Established 77 years ago, Mitsui & Co stays vibrant by building businesses and ecosystems with new technologies like generative AI and confidential computing.Digital transformation takes many forms at the Tokyo-based conglomerate with 16 divisions. In one case, its an autonomous trucking service, in another its a geospatial analysis platform. Mitsui even collaborates with a partner at the leading edge of quantum computing.One new subsidiary, Xeureka, aims to accelerate R&D in healthcare, where it can take more than a billion dollars spent over a decade to bring to market a new drug.We create businesses using new digital technology like AI and confidential computing, said Katsuya Ito, a project manager in Mitsuis digital transformation group. Most of our work is done in collaboration with tech companies in this case NVIDIA and Fortanix, a San Francisco based security software company.In Pursuit of Big DataThough only three years old, Xeureka already completed a proof of concept addressing one of drug discoverys biggest problems getting enough data.Speeding drug discovery requires powerful AI models built with datasets larger than most pharmaceutical companies have on hand. Until recently, sharing across companies has been unthinkable because data often contains private patient information as well as chemical formulas proprietary to the drug company.Enter confidential computing, a way of processing data in a protected part of a GPU or CPU that acts like a black box for an organizations most important secrets.To ensure their data is kept confidential at all times, banks, government agencies and even advertisers are using the technology thats backed by a consortium of some of the worlds largest companies.A Proof of Concept for PrivacyTo validate that confidential computing would allow its customers to safely share data, Xeureka created two imaginary companies, each with a thousand drug candidates. Each companys dataset was used separately to train an AI model to predict the chemicals toxicity levels. Then the data was combined to train a similar, but larger AI model.Xeureka ran its test on NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs using security management software from Fortanix, one of the first startups to support confidential computing.The H100 GPUs support a trusted execution environment with hardware-based engines that ensure and validate confidential workloads are protected while in use on the GPU, without compromising performance. The Fortanix software manages data sharing, encryption keys and the overall workflow.Up to 74% Higher AccuracyThe results were impressive. The larger models predictions were 65-74% more accurate, thanks to use of the combined datasets.The models created by a single companys data showed instability and bias issues that were not present with the larger model, Ito said.Confidential computing from NVIDIA and Fortanix essentially alleviates the privacy and security concerns while also improving model accuracy, which will prove to be a win-win situation for the entire industry, said Xeurekas CTO, Hiroki Makiguchi, in a Fortanix press release.An AI Supercomputing EcosystemNow, Xeureka is exploring broad applications of this technology in drug discovery research, in collaboration with the community behind Tokyo-1, its GPU-accelerated AI supercomputer. Announced in February, Tokyo-1 aims to enhance the efficiency of pharmaceutical companies in Japan and beyond.Initial projects may include collaborations to predict protein structures, screen ligand-base pairs and accelerate molecular dynamics simulations with trusted services. Tokyo-1 users can harness large language models for chemistry, protein, DNA and RNA data formats through the NVIDIA BioNeMo drug discovery microservices and framework.Its part of Mitsuis broader strategic growth plan to develop software and services for healthcare, such as powering Japans $100 billion pharma industry, the worlds third largest following the U.S. and China.Xeuekas services will include using AI to quickly screen billions of drug candidates, to predict how useful molecules will bind with proteins and to simulate detailed chemical behaviors.To learn more, read about NVIDIA Confidential Computing and NVIDIA BioNeMo, an AI platform for drug discovery.

Consulting giants including Accenture, Deloitte, EY Strategy and Consulting Co., Ltd. (or EY Japan), FPT, Kyndryl and Tata Consultancy Services Japan (TCS Japan) are working with NVIDIA to establish innovation centers in Japan to accelerate the nations goal of embracing enterprise AI and physical AI across its industrial landscape.The centers will use NVIDIA AI Enterprise software, local language models and NVIDIA NIM microservices to help clients in Japan advance the development and deployment of AI agents tailored to their industries respective needs, boosting productivity with a digital workforce.Using the NVIDIA Omniverse platform, Japanese firms can develop digital twins and simulate complex physical AI systems, driving innovation in manufacturing, robotics and other sectors.Like many nations, Japan is navigating complex social and demographic challenges, which is leading to a smaller workforce as older generations retire. Leaning into its manufacturing and robotics leadership, the country is seeking opportunities to solve these challenges using AI.The Japanese government in April published a paper on its aims to become the worlds most AI-friendly country. AI adoption is strong and growing, as IDC reports that the Japanese AI systems market reached approximately $5.9 billion this year, with a year-on-year growth rate of 31.2%.1The consulting giants initiatives and activities include:Accenture has established the Accenture NVIDIA Business Group and will provide solutions and services incorporating a Japanese large language model (LLM), which uses NVIDIA NIM and NVIDIA NeMo, as a Japan-specific offering. In addition, Accenture will deploy agentic AI solutions based on Accenture AI Refinery to all industries in Japan, accelerating total enterprise reinvention for its clients. In the future, Accenture plans to build new services using NVIDIA AI Enterprise and Omniverse at Accenture Innovation Hub Tokyo.Deloitte is establishing its AI Experience Center in Tokyo, which will serve as an executive briefing center to showcase generative AI solutions built on NVIDIA technology. This facility builds on the Deloitte Japan NVIDIA Practice announced in June and will allow clients to experience firsthand how AI can revolutionize their operations. The center will also offer NVIDIA AI and Omniverse Blueprints to help enterprises in Japan adopt agentic AI effectively.EY Strategy and Consulting Co., Ltd (EY Japan) is developing a multitude of digital transformation (DX) solutions in Japan across diverse industries including finance, retail, media and manufacturing. The new EY Japan DX offerings will be built with NVIDIA AI Enterprise to serve the countrys growing demand for digital twins, 3D applications, multimodal AI and generative AI.FPT is launching FPT AI Factory in Japan with NVIDIA Hopper GPUs and NVIDIA AI Enterprise software to support the countrys AI transformation by using business data in a secure, sovereign environment. FPT is integrating the NVIDIA NeMo framework with FPT AI Studio for building, pretraining and fine-tuning generative AI models, including FPTs multi-language LLM, named Saola. In addition, to provide end-to-end AI integration services, FPT plans to train over 1,000 software engineers and consultants domestically in Japan, and over 7,000 globally by 2026.IT infrastructure services provider Kyndryl has launched a dedicated AI private cloud in Japan. Built in collaboration with Dell Technologies using the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA, this new AI private cloud will provide a controlled, secure and sovereign location for customers to develop, test and plan implementation of AI on the end-to-end NVIDIA AI platform, including NVIDIA accelerated computing and networking, as well as the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software.TCS Japan will begin offering its TCS global AI offerings built on the full NVIDIA AI stack in the automotive and manufacturing industries. These solutions will be hosted in its showcase centers at TCS Japans Azabudai office in Tokyo.Located in the Tokyo and Kansai metropolitan areas, these new consulting centers offer hands-on experience with NVIDIAs latest technologies and expert guidance helping accelerate AI transformation, solve complex social challenges and support the nations economic growth.To learn more, watch the NVIDIA AI Summit Japan fireside chat with NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang.Editors note: IDC figures are sourced to IDC, 2024 Domestic AI System Market Forecast Announced, April 2024. The IDC forecast amount was converted to USD by NVIDIA, while the CAGR (31.2%) was calculated based on JPY.

Last week, to head to Thedas and protect the Veil before it falls in Dragon Age: The Veilguard using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this weeks highlights:jdbolzan shares a mage Rook avoiding a dragons attack.khwarezm89 shares Rook facing towards a blighted village.pirate_atomsk shares Rook standing beneath the Lighthouses astrolabe.call_me_xavii shares a green glowing tortured spirit from a quest in Nevarra.lunar9p shares a rogue Rook fighting with dual blades.fsantos1697 shares the haunting and hulking skeleton statues of the Necropolis.Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this weeks theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?THEME: Dragon Age: The Veilguard CompanionsSUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on November 20, 2024Next week, were taking a closer look at the companions behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Share moments with the titular heroes using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Infinity Nikki is a beautiful open-world adventure that takes a distinctly different approach to theme and gameplay, focusing less on combat and more on exploration, questing, discovery, and design, all with a smart and stylish female character in the lead role.Nikki, a young girl with a love of fashion, finds a mysterious dress in the attic. When she puts it on, she and her chubby, chatty cat Momo are whisked away to a strange new world. She meets a being named Ena the Creator, who gives her the Heart of Infinity and entrusts her with finding the Miracle Outfits.I recently had an opportunity to go hands-on with the game on PS5, so lets dive in.Play VideoIts all about the styleThe world of Infinity Nikki is fueled by the power of Whim, the sparks of joy and creativity that exist within us all. The way people here tend to harness their Whim energy is through fashion. Clothing is powerful self-expression, and a stylish outfit even has the power to grant its wearer new abilities. With that kind of energy woven into fabric, its no wonder that Styliststalented clothing makersare highly respected. And after Nikki gets here, shes quickly judged to be prime Stylist material and brought into the Stylists Guild of the hamlet of Florawish.But things arent perfectly peaceful: theres a strange condition going around thats making citizens go comatose, alongside a suspicious gang of stylists up to no good. During our time in the beta, we got a chance to meet several characters, good and bad, and play through several events: joining the Stylists Guild, helping out several folks in town, investigating a case of the mysterious illness, fighting against other stylists to make the coolest outfit, and exploring a frog-filled well to stop a rampaging fish that cut off Florawishs electric power.As a Stylist, Nikki can make clothes that grant her abilities. Early on, shell have two outfitsone that lets her float after jumping and another that lets her shoot purifying energythat she can access by simply pressing a button. However, to get more fabulous powers, shell need to acquire sketches: blueprints for new clothing parts. There are many ways to get sketchesyou can find them in chests, earn them from quests, and so onbut many of the most important outfit sketches are acquired and enhanced through Nikkis Infinity Heart tree. In order to unlock parts of the tree, Nikki will need to find Whimstars scattered throughout the world.Seeing starsNikkis companion Momo can help her locate Whimstars with his finely-tuned senses, but not all Whimstars are acquired by simply walking up to them. Many are in hidden locations that require searching. Others task you with completing a platforming challenge, collecting a set of items, or using a specific power to get the Whimstar. One particularly interesting challenge type has you searching in an area to find a star-shaped object hidden in the background some are obvious, while other hiding spots disguise star shapes in clever ways.Before Nikki can wear anything she needs materials. If you make a habit of picking up everything you see (and theres plenty of things to collect everywhere), you shouldnt have any problems making the key outfits, though making some of the rarer, optional accessories and optional pieces might require more effort. Once youve got your outfit, you have a new power to play with.During our playtest, we wore a cute waterproof ensemble for grooming animals, a bright set of overalls for catching bugs, a stylish summer hat-and-clothes set for fishing, and a heavy-duty cloak and gloves for fixing malfunctioning electronics. Each of these powers serves a purpose, either for collecting more materials or solving puzzles in order to progress. We were particularly enchanted with animal grooming, which plays an adorable custom animation for every critter Nikki gets her soapy hands on.Infinity Nikki is brimming with personality and potential, and you wont have to wait much longer to dress for success: the game is due to launch on December 5.

This coming Monday, the Game Awards 2024 will announce its list of nominees, selected from ballots submitted by video game publications, including a ballot from us here at Polygon. Today, Geoff Keighley and company have issued a clarification on nominees eligibility. Although previously, the rules did not explicitly forbid video game DLCs and expansions from nomination, some may have erroneously assumed that DLCs wouldnt be in contention for these awards.In the update posted today to the FAQ on The Game Awards website, theres a new question: Are DLCs, expansion packs and remakes/ remasters eligible? Heres the answer:The Game Awards aims to recognize the best creative and technical work each year, irrespective of the format of that contents release. Expansion packs, new game seasons, DLCs, remakes and remasters are eligible in all categories, if the jury deems the new creative and technical work to be worthy of a nomination. Factors such as the newness of the content and its price/value should be taken into consideration.The Game Awards: Expansion packs, new game seasons, DLCs, remakes and remasters are eligible in all categories, if the jury deems the new creative and technical work to be worthy of a nominationhttps://t.co/boXNubjiBP pic.twitter.com/lkfBsNe15Y Wario64 (@Wario64) November 16, 2024We arent sure whether or not Shadow of the Erdtree will get a GOTY nomination, nor other nominations previously, we might have predicted seeing Elden Ring in Best Ongoing Game (the place that the parent games for exceptional DLCs and expansions tend to get nominated, thereby serving as a way for those additions to be recognized). Now, it could end up anywhere. As for the DLC itself, we loved it.Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly suggested that voters for The Game Awards might not have been aware of this rule. According to a source at The Game Awards, voters were informed prior to submitting their ballots.

The premise of Dune: Prophecy, the latest sci-fi/fantasy lit juggernaut to hit the Max streaming service, is that its a show about the rise of the Bene Gesserit order. That is, the secretive sect of all-female psychic eugenicists, advisors, educators, and mistresses to the spacefaring noble houses out of the pages of Frank Herberts Dune, and the sprawling saga of novels that has spun out of it.Its easy to forget that were not looking at the Bene Gesserit as we know it Valya and Tula Harkonnen (Emily Watson and Olivia Williams) seem to have this Sisterhood pretty well organized already! After seizing power from those who opposed them, theyve been in charge for 30 years. Theyve got a prophecy to follow, operatives in every upstanding noble house, and a school for acolytes so well established that the emperors daughter is fighting to attend. Theyre even using traditional Bene Gesserit titles, like Reverend Mother and Mother Superior.But despite all that, its worth remembering just how much of what we know about the Bene Gesserit has not been invented or put into practice yet in the time of Dune: Prophecy. Because in a show set 10 millennia before the events of Dune, knowing how the Sisterhood will change as it evolves into the Bene Gesserit order gives us some hints at where showrunner Alison Schapker plans to take us, and at the meaty stew of classic sci-fi melodrama they have to dish out.And that list of signature Bene Gesserit characteristics starts with their signature superpower:The VoiceThough we see a young Valya (Jessica Barden) use a preternatural ability to command in Dune: Prophecys opening scenes, it seems like an ability that she alone has developed, in secret. In the era of Paul Atreides, the Voice is a core part of Bene Gesserit training, and their ability to force compliance through verbal commands is so well known that Baron Harkonnen has deaf guards specifically for capturing Jessica Atreides, known Bene Gesserit adept.Their eugenics plan and disdain for direct powerIn this premiere episode of Dune: Prophecy, Valya and Tula are agreed on their overall plan for the Sisterhood: to place a figurehead on the Imperial throne that their order controls. Any daughter of the ruling house Corrino would do, but Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) is their current candidate. She wants to attend the Sisterhoods school and learn the art of lie detection for herself, while Valya and Tula intend to manipulate her into unshakable loyalty to the order.And while the Bene Gesserit of Dunes era are after much the same goal (a Bene Gesserit-controlled figurehead on the Imperial throne) their methods couldnt be more different. Somewhere between now and when the Sisterhood becomes the true Bene Gesserit order, the organization abandons the idea of direct power through a Bene Gesserit monarch and takes on a much longer-term plan.Over several thousand years, the Bene Gesserit will seek to become the arbiters of all marriages, and therefore genetic bloodlines, in the galaxys noble houses, using that soft power to eugenically breed a psychic superbeing through which the Bene Gesserit can rule humanity in perpetuity.The Panoplia Propheticus and the actual prophecyValya and Tula are already grappling with the power of prophecy, and what truth, if any, can be derived from it and yet their current plan doesnt seem to have a whiff of religious manipulation about them. Over time, that will become another vital tool in the Bene Gesserit arsenal.In the thousands of years it takes for the Bene Gesserit eugenics plan to percolate, the order uses a widespread network of agents the Missionaria Protectiva to seed the religious prophecy of the coming messiah throughout the galaxys downtrodden, poor, and lowborn. Thanks to this secret mandate the Panoplia Propheticus Bene Gesserit adepts can find a haven on any world, from a manufactured cultural tradition of protecting and respecting witchy women. And, when the Bene Gesserit messiah, the Kwisatz Haderach, appears, humanity will be primed to follow him.From Dune, we know that the Bene Gesserit plan will eventually fail on its penultimate step: Paul Atreides, born a generation early, will take on the mantle of Kwisatz Haderach to get revenge on House Harkonnen and answer Fremen pleas for freedom. But the women who began the Bene Gesserit had every intention of keeping their messiah under the orders thumb.What does all this mean for Dune: Prophecy?Well, the shows premiere episode, The Hidden Hand, has already put the Voice on screen, waiting for Valya to share that superpower with the rest of the order. It also tells us that somewhere in here, leadership of the Sisterhood is going to change their minds about overtly seizing the Imperial throne Princess Ynez is not the organizations path to galactic domination. And, somewhere in the wings, is the Bene Gesserit realization that the power of religion to control the masses is too great to not be weaponized.Whether well get all of that in Dune: Prophecys first season, or if Alison Schapker and crew plan to parcel it out in later seasons, remains to be seen.

Sallyann Corn always knew that she would end up in a profession where she could utilize her imagination and translate ideas into forms. Growing up in a small town, however, meant that she had only heard of three potential tracks: art, architecture, and fashion. Her interest in clothing then led to an exploration of visual merchandising. But when she switched to an industrial design program in college there was an immediate click. I knew that was exactly the path meant for me, Corn says. It felt so all-encompassing, and it has allowed me the freedom to pursue many mediums, scales, and project types.In 2008, Corn founded the Seattle-based studio fruitsuper with Joe Kent. Partners in business and life, the duos collaboration emphasizes playful simplicity, spanning a range of arenas from products to physical environments and curation.Sallyann Corn of fruitsuperYet the pair not only caters to individual clients, they also welcome the public to join in and experience the energy for themselves. Their retail space and wine bar in Pioneer Square serves as a neighborhood hub, featuring fruitsupers signature items alongside pieces by other makers from across the United States. It is here that the team hosts rotating exhibitions, panel discussions, gatherings, and private events. These endeavors are part of fruitsupers ultimate mission to celebrate a diverse and growing independent creative community.With jobs and the day-to-day often intertwined, at times it has been challenging to maintain a healthy balance, especially when Corn and Kent had one shared space for all of their activities. Even with the separate studio they have today, the couple still finds easy ways to help make the switch from work mode to down time, like lighting candles or changing outfits.Theres one element, however, that remains essential, and offers endless inspiration. Travel is imperative to our practice, because it immediately makes us see the everyday in a new way, Corn notes. Objects as simple as toothpaste, traffic signals, and garbage cans surprise and delight us.Today, Sallyann Corn joins us for Friday Five!Photo: Kunihiro Fukumori1. Independent bookstoresTo label us Book Lovers would be an understatement. We love to scour, hunt, and bury ourselves in local bookstores, no matter what city were in. We find that a small, independent bookstore with teetering stacks and narrow paths truly showcases the unique voice of each store owner and their city. We never shy from purchasing books while traveling, as weve found some of our absolute favorite literary treasures around the globe. A few of our favorites: Arcana Books (Los Angeles), Book/Shop (Oakland), Books & Things (Kyoto), Booklarder (Seattle), Casa Bosques (Mexico City), and Monograph Bookwerks (Portland).Photo: Courtesy of Baisikeli2. Bicycle RentalWere less spandex-wearing and gear-focused and more the bells and baskets, stop-when-we-see-a-wine-bar type of bicycle riders. But we find nothing more exciting than renting bikes to explore new areas. During travel and at home, we love to find a neighborhood spot that provides bicycle rentals; as theyre almost always far better quality bikes than hourly rentals and often come with personalized route suggestions, bike adjustments and favorite neighborhood tips. Renting a bike for a day allows us to cover so much more ground and explore more than we ever could on foot. And always provides a much deeper connection to new neighborhoods than jumping in a car or on public transportation.3. Saunas & SoakingFrom a dry cedar sauna to natural hot springs, inside or outside, we love a soak/steam it out session. Its such a meditative and restorative activity! We love that it essentially forces you to be nothing but present; no phones, books or other distractions can be involved. So your only focus is on your breathing, your sweat, your thoughts and your company. Its incredibly invigorating!4. WalkingFor years I was foolish enough to not make time for walking. But now that Im in the habit, I find myself less able to focus and be productive if I havent gone on at least two long walks each week. My commute from home to our studio or shop is around 3 miles and takes me about one hour. Im not a headphone wearing person, so this hour of solitude is fantastic and now integral to my creative practice. Ive found that I now arrive at work with a clear head and Im much more prepared and ready to start my day. Between weather shifts and route options, it feels like endless choose-your-own adventure paths that lead me to new observations in places Ive walked by dozens of times before. Two favorite walking spots that provide endless inspiration are the Myrtle Edwards Park/Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle and the Highline in NYC.Photo: Studio Fr5. Small(er) Art+Design FestivalsFor the past 3 years weve been fortunate to participate in DesignMarch in Reykjavik. Weve fallen in love with smaller (by comparison to Milan, NYC, etc.) art and design festivals. The scale of these smaller/shorter festivals feels far more manageable and the work feels less dominated by large corporations and budgets and instead filled with young, independent, fresh work. We love seeing what can be created and presented with the constraints of smaller budgets and limitless enthusiasm.Works by fruitsuper:fruitsuper SHOP 2019-present \\\ A gift shop and wine bar \\\ Photo: Brooke FittsCedar Hall 2023 \\\ A curation of PNW artists. Collection title: All Along. \\\ Photo: Chris GunderSolids and Voids 2019 \\\ An exhibition of 2D and 3D abstractions \\\ Photo: Christina Marie HicksSolids and Voids 2019 \\\ An exhibition of 2D and 3D abstractions \\\ Photo: Christina Marie HicksSculptures for Books 2024 \\\ A collection of objects designed for page holding, placemaking, and in celebration of books. \\\ Photo: Brooke Fitts

When it comes to dressing up your furry best friend, they deserve the absolute best, and nothing says bold style and cozy comfort like this Dusen Dusen x Little Beast collection. Known for her kaleidoscope of playful patterns, Ellen Van Dusen of Dusen Dusen has teamed up with dog apparel brand Little Beast, to create a line of dog accessories that blend style, function, and a dash of whimsy. With so many accessories to make sure your pup looks its best, this collection will turn heads on your next dog walk in Brooklyn and beyond.Ellen Van Dusen isnt just a designer shes a dog mom, too. And if youre familiar with Brooklyns most fashionable canines, youll know Little Beast is their go-to wardrobe. According to Van Dusen, I think Little Beast has the best dog clothes in the game their onesies are iconic; you see them all over Brooklyn. This shared passion for bold design and functional fashion made teaming up a no-brainer. Little Beasts co-founder, Jisu Kim, summed it up perfectly: Teaming up with Dusen Dusen has been a total dream!Whether its the reversible dog puffer jackets, cozy striped onesies, or carriers that make city commutes look like a walk in the park, the patterns are fresh off Dusen Dusens 2024 collection drawing inspiration from artists like Nicolas Party, Matthew Ronay, and Martine Bedin. Vibrant, cheeky, and undeniably fashion-forward, these pieces infuse your pups wardrobe with as much personality as they bring to your life.Van Dusen shared: Theres nothing cuter than seeing a dog in clothes A dog bag is such an important thing to have when you have a dog in the city. Its a huge accessory, so to be able to suit your personal style is very important!Van Dusens design inspiration comes from her own Boston Terrier, Snips. For every pet product Ive designed, I think of Snips. I see her as my first child, an extension of me! Van Dusen explained. That personal connection means every piece is designed with not just the dogs, but their style-savvy owners in mind. I would wear every piece in the DDxLB collection, she added, which pretty much guarantees that your pup will be the best-dressed at the dog park.While style is essential, comfort is king. Kim emphasized, The Dusen Dusen x Little Beast collection is all about fun and function! Weve mixed Dusen Dusens playful patterns with Little Beasts obsession with comfort and bold fashion, creating accessories that are stylish and practical for your pups daily adventures. Translation: your pup can comfortably play, nap, and conquer their day all while looking fabulous.This epically fun collaboration lets your four-legged friend strut their stuff in outfits that are as bold and stylish as you are. Whether your pooch is prancing down Flatbush Ave or taking over the local park, one things for sure: theyll be dressed to impress.The collection is available at both dusendusen.com and littlebeast.co.

There is a surprising number of products marketed to help you clean your bathroom. You don't need to spend a small fortune on the latest and greatest, but some products out there are still better than othersand as someone who writes about cleaning for a living, you can imagine I've tested a good many of them. Here are the ones I have found to be the best over the years. The two best products for cleaning most of the bathroomFirst up, do not worry about how you're going to clean your tub, sink, toilet, and fixtures anymore. You really only need two products, and they both work fabulously. For porcelain and tile, pick up some Soft Scrub. I was first introduced to this product two summers ago, when my boyfriend very suddenly decided to get a boat. Every night when we docked, we were tasked with scrubbing away the salty water that covered the surfaces and quickly found Soft Scrub, with its mix of a little abrasion and a lot of suds, to be the most effective and least harmful product. From there, I got some for around the house. I think of it like a mild exfoliator for my stuff: It ever so slightly buffs and resurfaces, never scratches, and foams up to provide a good clean. For the bathroom, try a formulation with bleach. Soft Scrub Liquid Cleanser With Bleach White 24 Oz $7.85 at Amazon $9.99 Save $2.14 Learn More Learn More $7.85 at Amazon $9.99 Save $2.14 For your fixtures, like faucets or even the toilet flusher, I recommend the same thing I recommend for kitchen metals: Brasso. The seven-in-one polish is inexpensivejust under $5and makes copper, steel, chrome, and more shine with ease. For those tougher spotsIn the past, I've recommended using electronic scrubbing brushes, which are great for helping ease the burden of having to really scrub at tiles, grout, and crevices. Since I started using the more-abrasive Soft Scrub, though, I find these a little unnecessary. For anything I do have to scrub a little extra at, I again recommend something I also suggest for the kitchen: My trusty Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Extra Foamy. You get five of them for under $10 and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I buy one pack and use them all around my home. Like traditional melamine sponges, they make quick work of sticky messes and scuffs, but with little foaming pods of cleaner inside, they also suds up for extra grime-busting power.That said, if you have a bunch of tiny crevices, one of those electronic brushes may still be in the cards for you. There is really no good reason to overwork your elbows when something like this exists and is only around $20. Rubbermaid Reveal Multi-Purpose Scrub Brush $19.98 at Amazon Learn More Learn More $19.98 at Amazon Other bathroom-cleaning essentialsI also keep a miniature squeegee in the tub and, when I finish my shower, use it to clean the glass. This has significantly reduced how often and how hard I need to clean the panes in general, as it prevents moisture buildup and stops water stains and streaks before they start. Here is the one I have, which is less than $10. All-Purpose Stainless Steel Shower Squeegee for Shower Glass Door with 2 Adhesive Hooks, Bathroom Cleaner Tool Household Window Mirror Squeegee , Cleaning Tile Wall, Car, 10 Inch Silver $9.49 at Amazon $14.98 Save $5.49 Learn More Learn More $9.49 at Amazon $14.98 Save $5.49 For drain cleaning, I never use liquid cleaners or decloggers. I've never found them all that effective, at least not when compared with a drain weasel. It's long, has a rotating handle, and easily yanks gunk and hair right out of the pipes, so routine use means you won't end up in a situation where you have a bunch of clogs. Finally, here's something I don't yet have but very much want, so I'm mentioning it as a means of putting out into the universe that I need one: the cordless window vacuum from Sharper Image, which you fill with water, stick to the glass, and let do the work for you. After spraying your glass, it even removes the water, then sorts it into a separate reservoir so the clean and dirty water never mix.It's $68 and, admittedly, a little unnecessary if you only have a small mirror (which I do) and a bottle of Windex (which I also do), but it's very cool, and that counts for something.

Amazon is one of the biggest retailers in the world, and that can make it quite challenging to shove past the FAQs, user forums, and Reddit threads to actually talk to a human over the phone. As you probably already know from trying to contact someone on Amazon's "Contact Us" page, there is no direct number to call. That's by design. Luckily, there are other quicker ways to get a hold of someone who can listen to your specific issues, which may be helpful to keep in mind as its Black Friday deals roll in. Get a super fast callback from AmazonAmazon doesn't like you calling directly, but that won't stop us. The quickest way is to use this link to enter your number and have them call you right away, but if that doesn't work, try these steps to get Amazon to call you fast:Visit Amazon's Contact Us pageSelect Something ElseSelect I need more helpSay "Request a phone call" from the customer service chatRespond "Yes"Select "Connect with a Customer Service Associate"Say "Request a phone call"Choose "Ok, I'll enter my phone number" and click on the text to proceed to enter your number Credit: Daniel Oropeza A new Amazon window will open up, its "Use our Call Me service." Your number should autofill, but if not, make sure to type the correct one and click "Call me now." I was called in less than three seconds and was talking to a human in less than 10 seconds. As you can see from the screenshot, it takes a couple of tries on the chat to get the machine to give you the option of getting a callback, but that's nothing a little persistence can't fix. Keep in mind Amazon slightly tweaks this process every once in a while and your experience might vary because of many different factors, but the solution is likely to be very similar.