Cour 2 of The Apothecary Diaries season 2 kicks off this week, and man, if the show continues last weeks momentum with its delicious romance, Im going to lose it. (In the best way.)[Ed. note: This post contains spoilers for this season of The Apothecary Diaries.]While most of The Apothecary Diaries is medical mystery meets court intrigue, the show also contains a fantastically intoxicating slow-burn romance between Maomao, the titular apothecary, and Jinshi, the beautiful eunuch with secrets who runs the administration in the rear palace, where the emperors concubines live. They have deliciously contrasting personalities: Jinshi is flirtatious and charming; Maomao is pragmatic and almost cold (except when it comes to gushing over rare medical ingredients). Through working together, theyve established a rapport and a bond, though Maomao insists on not deepening it, due to their respective stations.In the most recent episode, the pair almost kissed and not just an almost-kiss, but an almost-kiss where Jinshi flipped Maomao on her back and hiked her leg up over his waist, right after shed accidentally grabbed his dick. Thats a big step for any relationship, but particularly for these two, since he has been pretending to be a eunuch but is secretly not; the actionhad him all flustered and pink-cheeked and AHHHHHHHHHHHH! It was pretty damn steamy, and had me gnashing teeth.But Jinshi and Maomaos accidental romantic situations never go smoothly especially because Maomao usually deliberately goes out of her way to avoid them. In the moment right before, after Maomao had fallen on top of Jinshi, with her hand splayed on his penis, she simply decided not to acknowledge that he had one. After all, knowing he was secretly not a eunuch would make her life way more complicated than it already was. Instead, she insisted that she must be touching a somewhat large frog. (Apparently, fans are trying to figure out just how big that might be).Such is the contrast of Maomao and Jinshi, which swings from bickering and indifference to incredibly intimate and steamy moments in the blink of an eye. Its a thrilling roller coaster and I am so here for the ride. Even if its causing me emotional whiplash thats a bonus in my book.At this point in the show, Jinshi is at least aware that he has some affections for Maomao. Maybe the teasing started because she was completely immune to his beauty, but hes grown to respect her opinion and purposefully seeks her out, driven a little crazy when she ignores him. Shes likewise grown to respect him, and even though she finds some of his antics ridiculous, she generally trusts him. Still, for the most part, she remains utterly unimpressed by his flirtatious behavior. And the best part is a lot of it is on purpose.Maomao is so wickedly smart and can easily figure out the layers of court intrigue at play here if she wanted to. Thats the key factor. Maomao very much does not want to know anything thats above her pay grade. However, she keeps getting dragged into increasingly complicated situations that she does not want to deal with, thank you very much. And Jinshi has been hiding way more than his anatomy from her. These past two episodes, Jinshi has wanted to tell her the truth about his identity. She does not want to hear it at all. She wants to claim plausible deniability, to the point where shes willing to pretend his dick is a frog. Unstoppable force meets immovable object.The episode ended without much closure on both the romance and Jinshis big reveal, so Im particularly riled up and begging for more. The Apothecary Diaries has been so damn good about teasing along its bigger mysteries while answering smaller-stakes questions. The romance is structured the same way, a slow buildup that occasionally hikes up all that tension in a big moment, like an indirect kiss via fingertips or a daring rooftop rescue. Those already made me scream, but these past couple of episodes have really sent me into a tizzy. Unfortunately, while the rush is so, so sweet, Im left craving even more. Its frustrating; its perfect.Well see just how this romance progresses in the next half of the season and considering how the stakes are ramping up, I know Im definitely going to be keysmashing my live reactions.The Apothecary Diaries season 2 cour 2 starts on Thursday on Crunchyroll.

Paramount Plus released a new teaser trailer for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 today, raising at least one big mystery right off the bat: Hey, wait a second, how did Pikes Enterprise get their hands on a holodeck?Invented by the writers of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the holodeck is a piece of Federation technology that did not appear in Strange New Worlds century-earlier time period. But with SNW being something like a greatest hits cover band of all of Trek, I can imagine that being unable to plumb the deep well of holodeck tropes that proliferated throughout Treks 1990s shows has been a real writers room handicap. I dont blame them for what is I presume a one-episode treat.Besides a holodeck murder mystery, the new teaser also shows off stories involving telephones on the Enterprise, a thrilling conclusion to last seasons Gorn-based cliffhanger, and some kind of Star Trek-aping retro futuristic aesthetic episode? And thats not to mention a whole slew of new guest stars, including Rhys Darby (Our Flag Means Death), Patton Oswalt (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), and Uzo Aduba (The Residence).The teaser remains frustratingly mum on the subject of exactly when well get to see these new episodes, with no release date in sight. Still, the season is expected to premiere on Paramount Plus in 2025, and run for ten episodes. Strange New Worlds has already been greenlit for a fourth season as well.

With an abandoned concrete block Kmart building in EMIT Technologies real estate portfolio, CEO Casey Osborn envisioned a modern headquarters for the metal fabrication company in Sheridan, Wyoming. CLB Architects was tapped to transform the former big-box structure into a nearly 120,000-square-foot campus.The new headquarters consolidates the operations of four existing fabrication facilities and adds office space plus a host of amenities accessible to staff and the general public. Rather than designing disparate spaces to support an office community, we integrated all of the sectors of business into one structure, says Eric Logan, partner at CLB Architects.A laser-perforated scrim, custom-made by the EMIT group, envelops the old and new architecture, a nod to the the materials and methods found within. Courtyards are places of respite that allow users to easily connect with nature.On the front of the edifice, the suspended facade lifts upward to welcome employees and visitors into an expansive lobby. This entrance not only sets the tone for the entire experience, it is also emblematic of EMITs no collar workforce where all are equal. Staff members enter and exit through one door, and a range of areas, from flex spaces to the library, encourage collaboration and the exchange of ideas among individuals at every level.The hub also includes sections where industrial and administrative staff can connect during the workday. A basketball court, coffee station, auditorium, and even a barbershop are some of the available amenities. Many of these offerings are also utilized by locals and employees families. It is a year-round center for both work and recreation, ideal when temperatures drop during the winter months.The machine floor is accessible from the office headquarters through a shared lobby, where there is an interplay between the interior finishes. Raw, industrial materials are paired with a blend of matte and textured surfaces for contrast that echoes the landscape of the Rocky Mountain West. Several of the furnishings and details were specially produced in-house, including workstations, chairs, ceiling panels, and screens made from birch plywood and powder-coated black steel.A standout piece, FILTER (seen below on the left), is located at a city park adjacent to the headquarters. This sculpture was created by the CLB and EMIT teams for the NYCxDESIGN Festival in 2022. Displayed in Times Square during the yearly event in Manhattan, the artwork highlights craftsmanship and invites viewers to appreciate it in a new way, just like the headquarters does. Its gratifying to see the community come together and engage here, and to celebrate the process of making, Logan adds.For more information on CLB Architects, visit clbarchitects.com.Photography by Nic Lehoux.

While comfort and aesthetics are largely subjective, the concept of California Cool immediately calls to mind a particular interior landscape: furniture and casework dominated by neutral tones, layers of natural materials that lean into raw tactility, and upholstery articulated in hearty textiles. Its a sense of tranquil space hemmed in by beachside vistas. In an effort to capture the elusive charm of the golden coast, famed interior designer Brigette Romanek teams up with Crate & Barrel for their first-ever Brigette Romanek for Crate & Barrel collaboration. Together, they unveil a playful collection of eclectic home furnishings designed to create a moment of respite through laidback luxury no matter your locale.So whats in a name? Malibu, Montecito, and the Hollywood Hills for Romanek, its about the power of suggestion and the cozy, warm feelings that the very thought of California can conjure more so than recreating a particular place. The designer leverages texture, color, and geometric form to create sensational experiences in the way she imagines each piece forging emotional connections with contemporary customers.This collection has references that are a lot more abstract. Its not looking back on anything vintage or the previous works of any designers, shares Sebastian Brauer, SVP of Product Design at Crate & Barrel. The pieces really came from Brigettes head, the way that she lives, and her passion for modern art theyre incredibly, incredibly unique.The lifestyle brand fully embraces Romaneks whimsy and utilizes her feminine touch to showcase unexpected twists that are unlike other modern furnishings that may be too industrial or too precious for some. With Crate, it was a case of, lets go. They really supported my kooky ideas some that I came up with at three or four in the morning mixed with my eclectic taste, curiosity, and love for so many things, says Romanek.In addition to creative synergy, the production, which includes hand-manufacturing, benefited from a continued dialogue with global makers who contributed to realizing Romaneks vision.These artisans have grown up with us over those 60 years, and thats kind of our special recipe, Brauer adds. All the designs came from Brigettes mind and then from our designers mockups before these pieces were made by hand in workshops with great artisans that were open to wrapping a dresser in leather or inlaying tile with bleached wood. Theres a lot of savoir-faire.Comprising 54 unique pieces, the range is robust enough to satisfy a variety of needs and contextual settings.Imagine transforming a small parlor into an intimate reading room. The Malibu Sofa uses its tubular seat back and arm structure to hug readers looking to get lost in their imagination. When its time to return to reality, the Hollywood Hills Rectangular Coffee Table features a divet perfect for cradling open books. Other accessories like the Laurel Canyon End Table and Pearl Rattan Table Lamp provide rich material accents without appearing over coordinated.Bedrooms become sanctuaries with the Montecito Extended Headboard, which features integrated lighting accentuated by bronze accents for a mixture of utility and luxury. Its monumentality commands attention as an anchoring object in any space while also serving as a beautiful backdrop to the Venice Leather and Oak Wood Nightstands or complement to the dresser of same name.Products like the Wills Upholstered Swivel Dining Chair or Bess Leather and Metal Swivel Counter Stool perform well in places that may benefit from softening. The streamlined details and curvaceous silhouettes create a delightful contrast when incorporated with traditional interior architecture or against more rigid physical elements.The goal was to make these pieces fit in any environment and to make them really what I like to call an exhale moment. That color palette and materiality speak to that mission, Romanek shares. And I wanted things to have a lot of functionality to them and not just be pretty. I had a blast. All I can say is I had a blast.Designer Brigette RomanekBrigette Romanek for Crate & Barrels exclusive collaboration is available for shopping in-store and online at crate&barrel.com.Photography courtesy of Crate & Barrel.

Google search has steadily been getting worse, but most of its free alternatives just aren't as good at surfacing the things I'm looking for. Since Google makes money through advertising, its primary incentive is to boost revenue by showing you better ads. Of late, this has resulted in a noticeable decline in the quality of my search results. That brought me to the idea of using a paid search engine instead of Google. Enter Kagi.What is Kagi?Kagi is a paid search engine developed by the people behind the Orion browser. It lets you make 100 searches for free, but after that, you can pay between $5/month and $25/month for different tiers of its service. Thanks to search giants and AI companies, the idea of paying for web searches might seem absurd at first glance, but Kagi promises an ad-and tracker-free experience, which is tempting.Is it worth it to pay for a search engine?Kagi has lots of useful features (and no ads) that make it worth the price to me. After all, when the business model is to charge people for a service, the company is incentivized to create good products. I hope that Kagi is able to continue to do so in the long run. I've been using Kagi as my default search engine for the past few months and I've begun to really like it. Up until now, all my attempts to get away from Google search have failed, but with Kagi, I've finally found a good alternative to the search giant. Here are some of my favorite ways to use Kagi, all of which have convinced me that, sometimes, it's worth it to pay for a search engine.See AI results only when you need toI am so tired of AI being forced into everything, but Kagi's approach to AI is refreshing. The search engine has kept it opt-in, which is great to see. If you use Kagi, you won't encounter AI unless you manually trigger it. To do this, just add a question mark to your search query. This will show an AI answer above the search results.Remove AI generated images from search resultsKagi allows you to block AI generated images from your search results. This is a hard feature to implement effectively because the internet is absolutely filled with low-effort AI slop nowadays, but Kagi does an acceptable job. Just go to Kagi settings by clicking the hamburger menu icon in the top-right corner of the homepage and selecting Settings. Now, go to Search > AI and enable Exclude AI generated images. Kagi says it blocks AI images on a "best-effort" basis, which means that there's a chance that some may slip through the cracks. Kagi automatically labels AI generated images in its search results and, in addition to the settings option, provides search filters that let you show only AI images or remove them altogether. In my tests, it was able to identify about 50-60% of AI-generated images in the search results, and you can always block domains that serve up too many of these kinds of results to supplement the rest. You can read more about how Kagi implements AI image filters in its documentation. Try search filters to fine tune resultsWhen you search for something on Kagi, you'll see a list of suggested filters to help you fine tune your query right above the first result. While these buttons are displayed prominently, there's also a drop down menu right next to them with more options. These filters allow you to look for results from a different region, sort results by relevance, or by the number of trackers on the website, or recency, plus filter results by time period. Plus, there's an advanced search tab that lets you further refine results, if that's not enough.Hide clickbait from videosKagi also lets you search for videos, and it has two interesting features to reduce clickbait. First, you can replace clickbait thumbnails with screenshots from the actual video. Second, you can change titles to lower case or sentence case. This removes awful thumbnails and those annoying all caps titles from your results, making it easier to find useful videos. To enable these features, go to Kagi Settings > Search > General. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you'll see Video Search Settings. Click the drop-down menus next to the two options here and select what you need.Create lenses to refine results Credit: Pranay Parab If you want to limit your search results to a handful of trusted sites, try using Kagi's "search lenses." Each of these lenses lets you filter out unwanted results by focusing only on some sites. By default, Kagi has a few interesting lenses such as Small Web, which limits results to smaller websites, and Forums, which searches only forums. This allows you to surface some hidden gems that you may not otherwise find. You can also create your own lens by going to Kagi Settings > General > Lenses > Create New. I've created one to search for posts on websites that I write for and assigned a bang to it (!lh). Now I just need to append !lh to any search to look for results on these websites, which helps me find my own articles much faster.Tweak results to your likingYou can raise or lower the rankings of various domains in Kagi's search results (although only for your account). This feature also lets you see specific domains less, or block them entirely. To tweak this, simply go to Kagi Settings > Search > Personalized Results > Add Domains. You're also free to view Kagi's Domain Leaderboard to see which sites its users are raising, lowering, or blocking.Learn all the keyboard shortcutsOpening Kagi's website and pressing the ? key will reveal a full list of all supported keyboard shortcuts. Learning a few of these can speed up your workflow significantly, and I highly recommend doing so. I really like using !bang operators, which allow you to perform searches faster. For instance, you can append !v to any search term to look for videos. Similarly, !i does an image search, !n does a news search, and so on. I use two other keyboard shortcuts regularly: Shift-~ (tilde) to open the Kagi Control Center, and / to quickly return to the search bar and type another query.Open links in the same tabIt annoys me when websites open links in a new tab without asking me if I want to do the same. By default, Kagi is no different in that regard, because its default setting is to open links in a new tab. However, you can go to Kagi's General Settings page (Settings > Search > General) and disable Open Links in a New Tab to change this preference.Use redirects to reduce annoyancesKagi has a useful Redirects feature that lets you replace certain URLs with preferred alternatives. You can use this to bypass Google AMP links and go directly to the source website, or to open old Reddit every time you click a Reddit link in Kagi. This feature is under Kagi Settings > Search > Advanced > Redirects. It's worth going through Kagi's Redirects support page to learn how to make the most of them.Use the Privacy Pass for anonymityIf you want a more private Kagi search experience, you can use its Privacy Pass feature. Since Kagi requires you to be logged in to use the product, you can't actually do anonymous searches on the service. To get around that limitation, you can try the Kagi Privacy Pass, which authenticates your account using a token system and keeps your searches anonymous. The install process varies by browser, and this feature isn't supported in some browsers (such as Safari).There are many more advanced features that you can try in Kagi, but these are the ones that I find the most helpful. But as a bonus before I go, I'll also mention Kagi Translate, which is a good alternative to Google Translate. It displays alternative translations below each result, and if you hover over the translation, it explains what is different about it. This lets you pick the best variant of a sentence to share with others, or makes it easier to understand the context of a quote in another language.

Want to turn a video file into an MP3? Or any video into an MP4? If you have PowerToys installed on Windows, you don't need a third-party applicationa quick copy-and-paste will do the job.We've talked about Powertoys, the longstanding Windows utility that offers all kinds of customizations to the operating system. One of the many tweaks added is the Advanced Paste feature, which can convert copied text into other formats. This is triggered by using the keyboard shortcut Windows-Shift-V to paste, instead of the usual Ctrl-V. A pop-up window asks which format you'd like to paste your text asMarkdown, HTML, and JSON are all offered. You can optionally set this up to use AI, useful if you want to convert text to a format not offered. It's very useful for anyone who regularly needs to convert text from one format to another.But now it can convert more than just text. A new feature means that Advanced Paste can turn any copied audio or video file into either an MP3 or an MP4 file. To use this feature, you need at least version v0.89.0 of PowerToysopen the application and check the General tab to make sure. Credit: Justin Pot If you have the feature, all you need to do is copy a video or audio file in File Explorer, then attempt to paste it using the keyboard shortcut Windows-Shift-V. Note that if you "Copy as Path," the feature won't be offered, as you haven't copied the file itself.There are two conversion options: "Transcode to MP3" and "Transcode to MP4." The MP3 option will extract the audio of any media file, including a video, and save it as an MP3. The "Transcode to MP4" option converts the video to use the H.264 video codec and the AAC audio codec.Now, there are use cases where this won't workif you want to create an AAC audio file, for example, or convert a video to some other format. In those cases, software like Handbrake is essential. But it's nice to have a simple option built into PowerToys; give it a try next time you want to turn a video into an audio file.

Samsung and LG got a headstart on Sony when they announced their new 2025 TVs a few months ago at CES. But now, the latter is catching up with the pending arrival of three new Bravia sets, including a refreshed flagship QD-OLED, a midrange mini LED option and an updated budget alternative.Before we get into the specific models, it's important to note that after revamping the naming scheme for all of its home theater gear last year, Sony isn't doing a full top-to-bottom overhaul of its entire lineup for 2025. Instead, it's introducing a handful of new TVs that will replace old models or slot into some existing gaps in its current portfolio. That means the Bravia 9 will continue to be the company's top-tier TV, with everything else falling in line under that.Sam Rutherford for EngadgetThis brings us to the Bravia 8 II, which as you may have guessed, is the replacement to the Bravia 8 and will be Sony's most premium QD-OLED TV. Like the Bravia 9, it features the company's XR processor which supports AI scene recognition tech to help preserve details in tricky scenes. The way it works is that by analyzing your content, the TV can compare what's being displayed with a reference library of known backgrounds and patterns to help fill in any gaps the source material may not have fully captured.I had a chance to see this AI trick in person and while the effect is subtle, it definitely makes a difference during shots with lots of foliage, rocks or other challenging textures. I also noticed that the Bravia 8 II demonstrated improved tone mapping and much more accurate color gradients, which resulted in more detailed and realistic images, especially in very bright or dark shots. And of course, you get those lovely deep blacks and the excellent contrast that modern QD-OLED panels are known for.Sam Rutherford for EngadgetMoving down the line, there's the Bravia 5, which neatly fills the void between Sony's existing 7 and 3 series TVs. It features a mini LED panel powered by the company's Backlight Master Drive tech, which delivers reduced digital noise and improved contrast. The most noticeable example I saw of this was the almost complete lack of halos or light bleed when viewing bright objects on a dark background. Another important spec is that the Bravia 5 is available in sizes of up to 98 inches, which makes it one of Sony's largest TVs (including the 83-inch flagship Bravia 9).Sam Rutherford for EngadgetFinally we come to the Bravia 2 II, where the biggest change is the shift to full direct lit LED instead of an edge lit panel like the previous model. This delivers much more vibrant colors in addition to significantly wider viewing angles on sizes ranging from 43 to 75 inches. Like Sony's other TVs, its OS is powered by Google TV and it includes an upscaler to bring old content up to 4K. The one major limitation on the Bravia 2 II is that it features a refresh rate of just 60Hz.Unfortunately, official pricing and availability for all of Sony's new TV's won't be available until sometime later this spring. So if you're currently shopping for a new set, you may want to hold off for another couple of months.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/sonys-2025-bravia-tv-lineup-includes-a-new-flagship-qd-oled-model-160019669.html?src=rss

Last spring, Sony debuted its Bravia Theater line of soundbars and speakers, ditching its confusing product names in the process. The initial group consisted of the flagship Bar 9, Bar 8, Bravia Quad speaker set and a Theater U neck speaker. Now the company is looking to offer a more compact midrange option that's still capable of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio. With the new Bravia Theater Bar 6, Sony gives users a 3.1.2-channel option, and this time, it comes with a wireless subwoofer in the box.The Bar 6 will be the entry-level option in Sony's Bravia Theater soundbar lineup when compared to the more robust Bar 8 and Bar 9. The company says the goal here is to provide both immersive sound and clear dialogue. The soundbar's two up-firing drivers are paired with three more across the front for Dolby Atmos and DTS/X dimensional audio. Sony provides up-mixing tech to transform stereo content to 3D sound when those immersive formats aren't available. For dialogue, Sony utilizes both a dedicated center speaker and so-called Voice Zoom 3. That latter item is an AI-powered tool that recognizes human voices and adjusts their volume as needed to keep speech clear.Sony is offering two packages for the Bar 6. First, you can opt for all-in-one setup that comes with rear satellite speakers and a subwoofer for a 5.1.2 surround sound setup. The company calls this the Bravia Theater System 6. If you don't need the rears, you can get the Bar 6 and a sub. Just note that the two subwoofers in those two configurations are different, and the back speakers with the System 6 don't have up-firing drivers.Sony's Bravia Theater System 6SonyOne item that's notable about the System 6 is Sony's new Multi Stereo Mode. With living room setups that have rear speakers, those satellites sometimes provide awkward audio performance for music. This feature on Sony's new all-inclusive package replicates stereo left/right channels to the center and rear speakers for a more enjoyable audio experience.Lastly, Sony has a new set of rear speakers, dubbed the Bravia Theater Rear 8. These are compatible with the company's soundbars and work with its 360 Spatial Sound Mapping tech to calibrate your system to your living room's acoustics. The Rear 8 are different from the speakers that come with the System 6, so you'll want to consider that when making your buying decision.When paired with a Bravia TV, Sony's soundbars can be controlled with the Bravia Connect app on a phone. Here, you can adjust volume and other settings without a remote or on-screen menu. Both the Bravia TV and Bravia Theater lineups can be controlled via on-screen prompts without having to change remotes. More specifically, a Bravia TV controller can be used to adjust volume, sound field and more on the Bravia Theater soundbars and speakers.There's no word on pricing or availability yet for the Bravia Theater Bar 6, Bravia Theater System 6 or the Bravia Theater Rear 8. All Sony has divulged thus far is that the trio of new products is set to arrive sometime this spring.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/sony-adds-the-bravia-theater-bar-6-to-its-dolby-atmos-soundbar-lineup-160012544.html?src=rss

Sony has announced its new TVs for 2025, and the lineup is led by a flagship QD-OLED series.

Nintendo has announced Donkey Kong Bananza, coming to the Switch 2 in July.