Black people throughout the country, in more than 20 states, have been getting racist text messages that order them to report to a plantation for slave labor, according to reporting by CNN and numerous other outlets. The texts reference slave catchers and picking cotton, in addition to warning the recipients that they will be searched upon arrival.Following the 2024 election, people in Virginia, Georgia, and more reported receiving racist text messages claiming they were selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation. pic.twitter.com/XUYTyaI1Su Complex (@Complex) November 8, 2024 These hate-filled messages have been received by both kids and adults. The texts appear to be targeting Black and Brown individuals, including students, New Yorks attorney general Letitia James said. Various AG offices from other states have also issued statements.The texts all come from unknown phone numbers and began ramping after the election on Tuesday. NAACP president Derrick Johnson said that these messages represent an alarming increase in vile and abhorrent rhetoric from racist groups across the country, who now feel emboldened to spread hate and stoke the flames of fear that many of us are feeling after Tuesdays election results.I have been made aware of racist and vile spam text messages individuals have received throughout Louisiana. I have directed the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation to fully investigate the origins of these disgusting texts that only intend to divide us. I urge anyone who received pic.twitter.com/akz37kYbXq Attorney General Liz Murrill (@AGLizMurrill) November 7, 2024 The mother of a University of Alabama student who received one of the messages said that its eerie that its the day after the election. Its eerie that it came to my daughters personal phone. Its eerie that its only going to Black students.A spokesperson for Donald Trumps presidential campaign wrote in a statement that it has absolutely nothing to do with these text messages. The FBI has addressed the situation in a statement, noting that its been in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter.FBI Statement on Offensive and Racist Text Messageshttps://t.co/vpQYAO6LT7 pic.twitter.com/iDtN36WhX4 FBI (@FBI) November 7, 2024 It remains unclear who sent the texts and how they did it. The messages targeted people of color, suggesting that the senders had biographical information on the recipients. Many of the messages were sent through TextNow, a free app that provides phone numbers, texting and calling services.TextNow told CNN that it believes this is a widespread, coordinated attack. The service lets people sign up anonymously and sends texts via randomly-generated phone numbers. It says it has been busy rapidly disabling the related accounts. The company is also working alongside our industry partners to uncover more details and continue to monitor patterns to actively block any new accounts attempting to send these messages.If you have received one of these horrific texts, lawmakers encourage you to reach out to your states AG or email OAGCivilRights@dc.gov. Its currently unknown how many people have received the messages.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/black-people-across-the-country-have-been-getting-racist-texts-about-slave-plantations-173059798.html?src=rss

With each passing year, Black Friday seems to turn more and more into "Black November," with many retailers starting their holiday sales weeks before the day itself. But while the bombardment of promos can be annoying, it also presents a good chance to beat the rush and finish holiday shopping ahead of time, without paying more than you have to.To help you cut through the noise, we're rounding up the best early Black Friday deals we can find in one easy place. While most major tech retailers haven't started their early sales in earnest just yet, we've seen more than a few new discounts on gadgets we recommend pop up this week. While some have hit their lowest prices to date, there's always a chance discounts will get even deeper as we get closer to the actual sales holiday. We'll continuously update this post as more Black Friday sales pop up, so be sure to check back.The best early Black Friday dealsBilly Steele for EngadgetApple MagSafe charger pad for $25 ($14 off): Apple's newest MagSafe charger provides up to 25W of fast-charging power to iPhone 16 handsets when paired with a 30W or 35W adapter. It works with older iPhones too, of course, and will provide that satisfying magnetic snap with the latest Apple smartphones (and AirPods, too).Apple 2024 M4 iMac desktop computer for $1,214 ($85 off): Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, and now the silver model is $85 off and down to $1,214 at Amazon. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia.Apple iPad (9th gen) for $200 ($129 off): Apple discontinued this model with the release of the new iPad Pro and Air models earlier this year. In what's likely an effort to get rid of current stock, the price is down to a new record low of $200. The 9th generation iPad is the former budget pick in our guide to the best Apple tablets and will serve well as a casual browsing, streaming and game playing machine.Pixel Watch 3 for $280 ($70 off): Google's latest smartwatch is down to an all time low price. This is the model we recommend for anyone with an Android phone in our guide to the best smartwatches and it earned an 84 in our review. It detects workouts quickly, has an extra long battery life and is one of the more attractive smartwatches on the market. The deal applies to the 41mm size with GPS only but the larger and cellular-enabled models are on sale too. Also at Best Buy and Target.Beats Solo 4 for $100 ($100 off): The Solo 4 is light on features and may be uncomfortable on larger heads, but its even-handed sound and 50+-hour battery life make it worth considering if you prefer a more compact on-ear design instead of traditional over-ears. We gave it a score of 79 in our review. This discount ties an all-time low and is also available at Walmart, Target and Best Buy. The full-size Beats Studio Pro is discounted as well, but that pair is a bit harder to recommend over the top picks in our wireless headphone buying guide.Bose QuietComfort Headphones for $199 ($150 off): This ties the lowest price we've seen for Bose's mid-tier noise-canceling headphones. At this price, their effective ANC and light fit make them a worthy alternative to higher-end pairs like the Sony WH-1000XM5 (our favorite pair overall). That said, their bass-heavy sound won't be for everyone, and the XM5 has a more comprehensive feature set. Also at Bose.com, Target and Best Buy. The higher-end QuietComfort Ultra, meanwhile, are $100 off and put out even stronger ANC, though we still prefer the XM5 for around the same price.Anker MagGo 3-in-1 foldable charging station for $82.50 ($27.50 off): This Qi2 charging station supports up to 15W of power output and can charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and a pair of AirPods all at once. It also comes with a 40W USB-C charger and connecting cable, so you get everything you need to use it in the box.Anker 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $36 ($9 off, Prime members only): A top pick in our best power banks guide, this 10K brick has a built-in USB-C cable so you don't need to remember to bring one with you, plus it has an extra USB-C port for charging other devices.Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $45 ($35 off, Prime only): The Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds, as it delivers the kind of robust feature set we expect from pairs that cost three times as much. Call quality isn't the best, and it won't auto-pause when you take out an earbud, but its warm sound, powerful ANC, eight-ish hours of battery life and comfy design all impress for the money. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen it's only available to Prime subscribers at Amazon, but you can also grab it at Anker's online store with an on-page coupon.Fitbit Charge 6 fitness tracker for $100 ($60 off): Our top pick for the best fitness tracker, the Charge 6 has a comfortable design, built-in GPS and heart rate monitors and 20 exercise modes ready to be tracked.Google Nest Indoor security camera (wired) for $70 ($30 off): Google's security camera can tell the difference between people, animals and vehicles while it's monitoring your home, and it supports 1080p video, night vision and two-way audio.Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro 6E (three-pack) for $279 ($120 off): We consider the Nest Wi-Fi Pro mesh system to be one of the easiest for folks who have never installed their own router, and the three-pack provides coverage for up to 6,600 square feet. Also available at Google.Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen) for $225 ($55 off): The recently revamped smart thermostat from Google is currently $55 off at Woot when you enter the code ENGBFNLT55 at checkout. It has a larger, customizable display and uses AI that aims to help you save on energy bills.The Amazon Echo Show 5.AmazonAmazon Echo Pop for $18 ($22 off): Amazon's smallest smart speaker has dropped to a record-low price. It's part of a larger sale that includes the Echo Dot for $28 and the new Echo Spot for $50.Amazon Fire HD 10 for $75 ($65 off): No Fire HD tablet comes close to matching the performance, build quality and app support of an iPad, but they're significantly more affordable, and they still work well enough if all you need is something for casual streaming, e-reading and web browsing. At this price, the 10.1-inch Fire HD 10 is likely a better value than the smaller Fire HD 8, as it has a sharper display, it's a tick faster and it can last slightly longer on a charge. Just be ready to deal with a bunch of ads for Amazon's own apps and services. This discount ties an all-time low, and it's also available at Best Buy and Target.Amazon Echo Show 5 for $50 ($40 off): We highlight the Echo Show 5 in our guide to the best smart displays. While the Echo Show 8 which isn't majorly discounted yet has a roomier display, louder speakers and sharper cameras, this 5.5-inch model provides most of the same functionality in a design that's easier to fit on a nightstand. If you're already onboard the Alexa train, it'll work nicely as a smart alarm clock. This deal is $10 more than the all-time low we saw last Black Friday, so it may drop further in the weeks ahead, but for now it matches the best price we've seen in 2024. Also at Target, Kohl's and Best Buy.Blink Outdoor 4 (6-pack) for $180 ($300 off): The Outdoor 4 is a wireless, IP65-rated outdoor security camera we highlight in our guide to the best smart home gadgets. It captures decent (if not class-leading) 1080p video, it's relatively painless to install and it supports features like night vision, motion alerts, local storage and two-way talking. The catch is that it locks things like person detection and cloud storage behind a subscription plan. Still, it's a solid value on balance, and this deal furthers that. We've seen this price on a six-camera bundle for a few weeks, but it's still an all-time low. An eight-camera pack is also on sale for $250, another low.Audible Premium Plus (3-month) for $1 ($29 off): Those who don't currently subscribe to Audible can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. Normally, the service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: In addition to giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn't call it essential, but if you've been on the fence, this is a good way to see if it'd work for you. Just note that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel.Samsung Music Frame for $248 ($150 off): This unique smart speaker can show art or your own photos while it plays music, and it can sync with your Samsung TV speakers. Also available at Samsung.JBL Clip 5 speaker for $50 ($30 off): This tiny speaker has a built-in clip so you can hang it from a backpack or bag easily, plus it packs good sound with punchy base. You can expect 12 hours of battery life on it as well.Hisense U8N 4K TV (55-inch) for $728 ($371 off): The U8N is the next step up from the U7N in Hisense's TV lineup, so it should provide better colors, contrast and brightness across the board. If you don't mind buying a smaller panel for around the same price, this is another new low. Also at Best Buy.Samsung T9 portable SSD (4TB) for $300 ($250 off): The latest model in the T-series of Samsung's portable drives supports read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, and it has dynamic thermal guard to keep it cool even when you're pushing it to its limits. Also available at Samsung.Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB for $200 ($160 off): Seagate's expansion card is one of the best options for expanding your Xbox Series X/S storage. A 2TB version has dropped to $200, its lowest price to date. It's one of our picks for the best Xbox Series X/S accessories. Also available at Seagate.iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max for $974 ($425 off): You can get a sizable discount on one of the newest (and more expensive) robovacs at Wellbots with the code ENGBF425. This one mops, vacuums, empties itself and cleans its own mop pad with little involvement from you.Expired Black Friday dealsApple AirPods Pro 2 for $170 ($80 off): These are the best AirPods you can get this year, thanks to their good sound quality, secure fit, solid ANC and transparency mode, and they have more hearing aid features now too.Apple Pencil Pro for $92 ($36 off): While this deal is a couple bucks higher than the lowest price we've ever seen for Apple's top-of-the-line iPad stylus, it's still a sizable drop compared to buying from Apple directly. Just be aware that Pencil Pro is only compatible with the most recent iPad Airs and iPad Pros. Also at Walmart.Apple iPad mini (7th gen) for $400 ($100 off): The latest iPad mini only just arrived this month, but it's already $100 off with an on-page coupon at Amazon. Only the purple colorway is on sale, but this is a giant discount for a new Apple release, so we wouldn't expect it to last long. We gave the new mini a review score of 83: It's a minor refresh, but it continues to provide most of the iPad Air's strengths in a form factor that's easier to tuck in a bag and hold with one hand. This deal is available in additional colors at Costco, but only to store members.Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M2) for $691 ($107 off): If you'd prefer more screen space, the 13-inch iPad Air is also down to an all-time low at Amazon. This model can get slightly brighter than its smaller counterpart, but the two slates are virtually identical otherwise.Apple iPad Air (11-inch, M2) for $497 at Amazon ($102 off MSRP): This is a new low for the latest iPad Air, which we consider to be the best Apple tablet for most people. While it lacks the top-end performance and 120Hz OLED panel of the iPad Pro, it's much less expensive, and it still gets you a more futureproof M2 chip, a superior display and better accessory support than the base-model iPad. Also at Best Buy.Apple AirTag (4-pack) for $74 at Amazon ($25 off): The AirTag is, unsurprisingly, the top pick for iPhone users in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers, as it uses Apple's giant network of Apple devices and ultrawideband tech to locate items accurately. Its effectiveness has had deeply unfortunate side effects, but if you use it as intended, it can provide a little extra peace of mind. While not an all-time low, this deal is a welcome drop from the usual $80 street price we've seen for a four-pack in recent months. Also at Best Buy.Apple MacBook Air (13.6-inch, M2) for $700 at Amazon ($300 off): This matches the all-time low for Apple's last-gen MacBook Air, which remains a perfectly competent notebook for everyday use. The caveat is that this model only comes with 8GB of RAM, so it's really only meant for lower-power tasks. Apple (finally) made 16GB of memory the standard across its MacBook lineup earlier this week, so this might be an instance of Apple trying to clear out old inventory. Still, this is a great value if you only need a laptop for basic web browsing, emailing and word processing. Clip the on-page coupon to see the full discount.Anker Soundcore Motion+ for $69 at Amazon ($31 off): We recommend the Soundcore Motion+ in our guide to the best portable Bluetooth speakers. While it isn't especially light or compact, it pumps out a more spacious sound than most speakers in its price range, it's waterproof and it lasts a decent 12 to 15 hours per charge. We've seen this discount a few times before, but it comes within a few bucks of the lowest price we've tracked. Also at Anker's online store with an on-page coupon.Hisense U7N 4K TV (65-inch) for $700 at Amazon ($300 off): Variousreviewsaround the web suggest that the U7N is one of the year's better TV values, with impressive brightness and contrast for the money. It supports up to a fast 144Hz refresh rate in 4K, which is great for gaming, and it runs on the easy-to-grok Google TV platform. Its image can wash out when viewed at an angle, though, and it's limited to two HDMI 2.1 ports. This discount is a new low for the 65-inch model. Also at Best Buy.Dyson Digital Slim cordless vacuum for $250 ($250 off): It's hard to beat a Dyson for less than $300, but we do expect even more Dyson Black Friday deals to pop up as we get closer to the big day. This model is 33 percent lighter than the Dyson V11, which could make it a good pick for someone who loathes their current, heavy-duty upright vac. The LED screen shows power mode, maintenance alerts and remaining run time, and you should get up to 40 minutes of battery life here. Also available at Dyson.Backbone One (PlayStation Edition) for $60: The Backbone One is an comfy gamepad that snaps around your phone and lets you play mobile or cloud-based games without having to rely on touch controls. We've recommended it before. This deal on the PlayStation-themed version isn't an all-time low, but it's $10 to $20 less than the usual discounts we've seen over the past year. Sony's listing doesn't specify whether this is the first- or second-gen model the latter can fit a wider range of phones and cases but that shouldn't be a major hindrance if you use an older iPhone or Android device. Both the USB-C and Lightning variants are on sale.Black Friday FAQsWhen is Black Friday 2024?Black Friday 2024 lands on November 29 this year.When do Black Friday deals start?We expect some Black Friday tech deals to start as early as November 1. Over the past few years, retailers have been kicking off the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier. This trend will continue in 2024, and youll likely find early Black Friday deals available online and in stores in the weeks before the actual shopping event.When do Black Friday deals end?Some Black Friday tech deals will end immediately on Saturday, November 30. But those will likely be few and far between. Along with starting deals earlier and earlier, retailers have also extended Black Friday deals past the day for a while now, too. In the tech space, weve seen many Black Friday deals in the past run through Cyber Monday.Where are the best Black Friday deals?There is no one place to buy all of the best Black Friday deals, but you can expect the big retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target to have many of the same Black Friday deals available both in the lead up and on the day itself. We also recommend checking direct-to-consumer sites like Apple, Samsung, Sonos and others to make sure youre getting the best deal before you cross things off your list.Does Apple have Black Friday deals?You typically will not find cash discounts on Apples website for Black Friday, though it has offered various gift card bundles during Black Friday in recent years. You may be able to find local Apple store discounts on accessories, but Apple isnt a retailer known for slashing prices on its products. However, you can find more traditional Apple Black Friday tech deals at other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy.Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-2024-the-best-early-deals-we-could-find-from-amazon-best-buy-apple-samsung-and-more-163039193.html?src=rss

This time of year has a lot of merry and bright things to be excited about, but it can be stressful if youre stumped on what to get your mom, dad, best friend, coworker or kids teacher as a holiday gift. Whether you enjoy or dread buying gifts for people, its safe to say we all want to give our loved ones things they will enjoy and appreciate. But theres a lot of noise, junk and bad deals disguised as good deals to sift through as we get closer and closer to the holidays.Allow us at Engadget to help you through it. Here, youll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the father figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? Weve got you covered with gift ideas for all of those scenarios and more. We'll update this post as more of our gift guides hit the internet, so check back for even more gift ideas throughout the season. Table of contents Best white elephant gift ideas Best board game gifts Best retro gaming gifts Best gifts for coffee lovers Best cooking gifts Best tech toys for kids Best gadgets for your pets More coming soon! Best white elephant gift ideas According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened. Read more: The best white elephant gift ideas Best board game gifts We could all use more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and bond with friends and family. You can find plenty of unique sets out there now, from word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life. From games with giant monsters to those with haunted mansions, were sure at least one of our suggestions will be a hit with you and your loved ones. Read more: The best board games to gift this season Best retro gaming gifts A million new video games seem to come out every week, but for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you know someone who is way into retro gaming but dont feel like hunting through eBay and local shops for gear to add to their collection, were here to help. Weve rounded up a few of our favorite gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life, from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork. Read more: The best retro gaming gifts for the holidays Best gifts for coffee lovers When it comes to making a great cup at home, coffee nerds are constantly learning and love to try new things. Whether the person youre shopping for is a newly indoctrinated pour over lover or obsessive over every brewing parameter, weve compiled a list of the best gear for coffee geeks that you can get this holiday season. Read more: The best gifts for coffee lovers Best cooking gifts There are few things more rewarding than making good food for your friends and family. But after a while, its easy to get bored with the same tried and true recipes. And what better way to inject some fun into your favorite home chefs routine than with a brand-new kitchen gadget? To help you find the right gift for the cook in your life, weve put together a list of our favorite kitchen gadgets across a wide range of prices and categories. Read more: The best cooking gifts Best tech toys for kids Were all having a bit of a budget crunch this year, but the good news is that when its time to bestow presents on the young ones (or young at heart), you dont have to break the bank. Our list of our favorite tech, science and design toys is stacked with items under $100, with plenty of reuse packed in so the fun can extend far beyond the holiday season. Read more: The best tech toys for kids Best gadgets for your pets In Engadgets Slack rooms, our pets are high on the list of stuff we chat about just behind work-adjacent tech stuff, insane current events, video games and food. Weve bought plenty of high- and low-tech stuff to keep our furry friends fed, occupied, safe and happy and weve put together the best of what we tried here. Perhaps youre shopping for your own very good boy or girl, or maybe you have a dutiful pet parent on your list either way, the gadgets gathered here will make great gifts, according to the enthusiastic tail wags (or aloof meows) of our own fur babies. Read more: The best gadgets for your pets Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-christmas-gifts-for-everyone-on-your-holiday-list-170018565.html?src=rss

A blacklight can reveal all sorts of secrets that are invisible to the naked eye.So what if you had a virtual blacklight for the weba way to shine an illuminating glow on the sites you visit and reveal whats really happening with em beneath the surface?My friend, have I got just the tool for you today.Unearth all sorts of little-known tech treasures with my free Cool Tools newsletter from The Intelligence. A useful new discovery in your inbox every Wednesday!Your on-demand web privacy scannerThe modern web is filled with all sorts of invisible tracking technologyand while most of it is far less worrisome than marketing-driven narratives would lead you to believe, theres something to be said for at the very least being aware of whats out there. Thats precisely where this weeks Cool Tool comes into play. Its called, fittingly enough, Blacklightand its a completely free resource for peeking behind the curtain of any site on this weary ol web of ours and seeing exactly what sorts of systems it has in place for observing you. Itll take you roughly 20 seconds to try:Just head over to the Blacklight website in whatever browser you prefer on any device in front of you.Type or paste any web address into the box at the top of the screen.And click or tap the Scan Site button to get started.In a matter of moments, Blacklight will review the site you submitted and serve up a thorough list of all the tracking-related technology it finds lurking within it.Here, for instance, is what Blacklight found for The Verge:Blacklights assessment of TheVerge.com.And here are its results for LinkedIn:A look at whats happening under the hood at LinkedIn.Here, meanwhile, is what Blacklight reports for our websiteTheIntelligence.comfor the sake of both transparency and knowledge:Blacklight lets you see whats happening with any website, anytime.For full perspective (since Im in a rare position to know exactly what this particular site is and isnt doing!), we run ads on the website via AdSense and also periodically run ads of our own on Facebook to let folks know what were up to. Thats all most of that stuff is aboutan inevitable part of trying to stay afloat in this industry but nothing nefarious (and also nothing our paying members ever see, since theyre already supporting us directly).The third-party cookies and trackers designed to evade cookie-blockers are where it gets especially interesting. That all may sound slightly sinisterbut in our case, at least, its mostly about the Insider area of our website and the fact that we use a Patreon-owned service called Memberful to let members sign in and access all of our members-only guidebooks, archives, databases, and other such resources. Third-party cookies are what allow folks to sign in and stay signed in over time.Thats a good reminder, then, that you really need to take the data Blacklight gives you in proper context. Its certainly not a cause to freak out.But it is a useful tool for better understanding whats happening across the web and at least being aware of the various systems at play on sites you visitcause when it comes to modern tech in particular, a little transparency and a pinch of extra perspective can only be a good thing.Blacklight is 100% web-based. It works in any browser, on any device, without any downloads or installations.Its completely free, too, as part of a service provided by an investigative tech publication called The Markup.You never have to sign into the site or provide any manner of personal data.Treat yourself to even more tech treasures with my free Cool Tools newsletter. Youll get one new off-the-beaten-path gem in your inbox every Wednesday, straight from me to you.

As Florida and the Southeast begin recovering from 2024s destructive hurricanes, many people are asking: How can we rebuild sustainably and in a way that avoids the same damage, costs, and trauma in future storms?There are proven ways to strengthen homes that pay off in the long run, such as installing hurricane straps to tie down roofs in coastal areas. But while homeowners have a clear desire to build safer and more resilient homes, they often run into roadblocks.As a civil engineer and a regulatory expert, we have been working with communities as culturally and politically different as Hawaii, Colorado, Alaska, and Puerto Rico as they recover from disasters to understand what stands in the way of a sustainable, resilient recovery.Up-front costs have played a big role in how these communities recover, but so have homeowners and builders perceptionsand misperceptionsabout costs and regulations.Up-front rebuilding costsAfter a disaster, people need to get into housing quickly. At the same time, the costs to rebuild sustainably and resiliently can be high. Builders and building supplies often experience a demand shock, which can raise costs and create delays.This is set against a backdrop of the Federal Emergency Management Agencys thinly stretched budget, which is intended for emergency response, and a widespread insurance pull-back from disaster-prone markets. Other government grants for rebuilding take months to arrive.Even for people whose homes are insured, payments rarely cover anything different from what existed before. Thus, the amount of money available for rebuilding can be considerably less than the actual cost of rebuilding resiliently.Less quantifiable, but no less real, is the cost of navigating the rebuilding process. For many people, this starts with figuring out how to apply for government aid, dealing with insurance companies requirements, and then deciding how and when to build.The Filmore neighborhood of the 7th Ward ofNew Orleans flooded catastrophically in the Hurricane Katrina levee failure of 2005. This house is an example of new construction with living space raised up above the flood level. [Photo: Infrogmation/Wikipedia]All require research, paperwork, and meetings.A critical player in the rebuilding process is local building departments. These departments manage construction standards, approval processes, permits, fees, and other aspects of what gets built. Those are vital to safe and resilient housing, but the longer and more complicated the building process, the more fatigued residents get, both financially and psychologically.Navigating bureaucracy can be challenging for everyone, but it can be especially hard on people who lack paperwork, dont speak English, or dont have a relationship with a bank, which we often saw after Hawaiis devastating Maui fires in 2023.Building back better costs less than people thinkWe also have found significant problems with perceived costs. Both residents and building professionals often overestimate up-front costs of adopting newer technologies that may have substantial benefits for sustainability and safety.After the Marshall Fire in Boulder County, Colorado, in 2021, we conducted interviews and surveys with builders and owners of some of the more than 1,000 homes and businesses destroyed by the blaze. We found that some builders discouraged residents from pursuing new technologies, such as installing energy-efficient air-source heat pumps. Builders quoted installation costs ranging from no additional premium over conventional technologies to tens of thousands of dollars, creating significant cost uncertainty for residents.We also heard repeatedly from building professionals on Maui that the pace of change in the building industry, especially changes driven by regulation, can be challenging, costly and require time to retrain crews.[Photo: Bill Bradley/Wikipedia]For example, to withstand high winds in Hawaii, many homes should be built with straps connecting the roof to the wall framing system. However, one resident who worked in the building sector showed us the straps at his rental property, drawing our attention to the fact that they were installed incorrectly. Builders also told us that the large number of nails required in some situations causes splits in the framing system, leading builders to question the regulatory standards.In some cases, building professionals or residents may perceive that something is more expensive than it actually is. In Puerto Rico, our data showed that communities were surprised that hurricane straps, which can help keep wooden roofs from tearing off in high winds, can be quite cost effective. One local builder said he was surprised that it is $35 to make sure your roof doesnt blow away.Getting better informationWhats clear from our research is that both residents and builders need accurate, easily accessible information about how to efficiently reduce rising disaster risk.People were seeking this information across all of our cases. However, peoples knowledge is often circumscribed by their past experiences.Wildfire damage in Lahaina, Hawaii [Photo: Wikipedia]For example, Puerto Ricans have been working hard to secure the panels on their roofs because they have seen these panels fly away in hurricanes. But they are not as commonly addressing the roof structure and its connections.In Alaska, where large earthquakes are common, many people we spoke to believed inspections would make sure foundations were being built correctly. But in most Alaskan communities, this doesnt happen. Anchorages Building Safety Service Area is an exception.As a society, streamlining the rebuilding process so it delivers pragmatic information that emphasizes high-impact changes could make resilient choices easier. This technical information is available in the form of technical reports and government studies, but it still needs to get to both builders and residents in a clear and concise manner. This is rare today, though some organizations are making efforts, such as the Colegio de Arquitectos y Arquitectos Paisajistas de Puerto Rico (the College of Architects and Landscape Architects of Puerto Rico), which shares easy-to-understand advice for homeowners.Simple changes can make a big difference. Data from the Marshall Fire in Colorado suggests that wood fences contributed to the fires spread. Reducing their use could cheaply and effectively reduce the risk of homes burning in future fires.Making the rebuilding process as efficient as possible can also be a big win without any change to existing requirements. That has been happening on Maui with the implementation of third-party plan review, which has reduced a 400-plus day process to 15 days. With third-party plan review, building regulations remain the same, but instead of a government worker reviewing a building permit for compliance, a contractor does so.Finally, while there are unavoidable costs to rebuilding, there are also real benefits in how mitigation and resilience measures reduce long-term costs to society. Incentives, and disincentives, can help homeowners, building professionals, insurers, and governments invest in more resilient buildings.Susan Ostermann is an assistant professor of global affairs at the University of Notre Dame.Abbie B. Liel is a professional of civil engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Apples iOS 18, the operating system that powers the iPhone, is one of the companys best software updates in years. A big reason is that iOS 18 integrates Apple Intelligence across the iPhone, allowing for all kinds of new productivity features.iOS 18 also includes a host of privacy and security enhancements, which keep your data safer than ever, as well as the powerful new password management app Passwords. But thats just the start. The longer I use iOS 18, the more I discover hidden features that make my work life more manageable. The latest discovery? A hidden Photos app feature that makes filing expense reports easier than ever.The iPhone Photos app becomes your personal receipts organizerThe Photos app on the iPhone has long had a Utilities category, which you can find near the bottom of the app. This category automatically groups your photos into collections such as Imports, Recently Deleted, Duplicates, and Hidden, to make them easier to find.But in iOS 18, the Photos app gained additional Utilities collections, which are arguably more useful than the existing ones. These collections include Documents, Handwriting, Illustrations, QR codes, and Receipts. Photos will now automatically sort pictures or screenshots youve taken containing any of the above elements into their respective collections.For example, if you use your iPhone to take a photograph of a sketch in a museum, Photos will automatically add the photo to the Illustrations collection. Likewise, if you take a photograph of a letter you received, youll be able to find that photo under the Documents collection.But its that last collectionReceiptsthat can make filing expense reports easier than ever.Photos makes finding the receipt you need a breezeThanks to the Photos apps new ability to recognize that a receipt appears in a photograph you took, the app can easily sort pics of all of your receipts into one collection, meaning that when you are looking for a receipt in the future, you no longer have to scroll through your entire Photos library to find it.Whats nice about Photoss new receipts categorization abilities is that its all done automatically. Photos scans all your photographs locally on your device (this means they are not uploaded to Apples servers to scan). Once Photos scans your iPhone library, any photos with receipts are automatically added to the Receipts collection. Heres how you can find it:Open the Photos app.Scroll down until you see the Utilities category and tap Utilities.In the Utilities menu that pops up, tap Receipts (it has a shopping cart icon next to it).Youll now be presented with all your photos that contain images of receipts.Search receipts on your iPhone by content, such as dollar amounts or line itemsThe Photos app in iOS 18 can recognize receipts because it employs machine learninga form of artificial intelligenceto identify objects in pictures. But Photos goes further than just categorizing all your receipts into one collectionyou can use the app to search for line items in a particular receipt. This is because Photos uses built-in optical character recognition, which means it can identify text and other characters in photographs.If you use the Photos search function, you can look for words or numbers in a photograph. This also makes finding a receipt you need to file with that expense report a breeze. To quickly find a photograph of a receipt by its contents:In the Photos app, tap the search button.Type in a word or number from the receipt you are looking for. This could be anything on the receipt, such as the name of the company, a date, a location, a line item (such as the product or service bought), or numbers (such as the cost of the item).The app will then show you all the photos that match your criteria, quickly surfacing the receipt you are looking for.Quickly extract information from a photo of a receiptPhotos organizes all your receipts in one collection automatically and allows you to find a receipt based on line-item information. It also goes one step further: It allows you to extract information easily from the receipt, so that you can use it in another applike the one you use to file expense reports with your company.Since the Photos app can recognize text in a picture of a receipt, it can allow you to select that text and then copy and paste it into another app. Heres how:In the Photos app, open a picture of a receipt.Now, simply tap and hold on any text or number on the receipt to select it (just as you would select text on a web page).From the pop-up menu that appears, tap the Copy button to copy the text. You can now use the copy text in any other app, text field, or document you want.The Photos app isnt typically what that people think of in terms of making their work life easier, but thanks to little features like the Receipts collection, thats exactly what it does in iOS 18.

As part of Dubai Design Week, British designer Ross Lovegrove has unveiled the first completed project from Deond, the design practice he founded with creative director Ila Colombo after moving to the United Arab Emirates.The Enfold pavilion is clad in 945 sheets of recycled cardboard, hand-folded into trapezoidal modules that overlap across its circular timber frame.Deond unveiled the Enfold pavilion at Dubai Design WeekModelled on the spiky exterior of a palm tree trunk, the modules were designed using parametric software and configured to let sunlight punctuate the interior via triangular openings."The entire architecture was studied in a way to optimize the play of daylight, so during the day it changes," Colombo told Dezeen.Hand-folded cardboard modules envelop the structure"It responds to the context," Lovegrove added. "You couldn't put this in the East End of London because there's no light and it's going to get wet."The couple founded Deond after moving to Dubai in 2023 and have since brought on board a "multi-ethnic, cross-disciplinary team" of nine people, with a special focus on talent from Middle Eastern countries including Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar.Triangular openings allow sunlight to punctuate the interiorThe aim is to combine Colombo's background in artificial intelligence and Lovegrove's industrial design expertise honed through collaborations with brands from Vitra and Knoll to Renault and Moroso with the distinctive knowledge and sensibilities brought by local designers."I'm just kind of cherry-picking people from different countries and trying to bring them together," Lovegrove said."Deond gives them an envelope that is not the Ross Lovegrove show, which is very important I think, so they feel that they can grow within a new studio situation."The pavilion houses a bodysuit embellished with 3D-printed details"We see a lot of design imported to the UAE and I just think it's not the best approach," Colombo added."For us, the importance of the practice is to bring a different perspective and offer something that feels more contextualised and locally truthful to here."The Enfold pavilion, for example, was designed using parametric design software but based on the principle of biomimicry, emulating native flora like palm trees.Read: "It's your duty" as a designer to promote sustainability says Ross LovegroveThe rough exterior gives way to a smooth, monochrome interior, punctuated by the triangular patches of light cast into the interior via the cardboard modules.Suspended from transparent wires at the centre of the pavilion are sections of a bodysuit Deond is developing, with embellishments added by a 3D printer in a novel method developed by additive manufacturing company Stratasys.The novel additive manufacturing method was developed by Stratasys"The whole structure mimics precious fruits that have a very rough exterior but holds something precious inside," said Deond's computational architect Rowan Elselmy."It's a blend of nature, biomimicry and technology, which is basically what we're doing at Deond."Cutouts in the cardboard were strategically placed to illuminate the bodysuitAlthough the design was created digitally, it was assembled by hand with Colombo and Elselmy folding the modules by hand over the course of three days using 945 sheets of corrugated cardboard sourced from a local packaging manufacturer.The hope is for Deond to go beyond product or installation design to create more large-scale projects and the studio is currently in talks to work on an architecture project in Saudi Arabia and on transport in the UAE.More than 900 sheets of cardboard were needed to clad the pavilion"We moved here because the UAE is interested in everything that's new: AI, drones, new ways of building, 3D printing, all these things," Lovegrove said."They have the money, they have the energy but they also have the mindset because they're young. There's no real historical baggage."Elsewhere at Dubai Design Week, the designer is presenting a range of intricate 3D-printed door handles, created in collaboration with Portuguese manufacturer JNF.Enfold is the first project unveiled by DeondLovegrove isn't the first well-known British designer to move to Asia in recent years with the aim of realising more future-facing projects.After stepping down from PriestmanGoode in 2022, Paul Priestman emigrated to Shanghai to set up his new studio PULI Innovation because "things happen so much more quickly" in China."I do think this is becoming the centre of creativity and innovation," he told Dezeen.The photography is by Deed.Dezeen is a media partner of Dubai Design Week 2024, which takes place from 5 to 10 November. See Dezeen Events Guidefor an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.The post Deond creates parametric cardboard pavilion for Dubai Design Week appeared first on Dezeen.

Prince William has announced the five winning projects of this year's Earthshot Prize, including technology designed to capture waste heat and convert it into usable and clean electricity.Founded by the prince and British wildlife presenter and historian David Attenborough in 2020, the annual Earthshot Prize awards five winners 1 million each to scale up their projects tackling different environmental issues from air quality to protecting our oceans.Among this year's winning entries is Advanced Photovoltaic Systems (ATS), a Canada-based company that has designed an industrial-scale modular unit that produces electricity directly from waste heat and requires no moving parts.Advanced Photovoltaic Systems is technology designed to capture waste heat and convert it into electricityWaste heat is converted into electricity after it has passed over smartphone-sized plates manufactured using a phone-style assembly process, making the plates easy to scale, transport and install.The project was created to offer an alternative to traditional turbines and transform the energy required to power the world's industrial plants producing cement, steel and chemicals of which 60 per cent is lost as waste heat, according to ATS."This unused energy represents a vast resource, equal to the energy needs of four billion homes. That is twice the total number of households worldwide," said ATS CEO Kelly Adams.Keep It Cool has also won an Earthshot Prize"Our technology offers a circular energy solution that creates valuable electricity and reduces emissions at scale," he added.Founded by Francis Nderitu, Kenyan company Keep It Cool took home another of the competition's top prizes for developing solar-powered and localised refrigeration systems, which allow small farms and fisheries to preserve their produce in off-grid cooling boxes.Nderitu and his team developed the project to tackle the 40 to 50 per cent of produce in sub-Saharan Africa that is lost before it reaches consumers due to scorching temperatures and a lack of cold chain solutions, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation.The Green Africa Youth Organisation is on a mission to make our air cleaner"Our aim is to make cold chain solutions both affordable and accessible, even in underserved regions like Turkana in northern Kenya," said Keep It Cool.Another project among this year's winning cohort is the Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO), which is directed by Desmond Alugnoa and has outposts in Ghana, Botswana, Uganda and Kenya.GAYO's mission is to tackle environmental issues through youth empowerment, public education and skills development. The organisation has designed a waste management system to reduce landfill and create cleaner air.Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative is a Kazakh conservation group"We work directly with local communities to reduce the vulnerability of groups that are at risk of climate impacts such as children, youth and women who have a comparatively less adaptive capacity due to social and structural inequalities," said the organisation.Founded by Vera Voronova, Kazakh organisation Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative also won an Earthshot Prize. The conservation group is working to restore fragile steppe, wetland and desert ecosystems in Kazakhstan.The final prize was awarded to High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, an intergovernmental group of 118 countries co-chaired by Costa Rica and France and directed by Rita El Zaghloul. The group is putting pressure on global governments to officially protect 30 per cent of our land and oceans by 2030, according to the Earthshot Prize.Prince William announced the five winners of this year's prize on Wednesday at a ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa, selected from a list of 15 finalists.Read: Five designs "to repair our planet" named as Earthshot Prize winners"I believe our world can be rich in possibility, in hope and optimism. That is why the Earthshot Prize exists," he said."To champion the game-changers, the inventors, the makers, the creatives, the leaders; to help them build upon the amazing things they've already achieved; to speed their innovations to scale and to inspire the next generation to create the future we all need," added the prince.The award-winning High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People is putting pressure on global governments to protect our land and oceansPlanned to be awarded annually until 2030, the Earthshot Prize celebrates projects that respond to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.Now in its fourth year, previous Earthshot Prize winners have included an AI-powered soil carbon marketplace and a plastic packaging alternativemade from seaweed.The photography is courtesy of the Earthshot Prize.The post Technology designed to capture waste heat wins 2024 Earthshot Prize appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen Showroom: Danish architect Mette Fredskild has designed a customisable kitchen island for Lithuanian brand Kongacph that draws on the "calm and simplicity" of Japandi design.The bespoke solid oak 25x25 Workshop Kitchen is based on a simple grid system and named after the 25 by 25 milllimetre battens that comprise its structural frame.The 25x25 Workshop Kitchen was designed to have a Japandi aestheticThis modular, component-based approach allows the design to be arranged into different configurations and adapted to spaces of various sizes.Its open-frame structure means that the kitchen maintains a sense of lightness that allows it to integrate seamlessly with the surrounding living spaces while creating an organised, professional-grade workspace for cooking enthusiasts.The island is made of solid oak"It embraces functional minimalism, merging the simplicity of Nordic kitchens with the fluidity and sensitivity of Japanese aesthetics to cater to modern living spaces that prioritise both form and function," Kongacph said.Each bespoke kitchen is arranged to highlight the natural grain and texture of the wood, with precise joinery and hand-finished details.The structure itself is FSC-certified and incorporates oak off-cuts to create a design that is durable while minimising waste.The photography is by Dovalde Butenaite.Product details:Product: 25x25 Workshop KitchenDesigner: Mette FredskildBrand: KongacphContact: goda@kongacph.comMaterial: solid oak woodColours/finishes: oiledDezeen ShowroomDezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen's huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.The post 25x25 Workshop Kitchen by Mette Fredskild for Kongacph appeared first on Dezeen.

Although its inconsistency holds it back from excellence, Andromeda gets many things right.Andromeda's new direction was imperfect, but fit squarely into Mass Effect's tradition of imperfect reinvention.