An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: While using website data to build a Google Search topped with artificial intelligence-generated answers, an Alphabet executive acknowledged in an internal document that there was an alternative way to do things: They could ask web publishers for permission, or let them directly opt out of being included. But giving publishers a choice would make training AI models in search too complicated, the company concludes in the document, which was unearthed in the company's search antitrust trial. It said Google had a "hard red line" and would require all publishers who wanted their content to show up in the search page to also be used to feed AI features. Instead of giving options, Google decided to "silently update," with "no public announcement" about how they were using publishers' data, according to the document, written by Chetna Bindra, a product management executive at Google Search. "Do what we say, say what we do, but carefully." "It's a little bit damning," said Paul Bannister, the chief strategy officer at Raptive, which represents online creators. "It pretty clearly shows that they knew there was a range of options and they pretty much chose the most conservative, most protective of them -- the option that didn't give publishers any controls at all." For its part, Google said in a statement to Bloomberg: "Publishers have always controlled how their content is made available to Google as AI models have been built into Search for many years, helping surface relevant sites and driving traffic to them. This document is an early-stage list of options in an evolving space and doesn't reflect feasibility or actual decisions." They added that Google continually updates its product documentation for search online. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

If you work in a tech company with screens in meeting rooms: what is on those screens as screensavers?At Stripe: its realtime business metric graphs. Support satisfaction, fraud rate trends, revenue for product X.Just saw these - what a way to “expose” the business to devs!

For many creatives, there are few times in life that are more thrilling and filled with possibilities than the summer you graduate. At the same time, there's usually a fair bit of anxiety, and in 2025, there are good reasons for that. If you're a creative graduate preparing to enter the workforce, you face a rapidly changing landscape shaped by technological advancements, shifting work paradigms and unprecedented challenges. In short, you'll be navigating uncharted waters as you transition from structured academic environments to the professional world. To help bridge this gap, we've gathered industry-leading advice from established leaders across various disciplines. These veterans have weathered economic shifts, tech revolutions, and cultural transformations throughout their careers. As such, their collective wisdom offers a compass for any graduate at a time of extraordinary opportunity and complexity. 1. Be kind to yourself First things first. You'll want to get into decent-paid work straight away, but in the current job market, that might not happen. That completely sucks, of course, but the important thing is that you don't beat yourself up over it. Creative director Charlie Bowden acknowledges the challenges of getting your foot in the door, even with a degree. "Converting an internship into a job is hard and may take longer than you'd like," he cautions. "So be kind to yourself. The best work comes when you're happy." Adrian Carroll, creative director at D8, agrees. "Don't be too hard on yourself if you don't land a role straight away," he stresses. "It's an incredibly tough market for graduates at the moment. Fewer people are setting up agencies, and more people are opting to freelance, which is tough if you don't have much experience." 2. Build your personal brand In a crowded jobs market, you need to stand out. That can be challenging for many creatives, especially if you're shy or introverted. But the important thing to understand, according to Simon Manchipp, founding partner at SomeOne, is this: "YOU ARE A BRAND. Like it or not." With that in mind, he recommends you: "Get your story straight. Make it stick. Website. Insta. LinkedIn. Behance. They should sing the same song—and it should sound like you. SHOW WORK. NOT PROMISES. Don't tell us what you want to do; show us what you did. Projects are better than platitudes. Side hustles count. So do failed ones. Especially failed ones." 3. Craft a portfolio with cut-through When it comes to your portfolio, Alex Rexworthy, co-founder and design director at Outlaw, advises showcasing development alongside final work. "Show your process, not just a flashy render," he urges. "Take the reader on a journey through each project in your portfolio. Start with the brief, share your initial ideas, and explain how you arrived at the final result." Above all, encourages Cat How, founder and ECD at How Studio, make an impact. "Go big, or go home," she says. "This is your time to shine, so you owe it to yourself to be OUTRAGEOUS." 4. Stay true to your vision When you're struggling to get work, it's natural to want to apply for everything and maybe even pretend to be someone you're not. But Paul Leon, creative director at U037, reckons you'll ultimately be more successful if you focus on your authentic creative path. "Focus on what you really want to do and head for that," he advises. "If you feel something's not right for you, don't be afraid to speak up, and don't be afraid to say no. Value yourself: the journey is where all the good stuff happens. Detours, etc, are fine." When applying for a job at an agency, you obviously need to do your research. But Charlie notes that you need to look beyond an agency's portfolio. "Consider the culture, not just the work," he explains. "Certain agencies make great work, but their culture may not be right for you. Internships are a great way of getting a gauge of this, but so is asking to come in for coffee and a crit, so you can see what the agency is like first-hand." 5. Embrace the beginner's mindset You need confidence to succeed in life, but that confidence shouldn't spill over into overconfidence or the idea that you already know it all; you don't. With that in mind, Kiser Barnes, partner and chief creative officer at Red Antler, stresses the importance of humility paired with curiosity. "Be humble and stay wildly curious," he says. "Finishing school feels like reaching the peak… until you realise you're right back at the bottom of a new hill again. That's okay. The people who thrive in this industry are the ones most open to learning, evolving and collaborating." Barrington Reeves, creative director at Too Gallus, offers similar advice. "Be ready to learn," he urges. "The change from education to commercial can sometimes be daunting. But although you've just been through a full course of education, the real learning begins now. " Part of that means adapting to commercial timeframes. "Don't be discouraged by the pace of change and iteration," he stresses. "While university might teach you to nurture and grow an idea over a prolonged period of time, in the commercial market, it is an incredible skill to be able to think—and fail—fast." 6. Develop leadership skills early Being humble doesn't mean you can't have one eye on the future and start developing your leadership skills. With that in mind, Ashleigh Hansberger, co-founder and COO at Motto, suggests you: "Start studying business and leadership now. Leadership isn't about title; it's about behaviour. That means building discipline, making clear decisions, being accountable, and taking responsibility for your actions and impact. "Practise your own leadership development early," she adds. "Read about it. Reflect on it. Try it. Accumulate experience and wisdom through the unglamorous work of getting 1% better every day. That's how you grow into someone people want to follow." 7. Master your craft while embracing technology Emerging technologies might be disrupting everything right now, with negative consequences for employment. But Kiser encourages graduates to engage with them all the same. "Don't be afraid of AI—tinker with it, play with it, understand it," he says. "Use your fresh perspective to imagine better ways of working. The world doesn't need more copies of what already exists. It needs people who can push the whole system forward." Matthew Schneider, director of product marketing at LucidLink, takes a similar line. "Know your craft, but don't be afraid of new tech," he advises. "When I started, a single video editing system cost well over $100k; now, a subscription to professional editing software might cost as little as $20 monthly." And the moral of this story? "Now people have access to great tools, what sets you apart is how you use them and the story you ultimately tell with them," Matthew explains. "Growing up an aspiring filmmaker myself, my mother would always tell me, 'It's not the story; it's the storytelling'. She's right!" Tom Munckton, ECD at Fold7Design, similarly notes the accelerating pace of industry evolution right now. "The industry used to shift annually; now it feels more like monthly—with processes and project delivery being challenged by AI and other democratising factors," he says. Ultimately, though, he recommends focusing on creative direction over specific tools. "Regardless of the tool or method you use right now or in the future, confidence will come from being clear about the type of work you want to make and making constant steps towards that," he reasons. 8. Embrace discomfort as growth Finding all this stressful and frightening? Many creative people feel like they don't "belong" in normal society, but the good news is that agencies are generally pretty friendly places and are probably filled with other people who've felt like outsiders themselves. Take Claire Parker, group creative partner at The Chase. "I never fitted in at school—couldn't do maths, couldn't spell—but I could create," she recalls. "The world needs curious minds like yours. Creativity isn't about having all the answers; it's about asking better questions. "Stay interested, stay committed, and back yourself even when you feel out of your depth," she adds. "In fact, especially then, as David Bowie said, 'Always go a little further into the water'. That's where the magic happens. Be more Bowie."

Beating the Ender Dragon in Minecraft technically marks the end of the game, as the credits will roll when you leave the area post-fight. However, there are several useful techniques and important mechanics that you need to know before you head into the fight with one of the strongest Minecraft mobs. Here's how to find the Ender Dragon, how to beat it, and the rewards you'll get for slaying it.Table of Contents [hide]Items to bring to the fightItems to bring to the fightBefore we get into the mechanics of the Ender Dragon fight, there are several items you should seek out and bring with you on the journey. You'll want to read our dedicated Minecraft The End guide for information on how to find The End and how to get there, but in terms of items that will be useful, we've got you covered.You'll need three full stacks of scaffolding in order to reach the tops of the towers. You can bring normal blocks, but scaffolding allows you to go up and down at will, instead of relying on water buckets to break your fall from the top of the tower. If you're anything like me, you've failed at the water bucket trick too many times to count, so scaffolding is the safer option. Having said that, do bring a water bucket to protect yourself from the many Endermen that spawn in the fight arena.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Pokemon GO has announced a new Global Challenge that will kick off on May 20. This is another event that Niantic will release during the current Might and Mastery season and one of the last activities available for Pokemon GO players in May.

Across robot training and development, NVIDIA Research is uncovering breakthroughs in areas such as multimodal generative AI and synthetic data generation. The team’s latest innovations will be spotlighted at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), running May 19-23 in Atlanta. “ICRA has played a pivotal role in shaping the direction of robotics and automation, marking key milestones in the field’s evolution and celebrating achievements that have had a lasting impact on technology and society,” said Dieter Fox, senior director of robotics research at NVIDIA. “The research we’re contributing this year will further advance the development of autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots by helping close the data gap and improve robot safety and control.” Generative AI for Scalable Robotic Learning NVIDIA-authored papers showcased at ICRA give a glimpse into the future of robotics. They include: DreamDrive: This 4D spatial-temporal scene generation approach creates realistic, controllable 4D driving scenes using video diffusion and 3D Gaussian splatting for autonomous vehicles. System-Level Safety Monitoring and Recovery for Perception Failures in Autonomous Vehicles: This real-time Q-network can detect and help autonomous vehicles account for perception failures, bolstering AV planning and safety. Inference-Time Policy Steering Through Human Interactions: This framework enables human-guided adjustments to generative policies during inference for better alignment and safety. DexMimicGen: This system can generate large-scale bimanual dexterous manipulation datasets from just a few human demonstrations. HOVER: A unified neural controller for humanoid robots that seamlessly transitions between locomotion, manipulation and other modes. MatchMaker: This pipeline automates generation of diverse 3D assembly assets for simulation-based training, enabling robots to learn insertion tasks without manual asset curation. SPOT: This learning framework uses SE(3) pose trajectory diffusion for object-centric manipulation, enabling cross-embodiment generalization. System-Level Safety Monitoring and Recovery for Perception Failures in Autonomous Vehicles: This real-time system monitors perception reliability and triggers recovery strategies to ensure robust planning and safety in autonomous vehicles. Inference-Time Policy Steering through Human Interactions: This framework enables real-time human-guided adjustments to model outputs during inference, improving policy alignment without retraining. Robotics workshops at ICRA featuring NVIDIA speakers include: Pioneering the Future of Human Motion Prediction: Explore how advancements in AI, robotics and biomechanics can improve human-computer interaction and safety. Towards Reliable and Trustworthy Embodied AI in Everyday Scenarios: Learn how to address the challenges of developing reliable and trustworthy embodied AI systems for seamless integration into everyday environments. Beyond the Lab: Robust Planning and Control in Real-World Scenarios: Gather insights on robust planning and control techniques that can help robots adjust to the complexities of real-world scenarios. Safely Leveraging Vision-Language Foundation Models in Robotics: Explore strategies for safely integrating vision-language foundation models into robotic applications to bolster performance and reliability. Human-Centered Robot Learning in the Era of Big Data and Large Models: Learn human-centered approaches to robot learning, using big data and large models for enhanced adaptability and intelligence. RoboARCH: Robotics Acceleration with Computing Hardware and Systems: Hear about innovations in computing hardware and systems that are driving rapid progress and acceleration in robotics research and applications. Explore the latest work from NVIDIA Research, and check out the Robotics Research and Development Digest (R²D²), which gives developers deeper insight into the latest physical AI and robotics breakthroughs.

Throwing your shield at demons is the bread and butter of Doom: The Dark Ages. However, Wolf Statues are also valuable targets to aim your shield at. In each chapter of Doom: The Dark Ages, there are many secrets to discover. Maps may hide little toys in underground tunnels or Nightmare skins in platforms that seem impossible to reach. Finding all of them is not mandatory, but some rewards — like Gold, Rubies and, Wraithsones — are fundamental if you plan on upgrading your weapons. Wolf Statues can offer you these materials as rewards — but only if you can find them! Below, we’ll show you where to find all Wolf Statues we’ve found so far in Doom: The Dark Ages, plus the rewards you get from them. Where to find Wolf Statues in Doom: The Dark Ages Wolf Statues are guardians of unique treasures, and each of them are linked to other Wolf Statues, which are hidden around each level and will break if you throw your shield at them. The barrier protecting the item only disappears after all the statues in a given level are destroyed. You can know how many statues you must find by counting how many are around the barrier. To identify the ones you must break, just look for wolf statues that are glowing red. As you eliminate Wolf Statues around the map, the translucent statues around the barrier turn into stone. So far, we’ve found Wolf Statues in two levels in Doom: The Dark Ages: The Siege – Part 1 (Chapter 6) Ancestral Forge (Chapter 9) The Siege – Part 1 (Chapter 6)    There are three Wolf Statues in Chapter 6 guarding a Ruby, and while this map might be a little bit byzantine, finding all three statues is not too much trouble. To find the statues, turn right from the main gate. Go ahead for a while, destroy a massive tank and then look to your left. You will see, a little higher from where you are, the three translucent wolves around the Ruby. Now, the ones you need to break are considerably close. The first one is right beside the area where the Ruby is. You need to first kill all the enemies — which involves defeating a Vagary — in the area to disable the force field around it. The second statue is hidden inside a small cave next to the ruby as well. You can easily see the statue from where the Ruby is. The final statue is in the opposite direction from the Ruby. When facing the statue holding the Ruby, turn around and you will see the Wolf Statue.  Ancestral Forge (Chapter 9) While you try to make the Ancestral Forge work again, you can look for the three Wolf Statues hidden in Chapter 9. You will receive a Wraithstone once you find all of them, the only material that unlocks a weapon’s final upgrade. The Wraithstone and the three Wolf Statues are located on the left side of the map. You can find the first Wolf Statue by turning right to where the altar is. Before you even start looking for the second statue, you should get the Purple Key. To find it, you want to leave the main gate, turn right and head toward the red zone in this direction. You need to first defeat the leader in this zone, but once you’re done, you can look for the entrance to the corridor to the left side of the arena that will take you to the key. Break it with your shield and you can get the Purple Key. Go back to where you started in this chapter and you will find a Purple Gate. Open it with the key to find the second Wolf Statue.  Now, you can find the third and last statue by going to the opposite side of the map from where the Wraithstone is. You will find it in an area between the two remaining red zones. It is protected by some enemies, but killing them disables the barrier around it. Check back soon for more Wolf Statues in Doom: The Dark Ages!

For 55 years, Range Rover has set the standard for luxury SUVs, with outstanding off-road capability and cutting-edge technological advancements. The iconic brand launched its first installation in Milan, Futurespective: Connected World, designed in collaboration with design studio NUOVA. Two seemingly opposite worlds collide – a 1970s showroom, complete with wood paneling, shag carpet, and a khaki Range Rover, leads into a hypermodern white space, with the 2025 Range Rover at the center of the installation. Here, these worlds work in harmony – bridging the gap between 1970 and 2025, the “futurespective” sets the scene for the next generation of Range Rovers, the distinct quality of immersion taking us simultaneously to the past and future. Stepping into a walnut-paneled ’70s paradise, full-length mirrors, distinctive clocks and hardware make this truly an immersive experience. So different from the open air and clever anchoring of the car in space, the 1970 Classic Range Rover is outfitted in a signature Olive Green color, warm and solid, reflecting similar color palettes of the time. Here, a deep burgundy shag offsets the green of the Rover and the dappled brown hues of the walnut, a bold and distinctly groovy interior that includes heartwarming details – a brochure that looks like it’s 50 years old, decade-specific lighting on the ceiling and side tables – that offers a distinct respect to the time, while also contrasting so elegantly with its new cousin. To outfit the space, NUOVA designed custom furniture, like the oxblood red seating, a circular version of their Enzo table with a white Carrara marble top, and bespoke desk chairs. 1970s details round out the room, including 44 custom beam ceiling lights, a chrome table lamp, a fish tank, and original sketches. NUOVA also collaborated with LA-based luxury atelier L’Equip to design outfits for the “time travel” concierge who guided guests through the two capsules in gear inspired by 1970s work attire and British fashion. “Range Rover has long been a companion to generations, seamlessly evolving through time while remaining anchored in its unmistakable identity. Our exploration of time travel isn’t merely nostalgic or speculative – it’s a lens through which we examine how design, innovation, and craftsmanship weave together across eras. Partnering with a brand so deeply rooted in heritage, yet constantly driven by evolution and reinvention, feels like a natural alignment,” says NUOVA founders Enrico Pietra and Rodrigo Caula. Leaving 1970 behind, the carpet is a first signifier of our immersion in the here and now, a wall-to-wall swan gray that speaks to space travel, aviation, and the great beyond. Mirrors stand in as columns, surrounding the 2025 Range Rover in a Bespoke metallic green finish. As the viewer traverses around the car, the mirrors pick up flitting images, coming in and out of focus thanks to strategic angling. Highlighting different facets of the car, the mirrors also showcase the soft gray of the walls with a bright light coming from the ceiling, almost mimicking a huge sunroof on a slightly overcast day illuminating the silhouette of the car. Launched in the 1970s in the United Kingdom and Australia, the Range Rover has been an iconic part of American culture as well, gray market sales prompting the brand to expand to the United States officially in 1987. The fifth-generation 2025 Range Rover has all the rugged capability of it’s original counterpart, with top of the line handling and sleek accents more appropriate for a modern age. NUOVA, an acronym for New Understanding of Various Artifacts, is a luxury design venture using research and innovation-based methods to tailor the future with time travel. Working within the industrial and interior design, creative direction, advanced material innovation, sustainability strategy, packaging and product development industries, they help companies develop immersive 360-degree spatial brand experiences. The minds behind Aeir, the first bioengineered fragrance company, winning various awards and selling out within their first year. To learn more about the Futurespective: Connected Worlds exhibit, visit rangerover.com and nuova.us. Photography by Pietro Cocco.

The structural reality behind disappearing entry-level design roles and some practical advice for finding ways inMade by me with Midjourney.I haven’t worked with a junior designer in nearly a decade.Not because I don’t value them, but because the environments I’ve worked in haven’t been set up to support them.Lean teams leave no room for juniorsFor the past eight years, I’ve worked primarily at hyper-scaling, technical, enterprise startups, especially in cybersecurity. These are companies that have found traction and are rapidly scaling to meet aggressive benchmarks in competitive markets. The pressure to deliver quickly and accurately is relentless.In these engineering-driven organizations building products for technical users, design teams typically remain lean: often just 2–3 people. Every designer is expected to lead a pod, own a problem space, and deliver independently from day one.There’s simply no extra bandwidth for mentorship. No built-in scaffolding to help junior designers safely learn and grow. No slack in the system for someone still finding their footing.Even with the best intentions, these teams just aren’t structurally built to support junior growth.My design career started differentlyI’ve seen the flip side of this, too. My first design role was at American Express, on a 20-person team.I got to contribute immediately on small, concrete tasks and learn gradually by osmosis: supporting experienced leads, prototyping their ideas, and building confidence through direct exposure and feedback.That environment was primed to support junior talent, with clear paths for growth and mentorship built into the workflow.But that kind of team is increasingly rare in today’s landscape.It’s structural, not personalIn the industry as a whole, the modern product designer role has evolved into something inherently non-junior. It requires strategic decision-making, confident navigation of business and technical trade-offs, and providing guidance to senior or lead-level stakeholders (most often, a tech lead and product lead).These abilities only develop through direct experience with product development cycles. Experience that juniors, by definition, don’t yet have.Making matters worse: The tactical tasks that juniors traditionally cut their teeth on are increasingly being delegated to AI tools. Tasks that once required a human junior designer with specialized training can now be handled by generative AI tools in a fraction of the time and cost to the organization.This fundamentally changes the entry pathway. When the low-complexity work that helped juniors develop their skills is automated away, we lose the natural onramp that allowed designers to gradually progress from tactical execution to strategic direction.Remote work has further complicated things by removing informal learning opportunities that happen naturally in an in-person work environment, like shadowing senior designers, being in the room for strategy discussions, or casual mentorship chats.What this means if you’re trying to break inIf you’re trying to break into product design today and facing constant rejection:You’re not imagining how hard it is. And it’s not just you.The traditional entry path has largely disappeared. Companies that once hired junior designers now expect more maturity from day one, creating that impossible requirement of “needing experience to get experience.”It’s not all doom and gloom, though. You just need to adjust your approach accordingly for the situation we find ourselves in.Where juniors can startInstead of waiting for the overall market to become junior-friendly again (which I don’t see happening), focus your search on environments more structurally accepting of new talent:Very early-stage startups: Pre-seed or seed companies often have tight budgets and simply need someone enthusiastic who can execute designs. It will be trial-by-fire, but you’ll gain rapid hands-on experience.Stable, established businesses outside of ‘big tech’: Businesses with predictable revenue streams often provide structured environments for junior designers (my early experience at American Express is a prime example). It might not be as glamorous as a ‘big tech’ job, but as a result they’re less competitive while still offering critical experience to get started.Design agencies: Since their business model focuses on selling design services, agencies naturally employ more designers and can support a mix of experience levels. The rapid exposure to multiple projects makes them solid launchpads even if your long-term goal is to work in-house in tech.Finding a side door into designIf direct paths seem closed, you can still find a side door. Sometimes the smartest move isn’t aiming straight for a ‘product designer’ title, but stepping into a role where you can stay close to product and grow into the craft:UI Developer or Front-End Engineer (my path)Graphic or Visual DesignerGrowth or Marketing DesignerProduction-focused design rolesThis is how I did it: I started as a UI developer focused on prototyping, built skills through collaboration, and shifted into product design once I had more experience. Another unintentional benefit of this path for me was that I started out at a higher pay scale due to my coding skills and continued to leverage that into higher pay as a product designer throughout my career.So while pursuing an adjacent role might not be your ideal scenario, I think it’s a completely reasonable stepping stone to build relevant skills while getting close to the product design process. From there, you can gradually take on more responsibilities and switch roles when you can make a stronger case for yourself based on real-world experience.Make your own opportunitiesBeyond targeting the right environments, here are three strategies that helped me break into my roles:Publish relevant work publicly: Make up projects for yourself that are relevant to the kinds of companies you might like to work for and publish them online. This is how I got into advertising without having an advertising degree or any direct experience: I wrote an advertising blog and used that as my ‘portfolio’. For product design these days there are so many ways to share work: Figma links, video recordings, social posts, etc. Use them to your advantage!Position yourself near opportunities: I took a bet on moving to Chicago for my advertising gig, then NYC for my first design role. Being in these creative hubs helped me build my foundational network that I still rely on to this day. While remote work has changed the landscape, proximity to creative communities still creates opportunity for serendipitous connection and relationship building that can transform your career. Once you’re seasoned and sought-after, go wherever you want. But you’d be surprised how often just being physically present opens doors.Become the early expert on new tools: Go deep into emerging tools and methodologies senior leaders may be curious about but not have the bandwidth to explore. I did this earlier in my career, bringing Sketch + Invision to a team when that was cutting-edge (RIP 🪦), then later introducing Figma before it became the industry standard. Now I’m exploring AI prototyping tools as the next generation. Being the team’s expert in new technology creates unique value that transcends experience levels and often positions you as the go-to resource regardless of your seniority or title.Final ThoughtsThe structural shifts outlined here aren’t your fault, and they don’t reflect your potential.If you can accept the reality of today’s landscape, then you can start to adjust your approach and find new paths, even if they look different than what you expected.Take it from me: a liberal arts grad who found my way into advertising, engineering, and design, persistently creating opportunities along the way.Ultimately, your goal isn’t just to land your first product design job; it’s to build valuable skills that compound over time, preparing you to thrive no matter how the market evolves.Good luck out there!Patrick Morgan is the creator of Unknown Arts and lead product designer at Sublime Security. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to his newsletter and follow him on LinkedIn for weekly insights.No country for Junior Designers was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.If you're looking for a Garmin watch at a great price, the recent drops of the Forerunner 570 and 970 is excellent news—not because you should pick up those models (they're fine, I guess) but because the older generations of Forerunner, which remain excellent watches, are now going for ludicrously low prices. The previous models, the 265 and 965, are great, but you can go back one more generation to the 255 and 955—released in 2022—and save hundreds of dollars without sacrificing any major functionality. I truly can't think of any fitness watch that is a better deal right now, given the prices we're seeing on these two: currently $247 for the Forerunner 255, and $373 for the Forerunner 955, which is the upgraded version with maps and a few extra training features. Garmin Forerunner 255 GPS Running Smartwatch (Gray) $247.50 at Amazon $349.99 Save $102.49 Get Deal Get Deal $247.50 at Amazon $349.99 Save $102.49 Why am I recommending three-year-old watches? I'll get into the specs below, but the important context here is that Garmin's Forerunners have serious longevity. Running app Strava releases year-end trend reports that consistently show older Forerunners among the nation's and the world's most popular running watches. The most recent report, for example, had the Garmin Forerunner 245 in third place, after the Apple Watch and Apple Watch SE. That's a five-year-old watch. Not long ago, the Forerunner 235, then an eight-year-old watch, was the most popular worldwide. These things last!What the 255 and 955 are missing compared to newer models (not much) Left: 265S (the smaller, newer model). Right: 255 (the larger one with the MIP screen that's currently on sale). Credit: Beth Skwarecki The numbered models can get confusing, but I promise you’ll be able to follow along. All the watches that start with a 9 are the top-of-the-line Forerunners (the 955 was replaced by the 965 and most recently the 970) and most of those came with a little sibling that starts with a 2 (respectively: the 255, 265, and in a break from tradition, 570). The 9xx series have onboard maps that let you see exactly where you are and where you're going. The 2xx watches have breadcrumb navigation that shows you the general shape of the route you've already taken. If you need a map on your wrist, you probably want to go for a 9xx. I wrote about the newest models here, so you can see what the 970 has over the 965 (and what the 570 has over the 265). The big feature is that the 570 and 970 support voice calling and voice texts, and the 970 has a built-in LED flashlight. If those features aren't must-haves for you, take a look at the next generation back. The 265 and 965 are excellent watches with important functionality, like dual-band GPS. you can read my review of the 265 here:, and note that the 265 is my own personal running watch, the one that I bought with my own money because I love it. The 265 has a ton of great features for runners. Some are concrete and functional: physical buttons, lots of options for data screens, and a dual-band GPS for extra location accuracy. Others are more software-y but still arguably useful: training status, daily suggested workouts. The battery also lasts between one and two weeks, depending on how many workouts you do. The 965 has all that, plus onboard maps, so you can see where you are relative to roads, bodies of water, and so on. It's also got a few extra training statistics, like an endurance score and a heat acclimation score. The 255 and 955 have all of these same features. The only features that are meaningfully different between the x55 and x65 series are:The 255/955 have the older, always-on MIP screen, while the 265 has a smartphone-style AMOLED screen. I have more here on the difference between those screen types.The 255/955 don't have touchscreens. You’ll use the UP and DOWN buttons on the left side to scroll through options. The 255 can’t store music, unless you buy the 255 Music version. The 955 has music storage built in, just like the 265 and 965 do.The 255 doesn’t have Training Readiness, but it does have Training Status. (Personally, I never use Training Readiness, so this isn’t much of a loss. You can always look at your HRV trend, which the watch also reports, if you want a sense of how recovered you are each morning.) The 955, 265, and 965 all have Training Readiness.For the detailed list of every minor feature that’s different between the two, you can check out this comparison page on Garmin’s site. Which Forerunner 255 version you should getThere is only one Forerunner 955, but there are four versions of the 255, and two versions of the 265. The regular Forerunner 255 is the larger size (45.6 mm) and does not have music storage. The Forerunner 255S is the smaller size (41 mm) and also does not have music storage.The Forerunner 255 Music is the larger size (45.6 mm) and does have music storage, so you can play tunes from the watch while leaving your phone at home.The Forerunner 255S Music is the smaller size (41 mm) with music storage.  Personally, I always have my phone with me when I run, so I’ve never found the standalone music feature very helpful. If you think you might use it, though, it’s normally a $50 upgrade, but currently only a $20 upgrade on the larger size of the watch.To help you decide, the photo above shows the difference in screens between the AMOLED 265S (left) and MIP 255 (right). It also shows the size difference between the smaller and larger models; the 265S on the left is 41.7 mm, very close to the 255S at 41 mm. How old is the 255, anyway? The 255 is only one year older than the 265. They were released in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Before that, Forerunner releases tended to be three to four years apart. The quick turnaround between the 255 and 265 makes sense when you realize they’re basically the same watch with a different display.So I wouldn’t expect a 255 to feel outdated anytime soon. The main question you need to ask yourself is: How do I feel about a MIP screen? I’ve written more about the difference between MIP and AMOLED here. MIP screens don’t light up, although they have a backlight that can come on automatically when you raise your wrist. At rest, they are “always on,” in the sense that they’re always displaying something, so you’ll never look down at a blank screen. They’re also brightly reflective in sunlight. AMOLED screens are more like a smartphone screen, with glowing pixels, and watches typically turn off the display when you’re not using it to save energy. (You can enable an always-on setting, but it eats battery.) That said, the overall battery life on both watches is similar on default settings—14 days not counting activities for the 255, and 13 days for the 265. Some people prefer the MIP screens, and if that includes you, this is a no-brainer: snag the 255 or 955. You can even get a refurbished version for $179.99, which makes this one of the cheapest Garmin watches in any line. The bottom line (check prices) Prices on Forerunners have been fluctuating lately, so I'm hesitant to give any dollar-for-dollar comparisons, but here's what I'm seeing at the moment I write this. Officially, Garmin is selling the 255 and 265 for the same price, $349.99. The 955 and 965 are going for the same price, $499.99. At those prices, you might as well get the -65 version of whichever watch you prefer. But over on Amazon, I'm seeing prices as low as $247 for the 255 and $373 for the 955. That means a 255 is the same price as the anemic Forerunner 165 (it's OK as a budget watch, but it's missing a lot of features that the 255/265 have) and the 955 is the same price as a 265! Check prices to see if these deals are still live by the time you read this, and ultimately decide based on features.