Food is probably the third most-discussed topic in Engadgets Slack rooms. Having more than a few cuisine-obsessed folk on staff means when theres an opportunity to review a new bit of cooking tech, we jump at the chance. Right now, thanks to Amazons Spring Sale, a long list of the kitchen tech weve covered is on sale. Were seeing discounts on brands like KitchenAid, Breville, Instant Pot and more. So if its time to update your meal prep situation or invest in a time saver for weeknight dinners, check out the best deals on the kitchen tech we recommend. The best Amazon Spring Sale deals on air fryers, Instant Pots and more Breville Juice Fountain Plus for $140 ($40 off): The powerful Juice Fountain impressed us with its extraction abilities. Plus its relatively easy to clean (as long as you do it right after you juice). It takes up a good amount of space, but can extract an impressive amount of juice from even the driest-seeming carrot. This price isnt as low as the $110 Amazon sold it for back in January, but this is the lowest price weve tracked since then. Cosori 9-in-1 air frier for $90 ($30 off): Cosoris fryer earned a spot as the runner up for best overall air fryer in our guide. It has nine preset cooking modes and a six-quart capacity. We like that it doesnt take up too much space, but can still cook up a decent amount of food Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro for $320 ($80 off): If you want a more traditional toaster oven design with a huge capacity, go for our premium air fryer pick. The fryer-and-oven combo can accommodate a five-quart dutch oven, so its almost an auxiliary oven, which could come in handy when youre cooking for a crowd. This isn't an all-time low it went for $300 at the end of last year. Breville the Smart Oven Air Fryer for $280 ($70 off): This is the non-Pro version of the Breville air fryer we recommend. It has a slightly smaller capacity (0.8 cubic feet instead of one cubic foot) and is missing two cooking functions (dehydrate and proof). But if youre not making your own jerky or baking a ton of bread, this one can toast, broil, air fry and slow cook. You can even get it in cool colors like Red Velvet Cake for the same price. Ninja DZ401 Foodi 10-quart air fryer for $190 ($40 off): If you need to air fry two different foods at once, go for our recommendation for a dual-zone air fryer. Its a beast, so we think its best for larger kitchens and people who make big meals. It went as low as $130 for Black Friday last year, but this is the cheapest price weve seen since then. Instant Vortex 2QT Mini Air Fryer for $50 ($10 off): The budget pick in our guide doesnt go on sale often its already pretty cheap at its $60 list price. Its sold for as little as $48 for Prime Day in July, but this is the cheapest weve seen since then. Its two-quart capacity is probably best for small kitchens and can crisp up food for one or two people. Ninja AF150AMZ Air Fryer for $120 (25 percent off): This went as low as $100 for the holidays last year, but this matches the lowest price weve seen since then. The fryer gets an honorable mention in our air fryer guide because it makes good use of limited counter space with its taller design. The round cooking basket doesnt feel as roomy as square ones but it does have a dehydrate option that other cookers dont come with. KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer for $380 ($80 off): Small wonder that the home cooks gold standard of mixers made its way onto our kitchen tech guide. Its ton of available attachments can be used to make pasta, grind food, strain or spiralize fruits and veggies and more. This is no unitasker. This is a solid $80 discount off of the MSRP, but well note that Amazon sold it for as low as $330 at the end of last year and for $350 last month. KitchenAid Go Cordless Hand Blender for $100 ($30 off): The big selling point here is the removable battery that you can use for other KitchenAid Go appliances. In our testing, it had enough power to turn a roasted butternut squash into a smooth, creamy soup. The blender has hit this price a few times over the past few months and the deal isnt as good as the $77 it sold for at the end of last year. Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker for $90 ($40 off): We like this Instant Pot model because it's simple to use and has several quick-cooking modes including beans, cake, sous vide and more. It went as low as $70 earlier this year, but this is still a 30 percent discount off the list price. Instant Pot Pro Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker for $133 ($67 off): We also suggest this fancier Pro Plus model in our guide to kitchen tech. Its a Wi-Fi connected unit with a canning function and you can even release the steam remotely using the companion app which has over 800 recipes. This isn't an all-time low it was $125 earlier this week and dipped as low as $99 for Black Friday last year. Fellow Stagg EKG Pro electric kettle for $165 ($30 off): This exquisitely designed kettle has an LCD panel built into the base so you can choose a specific temperature down to the degree. And the hold feature keeps water hot for up to an hour. This is the pro model of the version we recommend in our tea guide. Anova Culinary Sous Vide 3.0 for $129 ($70 off): We named this the best overall sous vide machine after testing a number of models for our buyers guide. This is about $30 more than the low it hit for the holidays last year, but this is the lowest price weve seen in 2025. We appreciate the easy digital controls and found that the high flow rate maintains water temperature better than other machines. Plus, if youre at a loss for what to cook, you can check out the companion app which is replete with recipes. Expired deals Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Nano for $100 ($50 off): This is the machine that led our editor to dub these machines the Millennial crockpot. She uses this one a few times a week to make unfussy meals that keep her alive. The Nano model is a slightly smaller and less expensive version of the top pick in our buyers guide. This is about $10 more than the all-time low, but is the cheapest weve seen Amazon sell it for over the past couple of months.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-amazon-spring-sale-deals-on-kitchen-tech-from-ninja-breville-kitchenaid-and-others-092909576.html?src=rss

Looking for NYT Connections answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, plus my commentary on the puzzles.

Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.

Continuing its adherence to the tech industrys motto of move fast and break things, the current administration has recently put the U.S. Department of Education (DoE) on the chopping block. This 46-year-old institution (yes, it really is younger than the original Star Wars) oversees federal education policy, ensures equal access to education, and administers the federal student loan program.As a recovering high school English teacher, I would argue that all of the DoEs responsibilities are vital to our nation and shouldnt be part of the Taxes Chainsaw Massacre. And Im glad our executive branch cannot dismantle the Department of Education without Congressional approval. But that doesnt change the fact that the Secretary of Education has slashed the DoE workforce, and the president has floated the idea of moving student loan responsibilities to a different department, like the Small Business Administration (SBA).So, where does the proposed dismantling of the Department of Education leave federal student loan borrowers? Borrowers are subject to the legal loan contracts they signed with the DoE. This means the potential chaos could cause some localized chaos in the vicinity of your bank account.To help borrowers understand what to expect and how to protect themselves while the dust settles around the DoE, I spoke to student loan experts Kat Tretina and Mark Kantrowitz. Heres what you need to know.The SBA probably wont take over your student loansAlthough the president has been treating all government agencies as if they can be changed on a whim, it isnt that simple. If you remember your more obscure Schoolhouse Rock songs, youll recall that we have a three-ring government and no one part can be more powerful than any other is.In this situation, changing the location of the current federal student loan program, creating a new program, or even resurrecting an old guaranteed loan program, would require an act of Congress, Kantrowitz says.Thats because the Higher Education Act of 1965 mandates that all federal student aid programs are located and managed by Federal Student Aid (FSA), Kantrowitz says. Its right there in the statute. They cant really interpret the law as the secretary of Education can delegate the authority to the Small Business Administration.If the current administration decides to try it anyway, they would have to flout the law and face lawsuits to dismantle the DoE and move your student loans to another agency. This may be cold comfort, considering how little lawsuits seem to phase the president. But Kantrowitz offers some logistical comfort, as well: Keep in mind that the SBA is cutting something like 43% of its staff, he says. So, how are they gonna do all this new federal loan stuff with fewer staff? Let alone what they currently do? Its a recipe for chaos.You may struggle to get personalized answers about your loansEven though your loans are likely to stay right where they are, you may still experience some turbulence during repayment. Specifically, the DoE layoffs means the department has lost years of institutional knowledge as well as the necessary labor force to maintain the FSA website and provide call center support.These mass firings may affect borrowers sooner rather than later. Tretina, who has been reporting on student loans for nine years, stated on March 12, 2025, that all of my contacts with the Department of Education were laid off, and getting a hold of anyone for information about the latest changes is near impossible.Kantrowitz does offer a recommendation for how current borrowers can get the answers they need in the wake of this DoE reduction in force: Make friends with your student loan servicer.Federal student loans are serviced by contractor organizations that manage loan repayment. While the DoE owns your federal student loan, a separate loan servicer is the organization you deal with directly when making payments, requesting forbearance or deferment, or changing your repayment plan. Loan servicers have to keep up-to-date with DoE changes and can typically answer questions about your specific loan situation.But there are other calls you can make if youre confused about your loans and cant reach the DoE. Your college financial aid administrator is a good source of information, Kantrowitz says. Even if youve already graduated and you are repaying your loans, they can still provide you with useful information. This is also true for any borrowers who are repaying loans but didnt finish their degree.Get organized to keep the chaos at bayAny changes to federal student loans will only affect new borrowers. Current borrowers can count on their loan agreements remaining the same as they were when they signed them. But very few of us can recite the specifics of the loan agreements they signed in collegewhich is why you should protect yourself by hunting down those documents and keeping them handy.To be clear, it is exceedingly unlikely that the U.S. government will start playing a shell game with your current federal student loan. Locating, downloading, and printing out your loan agreement is a way to protect yourself from misinformation or misunderstandings about your loan.Heres how: If you have your documents available, they can provide you with a starting point for understanding how a proposed change might affect you. If you dont have your loan agreement and an understanding of your borrower rights and responsibilities, its a lot easier to panic if you hear a rumor that the WWE is now in charge of the DoE.That said, Tretina also recommends keeping hard copies of your payments, just in case. If you have student loans, download all of your statements, particularly records of past payments, she says. Having these records will ensure you get credit for all of your payments, even if the overworked remaining DoE employees make an oopsie or experience an IT glitch.Be the order you want to see in the worldIts easy to feel overwhelmed by the chaotic news cycle, especially when it starts affecting things that were already overwhelming, like student loans. In addition to breathing into a paper bag, you can help calm your concerns by remembering that moving your student loans to another agency would require an Act of Congress.While the recent staff cuts at the DoE may make it difficult to get personalized answers about your loans, you can always reach out to your loan servicer or your alma maters financial aid office for assistance. And downloading and printing copies of your loan agreement and statements will help protect you from both misinformation and potential mistakes.

Few apps are as inextricably linked to the iPhone as Apples Messages. Introduced with the original iPhone almost 18 years ago, the app (then called Text) has become the primary messenger for most iPhone users worldwide. It allows users to receive Apples proprietary iMessages, as well as RCS messages and old-school SMS messages.In recent years, Apple has introduced several new features to the Messages app and its iMessage protocol. Most recently, in iOS 18, the company allowed users to stylize text by bolding or underlining words, incorporated animated effects that make words shake or appear to explode, and enabled users to react to a message with any emoji. But while the above additions are nice, theyre mainly eye candyand that only gets a messaging app so far.When it comes to being truly useful, Apples Messages still lacks some basic functionalityand reliabilityother messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal have had for years. Apple is expected to preview the iPhones next operating system, iOS 19, at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 9. Heres hoping the company adds the following improvements currently sorrowfully lacking in Messages today.iMessage needs to work when traveling internationallyApple needs to address how its iMessages work when a user is traveling internationally and using a temporary travel SIMas anyone who has tried to text a friend who is traveling overseas, or who has traveled internationally themselves, knows too well.If an iPhone user removes their domestic SIM card and replaces it with a temporary travel SIM, they often will not receive messages sent to the iMessage account associated with that phone number. Instead, the messages will, more often than not, simply disappear into the ether, never to be received againeven after the domestic SIM card is reinstalled.It may be natural to think that, of course, a person wont receive a text if they dont have the SIM card with the phone number the text was sent to installed in their phone. But thats not how iMessages work. When you send an iMessage, youre not actually texting the users phone number. Instead, youre using their phone number as a routing identifier to deliver a message to the associated iMessage account. This is why your Mac and iPad can receive and send messages to and from your phone number-linked iMessage account.In other words, it shouldnt matter that the users normal SIM card isnt in their iPhonethey should still be able to receive the iMessages. This is how it works with competing apps like WhatsApp and Signal, which also use phone numbers as routing identifiers. Indeed, whenever a friend travels internationally, and I dont get a response to an iMessage Ive sent, I follow up via Signal or WhatsApp. They immediately receive those messages despite not having their domestic SIM card installed.I reached out to Apple about why iMessages dont work in a similar matter, and the company told me that it was a security measure. Apple says that the measure triggers when an iPhone is without its domestic SIM cards for a few weeks, until which time users can still receive iMessages sent to their usual phone number. However, in my experience, this two-week timeframe is not accurate, and as soon as a domestic SIM card is removed from the phone, iMessages sent to the number will not go through. Apple also says that users can keep getting iMessages with a travel SIM if they have their friends send the iMessage to their email address instead of their phone number. But this relies on everyone texting you knowing that you are traveling internationally and without your domestic SIM card.While I understand the security reason behind this problem, it would be great if it were accurate that it only kicks in after two weeks. Even better: Apple should give users the option to disable this security measure for a period of time that the user can designate whenever they switch from their default SIM to a travel one.Archiving would help reduce clutterBut reliability isnt the only issue that Messages faces. For some reason, Apple still hasnt added a feature that allows users to archive chat threads.Archiving helps declutter your messaging app by letting you move chats with people you no longer or rarely interact withlike the plumber who fixed your sink last monthto a separate folder. This frees up screen space and allows you to keep your most important and active chats front and center.Archiving is a great intermediary option between keeping a chat thread forever or deleting it entirely. It has been a standard feature in nearly every major messaging app for years. Why Apples Messages still doesnt support such a basic feature in 2025 is beyond me.Bookmarking would offer quick accessSpeaking of basic featuresApples Messages lacks another one: the ability to bookmark individual messages. Other messaging apps, like WhatsApp, have allowed users to do this for a long time (WhatsApp calls this starring messages).Bookmarked messages are saved to a smart folder that the user can easily access inside the app in order to view their most important messages. This is a great way to quickly access an old message that you would otherwise have to scroll through lengthy threads to find again.There are many reasons to bookmark a message, ranging from the sentimental to the practical. An example of the latter might be when you want to quickly access important information someone had previously texted youlike the PIN code to a friends smart door lock so you can enter their house to feed the cats while theyre away.Labeling forwarded messages would eliminate confusionEven when iMessage does offer basic features that most other messaging apps offer, they are sometimes poorly implemented. The most glaring example of this is message forwarding, which allows you to easily forward a text one person sent you to another person.Other apps clearly indicate that a message is forwardedoften with an arrow or label in front of the forwarded message. But with Apples Messages, the forwarded message simply looks as though it was written by the person forwarding it.Case in point: The other day, I received a message from a friend that had a very uncharacteristic tone and subject matter. It confused me quite a bit. While I was reading it a second time, I received a follow-up message stating that the first one was from another individual, and my friend was simply forwarding it to me. Without that additional text message from my friend clarifying that the first message was forwarded, I wouldnt have known, because Apples Messages doesnt give any visual indication distinguishing a regular message from a forwarded one.Will Apple implement any of these changes in Messages in iOS 19? I hope so, but well just have to wait to see. Apple is expected to preview iOS 19 at WWDC25 in June.

Most of the time when we hear the word robotics, it brings to mind all the different robots that weve seen in movies and television shows. But as weve seen in real life stories, they come in all shapes and forms, not just the ones that might become our overlords someday when we eventually get an uprising. A lot of times we also think of them as complex and high technology creatures that need to be assembled. An experiment by roboticists in a university prove that we can also have low tech and soft robots with the power of 3D printing and the most unlikely element: air.Designer: Bioinspired Robotics LaboratoryRoboticists at the Bioinspired Robotics Laboratory at the University of California San Diego have developed innovative, electronics-free robots that can walk without any electronic components. This soft-bodied robot was 3D-printed for 58 hours in one, single process from a single material, a piece of soft and flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The robot has six legs, each with four degrees of freedom, allowing for complex movements. They also incorporate artificial muscles and a control system within a single 3D-printed structure.Another interesting thing about this robot is that instead of using the usual electric motors, the legs are moved by compressed air flowing through an internal pneumatic oscillating circuit. The robots function using only a compressed gas cartridge, eliminating the need for traditional electronic systems. The air triggers TPU actuators so the legs move as two sets of three limbs so it can walk through, or more accurately, waddle, across different kinds of surfaces and terrains. When connected to a constant air or gas source, the robots can operate continuously for up to three days. But on its own though, the runtime is of course according to the capacity of the CO2 cannister. So why would you need something like this? These electronics-free robots are ideal for use in environments where conventional electronics may fail or are unsuitable. This includes disaster response scenarios or areas with strong radiation which will not be safe for humans, and maybe eventually even space exploration. This ingenious blend of 3D printing and pneumatics unveils a fascinating new path in robotics. By stripping away complex electronics and embracing the simplicity of air power, these soft robots open up exciting possibilities for exploration and assistance in challenging and unpredictable environments. They stand as a testament to the fact that innovation doesnt always require intricate components; sometimes, the most groundbreaking solutions arise from cleverly harnessing fundamental forces and advanced manufacturing techniques.The post Air-Powered Robots Walk Straight Off the 3D Printer first appeared on Yanko Design.

Brynn Metheney shares her advice for sketching hands with accuracy.

Martha Stewartendorsed Dinnerly is a budget meal kit that often feels homespun and extravagant. Now if theyd only lay off the broiler.

Today we revisit Blockbench (we first reviewed this application back in 2020) a powerful, but completely free and open-source 3D modelling application for Mac, Windows, Linux and even the Web. It is one of the easiest to use 3D modelling applications in existence and in addition to modeling also is capable of texturing and painting.Features of Blockbench:Low-poly ModelingBlockbench puts all the tools at your disposal to make the creation process of low-poly models as easy as possible.Use cuboids to get that Minecraft aesthetic, or create complex low-poly shapes using the mesh modeling tools!Texturing ToolsCreate, edit and paint texture right inside the program. Create or import palettes, paint, or draw shapes.Blockbench can automatically create a UV map and template for your model so that you can start painting right away.You can paint directly on the model in 3D space, use the 2D texture editor, or connect your favorite external image editor or pixel art software.AnimationsBlockbench comes with a powerful animation editor. Rig your model, then use position, rotation and scale keyframes to bring it to life. Use the graph editor to fine-tune your creation.View Blockbench animationsPluginsCustomize Blockbench with the built-in plugin store.Plugins extend the functionality of Blockbench beyond what its already capable of. They add new tools, support for new export formats, or model generators.You can also create your own plugin to extend Blockbench or to support your own format.Browse Blockbench pluginsFree & Open SourceBlockbench is free to use for any type of project, forever, no strings attached.The project is open source under the GPL license.View the source codeKey LinksBlockbench HomepageBlockbench GitHubBlockbench Discord ServerIf you are looking for other free game development tools, be sure to check out our Awesome Free Game Development Tools guide. You can learn more about Blockbench and see it in action in the video below.

Here's some good news for anyone with a deal-hunting streak: Amazon's Spring Sale 2025 is in full swing (it runs through March 31). All sorts of stuff is on sale, but what we're focused on here is the board games. They're kind of hidden away deep within the main store page, but below I've picked out the best board game deals available in the sale. I even went ahead and divided them into two categories, depending on how deep you want to go into the tabletop gaming hobby.Adult Board Game DealsCascadiaForbidden JungleTamashii: Chronicle of AscendCartographers: A Roll Player TaleTrekking The National ParksMonopoly House of the Dragon EditionIf you're into board games for adults, there aren't a ton of deals to go around in the Spring Sale, but there are a handful that are worthy of a look. Cascadia is a fun game you can whip out on game night with your friends or family. See our 8/10 Cascadia review for more info on it. Forbidden Jungle is a cooperative board game that lets you work together with your fellow players. Cartographers is one of our favorite roll and write board games. And finally, Tamashii: Chronicle of Ascend is a terrific roguelike board game we gave a score of 9/10.Classic and Family Board Game DealsWHAT DO YOU MEME? Family EditionHedbanzCrocodile DentistBattleship ReloadedLabyrinthPokemon LabyrinthJumanji StampedeEXIT: The Game - Kids - Riddles in MonstervilleUnstable Unicorns for KidsTrivial Pursuit: Wizarding World Harry Potter EditionTrivial Pursuit GenerationsPerfectionSorry!Taco vs BurritoThose who want to play family board games or some of the more classic board games on the market can pick from the above sliding catalog. There are ton of deals on these categories of games, with stalwarts like Trivial Pursuit, Perfection, and Sorry! along with newer kid-friendly entries like What Do You Meme, Hedbanz, and Crocodile Dentist.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.