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The heavily rumored Apple Watch Ultra 3 might feature a faster processor, but the current model is no slouch. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Apple’s next hardware event is officially set for September 9th at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. The forthcoming iPhone 16 is widely expected to be the star of the show, although if the rumors are to be believed, Apple will also likely use the showcase to introduce a new Apple Watch Series 10 and Watch Ultra 3. That said, Apple’s third-gen smartwatch is unlikely to debut under $799, which makes the $100 discount we’re seeing at Amazon on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 that much sweeter.

Right now, all three Ultra 2 models — specifically the Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Ocean Band configurations — are down to $699, matching their Prime Day low. Although the rumored Ultra 3 will reportedly get a faster chip alongside the flagship Series 10, the S9 SiP processor found in the Ultra 2 is still plenty fast, allowing for onboard Siri processing and Apple’s handy double tap feature. The 49mm, LTE-enabled Ultra 2 offers a more rugged build than the Series 9, along with an assortment of premium, outdoor-centric features you won’t find on the Series models. This includes a bevy of sensors for measuring various dive metrics, as well as more robust water resistance, a bright 3,000-nit display, and a battery that can last days at a time.
The new Ultra will surely introduce a few iterative updates — some of which may be foundational for future AI-based enhancements courtesy of Apple Intelligence — but there’s plenty to love about the current model if you don’t need the latest and greatest from Apple.

Read our Apple Watch Ultra 2 review.

Other ways to save right now

Now through September 6th, the long-overdue Super Mario RPG remake for the Nintendo Switch is down to an all-time low of $31.99 ($28 off) at Woot when you use offer code MARIO. The charming role-playing game — which was created in partnership with Square Enix, then known as SquareSoft — is a faithful recreation of the 1996 SNES classic, complete with Final Fantasy-style turn-based battles, plenty of gear, and a talking cloud named Mallow. And jumping. Lots and lots of jumping. Read our review.

Keurig’s K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker, a frequent highlight in our gift guides, is on sale in a variety of colors at Amazon, Target, and Fred Meyer for $59.99 ($40 off), matching its second-best price to date. The easy-to-use K-Cup brewer can only make one 12-ounce cup of coffee at a time, but it also measures a mere five inches wide, making it an ideal choice for a dorm or cramped countertop.
If you’re a gamer who doesn’t want to spend a fortune on the newest tech from LG or Samsung, TCL’s 65-inch Q6 LED TV has returned to its all-time low of $348 ($150 off) at Walmart. The entry-level Q Class TV features a quantum dot-enabled 4K panel that’s bright and color-accurate, along with Google’s excellent TV interface and built-in Chromecast functionality. It doesn’t offer a native 120Hz refresh, sure, but TCL’s “Game Accelerator 120” mode can push the refresh rate to 120Hz while halving the vertical resolution to 1080p.

The heavily rumored Apple Watch Ultra 3 might feature a faster processor, but the current model is no slouch. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Apple’s next hardware event is officially set for September 9th at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. The forthcoming iPhone 16 is widely expected to be the star of the show, although if the rumors are to be believed, Apple will also likely use the showcase to introduce a new Apple Watch Series 10 and Watch Ultra 3. That said, Apple’s third-gen smartwatch is unlikely to debut under $799, which makes the $100 discount we’re seeing at Amazon on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 that much sweeter.

Right now, all three Ultra 2 models — specifically the Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Ocean Band configurations — are down to $699, matching their Prime Day low. Although the rumored Ultra 3 will reportedly get a faster chip alongside the flagship Series 10, the S9 SiP processor found in the Ultra 2 is still plenty fast, allowing for onboard Siri processing and Apple’s handy double tap feature. The 49mm, LTE-enabled Ultra 2 offers a more rugged build than the Series 9, along with an assortment of premium, outdoor-centric features you won’t find on the Series models. This includes a bevy of sensors for measuring various dive metrics, as well as more robust water resistance, a bright 3,000-nit display, and a battery that can last days at a time.

The new Ultra will surely introduce a few iterative updates — some of which may be foundational for future AI-based enhancements courtesy of Apple Intelligence — but there’s plenty to love about the current model if you don’t need the latest and greatest from Apple.

Read our Apple Watch Ultra 2 review.

Other ways to save right now

Now through September 6th, the long-overdue Super Mario RPG remake for the Nintendo Switch is down to an all-time low of $31.99 ($28 off) at Woot when you use offer code MARIO. The charming role-playing game — which was created in partnership with Square Enix, then known as SquareSoft — is a faithful recreation of the 1996 SNES classic, complete with Final Fantasy-style turn-based battles, plenty of gear, and a talking cloud named Mallow. And jumping. Lots and lots of jumping. Read our review.

Keurig’s K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker, a frequent highlight in our gift guides, is on sale in a variety of colors at Amazon, Target, and Fred Meyer for $59.99 ($40 off), matching its second-best price to date. The easy-to-use K-Cup brewer can only make one 12-ounce cup of coffee at a time, but it also measures a mere five inches wide, making it an ideal choice for a dorm or cramped countertop.
If you’re a gamer who doesn’t want to spend a fortune on the newest tech from LG or Samsung, TCL’s 65-inch Q6 LED TV has returned to its all-time low of $348 ($150 off) at Walmart. The entry-level Q Class TV features a quantum dot-enabled 4K panel that’s bright and color-accurate, along with Google’s excellent TV interface and built-in Chromecast functionality. It doesn’t offer a native 120Hz refresh, sure, but TCL’s “Game Accelerator 120” mode can push the refresh rate to 120Hz while halving the vertical resolution to 1080p.

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You might not have to worry about taking meeting notes ever again. | Image: Google

Google Meet’s newest AI-powered feature, “take notes for me,” has started rolling out today to Google Workspace customers with the Gemini Enterprise, Gemini Education Premium, or AI Meetings & Messaging add-ons. It’s similar to Meet’s transcription tool, only instead of automatically transcribing what everyone says, it summarizes what everyone talked about. Google first announced this feature at its 2023 Cloud Next conference.
Unfortunately, it only supports spoken English right now, but it seems like it could make missing an important meeting less stressful; it automatically takes notes in a Google Doc and will attach that file to the calendar event after the meeting is over, so you can reference them later on. It will also send that Google Doc to the meeting organizer and anyone else who turned the feature on.

Image: Google
Click on the pencil icon in the top right corner to have Google Meet start taking notes.

Running late to a meeting? Google says its new feature will also give you a summary of what you missed, so when you are able to join, you can quickly catch up — and no one should have to worry about repeating themselves. If you use Google Meet’s recordings and transcripts tool at the same time, links to those files will also be provided in the same Google Doc with the meeting notes.
This feature also sounds like a good accessibility tool for anyone (like me) who has trouble processing spoken language and taking notes at the same time. It might allow them to be more focused and fully present during meetings instead of having to ask someone to repeat what they said multiple times.
Google expects to complete the rollout to all Google Workspace customers by September 10th, 2024 — but there’s no guarantee how accurate Google Meet’s new feature will actually be.
AI can make a lot of mistakes; every time I’ve used Meet’s transcription tool, I have to go back through the automatically generated transcript to verify that it correctly captured the conversation. In my experience, that often entails listening to specific parts of the recording again and manually fixing the transcript. I’m skeptical but hopeful Google Meet will be a better note-taker than transcriber.

You might not have to worry about taking meeting notes ever again. | Image: Google

Google Meet’s newest AI-powered feature, “take notes for me,” has started rolling out today to Google Workspace customers with the Gemini Enterprise, Gemini Education Premium, or AI Meetings & Messaging add-ons. It’s similar to Meet’s transcription tool, only instead of automatically transcribing what everyone says, it summarizes what everyone talked about. Google first announced this feature at its 2023 Cloud Next conference.

Unfortunately, it only supports spoken English right now, but it seems like it could make missing an important meeting less stressful; it automatically takes notes in a Google Doc and will attach that file to the calendar event after the meeting is over, so you can reference them later on. It will also send that Google Doc to the meeting organizer and anyone else who turned the feature on.

Image: Google
Click on the pencil icon in the top right corner to have Google Meet start taking notes.

Running late to a meeting? Google says its new feature will also give you a summary of what you missed, so when you are able to join, you can quickly catch up — and no one should have to worry about repeating themselves. If you use Google Meet’s recordings and transcripts tool at the same time, links to those files will also be provided in the same Google Doc with the meeting notes.

This feature also sounds like a good accessibility tool for anyone (like me) who has trouble processing spoken language and taking notes at the same time. It might allow them to be more focused and fully present during meetings instead of having to ask someone to repeat what they said multiple times.

Google expects to complete the rollout to all Google Workspace customers by September 10th, 2024 — but there’s no guarantee how accurate Google Meet’s new feature will actually be.

AI can make a lot of mistakes; every time I’ve used Meet’s transcription tool, I have to go back through the automatically generated transcript to verify that it correctly captured the conversation. In my experience, that often entails listening to specific parts of the recording again and manually fixing the transcript. I’m skeptical but hopeful Google Meet will be a better note-taker than transcriber.

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Image: The Verge

Shein, the massively popular bargain bin retailer selling clothes, accessories, and home goods, said it uncovered two cases of child labor between Q1 and Q3 of 2023.
In its most recent sustainability report released last week, Shein said the discoveries were made through the company’s audits of suppliers working with the brand. Shein says it defines children as anyone under the age of 15; in China, it’s illegal to employ children under 16. Shein didn’t specify which factories were employing children or how many were discovered.
“Upon discovering these violations, SHEIN suspended orders from the contract manufacturers and undertook investigations,” the company writes. Under the policy at the time, manufacturers were given 30 days to resolve the violation by “terminating contracts with underage employees, ensuring the payment of any outstanding wages, arranging medical checkups and facilitating repatriation to parents/legal guardians as needed.” As of October 2023, Shein says it’s enforced stricter rules around contractors who were discovered to be using child labor — now, those suppliers will be immediately terminated by Shein.
The company says it did not find any cases of child labor in Q4 of 2023.
Shein’s dispersed supply chain means that the products for sale on its website aren’t all made under one roof or by one company: the brand works with a network of manufacturers, making it harder to keep track of working conditions and potential labor violations. The company also operates a marketplace, hawking products from third-party sellers.
The cheap and fast products sold by Shein (and competitors like Temu) exist alongside an ugly truth: workers making the items are taken advantage of. In 2022, Shein said it would spend $15 million to revamp factories and increase audits after an investigation found that some workers were subject to illegally long working hours. But follow-up reporting found little has changed: a report by human rights advocacy group Public Eye earlier this year found that some China-based workers said they worked 75 hours a week. One worker told the group that they work 8AM to 10:30PM and can only afford to take one day off a month.
Shein exists largely online, where influencers post haul videos to promote the brand, raving about its “affordability.” As the company has strengthened its foothold in the US, it has tried to shed some of its negative public image by recruiting influencers to tour factories in China and hosting in-person popup events open to the public. But the Amazon competitor has struggled to fend off sustained scrutiny on its business practices. Some experts say Shein’s plans to go public in the US this year are growing more and more unlikely. The company more recently has filed to go public in London, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company was valued at $66 billion last year.

Image: The Verge

Shein, the massively popular bargain bin retailer selling clothes, accessories, and home goods, said it uncovered two cases of child labor between Q1 and Q3 of 2023.

In its most recent sustainability report released last week, Shein said the discoveries were made through the company’s audits of suppliers working with the brand. Shein says it defines children as anyone under the age of 15; in China, it’s illegal to employ children under 16. Shein didn’t specify which factories were employing children or how many were discovered.

“Upon discovering these violations, SHEIN suspended orders from the contract manufacturers and undertook investigations,” the company writes. Under the policy at the time, manufacturers were given 30 days to resolve the violation by “terminating contracts with underage employees, ensuring the payment of any outstanding wages, arranging medical checkups and facilitating repatriation to parents/legal guardians as needed.” As of October 2023, Shein says it’s enforced stricter rules around contractors who were discovered to be using child labor — now, those suppliers will be immediately terminated by Shein.

The company says it did not find any cases of child labor in Q4 of 2023.

Shein’s dispersed supply chain means that the products for sale on its website aren’t all made under one roof or by one company: the brand works with a network of manufacturers, making it harder to keep track of working conditions and potential labor violations. The company also operates a marketplace, hawking products from third-party sellers.

The cheap and fast products sold by Shein (and competitors like Temu) exist alongside an ugly truth: workers making the items are taken advantage of. In 2022, Shein said it would spend $15 million to revamp factories and increase audits after an investigation found that some workers were subject to illegally long working hours. But follow-up reporting found little has changed: a report by human rights advocacy group Public Eye earlier this year found that some China-based workers said they worked 75 hours a week. One worker told the group that they work 8AM to 10:30PM and can only afford to take one day off a month.

Shein exists largely online, where influencers post haul videos to promote the brand, raving about its “affordability.” As the company has strengthened its foothold in the US, it has tried to shed some of its negative public image by recruiting influencers to tour factories in China and hosting in-person popup events open to the public. But the Amazon competitor has struggled to fend off sustained scrutiny on its business practices. Some experts say Shein’s plans to go public in the US this year are growing more and more unlikely. The company more recently has filed to go public in London, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company was valued at $66 billion last year.

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Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

Meta is shutting down all third-party face filters and AR effects on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, along with the tools used to create them, on January 14th, 2025. That includes any created by brands and other third parties, the company wrote in a blog post today. Meta’s own AR effects will continue to operate, however.
The Meta Spark platform is used to create face filters like those you’d see on Snapchat or TikTok that make you look old or reimagine you as a cartoon character, as well as AR games and ads. Any videos that have used Spark-based AR effects will stay up on Facebook, Instagram, and in messages sent over Messenger, the company says in its FAQ about the change.

Meta introduced its AR tools in 2017, giving it an answer to AR features Snapchat already had. It’s been a popular part of the platform, and the change hasn’t gone unnoticed by the platform’s creators, as TechCrunch notes, pointing to complaints on Facebook’s Meta Spark Community.
Meta writes that it’s still committed to AR, through its “long-term investments in new computing platforms that will bring us beyond today’s 2D experiences on mobile.” Part of that involves “shifting resources” to other experiences, such as glasses. (It’s expected to demonstrate its Orion AR glasses prototype at Meta Connect.)
Anyone who wants to save AR effects they’ve made with Meta Spark can do so using these instructions, copied from Meta’s FAQ:
To download an AR effect file:

Log in to Meta Spark Hub.
Click Effects.
Click the effect you want to download.
Click Files and download the file.

To download a demo video:

Log in to Meta Spark Hub.
Click Effects.
Click the effect you want to download.
Click Details.
Under Demo video, on the video, click the three dots (More options) and select Download.

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

Meta is shutting down all third-party face filters and AR effects on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, along with the tools used to create them, on January 14th, 2025. That includes any created by brands and other third parties, the company wrote in a blog post today. Meta’s own AR effects will continue to operate, however.

The Meta Spark platform is used to create face filters like those you’d see on Snapchat or TikTok that make you look old or reimagine you as a cartoon character, as well as AR games and ads. Any videos that have used Spark-based AR effects will stay up on Facebook, Instagram, and in messages sent over Messenger, the company says in its FAQ about the change.

Meta introduced its AR tools in 2017, giving it an answer to AR features Snapchat already had. It’s been a popular part of the platform, and the change hasn’t gone unnoticed by the platform’s creators, as TechCrunch notes, pointing to complaints on Facebook’s Meta Spark Community.

Meta writes that it’s still committed to AR, through its “long-term investments in new computing platforms that will bring us beyond today’s 2D experiences on mobile.” Part of that involves “shifting resources” to other experiences, such as glasses. (It’s expected to demonstrate its Orion AR glasses prototype at Meta Connect.)

Anyone who wants to save AR effects they’ve made with Meta Spark can do so using these instructions, copied from Meta’s FAQ:

To download an AR effect file:

Log in to Meta Spark Hub.
Click Effects.
Click the effect you want to download.
Click Files and download the file.

To download a demo video:

Log in to Meta Spark Hub.
Click Effects.
Click the effect you want to download.
Click Details.
Under Demo video, on the video, click the three dots (More options) and select Download.

Read More 

Illustration by The Verge | Photo by Tom Williams via Getty Images

In a letter to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee on Monday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the Biden administration “repeatedly pressured” his teams to “censor” content related to covid in 2021. Zuckerberg told the committee chair, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), that the pressure was “wrong” and he regrets not being “more outspoken about it.” He also told Jordan he would avoid repeating a 2020 donation to support local election infrastructure, aiming to avoid the perception of playing a non-neutral role in politics.
The letter largely comes as a response to increasing scrutiny from Republicans, who have accused platforms like Facebook and Instagram of being biased against conservatives for years. More recently in May, Rep. Jordan led an investigation into Meta’s interaction with the Biden administration during the pandemic. Zuckerberg’s letter puts much of the blame on employees of Biden — who, incidentally, isn’t running for another term in office.

Mark Zuckerberg just admitted three things:1. Biden-Harris Admin “pressured” Facebook to censor Americans. 2. Facebook censored Americans. 3. Facebook throttled the Hunter Biden laptop story. Big win for free speech. pic.twitter.com/ALlbZd9l6K— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) August 26, 2024

“We made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn’t make today,” Zuckerberg says. “Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction — and we’re ready to push back if something like this happens again.”
Facebook began removing posts containing misinformation at the start of the pandemic and later expanded its reach to posts with false claims about the covid vaccine. It also took action against public figures and groups for spreading false claims. At the same time, social platforms faced pushback from government officials, who claimed they weren’t doing enough to combat misinformation.
In July 2021, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy asked social platforms to rework their algorithms to “avoid amplifying misinformation,” while President Joe Biden said platforms like Facebook were “killing people” with false claims about the virus.

Republican state attorneys general from Missouri and Louisiana later sued the Biden administration in 2022 for allegedly violating the First Amendment by coercing social media companies into removing misinformation. However, the Supreme Court ruled in June of this year that their actions weren’t unconstitutional and that the government could continue communicating with social platforms. “Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our decisions,” Zuckerberg writes.
Separately, Zuckerberg’s letter addresses Facebook’s demotion of a New York Post story about President Biden’s son, Hunter, in 2020. Zuckerberg says the platform temporarily reduced its reach after receiving a warning from the FBI that it could be Russian disinformation. However, Zuckerberg now says the platform “shouldn’t have demoted the story” and that it no longer demotes stories while waiting for someone to fact-check it.

Illustration by The Verge | Photo by Tom Williams via Getty Images

In a letter to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee on Monday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the Biden administration “repeatedly pressured” his teams to “censor” content related to covid in 2021. Zuckerberg told the committee chair, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), that the pressure was “wrong” and he regrets not being “more outspoken about it.” He also told Jordan he would avoid repeating a 2020 donation to support local election infrastructure, aiming to avoid the perception of playing a non-neutral role in politics.

The letter largely comes as a response to increasing scrutiny from Republicans, who have accused platforms like Facebook and Instagram of being biased against conservatives for years. More recently in May, Rep. Jordan led an investigation into Meta’s interaction with the Biden administration during the pandemic. Zuckerberg’s letter puts much of the blame on employees of Biden — who, incidentally, isn’t running for another term in office.

“We made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn’t make today,” Zuckerberg says. “Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction — and we’re ready to push back if something like this happens again.”

Facebook began removing posts containing misinformation at the start of the pandemic and later expanded its reach to posts with false claims about the covid vaccine. It also took action against public figures and groups for spreading false claims. At the same time, social platforms faced pushback from government officials, who claimed they weren’t doing enough to combat misinformation.

In July 2021, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy asked social platforms to rework their algorithms to “avoid amplifying misinformation,” while President Joe Biden said platforms like Facebook were “killing people” with false claims about the virus.

Republican state attorneys general from Missouri and Louisiana later sued the Biden administration in 2022 for allegedly violating the First Amendment by coercing social media companies into removing misinformation. However, the Supreme Court ruled in June of this year that their actions weren’t unconstitutional and that the government could continue communicating with social platforms. “Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our decisions,” Zuckerberg writes.

Separately, Zuckerberg’s letter addresses Facebook’s demotion of a New York Post story about President Biden’s son, Hunter, in 2020. Zuckerberg says the platform temporarily reduced its reach after receiving a warning from the FBI that it could be Russian disinformation. However, Zuckerberg now says the platform “shouldn’t have demoted the story” and that it no longer demotes stories while waiting for someone to fact-check it.

Read More 

The new Dyson Airwrap i.d. now connects to a smartphone app. | Image: Dyson

The Dyson Airwrap is getting an upgrade. The new Airwrap i.d. will now feature three new attachments, Bluetooth connectivity, and personalized curling sequences via a smartphone app. It’ll also come in two types: one for straight to wavy hair, and another for curly to coily hair. And in true Dyson fashion, it’ll cost $600.
Dyson has loomed large in beauty tech for years now, but this is the company’s first connected beauty device. (It also has multiple hair dryers.) The Airwrap was last updated in 2022; that version allowed for multidirectional curling. The Airwrap i.d. is a much techier update. You’ll now be able to enter a hair profile into the MyDyson app that includes hair type, length, and your own skill level. It’ll then develop a personalized curling sequence for heat and airflow. You’ll also be able to check the filter status and cleaning guidance through the app.

Dyson is also introducing three new attachments: a conical barrel, a wave and curl diffuser, and a blade concentrator. The barrel is multidirectional, with a smaller 20mm diameter, and is meant to create more defined curls. The diffuser sends airflow in two ways for more enhanced and defined wave or curl patterns. Lastly, the blade concentrator purportedly delivers a smoother finish.
It’s also notable that the Airwrap i.d. comes in two variations based on hair type. While many love the Airwrap, some have criticized existing versions for not working quite as well for Type 3 and 4 hair. This, plus the addition of smart curling routines, is an acknowledgment that gadgets like these aren’t as easy to use as beauty influencers might make them seem. Just because you see someone online effortlessly use the device doesn’t mean you’ll be able from the first try. Even easier, high-tech curling gadgets like these require some skill and knowledge about hair products, hair type, and styling techniques. Given that, it’s not surprising that Dyson is leaning into the “smart” portion a bit more heavily, especially at this price point.

The new Dyson Airwrap i.d. now connects to a smartphone app. | Image: Dyson

The Dyson Airwrap is getting an upgrade. The new Airwrap i.d. will now feature three new attachments, Bluetooth connectivity, and personalized curling sequences via a smartphone app. It’ll also come in two types: one for straight to wavy hair, and another for curly to coily hair. And in true Dyson fashion, it’ll cost $600.

Dyson has loomed large in beauty tech for years now, but this is the company’s first connected beauty device. (It also has multiple hair dryers.) The Airwrap was last updated in 2022; that version allowed for multidirectional curling. The Airwrap i.d. is a much techier update. You’ll now be able to enter a hair profile into the MyDyson app that includes hair type, length, and your own skill level. It’ll then develop a personalized curling sequence for heat and airflow. You’ll also be able to check the filter status and cleaning guidance through the app.

Dyson is also introducing three new attachments: a conical barrel, a wave and curl diffuser, and a blade concentrator. The barrel is multidirectional, with a smaller 20mm diameter, and is meant to create more defined curls. The diffuser sends airflow in two ways for more enhanced and defined wave or curl patterns. Lastly, the blade concentrator purportedly delivers a smoother finish.

It’s also notable that the Airwrap i.d. comes in two variations based on hair type. While many love the Airwrap, some have criticized existing versions for not working quite as well for Type 3 and 4 hair. This, plus the addition of smart curling routines, is an acknowledgment that gadgets like these aren’t as easy to use as beauty influencers might make them seem. Just because you see someone online effortlessly use the device doesn’t mean you’ll be able from the first try. Even easier, high-tech curling gadgets like these require some skill and knowledge about hair products, hair type, and styling techniques. Given that, it’s not surprising that Dyson is leaning into the “smart” portion a bit more heavily, especially at this price point.

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A cooling center in Sacramento, California, on July 3rd, 2024.  | Photo: Getty Images

Heat-related deaths are on the rise in the US, according to a new analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The number of heat-related deaths recorded in the US jumped 117 percent between 1999 and 2023, it finds. These kinds of deaths are preventable and had previously been on the decline. This study is likely the first to show an about-face in the US since 2016, the authors write.
Authorities need to put appropriate safety measures in place
Keeping people safe when temperatures spike is becoming more difficult in a warming world. Heatwaves are more frequent and more intense than they used to be. Authorities need to put appropriate safety measures in place to prevent more deaths in the future, the paper warns.
“As temperatures continue to rise because of climate change, the recent increasing trend is likely to continue,” it says. “Local authorities in high-risk areas should consider investing in the expansion of access to hydration centers and public cooling centers or other buildings with air conditioning.”
The research is based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on deaths between 1999 and 2023. It counts deaths in which heat was recorded as an underlying or contributing cause — a total of 21,518 people who lost their lives over that time period.
The age-adjusted mortality rate started to increase significantly in 2016, growing 16.8 percent per year since then. That’s compared to a slight 1.4 percent decrease per year between 1999 and 2016. Heat-related deaths peaked in the US last year with 2,325 documented. 2023 also happened to be the hottest year on record for the planet.

We know that heat kills far more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes, or other weather-related disasters. And yet, official numbers can easily miss deaths related to heat that authorities may not have had the resources to investigate. Heat exposure can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, for example, but that might not be named on a death certificate. Children, whose bodies are less efficient at cooling themselves down, and older people, who are more likely to have chronic health conditions, are most at risk during extreme or prolonged heat.
Policymakers and urban planners across the US are working to prevent those deaths and prepare for rising temperatures with climate change. The Biden administration has proposed federal heat protections for workers. Arizona, Miami, and Los Angeles now have chief heat officers charged with coordinating responses to extreme heat. Simple measures like keeping people informed ahead of a heatwave, making sure residents have safe places to cool down, and designing cities to trap less heat can all help save lives.

A cooling center in Sacramento, California, on July 3rd, 2024.  | Photo: Getty Images

Heat-related deaths are on the rise in the US, according to a new analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The number of heat-related deaths recorded in the US jumped 117 percent between 1999 and 2023, it finds. These kinds of deaths are preventable and had previously been on the decline. This study is likely the first to show an about-face in the US since 2016, the authors write.

Keeping people safe when temperatures spike is becoming more difficult in a warming world. Heatwaves are more frequent and more intense than they used to be. Authorities need to put appropriate safety measures in place to prevent more deaths in the future, the paper warns.

“As temperatures continue to rise because of climate change, the recent increasing trend is likely to continue,” it says. “Local authorities in high-risk areas should consider investing in the expansion of access to hydration centers and public cooling centers or other buildings with air conditioning.”

The research is based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on deaths between 1999 and 2023. It counts deaths in which heat was recorded as an underlying or contributing cause — a total of 21,518 people who lost their lives over that time period.

The age-adjusted mortality rate started to increase significantly in 2016, growing 16.8 percent per year since then. That’s compared to a slight 1.4 percent decrease per year between 1999 and 2016. Heat-related deaths peaked in the US last year with 2,325 documented. 2023 also happened to be the hottest year on record for the planet.

We know that heat kills far more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes, or other weather-related disasters. And yet, official numbers can easily miss deaths related to heat that authorities may not have had the resources to investigate. Heat exposure can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, for example, but that might not be named on a death certificate. Children, whose bodies are less efficient at cooling themselves down, and older people, who are more likely to have chronic health conditions, are most at risk during extreme or prolonged heat.

Policymakers and urban planners across the US are working to prevent those deaths and prepare for rising temperatures with climate change. The Biden administration has proposed federal heat protections for workers. Arizona, Miami, and Los Angeles now have chief heat officers charged with coordinating responses to extreme heat. Simple measures like keeping people informed ahead of a heatwave, making sure residents have safe places to cool down, and designing cities to trap less heat can all help save lives.

Read More 

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Thirteen years after launching on the iPhone, Snapchat has finally brought its app to the iPad. In an update note on Monday, Snapchat announced that it now offers native support for the iPad, allowing the app to fill your entire screen for the first time.
Until now, iPad users were stuck using the iOS version of the app, leaving them with unsightly black borders surrounding an iPhone-sized Snapchat interface. This made it less than ideal to view or take snaps on the app, as well as try on filters.

Image: Snapchat

Image: Snapchat

Of course, this shouldn’t be an excuse to start slinging your iPad around in public to send pictures to your friends. Snapchat is available with iPadOS 13.0 or later. It also currently only supports portrait mode, which means it won’t rotate when you tilt your device.
Even if the app came a decade late, at least Snapchat actually launched an app for the iPad. Now, all we need is Instagram to do the same.

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Thirteen years after launching on the iPhone, Snapchat has finally brought its app to the iPad. In an update note on Monday, Snapchat announced that it now offers native support for the iPad, allowing the app to fill your entire screen for the first time.

Until now, iPad users were stuck using the iOS version of the app, leaving them with unsightly black borders surrounding an iPhone-sized Snapchat interface. This made it less than ideal to view or take snaps on the app, as well as try on filters.

Of course, this shouldn’t be an excuse to start slinging your iPad around in public to send pictures to your friends. Snapchat is available with iPadOS 13.0 or later. It also currently only supports portrait mode, which means it won’t rotate when you tilt your device.

Even if the app came a decade late, at least Snapchat actually launched an app for the iPad. Now, all we need is Instagram to do the same.

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Image: Instagram

Instagram will now let you add text to your photos right from the post editor, meaning you won’t need to edit your photos in a separate app just to add some text. A bit of text might help your post stand out from the rest of the photos on your feed — or help people see information that might otherwise get lost in your caption.
From the post editor, you’ll also now be able to layer another photo on top of a photo as a sticker. When you tap on that layered photo, you can change its shape from a rectangle to a square, circle, heart, or star, according to Instagram’s blog post. This feature seems fun to me — I suspect people will find some clever ways to use this in their photos.
Reels and stories are getting some text improvements, too. There are new fonts, as well as effects and animations that you can add to text to make them pop.
The updates follow a slew of recent Instagram product improvements, including a test of a Snap Map-like feature, a way to add songs to your profile, and the ability to share 20 slides in one Instagram post.

Image: Instagram

Instagram will now let you add text to your photos right from the post editor, meaning you won’t need to edit your photos in a separate app just to add some text. A bit of text might help your post stand out from the rest of the photos on your feed — or help people see information that might otherwise get lost in your caption.

From the post editor, you’ll also now be able to layer another photo on top of a photo as a sticker. When you tap on that layered photo, you can change its shape from a rectangle to a square, circle, heart, or star, according to Instagram’s blog post. This feature seems fun to me — I suspect people will find some clever ways to use this in their photos.

Reels and stories are getting some text improvements, too. There are new fonts, as well as effects and animations that you can add to text to make them pop.

The updates follow a slew of recent Instagram product improvements, including a test of a Snap Map-like feature, a way to add songs to your profile, and the ability to share 20 slides in one Instagram post.

Read More 

Image: Konami

Three of the best Castlevania games are launching on the Switch very soon — Nintendo just revealed the Castlevania Dominus Collection, which will be available on August 27th.
The bundle brings together the trilogy of Castlevania titles that originally debuted on the Nintendo DS; that means Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia. As a bonus, the 1987 arcade game Haunted Castle is also included. Konami says that the games have been updated with “extra features such as save states or rewind.” That might make up for the lack of a second screen for displaying the map.
With the launch, the Switch is slowly turning into the ideal Castlevania machine thanks to a number of other bundles, like the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, along with the Castlevania Advance Collection, which similarly gathered together a trilogy of beloved GBA games. Now we just need a port of Castlevania Requiem with Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood to complete the set.
And if you don’t have a Switch, the Dominus Collection is also coming to other platforms, including PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.

Image: Konami

Three of the best Castlevania games are launching on the Switch very soon — Nintendo just revealed the Castlevania Dominus Collection, which will be available on August 27th.

The bundle brings together the trilogy of Castlevania titles that originally debuted on the Nintendo DS; that means Dawn of Sorrow, Portrait of Ruin, and Order of Ecclesia. As a bonus, the 1987 arcade game Haunted Castle is also included. Konami says that the games have been updated with “extra features such as save states or rewind.” That might make up for the lack of a second screen for displaying the map.

With the launch, the Switch is slowly turning into the ideal Castlevania machine thanks to a number of other bundles, like the Castlevania Anniversary Collection, along with the Castlevania Advance Collection, which similarly gathered together a trilogy of beloved GBA games. Now we just need a port of Castlevania Requiem with Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood to complete the set.

And if you don’t have a Switch, the Dominus Collection is also coming to other platforms, including PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.

Read More