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Climate activist group claims victory after demand to end new oil and gas becomes UK government policyView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Roborock is the maker of many fine robot vacuums (and vacuum/mop combos). They are so fine, in fact, that even when they're on sale, as many of them have been for the past few days during Amazon's Big Spring Sale, they can cost you several hundred dollars. One Roborock vacuum-and-mop combo, however, is really discounted right now: The Q7 Max is $189.99 (Amazon lists its regular price as $299.99 and the Roborock website shows the original price as a whopping $599.99). The Roborock Q7 Max specs Roborock Q7 Max Robot Vacuum and Mop So, what do you get for $189.99? The Q7 Max comes with 4,200Pa of suction, which is modest but powerful. (Some Roborocks ratchet the suction power up to 10,000Pa, but if you're dealing with a standard amount of household dust, this should suffice.) This device also vacuums and mops simultaneously, saving time and effort. Like other models, you get 30 adjustable water flow levels, which means you can customize what the robot does based on your own preferences and flooring materials. It's not self-cleaning when it's in its dock, so you will need to empty the dust and water tanks periodically. One of the key selling points of this brand's vacuums is its Lidar navigation, which enables the vacuums to create 3D maps of your space over time. From there, the machine will figure out the most efficient cleaning route and learn to avoid obstacles. It detects stairs, automatically returns to its charging dock when it needs to, and comes with a feature that allows you to lock it in using the mobile app so your kids and pets can't mess with it. It'll run for up to 180 minutes on one charge and can cover over 3,200 square feet in that time. This model uses a rubber brush that stays low to the floor to pick up dirt and hair, both from flat surfaces and out of crevices. All that being said, it only runs on 2.4G wifi, so don't try to connect it to anything heavier-duty. The Best Amazon Spring Sale Deals You Can Get Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced — $169.00 (List Price $189.99) soundcore by Anker Q30 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones with Multiple Modes, Hi-Res Sound, Custom EQ via App, 40H Playtime, Comfortable Fit, Bluetooth Headphones, Multipoint Connection — $55.99 (List Price $79.99) Blink Mini 2 (White, 2-Pack) — $37.99 (List Price $69.99) 2024 Apple iPad mini A17 Pro chip, Built for Apple Intelligence, Wi-Fi 128GB - Blue — $399.00 (List Price $499.00) Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm, Black, S/M 130-180mm, Sports Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00) Sonos Era 100 Wireless Speaker - White — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote (2023 Model) — $39.99 (List Price $59.99) Fitbit Inspire 3 Health & Fitness Tracker (Midnight Zen/Black) — $69.95 (List Price $99.95) Roku Express 4K+ HDR Streamer with Voice Remote — $29.85 (List Price $39.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you’re a developer, hobbyist, or just someone trying to keep up with modern programming tools without emptying your wallet, this deal might catch your eye: Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 is currently going for $27.97 on StackSocial—down from its usual $499. That’s a one-time payment for lifetime access. Once you buy, the redemption code gets emailed to you instantly, and you have 30 days to activate it. There are no recurring fees, just a fully loaded development environment with features that make coding faster, cleaner, and less of a headache. This version of Visual Studio marks a shift—it’s their first 64-bit IDE that handles larger projects without choking. If you’ve ever waited for your code editor to stop freezing while dealing with massive workloads, that’s less of a concern here. It supports cross-platform app development through .NET MAUI, so you're covered whether you’re building for Android, iOS, or desktop. Plus, features like Live Share make collaboration less chaotic. You can co-code in real time, control what collaborators see, and even carry over your custom settings. There’s also IntelliCode, which is basically AI that learns your coding habits and fills in the blanks intelligently. It can finish lines of code or suggest the next logical move based on your style and context. It’s a little eerie, but it works. You can also build, test, and deploy to Azure right from the IDE, which is great if you’re cloud-focused. There are some things to keep in mind. This is for Windows users only. If you’re working on a Chromebook, iPad, or even a 32-bit system—this won’t work. It’s compatible with Windows 10 and 11, and you’ll need at least 4GB of RAM (though more is better). Depending on how many features you install, it also takes up anywhere from 850MB to 210GB of storage. View the full article

Oh what a tangled web, CoreWeave . . . View the full article

ASUS has officially introduced the NUC 15 Pro+, a high-performance mini PC designed to deliver advanced computing capabilities in a sleek, compact form factor. Announced on March 19, 2025, the NUC 15 Pro+ integrates the latest Intel Core Ultra processors and offers up to 99 TOPS for AI-enhanced power, alongside support for quad 4K displays, cutting-edge connectivity, and a durable, upgrade-friendly chassis. Performance Boost with AI-Enhanced Power The NUC 15 Pro+ features up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor (Series 2) paired with Intel Arc Graphics, delivering an 18% performance increase over previous-generation NUC models. With up to 99 TOPS of AI performance, the device is engineered to handle intensive workloads, making it suitable for professionals, creators, and multitaskers seeking both speed and energy efficiency. Quiet Operation with Advanced Cooling Designed for whisper-quiet computing, the NUC 15 Pro+ incorporates a new thermal design optimized for improved airflow. ASUS reports that the advanced silent-cooling system reduces noise by 1.2 times compared to earlier models, maintaining peak performance even under heavy processing loads. Next-Generation Connectivity Equipped with Intel WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, the NUC 15 Pro+ offers high-speed wireless connections. WiFi 7 supports data rates up to 46Gbps and can simultaneously handle up to 16 streaming devices. The device also includes proximity sensing to detect user presence, intelligently locking or waking the system to conserve energy. Bluetooth 5.4 offers data speeds up to 2Mbps and connectivity over distances up to 240 meters. Immersive Visual Experience The mini PC supports up to four 4K displays via two HDMI 2.1 ports and two Thunderbolt 4 ports, delivering sharp, vivid visuals ideal for both multitasking and entertainment. A new sync-off feature helps reduce energy consumption by powering down connected monitors when the system is idle. Tool-Free Upgradability ASUS designed the NUC 15 Pro+ with a sleek 0.7-liter aluminum chassis that combines aesthetics with practicality. A spring-loaded hinge lever allows users and IT personnel to access the internals for tool-free upgrades, making it simple to replace or expand RAM and storage. Durable and Sustainable Design Built to meet US MIL-STD-810H certification, the NUC 15 Pro+ is tested for reliability in harsh environments and around-the-clock operation. This rugged design minimizes downtime and supports long-term use with reduced maintenance needs. Detailed Specifications The NUC 15 Pro+ is available in both pre-configured Mini-PC and customizable Kit versions. Supported operating systems include Windows 11 64-bit, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, and RedHat Enterprise Linux. CPU options range from Intel Core Ultra 5 to Ultra 9, with memory configurations supporting up to 96GB DDR5-6400. For storage, users can choose between M.2 2280 and 2242 PCIe Gen4x4 SSDs, with support ranging from 128GB to 2TB. Connectivity features include Intel WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2.5G Ethernet, USB 3.2 and Thunderbolt 4 ports, as well as HDMI CEC support. The device operates at temperatures between 0–35°C and stores safely between -40–60°C. The ASUS NUC 15 Pro+ is available now, offering a powerful, compact solution for users who demand performance, efficiency, and flexibility in a mini PC format. Image: Asus This article, "ASUS Launches Compact and Powerful NUC 15 Pro+ Mini PC" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

ASUS has officially introduced the NUC 15 Pro+, a high-performance mini PC designed to deliver advanced computing capabilities in a sleek, compact form factor. Announced on March 19, 2025, the NUC 15 Pro+ integrates the latest Intel Core Ultra processors and offers up to 99 TOPS for AI-enhanced power, alongside support for quad 4K displays, cutting-edge connectivity, and a durable, upgrade-friendly chassis. Performance Boost with AI-Enhanced Power The NUC 15 Pro+ features up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor (Series 2) paired with Intel Arc Graphics, delivering an 18% performance increase over previous-generation NUC models. With up to 99 TOPS of AI performance, the device is engineered to handle intensive workloads, making it suitable for professionals, creators, and multitaskers seeking both speed and energy efficiency. Quiet Operation with Advanced Cooling Designed for whisper-quiet computing, the NUC 15 Pro+ incorporates a new thermal design optimized for improved airflow. ASUS reports that the advanced silent-cooling system reduces noise by 1.2 times compared to earlier models, maintaining peak performance even under heavy processing loads. Next-Generation Connectivity Equipped with Intel WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, the NUC 15 Pro+ offers high-speed wireless connections. WiFi 7 supports data rates up to 46Gbps and can simultaneously handle up to 16 streaming devices. The device also includes proximity sensing to detect user presence, intelligently locking or waking the system to conserve energy. Bluetooth 5.4 offers data speeds up to 2Mbps and connectivity over distances up to 240 meters. Immersive Visual Experience The mini PC supports up to four 4K displays via two HDMI 2.1 ports and two Thunderbolt 4 ports, delivering sharp, vivid visuals ideal for both multitasking and entertainment. A new sync-off feature helps reduce energy consumption by powering down connected monitors when the system is idle. Tool-Free Upgradability ASUS designed the NUC 15 Pro+ with a sleek 0.7-liter aluminum chassis that combines aesthetics with practicality. A spring-loaded hinge lever allows users and IT personnel to access the internals for tool-free upgrades, making it simple to replace or expand RAM and storage. Durable and Sustainable Design Built to meet US MIL-STD-810H certification, the NUC 15 Pro+ is tested for reliability in harsh environments and around-the-clock operation. This rugged design minimizes downtime and supports long-term use with reduced maintenance needs. Detailed Specifications The NUC 15 Pro+ is available in both pre-configured Mini-PC and customizable Kit versions. Supported operating systems include Windows 11 64-bit, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, and RedHat Enterprise Linux. CPU options range from Intel Core Ultra 5 to Ultra 9, with memory configurations supporting up to 96GB DDR5-6400. For storage, users can choose between M.2 2280 and 2242 PCIe Gen4x4 SSDs, with support ranging from 128GB to 2TB. Connectivity features include Intel WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2.5G Ethernet, USB 3.2 and Thunderbolt 4 ports, as well as HDMI CEC support. The device operates at temperatures between 0–35°C and stores safely between -40–60°C. The ASUS NUC 15 Pro+ is available now, offering a powerful, compact solution for users who demand performance, efficiency, and flexibility in a mini PC format. Image: Asus This article, "ASUS Launches Compact and Powerful NUC 15 Pro+ Mini PC" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

New Jersey-based cloud computing provider will seek $1.5bn, down from initial target of $4bnView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. I test and review a lot of robot vacuums and mops. Usually, they're premium or flagship models, which makes the Switchbot K10+ an outlier, but it still impresses me every time I use it—so much that it is one of the few vacuums I've held onto to use myself. When Switchbot upgraded the K10+ to the K10+ Pro, it got even better (they made the vacuum suction more powerful and dropped the mop attachment). Right now, during Amazon's Big Spring Sale, it's $300, which is half off its regular price. Switchbot K10+ Pro Robot Vacuum Mini Robot Vacuum $299.99 at Amazon $599.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal Get Deal $299.99 at Amazon $599.99 Save $300.00 What makes it so special? It's tiny. About 2/3 the size of normal robot vacuums, it can get between and under spaces no other robot can. The radius it makes around chair legs and furniture is tiny, as well. It's quiet, and it doesn't get stuck on larger debris, or trapped in places because it's so small it can escape any spot most robots get stuck in. Despite having about half the suction of premium robots, it works spectacularly across carpet, hardwood, tile, or rugs. The tower is petite, and is self-emptying. The Switchbot app is simple and easy to navigate, too. You can still create complicated maps and schedules. While, generally speaking, I think most people should get a combo vacuum and mop these days, I've gifted the K10+ Pro to a number of people for their offices or smaller homes, and they've all raved about the machine. The current sale puts it below $300, and at that price, it is the best robot vacuum deal out there. The Best Amazon Spring Sale Deals You Can Get Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced — $169.00 (List Price $189.99) soundcore by Anker Q30 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones with Multiple Modes, Hi-Res Sound, Custom EQ via App, 40H Playtime, Comfortable Fit, Bluetooth Headphones, Multipoint Connection — $55.99 (List Price $79.99) Blink Mini 2 (White, 2-Pack) — $37.99 (List Price $69.99) 2024 Apple iPad mini A17 Pro chip, Built for Apple Intelligence, Wi-Fi 128GB - Blue — $399.00 (List Price $499.00) Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm, Black, S/M 130-180mm, Sports Band) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00) Sonos Era 100 Wireless Speaker - White — $199.00 (List Price $249.00) Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote (2023 Model) — $39.99 (List Price $59.99) Fitbit Inspire 3 Health & Fitness Tracker (Midnight Zen/Black) — $69.95 (List Price $99.95) Roku Express 4K+ HDR Streamer with Voice Remote — $29.85 (List Price $39.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Last year, Google released a niche feature in its experimental NotebookLM product that turned out to be a sleeper hit. You could upload any document to NotebookLM, and it would use AI to generate a two-person conversational podcast out of it. These aren't meant to be uploaded online for viewership, but for you to listen to as a learning ad. The idea is that there are times when it's easier to understand a concept when two people are just casually conversing about it. If that sounds appealing to you, good news: you no longer need to dive into the unfamiliar NotebookLM interface to try it out. Google's AI-generated podcasts, called Audio Overviews, are now available for free directly in the Gemini app and website. And now that Audio Overviews are integrated directly into Gemini, you can even use Gemini's own Deep Research reports as sources for your podcast. Personally, I've found it useful to first prompt Gemini to create a Deep Research report on a topic, then directly generate an Audio Overview from it (skipping past having to read it myself). Generate and download podcasts on any topicTo get started, use the Gemini website or the Gemini app. To upload your own document or slide show, click the Plus button and add in your desired source file. As soon as the file is processed, you'll see a button for Generate Audio Overview. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Press the button and wait for Gemini to begin its work. It can take anywhere between 3–5 minutes to generate your podcast audio, depending on the depth of the material. Alternatively, you can prompt Gemini to create a report for you using the Deep Research option below the text box. Here, too, you'll have to wait a couple of minutes until the research is ready. Then, open the Deep Research document, click the down-arrow button, and then use the Generate Audio Overview button. You can also just enter "Generate Audio Overview" in the text box. Credit: Khamosh Pathak When the processing is done, you'll get a notification from the Gemini website or the app. You'll now see a player in the chat box. Hit the Play button to start playback, and use the seek bar to jump to any point in the recording. Yes, there's speed control too, but you can only increase the playback speed up to 1.5x. Credit: Khamosh Pathak I got 10 minutes of podcast overview from a 12-page document, so the detail isn't bad. If you don't want to listen to your podcast right away, or if you'd like to share it, you can also download the audio for offline payback. Click the three-dot menu button in the audio player and choose the Download option. Credit: Khamosh Pathak From here, you can also choose the Share conversation option to share your Gemini chat and recording using a link. And while you're in Gemini, you might want to try creating your own custom AI Bots, called Gems, since those are now free for everyone to use. View the full article

Military officials from France and UK to travel to Kyiv soon, says French president View the full article

A federal judge has ruled that The New York Times and other newspapers can proceed with a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft seeking to end the practice of using their stories to train artificial intelligence chatbots. U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein of New York on Wednesday dismissed some of the claims made by media organizations but allowed the bulk of the case to continue, possibly to a jury trial. “We appreciate Judge Stein’s careful consideration of these issues,” New York Times attorney Ian Crosby said in a statement. “As the order indicates, all of our copyright claims will continue against Microsoft and Open AI for their widespread theft of millions of The Times‘s works, and we look forward to continuing to pursue them.” The judge’s ruling also pleased Frank Pine, executive editor of MediaNews Group and Tribune Publishing, owners of some of the newspapers that are part of a consolidated lawsuit in a Manhattan court. “The claims the court has dismissed do not undermine the main thrust of our case, which is that these companies have stolen our work and violated our copyright in a way that fundamentally damages our business,” Pine said a statement. Stein didn’t explain the reasons for his ruling, saying that would come “expeditiously.” OpenAI said in a statement it welcomed “the court’s dismissal of many of these claims and look forward to making it clear that we build our AI models using publicly available data, in a manner grounded in fair use, and supportive of innovation.” Microsoft declined to comment. The Times has said OpenAI and its business partner Microsoft have threatened its livelihood by effectively stealing billions of dollars worth of work by its journalists, in some cases spitting out Times‘s material verbatim to people who seek answers from generative artificial intelligence like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. ————— The Associated Press and OpenAI have a licensing and technology agreement that allows OpenAI access to part of AP’s text archives. View the full article

Fast Company’s Creative Director Mike Schnaidt shares a first look at the magazine redesign. So if you are a typeface fanatic, you won’t want to miss this breakdown. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you have big DIY plans for spring, or if you just enjoy adding to your tool collection, you might have noticed that tools can be pretty expensive. Whether you’re doing yard work or woodworking, having the right tools can make the job easier—so it's worth waiting for good deals. Here are a few of the best tool deals to check out during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Deals on power toolsPower tools are an essential part of a DIY kit. You'll need a decent-quality cordless drill for most projects, and other tools for cutting and finishing will make your DIY projects faster and more professional-looking. The DeWalt 20-volt drill and driver set comes with a drill, an impact driver, two 1.5-amp batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. It’s on sale for $124.00, 48% off its regular price. This is a good beginner kit because it comes with everything you need to get started with your DeWalt tools. The Bosch 2.25 horsepower router is on sale for $128.75, 35% off its regular price. It comes with a quarter-inch and a half-inch chuck to accept most standard-sized router bits. This is a good tool for finish work as it allows you to round corners, cut detail into the edges of your work, and even fabricate moulding. This is a corded tool, so you’ll need a power source to use it. The DeWalt 12-inch, double bevel sliding miter saw is on sale for $499.00, 25% off its typical price. This saw can cut compound angles like the ones you need to make for crown molding or some styles of bench legs. This is also a corded tool, and you’ll need a power source to use it. Dewalt Double Bevel Sliding Miter Saw $499.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $669.00 Save $170.00 Get Deal Get Deal $499.00 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $669.00 Save $170.00 Deals on landscaping and garden toolsIt's time to get your outdoor spaces set up for success as the weather warms up. Keeping weeds at bay and making sure all your plants are properly trimmed requires tools like these. The EGO 56-volt cordless leaf blower is on sale for $329.99, 35% off its usual price. This leaf blower comes with a 5-amp-hour battery, a 2.5-amp-hour battery, and a charger. It can run for about 90 minutes before needing a fresh battery. The Greenworks 40-watt cordless 16-inch lawnmower is on sale for $209.99, 30% off its typical price. It comes with one 4-amp-hour battery and a charger. You can mow for about 45 minutes before you need to recharge the battery. Greenworks G-MAX 40V 16'' Cordless Lawn Mower $209.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $299.00 Save $89.01 Get Deal Get Deal $209.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $299.00 Save $89.01 Miscellaneous tools and accessoriesKeeping your home shop running requires more than just power tools. You’ll need other tools and accessories to make all your DIY dreams come true. The Craftsman four-gallon wet/dry shop vac is on sale for $103.38, 30% off its regular price. It comes with a variety of hoses and attachments and one air filter to get you started. A Goodyear triple-tap 40-foot extension cord and reel is on sale for $77.99, 48% off its usual price. This reeled extension cord is good for running shop power overhead to keep your floor free of trip hazards. The cord has an LED indicator light in the connector to show when it has power. Craftsman four-gallon wet/dry shop vac $103.38 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $146.65 Save $43.27 Get Deal Get Deal $103.38 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $146.65 Save $43.27 Safety equipmentProtecting your ears and eyes while you’re working on DIY projects is essential, so the best deals are always on safety equipment. Saving yourself a trip to the emergency room is priceless. A pair of Walker protective earmuffs have electronic noise-canceling technology that allows you to hear what’s going on around you while protecting your ears from damaging levels of noise. They’re on sale for $40.87, 49% off their regular price. A pair of No-Cry anti-fog safety glasses are on sale for $12.59, 26% off their regular price. These glasses provide UV protection, making them good for outdoor projects, and they are scratch resistant to avoid impaired vision while you’re wearing them. Walker's Razor Slim Earmuffs $40.87 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $79.99 Save $39.12 Get Deal Get Deal $40.87 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $79.99 Save $39.12 Shopping for tech? Lifehacker can help you make the right decision. Browse our tech reviews and head-to-head comparisons for everything from laptops and smartwatches to e-bikes and home gyms. Subscribe to our deals newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox, or browse our best-of lists directly on Amazon, including: The Best Over-Ear Headphones The Best Wireless Earbuds The Best Adjustable Dumbbell Sets The Best Projectors View the full article

At the beginning of the hit 2003 movie Love Actually, Hugh Grant’s character muses that whenever he gets gloomy about the state of the world, he redirects his attention to the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. Another remedy would be to consider the vast natural wonders of space, but perhaps that’s more of a William Shatner move. Regardless of your leading-man preference, if you are in need of some wonder this week, there will be a partial solar eclipse early Saturday morning visible in certain parts of the world. Here’s what that all means and where and how to best see it. What is a partial solar eclipse? The moon orbits the Earth while our home planet orbits the sun. When the moon travels between the sun and Earth, an eclipse takes place. The type depends on how the three moving objects line up. If it is not in a perfect line, a partial eclipse occurs. If it is a perfect line, the sun is completely blocked and a total eclipse occurs. (Cue Bonnie Tyler.) When the moon travels between the sun and the Earth while at its farthest point away from Earth, this is called an annular solar eclipse. (No great pop songs have yet been written about this phenomenon.) When and where can you see the partial solar eclipse? The eclipse will take place on Saturday, March 29, 2025. According to NASA, people in the northeastern United States, Europe, western Africa, eastern Canada, and over the Atlantic Ocean are in for a show. Shortly after a beautiful sunrise, those on the East Coast of the United States will witness a partial solar eclipse. Those in New York City should expect it to begin at 6:44 a.m ET. Things kick off even earlier in Boston at 6:31 a.m. The folks at NASA have compiled a handy list of major cities and the exact timeline for your convenience. NASA.gov What is the best way to view the eclipse? The first rule of viewing a partial solar eclipse is safety. You cannot look directly at it without damaging your eyes. You need solar eclipse glasses. The American Astronomical Society has a list of approved vendors, which can help you procure some. Other than that, set multiple alarms to ensure you don’t sleep or work through it. If you need a hand waking up, brew some coffee. Then look up and marvel at the sky and for a moment feel a small part of a larger universe—just like Captain Kirk. View the full article

You’ve heard of burner phones. What about burner email? So much of the internet now requires that you hand over your email address before you’re able to use any services—from an app you’ve downloaded to signing up for a newsletter or redeeming a special offer online. But who says you have to give your real email address? Next time you’re asked, consider using an email mask. There are a growing number of services that give out disguised email addresses and relay any messages to your actual address. Experts say this can be a powerful tool to safeguard privacy and security. Here are some pointers on the whys and hows of email masking: Mask on The idea behind email masking is simple. The masking service gives you a randomized address you can use as a decoy instead of your actual email. It can be a series of unrelated words, or a string of letters and numbers. When someone sends a message to the burner email, it will be automatically routed to your address without anyone knowing. Providers include privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo’s Email Protection service, Firefox Relay from browser maker Mozilla, email service FastMail, and independent services like Addy.io. The encrypted service Proton Mail offers email masking with its password manager and standalone SimpleLogin service. There are many others. It’s one of the features Apple offers users subscribing to its iCloud+ or Apple One services. When you’re using the Safari browser app on your iPhone and need to input your email, you can tap the field above the onscreen keyboard to “Hide My Email,” which then creates a random address as a substitute. It’s also available on Mac computers with the desktop Safari browser or Mail app. If you’re using a different browser or app, you can still manually create a random email address by going into your iCloud settings. A Key Feature Most services have a free version with basic options and a premium tier with more features. Some free services can only receive emails but not reply to them. However, an important feature users should look for is the ability to do both, said Proton CEO Andy Yen. “Maybe you never reply to a newsletter and that’s fine,” said Yen. But it’s a problem if, for example, you used your email alias to buy something online and there’s an issue with your order that the site needs to ask you about. “Then the ability to reply is actually pretty important,” he said. Most masking services have a dashboard control panel where you can view the various alias addresses you’ve activated. If you notice one starting to get a lot of spam, just turn it off. When should I use it? Mask your email when you want to add an extra layer of privacy or protect yourself from data leaks or unauthorized information sharing. An email mask is a “general-purpose tool that can be used in any context,” says Santiago Andrigo, principal product manager at Mozilla. However, he recommends using it in two key situations. The first is when you’re unsure what a website will do with your email address. “Masking your email gives you control—if you start receiving unwanted messages, you can easily block any emails coming to that email mask,” Andrigo said. The second scenario is “when your association with a service could reveal sensitive personal information,” he said. For example, if you join an online community for a specific medical condition or a minority group, a data breach could expose your participation. Email fail There are myriad reasons not to give out your email address to anyone who wants it. It could be sold to marketers or shady data brokers, eroding your privacy by helping them build a profile of you for legitimate or nefarious purposes. If your address ends up on the wrong mailing list, it could result in more junk or phishing emails. And if an online service is hacked, attackers could make off with logins, passwords and other personal information. Using unique passwords for all your online accounts—typically with the help of a password manager—is good cybersecurity practice. “But the real pain point for any user is actually not the password getting leaked, but actually the email getting leaked,” said Yen. Changing your password after a data breach is standard practice but it’s a lot harder to change another piece of sensitive information, your email address—unless you’re using a mask. False solutions There are other so-called hacks that you might have heard about. You could set up a throwaway account with a free email service like Gmail or Yahoo. But it’s tedious to do this. Some Gmail users add a plus sign and an extra phrase or combination of characters between their username and the @ sign. It helps track who’s sharing your address as well as filter messages. But “from a privacy standpoint, that does nothing,” said Yen. “Because people can just simply take away the plus and get your original address.” What about the man in the middle? Email masks use their servers to relay message traffic between the sender and the recipient. So how can you be sure those servers are private? Look for reputable providers that promise not to keep your messages. If you’re shopping around for an email masking service, Yen advises checking if it has “proper terms and conditions,” a privacy policy and is based in a jurisdiction where it could be legally held accountable. “We state very clearly we’re not keeping a copy of anything that passes through our servers,” Yen said. Firefox Relay says in its FAQs that it does not “read or store any of your messages.” “In the event that an email cannot be delivered to you, we will keep it on our servers and delete it after it has been delivered (in no event will we hold onto it for more than three days),” it says. Apple says it “doesn’t read or process any of the content” in email messages that pass through Hide My Email except for standard spam filtering. “All email messages are deleted from our relay servers after they’re delivered to you, usually within seconds,” the iPhone maker says. AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay in Oakland, Calif. contributed to this report. Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip. —Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Amazon's Big Spring Sale is back for its second year, and while it doesn’t go as hard as Prime Day, there are still plenty of worthwhile discounts. It runs from March 25 to March 31, and the best part is you don’t need a Prime membership to shop. That said, Prime members do get access to deeper discounts, and if you’re not one, Amazon’s free 30-day trial lets you cash in on the best deals without any commitment. One of the discounts spotted is on the Google Nest Cam (Indoor, Wired), now down to $69.99 from $99.99—this is the lowest it's ever been, according to online price-trackers. It runs over wifi, plugs into any standard outlet, and offers built-in smart motion alerts for people, pets, and packages—though you’ll need a Nest Aware subscription for the full suite of features. Video is recorded in 1080p with HDR, which is sharp enough for most people’s needs. Night vision is solid too, and everything runs through the Google Home app, where you can view the live feed or event history. It also comes with two-way audio, so you can talk through the camera if needed, and the motion detection is responsive without being jumpy, according to this PCMag review. Google Nest Security Cam (Wired) - 2nd Generation - Linen, 1080p, Motion Only $69.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $99.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal Get Deal $69.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $99.99 Save $30.00 You’ll get real-time notifications through the Google Home app, but features like 24/7 recording and advanced smart alerts require a Nest Aware subscription, which starts at $8/month. That said, the core features hold up just fine if all you need is a basic check-in cam while you’re out. The wired setup isn’t as flexible as a battery-powered option, but it does save you the hassle of recharging. Also, it doesn’t support Apple HomeKit or Alexa, so this is really best for people already committed to Google’s smart home setup. Shopping for tech? Lifehacker can help you make the right decision. Browse our tech reviews and head-to-head comparisons for everything from laptops and smartwatches to e-bikes and home gyms. Subscribe to our deals newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox, or browse our best-of lists directly on Amazon, including: The Best Over-Ear Headphones The Best Wireless Earbuds The Best Adjustable Dumbbell Sets The Best Projectors View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. One of the more interesting markdowns during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is the Kindle Scribe (2024), now down to $364.99 from $449.99. That’s the lowest it’s ever been, according to price trackers. If you’ve been eyeing Amazon’s first writeable Kindle, this is probably the time to check it out. Amazon Kindle Scribe (64GB) $364.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $449.99 Save $85.00 Get Deal Get Deal $364.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $449.99 Save $85.00 The Kindle Scribe looks and feels premium with its aluminum build and 10.2-inch glare-free E Ink display. It’s available in Metallic Jade and Tungsten, though the back is a bit slick and reportedly a fingerprint magnet, so a case isn’t a bad idea. This version includes the Premium Pen, which snaps magnetically to the side and comes with an eraser and a shortcut button. Writing on the Scribe feels smooth thanks to the slightly textured glass, and it responds without any noticeable lag. You can choose between different pen types—fountain pen, pencil, marker—and choose between notebook templates like checklists, planners, and music sheets. That said, the writing experience is still a step behind dedicated e-ink note tablets in the market. Additionally, while writing feels natural, managing those notes isn’t quite as seamless. The AI-powered summarizer and handwriting cleanup tools process slowly and awkwardly, creating separate pages that don’t merge back into your original notes, according to this PCMag review. Reading is still where the Scribe shines. The display is crisp, adjusts lighting automatically, and has more than enough space for books, PDFs, and scribbles. It holds 64GB of storage, which is more than most people will need. Battery life stretches up to 12 weeks if you’re just reading, though regular writing brings it down to about three. Audiobook lovers should know there’s no headphone jack, so Bluetooth only. And while performance is generally solid, page turns and library scrolling lag a bit behind what you’d get on something like the Paperwhite. All in all, if you’re mainly a reader who wants occasional note-taking, the Scribe at this price is a solid pick. But if your goal is serious digital journaling or replacing your paper notebooks altogether, this might not go far enough yet. Shopping for tech? Lifehacker can help you make the right decision. Browse our tech reviews and head-to-head comparisons for everything from laptops and smartwatches to e-bikes and home gyms. Subscribe to our deals newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox, or browse our best-of lists directly on Amazon, including: The Best Over-Ear Headphones The Best Wireless Earbuds The Best Adjustable Dumbbell Sets The Best Projectors View the full article

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Right now, the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series (50-Inch) is down to $319.99 from its regular $399.99, which price trackers confirm is the lowest it's ever been. Amazon Fire TV 50" 4-Series $319.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $399.99 Save $80.00 Get Deal Get Deal $319.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $399.99 Save $80.00 If you’re looking for a basic 4K TV for under $350, this one might check your boxes—note, however, the emphasis on “basic.” It supports HDR10 and HLG, but skips Dolby Vision, which affects how well it handles color and contrast in HDR content. This might be a dealbreaker if you’re picky about picture quality. This TV also lacks the newer ATSC 3.0 tuner, so you're limited on over-the-air 4K broadcast options. The Fire TV interface is smooth enough, especially if you’re already in the Amazon ecosystem, and it offers built-in access to Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and more. You also get Apple AirPlay, which makes it easier to mirror or stream from Apple devices. That said, it’s not built for high-performance viewing. The panel isn’t the brightest, and in dark rooms, the contrast can feel flat. Motion handling is serviceable for regular TV and movies, but if you’re hoping to watch fast-paced sports or play video games, you’ll notice some lag and blur. The Alexa voice remote works well, though it’s not hands-free like some higher-end Fire TVs, notes this PCMag review. Still, setup is quick, the build doesn’t feel cheap, and it’ll handle casual use just fine. This deal makes sense for a backup TV, a dorm room, or anyone replacing an older screen on a tight budget. But if you’re chasing deep blacks, punchy highlights, or silky-smooth frame rates, you’ll want to shop higher up the food chain. Shopping for tech? Lifehacker can help you make the right decision. Browse our tech reviews and head-to-head comparisons for everything from laptops and smartwatches to e-bikes and home gyms. Subscribe to our deals newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox, or browse our best-of lists directly on Amazon, including: The Best Over-Ear Headphones The Best Wireless Earbuds The Best Adjustable Dumbbell Sets The Best Projectors View the full article

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Fast food giant Yum Brands has worked for years to distance itself from third-party tech partners. Last week, it made the ultimate power move: a development deal with Nvidia, a tech giant consistently ranked among the most valuable companies in the world. “We want to own the intellectual property. We want to own the technology,” Yum Brands chief digital and technology officer Joe Park told the Wall Street Journal. “That’s a shift in our strategy as we think about AI.” In other words: Yum knows its strength and wants full control over its own data. The company will build more services for its 61,000 restaurants with Nvidia’s tech with the goal of quickly processing and understanding critical information about store-level performance and giving managers personalized action plans. Yum Brands owns fast food powerhouses Taco Bell and KFC along with delivery stalwart Pizza Hut and its more recent acquisition, a less-known burger concept called Habit Burger. It says it’s Nvidia’s first restaurant partner, an important distinction in what could become a restaurant-tech land grab. The restaurant industry has been historically slow to deploy new tech, but seems to be excited about AI. According to data from the National Restaurant Association, about a third of restaurant operators plan to invest in AI for operations this year — a significant increase from the year before. Of course, Park is quick to tell the WSJ, all of this new tech won’t replace human workers. Instead, he says, they’ll be trained on “a different form of service and hospitality than I think we’ve seen in the past.” (This is a common refrain from industry execs who promise employees will augment new tech, freed up to provide additional human connection inside restaurants. In tandem, the execs celebrate the efficiency and reduced labor costs that tech brings to their operations.) Yum hasn’t been shy about its desire to use tech to win. In 2023, it shared an aggressive sales target, albeit without a timeline: it wants all of its sales to come through digital channels. Digital ordering carries a host of benefits, including a restaurant’s ability to collect real-time data. Additionally, consumers tend to spend more when they place orders digitally thanks to smart upsells and better order accuracy. It’s made some progress toward that goal. In 2024, the company’s system-wide digital sales were up 15%, representing over half of sales. In the fourth quarter alone, it processed $9 billion in digital sales. Given the huge growth potential (and massive amount of money involved), Yum’s right to hold its own ordering data close. It’s a lesson the company may have learned the hard way. In 2018, Yum signed an exclusive deal with Grubhub, the onetime national leader in online ordering and delivery. Grubhub would power delivery at both Taco Bell and KFC, and Yum invested $200 million in Grubhub, a 3% stake. The deal flamed out rather spectacularly just two years later. Yum, realizing the delivery tailwind thanks to the onset of the pandemic, started working with competing delivery services like Uber Eats, which Grubhub said violated the terms of their agreement. In hindsight, this was Yum’s first big digital flex: We’re too big and powerful to be constrained by your platform, it seemed to say. When Grubhub moved to increase the fees it charged Yum’s restaurants, Yum sued Grubhub for breach of contract, eventually offloading its investment for a reported $208 million. The Nvidia deal, on paper at least, should accelerate Yum’s next transition. To start, it will use the tech to add voice AI to its drive-thrus and phone lines, targeting a relatively modest 500 restaurants in the second quarter of this year. Eventually, Park says, they’ll use the tech to optimize all ordering channels, including the company’s mobile apps, and hone in on in-store productivity and accuracy with Nvidia-powered computer vision. —Kristen Hawley View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Most seeds are grown in seed trays or blocks, but at some point, these seedlings will outgrow their cell or block and require more soil for their roots to grow. In some cases, the weather aligns and you can transplant your seedlings from the tray directly to the garden. But in most cases, your seedlings will need more time inside, protected, before the weather is warm enough, and that means you’ll need to take your seedlings out of the tray and give them a larger container where they can chill out and grow some more before going into the ground. This process is called "up-potting," and while the process itself is simple, there is actually a lot that can go wrong at this point in the growing process. Here’s how to give your seedlings the best chance at survival. How to know when it's time to up-pot These are cotyledons, not "true leaves" Credit: Amanda Blum When you buy plants at the nursery, they’re priced based on the size of the pot you buy them in—a quart-sized pot versus a gallon, for instance. But if you pay attention, you’ll notice that the size of the plant in a 4-inch pot is frequently not all that different from a plant in a quart-sized pot. That’s because the plant has been up-potted, a process that is happening constantly to plants as they grow in size. One easy clue that it’s time to up-pot is that the roots are growing out holes in the seed tray. In seed trays, plants can easily become rootbound (the roots run out of room, so they start growing in circles, tangling in on themselves), so it’s important to up-pot before that happens—if you wait too long, it can stunt plants, which is the opposite of what you want. These starts have true leaves. Credit: Amanda Blum You can also up-pot too early, before the seedling is strong enough to survive the shock of transplanting. When vegetable and flower seeds grow, they form one or two leaves very early—these are called "cotyledons" and they are part of the seed itself. Later, the seedling will grow a second set, called the “true leaves”, because these are the first leaves that function the way leaves do. The cotyledons provide some photosynthesis, while true leaves provide actual food for the plant. These sets of leaves look quite different, and as soon as you know about cotyledons, you’ll have an easier time recognizing them in your seedlings. You can’t transplant until true leaves are established and grown in, and I’d wait even later. These tomatoes are ready for up-potting. Credit: Amanda Blum In addition to paying attention to the roots, I look at the seedlings themselves above the soil. When each seedling is running out of room to stretch, the plants are touching one another, or the seedling looks too tall for the cell or block, that’s my sign to up-pot. Choose the right soil for up-potting Credit: Amanda Blum When you grow seedlings, you use a seedling mix—this has very little nutrients in it and is quite fine, which is all designed to help the seed grow. Now that your seeds are seedlings, they need nutrition and therefore, they’ll need a different soil mixture. When up-potting, use a potting soil, which will have nutrients in it like compost, but also ingredients to retain moisture like vermiculite. How to choose the right kind of potIn most cases, you’re moving from a seed cell or block that is 0.75 inches to 2 inches in size, and so a 4-inch pot is usually appropriate. You’ll notice this at your nursery, too. In some cases, tomatoes will be up-potted to quart-sized containers, and yours might eventually need that, but it’s unlikely. If you're not sitting on a collection of these disposable pots, others in your gardening group are. Credit: Amanda Blum A good way to save money would be to save these 3.5- or 4-inch pots from previous nursery visits, or solicit any gardening group online for them. Some nurseries may have old ones they’ll give away, too. Keep in mind that these are meant to be disposable and as such, with a good hot-water cleaning, will often break or deform. For a sturdier option, you can purchase a set of reusable, molded plastic pots, which is what I use. These stand up to cleaning and sterilizing year after year, so you rarely need to replace them and can even go through a cold or warm wash in the dishwasher. I spent many nights making these newspaper pots. Credit: Amanda Blum However, for lots of gardeners, April is when they start making newspaper pots. Made the right way, a newspaper pot is sturdy, will decompose, and costs you nothing except time. I learned to make them from Meg Cowden of Seed to Fork. There are other variations of the paper pot out there, too, but a folded pot like this is the only one that seems to be strong enough to hold up for as long as you’ll need it. I only stopped making paper pots because it is time consuming and because I got one too many papercuts. Corn I up-potted in paper pots. Credit: Amanda Blum In case you were considering seed bags, I should mention that I tried them and found that they didn't work very well. Some years ago, I thought I’d found a great, inexpensive solution for up-potting, and they could be planted outside, in the bag! But I found these to be hard to plant into, they fell over easily, and were never the right size. I'd steer clear and go with one of the other solutions I described above. Transplanting can shock the plants, so be gentleMany plants do not cope well with their roots being jostled around, like poppies, cucamelons and luffa; in those cases, you should grow the seedlings as close to planting time as possible to ensure you only have to transplant them once (directly into your garden) or direct sow them instead. Even for plants that don’t mind being transplanted, like tomatoes, the process is still a shock, so you want to be gentle. A lot can go wrong here, and usually it's human-based error. Remember, you’ll be touching a lot of plants, so if one seedling has a virus or disease or fungus, you’re now using the same hands that touched that disease on all your other seedlings. Wash your hands often and don’t transplant seedlings that look diseased. Toss them (not into the compost) and wash your hands. Usually, people grow more than one seed in a seed cell or block in case one seed doesn’t germinate. But for beginner gardeners, it’s so hard to let go of one of those seedlings if both seeds germinate, so they’ll try to separate the seedlings and plant each into a new pot. My advice is not to do that. Part of gardening is steeling yourself to culling seedlings, and you should have done so before you get to the up-potting process. If there are still multiple seedlings in a cell at this point, cut one to the soil line and let the stronger one survive. This way, you’re not breaking apart the soil around the roots and trying to separate them. Carefully labeled, up-potted tomatoes that have been buried deeply. Credit: Amanda Blum Remove the seedling from the tray as carefully as you can, with the soil intact. I do not water on mornings I'm planning to up-pot because the drier soil makes this process easier. You can push up from the bottom of the tray to pop out a cell of a seed tray, but this is where soil blocks shine: because there is no tray, they are much easier to move. You simply pick up the block and move it. When it's time to up-pot, put 2 inches of soil into each pot and then carefully place the seedling into the center of the pot. With your hand, pour additional soil around the seedling block. Pat the soil down and give the seedling a sip of water, about a quarter of a cup. From there, the pot can go on a tray to go back under the lights. Keeping the pots on trays allows you to bottom water moving forward, if you want, but will catch water if you water from above, too. Remember that as you up-pot, you’re obliterating any labeling you had for your seed trays, so have a plan to label the pots as you up-pot, or you won’t know what’s in any of them. You can fix leggy starts when up-pottingSome plants, namely tomatoes, can form roots all along their stem. For this reason, when you move tomato seedlings or transplant them into the garden, bury the stem deeply. Up-potting is an opportunity to do so, and this can solve a problem with leggy starts. Eggplants, peppers, tomatillos, ground cherries, pumpkins, squash, melons, and potatoes can all be buried deep in the soil along the stem. When you do this, you still want at least the two uppermost leaves to appear above the soil line. You should remove any stems or leaves below this point and then bury the stem the appropriate depth and proceed as above. How to water your up-potted plantsAt this point in the seedling process, you'll feel great. Your plants are established, they look like real plants, and you’re waiting for the ground to warm enough to transplant them. Beware, though, because this is when they are most vulnerable, in my opinion. They are still inside with limited airflow and in close proximity to one another. Virus and fungus can spread quickly, and light is limited with all that new growth. Be careful to water just enough, but not too much. For that reason, I like to bottom water, which means you’ll place an inch or so of water in the trays the pots sit on, and allow the plants to take in the water they need, but not more. I discourage watering from above, because you don’t want the leaves wet, which leads to conditions that are more likely to spread disease. The plants also need some food now, so regardless of how you water, be sure you’re adding some fertilizer to the water. I like Fox Farm Vegetable fertilizer for this purpose. Follow the directions on the bottle and you should be good to go. View the full article

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