It’s easy to be a Coachella hater if you’ve never been. In casual conversation and social media channels, the music and arts festival, which took place over the past two weekends, is depicted as little more than a hot, sweaty arena of celebrity drama and photogenic backgrounds in exchange for exorbitantly high ticket prices (many of which are now financed through payment plans). Yet after justifying the ticket price (starting at $599 for daily general admission) and finding their way to the remote desert city of Indio, California, attendees can attest that Coachella is no longer the lawless, rough-and-tumble festival with questionable facilities, safety standards, and disability access it once was. Having found its footing in recent years, the cost of entry goes toward many experiences that are increasingly rare in America. For Le Grande Bouquet Uchronia designed a field of seven 30-foot-tall flower bunches. (Lance Gerber/Courtesy Coachella) With the weight of deadlines, inhibitions, and expectations lifted from their shoulders, attendees can experience a dual sensation of lightness and immersion within a crowd of phenomenal energy and scale. The grounds buzz with the calm yet vibrant energy of 150,000 people of all ages and persuasions moving about in every direction. To walk through the crowd is to weave through groups linking arms to stick together, couples rushing to shows, audiences both booing and applauding political messages in between songs, dancers setting small yet permeable boundaries with their bodies, and, yes, teenagers posing for selfies. Wherever people are not moving about, they are staying put. Finding a good spot to vibe is serious business at Coachella, and Public Art Company (PAC) has turned it into something of a science in collaboration with the festival’s art director, Paul Clemente. Raffi Lehrer, founder of PAC and curatorial advisor for Coachella’s art program, commissions three designers to produce large-scale installations each year that bring the vast, grassy expanse between the largest music venues down to a human scale. At night the installations were illuminated. (Lance Gerber/Courtesy Coachella) Importantly, the designers selected by PAC are hardly at comparable levels of fame to those performing on stage; rather, they are typically young, resourceful, and proficient at small-scale proofs of concept. Clemente’s core team of 28 people works with the designers to plan, fabricate, and install them, while the larger effort brings in numerous vendors, including lighting designers, structural engineers, and crane operators. “These are not artworks that exist in a contained white cube,” Lehrer told AN. “They exist outside around huge crowds, so safety is always our top priority. Every installation undergoes review during the proposal development process to ensure it can be built and maintained safely.” Each in their own way, the work of this year’s designers offered the senses of lightness and immersion guests work so hard to achieve in themselves through attendance. In turn, the designers drew clear inspiration from the ephemeral, transitory nature of festival installations by avant-garde midcentury designers with few signs of having watered down their concepts. In Le Grande Bouquet, Uchronia applied its sumptuous interior design sensibilities to one of its first outdoor installations: a field of seven 30-foot-tall flower bunches scattered across the center of the site. The firm, which takes its own name from the literary term for a fictional time period, drew inspiration from both the fleeting beauty of Southern California wildflower super blooms and the inflatable installations of avant-garde midcentury designers, including Haus Rucker Co. and Ant Farm. Bean bag chairs cleverly covered up the bases, from which attendees could leisurely check out Travis Scott’s set on their left and the Original Misfits on their right. Taffy comprised seven mesh towers that proved respite from the blazing sun. (Lance Gerber/Courtesy Coachella) Stephanie Lin of Present Forms designed Taffy as a similarly field-like array of seven scalloped mesh towers ranging between 25 and 50 feet tall. From a distance, they appeared as opaque as the mountain range far in the distance. Up close, Lin sought to immerse festivalgoers within structures that dissolved in the sunlight while providing ample seating for visitors to flock to its long fields of shade. From certain angles, it magically appeared as lightweight as the 1,500-foot-long Balloon Chain that has hung in the festival sky every year since 2009; it virtually melted into the crowd when it was cast in Brat green during Charli XCX’s set. On Take Flight, some of the turbines are motor-powered, while others rely on wind. (Lance Gerber/Courtesy Coachella) And though Isabel+Helen’s Take Flight, a kinetic sculpture towering 60 feet over the site, appeared virtually untethered to the earth, attendees unhurriedly basked in the shifting shadows produced by its wide turbines. The sculpture was ten times the size of its referent, Power Suits, a collection of wearable energy generators the London-based firm designed to imbue their wearers with a personal sense of lightness. Some of its turbines are motor-powered, while others authentically reflect the intensity of desert winds. “These installations are in dialogue with the desert itself, amplifying its rhythms, its mirages, and its fleeting moments,” said Lehrer, who worked with the designers for nearly a year to ensure their installations were as well-engineered as everything else on-site. “Each work offers a different proposition: a machine that never quite flies, a flower that never quite wilts, a building that never quite stands still.” Where else, in America’s overly risk-managed building culture, can young designers scale up their visions without staggering compromise? Shane Reiner-Roth is a writer and lecturer on architecture and urbanism. 

“Almanac” (2024), installation view, acrylic on Mylar. Photos by Julia Featheringill. All images courtesy of Carly Glovinski, Morgan Lehman Gallery, and MASS MoCA, shared with permission Hundreds of Huge Flowers Spring Forth in Carly Glovinski’s Monumental ‘Almanac’ April 24, 2025 ArtNature Kate Mothes “Gardening gives one back a sense of proportion about everything—except itself,” author May Sarton (1912-1995) wrote in her book Plant Dreaming Deep (1968), a journal about discovering a love of tending to the land. For Carly Glovinski (previously), the sentiment incidentally frames something of a raison d’être for the artist’s remarkable large-scale floral installation at MASS MoCA. Glovinski was especially moved by Sarton’s book The House by the Sea (1977), which traces the author’s move from New Hampshire to the seacoast of Maine. The vibrancy of gardens spurred the artist’s fascination with flowers, culminating recently in an expansive work titled “Almanac.” Celebrating the diversity and dynamism of blooms, the piece explores ideas around placemaking and the passage of time. “For Glovinski, the garden is a metaphor for collapsed time and perishable memories,” says an exhibition statement. Along with Sarton, the artist also draws on poet Emily Dickinson’s love for plants, channeling literary reflections on connecting with the simple pleasures—and sublime chaos—of nature. “Almanac” takes its name from the annual guide that forecasts weather and a provides calendars for astronomical events, tides, and planting. The piece took more than a year to complete and comprises hundreds of pressed flower paintings made with washy acrylic paint applied to both sides of semi-transparent mylar. The gestural brushstrokes on translucent material evoke a sense of lightness and delicacy, like real petals blown up to larger-than-life size. Above the installation, she’s labeled segments with the months the blooms appear. Glovinski references pressed blossoms that she has grown, harvested, or collected from friends, nodding to Emily Dickinson’s love of the practice. (The poet created a stunning herbarium See more on Glovinski’s website and Instagram. Next article

Published April 24, 2025 10:00am EDT close 'There's no sense of privacy involved': 'CyberGuy' warns AI users' privacy could be at risk Tech expert Kurt Knutsson discusses tips on how to protect your data amid AI privacy concerns, and he talks about Ford filing a patent to bring the stick shift to electric vehicles.  Browser extensions can be a great way to boost your productivity while browsing. Chrome, which is the most popular browser out there, supports a wide range of extensions, and so do other Chromium-based browsers. However, these extensions are not always beneficial. While many are helpful for blocking ads, finding the best deals or checking grammar errors, some can end up doing more harm than good.I recently reported on a group of malicious extensions that were stealing user data, and now a new report has flagged 35 more suspicious ones. These browser extensions request unnecessary permissions and have been reported to collect and share everything you do online.Join the FREE "CyberGuy Report": Get my expert tech tips, critical security alerts and exclusive deals, plus instant access to my  A man using Google Chrome browser on his laptop. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Sketchy extensions in the wildA recent investigation by John Tuckner, founder of Secure Annex, revealed concerns about 35 Chrome extensions, posing potential privacy and security risks. These extensions, many unlisted on the Chrome Web Store, were collectively installed over 4 million times. Many of these sketchy extensions presented themselves as tools for search assistance, ad-blocking, security monitoring or extension scanning but shared a connection to a single, unused domain, suggesting coordinated behavior. They all use the same code patterns, connect to some of the same servers and require the same list of sensitive systems permissions, including the ability to interact with web traffic on all URLs visited, access cookies, manage browser tabs and execute scripts. What’s more concerning is that at least 10 of these extensions carried Google’s "Featured" badge, implying vetting for trustworthiness. This raises questions about Google’s review process, as the badge suggests compliance with high standards for user experience, privacy and security. A hacker at work. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Why are these extensions bad?The main concern is the level of access these extensions quietly request and how they use it. With permissions to read tabs, access cookies, intercept web requests and inject scripts into pages, they can monitor nearly everything you do in your browser. This includes tracking your browsing activity, observing login sessions and altering the content of websites you visit, all without your knowledge.These extensions are not simply misconfigured tools. They appear to be intentionally designed with surveillance in mind. Many store their configuration data locally, which allows remote servers to update their behavior at any time. This setup is commonly seen in spyware, where changes can be made after installation without alerting the user. The code is heavily obfuscated, making it difficult for researchers to understand what the extensions are actually doing.In some cases, the extensions appear to do nothing at all when clicked. However, they continue to send data in the background. For instance, the Fire Shield Extension Protection remained inactive until the researcher manually triggered it with a specific extension ID. Only then did it begin to transmit browsing activity and other data, revealing behavior that would be hard for an average user to detect. A person working on their laptop. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)The 35 extensions to delete right nowThe 35 extensions are not publicly searchable on the Chrome Web Store, meaning they can only be installed via direct URLs. The full list of extensions is:Choose Your Chrome ToolsFire Shield Chrome SafetySafe Search for ChromeFire Shield Extension ProtectionBrowser Checkup for Chrome by DoctorProtecto for ChromeUnbiased Search by ProtectoSecurify Your BrowserWeb Privacy AssistantSecurify Kid ProtectionBing Search by SecurifyBrowse Securely for ChromeBetter Browse by SecurySearchCheck My Permissions for ChromeWebsite Safety for ChromeMultiSearch for ChromeGlobal search for ChromeMap Search for ChromeWatch Tower OverviewIncognito Shield for ChromeIn Site Search for ChromePrivacy Guard for ChromeYahoo Search by GhostPrivate Search for ChromeTotal Safety for ChromeData Shield for ChromeBrowser WatchDog for ChromeIncognito Search for ChromeWeb Results for ChromeCuponomia - Coupon and CashbackSecurify for ChromeSecurify Advanced Web ProtectionNews Search for ChromeSecuryBrowse for ChromeBrowse Securely for ChromeHow to remove an extension from Google Chrome on desktopIf you have installed one of the above-mentioned extensions on your browser, remove it as soon as possible. To remove an extension from Google Chrome on a desktop, follow these steps:Open Chrome and click the icon that looks like a piece of a puzzle. You’ll find it in the top-right corner of the browserYou can see all the active extensions now. Click the three-dots icon next to the extension you want to remove and select Remove from ChromeClick Remove to confirm Steps to remove an extension from Google Chrome. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)5 ways to stay safe from sketchy extensionsIf you’re worried about the above extensions, here are five ways to safeguard your sensitive information and maintain your online privacy.1) Keep your browser up to date: Chrome gets regular updates that get rid of most security issues. Make sure you turn on automatic updates for your browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Edge) so you’re always running the latest version without thinking about it. See my guide on keeping your devices and apps updated for more information.2) Install extensions only from trusted sources: Official browser stores like the Chrome Web Store have rules and scans to catch bad actors. They’re not perfect, but they are still a better option when compared to a random website on the internet. Extensions from unknown websites or third-party downloads are far more likely to hide malware or spyware. 3) Have strong antivirus software: A good antivirus can warn you before you install malicious software, such as sketchy browser extensions. It can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, helping keep your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks of the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.4) Be skeptical of extensions requesting unnecessary access: Some extensions overreach on purpose. A calculator tool asking for your browsing history or a weather app wanting your login data is a huge red flag.Before installing, ask, "Does this permission match the extension’s job?" If the answer’s no, don’t install it. Watch out for broad permissions like "Read and change all your data on websites you visit" unless it’s clearly justified (e.g., a password manager). If an update suddenly adds new permission requests, dig into why. It might mean the extension has been sold or hacked.5) Change your passwords and do it safely: If you’ve ever saved passwords in your browser (e.g., via Chrome’s built-in password manager or the "Save Password" prompt), those credentials could be at risk if a malicious extension was installed. These built-in managers store passwords locally or in your Google, Microsoft or Firefox account, and a compromised browser can give bad actors a way in.This doesn’t typically apply to dedicated password manager extensions, which encrypt your data independently and don’t rely on browser storage. However, if you're unsure whether an extension has been compromised, it's always smart to update your master password and enable two-factor authentication. For maximum safety, change your most important passwords (email, bank, shopping, cloud services) from a different, secure device, such as your phone or another computer, where the questionable extension was never installed. Avoid using the same browser that may have been exposed. Then consider switching to a password manager to create and store strong, unique logins going forward. I’ve reviewed the top options in my best password managers of 2025 guide. See which one fits your needs best.Kurt’s key takeawayThe fact that several of these extensions carried Google’s own "Featured" badge should serve as a wake-up call. It points to a serious lapse in oversight and raises concerns about how thorough Chrome’s extension review process actually is. When millions of users unknowingly install spyware under the impression that it has been vetted and approved, the issue is no longer just about bad actors. It reflects a deeper failure within the platform itself. Google needs to take stronger responsibility by improving transparency and tightening its review standards. Do you think browser makers like Google should be held more accountable for what gets published in their stores? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/NewsletterFollow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Contactless payments and click-and-collect at Marks and Spencer (M&S) remain unavailable 72 hours after a cyber security incident at the retailer forced it to take the services offline. Further details of the incident, which began on Monday 21 April – although a separate issue had dogged contactless payments earlier in the Easter weekend – remain unavailable, but M&S has enlisted third-party cyber forensics, as well as working alongside the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), to establish the facts. In a further update published to its website late on 23 April, M&S said that in the course of its incident management activities, it continued to be necessary to alter some of its operations to preserve the security of both its customers, and the wider business. “We have made the proactive decision to move some of our processes offline to protect our colleagues, partners, suppliers and our business,” said a spokesperson. “Our stores remain open and customers can continue to shop on our website and our app. “However, we are not currently processing contactless payments, we have paused the collection of click-and-collect orders in stores, and there may be some delays to online order delivery times. We are incredibly grateful for the understanding and support that our customers, colleagues, partners and suppliers have shown. “We are working hard to restore our services and minimise disruption and are being supported by industry-leading experts. We will continue to update as appropriate as we work to resolve these issues.” M&S has already won some praise from cyber security professionals for playing a relatively straight bat when it comes to its incident disclosure and customer messaging. However, as it has still been unable to confirm the precise nature of the cyber attack – a set of circumstances that inevitably leads to speculation about ransomware – customers may still be concerned about whether or not their financial and other personal data has been compromised. For now, M&S is maintaining the line that there is no reason for consumers to take action. However, according to McAfee EMEA head Vonny Gamot, there are still some steps it might be wise to take. “First, it’s important to know that high-profile attacks like this provide fresh opportunities for scammers,” she said. “Unfortunately, fraudsters looking to capitalise on the situation will launch further rounds of phishing attacks, usually via email or text, that direct people to bogus sites designed to steal sensitive information. “Whether it’s an email requesting an alternate payment method due to missed transactions or a text asking you to reset your login details, it’s always wise to keep a cautious eye open.” Fraudsters and scammers will frequently play on emotions by creating a sense of urgency in their messaging in an attempt to get potential victims to let their guard down. Messages exploiting the M&S incident may, for example, imply that your data or money have been stolen and urge you to click on links to secure your accounts. If in doubt, said Gamot, best practice is to stop and question any unexpected or unsolicited contacts relating to the incident, and verify them with M&S. Customers may also wish to update their passwords and keep an eye on their bank and credit card accounts. If any changes appear that you did not action, these need to be reported, and if you believe your data may have been taken, place a fraud alert on your credit cards to take advantage of additional scrutiny. Read more about recent cyber attacks Car hire giant Hertz reveals UK customer data was affected in a cyber incident orchestrated via a series of vulnerabilities in Cleo managed file transfer products. TfL provides more detail on the financial impact of the September 2024 cyber attack that crippled several of its online systems. The Post Office offered a short extension to enable it to asses the impact of the MoneyGram cyber incident, but the contract has now expired and MoneyGram services are no longer available in Post Office branches.

Motorola partnered with Swarovski and Bose to launch the flashy Moto Buds Loop, earbuds decked out with diamonds.

Despite global slowdowns in new car sales, there seems to be no slowing down the automotive aftermarket which is expected to cross 2bn vehicles on the road (includes passenger cars and commercial vehicles) and become a trillion dollar industry by 2035, a finding of a new study on Future of Automotive Aftermarket released by Markets and Markets. It’s evolving rapidly, driven by a surge in vehicle parc, average vehicle age, miles driven per year, and, of course, the increasing demand for sustainability practices. By 2030—and that’s just 4 years away—the global passenger car parc is expected to reach 1.62 billion units! To put that in perspective, with the total population expected to be somewhere around 8.5 billion, it's 1 vehicle for every 5 people on earth! Electric vehicles are expected to reach about 10-12% of the global vehicle parc by 2030, up from ~4-5% in 2024. This will lead to an exponential increase in the demand for specialized parts—such as batteries and regenerative braking systems. Aside from vehicle parc, connectivity and e-commerce will also play a major role in driving the aftermarket. In terms of growth markets, China is going to be an interesting market with car parc reaching 458mn vehicles by 2030 and the parc ageing (currently, one third of the vehicles are over 6 years old), providing opportunities for the independent aftermarket channel. Car Repairgetty Traction and Torque: The New Aftermarket Boom While the future may or may not be electric, there’s no denying the fact that EV sales are skyrocketing in some economies. The rise of EVs brings a whole new set of opportunities—and challenges—to the aftermarket. Due to their heavier weight and instant torque, tires on EVs wear out sooner than traditional ICE cars—up to 10,000 km faster—leading to quicker tire replacement and driving the demand for durable, specialized rubber designed to handle the extra strain. Total tire Aftermarket industry is expected to grow from USD 96 billion in 2024 to over USD 115 billion by 2030. On the other hand, the rise of EVs has tempered the demand for engine oil replacement to a certain extent, as EVs do not use traditional lubes. However, demand for engine oil remains strong as ICE vehicles require engine oil replacement every 7,500-10,000 km. With revenues of USD 55 billion in 2024, the engine oil aftermarket is expected to reach USD 64 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 2.5% during the forecast period, also helped with the push from lubricant players like Shell & others to focus on premium branded products. Chart shows breakdown of how aftermarket parts are expected to grow over the forecast period. Global Light Vehicle Aftermarket Component DemandMarkets and Markets Wrenches to Widgets: The New Face of the Aftermarket Similar to other sectors, digitalization is changing the face of the automotive aftermarket as well. Everything from sales channels—you can now buy car parts from the comfort of your favorite couch if you so desire (and even on Amazon or eBay) —to revenue models and customer engagement has undergone a massive transformation. Some of today’s vehicles even offer OEM-backed predictive maintenance, beaming real-time data to mechanics and flagging issues before they become road hazards, shifting the industry to a data-driven, scalable, customer-centric model. Bosch, for instance, uses connected diagnostics to send real-time vehicle data to repair shops, while Tesla & Ford’s OEM telematics systems enable over-the-air (OTA) updates to fix software glitches, reducing the need for physical shop visits. Advancements such as these blend cutting-edge innovation with OEM infrastructure, reducing repair times and keeping vehicles rolling with minimal downtime. When it comes to e-commerce sales, digital convenience and rapid technological innovations have fueled growth in the aftermarket—global e-commerce sales of automotive parts are expected to grow from 5% in 2024 to almost 10% by 2030 as consumers increasingly bypass traditional brick-and-mortar shops for the convenience, variety, pricing, and delivery options that online portals offer. On-demand Services: Opportunities Beyond the Dealership Growth and innovation in the automotive industry have resulted in the evolution of new on-demand services such as fuel delivery, door-to-door servicing, roadside assistance, rescue charging for EVs, and even car washing. In the aftermarket, on-demand car wash services are carving a niche alongside traditional offerings like parts sales and repairs. The key trends driving the demand for car washing include integration with digital platforms, AI-driven systems and automated payment kiosks, premium packages with ceramic coatings and interior sanitization, and energy players partnering with car wash providers. Volvo, for example, has partnered with GoWashMyCar in the UK to offer mobile washing through its app, MobileWash, while Mopar, the aftermarket arm of Stellantis (previously Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), provides a variety of on-demand services, including 24/7 roadside assistance. Ford, too, partnered with Agero in 2024 to enhance its roadside assistance program across the US, focusing on EVs and traditional vehicles. On the other hand, major OEMs, too, have begun to offer various customer-centric services, such as Tesla’s mobile fleet service and BMW’s mobile and concierge-style pickup/drop-off service. These initiatives enhance customer satisfaction and give OEMs a competitive edge in a space where independents have long dominated, positioning them as full-lifecycle partners in vehicle ownership. Built to Last, Remanufactured to Lead! Remanufactured parts are previously used components brought back to OEM specs and standards. Such parts usually cost 30-40% less than new components while offering comparable quality and performance and are often backed by warranties. The demand for remanufactured automotive components is growing as consumers and businesses seek alternatives to high-priced OEM parts without compromising on quality. In North America, the US has a mature remanufactured parts market with robust distribution channels, strong customer awareness, clear government guidelines, and over 15,000 companies, while in Europe, Germany has strong remanufacturing capabilities, followed by the UK. Despite gradual acceptance by customers, remanufactured components have a higher penetration rate in some countries than others. For example, the penetration rate in the US and Europe is significantly higher than in India and China due to a lack of customer awareness about the benefits of these parts and the low price difference compared to new parts. Heavily remanufactured products include starters, turbochargers, transmissions, compressors, ECUs, and electronic parts in conventional ICE vehicles and could include batteries, e-motors, inverters, e-compressors, and DC-DC converters in EVs. The automotive remanufacturing market is expected to grow from USD 75.1 billion in 2024 to USD 120.4 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 8.1%. Beyond OEMs: A New Era of Auto Services The Original Equipment Service (OES) channel is tied to automakers and their dealership networks, making it, well, to be honest, inconvenient in situations where time is of the essence. Imagine having your vehicle towed to an authorized dealership just to replace a sensor, leaving you stranded. And God forbid it happens in the midst of a long traveling tour or in a remote location hundreds of miles away from the dealership. Thankfully, the Independent Aftermarket (IAM) operates, well, independently, supplying parts, tools, and services through a diverse network of retailers, repair shops, and e-commerce platforms. IAM channels excel in components such as brakes, batteries, starters, alternators, AC compressors, and others and are divided into 3 categories—traditional warehouse distributors, retailers, and e-commerce portals. The US leads the IAM growth with traditional warehouse distributors, retailers, and e-commerce portals accounting for 40-45%, 30-35%, and 10-12%, respectively, mainly due to the massive vehicle fleet in the country, along with mature aftermarket infrastructure and an increasing consumer preference for independence from OEMs post-warranty. Mergers & Acquisitions to grow One key trend we will see is industry consolidation and integration. In M&A, we will see Tier 1 suppliers acquire other suppliers and distributors of auto parts acquire others within their region and globally to become international players. Private equity firms are increasingly targeting M&A in the automotive aftermarket, focusing on distributors and intermediaries due to their stable cash flows, consolidation potential and operational improvement opportunities. Conclusion In a world where the road never ends, the automotive aftermarket keeps you moving—whether it’s style, performance, or smart technology that drives you. From routine fixes to resplendent grandeur, each day more consumers rely on aftermarket options to be unique but now also for convenience. Be it traditional warehouse distributors, independent repair shops, or on-demand service providers; the aftermarket is evolving and growing, forcing OEMs to deepen their presence in the vehicle ownership cycle. By 2030, you can expect the aftermarket to be an integrated, eco-conscious, and customer-centric industry, leveraging AI, telematics, and circular economy principles to keep pace with a global vehicle parc exceeding 2 billion—ensuring that affordability, convenience, and reliability remain at the wheel of automotive care.

In brief: Google is following Amazon's hardline approach for workers who refuse to come back to the office. The company is demanding that some of its full-time remote employees return to their closest office locations for at least three days per week or face losing their jobs. Google was one of the companies who decided to play it safe when it came to bringing workers back following the pandemic. It introduced hybrid work models in April 2022, though managers were able to approve fully remote exceptions. Google started tightening the leash in June 2023, when it began tracking hybrid employees' office badges to find out if they come in on the days they're supposed to. These office attendance records are recorded for performance reviews. Google also asked fully remote staff to consider coming back three days each week. 2023 was also the year that Google's HR told managers to review long-term remote arrangements and require some people to move closer to an office or convert to hybrid. More changes came last year when Google decided to approve remote requests only in "exceptional" cases. Now, according to internal documents viewed by CNBC, Google is pushing many remote staffers to switch to hybrid or face the consequences. Employees in Google Technical Services have been told to either come in at least three days per week or take a voluntary exit package. Remote employees in the unit are also being offered a one-time relocation expense to move within 50 miles of an office. Moreover, remote employees in Google's People Operations division who live within 50 miles of an office must switch to hybrid work this month or their roles will be eliminated. // Related Stories Earlier this year, Google offered voluntary exit packages for employees working in the Platforms and Devices group, which includes the Pixel and Android teams that had just merged. The offer was extended to full-time employees in its People Operations division in March. Sergey Brin, the billionaire who co-founded Google with Larry Page in 1998 and is now assisting with its AI efforts, recently said that 60-hour in-office weeks were crucial for Google to come out on top in the ultra-competitive AI industry. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt also made his feelings on remote work clear in 2024. He said that "Google decided that work-life balance and going home early, and working from home, was more important than winning." He later partially backtracked following an outcry over his comments.

Table of Contents Table of Contents A crystal, water repellant design Exceptionally lightweight Bose-tuned sound  Battery life for days Motorola announced a number of new devices at a launch in New York, but while the new Razr Ultra 2025 is my pick of the bunch, the Moto Buds Loop are impossible to ignore.  Taking a design approach very similar to what Huawei offers with its FreeClip earbuds that became available in early 2024, the Moto Buds Loop have an open ear design and they come in two colours, one of which has a very sparkly twist. Recommended Videos Moto Buds Loop Britta O’Boyle / Digital Trends The Moto Buds Loop are designed to clip onto the outside of your ear, sit around half way up and look more like a trendy piercing than an earbud. They aren’t the first open ear headphones around, in fact there are plenty with key players including Bose and Shokz both in on the open-ear action. Related Like Huawei’s FreeClip option however, the Buds Loop take a more design-led approach, aiming to embrace being worn rather than opt for a more discreet look like the Bose Ultra Open earbuds. When I say embrace being worn, I really mean it too. The Buds Loop earbuds come in just two colour options but one of those features Swarovski crystals on the loop, resulting in them looking more like a piece of jewellery than earbuds. Moto Buds Loop Britta O’Boyle / Digital Trends The French Oak option is the model with the crystals, while the Trekking Green is certainly the more subtle of the two, offered in a deep forest green colour that’s not too dissimilar from the Motorola Razr Ultra’s Pantone Scarab finish – though sadly not an exact match.  Whether you pick to stand out with bling or you opt for the Trekking Green however, both options have a water-repellant design so they can handle a little rain. You will need to avoid bathing though. Moto Buds Loop Britta O’Boyle / Digital Trends When I picked up the Moto Buds Loop during Motorola’s event, the first thing I noticed was their weight. The figure isn’t detailed on the spec sheets so I can’t tell you how light these earbuds are in terms of ounces, but I can tell you they are noticeably light, and that includes when in their case.  That’s necessary of course because wearing something heavy around the part of the ear these are designed for would be incredibly uncomfortable. Motorola said the Buds Loop have been made from a flexible memory metal with a “weightless design” and while I didn’t try them on my own ear, I can attest to their lightness, both the earbuds themselves and the case. The case is pebble-shaped, not too dissimilar from Apple’s AirPods and many of the wireless earbud cases out there, though there are no physical buttons. Apple ditched the physical pairing button on the AirPods 4 when they launched in September 2024 too, though I still find it a little odd not to have any button to force pairing mode if you need to. Moto Buds Loop Britta O’Boyle / Digital Trends At the bottom of the case, there is a USB-C port for charging, but otherwise Motorola’s signature “M” logo sits in the middle of the front of the case with the lid opening to reveal the dark green or sparkly gold earbuds inside, and an LED indicator light sits below the “M”.  The earbuds themselves are quick and easy to slot into the case – you can only put them in one way like other earbuds, which definitely helps avoid confusion, though even with this, I did pick up one pair where they didn’t sit in the case quite right and required a little fiddling before the lid would close.  Moto Buds Loop Britta O’Boyle / Digital Trends What’s perhaps the most interesting thing about the Moto Buds Loop, except for how much bling they bring is that their sound is tuned by Bose. It’s not the first time Motorola has partnered with Bose – the company released the Buds+ back in April 2024 and they were generally considered by most reviewers to be a decent pair of budget headphones. Those headphones took the more traditional wireless headphone route however, featuring stems like Apple’s AirPods and Samsung’s most recent Galaxy Buds too, so the Buds Loop will offer what should be a quite different experience to those. The idea – as with all open earbuds is that you can hear your music or call, whilst also being able to hear what is happening around you. Now, just as with the weight and dimensions, apart from the Bose-tuning Motorola hasn’t revealed huge amounts of detail about what’s inside these open ear headphones and listening to them first hand wasn’t an option in the hands on space I experienced them in. Their sound quality will therefore need to wait for a full review but with the Buds+ decent enough for their price, I’d have high hopes given Bose are known for sound quality in their own headphones. Motorola has said there are 12mm ironless drivers on board the Buds Loop, along with dual microphones and a feature called CrystalTalk AI – we see what Moto did there. Funny. Spatial Audio is also supported but that’s as much detail as was offered. Moto Buds Loop Britta O’Boyle / Digital Trends When it comes to battery life, this is another element we will have to test properly when we come to review these headphones, but Motorola is claiming the earbuds themselves will have 8 hours of playtime, while the charging case offers 38 hours of playtime.  That’s the same as what Motorola touts for its Buds+ and it’s longer than other wireless headphones, with Apple’s AirPods 4 offering 5 hours from the buds and a further 25 hours from the case for a total of 30 hours. The Bose Ultra Open however, claim 7 hours of playtime from the buds and 48 hours of standby time so a little longer than what’s being offered here. Moto Buds Loop Britta O’Boyle / Digital Trends The Moto Buds Loop are said to charge in 60 minutes but the company hasn’t yet detailed whether there is any fast charging support, like 5 minutes of charging for an hour playback, for example.  Pricing and availability is also yet to be fully announced, though the Motorola Buds+ were available in North America so it’s expected these crystallised delights will be too. How much it will set you back to add a little sparkle to your ears remains to be seen for now though so watch this space. Editors’ Recommendations

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