It's all too easy to accidentally damage a piece of tech, which is why many Apple fans opt to pay for the company's AppleCare+ coverage for piece of mind. It's perhaps not too often that you see deals involving AppleCare+, but there's a solid one on the Beats Studio Pro at the minute. You can snap up a pair with two years of AppleCare+ coverage for $174. That's a discount of $205. Given that the headphones by themselves cost $180, you're effectively getting 24 months of AppleCare+ protection for zilch and saving five bucks on the headphones. The deal applies to the black, navy and sandstone colorways but not the deep brown variant. We gave the headphones a score of 81 in our review last year. The improved sound quality (compared with previous Beats over-ear headphones) and voice clarity were major plus points. The transparency mode, a feature that wasn't present in the Beats Studio 3, works fairly well too. Meanwhile, if you plug the headphones into your audio source via USB-C, you can enjoy lossless music at sample rates up to 24-bit/48kHz thanks to the built-in digital-to-analog converter. Dynamic head tracking is a neat feature, while some reviewers have pointed out that the Beats Studio Pro play nicely with Android devices too. Unfortunately, the headphones might be a tight fit for some folks given their clamping force. We found the lack of automatic pausing and multipoint iOS connectivity to be disappointing, particularly in the latter case since this is an Apple product. AppleCare+ for Headphones builds on the one year of limited warranty and 90 days of technical support you get as standard with Apple's audio gear. It adds round-the-clock access to Apple experts by phone or chat, along with unlimited incidents of accidental damage protection for the two-year coverage period. You'll just need to pay a $29 fee for each repair.. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-beats-studio-pro-headphones-with-applecare-for-174-150034075.html?src=rss

Autodesk has acquired GolaemThe Maya crowd simulation software, which was used on The Mandalorian, is no longer for sale online, but its core IP will be 'integrated directly inside Autodesk's current product offerings'.https://www.cgchannel.com/2024/08/autodesk-acquires-golaem/

Nintendo has released a new The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom trailer all about traversing the land of Hyrule.

By 2025, China is aiming to deploy 648 satellites of the "Thousand Sails Constellation" to create global internet coverage, according to state media CCTV.

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Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to be her running mate on Tuesday, choosing a progressive policy champion and a plain speaker from Americas heartland to help win over rural, white voters, said people familiar with the matter.Walz, a 60-year-old U.S. Army National Guard veteran and former teacher, was elected to a Republican-leaning district in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 and served 12 years before being elected governor of Minnesota in 2018.As governor, Walz has pushed a progressive agenda that includes free school meals, goals for tackling climate change, tax cuts for the middle class and expanded paid leave for Minnesota workers.Walz has long advocated for womens reproductive rights but also displayed a conservative bent while representing a rural district in the U.S. House, defending agricultural interests and backing gun rights.Harris, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, is adding a popular Midwestern politician whose home state votes reliably for Democrats in presidential elections but is close to Wisconsin and Michigan, two crucial battlegrounds.Such states are seen as crucial in deciding this years election, and Walz is widely seen as skilled at connecting with white, rural voters who in recent years have voted broadly for the Republican Donald Trump, Harris rival for the White House.The Harris campaign hopes Walzs extensive National Guard career, coupled with a successful run as a high school football coach, and his Dad joke videos will attract such voters who are not yet dedicated to a second Trump term in the White House.Harris, 59, has revived the Democratic Partys hopes of an election victory since becoming its candidate after President Joe Biden, 81, ended his failing reelection bid under party pressure on July 21.Walz was a relative unknown nationally until the Harris veepstakes heated up, but his profile has since surged. A popular member of Congress, he reportedly had the backing of powerful former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was instrumental in persuading Biden to leave the race.Harris and Walz will face Trump and his running mate JD Vance, also a military veteran from the Midwest, in a Nov. 5 election.Stumping for Harris, sometimes in a camouflage baseball hat and T-shirt, Walz has attacked Trump and Vance as weird, a catchy insult that has been picked up by the Harris campaign, social media and Democratic activists.A unicornWalz gave the nascent Harris campaign the new attack line in a late July interview: These are weird people on the other side: They want to take books away. They want to be in your exam room, referring to book bans and womens reproductive consultations with doctors.Walz has also attacked the claims by Trump and Vance of having middle class credentials.They keep talking about the middle class. A robber baron real estate guy and a venture capitalist trying to tell us they understand who we are? They dont know who we are, Walz said in an MSNBC interview.That approach has struck a chord with the young voters Harris needs to reengage. David Hogg, the co-founder of the gun safety group March for Our Lives, described him as a great communicator.Walz is somewhat of a unicorn, said Ryan Dawkins, a political science professor at Minnesotas Carleton College a man born in a small town in rural Nebraska capable of conveying Harris message to core Democratic voters, and those that the party has failed to reach in recent years.Dawkins praised his ability to connect with rural voters. It is a group the Biden administration has tried to reach with infrastructure spending and other pragmatic policies, but with little show of messaging success so far.In the 2016 election, Trump won 59% of rural voters; in 2020 that number rose to 65% even though Trump lost the election, according to Pew Research.In the 2022 governors race, Walz won with 52.27% to his Republican opponents 44.61%, although swaths of rural Minnesota voted for the opponent.While Walz has supported Democratic Party orthodoxy on issues ranging from legalized abortion and same-sex marriage to the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, he also racked up a centrist voting record during his congressional career.He was a staunch defender of government support for farmers and military veterans, as well as gun-owner rights that won praise from the National Rifle Association, according to The Almanac of American Politics.He subsequently registered a failing grade with the NRA after supporting gun-control measures during his first campaign for governor.Walzs shift from a centrist representing a single rural district in Congress to a more progressive politician as governor may have been in response to the demands of voters in major cities like Minneapolis-St. Paul. But it leaves him open to Republican attacks, Dawkins said in a telephone interview.He runs the risk of reinforcing some of the worst fears people have of Kamala Harris being a San Francisco liberal, Dawkins said.Walz has a ready counter-attack.What a monster. Kids are eating and having full bellies, so they can go learn and women are making their own healthcare decisions, Walz said in a July CNN interview. So if thats where they want to label me, Im more than happy to take the label.As the states top executive, Walz mandated the use of face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic and signed a law making marital rape illegal. He presided over several years of budget surpluses in Minnesota on the road to his 2022 reelection.During that campaign, Walz touted the backing of several influential labor unions, including the state AFL-CIO, firefighters, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), teachers and others.His tenure was marked by the May 2020 killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of murder. Walz assigned the states attorney general to lead the prosecution in the case, saying people dont believe justice can be served.Richard Cowan and Doina Chiacu, Reuters

Winding pathways and thatched roofs made of recycled plastic are among the features at the Kona Village resort in Hawaii, whichWalker Warner Architects designed to replace a 1960s hotel destroyed by a tsunami.Located on Hawaii's Big Island, the property replaces a resort of the same name that was decimated by a 2011 tsunami.The original Kona Village had opened in the 1960s, becoming a "beloved hideaway" featuring traditional island architecture.Walker Warner Architects has replaced a Hawaiian resort decimated by a tsunami with a Pacific Island-style propertyFor the 81-acre (33-hectare) property, Walker Warner Architects a studio based in San Francisco sought to honour the site's history and landscape and immerse guests in "the archetypal island experience"."Walker Warner set out to respectfully restore the relaxed Pacific Island style that epitomised the original property while elevating it with modern touches and sustainable innovations," the firm said."Carefully conceived to emanate a feeling of organic, approachable luxury, the resort's long-awaited second chapter draws inspiration from the unique nuances of the destination, as well as the original property."Kona Village, informed by vernacular architecture and the natural terrain, occupies a horseshoe-shaped siteOccupying a horseshoe-shaped site that wraps Kahuwai Bay, the resort consists of scores of buildings, mostly hut-like structures called hale, the word used to describe a traditional Hawaiian home. The resort offers a total of 150 guest rooms.The layout, forms and materials were informed by vernacular architecture and the natural terrain and the design was "guided by a pledge to be as minimally disruptive to the land as possible"."When you come to Kona Village, it's not about the architecture," said Walker Warner Architects founder Greg Warner."You see right through the architecture to immediately understand the place, which was our intention."Hut-like structures called hale were inspired by coconut trees for their exterior designGuests arrive at a welcome centre, which features an informal living room that opens onto a lanai overlooking the bay. From there, visitors are taken along meandering paths to guest rooms.Most structures have wood framing and hipped roofs wrapped in thatch made of recycled plastic. The exterior siding was inspired by coconut tree husks.Buildings were sited to take advantage of breezes, thus reducing the need for air conditioning. Each guest room is a private lanai that encourages visitors to spend ample time outdoors.A welcome centre includes an informal living room that opens onto a lanai overlooking Kahuwai BaySeveral hale were lifted above the ground by stilts, offering elevated views of the ocean."Located mere feet from the ocean cliffs, these accommodations rest on their original foundations, providing sweeping views of the bay and direct access to the shoreline," the team said.The resort's interior design was overseen by San Francisco studio Nicole Hollis, which sought to create a relaxed atmosphere informed by the surrounding context.Read: Suspended bridges connect round cabin hotels in MexicoEarthy materials were used for custom furnishings, and floors were made of hand-scraped wood to lend a rustic appearance.Special elements include beds inspired by the shape of boats and soaking tubs formed of dark concrete, meant to evoke the area's hardened lava.Bespoke features include boat shape-inspired beds and dark concrete soaking tubs meant to evoke hardened lavaDifferent colours were used in different zones. The southern area of the resort features blues and yellows, a reference to the ocean and sandy beach, while the northern zone has black and red tones that refer to lava fields.Near the centre of the site, shades of blue and green allude to a fish pond and its flora and fauna.The resort structures have wood framing and hipped roofs wrapped in thatch made of recycled plasticIn addition to the welcome centre and guest rooms, the resort offers several restaurants and bars, including one housed in a shipwrecked schooner. There also is a spa, fitness centre, sports courts and swimming pool.Moreover, the property has a cultural centre, where visitors can learn about the site's history and early occupants.The area was once a fishing village known as Kaplehu, which was ravaged by lava flow from a volcano that erupted in 1800. The site features petroglyphs and other archaeological features, all of which were meticulously documented and preserved.Resort offerings include several restaurants and bars, a spa, fitness centre, sports courts and swimming poolSustainability was a guiding concern for the project, and several buildings at Kona Village have earned LEED Gold certification, the team said.Various energy and water conservation strategies were incorporated, and power is generated via a solar field with over 8,000 photovoltaic panels, meeting nearly all of the resort's energy needs.The team collaborated with the nonprofit organization Re-Use Hawaii to salvage material from the old resort for the benefit of the local community.Other hospitality projects in Hawaii include the Wayfinder Waikiki hotel, which features interiors by The Vanguard Theory that merge brutalist architecture with tropical motifs.The photography is by Douglas Friedman.Project credits:Design architect: Walker WarnerWalker Warner team: Mike McCabe and Greg Warner (principals); John Lacy, Gloria Kim and John Pierson (senior project managers); Chris May (project manager); Chris Ryan, Philip Viana and Matthew Yungert (job captains); Lawrence Raposo (designer)Executive architect: DelawieInterior design: Nicole HollisLighting: The Ruzika CompanyStructuralengineering: GFDS EngineersMechanical engineering: IsynergyElectrical and plumbing: IsynergyCivilengineering: Sam O HirotaGeotechnicalengineering: GeolabsTechnology: Engineering PlusSignage: Image Global VisionFire protection: IsynergyContractors: Ali'i Builders, Nordic PCL, Goodfellow Brothers, Re-Use Hawai'iClient: Kennedy WilsonOperator: Rosewood Hotel GroupThe post Walker Warner Architects includes recycled-plastic thatch in Hawaii hut resort appeared first on Dezeen.

This is a good example of starting with a material, then finding practical applications for it. Manufacturer Rinseroo makes this Slip-On Tub Hose, to make washing pets easier in a tub: As well as a 6-foot version that attaches to shower heads:They also make these LeakLocks, which are essentially travel condoms for toiletries. When traveling, I typically place my toiletries in ZipLoc bags, which has paid off; I'd say 1 out of 4 times, something leaks, fouling the ZipLoc but not my luggage. The company says the tight fit of their LeakLocks can prevent the airplane air pressure changes that lead to leaks in the first place. Even if that's not true, these look a lot easier to clean out than a ZipLoc bag.The dog hose, the company's first product, was invented by New Jersey woman Lisa Lane, after taking family vacations at the Jersey Shore. Her large family had four dogs between them, and "the beach house bathrooms were always dirty. The showers and tubs were in constant use and cleaning them (and the dogs) was a hassle. Bucket rinsing the shower walls was messy and time consuming and no one wanted to invest the time or money to install hand-held showerheads in each of the bathrooms."Since forming the company in 2019, Lane has sold hundreds of thousands of units.

World of Goo 2 is a goo-d time.Goo-d enough for two.

The '90s game revival I didn't know I wanted.