mortar gyms, which need stable and predictable cash flow to service debt and to cover high operating expenses. Working out at home or in private sessions with a personal trainer (in-person or virtual) doesn’t require an annual membership.

Paying as you go is where the market is moving. Facilitating this trend is the emergence of mobile apps that provide fitness trainers and coaches with a business-in-a-box so professionals in all aspects of fitness, but who are not necessarily astute in how to run a business, can manage scheduling, client on-boarding, invoicing, payment processing, and communication. The many thousands of certified trainers who have been laid off from gyms are now empowered to run their businesses thanks to cloud-hosted back offices and video conferencing capabilities that provide real-time delivery of services.

Disruption creates winners and losers in any industry. Sometimes disruption is a gradual process, and the eventual losers don’t detect the shifting landscape for periods that can extend for years. Think of Kodak and digital photography or Sony and its inability to capitalize on the success of the Walkman, thereby allowing Apple to become the dominant player in digital music. Disruption has been underway in the fitness industry for several years, but until recently, it has been a slow and steady disruption.

COVID-19 accelerated the pace of disruption in fitness, and studios and clubs, both small and large, are increasingly vulnerable. 24-Hour Fitness recently filed for bankruptcy, citing Coronavirus-related causes. With 420 clubs in the US, 24-Hour Fitness is the second largest fitness chain after LA Fitness. With the filing, the company announced it would permanently shut down 100 of its gyms, leaving roughly one million members to find a new place to exercise. Also, Town Sports, owner of Boston Sports Club, and several other club brands announced they would likely file for bankruptcy in the coming weeks. Gold’s Gym filed for bankruptcy in May.

Demand for fitness isn’t going anywhere but up. The $30 billion fitness industry has been growing 3 – 4% annually for the last ten years. How it is delivered, however, is changing before our eyes. The often-quoted expression “Never let a good crisis go to waste” speaks perfectly to the opportunity in the industry today.

Stuck at home, trainers and consumers have had to adapt and get creative about how they think about fitness. Many have also discovered a new meaning of community through virtual experiences that were never seriously considered just 12 months ago. No surprise that MIRROR and Peloton have experienced record sales during the pandemic because they provide consumers a workout experience that feels pretty close to being in a room surrounded by fellow workout enthusiasts. And now that they have gotten into the routine of working out from home, either with a trainer or on-demand through an app, many will never go back to a traditional gym.
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The implications of COVID on the fitness industry offer insights into the way several industries will shift as a result of the shelter in place orders. Restaurants will get more creative about take-out options that engage the diner with the preparation, travel experiences may turn to staycations, and the beauty industry may have to move to home services or even more training than doing for their customers. The winners in every case will be the ones that are agile and ready to adapt to the change.