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North Sea could produce an extra 2bn to 3bn barrels with ‘right’ levers, forecasts Offshore Energies UKView the full article

Law enforcement agencies silent on what legal experts say could be a violation of the US espionage actView the full article

Nuuk makes clear it did not extend an invitation to American officials travelling there later in the weekView the full article

Acting Comptroller Rodney Hood discussed using fintech to evaluate self-employed borrowers' creditworthiness, saying alternative credit models could promote financial inclusion. View the full article

Small business owners know that their success doesn’t just happen by chance. It takes years of hard work, dedication, and the know-how to make it prosper. Growing a business takes a strategic approach. In an ideal world, business owners would throw money at every possible idea and see what sticks. But the reality is they don’t have unlimited resources. Instead, they should determine where and how to invest in their business to see the reap the greatest reward. I’ve been a business owner for more than three decades. During that time, I’ve tried different approaches to scaling my business. What’s emerged are some clear patterns of what does and doesn’t drive long-term growth. Following are my top tips for investing in your business, whether you’re a brand-new entrepreneur or an established business owner hoping to take your business to the next level. Customer Experience (CX) Your customers are essential to your business, so it makes sense to invest in the customer experience. A positive customer experience increases retention and builds brand loyalty, so you can be sure your customers will return again and again. It also increases the likelihood that they will share their great experience with others. Understanding your customers and providing personalized service is one of the best ways to improve their experience. Investing in quality customer service training is a good first step, as it ensures every team member is dedicated to a customer-centric workflow. Offering customer loyalty programs is another tried-and-true method. Employee Retention Customer service is only as great as the people providing it, so it’s important to start with a strong team. Investing in your employees is key to growing your business, so consider ongoing professional learning for your team members. Not only does this keep them on top of their game, but it can also improve motivation and build camaraderie. Employee incentive programs, mentorships, and, of course, competitive compensation are also crucial. Great employees are those who truly feel connected to their workplace. It’s important to foster a positive culture, one in which each employee feels valued and heard. Open communication, collaboration, and allowing (and responding to) employee feedback can help build this culture. Technology Infrastructure Sometimes it seems as though technology is changing a mile a minute. The hesitation to invest huge amounts of money to keep up is certainly understandable, but both employees and customers expect (and deserve) modern systems and infrastructure. Plus, they can save you money in the long run. For example, automated processes and cloud-based solutions improve productivity while reducing costs down the road. Depending on the type of industry you’re in, investing in technology can give you a competitive edge. It shows potential customers that you’re a leader in your field, which fosters trust. Old, outdated systems send the message that you don’t take your business seriously. Marketing Strategies Marketing is a key facet to building any business. But successful marketing takes a targeted approach. Investing in marketing that is tailored to your industry and your audience can result in significant rewards. Business owners should view marketing as a necessary cost of owning (and growing) a business. With the advent of digital marketing, there are many affordable options. Connecting with customers on social media is a beneficial, low-cost way to start building a brand, as is content marketing and email marketing. Paid ads on social media or Google are also good choices. And don’t overlook traditional marketing such as print ads or direct mail — they still see great ROI in many markets. Invest in Yourself As the leader of your business, it’s just as critical to invest in yourself as it is to invest in your team. Sure, things get hectic, and it can seem impossible to keep up sometimes. But becoming a better leader naturally leads to becoming a better business owner. Investing in workshops, attending conferences, and participating in networking events can give you new insight into how to approach your business. Other options to consider are coaching or mentorships. Having an experienced professional to help you navigate the ins and outs of business ownership can be a boon to both your personal growth and your business’s growth. They can also help you sharpen your skills in communication, decision-making, time management, goal setting and other skills needed to run a successful business. Invest in Your Business Investing in your business is essential for it to grow. But it takes a strategic approach, one that may not be the same for every business. Focusing on your customers, your team, and yourself are some of the few ways that I’ve found that are most likely to lead to long-term success. CorpNet offers business formations, filings, state tax registrations, and corporate compliance services in all 50 states. Express and 24 hour rush filing services available upon request. Click here to learn more. Image: Envato This article, "The Best Ways to Invest in Your Business Growth" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Small business owners know that their success doesn’t just happen by chance. It takes years of hard work, dedication, and the know-how to make it prosper. Growing a business takes a strategic approach. In an ideal world, business owners would throw money at every possible idea and see what sticks. But the reality is they don’t have unlimited resources. Instead, they should determine where and how to invest in their business to see the reap the greatest reward. I’ve been a business owner for more than three decades. During that time, I’ve tried different approaches to scaling my business. What’s emerged are some clear patterns of what does and doesn’t drive long-term growth. Following are my top tips for investing in your business, whether you’re a brand-new entrepreneur or an established business owner hoping to take your business to the next level. Customer Experience (CX) Your customers are essential to your business, so it makes sense to invest in the customer experience. A positive customer experience increases retention and builds brand loyalty, so you can be sure your customers will return again and again. It also increases the likelihood that they will share their great experience with others. Understanding your customers and providing personalized service is one of the best ways to improve their experience. Investing in quality customer service training is a good first step, as it ensures every team member is dedicated to a customer-centric workflow. Offering customer loyalty programs is another tried-and-true method. Employee Retention Customer service is only as great as the people providing it, so it’s important to start with a strong team. Investing in your employees is key to growing your business, so consider ongoing professional learning for your team members. Not only does this keep them on top of their game, but it can also improve motivation and build camaraderie. Employee incentive programs, mentorships, and, of course, competitive compensation are also crucial. Great employees are those who truly feel connected to their workplace. It’s important to foster a positive culture, one in which each employee feels valued and heard. Open communication, collaboration, and allowing (and responding to) employee feedback can help build this culture. Technology Infrastructure Sometimes it seems as though technology is changing a mile a minute. The hesitation to invest huge amounts of money to keep up is certainly understandable, but both employees and customers expect (and deserve) modern systems and infrastructure. Plus, they can save you money in the long run. For example, automated processes and cloud-based solutions improve productivity while reducing costs down the road. Depending on the type of industry you’re in, investing in technology can give you a competitive edge. It shows potential customers that you’re a leader in your field, which fosters trust. Old, outdated systems send the message that you don’t take your business seriously. Marketing Strategies Marketing is a key facet to building any business. But successful marketing takes a targeted approach. Investing in marketing that is tailored to your industry and your audience can result in significant rewards. Business owners should view marketing as a necessary cost of owning (and growing) a business. With the advent of digital marketing, there are many affordable options. Connecting with customers on social media is a beneficial, low-cost way to start building a brand, as is content marketing and email marketing. Paid ads on social media or Google are also good choices. And don’t overlook traditional marketing such as print ads or direct mail — they still see great ROI in many markets. Invest in Yourself As the leader of your business, it’s just as critical to invest in yourself as it is to invest in your team. Sure, things get hectic, and it can seem impossible to keep up sometimes. But becoming a better leader naturally leads to becoming a better business owner. Investing in workshops, attending conferences, and participating in networking events can give you new insight into how to approach your business. Other options to consider are coaching or mentorships. Having an experienced professional to help you navigate the ins and outs of business ownership can be a boon to both your personal growth and your business’s growth. They can also help you sharpen your skills in communication, decision-making, time management, goal setting and other skills needed to run a successful business. Invest in Your Business Investing in your business is essential for it to grow. But it takes a strategic approach, one that may not be the same for every business. Focusing on your customers, your team, and yourself are some of the few ways that I’ve found that are most likely to lead to long-term success. CorpNet offers business formations, filings, state tax registrations, and corporate compliance services in all 50 states. Express and 24 hour rush filing services available upon request. Click here to learn more. Image: Envato This article, "The Best Ways to Invest in Your Business Growth" was first published on Small Business Trends 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. A good VPN works like a bouncer for your internet traffic, keeping snoops out while letting you move freely. AdGuard VPN is one of those solid, no-nonsense choices that does exactly what it promises. Right now, StackSocial is offering a five-year AdGuard VPN subscription for just $39.97, a steep drop from its regular price. That’s five years of private browsing, streaming, and secure connections across most major platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, and up to 10 simultaneous connections (making it great for multi-device users without juggling logins). If you like the idea of browsing without trackers and being able to access geo-restricted content without hassle, this deal makes sense. Just a heads-up, though—this offer is only for new users, and you’ll need to redeem it within 30 days of buying. Performance-wise, AdGuard VPN uses AES-256 and its proprietary protocol, which is supposed to be faster and harder to detect than the usual VPN options. That means fewer annoying speed drops, which is a win if you stream a lot or hate buffering. It also offers over 60 server locations, covering key regions without overwhelming you with choices, so finding a decent connection shouldn’t be an issue. More importantly, AdGuard sticks to a strict no-logs policy, meaning it won’t track your browsing or sell your data to advertisers, unlike some other VPNs. AdGuard VPN is best suited for anyone looking for a low-maintenance, long-term privacy solution without monthly bills. It’s easy to set up, has a clean interface, and works well for everyday browsing and security. Five years of coverage for under forty bucks is hard to beat, and if you don’t like it, at least you won’t be locked into another high-priced subscription. View the full article

Support for travel, tourism and sports comes as Beijing doubles funding for goods trade-in scheme to $41bnView the full article

Bostic now sees price growth returning to the Fed's 2% goal at some point in early 2027. View the full article

Tech equities lead rebound as Tesla gains almost 12% View the full article

There are about 85 million single-family homes in the United States, which is a lot of houses. If you own one of them, then you already know what you don’t know—from real estate terms to the actual cost of owning the place. Buying and maintaining a house is a life-long learning process. But no matter how long you’ve owned your home, there are probably aspects of it that you have no clue about. This can be a problem because you’re relying on this structure to protect you and your family from the elements, to be a valuable asset in your financial portfolio, and to be an attractive place you can be proud to show off to friends and family. In order for that to happen, you need to know some fundamental details about your house. If you don’t know these things, find them out ASAP. ShutoffsYour house runs on a few basic resources—water, electricity, and possibly natural gas. Unless you’re totally off the grid with solar power and localized supplies like propane tanks, these resources are piped into your home from outside under consistent pressure. If something goes wrong (e.g., a water pipe bursts, or a pilot light goes out and gas leaks) you need to know how to shut things off—which means you need to know the location of the following: The water shutoff: The main valve that controls the flow of water into your house. It will usually be located outside, but if it’s inside (mine is), it’ll be near the perimeter, and possibly in your basement. Know where it is and how to turn it off. Localized valves. Your sinks, outdoor spigots, and toilets will also have shutoff valves. Knowing where your toilet shutoff is located can be a real lifesaver when it starts to overflow. The gas shut off. Similarly, if you have natural gas piped into your home, know where the shutoff valve is. If you ever smell gas and can’t figure out its source, this could literally save your house—and your life. Appliance shutoffs. Your gas-powered appliances like an oven or a dryer will also have specific shutoffs, usually located in the rear where the hookups are. Know how to access them in case you need to turn them off. Electric panel. Know where your home’s electric panel is located, and familiarize yourself with the circuits and the main in case you need to cut the power to an area of the home—or the whole house. If you smell gas, you should exit your home and call the authorities even if you turn off the main supply. And never touch an electrical panel that’s sparking or smoking. CircuitsSpeaking of your electrical panel, you should know more than just it’s location. Map out which circuits control what in your house by turning them off one by one and checking to see what they’re connected to. Don’t just trust any labeling that’s already in there—these are often not updated properly after renovations and repairs. Having each breaker labeled clearly will save you time and trouble if you need to kill the juice to something that’s malfunctioning. Location of metersYou should know where your water, gas, and electric meters are—and how to read them. If you still have in-person meter readers from your utility company, it’s helpful to know how to guide them to the meters, and being able to read and interpret them will let you audit your utility bills. Doing this once a year will spot any discrepancies that could indicate a billing error, utility theft, or a slow leak. An evacuation routeIf something terrible were to happen unexpectedly, how would you get out of the house? If the front door was blocked somehow, is there an alternate route out? If you’re trapped on an upper floor, how would you escape? Those kinds of emergencies don’t happen often, thank goodness, but now is the time to plan for them. Think about what you would do in a variety of scenarios, so you have a way out even if the obvious exits are blocked. Dryer typeIf your home had a washer and dryer when you moved in, find out what kind of dryer you have. This might sound obvious, but many people don’t realize that there are gas- and electric-powered dryers. If your gas-powered dryer dies and you order an electric one to replace it, you’ve got a huge headache instead of a solution. Type of insulationA good question to ask the builder, previous owners, or home inspector is the type of insulation in the walls and attic space. In older homes that haven’t been significantly renovated, this could be asbestos-based insulation, which isn’t a problem unless you try to remove it. But even if your insulation is more modern, knowing the kind and how long it’s been in there is a good thing. First, it might not be the best insulation in the world, so you might want to upgrade it. And second, insulation doesn’t last forever, so knowing how old it is will be helpful as you plan future maintenance and budgets. Property linesYou (probably) didn’t just buy a structure, you bought property. That probably includes some outdoor space around your home—your lot. The problem with property lots is that they look very clear and obvious on a map, but aren’t so easy to figure out when you’re literally standing on them. This can lead to incursions from neighbors when their fencing strays onto your property, or assumptions about who owns what or whether your neighbors have an easement or a right of access that includes your property. Finding out your exact property lines is, in other words, a very good idea. Water qualityClean, potable water being piped into our homes is an incredible luxury by historical standards—but not all local water supplies are the same. Your local water utility probably has testing results available, but it’s not a bad idea to test your tap water yourself to see what you’re dealing with—and whether you’re comfortable drinking it, or if you need to look into filters. It’s also useful to find out if you have hard water—water with a high mineral content—as it can be damaging to your appliances and other aspects of your house (and isn’t the best water for showering and cleaning, either). You can soften your hard water pretty effectively—but only if you know about it in the first place. Lead pipesIf your house was built some time before 1988, it might still have lead water pipes—which means lead might be leeching into your drinking water, potentially making you sick. You should check to see if your pipes are lead, and if you get a positive result, you should contact your local government and water utility to arrange a replacement. UnderneathDo you know what’s under your house? If you have a full basement, the answer is probably yes. Crawl spaces—especially very shallow ones—can be overlooked, however. They usually contain a lot of vital stuff like water lines, gas lines, and electrical wiring, and can be a source of pest infiltration, air pollution, and bad vibes in general. It’s not unheard of for homeowners to eliminate crawl space access panels in their homes, or for crawl spaces to simply have no convenient access point—but it’s vital that you be able to access your crawl space for a variety of reasons. You will someday need to access those pipes and wires, after all, and you need to be able to monitor the foundation, humidity levels (and potential mold growth), rodent and pest populations, and potential water issues. When it comes to what’s under your house, ignorance is definitely not bliss. Sewer or septicWhen you flush your toilet or wash your dishes, where does that grey and black water go? The answer will inform your maintenance decisions, as plumbing that hooks into a municipal sewer line needs different maintenance than pipes that lead to a septic tank on your property. If you’re on a sewer line, having it inspected for clogs or infiltrating roots every year can save you a lot of trouble, while septic tanks need to be pumped out regularly, and chemical drain cleaners need to be avoided. Your filter schedulesA lot of things in your house have filters (including, possibly, the house itself). These filters all need to be replaced periodically, but each appliance or piece of infrastructure will have its own schedule and specific type of filter. Make sure you know what filters you need and how often it’s recommended they be replaced. Just because something appears to be running just fine doesn’t mean the filter doesn’t need replacing. MaterialsDo you know what kind of flooring you’re walking on? What kind of countertop you’re cooking on? Different materials have different maintenance and cleaning needs. Using the wrong cleaning products—like bleach when you’re cleaning natural stone—can do real damage to the materials, and leave you with ruined stuff and a looming renovation bill. It can be challenging for non-experts to tell the difference between stuff like laminate and hardwood flooring, after all, so you can’t just assume you know what you’re dealing with. If at all possible, it’s best to find out exactly what’s there and what the manufacturer recommends in terms of maintenance, cleaning, and repair. AccessYou own the house—all of it. You should be able to access every bit of it. You might not want to go into the crawl space or up onto the roof, but you should be able to get into those places. If there is any place you can’t get to, it might also be a place a contractor can’t get to, which could be disastrous in case of an emergency repair. And you should be able to inspect your house regularly as a proactive practice to anticipate problems before they become emergencies. Taking some time to make sure you at least know how you can access each part of your home is an essential piece of maintenance planning for what’s probably the largest asset you own. View the full article

Vice-president and defence secretary among those who debate charging Europe for American attack on HouthisView the full article

Google Maps' Timeline feature is a great way to look back on your past travels—if you have the data to look back on. Timeline users over the past couple of weeks have noticed that their data is missing, with no warning or explanation. Redditor srj737 posted on the r/GooglePixel subreddit earlier this month, reporting they lost over a decade of Timeline data, seemingly out of nowhere. Before, they could browse each location they visited with Google Maps over the past ten years; now, they had to start from scratch. What makes the situation especially confusing is the fact that Google had previously warned users they might lose Timeline data. The company announced late last year that it would be transferring Timeline functionality away from the web, and onto individual mobile devices. If you didn't move your Timeline data in time, Google warned you could lose it forever. However, that deadline appears to be June of this year, not March, so it wouldn't have made much sense for that to be the reason behind this deletion. Google did accidentally delete the dataGoogle has since responded to these concerns, however. The company confirmed to The Verge that they had accidentally erased Timeline data for some users: We briefly experienced a technical issue that caused the deletion of Timeline data for some people. Nearly everyone with encrypted Timeline backups will be able to restore their data; unfortunately those who did not have backups enabled will not be able to recover lost data. Google appears to be actively reaching out to affected users, so keep an eye out for an email from the company with instructions on retrieving your data—if you can. Redditor srj737 was able to retrieve their data, once Google acknowledged the situation. They had tried restoring from their backup before to no avail, but following Google's email, the backup worked. It's possible Google made some changes on their end to fix the feature in general, which includes both saved data as well as backup restoring, but that can't be confirmed at this time. It's a crummy situation, but it's a good reminder of the trust we put in tech companies to manage our data. Google is so huge, it makes it seem like anything you share with them will be preserved forever. However, all it takes is a technical issue on the company's end to lose your data forever. Today, it's Timeline data; tomorrow, it could be your photos. It's tricky with dedicated cloud-based features, but whenever you have the option, backing up to a source other than the cloud is the most secure way to preserve your data. How to recover your lost Timeline dataUnfortunately, the only way to restore this deleted Timeline data is if you had previously made a backup of that data through Google Maps. If so, Google's instructions say to update to the latest version of Google Maps, open your Timeline, then tap the cloud icon that appears at the top of the screen. From here, you should be able to select a backup to restore your Timeline data from. If you don't see a backup option here, it likely means you never made a Timeline backup, and, sadly, your data is lost forever. How to export your Google Maps Timeline data If you do still have your Timeline data, or you start building it back up again, and you want to make a more secure backup than relying on Google's services, you can manually export your data, as shared by Redditor saharaci. To do so on Pixel, then go to Settings > Location > Location Services > Timeline > Export timeline data. On iPhone, go through the Google Maps app. Tap your profile, head to Your timeline, then tap the three dots in the top right. Here, tap Location & privacy settings, choose Export Timeline data, then pick a destination for your data. View the full article

Trade groups representing banks and utilities urged lawmakers to reauthorize the CISA law before it expires in September. View the full article

Washington has told London it must change the levy to win carve-out from reciprocal tariffsView the full article

New military leadership, with far-right’s support, draws up drastically harsher proposal to destroy HamasView the full article

As Google prepares Android 16 for launch, users are discovering interesting new features in its various betas. The latest one, discovered by Android Authority, allows you to unlock your Google Pixel phone even when its screen is turned off. This is possible on Pixel phones that have an in-display fingerprint sensor and are running Android 16 beta 3. How to unlock your Pixel phone with the screen offHere's how the new feature works. First, get an eligible Pixel phone and then update it to Android 16 beta 3 (I'll go over how in a little bit). Next, go to Settings > Security & privacy > Device unlock > Face & Fingerprint Unlock > Fingerprint Unlock, and enable Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock. Now lock your phone and place your finger where the in-display fingerprint sensor is located. This should unlock your smartphone. The devices that support Android 16's screen off fingerprint unlocksMany Android phones actually already support unlocking via the in-display fingerprint sensor even while the screen is off, but Google Pixel phones have not supported this feature until now. You can use this feature with every Google Pixel phone that has an in-display fingerprint sensor, which is to say that if you have a Pixel 6 or newer, you'll have access to it. You will need Google's newest OS, but because Android 16 can be installed on Pixel 6 and newer devices, that's not a problem. Installing Android 16 on your Pixel phoneBefore downloading and installing the Android 16 beta, you should make a full back up of your device. Beta software is unstable and can cause critical apps such as the Phone app to stop working. If this happens to you, you may be out of luck, as Google warns that reverting to a stable version of Android requires you to erase all data on your phone and that restoring from a backup may not be successful at times. Once you've prepped, and if you're okay with the risks, visit Google's Android beta website and select View your eligible devices. After that, follow the on-screen prompts to enroll in the Android beta program. With that, just go through the steps above to start unlocking your phone without turning on the screen first. View the full article

The new name Cotality, along with its latest tag line, reflects its role in serving and uniting the entire property ecosystem, company executives said. View the full article

3:52 a.m.: Wake up. 3:54 a.m.: Pour out a cup of Saratoga Water. 4:04 a.m.: Work out next to a bottle of Saratoga Water. 5:49 a.m.: Dunk face in ice-cold bowl of Saratoga Water. These are just a few of the steps of fitness influencer Ashton Hall’s extremely specific morning routine, which grabbed the internet’s attention over the weekend for its oddly regimented timing and near-comical flaunting of wealth. One particular video of Hall’s schedule has amassed 98.4 million views on TikTok and 674.5 million views on X, spawning countless reactions and copycats, as well as shout-outs from Mr. Beast and Sweetgreen. And there’s one brand that’s clearly the winner amidst all of this publicity: Saratoga Spring Water. Viewers were quick to notice that Hall’s routine—which also includes rubbing a banana peel on his face, doing dead sprints on a treadmill, and eating breakfast seemingly prepared by an in-home chef—featured a disproportionate amount of product placement shots for Saratoga-branded water. In his most viral TikTok alone, the eye-catchingly blue bottle appears in around 25 different shots. Apparently as a result of this discourse, Saratoga Water’s parent company, Primo Brands, saw its stock rise by as much as 16% in premarket trading this morning, according to MarketWatch, although it was essentially flat by midday. Meanwhile, according to Google Trends data, search queries for the brand have spiked more than 1,000% to an all-time high since Sunday. Saratoga’s big brand moment? Now, dozens of TikTok and X users are putting their own spin on Hall’s ultra-privileged routine. Several influencers have attempted to capitalize on the moment by mimicking Hall’s routine shot-for-shot, including by purchasing their own bottles of Saratoga. Brands including the Detroit Lions and Sweetgreen have both posted tweets referencing Hall’s video. Even Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast), the most popular creator on YouTube, took to X with his own joke about participating in the trend. Some have been more overtly critical. Makeup artist Matt Bernstein said in an Instagram story that the Hall’s video had an “extreme undercurrent of misogyny,” noting the presence of a woman who appears out of frame to present him with food and water. Others are taking a more satirical route. One X user posted a photo of their grocery cart, filled with only bananas and Saratoga water, and asked, “am I forgetting anything?” Another user captioned a GIF of rapper Lil Baby counting stacks of money, “Saratoga water CEO for the next three weeks.” One tweet with 4.3 million views simply shows a man standing in front of a fridge full of Saratoga with the caption “Locked in.” Saratoga finally responded to the trend with an Instagram post on Sunday telling users, “Plunge. If you must,” and crediting Hall for his video. Still, the brand has yet to truly capitalize on this moment with its own content—a move that seems like the natural next step, given its sudden visibility in the cultural zeitgeist. While Hall’s original viral video doesn’t specifically list Saratoga as a brand partner, it seems probable that the content is sponsored, given that the brand invariably appears in almost all of Hall’s TikToks. We’ve reached out to Hall for comment. In a presentation for investors last month, Primo Brand executives shared that the brand has grown significantly since it was acquired in 2021, going from $13 million in sales that year to $71 million in 2024. Saratoga did not immediately respond to Fast Company’s request for more information on how the recent trend has influenced sales. View the full article

Last year, I advised readers that the "second-generation" AirPods Max were actually a worse deal than the original pair. Apple was charging $549 for headphones that were virtually identical to the pair that launched in 2020, only with USB-C instead of Lightning. What's more, Apple actually took away a feature with the USB-C pair: Unlike the Lightning AirPods Max, the USB-C model was not compatible with 3.5mm adapter, meaning you couldn't use them for wired playback. Seeing as the Lightning AirPods Max are frequently on sale by around $150, it seemed silly to recommend the newer, more expensive AirPods Max—unless you really couldn't live without USB-C. That is, until today, when Apple made an excellent AirPods Max announcement. When Apple releases iOS 18.4 next month (as well as macOS Sequoia 15.4), the company will issue a rare AirPods Max update: These headphones will support both lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio, as Apple will now allow for a wired connection over USB-C. AirPods Max (USB-C) $479.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $549.00 Save $69.01 Shop Now Shop Now $479.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg $549.00 Save $69.01 Lossless audio vs. BluetoothLet's start with lossless audio. While AirPods' wireless quality is excellent, it isn't perfect. In order to beam music from a device like your iPhone or Mac to your AirPods over Bluetooth, those files need to be compressed. While compression has come a long way since the days of MP3 files, you do lose information in the process. You might not notice, especially with a good pair of wireless headphones, but if you're directly comparing a lossy codec like AAC (what Apple uses for Bluetooth streaming) and ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) over high quality headphones, you may hear a difference. AirPods Max will support ALAC streaming and downloads via a USB-C connection. You can plug your AirPods into your Mac, iPhone, or iPad, and listen to music without data loss. That said, be warned: These files will be much larger than the compressed music you might be used to, so keep that in mind before downloading or streaming large amounts of lossless music. Apple wants professionals making music with AirPods MaxThe other big update here is ultra-low latency audio. Traditionally, wireless headphones have been impossible to use for anything that requires real-time audio feedback. That's because Bluetooth audio comes with "latency," or a delay between the audio source and the target output. This isn't an issue when streaming music or audiobooks, or even when watching shows and movies, because the delay is minute enough to be inconsequential. However, if you're a professional musician, this delay is unworkable. Try recording a track when listening to real-time feedback on a pair of wireless headphones, and you'll have a bad time. Now that AirPods Max with USB-C can be used with a wired connection, that's changing. With iOS 18.4, you can plug your AirPods Max directly into a source, like your Mac, via USB-C, and take advantage of ultra-low latency audio. Apple even says that this AirPods Max model is the only headphone to offer musicians the ability to create and mix music with Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking in mind. I've never been a big fan of this feature, but perhaps once artists can design tracks with head tracking while using AirPods Max, it may improve. The company also touts the benefits of this reduced latency for gaming and livestreaming. Apple says there is zero response delay here, and the experience is "on par" with the built-in speakers on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. OG AirPods Max are left behindIf you're an original AirPods Max owner (like me), none of this news applies to you. Unfortunately, both lossless wired playback and ultra-low latency audio are exclusive to the USB-C AirPods Max—even though the original AirPods Max supports wired playback over a 3.5mm to Lightning adapter. Apple didn't specify why this was the case—perhaps there's a technical limitation between Lightning and USB-C—but I imagine it also helps that the company now has two new perks to highlight with its "new" AirPods Max. Remember, these headphones were basically the same, minus the port and some new colors, so now Apple can point to these features as exclusives, and reasons to buy the AirPods Max over the, well, older AirPods Max. If you're an audiophile entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, then, yeah: It's a reason to buy the new model. Lossless audio support is awesome, especially if you have the lossless audio files to play. And if you have interest or need for a pair of headphones for music creation, all the better. However, barring these needs, I'd still recommend comparing prices between the Lightning and USB-C AirPods Max. Stores are cutting the price of the new model more than they used to, but if you find a significantly good deal on the Lightning headphones, consider them. If you don't care about USB-C, lossless audio, or ultra-low latency, and you just want a pair of high-quality wireless headphones that work well with your Apple devices, you'll be well-served by the original pair—especially if you can shred some digits off the price tag. View the full article

Sales of so-called social bonds, which direct proceeds to areas like health, housing and education, jumped about 130% to $657 billion globally last year, and continued at a similar pace in the first quarter. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. For lean protein that’s tasty, low fat, and affordable, you can't go wrong with shrimp, especially if you buy frozen. I like to do just that, and stretch it out over many meals. I think we can all agree that when you’re eating a lot of one particular thing, the best way to keep things interesting is to try new recipes and to find different cooking methods for it. And my latest shrimp obsession is to “grill” it using my waffle iron. Why waffled shrimp worksThe waffle iron is one of the most versatile appliances in your kitchen—it's good for so much more than making waffles. The benefits of using a waffle maker to cook your wee sea bugs is four-fold: speed, ease, space, and a dry cook (which compares to grilling). When I waffle my shrimp, I always start with a cleaner counter space; as the prep is all done beforehand, and my particular waffle maker is not very large, I need some room to have all my skewers ready to go. Then it’s just a matter of switching out the skewers of shrimp in the appliance; once cooked, they’re ready to snack on or lay across a pile of rice. The "dry cook" is the biggest selling point for me. I love shrimp, but I don't always love eating wet shrimp, and the waffle iron remedies this. (I’m a sometimes seafood lover, so I can get easily grossed out by too much ocean; my fiance historically makes too much saucy shrimp, so I’ll switch to waffling when I’m in charge of dinner.) Similarly to grilling, where you have grates, the divots and grooves of the waffle press allow the excess juices to drain away from the meat. (This is also why you should waffle some meat.) That, coupled with the high heat of the waffle plates, means you can quickly concentrate the flavor without much moisture collecting around the seafood. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann How to waffle your shrimp1. Thaw the shrimp Waffling your shrimp is especially good if you’re in the mood for a quick shrimp snack. Since the waffle iron cooks from both sides simultaneously, my medium shrimp finished cooking in three minutes. If you have frozen shrimp or you’re marinating it, thaw them in the fridge overnight and give them a seasoning dry rub in the morning so you’ll be ready to waffle them just before eating. 2. MarinateA good marinade can be nearly any seasoning mix, spice blend, or even salad dressing. As I mentioned, I prefer dry but flavorful shrimp, so after thawing I’ll pat them dry with paper towel and add them to a bowl with dry seasonings like old bay, cayenne pepper powder, a curry powder mix, and salt. Then I’ll drizzle on a teaspoon or so of cooking oil. This makes it easier to coat the shrimp with the seasonings but also prevents them from sticking to the iron. 3. Skewer Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann You don’t need to skewer the shrimp, but I like to because it’s so much easier to remove them from the waffle maker and switch in the next batch. Also, you must consider how fun it is to eat shrimp straight off the skewer. Use bamboo skewers and poke through the centers of the shrimp—they don't need soaking or any special treatment. You can skewer as many as will fit, but don’t add more than the length or width of your waffle iron. 4. WaffleMy waffle iron only has an on-off toggle, but if you have temperature controls, then put them up to the highest setting. Shrimp cook easily, and large or medium shrimp will cook through in three to four minutes. When your iron is fully preheated, lay down as many skewers as you can fit with about a half-inch of space between them. Press the lid down and keep some pressure on it for the first minute or so. Peek in the side to see if they’re looking opaque after three minutes, and remove them if so. Swap in the next skewers. If you don’t have a waffle iron already or you’re looking to buy a new one, I highly recommend one that has removable plates for easier cleaning. It’s such a relief to let the waffle iron cool down while I eat my snack shrimp, then come back and pop out the plates; the appliance goes into its storage spot and I take care of plates with the rest of the dishes. Cuisinart 2-in-1 Waffle Maker with Removable Plates, WAF-RP10NAS $79.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg Shop Now Shop Now $79.99 at Amazon /images/amazon-prime.svg While your waffled shrimp may not have the grill marks or the smoky flavor of actual grilled shrimp (perhaps you can add some smoked paprika?), heating up the waffle iron is a lot easier than firing up a real grill. Plus, if you live in an apartment (like I do), or you simply don’t have a grill, this waffle-griddled shrimp gives you lots of flavor and a lot less mess. 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. A rowing machine can be a great workout option for people looking to target multiple major muscle groups at once (legs, back, core, and arms) while getting their cardio going at the same time. If you're looking for a rowing machine that's light, portable, and quiet, the Q1S Merach is worth checking out. Right now, Merach's Magnetic Rowing Machine is on sale for $179.99 (originally $299.99), a 40% discount. This is the machine's lowest price ever, according to price-checking tools. Brand: MERACH, Resistance: Adjustable, Resistance Mechanism: Magnetic Merach Rowing Machine- Magnetic (Brown) $179.99 at Amazon $299.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal Get Deal $179.99 at Amazon $299.99 Save $120.00 SEE -2 MORE As I said in my review, this machine is practical, silent, and affordable even before the current discount. I really like the ability to prop it up against the wall and keep it from taking up too much space in my dining room. The machine is also silent enough that I can get workouts done while watching TV and without annoying my partner. The Merach app is a great companion for the rowing machine, with different workouts, tracking metrics, optional classes, and other paid options to unlock. The screen itself is disappointing, but you can very easily use your phone's screen and prop it in front of you to get a much better idea of what you're doing. Where this machine might fall short for some people is in its size. I'm 5'7", and I feel that the handlebars sit very low to the ground and don't come out far enough at the start of the drive, giving me that cramped, small rowboat feel. To get any tension on my arms at the beginning of the stroke, I have to lean back—which isn't good form. If you're just trying to get a workout in, though, it likely won't bother you. View the full article

The so-called spec home, a spin on the American dream home with standardized color schemes and toilet fixtures, is falling out of favor with some US builders. 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 tired of subscription-based software but still need Microsoft Office, this lifetime license for Office 2024 (Home & Business for Mac or PC) might be worth considering. It's currently on sale for $159.97 on StackSocial until March 30 (down from $249.99) and is a one-time purchase that gives you access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote without the recurring fees of Microsoft 365. After buying, the license ties to your Microsoft account, not a specific device, so you can reinstall it if you switch computers. The catch is that this version won’t get future upgrades, meaning once Microsoft moves on to the next version, you’ll still be stuck with this one. Of course, that might not be an issue if you just need core productivity tools without chasing every new feature. This Office 2024 edition is faster and has some notable improvements over Office 2021, particularly in Excel, where handling large datasets is noticeably smoother. PowerPoint’s got some solid upgrades, too, including the ability to record presentations with live camera feeds—useful for remote work or online courses. The newer Outlook offers better search functionality and an updated accessibility checker to flag emails that may not be easily readable for everyone. Microsoft also gave the whole suite a Fluent Design facelift, making everything look more polished and consistent across its apps. Unlike Microsoft 365, this version works entirely offline, which is a plus for users who don’t want cloud dependency. There are also some AI-powered features baked into this 2024 version. Word’s Smart Compose can predict and suggest text, making writing faster, while Excel’s AI Data Insights can analyze trends and recommend visualizations for your spreadsheets. PowerPoint has improved storytelling tools to make presentations more engaging with smoother transitions and built-in media support. And if you need real-time collaboration, Office 2024 does allow co-authoring within Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. However, it’s not as seamless as the cloud-based version of Microsoft 365. Also, no Microsoft Teams subscription is included, so if that’s part of your workflow, you’ll need to factor that in. This deal makes sense if you want a no-subscription Office suite that works offline. But if you’re after continuous updates and deep cloud integration, Microsoft 365 might still be the better choice. View the full article