With the holidays around the corner, comes lots of parties. For culinary curious friends or family, offering something delicious displayed with something cool the host can keep is a winner move. Whether you are shopping for someone early on in their culinary adventure or for the person who has every cooking gadget, here are several ideas to inspire your holiday gifting.Sterling Farms White Sturgeon Caviar \\\ $119CHROMA Sculptural Serving Bowl \\\ $199Showing up with caviar never disappoints. For the ultimate statement, add a uniquely distinctive and functionally shaped serving vessel to put the tin of white sturgeon on ice and shingled blinis.Petite Crudit Sampler by The Chefs Garden \\\ $33Patella Crescenda Microgreen Sprouting Kit by House of Thol \\\ $63Sometimes an outfit is all about the accessories. Well, one could say the same about a dish and its garnish. Give the gift of microgreens with a beautiful countertop sprouting kit. And while they wait for their own to grow, some adorable petite crudit will do the trick.Bodum Geo Salt & Pepper Grinder Set $49White Kampot Pepper by Mill Pepper Co. \\\ $24Black Kampot Pepper by Mill Pepper Co. \\\ $20Give the gift of nuance with black and white peppercorns. Sure, they come from the same plant, but as a result of being dried differently, they end up with a different appearance and flavor. Imagine having a chic designer grinder set dedicated to both white and black pepper that can live on the counter. Let the taste tests begin!Wave Pitcher by Sophie Lou Jacobsen \\\ $195Cheeky Syrups \\\ $15 eachFor the person who loves sophisticated cocktails, give a chic glass pitcher with flavored simple syrups to pre-batch bar-quality cocktails at home without making every ingredient from scratch.Omiso Vegan Soup Ball Gift Set \\\ $27Clyde Electric Kettle by Fellow \\\ $125With several cold months ahead, nothing brings comfort quite like a hot bowl of soup. For the person who loves the ease of instant soup but appreciates design and the months-long miso fermentation process.Pure Maple Syrup by Tree Juice \\\ $23OTTO: Modern Turkish Coffee Pot by Goat Story \\\ 55For the person who loves serving up pancakes with warm maple syrup.Ansel Travertine Tray by Nach Vorn \\\ $150Jasper Hill Farms Harbison Cheese from Saxelby \\\ $25Were you given a potluck assignment? This is NOT your cheesy charcuterie board. Serve a delicious creamy bark-wrapped cheese on a Dali-esque melting travertine tray.Desert Plaid Napkin Set of 4 by Block Shop \\\ $70For the person that loves to set a colorful table, you can never go wrong with a new set of novelty napkins or placemats. The textiles from Block Shop are hand block printed by 5th generation master printers in Jaipur. Made from 55% linen and 45% cotton, the soft desert palette with soft pink hem will add an unexpected and sophisticated pop to any holiday table.One-Handed Cake Server by MoMA \\\ $14Maple Cake Stand by Elise McLauchlan \\\ $140Since kitchen storage is so precious, its rare to recommend gadgets that only do one thing. However, for the person who hosts a lot of birthday parties, this Italian cake server is a must have. Paired with the stunningly smooth maple cake stand and youre sure to get invited every time.36 Yakitori Tabletop Charcoal Grill by Bincho Grill \\\ $492All-Natural Binchotan Charcoal Premium Mix Komaru \\\ $108For the outdoor cooking enthusiast, gift an authentic Japanese-style binchotan grill with charcoal for all their grilling needs.Follow along so you dont miss any of our2024 Gift Guidesthis year!This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Texture and color are two elements we strive to capture through words, photos, and videos. Yet, sometimes, an in-person experience is the only way to truly grasp a products potential. Thats exactly what happened when Design Milk visited Roland DGs headquarters. Familiar with the brands reputation for cutting-edge wide-format printing, we arrived expecting innovation but left completely inspired by the endless possibilities this technology offers.Examples of applications using the Dimensor S printer and DG DIMENSE technologyRoland DGA Headquarters in Irvine, CaliforniaAt the heart of our visit was Roland DGs Dimensor S printer and its groundbreaking DIMENSE technology. This powerhouse duo is redefining how we approach surfaces, enabling the creation of elevated textures on artwork, wallcoverings, flooring, and beyond. As Kitt Jones, Business Development and Co-Creation Manager at Roland DGA, aptly put it, When you think about it, everything is a surface. To prove his point, Jones pulled out a cowboy hat yes, a hat printed with DIMENSE technology, earning a round of chuckles from the room.Yes, even a sink is a surface.A surface as small as a the handles of cutlery can be transformed through Roland.But beneath the humor lies a profound truth. When you truly consider Jones words, the possibilities begin to unfold. This technology isnt just about making textured wallpaper; its about redefining the very concept of what a surface can be and transforming that. With this technology, you can turn flat, two-dimensional artwork into tactile, three-dimensional masterpieces. For illustrators and artists, this means unlocking a new realm where exacting colors and layered textures breathe life into their creations.Artwork by Jaime Derringer, founder of Design Milk, gains added depth and dimension when brought to life with the Dimensor S.Israel-based design studio Embo used the Dimensor S printer to craft textured wallcoverings, ceilings, and floor graphics for the Uma Thuma restaurant, making it into a uniquely memorable dining experience.For interior designers, the opportunities are even more exciting. Imagine crafting bespoke wallcoverings for clients who crave something one-of-a-kind. Whether its bold, graphic prints or subtle textures like grasscloth or shiplap paneling, this technology can instantly elevate a space all while saving time and cutting costs compared to traditional methods.Textured metallic ceilings draw the eye upward, inviting guests to take in the restaurants entire ambiance.A flowing graphic on the floor elegantly defines the bar seating area.Concrete becomes a canvas for digitally created designsAnd it doesnt stop there. Texture printing can turn even raw materials into extraordinary focal points. By using digitally printed texture molds created with the Dimensor S, you can turn an unremarkable wall whether indoors or out into a striking, intentional design feature. From backyard patios to commercial facades, the possibilities are limitless.The roll of freshly printed artwork, hot off the pressAn office wall gets a colorful update by EmboUp close texturesRoland DGs gold media adds a layer of dazzling metallic details in this mural by Embo.Our day with Roland DG revealed that the future of printing goes far beyond ink. Its about reimagining surfaces and transforming how we interact with the physical world. While Roland DG showcased the incredible capabilities of the Dimensor S and DIMENSE technology, its the visionaries of the design world artists, designers, and makers who will truly push its boundaries, unlocking its potential to revolutionize how we create and experience spaces.For more on Roland DG, visit rolanddg.com.

You dont need to pay such a big penalty for innovationPhoto by Jack Carter onUnsplashYour teammate rolls across the floor to yourdesk.They patiently wait for you to finish typing. No matter, youre already distracted. You dont work well when you can feel eyes uponyou.You turn to addressthem.A spiel begins: I was working through the requirements for microservice [X]you know, the one that handles API [Y], for feature [Z]. Well, I was in there, and I realized, why dont we just [A], because if we did that, then [B], [C], and if were lucky,[D]Youre not fully following along. Your brain is still trying to hold onto those last few thoughts you had, before you lose them completely and have to retrace your steps to figure out what you were thinking and why andhow. So yeah, that doesnt necessarily take into account [L] or [M], but if we[N]Youre barely holdingon [R] [S][T]Oh never mind. You might as well focus on this new thing. You apologize, say you missed a couple details and the story begins all overagain.And meanwhile, youve lost any stringified attachments to where you were in your brainspace.But then you get into it. Yeah! [A] through [T], that makes a lot of sense, plus [U], [V], and [W]. Lets see what Morgan thinks aboutthis(So much for anyone making progress today! But who doesnt love a shiny newthing?)/sadpandaThat idea might not have even been worth thinking about in the first placeor who knows, maybe its the next big thing thats going to push your startup into unicorntopia.All that you know at this point is it sounded like a decent idea, and it didnt hurt to put a little thought into. (Or didit?)And there it isthe moment that you realized your productivity was killed and your focus was derailed, all for an idea that probably wont matter in two weeks (if not two minutes). But youll do it again tomorrow, because thats what product teams do. We entertain ideas. We explore possibilities. We chase potential.And who can blameus?Well thats what were here to talk about. Take aseat!Good ideas are a dime a dozen. Theyre a lot like [checks metaphor list] potato chips. Everyone loves them, theyre addictively easy to consume, and before you know it, youve eaten the entire bag and feel slightly sick. But unlike potato chips, the consequences of gorging on good ideas last much longer than a bad case of indigestion.This is the idea taxthe hidden cost thats slowly bankrupting your product execution.The seductive dance ofideationWere all guilty of it. That rush of dopamine when we think weve cracked the code on the next big thing. That surge of excitement when we imagine the possibilities.It just feels so good to have goodideas.And thats exactly theproblem.While bad ideas are easy to shoot down (sorry Phil, were not adding a blockchain to our journaling app for cats), good ideas are insidious.They slip past our defenses with a wink and a smile (so flattering!).They sound reasonable.They feel achievable.They come with compelling user stories, undeniable pain points, intriguing solutions, and impressive slides about TAM, CAC, MRR, LTV, POC, MVP, PMF, and (dare I say it)IPO.But what everyone in the room fails to recognize or acknowledge is that every good idea you entertain comes with a tax bill. A very real drain on your very humanteam.The true cost of all thoseideas(Yes, even the good onesin fact, especially those.)Every time your team considers a new idea, youre spending more than just a little time to talk about it. The true expense starts the moment an idea enters your teams orbit (even just near one planetary team member), and you dont stop racking up bills until it gets absorbed into your sun (you build it) or it gets slingshotted back into outer space (you reject it). (Is this metaphor working?Anyway)All ideas, whether you ultimate execute against them or bail somewhere along the way, consume valuable resources. They affect your teams focus, clarity, and execution.Theyre more expensive than is apparent on thesurface.Strategic dilutionEvery good idea you pursue is a vote cast for a particular future. But when youre voting for everything, youre effectively voting for nothingboth because of the truth that if everything is a priority than nothing is, and also because, well, what exactly are you strategically building if youre building everything all atonce?Lets break this down with a realistic product scenario.You start with a clear vision: Were building the best AI sales call analyzer to train reps and level up their pitchgame.Then the good ideas start rollingin:Hey, what if we added real-time coaching duringcalls?You know whatd be cool? AI-generated discovery questions!Our enterprise customers really want pipeline management (or at least, thats what I imagine our enterprise customers would ask for, if we hadany).We should add our own video conferencingreps hate switching platforms.Have we considered adding follow-up email sequences?What about automated pitch deck creation?Wheres the prospect data enrichment?Buyer intent signals! We definitely need to show buying readiness scores!But look what happens to your strategynow youre competing with:GongZoomSalesforceHubSpotZoomInfoand every other tool (even merely tangentially) related to sales enablementAnd nobody knows what makes you specialanymore.Its like being at a restaurant with a 50-page menu. Sure, they can make sushi and pizza and tacos and curry but do you really trust them to do any of itwell?(In full transparency, my wife loves The Cheesecake Factory, but thats neither here northere.)And the truly insidious part? This dilution happens gradually. You dont wake up one morning and decide to completely abandon your strategy. Noit erodes one reasonable decision at atime.Well, were already analyzing pitch performance, so real-time coaching isnt that big a stretchSince were tracking sales conversations, we might as well predict their outcomesEveryone loves tool consolidation because it saves them money, so maybe we should just build our ownCRMAnd on andonBefore you know it, your product strategy resembles a Jackson Pollock paintinglots of activity, but good luck finding the focus. Your simple pitch improvement tool is now yet another all-in-one revenue acceleration platform (whatever thatmeans).Strategy is as much about what you say NO to as what you say YES to. When you try to be everything to everyone, you end up being nothing to anyone. Youre not making strategic choices; youre just accumulating features.Context switchingEvery time your team pivots to explore a new idea, theyre paying a mental toll. Research shows it takes 23 minutes to fully regain focus after a disruption. And in product development, were not just talking about a quick chat by the water cooler (or perhaps more aptly, by the robot barista).Were talkingabout:Engineers mentally unravelling complex technical architectures and keeping it all magically together in their braincachePMs juggling roadmap plans three years out, yesterdays sudden escalation, unrealistic stakeholder expectations, and overall death-by-meetingDesigners deep in user research, user interviews, user personas, user stories, and use casesall in the name of design exploration for a feature that may never see the light ofdayAnd this isnt happening just occasionally (as much as managers may pretend it is). Its happening many times per day, across the entire team, org, andcompany.For some roles, this can indeed be a quick side convo. Not in product development, though. There, each context switch requires rebuilding complicated mental models, understanding intricate system interactions, and maintaining consistent product vision across an ever-growing list of features.Yeah, that 23 minutes doesnt hold water for this team. Say goodbye to any semblance of productivity for the rest of theday.Decision fatigueYour brain has a finite amount of decision-making energy each day. Its like your phone batteryeach choice drains a little more juice, although unlike your phone, theres no quick-charge solution (unless you have time to sneak in a nap between meetings).Every good idea that simply must be discussed demands its fair share of your brainpower:Should we prioritize this now? (And if not now,when?)How does it fit within our strategy? (Or does it just seem to fit because we want itto?)Whats the opportunity cost? (And are we being honest with ourselves about those tradeoffs?)Should we build, buy, or partner? (And do we have bandwidth for any ofthose?)Who should be the owner of this effort? (And do they actually have capacity to take thison?)How will this impact our existing roadmap? (And all the promises weve already made, including last quarters bigideas?)Whats the minimum viable version? (And how are we defining viable in the grand scheme of MLP/MMP/MUP/MSP/MDP/MAP/MTP/etc.?)Before you know it, youre making your most important product decisions with the mental equivalent of 2% batterylife.And the other half of the equation isnt prettyeither.Youre working hard at all this, burning mental calories deciding what to do about that game-changing AI-powered feature to automatically post pictures of users pets to their personal social media pages (the pets pages, not the users) by taking advantage of the blockchain and Dogecoins impending moonshot sorry, where was I? OhyeahMeanwhile, youre not thinkingabout:How to improve your core product experienceWays to reduce customerchurnHow to give your users more Aha!momentsWhy onboarding seems to be taking too long for all newusersThose critical security updates your engineering team has been warning you not toignoreThe growing technical debt thats slowly-but-surely turning your codebase into spaghettiIts like spending all your energy choosing breakfast, and having nothing left for dinner. Except in this case, breakfast was deciding whether to add dark mode to your B2B enterprise software, and dinner was supposed to be figuring out why 10% of your user base left for your competitor lastmonth.Feature BloatEach feature you add is like buying propertyyoure not just paying the upfront cost, youre also signing up for the ongoing maintenance. The work on your residencethats just the cost of business (/living). But the work on your second and third home, vacation lakehouse, and rental propertiesthose are all a bit distracting and expensive so expensive.Youve got to constantly dealwith:Code that needs updatingsecurity vulnerability patches, third-party API changes, performance optimizations, bug fixes,Documentation that needs maintaininguser guides, API documentation, internal wiki knowledge base articles, onboarding docs, release notes,Support tickets that need answeringwhy doesnt this work like it used to?, I cant find the option for, is this a bug or a feature?, a myriad of edge cases you never could have imagined,Training that needs deliveringSales needs new demo scripts, Support requires new troubleshooting steps, Success needs new implementation playbooks, new hires need deeper onboarding, partners need capability briefings,The worst part? This tax increases over time. That simple feature you added two years ago? Its now critical to three of your biggest customers workflows, tightly integrated with five other features, andyou guessed itall that time spent ignoring it hasnt left it in very good shape but at the same time, any minor change requires a full regression testing cycle that makes your QA team break out in coldsweats.Of course, some of those features are worth the extra expenses. But that doesnt mean every brilliant idea is worth pursuing. You need to pick your battles wisely. Theres no such thing as set it and forget it in product development. Everything you build today is a commitment to maintain it tomorrow and the month after that and the year afterthatAn idea tax avoidance strategyDont worry, Im not suggesting you become a product development hermit, rejecting all new ideas at the door. But there are some things you can do to help yourself avoid the very painful costs of all those brilliant ideas.1. Protect your execution timestayfocusedFirst off, you need to make sure that big ideas arent getting in the way of doing good work and delivering customer value. So, create uninterruptible space for your product development team to actually, yknow, develop theproduct:Fix your calendaring woes and block off entire days to give your team time to truly focus purely on executionMake sprints actually sacred instead of allowing them to be blown up all the time (although first youll need to plan thembetter)Discuss ideas during dedicated discussion times (yes, even if thats a meetingbut put those either at the beginning of the day, end of the day, or duringlunch)Create explicit processes and allowances for the handling of emergency ideas (true emergencies are rare, but Im not trying to pretend that they dontexist)Encourage (force?) people to sit on their idea for a hot second (or really, a hot day or week)that gives them time to 1) sleep on it to see if its really that good (many will dissipate into the ether just from thistime saved!), and 2) formalize their thoughts on it (shower thoughts not-so-welcome, they need moremeat)Ideas without execution are just daydreams. And if you dont give your team space to execute, they wont build anythingbig idea or otherwise.2. Assess valueis it worthit?For the ideas that still make it to your desk, make sure theyre fully vetted. Its easy to get all starry-eyed at the prospects of a brighter futureits way more fun that the grind, anywaybut youve got to know the difference between a pipe dream and an honest-to-goodness executable game-changer.What specific problem does this solve for our coreusers?How does this amplify (or dilute) our key differentiators?Whats the true engineering cost?Which strategic opportunities will we sacrifice?Whats the downstream impact on product complexity?How will this affect other teams? And will that be in a good way or a bad way? (This is everyoneSales, Support, Success, Marketing, other Engineering teams, other Product teams, everyone)Ideas are easy; execution is hard. The more rigorous your assessment process, the less likely youll chase mirages. Your products success depends not only on the ideas you accept, but also on the ones youreject.3. Planchanging course every day isnt pivoting, itschaosJust because a decent idea indeed turned out to be a great idea, that doesnt mean you should pivot straight to building it. There are real implications for dropping what youre doing in the middle of doingit.Ruthlessly protect committed workyou committed for a reason, it should be rare to change course in themiddleCreate space for strategic bets (and build in check-in points so you can bow out if its not working out the way youdreamed)Balance core improvements with new capabilitiesyou cant move on all ideas, but you will need to move on some; even if you managed to create a moat, it wont survive forever unless you keep diggingitPlanning isnt about predicting the future, its about preparing for it. Your roadmap needs to be firm enough to execute against, but flexible enough to adapt. The best plans enable focus for today while maintaining optionality for tomorrow.4. Back to the beginningThis isnt really step 4, its back to step1.Now that you know the ideas actually worth pursuing, and have a reasonable and realistic plan to move forward with them, you can utilize all that time you freed up to focus on execution to build the next bigthing.This is the past you giving a gift to the current you. (But also, the current you giving a gift to the future younows not the time to break thecycle!)The cold, hardtruthLook, I get it. Believe me I get it. Saying no (or la la Im not listening while covering your ears) to good ideas feels wrong. It goes against our instincts as product people. Were builders, creators, innovators. Our natural state is to see the art of the possible everywhere welook.But (and this is the big but)your capacity to execute will always be smaller than your capacity to ideate. Always. Its like trying to drink from a fire hoseno matter how thirsty you are, youll only be able to swallow so much atonce.So:Protect the ever-loving heck out of your ability to dodont let big ideas get in the way ofthatBe sure that you want to move forwardthis doesnt mean you have to sign up for everything about everything about the idea (in fact, purposefully dont do that, give yourself outs along the way), but do your due diligence before youbeginMake a game planjust because you decided you will execute doesnt mean you have to start right now (i.e., remember step1)Keep the cyclegoingThe most successful product development teams arent the ones with the most good ideas. Theyre the ones who are ruthlessly efficient at executing on the rightideas.The payoff for skillfully managing your idea tax will be a team that can actually execute, features that actually ship, and a product that actually evolves one deliberate idea at atime.Speaking of good ideas Are you tired of fighting with Jiras UI? I get it. Thats why were building Momentumits Jira on the backend, but with a UX that actually helps you do agile. No migration necessary. Curious? Join the waitlist.The not-so-hidden tax of good ideas was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

From Duolingo, Typeform, Notion, Monzo & moreContinue reading on UX Collective

Laptops are one of the most commonly discounted items on Black Friday, whether you prefer MacBooks, PC laptops, Chromebooks, or gaming machines. But though the big day is a week away, deals are already popping up across Amazon, Best Buy, retailer websites, and more. With prices cuts as hefty as $400 off on laptops packed with top-of-the-line specs and modern hardware, its a good idea to start watching now for a killer price on a machine that hits your sweet spot, even though Thanksgivings turkey dinner is still but twinkle in your eye. Still debating? Check back here as we get closer to the day of, as I'll be making updates as more of the best laptop deals go live.(If youre interested in a new tablet or phone as well, head on over to our best early Black Friday tech deals page for a broader view of all the best discounts you can get right now.)Best Black Friday MacBook Deals Apple 2024 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M3 chip: Built for Apple Intelligence, 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display, 16GB Unified Memory, 256GB SSD Storage, Backlit Keyboard, Touch ID; Starlight $844.00 at Amazon $1,099.00 Save $255.00 Get Deal Get Deal $844.00 at Amazon $1,099.00 Save $255.00 Apple aficionados have plenty to choose from this Black Friday, with deals across the companys entire lineup of in-house M-series chips.Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M3 Chip: $849 at Amazon (was $1,099). This is Apples most recent MacBook Air, complete with the M3 chip, a base 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Thats more than enough for most people.Apple MacBook Air 15-inch with M3 Chip: $1,044 at Amazon (was $1,299). Largely similar to its 13-inch counterpart, this MacBook Air comes with a 15-inch screen, an M3 chip, up to 24GB of memory, and up to 512GB of storage.Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M2 Chip: $749 at Amazon (was $999). If youre OK going with a slightly older model, the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is $100 cheaper than the M3 model right now.Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M1 Chip: $649 at Walmart (was $699). Apples oldest M-series MacBook Air is still a strong workhorse, with an M1 chip, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of storage, although the smaller discount here might not make the compromise worth it.Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M3 Pro Chip: $1,699 at Best Buy (was $1,899). A slightly older model of MacBook Pro, this 14-inch laptop boasts an M3 Pro chip, 18GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD. Its a good compromise between a MacBook Air and a MacBook Pro.Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch with M3 Pro Chip: $1,999 at Best Buy (was $2,399). A screen upgrade on the M3 Pro Macbook Pro (not a typo), this model also has 18GB of memory and a 512GB SSD, but comes with a 16-inch display.Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M4 Chip: $1,399 at Amazon (was $1,499). Apples most recent M4 chip is also on sale for Black Friday, and this MacBook Pro supplements it with a 14-inch display, up to 24GB of memory, and up to 1TB of storage. (Note that a base M4 chip might actually be weaker than an M3 Pro chip, depending on what youre using it for.)Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M4 Pro Chip: $1,749 at Amazon (was $1,999). Or just do away with compromises. If you want a pro-level MacBook with a pro-level chip, this is a great pick. Youll get a 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro chip, 24GB of memory, and up to 1TB of storage.Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch with M4 Pro Chip: $2,199 at Amazon (was $2,499). This 16-inch screen upgrade to the M4 Pro MacBook Pro, with the same chip, up to 48GB of memory, and 512GB of storage.Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch with M4 Max Chip: $2,899 at Amazon (was $3,199). This deal on Apples top-of-the-line MacBook Pro comes with an M4 Max chip, 36GB of memory, and 1TB of storage.Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch with M4 Max chip: $3,199 at Amazon (was $3,499). A screen-size upgrade to the M4 Max MacBook Pro, this deal will net you a 16-inch display, 36GB of memory, and a 1TB SSD.Best Black Friday Windows Laptop Deals Dell - Inspiron 16 2-in-1 Mini-LED Touch Laptop Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor - 32GB Memory 1TB SDD - Intel Arc Graphics - Midnight Blue $999.99 at Best Buy $1,499.99 Save $500.00 Get Deal Get Deal $999.99 at Best Buy $1,499.99 Save $500.00 For those who, like me, grew up with a Windows PC, theres still plenty of deals on the tried-and-true standard this Black Friday, especially for those looking for something that can go toe-to-toe with a MacBook Air.Dell Inspiron 16-inch with Intel Core Ultra 7 Chip: $999 at Best Buy (was $1,499). This Windows laptop comes equipped with a modern Intel Core Ultra 7 chip and a lot of bonuses for the price point, including a convertible Mini-LED touch screen, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.Dell Inspiron 15-inch with AMD Ryzen 7 Chip: $449 at Dell (was $699). This Windows laptop is a respectable mid-ranger, with a Ryzen 7 7730U chip, 16GB of memory, 1TB of storage, and a 15-inch non-touch display.Lenovo Yoga 7 14-inch 2-in-1 with Ryzen 7 chip: $799 at Lenovo (was $1,024). This convertible Windows laptop can flip around to turn into a tablet, and it comes with a respectable AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS chip, a whopping 1TB of storage, 16GB of memory, a 14-inch touchscreen, and even a stylus.Samsung Galaxy Book 4 with Intel Core 7 Chip: $529 at Best Buy (was $899). If you didnt know, Samsung actually makes laptops! This Windows machine comes with a 15-inch display, an Intel Core 7 chip, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of storage.Lenovo ThinkBook 16-inch with Ryzen 4 7430U: $704 at Amazon (was $899). This laptop deal packs a lot of extra goodies for its price point, with a Ryzen 5 7430U CPU, 64GB of RAM, up to 4TB of storage, a Fingerprint Reader, and a copy of Windows 11 Pro.Best Black Friday Gaming Laptop Deals GIGABYTE AORUS 17: 17.3" Thin Bezel QHD 2560x1440 240Hz, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU 8GB GDDR6, Intel Core i7-13700H, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, Win11 Home (AORUS 17 BSF-73US654SH),Black $1,541.93 at Amazon $1,749.00 Save $207.07 Get Deal Get Deal $1,541.93 at Amazon $1,749.00 Save $207.07 More powerful Windows machines tend to be labeled gaming laptops, and this Black Fridays deals in the category dont disappoint either, with options for gamers of almost all budgets.Dell Alienware m16 R2 Gaming Laptop with Intel Core Ultra 9 chip: $1,299 at Dell (was $1,699). This 16-inch gaming laptop from Dell packs a lot for the price, with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, up to 64GB of memory, up to 2TB of storage, and a 16-inch QHD+@240Hz display.Dell Alienware x16 R2 Gaming Laptop with Intel Core Ultra 7 chip: $1,799 at Dell (was $1,799). Another 16-inch laptop from Dell, this deal will get you an Intel Core Ultra 7 chip, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, 16GB of memory, 1TB of storage, and a 16-inch FHD@480Hz display.Gigabyte AORUS 17 Gaming Laptop with Intel Core i9 chip: $1,541 at Amazon (was $1,749). This is a good, if a little old, premium gaming laptop option, with an Intel Core i9-13700H chip, 16GB of memory, 1TB of storage, and a 17-inch QHD@240Hz display.Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gaming Laptop with Intel Core i9 chip: $1,999 at B&H (was $2,649). One of the bigger splurges on this list, this deal will net you a 14th gen Intel Core i9 chip, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, 32GB of memory, 1TB of storage, and a 16-inch QHD+@240Hz display.Lenovo LOQ 15-inch Gaming Laptop with Ryzen 5 chip: $829 at Lenovo (was $908). This is one for gamers on a budget. It packs a modest AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS chip, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of memory, 512GB of storage, and a 15-inch FHD@144Hz display.Dell G16 Gaming Laptop with Intel Core i9 chip: $999 at Dell (was $1,499). An entry level 16-inch Dell laptop, this machine packs an Intel Core i9-13900HX CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of memory, a whopping 1TB of storage for the price point, and a 16-inch QHD+@240Hz display.Acer Nitro V Gaming Laptop with Ryzen 5 chip: $699 at Best Buy (was $949). This is a modest way to get into PC gaming, with an AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS chip, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of memory, 512GB of storage, and a 15-inch FHD@144Hz display.HP Victus Gaming Laptop with Intel Core i7 chip: $799 at Best Buy (was $1,099). A good entry-level Intel machine, this laptop comes with an Intel 12th Gen Core i7 chip, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a 15-inch FHD@144Hz display.Best Black Friday Chromebook Deals Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 $319.99 at Amazon $439.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal Get Deal $319.99 at Amazon $439.99 Save $120.00 Chromebooks can be a great way to get a polished design on a budget, so long as youre ok with doing most of your work in the cloud. Here are some of my favorites discounted for Black Friday.Asus Chromebook Plus CX34: $319 at Amazon (was $439). This Chromebook comes with a few extra AI goodies thanks to its Chromebook Plus status, plus an Intel Core i3-1215U chip, 8GB of memory, 256GB of storage, and a 14-inch FHD display.HP Chromebook x360: $249 at Walmart (was $429). A budget way to get a convertible, this Chromebooks screen can flip around to become a tablet. It has an Intel Processor N100, 4GB of memory, 64GB of storage, and a 14-inch FHS touchscreen.Acer Chromebook Plus 514: $249 at Amazon (was $379). This Chromebook has some extra AI functionality as a Chromebook Plus, as well as an Intel Core i3-N305 chip, 8GB of memory, 128GB of storage, and a 14-inch FHS display.Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3: $239 at Lenovo (was $399). This is a detachable Chromebook, meaning the screen and the keyboard can separate, so you can use the screen as a tablet. It comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 chip, 4GB of memory, 64GB of storage, and an 11-inch 2K touchscreen.Acer Chromebook 516 GE Cloud Gaming Laptop: $449 at Amazon (was $599). This Chromebook is actually intended as a cloud gaming machine, thanks to a high-resolution and high-refresh rate display as well as a snazzy RGB keyboard. It has an Intel Core i5-1240p chip, 16GB of memory, 256GB of storage, and a 16-inch QHD+@120Hz display.Best Black Friday Laptop Deals Under $300 ASUS Vivobook Go 15.6 Laptop, AMD Ryzen 3 7320U, 8GB, 128GB, Windows 11 Home in S Mode, Mixed Black, E1504FA-AS33 $199.99 at Amazon $299.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $199.99 at Amazon $299.99 Save $100.00 Chromebooks can be great for working in the cloud, but not every budget laptop needs to be a Chromebook. Here are some cheaper laptops that still come with Windows installed.Acer Aspire Go 14: $279 at Acer (was $349). This laptop is a good cheap pick, and should be good for people whose work depends mostly on the cloud. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 3 7320U CPU, 128GB of storage, 8GB of memory, a 14-inch screen, and Windows 11 in S Mode. Note that S Mode laptops can only use apps from the Microsoft Store by default, although this can be changed later.Lenovo Ideapad 1: $299 at Best Buy (was $579). This is a great way to get a touchscreen at a low price, and itll net you a 15-inch display, a Ryzen 5 7520U chip, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of storage.Asus Vivobook Go: $199 at Amazon (was $299). This laptop is among the cheapest ways to get Windows on this list, with a Ryzen 3 7320U chip, 8GB of memory, 128GB of storage, and a 15-inch display.Asus Vivobook 14-inch: $219 at Best Buy (was $429). For a slightly smaller budget laptop, this Vivobook is a good pick. It has a 14-inch display, an Intel 12th Generation Core i3 chip, 8GB of memory, and 128GB of storage.

I loved the original PlayStation VR. I picked one up during the peak of the pandemic (my first foray into VR gaming), and I was blown away. Instead of spending my nights inside my apartment's small living room, I was walking through villages in Skyrim, exploring planets in No Man's Sky, and platforming through creative terrains in Astro Bot Rescue Mission.I was such a fan of the original that I argued it was a better VR headset buy in 2021 than an Oculus Questa stance many VR fans vehemently disagreed with. Three years later, however, the OG PS VR's drawbacks are more pronounced than ever: The OLED display is lower resolution than modern headsets (960x1080), and the headset requires a complicated array of devices and cables (including a camera) to set up. (To that point, I haven't set up the headset since my last move.) But more than that, the controllers are simply not VR controllers: While VR headsets have had finger-tracking controllers with joysticks for years, PS VR simply used the same Move controllers that have been available since the PS3.The PS VR2, however, released in February of 2023, addresses these issues: The OLED HDR display is much higher resolution (2000x2040), quadrupling the megapixels per eye compared to the original; there's some passthrough here, so you can actually see your immediate surroundings without having to take the headset off; the tracking is better, despite requiring no outside camera or peripherals; and the controllers are honest-to-goodness VR controllers, complete with finger tracking and joy sticks. And if you get tired of Sony's VR games, you can connect the PS VR2 to your PC, as if it were any other VR headset. PlayStation VR2 Headset With 'Horizon Call of The Mountain' $349.00 at Amazon $599.99 Save $250.99 Get Deal Get Deal $349.00 at Amazon $599.99 Save $250.99 Sony's second-gen PlayStation VR still wasn't perfect: Besides having a smaller library than some other VR headsets, the PS VR2 was and is expensive, retailing for $549.99. When you consider that you also need a PS5 in order to run this thing (it's not compatible with any PS4 console), it's a pricey setup indeed. That's why I haven't bought one yet, even if its plug-and-play approach would make getting back into VR easy.But you've read the headline: It's Black Friday season, and the PS VR2 is on sale. Sony announced a series of PlayStation Black Friday deals on Wednesday, running from Nov. 22 through Dec. 2. As part of that announcement, Sony revealed PS VR2 will be discounted as much as 40%.The math is a bit off, since you can actually snag a PS VR2 at 42% off: Right now, you can get the Horizon Call of The Mountain PS VR2 bundle for $349, down from $599.99. The standalone PS VR2 (no game included) is also $349, down from $549.99. All things considered, you're better off getting the Horizon bundle, since the prices are identical. That said, people are likely going to think similarly, so this bundle could sell quicker than the headset-only offer. I've seen the bundle unavailable once earlier today, but it's back right now, so act fast if you want one. The Best Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 64GB Wi-Fi 11" Tablet $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) $21.99 (List Price $49.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Security Camera (3-Pack) $99.99 (List Price $259.99) Dell Inspiron 15 3535 Ryzen 7 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Laptop $449.99 (List Price $699.99) Seagate Portable 4TB External USB 3.0 Hard Drive $99.90 (List Price $124.99) Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones $199.00 (List Price $349.00) Deals are selected by our commerce team

Remember in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic when live audio was suddenly everywhere? The trend was made popular by the briefly viral phenomenon Clubhouse before seemingly every other online platform copied the feature for themselves.Since then, live audio has become mostly a footnote to a weird time when we were all stuck at home at the same time with nothing to do and listening to hours-long streams of strangers talking to each other passed as entertainment. Now LinkedIn, which was somewhat late to the live audio party in 2022, has opted to get rid of its standalone live audio events.In an update, the company says it will no longer support native audio events beginning next month. Users will stop being able to create new events as of December 2, and previously scheduled events will no longer work after December 31. Instead, the company is bringing together audio events with its live-streaming feature, LinkedIn Live. LinkedIn Live, however, requires creators to use third-party tools to set up streams. So while audio-only streams will still be able to exist on LinkedIn, they will take a few extra steps.LinkedIn isnt the only company to change course on live audio. Reddit, Facebook, Spotify and Amazon have all shuttered their pandemic-era live audio products.Even Clubhouse (which, yes, still exists) pivoted away from the format last year. The feature is, however going strong on X despite a few high-profile technical issues.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/linkedin-is-killing-the-standalone-live-audio-feature-you-probably-forgot-about-232705727.html?src=rss

Amazon is doubling its investment in Anthropic. The e-commerce giant will provide Anthropic with an additional $4 billion in funding on top of the $4 billion it committed last year. Although Amazon remains a minority investor, Anthropic has agreed to make Amazon Web Services (AWS) its primary cloud and training partner.Before todays announcement, The Information had reportedthat Amazon wanted to make any additional funding contingent on a commitment from Anthropic to use the companys in-house AI chips instead of silicon from NVIDIA. It appears Amazon got its way, with both companies noting in separate press releases that Anthropic will use AWS Trainium and Inferentia chips to train future foundation models.Additionally, Anthropic says it will collaborate with Amazons Annapurna Labs to develop future Trainium accelerators. Through deep technical collaboration, were writing low-level kernels that allow us to directly interface with the Trainium silicon, and contributing to the AWS Neuron software stack to strengthen Trainium, the company said. Our engineers work closely with Annapurnas chip design team to extract maximum computational efficiency from the hardware, which we plan to leverage to train our most advanced foundation models.According to another recent report, Anthropic expects to burn through more than $2.7 billion before the end. Before today, the company had raised $9.7 billion. Either way, its bought itself some much-needed runway as it looks to compete against OpenAI and other companies in the AI space.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-will-use-aws-ai-chips-after-4-billion-amazon-investment-222053145.html?src=rss

Epic Games just released RealityCapture 1.5. It's a major update to the photogrammetry app, adding USD export for VFX work, texture defragmentation for games, and better export to NeRF and 3DGS tools.https://www.cgchannel.com/2024/11/epic-games-releases-realitycapture-1-5/

FaceTracker for Blender is out. The stable release of KeenTools' much-anticipated facial mocap plugin also adds support for animation retargeting, making it possible to transfer an actor's performance to a 3D character with different facial proportions.https://www.cgchannel.com/2024/11/keentools-releases-facetracker-for-blender/