Cool Finds See the ‘Fantastical Beasts and Foliage’ Featured in These Rare, Newly Discovered Tudor Wall Paintings Created in the Grotesque style, the 16th-century images—revealed by renovations at a lodge in England—mimic historic textile designs One of the wall paintings discovered at the Ashes, a Tudor-era guest house in northeastern England, depicts a dog's head. Historic England Archive For over two decades, Jen and Richard Arkell have owned and operated the Ashes, a quaint guest house nestled along the wooded banks of the River Tees in northeastern England. But the building’s history stretches back much further than the past 20 years. When the Arkells began renovations on one of the upstairs bedrooms recently, they found vivid new evidence of the Ashes’ former life as a Tudor-era hunting lodge. Scraping back layers of plaster, the pair discovered wall paintings of “fantastical beasts and foliage” dating back to the 16th century, according to a statement from Historic England, a public organization that preserves the country’s historic sites.The Arkells were astonished to see the Grotesque-style decorations, which feature animal heads swirling into clouds, hares trotting and sneering human profiles. “Removing old failing plaster to find these remarkable motifs and faces looking back at us is a moment we will never forget,” they say in the statement. Although small sections of wall art were found at the lodge in the 1970s and again in more recent decades, this latest discovery suggests that the designs covered a much greater area in the lodge than previously known. They also feature a “combination of motifs [that] is unusual even by national standards,” says Myra Tolan-Smith, a listing advisor at Historic England, in the statement. Tudor-era artists created the wall paintings with a fresco secco technique. Whereas typical frescoes are painted onto wet plaster, allowing colorful pigments to soak into the surface, fresco secco uses a dry plaster. As a result, the colors are more muted, but the designs retain a folksy authenticity that is thought to replicate textile designs of the time, according to Historic England. An abstract, "fantastical" section of the wall painting Historic England Archive “They’re not symmetrical, and it’s all very freehand. It’s lovely,” Andrea Kirkham, a wall painting conservation expert brought in by the Arkells, tells the Guardian’s Mark Brown. While the painting’s subjects are typically associated with hunting, their strange arrangements and Grotesque ornamentation suggest they were intended for the amusement and entertainment of the lodge’s guests. As Henry Peacham, a writer at the time, put it, these kinds of “unnatural or unorderly” designs existed “for delight’s sake, of men, beasts, birds, fishes, flowers … without (as we say) rhyme or reason.” Last year, researchers with Historic England used dendrochronology—a method of measuring tree growth rings—to date the Ashes. Their research concluded that the timbers used to build the lodge were felled in the winter of 1561-1562, placing its construction during the earlier years of the reign of Elizabeth I, who ruled England between 1558 and 1603. That gives historians some idea of when the wall paintings may have been completed, offering insight into the artistic sensibilities of those who could afford to own lodges and commission art during the mid-16th century. A section of the wall art depicting a hare Historic England Archive The lodge first appears in the historical record as part of the 1592 will and inventory of William Simpson, the bailiff of nearby Castle Sowerby, an ancient parish in Cumbria, per Historic England. Listed alongside other assets like furniture and farm animals, the house may well have counted Simpson and his family as its first residents. It was likely the Simpsons who commissioned the paintings to cover the house’s walls. As British heritage minister Baroness Twycross tells Cumbria Crack, the paintings offer another “glimpse into our Tudor past,” more vivid and more mysterious than any inventory list. Along with the main lodge building and adjacent agricultural sites, the paintings now fall under Historic England’s Grade II* protection status, ensuring their preservation for years to come. “They are social history,” Kirkham tells the Guardian. “They tell us an awful lot about people’s tastes, attitudes, their ideologies, the way they use color or the way they use materials, the designs they choose. They tell us about their interests and how they wish to be seen by others.” Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

Nominations are out for the Gayming Awards 2025, with Dragon Age: The Veilguard leading the way with three nominations.Read More

Skullcandy has made a name for itself in recent years with well-featured budget earbuds that don’t sound awful. Although its new Method 360 ANC earbuds are launching with a “special $99.99 introductory price” (that will eventually go up to $129.99) making them one of the brand’s most expensive offerings, the company has partnered with Bose to help ensure they’re Skullcandy’s most comfortable and best-sounding earbuds.Like the Motorola Moto Buds Plus that debuted a year ago, the Method 360 ANC feature licensed technology and audio tuning by Bose to deliver “Skullcandy’s most advanced audio experience to date,” the company said in a press release. That includes three different sizes of ear gels and fit fins designed to comfortably keep the earbuds in place while effectively blocking out unwanted sounds. Don’t expect audio and ANC performance on par with Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, but you’ll be potentially saving yourself close to $200 by instead opting for Skullcandy’s latest.The sliding charging case boosts battery life to up to 40 hours or up to 32 hours with ANC turned on. Image: SkullcandyWhile most wireless earbuds include a charging case with a clamshell design, the Method 360 ANC’s charging case has a sliding design – similar to the company’s Dime Evo earbuds – with an O-ring clip on one end that functions similar to a carabiner. The case isn’t tiny by any stretch of the imagination, but boosts the earbuds’ battery life from 11 hours to 40 hours, or from nine hours to 32 hours with ANC turned on.The Method 360 ANC are available in five color options: black, bone, primer, plasma, and a leopard print. Image: SkullcandyAvailable in five color options including black, bone, primer, plasma, and leopard, the Method 360 ANC also feature a four-microphone hybrid ANC system with a Stay-Aware mode for boosting ambient sounds plus a low latency mode that helps ensure audio stays in sync when gaming or watching videos.Wear detection automatically connects the earbuds to a device and pauses playback when you remove them from your ears, while multipoint pairing streamlines switching between devices. The Method 360 ANC also have an IPX4 rating against sweat and water (you won’t want to dunk them), support Spotify Tap and Google Fast Pair, and connect to Skullcandy’s Skull-iQ mobile app allowing the function of the earbuds’ shortcut buttons to be customized as well as EQ adjustments.See More:

Author(s): Sophia Banton Originally published on Towards AI. How I Made an AI Film: River of Inheritance Scene from River of Inheritance:Created using Google ImageFX and animated with Runway Gen-3 Alpha Turbo. This scene established the film’s outdoor setting and recurring focus on water as a visual anchor. I love films. I love Old Hollywood. I love animation — and stories with heroes. I randomly decided to enter a film festival after animating a few of my AI-generated images. With no story or concept in mind, I sat down at my laptop with three weeks to create something. The brief was simple: produce a film that was one to ten minutes in length and incorporated AI in a meaningful way. Initially, I felt like a one-minute film was all I could manage. To my surprise, I ended up with a 6-minute, 11-second film equipped with a full soundtrack. A testament to how far AI and access to AI have come. Keep in mind, while I call myself an AI storyteller, I have no formal training in the art of film. I’m actually a scientist and an AI professional. Here’s how I built River of Inheritance. Watch the Film Here’s a 2-minute excerpt of River of Inheritance. This is not the full festival submission, but a short version showcasing the visual tone and style of the film. A 2-minute excerpt from the full AI-generated short film. Created using Google ImageFX, Runway Gen-3 Alpha Turbo, and CapCut Pro. Setting The story takes place entirely outdoors and is centered on a river. Water is the recurring visual anchor — from the calm surface of the river to stormy ocean waves. I aimed to capture both fantasy and realism, using AI-generated images to set the visual tone and animation to bring the elements to life. Image Creation I used Google ImageFX for image generation. I created thousands of images by repeating, refining, and adjusting prompts until I found the ones that felt right. It was a process of iteration and intuition. In the end, I selected 31 final images to build the film. Every image was custom prompted with no presets or shortcuts. I focused on composition, wardrobe, and tone. I wanted scenes that looked lived in, not overly stylized. Character Design I designed characters by prompting specific details related to wardrobe, fabric type, color palette, and environmental consistency. Each final character was the result of multiple iterations. I revised prompts until textures (like folds in fabric), skin tone realism, and lighting felt accurate and believable within the context of the environment. One of the characters emerged as the visual anchor of the story — a woman featured repeatedly throughout the film. She became the narrative thread across scenes, appearing in both full-face and profile views. What stood out most was how well the tools rendered and animated people of different ages — elders, adults, and children — with impressive nuance. Skin tones were represented across a wide range, and the movements of each group felt grounded and lifelike. These results highlight the progress of AI and suggest its growing potential as a viable tool for the film industry. Animation Once I had the images, I animated them using Runway Gen-3 Alpha. My options were to generate either 5- or 10-second videos. I chose 10-second videos to give myself flexibility in editing. I trimmed some of them to fit pacing and transitions. I kept motion prompts simple and clear: water, wind, waves, storms, and cloth movement. The goal was fluidity, not chaos. The water animations were designed to move realistically so the film would feel natural and human. For human movement, I followed a similar approach — prompting specific expressions like confidence and pride, or actions such as smiling, laughing, and eating. Editing I used CapCut Pro to arrange and finalize the video. I added the 31 final animations from Runway and then ordered the videos based on my storyboard. For emphasis on some scenes, I slowed the speed of the video so that the character had more screen time. Sound and Music I layered ambient sound (rain, rivers, ocean) with instrumental tracks and natural environmental sounds, like birds. There was no dialogue — an intentional choice, because I wanted the river to “sing” as the main supporting character of the film. I found a song in CapCut’s audio section that matched the river’s tone and message. For additional scenes, I used other tracks to better capture the on-screen activity and then returned to the main song. Tools I Used Google ImageFX (image generation) Runway Gen-3 Alpha (Turbo) (animation) CapCut Pro (editing/export) Royalty-free audio libraries (sound) Challenges Time constraints: I had just three weeks to go from idea to execution. There was no script or storyboard at the start. Image selection: I created thousands of images. Narrowing down to 31 usable ones took constant testing and refinement. Character consistency: Generating the same character multiple times was one of the biggest hurdles. I used highly specific prompts — around facial structure, hairstyle, and clothing — to create consistency. This allowed me to show her full face in several scenes. In others, I relied on her profile or rear view, combined with consistent attire, to help the viewer recognize her. Prompt sensitivity: Small changes in wording could drastically change results. I had to carefully test and revise prompts to keep facial features, lighting, and wardrobe consistent. Final Output Runtime: 6 minutes 11 seconds Format: 1080p File size: 500+ MB Submitted to Runway’s 2025 AI Film Festival What I Learned This project taught me how powerful AI can be when paired with clear creative direction. I learned to: Prompt with intention, knowing that small wording changes can completely shift the outcome. Think visually and structurally, even without a traditional film background. Work within limitations and still tell a cohesive story. Build consistency across AI-generated outputs through iteration, not shortcuts. Trust my instincts — even when there’s no roadmap. Am I a Thief? That question lingers over every project created with generative AI. I used AI to generate images and animation, but I also spent hours crafting prompts, refining visual details, building continuity, and shaping the emotional tone of the film. So, what does authorship mean in this context? I didn’t draw every frame by hand. But I directed every element — composition, costume, expression, movement, sound. This wasn’t automation. It was the intention. Maybe the better question is: If I stole something, why does it look so much like me? River of Inheritance tells a new story — a story I created about my heritage and my ancestors. It includes scenes that have never been depicted in mainstream media and characters shown with dignity rather than caricature. In my opinion, this isn’t theft. This is what it looks like to use AI to preserve culture and educate each other about who we are and where we come from. Conclusion I was already dazzled by the progress and capabilities of AI image generation tools, but the animation tools have deepened my appreciation and hope for the future. What I experienced making this film — and what we are now experiencing culturally — is the beginning of a new era in film and media. A new generation of storytellers, many without formal artistic training, will be able to tell stories we haven’t heard before, or reimagine familiar ones with fresh perspectives. With powerful, accessible tools at their fingertips, they will build new worlds, one prompt at a time. What once required teams of hundreds can now be done with a string of prompts. Tools like these are lowering the barrier to entry — and raising the ceiling for creative experimentation. That reality is both unnerving — and empowering. About the Author Sophia Banton is an Associate Director and AI Solution Lead in biopharma, specializing in Responsible AI governance, workplace AI adoption, and strategic integration across IT and business functions. With a background in bioinformatics, public health, and data science, she brings an interdisciplinary lens to AI implementation — balancing technical execution, ethical design, and business alignment in highly regulated environments. Her writing explores the real-world impact of AI beyond theory, helping organizations adopt AI responsibly and sustainably. Connect with her on LinkedIn or explore more AI insights on Medium. Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming a sponsor. Published via Towards AI

Lenovo has opened up preorders for its new-for-2025 Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 gaming laptop. This laptop has all the bells and whistles, including the latest and greatest Intel processor and Nvidia graphics card, a gorgeous high-resolution OLED display, and plenty of RAM and SSD storage out of the box. Although Lenovo still lists this model as a preorder, the laptop is already starting to ship out with delivery as soon as late April.New Release: Lenovo Legion Pro RTX 5080 Gaming LaptopLenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 16" 2560x1600 OLED Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX RTX 5080 Gaming Laptop with 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD$3,599.99 at LenovoThe Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is equipped with a 16" 2560x1600 240Hz OLED display, Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and 2TB (2x1TB) of SSD storage.The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is much more powerful than the Core Ultra 9 185H CPU you'll find in previous generation flagship laptops. The 185H focused more on energy efficiency and wasn't a true successor to the i9-14900HX processor. This new processor is, and it's a great match with the GeForce RTX 5080 mobile GPU.Other current-gen features that bring the Legion Pro up to date include WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support, USB Type-C with up to 140W of Power Delivery, Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort 2.1 (40Gbps), and even a USB Type-A port with USB 3.2 Gen 2 spec. The Legion Pro keeps the RJ45 ethernet port, which is getting rare nowadays, and a privacy shutter for the webcam. The chassis is still made of aluminum and magnesium, making it durable and premium.We've reviewed an RTX 5080 equipped gaming laptopAlthough we haven't yet test out Lenovo's newest generation Legion laptop, we have tested out a gaming laptop equipped with the RTX 5080 GPU. The RTX 5080 performs only slightly better than the RTX 4080 in raw rasterized performance, but performs significantly better if the game supports DLSS 4.0 with multi-frame generation. The Gigabyte Aorus Master laptop was equipped with an RTX 5080 with a 150W TGP rating and a 2560x1600 display. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i boasts the same TGP rating and the same resolution display, so it should offer roughly similar performance in games.Gigabyte Aorus Master 16" RTX 5080 Laptop Review by Chris Coke"Here's the thing: Nvidia hasn't been shy about tying the 50-series to its AI capabilities versus pure native rendering performance. Though the RTX 5080 performs disappointingly close to the RTX 4080, this disappears when you're playing a game that supports multi-frame generation. While "fake frames" have become a bit of a meme, the fact is that when it works, it's pretty amazing and dramatically improves performance. This varies game to game based upon how well it handles latency. Alan Wake 2, for example, tends to feel a bit more laggy at higher multiplier settings while Cyberpunk 2077 does not. With this technology and others, like neural shaders, coming to future games, there’s an argument to be made about buying into these future technologies. But, you’re buying on a promise while Nvidia and game developers work to add support to new and existing games."Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Category: GamesApril 15, 2025 Coming to Game Pass: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Towerborne, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, and More Megan Spurr, Senior Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass If you’ve ever wondered what the Venn diagram of Bikini Bottom, Los Santos, mysterious archipelagos, and a few other locations looks like – the center is “Places You Can Visit Soon with Game Pass” (not many people have wondered that before now, but at least I could give you that answer!). We have updates on games, benefits, Perks, and some launches you might have caught in some previous Xbox Showcases. Let’s get to it! Available Today Grand Theft Auto V (Cloud, Console, and PC)Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard Grand Theft Auto V returns to Game Pass today. Experience entertainment blockbusters Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online with Xbox Game Pass on console, Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) , or the newly enhanced version on PC with Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. Coming Soon Neon White (Console) – April 16Now with Game Pass Standard A lightning-fast first-person action game about exterminating demons in Heaven. You are White, an assassin handpicked from Hell to compete with other demon slayers for a chance to live permanently in Heaven. The other assassins seem familiar, though… did you know them in a past life? SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game (Cloud, Console, and PC) – April 16Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard Patrick fans, your time has come – and Bikini Bottom is your open-world playground! So become the star of the show, put your silliest ideas into action, and enjoy the physics-based chaos that unfolds all around you. Crime Scene Cleaner (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – April 17Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass Once you get tangled with the mob, there’s no going back. At least the salary is good and all you have to do is clean up after their dirty work. So clean crime scenes, earn as much money as you can, and remember that your daughter’s fate lies in your hands. Tempopo (Cloud, Console, and PC) – April 17Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass Available on day one! When Hana’s Garden of musical flowers are scattered across the sky, she asks the Tempopo for help returning them. Chaotic and uncoordinated by nature, the Tempopo needs Hana’s conducting skills to keep on beat and solve each island’s puzzle. Populate your melodic garden with rescued flowers to enjoy musical performances! Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – April 24Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass Available on day one! Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a ground-breaking turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever. Explore a fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France in which you battle devastating enemies. Towerborne (Game Preview) (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – April 29Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass The Belfry stands as a beacon of hope and safety amongst the ruins of humanity and the City of Numbers, with monsters lurking right outside the tower’s walls. You are an Ace, born anew from the spirit realm with the skills, grit, and determination to protect the people of the Belfry. With spirit companions fighting by your side, you are destined for battle. Far Cry 4 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – April 30Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard As Ajay Ghale, travel to Kyrat to fulfill a promise and dive into in a civil war to overthrow the oppressive regime of dictator Pagan Min. Explore and navigate this vast open world, where danger and unpredictability lurk around every corner. Anno 1800 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – May 1Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard Welcome to the dawn of the Industrial Age in this city-building real-time strategy game. Experience one of the most exciting and fast-changing periods of all time as you discover new technologies, regions, and societies, implement your own strategy, and build a new world to your design. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 1Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II drops players into an unprecedented global conflict that features the iconic Operators of Task Force 141. Experience a globe-trotting single-player campaign, immersive multiplayer combat, and an evolved Special Ops game mode featuring tactical co-op gameplay. Dredge (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – May 6Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard Dredge is a single-player fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. Sell your catch, upgrade your boat, and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets. Explore a mysterious archipelago and discover why some things are best left forgotten. In Case You Missed It EA Sports NHL 25 (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) – Available nowGame Pass Ultimate Control every inch of the ice in EA Sports NHL 25, now on The Play List. Game Pass Ultimate members can fire off game-changing goals with unlimited access via EA Play or Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) on the Xbox app with Windows PC. Plus, they can score a Supercharge Bundle, available for a limited time from April 10 to May 9. DLC / Game Updates Forza Horizon 5: Horizon Realms – April 25The new Stadium Track premiers in Horizon Realms, along with a collection of 11 previous Evolving World locations.  Explore every Realm with a group of friends or on your own in both Free Mode and Skill Mode to earn new Accolades, Achievements, Badges, and unlock four new reward cars. In-Game Benefits For Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members, there are more benefits for select free-to-play games. Get in-game benefits like cosmetics, characters, in-game currency, and more with seasonal content drops. Call of Duty: Warzone – Game Pass Pack 1 – Available now Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members get a free in-game bundle for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6  and Call of Duty: Warzone. This pack comes with 2x Operator Skins, 3x Weapon Blueprints, 2x Emotes, 2x Stickers, Weapon Charm, Weapon Reticle, Emblem, Background, 1-hour 2XP Token, and 1-hour 2WXP Token. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate PerksCheck the Game Pass section on your console, Xbox mobile app, or Xbox app on Windows PC to find new April in-game content, consumables, and offers included with your Game Pass Ultimate membership. Perks vary by region, platform, and over time. Naraka: Bladepoint – Ignis Bundle – Available now Claim Xbox headgear, new season treasures, a legendary skin trial bundle, and more in the new Perks bundle. Stumble Guys: Inside Out Bundle – Available nowUnlock the Inside Out Legendary Stumbler, Fools Guy Emote, 250 Gems, and 50 Stumble Tokens now! Leaving April 30 The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Be sure to jump back in before they go and remember to use your 20% membership discount to save on your purchase if you want to keep them. Have a Nice Death (Cloud, Console, and PC) Kona II Brume (Cloud, Console, and PC) Sniper Elite 5 (Cloud, Console, and PC) The Last Case of Benedict Fox (Cloud, Console, and PC) Thirsty Suitors (Cloud, Console, and PC) The Rewinder (Cloud, Console, and PC) We’re adding more games over time to the ‘Stream your own game’ collection for Game Pass Ultimate members. Go to Xbox.com/Play to see the list of available cloud playable games to stream on supported devices if you own them.  Don’t forget to block your calendar for the next Xbox Games Showcase on June 8! We’ll be there with more games – but in the meantime you can follow us on social for Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox news. Talk soon! Related Stories for “Coming to Game Pass: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Towerborne, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, and More” Category: ID@XboxUnleash Chaos with Five Tips to Become a Hot Rod Mayhem Champion Category: ID@XboxBuilding Lab Rat: Gwen Frey on Logic, Laughter, and Laser Grids Category: GamesBaldur’s Gate 3: Patch 8 Now Live, Bringing 12 New Subclasses The post Coming to Game Pass: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Towerborne, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, and More appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Every gaming platform has its own app for managing games, such as Apple’s Game Center, for example. But for those who have multiple consoles, GamePal is a great companion app that helps players keep track of their entire game library. GamePal: a game companion app for iPhone “GamePal is the perfect sidekick for your gaming adventures, designed to elevate your gaming experience and help you keep track of your ever-growing collection. Whether you’re a casual player or a hardcore enthusiast, GamePal is here to make your gaming life more organized, insightful, and fun,” the app description says. With GamePal, you can add all the games you’ve played, are currently playing, or want to play in the future. The app also lets you organize and filter games by those you own in physical, digital, or subscription versions. The best part is that it automatically gets details like the game artwork, description, release date, and screenshots from IGDB. Adding a new game to GamePal is super simple, as all you have to do is search for its name. After that, you choose which platform you play it on, the playing status, and the ownership status. But the app does more than just organize your game library. For instance, you can rate and write a note for each title. You can also log and track your gaming sessions, so you know how long you’ve been playing – it’s also a nice way of knowing which games you spend the most time playing. Data is synchronized between your Apple devices through iCloud, and the app works offline when you don’t have an internet connection available. It also supports notifications, custom app icons, and widgets. You can download GamePal for free on the App Store, although some features require a paid “Platinum” subscription. The app requires an iPhone running iOS 17 or later. Gadgets I recommend: Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

What happens when you combine an electric vehicle oligarch with coal rolling trucks, the Proud Boys, and a nation that confuses commerce with patriotism?A mind-boggling car dealership blockade, for starters.With Tesla Takedown protests entering their third consecutive month, a picket line near the Rocklin, California Tesla dealership isn't exactly an uncommon sight. The Northern California Tesla store had been picketed a handful of times before, mostly by peaceful protestors expressing their anger with the Trump administration and its DOGE appointee, Elon Musk.But this week's protest came with a kicker: a line of lifted — and decidedly gas-powered — trucks blocking the lane leading to the dealership.A video uploaded to X-formerly-Twitter by user "American AF" shows a convoy of over 20 non-electric trucks and SUVs — many sporting MAGA and American flags — lined up to block the showroom. Some counter-protestors erected awnings and chairs along the road, waving flags and munching on snacks. Even the Proud Boys, an occasionally violent neo-fascist group, were in attendance, according to Electrek."MAGA patriots DEFEND a Tesla dealership from liberal terrorlsts [sic]," the semi-viral post reads.If their goal was to support Tesla — and by extension Musk — it's unclear how blockading the EV store with gas-guzzling pickup trucks accomplishes that. Tesla's sales are in the ditch these days, a detail apparently lost on the guys blocking customers from entering the dealership."What an inviting retail experience," quipped one user, continuing that "it's telling that none of the trumps [sic] drive a tesla."Regardless, the patriots remained in their lane, maintaining control. "How all the little libs stay away when the big boys come out to play!" cheered user "@justusecomsense.""Tulsa Rocks!" saluted another.The Takedown protest, meanwhile, looked relatively calm, with picketers holding signs on the opposite side of the road, undeterred by the drama.As a whole, the Tesla Takedown protests have been overwhelmingly tame, often heavily attended by older liberals. The movement's campaign page on the platform Action Network goes out of its way to call itself a "peaceful protest movement," which opposes "violence, vandalism, and destruction of property."Though vandalism and arson have erupted around the world in retaliation to Elon Musk's role in the US government, organizers of Tesla Takedown have gone out of their way to distance themselves from the destruction.That might not stop Musk, Tesla, and the government from placing Takedown protestors under surveillance, however, as the FBI's Tesla Task Force busts down doors across the nation to crack down on property damage.Here's a thought: if the flag-wavers are so worried about Tesla that they'd take time off of work to defend a parking lot, maybe they could put a little skin in the game and trade their 4x4s for one of Musk's EVs. After all, it's the patriotic thing to do.Share This Article

Join the team that’s changing the way students apply to college.→ About This Role: Are you the kind of person who loves solving puzzles, creating order from chaos, and making people feel genuinely cared for—even over email? Do you want your work to support something meaningful, like helping students find their voices and futures? If so, read on.We’re seeking an energetic, proactive, and detail-oriented rockstar (yes, rockstar) who’s excited to take ownership of our customer support and experience systems to make them feel personal, seamless, and genuinely supportive.You'll be a key part of leveling up our operations and customer support department. You’ll have a direct impact on students' lives by ensuring exceptional experiences and smooth operational excellence, and you’ll be the first touchpoint for students celebrating an exciting admissions decision or scholarship with us. Bring your creativity, organization, and energy to help us continuously evolve our customer experience and operations systems.If you love solving problems, thrive in a fast-moving, mission-driven environment, and get a little giddy about organized systems and happy customers, this might just be your dream role.This fully remote position operates Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (your local U.S.-based timezone).→ Be the Heart of Customer ExperienceAct as a primary touchpoint for students, families, and internal stakeholders by managing and resolving 40-50 customer support inquiries daily (primarily via email; higher during peak seasons).Proactively enhance our customer experience processes, workflows, and resources, anticipating problems before they exist, and continuously improving the customer experience.Update and maintain our Customer Experience Knowledge Base and FAQs to empower self-service options.Collaborate with the Online Operations team, supporting the customer-facing aspects of live courses, webinars, and events.Take initiative to identify and implement strategies that elevate our customer experience capabilities.→ Live Events SupportSupport our operations team in creating compelling course and webinar materials and resources.Assist in auditing and organizing live event calendars, ensuring timely communications.Schedule email reminders and conduct thoughtful follow-ups after sessions, helping families and counselors stay engaged and informed.→ Boost Our Content & Internal OpsAssist with publishing and maintaining key blog content, which helps with our educational mission of reaching more users.Distribute materials internally and externally to help the right info reach the right people.→ What You Bring:Customer Service & Ops Chops2+ years in customer experience/support or ops (bonus points if in an online ed or edtech setting)Communication & Problem-Solving SuperpowersYou troubleshoot fast, write clearly, and document SOPs and solutions for self-service.Project Management & PrecisionYou juggle multiple tasks, hit deadlines, are detail-oriented, and don’t sweat the small stuff.Tool Fluency (or Fast Learning)HelpScout (or similar customer support ticketing system)Google Workspace (Google Docs, Sheets, Calendar, Drive)Slack, basic CRMs (like HubSpot), and LMS platforms (like Kajabi)Bonus Points If You Know (Or Are Excited to Learn)Zapier for automating tasks and processesAirtable for light data tracking and workflowsHubSpot for CRM and email schedulingKajabi for course and event hostingCanva or Photoshop for basic visual content creation→ The DetailsSalary, Benefits, Start DateThis is a salaried position, with a range of $50k - $65k, depending on experience.You’ll work roughly 8am-5pm U.S. time, but the work schedule is flexible.You’ll enjoy a suite of benefits, including generous and flexible paid and sick time off with 8 company holidays, a health insurance stipend, 401K contribution matching upon eligibility, and more.We’re aiming for an early May start date, but we’re flexible for the right person.Interested? Please follow these steps.We believe in fostering an inclusive and unbiased hiring environment where talent shines irrespective of demographics. To ensure fair evaluation, we kindly request all applicants to remove their names from their application documents before submission.By anonymizing application documents, we aim to focus solely on skills, experience, and qualifications, enabling us to select candidates based on merit alone. This approach helps eliminate unconscious bias and promotes equal opportunities for all applicants. We value diversity in our workforce and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply. Our commitment to fair recruitment practices ensures that every candidate receives equal consideration based on their abilities and potential to contribute to our team. Thank you for joining us in our efforts to build a more inclusive workplace.→ How to ApplyWe are asking interested candidates to:Submit their resume and a cover letter detailing their qualifications and experience relevant to this role, as well as how they align with College Essay Guy’s mission and values.Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.Please anonymize your application documents and upload them directly to the linked Google form to apply. You may also apply on collegeessayguy.com/careers.Questions? Please review the full description above. If your question isn’t answered there, please email (no phone calls, please) Ashley at [email protected]. Emailed applications submitted outside of our application portal will not be considered.We are humans reviewing your application, so we appreciate your patience while we review all submitted applications. We will follow up with everyone who applies with an answer by May 31st, 2025.—College Essay Guy is an equal opportunity employer that seeks to hire those who represent the diverse communities we serve. All are encouraged to apply. We are a company of humans, our differences are our strengths. We bring all of ourselves to our jobs. That’s what gives us our strength.

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